The first watch, asking for a pink slip.

****...............***

"...They say the new maid stumbled upon it, the little girl was young and hadn’t seen much, she got scared and screamed... As a result, everybody found out."

The one speaking quietly was Lady Wu Wang.

Lian Manman walked up the steps and leaned slightly to take a look into the east room. Through the glass window, she could see Lady Wu Wang sitting on the heated platform, and Lady Zhang was sitting next to her. The two were almost head to head, one speaking focused, the other listening intently.

Lian Manman walked lightly, so the two did not look outside the window and thus did not know Lian Manman had returned.

"Could this really be true?" Lady Zhang asked Lady Wu Wang, as if hoping to hear a denial from her.

"Well... we didn’t see with our own eyes, it’s hard to say," replied Lady Wu Wang. "Only in Taicang, the rumors are spreading like wildfire. You know, when faced with such a scandal, it’s hard to distinguish between truth and falsehood... Erlang’s wife did not admit to it."

After hearing these two sentences from Lady Wu Wang and Lady Zhang, Lian Manman already faintly guessed what they were talking about. She originally intended to lift the curtain and enter the room, but upon reconsideration, she stopped and just stood quietly outside the door.

With such topics, whether it was Lady Wu Wang or Lady Zhang, they would definitely discuss it behind her back. Yet, she was eager to continue listening to Lady Wu Wang’s words.

"Speaking of it, Zhao Xiue really is a character, even when she was a maiden she wasn’t like ordinary people... She didn’t admit it, and even beat up that little maid, saying the maid intentionally framed her. She was seeking death and living recklessly, she even... Alas..." Lady Wu Wang sighed as she spoke.

"What else did she do?" Lady Zhang hurriedly asked. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

"Zhao Xiue dragged Yuchang’s Wife into it, saying Yuchang’s Wife and Constable Zhou had dealings long ago, and she almost exposed it before, nearly causing Jizu to divorce her, which made her hold a grudge and deliberately set her up." Said Lady Wu Wang, "She even grabbed Yuchang’s Wife to jump into the river together, wanted to hang herself, fought with Yuchang’s Wife, causing chaos that originally, was in the county magistrate’s courtyard, now everyone in Taicang knew."

This really seemed like something Zhao Xiue would do, thought Lian Manman. If it were someone else, they would try everything to cover it up. But Zhao Xiue would not endure silently, even temporarily. If others don’t let her off easy, she won’t let others off easy either, even if it means mutual destruction, causing the Lian Family to lose face, Zhao Xiue completely wouldn’t care about such things.

"...Trouble..." Lady Zhang sighed, then asked Lady Wu Wang, "Is there really any shadow in Erlang’s wife’s matter?"

Lady Zhang was still seeking the truth.

"I just heard from others. But... I dare not say about others, when that little maid entered the room, there were only Zhao Xiue and Constable Zhou in there, no, I heard Er Niuniu was there too."

Er Niuniu, who was born last year, is the daughter of Erlang and Zhao Xiue. Because of her birth, Lian Jizu and Lady Chiang’s daughter Niuniu was renamed Da Niuniu.

Lady Zhang let out a long "oh".

Zhao Xiue and Constable Zhou being alone in a room, even if they did nothing, by the standards of chastity and etiquette at this time, they were already considered "not innocent".

"Zhao Xiue kept saying that she and Constable Zhou were pure and innocent, swearing oaths. Saying that she and Constable Zhou were neighbors since childhood, like siblings," said Lady Wu Wang.

"But they’re not real siblings, they are not young anymore, don’t they understand this taboo?" Lady Zhang said.

"Ha-ha," Lady Wu Wang chuckled twice, "They say, just talking, and what they talked about was legitimate, about Yamen matters. Asking people not to see her with typical women’s eyes, she stands more proudly than ordinary men, her words hold weight... It’s heard that she often meddles in Yamen affairs, Erlang isn’t ahead of her... Your Second Master seems to rely on this daughter-in-law to make decisions..."

This is unclear, maybe they really were discussing Yamen matters," Lady Wu Wang added, "Oh yes, she said Yuchang’s Wife and Constable Zhou are Yuchang’s Wife chasing after Constable Zhou, Constable Zhou wouldn’t agree to be with Yuchang’s Wife, and Yuchang’s Wife came up with this plan to harm her and Constable Zhou together."

"What did Yuchang’s Wife say?" Lady Zhang asked again.

"I heard that on the day of the incident, Yuchang’s Wife went to the Old Zheng Family to see Lian Xiu’er. Wasn’t at home. She also swears oaths that she is innocent. She said before Zhao Xiue falsely accused her, but the matter was investigated clearly at that time, it was completely unfounded..."

"So this matter... is it settled now?" Lady Zhang asked Lady Wu Wang.

"It should be considered settled," said Lady Wu Wang.

"How was it settled?" Lady Zhang asked eagerly.

