Chapter 71

Chapter 71

Jiang He and Zheng Kun were new arrivals, so naturally, they followed the host’s lead.

After all, they had been swaying on the boat for seven days and then jolting in the carriage for half a day, quite tired. They really did need to find a place to rest for a while.

Thus, they followed Song Shiyue towards the outer courtyard.

In theory, it was somewhat improper for Miss Song Shiyue to escort the male guests to the outer courtyard.

But there was nothing to be done. The Song family was in a chaotic state at the moment. There were only three family heads present. The only competent steward borrowed from the Zhuang family was sent to Tongzhou. It was inappropriate for Song Shiyue, and even more so for the two older women, Elder Madam Song and Third Madam Qiu Shi, to handle this.

They had to make the best of the situation.

This left only Jiang Chun, Third Madam Qiu Shi, and Song Shiying inside the second gate.

Jiang Chun asked Qiu Shi with a grin, "Are we still staying in our previous courtyards?"

"Our family?" Qiu Shi thought. The eldest daughter-in-law of the main house really didn’t see herself as an outsider.

But she smiled and nodded, "Of course."

Jiang Chun turned to Song Shiying and said without any hesitation, "Ying'er, take me to your elder brother’s courtyard so I can have a look."

"There’s nothing much to see," Song Shiying raised her hand and pointed to a courtyard in the east, "Elder brother’s courtyard is right next to the main courtyard. It couldn’t be easier to find."

Jiang Chun looked in the direction she pointed, her eyes shining with excitement.

Goodness, the courtyard was not only in a prime location but was also huge, with three sections.

A sturdy osmanthus tree in the courtyard extended most of its branches over the wall, laden with golden flowers.

No wonder the Song family smelled so fragrant; it was due to this osmanthus tree.

Having found the courtyard she would be staying in, Jiang Chun said, "Ying'er, let’s go to the outer courtyard to get the luggage."

With that, she turned and strode out.

Song Shiying quickly ran to catch up, calling out, "Oh, Sister-in-law, don’t walk so fast. I can’t keep up with you!"

Jiang Chun’s slightly disdainful voice came from afar, "I’ve told you before to exercise more. You’re always so reluctant to move."

Song Shiying retorted loudly, "Am I really that bad? The 'someone' you’re talking about isn’t just anyone; it’s you, Sister-in-law. How could I possibly compare to you?"

The sisters-in-law continued their bickering as they walked away.

In the blink of an eye, only Qiu Shi remained inside the second gate.

Qiu Shi rolled her eyes and decided to follow them to see what was happening.

In the past, Qiu Shi, a proper lady born to the Marquis of Wu’an’s daughter, would never have done something so unconventional.

But having spent two years as a cook in a local gentry family, she had grown accustomed to being informal. Besides, the great mountain of her mother-in-law, Madam Song, had not yet returned to the estate, so there were no constraints. She decided to indulge her whim this once.

By the time she reached the guest room where the Jiang family’s belongings were placed, Jiang Chun had already efficiently found Song Shiying’s luggage.

Seeing Qiu Shi appear at the door, Jiang Chun immediately smiled, "These two boxes contain Miss Shiying’s things. Please, Third Aunt, send someone to deliver her belongings to her courtyard."

Qiu Shi was very cooperative and gestured to a maid behind her, "Qiutong, find a few servants to carry Third Miss’s belongings."

Qiu Tong responded and withdrew.

Jiang Chun then began going through her and Song Shi'an's luggage.

Their bedding was in one trunk, and their clothes were in separate trunks. The remaining miscellaneous items belonging to the two of them filled another three trunks.

Altogether, their things filled six trunks.

Jiang Chun hoisted one trunk onto her shoulder, steadying it with one hand while picking up another trunk with her other hand. She walked to the door with ease.

Then she smiled at Qiu Shi and said, "Third Aunt, could you please move aside?"

Qiu Shi was completely taken aback, her mouth wide open as if she had seen a ghost, unaware that her aristocratic composure had slipped.

Seeing her third aunt stunned, Song Shiying felt a secret sense of satisfaction. It was good that the family members could witness her sister-in-law's abilities, so they wouldn't ridicule her for lacking backbone behind her back.

If you think you're so capable, try to challenge her.

