Like many households of the time, the He family lived in a typical siheyuan (courtyard house). The main gate faced west, with two rows of side rooms flanking it. Upon entering, there was a pavilion, followed by the main hall, the central gate, the back courtyard, and the main bedrooms. Corridors and rooms surrounded the courtyard, with several smaller courtyards branching off. The back garden boasted towering ancient trees, artificial hills with flowing water, and lush flowers and plants. While not as elegant or grand as the Liu family’s residence, it had its own comfortable, lively charm.
After entering the main hall, Er Lang’s wife, Madam Bai, ordered servants to bring in cherry-flavored sweet milk curd and tea. The family gathered around Madam Cen and Mudan, chattering away. Having left the cold atmosphere of the Liu household, Mudan was overjoyed to suddenly feel the warmth of family and receive the selfless care and love of relatives. However, looking at the sea of faces before her, smelling the various fragrances worn by her six sisters-in-law and dozen-plus nieces and nephews, and hearing the clamor of adults and children, she couldn’t help but feel a twinge of fear. Could she get along well with so many people? As the saying goes, “distance lends enchantment.” Moreover, historically, relationships between aunts and sisters-in-law were often challenging.
Her concerns were not unfounded. Although He Zhizhong and Madam Cen managed the household well, treating both legitimate and illegitimate children equally and fairly, the family dynamics were complex. Under He Zhizhong’s unified command, the men worked diligently, each fulfilling their roles to support the family. The women, under Madam Cen’s supervision, dutifully attended to their husbands and children, managed household affairs, and in their leisure time, discussed fashion and beauty, went shopping, enjoyed outings, and participated in wealthy merchants’ gatherings or polo matches. Despite occasional friction and arguments stemming from individual concerns, the large family living under one roof managed to coexist relatively harmoniously without major conflicts.
However, the He family’s composition was incredibly complex. Of Mudan’s six brothers, the first, second, fourth, and fifth were born to Madam Cen. The third was born to Wu, Madam Cen’s maid who came as part of her dowry, while the sixth was born to Yang, a beautiful concubine from Yangzhou. The eldest brother married Madam Xue and had two children; the second married Madam Bai and had three sons and a daughter; the third married Madam Zhen and had two daughters and a son; the fourth married Madam Li and had only one daughter; the fifth married Madam Zhang and had twins; the sixth married Madam Sun just over a year ago and had no children yet.
Including He Zhizhong, his wife, and his two concubines, there were over thirty people in the household. The relationships were intricate, with various alliances and preferences. Add to this the servants attending to each branch of the family, and conflicts were inevitable. Even the closest of relationships could be strained by repeated disagreements.
If Mudan were still the original He Mudan, she might not have noticed or cared about these subtle dynamics. But as she was no longer the same person, her thoughts and feelings differed. She couldn’t fully embrace the familial care with the same entitlement, nor could she brush off misunderstandings and slights as easily. She found herself being extra cautious, trying to please everyone, fearing that she might inconvenience or upset others.
From her impressions, each family member had their temperament. While there were no truly wicked individuals, there were many clever ones. For instance, the first, second, fourth, and fifth brothers, being full siblings, were notably closer. The eldest and second brothers, close in age, got along well, while the fourth and fifth often partnered in business matters. The third and sixth brothers, both born to concubines, shared a certain understanding but weren’t particularly close. The third brother tried to curry favor with the eldest and second, while the sixth preferred to follow He Zhizhong.
The relationships among the daughters-in-law were even more complex. Among the legitimate sons’ wives, the eldest, Madam Xue, and the second, Madam Bai, were older and had entered the family earliest. They had the best relationship, were relatively steady and generous, and got along well with the other sisters-in-law. The third sister-in-law, Madam Zhen, was talkative and enjoyed doing needlework and chatting with the quiet and gentle fifth sister-in-law, Madam Zhang. Meanwhile, she secretly tried to ally with the sixth sister-in-law, Madam Sun, to form a united front among the concubine-born sons’ wives. However, she didn’t get along well with the fourth sister-in-law, Madam Li. Interestingly, the young Madam Sun and the beautiful, stylish Madam Li enjoyed shopping together.
As for the children, they generally got along well without favoritism. They all ate from the same pot and had the same things, leaving no room for comparison. Any differences among them were based on obedience, intelligence, and diligence.
Mudan silently processed this information, putting in a tenfold effort to respond to everyone’s care and inquiries while carefully observing the subtle reactions and expressions of those around her.
Taking advantage of a moment when others weren’t paying attention, Madam Xue pulled Madam Bai aside to discuss Mudan’s living arrangements in hushed tones. “Now that Mudan has returned, we need to prepare for her to stay with us long-term. Her old room is now occupied by San Lang’s daughters Huiniang and Yunniang, and Si Lang’s daughter Ruiniang. Asking them to move would be met with reluctance and possible resentment. After much thought, I believe our best option is to have our three older girls, who are more understanding, share a room to make space for their aunt. What do you think?”
