Chapter 89: Injustice

Though Pear Moon and Autumn Abundance were young, they understood Shen Shi’s longing for a son.

Ningguo Mansion was a hereditary noble family with a hereditary title to pass down.

As the eldest daughter-in-law, bearing children was Shen Shi’s foremost duty.

Not only the eldest daughter-in-law, but even Second Madam and Third Madam had exhausted every means to bear legitimate sons.

Pear Moon had once heard the grannies say that Second Madam had sought out gods and buddhas everywhere in her quest for a legitimate son.

She had visited every nunnery, temple, and monastery in the capital, spending thousands of taels on incense and offerings.

After giving birth to the legitimate Second Young Master Ning, fearing the child was weak, she had him given a religious name at a temple and made annual donations to the temple without fail. Thus, Second Young Master Ning’s childhood nickname was Little Monk.

For a man like Second Master Ning, who doted on concubines and neglected his wife, if Second Madam had no legitimate son, who knows what fate would have befallen her.

Third Madam had been married for many years but had only given birth to the legitimate Fourth Miss.

Third Master Ning often complained, blaming her for not bearing a son, fearing he would have no heir, and thus took many concubines into his chambers.

Pear Moon had grown up in Ningguo Mansion, witnessing and hearing all this, yet she felt it was unjust.

These men always had plenty of reasons to take concubines.

If their properly wedded wives did not bear children, they would complain and take concubines.

If they bore daughters, they would still complain and take concubines.

Even if they gave birth to a legitimate son at once, they would complain about insufficient heirs and still take concubines.

If there was any disagreement between husband and wife, they could use taking concubines as a means to control their wives.

The wives could not show displeasure, or they would be deemed unvirtuous.

Men could turn heartless at any moment, while women had to restrain their temperaments.

In Phoenix Ripple Courtyard, these two had quarreled for months, with Shen Shi refusing to yield.

But when word spread that Ning Yuanjun intended to take a concubine, Shen Shi ultimately lowered her head.

Perhaps this was the injustice of heaven’s way.

As noon approached, Ning Yuanjun returned from court and had just changed his clothes in the study.

General Tan arrived with gifts to express his gratitude.

Because of the life-saving favor from the previous night, the gifts he brought were extraordinary.

There were sixteen boxes of gifts alone, with fabrics such as Han brocade, Shu brocade, and fire-washing cloth, far surpassing ordinary embroidered satin and python-patterned satin.

There were also gold-inlaid jade belts, Gaharu incense, rhinoceros horn cups, South Sea pearls, and other items, dazzling when displayed.

For the kitchen, he brought whole smoked pigs and roasted sheep, ten jars of lamb imperial wine, and ten jars of premium Huiquan Wine.

Gifts like pigs and sheep were not considered expensive and were only given by close friends and relatives.

By sending pigs, sheep, and wine, General Tan acknowledged a familial bond with Ningguo Mansion.

Ning Yuanjun initially refused the gifts, but General Tan performed a grand bow at the gate and refused to rise.

Unable to decline for the sake of propriety, he had no choice but to have the gifts brought in.

As it was lunchtime, Ning Yuanjun hosted a banquet for General Tan and sent invitations to some colleagues and friends to join.

The guests first gathered for tea in the Tranquil Study, with the banquet set up in the pergola of the outer garden.

Ning Yuanjun ordered a small stage to be set up in the flower hall, where the mansion’s household musicians and performers would sing and toast.

General Tan also invited four famous courtesans from the capital to sing and serve wine at the banquet.

For a time, the garden was filled with the clamor of drums, music, and singing, as guests raised their cups and engaged in lively conversation.

When Granny Zhao heard that the Duke was hosting a banquet in the outer garden, she hurried to the small kitchen to give instructions.

She ordered Granny Fan to prepare several seasonal dishes and send over more exquisite pastries to showcase the household’s hospitality and virtue.

With yesterday’s experience, Granny Fan was less flustered and settled on six hot dishes:

Lamb Head Rolls, Lychee kidney, Pickled quail, Honey-glazed fire square, Sheep horn scallion walnut meat, and Oil-fried chrysanthemum fish.

The first three dishes were ones she had made yesterday, so she already had some experience with them.

Honey-glazed ham, walnut meat, and chrysanthemum fish were dishes she already knew how to make, but Shen Shi usually disliked them for being too greasy.

Pear Moon quietly shared a few tips with her, following Aunt Cao’s recipe.

Now, without needing any help, Granny Fan alone handled the frying, stir-frying, boiling, and deep-frying, effortlessly preparing six main dishes.

The kitchen maids watched in amazement, secretly noting how much Granny Fan had improved these past few days, no longer panicking even when preparing a banquet.

