Go personally? To see Liu Yukun?
“Go to the First Madam and get two thousand strings of cash,” Second Madam Cheng immediately ordered a maid.
The maid answered at once and hurried off, returning not long after.
“The First Madam says there’s no money,” she reported, head lowered.
Second Madam Cheng’s temper flared up at once.
“No money? Where has all the money gone?”
“This is the account book. You can see for yourself where it went.”
First Madam Cheng replied woodenly, handing over the ledger from the desk.
Second Madam Cheng gave a cold laugh and didn’t respond.
“You’re the one managing the household – how would we dare to ask questions?”
“Don’t dare ask where the money’s gone, yet dare to reach out and ask for it,” First Madam Cheng said flatly. “Do you think I actually want to be in charge of this family?”
“That’s not quite right. You should say – you’re happy to run a rich household, but when it’s a poor one, suddenly you don’t want the job.” Second Madam Cheng smiled faintly, the words edged with mockery.
Look at her – sharp tongue, quick wit, always something to say.
First Madam Cheng lowered her head, hiding the grief that filled her eyes. They’d fought, they’d argued – now she was simply tired.
“No money. Do whatever you like,” she said in that same dull tone.
“No money? Then pawn something! The Second Master’s future is at stake – how can we ask favors with empty hands?” Second Madam Cheng snapped.
A cough came from inside the room.
“What are you coughing for? If you’re sick, take some medicine,” Second Madam Cheng said irritably.
“You–!” First Madam Cheng exclaimed, hastily rising to her feet. “Master…”
First Master Cheng came out, leaning on his cane.
Second Madam Cheng remained seated, giving a perfunctory bow and muttering a reluctant “Master.”
“Better to rely on oneself than on others,” First Master Cheng said slowly, ignoring her disrespect. “Go and tell the Second Master – there’s no need to look for anyone else. Let him go to the capital and find his daughter.”
Both First Madam Cheng and Second Madam Cheng were taken aback.
“Master, what are you talking about?” Second Madam Cheng asked, then gave a quick laugh. “I know our Jiao Jiao has money – but since when does a father live off his daughter?”
First Madam Cheng gave a derisive snort.
“He’s done it plenty of times before,” she said.
“That’s because you two took it all for yourselves!” Second Madam Cheng immediately shot back, her brows arching – such an accusation she would never accept.
“Enough! Can’t you understand plain words?” First Master Cheng barked, striking his cane against the floor. “If she’s got money, then she’s got connections! Without people behind her, how else would she have such ability?”
Second Madam Cheng was still frowning when a maid came running in from outside.
“Second Madam, a number of people have arrived at the Second Master’s residence -they say they’ve come to offer congratulations!” she called out.
Congratulations?
Second Madam Cheng was taken aback. So it had worked out after all? What was going on?
“It was a mistake earlier,”
In the Second Master’s study, several men sat beaming with cheerful smiles. One of them spoke up.
“So it’s not Hui-zhou?” the Second Master asked, suspicion in his tone.
“No, no – it’s the capital!” another man said quickly.
“Don’t tease me,” the Second Master scoffed, lifting his tea bowl. “How could I possibly receive an appointment in the capital?”
The men exchanged glances.
“Come now, don’t try to hide it from us. Your adopted son’s name is famous throughout the capital, and he’s just rendered great service. His Majesty is sure to reward you! The official decree hasn’t arrived yet, but it must already be on the agenda,” one of them said with a grin.
Second Master Cheng spat out his tea in shock.
“My adopted son?” he exclaimed, not even bothering to wipe the tea from his chin.
“Seven of them,” another man said quickly, holding up his fingers and laughing.
Seven?! What kind of joke was that! Adopted sons – what did they think this was, planting vegetables? Drop a few seeds and they sprout in bunches?
Second Master Cheng’s eyes went wide.
The maids hurried back and forth, carrying tea into the main hall.
Inside sat the two masters and their two wives – a scene the household had not witnessed in a very long time. And, remarkably, there was no shouting or quarreling. Everyone sat quietly, faces solemn. The maids and servants began to wonder if they were dreaming.
“…The streets were packed with people – even the patrol guards from the City Watch drank our lady’s wine and cleared the way to escort her…”
“…From the city gates all the way out beyond the walls, there must’ve been at least a thousand people…”
“…They set off so many fireworks – more than during the Lantern Festival in the capital itself…”
The people in the hall sat there, stunned.
“Utter… nonsense!” Second Master Cheng shouted.
“How much money must that have cost?” First Madam Cheng and Second Madam Cheng both cried out in astonishment.
After shouting, the two sisters-in-law exchanged a glance – it had been so long since they’d agreed on anything that the moment felt strange. Both quickly looked away.
“…It’s just a few hired workers… and she calls them sworn brothers now?” Second Madam Cheng muttered. “They’re lucky enough to have gotten a proper burial.”
First Master Cheng Da, however, chuckled.
“That’s exactly the sort of thing she’d do,” he said, looking at the steward who had just returned with news from the local magistrate. “So, did it end up causing a big stir?”
The steward nodded quickly.
“Yes, it did – it turned into quite an uproar,” the steward said quickly. “First, an official surnamed Lu used the incident as a pretext to send an impeachment memorial to the Emperor by express courier. His Majesty was furious and threw him straight into prison. Then the local magistrate sent men to seal up our lady’s shop, and that’s when the people rioted – saying the officials and the court were guilty and oppressive, that our lady’s sworn brothers had truly been wronged…”
He spoke in a rush, his scalp prickling as he went on. “After that, the Censorate arrested our lady and took her in for questioning…”
The Censorate!