Don't worry, you'll definitely win. But if my sister-in-law knocks you down, you’ll be begging for mercy.

She said with a nonchalant smile, "This is nothing. At the grain store, my sister-in-law can easily carry two sacks of grain, each weighing a hundred catties."

Qiu Shi was speechless.

Carrying two hundred catties at once? With strength like that, she's superhuman.

She numbly moved aside at the door.

Jiang Chun stepped out and strode towards the second inner gate.

She went straight into Song Shi'an's Dangui Courtyard, placed the two trunks in the second hall, and then turned to leave.

The maids and older women, who were busy cleaning Dangui Courtyard, were surprised and didn’t know what to do.

An older woman came forward, fawning, "Is there more luggage for you, Madam? Let this old servant help you carry it."

Jiang Chun waved her hand, "No need. There aren't many trunks, and I'll finish moving them in no time."

If I relied on them, they’d dawdle for hours. It was better if she moved everything herself so she could tidy up their bedroom. Otherwise, how would they manage to sleep tonight?

When she placed the trunks, she casually glanced around the room and noticed that the hall was as empty as a cave, devoid of any furniture.

If the hall, which was supposed to be the face of the house, was like this, what more the bedroom?

It was probably as sparsely furnished as the guest room where Jiang He and Zheng Kun stayed, with only a bed and a bedside table.

When the Song family was raided, some of the confiscated items were still piled up in the Ministry of Revenue's warehouses, while others had been sold off.

Now that the Song family had been exonerated, the Ministry of Revenue needed to verify the inventory of their confiscated property with them. Whatever could be returned would be, and what couldn't would be compensated.

Only the current head of the Song family, the eldest master, or Song Shi'an, the eldest legitimate son and future heir of the Song family, could handle this task.

If anyone else went, the Ministry of Revenue wouldn’t acknowledge them.

Jiang Chun planned to send Song Shi'an to the Ministry of Revenue to claim their belongings tomorrow; otherwise, their life here would be less comfortable than her time in the countryside.

She made three trips in total to move all six trunks.

Noticing Song Shiying trailing after her like a little shadow, Jiang Chun said exasperatedly, "Stop following me around. Go to your own courtyard and tidy up your bedroom, or I don't know how you'll sleep tonight!"

Song Shi-yin responded decisively, "Alright, Madam, I'll go and tidy up."

After sending off the troublesome individual, Jiang Chun walked into the east side room.

The situation was far better than she had expected. Not only was there a bed, a bedside table, a wardrobe, and a vanity with a copper mirror, but there was also bedding.

Four maids entered the room: two seemed to be around fifteen or sixteen, and the other two around twelve or thirteen.

The maids knelt down and kowtowed to Jiang Chun, saying in unison, "This servant pays her respects to Madam."

"Please rise," Jiang Chun said, lifting her hand and asking their names with a smile.

One of the maids smiled and said, "The Elder Madam didn’t give us names, saying that the names she gives might not please the young master. She said to wait until the young master returns to name us himself."

Don’t even think about asking Song Shi-an to name the maids.

Jiang Chun gestured slightly and pointed from left to right, saying with a smile, "Gui Zhi, Gui Ye, Gui Hua, Gui Xiang."

Being illiterate and lacking education, she could only come up with such names.

The four maids immediately kowtowed again and said, "This servant thanks Madam for the names."

It would be foolish to have any opinions. They had just witnessed Madam’s immense strength, as she carried two huge boxes with ease.

Two older women, seeing the maids gathering around Jiang Chun, also entered to pay their respects. "This old servant greets Madam."

Jiang Chun asked them to rise and routinely asked for their names.

The older woman who had just stepped forward to curry favor was surnamed Li, and the other, who had a plump and joyful face, was surnamed Fang.

Since the older women still had chores outside, they excused themselves after kowtowing.

Jiang Chun, along with the four maids, began to unpack and organize the luggage.

Meanwhile, Song Shi-yin followed his mother into the east wing room of the main courtyard.

*

The furnishings in the main courtyard were slightly better than those in the Dangui Courtyard. The east wing room contained a Luohan bed, a square kang table in the center, and even a tea tray, teapot, and teacup on the kang table.

