After Mo Zi finished speaking, she saw Lin Zhen Niang’s confused expression showing she didn’t quite understand. She secretly sighed—these words were ultimately too profound for a wealthy young lady raised in the inner chambers like her. Contrary to the Tang Dynasty’s open social customs, the Great Zhou’s direction emphasized the Three Cardinal Guides and Five Constant Virtues, with increasingly strict moral teachings for women especially. Women active in the outside world had gradually become rare. According to books, women in the three nations of Nande, Da, and Yuling were supposed to be more unrestrained and spirited—she hadn’t traveled to many places yet and didn’t know if it was true.
Putting grand principles aside, she only hoped Lin Zhen Niang could slowly comprehend the meaning within and one day live freely and at ease. Mo Zi then asked, “Miss Lin…”
“Brother Mo is Zhen Niang’s benefactor. Please just call me Zhen Niang.” Under Mo Zi’s insistence, Lin Zhen Niang finally sat down.
“Zhen Niang, then I won’t be polite with you either. Do you have any other relatives you could turn to?” The urgent matter was to arrange Lin Zhen Niang’s situation properly.
Lin Zhen Niang lowered her eyes, not knowing what she was thinking. After a while she raised her head. “Zhen Niang still has an uncle doing business in Yun Zhou.”
Hearing this, Cen Er’s eyes brightened. “That’s good. We frequently have dealings with Luo Zhou, and Yun Zhou borders Luo Zhou—we can send you there.” Amitabha, problem solved!
“Miss, your uncle and his wife stopped corresponding with us long ago. They’ve never even met you, nor have there been any letters exchanged. If we go seeking refuge, who knows if they’ll take us in.” The little maid was named Ling Xiang. Though young in age, she’d served quite a while and loved to cry, but shared sisterly affection with Lin Zhen Niang.
Mo Zi watched with amusement as Cen Er’s previously happy face fell and continued asking Lin Zhen Niang, “Then, are there perhaps clan relatives?”
“There are. But ever since Master and Madam passed away, the eldest young master offended all the clan members, and by extension Miss was also scorned by relatives. If Miss goes to seek refuge with them, she’ll inevitably suffer cold looks.” Without waiting for Lin Zhen Niang to answer, Ling Xiang spoke up first.
“So there’s nowhere to go?” Mo Zi knew it would be like this. If there had been somewhere to seek refuge, perhaps Young Master Lin wouldn’t have done something so ruthless. Clearly knowing she had no one to depend on, he disliked his own sister for consuming silver if she stayed with him. To be so heartless—it was probably that Young Madam Lin.
“Brother Mo needn’t worry for Zhen Niang. Zhen Niang still has some jewelry that can be exchanged for silver to rent a small room. I can do needlework for people. I’m not afraid of hardship as long as I can settle down and make a living. What Brother Mo said just now—though Zhen Niang is dull and cannot yet understand it thoroughly, from now on I’ll never casually have thoughts of ending my life.” Lin Zhen Niang not only had a resilient nature but wasn’t stupid either.
“I thought you were a pampered daughter of a wealthy family. Hearing you speak this way, you don’t seem ignorant of the outside world.” This Lin Zhen Niang suited Mo Zi’s eye, so her words were straightforward too.
“Our mansion ran out of silver long ago. The money from selling antiques and furniture, the young madam bought this and that for herself while pretending poverty to Miss. Miss had no choice but to embroider small things for me to take out and sell. Later, a famous embroidery shop saw that my Miss embroidered exquisitely and commissioned her to embroider satin cloth. Only then could we have monthly money for us servants.” Ling Xiang again helped explain to everyone.
“What else can Zhen Niang do?” Cen Er thought to himself that embroidery couldn’t be of much use at Wangqiu Tower.
“Zhen Niang is clumsy—only women’s needlework is passable.” Zhen Niang was somewhat embarrassed.
“Music, chess, calligraphy, painting?” Cen Er wanted Zhen Niang to lean toward being like Ge Qiuniang.
