CH 34

Chapter Thirty-Four:

The Boss’s Style

It was proven that Cheng Song, who was well-spoken, wasn’t necessarily reliable when it came to putting things into motion. Shaoshang eagerly entered the carriage and found that there was no brazier inside.

In the depths of winter, the carriage without a brazier was just a cold and desolate little black room, with no other use except for wind protection. Finally, Shaoshang found a thick mat under the carriage and quickly wrapped it around her body. She trembled while regretting that she had not brought Yuan Shen’s brazier and fluffy blanket along.

Cheng Song heard his younger sister sneeze a couple of times inside the carriage and began to feel anxious. He urged the carriage forward. Fortunately, the Wan-Cheng family homes were not far away and he quickly scolded her. The gates of the Wan Mansion came into view and he happily said, “Don’t worry, Niao Niao, we’re here!”

Shaoshang’s nose had begun to run due to the cold. When she heard her brother, she hurriedly opened the carriage door to look out. Against the cold wind, she saw a circle of people in front of the Wan Mansion’s gate. Her red-faced, fat uncle Wan Songbai was seemingly sending off his guests.

By now, the sun had already set and the sky was surrounded by a circle of faint afterglow. It was dusk that was gradually sinking, and the people in front of the Wan Mansion’s gate were divided into two groups of people, black and white, like a Tai Chi Trigram.* The group of people who were dressed in colorful and beautiful clothing, with smiles on their faces, were undoubtedly servants of the Wan family.

[Looks like the Yin-Yang symbol.]

The other group of more than ten people were all dressed in black clothes and armor, each armed with bows and crossbows, and a heavy sword at their waist. The feather arrows on their backs had snow-white tail feathers, reflecting the piercing weather. It truly was ‘cold light shining on iron clothes.’

As they saw the carriage hurrying towards them in a panic, they pressed their hands to their waist and showed half of their blades. A young guard with a square chin stepped forward and asked sharply, “Who is the visitor?”

Cheng Song was shocked and used all his strength to hold onto the reins. “Uncle Wan!” he shouted. “It’s me! It’s me!”

The carriage jolted and tilted. Shaoshang became afraid, thinking that she was about to experience an ancient carriage accident. She held onto the frame of the carriage tightly.

Wan Songbai was half awakened from his drunkenness and quickly waved his hand. “Oh, no, this isn’t… no, that is… Master Ling, they are my nephew and niece. Don’t do anything…”

At this time, the group of black-clothed guards separated, and a young man wearing a dark-colored curved robe appeared. He was extremely tall, wearing a black animal hair cloak, adorned with dark gold threads and jade clasps. His arms had heavy gold-encrusted armbands.

He seemed to look at Shaoshang, then turned sideways and arched his hand at Wan Songbai and said, “The Duke is drunk today. I’ll pay my respects tomorrow.” After saying goodbye, he turned around and left.

Not far away stood a massive carriage that was pitch black, with shiny painted wooden frames, two black high-headed horses with four hooves in the snow, and even the bridles of the horses were made of pitch-black iron. Before boarding the carriage, he lifted his right arm, and the black armored guards around him gathered. They surrounded the carriage, which was three times the size of the Cheng family’s, mounted their horses, and followed.

The Cheng brother and sister were scared to death and couldn’t move. Shaoshang had welded herself to the carriage.

Wan Songbai watched as the black carriage drove off and then approached the two. “Why are you two here? Oh, Niao Niao, what’s wrong with your face?” he asked, laughing. “It must have been your mother who hit you… don’t be afraid, I’ll go talk with your father…”

Cheng Song was in shock as he shakily helped his sister out of the carriage. “Here we go again, Uncle!” he said loudly. “Don’t say it was Mother that hit us when you see that we’re injured!”

Shaoshang also became furious. “Even if it was my mother who hit me, Uncle, you’re so happy to see her hit me!”

Wan Songbai had obviously drunk a lot, and his tongue was wide as he spoke but his mind was not quite confused. He only chuckled and said, “Don’t be stubborn. Even if it wasn’t your mother who hit you, it’s still because of her that you’re hiding today! Alright, don’t be stunned. Come in, come in…”

…

There were many servants and maidservants in the Wan family, and the style of shouting and embracing was far from comparable to that of the Cheng family.

Upon hearing that Shaoshang had arrived, the Thirteenth Wan Sister was overjoyed and quickly came out to greet her. When meeting in the front hall, Shaoshang discovered that there were over twenty maidservants around Qiqi – four holding guide lanterns in the front, four holding brocade boxes in the back, eight holding lanterns around them, and several with torches.

