Do you know? Do you know? It should be Green Fat Red Thin Episode 3

  Quanzhou is located in southern Fujian, where the people are rich and abundant. Sheng Hong served as a tongzhi (a high-ranking official) for several years, assisting with local affairs such as salt, grain, river works, water conservancy, military registration, and comforting the people. He achieved many successes during his tenure, and although the prefect changed three times, he was promoted in rank while remaining in his original position. Sheng Hong was skilled at socializing and had good relationships with the local gentry and officials. When it became known that Governor Sheng would be transferred, everyone rushed to host farewell banquets for him over the next few days. Sheng Hong couldn't decline these invitations, so he spent several days attending social events, entrusting his wife, Madame Wang, with packing up their household belongings and preparing for their move.

  For several days, the servants and maids in the mansion had been bustling about like fish swimming across the river, going back and forth between the eastern courtyard where Wang Shi lived. Wang Shi had shaken off the gloom of the past few years and was busy with a happy air. On this particular afternoon, Wang Shi had just finished dealing with most of the matters and called in a few personal maids to count the remaining items when she went into the inner chamber with Liu Kun's family to talk.

  Inside, against the wall, a large square bed was placed, covered with fine woven silk, piled high with brocade and thin satin. Two girls, around five years old, were sleeping soundly side by side on top of it. Two maids stood guard beside the bed, gently fanning the girls with small fans. When they saw Madame Wang enter, they quickly rose to greet her. Madame Wang waved her hand, indicating that she didn't want them to disturb the girls' nap, and walked directly over to the bed to take a look. One of the girls was plump and robust, sleeping peacefully with a sweet expression on her face. Madame Wang's brow relaxed, and a hint of a smile appeared in her eyes. Looking at the other girl, she saw that although she had beautiful features, her complexion was pale, clearly indicating that she was lacking in vital energy. The whole person looked weak and frail, even in sleep, with a faint frown on her small face. Madame Wang let out a soft sigh, gently tucked the silk quilt around the girls' bodies, then walked over to a rattan chair and sat down.

  Liu Kun's family called two maids to go and watch the door, and she herself walked up to Wang Shi's side, found a small round stool to sit on, but was pulled by Wang Shi, asking her to sit in the rattan chair beside her. Liu Kun's family declined, then sat down.

  "Madam has been busy for the past few days, running around inside and out, and it seems like everything is almost ready. This morning, a message came from Ningbo saying that the interior of the government office there has also been cleaned up and is waiting for Master and Madam to arrive before they can move in. I must say, although Master Wei and our Master are only cousins, they seem even closer than ordinary brothers! I don't know how much money Master Wei spent on this, but he's certainly shown his face." Liu Kun's wife said enthusiastically.

  "Mr. Wei's father and my late grandfather-in-law were brothers, Mr. Wei and our master are of similar age, they used to study together in the household school of Lord Guo, later they both became disciples of Yang Gongzhong when he was still a reader at the Hanlin Academy; at that time, Eldest Master was doting on one of his concubines, completely ignoring Mr. Wei's mother and son living in poverty. My mistress took great care of Mrs. Wei and her son, also because our master was born out of wedlock, hadn't been raised by Mistress before, so he had a hard time too, which made him sympathize with Mr. Wei, the two brothers got along extremely well. Although Mr. Wei didn't take office, he managed his household properly, his family wealth is substantial, money doesn't mean much to him, Master and my maternal uncle are both officials, they can support his children in the future, spending some money on them won't be a big deal." Mrs. Wang was quite pleased with herself.

  "Madam thought to herself, but she mustn't say this in front of the old master. She should be grateful for Master Wang's kindness instead. And don't keep mentioning how great her natal family is, or forget how Aunt Lin stirred up trouble back then." Liu Kun's wife saw that Old Lady Wang was getting worked up again and hastily reminded her.

  Wang was displeased: "That slanderous and odious fox spirit!"

  Liu Kun's family was not good at responding, so he changed the subject and smiled: "Is Sixth Sister doing well with Madame? I heard that day Master personally carried her all the way from the lotus pond to here, I knew Sixth Sister must be following Madame."

  The Wang lady glanced at the girl on the couch and said, "This little girl has no mother, sooner or later she will have to come under my care. I knew this all along, but somehow I just can't swallow this fact. When that Lin woman gave birth to a son or daughter, why didn't Master think of me as the legitimate mother? Why didn't he give the child to me to raise? He said something about flesh and blood being hard to part with, so let Lin's wife raise them herself. Now that Wei's wife is dead, he suddenly remembers I'm the legitimate mother! I was thinking of teasing him for a while, dragging it out for a few days before saying anything, but who knew that as soon as the edict came down, Master would storm into my room with this girl in his arms, not saying a word, and just set her down. I was taken aback, so I didn't dare say much, and took in this child."

