Chapter 93

Chapter 93

Inside the room, Xue Qing shielded Mei'er as they returned to her quarters. The others rubbed their faces, transforming back into their usual appearances. Upon Meng Die's entrance, they chorused, "Second Aunt is back."

Meng Die yawned. "What did you all have for dinner at home?"

Hulu chuckled. "To be honest, the food wasn't as delicious as what Sister Xing Huang usually prepares for us. It was more about the family gathering and the joy of being together. Plus, my mother made two dishes that particularly suited my taste."

Meihong and Tao'er, assisting Meng Die in removing her jewelry, chimed in, "I brought some of Sister Xing Huang's pastries back with me. My brother only ate those; he didn't touch any other dishes."

Meng Die laughed aloud and, yawning, retired to bed.

She enjoyed a peaceful night's sleep. Since she had stayed up late the previous night and didn't need to pay courtly respects that day, Meng Die had her breakfast and then headed to the Jingcu Pavilion for her duties. With nothing much to do, she returned to her courtyard in high spirits. That was when Lu Wei dropped a bombshell on her.

Meng Die's face darkened as if water could drip from it.

Observing Meng Die's expression, Lu Wei continued, "I initially wanted to kick that family out immediately, but I was afraid they might spread rumors outside. After all, Jia Yi did enter Mei'er's room. If word got out, Mei'er's reputation would be ruined beyond redemption. While we don't rely on our reputation for survival, I'm worried she wouldn't be able to withstand the gossip."

Meng Die's anger escalated, her heart pounding at an alarming rate. She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "You're right. Evil words can chill even in June." In this world, a woman's honor was not so easily forgiven. However, Meng Die couldn't just let that family off the hook. "For now, prevent them from entering the estate to find Mei'er. If they dare to come, send them away forcefully. Once the incident fades from attention, I'll sell that entire family far away from here."

Lu Wei: "Sold off? Well, it's better than letting them off easily. When the time comes, we'll sell them to some remote place, and they'll never dream of returning to the capital in this lifetime."

Meng Die nodded, then took a deep breath. "Ask Feng-er to fetch Mother Fan."

Feng-er, having received her instructions, hurried away to find Mother Fan.

Lately, Mother Fan seemed to have regained her youth. With her daughter securing a prestigious position involving secret formulas, and marrying a husband she adored, Mother Fan had been living in utmost contentment this year.

As she lifted the curtain and entered the room, the joy on Mother Fan's face faded. "Second Lady, what has happened?"

Meng Die: "Do you know Jia Yi, the younger son of Nurse Jia? This fellow has fallen into a gambling addiction. Send someone to investigate which gambling dens he frequents, how much silver he's lost, and whether he's been using the Marquis Yongyi's name to bully others. The more detailed information you can get, the better."

Nurse Fan immediately relaxed. "Jia Yi? I'm familiar with him. Because he's from the Marquis Yongyi's household, when Second Lady asked me to contact people last year, someone tried to curry favor with me by mentioning him. I kept an eye on him because of his affiliation with the estate."

Meng Die finally smiled. "That makes things even easier."

Nurse Fan pondered for a moment, talking to herself, "This year is the year of Bing Ding Hai. If we go back two years, that would be the year of Ji Shen."

After doing the calculation, she continued officially, "This boy started at the Fortunate Dice Hall. He began gambling in the year of Ji Shen, with stakes of just a few copper coins at first. Later, it increased to hundreds of coins, and then he progressed to betting with silver. Last year, he was wagering fifty to a hundred taels per round – that's quite substantial."

"Last spring, one night he lost three hundred taels of silver and couldn't pay up. Relying on the influence of his noble family, he tried to dodge his debt. He was well-behaved for no more than half a month before he started gambling again, but this time at a different establishment called Hongyun Gambling Den. In early autumn, he lost six hundred taels in a single night. Believing it to be a small den, he attempted to shirk his debt as before. However, he encountered a formidable opponent who not only beat him up but also threatened to turn him over to the authorities. Halfway through their journey to the officials, he cowered and gave in."

