Chapter 78 Severing Ties A little later, Master Sun returned, reeking of alcohol...
Later, Mr. Sun returned home, reeking of alcohol. As soon as he opened the door, he sniffed the aroma filling the house and exclaimed in surprise, "What vegetables did you buy today? They smell so good!"
"How much will that cost?"
Why won't you listen to what I'm telling you?
“Our family is poor, so we must save the money. Once I get a government position and become a proper official, you can eat whatever you want. Cai’er and Lan’er will also have a better future.”
While complaining, Mr. Sun took off his outer robe and casually tossed it onto the stool. He sat down at the table and told Huang to bring him the food first, and then to boil some water for washing his feet: "I've been running around all day, I'm exhausted."
In the past, Huang had listened to his words and worked at home every day, giving him all the copper coins she had saved, hoping that Mr. Sun could find a way to climb the social ladder.
But today, Huang felt as if she had been struck by lightning, and she had never been so clear-headed. She glanced at Master Sun, who was wearing a silk robe made a few months ago, and his turban and black boots were brand new. Then she looked at her children's clothes, which were all made from Master Sun's old clothes. Huang couldn't even remember how long ago it had been since she had her own new clothes made.
After urging Huang to do her work, Mr. Sun crossed his legs and sat in his chair, complaining, "He's just an eighth-rank judge, but he's more skilled at ordering people around than officials of the fifth or sixth rank. He really knows how to put on airs."
"We investigated all day, but we didn't find anything."
"Sigh, how could such a person become an eighth-rank official? It's a pity I'm unlucky and no one has seen my abilities, otherwise I wouldn't need to be ordered around by such a person."
Finally, he called his son over and made him recite the text, then tested him with a few more words: "...Tsk, how do you teach your child to read at home? Look, he can't even recite these."
"Hey, why aren't you saying anything?"
"..." Huang was filled with resentment and didn't want to talk to him at all. She just coldly took out the half fish and wheat rice that were left over and put them on the table. She also picked up a bowl of pickles and gave it to him: "Didn't you say last time that I don't know a few words and that Cai-ge'er would come to you with any problems?"
"But you're not around every day, so where can he ask?"
"You didn't mention it to me? If you had, I would have told him when I got back." Sun Guanren retorted subconsciously, then his gaze shifted to the food that had been served: "Why is it wheat rice? Didn't I tell you I'm not used to this... wait a minute."
When he saw that only half of the braised fish had been eaten, leaving only the fish head and a small piece of back meat, his face immediately darkened. He threw his chopsticks on the table and said, "How come there's only the fish head left? You've been with me for so long, don't you know I don't eat fish heads?"
"And why did you buy such a big fish and vegetables without even telling me? How much did you spend, and where did you get the money?"
...
Yao Lang was chatting with Madam Lü when he heard a commotion outside. He pushed open the door, looked around for a moment, then turned back into the house with a very strange expression: "Wife, what exactly did you say to that Master Sun's wife? Why did she and Master Sun start arguing?"
“I didn’t say anything,” said Madam Lü, puzzled.
"Well... listen to the noise outside!" Yao Lang lowered his voice, gesturing for Lü Shi to listen outside.
"Hey...it really is." After listening for a while, Madam Lü's brows gradually furrowed. She caught a glimpse of the commotion in the surrounding houses out of the corner of her eye and quickly pulled Yao Lang back inside: "Don't make a sound, or people will think we're the ones instigating their discord."
"..." Yao Lang glanced at her sideways.
"I really didn't say anything," Madam Lü protested, explaining to Yao Lang, "I thought that Madam Huang's family was struggling financially, and since she came from an official family, I thought I would take out the best clothes and materials so that Madam Huang could see them and remember them."
Lady Lü was quite familiar with the backgrounds of the officials living in the rented house. Most of the other officials' wives also came from poor farming families, lacking money and advantages. Only Lady Huang was a local from the capital and came from an official's family.
