Chapter 95 Full Moon: Full Moon Banquet.

Chapter 95: The Full Moon Feast: The Full Moon Banquet.

Su Tiaotiao's full moon banquet was small, with about a dozen guests total and two tables of feasts—a sorry display for the once-wealthy Su family.

Su Tiaotiao privately told Tian Qin that she had married down; her husband was a low-ranking clerk in the Ministry of Revenue, named Feng Zheng, who lived paycheck to paycheck and barely passed for a scholar-official upstart. Her mother-in-law was a domineering miser who pinched pennies on everything, and she only got these two tables after begging and pleading. Poor thing—as a maiden she spent freely, but after marriage, she had to use her own dowry to supplement the household expenses.

Tian Qin's expression was solemn and sorrowful: "Relying on his wife's dowry—what kind of man is that?"

In recent years, her emotions were like a stagnant pool; she rarely felt anything beyond torment.

She saw that Su Tiaotiao, instead of gaining weight after childbirth, had grown haggard, living a life of gilded misery.

Su Tiaotiao hastily tugged at her and said, "Shh, keep your voice down. If my mother-in-law hears, there'll be more trouble."

Tian Qin asked, "Why did you marry someone like this in the first place?"

Su Tiaotiao showed a helpless, sorrowful expression. "Our parents' command, the matchmaker's words—what could a weak woman like me, confined to the inner chambers, do? My first child was a girl, and before my postpartum illness has even healed, my mother-in-law is already pressing for a second child. These past few days, my husband has been hinting that he wants to sleep together again. I really have no way out."

Tian Qin wanted to advise Su Tiaotiao to divorce, but she was still young and had an escape route. The Fengs' den of wolves was no less terrifying than the former Yu family; a normal person would go mad staying there too long.

The Ministry of Revenue, where Feng Zheng served, was under Xie Tanwei's jurisdiction. That man's life or death was merely a matter of a single glance from Xie Tanwei.

If she could plead with Xie Tanwei on Su Tiaotiao's behalf...

The thought of confronting Xie Tanwei again filled Tian Qin with difficulty. Just as she was about to ask Su Tiaotiao's opinion, the other woman spoke:

"Enough, let's not talk about me. Tian'er, haven't your sister and brother-in-law married you off yet?"

Tian Qin was taken aback.

"No..." Tian Qin uttered a single word and let silence finish the rest.

Su Tiaotiao knew the situation in the Xie household. In fact, the Xie family was strict, especially with Tian Qin.

But Su Tiaotiao had never thought this strictness was bad; it was a strictness filled with loving kindness, a strictness of someone caring, a strictness bound by affection—the deeper the love, the stricter the discipline. It was far better than her own plight, being a beast of burden in the unfamiliar Feng family.

"Not marrying is fine too. Marrying into a family like the Fengs would only be more upsetting."

Standing from her own perspective, Su Tiaotiao sincerely sighed, "Tian'er, Lord Xie is truly good to you. Really, I envy you to death."

Tian Qin didn't agree.

She kept glancing at the clock, constantly calculating. She had to be back at the mansion before sunset—that was Xie Tanwei's rule. If she broke her word even once, she'd lose all future chances to go out and face his harsh punishment. The lenience and indulgence were just a facade; his true nature was the devil's fangs.

The atmosphere froze in silence.

Su Tiaotiao brought the baby over for Tian Qin to see, her eyes full of maternal affection and doting.

Tian Qin only glanced at the baby and looked away—it wasn't just Su Tiaotiao's child, but all children she loathed.

She would always remember how in her previous life, after ten months of pregnancy, she gave birth to an ungrateful wretch that broke her heart.

"How cute," she said without meaning it.

The two sisters sat together chatting. Once close friends as girls, one had become a wife in a humble family, constantly yielding; the other had become a concubine in a noble household without any official status. Though their circumstances were vastly different, the underlying bitterness was no different.

