Chapter 2, Continuation of Reasoning Regarding One's Own Condition
In this place, the popular dishes are mixed rice and rice topped with gravy, where meat or vegetable stew is often poured over steamed rice, constituting a meal. Wealthy families may also serve grilled fish or meat along with side dishes. Yu Cailing, who already appreciated A Lu's culinary skills, feigned a slightly shy demeanor, lowered her head, and went inside to wash her hands in preparation for the meal
The lunch was indeed fragrant and delicious, with the rich aroma of the braised meat soup mixed with rice, and the refreshing and exquisite mushroom fish soup. Not only the children, but even Fu Yi and Fu Deng, father and son, had their appetites greatly stimulated. Originally, people only had two meals a day, but since Yu Cailing had just recovered from a serious illness, Zhu hated not being able to provide her with five meals a day for nourishment, which naturally benefited A Mei and her siblings. The two little faces have been looking glossy and plump these days.
Fu Yi nodded in satisfaction, paused for a moment, and suddenly said: "Has the old man Qiu married off another daughter?" Every time he comes back, it seems he hears this old village head marrying off his daughters. "How many daughters does he actually have?"
Zhu stopped for a moment, pressed her lips together, and said: "You were much better by the time you arrived. That day, the young lady nearly lost her life. It was also my oversight; I was a few days late, thinking that A Yue..." Mentioning this name, her expression darkened.
Yu Cailing was drowsily pulled into the carriage. Although Zhu originally wanted to give her a few more instructions, she had to give up under the gaze of the crowd. However, Amei and Aliang were reluctant to part. The carriage was filled with luxurious cushions and bedding, but unfortunately, ancient horse-drawn carriages lacked shock-absorbing devices. In just the time it took to burn two sticks of incense, Yu Cailing was completely jolted awake, listening to a sharp, nagging female voice that had been incessantly talking since she got on the carriage—actually, it was constantly criticizing her for lacking the demeanor of a lady, for being unruly and difficult to manage, and how hard her lady had worked to educate her.
Zhuo Leng snorted softly, then picked up the comb to groom her husband's hair: "I have not been in the residence and have not seen the young lady. I thought she was being led astray by those shameless women, thinking that she was still young and could be taught properly when the lady returns. Who would have thought, hmph, the young lady is actually quite good. After waking up, she spoke in a gentle manner. I was afraid she was feeling down, so I asked Amei to take her out to play. On the day of Aunt Qiu's wedding, I had you send those two guards you gave me to accompany them to watch the festivities, and sure enough, she returned in a much better mood, more cheerful and talkative.
Seeing Yu Cailing looking lost and dejected, Zhu Xin felt a pang of sympathy. She wanted to tell her something, but recalled the lady's instructions and dared not say much. She softly said: "Young lady, do not be afraid. Just calm your heart and proceed as it should be."
Yu's father and mother were the first couple in the town to divorce after the reform and opening up. Although many couples divorced afterwards, the level of public discussion at that time was unprecedented. Even Yu Cailing, who was still in kindergarten, was pointed at and talked about every day. Instead of being made to feel inferior and timid by public opinion, she underwent a peculiar reverse evolution, developing a thick skin and a hardened heart.
The cold wind of winter blew refreshingly. After returning home, Yu Cailing handed the fish to Zhu, smiling as she said, "Is there still some lard from a few days ago? Fry the fish heads until they are crispy, and let's use those fresh mushrooms to make fish soup. Amei's father and brother have come from afar, and soup is the most nourishing." At this time, there were not enough tools to make a well-crafted iron pot, so stir-frying was not an option, but frying with some oil was still possible.
