Chapter 3
Chapter 3
After suffering a setback in the morning, Madam Liang gathered the neighbors in the afternoon to wail about how her new daughter-in-law was an ungrateful wolf.
She cried, “I gave her twenty taels of silver as a greeting gift-that was my private savings from ten whole years! Yet she couldn’t even be bothered to serve me tea, and every word out of her mouth was a complaint about how poor our Liang Family is! She doesn’t even consider that back when the Gu Family went to the capital to take up their post, our Liang Family pawned a family heirloom jade just to help them rent a house!”
The neighbors were filled with righteous indignation, one after another cursing Mengyu for being a snob who favored the rich and despised the poor, calling her a wicked creature.
Aunt Li was a notorious nightmare of a mother-in-law in the surrounding ten miles of villages. She offered Madam Liang a suggestion: “If you ask me, she just needs a good beating! Have Baishan show her who’s boss. A man’s fists are hard; even if she were a princess, he could beat her into submission!”
***
After eavesdropping on the conversation, Xiaowu’s eyes were red with anger. “Madam said that money was paid back to the Liang Family tenfold long ago. Besides, hasn’t our Miss married into their family now? This is blatant slander, how shameless!”
Mengyu understood that Madam Liang was building momentum.
“She wants to ruin my reputation. If she eventually sues me in court on the grounds of unfilial piety, the villagers will all be her witnesses. I certainly won’t stand a chance.”
Xiaowu grew anxious. “Then what should we do?”
After a moment of thought, Mengyu instructed Qianfan to take the pastries she had brought from the capital and distribute them to the various households.
“Make a scene of it. Just say that Madam Gu, the new bride of the Liang Family, has just arrived and asks the neighbors for their patience and understanding if there is anything she does poorly.
“Xiaowu, go get some red envelopes. Put one-tenth of a tael of silver in each and distribute them to those gossiping women.”
Xiaowu didn’t understand why, but she obediently followed the orders.
Before long, a commotion broke out in Madam Liang’s room.
Aunt Li’s voice was the loudest and her insults the most foul. Even as people tried to hold her back and persuade her to stop, she continued to jump with rage.
“I see now that your new daughter-in-law is clearly a good woman, and you’re just a shameless old hag!”
It turned out that Madam Liang couldn’t take her eyes off the money. Every time Xiaowu handed out a red envelope, she would snatch it away. The others were too thin-skinned to stop her, but Aunt Li was not one to suffer a loss. She immediately began brawling with Madam Liang.
Madam Liang refused to back down, shouting back, “This is my Liang Family’s money! What right do you have to take it? You have the nerve to talk about me? Everyone knows you’re the best at tormenting your own daughter-in-law!”
They fought fiercely, and those trying to break up the fight were slapped several times in the crossfire.
Even the most good-natured person would be driven to fury after being slapped, and soon everyone joined the fray.
A crowd of people scrambled and grabbed; the red envelopes were torn, red paper flew through the air, and silver bits were scattered everywhere.
Mengyu stood at her doorway, quietly watching the farce.
She thought to herself that Madam Liang was truly the most short-sighted person in the Liang Family.
That night, Madam Liang poked at the scratches on her face while complaining to Liang Baishan, who had just returned from his studies.
Liang Baishan possessed at least a modicum of etiquette. He advised, “Her dowry belongs to her. Mother, why must you fight her for it…”
“She married into the Liang Family! Forget her dowry-even a single strand of her hair belongs to our Liang Family!”
Madam Liang broke into another fit of wailing and shouting, making so much noise that Xiaowu didn’t even need to eavesdrop.
Mengyu acted as if she heard nothing. She took the contraceptive decoction and, without a second thought, drank it all in one gulp.
Qianfan advised, “Miss, perhaps you should think of another way. Drinking too much of this medicine will eventually harm your body.”
Mengyu nodded; she already had a plan.
Liang Baishan finally managed to escape from his mother’s room, feeling frustrated. Just as he returned to his own room, he saw his new wife’s maid carrying bedding, intending to go to the study to make up his bed.
Liang Baishan snapped, “I see Mother was right. You really do look down on me!”
Mengyu covered her lips with a handkerchief and coughed several times. “Husband, those words are hurtful. And here I was, keeping in mind that you’re soon heading for the Autumn Imperial Exams, worrying that I might pass this illness to you and affect your studies.”
Qianfan held up the medicine bowl at the perfect moment. “Miss has caught a cold and is currently taking medicine.”
Seeing Liang Baishan’s arrogance deflate, Mengyu pressed her advantage. “Since I need to recover during this time and cannot look after you, why don’t you go directly to Zhending Prefecture to prepare for the exams? There are more scholars there than in Luquan Village, and you can try to predict the exam questions together. I have specially prepared three hundred taels of silver; it should be enough for three months of room and board.”
It was more than enough! Liang Baishan’s face split into a wide grin, and he personally carried his bedding to the study.
After closing the door, Xiaowu said, “That much silver is enough for him to spend his days in debauchery.”
Qianfan smiled and tapped her forehead. “For once, you’re being clever.”
“Even I’m not stupid enough to miss that Miss doesn’t want to bear his children.”
For a woman, childbirth was a gamble with death.
Mengyu thought to herself that if she were to give birth in the Liang Family, she would surely die.
Madam Liang coveted her dowry so much that she was entirely capable of ‘keeping the child and discarding the mother.’