When she first moved here, Huang was renting three rooms, one in the front and one in the back. She also had a maidservant with her. She was arrogant and looked down on Lü and other officials' wives. Every day, she would carry her bag, ride in a sedan chair, and go to other people's houses.
As time went by and their money was almost gone, they first reduced their three rooms to two, and then they even secretly took away and sold the maids who had accompanied them as dowry. Huang's life became more and more difficult.
"I originally wanted to show off a bit, talk to Madam Huang for a few more days, and then encourage her to visit her relatives and friends."
Huang also had an older sister who was luckier than her. Her husband was now the Sima of Qingzhou, a ninth-rank official with a promising future. He even took Huang's parents to live with him in their old age.
Although the two were not in the capital, but were sent far away, their brother-in-law's elderly relatives, brothers, and sister still lived in the capital.
According to Lady Lü, Lady Huang used to complain to others that her parents were biased, saying that her sister was being introduced to the son of a clerk in the Secretariat, and that the dowry was much larger. She also hoped that her husband, Mr. Sun, could rise to a high position so that her parents and sister could see how powerful she was.
But life got worse and worse, and he didn't want to show weakness in front of his family, so he didn't even want to write to his family for help.
"I never expected..."
"I haven't even had a chance to get any information out of them yet, and they've already started arguing over there." As Lu Shi listened to the increasingly loud noise instead of quiet, her worries grew. She called Yao Lang to go and get the other residents in the house to knock on their doors and try to persuade them.
The alley was in an uproar all night. The next day, Jiang Zhenniang and Su Zhihan had just gotten up when they heard the news from Uncle Chai. The mother and daughter were shocked and rushed to Yao Lang's house to check on the situation. As soon as they entered, they saw Huang Niangzi slumped on the couch and immediately exclaimed, "Huang Niangzi?"
"What? How did you get injured like this? Was it all done by that Master Sun? How could Master Sun be so heartless!?"
Huang's face was bruised and swollen, with a pinch mark on her neck. Even her two children had obvious marks on their bodies, making her look truly pitiful.
Jiang Zhenniang couldn't help but think of the time when Su's father was still alive. At that time, she had nowhere to turn for help and wanted to go to the government office for assistance, but she was stopped by Su's family.
Su's father even threatened that if she dared to report him to the authorities, he would kill her and her daughter, and at most lose his own life.
Looking at Huang Niangzi holding her two children, Jiang Zhenniang seemed to see herself in those moments. Seeing Jiang Zhenniang's troubled expression, Su Zhihan quickly changed the subject, asking about what had happened the previous day.
Madam Huang gave a bitter smile: "It was thanks to Madam Lü that I was able to see through that person."
Su Zhihan recalled that Madam Lü had asked her for two dishes, saying it was to invite people she knew, but she never expected that they would be sent to Madam Huang instead.
Huang's face was ashen as he recounted what had happened the day before. He had only eaten a bowl of fish and some rice, yet he acted as if he had suffered a great injustice, never imagining how many years he had been eating like this.
Every day he asked for money to drink and eat, and for new clothes and accessories. He never imagined that his own children didn't even have money to buy pens and ink, let alone study at a private school.
Even my children know to let me have a taste.
“I said that he had been an official for many years and had never taken a single copper coin home.”
"I never expected that just because I said those two sentences, he would get angry. First, he said that I was a snob and had no conscience. Later, he even suspected that I had done something else to have money to secretly buy fish to eat..."
After that, Huang couldn't continue.
Jiang Zhenniang trembled with rage: "How could you be so heartless? To do such a cruel thing."
"He usually acts like a nice guy."
"Many people in the streets and alleys have been praising Master Sun, saying that he is generous and cares for the common people, and has helped many people solve problems with his own money... Who would have thought, who would have thought?" Su Zhihan also looked incredulous. So the money Master Sun gave out wasn't his own money, so of course he was generous and didn't feel the pinch!
Madam Lü, standing to the side, also wore a mournful expression. She had originally intended to seek connections through Madam Huang, but she never expected things to develop in this way.