Seeing Tian Qin's delicate beauty, some young gentlemen at the banquet tried to strike up a conversation. After a little inquiry, they learned that Tian Qin was a kept woman from a wealthy family, not even considered a concubine. They all adopted an attitude of keeping their distance, their faces turning pale as they silently retreated.

The scene was awkward, but Tian Qin didn't feel humiliated.

She wished time would pass slowly, not wanting to return early to that gloomy and oppressive home.

Soon, Su Tiaotiao's mother-in-law called her over, fierce and vicious, scolding her for the banquet being too expensive, actually using the "Shark's Fin and Eight Treasures" ingredients, including abalone as big as a palm and bamboo fungus.

"Everyone is dressed up nicely, but the gifts are pitifully small. It's clear they came just to eat for free. And you're so foolish to have hired such good chefs and dishes—enough to cover half a year of my son's salary. You sit at home holding the baby, taking it easy, but do you know the hardships my son faces running around outside? Cancel the Shark's Fin and Eight Treasures now!"

Su Tiaotiao's eyes reddened, and she choked out, "Mother, the dishes have already been served. How can they be returned?"

Madam Feng glared, raising her large, fan-like hand to strike: "How dare you talk back to me?"

Feng Zheng frowned and said, "Tiaotiao, Mother means well for us. Just listen to her and don't anger her."

Su Tiaotiao was caught between both sides, at a loss.

Tian Qin overheard some of it and hadn't intended to meddle in their family affairs. But when she saw Madam Feng about to slap Su Tiaotiao to establish dominance, and Su Tiaotiao wiping her tears without any intention of dodging, Tian Qin suddenly stepped forward and stood in front of Su Tiaotiao: "Stop! How can you hit her, no matter what?"

Madam Feng had already noticed this uninvited guest. The other guests all had respectable titles—some from this or that mansion, this or that lady, this or that young miss. But Tian Qin had no proper visiting card at all, and had been clinging to Su Tiaotiao and chatting aimlessly, to the point where the mother-in-law had called Su Tiaotiao several times and been ignored. She was seething with rage: "Who are you? Where did this little bitch come from?"

Madam Feng had been a laundry maid in her early years and was crude by nature. Even after climbing the social ladder, she still spewed profanity. Her son Feng Zheng had been under her thumb since childhood, and Madam Feng, used to getting her way, wouldn't stand for defiance.

"I am..." Tian Qin was about to retort, when Madam Feng's slap came down fiercely.

"Ouch—" A wailing followed, but it wasn't from Tian Qin—it was Madam Feng's scream.

Madam Feng's arm was twisted at a sickening angle by Zhao Ning, who had appeared out of thin air, producing a creaking sound of bones cracking.

"Help! Help! Murder!"

"This is the Second Miss Tian of the Xie family mansion."

Zhao Ning warned with a cold, iron-hard voice.

Tian Qin had been the third daughter of the Yu family, but after being fostered in the Xie household, everyone called her Second Miss.

At these words, the Feng family members all gasped in shock.

Feng Zheng saw his mother being humiliated, but he cowered and dared not step forward. The reason was simple: he recognized Zhao Ning, a formidable figure who often accompanied the Head of the Xie Family. In the court, given his official rank, he could only gaze from afar.

The other party now held an overwhelming advantage in skill—a towering figure like an iron tower, arms like iron hoops, and fierce black eyes like a reincarnated demon god. Even ten servants would be no match for him.

Worse still, Zhao Ning was no ordinary soldier; he held high rank and power. Offending Zhao Ning meant offending Xie Tanwei.

The terrible consequences of offending Xie Tanwei he dared not even imagine. Who knew that the beautiful concubine was from the Xie family? Otherwise, he would never have stepped into this muddy water.

Feng Zheng regretted it deeply, hesitating and speechless. Madam Feng's face had lost all color, and cold sweat poured down like rain. The guests present began pointing fingers, saying she was relying on her old age and had it coming—her bad temper had offended many in the past.

Tian Qin seized the chance to pull Su Tiaotiao away.

Su Tiaotiao escaped a beating but looked utterly dejected, her arms hanging limply: "I'm sorry. My family is such a mess."

