Madam Xiao’s pleasure didn’t last long. When Cheng Shi returned to their room and she saw the bump on his forehead and learned what had happened, she immediately flew into a rage. She grabbed a lacquered wooden wine cup and smashed it against the other side of his forehead, creating another bump to form a perfect matching pair for General Cheng.

That night, Cheng Shi waited until Mother Cheng’s anger subsided, then with his pair of symmetrical bumps on his forehead, went again to Mother Cheng’s room. He finally properly displayed the acting skills he hadn’t deployed during the day, combined with genuine emotion, and mother and son were finally reconciled.

Next came consolidating the victory.

First, Cheng Shi led out an old woman with a weathered face and graying hair. The moment Mother Cheng saw her, tears streamed down like rain. When the Dong family had been prosperous, Dong Taigong had employed some tenant farmers, and this old woman was the daughter of a farmhand who had worked for the Dong family back then. Mother Cheng had grown up playing with her in the countryside, sharing a bond like sisters. Later, as the family’s finances became increasingly difficult, Dong Taigong had no choice but to dismiss the farmhands.

Madam Xiao was quite calculating. While following her husband on various campaigns, she had always kept watch for fellow villagers and clansmen who had scattered as refugees in those years. She had wanted to find some distant Dong family relatives to serve as support, but after searching high and low with no news, it was clear that the Dong clan members had indeed mostly died or scattered.

In the end, it was Cheng Shi’s campaigns and growing reputation that led this old woman surnamed Hu to seek them out herself. By coincidence, when this Granny Hu had left home with her newly wedded husband, Mother Cheng had just given birth to Cheng Shi and named him with his formal name. If it had been any other Cheng family son, Granny Hu might not have dared to step forward and identify herself.

Madam Xiao immediately felt she had found a valuable commodity. She quickly settled Granny Hu’s seriously injured son and critically ill grandson, bringing them all the way back to the capital. Originally, Cheng Shi wanted to bring Granny Hu out as soon as they returned, but Madam Xiao dissuaded him, laying out strategic steps one, two, three, and four.

“Mother-in-law is your own elder, not an enemy army you’re campaigning against where you strike once without counting casualties and victory is enough,” Madam Xiao smiled. “We must proceed slowly. First let Mother-in-law vent ten years of anger, let mother and son clear their grievances, then bring out an old sister for a reunion—only then will things flow naturally and achieve twice the result with half the effort.”

Mother Cheng was indeed overjoyed. Embracing Granny Hu, she cried and laughed, slapping Cheng Shi while laughing and scolding him for not bringing Granny Hu out earlier. Cheng Shi quickly deployed his prepared script, saying: “At that time Mother was at the height of anger. If I had brought her out then, it would have seemed I had ulterior motives. Now that Mother is no longer angry with your son, I wanted Mother to know that I only wanted to make Mother happy.” Hearing this, Mother Cheng was indeed even more moved, and knowing that Cheng Shi had enrolled the Hu family sons and grandsons into his retinue and left Granny Hu at her side to accompany her and manage affairs, she felt her son had truly been thoughtful toward her.

Granny Hu had suffered hardship outside for decades and was worldly-wise, skilled at coaxing and persuading. Her ability to fathom Mother Cheng’s thoughts far surpassed the likes of Maternal Aunt Dong—this was a skill she had practiced since childhood. Having already witnessed Madam Xiao’s formidability, she naturally knew how she should speak and act.

Even better, throughout the entire process, Madam Xiao very cleverly maintained a completely invisible state, busying herself with household affairs and comforting the bereaved families of injured and fallen retinue members, leaving the mother and son to recount their feelings of separation. One moment they were all snot and tears describing the hardships of war, the next moment spittle flying as they talked about the glories outside, with Granny Hu helping along and wiping tears on the side. For a time, mother and son’s bond was truly stronger than gold.

Mother Cheng also heard from Granny Hu how brutal the fighting at the front was, how many generals were missing arms, legs, eyes, or ears. Touching her son’s old scars, her heart nearly broke. Thinking how difficult things were for her son, with Maternal Uncle Dong still undermining him and embezzling money from behind, she wished she could immediately cut off her brother’s flesh to stew for her son as nourishment.

