“But Jiashan was still single-mindedly fond of Shaojin.” Old Madam Guo didn’t want to hear Madam Yuan make excuses anymore and said directly: “And to make Jiashan focus on his studies, you deceived him, saying that as long as he did well in the imperial examinations and achieved a good ranking, you would seek to marry Shaojin for him. Isn’t that right?”
That’s why after achieving Jieyuan, Jiashan kept pestering Shaojin…
Madam Yuan stammered, still trying to excuse her behavior: “I originally did intend to seek Zhou Shaojin’s hand in marriage for Jiashan, but the marriage arrangement with the Min family had been ongoing for a long time. The Min family kept delaying, but who knew that after Jiashan achieved Jieyuan, the Min family people actively came calling, their attitude so humble. I was afraid the Min family would think Jiashan had become arrogant after achieving Jieyuan and looked down on the Min family, offending them for nothing. For a time I couldn’t refuse outright and wanted to put the matter aside until I returned to the capital. I never expected that Third Master Min would directly approach our family’s eldest master to discuss this matter. The eldest master is busy with court affairs all day—how would he know about inner courtyard matters? Thinking the two families had a tacit understanding before, he agreed immediately. I was in Jinling City and received the news too late, so I even less dared tell Mother…”
Old Madam Guo slapped Madam Yuan across the face.
“Mother!” Madam Yuan never dreamed she would receive a second slap from Old Madam Guo.
Covering her face, she stared blankly at Old Madam Guo, her eyes brimming with tears.
“Without trust, one cannot stand. Even those merchants in the marketplace know this, yet you who can read and understand texts. Your learning has all gone to the dogs! Even now you’re still trying to deceive me with words.
“Do you think everyone else is a fool and only you are clever! I truly don’t know who enlightened you and taught you to read! If you looked down on Zhou Shaojin, you should have properly said you looked down on her. Why deceive Jiashan! Even if he was temporarily unhappy, he’s young—if he couldn’t pass this examination, there would be the next one.
“Yet you were so impatient that to make your son succeed on the examination rolls, you would use any despicable means. Jiashan is your son, not a tool for you to achieve your goals! You keep saying you love your son—this is your love?
“You’re human, with seven emotions and six desires. Is your son not human then? You want him to like whoever you tell him to like? Marry whoever you tell him to marry? I never forced you and Da Lang! Now you’ve given others an opportunity to exploit, yet you still blame Shaojin one-sidedly.
“Those humiliating words about Shaojin—how could you say them?
“The karma you’ve created—do you expect Shaojin to bear it for you?
“You’re also a woman. Don’t you know what consequences such words and actions will bring to that young girl?
“I didn’t know about Jiashan being deceived in all this. If I had known, I should have slapped you right there in the cave. However, I think even if I had slapped you, it probably wouldn’t have woken you up. Even now you still think you did nothing wrong…” As Old Madam Guo spoke, she showed signs of fatigue and said lightly: “Don’t say anything more. As I said before, from now on, don’t interfere with Jiashan’s affairs. Otherwise I will personally make a trip to Tongxiang and speak plainly with the in-laws’ maternal uncle. Although our Cheng family has never divorced a wife, sending an unreasonable principal wife to a temple for reflection does have precedent.”
With a thud, Madam Yuan knelt before Old Madam Guo.
She remembered very clearly—it was shortly after she married in. For some reason, Cheng Jing had an argument with Old Madam Guo, who made Cheng Jing kneel in the courtyard to reflect. Goose-feather snowflakes fell, accumulating shallowly to two inches high. Cheng Jing wouldn’t admit his fault, and Old Madam Guo wouldn’t tell him to get up… Even now, when the weather changed suddenly, Cheng Jing’s knees would ache faintly.
Old Madam Guo was someone who kept her word!
Even with her biological son, she could harden her heart to punish him, let alone her as a daughter-in-law.
“Mother, I know I was wrong! I won’t dare again. Please forgive me this once!” She hugged Old Madam Guo’s legs, begging bitterly: “From now on I’ll listen to everything you say… Jiashan is already Jieyuan. With a bit more effort, given his age, he can at least achieve Third Place. If he’s lucky, he might even achieve First Place. Winning all three levels—since the founding of this dynasty, no one has yet won this honor. Mother, just this one thing, let me do this one thing, and I’ll be grateful to you for my entire life…”
Old Madam Guo kicked Madam Yuan in the chest.
“Get out! Get out of my sight!” The old lady said lightly, though the hand pressed on the tea table showed bulging veins. “Don’t ever let me see you again!”
“Mother!” Though kicked with sharp pain in her chest, Madam Yuan didn’t dare release her grip on Old Madam Guo’s legs.
Old Madam Guo flew into a rage and called loudly for Nanny Lü: “Drag her out for me!”
“Mother!” Madam Yuan wouldn’t let go, her face covered in tears. “I ask for nothing else, just this one thing…”
Old Madam Guo laughed in extreme anger and said: “I’ll take a concubine for Da Lang, have another son born, then raise him in my quarters. Do you agree to this too?”
Madam Yuan froze.
Old Madam Guo said loudly: “This son is yours! But I cannot let the First Branch have no heir. Let Da Lang raise another son for the Cheng family. Do you agree to this too?”