"Nanny Fan paused, "The person who informed me even calculated his losses. Excluding the three hundred taels he didn't pay, he has probably wagered away at least two thousand, bordering on three thousand taels so far. He's truly a prodigal son."

Lu Wei was astonished. "Does their family have that much wealth?"

Nanny Fan smiled. "His birth mother was originally an attendant maid who accompanied Lady Elder when she married. His father, while alive, was a high-ranking manager in the household, and his older brother currently holds the same position. He has two sisters as well, both managing ladies, who, apart from their monthly allowances, often receive generous rewards. Their family's face is upheld by these gifts, which can easily be pawned for a decent sum. Not to mention other sources of income."

Lu Wei still found it hard to believe. "Even with the servants' contributions, how much silver could they possibly give? I'm familiar with Madam Jia and her eldest daughter-in-law's behavior. From their daily conduct, it's clear they don't live frugally."

Hearing Lu Wei's words, Nurse Fan also wavered. Meng Die was indeed quite generous with her hands. Even with their family's expenses, they hadn't managed to accumulate such wealth.

Meng Die pondered for a moment and then comprehension dawned on her: "Granny Jia was the personal maid who accompanied Old Madam when she married into the family. At that time, even the Ancestor was still alive – the very Ancestor who was a founding hero with countless elite soldiers under his command. The Marquis's estate back then was a vastly different scene, attracting many who sought to ally themselves with us through marriage." When the Wen family had mentioned dried scallops before, Old Madam had also recounted how someone had once sent a gift of them to their household.

Is it only to be delivered to the master? Those who aspire to gain favor surely cannot overlook the significance of expressing their intentions to a trusted senior maidservant like Meng Die, who holds sway beside her lord in the Marquis's residence. Take for example the thirteen trading houses, which collectively made a generous contribution of five hundred taels to Manager Rong. Was this truly meant for him alone? Of course not—it was an indirect gesture aimed at currying favor with Meng Die. Without Meng Die, not to mention five hundred taels, even fifty or mere five taels would not have been offered. The Jia family, back when the old ancestor was still in power and they were somewhat favored, managed to accumulate considerable wealth through such channels, even if they were not the most favored ones.

Upon hearing Meng Die's explanation, Nanny Fan and Lu Wei both had a sudden realization. Lu Wei then posed another question, "How old is Jia Yi this year?"

Nanny Fan: "I believe he was in his early twenties, an unexpected child born late in his parents' years, which is why the entire household doted on him excessively. And that's how this character came to be."

Meng Die sneered. "I see. Ying'er, go to Eldest Aunt and ask if she has any spare time. I need to speak with her."

"Alright."

Meng Die: "Nanny Fan, find out who else in the household has been visiting gambling dens these past few days. Have someone investigate thoroughly and compile a list for me, the more detailed the better. It will come in handy later."

"As you wish."

Ying'er swiftly returned, "Second Lady, First Lady says she's available right now and invites you over."

Meng Die nodded, adjusted her attire slightly, and then led Meihong and Hulu to the Orchid Xuan Courtyard.

Wen Shi was currently going through her accounts for the family's tidal flats. Upon Meng Die's entrance, she said, "Aren't you occupied?"

Wen Shi put down her ledger, "It's nothing urgent; a day earlier or later makes no difference. Where's Lu Wei?"

Meng Die sat down, "She's busy in the courtyard."

Ruixue discreetly served Meng Die a cup of tea before stepping back with a knowing glance. Wen Shi then inquired, "Is there an urgent matter that made you rush here?"

Meng Die let out a long sigh and recounted the entire story to Wen Shi.

Wen Shi's mouth gaped wide, her entire being as if frozen in shock. After what seemed like an eternity, she regained her composure and said, "H-how could her family commit such an immoral act?" She paused, a bitter smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "Selling one's daughter for personal gain has occurred throughout history. It's just that some do it more elegantly while others more crudely." Like her own grandfather, who had planned to offer his own granddaughter as a concubine – wasn't that also a form of selling a daughter?

