Chapter 7, Everyone has a difficult life

Under the light spilling from the tavern, Chun Ying saw that the man had a handsome appearance, though his two thin mustaches made him look quite mature. However, she couldn't help but murmur to herself, this person looks to be at least in his twenties or thirties, yet how is his skin so fair and tender, almost comparable to the young ladies of the Cui family

"Still taking care of her?" Mother Lu sneered, "Nowadays, I can barely keep my own daughter safe, how can we take care of others!" Seeing her husband's expression darken, she reluctantly added, "The girl from the Cui family has a proper job now, so we don't need to meddle anymore; just leave it be. I know you have connections with Cui Da, but his wife has a bad reputation. Be careful, or others might drag you into it too. What will I and the children do then when we have to face people!" I know you have connections with Cui Da, but his wife has a bad reputation. Be careful, or others might drag you into it too. What will I and the children do then when we have to face people!"

She is also unable to let go of her daughter, which is why she is unwilling to live a good life for herself. On that day, Cui Da got along well with a few of us, so we took it upon ourselves to look after his daughter

With a wave of her hand, a large crowd of about twenty to thirty people quickly gathered around, startling Chunying. Among them were people of all ages, both men and women, bustling along behind the Yu family, heading west. Chunying followed the crowd, listening to their discussions about their destination today, which was the lantern market on Yibei Street outside Dong'an Gate. A young boy walking beside her mentioned that he had been there before, describing the unique styles of lanterns at the market, such as the jade rabbit lantern, dragon and phoenix lantern, hundred flowers lantern, bee and butterfly lantern, tiger head lantern, and revolving lantern. He spoke with such enthusiasm that the surrounding children were left in awe. Chunying carefully avoided the range of his spittle, and before she knew it, she had reached the edge of the group.

The daughter of the Cui family had a flushed face, and she reached for the broom by the door, intending to strike the man. Cui Widow let out a low cry, wanting to step forward to stop her, but hesitated for a moment before turning away, covering her face with a handkerchief and quietly crying.

Mother Lu left her husband and children behind and ran to the other party. The daughter-in-law named "Purple Fish" was also very excited and took her hand, saying: "It has been four or five years since we last met. How have you been?"

Chunying was still gazing at those pieces of jewelry, thinking to herself that even if they were not real gold, they must still be worth quite a bit. Suddenly, a pink silk flower was thrust out from the side: "Try wearing it."

As soon as night fell, Mother Lu eagerly urged Chunying to get dressed, and critically replaced her original flower with a pink gauze flower in the style of a spring peach. The whole family then set out together. Passing by the Cui family's house, Chunying faintly heard a woman's crying from inside. She slowed her pace, but her mother shot her a glare, so she had no choice but to quicken her steps and catch up.

Chun Ying hurriedly caught it, feeling somewhat puzzled. Wearing white clothes during the New Year, isn't that considered taboo? However, the fabric and craftsmanship of the garment are quite good, with very delicate plum blossom embroidery at the collar, and a few small areas at the cuffs and underarms showing signs of alteration. She asked, "Mother, did you make this?"

Mother Lu picked up the pair of pearl earrings, looked at them repeatedly, sighed, and ultimately set them down. Upon seeing this, Lu Yougui asked, "Are they the pair given by Auntie? Why don't you wear them?"

Chun Ying was secretly astonished; isn't this family quite poor? How does Mom have so many pieces of jewelry?

Chunying was driven away from the window by her, but her curiosity could not be suppressed. Taking advantage of her turning around to tidy up her things, she moved to the edge of the kang and propped the window open a small gap to sneak a look outside

"It's over; it's just that I have no fate with him." Mother Lu forced a smile and asked, "Where's your boy? Why didn't you bring him along?"

The man mumbled something under his breath, bent down to pick up the small package and tucked it away, then stole a glance at Widow Cui, his face full of resentment: "This isn't the first time; I know you've got a job from the government, but it's just a little maid. Is it necessary to act so high and mighty? Once you get in there, who knows who will benefit from it!"

Liu Guan Shi dropped the broom, turned to look at Widow Cui, and saw her crying so hard that she could hardly breathe. He couldn't help but feel a sense of pity, wanting to say something but hesitating. Ultimately, he sighed and turned to the Cui family girl, saying: "Man Jie, at least leave some face for your mother. Otherwise, what will she do when you enter the mansion?"

Lu Yougui felt his whole body stiffen at her words and reluctantly nodded. Lu Mama then turned around with a beaming smile and rummaged through the clothing chest, pulling out two slightly worn white silk jackets. She tossed the smaller one to Chunying, saying: "Take good care of it and wear it when you go out tonight"

As Lu was about to see something outside, he hurriedly turned to open the door, but was stopped by his wife: "Why are you meddling in other people's affairs?! Be careful not to be the subject of gossip!" Lu's mother shoved her son into his hands, casually slammed the door shut, and urged her daughter: "Stop looking, stop looking at the books, it will ruin your eyes!"