Several times Ge Shi wanted to go poison Madam Xiao’s reputation with Mother Cheng, but either she encountered Cheng Shi in the middle of storytelling and was glared out by the mother and son who didn’t want a third party intruding, or she ran into Mother Cheng and Granny Hu immersed in reminiscing about the past and was scolded out with ill temper.

Cheng Shaoshang naturally didn’t know the specific process. She only knew that each day Mother Cheng seemed happier than the day before, until Cheng Shi told her that the household now had a Granny Hu. After learning a bit of the background, Cheng Shaoshang couldn’t help but sigh—previously, Madam Xiao had been busy building the family enterprise with her husband, focusing on major matters with no time to bicker with Mother Cheng and Ge Shi. But once she freed up her hands to settle household affairs, she simply crushed these ignorant women in minutes with overwhelming superiority.

Early this morning, A’Zhu said to Cheng Shaoshang with smiling eyes, “Today’s midday meal will be taken with the whole family together.” She immediately caught the scent of mopping up the battlefield.

After drinking her medicine and walking three circles around the room, Lady Qing Cong brought over a brand new deep robe and a lacquered wooden box. The brocade garment was rice-white satin woven with crimson plum blossom branches, with collar and cuffs edged with four-finger-width vermilion satin, and the inner garment was brand new snow-white fine cotton cloth. The deep robe was so voluminous that Lian Fang and A’Zhu had to work together to dress Cheng Shaoshang in it. The exquisite brocade was wrapped circle after circle, then matched with a dark red sash four fingers wide and adorned with jade ornaments. Even without a full-length mirror, Cheng Shaoshang could feel the magnificence of the attire.

Then Lady Qing Cong personally styled Cheng Shaoshang’s hair. Looking at the blurry bronze mirror, Cheng Shaoshang vaguely saw her arrange her hair into a pair of cute and lively twin buns, with the excess hair simply tied back. Then Lian Fang opened that small lacquered wooden box, and Lady Qing Cong took out a pair of dazzling bright pearls, fastening one to each of Cheng Shaoshang’s twin buns.

Seeing this, A’Zhu frowned slightly: “Qing Jun, this—”

Lady Qing Cong smiled: “Don’t worry.” She lowered her head to Cheng Shaoshang: “The Madam has been saving these fine things for the Fourth Young Mistress for a long time. Finally they can be used.”

Because Cheng Shaoshang was still young, her ears only wore a pair of delicate golden wire lilac flowers, and on her wrists a pair of fine bracelets of golden wire strung with bright red coral beads. A’Zhu, Lian Fang, and Qiao Guo admired her repeatedly from the side, praising her in unison.

Walking along the covered corridor, Cheng Shaoshang was wrapped in a flower-gray fur cloak, unobtrusively looking around in all directions—it really was a small courtyard! One could see the second gate ahead at a glance. Her heart grew increasingly puzzled. Looking at her own magnificently luxurious attire, why was the residence so small? Could property prices here also be astronomical?

After walking barely fifty or sixty steps, she arrived at Mother Cheng’s quarters. Lian Fang helped Cheng Shaoshang remove her shoes and step up, then removed the heavy fur cloak from her body. Her snow-white wool socks stepped on the dark red lacquered wooden floor, making her small feet appear even more delicate and exquisite. People of this era took meals in individual portions, each person with their own low table, arranged in two rows in the hall. Cheng Shaoshang looked up and saw that everyone else had already arrived—she was the last one. She immediately knew this was not good.

Sure enough, the “good aunt” Ge Shi sitting in the third position on the left couldn’t restrain herself. She said shrilly: “Oh my, the elders have all arrived, we’re just waiting for you, Fourth Young Mistress. How did your aunt usually teach you—to be filial, respectful, and understand propriety? Today…”

Before she could finish, Mother Cheng sitting in the uppermost central position was already impatient. She said roughly: “You say two words less. In this room, except for the young ones, everyone is older than you. We haven’t opened our mouths yet—what business is it of yours!”

Mother Cheng came from a farming family and spoke bluntly. In earlier years when embarrassing Madam Xiao, she had likewise put people on the spot like this to their faces. Back then, Ge Shi had greatly enjoyed hearing Mother Cheng scold people, but now that it fell on her own head, it wasn’t so comfortable.