“I’ve been an official for nearly twenty years and have never once set foot in the Censorate,” Second Master Cheng murmured. “And to think my daughter got there before her father did.”
Then, as if suddenly struck by enlightenment, he slapped his knee with a sharp, ringing smack.
“So it was because of her!“
Second Master Cheng shouted.
“The higher-ups! After something like this, the fact they didn’t drag me off to the Censorate along with her, and even let me take the post in Hai-zhou – that’s already Heaven’s mercy!”
As he spoke, his whole body began to tremble.
It was all because of her! Because of that cursed jinx! Even when she wasn’t here, she still managed to bring him harm!
There was a dull thud, followed by Second Master Cheng’s cry of pain.
“What are you doing?!” he shouted angrily, clutching his forehead.
Second Madam Cheng snapped back to her senses and hurried forward. Pulling his hand away, she saw a swollen lump rising on his brow – and immediately burst into loud wails.
The maids standing outside exchanged knowing looks – as if to say, finally, things are back to normal again.
“Can’t you use your head for once?” First Master Cheng shouted. “How many times have you suffered for this already, and you still can’t tell fortune from misfortune! You think you didn’t get promoted because of her? If that were true, do you really think you’d still be standing here safe and sound? If she’s the reason you didn’t get promoted, then why are all those people now flocking to flatter and congratulate you?”
Second Master Cheng froze, stunned.
Yes…
Why indeed?
“In the end, she won the case, and His Majesty granted a reward, didn’t he?” First Master Cheng ignored his brother and turned to ask the steward.
The steward nodded quickly.
“Yes. The Emperor posthumously restored the ranks of those men, released the impeaching official from prison, and reassigned a high-ranking minister from the northwest – Jiang Wenyuan. Later, that sworn brother of hers presented His Majesty with a new crossbow design. The Emperor personally named it the Divine Arm Bow and sent it to the northwest front, where it brought great military success…”
Second Master Cheng sat there, once again struck dumb.
“Indeed… indeed,” First Master Cheng murmured, half in awe. Though he had long suspected as much, hearing it confirmed still sent waves of shock surging through him.
Those were generals of the northwest. High officials of the capital. The Emperor himself – the Son of Heaven.
He thought back to those days in Jiang-zhou, when she had fought over her dowry. From beginning to end, she had never once appeared in person – always sending a steward or a maid to handle matters. They had assumed it was because, as a woman, she felt embarrassed to show her face in public.
Now he realized – it hadn’t been shame at all. It was disdain. To her, they weren’t even worth showing up for.
First Master Cheng shook his head with a bitter smile, his face full of self-mockery.
The others in the hall finally understood what had happened.
“The Emperor posthumously restored those men’s ranks… and now there’s great military merit in the northwest…” Second Master Cheng muttered, recalling what his colleagues had said earlier – an appointment in the capital…
“Ha!” He suddenly leapt to his feet. “Then my own honorary title must be on its way too!”
Second Madam Cheng also caught on, her face lighting up with excitement as she stood.
“You’ve finally made it!” she cried, then turned around in a fluster. “We’ll be going to the capital soon – oh dear, there’s so much to pack…”
“What’s there to pack? She’s already there, isn’t she? You think she’d let us have nowhere to live?” Second Master Cheng snorted. “At last – raising her wasn’t for nothing after all.”
There were three shops in the capital – all thriving businesses that brought in gold by the day.
Here in Jiang-zhou, all the dowry shops and estates had long been under Steward Cao’s control. With Cheng Jiao-niang away, he’d become all-powerful. But once they reached the capital, things would be different.
They’d be right there, close by – family after all – surely she’d have to lend them a hand or two.
The Cheng family’s own people couldn’t be used; everyone here belonged to the elder couple.
Just a few days ago, her sister-in-law from her maiden family had sent word several times, offering to “help out” – suggesting they bring along a few nephews or cousins to work in the shops. It would be killing two birds with one stone.
But who should they take?
And with the New Year approaching… they’d need new clothes for the journey to the capital – or perhaps not; better to have them made once they got there.
Ah, there was just too much to do!
With that thought, Second Madam Cheng couldn’t sit still another moment. Burning with excitement, she grabbed Second Master Cheng and dragged him off in a flurry.
The hall grew quiet again. Only First Master Cheng and First Madam Cheng remained seated, and a tea bowl rolling across the floor was the only proof that something had just happened here.
“Is it true?” First Madam Cheng asked in disbelief. “That fool actually met the Emperor himself?”
First Master Cheng shook his head.
“I think something isn’t quite right,” he said.
First Madam Cheng immediately grew tense.
“It must be false, right? That’s impossible,” she said quickly, over and over.
First Master Cheng came back to himself and shot her a glare.
“How could it be false? One or two rumors you can dismiss – but three, four, and now everyone in the magistrate is saying it’s true. How could that be fake?” he said, exhaling slowly. “What I meant is, I don’t think this business about Er-lang’s promotion to the capital sits right.”
“What’s wrong with it? She did all that, and His Majesty acknowledged her merits. A young unmarried woman can’t receive official honors herself, so naturally they’d confer them upon her parents instead.” First Madam Cheng breathed out in relief, then sighed again, a faint smile touching her lips. “Who knows, perhaps even our daughter Ge-niang might be granted a posthumous title.”
But First Master Cheng still shook his head.
“Maybe so,” he said, “but from what we’ve heard, the whole affair was perilous from start to finish. She may have won this time, but I imagine she’s stirred up plenty of trouble too. I can’t shake the feeling something’s not right.”
“You’re overthinking it, Master – the Zhou family’s still in the capital,” First Madam Cheng said reassuringly.
First Master Cheng pondered a moment, then raised his voice.
“Someone – call for Si-lang.”
