CH 11

Chapter Eleven:

Rolling

The courtyard was not large, and it was only two corridors and three turns from the temporary guest room of the Cheng Shi couple to the main residence. Madam Xiao, along with Qing Cong and a group of martial servants, arrived in just a few steps. As expected, Madam Ge’s sharp cries and curses came from the inner room.

“… are you considered a man?! Watching your wife suffer such a great insult, you didn’t say a word. Why don’t I give you my skirt and robe and you can wear it out for others to see! You can’t study, you can’t be an official, you’re still a cripple – what else can you do?! My life is so miserable, having followed such a cowardly person like you…”

This was originally Cheng Cheng’s library, and several servants guarding the door were about to come forward and block Madam Xiao. The closest one was Madam Ge’s confidant Li Zhui. She was already a bit nervous when she saw that Madam Xiao was followed by not ordinary servants, but powerful military servants carrying swords and bows.

She quickly bowed and apologized, saying, “Madam…” Before she could continue, Cheng Cheng’s voice came from within.

“Enough! If you are angry, you can go back to your Ge family and my brother will give you more gold and silver…”

“Don’t even think about it! When I got married, your Cheng family was in dire straits. Now that your brothers have achieved great success, you want to abandon me. Don’t even think about it! If you had called me back before, I would have respected you and had some courage. Why, your Elder Brother has come back, and your weak bones have grown brave. You know how to talk back to me. You will be an incompetent waste of your life, relying solely on your brother…”

Madam Xiao couldn’t bear it anymore. A few of the martial servants approached and tied up Madam Ge’s servants with their arms bent. Qing Cong twisted Li Zhui’s arm and threw her to the ground behind her. The courtyard emitted a series of painful cries, and before Li Zhui could call out, she heard a ‘bang’ sound. The door of the main residence was kicked open by Madam Xiao.

Madam Xiao walked straight into the room, only to see Cheng Cheng half leaning against the side of the bed, the alcohol still lingering, and trembling with anger. Madam Ge stood opposite him, jumping and cursing loudly. Upon seeing Madam Xiao enter, Cheng Cheng lifted his head with an embarrassed expression on his face and a hint of grievance. His eyes were filled with tears and he said, “…Older Sister…”

Madam Xiao felt a pain in her heart. Since marrying into the Cheng family, she regarded Cheng Shi’s siblings as her own. Cheng Xu and Cheng Xi were married, and Cheng Zhi went away to study. In the daily household management, only Cheng Cheng could provide her with much assistance. Now seeing his withered and watering eyes, although he was only just a few years younger than Cheng Shi, he looked like an elderly man and Madam Xiao felt hate deep in her bones.

Madam Xiao didn’t speak and gestured for Qing Cong to help Cheng Cheng away. Madam Ge stepped forward to interfere. Madam Xiao punched her heavily in the stomach with a sleeved fist. She then backhanded her face with a loud slap, using so much force that she knocked Madam Ge silly and fell to the floor. Qing Cong used this moment to quickly retreat with Cheng Cheng.

“You, you…!” Madam Ge felt a sharp pain in her belly. She covered her cheek with one hand and her abdomen with the other. “You dare to hit me?”

Madam Xiao was different from Old Madam Cheng. She was raised by a true scholar and noble family. For so many years, she never raised her voice to her sister-in-law, but had reached her limit. Madam Xiao’s eyes were cold as ice, and she said in a cold voice, “Not only do I want to beat you, I also want to divorce you!”

Madam Ge endured the pain and quickly climbed to her feet, cursing, “I won’t leave. The Cheng family was poor at the time…”

“I heard all the words just now,” Madam Xiao said calmly. “So what? Now the Cheng family is strong and the Ge family is weak. I can beat you if I want to beat you, and I can get rid of you if I want to get rid of you. What can you do?”

She slowly took a step forward and Madam Ge involuntarily took a few steps back, afraid she would be hit again. “How dare you?! My father is kind to the Cheng family!”

“What? Donating military supplies and rations? Which big family in the township and county never donated?” Madam Xiao sneered. “My husband guards the countryside thoroughly so that all the people will not fall into the flames of battle. How many lives have been saved, and it’s considered a virtue to donate some supplies and rations? I’m afraid that Old Master Ge himself don’t dare to say he was kind to the Cheng family.”

