Jiao Niang’s Medical Record Chapter 506

Second Madam Cheng stepped through the gate, and the maids and servants hurried forward to receive her.

“Jiao Jiao, Jiao Jiao, go and get some rest…”

Then, as something occurred to her, she turned back with a smile – but there was no one behind her.

“She left long ago. No need for you to worry about her, Mother!” said Cheng Qi-niang, flinging her sleeve and striding into the house first.

Cheng Si-niang, Cheng Wu-niang, and the two concubines all waited respectfully for Second Madam Cheng to enter before following in.

“Madam has had some wine,” one concubine said, presenting her a cup of tea.

“Yes, I couldn’t refuse their warm insistence,” Second Madam Cheng said with a laugh, taking the cup.

“I wonder whose ‘warmth’ it was for,” muttered Cheng Qi-niang.

“No matter whose favor it was for, their favor always ends up including me,” Second Madam Cheng said with a smile. “Including the whole Cheng family.”

Cheng Qi-niang pursed her lips and said nothing.

“What’s there to fuss about whose favor it leans on? Anyway–” Second Madam Cheng sat down, leaning against the armrest, and with a touch of drunken languor patted herself on the chest. “Anyway, I’ve found my footing here in the capital. And as for you all…”

She lifted her hand and pointed toward Cheng Si-niang, Cheng Wu-niang and Cheng Qi-niang.

“You sisters will be able to marry into good families.”

At that, Cheng Si-niang and Cheng Wu-niang lowered their heads shyly, while the two concubines beamed with joy.

“Madam, has someone already come to propose?” they couldn’t help asking. “That was so fast!”

“Fast?” Second Madam Cheng laughed. “Not fast enough – wait too long and you’ll lose your chance. I’ll tell you this: in just the past few days, there’ve already been three families showing interest. Our Si-niang, Wu-niang – even Qi-niang has been inquired about. Once the Master has looked into it properly, we’ll decide.”

For the two concubines, seeing the daughters matched to good families would be the fulfillment of a lifelong wish. Hearing this, they clasped their hands and murmured prayers of thanks.

“All thanks to Madam’s good fortune and care for them,” they said, urging Cheng Si-niang and Wu-niang forward to express their gratitude.

The two girls, faces pink with shyness, stepped up and bowed to thank their mother.

“I don’t need to rely on her to get married!”

Having kept silent all this time, Cheng Qi-niang suddenly burst out, jumped to her feet, and ran off.

The two concubines hurried to follow and persuade her, but Second Madam Cheng stopped them.

“Leave her be – she’s still young and doesn’t understand,” Second Madam Cheng said, turning to look at Cheng Si-niang and Wu-niang. “Besides, she can wait; there’s no rush. Give it three or four years – then she’ll be just the right age. And by that time, our family won’t have to rely on her alone.”

The two concubines nodded.

“Madam is right,” they said.

“Qi-niang can wait, but Si-niang and Wu-niang mustn’t delay any longer,” Second Madam Cheng continued. “Still, we can’t be hasty – we have to choose carefully.”

At that, Cheng Si-niang and Wu-niang could no longer bear to stay. Their faces flushed, they curtseyed and excused themselves.

Leaving Second Madam Cheng’s courtyard, the two sisters walked slowly along the path. Though they had only been living here for a short while, the residence no longer felt unfamiliar.

Perhaps it was because the estate was a blend of old and new, well maintained and cared for.

“Did you ever think,” said Cheng Si-niang, “that one day we’d have to depend on her to secure ourselves a good marriage?”

Cheng Wu-niang sighed, then smiled.

“In this world, nothing ever turns out the way you expect,” she said.

As she spoke, she stopped walking and looked toward a nearby building.

Cheng Si-niang also halted.

That was where Cheng Jiao-niang lived.

Compared with Second Madam Cheng’s quarters – teeming with servants and maids -this place seemed sparsely staffed, with even fewer attendants than the sisters themselves had.

