Chapter 9

Seeing her sister-in-law approach, Madam Jiang naturally could not show favoritism and also gave Madam Wang two embroidery patterns.

Madam Jiang said she intended to go to the shop to buy some finer fabrics to make two new outfits for her son, so he would not appear disrespectful when meeting the esteemed scholar Chen.

Xiuniang happened to want to make two summer clothes for Brother Chen as well. In these past two years, Miss Zhu had been arranging her betrothal, so Madam Wang was also eager to dress her daughter well. Moreover, the matriarch had said the girl should learn needlework from Lady Chu, and having two decent outfits would be fitting.

The three sisters-in-law instantly agreed and prepared to go out.

Remembering Song Sanlang’s words, Xiuniang dared not leave the little one at home, so she went back to bring him along. Upon hearing that four women, including Miss Zhu, were going to the market to buy clothes, Song Sanlang quickly volunteered to stay behind and take care of their son.

Yunniang asked, “Sanlang, won’t the master be upset if you bring the child to work?”

Song Sanlang waved his hand, “It’s nothing. Brother Chen is sensible and won’t cause trouble. You just go with them without worry.”

“Then I really will go.”

“Go ahead—wait a moment.” Song Sanlang called after Xiuniang, went into the inner room, and returned with a few small silver coins, pressing them into her hand: “You should get yourself a new outfit too.”

“Why give me so much money? What if I lose it? I have clothes to wear and don’t need to buy more. Brother Chen grows so fast…”

“If you don’t wear it now, Xiuniang, are you saving it to show your husband when you’re old?” Song Sanlang interrupted.

Xiuniang blushed, annoyed, and twisted Song Sanlang’s arm, “You always say such nonsense.” Then she glanced quietly into the inner room, seeing her son bent over playing with wooden blocks, swiftly hugging Song Sanlang’s waist: “I’m off now.”

With that, the young wife lifted her skirt and hurried away.

Song Sanlang was speechless but resigned, beginning to pack the little master’s things: a water bottle with a few drops of honey added—children won’t drink without some sweetness—snacks, and the newly bought nine-linked ring puzzle to while away the child’s time. The simple linked ring and snake-shaped clasps were already no challenge for the little one.

No matter how hard Song Sanlang tried, he couldn’t understand. To him, his son was exceptionally clever—a child who could solve the nine-linked ring puzzle was nothing short of a genius. Yet, in the matter of reading and studying, he simply could not grasp anything. It was truly baffling.

Once everything was ready, Song Sanlang called into the inner room, “Brother Chen, come out now. Today, Father is taking you to Uncle Li’s house.”

“All right, Father, wait for me a moment. I’m almost done.”

Song Sanlang tiptoed into the room cautiously. The floor was scattered with wooden blocks, sticks picked up outside, various small stones, and broken bricks. He had no idea what the child was arranging.

“Get up quickly. You can play with your things again when we come back. Father is waiting to leave.” Song Sanlang lifted the child up and tucked him under his arm as they headed out. The “wait a moment” from his son was much like that from his mother—never quite immediate.

“Ah—don’t! Father, Brother Chen was just about to finish arranging it,” the boy struggled, kicking his legs in protest.

The child was most prone to tantrums in two situations: just waking up and being interrupted while deeply focused on play.

“No fussing.” Song Sanlang was anxious to leave and gave his son’s little bottom a warning slap.

The father’s unreasonable behavior only made Song Jingchen angrier. Puffing out his cheeks, he glared at his father, “Hmph! Bad Father, I don’t like you anymore.”

Then, still dissatisfied, he bared his small teeth and bit Song Sanlang’s arm. He was clever—biting just enough to vent his anger but not enough to make his father want to hit him back.

He had his father well under his thumb.

The child’s tiny teeth could hardly hurt Song Sanlang’s strong physique; the father even worried the boy might hurt his own teeth.

When Song Sanlang was young, he didn’t dare bite his own father and would hide from him as if a mouse fleeing a cat. Now, though he didn’t want his son to fear him so much, it was also troublesome that the boy wasn’t afraid at all.

Still, he was in a hurry to go to work and had no time to argue with the little rascal. Once outside, he set the child on the ground, already planning to discipline him properly later.

