Don’t understand…
“Miss, I must apologize for making you laugh,” Chen Shi’ba-niang said, her expression dim as she bowed her head in a gesture of respect.
“I wasn’t laughing,” Cheng Jiao-niang replied. “You just said too much—I couldn’t understand it.”
Chen Shi’ba-niang looked up with a bitter smile.
“Lady Cheng, to be honest, I don’t understand it either,” she said.
Chen Dan-niang and the maid widened their eyes in astonishment. Cheng Jiao-niang might have been surprised as well, or perhaps not. Either way, her face remained expressionless.
“Those words,” Chen Shi’ba-niang said, looking at Cheng Jiao-niang, “I memorized them by heart from listening to my grandfather, father, and teacher. But it’s not just because they said they were good that I think they are. Even though I don’t fully understand, I genuinely feel they are good.”
That wasn’t quite right—if everyone says it’s good, how could it not be? Thinking it’s bad would be strange.
Chen Shi’ba-niang felt at a loss for how to express herself, her demeanor growing more restrained.
Perhaps she shouldn’t have come so hastily—waiting a few more days to prepare might have been better.
“My handwriting isn’t very good,” Cheng Jiao-niang said, shaking her head.
“No, no, Lady Cheng, you’re being modest,” Chen Shi’ba-niang quickly replied.
“I’m not being modest,” Cheng Jiao-niang said, looking at her.
The room fell into a brief silence.
“Shi’ba-niang, what exactly are you trying to say?” Chen Dan-niang couldn’t help but ask, looking at her with confusion. “Are you asking Lady Cheng to teach you calligraphy?”
Chen Shi’ba-niang’s expression turned a little complicated and slightly embarrassed.
“Actually, my calligraphy isn’t good at all,” she said with a soft sigh. “I’ve studied the works of the Two Wangs and Yan Gong, but I still can’t write like them. I can’t understand the principles my teacher explains, nor can I grasp the essence of the spirit they say resides within the characters. Honestly, I don’t understand any of it.”
As she said this, she looked at Cheng Jiao-niang.
“Praising something by rote, without it coming from the heart, really doesn’t work. I must have made a fool of myself in front of you, Lady Cheng,” she said, lowering her head in a respectful bow.
“Not at all,” Cheng Jiao-niang replied.
She didn’t understand anything Chen Shi’ba-niang had said, so naturally, she didn’t find it amusing either.
The maid, standing to the side, silently added this clarification on behalf of Cheng Jiao-niang.
“Sister!” Chen Dan-niang couldn’t help but grab Chen Shi’ba-niang’s sleeve, her big, bright eyes wide as she stared at her. “What are you talking about? If you think Lady Cheng’s calligraphy is good, and you think yours isn’t, and you want to learn from her, what’s the big deal? Why say so much about it?”
Chen Shi’ba-niang became a little anxious from her words.
“No, no, it’s not that I think her calligraphy is good, it’s that everyone, everyone else thinks it’s good, so I want to learn,” she said, biting her lower lip. She looked at Cheng Jiao-niang and once again lowered her head in a bow. “Chen Su, shallow as it may be.”
Chen Shi’ba-niang’s given name was Su.
Cheng Jiao-niang looked at her and smiled slightly.
“Shallow? What do you mean by that?” she said. “Isn’t that just how it should be?”
Chen Shi’ba-niang was taken aback, unsure whether she was being serious or sarcastic.
She pondered in her heart, while Chen Dan-niang was already nodding repeatedly.
“Exactly! If everyone doesn’t think it’s good, what’s the point of learning it?” she said, tugging at her sister’s sleeve.
Is that how it is?
It seemed to be so. But is it really okay to put it that way?
Chen Shi’ba-niang felt a little confused.
“…Lady Cheng, a few days ago, I went out with my mother and saw a little sister from the Wang family with two beautiful braids. My nursemaid doesn’t know how to do that, so I asked her to go ask someone else…” Chen Dan-niang continued, giggling as she spoke, while pointing to her own head. “Look, look, just like this. Isn’t it pretty?”
“Not pretty,” Cheng Jiao-niang replied.
“Lady Cheng! What’s wrong with it?”