Shaoshang was speechless for a while and, at the same time, felt inexplicably shabby. The eldest Wan daughter only walked from the room to the front of the hall, and the scene was as noisy as a leader on tour. She had run away from home empty-handed for such a thing – she really was short-sighted. The Empress of the East Palace baked big cakes and even baked two at a time, one with sugar and one with salt. It was simply too extravagant.

Wan Qiqi was a sincere girl, holding Shaoshang’s chubby pig head and turning it left and right. She couldn’t help but feel sad and hurriedly had her maidservants show Shaoshang to her own residence. When she arrived at the brightly lit courtyard, Shaoshang was horrified to see that there were as many as thirty or forty people among the Thirteenth Sister. Then, she enjoyed a platinum diamond crown-level healthcare service.

There were heavy combs, soaking feet in warm water, covering knees and hands with hot handkerchiefs, then moisturizing cream to her skin, incense, and changing clothes… Shaoshang felt as comfortable as a newborn baby. She sighed and felt regret in her heart; why didn’t Uncle Wan have a son? If he did, she would definitely ask Old Madam Cheng to marry her to the family!

In a world where the rank system had not yet appeared, the official rank was more used to distinguish between high and low ranks. Who really lived on a few grains of rice! For example, the Wan family had been a prominent family for generations in the Sui County, and their fields and manors cover twenty percent of the county’s area. In the long run, although Cheng Shi had more room for promotion than Uncle Wan, for now, the Cheng family was not as rich as the Wan family.

Wan Qiqi stood with her hands on her hips, cursing that Yin Xu’e’s acne-covered face would never get better while commanding her maidservants to wait on Shaoshang like worker ants. After tidying up, Shaoshang, who had a completely new look, was led to visit Old Madam Wan.

As she walked along, Shaoshang felt uneasy. She knew in her heart that apart from the maidservants who had already been dealt with by Madam Xiao, only Madam Ge and this old lady could possibly discover she wasn’t the original Shaoshang. Even if it was the former, she didn’t worry too much since they would most likely only see each other after a few years. She couldn’t believe that when she entered the new version of Cixin Hall, she would meet Old Madam Wan first.

The fragrance of medicine lingered in the room, and Madam Wan was kneeling in front of an old woman, serving her medication.

Old Madam Wan’s hair was completely white, but the outline of her melon seed face was still very clear. Her nose was straight and her lips full, and her back was straight, highlighting her youthful charm and beauty. However, her eyes were lightly closed and her right eyelid was sunken in a bit. She was missing an eye and her left ear was also missing.

Even though the candle was bright, there was an indescribable eerie expression on the old woman’s face in front of her. Thankfully, Shaoshang’s face was still bruised and swollen otherwise people would surely see the surprised look on her face. She decided it would be better for her to speak as little as possible.

Old Madam Wan wore simple clothes and had no need for jewelry or pearls and jade. The material of her outfit was only soft and comfortable, and her hair was tied in a simple round bun with a wooden hairpin. To take care of people with eye diseases, the furnishings in the room were small and refined, so things like incense burners and jade ornaments were not there.

Shaoshang sincerely greeted Old Madam Wan.

Madam Wan turned around and smiled. “Shaoshang is here. Let’s stay a few more days this time. All the sisters above Qiqi are married, and since returning to the capital, she has been idle and bored all day. You little sisters should read and write together…”

Upon hearing the word ‘write,’ Shaoshang’s first reaction was to simply bring Madam Xiao’s wooden slips over to use. Unexpectedly, Wan Qiqi exclaimed first, “What words to write? I want to teach Shaoshang how to ride a horse! Mother, look at Shaoshang’s face. It’s all from that Yin daughter…”

“Qiqi, you haven’t taken off those jewels yet,” Old Madam Wan suddenly said.

Madam Wan snorted and Shaoshang couldn’t help but laugh. Indeed, even at home, the Thirteenth Sister still had on a luxurious attire, and the gold collar hanging like a Christmas tree continued to tinkle loudly. Even the blind couldn’t ignore that.

Wan Qiqi quickly began to make excuses, “What’s that? Grandmother, you don’t know. Nowadays, people in the capital city like to dress up like this…”

“You find me another little girl dressed like you, and Grandmother will give you a set of jewels and accessories. If you can’t find it, give it to me,” Old Madam Wan said lightly.

Wan Qiqi withered and pitifully looked at her mother. Madam Wan pretended not to see her, but at this moment General Wan came in with a smile on his face. He had obviously come after grooming, and there was no trace of alcohol on his body.

