Four Delicate Offenders – CH 049

Chapter 49. Let The Bright Moon Set Behind The Western Tower.

After that argument with Jin Shengyu, Liu-niang suffered a double loss, becoming so angry that she stayed home for several days. Later, upon hearing that Jiang Heng had secretly arranged a marriage with the Jin family behind her back, she immediately burst into tears, throwing chairs and banging on tables, nearly smashing everything in her room.

With a loud crash, a vase shattered at her feet. Xuepan frowned. “Mother, it’s one thing to be angry, but why smash things in your own room? Can you just replace them? Does it not cost money to replace them?”

“Money, money, money!” Liu-niang spat at her, her eyes red. “Is money more important than your mother’s life?! Did you not see how much I suffered at the Jin family’s house that day? Your heartless father not only did not stand up for me, but he was also fawning over them at the slightest word. It really infuriated me!”

She sobbed and wept, sitting in her armchair, fuming. Xuepan thought she was getting older and becoming increasingly impatient.

“If you ask me, Mother should not have gone to the Jin residence that day. Those complaints about poverty, if they reached Lady Jin’s ears through others, would have been a hundred times better than you personally going to complain. She’s just a discarded woman, now desperate for a husband to marry her. A perfectly good family like the Marquis’s—why would she let that opportunity slip away? Mother should have been more considerate of Father than usual and, if necessary, brought up Mi’er. Maybe Father would have changed his mind because of Mi’er. Now that you’ve made a scene, Father is in a bind. If he does not take her as his second wife, how will this matter end? Mother has been subservient to the County Princess for over ten years; how could you have forgotten that skill? Lady Jin is already at odds with you before she’s even entered the household. What do you plan to do if she really takes over the family?”

Liu-niang was stunned by her words and, after a long while, said, “What do you know? The County Princess was easy to coax back then, and she was not a particularly ruthless person. As long as you humbled yourself, she would not make things difficult for you. Unlike this one, she’s a formidable shrew. The more you back down, the more she takes advantage. If I were any weaker, she might just shit on my head.” She then glared at her, rubbing her chest and sighing, “If it were not for you all, I would not have had to fight her. You heartless girl, instead of understanding my difficulties, you are making up stories about me.”

Xuepan looked away. “How could I dare to make up stories about Mother? I just think Mother did not need to confront her head-on.”

“That’s all hindsight!” Liu-niang said. “If I had ruined this marriage, would you still be saying this?”

Xuepan fell silent, head bowed, twisting her handkerchief and muttering, “You’ve made a scene for so long, but Father still has not made you his official wife. I guess this is your fate. Now that Father has married a proper wife, I do not think it’s a bad thing. At least when the three of us siblings are considering marriage, having a legal mother will make things easier.”

She was met with a harsh rebuke from Liu-niang: “You are an ungrateful wretch! I’ve planned everything for you, and in the end, you want to acknowledge a legal mother? Do you really think she will treat you like human beings or arrange any good marriages for you?”

“She’s thirty already; how can she possibly have children?” Xuepan retorted defiantly. “She has no legitimate son, so Mi’er will naturally belong to her. Do you think she will not rely on Mi’er to take care of her in her old age?”

After saying this, Xuepan stormed off to her own courtyard. Liu-niang burst into tears again. “My good daughter, before she’s even had a proper marriage, she’s already going to rely on Lady Jin!”

Nanny Kong could only comfort her, saying, “Do not cry anymore regarding the second young lady. She is your own daughter; do you not know her? Why argue with a child? Right now, think about how to reconcile with the Master. No matter how much outsiders try, as long as you two are on good terms, Lady Jin can only watch helplessly. After all, she’s now part of our household, unlike last time when she was arrogant in the Jin residence. In terms of manpower, do you think we are afraid of her?”

Liu-niang thought for a moment, finally calming down. “Go and have a drink with Nanny Qin and Nanny Shen. Tell them I will give each of them a raise of one string of cash per month, and have them keep a close eye on everyone’s actions in the mansion. As long as they are loyal to me, I will not shortchange them.”

