Chapter 41: One Thing Subdues Another

Chapter 41: One Thing Subdues Another

Seeing Lu Xusheng's frustrated and defeated expression, Cheng Yian couldn't help but chuckle.

"How about you try your hand at cooking sometime soon and let me taste your skills?"

Lu Xusheng snapped back, "A true gentleman stays away from the kitchen."

Cheng Yian said with a sly smile, "Are you a gentleman?"

Lu Xusheng was left speechless.

The Cheng family's kitchen always had a fire going, especially during the busy end of the year. At any given moment, if the master returned, there would be hot water and meals ready. When Lu Xusheng arrived, the matron at Yining Garden immediately went to order the meal. In a flash, seven or eight delicacies were laid out before Lu Xusheng.

While Lu Xusheng dined, Cheng Yian nibbled on her triangular cakes. The couple sat apart, exchanging glances.

Cheng Yian ate with a healthy glow, while Lu Xusheng ate with a heavy heart.

When he decided to keep Cheng Yian in this life, he had firmly decided to give her a good life. He thought that with his abilities, he could make Cheng Yian the most distinguished lady in the capital. Drawing from his past life's experience, he believed he could manage the inner household smoothly. Little did he know, he had overestimated himself.

To be exact, he had underestimated Cheng Mingyu.

He couldn't spend his entire life chasing after Cheng Mingyu, could he?

He wondered how the other sons-in-law of the main branch of the family managed.

With these thoughts weighing on him, Lu Xusheng finished his meal without tasting a thing.

Right after dinner, he was about to leave, but Cheng Yian wouldn't have it, giving him a stern look.

Seeing this, Lu Xusheng put down his clothes and reluctantly shuffled over to her, "What's wrong?"

Cheng Yian grabbed his sleeve again, realizing that Lu Xusheng was quite responsive to this gesture. "I need a human-sized heater."

Hah...

With just that one sentence, Lu Xusheng's mood shifted from gloomy to bright.

"Should I stay tonight?" he asked reluctantly.

Cheng Yian pushed him, "You don't have to."

Cheng Yian had been lying in bed all day, feeling bloated. Lu Xusheng helped her walk around the room to aid digestion. Cheng Yian stumbled with every step, eventually leaning heavily on his arm. Lu Xusheng held her waist with one hand and her arm with the other, guiding her around the room.

The girl's bedroom was as spacious as an entire small household's residence, with a front hall and a rear sleeping chamber. Surrounding it were rooms for the servants. In other households, servants might share a single room, but in the Cheng family, even the more respectable maids had their own rooms, dressed as finely as young ladies from smaller families.

In Lu Xusheng's eyes: it was too extravagant.

Cheng Yian was used to sleeping while hugging him, and at night, she still snuggled into his arms.

Lu Xusheng, however, was uncomfortable. The room was already warm, and he was down to just a single layer of clothing. With a warm, soft body in his arms, it wasn't long before Cheng Yian felt something pressing against her. Lu Xusheng awkwardly moved away, putting some distance between them.

The effects of the medicine had worn off after a day and night, and Cheng Yian was feeling much better. She gently pushed him, "Do you want to?"

Lu Xusheng was too annoyed to speak, glancing at her, "How can you even ask? You took that medicine. Do you dare to have a child these days?"

Cheng Yian froze, then quickly sat up, her face pale. Although it was a tonic, she wasn't sure if it had any adverse effects. For the sake of the child's safety, it was indeed better to wait. This delay might mean missing the child from her past life. She had been so focused on stopping her father that she had forgotten about the impending child. Tears began to fall as she regretted her oversight.

Lu Xusheng, who had been resentful, now felt a pang of pity seeing her cry. He quickly wrapped her in the blanket, holding her tightly.

"The child from the previous life was miscarried, perhaps it was never healthy to begin with. Don't dwell on it too much; once you've rested and recovered, there will be another chance."

Cheng Yian kept her head down, silent.

Lu Xusheng had no choice but to pull her back into his arms, comforting her to sleep.

"Gains and losses are part of life; try to look on the bright side."

During the night, the female servants of the Cheng family washed and dried Lu Xusheng's official robe, then poured boiling water into a bucket to iron it smooth. The next day, before dawn, Lu Xusheng changed into a clean official robe and headed out again.

Cheng Yiyan waited at the main gate but didn't see Lu Xusheng, so he had to leave first. Later, he ran into Lu Xusheng talking to an official from the Military Governor's Office at Zhengyang Gate. He waited until Lu Xusheng was alone and then walked over with a smile,

"Didn't Shen Zhi stay at the mansion last night? Why didn't I see you leave after waiting for so long?"