Liu Guan Shi sighed again, just as he was about to say something to her, he heard his wife's voice from behind: "Dear, it's getting late, we should be heading out." He turned around to see his wife standing there with their children, her eyes darting back and forth at the Cui family mother and daughter, her expression somewhat unfriendly. Feeling a bit guilty, he casually reassured the Cui girl a couple of times and then left with his family.

Upon hearing this, Chunying gained a new understanding of her surroundings. Just as she was contemplating the usefulness of this information to herself, she suddenly heard her mother joyfully exclaiming, "Is it a purple fish? Is it a purple fish?!"

That is what she brought upon herself! Mother Lu shot him a glare, "If she can't hold on, she can remarry; no one is stopping her. When Cui Da died, the maid in his house was only four or five years old. Steward Wang even personally came to ask if we should arrange someone for her to help out, but she refused. Now she is entangled with Wang's nephew, yet still pretends to be a virtuous woman every day. Bah, who doesn't know what kind of person she is! You better not send any more of the household items over, or I will not let this go!"

She took the silk flower, looked at it in the mirror, and placed it in the center of the hairband where the red ribbon was tied, feeling that something was a bit odd. She asked her mother, "What are we doing? Are we dressing up to go see the lights?"

Two men rushed out from the restaurant, pulling the person back with all their might. One of the young men, sporting a pair of mustaches, cupped his hands in front of Chun Ying and said: "Young lady, are you alright? My friend had a bit too much to drink and I hope he didn't frighten you."

"Of course, it's an acquaintance," Zi Yu said with a smile. "We used to work together when we were young, but we parted ways after we all got married." She glanced behind Mama Lu and asked, "Is that your second daughter? Did you have another son? What about Xia Ge'er?"

The daughter-in-law beamed with a smile and said, "Leave it to me! I know where the best lanterns are, and I also know a stall that sells delicious and affordable rice dumplings. Come on, let's go see the lanterns first!"

In the yard, that man had already taken several hits and was furious: "You shameless little whore, just like your mother! You took so much from me, and as soon as you climbed up the social ladder, you turned your back on me! If you need something from me again in the future, don't expect me to pay you any mind!"

The girl from the Cui family turned pale, her eyes red. With tears in her eyes, she looked at Manager Liu and managed to squeeze out a sentence: "Uncle Liu..."

Her face was as pale as a sheet of paper, and she timidly reached out to tug at her daughter's sleeve: "Man'er..." However, the girl from the Cui family ignored her, forcefully pulling her sleeve back, glaring at the man in front of her, and coldly said: "Take your things away! We don't need them!"

The girl from the Cui family wiped away the tears on her face, raised her head, and met Chunying's gaze. Startled, Chunying quickly withdrew her head and closed the window. After a while, the sound of the Cui mother and daughter closing the door was heard. When she propped the window open again to take a look, the courtyard was quiet.

Upon hearing this, the girl from the Cui family exerted even more effort in hitting him. Liu, the steward from the north room, observed the situation and found it inappropriate. He opened the door and rushed out to snatch the broom from her hand, advising, "That's enough! He is acting mad because he has been drinking; why stoop to his level?" He then turned back to scold the man, saying, "Why aren't you leaving quickly? Be careful that your father finds out!"

Widow Cui is about thirty years old, with fair skin and a slight furrow between her brows, exuding a sense of melancholy and beauty. She possesses a striking appearance, and it is evident that she must have been a captivating beauty a decade ago. However, years of hardship have rendered her complexion pale and haggard, though the charm in her eyes remains undiminished. She has a slender figure, dressed in a light moon-white dress, with a waist that can be grasped with a single hand. Standing next to her daughter, they appear like sisters from a distance, evoking a sense of compassion in onlookers.

Looking up, I saw not far ahead, among a few daughters-in-law gathered together chatting and laughing, one in her thirties wearing purple turned her face towards me, her expression also one of surprise: "Hong Li! Oh my, it has been such a long time since we last met!"

A daughter-in-law nearby curiously asked: "Sister Lu, are you acquainted with Sister Lu on the road?"

Moreover, the Li family was originally a scholarly lineage, with generations of descendants adhering to the belief that "all pursuits are inferior, only studying is esteemed." A few of the younger members, having seen their family fortunes decline, found it difficult to lower themselves to curry favor with the lord of the侯府, and were even less inclined to endure the disdain of the侯府's servants. Thus, they had no choice but to seek their own paths. Those fortunate enough found positions in educational institutions or as accountants, while others, less fortunate, ventured into trade, and such individuals were not uncommon.

The man was initially unwilling to back down and wanted to curse again. However, upon hearing the word "father," he immediately felt diminished. Stealing glances at the surrounding people who were all watching him, he couldn't help but feel both hatred and regret. He could only throw a harsh remark at the Cui family mother and daughter: "Wait for me!" before hurriedly leaving.