“No, no, no…” Madam Yuan shook her head, her mind in complete chaos, not knowing what she could or couldn’t say. “You can’t do this… I’m unwilling…”
Old Madam Guo’s expression calmed as she said softly: “If you leave with Nanny Lü now, you’ll still have some dignity. If I call rough servants to drag you out, don’t say I didn’t give you face…”
But I can’t give you my son!
He’s about to make something of himself.
The son I painstakingly raised for over ten years—I can’t just let him go like this!
Madam Yuan still wanted to argue with Old Madam Guo, but Nanny Lü helped her up, half-supporting her as they walked out while whispering in her ear: “The Old Madam is at the peak of her anger. Madam, please say less. Whatever it is, wait until the Old Madam’s anger subsides. You’ve been married in for nearly thirty years—don’t you know the Old Madam’s temperament? Besides, isn’t there still the Master?”
That’s right!
The more you went along with the Old Madam, the more lenient she was. The more you opposed her, the more stubborn she became.
The Master—only the Master could save her…
Madam Yuan stumbled out of the inner chamber with Nanny Lü.
Old Madam Guo sat alone in the silent room for a moment, then sighed helplessly.
Turning around to tuck in the bedding corners for Cheng Xu, she discovered Cheng Xu’s eyes wide open. He had awakened at some unknown time.
Her grandson might have seen her disciplining her daughter-in-law. Would the daughter-in-law lose authority in front of her grandson in the future? Old Madam Guo felt somewhat worried.
“You’re awake!” She preserved face for Madam Yuan, saying: “I just spoke with your mother. You’ll stay with me for a while. Your mother still has to manage the household…”
“I heard everything!” Cheng Xu interrupted Old Madam Guo’s words, looking at her earnestly. “You also don’t like me marrying the eldest Miss Min, do you? Then please help me! I want to marry Shaojin. The person I like is Shaojin… Shaojin grew up in your quarters. You know her temperament best… Not only is she gentle and kind, well-educated and reasonable, but her needlework and women’s skills are all excellent. Your grandson wants to marry a wife like this… I don’t want to marry a woman who constantly watches my studies and career… Grandmother, please help me! Besides you, no one can help me with this! I’ll definitely be filial to you in the future…”
Old Madam Guo laughed.
How similar these words were to Madam Yuan’s tone just now!
This was the future clan heir of their Jiuru Lane!
This was the future support of their Cheng family!
Disappointed to the extreme, even getting angry was a waste of energy.
Old Madam Guo said gently: “Jiashan, I won’t help you!”
Cheng Xu’s eyes widened.
Old Madam Guo suddenly remembered when he was small and the weather was too hot. He insisted on having chilled mung bean soup. When she wouldn’t let the wet nurse give it to him, he looked at her with eyes wide open just like this.
He was still a child!
Old Madam Guo’s heart softened. She couldn’t help but say: “Jiashan, once Shaojin complained to me that you constantly pestered her. Did you know your mother would seek her hand in marriage for you, so that’s why you went looking for her?”
Cheng Xu could feel his grandmother’s attitude softening. Wanting to seize this opportunity, he quickly said: “No. I found out Mother was going to arrange a betrothal between me and the eldest Miss Min, so I went looking for Shaojin. I wanted to know if she also liked me. If she also liked me, I would definitely plead with Mother, beg Mother to fulfill our wishes. If Mother refused, I would ask the Fourth Branch’s Old Madam, ask Grandmother, ask Master Zhou…”
Madam Guo said gently: “But now, you’ve been beaten by Shaojin, yet you still like her and still want to marry her. Isn’t that right?”
If Grandmother thought Zhou Shaojin had beaten him, even if Zhou Shaojin married in one day, Grandmother wouldn’t like her.
Not wanting Zhou Shaojin to be wronged, Cheng Xu quickly said: “Grandmother, it wasn’t like that. I drank too much wine and said things I shouldn’t have said. It was someone beside Shaojin who beat me…”
Old Madam Guo interrupted Cheng Xu and patiently asked again: “Even so, you still want to marry Shaojin. Isn’t that right?”
Cheng Xu responded with “Yes.”
Old Madam Guo said: “But if I were you and liked someone so much, what would it matter whether she liked me back? Why must I wait for her agreement before asking the elders? My matter, I alone am enough! I would clearly and plainly tell Mother that besides Zhou Shaojin, I would never marry any other woman.
“If Mother insisted on arranging the Min family marriage for me, I would absolutely not appear at the wedding ceremony. Then I would go find Father and state my determination again. If he also didn’t agree, I would personally go to the Zhou family to seek the marriage… Whether the Zhou family agreed or not, whether Mother consented or not, I would completely disregard it all. What I like, I must obtain.
“If I did wrong, that would be my mistake. If I invited ridicule, people would only ridicule me. I would just show my sincerity and tell that person: I like you, and for you I’m willing to make every effort, even if ridiculed, even if it’s inappropriate… Whether I succeeded or not, when I’m old and think back on this, I would know I gave my all. Though there might be regrets, I wouldn’t have any remorse.
“Jiashan, have you done this?
“For what you’re obsessed with, can you do this?”
Delight burst forth in Cheng Xu’s eyes as he said: “Grandmother, are you telling me to go ask Master Zhou?”