Chapter 33: Idle Gossip

That evening, after pickling the new radishes, Pear Moon went to bed on the kang.

These days, selling pickled radishes had left them with considerably more spending money.

Autumn Abundance busied herself buying scented powder, hair oil, and silk sweat towels, while Huan Huan wanted to buy candies, hot cakes, and snacks.

The two of them spent all day snatching sweat towels and grabbing treats, making a tremendous racket.

Pear Moon leaned against her pillow, pondering Er Shun’s words.

Third Mistress Shen had visited on the day of the Spring Day Banquet, and Third Young Master Shen was a secretary in the Ministry of Rites.

Could such a coincidence exist in this world?

Who said relatives wouldn’t trip you up? Shen Shi now couldn’t stand to see her husband prosper.

Pear Moon also wondered to herself: if she could see this, how could Young Master not?

Why didn’t he suspect his in-laws, only sending gifts to the Directorate of Ceremonial?

The Directorate of Ceremonial managed the inner court, holding the authority for vermilion endorsements on imperial edicts. The Seal-holding Eunuch bore the title of Inner Chancellor.

The Seal-holding Eunuch, along with the Garrison Eunuchs in various regions, was called the Grand Bell by those in the capital.

They formed their own faction in the court, subtly opposing the Grand Secretariat.

These matters were beyond the understanding of a young maid, but Pear Moon had heard them from the Shen family’s accompanying servants.

Shen Shi’s father, Grand Secretary Shen, despised eunuchs’ involvement in court politics all his life.

The Grand Secretariat under the Shen family’s control was at odds with the Directorate of Ceremonial overseen by Eunuch Lu.

Whenever the Shen family’s disciples and students mentioned the Eunuch Faction, they would spit in contempt.

Ningguo Mansion, being both a hereditary noble family and imperial in-laws, naturally wasn’t so pure and upright.

They sent customary gifts during festivals, but had no personal connections with Seal-holding Eunuch Lu.

Pear Moon’s mind wandered all night, and the next day she was still dazed while working at the stove.

Chun Tang arrived at the small kitchen early in the morning, wearing a faded blue satin jacket, looking disheveled.

It was said she had been scolded by Angelica Orchid again, losing even the task of lifting door curtains, and could only come to the small kitchen to deliver meals.

Pear Moon thought her misfortune lay in her quick tongue—she couldn’t keep idle talk to herself.

“Today is the palace banquet. Madam Ning has taken the eldest young lady into the palace. Our mistress also received an invitation, but she gave it to Third Mistress Shen some days ago.”

The current empress had passed away early, leaving few high-ranking consorts in the palace.

In previous years, it was the Duke of Ningguo’s half-sister, Consort Ning, who presided.

After Consort Ning’s death, the favored one was Consort He, also a relative of Ningguo Mansion.

Because of these connections, Madam Ning always sat in the seat of honor at palace banquets.

Chun Tang had melon seeds tucked in her sleeve, popping them into her mouth one by one, her teeth already worn with a small groove.

“Invitations to palace banquets—others beg for them and can’t get them. If Third Mistress Shen hadn’t asked, our mistress wouldn’t have given it to her. Third Mistress Shen is a merchant’s daughter; she doesn’t care for gold, pearls, or jewels, always wanting to spend money to climb higher. When our mistress married, she contributed half the dowry—that’s a fortune!”

She rattled on about Shen Shi’s family affairs like beans pouring from a bamboo tube, chattering endlessly.

Shen Shi’s lavish dowry—was it actually subsidized by her third sister-in-law?

Pear Moon couldn’t hide her astonishment.

Chun Tang, having talked to herself with no one listening, finally found an audience and eagerly pulled a stool closer.

“Third Mistress Shen has always spent money to save face, but this time it’s different. Palace banquet invitations are of great importance; our mistress originally didn’t want to give it. That time I was in the Main Chamber, I heard…”

“Xiao Yue! The cake porridge is stewed—why haven’t you ladled it into the food container yet?”

Pear Moon, concentrating intently, was startled by Aunt Cao’s shout and hurriedly turned to run off.

Chun Tang awkwardly stopped talking, secretly grabbing a steamed pastry to tuck into her sleeve.

After serving breakfast, she returned with the pastry in her mouth:

“…Our mistress had Third Young Master Shen suppress the imperial edict, preventing Young Master from inheriting the title…”

“Keep talking nonsense and I’ll slap you!”

Aunt Cao glared and snatched up a broom, sending Chun Tang stumbling away in a hurry.

Pear Moon immediately buried her head in carving radishes, afraid of getting hit.

“All the maids in this house are like sieves—good words and bad alike leak out! Even women from humble families know to keep their mouths shut when they marry into their husband’s home!”

Aunt Cao muttered through gritted teeth, and Pear Moon could tell she was criticizing one person while pointing at another.

