Chapter 88 (Combined Chapter)
Zheng Ge'er was still a child, so most of the gifts people gave him were a few colors of needles and thread or small toys. Miao Zhen was surprised that Qin Ying next door had also given him two pairs of shoes. Her embroidery skills were no less than Luo Shi's.
"She didn't even know Zhengge'er's birthday, so where did she send it from?" Miaozhen was still very curious.
Bitao said, "I saw her ask the boy's wet nurse, and she should have gotten the shoe pattern from there to rush to make them."
The servants often exchanged information, and Miaozhen couldn't help but ask, "I'm too busy these days to go next door much. By the way, how are Aunt Qin and Sixth Madam getting along?"
Before Bitao could speak, Hongxing, who was standing to the side, said, "In my opinion, Aunt Qin is very respectful to Sixth Madam."
Conversely, this means that Lou Qiongyu might have a problem with Qin Ying, Miaozhen thought to herself.
Although she wasn't particularly interested in the six wives and concubines, living together in the same house meant it was always good to know each other. Naturally, this competition among the wives and concubines also served as a warning to Miaozhen: never be too hasty or act rashly in anything you do.
What might have been a simple book-giving relationship between Xiao Jingtang and Qin Ying escalated after Mrs. Lou came to their door, turning a previously harmless situation into a serious one.
They brought a concubine into the house out of nowhere, under the guise of a gift from the old lady. If she gives birth to a child, they will inevitably have to compete for power.
It's true that wives and concubines are different, but a difficult concubine can be just as hard to deal with.
The next day, Lady Chao invited everyone to the main house to listen to a Buddhist ceremony. As the Queen Mother of the West had called for a group gathering, no one dared to refuse. Miaozhen was also quite grateful for Lady Chao's handling of the Liu family matter, so she came over early in the morning.
Seeing that everyone responded enthusiastically, Madam Chao was very pleased.
When Miaozhen arrived, Xia Xianjie was in front of Madam Chao, saying, "Madam, the sesame oil and rice are ready."
“Well, after the nuns finish speaking, have someone deliver it to them,” said Madam Chao.
Xia Xianjie glanced at Miaozhen, then hurriedly left.
The Buddhist gathering was quite boring. After listening to the stories of the Buddha, Miaozhen could finally relax and take a break. However, after most of the day had passed, the Ren, Chao, and even Rao families became more interested. Miaozhen didn't want to leave, so she took the opportunity to change her clothes and went outside for a walk.
It was quite a coincidence that I ran into Sister Xia Xian. Sister Xia Xian greeted me and said, "Fourth sister-in-law, are you getting a little bored inside? Why don't you sit outside for a while?"
If Miaozhen had said the word "boring," it would probably have reached Chao's ears immediately. She just smiled and said, "I just came out to change my clothes, everything else is fine."
Xia Xianjie used to be very jealous of Miaozhen, and even targeted her. But gradually, Miaozhen reached a level that Xia Xianjie could not reach. Moreover, Miaozhen was cunning and ruthless, and Xia Xianjie was no ordinary person. Xia Xianjie became somewhat wary of her.
Seeing that she wasn't falling for it at all, Sister Xia could only laugh and leave.
Coming in from outside, Miaozhen flipped through the books she had brought, treating it as a pastime. Fortunately, by the afternoon, the main house had prepared a meal, which satisfied Miaozhen's hunger, and she felt much better.
When Madam Ren heard Miaozhen say that she had been hungry for a long time, she couldn't help but laugh. On the way back, she stroked Miaozhen's hand and said, "I still have a plate of jade cake. You never like anything too sweet. I'll have someone bring it over."
Miaozhen laughed and said, "I was just joking, you're really going to give it to me?"
"Of course I'm sending it. Do you think I'm just trying to fool you?" Mrs. Ren simply smiled.
