Three days later, Wangqiu Tower opened for business.
Half a month earlier, invitations had been sent to old customers from the capital who had visited the Luo Zhou Wangqiu Tower, as well as officials of all ranks, and even nobility and imperial relatives. Mo Zi’s advertising strategy copied modern methods wholesale. Anyway, on opening day, the invitations served as discount cards, offering famous wines and good liquor, distributing auspicious gift packages, and taking the opportunity to launch a membership system.
The menu at the capital’s Wangqiu Tower consisted of dishes Mo Zi described verbally, which Bai He had developed over most of a year. After Mo Zi personally tasted them, absolutely no second establishment could be found with such delicacies.
Wangqiu Tower’s courtyard was breathtakingly beautiful, with gardens in Tang-dynasty style competing in splendor. Pavilions among small bridges and flowing water, singing stages amid flying flowers and willow trees—ingeniously crafted and unforgettable. Ge Qiuniang’s singing and dancing skills became a bright accent in the building, possessing both southern delicacy and northern exuberance. Qin Gu naturally deserved credit, but a singer she had trained called Chen Niang reportedly amazed all the guests present that night—there was even a great literary figure who composed a poem inspired by her singing.
Cen Er said that although the first day lost a lot of money due to the discounts, from the second day onward, the establishment was packed with customers like a marketplace, distinguished guests like a tide. Whether for the fine food and wine or for Ge Qiu, many customers were attracted. At this rate, within three months they could recoup their investment.
However, Mo Zi didn’t attend this opening, and neither did Qiu Sanniang.
Mo Zi was in the spotlight and feared the restaurant’s constant flow of people—she might encounter familiar faces like Xu Jiu.
Since giving Mo Zi the position of steward, Qiu Sanniang no longer supervised her comings and goings much, only requiring that she bring back the account books every half month. Recently, she had been learning to manage all the large and small affairs of the inner residence with the Princess Consort. Every day she left her courtyard early in the morning and only returned when lamps were lit—it was quite exhausting. However, whatever she set her mind to, she could always accomplish. She had no patience for household scheming, but household management was similar to business principles. She didn’t reject it—in fact, it could be considered one of the few things in this large mansion’s inner quarters that she actually liked.
According to Lu Ju, Qiu Sanniang’s capability pleased the Princess Consort greatly. Those maids, wives, and old women below had initially been somewhat defiant, bullying Qiu Sanniang for her youth and secretly causing trouble. After Qiu Sanniang dealt with them calmly two or three times, now who dared to defy her?
Not to mention ordinary servants—even Hongmei’s attitude toward Qiu Sanniang had changed considerably. Before, no matter how close she appeared, there was always a trace of pride from having served the Old Madam. Now the pride was gone, replaced mostly by sincere devotion. This was most evident in her telling Qiu Sanniang about the previous two Third Madams of the Xiao family.
The first Third Madam had an extremely soft nature and loved to cry, which annoyed Xiao San to no end. He didn’t much like her and spent almost every night at Jin Si’s place. For over a year, the Third Madam kept an empty bedchamber alone. During the Old Prince’s birthday celebration, when the masters sat together watching opera through the night in lively celebration, that Third Madam felt distressed about the matter between Xiao San and Jin Si. Having drunk a few cups too many, she was helped down to rest by a young maid. Who knew the Old Prince would speak up, ordering Xiao San to accompany her. When Xiao San returned to the Third Madam’s residence and entered the bedchamber, he unexpectedly discovered a strange man there, while the Third Madam lay in bed wearing only a bellyband. This shock was extraordinary. Xiao San flew into a rage, and that man jumped out the window and fled. Xiao San was a civil official and simply couldn’t give chase. The Third Madam was originally half-drunk but now half-awake. Though she insisted she didn’t recognize who that man was, her reputation was already ruined. In shame and indignation, she requested divorce. For the sake of face, they didn’t report it to the authorities, fearing it would lead to deaths, so they granted the Third Madam’s request. But somehow, the matter still spread to the neighborhood, becoming more scandalous with each retelling. After this first wife returned to her natal family, she reportedly had a miserable time. Not long after, she entered a nunnery for spiritual cultivation.