Nanny Kong agreed and was about to speak again when a servant came in to announce that the Master had returned.

Liu-niang was startled, not expecting Jiang Heng to return. Last time, during his five-day holiday, he was busy proposing marriage to the Jin family and did not even send a messenger back to Youzhou to let her know he was safe. She muttered, “He still remembers the old one even with a new one; the Marquis is truly devoted.”

Nanny Kong naturally advised her to control her temper and focus on welcoming the master first.

Although Liu-niang complained, she was secretly pleased. At least he remembered to come back. She composed herself, reapplied her makeup, and went to the front courtyard to greet him.

Jiang Heng always had that nonchalant air about him. Upon entering the house, he routinely asked if everything was alright with the servants, showing no intention of reporting on the situation outside.

Liu-niang helped him wash his face and change his clothes, then served him tea in a round-backed chair before asking, with a hint of sourness, “I heard that Master has already exchanged gifts with the Jin family?”

Jiang Heng hesitated before replying, “I forgot to inform you. It’s indeed arranged; the wedding will be on the twelfth day of the ninth month.”

Liu-niang clutched her handkerchief in silence, hoping he would notice and offer some words of comfort. But after waiting for so long, he ignored her, and she felt increasingly wronged. She secretly wiped away her tears and said, “Master does not care about my future at all.”

Jiang Heng turned to look at her. “Let’s not talk about this anymore. It was your own fault for going to their door and provoking them. Can you blame them?”

“I did not say anything, but she was so eager to establish her authority. She treats me like this even before I’ve entered the household. After she becomes the mistress of the house, will I still have a place in the family?”

Jiang Heng, impatient with her words, frowned and said, “Stop talking. The engagement is already settled; what else can be done? You should also tone down your temper. Do not take advantage of my favor to act without manners and propriety.”

Liu-niang was surprised. “I’ve lost my manners and propriety… Master never said that to me before, but now that there’s a new concubine…”

“Everyone started as a new concubine. You were a new concubine, too. If I had not promoted you, would you have three children? Would you be where you are today?”

This truly stunned her. The man who usually seemed weak and easily fooled could speak so cruelly. Liu-niang could not hold back her tears. “Back then, the Master and I were deeply in love. He treated me well because he loved me.”

Jiang Heng’s empty eyes stared at the roof beam. He murmured, “Back then, the County Princess and I were also deeply in love, inseparable. Later, when I met you in the market, even though our marriage soured, I never mistreated her. You know how I’ve treated her these past ten years. Now I hope you can be more considerate and think more about our children. If the Marquis’s Mansion does not regain its dignity, it will collapse sooner or later. Do not let your selfish desires cause you to disregard your children’s future.”

Liu-niang was rendered speechless by his words, thinking to herself, “Is this truly retribution? She who seduces another’s husband will surely have her own husband seduced?” She had only known the pleasure of those who came after, never imagining she would one day become a cautionary tale. This feeling was truly unbearable.

“Obstructing the master’s marriage is not thinking of our children…” She gave a bitter smile. “I cannot bear to part with so many years of affection, and I do not want a shrew to take you away.”

Jiang Heng’s expression suddenly changed, his voice cold. “She will soon be the mistress of this Marquis’s Mansion. If you continue to call her a shrew, whatever she does to you is your own doing.” He then gave her a disdainful look, squeezing out a few words through gritted teeth. “You used to know your place; how have you become like this?”

How could she have become like this? Did he not know? If a woman could live a carefree life, hanging paintings and arranging flowers, who would be so bored as to want to fight tooth and nail with other women for a man?

Liu-niang tried to rekindle his old feelings; looking at him with a sorrowful expression, she said, “My Lord, I’ve suffered so much in this mansion all these years, and you are all I have.”

Jiang Heng said that was not right. “You still have three children. They will always be your flesh and blood, so you should think more about your own flesh and blood. When the Lady Consort enters the household, if you cannot get along with her, just stay in your own courtyard and do not linger in her sight. She probably will not bother you then.”