After a thorough explanation from her mother and the books, Chunying finally understood that "walking a hundred ailments" actually refers to a group of women holding hands to take a walk across a bridge. Married women would also touch the copper nails on the city gate to pray for a male child. Around the Lantern Festival, starting from the eighth day until the seventeenth or eighteenth, people would participate in this activity. The sons of the Hou residence, who had no official duties or were not on duty, would not receive the Lantern Festival treats and rewards bestowed by the masters of the household, so they would go out to stroll on the night of the fifteenth.

"Forget it, if I drop it on the way, I will be heartbroken." Mother Lu took a few gold and silver hairpins and a pair of gold bracelets, but she skipped over those inlaid with jade and coral, and instead chose a pair of earrings. She re-styled her hair, inserted the hairpins, and added two large red gauze flowers. Looking from side to side, she still felt somewhat dissatisfied: "It's a pity they are all gilded; how wonderful it would be if they were real gold?" As she spoke, she cast a glance at her husband, but Lu Yougui seemed not to have heard, as he was busy coaxing their son.

The road was at least ten steps away from her, and upon seeing this, he hurriedly said: "What are you crying about? Be careful, the housekeeper's wife might see you!"

This place is the back street of the Duke's residence in the Kingdom of Qing. On one side of the street, half of the courtyards are occupied by the Duke's servants, while the other half is not inhabited by outsiders, but rather by the Duke's own family members. However, their numbers are vast and their fortunes vary; some live in conditions worse than those of the servants, relying on the Duke's household for a meager existence. At times, in order to gain an audience with the master of the household, they even have to curry favor with the respectable servants and maids.

The road has its share of wealthy and some who are somewhat awkward, merely putting on a brave face: "It's just a drunken troublemaker." Seeing his wife with a face full of anger, he then spoke softly: "Forget it, she’s a widow and unemployed, it’s not easy for her either"

She jumped to the side and saw that the person was a young man, drunk and swaying, squinting at her with a smile, saying: "Little girl, pour me another glass of wine..." His hand was reaching towards her, and Chunying hurriedly dodged.

This was Chunying's first time stepping out of the courtyard after her time travel, and it felt quite novel. Outside the door was a road about one zhang wide, with many courtyard gates on both sides, from which light was spilling out. The right side was too dark to see clearly, while the left side was brightly lit. The couple from the Lu family chatted and laughed as they walked to the left, with Chunying following behind, cautiously inquiring about the situation on this street

Suddenly, a cart came rushing towards her, with the owner shouting, "Get out of the way!" Just as it seemed it would collide with her, Chunying hurriedly dodged. By the time the cart passed, the crowd had already moved more than ten meters away from her. She saw her father in the distance, holding her younger brother while listening to the young man talk about the lanterns, and her mother was chatting non-stop with Ziyu, completely unaware of her presence. Sighing, she was about to catch up when a drunken man burst out from a nearby tavern and collided with her.

"I just arrived yesterday. My husband sent the festival gifts to the village and took the opportunity to pay respects to the elders. Today, I just met some relatives and haven't had the chance to look for you yet." Ziyu looked up and down at Mama Lu, her eyes filled with tears, "Why have you lost so much weight?"

Chun Ying turned her head, seemingly lost in thought. It appears that the young girl from the Cui family, whose intentions are unclear, is also in a rather difficult situation

The purple fish had red circles around its eyes: "It's in the village. How could Xia Ge'er..." Mother Lu could no longer hold back her tears.

I can hardly recognize the way anymore; it was Sister Yu who took the lead. Zi Yu turned back and smiled at the woman who had just spoken, saying, "We can just follow her."

"I am fine," said Mother Lu, wiping away her tears. "When will you be back? Why haven't you sent a letter?"

This is a dress that Auntie has never worn before; she gifted it to me before her marriage. The one you have, I have altered to fit you. Come over and try on a few silk flowers. While Mother Lu absentmindedly answered her daughter's questions, she dug out a small wooden box from the bottom of the wardrobe, placed it on the table, and opened it. Inside were about ten vibrant and exquisite silk flowers or gauze flowers, alongside gold and silver jewelry. Chunying curiously leaned in to take a look and counted at least ten silver hairpins, among which four or five were inlaid with jade or coral, along with a few gold ones, four pairs of gold and silver bracelets, and five or six pairs of earrings. Among them was a pair of pearls the size of a pinky nail, radiating a warm and gentle light, set in a base twisted from gold wire.

Mother Lu cast her a sidelong glance with a smile and said, "Fool, of course it's to walk off all ailments!"

Only then did Mother Lu stop her tears, and she summoned Ming Chunying to pay her respects. She also brought her son over to show to her old friend, and then asked: "Since you have returned, it is natural that you are the one leading, isn't it?"

Over there, Mother Lu has already started to scold her husband: "Do you see? You never believed what I said in the past, but now people have come to our door. This shows that I was not lying. Do not say again that I am envious of others for being good-looking!"