Chapter 13: The Old Madam’s Decision
The Eldest Young Mistress saw me and tightened her grip on her handkerchief, pulling her body back slightly. The words she was about to speak turned back in her throat, forcing a half-sweet, half-salty smile onto her face.
The Old Madam took a sip of tea and said, “Sang Yu is back?”
After I paid my respects, I sat down and replied, “Yes, Mother. I should have returned long ago, but something happened on the road and I was delayed.”
“Oh? What happened? Tell me about it,” the Old Madam said, putting down her teacup and tucking the silk handkerchief into her collar.
The Eldest Young Mistress stood up and said, “Mother, you chat with Young Mistress Zhu. Today we have fish from Taixing, I’ll go make you a dish of shredded and braised carp head.”
The Old Madam said calmly, “Yu Zhen, please sit down and listen to Sang Yu finish.”
The Eldest Young Mistress forced herself to sit down, her eyes fixed on me.
I took out the confession paper written by the Eldest Young Master from my sleeve and presented it to the Old Madam with both hands, “Please decide, Mother.”
The Old Madam took it, her expression growing heavier as she read, eventually turning ashen.
The teacup fell to the floor with a crisp sound.
The Old Madam looked up at the Eldest Young Mistress, her deep eyes filled with anger.
The Eldest Young Mistress, not understanding why, cried, “Mother, please do not believe others’ instigation. Your daughter-in-law has been married into the Cheng Family for over ten years, attending to you morning and night without fail. I serve my parents-in-law and discipline the servants. I treat my younger brothers and sisters as if I were their mother. How can it be that as soon as she arrives, I am at fault?”
The Old Madam coughed, and I quickly stepped forward to pat her chest. After she caught her breath, she said tremblingly, “Yu Zhen, you are the eldest daughter-in-law of the eldest branch of the Cheng Family. Everyone in the manor has always respected you, and I have treated you well… How could you have been so ruthless!”
The Eldest Young Mistress immediately knelt down, “Your daughter-in-law is wronged…”
The Old Madam pointed at her, “Wronged? Your eldest son has confessed everything. Who you hired, which shop assistant you bribed, when and where you made your move, it’s all clear.”
She shed two lines of tears, “I have told you repeatedly that a family must be united. I thought you were merely jealous and throwing a tantrum, but I never expected you to want to kill Huaishi and his wife. Since ancient times, how many stories have been told in plays? A centipede dies hard, and many support it. High-ranking families, when faced with external enemies, cannot be killed instantly. But if they turn on each other, the foundation laid by generations of ancestors can be ruined in an instant.”
The Eldest Young Mistress argued, “Mother, you know Cang Shi. He’s timid, how could he dare to kill someone? It must be… it must be that someone scared him and forced him to write those nonsensical words. Mother… Mother, please see clearly…”
“He didn’t dare, but you did,” the Old Madam stared at her.
The Eldest Young Mistress wanted to say more, but the Old Madam said, “If Sang Yu hadn’t been reasonable, do you think you would still be here arguing? The newly appointed Prefect, Lord Geng, wants to make a name for himself by handling some cases in Yangzhou. Think about it, what would your fate be if you went to the yamen?”
The Eldest Young Mistress collapsed onto the floor and began to wail.
She cried about the misfortune of losing her husband’s position.
She cried about the Eldest Young Master’s incompetence.
She cried about her mother-in-law’s favoritism.
She cried about having no support from her own family.
The Old Madam slammed the table, and she grudgingly fell silent.
The Old Madam thought for a moment and ordered a maidservant, “Go and call the Eldest Young Master here.”
A moment later, Cheng Cang Shi arrived. He first peeked in from the doorway, and seeing no sound inside, he stepped in with a smile all over his face, saying, “Mother, why have you summoned your son? What is your command?”
The Eldest Young Mistress glared at her husband.
The Old Madam said, “Last year, three businesses started in Jizhou, managed by distant relatives of the clan. Last month, they came to settle accounts, and the business was very busy and short-handed. Since Cang Shi has resigned from his post, he will take his family to Jizhou. Work hard and live a good life.”
The Eldest Young Mistress remained silent.
However, the Eldest Young Master quickly agreed, “Everything is as Mother arranges.”
The Old Madam waved her hand, “Go, go.”
The Eldest Young Mistress was still unwilling and refused to leave. The Eldest Young Master pulled her hand, and the couple left the room, tugging at each other.
I took the opportunity to slip the confession paper from the table into my sleeve and put it away.
After they had gone far away, the Old Madam picked up her teacup and took a sip, then asked me, “Sang Yu, are you satisfied with how Mother has handled this?”
I had already expected that the Old Madam would not punish them severely.
As the head of the family, her primary concern was to protect the family’s reputation.
Moreover, even a tiger doesn’t eat its cubs. Cheng Cang Shi was, after all, her own son, and she couldn’t bear to be too harsh.
Sending the eldest branch to Jicheng was to quell the situation; secondly, to show me, to put my mind at ease; thirdly, she knew that after this incident, it was unlikely for the two branches to have no grudges, and separating them by a thousand miles would at least avoid some disaster. Fourthly, I imagine the business in Jizhou truly lacked someone to look after it, and giving Cheng Cang Shi an opportunity to establish himself would be good for the family.