He suspected that Lu Xusheng had scaled the wall.

Scaling the wall at his father-in-law's house was truly embarrassing.

Lu Xusheng would never admit it, "Brother Yanning must be mistaken; I left after putting An An to sleep last night."

Cheng Yiyan's mouth twitched, "Is that so? Then I must bolster the defenses of the Cheng family, lest one day someone scales the wall and we don't even know."

Lu Xusheng laughed and arrogantly patted his brother-in-law's shoulder, "Your family's little guards can't hold me back."

"The Cheng family's gate is wide open, yet you choose to take the unconventional route."

"Then why don't you send an invite!"

In the official district, people came and went, and though no one knew what the two were discussing, it was clear that the relationship between this brother-in-law and brother-in-law was not very harmonious.

Cheng Yian woke up feeling much better that day. Cheng Yiqiao was not at the mansion, and Cheng Yian was bored. Remembering that she hadn't seen Cheng Yike the last time, she sent invitations to Tao Qin and Cheng Yike to come and visit.

The matron from the main branch personally went to fetch them. Tao Qin's mother was overjoyed, eager for her daughter to climb the social ladder with Cheng Yian, and couldn't wait to send her daughter off.

It was trickier with Cheng Yike.

The main mistress of the eighth branch wouldn't let her go out, using the excuse that she wasn't at the mansion to turn the matron away. The matron wasn't so easily fooled, smiling as she said,

"I clearly saw Miss Ke'er yesterday; how come she's not here now?"

The main mistress then changed her story, "Actually, she's sick, afraid she might pass the illness to An An."

The matron smiled even more gracefully, "Then I must go and see her, otherwise our lady won't be at ease."

Knowing she couldn't stop her, the mistress of the eighth branch finally ordered someone to bring Cheng Yike out, secretly glaring at her and warning her not to speak out of turn before letting her go.

Cheng Yike and Tao Qin were led to pay their respects to the ancestors before heading to Yining Garden together.

Cheng Yian had already received the news and was sitting neatly dressed on the Luohan bed, waiting. After a while, the curtain was lifted, and she saw Tao Qin leading in a tall, slender girl. Cheng Yian couldn't remember how long it had been since she last saw Cheng Yike, and at first glance, she didn't recognize her. She was wrapped in a lake-blue cloak, her eyes dark and bright, her cheeks so thin they were sunken, making her cheekbones stand out.

"Ke'er, why have you become so thin?"

Tao Qin quickly pulled Cheng Yike forward, pushing her in front of Cheng Yian,

"Indeed, it's only been a few days, and she's lost another circle."

Cheng Yian was still not well enough to move, so she had someone bring over a stove for them to warm themselves by.

Cheng Yike's face showed embarrassment, her eyes reddening as she looked at Cheng Yian.

"An An, it's been so long since I last saw you. I've really missed you. Last time you sent an invitation, I was tied up and couldn't come. I'm sorry."

Tao Qin, seeing her still trying to put on a brave face, couldn't help but stand up for her.

"An An, you don't know, just now her stepmother almost didn't let her leave."

Cheng Yian leaned forward to hold her hand, noticing how thin her wrist was, like a bamboo stick, and said with heartache, "What's going on? Tell me quickly."

Cheng Yike wiped the corner of her eye, shaking her head and sighing, "What can it be? The day before yesterday, my brother was gambling outside and was given twenty lashes by the disciplinary committee. It was horrifying, his skin torn and flesh exposed. My father and mother wailed to the heavens, not daring to blame the family head, so, naturally, they took it out on me."

"Ever since you were acknowledged by the main branch, my stepmother has kept me from going out, afraid I would complain to you and cause trouble for them in front of the family head. If it weren't for Matron Gui's insistence today, I would have been fooled again."

Cheng Yian and Cheng Yike grew up together, and she was well aware of the mess in the eighth branch.

Without rushing to speak, she had the maids bring tea for both of them.

When Cheng Yike took the tea, an old jacket peeked out from inside. Seeing her in this oversized lake-blue cloak, not the kind young girls wear, Cheng Yian found it increasingly strange.

"Is this cloak not yours?"

Before Cheng Yike could answer, Tao Qin said angrily, "Of course not. Knowing she was coming to the main branch today, her stepmother deliberately gave her a new cloak to put on a show for the ancestors."

Cheng Yian couldn't bear to hear more and said to Cheng Yike, "It's been snowing these days. How could your stepmother be so cruel as not to make you a robe? What about your share?"

