Chapter 36: Managing the Household

◎Pork and Cabbage Stew!◎

While the two elders were conversing, Yu Lian had already gone to fetch her mother-in-law, Mrs. Chen, along with the twin boys to head to the butcher's shop at the village entrance. Now that they were in the countryside, they had to adapt to the rural lifestyle. Women and daughters-in-law here were not bound by strict rules; they would work in the fields during busy seasons and sell homemade snacks or baskets of vegetables at the market during leisure times. To integrate into this new environment quickly, it was necessary to familiarize themselves with the area and the people.

Mrs. Chen hesitated, as she was accustomed to spending her life in the backyard. Apart from occasionally accompanying her husband to royal banquets or attending events hosted by noble ladies, she had never ventured into the countryside, let alone gone out to buy meat carrying a basket.

She was unsure about exchanging money and felt embarrassed about socializing with others. She was a reserved person.

While the mother was still deliberating due to her propriety, the two boys were eager to go out. They were not shy by nature and had been used to causing mischief in the city. In the countryside, without anyone to supervise them, they became even more untamed. If it weren't for their eldest brother forbidding them from going out, they would have explored the entire village by now.

Despite this, they had befriended the group of children from Uncle Two's household. Having come from a big city, they had extensive knowledge and had experienced many things. Their stories and anecdotes easily impressed Uncle Two's children, making them the leaders of the pack. During their stay at Uncle Two's house, they received "tributes" from the children, such as dried sweet potatoes and roasted peanuts, which they would eat while boasting and telling tales.

Back in their own home, they were still reluctant to stay indoors. If it weren't for Grandma sitting at the entrance chatting with Grandpa Two, they wouldn't be willing to remain obediently inside.

Each of them held one of Yu Lian's hands, tugging her outside, urging her to hurry up.

Looking at Mrs. Chen, Yu Lian said, "Mother... shall we go together? I'll accompany you outside more often these next few days, but after that, I'll be occupied with other matters and may not be able to join you. It's not good for you to stay indoors all the time. People here might find it odd and start gossiping, assuming something is wrong with you."

"Besides, there's still much work to be done at home, and we could use your help."

Mrs. Chen hesitated but eventually heeded her words, taking her basket and joining her daughter-in-law outside.

Little Guo'er was being entertained by Aunt Mei, counting ants in the courtyard. Upon seeing them preparing to leave, she stood up and looked their way. Yu Lian smiled at her, which encouraged Little Guo'er to rush over. Reaching Yu Lian, she tugged at her sleeve and asked softly, "Sister-in-law, where are you going?"

Yu Lian replied, "We're going to the butcher's to get some meat. Do you want to come along, Guo'er?"

Little Guo'er nodded, expressing her desire to join.

Yu Lian then informed the matriarch and set off with the three children. In fact, she wasn't quite familiar with Upper Village. She had only glimpsed the scenery during their initial carriage ride into the village. After that, they stayed with Second Uncle, limiting their exploration to the riverbank where their house and land were situated. They hadn't wandered aimlessly around.

However, Yu Lian, having spent her previous life working in human resources, knew well that unfamiliarity with a new place was no issue. One should proactively venture out to familiarize oneself with the surroundings. With repeated outings, one would soon become acquainted. Being unfamiliar with people was also unimportant; a friendly smile and a few more conversations about directions would quickly bridge the gap.

That's how relationships were built.

As they stepped out of the yard, they saw Sanshu's wife and a group of aunties doing laundry by the river. Spotting them, they greeted them with laughter. Mrs. Chen frowned, still not accustomed to the rural manner of communication. From such a distance, they would shout loudly, their voices echoing throughout half the village – a rather crude and unladylike behavior.

If it were men speaking this way, it might have been acceptable. But these were women, yet they showed no restraint.

Yu Lian strolled over and greeted Sanshu's wife. She nodded at the other aunts and sisters-in-law she didn't recognize, addressing them as "Aunt" or "Sister-in-law."