Zhen Niang shook her head.
“Poetry, lyrics, songs, verse?” Cen Er assumed everyone should be like Qiu Sanniang.
“Zhen Niang is illiterate.” She happened to be a typical delicate beauty who, besides excellent needlework, couldn’t do anything else.
Cen Er couldn’t help but slap his forehead with a smack.
This startled Zhen Niang and Ling Xiang, not knowing what was wrong.
Mo Zi knew what Cen Er was thinking, but she wasn’t panicked. To say saving one person who happened to be an exceptionally clever formidable figure—that was the Seven Heroes and Five Gallants.
“Zhen Niang, this place also won’t be ready for over a month. How about this—if you don’t mind, just stay here temporarily and rest easy. Only your original small building probably can’t be used because it needs to be torn down and rebuilt, and during construction with craftsmen and carpenters going in and out, it’ll be noisy without rest. Stay in the two side rooms to the south, alright? Though small there, it’s enough for you two master and servant, and it’s quiet. For daily three meals, Cen Er—that is, this head steward—will have someone send them over. If you need anything in daily life, you can also find him. During this time, we’ll think more about how to arrange things.” She calculated the time—Qiu Sanniang should arrive soon.
Zhen Niang was even more grateful and stood to curtsy again. “Thank you, Brother Mo, Head Steward Cen. My luggage was already packed and is all in the small building in the back garden. If it’s not too much trouble, please have someone send it to the south side rooms.”
“After such turmoil today, I imagine you’re both tired. You know the route to the south courtyard better than I do. I’ll have Zan Jin follow along—go rest quickly.” Mo Zi saw Zhen Niang’s curtsy was a bit trembling, her strength failing. “In a while, I’ll have someone bring your luggage over.”
Ling Xiang noticed and quickly stepped forward to support Zhen Niang, also thanking Mo Zi.
Zan Jin naturally listened to Mo Zi and followed behind the master and servant pair, swaying his large frame out of the main hall.
“Brother Mo, we can’t keep this Zhen Niang at Wangqiu Tower.” After they left, Cen Er said to Mo Zi, “It’s not that I don’t pity her, but she doesn’t know a single one of music, chess, calligraphy, painting, poetry, lyrics, songs, or verse. Even if she knew just one, I could explain it to the boss.”
“Not every wealthy family’s daughter knows those eight things. Truth be told, very few daughters of wealthy families do. Whether a delicate beauty from a small family or a refined lady from a great household, what’s most important is knowing two things—needlework and household management. Those eight things, in some families are icing on the cake, in others are unwelcome.” A woman without talent is virtuous, after all. Like Fourth Madam Qiu, Jiang Suxin—she couldn’t do a single artistic skill, yet could manage a household in perfect order, deeply understanding and freely applying the essence of household intrigue. She was the model of contemporary women, the daughter-in-law choice mothers-in-law most loved.
“Listening to Brother Mo’s words is better than reading ten years of books.” Today Cen Er had learned quite a few principles from Mo Zi.
“Then I’ll teach you one more thing. You’re a head steward now after all—don’t think you need to tell the boss about every little thing, big or small. With such a large Wangqiu Tower, how much silver could raising two more people possibly cost? Besides, which servants and which Ge Qiu to use in Luo Zhou—the boss never reviews them.” Mo Zi didn’t feel it necessary to tell Qiu Sanniang.
Hearing this, Cen Er realized it was true and said with a grin, “I’m used to reporting everything clearly to my father. For a moment I forgot that now I’m like him, able to manage matters independently.”
“Lin Zhen Niang staying here is also temporary. When Wangqiu Tower opens, she might think it’s similar to a brothel, just selling art not body, and then get scared and leave on her own.” The more she thought about it, the greater this possibility seemed. “You were still hoping she’d know music, chess, calligraphy, painting, poetry, lyrics, songs, and verse. Even if she really knew them, she might not be willing to be a Ge Qiu.”