Li Guanfu was dressed in a deep blue curved hem gown, with a set of scarlet brocade belt wrapped around her waist, adorned with numerous gold and silver embellishments. Unlike Zhu, who typically styled her hair in a simple bun at the nape of her neck, Li's hair was intricately arranged into three large buns. The two side buns hung like crescent moons by her ears, while a tall triangular bun on the top of her head was sharply pierced by three stout gold hairpins, resembling three incense sticks. The white powder on her face weighed no less than eight taels, if not a full pound. Yu Cailing felt a sense of despair regarding the aesthetics of this era and once again worried about her own appearance. The two side buns hung like crescent moons by her ears, while a tall triangular bun on the top of her head was sharply pierced by three stout gold hairpins, resembling three incense sticks. The white powder on her face weighed no less than eight taels, if not a full pound. Yu Cailing felt a sense of despair regarding the aesthetics of this era and once again worried about her own appearance
Fu Yi shook his head: "Old Autumn is too indulgent with his daughter. It is acceptable for a widow to remarry, but her fiancé is perfectly fine, yet she insists on breaking off the engagement to marry another man, which will surely invite gossip from the neighbors"
As soon as these words were spoken, before Fu Yi and Fu Deng could say anything, A Mei and A Liang cheered with joy. A Mei clapped her hands and said, "That fish soup is the best, and there are fish tails. Let’s prepare it the same way as last time, grilling it with ginger, chili, and fermented bean paste to eat."
Upon reflecting on this, she increasingly felt that the young lady was exceptionally intelligent, and that in the future, as a wife managing the household, she would undoubtedly be highly capable. The unpleasant rumors circulating outside must have been fabricated by those vile individuals to tarnish the lady's reputation— in fact, Zhu Shi was a shrewd woman; had it not been for her excessive loyalty and one-sided affection, she would have long recognized Yu Cailing's shortcomings.
It has only been three to five days
Yu Cailing pulled out her hairpin, sharply flipped open the lid of the small hand stove on the table, rolled up her sleeves, picked up the hand stove, and struck a pose like a little tough girl, fiercely saying: "You wretched maid, do you believe I will throw this charcoal fire in your face?!"
On this side, Yu Cailing was thinking about A Lu, while on the other side, the couple Fu Yi was also discussing her
Zhuo slapped the comb on the table and raised her voice, saying: "A sword has no eyes; it is uncertain for the troops to follow their lord in pursuit of a future. The lady's compensation for the widowed and the orphaned has always been generous. Has she lacked food or clothing? She has not been stopped from remarrying! When it was mistakenly reported that you died in Nanding City, I had the children wear mourning clothes, and I intended to find another to marry. Have I ever delayed the lady's affairs? Afraid of death, hmph! If one is afraid of death, one should be like A Xiang and let the man stay in the village. Although there is no future, at least the family is safe. When it was mistakenly reported that you died in Nanding City, I had the children wear mourning clothes, and I intended to find another to marry. Have I ever delayed the lady's affairs? Afraid of death, hmph! If one is afraid of death, one should be like A Xiang and let the man stay in the village. Although there is no future, at least the family is safe. To want both a future and safety, how can such a good thing exist!"
Yu Cailing stared fixedly at Zhu, thinking that she must ask directly, but her face feigned a pitiful expression as she said, "Zhu, have I really made such a grave mistake?" This question was like a deer hanging its horns, leaving no trace to follow, and she couldn't help but give herself a thumbs up.
Recalling the girl who was on the brink of death just over ten days ago, Zhu sighed, grasped Yu Cailing's hand, and said: "This servant will say one last thing, no one dares to endanger the life of the young lady." She still couldn't help but let a hint slip.
The distinction between being taciturn and being loquacious lies in the response to a statement. If Yu Cailing, with tears in her eyes, were to say, "I miss my father and mother," a loquacious person would take the opportunity to recount the entire history of Yu Cailing's parents, from their acquaintance and courtship to their marriage and children, and even to how they parted ways with their daughter. In contrast, a taciturn person, like A Lu, would either silently lower their head without uttering a word or let out a heavy sigh and simply say, "Indeed."
Fu Yi nodded and asked, "When?"
Fu Deng smiled and said, "The New Year is approaching, and I suppose the traveling artisans have all returned home." He then said to his younger sister, "What nonsense are you talking? That fish is for the young lady." He had already noticed that the young man had been stealing glances at his young lady.
Zhu Nu said: "None of them are good people! They bully young ladies without..." She slammed on the brakes, exhaled, and said: "Rest assured, young lady, they do not dare to be disrespectful to you."
"Madam, she is your aunt!" Li Guanfus raised her voice, "You don't even know who your aunt is!"
The steamed wheat rice has just been prepared, topped with a sauce made from meat, and accompanied by fish soup. Young lady, please help yourself generously. Zhu's gaze towards Yu Cailing was so affectionate that it seemed to be able to melt into water.