A’Zhu quickly helped Cheng Shaoshang prostrate herself and pay respects to the elders one by one—first Mother Cheng in the central seat of honor, then Maternal Uncle Dong slightly to one side of her seat, then Cheng Shi and his wife in the first positions on the right and left respectively, then Maternal Cousin Dong in the second position on the right, whom Cheng Shaoshang had to address as Maternal Uncle, and then Dong Lu Shi sitting in the second position on the left. Before Cheng Shaoshang could finish her respects, Dong Lu Shi was already smiling and standing up from her seat, smiling as she pulled Cheng Shaoshang up: “Niaoniao is truly beautiful. Usually one couldn’t tell, but these past few days with Eldest Sister-in-law tidying and dressing her, she’s become a completely different person.”

Cheng Shaoshang was dizzy from all the bowing and didn’t react, but everyone else understood Dong Lu Shi’s meaning. Ge Shi straightened up, dissatisfied: “What do you mean by that? Are you saying I treated Fourth Young Mistress poorly before?”

Dong Lu Shi glanced slightly at Madam Xiao, then turned back with a smile: “Second Sister-in-law is overthinking. I mean that the Fourth Young Mistress has been reunited with her parents after a long separation. When one is happy, one’s spirits rise and complexion improves.”

Ge Shi sat down indignantly. Who knew that when Dong Lu Shi returned to her seat, she said in a “quiet voice” that everyone could hear: “Poor child. Clearly they’re fine clothes and good things her own father risked his life to obtain out there, yet every time I come, I see her only able to wear what others have picked through and discarded.”

At these words, both Ge Shi and a girl sitting upright at the last seat flushed red. Cheng Shaoshang rubbed her forehead and immediately thought, “Ge Shi that wretch must have embezzled things Father Cheng gave me.” Before she could think further, A’Zhu pressed her down again to pay respects in turn to Second Uncle Cheng Cheng and Ge Shi. Ge Shi was already trembling with anger, unable to speak.

Three seats were set at the last position. Cheng Shaoshang was in the center, to the right was the still-blushing girl, and to the left a plump white boy, just barely old enough to use chopsticks properly. Both were dressed in wealthy finery dripping with gold and silver. The girl had honey-colored skin and large eyes with thick brows, but had an utterly listless air, cowering and shrinking, as if her days were even more miserable than Cheng Shaoshang’s.

At this moment, servant women filed into the room in a line, serving dishes to each seat—a simple family feast with a dish of fragrant roasted suckling pig, a dish of winter bamboo shoots steamed with fat chicken, a dish of venison soup, and two other pickled vegetables. The adults’ tables also had wine, while Cheng Shaoshang and the other two only had a pot of freshly made rice milk, steaming hot and fragrant.

Maternal Uncle Dong raised a lacquered wooden two-handled cup and bowl toward Cheng Shi: “This first cup of wine I toast to my nephew first. Being able to return safely this time is all thanks to my nephew. I, I…”

Cheng Shaoshang stole a glance and saw that Maternal Uncle Dong looked quite similar to Mother Cheng—both had tall, robust frames. However, it seemed he had recently undergone an overly hasty weight loss, with the flesh of both cheeks sagging loosely. He was extremely fearful of Cheng Shi, hardly daring to meet Cheng Shi’s gaze directly, stammering as he spoke.

Ge Shi blinked her eyes and laughed lightly: “How is it that Uncle seems to have suffered a fright? We’re family relatives—what’s there to fear?”

Madam Xiao glanced at her and said slowly: “The Northern Army Prison is also too indelicate. Although at the Master’s request they temporarily postponed punishment, they beat several others guilty of the same crime to death with rods right in front of Uncle. Uncle was probably frightened.”

At these words, Maternal Uncle Dong couldn’t even hold his wine cup. In truth, when Cheng Shi led him out, he had deliberately taken him past various torture chambers where ghostly wails and wolf howls echoed, with all manner of bone-scraping, flesh-carving, and whipping tortures entering his eyes. Maternal Uncle Dong’s legs went soft and he nearly couldn’t walk out.

Ge Shi didn’t know how to respond to this. Dong Lu Shi quickly said: “It’s still all thanks to the General—otherwise Uncle Jun would have suffered who knows how much.” As she spoke, she glared at her own husband across the way. Maternal Cousin Dong hurriedly also raised his cup to thank Cheng Shi.