The room filled with the bright, lively sounds of children’s laughter, as if it were full of people, creating a lively and bustling atmosphere.
Chen Shi’ba-niang watched the serious exchange between the elder and the younger, and after a brief pause, she suddenly smiled.
“Lady Cheng,” she said again, her tone now different from before—lighter and more relaxed—as she bowed to Cheng Jiao-niang. “I may not understand calligraphy, but I love it. Although I don’t understand what makes good handwriting, I know mine isn’t very good. I wonder if you could kindly guide me in practicing and learning? I wish to become like those whose calligraphy I admire.”
Cheng Jiao-niang and Chen Dan-niang stopped talking.
“My calligraphy is not good,” Cheng Jiao-niang replied.
Chen Shi’ba-niang, who had lowered her head, immediately felt a sense of disappointment, thinking that she had been rejected.
“I’m practicing as well,” Cheng Jiao-niang continued. “If you like, you can learn with me.”
Chen Shi’ba-niang was overjoyed.
“Thank you, Lady Cheng,” she said, bowing again.
After leaving the Zhou family, Chen Shi’ba-niang couldn’t hide her excitement as she sat in the carriage.
“Talking with Lady Cheng really takes a lot of effort,” she couldn’t help but exclaim, patting her chest.
Chen Dan-niang blinked and looked at her.
“What are you talking about? It’s you who’s making it difficult to speak! It’s just learning calligraphy, and you say so much, but I don’t understand a word of it,” she huffed.
Chen Shi’ba-niang was in a great mood, reaching out to pinch her sister’s nose.
“What do you know?” she said.
Chen Dan-niang dodged away.
“Shi’ba-niang, you’re going to learn calligraphy from Lady Cheng? I want to join too…” she quickly added.
Chen Shi’ba-niang thought of something and quickly grabbed her sister’s arm.
“Dan-niang, you must remember Lady Cheng’s words. You can’t tell anyone about this,” she said.
Before leaving, Chen Shi’ba-niang had tactfully asked Cheng Jiao-niang whether she should tell people that the five characters were written by her.
Cheng Jiao-niang shook her head, declining.
“Why doesn’t Lady Cheng want to say it?” Chen Dan-niang asked, very confused.
“Maybe she thinks it’s not appropriate,” Chen Shi’ba-niang replied. “Lady Cheng’s name has already spread widely in the capital because of her work with treating illnesses. She probably wanted to keep a low profile, and naturally, doesn’t want this matter to come to light at this time.”
“Why isn’t it appropriate?” Chen Dan-niang asked, even more puzzled.
“Because wealth shouldn’t be flaunted,” Chen Shi’ba-niang said. “She is in poor health and is still young. If her reputation becomes too great now, and if someone with ill intentions uses it against her, it wouldn’t be good for her.”
Chen Dan-niang blinked and stared at her, still looking completely confused.
For a child of five or six, it was unreasonable to expect her to understand this. Chen Shi’ba-niang couldn’t help but chuckle.
“Anyway, remember this. Lady Cheng doesn’t want anyone to know because she thinks…” She thought for a moment about what explanation a child might easily understand and then said, “She thinks her handwriting isn’t good enough.”
Chen Dan-niang suddenly understood and nodded enthusiastically.
“Her handwriting isn’t good enough, and if people knew, it would be very embarrassing,” Chen Shi’ba-niang laughed. “Lady Cheng is waiting until her handwriting is better before she tells anyone. You remember, don’t say anything now. If you do, Lady Cheng will be unhappy and won’t play with you anymore.”
That was the thing Chen Dan-niang feared most. She immediately widened her eyes and nodded vigorously.
After sending off the Chen sisters, the maid looked at Cheng Jiao-niang with sparkling eyes.
“Miss,” she called, scooting forward a little.
Cheng Jiao-niang continued to look at her book without lifting her head, simply responding with a soft “Hmm.”
“Miss, so your handwriting really is this good?” the maid said with a smile.
Although Chen Shi’ba-niang claimed not to understand, the words she had spoken were undoubtedly a true reflection of how others described Cheng Jiao-niang’s calligraphy.
“Handwriting, that’s all. So what if it’s good? So what if it’s not good?” Cheng Jiao-niang asked.