"It’s said from start to finish, there was nothing, just that little maid who was scolded by Zhao Xiue the day before, held a grudge and intentionally framed Zhao Xiue. As for Yuchang’s Wife’s matter, there is also no shadow. Zhao Xiue apologized to Yuchang’s Wife, said she was infuriated, and the little maid instigated something," said Lady Wu Wang.

"What about the little maid?" Lady Zhang asked again.

"That little girl has been sold off with a servitude contract. I heard that, according to your Second Master and Zhao Xiue’s intentions, she was going to be beaten to death to set an example for the servants, so no one would dare to talk nonsense again," said Lady Wu Wang.

"Ah?" Lady Zhang exclaimed, "That’s a life we’re talking about!"

"Exactly. This matter was blocked by your Old Master. It is said that she was sold off to who knows where," Lady Wu Wang added.

A brief silence fell in the eastern room.

Lian Manman recalled what happened earlier at Er Ya’s house when Er Ya’s grandmother asked her about Old Master Lian and Lady Zhou, and how Wu Yuchang’s wife secretly signaled to Er Ya’s grandmother. Wu Yuchang had broad connections, and the couple was very well-informed. Could it be that Wu Yuchang’s wife had already heard about this incident at that time, so she didn’t want Er Ya’s grandmother to ask too much about the matters in Taicang?

Very likely.

Bad news travels fast. Lian Manman sighed, thinking that no matter how they tried to cover it up later, the matter had already become a scandal for the Lian Family.

"As soon as I heard, I rushed to tell you, so you might have some understanding of the situation," said Lady Wu Wang in a low voice, as if to comfort Lady Zhang, who seemed upset after hearing the news. "Your family separated early on, and each of you has been living your own life. These past few years, you haven’t really associated with them. Everyone in the ten-mile neighborhood knows this, and about those earlier matters too. Everyone knows you’re cut from a different cloth than them."

"Moreover, there’s an old saying, every family has its own problems. Who doesn’t have some troubles? Some families hide it well, while others let it out in the open. Small households have their small troubles, big families may seem glamorous, but there’s more to their stories inside."

"You’re right, we can only mind our own business; what happens with them is beyond our control. Let things be," Lady Zhang said.

"No wonder my father-in-law hasn’t sent any messages these days. Life is truly worrisome," Lady Zhang added after a pause.

"As an outsider, one sees things clearly. Over the years, we’ve seen it with our own eyes. Your Old Master favors the first and second households, but if you really talk about being filial and obedient, it’s you and your Third Master. When at home, it’s fine as you have your two households here and the surrounding community, but at a distance, with authority and people in the hands of your First Master and Second Master, just Old Master alone can’t keep them in check," said Lady Wu Wang.

After expressing their sentiments, Lady Wu Wang and Lady Zhang switched to other topics.

"Mom, sister, I’m back."

Lian Manman gently retreated from the steps, called out to the Upper Room, then went up the steps and entered, heading straight to the eastern room first.

"Oh, when did Auntie arrive?" Upon seeing Lady Wu Wang, Lian Manman feigned surprise.

"Just arrived," Lady Wu Wang replied with a smile, "Where has Manman been?"

"I went to my great-aunt’s house," Lian Manman said.

"I heard her great-aunt was a bit heat-struck. I picked some water chestnuts and asked Manman to take them over... There’s another basket too. If you hadn’t come, I was about to send someone to deliver it to you," Lady Zhang told Lady Wu Wang, then asked Lian Manman questions about who was home at Wu Yuchang’s house and how Er Ya’s grandmother seemed.

Lian Manman answered them all, saying only that Er Ya’s grandmother seemed fine, and it shouldn’t be anything serious.

"Can’t take the heat. This happens once a year at this time, nothing major is thought of it. It’s just a bit severe this year," Lady Wu Wang said, knowing more about the situation at Wu Yuchang’s house than Lady Zhang and Lian Manman.

"Auntie, sit down. I’ll go wash some muskmelons for you," said Lian Manman as she walked out of the eastern room and glanced westward, seeing Lian Zhizhi quietly doing her needlework on the kang.

"Sister, rest your eyes for a while," Lian Manman said.

"Manman, you’re back." Lian Zhizhi beckoned Lian Manman to come over and then lowered her voice to ask, "I saw you enter the courtyard earlier. Why did it take you so long to come inside? Did you hear what our mom and aunt were talking about?"

So, Lian Zhizhi had seen her enter the courtyard, but thankfully didn’t call out.

"It was mom who asked me to keep watch, and if someone came, to give a heads up," Lian Zhizhi explained. "I sat by the window, and I saw you on the steps."

"Then why didn’t you call me?" Lian Manman asked with a laugh.

"You’re not an outsider," Lian Zhizhi replied.

"But mom did say to keep an eye on people, didn’t specify outsiders," Lian Manman teased, squinting her eyes at Lian Zhizhi with a smile.

***...........................****

Here’s a first update, and there will be a second one in the evening. Asking for pink tickets. (To be continued. If you like this work, feel free to visit qidian.com to vote with recommendation tickets or monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)