Han Yueyao wasn't jealous of their behavior, because she knew Xiao Jingshi would be reinstated sooner or later. This absence would last for several years, so it was understandable that her mother-in-law might be a little biased. Frankly, it was precisely because her fourth brother was an official that the second branch of the family no longer needed to rely on the third branch, saving the family a considerable amount of money each year.
Lou Qiongyu, however, was thinking about how good her mother-in-law and fourth sister-in-law had become. Last time, there was the matter of her eldest aunt wanting to get married. That eldest aunt was truly like water spilled out after a daughter is married.
However, Miaozhen simply felt that harmony was always better than confrontation.
Back in her room, Xiao Jingshi was brewing tea and waiting for her. "This is the finest pre-Qingming tea. Please try it."
Miaozhen sat down, took a sip, and couldn't help but squint her eyes: "Your tea brewing is getting better and better."
Xiao Jingshi just smiled.
Miaozhen had water prepared again, and she washed her hair. She felt uncomfortable all day because she was covered in incense ash. When she came out, Xiao Jingshi was still waiting for her, as if he had something to say.
"What's wrong? Did something happen today?"
Xiao Jingshi shook his head: "It's nothing, I just missed you."
“Nonsense, I’m here every day, what is there to think about?” Miaozhen laughed.
Xiao Jingshi sighed: "A colleague in the Ministry of Personnel with whom I have a good relationship secretly wrote to me, saying that the Ministry wants to send me to Fujian. You know, there are Japanese pirates causing trouble in Fujian now. I think it would be better to leave you all at home than to come with me there."
He encountered fighting during his last inspection tour of Xuanfu and Datong, and now there is also Japanese pirate trouble in Fujian. Even if he doesn't want to be separated from his wife and children, he wouldn't act so recklessly.
Miaozhen shook her head: "During the Song Dynasty, Fujian Province produced many talented people who passed the imperial examinations. I definitely want to go to such a place."
"Zhenzhen, listen to me." Xiao Jingshi held her shoulders, clearly disapproving.
Miaozhen smiled and said, "Actually, this Japanese pirate raids happen along the southeast coast, and we're mostly in the city, so it's not a big deal. Besides, I know medicine, and I trust you'll take good care of us."
Xiao Jingshi secretly hoped that his wife would be with him, but he refused because of what happened in Fujian.
Just as Miaozhen was thinking that it would be bad if she became a burden to Xiao Jingshi, she saw Xiao Jingshi say, "Wife, I will protect you."
These words made Miaozhen unable to suppress her laughter, and she slapped him a few times: "You really are a devilish star, you've even learned to act so pretentiously."
Since Xiao Jingshi's official position was coming soon, Miaozhen secretly packed her bags and went back to tell Xu Erpeng and his wife a few words. Xu Erpeng also thought it was a good idea: "Since ancient times, even relatives have not visited each other for three years. They are not close even if they are relatives, let alone husband and wife."
"It's not that I'm worried about that, it's just that the place he's going to is risky, so I won't go. That would be too heartless." Miaozhen always felt that husband and wife should share joys and sorrows. She had enjoyed the glory that Xiao Jingshi brought her, and now that there were some difficulties, she would back down. That would not only make her a bad husband and wife, but also a bad person.
Xu Erpeng nodded: "What you said makes sense. Besides, there are so many officials in Fujian, not all of them were harmed. But what kind of official position is the son-in-law promised?"
Miaozhen shook her head: "He never told me the specifics; I only heard rumors about it."
"In that case, you should pack your luggage in advance to avoid being caught off guard," Xu Erpeng said.
Miaozhen then had Xiaoxi bring over the dividends from the past few years, totaling about a thousand taels of silver. In addition, there were shops in the capital. Since Miaozhen did not plan to return, she would have to withdraw her investment, so all of this needed to be prepared in advance.
