Chapter 63 Sharing Joy
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The moon-worshipping ceremony ended early, and the children were sent back to sleep. The lights in Old Madam Cheng’s courtyard were still on, with the maids standing silently by.
“…I truly didn’t mean to get anyone else involved. It was me, it was me who thought that Seventh Lady loves to eat these, and there’s usually not enough for her, so she often makes a fuss. I was afraid it would cause trouble, so I thought to set some aside this time. No one told me to do this.”
“Yes, Grandmother, Nanny Huang asked me if I wanted to take some, and I said to take it. She really didn’t mean to steal it for herself, I know that.”
“It’s all my poor guidance. Mother, please don’t blame Sister-in-law, it’s all my fault.”
People came and went in Old Madam Cheng’s room, and finally, there was the low sound of sobbing from First Madam Cheng.
“You are saying that they deliberately embarrassed you? So what if it was deliberate? It was because you did something stupid first that gave them the chance to embarrass you. To put it bluntly, you brought this embarrassment on yourself! Can you really blame others?”
Old Madam Cheng’s stern voice came from inside the room.
The maids outside lowered their heads even more.
“You say others are regressing as they grow older, aren’t you the same? Venting your anger by withholding the fixed provisions—how could you even think of that? It seems you’ve had a life of comfort for too long!”
“Isn’t it shameful, forcing the children in the family to steal food?”
“Go back and reflect on this thoroughly!”
First Madam Cheng emerged from the room, covering her face and sobbing, while the maids wished they could bury their heads in the ground.
The moonlight was bright, but the Cheng family courtyard was silent, with a heavy atmosphere.
“A perfectly good Mid-Autumn Festival ended up like this.”
By the lotus pond, two young men sat on the ground, with maids beside them pouring wine.
“In a family, there are always times when the upper and lower teeth clash,” Cheng San-lang said, clinking glasses with Cheng Si-lang.
The two of them drank in one go.
“Uncle is about to take up his post, and naturally, Aunt will go with him. When they’re always around, there are more complaints, but when they’re separated, they become especially dear to each other,” Cheng Si-lang said with a smile.
Cheng San-lang nodded.
“Uncle is said to have a good chance of becoming the inspector of Laiyang this time? Being promoted from the lower fourth rank to the upper fourth rank, that’s truly something to celebrate,” he said.
After speaking, he noticed Cheng Si-lang staring off into the distance, not paying attention to what he was saying.
He followed his gaze and saw a rockery on the other side of the pond.
“Thinking about your beauty again?” he laughed.
The incident where Cheng Si-lang was captivated by a beauty by the lotus pond had already become a private joke in the family.
Cheng Si-lang had a friendly disposition and was not angered by it; he merely smiled.
“Thinking about that beauty reminds me of something,” he said, turning to the maid, Chun Lan. “That child in the temple, I wonder how she is getting along. You should take some food to her tomorrow, it would be like celebrating the festival for her.”
Chun Lan responded affirmatively.
“A fool, what can she be doing? It’s just the passing of seasons and the weather,” Cheng San-lang laughed.
“Whether she knows or not doesn’t matter. After all, we know,” Cheng Si-lang said.
Cheng San-lang instinctively glanced at the rockery over there.
“Back then, Aunt treated me very well. I remember she always smiled and gave me a handful of sugar candies. After this younger sister came along, I never saw her smile again. I heard she died with her eyes still open, crying,” he said.
It was clear she was concerned about that child.
Pity the hearts of all parents.
The two fell into a moment of silence, feeling a sense of melancholy.
“Chun Lan, I have a portion here. Please take it along as well,” Cheng San-lang said.
Chun Lan hurriedly agreed.
“Aunt was truly a good person back then. If she were still here today…” Cheng Si-lang began, but realizing it was inappropriate, he quickly stopped.
“Get some more silver. The weather is getting cold, and there are more things that need to be bought,” he coughed and shifted the topic, looking at Chun Lan.
Chun Lan responded affirmatively once again.