Although ideally Ge Qiu was an artistic profession without class distinction, Mo Zi wasn’t naive to that degree. Girls who became Ge Qiu all had poor family circumstances and had no choice but to appear in public. However, this job truly sold art not body and could earn relatively substantial silver.
“That’s good too—saves us worry. Also, if the Leopard Gang really comes causing trouble, at least with her gone, we won’t need to worry as much. Running a restaurant business, you have to serve all kinds of people from all walks of life, even imperial relatives. We haven’t even opened yet and have already offended the local tyrants—my heart’s all anxious.” Saying he didn’t care was actually false. Even if Stinky Fish swore oaths it was useless. Having run business for a long time, he knew each place had its own rules. But he was a very loyal person, and Lin Zhen Niang absolutely had to be saved. So this made him anxious on both fronts. “Hey, wait. What’s wrong with being a Ge Qiu? If she has talent, dances well, sings well, looks beautiful, maybe some kind-hearted man will take a fancy to her and properly marry her—that would be Lin Zhen Niang’s good fortune.” In Luo Zhou’s Wangqiu Tower there had been several such good marriages.
This was thanks to Wangqiu Tower being a restaurant rather than a brothel. Those who came weren’t limited to men greedy for beauty, but also gentlemen attracted by fine wine and food, and female guests were welcome too.
“Alright, let’s not talk about it anymore. Anyway, the young lady is free. She can leave if she wants, stay if she wants. Just help look after them more in daily life, and we’ll see after this period stabilizes.” Mo Zi saw Cen Er nodding repeatedly and knew she could trust him with the matter. “On the Luo Zhou side, have people departed yet? We can’t miss the opening.”
Not yet familiar with the capital’s environment, and unable to find good instructors and women skilled in song and dance on short notice, Mo Zi had suggested early on bringing the most excellent batch of trained Ge Qiu from Luo Zhou for opening day. For a large restaurant, initial prosperity or not would determine future business. Therefore, being an instant hit was essential.
“What was said initially was half a month after me—still seven or eight days. Until those people arrive, I won’t open for business.” Cen Er had a head steward’s decisiveness now.
Mo Zi smiled. “Give me a copy of the main hall’s blueprints later so I can design the bell-pulling system. I also have some ideas about the furniture and tables and chairs for the private rooms. When I finish drawing them, I’ll show you together.”
Cen Er knew Mo Zi’s hands were very skillful. Hearing her ask for blueprints and say she’d draw furniture designs, he naturally agreed quickly.
The two were discussing matters there while Qiu Sanniang’s carriage had already entered Tongyu Street.
The carriage was dispatched by Princess Consort Jing. The driver was Princess Consort Jing’s coachman. Before and behind were two tall horses each, with four imposing prince’s mansion guards.
Every time Qiu Sanniang slightly lifted the curtain, a sharp-eyed squad leader would ride over and ask, “Third Young Madam, what are your orders?”
After this happened several times in succession, Qiu Sanniang became angry and said to the squad leader, “I’m just curious, looking at the outside scenery, that’s all. If I don’t call you, don’t come forward to speak again.”
Who would have thought that handsome and spirited squad leader would reply to Qiu Sanniang like this: “Third Young Madam’s status is extraordinary compared to common people. It’s better not to frequently lift the curtain. Falling into others’ eyes, they might misunderstand that Third Young Madam lacks dignity, damaging Third Young Madam’s reputation.”
Qiu Sanniang was stunned for quite a while, then dropped the curtain. Her beautiful willow-leaf eyebrows drew together as she said to Xiao Yi and Bai He, “See what a good husband’s family I chose for myself. Now leaving home is harder than climbing to heaven, and even looking at scenery can be connected to whether I’m dignified or not.”
Bai He quickly said, “Madam, speak softly. If the guards hear, the Princess Consort will know.”
Xiao Yi suddenly said something very astute: “It’s related to the master divorcing two wives.”
The air inside the carriage turned cold.