Cheng Yike smiled bitterly, "The family head's share for our eighth branch goes entirely to my father and mother. I wanted to make a robe for the winter, but they refused, saying they needed to save for my brother's dowry."

Cheng Yian frowned deeply at the frail Cheng Yike.

Cheng Yike's brother, Cheng Yike, the only son of the eighth branch's elder master, was treated like a precious gem by the family, but he was lazy and always getting into trouble.

"This year, because of my brother's misdeeds, our branch got less, and my share was cut."

Cheng Mingyu had clearly stated that the shares were meant for the girls, for dowries or everyday needs, and should not be withheld.

But Cheng Yike got nothing. Her birth mother had passed away early, and she was raised by her stepmother. From birth, she was taught to give way to her brother. The embroidery she sold for money went to her brother. While many suitors sought the Cheng family's daughters, her marriage was picked over by her parents, implying they wanted to find a wealthy family to support her brother in the future. Even her name, "Ke," was chosen because it sounded like her brother's name, "Ke."

She was the most overlooked girl in the Cheng family.

Cheng Yian looked at the fragile Cheng Yike and remained silent for a long time.

In her previous life, she later went to Yizhou and often corresponded with Cheng Yike. In the third year of her stay in Yizhou, she lost contact with Cheng Yike. Cheng Yike had a habit of keeping things to herself, only sharing good news. Later, when the Cheng family's matron delivered her share, she was told that Cheng Yike had died.

Because Cheng Yike's brother was ultimately hopeless and repeatedly failed to reform, he was disowned by the Cheng family. The family returned to Hongnong, living in poverty. Her stepmother and father, to support their son, wanted to sell her to a wealthy family as a second wife. Cheng Yike, born into a noble family, couldn't bear to disgrace the Cheng family's honor and refused. She was locked in the woodshed by her stepmother.

Cheng Yike later escaped. She finally fled to a small mountain village, lying in a cornfield, starving and eating corn. The corn was too hard, and she couldn't chew it, swallowing it whole. In the end, she died from overeating.

A girl who was usually underfed and poorly clothed ended up dying from overeating.

How ironic?

Cheng Yian's eyes welled up with tears at the memory, and she turned her face away, taking deep breaths.

Cheng Yike and Tao Qin were both alarmed.

Earlier, the ancestors had said Cheng Yian was ill and asked them to comfort her. Now, instead of comforting her, they had made her cry. What a mistake.

Cheng Yike hurriedly stood up and held her shoulders, "An An, don't be sad. Even though I don't have new clothes, I still have old ones. You gave me many robes before, and I still have them."

Before Cheng Yian got married, she gave many of her old clothes to Cheng Yike.

Although she didn’t have parents to care for her at that time, Cheng Mingyu secretly took care of her, ensuring she had the best food, clothing, and daily necessities.

The more they tried to comfort Cheng Yian, the harder she cried. She turned her head and glared at her, "Then you gotta stand up for yourself and not let them push you around. The Cheng family has a disciplinary committee. If you get a chance, go and lodge a complaint. My father and brother will naturally step in to deal with your parents for you."

Why didn’t Cheng Yian step in? She couldn’t protect Cheng Yike forever. People have to rely on themselves; others can only help for so long. As long as Cheng Yike had the thought of resisting, her path would become wider and wider.

Cheng Yike was stunned, "As the sage said, a child should not speak of their father's faults."

"That’s only if he actually acts like one."

Cheng Yike was still struggling to accept it, "Can I really do this? I’m scared of making things worse, and my stepmom might mess with my marriage."

"If you don’t cause a rift, your stepmother will still meddle with your marriage," Cheng Yian encouraged her, "Ke’er, some folks just pick on the weak. The reason she’s afraid of you coming today is because she’s afraid you’ll lodge a complaint. You need to stand your ground and not let her bully you."

"Exactly!" Tao Qin also supported her, "The Cheng family is vast and prosperous, and there’s a place to air your grievances. Other families suffer in silence with no place to air their grievances. I think you should just go to the disciplinary committee, file a complaint, and get your share of the dividends back. Instead of letting your brother blow it all gambling, keep your dowry money safe—it’ll be your safety net."

"That’s right," Cheng Yian said.

Cheng Yike sank onto the brocade stool.

Her eyes were a mix of confusion, courage, worry, and hope for the future, lingering there for a long time.

It was almost noon, and Cheng Yian ordered an extremely lavish meal to be served. During the meal, she kept putting food on Cheng Yike's plate.

Cheng Yike was torn between laughter and exasperation, "An An, I’ve had enough."