Tian Qin gently studied her face, finding a patchwork of old and new bruises—apparently, Madam Feng beating her daughter-in-law was not a first-time occurrence, and Feng Zheng, timid and weak, always sided with his mother and dared not disobey.

Su Tiaotiao's tears fell like strands of broken pearls, and lowering her head, she noticed the elaborate, elegant embroidery on Tian Qin's skirt, the glittering starry embroidery shining brilliantly, filling her heart with even more envy. The Fengs were nouveau riche with shallow pockets, and most of the conflicts between her and Feng Zheng revolved around money.

In contrast, Tian Qin had the care of her sister and brother-in-law, endless money, and the most luxurious clothes and jewelry. If only she could trade places with Tian Qin, even for a day, to experience being pampered to the skies.

Tian Qin sensed Su Tiaotiao's envy but could not express her own bitterness; insisting Su Tiaotiao was better off would only seem hypocritical.

That's right, compared to her previous life, Xie Tanwei indeed really spoiled her with material things. He would give her an extra meal if her stomach growled in the middle of the night, would run all over town just to bring her a colorful bird like the one in a picture book, and even anticipate and fulfill those secret little wishes of hers.

But Su Tiaotiao always sees only the bright side.

Just as no one would know about the humiliation the new money Madam Feng suffers unless Su Tiaotiao spoke up, Tian Qin also harbors hidden hardships inside, which are even deeper and more deeply rooted than Su Tiaotiao's.

Everyone has their own dirty secrets.

Her glamour and splendor come at the price of absolute obedience.

Her being able to stand here glamorously today, eating the best and using the best, comes at the cost of groveling and begging at Xie Tanwei's feet, always living in the shadows, never having the right to stand alongside the so-called "master."

The gentle warmth of his fingertips can at any moment turn into the searing pain of the Love Gu burning with murderous intent, coursing through her frail body, like a whip, robbing her of her will.

Those who don't have to worry about money often worry about more troublesome things.

As a canary, her feelings don't matter; her life, death, rewards, punishments, joys, and angers all depend on the master's mood. A word or a glance determines her fate.

If she had a choice, she would rather not have this false prosperity.

She and Su Tiaotiao seem to stand at two extremes, both wanting to be the other, but separated by the high wall of reality, sighing helplessly, unable to become each other.

At this moment, Feng Zheng caught up and grabbed Su Tiaotiao, pleading with her and apologizing in every way, begging Tiaotiao to forgive him.

Toward Tian Qin, Feng Zheng was both in awe and repulsed, doing his best to avoid her, not even daring to look at her face. The guards Tian Qin brought had hurt his mother, but he didn't dare say a word.

"Mother doesn't mean any harm, Tiaotiao, you know that. She has a sharp tongue but a soft heart. Tiaotiao, mother is injured, her wrist is bleeding a lot. Please go back and apologize. Harmony in the family brings prosperity. I beg you, as your husband, I'm begging you."

Su Tiaotiao refused tearfully: "Feng, do you have no conscience?"

Feng Zheng kept tugging at her, earnestly and patiently.

No matter what, Su Tiaotiao had married into the Feng family; she was stuck with him, like it or not. She couldn't leave the Feng family.

...

A full moon banquet, a gaggle of chattering women, ended on a sour note.

Tian Qin embarked on her journey home in a sorry state. This gathering with her close friend didn't bring her any emotional solace; instead, it made her see reality even more clearly.

This world is full of fetters and cages; it is not just the Xie Mansion that is like this.

Although she was mentally and physically exhausted, the rules could not be broken; she had to return to the Xie Mansion before sunset.

Zhao Ning, while driving the carriage, said: "The Lord already knows what happened. Miss is tired. When you return to the mansion, there is no need to pay respects; go back to the Painting Garden to rest."

Obviously, both the carrier pigeons and the Love Gu were monitoring Tian Qin's every move.

But Tian Qin shook her head firmly: "No, I want to see the Lord."

Madam Feng and Feng Zheng had called her a lowly slave; how could this be let go lightly.