Climbing on the Sparrow Branch – CH 041

Chapter 41: Angle

When An Chengye said this, Meng Jie’s face changed instantly.

An Zhi noticed this and took the opportunity to say, “Father, if you want your daughter to see it through, just send it to the authorities. In the end, the officials will decide who is innocent and who stole something.”

An Chengye was most afraid of trouble and hated those who argued the most, so he immediately nodded and said yes.

When Cheng Pingjin heard this, he immediately shook his head. If he was really sent to the government, he would have to go to jail. The suffering in jail was not something that ordinary people could endure. He was unwilling to see the officials.

Meng Jie didn’t want to report it to the authorities. She had beaten Concubine Cheng today, and she could feel that An Chengye’s eyes were looking at her differently. She just remembered what An Zhi had said to her at the beginning: An Chengye was affectionate and loyal, which meant that An Chengye would like many people at the same time, but he would care about each of them.

She came down and said, “Let’s not do that. It wouldn’t be nice if this got out. Now that the bracelet has been found, and since Master and Zhi’er both believe Concubine Cheng, we’ll just throw Cheng Pingjin out and forbid him from coming to our house again.”

“That’s fine.” An Chengye just wanted a result. “Come here, give Cheng Pingjin twenty lashes and throw him out. Zhi’er, take Concubine Cheng back.”

An Zhi knew that An Chengye wanted her to persuade Concubine Cheng, so she said yes.

She asked the maid to carry Concubine Cheng back, and she held An Jing’s hand.

Concubine Cheng lived next door to Concubine Zhang. They had the same courtyard and the same monthly allowance, but Concubine Cheng’s was much simpler.

After they entered the house, Binglu also brought the medicine. After Cheng Yi Niang’s maid applied the medicine on her, An Zhi went into the inner room to talk to Cheng Yi Niang.

“Miss, my brother…Is he okay?” Concubine Cheng had just been beaten with a few boards and was in so much pain that she didn’t even have the strength to speak. Thinking that her brother was going to be beaten with twenty boards, she couldn’t help but worry.

“Aunt, you should worry about yourself right now.” An Zhi sat across from Concubine Cheng. Her relationship with Concubine Cheng wasn’t as close as Concubine Zhang’s, so her expression wasn’t so good. “Do you think Madam was really going to catch a thief today?”

“What else?” Concubine Cheng couldn’t think of so much.

“She wanted to use you to establish her authority, but she failed in the end. You are like a thorn in the Madam’s side today. When she catches you again in the future and I am not here, you won’t be able to stand up on your own, so how can you protect An Jing?” An Zhi’s words were a bit harsh, but if she didn’t say it more harshly, Concubine Cheng would not listen at all.

Thinking of her son, Concubine Cheng choked up and started crying again, “My poor Jing’er.”

An Zhi frowned, “Aunt, An Jing’s life is not hard. My mother has never treated you harshly since you became pregnant with him. When I became the head of the household, I even increased his allowance instead of reducing it. Even if the current wife reduces his monthly allowance a little, it is still enough. Compared with the beggars on the street and the hungry people on the farm, his life is much better. Aunt, my father wants me to advise you today, so I will say a few more words. If you complain and feel sorry for yourself all day long and think that you are as pitiful as an ant, then your life will only become more difficult in the future. If you want to live a good life, you must be capable.”

An Zhi felt that Concubine Cheng would not be able to listen to these things at this time. After all, her previous thoughts were already deeply rooted in her mind.

She was now going to discuss the main conflict. “Let’s talk about your brother. He sold his own sister to pay off his debts after losing money in the casino. He doesn’t do anything serious all year round, relying only on his wife and sister. If you don’t hate him, that’s your business. But later, when An Jing grows up and starts to pursue his career, would you be willing to let Cheng Pingjin cling to An Jing like he did to you, ruining his future?”

“How could it be…” Concubine Cheng was still struggling, “He is his biological uncle, he would not harm him.”

“Of course not!” An Zhi raised her voice. “He can even sell his own sister today, let alone his nephew. Besides, An Jing’s uncle is from the Bai family, the Meng family, not the Cheng family. Concubine Cheng, after all I’ve said, if you keep thinking about your brother, I’ll ask father to let you go, and you can live with him from now on.”

After saying this, An Zhi stood up.

She was not a patient person. She had spent so much time talking to her because of the peace she had with Cheng Yi Niang and the little affection she had for her in the past. The last words were not just to scare Cheng Yi Niang. If Cheng Yi Niang still couldn’t let it go, she could really do it.

Here, An Zhi came out of Concubine Cheng’s room and just walked to the door, she saw Concubine Zhang’s maid waiting for her.

An Zhi went into Concubine Zhang’s room again.

“Miss, please sit down.” Concubine Zhang’s face did not look good. She cried and knelt today, and she was not in a good mood.

“Aunt, did you ask me to come here to ask about Madam?” An Zhi didn’t beat around the bush when talking to Concubine Zhang.

Concubine Zhang nodded. She used to be a maid in the Bai family. Although the Bai family’s inner courtyard was relatively stable, she had also witnessed many conflicts between the ladies and concubines. “I know that the madam wanted to use today’s incident to intimidate the people in the mansion, but she failed today. I think she will definitely think of other ways in the future. Concubine Zhang is stupid and can only make a living in this deep courtyard. I want to ask the young lady for a solution, just to live in peace.”

An Zhi sighed and said slowly, “Madam punished Concubine Cheng today. Ultimately, it was Concubine Cheng who was upset, otherwise Madam wouldn’t have punished her. Aunt, if you want to live a peaceful life, be careful. And make sure to sweep the snow in front of the door clean. Do you understand, Aunt?”

“I understand.” Concubine Zhang has always lived her life away from the Madam’s limelight.

“But you don’t have to give in blindly. Although Father may not be very kind to you, he is a man who cherishes the past.” An Zhi said, “But once or twice is fine. If you do it more than that, Father will get annoyed.”

Concubine Zhang also understood this. She had been in the An family for twenty years and was a careful person. She had long seen through An Chengye.

“If you ask me, Aunt, you should prepare more assets while you are still young.” An Zhi felt that money was the most reliable thing. As long as An Chengye was around, Meng Jie would not dare to do anything too excessive. Besides, the indentures of the two Aunts had been returned to them when Madam Bai was seriously ill. “No matter whether Aunt has children in the future, in five or ten years, when Madam has her own children and father is old, you and Concubine Cheng can live separately. You have a good relationship with Concubine Cheng, and she will be willing to live with you.”

An Jing was six years old now. After he got married and had children, he would definitely be separated. Meng Jie couldn’t keep a concubine’s son at home.

When Concubine Zhang heard this, her eyes lit up immediately. “Thank you for your advice, Miss. Concubine Cheng and I are so lucky to have met such good people like you and the late Madam.”

An Zhi smiled and said that it was her duty, and then comforted her a few more words before leaving.

On the way back, she thought of the two concubines. Attitude really does determine life. Concubine Zhang felt lucky to have met a good master, while Concubine Cheng felt her fate as a concubine was a bad one. Both were right. But since she couldn’t change reality, she might as well think more about the good things instead of making herself unhappy all day.

When An Zhi walked into the garden, she felt a little tired, so she stopped to rest for a while. She met the steward who brought her a few visiting cards.

An Zhi took a few glances and saw that they were all invitations for poetry gatherings or birthday celebrations held by noble ladies. She needed to expand the Shu brocade business from the noble ladies’ circle, so she could just go out and participate.

But what surprised her most was that Cheng Huan also sent her an invitation, either for a poetry reading or a birthday, or just to come and play with her.

But they had never met before.