  Liu Kun's wife recited a Buddhist phrase, smiled and said: "Madam is kind-hearted, this is the right principle. No matter how many concubines Master has, Madam is always the legitimate mother. This name cannot be surpassed. Previously, Lin Concubine was bewitching Master, which disrupted the rules. Madam just needs to take good care of the household and teach the children well. I think this time Master wants to discipline Lin Concubine. Madam must keep a steady head and show the dignity of a first wife. Don't mess up."

  "What's the point of punishing her? But thunder is loud and raindrops are small. That servant girl is his heart's treasure, how can he bear to give her up?"

  "Madam, please don't say that, I think something is off this time." Liu Kun's family shook his head and leaned forward, "Does madam still remember the butterfly in front of Wei Niang?"

  Wang nodded: "That girl is quite fierce, daring to confront Lin Niang directly. She's doing this for her master, and it's not in vain that Wei Niang and her sister had a falling out; I don't know what happened later."

  Liu Kun's family said in a low voice: "My husband heard from outside that Lin Niang had just driven Die'er into the village, and then Lai Fu took her away and put her in the West Wing. After Old Master was free, he carefully questioned Die'er for half an hour, and then Die'er was taken care of by Old Lady, I don't know where she was sent."

  Wang was deeply astonished and asked: "Is this true? If so, why didn't Master react at all?"

  Liu Kun's family picked up a fan and stood beside Wang Shi, gently fanning her and saying: "I'm afraid that Lin Niangniang's three-inch tongue is not rotten, and she has again coaxed the old master into softening his heart. However, even if only a few servants are sold, it would be good to quell Lin Niangniang's arrogance. The mistress can take advantage of this opportunity to make a move."

  Madam Wang did not speak, secretly calculating in her heart. Seeing Madam Wang's expression, Liu Kun's wife hesitated and opened her mouth: "It's just that there are some things, I don't know whether to say or not to say. If I say it, I'm afraid you'll think I'm impolite, but if I don't say it, I'll be sorry for not fulfilling the old lady's entrustment, and my heart will be uneasy."

  Wang's busy grasped Liu Kunjia's hand, softly saying: "What are you talking about? Myself and you grew up drinking the same person's milk, originally as close as sisters. You married a few years earlier than me, should have brought your whole family to be my accompanying relatives, but your husband's family is mother's reliable helper, so we were separated for a few years. Whatever you want to say, just speak."

  Liu Kun's family smiled and sat down in front of Wang Shi again: "Look at what the lady said, Old Lady is most heartbroken for you. When you got married, many capable people escorted you over, but my father-in-law was an old man that Old Lady was used to, so he stayed behind in the Wang Manor to enjoy his old age. That year, when Old Lady heard that Lin Niang had given birth to a son, she couldn't sleep all night and summoned me in the middle of the night. She instructed me carefully for half a day and then brought us two, along with several servants, over here. What was it for? Isn't it because you didn't know what was going on in your heart? Wasn't it because Old Lady was afraid that you would be bullied in your husband's household, and that Bo Ge would be treated coldly? It's truly pitiful, the kindness of a mother."

  "Wang sighed: 'It's all my fault, at this age I still need to worry about my mother. Fortunately, you came and advised me every day, so I put away my stubborn temper and reconciled with Master. You also taught me to take a concubine for Master, which restrained Lin Niang's arrogance. Speaking of which, that Wei Niang was also introduced by you, your judgment is good, she's beautiful but not cunning, after entering the house for several years, Lin Niang has been much more subdued. This time, it's all thanks to you again, that servant girl finally got what was coming to her.'"

  "This is all the good fortune of the mistress, and has nothing to do with us servants. The death of Wei niangniang was just a stroke of the eight characters, and still lacks one stroke; how master will deal with Lin niangniang is unknown, perhaps she was coaxed into passing it off as if nothing happened, we can't let our guard down." said Liu Kunyin's wife.

  "Hmph! If the old master doesn't punish that lowly maid and continues to spoil her as usual, I won't be able to show my face anymore. I'll make sure to expose everything and have the imperial censor officials impeach the old master for doting on his concubine and neglecting his wife's life. Let's see how he can still hold office!" Madam Wang slammed her hand on the table, coldly snorting.

