Old Madam Cao’s birthday fell on the twentieth day of the ninth month.
This year marked her seventieth birthday, and the Cao family planned to celebrate it extravagantly. Throughout her life, Old Madam Cao had been charitable, building bridges and paving roads while accumulating good deeds. Starting from the ninth month, the Cao family set up stalls throughout Linan City to distribute porridge, planning to provide charity meals for a full month. Since Old Madam Cao enjoyed opera performances and festivities, the family invited shadow puppet troupes, acrobatic groups, and storytellers, setting up three stages in both the inner and outer courtyards for three days of entertainment.
On the actual birthday, the Cao family would host a three-day banquet on the street outside their residence, welcoming all nearby residents regardless of gender, age, wealth, or status to join the feast.
Such grand arrangements led everyone to praise the Cao family’s filial piety and prosperity.
To prepare for this celebration, the Cao family began preparations in the early ninth month. The entire residence needed renovation and decoration, stages had to be built, opera troupes secured, and banquet chefs hired. Besides the main chefs, they needed to employ about thirty workers for assistance, dishwashing, and serving, as the Cao family’s own servants weren’t nearly enough.
Consequently, traffic at the Cao residence increased significantly.
Old Madam Cao left these matters to her sons and daughters-in-law. The household was managed by her youngest daughter-in-law, Cao Hai’s wife, and naturally, the Third Branch bore most of the expenses.
This entire celebration would cost no less than Ten Thousand Taels of Silver.
Madam He, Cao Hai’s wife, had her unspoken grievances. Her in-laws were extravagant, organizing the birthday celebration without regard for the family’s financial situation, and spending money like water, yet all expenses fell on the Third Branch. Over the years, the Cao family had become like a bottomless pit, swallowing countless thousands of taels from the Third Branch. There was nothing she could do—her husband Cao Hai was the most successful among his siblings, and the entire family relied on his income. Whenever the household needed money, they came to her. Moreover, this was Old Madam Cao’s seventieth birthday; if she suggested any frugality, it would reach Cao Hai’s ears and result in severe reprimand.
Cao Hai was both filial to his mother and devoted to his children.
“Sister-in-law, don’t worry. I know a master chef from the village who specializes in banquets,” Ming Shu said to Cao Hai’s wife. “His culinary skills are exceptional, and his apprentices are all talented. He has a team of workers from his village who charge much less than hiring from Linan’s restaurants. For ingredients, they can either handle the purchasing themselves or provide a list for the household to buy. If they handle it, they pre-order from farmers and fishermen, which is cheaper than the market and ensures fresher ingredients.”
Madam He, a plump and straightforward woman, was Cao Hai’s wife. Ming Shu, having accepted Old Madam Cao as her adoptive mother, naturally called Madam He “Sister-in-law.” Due to her relationship with Old Madam Cao, she had become acquainted with everyone in the Cao household. Today, she had come to visit Old Madam Cao, but finding her meditating in the meditation room, she waited outside drinking tea. She encountered Madam He, who had come to pay her respects, and they began discussing Old Madam Cao’s birthday celebration.
Madam He had been troubled lately by the banquet arrangements. A three-day feast stretching down the entire street required numerous chefs, workers, and ingredients. She worried about the quantities—too much would waste money, too little would invite ridicule. Then there was the matter of finding suitable chefs; renowned restaurants were extremely expensive, while lesser-known ones might serve poor-quality food. It was truly vexing.
After she shared her concerns with Ming Shu, she received both comfort and practical solutions.
“Actually, for the residents attending the banquet, fresh ingredients and skilled cooking are what matter most. Famous restaurants often prioritize appearance over taste, which common people might not appreciate. The same money would be better spent on quality ingredients like abalone and sea cucumber rather than fancy presentations, don’t you think?”
“You make a good point. I’ve been so overwhelmed that I hadn’t considered this aspect. When can we meet this master chef you mentioned?” Madam He asked while massaging her temples.
“I’ll inquire about him as soon as I return home. Sister-in-law, don’t worry. Have him come to the residence to present a menu and sample dishes. If you’re satisfied, then discuss further details—whether to entrust everything to him or just hire their services. Have him write down all costs on paper: chef wages, worker wages, and if they handle procurement, ingredient prices as well. We can compare with market prices. As they say, comparing three vendors ensures the best deal.”