—Such nonsense. When he’s happy, you’re his father; when unhappy, he’d rather not even call you father.

Song Jingchen was quick to read the mood. Seeing Song Sanlang frowning silently, he reached out a small hand to grasp his father’s large one and softly said, “Father, Brother Chen was wrong. I shouldn’t have lost my temper with you.”

Song Sanlang inwardly chuckled: the speed of admitting fault was quicker than flipping pages in a book—truly flexible and adaptable.

“Go wash your hands properly. Hurry up and come back.” Song Sanlang spoke gruffly, but before he finished, the boy had already run off.

However, the boy didn’t run to wash his hands; first, he went back inside to place the last two wooden blocks just right, then scampered off to wash his hands.

Song Sanlang rubbed his forehead in silent exasperation.

...

Meanwhile, Xiuniang and her two sisters-in-law, accompanied by Miss Zhu, stepped out. Miss Zhu was strikingly beautiful, with clear, gentle eyes that were very pleasant to behold. Raised by Madam Wang and the matriarch, she was well-mannered and knowledgeable.

Yet, the young girl was somewhat introverted and spoke little. Since learning of her broken betrothal, she had been gloomy, quietly trailing behind Madam Wang.

Madam Jiang suggested they visit a larger fabric shop where there were more styles and greater choices.

Xiuniang thought to herself that the bigger the shop, the more expensive the goods and the steeper the prices. Whether she bought anything or not, she would just tag along for the fun of it, nodding in agreement.

Madam Wang shared a similar mindset to Madam Jiang. The group took a public carriage on the street, each paying three wen.

Xiuniang was not afraid of walking far; when she helped her mother at the tofu shop, she would walk countless steps daily and had long since built up stamina. The others, however, were less accustomed.

Their destination was Brocade Street near the Great Xiangguo Temple, known for its many fabric shops. Because of their concentration there, prices were relatively cheaper than those near their homes. Just as they stepped off the carriage and had walked a few steps, fate brought them face to face with familiar figures.

—The Zhang family mother and daughter, who had recently broken off Miss Zhu’s engagement.

Enemies meeting was always a fiery moment.

Madam Wang harbored deep resentment toward the Zhang family for the broken marriage. If their daughter had any faults, the broken engagement would be understandable; but both sides had matched their birth dates, and the Zhangs simply deemed their son unworthy of Miss Zhu because of a fortune teller’s prediction. It was an outrage.

Xiuniang disliked the Zhangs too but felt that the broken engagement was a blessing. Such a greedy and status-conscious family would have only bullied Miss Zhu had she married into them, even if their son passed the imperial exam.

Madam Jiang was straightforward in her likes and dislikes. She did not favor Xiuniang but liked Brother Chen; she disliked her sister-in-law but sympathized with young Song Jingzhu.

Upon seeing the Zhang mother and daughter, she smiled gracefully: “Oh, who could this be? It’s the lady of the Zhang family. On behalf of our Miss Zhu, I thank you for your kindness in not marrying her off to your son.”

Xiuniang immediately followed up, “Since childhood, Miss Zhu’s fortune was read by Liu the Half-Immortal, who said she would bring great wealth and honor. Your sudden breaking of the engagement left us all bewildered. You should go find Liu the Half-Immortal for an explanation. If she is destined for great fortune, why would the engagement be broken? What did Liu say?”

Xiuniang deliberately created suspense before continuing, “Liu the Half-Immortal said that Miss Zhu has a fate to bring fortune to her husband; whoever she marries will rise step by step. Madam Zhang, think carefully—didn’t you only discover your son’s promising future after betrothing him to our Miss Zhu?”

Madam Jiang’s intended second half of the sentence differed slightly from Xiuniang’s, yet the two women harmonized perfectly, leaving the Zhang family mother and daughter inwardly shaken.

None of them could have foreseen their arrival to buy fabric today, nor guessed when and where they would encounter them.

Therefore—

There was no way these two were colluding with prepared lines, was there?

Seeing her two sisters-in-law strong and united, Madam Wang also stepped forward boldly to confront the Zhang family mother and daughter directly.