“Shaoshang, Second Nephew has gone back. I know everything. You will stay here for a few days and wait for your mother’s anger to dissipate.”

Shaoshang quickly bowed and thanked Uncle Wan. She was thankful for the bruise on her face; she didn’t need to pretend to be embarrassed since no one could tell.

Wan Songbai obviously had heard what was just said and turned to Old Madam Wan. “Mother,” he said, “your old eyes are not as good as they used to be. In fact, Qiqi looks really good dressed like this.”

Wan Qiqi looked up at her father, eyes sparkling with joy.

“I like simplicity,” Old Madam Wan said humanely. “Your father loves generosity, but you have been like this since you were young. I don’t know if the midwife made a mistake while handling you, but Qiqi was definitely done right.”

Madam Wan and Shaoshang both lowered their heads, desperately trying not to laugh out loud.

Wan Songbai smacked his lips and turned to his daughter. “What’s that? Shaoshang is still hungry. Take her to dinner quickly… Also, change your clothes and, ahem, wear less ornaments from now on…”

Wan Qiqi bowed her head and agreed, pulling Shaoshang, who was still holding a smile, to leave.

Wan Songbai watched the two girls go out and turned back to his mother. “Mother, today…”

“Let’s talk about it later. Ling Buyi’s visit today must not have been to see you drunk. The guest is already waiting for you to discuss in the curtain hall, go quickly.”

Wan Songbai knew this was right and reluctantly left.

Seeing that both her husband and daughter had left, Madam Wan waved off the maid who was accompanying her and personally tried the medicinal soup herself and said softly, “Mother, the medicine is a little cold, why don’t we warm it up?”

Old Madam Wan declined and took the lacquer bowl and drank it all in one go. Madam Wan quickly offered water to rinse her mouth and a candied fruit with silver chopsticks, but was rejected by Old Madam Wan when she shook her head.

“Alright now, the little sisters that Qiqi befriended haven’t been to the capital city before. With Shaoshang accompanying her now, she won’t be shouting to go hunting every day. She’s a little girl who is getting older and should learn to be virtuous and gentle…” Madam Wan lowered her head and placed the bowl down.

“… If you have anything to say, just speak up,” Old Madam Wan said. “Don’t beat around the bush like that. Besides, your tricks are not clever.”

Madam Wan went red. “Mother, you didn’t see it,” she said. “She stepped forward and fought when someone said something she disagreed with. How can this be done by a lady of a noble family? I know what Xu’e said was wrong, but even if you are wronged, there are other ways to solve it. Why be so extreme and rude?”

“Then tell me, how would you solve it? Can you express your anger without hurting the peace?”

Madam Wan hesitated. “How would I know? Perhaps… tell the elders first…?”

“Even if Yuan Yi and her husband knew about it, how could such a small matter be publicized? At best, could Young Mistress Yin bear some punishment? How could they be so angry?”

Madam Wan had always been in a peaceful state of mind and said with concern, “Why do you have to vent your anger? If you can bear it, it will be over.”

“People live with one breath, and when they lose their breath, they are walking dead.”

Madam Wan lowered her head and remained silent.

Old Madam Wan asked, “Didn’t you originally want Qiqi to be friends with that Cheng Yang? But at the end of the day, she and Cheng Yang were eating at the same table, walking all the way home. Did you hear Qiqi mention her for a while? It’s just that they were constantly thinking about Shaoshang, and tonight they probably will sleep together. I also looked around, it turned out that the child had been pretending to be foolish in front of Madam Ge before.”

Madam Wan gave a heavy sigh.

“It’s not wrong if you don’t act, but there will be consequences. Although the Doctrine of the Mean has its merits, it becomes cowardly self-preservation after one step,” Old Madam Wan said. “If General Cheng also learns something of the mean, do you think it would make Songbai bow to him?! In troubled times, what is the use of allies who can’t stand up for you against the bright sword and the dark arrow at a critical juncture?”

[The Doctrine of the Mean is one of four books of classical Chinese philosophy and a central doctrine of Confucianism. It proposed three guidelines: self-watchfulness, leniency, and sincerity.]

“Mother!” Madam Wan said with a chill.

“Qiqi is like Songbai, and Shaoshang is also like General Cheng. They are open-minded and unrestrained individuals. Did Shaoshang wear Qiqi’s clothing just now? In two years, Qiqi has left many new clothes that she has never worn before, but she was eager to come and worship me before searching the warehouse. She was covered in dazzling clothes and full of luxury but has guests wear her old clothes. Did Shaoshang look good at all?”

