The next day, Xu Wen was being helped by Qiu Ling to wash and dress when Qiu Ming hurried in and whispered, "Madam, the second master's new concubine was sold off early yesterday morning."
Qiu Ling inserted the last jade hairpin into Xu Wen's hair before speaking slowly, "Why are you in such a hurry? It's just a toy. Is it worth rushing over to bother Madam?"
Xu Wen had been staring at the carved bronze mirror in silence. She turned, helped Qiu Ling to her feet, and walked toward the side room. Qiu Ming followed them, and when Xu Wen sat down for breakfast, she hurried forward to serve her. The food on the table was simple, but it was all her favorite Jinling snacks: chicken soup wontons, osmanthus glutinous rice dumplings, candied lotus root, small flower rolls, and a few side dishes.
It wasn't until Xu Wen finished her meal and rinsed her mouth and sat back in the hall that Qiu Ling asked, "What happened to the Second Master? Please explain it in detail."
Qiu Ming took two steps closer and replied, "Madam, yesterday afternoon, the new concubine, Jiang, was said to be a thin horse from Yangzhou presented by a wealthy merchant. She has a charming demeanor and a face as beautiful as a peach or plum. As soon as the Second Master returned home last night, he went looking for Jiang. I heard that a scene broke out in the middle of the night. The Second Master, who is usually so calm, actually scolded Jiang repeatedly. Before dawn, the Second Master left the courtyard and had the housekeeper give Jiang a mute potion and sell her off."
After hearing this, Qiu Ling asked again, "Do you know how Jiang Shi offended the Second Master?"
Qiu Ming recalled for a moment and said, "I only heard the Second Master angrily scold Jiang for being dissolute. Could it be that Jiang is unclean?"
Xu Wen and Qiu Ling exchanged glances and both understood. Qiu Ling asked Qiu Ming to leave, then whispered to Xu Wen, "Miss, look..."
Xu Wen ordered, "Go find the housekeeper and tell him not to sell Jiang to the dirty land, but to compensate her with an honest man to live with."
Qiu Ling took the order and stepped back. Then the wet nurse brought Shu'er in, and Xu Wen taught her son to read and write.
Seeing Sheng Huairen's incompetence, Jiang Shi probably tried her own methods, but they still failed. Sheng Huairen's weakness was discovered, and he became enraged and wanted to punish him harshly. Xu Wen assisted Jiang Shi, not because Jiang Huairen's incompetence had anything to do with her, but because, as a woman, she simply couldn't bear to watch someone sell him off to a filthy place. Empress Jing'an once said that the worst thing a woman could do was to humiliate another woman with a stigma, and Xu Wen agreed.
After waking up from a nap, Shu'er was taken to the study by her nurse for initial instruction. Xu Wen flipped through the account books to check the income from the farm and the official accounts. Mother Cui returned from a visit and brought some local specialties. Xu Wen accepted them, chatted with Mother Cui for a moment, and then waved her off to come back tomorrow to work.
After all, Qiu Ling is younger and has never been married, so she is not in a position to speak out on some issues. Now that Mother Cui is back, Xu Wen feels relieved.
At daybreak, Aunt Hong and her group arrived at the main courtyard to pay their respects. Mother Cui didn't let them in, so they stood in the courtyard waiting until the hour had passed. Only after Xu Wen had finished her breakfast did she slowly enter the flower hall.
After taking their seats, Xu Wen glanced at Aunt Hong. "Wow, she's gained three pounds of fat!" Her face, once a melon seed, has become oval, and judging by her current shape, it's expected to become an apple in less than a month. The two teeth she lost last time—one in the upper front teeth, the other in the lower—are a bit funny.
The girls bowed respectfully and Xu Wen did not make things difficult for them. Mother Cui just gave them a warning.
Seeing that no one else spoke, Aunt Lan volunteered, "Madam, the new concubine was sold off yesterday. Did she break some taboo?"
Xu Wen looked up and stopped Madam Cui from speaking, and said calmly, "Why don't Aunt Lan ask the Second Master about this matter?"
Aunt Lan said anxiously, "I dare not."
Xu Wen looked around at everyone in the hall, and others also said, "I dare not."
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