Chapter 18

The male servant from the Jian household brought in two baskets of fresh summer persimmons. He bowed to Scholar Huang and spoke with practiced ease, "Our master’s orchard, purchased last year, had a bountiful harvest this summer. The fruit arrived late last night, and the young master specifically ordered us to carefully select the finest ones to bring to you for a taste. We hope you will kindly accept this humble gift."

Scholar Huang thanked him profusely, exchanged a few pleasantries, and then invited him warmly, "You have worked hard. Why not come inside and have a cup of cold tea to refresh yourselves?"

The servant bowed with cupped hands. "We must return to report back, so we dare not impose further."

Scholar Huang asked again, "Has Yunzhang left for the capital?"

The servant replied, "The young master set off before dawn."

Scholar Huang nodded. With that, they parted ways.

In Da Kang, summer persimmons were considered a rare and expensive seasonal fruit. Previously, while studying in Taifeng, Scholar Huang had bought a couple of catties out of curiosity, but not knowing how to prepare them, he wasted them without finding any flavor; the fruit only left his tongue feeling astringent. It was only after consulting an experienced person that he learned they must be soaked in mulberry water for two days and two nights. Once prepared that way, they became a delicacy he never forgot. Due to the distance and the high price, he had never bought them again, yet now, Yunzhang had sent two full baskets.

Mistress Huang felt a mix of joy and bitterness. She had not expected the Jian family to own an orchard in Taifeng, and to send two baskets so casually—if only she had been bolder and less timid in the past... She looked at her daughter, who was fair-skinned, beautiful, and exceptionally striking.

However, even if she refused to admit it to herself, she had to face reality: any man would prefer the delicate and charming Mei-niang. If Qing-niang could not be a noble concubine, surely she could at least be a minor one? Thinking of this, she grew resentful toward Scholar Huang for not seizing the opportunity to send Qing-niang along as well. She looked at him with a heavy, unspoken grievance, though she dared not voice such private thoughts aloud.

Huang Wanqing, unaware of her mother’s convoluted thoughts, was only thinking of the delicious persimmons. Suddenly, she heard her mother instruct a servant, "Remember to send two jars of soaked summer persimmons to the Second Miss. Estimate when she finishes them and send more; do not let the supply run out."

The servant bowed in acknowledgment.

Huang Wanqing’s eyes widened. It took her a long moment to find her voice. "Mother, why send them to her? And so many?"

It was not that she had a grudge against Huang Shiyu, but having grown up in this house, she knew that whenever there was something good, Mistress Huang would rather bestow it upon the servants to win their favor than share it with her own stepdaughter. Now, to see two entire baskets being reserved for Huang Shiyu alone was truly baffling.

Mistress Huang replied listlessly, "Do you think these persimmons are meant for you? If she doesn't get to eat them, or if she's unhappy, then none of us will have any good prospects." They were merely benefiting from the scraps left over by Mei-niang. Without explaining further, she walked toward the main room, her face dark.

The truth was, she couldn't tell Qing-niang the details. As mentioned before, Mistress Huang had an older brother who worked as a junior steward in a wealthy household, so she understood the rules of the elite: a man of status would rarely take a concubine before his main wife had entered the home, unless he was marrying into a lower status. Even if one were necessary, they would usually sign a contract without bringing the person into the residence, or perhaps put them in a separate dwelling until the marriage was official and the woman could come to serve tea to the mistress. Of course, few men did this; it was troublesome and not worth the effort when they had plenty of maids and bed-attendants around.

Young Master Jian must have held Scholar Huang in high regard, or perhaps he favored Huang Shiyu. By setting her as a noble concubine—virtually a semi-equal wife—he was doing something significant. It was impossible for them to live together before the main wife arrived; even if they were to meet in secret, it would never be done openly. Thus, she was left at the Huang household for the time being. It was not that she couldn't be brought into the Jian residence, but for some reason, the young master had not done so, nor did he intend to inform Mei-niang. Scholar Huang had repeatedly warned Mistress Huang to let things take their course and not to babble in front of Mei-niang, or she would face the consequences. Mistress Huang knew exactly what those consequences were, so she remained cautious and restrained.

Such an advantageous marriage, which others could only dream of, was being handled by their family as if they were hiding a sacred icon. Mei-niang might not be happy, but Qing-niang certainly was. Why pretend to be so high and mighty? If not for Young Master Jian, her fate would have been to end up with men like Pei Sheng or Master Ma, who would have ruined her completely. Mistress Huang cursed silently, but she was helpless; if she offended Young Master Jian and severed the "marital" bond, it would mean destroying Yaozu’s bright future.

The taste of the summer persimmon sent a jolt of spirit through Huang Shiyu; Amber, her maid, felt as though she had ascended to heaven after tasting one. For a moment, she thought the young master of the Jian family was not so sinister after all—but it was only a fleeting thought.

Huang Shiyu’s first impulse was that she must let her sister taste such a wonderful treat. Her sister, Huang Yingzhi, who was nine years her senior, held a weight in her heart that no one else could match.

After the Dragon Boat Festival, on the eighth day, Huang Shiyu went to visit her sister. Among families of modest means, etiquette was simple; if one encountered elders, one paid respects, but there was no need to seek them out specifically.

She was surprised to find a new girl answering the door. Upon asking, she learned the girl had been bought only two days prior. Where was the senior maid? The girl knew nothing, only repeating that "Sister Xianglian could no longer work."

