As soon as she said this, the reaction Cheng Qi-niang expected didn’t come. Instead, her three older sisters looked at her in confusion.
Was “that fool” a nickname Cheng Qi-niang used for someone she didn’t like?
Was it one of their cousins from the clan, or a girl she was friends with?
“Which fool are you talking about?” Cheng Wu-niang asked.
“Who else could it be?” Cheng Qi-niang said unhappily, raising her voice. “There’s only one fool in our whole family!”
She pouted as she spoke.
“Unless you’ve all turned into fools too, if you can’t even figure that out…”
Only then did the three finally catch on.
“Oh, you mean your eldest sister!” Cheng Liu-niang said, snapping her fingers.
Cheng Qi-niang instantly jumped up.
“That—that’s your sister!” she pouted and cried. “Auntie said back then she would take care of her! If you’re counting, she’s closest to you!”
Such childishness—was this really the time to argue over something like that?
Cheng Liu-niang simply gave a snort and ignored her.
“How could she be getting married?” she said. “Who would marry a fool?”
Cheng Qi-niang sat down.
“I’m serious. I just overheard my father and mother talking,” she said, tilting her head as she tried to recall. “They said, since the Zhou family is making a fuss, demanding the betrothal letter and insisting on marrying off that fool, then we might as well find someone else to marry her off to.”
The Zhou family.
At those words, Cheng Liu-niang and the others immediately understood.
The Zhou family had already been at their house for several days. As unmarried daughters, it wasn’t appropriate for them to inquire directly, but the household wasn’t big enough to keep secrets — before long, the news had trickled down through their maids and attendants.
The Zhou family had come to demand the fool’s betrothal letter, and to claim her mother’s dowry along with it.
How could the Cheng family possibly agree to such a thing? They had refused without hesitation, and the two sides had been quarreling for days. Even Second Master Cheng, who was away at the time, had been summoned home to help argue the matter.
“The Zhou family doesn’t really want to marry off that fool — they just want to swindle away the dowry,” Cheng Liu-niang said, her voice tinged with knowing disdain. “There’s not a single decent person in the Zhou family.”
The belief that “there are no good people in the Zhou family” was something the entire Cheng household agreed on — just as the Zhou family, in turn, believed the Chengs were no good either, blaming them for giving birth to a fool.
This kind of thinking had been ingrained in the children from an early age, without the slightest doubt.
“Exactly — who would ever marry a fool?” Cheng Qi-niang nodded, her face showing a mix of fear and disgust.
“Unless… another fool?” Cheng Wu-niang chimed in.
Cheng Qi-niang burst into laughter.
“Don’t make me laugh, Wu-niang,” she giggled, shaking the two golden pendants pinned in her hair.
Cheng Wu-niang hid her mouth behind her fan and laughed with narrowed eyes.
“Honestly, a fool getting married… I think the Zhou family just doesn’t want to take care of that fool anymore, so they’re making up an excuse to cause trouble,” Cheng Liu-niang said, glancing at Cheng Qi-niang.
“And Uncle too — why would he go along with what they say? You’ll see, the moment he mentions marrying that fool off, the Zhou family will immediately send her over.
And Aunt, all she sees is the money. Has she even thought about what we’re supposed to do once that fool comes back here?”
Cheng Si-niang and Cheng Wu-niang looked awkward.
Second Madam Cheng was their legitimate mother, but the First Madam was the true madam of the household. As daughters born to a concubine, they really didn’t know what to say — they could only lower their heads and pretend not to hear.
Though Cheng Qi-niang was still young, she understood perfectly well. At those words, she snorted and sat up straighter.
“My mother’s not like that! It’s Aunt who only cares about money — always grabbing it for herself and making us be frugal!” she said in a clear, ringing voice.
“You don’t know the cost of firewood and rice until you manage a household!” Cheng Liu-niang also sat up straight, raising her brows. “If she cared about more than just money, how could she be so shortsighted?”
Cheng Qi-niang, a few years younger, couldn’t argue as sharply. Unable to win the quarrel, she burst into tears.
“Crybaby,” Cheng Liu-niang said coldly. “When you’re in the wrong, all you know how to do is cry. At home, your parents and Grandmother might spoil you, but once you’re married, neither your husband nor your in-laws will indulge you!”
The maids outside hurried in at the commotion, trying to soothe and separate them.
“We’re not playing with her anymore! Not playing anymore!” Cheng Qi-niang cried, pushing the maids to go drag away Cheng Si-niang and Cheng Wu-niang instead.
The whole room dissolved into noisy chaos.
Some servants passing by couldn’t help but glance inside.