Sanshu's wife smiled as she introduced them: "This is Stone's wife, call her Stone Sister-in-law. This is Cow Egg's mother, so you can call her Cow Egg Aunt. And this is my mother-in-law; her tofu is famous throughout the neighboring villages, absolutely delicious. You can call her Tofu Aunt..." She continued introducing several more, and by the time she finished, a good while had passed. Yu Lian greeted each one and said, "Today, we're moving into our new home and officially settling in Upper Village. Ladies, please join us for dinner today."

The aunts and sisters-in-law eagerly agreed. Yu Lian also ordered two blocks of tofu from Tofu Aunt, who was delighted.

After their conversation, Yu Lian prepared to leave with her mother-in-law and three children. Sanshu's wife asked where they were going, and Yu Lian replied that they needed to buy some meat. Promptly, Sanshu's wife offered, "To Butcher Zhang's at the village entrance?"

Yu Lian nodded.

"Oh, wait, don't rush off. I'll accompany you. That Butcher Zhang is sly and often takes advantage of newcomers. He wouldn't dare shortchange or sell bad meat to our villagers, but with your unfamiliar face and such beauty, he'd likely see you as a wealthy lady to exploit. With me there, he won't dare treat you unfairly."

Sanshu's wife was very hospitable. After wiping her hands, she asked her mother-in-law to help take the clothes back for drying, while she would accompany Yu Lian on her trip. Tofu Aunt smiled warmly, assuring them it was fine to go.

As they left, the ladies by the river watched them with interest. Tofu Aunt chuckled and commented, "Bajin's nephew's young wife seems like a decent one. I heard she comes from an aristocratic household, goodness gracious! What a powerful family that must be, to have someone from such a background end up in our poor village. She doesn't seem intimidated and doesn't put on airs either. I think she's a good one."

"Indeed! She's as beautiful as a fairy."

"It's just that her mother-in-law doesn't talk much and seems to look down on us..."

"Indeed... Who cares? She acts like a noble lady even in the countryside, putting on that expression and standing afar, not bothering to talk or acknowledge us. Who does she think she's impressing?"

"It's clear she looks down on us country folk, but does she really believe we'd fall for her act?"

As Yu Lian turned away, she sighed. The hushed whispers behind her reached her ears. She had deliberately ordered tofu from Aunt Tofu in front of everyone for two reasons. First, by showing favor to one of these rural aunties, she ensured that the woman would speak well of her later, setting a positive tone for her social interactions. Second, it demonstrated to the others that there were benefits to be gained by befriending her.

However, with her mother-in-law standing aloof and silent, these country women were quick to criticize. Yu Lian realized that it would take time for her mother-in-law to lower her guard and adapt to rural life.

If Mrs. Chen persisted in her ways and failed to adjust to village life, it would affect the entire family.

As these thoughts crossed her mind, Sanshu's wife chimed in with conversation, outlining the intricate web of relationships and interpersonal dynamics within the village. Yu Lian, appreciating her intentions, listened attentively.

"The second uncle in our village is a scholar. He is knowledgeable, educated, old and highly respected. What he says is most useful. The next one is the village chief and several clan elders. The village chief is actually not a bad person. He is just greedy for life and afraid of death. He is greedy for petty gains., you know why we are still willing to be the village chief for him despite all his minor problems?"

Yu Lian shook her head and asked curiously.

With a spark of amusement in her eyes, Sanshu's wife chuckled. "This is where you're out of your depth. We actually appreciate his little quirks. In the ten years he's been the village chief, the taxes we've had to pay have been almost ten percent lower than before. He may be stingy and greedy, but he knows how to haggle. He argues with the officials, and thanks to him, we save on numerous miscellaneous taxes that would otherwise burden us. Back then, they took advantage of our inability to read accounts or understand the law. They imposed all sorts of random taxes on us, some not even legitimate, just to exploit us and fill their own pockets!"