  "Oh dear, my wife! Old Madam is afraid of your stubborn temper, and that's why she couldn't sleep all night! Don't say such hurtful words, it hurts others a thousand times and damages yourself eight hundred times!" Liu Kun's family hastily waved his hand and urged, "If you continue like this, can the relationship between Master and Madam still be maintained? Does Ba Ge still have a future? How will you live in the future?"

  Wang's face fell, and she gritted her teeth: "Then what do you suggest we do? Before I got married, my mother only taught me how to manage the household chores, but never told me how to deal with concubines. And this Lin concubine is not just any ordinary concubine, can't be beaten or sold, and on top of that, she's from the old lady's side... it's really suffocating me to death."

  "Madam, have a cup of tea and calm down, listen to me slowly. Liu Kun's family poured another warm cup of tea and handed it to Wang Shi, "Although the old master was wrong in his actions, the old lady said that you also had your own faults."

  "What have I done wrong? Must I buy a concubine for the old master to be considered obedient?" Wang Shi was still indignant.

  "Look, madam is talking nonsense again. That day at Uncle Lao's house, the old lady asked me in detail about the several senior maids by your side and told me that you have three mistakes, and I should dare to tell you. I'm taking the risk of being an informant today. Think back to when you first got married, you didn't say a word and dismissed two of Old Master's concubines. Neither Old Master nor Old Lady said anything about it. For those years, you were in charge alone, and not only did Old Lady treat you with courtesy, but Old Master also treated you with respect. Your first mistake is that your life has been too smooth, and you've become arrogant and forgotten yourself. You want to control internal affairs and external affairs, and you want to take charge of Old Master's money and personnel. You always speak imperiously, saying this and that about the Wang family, Old Lady, and Uncle Lao. How can Old Master feel comfortable with that? Which man doesn't like a woman who is gentle and obedient? Who doesn't want a warm and loving wife? Old Master isn't a useless or foolish man. Outside, people all say that our Old Master has great prospects. You've given Old Master face many times, and from time to time, you've saved his dignity. How can he not be close to you, how can he have an extramarital affair?"

  Wang leaned back in her chair, thinking of the glory of her new marriage, and couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness. In the past, which sister in the boudoir didn't envy her for marrying well? Although her husband's family wasn't highly ranked or powerful, they were wealthy and had a good reputation. She didn't have to follow strict rules with her mother-in-law, nor did she have any concubines to worry about. Her husband was talented and handsome, with a promising career ahead of him. Becoming an imperial lady in the future wasn't impossible either.

  It was unclear when it started, but Master and she became more and more estranged. He no longer shared his innermost thoughts with her, while she focused on being strict and strong-willed, wanting to control the Sheng household tightly in her grasp. Just as things were going smoothly, Lin Niang unexpectedly appeared out of nowhere, and from then on, she made one mistake after another, allowing Lin Niang to gain more and more power.

  Liu Kun's family looked at Wang Shi with a cold eye, already knowing the situation, and continued to say: "The old lady said that since ancient times, women who get married are all dependent on their husbands. The mistress is not close to her husband's heart, but only thinks about some money and personal matters, which is a reversal of priorities."

  After half a while, Mr. Wang nodded and slowly took a sip of tea.

  Liu Kun's family felt relieved, picked up the fan beside him and slowly shook it again: "Madam was originally a straightforward person, who knew that those fox spirits' tricks would make Lin Niang and Master have private affairs in secret, but she didn't know. If she had discovered it earlier, before things got out of hand, she could have secretly reported to Old Lady and married off Lin Niang immediately. Master wouldn't have been able to do anything about it. But instead, she waited until things got out of control, and even if Madam made a fuss again, it wouldn't be useful anymore. This is Madam's second mistake."

  Wang sighed bitterly. She had regretted this matter from the beginning, but blamed herself for being careless and neglecting her mother-in-law's affairs.

  Liu Kun's family continued to say: "Finally, and most importantly, the old woman said that you are also not strict in your rules and etiquette, so you can't speak up for yourself in front of the master."

  Mrs. Wang was dissatisfied and immediately wanted to argue, but was gently pressed down on the shoulder by Liu Kun's family and comforted: "Don't worry, madam, listen to me slowly. The old lady said that you, as a daughter-in-law, not only don't set rules in front of your mother-in-law, but also rarely visit her, only going once or twice a month, and each time with a cold face, saying no more than a few words. Your mother-in-law takes care of all her own food, clothing, and living expenses, and you don't worry about it at all, which is considered very unfilial. Even if the old lady is cold and doesn't like to be disturbed by others, you should still fulfill your filial duties."