However, Granny Fan still wasn’t skilled with cold dishes, fruit platters, or appetizers, so she left those to Pear Moon to arrange.

Although it was just an ordinary guest banquet, Pear Moon didn’t dare to be careless. She prepared six types of fresh fruits, six types of dried fruits, six types of preserved fruits, and six types of savory and sour snacks to create a stacked mountain platter.

Among the fresh fruits were kumquats, honey tangerines, crystal pears, sugarcane, fragrant oranges, and red plums, all arranged in floral patterns on crystal plates, pleasing to the eye.

Pear Moon had honed her knife skills over the past few days and put extra effort into the preserved fruits and savory-sour snacks. She carved the usual dried fruits into intricate shapes, arranging them on plates like blooming flowers.

Carved plum balls, carved kumquats, papaya large segment flowers, and honey bamboo shoot flowers were not served on gold or silver plates but on fresh lotus leaves and lotus petals, shining like bright blossoms.

Soon, both hot dishes and cold platters were ready, packed into eight large food boxes. Granny Zhao personally led the maids to deliver them.

Granny Fan, worried that the dishes might not suit the guests’ tastes, quietly pulled Pear Moon along to peek through the garden’s side gate.

At the banquet, Ning Yuanjun sat in the host’s seat, while General Tan and several hereditary military officers occupied the guest seats.

At the head of the table was a eunuch dressed in a qilin-patterned red robe, likely under Eunuch Lu’s command.

Granny Zhao delivered the dishes and fruits with neither humility nor arrogance before leading the maids away.

The guests, seeing the exquisite dishes and fruits, naturally praised them all.

Pear Moon tugged at Granny Fan’s sleeve and smiled, saying, “Look, Granny Fan, the guests are praising the dishes you made!”

Granny Fan was also delighted and chuckled, pointing outside. “They’re too drunk to know the taste! With those girls playing the pipa and zither serving them, they’d even praise chaff if it were fed to them!”

This remark was indeed sharp, and Pear Moon nearly burst out laughing, covering her mouth.

In the capital, it was customary for officials’ households to hire singing girls to perform and pour wine during banquets.

Although Ningguo Mansion kept its own troupe, for grand banquets, they would still invite famous courtesans to liven things up.

This practice wasn’t limited to official banquets—even women’s gatherings in the inner quarters would hire singers to perform.

In the capital, courtesans were respectfully called “hangshou,” but the four who came today were truly top-tier.

They were no older than eighteen or nineteen, dressed in bright and elegant attire, adorned with delicate makeup.

Their voices were as clear as orioles, and they sat at the banquet holding their instruments, each smiling charmingly.

Pear Moon hid behind the side gate under a flowering tree, listening intently to the courtesan’s songs for a long while before reluctantly leaving.

Just as she reached the lotus pond, Er Shun was fishing by the water. When he saw her, he approached with a sheepish grin, asking for some fruit.

“Sister Xiao Yue, do you have any of those savory-sour fruits left? Give me a few to sweeten my mouth!”

Pear Moon took out some uncarved fruits and, seeing there weren’t many, gave them all to him.

Er Shun, greedy, snatched them and stuffed several into his mouth at once.

“General Tan’s case should be fine now, right? Why didn’t Miss Tan come today?”

Pear Moon had thought Miss Tan would come. After receiving her generous reward last night, Pear Moon wanted to thank her in person.

“Madam Tan is pregnant and nearly had a serious incident yesterday. Miss Tan stayed to look after her sister-in-law and couldn’t come.”

No wonder Miss Tan was so frantic last night, crying without a care for anything.

Er Shun chewed on the fruit, praising how delicious it was, and his tongue instantly became nimble.

“I heard that during the morning court today, Eunuch Lu and Grand Secretary Shen had a heated argument right in front of His Majesty. Grand Secretary Shen spoke up for Censor Tang, while Eunuch Lu defended General Tan. Our Duke offended neither side, saying there was no evidence in this matter and it could be dealt with slowly. His Majesty listened to the Duke, scolded Censor Tang for causing trouble, stripped him of his official position, and left everyone else untouched.”

So it just ended like that? Pear Moon couldn’t help but feel puzzled.

“Will the pepper case still be investigated?”

“Investigate what! The source of the hoarded pepper is in the palace, and His Majesty knows it well. Grand Secretary Shen was left embarrassed and didn’t speak a word to the Duke, his son-in-law, glaring angrily as he went home.”

The pepper case was finally concluded.

Some made money from it, some lost everything, some gained high positions and wealth, and some were dismissed from office.

Pear Moon let out a soft sigh of relief, grateful she hadn’t been greedy.

When she returned to Phoenix Ripple Courtyard, Granny Fan was washing vegetables and chopping meat, preparing the evening’s feast.

Shen Shi had already returned from her family home, but her face looked somewhat pale.