Madam Ge looked at Madam Xiao suspiciously and said, “How… why… everything has changed.” Where was the kind and gentle Madam Xiao, who was dignified and meticulous in speaking, and didn’t care about her? Her expression, words, and even her manners have changed.

Madam Xiao said nothing and stared coldly at her.

Madam Ge understood a little, grit her teeth and said, “In those years, you made a good appearance of being subservient. Mother couldn’t help but take care of you. Father praised you for being gentle and virtuous until his death, which was a blessing for the Cheng family. Before his death, he even scolded Mother in front of so many people to not embarrass you. You… you are good at acting!”

Madam Xiao smiled lightly. She slowly said, “Do you think I’m a fool like you? At that time, I was weak and my family was starved for nourishment. How could I have the confidence to talk back to Mother? I endured it for more than ten years, what about it? Today, I’ll settle accounts with you.”

Madam Ge was startled and apprehensive, then puffed up again. “Settle accounts? You just granted me divorce!”

“Not really.” Madam Xiao walked slowly over to Madam Ge’s side. “Actually, you thought about remarrying many years ago.”

Madam Ge was shocked.

Madam Xiao continued without hesitation. “The first time, you had only been married for two months, you instigated Second Younger Brother to start a new life, raise a banner, and use your dowry as military capital to make a new career, didn’t you? But Second Younger Brother refused, and you angrily went back to your maiden home to stay for more than ten days, asking your family to choose a new husband for you, didn’t you?”

Madam Ge was very scared and blurted out, “How do you know –” then quickly shut up.

Madam Xiao smiled. “You always say that I have a good life and I married a hero. If you have the ability, you can marry one yourself. If you really find a good one, Old Master Ge wouldn’t stop you. What are the kinds of things you are looking for? The ‘King of Zhenshan’ and ‘Emperor Baoze Shengtian,’ those were the ones you asked your servants to inquire about. Hmph, it only takes a few months for someone to chop off their heads, and the mob of bird and beasts scattered, pitiful for their concubines and sisters. They are all divided up, the more beautiful ones are better, people are always wanting them. The ones with ordinary looks, it’s unknown whether they are filled with food or women’s support, and what about the Chen County slaughter…”

“You don’t have to say it!” Madam Ge exclaimed, blushing with embarrassment and anger. Many years ago, she had almost forgot her secret, and today someone suddenly spoke about it as if she had been stripped of it.

Madam Xiao didn’t let her go and continued, “After this time, you’ve been honest for a while, and finally you know that the conquest and fighting is a major event in the world, not just for fun. But not long after giving birth to the Second Young Lady, your mind came to life again. Hmm, let me see… you were so honest before, probably because you were afraid you wouldn’t be able to have children.”

Madam Ge was so angry in her heart but dared not answer back. She had been married to the Cheng family for several years before getting pregnant. At that time, Old Madam Cheng’s face was no longer attractive, and with Madam Xiao giving birth one by one next to her, with the exception for the First Young Lady who had passed away early, the latter two were both sturdy and round boys. No one outside praised Madam Xiao as the wife of the Xing family, which made her even more unable to lift her head. At the time, she was afraid that her body would be flawed, and even if she remarried, she would not get better. Of course, she stopped her efforts.

Madam Xiao continued with great interest, “Not long after giving birth to Second Young Lady, you said you wanted to recuperate yourself, so you went back to the Ge family. This time, you have learned to be obedient. You don’t mean anything, just pester your father and brother to choose a good son-in-law for you to remarry. In fact, I know what you mean. You just wanted to suppress me, but later on, did you get it?”

Of course not, otherwise how else would Madam Ge be sitting here at that moment.

Madam Ge’s heart was filled with hatred. After giving birth to the Second Young Lady, the heroes of the world had almost formed a climate. In the countryside, one could find a hero to marry. Although there were high-ranking families, they still had the ambition to accept concubines and the Ge family naturally refused. But, if she married an ordinary person, it would not have been as good a person as Cheng Cheng – at least his older brother was becoming successful. After spending half a year at her mother’s house without any success, Madam Ge reluctantly returned to the Cheng family.