Maternal Cousin Dong had a name quite famous in opera—Dong Yong—and also the pretty-boy appearance commonly seen in opera, with shifty eyes and slack facial skin, clearly from excessive wine and women. While expressing thanks, he also stole glances at Madam Xiao twice.

Cheng Shaoshang was immediately delighted, thinking to herself: Does Student Dong Yong think everyone else is blind and didn’t see Father Cheng’s eyeballs bulging like a flounder’s? Because of those two glances, the next day Student Dong Yong was severely beaten on the road by unknown persons and bedridden for months, never entering the Cheng residence again.

After glaring at Dong Yong, Cheng Shi also raised his wine cup and drained it in one gulp, saying: “Uncle should enjoy peaceful blessings now. In the future, just properly manage the family’s fields and shops and live in leisure.”

Maternal Uncle Dong panicked and quickly said: “How can this be? As they say, beating tigers requires real brothers, going into battle requires father and son soldiers. Nephew, these words are treating me as an outsider. You work and risk your life outside—how can I enjoy peaceful blessings? I should at least help…”

Cheng Shi was impatient to hear his nonsense and directly looked at Mother Cheng. Clearly mother and son had communicated very smoothly these past few days. Mother Cheng slapped her dining table heavily: “Shut up quickly! When my son first started his enterprise, where were you as a tiger-beating real brother? When my son was fighting for his life, where were you as a battle father-and-son soldier? With you helping two less times, my son would have it easier! “

Maternal Uncle Dong looked at his elder sister in astonishment: “Elder Sister, you, you…”

He glanced at the Cheng Shi couple, very much wanting to say “Elder Sister, without my help how could you compete with your daughter-in-law,” but how could he say it directly to their faces? His eyes rolled and he smiled: “Elder Sister, you’re being considerate of your brother. But Nephew and Nephew’s Wife are busy all day—when you want to hear some amusing stories in your daily life, who will tell them to you?”

Mother Cheng said expressionlessly: “In the future when I’m free, I’ll just call my nephew’s wife in to talk. You father and son are after all male, and with all the womenfolk in this residence coming and going, it’s also inconvenient. From now on, don’t come unless there’s business.” Looking at Granny Hu serving chopsticks and spoons at her side, she added: “If there’s household business, have Lu Shi come speak. In any case, you two don’t come. Shi’er’s official rank is about to rise—the household must also observe some propriety. We can’t be like when we were in the countryside with minor uncles and major brothers wandering around the house randomly.”

Maternal Uncle Dong was dumbstruck. He glared at his daughter-in-law Lu Shi, his face contorted as he cursed: “You cheap woman! What did you say to Elder Sister!” Dong Yong also stood up abruptly, rolling up his sleeves to slap Lu Shi. Cheng Shi sitting to the side didn’t move his body but extended an arm to pull Dong Yong down. With some twist and press, he had Dong Yong’s arm twisted behind his back and pressed to the floor, then his other hand moved slightly—with a crisp slap, Dong Yong’s face immediately swelled like a pig’s head.

Cheng Shi said coldly: “This is the Cheng family. It’s not your turn to show off your authority.” He looked grimly at Maternal Uncle Dong.

Cheng Shaoshang thought to herself that this really was a biological mother and son—one after another scolding when they said scold, hitting when they said hit, not the least bit roundabout.

The expressions of those at the table varied: Mother Cheng turned her head, pretending not to see and not to care; Second Uncle Cheng lowered his head, not knowing what he was thinking—truly not seeing and truly not caring; Maternal Uncle Dong trembled all over from Cheng Shi’s stare; Dong Lu Shi covered her face with her sleeve, but the corners of her mouth turned up slightly; Madam Xiao acted as if nothing had happened; only Ge Shi and the two children at the last seats watched dumbstruck.

Madam Xiao took a sip of wine and elegantly set it down: “Uncle and Cousin have such imposing authority—those who don’t know would think the Cheng family is run by you.” Turning to Lu Shi, she said warmly: “Mother-in-law is usually lonely. You should come visit more often to keep her company and talk.”

Maternal Uncle Dong understood the Cheng Shi couple’s intentions and immediately prostrated himself on the floor crying loudly: “Elder Sister, you don’t care about your brother anymore? Have you forgotten what you promised Father before he passed? Can you face Father?”