Whether they admitted it or not, the return of the fool had indeed left a mark in the hearts of the family.
At this time, at the Xuan-miao Temple, the moon-viewing festivities were in full swing.
Abbess Sun personally extended an invitation, and Cheng Jiao-niang gladly accepted, arriving with her maid to witness the moon-worship ceremony.
Thanks to the Cheng family, this was the most lavish Mid-Autumn Festival celebration Abbess Sun had hosted since arriving here.
The offerings on the table were numerous and varied, and both she and her disciples had donned new robes. Most delightfully, this was not the best day; better days were yet to come.
Thinking of this, Abbess Sun wore a broad smile.
Although Cheng Jiao-niang, seated quietly, looked somewhat wooden, a hint of amusement could be seen in her eyes.
Under the bright moon, despite there being only seven people in the Xuan-miao Temple, the atmosphere was warm and joyful.
“Miss, would you like to drink some wine?” Abbess Sun asked cautiously.
“Yes,” Cheng Jiao-niang replied.
Abbess Sun was delighted and quickly began to pour the wine herself.
“However, I won’t drink the wine here,” Cheng Jiao-niang added.
Abbess Sun’s hand holding the wine cup became a bit awkward.
The wine here was naturally not as good as the Cheng family’s wine.
However, Abbess Sun did not take offense. Acknowledging the truth, she remained unbothered and courteously served fruit and rice cakes.
On the other side, the nuns watching were all astonished.
They were surprised both by the abbess’s attentive care and by the behavior of the so-called fool.
This was their first time seeing Cheng Jiao-niang up close.
Aside from her stiffness and wooden expression, she really seemed no different from ordinary people.
“Can she understand what’s being said?” a young child couldn’t help but ask in a low voice.
The maid laughed softly.
“My mistress’s illness has already been cured,” she said.
Could a congenital foolishness be cured? How was that possible?
Everyone was astonished, carefully observing the lady. Quiet and wooden, although she didn’t quite seem like a fool, she still felt different from ordinary people.
For example, she spoke very little, her voice was stiff, and she sat still for a long time without moving.
The maid helped Cheng Jiao-niang to her feet, and Abbess Sun quickly rose as well. Seeing Abbess Sun stand, everyone else also hurried to their feet.
“Tomorrow, take these,” Cheng Jiao-niang said, pointing to the snacks and dried fruits in front of her, “and distribute them as alms in front of the temple and to passersby.”
This much?
They were just a small temple that could barely afford to eat, not one of those grand temples with lavish ceremonies and abundant offerings.
Everyone was quite surprised. This amount could sustain Xuan-miao Temple for a month, and now it was being given away? It seemed too, too wasteful.
“Understood.” Abbess Sun, however, did not hesitate and responded respectfully, personally leading the way to see them off.
Early in the morning, Peddler Wu hurried to the city, having skipped breakfast. As he passed Xuan-miao Mountain, he saw several nuns standing outside Xuan-miao Temple.
Due to the reputation of the Small Xuan-miao Temple, the nuns from the Grand Xuan-miao Temple rarely ventured out of the mountain gates.
Today, seeing so many people standing out here, all wearing new robes, he wondered if, after the Small Xuan-miao Temple had been struck by lightning and fire, the Grand Xuan-miao Temple was preparing to take over its mantle?
This speculation made Peddler Wu chuckle to himself, and the mundane thought dispelled his hunger and discomfort from the journey.
“Young man, sharing this joy with you.”
A young child over there greeted warmly while holding up an oil-paper-wrapped item.
What did that mean?
Other passersby were also greeted, but everyone seemed to avoid approaching.
“This is an offering from our temple for the Mid-Autumn Festival, distributed to everyone,” Abbess Sun said, making a gesture of respect.
The people around were still observing, and few came forward.
Peddler Wu looked at the dried fruits and cakes on the table and felt his hunger. It might not taste great, but it surely wouldn’t be harmful.
“Thank you, thank you,” he said loudly, being the first to step forward and reach out his hand.