Wei Wan, who lived in Nanjing, sent over two thousand taels of silver after receiving Miao Zhen's letter. Miao Zhen had already received one thousand taels as a bonus, and the letter only asked Wei Wan to return one thousand taels, but she returned two thousand taels instead. The letter naturally advised her to accept the money, and also mentioned that her shops were fortunate to have been taken care of by Xiao Jingshi.
Miaozhen never accepted anything without merit, so she discussed with Xiao Jingshi what to send over. Xiao Jingshi said, "If we return the money, it's just a small amount, and people will think we're trying to distance ourselves. I think you should reply and just accept the favor."
"No, I can't take advantage of her." Miaozhen always believed that even close brothers should keep clear accounts.
Xiao Jingshi was quite wealthy, so he naturally didn't care about the money and could return it at any time. He had no intention of taking advantage of others. But Miaozhen was different and didn't want to do that.
Xiao Jingshi now respected her idea, so the two of them took out a thousand taels of silver notes and entrusted someone to send them to Nanjing.
She was busy with her own affairs and hadn't paid attention for a moment. When Xiao Xi came over and mentioned that Xiao Jingtang was going to the Southern Prison, Miao Zhen slapped her forehead: "I really forgot about that. Is there any trouble with Sixth Grandmother?"
"What's done is done, there's no use in her making a fuss. The family has just sent Aunt Qin to take care of him," Xiao Xi said.
Miaozhen opened her mouth, unsure of what to say: "Whose idea was this?"
"Grandma, it's nothing. The Lou family is just a minor official family now. Do you think we should be beholden to them? Sixth Master needs someone to take care of him. It's better for him to have a proper concubine than to be seduced by someone else." Xiao Xi understood this principle.
Miaozhen thought that this matter was simply because the Xiao family was unwilling to give the Lou family face. It was said that the Second Master Xiao had some mistresses outside, but he never brought them home, and there weren't even any illegitimate children in the family. It was clear that he valued Ren Shi very much, but Madam Lou rushed over and yelled at Ren Shi, so the Second Master Xiao must be angry.
Although Lady Ren was not a particularly intelligent person, nor as capable as Lady Chao, she was indeed a kind person.
Since Master Xiao Er stood up for his wife, even Xiao Jingshi and his sons couldn't say anything, let alone Miaozhen and her daughters-in-law.
As Haitangxuan was packing, Lou Qiongyu saw the busy activity in the side room and rushed in. Fangyun was holding her breath. Her grandmother hadn't given much thought to her two dowry maids back then, and now they'd been taken over by someone else. Qin Ying had only been here a few days, but she was already quite careless, and many people in the courtyard had been won over by her.
But all Sixth Grandma did was complain and blame others, without taking any action.
They were both maids, but the young lady from the neighboring Furongwu family managed all the affairs of the fourth household. She was quite the imposing head maid, and her page was handsome and capable. The couple lived in three rooms on the outskirts of Dingxiang Lane, with maids serving them. People couldn't help but envy them.
Lou Qiongyu was probably aware of the servants' complaints, but she was already at a loss.
Her two sisters-in-law pretended to be deaf and dumb. She wasn't rich or powerful either, so she could only endure it for the time being.
Xiao Jingtang, however, was quite pleased with himself. Even if he went to Jinling, a first-class prosperous city, the Xiao family had a mansion there. If he studied for a few more years, he could be assigned an official position in the future. His cousin and older brother were both officials, so it would be best for him to be a minor official. If he didn't want to be an official, he could enjoy the family's wealth endlessly. What was wrong with that?
He didn't want to see Lou Qiongyu's bitter face either. To put it bluntly, didn't she also go to great lengths to marry into this family back then? After marrying in, all she did was make him work hard. Her family relied on him, did she think she could turn the tables?
The truth is that Xiao Jingtang now has more choices. He used to pride himself on not being a womanizer, and with his parents' supervision, he couldn't openly take a concubine. Now that he has Qin Ying as an option, he will naturally make comparisons.