The second was a match arranged by Prince Li Wu Chengwan—a woman similar to Fourth Madam Qiu: illiterate but very capable, managing the household and courtyard in perfect order. However, precisely because she was capable, her attitude toward Jin Si was quite severe. She actually asked the Princess Consort several times for Jin Si’s contract of servitude, wanting to sell her to a matchmaker, and raised Jin Si’s pair of children in her own courtyard, not allowing them to see each other. The methods this Third Madam adopted were actually learned from her natal family’s mother and weren’t considered wrong in great households. Her miscalculation was underestimating Xiao San’s doting on Jin Si—the more harshly she suppressed Jin Si, the more Xiao San sided with Jin Si. It just so happened that the young master ate something bad and vomited and had diarrhea. Investigation revealed it was the Third Madam who had instructed the cook to deliberately feed the young master leftover food and dishes at every meal. With the cook as witness, she refused to change her testimony. The Third Madam’s denial was useless. Xiao San, tired of the daily disturbances, simply issued a letter of divorce. By the time the elders found out, it was already done. As a result, this alarmed the Emperor, who demoted Xiao San’s official rank.
When Qiu Sanniang chatted with Mo Zi about this, she laughed coldly and said she didn’t know whether it was Xiao San who was formidable or Jin Si who was formidable, or whether those two Third Madams weren’t clever enough. However, there was one thing in common—both Third Madams had fallen in love with Xiao San, otherwise where would all these troubles come from?
Hearing this, Mo Zi understood Qiu Sanniang seemed determined to be nominal husband and wife with Xiao San, staying peacefully for a while before discussing further. She didn’t know whether she should advise Qiu Sanniang to be more open-minded. The person had already been in Prince Jing’s mansion for nearly two months—if they still didn’t consummate the marriage, how could they explain to the elders? But she truly couldn’t advise her. If positions were reversed, she would be the same as Qiu Sanniang—absolutely refusing to truly be husband and wife before having feelings.
This day, going to Qiu Sanniang’s study to exchange a few books to read, she happened to run into Xiao San coming in.
Seeing Mo Zi, Xiao San was slightly stunned, then smiled. “I heard you made Sanniang unhappy and were punished to watch the bamboo grove?”
Mo Zi curtsied. “Young Master. I couldn’t control my own mouth and, relying on Madam’s affection for me, said wrong words. The punishment is still relatively light.”
Xiao San had always been quite kind to Qiu Sanniang’s dowry maid and exempted her from the formality. “Because of my second brother’s matter, you merely spoke the truth. It’s just that my old grandmother dotes on her own grandson and couldn’t vent at him, so she found fault with you. Just stay put for a while. Your madam probably thinks of you more than she thinks of me, this husband—she’ll definitely call you back before long.”
“Young Master’s words are too much—Mo Zi is just a maid. How could the masters be concerned about me?” Better not to be concerned, ideally.
“You girl are being too formal with me—why the empty politeness? Everyone in Mozhi Residence knows in their hearts what my relationship with Third Madam is. Chess friends, music friends, painting friends, book friends—all can be said, only husband and wife cannot be said.” Xiao San’s smile turned into helplessness.
He had always prided himself that whether in appearance or talent, he was very attractive to women. Yet this one he married was truly polite and distant with him—she could accompany him in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, but consummating the marriage was not acceptable. Soft persuasion or hard pressure—she still drove him out; flipping sleeves and saying he was leaving—she was delighted; threatening didn’t work—she didn’t care. Look at this—not coming for several days, she was busy and happy at his mother’s place, probably not even thinking once about still having a husband.
“Young Master, the way of husband and wife lies only in the heart.” Mo Zi couldn’t say too much.
On this matter, she couldn’t gauge Qiu Sanniang’s thoughts. With Qiu Sanniang’s nature, if truly provoked, requesting divorce was absolutely possible, and Qiu Sanniang’s days outside would definitely be better than now. But when she looked at Xiao San, his many concessions to Qiu Sanniang’s difficulties and evasions seemed to show genuine feelings developing. She was soft-hearted and couldn’t bear seeing this. Actually, if Xiao San could be sincere toward Qiu Sanniang, it wouldn’t be a bad match. But ancient men had countless sincere hearts, while those who only took one ladle from three thousand weak waters were rare indeed. Jin Si—removing her for no reason wasn’t good. The person had appeared earlier than Qiu Sanniang, and currently appeared completely obedient to Qiu Sanniang. Dealing with her harshly wasn’t kind. But leaving her there standing in the way—how could one not be upset daily?