Throughout the year, the meager crops we sow barely suffice for our sustenance, let alone the taxes. The village head is a shrewd accountant and quite daring. There was once a year when the harvest was so poor that it wouldn't cover the taxes. Fearing starvation for all, he resorted to rolling in front of the county office, threatening to crash himself to death at its gate.

"He made such a fuss, pointing out each and every fake tax, until the officials grew fearful and fraudulent taxes in our Upper Village significantly decreased. With the village chief taking the lead, we've saved quite a bit of silver."

"Everyone knows he's frugal and doesn't have grand ambitions, but for a small place like ours, we need someone like him as our village chief. No matter how noble one's character is, if they can't bring benefits to the village, it's pointless. So, Yu Lian, don't take him too seriously. There are ways to handle him, like offering some silver or benefits. If you do it right, he won't give you trouble. It's just that sometimes, when faced with issues, he's cowardly and overreacts. You shouldn't mind that."

Yu Lian was enlightened by this new perspective. She had never thought there were such intricacies involved with being a village chief. Initially, she didn't have a good impression of the man, mainly due to his unsavory manner and petty behavior. But after hearing Sanshu's wife's account, she realized that people are multifaceted. Some might not be likable, but they still serve their purpose.

She felt as if she had learned something valuable.

Sanshu's wife continued, "Widow Zhao has a son who she's brought up to be gloomy. His gaze at such a young age is unsettling. Since her husband passed away, she's gone mad with the desire for her son to read, write, and compete in the imperial exams, hoping he'll rise above his station. But does she really think a rural boy can achieve greatness? She constantly boasts about her son's future success, as if we're all against her, yet nobody has harmed her!"

"After the village school was destroyed, Widow Zhao went into a frenzy and almost killed herself at the village chief's house, crying that he had ruined her son's chance at becoming a top scholar. Isn't that ridiculous? As if a mere child could become a top scholar! It took a while for her to calm down."

"So, Widow Zhao is somewhat eccentric and should be avoided. If you go near her house and she blames you for something, you won't be able to prove your innocence."

"There are other difficult households in the village that I'll tell you about later... And those elder clan members who exploit their seniority, they're so annoying. Ugh..."

As they walked and talked, they soon arrived at Butcher Zhang's house at the edge of the village.

Yu Lian examined the prices: fatty meat was 150 copper coins per pound, while lean meat was 100 coins per pound. She decided to buy two pounds of fatty meat and one pound of lean meat. Considering her father-in-law's health, she also got a bone to make some soup.

Sanshu's wife was articulate, and noticing her numerous purchases, she helped persuade the butcher, Zhang, to throw in an extra large bone as a bonus.

Just as they were about to return home, they encountered their family carriage at the village entrance. Sanshu was joyfully driving the carriage, and when Yu Lian called out, the carriage stopped at the village gate. Sanshu jumped down from the carriage and greeted his wife.

The young couple began chatting, but Yu Lian tapped on the carriage wall. Her father-in-law lifted the curtain and asked where they were going, inviting them to get into the carriage to talk.

Before Yu Lian and the others could climb in, the village chief's sour expression appeared from within the carriage. He hopped down, gave a cold snort, and walked away with his hands behind his back. The grandson from Uncle Er's family cheerfully got off, exchanged greetings, and ran off.

The three children climbed happily into the carriage to find their father. Yu Lian followed, extending a hand to help Mrs. Chen up. Then, she greeted Sanshu's wife and invited her to join them for a ride back home.

Sanshu's wife had never ridden in a carriage before and was eager to try it. However, Uncle Wood's intimidating presence deterred her, so she declined, wiping her hands and saying she was dirty and didn't want to soil the carriage.

Sanshu encouraged his wife to sit with him at the front of the carriage, without going inside.

Hua Zhan handed the deed to his daughter-in-law. "My dear daughter-in-law, I entrust this deed to your care. Your grandmother is too old to manage these matters, and your mother has never been involved in such affairs; she is also quite timid. From now on, it will be up to you to take charge and bear the responsibilities of running our household."