“What’s going on now? Why are the young ladies fighting again?”
“Isn’t it because the Zhou family came by?”
“What’s that got to do with anything?”
“They brought up that fool again.”
“Oh, right. Whenever that fool’s involved, nothing good ever comes of it.”
In the hall of Second Madam Cheng, a guest was seated—a woman of about thirty, with a fair, plump face. Facing Second Madam Cheng with a somewhat humble smile and watching her soothe Cheng Qi-niang, the guest also offered a few comforting words.
“Come now, Qi-niang, no need to cry,” she said. “Play with this.”
As she spoke, she slipped a gold ring off her finger and handed it to Cheng Qi-niang. This ring had seen better days—a thin, unremarkable piece—and Cheng Qi-niang couldn’t bring herself to appreciate it. Saying nothing, she deliberately stroked her face with her hand, deliberately showing off the twisted red-gold bracelet on her wrist before lifting her feet and running off.
The woman awkwardly retracted the ring and carefully settled herself against a cushion.
“Qi-niang really is obedient; once admonished, she stops crying,” she said, as if trying to smooth things over.
Second Madam Cheng, with a hint of impatience, interjected, “If you’ve got something to say, just say it. Look at my household—it hasn’t had a peaceful day for even one moment.”
Urged on by this, the guest’s face grew even more abashed. “My son originally went off to study with Uncle, but before the New Year he fell ill. His father lost his means to earn a living, and even the fields wouldn’t yield well. After barely getting through the spring, he planned to take over the fish pond on the east side of the city…” Her speech began to falter as she lowered her head and her voice faded.
“Life is hard for everyone,” Second Madam Cheng continued before the woman could go on, “It might seem easier, but in truth it isn’t. Not being the one in charge just means you won’t suffer from cold or hunger—that’s all.”
The woman responded with an embarrassed, awkward laugh.
“…Qi-niang and my boy are still young, but we have to start preparing for them. There are also two other daughters at home who have reached marriageable age, oh, and the eldest girl as well—we’re just about to arrange a match for her. As a stepmother, I can’t let others look down on us, so I have no choice but to grit my teeth and make preparations…” Second Madam Cheng continued.
“The eldest one?” the woman couldn’t help but interject, sounding a little surprised. “She’s getting a match too?”
It was well known within the family that the eldest daughter from the main branch, Nineteenth Lady, had married as a second wife and had to adopt a fool.
“If we don’t arrange a marriage, is she supposed to stay at home her whole life?” Second Madam Cheng said irritably. Just mentioning this filled her with anger, and she had no patience to continue entertaining this woman from her maiden family, who had clearly come hoping for favors. “Eighth Sister-in-law, you should head back for now. I’ll host you another day—we have other guests today.”
Having been given an unmistakable hint to leave, the woman could only withdraw awkwardly. Since she wasn’t an important guest, even the old maid assigned to see her out did so lazily and absentmindedly.
As she walked into the outer courtyard, faint sounds of men arguing could be heard. The two old maids exchanged a glance and chuckled.
“…The Master and the Second Master are arguing with the Zhou family again… They’ve been at it for days, and there’s still no end in sight.”
“…With all the dowry that fool has, how could it end just like that? If the Zhou family takes it all away, it’d be like moving half of the Cheng family’s wealth! Of course the Master and Madam wouldn’t agree—only a fool wouldn’t put up a fight.”
The woman, who had been straining her ears to listen, suddenly perked up in alert.
Dowry? Half the Cheng family’s wealth?
“Which Zhou family are you talking about?” she couldn’t help asking.
The two maids gave her a disdainful glance. They knew she was just some poor relative from the Second Madam’s maiden family, here to try and freeload.
“It’s the family of our former Second Madam—also the official in-laws of our second branch,” they said, deliberately emphasizing the point.
Even though the legitimate wife had passed away, and even though the current wife Peng held more social power, by right and tradition, the official in-laws of the Cheng family’s second branch would always be the Zhou family.
The woman didn’t care about that. No matter who the Cheng family valued, she wouldn’t benefit either way. Her heart thudded anxiously as she kept turning over the words dowry, half the Cheng family in her mind.
“That fool… that must be the eldest young lady, right? Why is the Zhou family trying to take her dowry?” she asked with a fawning smile.
“When the eldest young lady marries, of course she takes her dowry with her,” one maid said, curling her lip. “Our eldest young lady’s dowry is truly—”
The other maid coughed loudly, cutting her off.
“It’s getting late. Safe journey—we’ve got work to do,” the second maid said, tugging at her companion as they walked off.