“The way of husband and wife lies only in the heart?” Xiao San had never heard anyone say this. “I thought the way of friendship lies in only the heart. The way of husband and wife is that the husband is the wife’s heaven, the wife is the husband’s earth, and the wife honors the husband as supreme.”
Were all Xiao family men so self-righteous? Mo Zi couldn’t stand hearing such statements and couldn’t help retorting sarcastically. “Young Master’s words are mistaken. Husband and wife are originally one body, each heart a half, complete when joined. Without a whole heart, how can one be a companion in old age? If heaven doesn’t feel gratitude toward earth, how can earth support heaven? If the wife honors the husband as supreme, the husband should respect the wife. Without moving the heart, don’t discuss being husband and wife. If you do discuss being husband and wife, it still may not last long and endure.” She had wanted to say: You’ve divorced two—don’t you understand this principle yet?
Xiao San was a literary man. Great Zhou’s literary men didn’t have the arrogant spirit of the Tang Dynasty, but he was certainly an exception—quite independent-minded. With a maid like Mo Zi, he didn’t mind the status difference and would chat freely anyway. Mo Zi’s words, while shocking and unconventional in their deep meaning, when embellished with classical language, could make Xiao San ponder them.
“Young Master, your book pavilion doesn’t allow women to enter because you feel women have no talent and aren’t worthy of stepping into a study. However, my young lady…” It was still more natural to say “young lady”—”is not an ordinary woman. If you miss this chance, in this life you’ll have difficulty finding someone to play chess and talk joyfully with you. Don’t forget, friends won’t come at your beck and call—only your wife accompanies you for life. If your wife can be a close friend, does even His Majesty have such fortune?”
Mo Zi realized with alarm she’d said too much again. Without even taking the books, she requested leave to withdraw.
Later when she went out and returned, Lu Ju came to gossip, saying Xiao San had sent a book servant to formally deliver an invitation to Qiu Sanniang, inviting his wife to Jingquan Pavilion to listen to books and enjoy the night. Qiu Sanniang hesitated for half a day, wanting to consult with Mo Zi, but Mo Zi had run out of the mansion again. Finally, the several senior maids joined forces to persuade her to go, and as a result she didn’t return all night.
This kind of matter spread faster than the speed of light among servants—who would dare discuss whether Xiao San and his wife had consummated their marriage anymore? From then on, the knots in the Princess Consort’s and Old Madam’s hearts were gone, and their affection for Qiu Sanniang deepened further.
But Qiu Sanniang told Mo Zi the truth—she had simply seen so many good books and forgotten the time. In the blink of an eye it was dawn, and everything between her and Xiao San was completely innocent.
Mo Zi believed Qiu Sanniang, only seeing that though she was annoyed, the charm was even stronger. She thought Xiao San opening his library to her had indeed touched her heart. When a woman falls for a man, being moved is the first step.
However, for this couple, good things came with many trials.
Mo Zi spent three days actually making a sliding bamboo ladder. Xiao Yi had been following Qiu Sanniang lately, fearing that the tall tree attracts wind and would provoke envy, leading to secret sabotage. So she still had to rely on herself.
Setting the ladder against the wall, she sat on top of the wall and looked—what a coincidence, on the other side of the wall there was now also a tall wooden ladder. A piece of red cloth was tied to the wooden ladder. Fortunately the weather had been good these past days and it hadn’t been rained on—the writing on it was very clear.
*The crow sincerely gives, a ladder for you to cross walls.*
Well then, she gave him a pearl, he gave her a wooden ladder. No wait, she’d said she wouldn’t acknowledge or repay the favor. Could it be this ladder was a revenge tool after she tricked him? Might he have done something to it—step on it and it falls apart, breaking bones?
Mo Zi touched it with her hand—spruce wood, planed very smooth. The seams were hard to see, and it felt expertly crafted. She climbed down three rungs at a time and landed safely.
She was being petty. That’s what she thought at the time—very kindly, very sincerely, that’s what she thought.