Her voice was hoarse as she continued, saying to Jiang Zhenniang and Su Zhihan, "After Master Sun left in a huff last night, she told me that she wanted to sever all ties with him."
Jiang Zhenniang nodded repeatedly: "That's how it should be!"
If it weren't for Su's father using the two children as leverage, she would have intended to leave back then. She thought for a moment, then couldn't help but worry about Huang's safety: "Tell me, you and the children should stay at my house for a while, so that Mr. Sun won't regret it and come to bother you every day!"
Su Zhihan chimed in, "Mother is right. We have plenty of empty rooms and servants to look after us. I doubt that Master Sun would dare to force his way in. Madam Huang, please feel at ease and stay here."
Huang's eyes reddened. After what happened last night, some people were gloating, while others felt heartbroken and pitied her.
Regarding her statement that she wanted to sever ties with Mr. Sun, most of the neighbors advised her to reconcile. Some said that Mr. Sun had just drunk too much and was confused for a moment. Others said that she had no skills and would have difficulty raising two children in the future. Still others felt that the children should not lose their father and said that it would be fine if Mr. Sun apologized to them.
But Huang didn't think that way. Even her five-year-old daughter knew to share a bowl of rice and to try the fish belly meat herself, but he would hit her for these things. During the argument, he even revealed his true feelings, complaining that she was unwilling to write to her sister and asking her brother-in-law to find a way for her.
When Huang heard those words, her heart sank.
Hearing Jiang Zhenniang and Su Zhihan's words of support, she finally felt a warmth in her heart and wiped away her tears: "I am not related to your family, how can I trouble you two like this?"
"No problem, my house is just sitting empty anyway."
"No need, no need. I have already invited a free man to my home and asked my old servant to take me home to live." Madam Huang repeatedly declined, and then explained her plan: "Although my parents and sister are not here, there are still old servants at home, and my brother-in-law's family can also help out."
"Besides, that person is extremely concerned about his reputation."
"If he dares to cause trouble for me, I will report him to the authorities!"
Upon hearing this, Jiang Zhenniang stopped trying to persuade her.
After the old servant from the Huang family took the family of three away, Jiang Zhenniang pulled her daughter home. Once inside the shop, she said indignantly, "I never imagined that Master Sun would be that kind of person."
When the mother and daughter first met Mr. Sun, he helped them out of a predicament. He had a good reputation among the people and was known as a kind and good official.
Unexpectedly, all the food, drink, clothing, and housing, as well as the money used to bribe superiors, were actually Huang's dowry.
"They say one thing to people's faces and another behind their backs."
"I don't know if we can successfully sever ties." Jiang Zhenniang was worried. These days, divorces are not uncommon, but they are not excessive either. Many women lack means of making a living, and their families are unwilling to support them, so they often give up halfway.
Jiang Zhenniang and Su Zhihan feared that Huang Shi would do the same, so they would visit Huang Shi every few days. Fortunately, Huang Shi's parents did not do as Jiang Zhenniang had worried. They soon wrote to say that they were returning to the capital and asked their in-laws to help take care of their daughter temporarily.
After staying at home for a few days, Huang was picked up by her brother-in-law's family. Seeing this, Jiang Zhenniang and Su Zhihan stopped visiting. At the same time, Sun Guanren, unable to bear the gossip from the neighbors, also moved away.
Leaving aside Huang's matter, let's talk about Lu's secret misery. She had originally made a promise to Yao Lang, but unexpectedly, everything fell apart.
After thinking for a moment, she turned her attention to others and soon learned from the students who rented the room that the birthday of the headmaster of the Imperial Academy was approaching, and several students intended to put together a feast to present to the headmaster.
Upon learning this, Lady Lü immediately informed Yao Lang.
Knowing that the students didn't have much money, Yao Lang went to their door to persuade them. With his silver tongue, he finally convinced one of the students.
Yao Lang didn't let him make an introduction for nothing. He reduced his rent by half a month and gave him two dishes: "If things work out, I'll waive another half month's rent for you!"
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