The long-missed Wangqiu Pavilion—the fragrance of food was memorable, the figures of Ge Qiuniang and the others were still graceful and elegant, and the coming and going of people made it quite busy.
When Mo Zi and her group arrived at the entrance of Wangqiu Pavilion, their formation was somewhat grand. Twenty-two purple-and-gold sword-bearing guards formed double rows to clear the way, making the manager inside think they were extremely noble guests and hurrying out to greet them personally.
“Very unfamiliar face—newly arrived?” Mo Zi asked Bai He.
“Cen Er has been helping Grandmother manage the major accounts recently and is in the back every day. This is Uncle Feng. He used to be the manager of Nanshi Restaurant, but because his employer favored his own nephew, he resigned in disappointment, and Cen Er found him.” Although Bai He had her own shop, the new seasonal menu for Wangqiu Pavilion was still decided by her together with the head chef in the kitchen, so she knew the changes here like the back of her hand.
She then introduced Mo Zi to Uncle Feng like this: “Uncle Feng, haven’t you always heard us mention Mo Zi? This is her.”
Uncle Feng clearly knew Mo Zi’s significance to Wangqiu Pavilion. Beyond courtesy, there was an extra measure of warmth between family. “Miss Mo Zi, I’ve long admired you.”
Mo Zi then replied politely. “Uncle Feng, these are the guards accompanying me. Please take good care of them for me.”
Uncle Feng said yes again. He didn’t ask too many questions or look too closely—indeed a good helper.
Xu Yang stepped forward. “This isn’t proper. The Emperor ordered us to protect the young lady—how can we desert our posts?” He was a dark-complexioned northern man in his early forties. His manner of speaking was very steady—a Commander of the Qianniu Guard, holding the same position as Hua Yi but belonging to the Right Guard.
Geng Wo was somewhat younger than Xu Yang, also around thirty-five or thirty-six, and was good brothers with Xu Yang. He didn’t say much and only followed Xu Yang’s orders.
They said it was protection, but in Mo Zi’s view it was surveillance. She didn’t have Yuan Cheng’s ability to turn Qianniu Guards like Hua Yi into her own people, but she also wouldn’t deliberately oppose them. Her attitude was relatively cooperative.
“Captain Xu, the Emperor has you protect me, but in a moment when we enter the private room there will only be women. If you big men stand there, we won’t be able to talk. Besides, I’ll be inside and you’ll be outside—what could escape your eyes? We won’t delay eating or duty.” Mo Zi pointed to Xiao Yi, who was looking down from upstairs. “Look, it’s that room.”
Xu Yang glanced up. “The young lady is right. We won’t follow inside. However, we also don’t need to eat—we’ll just guard downstairs.”
Mo Zi’s dark eyebrows, like willow leaves, lifted slightly. “Captain Xu, those words aren’t right. You’ve been out with me since this morning—not a sip of tea, not a meal. Do you plan to protect me on an empty stomach? The meal costs will naturally be settled by me—absolutely no need for you to worry. All right, stop being stubborn. I’ll come out when I’m done with my business. This afternoon who knows where else we might have to go—everyone hurry up and fill your bellies.” Having said this, without waiting for Xu Yang to speak again, she went upstairs with Bai He.
Because they didn’t want to attract the Qianniu Guards’ attention, Zan Jin and Ding Gou hadn’t followed today.
Xiao Yi came forward.
Bai He also hadn’t seen her in a while. She pulled her along asking this and that, then sighed somewhat. “The three of us have all left Grandmother. Now Lu Ju is about to marry—only Hong Mei is still by Grandmother’s side.”
“It’s only a matter of time before Hong Mei comes out too.” The door opened and Qiu Sanniang stood inside, wearing an early summer gown of pale water reflecting orchids, her hair done up in a drooping willow style with a slanted fan-screen hairpin. Without rouge or powder, she was beautiful as a painting. “Now I don’t even have anyone to order around, so I have to personally come invite you in to talk.”
Bai He was honest. “Grandmother, should I come back to serve you?”
Xiao Yi said flatly, “Ask your husband first.”
But Qiu Sanniang was looking at Mo Zi. “If I want to find someone, I’ll find one who isn’t married and has free time to come back. Isn’t that right, Minister Mo Zi?”
