Ultimately, for the sake of the Xu family’s reputation, Landlord Xu, his face ashen with anger, allowed Li Niang and the two children to enter the household.
However, any thought of formal status was out of the question. Yuan Ge’er, at least being of Xu blood, was granted the title of young master.
Tian Jie’er shared the same predicament as her mother—nameless and statusless, stuck in an awkward position. The Xu family servants secretly mocked them, considering a discarded concubine’s bastard child even less respectable than themselves.
In her previous life, it hadn’t been like this. Master Xu had ultimately persuaded Landlord Xu, appealing for the children’s sake—primarily for Yuan Ge’er.
Li Niang had publicly claimed to be the widowed young mistress of a gentry family from another region, who, with her in-laws’ permission, had married Master Xu and borne him Yuan Ge’er.
The Xu family simply hadn’t publicized the news.
With respectability and children, Li Niang had been triumphant, flattered and envied by everyone for miles around.
At that time, Xu Yue was an obscure girl whom no one paid any attention to.
Yet Li Niang still saw her as a thorn in her side, a persistent irritant. Xu Yue’s very existence and age were evidence that could expose her at any moment.
It was easy to imagine: a three-year-old legitimate younger daughter and a five-year-old legitimate son from the second wife—anyone with half a brain could figure out the discrepancy upon reflection.
Hence, the false accusation that Xu Yue had brought misfortune upon her cousin, leading to her banishment to the Outer Eighth Route to live with her grandaunt.
Tian Jie’er had taken the Xu surname and, due to Li Niang’s favor, received the full treatment of a legitimate Xu family young lady, commanding respect and authority.
Main Residence
Landlord Xu sent Xu Yue off to bed, instructing Lan Fen:
“The young master must drink a cup of milk boiled with almonds before sleeping. You must watch him finish it. Also, as the weather is hot, I’ve sent ice over. Don’t place the ice too close to Yue Ge’er—just let a bit of cool air reach him…”
Below, Master Xu stared in astonishment. Seeing Landlord Xu issue such detailed instructions, treating the child as if he were an ancestor, he couldn’t help but say:
“Father, you’re spoiling Yue Ge’er too much. In our rural household, when have we ever bought ice? He’s just a child—how can he handle such luxury?”
His words carried a tinge of jealousy. As the saying goes, grandparents dote on their grandchildren, but he had never seen a child indulged to this extent.
In past letters, they mentioned Landlord Xu’s love for Yue Ge’er, but he had assumed it was the usual kind of affection.
Now, seeing it firsthand, he felt that he and his second brother combined weren’t as important to Landlord Xu as Yue Ge’er.
Summer in Jiangnan was sweltering, and ice was expensive—a three-inch cube costing one mace of silver.
Even for a landlord family like the Xus, it wasn’t that they couldn’t afford ice, but that it wasn’t worth the expense.
Landlord Xu waved Lan Fen away, then snatched up a teacup and hurled it at his son. Water splashed across his face, leaving his cheekbone red:
“I’m still the head of the Xu family! If I want to buy ice for Yue Ge’er, what of it? As his father, you object?”
“Hmph, I suppose now your heart belongs only to those two born from that wretched woman’s womb. Poor Yue Ge’er, who misses his father every day…”
“Father, what are you saying? Yue Ge’er is my legitimate eldest son—how could I not care for him?”
Master Xu wiped his face and hurriedly explained:
“Yuan Ge’er and his mother have drifted with me through hardship, never knowing a proper day. I just feel more sympathy for them.”
Landlord Xu couldn’t be bothered to say more, his heart filled with sorrow. He only resolved to dote even more on his beloved grandson.
He spoke sarcastically:
“Anyway, you can keep that Li Niang as a plaything if you want. But if you think she’ll ever get a formal status—unless I’m dead!”
His father drew a firm bottom line, leaving Master Xu with no choice but to silently acquiesce.
He then felt a headache coming on, wondering how to face Li Niang. His heart was filled with guilt, feeling he had wronged her.
Skipping over this topic, father and son exchanged some matters.
Landlord Xu couldn’t suppress his pride and revealed that Yue Ge’er had become a disciple of Scholar Feng. He concluded with a sigh:
“This is a blessing from our Xu family ancestors! To have produced a Qilin child—if Yue Ge’er succeeds in the imperial examinations and passes with honors, our ancestors can rest in peace!”
Master Xu swallowed hard, all thoughts of Li Niang flying out of his mind. His eyes widened in excitement as he exclaimed:
“So, the Wen Shixiong that Yue Ge’er mentioned is the third son of Magistrate Wen?”
“Of course.”
Landlord Xu nodded proudly, casting a disdainful glance at his son:
“Among Scholar Feng’s four disciples, our Yue Ge’er is the youngest but learns the fastest and best—photographic memory, quick-witted, a natural scholar. Not to mention, Magistrate Wen’s family has invited me as a guest several times.”
“That He family fellow drank with me a few times. Hmph, he actually wanted to arrange a marriage between his daughter and Yue Ge’er…”
“Father, you didn’t agree, did you?”
Master Xu grew anxious. Marriage was about forming alliances between families—how could a rare talent like Yue Ge’er marry into a merchant family!
“Even if I were drunk, I kept my lips sealed. Of course, I didn’t let the He family succeed.”
Landlord Xu’s thoughts differed from his son’s. Yue Ge’er was a girl, and he intended to delay her marriage as long as possible. From now on, whenever anyone inquired, he would play the part of a greedy, profit-seeking grandfather—
Absolutely refusing, he aimed for higher branches!
If a magistrate’s daughter came, he’d demand a prefect’s daughter; if the prefect was tempted, he’d want a governor’s daughter. Eventually, he’d even stretch it to a duke’s daughter or a princess.
He was prepared to be shameless.
Once Yue Ge’er achieved success and could protect herself,
Landlord Xu thought, he would buy his dear granddaughter a few handsome men as guards, letting Yue Ge’er choose whomever she liked to serve her.
…
Night deepened, and the chill grew sharper than in the daytime.
Yet Master Xu felt feverish all over, his entire being in a state of excitement. He calculated taking some silver from his private savings for Yue Ge’er’s expenses.
Scholars had many uses for silver—he couldn’t shortchange the hope of the Xu family.
Then he remembered that his private savings were all stored with Li Niang. After asking a servant for her whereabouts, he eagerly headed over.
In the rear courtyard’s side rooms—three small, dimly lit spaces with only a few crude pieces of furniture—the setting was stark and humble.
Hearing footsteps, Li Niang quickly loosened a few strands of her hair and leaned languidly against the bedside. The lamplight cast on her face, making her appear even more delicate and gentle.
She turned her head, her voice a mix of reproach and resentment:
“You heartless man, you still remember to come find me.”
She had expected Xu Lang to embrace her tenderly and had already planned how to bring up her request—to have Tian Jie’er take the Xu surname and, ideally, be recorded in the family register.
But instead, she was met with a blunt demand:
“Where did you put my private savings? Bring them out—I need them!”
Li Niang’s expression twisted instantly.