"Then wrap it up, and you can take it home for later."

She also instructed Ru Lan to pack a few sets of clothes, "You won’t want my new clothes, but if you don’t mind, take my old ones."

Cheng Yian's actions eventually couldn’t be hidden from the family matriarch. Although the Cheng family had strict rules, there were too many people and too many opinions. Cheng Mingyu couldn’t possibly manage everything that happened behind closed doors, and there were places he couldn’t oversee. But today, since it had come to the matriarch’s attention, she couldn’t ignore it.

The matriarch called Cheng Yike’s mother to the main house and gave her a stern lecture from her high seat,

"Our Cheng family’s daughters are all precious. We don’t distinguish between legitimate and illegitimate children. You only have one son, and your branch has just one daughter. Instead of cherishing her, you’re scheming to bully and use her? Let me tell you, if you’re smart, you’ll have a good life. But if you act unethically and tarnish the Cheng family’s reputation, then you don’t need to stay in the South Mansion anymore. Go back to your hometown in Hongnong and farm the land."

The mistress of the eighth branch knelt on the ground, crying with snot and tears streaming down her face, "The matriarch is right. I have learned my lesson."

She publicly took Cheng Yike back, and although she harbored some resentment in her heart, she didn’t dare to mistreat her anymore.

After lunch, the retired imperial physician came, saying he needed to perform acupuncture on Cheng Yian to remove toxins. Cheng Yian's fingers were all pricked, and she lay on the soft couch, unable to move. She fell asleep unknowingly and woke up feeling refreshed. Looking outside, the winter sun broke through the clouds, casting a warm glow everywhere. Cheng Yian, feeling stifled, got dressed and planned to go to the matriarch’s courtyard to pay her respects.

The matron offered to get her a small sedan chair, but Cheng Yian declined, "I’m not that delicate."

She was supported by three maids as she made her way to the main house.

The Cheng family’s servants were also quite artistic. The courtyard was still covered in snow, and they dared not disturb the scenery, only clearing the snow from the corridors and stone paths and transporting it to the back mountain. Along the way, Cheng Yian saw clusters of snow piled on the flower beds, like mushrooms covering the flower beds, thick and inviting. Cheng Yian’s playful side emerged, and she couldn’t resist. Her fingers, pricked by the needles, were kept warm and hidden, so she lifted her foot and stepped on the snow by the roadside. The pristine flower bed now bore a deep boot print, quite mischievous.

Since the scenery was already ruined, why not take another step?

Just as she was about to lift her deer-skin boot with the maid’s support, a sharp voice came from the end of the corridor,

"What mischief are you up to now!"

Cheng Yian was startled. She turned around and saw her second sister, Cheng Yiqiao, wearing a peacock-feather cloak, striding towards her.

Cheng Yian smiled at her, "Second Sister, you're back."

"I'm back to settle things with you!" Cheng Yiqiao walked up to her with a displeased expression, standing on the steps and taking on the role of the elder sister.

"How's your health? Does your back hurt or feel sore? Still not enough? Do you need more? In the future, the term 'Golden Goose Cut' will be a joke about you."

Cheng Yian couldn't exactly say she was doing it to save her father's life. Having been an elder sister in her past life, she now, as a younger sister, could better understand the elder sister's heartache. Even when scolded, she found her sister's expression incredibly loving.

So she kept smiling, letting Cheng Yiqiao continue her scolding.

Seeing her indifferent attitude, Cheng Yiqiao grew even more irritated, "Are you still proud of yourself? Seeing that Father listens to you, you feel untouchable, don't you? I tell you, next time you want to stop Father, call me, we'll each grab a leg, and Father won't be able to move. Why resort to such a desperate act? Today you were lucky, nothing happened, but what about tomorrow? If something goes wrong, you'll regret it for a lifetime."

"Girls shouldn't take just any medicine..."

Just as Cheng Yiqiao was getting worked up, another figure appeared at the end of the corridor. Dressed in a silver-red fox fur cloak, holding a hand warmer, with her hair styled in an elaborate bun, she approached with a serious expression.

"Cheng Yiqiao, why are you scolding your sister?"

Hearing this voice, Cheng Yiqiao stiffened, like a mouse caught by a cat, her confident demeanor instantly disappeared, and she turned around with a strange expression.

She faced Cheng Yixin's cold, stern gaze.

"I wasn't scolding her, I was just teaching her a lesson..." she denied vehemently.

Cheng Yixin looked at her with a deep gaze, "Is there a difference between teaching her a lesson and scolding her?"