Yu Cailing raised her eyebrows and said: "I was seriously ill and nearly died. I have come to terms with everything. This is just my nature. If you want to impose your will on me, forget it! If you have the ability, don't come to pick me up! I will get off the car and go home now!"
Although Yu Cailing despised that cold-hearted old man, she was well aware that she had inherited his quick wit. Ever since she arrived here, she had not stopped planning for herself. Holding a fat fish, she looked around and sighed, wishing she could be more attractive. In modern times, an unattractive woman could still rely on education and work, but in ancient times, what options were there? Should she diligently learn martial arts to become a female bandit leader? On the other hand, at least she was not dressed as a servant or a concubine; having someone to serve her could be considered fortunate.
Zhuo expressed indignantly: "What wrong has the young lady committed! She has neither killed nor set fire, nor has she stolen or forcibly taken anything."
That afternoon, listening to the clamor of the Zhu family outside, busying themselves for half the day, I had a good night's sleep that night. Upon waking the next morning, I found the entire courtyard had changed again. Those warm and thoughtful daily necessities had all disappeared, and the jars and bottles of sauces and seasonings in the kitchen were reduced by more than half. The whole courtyard appeared desolate and empty—most importantly, Fu Yi and his son Fu Deng had left before dawn.
During these past ten days, she has not been idle, venturing out daily to observe the rural scenery and listen to the tales of families, both young and old. As the saying goes, what the upper class favors, the lower class will certainly follow suit; thus, the social customs of the nobility and the common folk are unlikely to be too disconnected. This rural area is, after all, a confluence of several noble families' private estates. In just a short time, she has heard the local farmers recount stories about the main family, including three cases of broken engagements and four instances of remarriage, as well as one case of newlyweds fighting each other. She has a vague sense that the local customs here are rough and bold, and the social norms are far less stringent than those of the ancient times she is familiar with. This rural area is, after all, a confluence of several noble families' private estates. In just a short time, she has heard the local farmers recount stories about the main family, including three cases of broken engagements and four instances of remarriage, as well as one case of newlyweds fighting each other. She has a vague sense that the local customs here are rough and bold, and the social norms are far less stringent than those of the ancient times she is familiar with.
"So many madams, which madam?" Madam, your father's eighteen generations of ancestors! Why not call her Mama Sang!
She found it quite strange; this girl was someone she had watched grow up since childhood. She was the type to bully the weak and fear the strong, behaving arrogantly towards the servants, yet she would soften when faced with someone more formidable than herself. Over the years, every time the lady punished her severely, she would return and be further coaxed and comforted, making her more obedient.
Yu Cailing felt assured
Zhu Xixiao said: "Her new husband is indeed handsome and has a gentle disposition"
Who would have thought that the officials would arrive so late? It was not until Yu Cailing had just fallen asleep for her afternoon nap that two carriages finally arrived, moving slowly. Zhu Xin felt disdain in her heart: the journey from the government office to this place takes no more than half a day. If they had set out before dawn, they should have arrived by noon. It was evident that the concubines of that lowly woman had become accustomed to laziness, only setting out after the sun had risen high in the sky.
Could it be that this child's parents have truly passed away? Yu Cailing was puzzled; she sensed that Zhu wanted to say something but held back, feeling quite regretful. After pondering for a long time, she could only whisper, "I fear that if I go back this time, I might lose my life."
Zhu laughed. At this time, most people cook food by steaming, boiling, roasting, or pan-frying. Little did they know that a few days ago, the young lady followed A Mei to watch the villagers slaughter a pig, and bought back a basket of fat from the pig's belly, asking her to render the fat in a hot iron pot. The aroma of the rendered fat and cracklings was so fragrant that it nearly attracted neighbors from several miles away. The cracklings can be mixed with rice or cold dishes, while the rendered fat has even more uses; it can be mixed with rice and fermented bean paste, or directly used to fry vegetables and fresh fish, all of which are indescribably delicious.
Upon hearing this, Yu Cailing felt a chill in her heart. Do not think that the ancients were foolish; in fact, apart from modern knowledge, she was not significantly superior to them. She had only taught Zhu once how to render lard, yet Zhu immediately applied this knowledge to learn how to render beef tallow, chicken fat, and duck fat, even experimenting by adding ginger slices, Sichuan pepper, and prickly ash to create sesame oil and chili oil, which were also easy to preserve. If it were not for such a clever woman around, Yu Cailing would have long since interrogated Amei about the current era, the dynasty, and the family background of this body’s parents and ancestors.