The girl called toward the inner room, "Mistress, the Second Miss is here."

After a moment of silence, Huang Yingzhi’s slightly hoarse voice came from within. "Come in."

Huang Shiyu found her sister lying in bed. It was neither morning nor evening; to be in bed meant she must be unwell. She hurried over, sat on the edge of the bed, and asked with concern, "Sister, what is wrong? Are you not feeling well?"

Huang Yingzhi did not intend to sugarcoat the situation. One cannot grow long-lived flowers in a greenhouse. She propped herself up, pulled herself from beneath the thin quilt, and sat calmly facing her sister. Domestic strife was something most women had to endure; she hoped Mei-niang would see the true nature of marriage and grow up quickly.

"Sister..." Huang Shiyu felt as if she had been stung, staring at the swollen, red palm print on her sister’s cheek.

Huang Yingzhi smiled with indifference, showing no sign of self-pity. "Don’t worry. I only took two slaps; no bones were broken."

"Was it Brother-in-law? I want to go back and ask Father to step in!" Huang Shiyu said indignantly.

"No, it was my mother-in-law."

Huang Shiyu froze.

Huang Yingzhi sneered. "Liu Antong is such a spineless man; how would he dare lay a hand on me? Don't tell Father, either. He is just an old pedant. Even if he didn't support the Liu family in divorcing me for being childless, he wouldn't care about these two slaps. He might even be grateful to them."

Huang Shiyu wiped her tears, gritting her teeth. "I will deal with that old hag. I have the strength and the means."

"Silly girl, do you think I don't have strength and means?" Huang Yingzhi held her hand gently. "It’s not that I couldn't fight her; I simply weighed the pros and cons and chose a path more beneficial to myself."

Huang Yingzhi had been married into the Liu family for over eight years. She had been pregnant only once, miscarrying before three months. Since then, there had been no news. She had seen many doctors and taken countless folk remedies, all to no avail. Old Mistress Liu was furious, constantly making oblique accusations that Huang Yingzhi was a hen that couldn't lay eggs.

In the fourth year of her marriage, Old Mistress Liu began buying maids—the cheapest way for a small family to get an heir without taking a concubine. Maids were cheaper, and if they couldn't produce, they could be sold off. Before Xianglian, they had already bought two. No matter how hard Liu Antong tried, nothing came of it until Xianglian finally became pregnant.

Eight years—finally, news of an heir. Liu Antong was overjoyed, and Old Mistress Liu was so happy she nearly fainted on the spot.

However, Xianglian’s pregnancy was extremely unstable, just as Huang Yingzhi’s had been. She bled at the slightest movement, so Old Mistress Liu treated her like a goddess, assigning people to serve her every need. That person was Huang Yingzhi, which was why she suffered this undeserved disaster today.

After breakfast, Xianglian began vomiting uncontrollably, and after stabilizing, she started bleeding again. The entire household was thrown into chaos, and two hours later, the child was gone. Old Mistress Liu sat on the floor, feeling as though the sky had collapsed. Assuming the worst of others, she blamed Huang Yingzhi for sabotaging the pregnancy and, without a shred of evidence, slapped her daughter-in-law twice. Liu Antong, cowardly as ever, only offered weak platitudes to his mother as he dragged her away.

Huang Yingzhi merely bowed her head and wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth with her thumb.

After hearing her sister’s story, Huang Shiyu’s face burned with rage. "I think Brother-in-law is the one who can't lay eggs! With so many women, why can no one conceive, or if they do, why can they never keep the baby? It’s clearly his problem!"

She did not yet understand the intricacies of men and women, but her logic was sharp. She grasped the point immediately: it took both a man and a woman to make a child. If this man could not produce one with anyone, it was undoubtedly his own issue.

Huang Yingzhi had long suspected this and had tried to persuade Liu Antong to see a doctor, but he refused. The more she pushed, the more he used her as a target for his frustrations, only to seek out more maids afterward as if trying to prove something. Eventually, she stopped trying and focused on saving money to secure her future, letting the mother and son do as they pleased.

She confided in Huang Shiyu, "I am twenty-four this year and not beautiful. Besides an old widower, I wouldn't find a decent family. The Liu family will eventually divorce me, or I will leave them. The only thing is, I must have money in my hands before I go, so I don't starve after leaving their door."

That was why she endured, to continue managing the household. Liu Antong had once loved her, so he secretly gave her a portion of his private money every month, and if he made extra profit outside, he would share some with her. As long as she endured, she could accumulate savings. If she were cast out or separated, her birth family would not care if she lived or died; she had to rely on herself.

"I will take care of you, Sister. I will provide for you," Huang Shiyu vowed. "I am working at the shop now and have a monthly wage. I’ve been saving every bit just as you said. When I marry, I will have a home, and I will bring you there."

Huang Yingzhi smiled and stroked her sister’s head. "Silly girl, what home do you have..." For a woman, the birth family is no longer a home once she is married, and the husband’s home is not hers either. "Find time to learn accounting from Shopkeeper Hua; only by managing money can you manage your own life. When you are capable of buying your own house, then you can talk about taking care of me."

"I will remember, Sister."

They talked for a while longer, and Huang Yingzhi handed over a small box containing four years of savings, along with the key. "I don't trust keeping this in this house. Please keep it for me, Mei-niang." With Old Mistress Liu’s lack of shame, she might even resort to searching her body before letting her go.

"I will, Sister. I’ll keep it safe for you," Huang Shiyu nodded firmly.