Because Xiao Jingtang was going to Nanjing, Xiao Jingshi directly asked him to deliver the money to Wei Wan. Xiao Jingtang hurriedly accepted it and then asked Miaozhen, "I have always had a problem with nasal congestion. Every year, my sister-in-law helps me with treatment, and that's how I get better. Could you please rewrite the previous prescription for me?"
“That’s easy, but you can’t just follow the prescription exactly. You still need to see a doctor. To put it simply, this illness is a lung disease.” Miaozhen said, then opened the box and took out the prescription.
These minor ailments are the hardest to cure completely. It's best to have a doctor at home. Xiao Jingtang's illness was also treated by Miaozhen. Of course, she only came when Xiao Jingshi was around.
Xiao Jingtang accepted it with a smile, and the next day he took Qin Ying out with him.
Xiao Jingshi went out to visit friends. He was a wild horse, and Miaozhen only told him to be careful and didn't say anything else.
Two days after Xiao Jingshi left, Madam Ren asked Miaozhen, "Where did Shi-ge'er go?"
“I heard it’s an old friend of his, but I don’t know who it is,” Miaozhen said with a smile.
As the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law were talking, they saw that Madam Chao was inviting them over. Madam Ren immediately led her three daughters-in-law over, and Madam Chao couldn't help but say, "What should we do? Hu's daughter-in-law has already gone."
Upon hearing this, Madam Ren was also greatly shocked: "She was only in her thirties, how could she have passed away so quickly?"
Miaozhen asked, "Who is this Brother Hu's daughter-in-law?"
Madam Chao explained, “No wonder you don’t know. This Hu’er is a scholar from our clan. It was your maternal aunt who arranged this marriage. Hu’er’s wife’s family is salt merchants in Yangzhou Prefecture. They are truly like bodhisattvas. Unfortunately, there is no one left in her family. Now they only have a little boy left.”
Because Han Yueyao married into the family early and knew the Xiao family well, she knew that the second branch of the family had also been helped by Madam Hu to make a fortune. Otherwise, how could the tea business have been so successful?
She just didn't understand and asked, "Isn't Brother Hu still here?"
Madam Chao gave a cryptic look: "If he were a good person, I wouldn't be saying all this. He already had a tendency to favor his concubine over his wife. The whole family ate and drank at the other person's expense, but as soon as the other person passed away, they started bullying the other person's son."
Everyone was indignant upon hearing this. The Ren family and the Zou family had a very good relationship. The Zou family was originally their preferred choice for the eldest daughter-in-law, but after Han Yueyao married into the family, the matter was dropped, and the Zou family was married off to a scholar in the clan.
It was a well-intentioned act. The family had an only son, and although they weren't wealthy, they were doing alright. He was honest and hardworking. Little did they know that he would repeatedly fail the imperial examinations and start having affairs.
Madam Chao was a capable person. She said, "Now that our master and Jingtian have passed away, we must go to the seventh day memorial service. At that time, Shi-ge's wife, please help check on the child's health."
"Just give the order, Auntie." Miaozhen didn't seem to mind.
She looked at Han Yueyao and Xia Xianjie and said, "You two help to scare off that unruly concubine and maid, and even Huge'er's mother... never mind, I'll talk to her there."
Such a matter should normally be addressed to the third branch of the family, but the third branch has been away from home for a long time. Not only are they not close to each other, but apart from her good family background, Madam Rao doesn't get along well with everyone. Even though everyone knows that the Rao family is not what it used to be, they still have to put on airs, and no one wants to put up with that.
Chao then discussed with Ren: "I have already discussed it with our master. No one but Zou’s son can touch a single penny of her dowry. We can’t let Hu’er squander Zou’s dowry."
Xia Xianjie was also an orphan, but she lost her parents after she got married, and she still had her husband to support her. Even so, she was still taken advantage of by her cousin, so she was naturally eager to fight back this time.