  The Wang family did not speak out, but this sentence hit the nail on the head. In fact, many people in Quanzhou had secretly discussed their mother-in-law and daughter-in-law relationship. Several close friends had also talked to her about this matter, advising her to be more filial to her mother-in-law so as not to be criticized by others. At that time, she did not take it seriously, and the old lady exempted her from paying respects every day, which made her happy to obey.

  Liu Kun's family looked at Wang Shi with a flickering gaze, knowing what she was thinking in her heart. He said slowly: "Filial piety is always good, first of all, it's the reputation of the madam. In the past, Wei Dage's father also favored his concubine and wanted to abandon his wife, but Wei Lao Tai Tai served her mother-in-law so well that everyone in Jinling knew about her filial heart, and Wei Lao Ye couldn't do anything about it."

  Wang felt that there was great reason in this, and said no more. Liu Kun's family went on to say: "This is secondary, sir has done some things that are not in line with etiquette, you can't blame him, but the old lady can say it, when the master wanted to promote Lin Niangniang to the Zhuangzi store, you opened your mouth, people would inevitably say that you were jealous and couldn't tolerate others. If the old lady had said a few words at the time, it wouldn't have been like this today."

  Wang patted the armrest of the rattan chair and sighed softly: "That's right, at that time I was really confused, only knowing to quarrel with the old master and mistress, but not grasping the seven inches, just making a useless fuss, and inadvertently benefiting that cheap servant who took advantage of it. Fortunately, you enlightened me today, and I realized the reason for this. The past is indeed my fault."

  "Madam, now that you've come to your senses, let's just forget about what happened before. From now on, we must plan carefully and not be taken advantage of again."

  Wang sighed deeply, grasped Liu Kunjia's hand and choked with sobs: "I only knew how to show off my prowess all these years, but unexpectedly things have come to this pass; from now on you must help me more often."

  Liu Kun's family hurriedly leaned to one side and said that they didn't dare, the two masters and servants were polite to each other, one of the little girls lying on the four-poster bed moved slightly, Yao Yiyi relaxed her numb legs, opened her eyes a slit and looked at the little girl sleeping like a pig next to her, Sheng Rulan, she was lightly snoring, it seemed that this one was really asleep.

  Yao Yiyi swore to the mud-rock flow that she wasn't intentionally eavesdropping, she had been awake for a long time, but was too lazy to move or speak, so she closed her eyes and continued lying down. Who knew these two ajummas actually treated this place like a chat room? From moving house to raising daughters, they talked all the way to love, hate, romance, and grudges, getting more and more excited, more and more into the drama, Yao Yiyi was too embarrassed to wake up.

  "...our master is not a fool, he's doing well in his official career and knows what's going on. You mustn't try to outsmart him, madam, or you'll only make things worse. As a straightforward person, how can you compare with Lin's cunning and flirtatious ways? What's most important for you now is to be virtuous and obedient. To your superiors, you should show respect and filial piety to the old lady. I've noticed that our master holds her in high esteem. Even if you can't visit her every morning and evening, you should at least go see her from time to time, ask after her well-being, and make a good show of it. As for those below you, you should take good care of Sixth Sister. Our master still feels guilty about Wei's death, so the better you treat Sixth Sister, the more he'll remember how Wei died, and the more virtuous and loving you'll appear. Over time, our master's heart will come back to you."

  Yao Yiyi thinks that Liu Kun's family has a way of speaking that is too artistic, and if she were to summarize her advice, it would be: Madam, take a look at yourself in the mirror, we should be down-to-earth and practical. You and Lin Niangniang can't compare with each other in terms of feminine charm, but don't worry, even if you can't be Andy Lau, you can still be Ou Yang Zhenhua. Just serve your mother-in-law well, take care of the children, play the family affection card and the virtue card, and walk the old mother's road, that's still a winning strategy.

  "...Sixth Sister hasn't been eating or speaking these past few days, Madam should pay more attention to her. Sixth Sister is just a maid's daughter, she doesn't have any share in the family property, so it would be best to prepare a dowry and marry her off soon. It won't affect Madam's affairs, and she can also keep Fifth Sister company, isn't that right?"

  Yao Yiyi closed her eyes tightly, even more unwilling to wake up. Thinking that a promising young person like herself had fallen to such a state was simply unbearable. Moreover, this skin and herself seemed not very compatible, making her always feel unwell, and she didn't even feel hungry. Yao Yiyi, who refused to accept reality, remained negative and lazy at the moment.