Meng Die sipped her tea. "Aside from this incident, another matter has surfaced."

Wen Shi took a deep breath to compose herself. "What else is there?"

Meng Die cast her eyes down. "That brat Jia Yi has already lost quite a sum from gambling."

Wen Shi paused, almost instantly grasping Meng Die's meaning. Meng Die intended to rectify the gambling problem within the household, and she could certainly achieve this on her own. However, doing so would significantly undermine her status as the eldest daughter-in-law in the family.

If Wen Shi took the lead, her prestige within the household would rise even further. But then there was another issue: how would the friends and relatives of those gamblers react? She might end up alienating them completely. Moreover, those with leisure money for gambling were likely influential figures within the residence. She would inevitably offend many.

Putting that aside, servants were still servants. More importantly, it was about the people behind these servants. Without going too far, take Jia Yi for example. His biological mother was the old madam's maid who had served the old madam her entire life. What kind of bond did they share? Offending her might result in the old madam rejecting Wen Shi, considering her interference as meddling.

Wen Shi smiled. "Gambling is a detrimental pastime; such a trend must not be encouraged. Now that we've identified the issue, we must exert great effort to suppress it. Ideally, we should first report this to Mother, but it's just after the Lantern Festival, and Mother's schedule is packed with social obligations. Let's directly seek advice from our grandmother instead."

Meng Die cast a glance at Wen Shi. The two sisters-in-law shared a knowing smile.

Wen Yunxi understood very well that Meng Die had never vied with her for household authority. By seeking her consent first this time, Meng Die had shown great respect. How could she, Wen Yunxi, be afraid of offending anyone?

Meng Die rose to her feet. "Shall we go now?"

"So soon?" Despite the question, Wen Shi also stood up.

Meng Die gave a cold snort. "I'm worried that Jia Yi might be cooking up some new trouble."

Madam Wen understood Meng Die's intention and promptly composed herself. Together, they rushed to the main residence to meet Lady Hou.

Lady Hou was enjoying a leisurely day and was accompanied by Grandmother Jia, who was engaging her in conversation about the past and their children. Grandmother Jia mentioned, "Old Lady, you're aware that I have a late-born son. Due to the loss of his elder brother, I can't help but dote on him a little more. As a result, I've inadvertently indulged him to the point where his character is rather unpredictable."

Lady Hou chuckled. "Children are like that; they just need proper guidance."

Grandmother Jia replied, "I thought the same, but he's always been so sweet-tongued. I find it hard to be strict with him. Initially, I planned to arrange a marriage for him so his wife could discipline him. At the very least, it might make him settle down. But to my surprise, he refuses stubbornly, saying that he wants to spend his life with someone he truly likes."

Lady Hou recalled her own youngest son, who had once insisted on marrying Wu. She had eventually agreed not merely because of his persistence or sympathy for Wu, but also because she privately believed in the importance of finding a compatible partner: "Yes, it's crucial to choose someone one truly desires."

Nanny Jia: "His heart is so fickle, and year after year passes with no resolution. I'm deeply worried. Originally, I planned to push him into marriage, but just the other day, he told me he's taken a fancy to a young lady."

Lady Hou: "Which family does she belong to?"

Nanny Jia: "Well..."

"Madam Senior and Madam Junior have arrived."

Wen and Meng Die, who had overheard the conversation in the room, appeared promptly before Nanny Jia could speak further, thus interrupting her. It wouldn't do for that information to be disclosed by Nanny Jia.

Lady Hou, reclining on her chair, was taken aback. Why had they both come at this time?

"Grandmother," Wen Shi and Meng Die chorused.

Lady Hou asked, "Why are you here now? Is there something?"

Wen Shi chuckled. "Nothing can be hidden from Grandmother. Indeed, there's an issue. Originally, I should have brought Sister Hui along, but since this matter isn't particularly pleasant, and she is with child, I was concerned it might upset her. That's why I only brought Second Sister-in-law."

Meng Die chimed in, "I also intended to visit Mother, but she has been so busy with social engagements lately that I decided to come and report to Grandmother instead."