That was true…
The maid hesitated for a moment, then quickly shook her head.
“No, no, good is good, right? It’s not for anything else,” she said.
Cheng Jiao-niang didn’t reply, remaining silent and noncommittal.
“Miss,” the maid said again, her eyes curving into a smile. “It’s only now that I understand why Ban Qin was so sad and reluctant to leave.”
Cheng Jiao-niang lifted her head to look at her.
“Why?” she asked.
The maid let out a soft giggle.
“Ban Qin learned the way of fine food from you. As for me, I follow you, but I don’t know what I should learn,” she said, covering her mouth with a smile. “Because there’s so much to learn.”
Cheng Jiao-niang looked at her and curved her lips into a slight smile.
“Then learn the way of wu wei,”* she said.
The maid covered her mouth and laughed, but as she continued, she suddenly stopped laughing.
The way of wu wei—that’s the path of the Taoist sage, True Master Li, isn’t it? Could it be that the mistress, truly, has encountered an immortal and been enlightened by True Master Li?
“Not treating the illness anymore?”
In the Immortal’s Abode, a man in plain clothes put down the bowl and chopsticks, slightly surprised.
“Yes, they say it’s an illness, and the doctor from Renhe Hall confirmed it,” Dou Qi said. “Looks like it wasn’t actually an encounter with an immortal, right?”
The man sneered dismissively.
“Immortal? In this day and age, immortals have it tough. Everything gets pinned on them, with people hoping to get rich by riding on their coattails,” he said, while dipping the rabbit meat in front of him into the sauce before taking a bite.
An accompanying courtesan sitting nearby appropriately used a handkerchief to wipe the sauce from the corner of his mouth.
“It seems the Zhou family doesn’t have the secret technique that cures all ailments,” he said, taking the wine offered by another courtesan, drinking a sip, and expressing some admiration. “The wine from the Immortal’s Tower really is excellent.”
“Yes, yes, Master. Ever since we got this wine, our business has been even better,” Dou Qi quickly said with a smile.
“No one from the Zhou family has come by, right?” the man asked.
“No, no one has come since that day,” Dou Qi replied, feeling a bit puzzled.
Could it be true, as that woman said, that she didn’t care at all?
So the Zhou family didn’t care either?
They didn’t care at the time, but what about after the Immortal’s Abode became more prosperous?
There aren’t many people in the world who remain unmoved by wealth, especially when the money should rightfully be theirs.
Impossible. The ones who can suppress their thoughts and remain unaffected are naturally even more formidable. With a shift in thought, Dou Qi’s smile became even more flattering.
“As long as you are around, the Zhou family isn’t blind,” he said.
“Well, as long as they’re not blind,” the man chuckled.
If the Zhou family really became envious and started causing trouble, although he had his own ways of dealing with that envy, it would still cause some hassle. After all, he held an official position, and using some connections would inevitably require some back-and-forth.
Moreover, the Zhou family’s secret recipe didn’t seem all that impressive. It would take time, effort, and money, and he wasn’t sure whether it would be worth it or not.
It was better that the Zhou family was sensible, as it saved him a lot of trouble.
“I heard your old shop was sold?” He put aside his thoughts and asked.
“Yes, it was sold…” Dou Qi said happily. The old shop, which originally could only be bought for four to five thousand guan by regular customers, had unexpectedly been sold to some clueless outsiders, allowing him to make a huge profit.
Just as the joy began to rise, a shiver ran through him. Looking at the man in front of him, enjoying his food and drink while being served by an official courtesan, the smile on his face slightly twitched, as if someone were draining his blood.
“Master, we made a lot this month. I’ll have someone bring your bonus to you in advance,” Dou Qi said.
The man nodded in satisfaction, picking up a piece of meat, dipping it, and eating it in one bite.
Translator’s Note:
* “Wu Wei” (无为) is a key concept in Taoism, which can be roughly translated as “non-action” or “effortless action.” It refers to the practice of aligning with the natural flow of life and allowing things to unfold naturally, without forceful intervention or resistance. “The Way of Wu Wei” refers to the philosophical path that emphasizes living in harmony with the Dao (the Way) by practicing this principle of effortless action.