So it was true—Shen Shi had asked her brother to block her husband from inheriting the title!

Never mind whether Shen Shi’s actions were right or wrong, at the very least, she should have kept them secret.

If even Chun Tang knew about it, who in the world didn’t?

Pear Moon had been agonizing last night over whether to tell Jade Ink about this or mention it to Er Shun.

Now it seemed completely unnecessary.

The aunties and grannies in the small kitchen were already whispering and gossiping about it.

Probably in less than half a day, the entire Ningguo Mansion would know.

Was it really necessary for a married couple to fight like this?

Pear Moon couldn’t understand it.

Even if Shen Shi and the Young Master were at odds in their hearts, they should at least maintain a united front on the surface.

By having her brother trip up her husband, she was targeting the hereditary title of his family.

Not only would this drive a wedge between husband and wife, but it would also pit the Shen family against the Ning family.

Wouldn’t that turn in-laws into enemies?

Even a little maid like her understood these principles, so how could Shen Shi, a lady from a prominent family, not know?

But she was trapped by her status as a noblewoman, unable to lower her pride.

The more Shen Shi clung to her status and refused to admit fault, the more the Young Master saw her as cruel and vicious.

The two neither met nor spoke.

That day, General Tan came to visit again, and the Young Master invited him to stay for drinks.

Shen Shi, seething with anger, directly sent Granny He to the small kitchen with strict orders not to send any wine or dishes.

Granny He, as if receiving an imperial decree, tottered into the kitchen, grabbed Aunt Cao, and spat in her face:

“The mistress scolds you: Others raise dogs that know how to protect their masters, but the dogs I raise only know how to bite sheep!”

Then she cursed on her own: “Traitorous wretch! Don’t forget your roots!”

Aunt Cao, unable to bear the insult, burst into tears, threw down her spatula, and quit on the spot.

These days, Granny Zhao wasn’t managing affairs, and Granny He was temporarily in charge of Phoenix Ripple Courtyard.

Among the profitable spots in Phoenix Ripple Courtyard, the small kitchen was naturally one.

Granny He had long wanted to push Aunt Cao out and replace her with someone more obedient to her.

She was overjoyed to see Aunt Cao leave. Poking her cane on the ground, she pointed at Aunt Cao’s retreating back and cursed:

“Shameless hussy! Without Zhang the butcher, do we have to eat hairy pigs? Who in this room doesn’t know how to cook soup or make dishes? Smashing pots and bowls—who do you think you’re trying to intimidate?”

After cursing, she randomly pointed to a vegetable-cutting woman and told her to hurry up and start cooking, so as not to delay Shen Shi’s dinner.

Then she went back and gave Shen Shi an exaggerated account, resulting in Aunt Cao’s wages being docked for three months.

She only regretted that Aunt Cao wasn’t a servant of the Shen family, or else she would have sold her off.

As soon as Aunt Cao left, the small kitchen fell into chaos.

The woman temporarily put in charge was Granny He’s goddaughter, called Mama Hu, who usually chopped vegetables and made steamed dishes.

Her cooking wasn’t great, but she was quick with her hands. There wasn’t a thing she didn’t steal—cooked meat, eggs, vegetables, fruits, or pastries.

With Granny He backing her, she grinned from ear to ear, practically wanting to dismantle the pots and take them home.

Within three to five days, the chicken coops and fish tanks were half empty, and the charcoal supply was mostly depleted.

Afraid of arousing envy, Mama Hu prepared a few dishes and wine to treat everyone: “I’m in charge thanks to everyone’s support. Any shortages will be recorded under Aunt Cao’s name.”

But could she just record it as she pleased? Aunt Cao had been so meticulous, noting down even an extra spoonful of oil.

Pear Moon, fearing trouble, sold the remaining dozen or so jars of pickled radishes and stopped her side business.

Originally planning to visit Aunt Cao in the servants’ quarters that evening, Pear Moon knocked on the door only to find out she had returned to her parents’ home that day.

What if she never comes back?

Pear Moon felt frustrated. She had spent six taels of silver to show respect to Aunt Cao and had only learned seven or eight major dishes.

Even worse, from then on, the meals for Tranquil Study were delivered by the small kitchen of Brocade Prosperity Hall.

When the Young Master hosted guests for drinks, he would send Er Shun to order from the restaurants on Imperial Street.

She lost the chance to cook at the stove and could only go back to washing vegetables, tending the fire, scrubbing pots, and doing miscellaneous chores.

Autumn Abundance cracked melon seeds, laughing uncontrollably: “Wasted your money for nothing, now you’re stuck, aren’t you?”

“Do you know why the mistress was angry that day when General Tan came?”

“Why?” Pear Moon was puzzled.

“General Tan is part of the Eunuch Faction, as Sister Chun Tang said.”