Now that Xia Xianjie has a son, her husband is doing relatively well and doesn't cause as much trouble as before. Even regarding Lou Qiongyu's matter, she feels that Lou Qiongyu was the one who started it, and she was just retaliating.
Now, under the guidance of the Chao family, she pays close attention to clan affairs and is remarkably impartial.
She also suggested many feasible methods, and Miaozhen listened and said, "Sister-in-law's idea is quite good."
Under Chao's leadership, everyone performed their duties. Miaozhen first went to see the child left behind by Zou. The child was not only emaciated but also had a persistent cough. She took Fu'er with her to take care of him and asked Zhao'er to comfort him so that the child would feel better.
As Fu Jie'er grew older, she became more discerning and secretly told Miao Zhen, "I just saw that Ting Ge'er's wet nurse was slacking off, and we were the ones who were making the medicine ourselves."
“This is what happens when you don’t have a mother’s protection. If your father were willing to take care of you a little, it would be fine, but look at your Uncle Hu, besides this legitimate son, he has several illegitimate sons, some of whom are born to his beloved concubines. These people all rely on Aunt Hu’s dowry to live on, so why would they care about this child right now?” Miaozhen could see clearly that when Lin Xiaoxiao’s father sold off the land, he asked his daughter to take all the money with him on his deathbed.
Fu Jie'er didn't understand: "Madam Hu is so capable, how come Master Hu has taken so many concubines?"
"I inquired privately and heard that Madam Hu had been married for over ten years without conceiving, which is why her husband took a concubine. Never mind, let's not talk about it anymore. When I'm out, you and your brother must take good care of your cousin, understand? Don't be playful." Miaozhen solemnly said to her daughter.
Chao was the matriarch of the clan and had always been known for her fairness within the clan. However, she wanted to seal up Zou's dowry and give it to Zou's son when he grew up, which greatly displeased Xiao Jinghu's family.
Miaozhen also whispered to Madam Chao, "They're so easily driven to desperation. If they kill Ting-ge'er to get this property, Auntie, you meant well, but wouldn't that make Ting-ge'er the target of everyone's anger? It's not appropriate for a child to be carrying a gold ingot in the bustling city."
"That's true." Madam Chao hadn't expected this.
However, Grandma Hu's child is really pitiful. He stays at home, is young, and is very weak. He probably won't get any good treatment.
Chao was very strong in combat. However, after a short while, she claimed that the child's illness was caused by Master Hu's poor care, so she wanted to take the child away and let Miaozhen help to treat him. As for the dowry, she agreed to give a portion to Master Hu and his illegitimate sons, since the illegitimate sons were nominally Zou's children as well.
Master Hu disagreed, and Madam Chao scolded him for trying to embezzle his wife's dowry, saying that he would bring shame to the Xiao family.
As for the dowry, the members of their clan do not concern themselves with it; they seek out a fair person within the clan to manage it.
The person chosen was Miaozhen. Miaozhen didn't know why Madam Chao trusted her so much, but she hesitated and said, "It's not that my nephew's wife doesn't want to help. Our Fourth Master has just been reinstated. Although the transfer order hasn't been issued yet, I'm afraid I'll have to go with him to another post once it is. Ting-ge'er is currently in poor health. I can help take care of him, but I'm afraid I won't be able to manage the finances."
Although Master Xiao complained a bit about Jing Shi's wife being foolish, he knew her character. Their second branch of the family already had a large enough business. Although he was willing to do so, he was also afraid that people would say he was misappropriating the children's money, so he gave up on the idea.
Madam Chao said, "As the saying goes, one should not trouble two masters with one matter. Since you are taking care of Ting-ge'er, his illness will probably take three to five years to get better. In that case, you can also help her as a housekeeper."
Miaozhen was about to decline, but Ren accepted on her behalf. The clan recalculated Zou's dowry, listing the portion reserved for Tingge'er separately. One portion was given to Miaozhen, one to Xiao Jinghu's family, one to the clan branch, and one to the government.