The woman watched them go with a twinge of regret, then stood dazed at the gate for a moment.
That fool… did she really have that much dowry?
Meanwhile, in the outer residence, Cheng Si-lang set down his scroll in the study.
The maid Chun Lan, who had been quietly standing by, hurried over to ask,
“Are they arguing again?”
“Did the noise disturb your reading, young master?” Chun Lan asked with concern.
Cheng Si-lang smiled and shook his head.
“If one’s heart is set on studying, no outside noise can cause disturbance,” he said. “I’ve just grown a little tired of reading and decided to take a break.”
Chun Lan let out a breath of relief and smiled.
“Then I’ll bring you some tea,” she said cheerfully. “We finally managed to buy the vegetarian tea pastries from Xuan-miao Temple — young master, you must have a taste.”
Cheng Si-lang rose and walked over to another table, gazing at the paper scroll covered with a gauze cloth.
“Pastries from Xuan-miao Temple really are in high demand,” he remarked casually.
“No matter how sought-after they are, they’re still buyable. It’s just our bad luck — every time we send someone, they just happen to be sold out,” Chun Lan said as she carried over a tray. Seeing Cheng Si-lang looking at the table, she asked,
“Young master, are you going to paint?”
“Just a few more strokes and it’ll be finished,” Cheng Si-lang replied, a trace of satisfaction in his smile.
“You’ve been working on this painting for quite some time. It’s finally almost done — may I have a look?” Chun Lan asked with a smile, stepping closer.
“No,” Cheng Si-lang said with a laugh, “a half-finished painting doesn’t show its true charm. You have to see it completed to appreciate its wonder.”
While the young master and maid were speaking, a maid entered and curtseyed.
“Fourth Young Master, the First Madam requests your presence,” she said.
Cheng Si-lang then left, and Chun Lan was tidying up the tea and pastries when someone lifted the curtain and entered.
“Eh? Si-lang isn’t here?”
Chun Lan turned and saw a young man dressed in a blue, wide-sleeved brocade robe. He was about the same age as Cheng Si-lang, with delicate features — but his raised brows, sharp eyes, and pointed chin with flared ears gave him a somewhat frivolous appearance.
Seeing him enter, Chun Lan instinctively stepped back, but still couldn’t avoid him tapping her lightly on the face with his folding fan.
“Why is only a little beauty left here?” he said with a teasing laugh.
Chun Lan flushed red, half embarrassed, half annoyed.
“Seventeenth Young Master,” she said, taking the opportunity to curtsey and sidestep him, “the young master has just gone to the First Madam.”
This was the nephew from the First Madam’s side of the family, recently sent to study at the Cheng household. Though nominally there to study, he was really hiding out after causing trouble at home.
“Oh, then I’ll wait for him here,” Seventeenth Young Master said, strolling in as he raised an eyebrow at Chun Lan.
“Chun Lan, pour me a good cup of tea.”
Chun Lan’s brows and eyes were filled with worry, but she couldn’t do anything about it. She had no choice but to pour the tea. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Seventeenth Young Master rummaging around the room.
“Seventeenth Young Master, please,” she said.
Seventeenth Young Master took the tea with one hand, and though Chun Lan dodged quickly, he still gave her a hard pinch, making her eyes well up with tears in anger.
Seventeenth Young Master held the tea and continued to wander around the room. Suddenly, he stopped in front of the covered writing desk.
“What’s this?” he asked, reaching out.
“Seventeenth Young Master, please don’t touch it. My young master’s painting isn’t finished yet, it’s not to be moved,” Chun Lan hurriedly called out, stepping forward to stop him, disregarding her fear of being disrespected.
But it was too late. Seventeenth Young Master had already lifted the cover.
“What’s so special that it can’t be touched?” he sneered.
As the cover was lifted, a painting appeared on the desk.
Both Seventeenth Young Master and Chun Lan, who had hurriedly stepped over, were stunned. Before them, a beautiful lady seemed to suddenly emerge, looking over from inside a carriage as she lifted the curtain.
Her dark brows were like fine smoke, her jet-black hair hung behind her, her face as flawless as the moon, still and motionless, yet utterly captivating.
“How… beautiful…” Seventeenth Young Master muttered in a daze, “Who is this?”
Chun Lan instinctively gripped the collar of her garment, not realizing how close she was standing to the annoying Seventeenth Young Master. As she looked at the painting before her, it suddenly fused with someone she had seen before.
In a small mountain temple, the door of the hall was half-open, and a lady was holding a scroll, looking over.
So this was the beauty hidden beneath the black gauze.
“The fool from the Second Master’s family…” she murmured in response.