Fu Yi glanced at his wife, who returned his gaze without a change in expression, causing him to immediately soften; he then reassured himself that as a servant to the master, his position was still somewhat more secure compared to that of a general. On that day, the lady was at General Wan's residence watching the performances of various entertainers and praised a particularly strong performer for his beauty. The gentleman not only dared not refute her but also raised a toast to join in the merriment: "It is indeed my wife's discerning eye; although that person is somewhat inferior to me, he is still the most presentable among the entertainers." General Wan then sprayed the wine from his nose, leaving it unclear whether it was from shock or anger.
Yu Cailing had nothing to say, walking gloomily along the country path. In this barren ancient time, there was nothing to be had. The copper mirror, which resembled a funhouse mirror, and the stream were all she had; she could not even clearly see the size of her own eyes and mouth, only knowing that her skin was relatively fair. She also wondered whether the young man who sent the fish had a normal aesthetic sense; what if his taste was peculiar
For instance, her aloof father, in his youth, was fond of the cultured and intelligent Yu mother. Despite the disparity in their backgrounds, he married her, which caused his enthusiastic uncle to delay joining the party by three years. After becoming wealthy, the father began to favor mindless little vixens, leading a flamboyant lifestyle for several years. On one occasion, he nearly went bankrupt due to a business partner's betrayal. The Yu father then had an epiphany and married a self-reliant, strong-willed widow. Although she lacked education, she was practical and knew how to manage life, and together they continued to prosper.
Furrowing her brows, she realized that she had been increasingly fond of reminiscing about her past life lately. Speaking of which, why was she dressed as a woman? It would have been much better to be dressed as a man; one could study to become an official or retreat to engage in commerce or farming. She had no qualms about being in a same-sex relationship; there must be many impoverished and struggling handsome men in this world waiting for her to rescue them
If Yu Cailing pretended to be innocent and asked, "Zhu, do you know what kind of people my father and mother are?" Zhu would respond in a proper manner, saying, "As servants, how can we dare to speak of the master's affairs?" and would not say anything more. As a result, Yu Cailing did not even know whether her parents were alive or dead.
Today, I noticed that the young lady seems much more spirited. When I first arrived, she looked so unwell that it truly frightened me. After washing, Fu Yi reclined in the warm western living room to rest, allowing his wife to comb his hair.
Upon hearing this, Yu Cailing's first reaction was, "So the parents of this body are not dead after all," and her second reaction was, "Could it be that despite different paths, this body also has the fate of having parents who divorced since childhood"
Fu Yi twitched his lips; in fact, after the battle of Nanding City, he quickly entrusted someone to send a message home, and only a few months had passed. Therefore, he wanted to comment on his wife's consideration of remarrying—would it be more appropriate to think about remarriage after a year?
As long as it is not a criminal case, what can a civil lawsuit impose on a minor? Yu Cailing breathed a sigh of relief and pitifully asked, "Then... why am I being punished to this extent?"
"I didn't hear clearly." She淡淡ly adjusted her wide sleeves
Fu Yi looked at a small wooden tablet placed on the table—this was brought back by his Pegasus this time—and asked his wife, "Madam, what does the letter say?" He was illiterate.
Yu Cailing looked up at the emaciated woman, squinting her eyes. She had just heard Zhu call her "Li Guanfu." She did not like this woman at all; Li Guanfu glanced at Yu Cailing, clearly not fond of herself either.
"Did you hear what I just said, Fourth Lady?" Li Guanfus voice became increasingly shrill
Yu Cailing squinted her eyes; she is a person who values reason. Whoever treats her well, she becomes docile and compliant. If someone is rude to her, she will not hold back. She did not come to this wretched place to endure humiliation; if it comes to it, she would rather risk her life and return to be reborn!
Naturally, I know. "Uncle's old mother!" said Yu Cailing with a smile that did not reach her eyes
After the meal, holding a sweet citrus fruit, basking in the warm glow of the fireplace, and listening to Amei chattering about the gossip from the countryside, Yu Cailing suddenly felt that this life was not so bad, and that this punishment could very well continue indefinitely
"You, you..." Li Guanfù nearly fainted, her finger trembling as she pointed at Yu Cailing: "Do you know what filial piety and brotherly respect are? What it means to be gentle, kind, respectful, frugal? Such disrespectful words, do you not wish to be punished?"