Madam Xiao looked at Madam Ge and didn’t hide her disdain. “You are such a foolish woman with half-hearted intentions. It is only because of Second Younger Brother’s kindness that you were allowed to come here. Do you think you have the ability to tame Second Younger Brother? We will move house in three days, so stay here and wait for the Ge family to come.”

Madam Ge was startled and her lips trembled as she said, “Someone’s… coming…? You’ve already gone to my house…”

Knowing that Madam Xiao had been spying on her for so many years, secretly recording her every move, she felt a chill in her heart. At this moment, she heard this with infinite fear, knowing that the couple on the return journey were really about to move themselves.

What should she do now? What should she say? Should she break off marriage with Cheng Cheng? What should she do after returning home from a divorce? Madam Ge was extremely flustered and didn’t know how to put it right.

No matter what Madam Ge was thinking, Madam Xiao only sneered a few times, and slowly walked to the door. Halfway through, she suddenly stopped and turned her head and said, “You have tried to remarry several times but couldn’t. I will give you a guarantee that one day Second Younger Brother will be divorced from you and within the next month I will be able to find him a marriage. A virtuous and beautiful wife who will never let him suffer any grievances.” She turned to leave.

Madam Ge was truly afraid, and when she was dizzy, she suddenly shouted, “I didn’t treat Fourth Young Lady harshly!” Her voice shook the door slightly.

Madam Xiao turned her head again, lowered her face, and looked at her indifferently. Madam Ge recoiled from her gaze.

It took a long time until Madam Xiao was able to smile and said, “It is cold today, and Qhingzhou is a long way away. I wonder if your mother has already set off.”

The words were thoughtless, and Madam Ge didn’t understand for a moment. She looked up and saw the sarcasm on the corner of Madam Xiao’s lips, and her heart sped up. She became smart for the first time and asked, “Could it be that Nanny Fu has colluded with you…”

“Your brother is very ambitious and was willing to work hard all his life. When he was young, he thought about killing enemies and building achievements. Unfortunately, he was unable to get a on horse due to illness when he was young,” Madam Xiao said. “After that, he thought about doing business and cultivating the land for his family to prosper. They are all a family, and I always have to help.”

Madam Ge trembled all over, and she didn’t know if she was angry or scared. Thinking of all the things over the years, she said in her heart, “No wonder.”

Madam Xiao showed slight conceit on her face, and said, “Otherwise, why would Old Madam Wan always come to the Cheng house at just the right time?”

Madam Ge slumped paralyzed on the floor, unable to believe that her Nanny Fu would betray her like this. A biting chill went all over her body; no wonder whenever she made up her mind on what to do, Old Madam Wan always came over to beat her for a while.

Madam Xiao continued, “She has been watching over you for me for ten years, and she is very old-fashioned in doing things. It’s a pity that just a month before I came back, she was busy packing up her family for the move. With such little negligence, you made my daughter seriously ill and almost killed her!” Speaking the last four words, there was a profound meaning in her voice.

Madam Ge jumped in fear. “No, no, I didn’t, I didn’t think… I didn’t know that the Fourth Young Lady would be so sick. I, I… I didn’t mean to…”

“Intentionally or unintentionally,” Madam Xiao waved her sleeved robe and said calmly, “if anything had happened to Niao Niao, do you think you would be standing here right now?!”

Madam Ge said stiffly, “What can you do to me? It’s no big deal if I’m not a Cheng wife!”

Madam Xiao look at her quietly, seeing Madam Ge rant and rave. She knew that Madam Xiao was different from herself. For more than ten years, she had followed Cheng Shi’s crusade to the east and west, and she had done everything to calm the chaotic people and investigate carefully. There really was human blood on her hands.

Madam Xiao looked coldly at her and said, “It’s not so easy. Don’t you still have children? Even if you don’t love them, you still have the Ge family. There will always be someone you love, and I will repay you well!”

After finishing this sentence, she walked out the door, ignoring Madam Ge’s curses behind her.

The courtyard in the afternoon was warm and beautifully illuminated by the winter sun, and Madam Ge’s servants in the courtyard were nowhere to be seen. There were two rows of her own servants standing respectfully around the porch. Madam Xiao stood at the bottom of the corridor and commanded Qing Cong. “Keep an eye on her. We’re about to move, don’t let her ruin the auspicious day!”