Lady Hou pointed at the embroidered stool. "Have a seat. It seems you're quite urgent." Having spent her entire life in the inner courtyard, what hadn't she experienced or witnessed? Upon hearing Wen's words and Meng Die's, Lady Hou knew that these two were planning to discipline the servants, and that among those to be disciplined was someone close to her heart, which was why they had skipped their own mothers-in-law to report directly to her.

Wen sat down and said, "While it's still early in the year, we should deal with any issues promptly."

Lady Hou asked, "What exactly has happened?"

Wen replied, "There are servants in our household who are gambling." Seeing that Lady Hou seemed unconcerned, Wen elaborated, "Not just casual games of chance during leisure time, but actual betting at outside gambling dens. This is a vicious habit; many families have been ruined, and neighborhoods disrupted, because of it."

Lady Hou was quite surprised. "Ruined families?"

Madame Hou's face remained unperturbed, clearly not taking the matter to heart.

Meng Die lowered her eyes and pondered for a moment. In the Great Yi Dynasty, unlike the world of her dreams where the internet connected people to global news, information was scarce. Many believed that if such incidents did not occur in their immediate surroundings, they did not exist at all. In the language of the internet, "your surroundings are your world."

Madame Hou hailed from the glorious Marquis of Rong's manor and married into the Marquis Yongyi's household. None of the men in either family had a gambling problem. Since she had never personally witnessed such an issue, she naturally did not attach much importance to it. Understanding this, Meng Die's eyes flickered as she said, "Grandmother, do you recall my shop opening late last year? Many people asked what had happened?"

Madame Hou thought for a moment. "I do have a vague memory."

Meng Die: "The night before, Master Rong met an elderly couple. His eyes were swollen from weeping, and he was so disoriented that he missed the time to open his shop. He cried because of gambling."

Lady Hou wore a look of surprise. "What happened? Who were those old couple?"

Meng Die: "That elderly couple used to be government brokers in Yangzhou Prefecture, and Master Rong was originally from there too. But after his father passed away early, he and his widowed mother were bullied by their relatives. When his mother died from grief, they planned to sell his two sisters into brothels. Being young, he risked his life to create a scene, but though the plan didn't succeed, he was eventually driven out of his home by his clan, and their assets were seized by his uncles."

Lady Hou sighed deeply. "How pitiful."

Meng Die sighed in sympathy. "At that time, his younger sister was only two years old. He couldn't support them, so he had to sell himself. Yet, he insisted on taking care of both sisters. Who would buy them with that condition? It was a stroke of luck that my grandfather was serving as an official in Huzhou at that time, with a good reputation. The broker brought the three siblings on a long journey to Huzhou, and after much effort, they were sold into my family's household."

"Grandfather took pity on him for being so young yet already showing care for his family. Thus, he allowed him to accompany the young masters, running errands and doing odd jobs while learning to read and write. As he grew up, he became a manager."

Wen Shi chimed in, "After enduring hardships, he finally found happiness. It seems that broker was truly kind-hearted."

Lady Hou nodded in agreement, "Manager Rong could be said to have turned misfortune into fortune."

Meng Die sighed, "It's true that Manager Rong has turned his fortune around, but alas, the kind broker didn't receive a good reward. He had a gambling-addicted son who brought ruin to the family."

Lady Hou straightened her posture, clearly affected by the tale.

Meng Die: "This tooth merchant originally had three sons. The eldest inherited his father's position as a broker, the second son married and opened a shop selling cosmetics and powders. Unfortunately, the youngest son, devoid of any skills or learning, somehow picked up the pernicious habit of gambling. It started with a few copper coins, but soon escalated to stakes of several taels, even hundreds of taels of silver. Despite his promises that it would never happen again, it only repeated, and what kind of inheritance can withstand such squandering?"

"He borrowed money from the gambling den when he ran out. How could he ignore the black-and-white IOUs? His eldest brother lost his broker status because of the chaos, and due to their parents' obvious favoritism in giving him too much silver, he left home in anger, taking his wife and children with him."