Madame Zhuang took her seat on the eastern side of the kang table and pointed to the western side, saying calmly, "Take a seat."

Song Shi-yin remained standing and said, "I'd rather speak standing."

Madame Zhuang’s anger grew even more at this, and she struggled to contain her rage.

She forced herself to calm down and reason with her son, "It was only after I returned to the capital yesterday that I heard about the Cheng family's withdrawal of the engagement from Yue Jie'er.

Breaking off the engagement is fine; it’s actually better not to marry into a family as status-conscious as the Cheng family. But you shouldn't have given up on yourself and randomly married the daughter of a rural butcher. How could she possibly be a suitable match for you?"

Madame Zhuang had thoroughly inquired about Jiang Chun’s background when the Crown Prince’s guards delivered the message yesterday.

Song Shi-yin did not interrupt his mother and waited for her to finish before dropping a bombshell, "Mother, there is one thing you’ve misunderstood. It’s not that I married a wife; rather, I was sold to the Jiang family to become their live-in son-in-law."

"What?!" Madame Zhuang was so shocked she nearly lost her breath, her face turning ashen.

Song Shi-yin, with a concerned expression, said, "Mother, please don’t be angry. You should take care of your health, after all, your well-being is important."

He hesitated for a moment, then slowly added the second half of his sentence, "There will be plenty more times to get angry in the future."

Jiang Chun was not the type to lower herself or act subservient before her mother-in-law, so there would likely be many intense confrontations between them in the future.

He really wasn't worried about Jiang Chun getting upset; this girl has a heart as vast as the ocean, and it wasn't easy to anger her.

What he feared was that his mother might fall ill from anger.

Madame Zhuang had just managed to catch her breath when her son's frustrating words caused her to nearly faint again.

She clutched her chest and gasped, "Our family went through a difficult time, and you being sold into her family was unavoidable, but now that we've been exonerated and your sister's husband has been named Crown Prince, this marriage should end as soon as possible.

You are the Crown Prince’s brother-in-law, the future imperial brother-in-law; how can it be proper for you to be a son-in-law to a butcher's daughter? What propriety is there in that?

Even if we aren't afraid of losing face, your sister's husband is."

Song Shian said calmly, "That would make the Song family no different from the Cheng family, just another bunch of snobbish people who despise the poor and flatter the rich."

Without waiting for Madame Zhuang's response, he continued, "Mother, you may not know this, but I was imprisoned in the Heavenly Prison for half a year, enduring torture every day. My body was completely ruined; a light breeze could make me fall ill.

I was sold from the Imperial City to Shandong, and no one wanted to buy a sickly son who could die at any time.

It was my father-in-law who, out of kindness, bought me. My wife spent all the family's savings—thirty taels of silver—to take me to see a doctor and get medicine to nurse me back to health.

She provided me with good food and drink, and in the winter, she and my father-in-law wore old cotton clothes while making new cotton coats and pants for me, and even pawned items to buy a charcoal heater for me.

I can say with certainty that without my wife's care, I would have died two years ago and wouldn't be standing here in good health, listening to you now.

Mother, what I've been taught tells me that one must not be ungrateful or forget the kindness of others."

Madame Zhuang opened her mouth but said nothing.

So, there was such a backstory.

Coming from the scholarly Zhuang family, now that she knew the truth, how could she utter words of disdain again?

She had no face to do so.

After a long while, she sighed deeply, "Kindness must indeed be repaid, but you have been put in a difficult position."

Song Shian pursed his lips slightly, his face turning slightly red as he whispered, "Mother, bringing my wife back to the capital wasn’t solely to repay a debt."

Madame Zhuang: "..."

Her usually cold, proud, and calm and reserved eldest son was now blushing and shy in front of her; today, she saw a side of him she never expected.

She clasped her forehead in frustration and waved her hand weakly, "Forget it, never mind."

Song Shian performed a fist-and-palm salute as a gesture of respect, then turned and left.

But then Madame Zhuang called him back, "Wait."

He turned back.

Madame Zhuang looked him over from head to toe, noting that although his robe was made of coarse material, it fit him well and accentuated his tall, straight figure like a pine or bamboo.

She had planned to ask about his physical condition, but now it seemed unnecessary.

She waved her hand, "Forget it, go ahead."

