In mid-June, the people sent by First Master Cheng to Bing-zhou returned with news, confirming that what Ban Qin had said was true.
“Struck by lightning and fire, half of it was burned. The Taoist temple over there has been abandoned. They thought that they were kidnapped by traffickers. Afraid we would pursue the matter, all the Taoist priests have fled,” First Master Cheng said, placing the letter on the table and speaking to the people in the room.
Present were Second Madam Cheng and Second Master Cheng.
Everyone’s expressions were somewhat strange, as if they didn’t know whether to be happy or sad.
“What about the Zhou family?” First Madam Cheng asked.
“They haven’t replied yet,” First Master Cheng said. “I’m not sure if they didn’t receive the message or if they’re just ignoring it.”
“Even if we ask, they probably wouldn’t know,” First Madam Cheng said, glancing at Second Madam Cheng. “Back then, when Old Madam Zhou supported the Taoist temple, the rest of their family was not very happy about it.”
Not to mention that she secretly buried a large sum of money in the temple, which the Zhou family wouldn’t have known about. Otherwise, once Old Madam Zhou passed away, that money would definitely have been taken back.
Second Madam Cheng nodded, thanking her sister-in-law for the explanation.
“Since it’s confirmed, just let her stay,” First Master Cheng said.
Everyone agreed and then dispersed.
Second Madam Cheng returned to her room, removed her makeup, and took a nap while being attended by her maids. As she rested, she thought about what she had just heard.
Since getting married, she had spent the first three years serving her parents-in-law. After giving birth to her daughter, she moved to Bing-zhou to live with her husband. By then, that simpleton had already been sent to the Taoist temple. No one in the family ever mentioned the child, and her husband had never visited her. Although they lived in Bing-zhou for four or five years, this foolish child never appeared in their lives, as if she didn’t exist.
But just because she didn’t appear didn’t mean she didn’t exist. As long as she existed, she would eventually reappear.
“Is the Zhou family very wealthy?” she asked.
She recalled her parents mentioning that the Zhou family’s ancestors were from Shanbian. They came to the capital for military positions, which was not comparable to scholarly family like theirs.
At the time, the people sent by the Zhou family, as representatives of the deceased wife’s family, were quite coarse and unsophisticated.
“They are very wealthy,” the woman who was doing her hair quickly replied.
Second Madam Cheng glanced at her.
“You seem to know more about this than I do,” she said coolly.
These days, with the return of that kid, despite knowing that Second Madam Cheng did not like it, the maids couldn’t help but gossip about the old affairs of the late Madam Zhou.
The woman doing her hair was someone Second Madam Cheng had brought from her parental home.
The maid looked a bit embarrassed and lowered her head.
“In what way are they wealthy?” Second Madam Cheng asked.
Seeing that she wasn’t angry, the maid breathed a sigh of relief.
“Madam, not to mention other things, but do you know how lavish Madam Zhou’s dowry was when she married into the family?” she said.
Second Madam Cheng gave a sidelong glance at the woman.
Nonsense. As a second wife, could she really inquire about the first wife’s dowry?
The woman looked uncomfortable. Was this considered inappropriate? The maids’ whispered conversations were far more scandalous.
“When Madam Zhou first entered the household, it was quite a spectacle. There were gold and silver jewelry, fine fabrics and silks, two shops in prime locations in both the east and west markets of the city, and two estates in the suburbs known for their bountiful harvests…”
“All meticulously selected by the Zhou family six months prior in Jiang-zhou city…”
“I still recall when Madam Zhou passed away, the dowry was briefly managed by Old Madam. According to the stewardesses, the income from just one shop was sufficient to cover our household expenses for half a year…”
Now that was a substantial dowry capable of generating wealth.
Comparing it to the current Madam’s dowry…
Indeed, noble families outside the capital couldn’t compete.
The maid shared what she could.
Second Madam Cheng clenched her teeth in frustration. What did it matter if the dowry was generous? It meant nothing to her when she shut her eyes.
But…
Could it really be true that the income from just one shop could cover half a year’s expenses?
“Are these shops and estates managed by Second Master?” she suddenly asked.
With such substantial earnings, why had the household never benefited from them?
Could it be that these funds were used to support those acquaintances of Er-lang?
“Actually, it’s with First Madam,” the maid quickly clarified, knowing exactly what she was thinking.
First Madam? Second Madam Cheng took off a hairpin and placed it carefully on the table.
“Why hasn’t she never mentioned this?” she asked, smiling.
While the household was undivided, all expenses were meticulously accounted for. Now that her mother-in-law no longer managed affairs, First Madam Cheng handled the household finances.
“Considering it’s the first wife’s dowry, perhaps you, Madam, feel uncomfortable handling it,” the maid explained.
Second Madam Cheng felt a discomfort that she couldn’t quite define.
Those dowries belonged to that foolish child eventually, so neither she nor her children could benefit from them. However, the income…
First Madam Cheng managed the household expenses, so naturally, the earnings weren’t divided between the main and second households. Yet…
She still felt something was amiss.
