Chapter 28: Silk Shop
Song Xiulian was taking care of the new mother at her brother’s house. In reality, she didn’t have much to do, just helping out here and there.
She spent half the day in her sister-in-law’s room and then returned to her own courtyard.
Granny Yang poured her tea and said, “These days, since we’ve been out and the Master isn’t home, the mansion has truly become Wen Mingqian’s domain. Heaven is truly blind to let her be so free.”
Consort Song washed her hands and slowly sipped her tea and ate preserves.
After finishing her tea, she smiled and asked, “How is Granny Liu now? Is she accustomed to the manor?”
When Granny Yang heard about her cousin, she sighed, “How can the manor compare to the mansion? But who told her she was unlucky! She was dealt with by that plague.”
“Don’t say that,” Consort Song continued to smile. “The weather is good now, so going to the manor is like a change of scenery. We’ll find a way to bring her back soon enough.”
“Really, Little Madam?” Granny Yang’s spirits immediately lifted upon hearing this. “But I fear that plague might be annoyed.”
“You just said Granny Liu was unlucky, but that’s not necessarily true. The Sage said, fortune and misfortune are intertwined; who knows if this isn’t a good thing?” Consort Song held her fan and gently fanned herself, then put it down.
“I don’t understand, what good could come of it?” Granny Yang shook her head.
Consort Song glanced at her and smiled, “Don’t forget the four words – success depends on human effort.”
Upon hearing this, Granny Yang leaned closer and asked, “Little Madam, have you thought of a clever plan?”
“Didn’t you say Wen Mingqian is living freely in the mansion now? If something were to happen in the mansion at this time, no one else could be blamed, right?” Consort Song covered half her face with her fan, the corners of her mouth curving upwards, but her eyes were as cold as ice.
“What kind of misfortune does Little Madam wish upon her?”
“Wen Mingqian brought Granny Zhu’s family back to the mansion, so they must be her confidantes by now!” Consort Song had already planned it all out in her mind. “We’ll start from here, and they won’t be able to clear their names even if they jumped into the Yellow River.”
“Little Madam, please tell this old servant in detail, and I will arrange for someone to do it later.” Granny Yang practically pressed her ear close.
A flying insect landed on the bamboo curtain, a gust of wind blew, disturbing the curtain, and the insect spread its wings and flew elsewhere.
The tea on the table had grown cold, but the hushed whispers had not yet stopped.
Despite the clear weather, a subtle chill permeated the air.
Wen Mingqian left early in her carriage, driven by Granny Zhu’s husband, Zhu Xi.
Gong Changan and Aunt Tian also went out with her.
“There’s a Sang Ji Silk Shop next to Zou Ji Southern Goods Store,” Wen Mingqian instructed Zhu Xi. “Go there.”
All the way, Gong Changan was looking out the carriage window at the street scene. Wen Mingqian said to Aunt Tian, “I chose two pieces of fabric at the silk shop last time, and they were very nice. I was thinking that when the Old Madam and First Madam return in a few days, I should prepare some meeting gifts.
However, the child will surely not be able to stay still. You can take him to the bookstore next door later. I’ll call you when I’m done shopping.”
Saying this, she gave Aunt Tian some loose silver for Gong Changan to buy things with.
Upon arrival, Wen Mingqian entered the Sang Ji Silk Shop. Besides two shop assistants, there were no other customers.
The same handsome young shop assistant from last time greeted her.
“Madam, you’ve arrived. What kind of fabric would you like to choose?” the young shop assistant asked with a beaming smile.
“I want to give a gift, so I’d like to choose something good,” Wen Mingqian said, looking at the shop’s wares.
“We have just received some new patterns and styles, all of the finest quality. However, they are still in the back and haven’t been brought out front yet. Why don’t you follow me to the back, Madam, and see if there’s anything you like?” the young shop assistant said, bowing courteously.
Wen Mingqian didn’t say anything and walked to the back.
The back area was a small courtyard, with flowers and trees planted around the central well, and a small pavilion.
The young shop assistant, grinning, hugged Wen Mingqian’s arm and pouted, “Mother Wen, you left in such a hurry last time, I didn’t get to talk to you properly.”
Wen Mingqian had only met her briefly last time and it wasn’t convenient to say more.
“Has your uncle come to the Capital City yet? Have you been managing things here all along?” Wen Mingqian asked with a smile.
“My uncle wrote to say he’ll arrive at the end of this month,” the young shop assistant said. “From now on, he’ll primarily do business in the Capital City and won’t be running around as he did before.”
“That’s good, then you and your uncle can see each other more often,” Wen Mingqian said.
“Mother Wen, we’ve earned quite a bit of silver in the nearly three years we’ve been in the Capital City. My uncle said to give you some for emergencies,” the young shop assistant said, taking out a stack of banknotes.
“We brought silver with us when we came to the Capital City, and we don’t have many expenses, so there’s no need for it now,” Wen Mingqian said. “However, I want to buy a maid in a few days. Can you arrange for one of your own people to help?”
The young shop assistant clapped her hands with joy. “Then I’ll go! I don’t want to spend all day glaring at my uncle.”
“What, are you tired of wearing men’s clothes?” Wen Mingqian said with amusement. “I’ve never seen people like you, who depend on each other yet also dislike each other.”
“Oh, Mother Wen, please agree! I’ll be your maid, I promise to be attentive and clever,” the young shop assistant said, pulling Wen Mingqian’s hand and shaking it left and right, like a twisted candy.
“Sang Er, stop shaking, stop shaking, you’re going to dislocate my shoulder.” Wen Mingqian pulled her hand back. “This matter needs to be discussed properly with your uncle. You are not allowed to make your own decisions, do you hear me?”
Sang Er scratched her head and reluctantly agreed.
It turned out she was a girl, and she had disguised herself as a boy for convenience.
“Mother Wen, how are you at the Gong Family? Are those ungrateful people bullying you again?” Sang Er asked.
“Things seem alright for now, but it’s not time to reveal the true battle yet,” Wen Mingqian said. “However, I’m sure Consort Song won’t be idle, and she’ll try to trip me up.”
“Oh, Mother, the person you asked us to investigate is almost done,” Sang Er said, rushing back into the room. In a moment, she returned with a booklet.
Wen Mingqian took it and glanced at it, smiling with satisfaction. “Thank you for your trouble, you’ve gathered such detailed information.”
“I’ve spent most of my energy on this for the past two or three years since coming to the Capital City, so of course, there would be results,” Sang Er said with pride in her tone.
What Wen Mingqian didn’t know was that shortly after she left, a carriage stopped at the Gong Family’s back door.
Someone, with a package tucked under their arm, furtively got into the carriage and then quickly left.
Granny Yang happily walked into the room and said to Consort Song, “Little Madam, they’ve taken the items out.”
“Did you alert anyone?” Consort Song was filing her nails, smoothing them with a small file.
“No one was alerted! The one surnamed Wen and her child left early in the morning, and that old fool Zhang Ma has been guarding the courtyard of Lingyue Pavilion,” Granny Yang said. “They don’t have eyes that can see a thousand miles or ears that can hear a hundred miles, how would they know?”
“It’s done, then we just have to wait and watch the show!” Consort Song raised her hand and blew away the nail powder. “When they discover these valuable items are missing from the mansion, let’s see how Wen Mingqian proves herself.”
“Little Madam’s plan is truly brilliant,” Granny Yang also said with satisfaction. “It’s obvious that the Second Madam was short of money when these valuable items went missing from the mansion, implying she stole them to sell.”