Miao Zhen was somewhat bewildered when she suddenly took over such a large sum of money. Xiao Jingshi only found out about it after Miao Zhen returned.
He couldn't help but ask, "Where does Brother Hu's son live?"
“I’ve settled him with Zhao Ge’er. It’s much more spacious there, and Zhao Ge’er can keep him company. I only need to check on him once in the morning and once in the evening,” Miao Zhen said.
Seeing her so troubled, Xiao Jingshi couldn't help but ask, "Do you think this is more difficult than practicing medicine?"
Miaozhen nodded emphatically: "Yes."
Xiao Jingshi smiled and said, "Then I'll teach you."
“That would be wonderful. From now on, I will not call you husband, but teacher. How about that?” Miaozhen teased.
Xiao Jingshi, of course, took on the task of serving his wife when she was busy, and then instructed her, "You can have your aunt's people manage these estates of the Zou family, and as for the shops, let my father and elder brother take care of them, they are getting old."
Miaozhen laughed upon hearing this: "That's very good."
She was truly relieved. Needless to say, her aunt was a good person, and her father-in-law and his family would never let their son and daughter-in-law's reputation be ruined for the sake of these few shops. It really solved a big problem.
Ting-ge'er is seven years old now, and he will be almost ten years old after the mourning period ends. He will be a teenager. Madam Chao has already agreed to send him to the Chao clan school. He will live in the ancestral hall on weekdays, so his family will not be able to harm him even if they want to.
Everyone has been busy with these matters these days. When Xu Erpeng and Madam Mei came to visit and heard about it, they praised the Xiao family members, saying, "This is what you call harmony. No wonder the Xiao family has produced so many talented people lately."
“My aunt is fair and just, and everyone in the clan respects her. I don’t know anything else, but I have this medical skill, so I’m just helping out,” Miaozhen said.
Xu Erpeng waved his hand: "Don't belittle yourself. Isn't your third branch of the family also a titled lady? Why don't you go to her? It shows that right and wrong are clear to everyone. You never charge for consultations or medicine when you give medicine to your clansmen, and you have compassion for the poor and weak. Your aunt is also fair and just. That's also a good thing about you."
"Well, I was thinking that this child is only a year or two older than Zheng-ge, so we can have them start their education together and have a companion," Miao-zhen said.
Lou Qiongyu mentioned this matter when she returned to her parents' home. Now that Mrs. Lou is unable to come over, Lou Qiongyu has no choice but to return to her parents' home.
Mrs. Lou said, "Your fourth sister-in-law is usually the best at flattering people, all sweet talk and daggers. Now she's getting all the benefits. You should be the one managing things at home."
"Fourth Sister-in-law wouldn't be greedy for these things." Lou Qiongyu was just a little depressed.
After saying that, she added, "Besides, it's been several months, and Fourth Brother's transfer order still hasn't come down."
Mrs. Lou curled her lip: "How can a daughter who donated her way into a prestigious position compare to the daughters of officials? It's like comparing a crow to a phoenix. The Xiao family has mistaken a fish eye for a pearl."
“Mother…” Lou Qiongyu knew that her mother was helping her vent her anger, and that her mother was also upset.
But now that the die is cast, she is determined to raise her son well, just to prove herself and avoid becoming a laughingstock.
Just then, a servant from the Xiao family came over and said, "Sixth Madam, Fourth Master's assignment has come down. Second Madam has prepared a feast and wants you all to go back and have some fun."
Lou Qiongyu couldn't help but ask, "What official position does it hold?"
"I heard he's some kind of Assistant Provincial Judicial Commissioner of Fujian," the man said.
Lou Qiongyu was very knowledgeable about official positions. Normally, when a person in charge of one of the Six Ministries was transferred to a post outside the capital, he should start as a prefectural assistant prefect and then become a full-fledged official. So how come his fourth brother and third brother are now both in the fifth rank?
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