It had been nine years since she married into the family, and she had only just discovered this. All thanks to that foolish child!
If she never returned, she probably would never find out about it?
“Madam, the kitchen has sent over the cooling soup,” a maid entered and asked.
While the Cheng family was affluent, they maintained a tradition of thriftiness. Their daily meals, including snacks and late-night bites, were always portioned and strictly regulated. Due to the recent sweltering summer, First Madam Cheng had instructed the kitchen to prepare cooling soups, but she herself abstained, reserving it only for the children. Second Madam Cheng naturally followed suit with her sister-in-law’s example and refrained from partaking.
However, the maids still felt compelled to check in.
Second Madam Cheng turned around.
“Bring it here, I was just considering having some,” she said.
“Yes,” the maid responded promptly before turning to leave. After a few steps, she paused, her mind catching up.
“What exactly did Madam say just now?”
“Hey, did Madam say she didn’t want it?” she quickly whispered to the maid beside her.
The maid yawned.
“Are you half-asleep? Madam clearly said she wanted it,” she replied.
Huh? The maid finally realized she had misheard.
“That’s strange. Why did Madam decide to have it?” she chuckled.
“When it comes to things in this house, if Madam wants them, she gets them. If not, they’re just going to waste,” the previous maid lazily remarked.
In the bustling alleys of the capital city, before the grand gates of the Zhou residence, a robust young man of seventeen or eighteen dismounted from his horse.
Immediately, gatekeepers rushed out, followed by several young servants vying to take the reins.
With a flourish, the young man retrieved a pouch from his waist and tossed it over.
“Here’s something for you all, go treat yourselves to some drinks,” he called out.
The servants eagerly scrambled to grab it.
“Thank you, Young Master!” they exclaimed in unison.
With a hearty laugh, Zhou Liu-lang* proceeded directly inside.
The Zhou family’s residence was reconstructed to resemble their ancestral estate in Shanbian. Particularly notable was the ornate screen wall, dismantled and transported directly from their hometown. The expense was equivalent to that of ten such walls, instantly elevating their reputation and securing a prominent place on the list of distinguished families in the capital, known as the “Old Shan Zhou.”
Zhou Liu-lang confidently entered his courtyard. Beneath the roof’s eaves sat a young man of similar age, characterized by his long, delicate eyebrows and focused gaze. He wore a flowing robe with wide sleeves and was deeply engrossed in studying the white porcelain chess board before him. Nearby, two young maids knelt beside him, also captivated by the game and engaged in lively conversation.
“Young Master Qin, this game is rather dull. How about switching to backgammon?” they proposed.
Upon hearing Zhou Liu-lang’s footsteps, everyone turned to him. The two maids straightened up and bowed respectfully.
Meanwhile, the young man remained fixated on the chessboard.
“Sangzi, what brings you here today?” Zhou Liu-lang draped his sleeve and settled cross-legged, using the chessboard as a makeshift table, casually disrupting the pieces.
The young man remained focused on the board.
“I was feeling bored, so I thought I’d drop by to hear some interesting gossip,” he said.
“What interesting gossip could I possibly have here?” Zhou Liu-lang inquired.
“I heard your uncle-in-law’s family from Jiang-zhou sent someone over,” the young man asked.
Zhou Liu-lang glanced at the two maids kneeling behind him, their heads bowed in guilt.
“That family indeed brought some gossips,” Zhou Liu-lang remarked casually, adjusting the chess pieces with his hand.
“You mean your cousin’s situation,” the young man pressed. “Why didn’t you inquire further before sending the Cheng family’s people away?”
“She is of no use to my family,” Zhou Liu-lang replied dismissively. “Initially, my aunt ignored advice and insisted on keeping such a simpleton. It harmed both others and herself, wasting the care my grandparents provided. As for that simpleton, my grandmother showed undue mercy. She not only prevented her from dying and being reborn but also cared for her. Even pigs can provide meat, but what good does it do to feed a fool?”
The young man chuckled.
“Liu-lang, your cousin, who is less than a pig, is being raised in Bing-zhou,” he remarked. “The Cheng family’s people have come asking if you sent her back to Jiang-zhou.”
“Yes, they’ve come to inquire. Does that mean we should respond respectfully?” Zhou Liu-lang asked, fixing a gaze on him.
The young man smiled back, tracing his slender fingers across the chessboard.
“From Bing-zhou to Jiang-zhou,” he explained. “Your cousin is with the Cheng family now. She returned on her own when your family was unaware.”
Zhou Liu-lang studied him, his brow furrowing slightly.
Once again, the young man gestured with his hand, marking a path from one point on the chessboard to another.
“From Bing-zhou to Jiang-zhou, a young girl,” he added with a smile. “Tell me, how does a useless person accomplish such a thing?”
Translator’s note:
*Liu-lang (六郎)：Liu（六） means six, so this is the sixth son from the Zhou family.