Cheng Yiqiao had no choice but to gesture towards Cheng Yian, who was still standing on the stone path, "Elder Sister, do you know what she did? She actually..."

"I know!" Cheng Yixin stood gracefully, not giving Cheng Yiqiao a chance to argue.

"She's young; as her elder sister, you can guide her, just speak kindly. Who acts as loudly as you? When you were young, did I treat you like this? Is it because I'm not around that you bully others?"

"Look, you've scared your sister into silence!"

"I..." Cheng Yiqiao, usually quite talkative, was completely at a loss in front of Cheng Yixin.

Today was different; she was no longer just a younger sister but also an elder sister now, and elder sisters have their pride. So she stiffened her neck and argued with Cheng Yixin.

Cheng Yian hadn't seen Cheng Yixin for many years. In her memory, she was the eldest sister of all the Cheng family girls, respected and admired by all. It was said that she was efficient and straightforward.

The girls of the main branch were seen as dignified and respectable, held in high esteem.

Who knew they could bicker so spiritedly in private.

Not far away, Cheng Yiyan was waving at her. Cheng Yian slowly made her way along the path to the corridor, nodding towards the two sisters who were arguing fiercely ahead.

"Second Brother, do Elder Sister and Second Sister always not get along like this?"

Cheng Yiyan was used to it.

"They're like two sides of the same coin; you'll get used to it."

Seeing that he was just watching the spectacle, Cheng Yian asked, "Second Brother, are you just going to watch?"

Cheng Yiyan shrugged, "Who should I help?"

The children had all grown up without mothers, and Cheng Mingyu had raised them well, so they weren't estranged despite having different mothers.

In Cheng Yiyan's eyes, he loved all his sisters equally, so he helped none... just watched the show.

At this moment, the two sisters finally stopped bickering.

Cheng Yian glanced over and saw Cheng Yiqiao puffing out her cheeks, clearly having lost the argument.

Cheng Yixin turned around to look for Cheng Yian, walking with poise without even a sway of her hairpin.

"Third Sister..." she smiled at Cheng Yian.

Cheng Yian curtsied generously, "Greetings, Elder Sister."

In terms of status, Cheng Yian was prominent among the noblewomen, ranking above Cheng Yixin. However, in terms of family etiquette, Cheng Yian was the younger sister and naturally had to bow to her elder sister.

Cheng Yixin accepted her courtesy, walked over, and took her hand, looking her over closely.

"Ever since I was young, I always thought you were beautiful. Every time I saw you, I couldn't help but take a second look, wishing you were my sister. And now, you really are my sister. It truly shows how strong family bonds are. Now it's wonderful, I have another beautiful sister."

With just that one word "another," she subtly comforted Cheng Yiqiao, who was puffing out her cheeks.

She had included her in the compliment.

Cheng Yian glanced at Cheng Yiqiao out of the corner of her eye and said gently, "Elder Sister, you jest."

"I just came from Grandmother's room. I heard you were unwell, so I came to visit. My He family relatives are with Grandmother now, so you don't need to go. The wind outside is strong, so it's better to rest and not be reckless just because you're young." Cheng Yixin's last sentence was a double entendre.

Cheng Yian understood and bowed obediently, "Younger Sister takes your advice."

Cheng Yixin gently instructed a few more words and then led Cheng Yian back, "I'll go to your courtyard to see. Those matrons might take advantage of your youth and not attend to you properly."

Cheng Yian suddenly felt what it meant to have an elder sister like a mother.

Cheng Yixin walked a few steps and noticed Cheng Yiqiao hadn't followed. She stopped and looked back, seeing Cheng Yiqiao still standing at the corner where she had been.

"What are you standing there for? Aren't you coming?"

An elder sister's authority is absolute, even someone as willful as Cheng Yiqiao wouldn't dare to disobey. In a place where Cheng Yixin couldn't see, Cheng Yiqiao secretly gave Cheng Yian a defiant look and reluctantly followed.

Cheng Yian held back her laughter.

Cheng Yiyan, having escorted his elder sister to the backyard, returned to the front courtyard.

Cheng Yixin's family had returned to the capital early. The matriarch, fearing her household wasn't settled yet, had her stay at the Cheng family. Not only Cheng Yixin and her children, but even her husband He Qingyun had come. Cheng Yiyan thought, since his elder sister's husband was here, he shouldn't neglect his younger sister's husband either, so he sent a message to Lu Xusheng, inviting him to the Cheng family for dinner.

Thinking that by the end of the year, Cheng Yiqiao's marriage would be settled, and then all three brothers-in-law would gather at the Cheng family, making the household lively.