After speaking her mind, Madam Jin felt somewhat relieved. She took a sip of tea and glanced at Xue Shi, who was dressed in a lilac soft silk jacket with a front opening and a white cotton twill skirt. Her hair was adorned with filigree hairpins and a Kingfisher Feather Inlay set with jewels, and she wore gleaming gold earrings, looking every bit the landed gentry's wife. In contrast, Madam Jin herself wore a somewhat worn blue satin jacket and a jade-colored skirt, with silver hairpins and bronze rings in her hair. The silver bracelet on her wrist was part of her dowry from years ago, and she had no other jewelry to speak of. Compared to Xue Shi, she appeared all the more shabby.
Although Xia Yun had passed the provincial examination and received gifts from local gentry, securing a minor official position at the yamen, an ordinary family might have managed to live comfortably. However, Madam Jin was exceptionally fertile. Though two sons were already married and a daughter had been wed, there were still two daughters awaiting marriage, a pair of twelve-year-old twins, and the youngest son, just seven years old, who had been sickly since birth. Seeking medical treatment and medicine had cost a great deal of silver, yet his condition had not improved; he merely clung to life, lying in bed. The family only farmed a few meager acres of land, so they were far from prosperous.
Madam Jin thought to herself that Xue Shi hadn't had much jewelry before either, wearing the same two or three sets of clothes day in and day out. How had she suddenly started dressing in gold and silver? Feeling displeased again, she coughed twice, forced a smile, and said, "Younger Sister Xue, you're dressed so elegantly. Tsk, tsk, all that gold and silver on your head is dazzling my eyes."
Suppressing her irritation, Xue Shi replied, "It's all thanks to her father's recent good fortune. He became the manager of a large pawnshop, so life has improved. Now that the owner has gone to the capital and the shop was sold, fortunately, the new owner still thinks highly of him and kept him on. In his spare time, he also deals in antiques, so we're getting by. This New Year, her father arranged to buy a few pieces of jewelry for Lan Jie, and I benefited too, having two or three pieces made."
Adopting a condescending tone, Madam Jin leaned slightly forward, looked at Xue Shi, and said with feigned concern, "Younger Sister Xue, I'm a few years older than you, so allow me to speak frankly. Now that life is better, you shouldn't waste all your money on gold and silver jewelry. There will be plenty of expenses in the future... If you ask me, while Brother Chen is still young, you should spend a few taels of silver to buy a fertile maid. 'There are three forms of unfilial conduct, of which the worst is to have no descendants.' The Chen Family must not let their lineage die out!"
At these words, Xue Shi's face fell completely. Ever since leaving the Lin Family, she had endured hardships with Chen Wanquan, putting up with his fondness for drinking and his temper. Now, just as they were starting to enjoy a better life, an outsider had the audacity to suggest that Chen Wanquan take a concubine!
Furious, Xue Shi was about to retort when Madam Jin added, "Without a son, how will Brother Chen face his ancestors in the afterlife? Even if he amasses a fortune, what good is it without a son? In the future, there won't even be anyone to attend to him at his bedside. You remember the second daughter of the Gong Family, our old neighbors, don't you? She's stout with wide hips, a sign of bearing sons. She's eighteen this year. If we bring it up with her family, they'll surely agree. Shall I go ask them for you tomorrow?"
Xue Shi sneered, "Elder Sister, you must be joking. 'No one to attend at the bedside'? I still have Lan Jie by my side."Madam Jin covered her mouth with a chuckle, the wrinkles around her eyes deepening, making her appear two years older than when she wasn't smiling. She said, "Xianglan will have to marry sooner or later—how could she stay at home forever? Unless you're planning to find a live-in son-in-law? Oh dear, listen to your elder sister's advice: what kind of decent man would be willing to be a live-in son-in-law? Even if you can't find someone like our third son, who passed the imperial exams and became a high official, at the very least, you should find someone with family property, shouldn't you?"
Xue Shi was so furious her hands and feet turned cold. Just at that moment, someone at the door said, "Aunt Xia's words strike a chord with me." Everyone turned to look and saw Xianglan striding in, a smile on her face. She first bowed to everyone in the room, then said to Madam Jin, "It's indeed better to have some property. Someone with only an empty reputation but whose family is burdened with dependents and dirt poor—even if our family is humble, we wouldn't dare form ties with such a household. How would we manage in the future with a crowd of impoverished relatives?"
Madam Jin immediately raised her eyebrows in anger, her chrysanthemum-like face tightening further as she sneered, "I was just offering well-meaning advice, and now I'm met with such sharp words from a junior. Don't think I can't tell—you're mocking our family between the lines. I was wholeheartedly advising your mother: taking a concubine is also a joyous matter. Your parents are getting older, and you'll marry sooner or later—how can they not have someone to look after them? I have no face to sit here any longer." With that, she stood up to leave.
Though inwardly relieved, Xue Shi still made a show of trying to detain her, saying to Xianglan, "You're just a child who doesn't know any better. How dare you interrupt when your elders are speaking? Hurry up and apologize to Aunt Xia!" But she turned her face to Xianglan and winked.
Madam Jin lifted her chin and snorted coldly, saying to Xue Shi, "You must teach your daughter properly. With such a sharp tongue, she'll likely have trouble marrying in the future!"