Old Madam Wan opened her left eye, which was already dim, but her light still shone. “No. I saw that child’s composure, her eyes clear, and she didn’t care about those things. We should be thankful that she and Qiqi are close.”

Madam Wan didn’t pay attention to those things at all. After listening to her mother-in-law’s words, she tried to recall what she had just seen.

“More than a decade ago, when we first came to the capital city and built our old mansion, we gave the partial house as a gift to the Cheng family. This was a gesture of goodwill, but if you were a narrow-minded person, you would inevitably think, ‘I have made friends with your brother, but you gave me my brother’s house. As a servant, let me live at the back of your mansion.’ General Cheng didn’t take it seriously, and was happy that he could save money and ask my family to take care of his family nearby. At that time, I thought, ‘Tell him to accompany Songbai to go to battle and I can rest assured.’”

This was a very convincing example. “This is true!” Old Madam Wan said. “If you talk about General Cheng, treating Husband as a blood brother, no, even real brothers may not be able to do so. Songbai is reckless, and the few times he was in danger on the battlefield, it was always General Cheng who saved his life. Especially that time, when Qiqi was eight years old, General Cheng carried Songbai back covered in blood. It scared me to death!”

Remembering the situation at the time, she was still afraid. “It’s especially rare that Yuan Yi, who was always so strong, threw herself at General Cheng because of the severe injury suffered by Songbai. Tears came down, but she didn’t complain to us at all.”

Old Madam Wan slowly closed her left eye. “Choosing friends is not something you can do with your heart,” she said. “You have to know how to look at people. Oh, I am so old. These words were supposed to be told to my grandson, teaching him how to look at people, but now I am here to talk to you…”

Madam Wan lowered her head. “It’s all because this bride is incompetent and cannot reproduce…”

“What business is it of yours,” Old Madam Wan scoffed. “It’s been like this for generations, and it’s been like this for our ancestors. It’s our turn to be frightened…” She changed her tone when she said that. “So, you’re interested in the Yin family with many children and grandchildren? Do you want to find a husband for Qiqi?”

Madam Wan turned pale with fear and quickly fell and kowtowed. “This bride dares not!”

“There’s nothing to be afraid of. You and A’Ji are like sisters and it’s not surprising to have this idea.”

Old Madam Wan played it down lightly and waved to her daughter-in-law. “You are willing. But is Qiqi willing? Is Songbai willing? They have many sons in the Yin family who want to make military contributions from the army, and we and the Cheng family can help. But the Yin family’s children are lush and Qiqi is not stupid. In the end, she is on her own. When we all die, all of your Father-in-law’s property will probably be owned by the Yin family…”

Madam Wan was frightened and repeatedly kowtowed. “This bride has no such desire to eat from the inside out!” she sobbed. “I just wanted to admit that as a son-in-law, someone similar to my family wouldn’t be willing, but a small and humble family would be afraid of being wronged. Originally, the Cheng family was the best, but his family was already sparsely populated. How dare I say that? Only A’Ji, with so many children in her family, might be able to…”

Old Madam Wan nodded. “Who says no, to take a groom into the bride’s family is so troublesome. However, I advise you to give up this idea for now. I see that Songbai loves his daughter, and the first twelve have all been well married. Besides, Qiqi is his flesh and blood, he must be able to enjoy this.”

Madam Wan turned her face and sobbed. “Your age is not young, and your knees are still empty. If you don’t bother me, won’t the adoption be successful? But those… Songbai has offended all of you…” She didn’t dare look at her mother-in-law’s face, because the reason was right with her.

“What do you care about so much?” Old Madam Wan asked. “Maybe you will die earlier than me and Songbai. Once you close your eyes, you still worry about that. Then I can use my golden Chinese cedar coffin for you first.”

Madam Wan’s face was still wet with tears and she was stunned as she didn’t know how to continue. Her mother-in-law’s speaking style had been unfamiliar to her for decades, and perhaps only the deceased Old Master Wan liked it.

…

It took 34 chapters for us to get LBY’s name and hear him speak! It wasn’t directed towards Shaoshang, but I’ll take what I can get at this point! Don’t worry, from here on out we see a lot of the three male leads!

Also, in case there was some confusion about what Old Madam and Madam Wan were talking about: they were talking about having Qiqi marry someone and have the husband come into their family instead of her going to her husband’s family. They’re reluctant to marry into the Cheng family because of the Wan Family Curse.

: The Problem Is That She’s Still a Pig’s Head