Sensing the situation, Song Shian did not press further. He bowed again and, with his body bent, retreated respectfully.

*

By the time Song Shian reached Dangui Courtyard, Jiang Chun had already taken care of all six large chests of luggage with the help of the servants.

At that moment, she was sitting astride a side branch of the century-old osmanthus tree, picking osmanthus flowers. Four maids stood underneath, holding an old, tattered quilt from the Jiang family, catching the flower branches she threw down.

Song Shian: "..."

True to form, Jiang Chun, a woman like a bandit leader, felt no unease or trepidation about being in a new place.

He reminded her, "My lady, hold on tight. Be careful not to fall and hurt yourself."

Jiang Chun grinned, "Don't worry, I'm holding on tight."

Song Shian walked over and stood under the tree, looking up. "Why are you picking osmanthus flowers?"

Jiang Chun smiled, "There are many things you can do with them. After drying the osmanthus flowers, you can make sachets, osmanthus cakes, or even add them to lotus root starch to make osmanthus-flavored lotus root starch."

Song Shian curled his lips and chuckled, "You are already fragrant enough; you don’t need an osmanthus sachet."

Jiang Chun sniffed herself but couldn't smell anything, then laughed, "They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder; you, however, have the scent of a fragrant concubine in the nose of your lover."

Song Shian asked curiously, "Xiang Fei? I've never heard of that."

Jiang Chun gave him a sideways glance and boldly lied, "Of course you haven't heard of it. It's a play performed by a traveling theater group in our Hongye Town. It tells the story of a foreign princess with a unique fragrance who was forced by her king to come to the Central Plains for marriage. After enduring numerous hardships, she finally escaped from the palace with the help of several princes and princesses, reuniting with her foreign lover to wander the world together."

"The princes and princesses helped their father’s consort escape to be with her foreign lover?" Song Shian frowned, at a loss for words.

Jiang Chun laughed heartily, "Absurd, right?"

"Indeed quite absurd," Song Shian agreed.

In rural areas or backwater towns, such things might be acceptable, but if a theater troupe in the Imperial City dared to create such an outrageous plot, the audience would surely throw rotten vegetables and eggs onto the stage.

The two chatted idly for a while, one in the tree and the other below. When Jiang Chun saw that there were enough flower branches piled on the quilt, she nimbly climbed down from the osmanthus tree.

After washing her hands, she instructed the maids to dry the osmanthus flowers. Then she asked Song Shian, "Did Mother cause you any trouble, like forcing you to divorce me?"

Song Shian answered truthfully, "She initially had that thought, but after hearing how sincerely you treat me, she didn't bring it up again."

If he had lied and said his mother was very satisfied with her as a daughter-in-law, Jiang Chun, not being foolish, would never have believed it.

Hearing the expected answer, Jiang Chun didn't get upset. She smiled and said, "She’s indeed a reasonable person, much like her son, Song Shian."

Putting herself in Madame Zhuang’s shoes, if she had an outstanding son who married a rural butcher's daughter, she wouldn’t be happy either.

So, she didn’t mind much about Madame Zhuang's attitude as long as she didn't deliberately make things difficult for her.

If she did, Jiang Chun certainly wouldn’t tolerate it.

She came to the capital to enjoy life, not to be a submissive doormat.

Song Shian smiled and said, "In the future, if Mother says or does something that upsets you, don’t keep it to yourself. Just tell me, and I’ll talk to her."

Jiang Chun gave him a sideways glance and said with a smile, "Do I look like someone who would silently swallow her grievances?"

Song Shian laughed, "You’re right; I was just saying."

Jiang Chun, seeing how understanding he was, responded in a friendly manner, "Don't worry, she's still your mother. Even for your sake, I won’t act rashly."

Song Shian felt a warmth in his heart and reached out, wanting to hug her, but she mercilessly pushed him away. "You're filthy, don't touch me."

He said, helplessly, "You were out climbing trees all day, and now you’re calling me dirty?"

Jiang Chun pouted. "That's not the same. I've already taken a bath. It’s only my outer clothes that are dirty. You haven't bathed yet."

Song Shian poked her forehead with his finger and asked, "Is there any hot water left? I'll go bathe."