Xianglan's voice was clear and crisp, like a string of firecrackers, as she said, "I'm young and inexperienced—I still need Aunt Xia to teach me. I used to think that taking a concubine was something only wealthy families were entitled to. For example, in Aunt Xia's family, you have a son who's a provincial scholar. Now when Uncle Xia goes out, who doesn't address him respectfully as 'Old Master'? Such prestige and dignity truly warrant taking a concubine. Firstly, Uncle Xia and Aunt Xia are even older than my mother, so you need someone to look after you even more. Secondly, for the father of a provincial scholar to take a concubine is also a joyous occasion—wouldn't it bring honor when spoken of?"
Madam Jin never expected the Chen Family's daughter to be so sharp-tongued and unyielding, turning her own argument against her with a counterattack. Her face instantly turned the color of pig's liver. Seeing her mother at a disadvantage, Third Miss Xia stood up indignantly and said, "My mother meant well for your family! It's not like my mother is a hen that can't lay eggs—why would my father need to take a concubine?"Xianglan did not even glance at Third Miss Xia, addressing Madam Jin directly: "There are several points in what Aunt Xia said today that are inappropriate. Firstly, my mother is still young. In previous years when our family circumstances were poor, her health was frail. Now with proper nourishment and making donations at the temple to pray for a son, there's no worry about her inability to bear one. If Aunt Xia is genuinely concerned about my parents lacking a son, given our years of neighborly ties, you should be advising my mother to focus on recuperating instead. Secondly, my father has never entertained the idea of taking a concubine—he isn't even willing to adopt a male heir. If you doubt this, Aunt, you're welcome to inquire elsewhere. Thirdly, whether to take a concubine or not is our family's private matter—what business is it of yours? Aunt Xia, accustomed to mingling with market women all day, gossiping about trivialities without understanding propriety, no wonder you still lack decorum even as a scholar's mother. Though I may be untalented, I've served in a respectable household for two years and know something of shame. Let me tell you this today: advising others to take concubines and acting like a matchmaker to arrange such affairs—please refrain from such behavior in the future. Disgracing yourself, Aunt Xia, is minor, but if you shame Scholar Xia, people might think he's a gossip too!"
Madam Jin had never expected Xianglan to openly humiliate her with such a speech. Trembling with rage, she pointed at Xianglan, stuttering "You... you..." but couldn't form words. Furious, she stood to leave. Second Sister-in-law Xia, quick-witted, promptly supported Madam Jin and said to Xue Shi, "My mother meant well but spoke wrongly just now. I apologize on her behalf."
Xue Shi also hurried to smooth things over, scolding Xianglan, "No respect for elders!" and smiling at Madam Jin, "The young girl doesn't know any better, dear sister, please don't be angry with her!"
Second Sister-in-law Xia tugged Madam Jin's arm, urging, "Mother, sit down. This was just words spoken in the heat of the moment—nothing serious." She repeatedly signaled Madam Jin with her eyes.
Though Madam Jin felt like leaving, she knew her second daughter-in-law was shrewd and, being thick-skinned herself, eventually sat back down.
Second Sister-in-law Xia, skilled at pleasantries, first praised the room's decorations, then complimented Xue Shi's clothing, before steering the conversation to Xia Yun, extolling his exceptional talent and handsome appearance. At this, Madam Jin straightened up and began boasting about how highly Xia Yun was regarded at the government office. Within a few exchanges, the earlier incident was forgotten, and they were chatting amiably again.
Second Sister-in-law Xia, ever sociable, turned to chat with Xianglan, touching her hair and arms while examining her closely. Xianglan felt uncomfortable and subtly shifted away, but Second Sister-in-law Xia stepped closer, took her hand, and laughed, "Goodness, you're like a celestial beauty! The last time I saw you was years ago, before you entered the Lin household. Now you've grown into a young lady—so refined I hardly recognize you! Your spirited nature delights me too. I wonder who will be fortunate enough to marry such a lovely girl someday."
She chattered on, asking Xianglan about her daily activities. Xianglan replied modestly, "What else would I do? Just some needlework."
Second Sister-in-law Xia chuckled, "Needlework? Surely you spend more time painting now? How many taels of silver does one of your paintings fetch these days?"Xianglan was taken aback. Seeing the sharp glint in Second Sister-in-Law Xia’s eyes, she felt increasingly uncomfortable and said indifferently, "Second Sister-in-Law Xia, you jest. I don’t know anything about painting. Don’t listen to the idle gossip outside."
Second Sister-in-Law Xia smiled ingratiatingly, "Are you fooling me? Just tell me quietly, and I promise I won’t tell anyone else..."
Just then, Third Sister Xia approached. A year younger than Xianglan, she had rarely worn new clothes since childhood. Ever since Xianglan entered the household, she had coveted Xianglan’s bright attire and jewelry. She said enviously, "The flowers and ornaments in your hair are so lovely."
Xianglan, troubled by how to respond to Second Sister-in-Law Xia, took a brocade flower from her hair and handed it to Third Sister Xia, saying, "If you like this one, it’s yours."
Second Sister-in-Law Xia exclaimed repeatedly, "Oh my, how could we accept this?" Secretly regretting that she hadn’t praised Xianglan’s accessories earlier—otherwise, she might have received one too—she found it awkward to ask now.
Third Sister Xia took the flower. It was exquisitely crafted, with copper wire twisted into butterfly antennae and tiny garnets dangling from it, trembling delicately. She stroked it over and over, not even thanking Xianglan, and simply tucked it into her own hair. Then, gazing longingly at Xianglan’s head, she said, "The hairpins and ornaments you wear are also quite beautiful..."
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