Hearing this, Liu-niang finally gave up completely. A man who was thinking of another was the hardest to keep. His heart had completely turned to Lady Jin, fantasizing that the woman who had been driven out of her husband’s family would one day take over a good family name for him.

“Never mind.” She straightened her back and slowly let out a long breath. “I thought the Master had returned to figure out how to settle my son and me.”

Jiang Heng, reminded by her words, remembered, “Oh, I wanted to discuss with you the matter of purchasing a residence in the capital. The house I’ve chosen has been decided; it should cost around seven or eight thousand taels of silver. How much do we have at home right now?”

Liu-niang gasped. “Seven or eight thousand taels of silver? Where would we get that much money?”

Although Jiang Heng had not managed the household accounts before, he had glanced at the ledgers after the County Princess’s death. At that time, the public accounts had six thousand taels, plus the rent from the shops and the income from the estates. If the family did not even have seven or eight thousand taels of silver in cash, then there was a major flaw in the accounts.

He stared intently at Liu-niang. “Have you thought this through? Are you truly unable to come up with the money?”

Liu-niang hesitated. “Indeed, I do not have that much. The Lady’s funeral needed to be held, the servants’ monthly wages needed to be paid, the children needed to go to school, and there were daily expenses for rice, flour, oil, and salt—everything costs money. You, Master, do not know the cost of living.”

Jiang Heng chuckled. “If I remember correctly, when the County Princess passed away, the funeral gifts alone amounted to three thousand taels. Was that not enough for the funeral arrangements?”

Liu-niang said, “Of course. We hired three troupes just for the Buddhist and Taoist rituals; it was Master who insisted on maintaining a respectable appearance.”

“Is that so? Marrying off a legitimate daughter only costs three hundred taels, but a funeral costs three thousand taels? I bet the food was not made of rice but pearls!” Jiang Heng waved his hand impatiently. “Just tell me how much you have on hand right now. I need to pay the deposit so I can secure the house before someone else does.”

After hesitating for a long time, Liu-niang said, “Including the deposit for the gold and silver shops, it’s about two thousand taels…”

“What?” Before she could finish, he shouted, silencing her. “Two thousand taels? Two thousand taels? Liu Yanqiao, you really know how to manage a household! I asked you today, and you said you had two thousand taels. If I asked you again in two days, you’d probably only have a thousand! In just one year, you’ve squandered all the family’s savings. If you continue to run this household, I am afraid even this house will not be yours sooner or later!”

He was furious, pacing back and forth, his face ashen as he pointed at her. “Fine…truly fine! Do you think I do not know that you’ve been subsidizing those two brothers? You know perfectly well where they got the money to buy houses, land, and concubines! I would not have said anything if you’d given them a little help, but now look what’s happened! You are so broke that you cannot even afford to spend money at home. What are you still doing in my Jiang family? Go back to your Liu family, with your brothers; would that not be better?”

He had never been so angry before, and Liu-niang was understandably frightened. The family’s surplus was certainly more than two thousand taels; she had secretly kept four thousand taels, simply to avoid letting the money fall into Lady Jin’s hands. She still had three children; did she expect them to constantly ask Lady Jin for money when Yupan and Xuepan got married? If Lady Jin deliberately made things difficult, only giving them two or three hundred taels, would the girls not be talked about for the rest of their lives?

Therefore, it was necessary to plan ahead. Now that they had a de facto mistress, if they did not have enough money to buy a house, they would let Lady Jin handle it. She herself was originally just a concubine who did not have any real power; once everything was settled, she would move in with them. As for how they acquired the house, what did that have to do with her?

This was the first major challenge for a concubine entering the household. She wanted to see how Lady Jin would manage to scrape together the money. Therefore, no matter how angry Jiang Heng became, she maintained the same answer: no money. Offering two thousand taels was already the biggest concession; she originally intended not to contribute a single tael and just watch them make a fool of themselves.

Jiang Heng was furious for half a day. He asked her to bring the account books, and he irritably flipped through them, but unfortunately, he never managed the household affairs, and he could not possibly understand those rows of tiny characters! Slamming the account book down, his face pale, he said, “So you really want to embarrass me in front of my new wife? What good will it do you if I lose face?”