Missing the times of matching wits with Qiu Sanniang, Mo Zi walked inside first, saying with a smile, “Third Madam Xiao is well-informed—you learned so quickly that I’ve become idle. Coming back to your side isn’t out of the question, but we’ll have to renegotiate the monthly wages. If you agree, I’ll say nothing more and move to your house tomorrow.”
Qiu Sanniang squinted and glanced sideways, hooking Mo Zi’s arm. “Enough, enough. Don’t I know what you’re scheming? You want to quote an astronomical price so I won’t dare hire you. You’re more precious than I am now—the Emperor’s great favorite. I can’t afford to hire you. Can I at least engage in some lip service?”
Great favorite? More like greatly out of favor, very soon. But Mo Zi didn’t want them to worry, so she just smiled without speaking.
“Grandmother, what time did you arrange with Madam Xiao?” Bai He asked.
“Soon. I had people watch outside the Xiao residence. They just sent word that her carriage is heading this way. Where’s Hong Mei? For finding Mo Zi, I must credit her greatly.” Qiu Sanniang hadn’t even brought out a little maid to serve. When Bai He poured tea, she didn’t take it. “How many times have I said—don’t call me Grandmother anymore. You’re the dignified wife of a vice minister. If people hear it, not only will you be looked down upon, your husband will lose face too. Learn from Mo Zi and Xiao Yi—call me Sanniang or Shuiyun. Especially in a moment in front of Xiao’s mother, you must change how you address me. She looks down on Lu Ju precisely because she’s clinging to her past status. I had you come to support Lu Ju, not to add to the burden.”
Jiang Tao had been promoted—Vice Minister of Works.
“Sanniang, how do you plan to handle this matter? Let’s get our stories straight first so we’re not all saying different things when the time comes.” Mo Zi was self-aware.
“Break off the engagement, of course.” Qiu Sanniang smiled, full of mockery. “She thinks Lu Ju isn’t good enough for her precious son? I think her son isn’t good enough. He’s not the eldest son, his salary isn’t high, and he has to enter the main camp all the time. Once war breaks out, he’ll have to charge the vanguard. If Lu Ju really marries him, she’ll have to settle at the border. That kind of place—the food isn’t good, the clothes aren’t beautiful. The dowry I give her, she won’t even have a place to use it. Xiao sent the matchmaker three times before I reluctantly agreed, thinking he at least had some sincerity. But with his mother acting like that, no matter what, I won’t let Lu Ju go suffer.”
“Grandmother.” Bai He spoke urgently, then after being glared at by Qiu Sanniang, corrected herself. “San… San… Sanniang.”
Mo Zi clapped lightly and raised her thumb.
“Sanniang, we should still be cautious about this matter. It’s best to clarify Lu Ju’s wishes. I think Xiao is quite good, and Lu Ju also likes him very much.” With this address of “Sanniang,” the master-servant relationship formally ended.
“This is Lu Ju’s wish. She’s a free person now—how can I make decisions for her? Because she isn’t married yet, I’m coming forward to break off this engagement on her behalf. But you also know my temperament—breaking off the engagement is fine, but if we can’t hold our heads up, that won’t do.” Qiu Sanniang was fiery by nature. “Let people say Lu Ju is lowly and base? Can you all swallow that insult?”
“Bai He means that Lu Ju is acting in anger. We can’t follow along and make things absolute, leaving her no room to turn around in the future.” Mo Zi poured oil on troubled waters.
“That’s exactly what I mean. Isn’t Xiao away? It would be best to wait until he returns and ask him.” After half a year as an official’s wife, Bai He had developed her own perspective.
“Let’s hear what Xiao Mu Shi says when she arrives.” Qiu Sanniang snorted—not at Bai He, but at Mu Shi. “I’m just afraid we’ll be thinking of her son’s interests, but she won’t appreciate it.”
“If it’s really like that, then break it off. I’ve always said Cen Er is a good match. If Lu Ju marries him, there won’t be mother-in-law problems either—peaceful and quiet.” Mo Zi spoke with some indignation as well.
Bai He called out “Amitabha.” “San… Sanniang is one thing, but if you get fired up too, Mo Zi, this marriage will truly be ruined.”
But Qiu Sanniang was very pleased. “Cen Er? Excellent, excellent. In that case, match Lu Ju with Cen Er, and I’ll give the Wangqiu Pavilion here in the capital as dowry and a wedding gift.”