Yu Cailing ground her teeth and turned her head with a stern face towards Fu Dengdao: "Aden, have you not yet found a skilled mirror polisher? I cannot see anything clearly in that copper mirror in the room." She really wanted to see what she looked like now, and also let Amei take a good look at herself. ... That country boy had secretly glanced this way several times; there were only himself and Fu Deng by this large round stone, surely he wasn't looking at Fu Deng ... um, it shouldn't be, right? That country boy had secretly glanced this way several times; there were only himself and Fu Deng by this large round stone, surely he wasn't looking at Fu Deng ... um, it shouldn't be, right?
Fu Yi observed his wife's expression and said: "Human hearts are fickle, ten years have passed. Before the lady and the general left, their youngest daughter had just turned three. I remember the general kept looking back while riding, his eyes were red. And don't mention A Yue; the man she was with before perished under the general's command, and her new partner is already somewhat connected to the Ge family. How could she be devoted to the lady?"
Zhu Xiao said: "I have already mentioned that it is the eldest lady, what are you listening to? The Qiu family has two sons and only one daughter, and she is a late-born daughter. Last time, it was about the eldest lady Qiu remarrying, and this time it is her third marriage"
Li Guanfu saw the girl being fierce and immediately played the elder card, raising her voice and saying: "Your father and mother do not care for you anymore, your aunt has raised you for these ten years, day and night, how hard it has been, yet you are so disrespectful!"
Yu Cailing was also displeased; she was not a kind-hearted person. After her parents divorced when she was young, she initially wanted to become a gangster's sister, but unexpectedly, she went astray and ended up attending university, becoming a law-abiding citizen
In the end, Fu Yi changed the subject and said: "Do not be angry. By the way, I have heard that she has become increasingly unruly, with a violent temper, often beating and scolding the servants, and her behavior is intolerable. However, now I see that the young lady is very kind, and the children also like her very much"
Who would have thought that Zhuo would suddenly say: "Tomorrow, someone will come to the residence to take the young lady back." This statement fell upon Yu Cailing like a bucket of cold water, leaving her stunned for a long time, unsure of where to begin her inquiries.
... ...
She asked the young lady who came up with this method. Amei interjected: When they were killing the dolphins and dividing the meat, a piece of fatty meat happened to fall onto the edge of the fire pit. The iron basin was pressed against the fatty meat, and the grease oozed out, filling the air with a fragrant aroma. It was then that the young lady thought of this—though in reality, she was busy playing with the children at the time and did not see the fatty meat fall into the fire pit; it was the young lady who told her about it afterward.
In recent days, Yu Cailing has tried to inquire indirectly several times. However, she does not dare to ask directly—whether anyone is in power at the residence, who is responsible for her daily life, or about the situation of her biological parents. A clever person would immediately sense something amiss, especially someone as sensitive as Zhu.
Those who finished eating early, however, killed a few chickens yesterday. I rendered some chicken fat from the chicken's abdominal fat, and it tasted quite good. Zhuo laughed and said, in fact, this is not a rare method. In the past, some people would catch the dripping fat while roasting fatty meat to use for cooking vegetables or mixing with rice, which is also very delicious. I just didn't expect that the fish and meat, after being fried, would taste so good in the soup, completely free of any fishy smell. This method is good, but it consumes too much firewood and fat; if one is not from a wealthy family, it would be unaffordable.
Li Guanfu was filled with anger. She had thought that Yu Cailing, after enduring so many hardships in the countryside, would have become more obedient. To her surprise, she was still so difficult to deal with. She could only suppress her anger and said with emphasis: "I say, madam, you are magnanimous and have already forgiven the mistakes made by the fourth young lady. This time, when the fourth young lady returns, she must obediently listen to your words"
Zhuo glanced at the wooden tablet and slowly said: "Everything is ready, just waiting for the lady to return"
Playing until the sun was at its zenith, the children by the stream gradually dispersed to return home. A rural youth, who had come to fetch his younger siblings, had been secretly watching Yu Cailing for a long time. Blushing, he handed three plump fish to Amei and then hurriedly ran away. Amei joyfully exclaimed to Yu Cailing: "Miss, someone has taken a liking to me."