Liu-niang thought sadly, “You are not just embarrassing me now; you are embarrassing your second wife. So let her be. We are family; why are you being so formal?”

She put on a helpless expression. “My Lord, there really is only two thousand taels in the account. Otherwise, I would not have resorted to this desperate measure, having my second sister borrow money from the young lady. It’s because of planning to buy a new house that I’ve been so worried that I have not been able to sleep day and night. My Lord has no idea. My two brothers also run some businesses, but in My Lord’s words, I am the one who subsidized the house and land purchases. This is a terrible injustice to me; I cannot accept it.”

Jiang Heng was helpless against her. He had finally seen through her; this woman had never been of one mind with him. She fawned over him, but because he was the most important person she had ever met, she would have treated him with the same tenderness and affection, even if it were someone else. He was just a lowly bar girl; how could he possibly believe she was loyal and devoted to him? He had been deceived by her for the past decade. He had betrayed his wife for such a woman; he had been blinded by greed. Now, he deeply regretted his actions.

“That’s enough,” he said dejectedly. “Do not say any more. The more we talk, the less affection we have left. Since we do not have any cash on hand, this mansion cannot be kept. I will go find a buyer, clear out the properties here, and move to the capital.”

In truth, Liu-niang was unwilling, but to keep the four thousand taels of silver, she had to grit her teeth and bear it. “It’s all up to you, Master.”

Jiang Heng glanced at her, sighed, and walked out the door with his hands behind his back. No one knew the embarrassment and hardship he was experiencing, running around under the scorching sun searching for a buyer. In front of outsiders, he had to maintain a facade of peace, saying he probably would not come to Youzhou again and that leaving the empty house here would require people to look after it, so it was better to get rid of it.

However, this was the hardest time to sell a house. Officials in the court were moving to the capital due to the Emperor’s reshuffling of the court, and the number of vacant mansions in Youzhou had suddenly increased, making it extremely difficult to find a suitable buyer.

In the end, only one merchant was willing to offer four thousand taels, the lowest price imaginable. They were only interested in the fact that it was the former residence of a county princess and that a duchess had recently married there, hoping to bask in her prestige.

Jiang Heng haggled with him, saying four thousand taels was far too little, and seemed somewhat resentful, reluctant to sell. The merchant considered it for a moment and added two hundred taels, saying that was the lowest he could go; take it or leave it.

Jiang Heng felt a lump in his throat, unable to vomit, and could only swallow his anger. He wiped his face, said it was fine, handed over the deed, and took the money home.

When he got home, Liu-niang asked how much he had sold it for. He gave her a cold look. “What? Are you going to keep it safe? To use it to cover up the debts outside?”

Liu-niang was speechless, embarrassed. Although she had kept the four thousand taels, she secretly regretted it, fearing that this money might have truly alienated her from Jiang Heng. But then she thought again, if she could not keep the people, keeping the money was better than nothing, and she felt at ease. As long as she had money, she did not care what the future held!

The only problem was moving the whole family. In the sweltering heat, they had to travel over a hundred miles, dragging the whole family along. Jiang Mi cried and made a fuss, and Yupan had to patiently comfort him.

Xuepan was also very dissatisfied. “It’s like we are fleeing a disaster!”

Liu-niang told her to stop talking. The four of them huddled in the small carriage, and with so many people on the road, the journey was slow; it took them almost two days to reach the capital.

The new house had not been decided on yet, so they could not move in. They had to stay temporarily in the small market street. The tiny courtyard, crammed with over thirty people, looked like a makeshift orphanage built for earthquake victims.

Jiang Mi was still crying and making a fuss, wanting to study and find a teacher. Liu-niang spat at him, “Why have I not seen you so fond of reading before!”

Jiang Heng ignored them, his mind still preoccupied with the two thousand taels he needed to buy the house. He had considered borrowing from a colleague but could not bring himself to ask. After much hesitation, he finally arranged to meet Jin Shengyu, shamelessly discussing with her whether he could go to Si Si’s place to solve this immediate problem and then repay her with interest later.