Lady Hou furrowed her brow, clearly troubled by the story. "Seniors should not show favoritism, and surely he must have learned his lesson."

Meng Die shook her head. "Not at all! He continued to gamble. When short on funds, he'd claim his second brother owned a shop and demand money from there, disrupting his brother's business until it had to close, incurring heavy losses. His second sister-in-law returned to her family with the children. Overwhelmed with frustration and after a bout of drinking, the second brother accidentally fell into a river and drowned."

Lady Hou gasped in shock, "Oh!"

Madam Wen was also greatly astonished.

Meng Die: "Despite that, he still didn't learn his lesson and continued gambling. When he ran out of money, he put up the last house his parents were living in as collateral. That house was under the name of the broker himself, so naturally, it couldn't be legally used for such a purpose. But how could the gambling den let him off easily? Not only did they constantly harass his elderly parents, they even sent people to bother his second sister-in-law's family. Eventually, her family had no choice but to send their daughter and granddaughters away. Then, he planned to sell his second brother's daughter, his own niece, to a brothel."

Lady Hou could no longer endure and slammed her hand on the armrest of her chair. "Vile creature! What happened next?"

Meng Die: "The broker was his grandfather. After his father's death, the grandfather would naturally take charge. How could it be up to an uncle like him? However, with constant harassment from the gambling den and the brothel, the broker had no choice but to secretly sell the house at a low price. He arranged for his second daughter-in-law and grandchildren to move to the countryside, which was also where his eldest son's family had taken refuge. Even if they were found, with Eldest Uncle still alive, it wouldn't be up to an uncle like him to make decisions."

Madam Wen panicked. "So, is that how they were supposed to live their lives? Would they never find peace?"

Meng Die hastily said, "How could life be like that? Upon hearing that my grandfather had been appointed Minister of Punishments, the couple, with their last bit of savings, traveled from Yangzhou to seek out Manager Rong, braving a long journey." Meng Die paused for a moment. "They were elderly, and the journey was arduous. In the winter, on their way, Toothman broke his leg, and they spent all their silver on medical treatment. They finally reached the capital by begging, but before they could find the entrance to my family's home, Toothman collapsed on the roadside."

Madam Hou's eyes misted over as she listened. Lady Wen wiped at her tears, and the maidservants and nursemaids around them followed suit.

Meng Die continued, "Perhaps it was a sign from heaven. On that day, Manager Rong went out to buy some fried meat and saw the beggar on the street corner. He gave them some copper coins. Toothman's wife didn't recognize him, but he recognized his benefactor from years ago."

Madam Hou asked anxiously, "What happened next?"

Meng Die replied, "Manager Rong took the couple back to his place and found a doctor to treat them. That's when he learned the full story. After crying all night, he asked for leave from me, preparing to travel to Yangzhou. I was worried about him, so I selected two strong men from the estate and hired a few bodyguards from a security agency. I even begged my elder brother to write a letter to the Governor of Yangzhou, just in case something happened, to lend a helping hand to Manager Rong."

Lady Hou heaved a deep sigh. "Has Manager Rong returned yet?"

Meng Die replied, "Not yet. It's freezing now, and many sections of the canal are impassable. Traveling by land would take much longer."

Lady Hou instructed, "When he comes back, ask him to come see me."

Meng Die acknowledged, "Yes, ma'am."

Wen Shi seized the opportunity to add, "Grandmother, gambling is indeed a pernicious habit. Once one falls into it, it often leads to the ruin of both family and life. What Sister said is far from an isolated case."

Meng Die promptly responded, "Indeed, it wasn't an isolated case. Grandmother, do you recall the incident when the Censor impeached me for harboring a young woman? Her betrothed went to my manor and caused a commotion, only to be sent to the authorities by Headman Wang."

Lady Hou recalled, "Lord Hou mentioned this to me. I remember that the girl had a childhood sweetheart with whom she was betrothed. The one who caused trouble at your manor was someone else she became engaged to in the capital, correct?"