Such a petty scheme—how could it escape Madam Xiao’s planning? Mother Cheng had already been coached by Granny Hu. She retorted: “Where am I not caring for you? Now you wear brocade and fine cotton, eat chicken, duck, fish and meat, and have servants at your beck and call. When Father was alive, there were never such good days—it’s much more comfortable than before. Where have I failed Father?”

Maternal Uncle Dong stammered: “But Elder Sister, you wear silk and satin, living even more…”

“More what?!” Mother Cheng interrupted. “The Cheng family’s good days now were fought for by my son through blood and fire. What does it have to do with you? If you had been willing to contribute even a little back then, you could also live such days now.”

Tears came to Maternal Uncle Dong’s eyes as he said resentfully: “Elder Sister, you yourself wear gold and silver—can your brother only live days slightly better than a farming family?” Cheng Shaoshang was already greatly amused listening, thinking to herself it’s only because your Dong family’s starting point was too low, leaving too much room for improvement.

Mother Cheng slapped her wooden chopsticks and glared: “Then why don’t I move half of the Cheng family’s storehouses to you?” She yielded to soft approaches but not hard ones. If her brother had spoken gently and begged nicely, perhaps things might have had some room for negotiation, but unfortunately Maternal Uncle Dong used the wrong method. Mother Cheng cursed loudly: “All these years, you’ve eaten the Cheng family’s food and used the Cheng family’s things—now you still want to show off authority with the Cheng family?! Get it straight—you’re a Dong family son, I’m a Cheng family wife. Though we’re siblings, our ancestors are already different. I can’t very well take everything from the Cheng family to subsidize you.” Mother Cheng spoke straightforwardly and crudely, but the effect was very good. Maternal Uncle Dong was somewhat dazed.

Cheng Shi was very satisfied with his old mother’s performance. With his face full of beard, he smiled obediently at Mother Cheng. Cheng Shaoshang couldn’t help but shudder, but Mother Cheng was thoroughly gratified and increasingly pleased.

After his daze passed, Maternal Uncle Dong quickly organized his words, saying humbly: “Elder Sister, how would I dare show off authority before my nephew? But now that Nephew is increasingly successful, I, I…” Weeping, he said: “I just want to bask in some reflected glory. Who told me to be so useless, unable to succeed in letters or arms? In the future I truly won’t have the face to see Father…” By this point, tears flowed down directly.

Seeing her brother soften, Mother Cheng felt some pity. Madam Xiao gave a light scornful laugh and leaned slightly toward Dong Lu Shi, saying warmly: “Bring the children for me to see later. It’s been ten years—I don’t know what they’re like now.” Cheng Shi quickly chimed in: “That’s right. When the time comes, those who should study will study, those who should seek positions will seek positions. Don’t let them learn like their father and grandfather—only knowing how to prefer ease over effort, being crafty and underhanded!”

Dong Lu Shi’s spirits lifted. Having a husband was worse than not having one—now all her heart and blood was devoted to her several children. With this promise from the Cheng Shi couple, how could she not comply?

Mother Cheng, reminded, immediately said to her brother: “Stop crying too. You’re at the age of knowing heaven’s mandate. Half a lifetime of being useless—can you suddenly change when you’re old? Nephew Yong is the same—if he really had ambition, he wouldn’t have waited until today. Since you’re useless, just live honest, useless days. Don’t spend all day thinking about taking advantage endlessly, relying on your nephew’s reputation to oppress others and bring trouble to the Cheng family. Teaching the children properly is what matters—that’s how you can face Father!”

Maternal Uncle Dong didn’t know what to say at this point.

Seeing her brother’s lips move as if still unconvinced, Mother Cheng quickly said: “Stop trying to deceive me with flowery words all day. That… whatever… Empress Dowager from the previous dynasty—didn’t she just keep wanting to subsidize her natal family? As a result, subsidizing and subsidizing, she subsidized her husband’s entire realm to her natal family nephew. That’s what caused the realm’s great chaos, leading to how many families being destroyed and people killed! In the end when she knew regret, it was too late. I don’t see what face she has to go underground!”

Cheng Shaoshang was astonished: Gah, there was actually such an outrageous Empress Dowager? How come I haven’t heard of her? Then she remembered she was as pure a STEM student as could be—history class and such, it seemed like she hadn’t attended in several lifetimes.