Madam Bai smiled slightly, “I have no objections. My Wanniang is still young and can stay in my courtyard for a couple more years without issue. However, Yingniang and Rongniang are older now and it wouldn’t be appropriate for them to share with your children. How do you plan to arrange for them? Perhaps we shouldn’t be so particular and just let their aunt share with the children?”
Madam Xue pondered silently. While three people could squeeze into that room, adding Mudan would make it impossible. One of the three children would have to move out. Although Wanniang was young and could potentially still share with her parents, from a fairness perspective, it wouldn’t be right to only ask Er Lang’s family to move. As the eldest sister-in-law with two daughters, she needed to start with her own family to set an example.
As for whether Madam Bai would voluntarily move Wanniang out, that was her own choice to make. Madam Xue then said, “How could four people fit in there? Their aunt has many belongings and is going through a difficult time. She likely has a lot on her mind, and making her share with the children might be uncomfortable for her. Never mind, I’ll talk to Rongniang about moving in with us. In a couple of years when Yingniang gets married, it’ll be better.”
Moving out was easy, moving in was hard. Hearing Madam Xue’s words, Madam Bai didn’t mention moving Wanniang out again. She just smiled and said, “When Yingniang gets married, Ru’er and the others will be ready to marry too. Your solution only addresses the symptom, not the root cause. I think we should make do with the crowding for now and then discuss buying a larger house with the parents. It’s clear we’re running out of space.”
Madam Xue felt a bit disappointed. Madam Bai’s evasive response indicated she was unwilling to move Wanniang out. After all, having a mature daughter lives with her parents could be inconvenient. She sighed, “Buying a house isn’t that simple. That’s a matter for the future. Right now, we need to sort out this situation. Alright then, I’ll ask Rongniang to move out. You oversee the cleaning of the room and later help with moving things back and setting up. I’ll go prepare dinner.”
Madam Bai quickly grabbed her sleeve, glanced around at the others, and lowered her voice, “Why don’t we have their two families move, or let Mudan stay with Huiniang and the others? That room is what she’s used to, and it’s larger.”
Madam Xue shook her head, “Those two families are talkative. San Sao might complain about her illegitimate granddaughters being disrespected, and Si Sao might say we’re bullying her for not having a son. Why create more gossip? If it doesn’t work out, we can call someone tomorrow to see where we can build a few more rooms. They should be ready by the end of the year.”
Madam Bai thought for a moment and said, “I remember there are three side rooms in Mother’s back courtyard. If we clean them up, it would be more peaceful and comfortable.” After all, He Zhizhong and Madam Cen were older, and He Zhizhong had two other concubines, so they had more resting places and fewer inconveniences compared to the younger couples.
Madam Xue remained silent. The situation was clear, but what could be done? She wouldn’t dare suggest, “Mudan, go squeeze in with Mother, there’s no room for you elsewhere.” If she did, He Dalang would be the first to come after her, and her in-laws would look at her differently.
Seeing Madam Xue’s silence, Madam Bai twirled her dress ties around her finger, finally sighing, “Alright, I’ve watched Mudan grow up and I care for her too. Let’s have Wanniang move in with me, and then quickly build new rooms.” Without waiting for Madam Xue’s response, she stepped forward and smiled, “Mother, I’ve just discussed with Elder Sister-in-law. We’ll have Wanniang move in with me, and Mudan can share with Yingniang and Rongniang. What do you think?” Having made the sacrifice, she wanted to make it known.
Mudan had noticed Madam Xue and Madam Bai’s hushed discussion earlier. Although she guessed they were discussing her living arrangements, she felt it wasn’t her place to speak up about where she wanted to stay, being a guest now. Just as she was about to mention her earlier conversation with Madam Cen, Madam Cen grasped her hand, signaling her to remain quiet and just listen. Mudan had no choice but to obediently watch and listen.
As soon as Madam Bai finished speaking, Madam Zhen’s face showed displeasure. She smiled and said, “Elder Sister-in-law and Second Sister-in-law are always so thorough. Quietly arranging everything without a word.” The implication was clear: You two are always trying to curry favor!
Madam Li’s expression remained neutral as she spoke directly, “Si Lang is often away from home. Let Ruiniang move in with me for now. We can tidy up her room for her aunt to stay in.”
Madam Zhang’s daughter was still young and already lived with her, while Madam Sun had not yet had children, so neither of them was involved in this matter. They smiled and listened without comment.
As the sisters-in-law waited for Mudan to respond, Mudan looked helplessly at Madam Cen. Madam Cen slowly sipped her tea before speaking, “There’s no need for all this fuss. The children should stay where they are. On our way here, Mudan already told me she didn’t want to inconvenience anyone. Elder Sister-in-law, please prepare the three side rooms in my back courtyard for her to stay in.”
With this, everyone except Madam Zhang and Madam Sun secretly breathed a sigh of relief.