Qing Cong knew what she was referring to and smiled, “Don’t worry Madam. Even if she is given a knife, she would not be willing to kill herself.”

Years of old grudges would be repaid today. Qing Cong felt a deep sense of malice. Madam Xiao glanced at her and said, “This is our family’s misfortune, don’t be overjoyed.”

Qing Cong quickly suppressed her smile and said, “What Madam said is right.”

After enduring it for a while, Madam Xiao laughed first. After laughing, she sighed again. “I hated you so much at the beginning, but in the past ten years, I have been traveling with the general and seen so many human tragedies out there. This is nothing.” After thinking for a moment, she shook her head and realized it was funny.

Walking around the corridor back to her residence, she saw Cheng Shi, already sober, rummaging through boxes and cabinets in the room with his stooped body. Madam Xiao didn’t bother to ask what he was looking for and went to the bed and sat down. Qing Cong helped her take off her brocade robe, and then went out to find hot water to wash and remove makeup for Madam Xiao.

Cheng Shi closed the door and looked up in surprise, saying, “Back so soon?”

Madam Xiao glared at him and stated proudly, “There’s nothing to delay with the matter of a few words. It is not a negotiation between two armies. I have taken care of her and, in a few days, Second Younger Brother and the children will move out with us. Keep her locked up and see what the Ge family says.” After a moment, she sighed again. “… I tried it out when I scolded her, she still won’t admit defeat.”

“The Ge family hasn’t said anything until today?” Cheng Shi was surprised.

He stopped looking for things and sat beside Madam Xiao, saying after a long time, “… Old Master Ge is a good man. His leg was broken to save me…” He paused, “I should be afraid that Madam Ge would know and be even more unscrupulous to Second Younger Brother, so Old Master deliberately didn’t say anything.”

Madam Xiao looked down at the bright wooden floor, and said in a low voice, “…It’s all my fault.”

Cheng Shi sighed. “I can’t blame you. You only got it wrong once in your life. It’s also that Chen bandit who was too good at acting. We all believed him and almost died.”

Madam Xiao felt sad, and said in a low voice, “Both of us are selfish people. For this kindness, even though we knew that Madam Ge wasn’t right, we still kept her and caused Second Younger Brother to be wronged.”

Cheng Shi slammed the edge of the bed, and said in a hateful voice, “When you and I were here, how could Madam Ge be so domineering, and when we were not at home, she dominated inside and out, and with the protection of Mother, she became even more arrogant.”

While talking, he got up again and continued to rummage through the boxes. “Repaying kindness, you have to use other methods. You can’t take the life of Second Younger Brother to pay for it. Old Master Ge is not the only one with so many children and grandchildren, and he will always be welcome at our house. You don’t have to take it too seriously. Second Younger Brother is not a dying child. A man stands between heaven and earth, and it is his own fault to be bullied by a woman. Just beat him up. He is kind and soft-hearted… well that is because of his bad legs that he has such low self-esteem and self-contempt. It is okay to suffer a loss. I’ll talk to him later and go out to practice. When I see the world, I’ll just make him tough… Hey, I obviously am staying by your side, where would I go?”

“… I didn’t just get it wrong this time.”

Madam Xiao didn’t know what happened before. Cheng Shi turned to look at her and saw her smile slightly. “When I first got married, I chose my husband myself, and that was a big mistake.”

Cheng Shi grinned and deliberately boasted, “In this matter, my vision is much better than yours. I married the right person the first time. It can be said that my vision is like a torch, and I can see everything.”

Madam Xiao burst out laughing, flicking her sleeves and stroking her blushing cheeks, she looked even more like a beautiful jade, and said softly, “It’s in the brocade bag with your quiver.”

Cheng Shi shook his head. “How do you know what I’m looking for?”

“Isn’t it the jade gemstones you want to leave Niao Niao?” Madam Xiao deliberately stiffened her face. “I only care about our daughter; shouldn’t you think about what Old Master Ge will say when you see him later?”

Cheng Shi pretended to think hard for a moment. “Well, that’s it. Let’s say that because of Madam Ge making waves here these years, she should have broken her legs before taking a break. Now, for the sake of your old age, we’ll just take a break.”

“Impudent man! Stop talking nonsense!” Madam Xiao huffed out a laugh, picked up the hidden brocade bag and threw it at him.

…

: Moving House