Meng Die affirmed, "Yes, the girl's brother had developed a gambling addiction and couldn't repay his debts. So, he planned to marry his sister off to the manager of the gambling den, who had a history of causing his wife's death, as a means to settle the debt."

Lady Hou sat up straight, fully engaged now. "I remember everything now. That heartless creature. What has become of that young woman?"

Meng Die continued, "She is diligent and hardworking. She's cultivating mushrooms on my manor and even leads a work team. She says she wants to save enough money to buy her freedom. And her childhood sweetheart is still waiting for her, supporting her decision."

Lady Hou exhaled in relief. "Thank goodness, they always say it's better to dismantle a temple than to break up a marriage. Luckily, it didn't come to that." Then she turned to Meng Die and continued, "In my opinion, you shouldn't ask for her redemption money. Just give her the indenture and let her marry her childhood sweetheart as soon as possible. I'll compensate you for her redemption fee, and I'll also contribute a few taels of silver for her dowry."

Meng Die smiled. "Then let me express her gratitude to Grandmother in advance."

Madam Hou, who had never before encountered a gambling fiend, was now utterly vigilant: "Gambling is indeed a pernicious habit."

Meng Die: "I dare not hide the truth from you, Grandmother. On my estate, there's a widow who struggled to raise her son. Instead of being able to live out her days in peace, she was sold into servitude because of her son's gambling debts. They say that having a son is for security in old age, but in her case, it was to protect herself from her son. However, the boy didn't fare well either. His family was already poor, and unable to repay the debts, he was beaten by the gamblers until he died. One could say that karma caught up with him."

Meng Die summed up her thoughts, "It's merely because I've noticed an alarming number of women from my manor being sold off due to this issue in the past two years. That's why, upon realizing that someone in the household is involved in gambling, I hurried to seek help from Eldest Sister."

Wen Shi interjected, "Back when I was at home, I often heard about how someone or other had fallen prey to the vice of gambling, leading to shortages in supplies, shortcuts in workmanship, and substituting inferior goods for quality ones. Eventually, their family fortunes were utterly ruined. Today, when I heard my younger sister mentioning that there are gamblers in our household, I became anxious and couldn't wait for Mother to be free. I immediately pulled her along to report this matter to Grandmother first."

Gamblers, by nature, know no bounds. They may use the prestige of our Marquisate to cheat and coerce in their gambling pursuits, tarnishing the good name of our household. That is one concern. Furthermore, we have many young masters here, some of whom are still impressionable. Should they fall under the corrupting influence of such gamblers, the consequences could be dire.

Madame Hou's countenance swiftly turned vigilant. "You are right," she said, "If it is indeed a vile habit, then punishment is imperative. Do any of you have ideas on how to address this matter?"

Wen thought for a moment, "I was considering that if they lose less than twenty taels of silver, we could send them to the manor first to observe their behavior. Losing this amount suggests they haven't been indulged in this vice for too long, so we could give them a chance to reform. Otherwise, it would be rather callous to simply dismiss them. If they've lost more than twenty taels, it's likely they're deeply entrenched in the habit. In that case, it would be appropriate to expel them immediately."

Meng Die interjected, "As for those who have lost more than a hundred taels, I believe their families should be expelled as well. To allow such a massive loss of silver, their kin must be oblivious to right and wrong. There's no point in keeping such individuals around."

Madame Wen: "Some might have stolen out of desperation, while others simply have soft hearts. I propose giving their families a chance. If they can sever ties with the gamblers, they can stay. If we find out later that they still associate with them, we'll deal with it then."

Meng Die nodded in approval. "Eldest Sister's approach is commendable. This way, we preserve the bond between mistress and servant. Grandmother, what do you think?"

Lady Hou also nodded, a contented expression on her face. "That's an excellent idea. Let's proceed as you suggest."

With the matter settled, Lady Hou appeared visibly worn out. Meng Die and Madame Wen took their leave. Ah Jia, too, followed suit, never getting the chance to mention her interest in Mei'er from Second Aunt's courtyard.