Yet it wasn’t like before, when the household staff would avoid this courtyard as if it were taboo. In fact, these days, everyone in the household was eager for the chance to serve here.

“…The First Young Lady, she’s so quiet she’s like a wooden doll…”

“…If she’s not reading or writing, she’s practicing archery…”

“…We honestly don’t even know what to do to serve her – just standing around in the courtyard makes us feel like fools…”

Because of that, there were few attendants kept here. The major tasks were all handled by her personal maid, Ban Qin; for small chores like sweeping and errands, two maids were enough.

“Miss…”

Ban Qin came forward with a cup of hot tea. Seeing Cheng Jiao-niang now dressed in her plain home clothes, she felt a pang of concern.

“Aren’t you tired, my lady? Going out every single day?”

“I’m not tired,” Cheng Jiao-niang said. “Going out or staying home – there’s not much difference. As long as it’s somewhere you want to go, and your heart delights in it, you won’t feel weary.”

“Miss, you want to go?” Ban Qin asked, even more surprised.

“There’s no reason not to go,” Cheng Jiao-niang replied.

So Miss does like going out after all – No, that’s not right, she doesn’t like going out… Then what is it, really…?

The maid couldn’t help but chuckle.

“I’m telling you, stop overthinking it,” she said, deftly flipping through the account book in her hands.

Ban Qin sat across from her, staring into the brazier, her head propped in her hand, looking glum.

“Miss’s a simple person,” the maid went on. “If they invite her, she’ll accept. She never forces herself to do anything for anyone’s sake. If she goes, it’s because she herself wants to go. That’s all there is to it. Don’t read too much into it – especially don’t start wondering what it means or what might come of it. Just look at what’s in front of you, not what isn’t.”

Ban Qin murmured an “oh.”

“I just think…” she said softly, “Miss treats them too well. It’s not worth it.”

The maid laughed and set her hands down.

“Good?” she said. “Sometimes what seems good turns out bad – and what seems bad might just be good.”

Ban Qin looked at her.

“Sister, I’m slow, you know. Don’t go talking in riddles with me,” she said.

“You’re not slow at all – if you know it’s a riddle, you’re halfway there,” the maid said with a grin. Seeing Ban Qin’s mock annoyance, she quickly waved her hand, laughing. “All right, all right, no riddles.”

She paused for a moment, thinking.

“Do you know the story of Zheng Bo conquering Duan at Yan?”

Ban Qin shook her head.

“You’ve never heard of it?” the maid asked with a faint smile.

Ban Qin shook her head again, waiting for her to go on.

“Then go ask Miss to tell it to you,” the maid said.

Ban Qin blinked in surprise – and then stared in astonishment.

In the courtyard, a young maid was carefully sweeping up the fallen twigs beneath a tree when she heard laughter and playful voices coming from inside the house.

“…I’m not teasing you… I really am too busy… Miss’s the one with free time – go ask her…”

Heavens, to be a servant and dare to speak like that – that was truly the height of boldness.

The little maid looked utterly astonished – and more than a little envious.

Having drunk some wine, Second Madam Cheng had slept the whole afternoon. She was only woken when Second Master Cheng’s voice and the laughter outside grew too loud. Pressing her aching head, she walked out in exasperation – only to jolt fully awake at the sight of the colorful lanterns in the courtyard.

“Do you like it, Wu-lang? Father bought it especially for you – this is your very own lantern.”

Second Master Cheng, holding his little son, said with a broad smile.

Delighted, little Cheng Wu-lang lifted his hands, wriggled free, and ran around the lanterns in circles.

“Heavens above! Why did you buy that for the children?” Second Madam Cheng exclaimed.

Those gaudy decorations cost no small sum – and after the past few days of banquets, she already had a fair sense of how extravagant the capital’s amusements could be.

“It’s just to make the child happy,” Second Master Cheng said cheerfully. He gestured for the nursemaid to keep an eye on their son, then turned and headed toward the main hall.