Madam He felt greatly relieved after hearing this: “Young Lady Ming, now I see why Mother often praises you, saying you’re different from other young ladies. You truly have wisdom beyond your years. How wonderful it would be to have you helping at home.”
“You flatter me, Sister-in-law. It’s my blessing to help with Mother’s birthday celebration,” she smiled and continued, “Mother’s celebration needs to be grand enough to satisfy everyone while being mindful of expenses. It must be quite challenging for you.”
“Indeed. You’re the only one who understands my difficulties. The others think the master of the house has mountains of gold and silver at his disposal. Even if he did have mountains of wealth, they’d probably spend it all.”
“Sister-in-law worries too much. General Cao is a most capable man. His official career will surely prosper, and tremendous wealth awaits you in the future. Why worry about better days ahead?” Ming Shu sipped her tea while offering these compliments.
“Oh, enough of that. It would be good enough if he stopped taking money from my hands. Last year he even came back asking for my dowry and personal savings for some emergency,” Madam He continued complaining about Cao Hai.
Some things couldn’t be discussed with family members. Having bottled up her frustrations for so long, she needed to vent now that she had found a sympathetic ear.
“He must have encountered some difficulty?” Ming Shu feigned surprise.
“Who knows what men do outside? He won’t tell me when I ask. For all I know, he could be supporting some seductress in Jiangning!” Madam He continued, then leaned closer to whisper, “Young Lady Ming, when you marry in the future, find a man who’s willing to let you manage the finances. That way you’ll know if he’s up to any mischief outside. Unlike my situation—being forced to agree when he takes concubines, it’s truly infuriating. Now when he comes home, if there’s no business to attend to, he spends all his time with that concubine. Hmph!”
Ming Shu covered her mouth in surprise and followed up quietly: “Then… did you give your money to General Cao?”
“I did. Would he have left me alone otherwise? Fortunately, he replenished it after the New Year, and even brought it back…” She suddenly stopped, adjusted her hairpin, and smiled, “Never mind, why am I telling a young lady such things? Just remember this—men are unreliable, only money is dependable!”
Ming Shu lowered her head shyly, making no response.
“Young Lady Ming, do you remember my nephew from my maiden family?” Madam He brought up another matter.
“You mean… Brother He Zhong?” Ming Shu thought for a while before recalling this person. She had met him once when accompanying Old Madam Cao in the suburbs, where he had come to visit the old lady.
“How kind of you to remember him. It must be fate,” Madam He smiled.
Ming Shu sensed something amiss and quickly said, “Sister-in-law…”
Madam He knew what she was about to say and continued: “That boy hasn’t stopped thinking about you since he saw you that day. Like you, his father passed away last year, so he must observe three years of mourning. You’ll both complete your mourning period around the same time. Since you don’t have elders around to arrange such matters, and you’re now related to our family, we should help plan for your future.”
Ming Shu just smiled and skillfully changed the subject. When Old Madam Cao emerged, Ming Shu paid her respects, accompanied her in conversation for a while, stayed for a meal, and took her leave at noon. Whether He Zhong had received notice from Madam He or it was mere coincidence, Ming Shu encountered him at the Cao residence gates.
This He Zhong was ordinary-looking and appeared honest and simple. Upon seeing Ming Shu, his eyes lit up as if he’d seen a celestial maiden, and he eagerly approached. She happened to be struggling with several items Old Madam Cao had given her, and He Zhong quickly took them and placed them in his mule cart, insisting on escorting her home. Ming Shu couldn’t refuse despite her protests, so she had to accept.
It was evening by the time they reached her door, and He Zhong unloaded the packages from his cart and carried them to her doorstep.
“Thank you for your help today,” Ming Shu stood at the door expressing her gratitude.
He Zhong glanced at the tightly closed door and wiped the sweat from his forehead: “The items are heavy. Shall I help carry them inside?”
Ming Shu shook her head: “No need, I can manage. It’s getting dark and the roads will be difficult to navigate. You should head back soon.”
Having worked so hard without even entering the house, and seeing Ming Shu’s firm attitude, He Zhong could only leave reluctantly despite his dissatisfaction. Only after his figure had completely disappeared did Ming Shu turn to open the door and begin moving the items inside.