Of famous Empress Dowagers in history she only knew Cixi and Wu Zetian, plus half of Xiaozhuang. Xiaozhuang wanted to give but couldn’t, because her grandson was Kangxi! If Cixi had given the realm to her natal family, what would the foreign powers have done? Could they be talking about Wu Zetian? Cheng Shaoshang looked down at her own chest in puzzlement—then why was the collar so high with not a bit of bosom showing? Were Tang Dynasty clothes this conservative? Even if she was flat-chested, Madam Xiao had an ample bosom—why wasn’t she showing even a bit?

Compared to that unlucky Empress Dowager, Mother Cheng felt she had shown excellent restraint. Very pleased with herself, she said: “And that woman from the third branch of the Donglü family also constantly subsidized her natal family. When Master Wang who was staying with the Donglü family said he was going to study with the Immortal Yan and could only take one disciple, she actually secretly let her natal family nephew go. Hmph! Couldn’t the huge Donglü family find a clever child? Her own two sons were quite good at studying. Later it turned out well—her natal family studied and became officials, while the Donglü family had to curry favor with them instead. Hmph hmph, all the women in the world should know about this!”

As she spoke, Mother Cheng deliberately glanced at Madam Xiao, but Madam Xiao’s expression remained composed. Cheng Shi said awkwardly: “Mother, what are you saying?” The first story was told to Mother Cheng by Madam Xiao through him; the second was Mother Cheng’s own improvisation. “If the nephews truly have promise, I will naturally help. Moreover, is the Donglü family doing poorly now?”

Mother Cheng glared: “That’s because they risked their sons and grandsons’ lives, joining under your command to fight for those official ranks! How can it compare to sitting comfortably in a study chamber to become an official!”

Cheng Shaoshang listened with great interest. If not for fear of being scolded, she really wanted to ask, “What happened to that disloyal daughter-in-law in the end?”

The more Mother Cheng spoke, the more confident she became. She said to Maternal Uncle Dong: “Stop thinking this and that. This time you stole military supplies and caused your nephew no small trouble. What, do you still want to continue dragging him down? When there’s fortune and enjoyment, you come; when there’s suffering and fighting for life, my son goes. Where is there such a good deal! Are you the Cheng family’s ancestor, that we must make offerings to you?!”

With words reaching this point, the Dong family father and son had nothing left to say. The entire room fell silent except for Dong Yong covering his face and whimpering softly. Cheng Shi was very satisfied. He turned fiercely to the Dong family father and son: “If I find out Lu Shi has suffered any harm, I’ll do the same to you two!”

Cheng Shi had fought through seas of blood for many years—when he showed fierceness like this, his imposing manner was extraordinary. The Dong family father and son were already spineless shrimp to begin with and could only assent meekly. Cheng Shaoshang shouted “bravo” in her heart—this stratagem was genius, taking everything into account with no flaws. There was nothing more to say inside or outside the family.

Cheng Shi glared at the Dong family father and son, saying heavily: “Do you all understand clearly?” Dong Yong, being closer and afraid of another beating, nodded hurriedly. Maternal Uncle Dong, a beat slower, also quickly nodded.

“Then eat!” At Cheng Shi’s command, the Dong family father and son quickly returned to their seats and picked up their wooden chopsticks, scurrying faster than rabbits.

Everyone also took up their chopsticks and began eating. Only Ge Shi was anxious and restless throughout the entire table. Ever since Maternal Aunt Dong was driven out a few days ago, she vaguely felt everything was going wrong. Mother Cheng seemed to have reached an understanding with Madam Xiao—when they met these past few days, the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law no longer quarreled. No matter how she tried to sow discord, she only found displeasure with no one paying attention.

She looked at her husband across the way, then at Mother Cheng in the upper seat. The earlier tempest of argument—she couldn’t even get a word in edgewise, let alone that it involved the Dong family, and the slap from a few days ago still ached faintly.

She endured and endured. Seeing the atmosphere calm down, Ge Shi still couldn’t help herself and smiled forcedly: “Mother-in-law…”

Cheng Shaoshang was as happy as a joyful little mouse: Here it comes, here it comes—the one asking for a beating has arrived.

But before she could continue, Cheng Shi said: “Today’s feast has two purposes—one to help Uncle recover from his fright, and two, I have joyful news to announce.”

Interrupting Cheng Shaoshang’s theater-watching, she thought sourly: What joyful news—are you taking a concubine?