“What kind of way is that to spoil him? The Lantern Festival is coming soon – there’ll be plenty on the streets then…” Second Madam Cheng said anxiously, but before she could finish, Second Master Cheng pulled her inside.

“What are you doing?”

She shook off his hand and snapped,

“Those things are just for the moment – after the Lantern Festival they’re useless, and they won’t keep till next year! What a waste of money! The money I begged for, and instead of spending it on something useful – something that could earn money – you throw it away like this!”

“It’s my money. I’ll waste it however I please,” said Second Master Cheng.

“Your money?” Second Madam Cheng repeated. “You–”

“That’s right, my money. All of this – everything you see – is mine,” he said, pointing around the room as he pulled out several documents and snapped them open.

Second Madam Cheng took the papers with a puzzled look, and when she saw what was written, her expression turned to surprise and delight.

“Oh my, there really is this much,” she murmured, hurriedly flipping through them. “Aside from Tai Ping Residence, which has other shareholders, all the rest belong solely to her!“

“That’s not what I’m showing you!” Second Master Cheng said sharply, tapping his finger on the page – right where Cheng Jiao-niang’s name appeared. “Look here.”

“Isn’t it the same thing?” Second Madam Cheng frowned.

“Do you really not understand, or are you pretending?” Second Master Cheng frowned as well, stabbing his finger at the document again. “What this means – is that it’s mine!“

The night was deep, yet the candles in Second Master and Madam Cheng’s room still burned.

Staring at the documents spread across the desk, Second Madam Cheng finally lifted her head.

“Will she really be willing to give these up?” she asked.

“Willing?” Second Master Cheng gave a short laugh. “She’s my own flesh and blood -even she herself is mine. How could what belongs to her not belong to me? This is the natural order of things, a truth that holds even if the heavens were to fall.”

“Master, it’s not that I don’t understand,” Second Madam Cheng said softly, “but… things aren’t the same with her as with others. Jiao-niang… isn’t someone easy to cross.”

“Not easy to cross?” Second Master Cheng twirled his beard and let out a cold laugh. “What then? Reporting her uncle wasn’t enough – does she mean to commit patricide next?”

The reasoning made sense – but still…

Second Madam Cheng hesitated, uncertain.

“Then… go and speak with her. Have the documents changed to your name…” she said.

Before she could finish, Second Master Cheng cut her off.

“Have you gone muddle-headed again?” he said. “How could they be changed to my name?”

Second Madam Cheng looked up at him in confusion.

“To yours,” Second Master Cheng said with a faint smile.

Mine?!

Second Madam Cheng gasped, clutching her chest in shock.

“Think about it,” said Second Master Cheng. “Property registered under a different household – our Cheng family doesn’t divide its assets. If it’s mine, wouldn’t that mean it belongs to my brother as well? But if it’s yours, then it’s not shared property anymore. Then we can say it’s from your dowry, grown through your own good management…”

“My… my dowry wasn’t worth that much,” Second Madam Cheng murmured. “And besides, she could claim it came from her mother’s dowry…”

“Bah!” Second Master Cheng spat. “She came into possession of those properties first, and only after that did she go back to Jiang-zhou to fight over her dowry with my brother. It’s far more believable to say that she’s been living off your dowry all this time here in the capital. Even if it’s just for show, we have to make the scene look convincing – every last detail!”

Second Madam Cheng made a faint sound of assent.

“What’s wrong?” Second Master Cheng said with a half-smile. “You don’t want them?”

Her eyes drifted back to the documents spread across the desk.

Don’t want them?

So many estates – forget three, even one of them would be enough for her and her children to live comfortably for life.

All registered under her name – false as that might be – but the black ink on white paper, sealed with the official red stamp… over time, who could say what was real and what wasn’t?

These properties becoming hers – she had dreamed of such a thing, but for the dream to come true so soon…

Mine…

Second Madam Cheng felt her breath catch; she pressed a hand to her chest.

Don’t want them?

Only a fool wouldn’t want them.