Yu Lian's eyes curved into a warm smile as she examined the deed and put it away. This was precisely why she had married into this family – not to serve a husband or engage in palace intrigue, but to find a place to settle down and have a say in managing the household.

The deed did not bear any names, only specifying the number of acres of land and its boundaries, followed by the official seal. In other words, whoever held this deed would be recognized as the landowner. Her father-in-law truly trusted her.

Yet, considering that she had contributed both money and ideas, she felt no guilt for keeping the land.

Sanshu and his wife were still sitting outside the carriage. Some matters were better not discussed directly. Hua Zhan sighed and decided to leave it at that. When they arrived at the entrance of their home, Yu Lian got off the carriage and called out to Sanshu's wife, wanting to cut her some meat as a reward. Sanshu's wife shook her head and ran away with her husband.

Once they were out of earshot, Sanshu's wife twisted her husband's arm. "Why didn't you let me take the meat?"

Sanshu chuckled and pulled out a string of copper coins. "Uncle Tree gave us our payment. He gave me two hundred wen for driving the carriage, which was only a round trip. How could I ask for more meat?"

The courtyard was already bustling with activity. As Yu Lian stepped in, she realized that many villagers had come. Although it was peak farming season, who wouldn't be happy to eat and drink for free? In the countryside, there was no such thing as being too shy to accept handouts. Hearing that meat would be served, many people came, some even bringing their families. Before Yu Lian arrived, the crowd was even larger. It was Grandma De who couldn't bear to see this and pointed out that it was just a simple housewarming meal, not an event that required so many guests. How could they attend without lending a helping hand?

Only a few efficient women and respected elders, along with those who helped clean and renovate Yu Lian's home, were allowed to stay. The rest were sent back.

Despite this, with the addition of the Hua family and Grandma De's family, they still needed to prepare food for over twenty people.

Fortunately, these people heeded Grandma De's advice and brought their own utensils, bowls, plates, condiments, and even managed to gather three large round tables. Asking for rice would have been inappropriate, as it carried a negative connotation. Hence, they bought a bag of rice from Grandma De's family as a temporary solution.

Upon arriving home, Yu Lian first returned to her room. She carefully wrapped the deed in oil paper, intending to find a secure place to hide it. However, after searching high and low, she found no suitable spot. Thus, she decided to keep it on her person for now.

Exiting her room, she saw Grandma De chatting with the village elders. She waved Yu Lian over to join them.

"This is my granddaughter-in-law, Yu Lian. She's both thoughtful and capable."

The elder proudly showcased her granddaughter-in-law once more, eliciting envy from the other seniors. A circle of elders engaged Yu Lian in conversation. Their memories were weak, often repeating themselves, but Yu Lian patiently joined in, her charm and sweet demeanor endearing her to them. They affectionately addressed her as "good child" after their exchange.

When Yu Lian noticed the time, she politely suggested she should check the kitchen to see if there was anything she could assist with, even if it was just learning by observation.

As she left, Second Grandma commented, "I told you, this girl is great. Not pretentious and eager to learn. She's a good one."

Mei Concubine, cleaning in a corner, glanced over, feeling a pang of jealousy. She envied Hua Ji's wife. Despite her lower rank, she had a rightful place in the family, along with wealth and respect. Mei Concubine, on the other hand, was the most overlooked member of the household.

She knew being a concubine wasn't easy, but being one in a rural peasant family was even harder. The elder's focus was solely on her granddaughter-in-law, her son, and three grandsons. Mrs. Chen didn't receive much favor either, let alone herself as a concubine.

But Mrs. Chen was a legitimate wife of the Hua family, while Mei Concubine was not. Her status as a concubine in the countryside meant not only was she ignored, but she also had to work tirelessly. What was the point? Why did she agree to come down to the countryside in the first place?