A hand reached out from the dark doorway, effortlessly taking the things she passed inside.
Ming Shu raised an eyebrow—Lu Chang had been away for several days on business, and by her calculations, he should return around this time. Naturally, she hadn’t dared to invite guests in, and sure enough, he had returned quietly.
The door creaked shut, the bolt fell into place, and Lu Chang’s figure emerged from the darkness.
He never imagined he would one day be living such a life, hiding away in a humble cottage, unable to show himself.
“Since he helped bring your things to the door, why didn’t you at least offer him tea?” He had observed everything that happened outside.
“You’re right, I was a poor host. Wait, I’ll go catch up with him now,” Ming Shu responded nonchalantly.
Lu Chang held her back: “No, this house has no room for another man.”
Ming Shu gave him a sideways glance, walked to the table to pour herself some water, and asked him: “How did things go on your end?”
“I’ve met with Liu Zhi, the Commander of Linan’s garrison forces. He agreed to dispatch troops against the bandits without needing further deliberation. Since Cao Hai maintains private troops, he must spend resources on weapons and equipment. From the arrows we encountered during our ambush, they appear to be privately forged military weapons. Currently, the court strictly controls weapons—all military equipment is manufactured by the Weapons Bureau under the Ministry of War’s supervision, and then distributed to the imperial army and local garrisons according to regulations. Local authorities and workshops are forbidden from private weapons production. To equip his private army, Cao Hai needs a significant quantity of weapons. The black market can’t supply such amounts, so either he’s purchasing from Jingdong Circuit or he has his own weapons foundry. I’m preparing to send people to Jiangning to investigate the weapons matter secretly.”
Jingdong Circuit was an iron-producing region, supplying nine-tenths of the Da’an Dynasty’s iron materials and weapons.
“Last year, Cao Hai borrowed dowry and personal savings from his first wife for some emergency. It must have been something troublesome in Jiangning that even he couldn’t resolve easily. The impact must have been significant. Lu Chang, do you recall anything?” Ming Shu pondered the information she had gleaned from Madam He earlier.
“Last year…” Lu Chang recalled the records from the Jian family robbery case files. While the files contained little information about Cao Hai, there was some material about Gao Shicai’s appointment as Jiangning’s Deputy Magistrate, “Last year, a case of embezzled military wages erupted in Shanxi. The Emperor ordered a thorough investigation, dispatching Censorate officials and local deputy magistrates to investigate military wages and pensions across all circuits. Gao Shicai was Jiangning’s Deputy Magistrate and found no issues at the time. However, while I was still in Jiangning, I heard rumors of military households complaining about delayed and incorrect wage payments. Your mention of this makes me suspect. Cao Hai might have misappropriated military funds, and when the court investigation began, he needed to cover the shortage. Even with Gao Shicai’s protection, with censors monitoring, he would have needed to fill the gap quickly…”
“The Jian family treasury contained Eighty Thousand Taels in cash, which was never found. It seems likely he used it to cover the shortage. When you send people to Jiangning to investigate weapons, they should also look into the military wages. It would be helpful to obtain the military supply warehouse ledgers.”
“Agreed.” Lu Chang nodded and continued, “Additionally, regarding weapons transactions, whether he’s buying from outside or operating a secret foundry, there should be traces of weapons or ore shipments. Investigating merchant caravans between Jingdong Circuit and Jiangning from last year might yield some clues.”
“I’ll leave Jiangning to you, while I find ways to keep Cao Hai occupied in Linan,” Ming Shu exhaled slowly and walked to the window. “Besides those Eighty Thousand Taels in cash, the Jian family also had a collection of valuable antiques and jade. Such items are difficult to liquidate, and selling them in the market would raise suspicions. Cao Hai wouldn’t risk selling them during such sensitive times. I suspect… these items are in the Cao residence.”
They talked for a long while, until darkness had completely fallen, and no light could be seen through the tightly closed windows.
A pair of hands gently encircled her waist as Lu Chang embraced her from behind.
“Be careful when investigating,” he cautioned.
“Mm.” Ming Shu nodded, “I’ve already discussed the banquet with Madam He and will meet Jiao Chunlu tomorrow to arrange his entry into the Cao household.”
The arms around her waist tightened, and Lu Chang’s lips touched the top of her head, repeating his caution.
“Ming Shu, be careful.”