Jiang Chun smiled. "I’ve already had the bathwater prepared for you. Go quickly."

*

After they finished their preparations and rested for a short while, Madam Zhuang sent someone to invite them to dinner.

When they arrived, Third Madam Qiu, Song Shiying, and Song Shiyue were already present.

Song Shiying, upon seeing the two, immediately stood up and said with a grin, "Don't worry, big sister. Mother has arranged a banquet in the outer courtyard for your father and cousin Zheng, so they won't go hungry."

Jiang Chun bowed to Madam Zhuang and said with a smile, "Thank you, Mother, for taking care of my father and cousin. I'm deeply grateful."

When you're eating and living off someone else's generosity, it’s proper to say a few complimentary words.

Madam Zhuang's expression was indifferent, and her tone was neither cold nor warm. "Everyone, sit."

Qiu Shi, however, was enthusiastic and, with a smile, started pointing out the dishes on the table to Jiang Chun. "Your mother was fortunate to hire two chefs who previously worked in official households. One is skilled in Imperial City cuisine, and the other in Huaiyang cuisine. Just look at this array of Imperial City and Huaiyang dishes; every one of them is delicious."

Jiang Chun's eyes swept over the crispy roast duck, Peking sauce pork, squirrel-shaped mandarin fish, and lion's head meatballs with crab powder, and she was about to drool.

Before even picking up her chopsticks, she gave Madam Zhuang a thumbs-up. "Mother, you're amazing. The chefs you hired have such great skills. These delicious and colorful dishes are making me drool."

Madam Zhuang: "..."

Was it proper to praise herself like that? Was drooling over food something to be proud of?

Song Shiying rubbed her hands together and anxiously urged Madam Zhuang, "Oh, I'm dying of hunger here. Auntie, please start eating!"

Madam Zhuang couldn't scold her darling son's wife, but couldn't she scold her niece? She immediately frowned and chided, "As a young lady of the Song family, how can you, of all people, make a fuss over a few ordinary dishes like some commoner?"

Song Shiying pouted and said sadly, "But I'm really hungry. Auntie, you don't know. Due to the locust disaster in Yanzhou Prefecture, Hongye Town has been suffering from famine. The farmers couldn't afford to raise pigs and sold them all. Father Jiang has been struggling to buy pigs, and we often go ten days to half a month without fresh pork."

Of course, they still had cured meat and braised pork offal, but there was no need to mention that.

Qiu Shi exclaimed, "Oh my, that's quite pitiful. Unlike me, even though I'm in the countryside, Tongzhou is prosperous. Plus, I'm a cook, so I get to eat meat every day."

Madam Zhuang, feeling sympathetic, glanced at her son and quickly picked up her chopsticks, placing a lion's head meatball with crab powder into her bowl. "Let's eat."

Only after finishing the meatball did she belatedly realize something was off.

Her son was vegetarian. What did fresh meat have to do with him?

It seemed her sympathy was misplaced.

At the signal to begin the meal, Jiang Chun immediately picked up the Yangzhou fried rice in front of her and swiftly wielded her chopsticks, piling all sorts of dishes into her bowl until it was as high as a small mountain.

Before Madam Zhuang could even frown, Jiang Chun had already buried her head and started devouring the food like a whirlwind, rapidly emptying her bowl.

Not even a single grain of rice could be found anymore.

Jiang Chun held the bowl backward and said to the maid who was in charge of serving meals in Madame Zhuang's room, "Please give me another bowl of rice."

The Song family's rice bowls were as small as the palm of a hand, and four or five of them were not enough to match the capacity of one rough ceramic bowl from the Jiang family.

Jiang Chun finished thirteen bowls of rice and still wasn't full. However, there was no more rice left.

Shanhu, Madame Zhuang's senior maid, said with a forced smile, "Madame, there's no more Yangzhou fried rice. Shall I serve you a bowl of japonica rice?"

Before Jiang Chun could respond, Madame Zhuang said to Song Shian with some concern, "Are you not going to manage your wife's eating habits? Are you not worried she will eat until she harms herself?"

If she dies of overeating on her first day there, what will others say about us?

People might say that we, mother and son, dislike her humble origins so much that we decided to get rid of her to make room for a new wife.

I definitely do not wish to bear such a terrible reputation.