I bowed and said, “Mother is wise. How could your daughter-in-law be dissatisfied?”
The Old Madam’s voice softened, “Sang Yu, great generosity brings great fortune. You are a good child.”
She paused and then added, “Comfort Huaishi well. He has always been sincere since he was young. Knowing that his brother and sister-in-law wanted to harm him, I don’t know how sad he must be.”
“Yes.”
She sighed at length, and a maidservant helped her light incense before the tablet of the Master.
I turned back to the West Courtyard.
Cheng Huaishi was bent over the table, reading.
The afterglow of the setting sun shone through the window lattice, flickering on his face, sometimes bright, sometimes dim.
I walked to his side and said, “Everything is settled. Mother has ordered your brother and sister-in-law to move to Jizhou.”
He held my hand for a long time and said, “Thank you, Madam.”
I said softly, “You and I are husband and wife, sharing household matters is what we should do.”
He pulled me into his embrace.
Because of this incident, it felt as if we had grown even closer.
There was a sense of sharing hardships together.
As we were talking, He Ming, his trusted servant boy, walked in and said, “Second Master, there’s a letter from the Capital City.”
Cheng Huaishi took the letter, opened it, and read it. His face showed a mixture of joy and worry.
He handed the letter to me and said, “My previous assistance to Lord Xun in overturning his case was known to Minister Zhang in the Capital City. Minister Zhang and Lord Xun were former classmates and friends. He has written a letter recommending me to Qionglin Academy.”
In this Great Ming era, who did not know of Minister Zhang’s illustrious name? He was the Emperor’s tutor and the Prime Minister of the Grand Secretariat, highly esteemed by the current Empress Dowager and His Majesty. Everyone said: With Elder Grand Secretary Zhang in the Imperial Court, peace reigns throughout the land, and treasures abound.
Minister Zhang’s reputation was too high for him to openly intervene in the case. Seeing Cheng Huaishi’s integrity and uprightness, he took a special liking to him.
If he were to go to Qionglin Academy and study under a great scholar, with the scholar guiding him through examinations, passing the imperial examinations would be almost certain.
Moreover, with Minister Zhang’s letter of recommendation, he would be considered Minister Zhang’s disciple if he entered officialdom in the future.
Cheng Huaishi never expected such a reward when he helped others.
I said, “Second Master, this is a good thing, you should go.”
He said, “I know this is a rare opportunity, but if I go, I will likely be separated from Mother and my wife for a long time. As a son, I cannot fulfill my filial duties at home. As a husband, I cannot protect my wife. It is truly…”
I pondered for a moment and said, “Don’t worry about the household matters, I will handle them.”
Just then, someone from the Old Madam’s side came to summon us; it was time for the Qin Family’s evening banquet, and the carriage was ready.
I remembered that such an event was scheduled.
Distracted by today’s events, I had completely forgotten.
At this, I hurried out of the courtyard with Cheng Huaishi.
Cheng Huaishi relayed the matter of Minister Zhang’s letter to the Old Madam.
Upon hearing this, the Old Madam’s face showed a joy she had never displayed before.
She strongly supported Cheng Huaishi’s departure.
Cheng Huaishi looked at the Old Madam, then at me, and finally made his decision.
The entire manor was filled with joy.
Thus, the Qin Family’s evening banquet became Cheng Huaishi’s farewell feast.
The Qin Family, being the foremost merchant family in Jianghuai, had built their manor with considerable grandeur. The large compound featured scattered houses, interspersed with rocks, lush trees, and vibrant flowers, all connected by winding corridors. It exuded elegance amidst its opulence.
Qin Mingxu’s mother, the matriarch of the Qin Manor, possessed a remarkably beautiful face, like a crescent moon haloed. From a distance, she appeared to be only in her early twenties. She was warm and attentive to her guests.
During the banquet, upon learning that Cheng Huaishi would be attending Qionglin Academy, many offered their congratulations.
That evening, Qin Mingxu spoke very little.
He was no longer like before, teasing and joking with me.
Across the dining table, amidst the crowd, he seemed not to recognize me, dressed in a white robe, distant and polite, like a light mist on the river.
Qing Shi chatted enthusiastically with him, but he sat quietly.
As we were about to depart, Cheng Huaishi and I stood together. Qin Mingxu cupped his hands and said, “Although my acquaintance with Second Master is not deep, I know of your sincere heart. Though the mountains and roads ahead may keep us apart, I wish you a thousandfold well-being, free from pain and illness, that you may achieve your aspirations and live a lifetime of peace.”
Cheng Huaishi nodded and returned the bow.
However, the phrase “free from pain and illness” was spoken vaguely, like the wind blowing from west to east. It was unclear whether it was directed at Cheng Huaishi or at me.
The group departed under the moonlight.
Upon returning to the manor, Cheng Huaishi led me back to the West Courtyard.
After washing up, we got into bed.
Cheng Huaishi did not help me undress as he had last time.
He would be leaving on a long journey tomorrow.
He gently said to me, “There will be many more days to come.”
The red candle flickered in the dim silk curtains.
He held me as we fell asleep.