Xiao Yi turned and walked outside. “I’ll go tell Lu Ju. Maybe she’ll change her mind herself.”
Bai He was both amused and exasperated by them.
Mo Zi glanced at Qiu Sanniang. “Your official salt business is doing well?”
“You understand me. If it didn’t bring in large sums every six months, I couldn’t bear to part with it. Wangqiu Pavilion brings in money slowly but steadily.” Qiu Sanniang was beginning to join the ranks of major merchants, though she’d been an invisible wealthy person for a long time.
But Xiao Yi walked back in, saying someone had arrived.
Qiu Sanniang immediately said loudly, “I plan to open Wangqiu Pavilion branches in major cities across the provinces. I can still afford to give away one in the capital. Lu Ju is my sister—when she marries, of course it must be splendid and glorious.”
Five people walked in. The middle-aged woman in the lead had a plump, round figure, wore gold and silver, and with her privileged upbringing, her features showed a fortunate appearance. This should be Mu Shi. Behind her were four maids.
Hearing Qiu Sanniang’s words, Mu Shi was clearly startled. “Wangqiu Pavilion is a business managed by Third Madam? How have I never heard the Princess Consort mention opening such a good establishment?” Who didn’t know about Wangqiu Pavilion in the capital? Even Wuyou Pavilion’s prestige had weakened because of it.
“Madam Xiao, this Wangqiu Pavilion is Sanniang’s own small business—it has nothing to do with the Prince’s mansion or the Xiao family.” Qiu Sanniang didn’t stand to greet the guest, only had the servers bring up the dishes.
Since she didn’t stand, neither did Bai He or Xiao Yi.
Mo Zi even poured herself a cup of tea to drink, smiling as she sized up the visitor. “You’re Madam Xiao, right? Although you both have the surname Xiao, I’ve heard that originally your father-in-law was an orphan with no surname?”
Mu Shi’s expression changed. The airs she’d put on immediately vanished, replaced by pettiness. “A true hero doesn’t mention past glories. Never mind my father-in-law—even the old prince back in the day was just a low-ranking clerk managing weapons. What are you to dare be so presumptuous!”
“Madam Xiao should watch her words. This is Minister Mo Zi, personally ennobled by the Emperor as this dynasty’s first female official.” Qiu Sanniang had been waiting for this.
Mu Shi was greatly shocked. After being stunned for a long while, she didn’t dare offend Mo Zi further, but said to Qiu Sanniang, “Third Madam, really—it’s just a family matter. Why call unrelated people here?”
Qiu Sanniang again gestured for Mo Zi to respond. She feared that if she opened her mouth, she’d spit fire. Talking business was one thing; dealing with these insufferably boring women was another—she had less tolerance for the latter.
“Madam Xiao has made two errors.” Mo Zi had come intending to act as spokesperson. “First, this isn’t a family matter. This Xiao is not that Xiao. Second, none of us here are unrelated. Lu Ju is our sister. If you want to break off the engagement, naturally we sisters must be present. This is Madam Bai, wife of the Vice Minister of Works. That is the junior martial sister of General Hua, Commander of the Qianniu Guard.”
Mu Shi’s round plate face immediately narrowed. “Even if the Emperor were here, I’d say the same. This engagement must be broken off. The doors don’t match, the households don’t align. A maid wanting to climb up to become my son’s legitimate wife? Even as a concubine, we’d have to look her over first. Don’t think I didn’t understand what you just said. That’s right—my father-in-law came from hardship, but that was before. Not only did my father-in-law suffer, my mother-in-law suffered too. But by the time it came to my eldest and second son, they married girls from scholarly families—proper young ladies from official households. Three generations have built up to this point. We can only move forward, not backward. None of you are Lu Ju’s real sisters—coming out to hold up the scene is useless. She’s someone who doesn’t even have a surname, whose fate from childhood was to be a maid. Although she’s a free person now, does she have parents or brothers to rely on? Does she have the ability to be a principal wife? She’s clearly served people for over ten years. This Xiao is not that Xiao—our family doesn’t need to look at that family’s face. But does Lu Ju need to look at Third Madam Xiao’s face? Everyone knows in their hearts!”
It must be said, Mu Shi was an extremely formidable petty middle-class woman.
Lu Ju’s marriage was truly in jeopardy.
Next week I’ll strive to add updates twice.
The previous chapter had an error mixing up Mo Chou and Wu You, which has been corrected.