Even if she had nowhere else to go, she could have remarried an ordinary citizen in the capital and had a better life than this. Hua Zhan wasn't one for emotional attachment, he wouldn't have held her back.

The more she pondered, the more regret she felt, and her work pace slowed, reflecting her dissatisfaction.

The room was compact, with the kitchen constructed separately in an adjacent courtyard. It was a slanted makeshift shed, accompanied by an outdoor shelter. On sunny days, meals could be prepared outside or vegetables washed and cleaned there. During rainy days, cooking took place indoors. When Yu Lian arrived, she found the aunts and wives bustling about, some picking vegetables, others cutting meat, tending to the fire, or cooking.

Yu Lian was not skilled in cooking. Throughout her school years, she was solely focused on studying hard to enter a prestigious university, barely giving her meals any thought. Later, in her professional life, her ambitions were directed towards career advancement and salary increments, leaving no room for culinary endeavors. Most of her time was spent pondering over work matters, limiting her diet to takeouts, dining out, or occasionally eating at the company cafeteria. The most she could manage was instant noodles.

Upon arriving, she didn't disturb anyone but observed quietly as they worked. After a while, feeling that she had grasped the process, she offered to assist with washing the vegetables.

The aunt in charge of washing the vegetables gently stopped her, smiling warmly. "Your skin is delicate, and it's clear you haven't done much manual labor. Leave those hands untouched for now. Vegetable washing is a simple task; it'll be done in no time."

Yu Lian fetched a small stool and sat down, meticulously separating the vegetables one by one before tossing them into the large water basin. Her pace was neither too fast nor too slow, exuding a sense of calm and steadiness. Intrigued, the aunt asked, "Have you done this sort of work before?"

Yu Lian shook her head. "I haven't done it before, but I'm willing to learn."

After chatting with the elder aunt for a while, a small stool was quietly moved beside her. A pair of delicate hands picked up the vegetable leaves with great care. Looking down, Yu Lian saw Little Guo'er.

She asked, "Where's your mother?"

Little Guo'er whispered, "She's talking with Father in their room. I sneaked out on my own. Second Brother and Third Brother went out to play secretly with their cousins from Uncle's house."

Finishing her words, she cautiously looked up at Yu Lian. "Sister-in-law, I want to follow you and learn how to do things."

A nearby auntie chuckled heartily. "You're quite perceptive, child."

Yu Lian smiled and said, "My sister-in-law is also learning from others. See that auntie over there? I'm learning how to pick and wash vegetables from her. Can you bear to sit idle?"

Little Guo'er was puzzled. "Why do you need to learn how to pick vegetables?"

Yu Lian replied, "Don't underestimate such simple tasks, Guo'er. There's an ancient saying: 'Sages never consider anything too small, and that is why they accomplish great things.' It means that by doing every little thing well, sages achieve greatness."

Little Guo'er nodded thoughtfully and, without further questions, began picking vegetables quietly, soon figuring out which parts of the roots to discard and how to separate edible leaves and stems for washing.

Despite her young age and innocence, she demonstrated remarkable patience and, in no time, became proficient at the task.

The auntie watching her was amazed. She had never realized there was so much knowledge involved in such a humble chore. Inspired by Yu Lian's words, she felt a newfound sense of dignity in her everyday work. A mysterious smile graced her face as she thought about sharing this insight with her husband later. Even the sages engaged in similar tasks!

After helping with the vegetable selection for a while, the dishes were washed, and a pot of cabbage and pork stew was ready!

The aroma of tender pork mingled with the freshness of cabbage as it was served. With three tables set for meals, the stew was divided into three bowls. The scent attracted children, who approached eagerly with empty bowls. The auntie serving the food gently shooed them away, reminding them not to cause a commotion.

She then called out to the others chatting and working in the courtyard, "The food is on the table! Hurry up, or there won't be any left!"

A flurry of figures emerged, seating themselves at three separate tables. They began distributing bowls, chopsticks, serving dishes, and ladling rice, instantly imbuing the courtyard with a lively bustle.