Chapter 243

Chapter 243: Pregnancies Next Door One After Another

Madam Wang sat talking with Grand Matron, but in her heart she found it unbearably dull and felt somewhat disheartened. [What a waste of breath.]

No sooner had she left than Grand Matron told Gan Lu to repack a chest for Tang Mo, saying: “I truly handled this poorly today; I was probably overthinking.”

Gan Lu felt Grand Matron was quite conflicted: when the Heir Apparent was doing well she worried over the second young master, and when the second did well she worried over the Heir Apparent. In the past, in front of the Heir Apparent and Eldest Young Madam, she had not hesitated to give good things to Second Young Madam; now she had turned back to favoring the Heir Apparent, thinking him pitiable. In all this busy shifting, she had offended both sides.

The key was that aside from Second Young Madam, who occasionally sent rare items over, no one else in the residence gave Grand Matron a single coin; the Marquis even often tried to pinch things from Grand Matron’s hands. Grand Matron did not have a mountain of gold either; it was only the items left by the Old Marquis. If an elder does not keep some fine things at hand, sons are not so easily kept filial.

Gan Lu advised: “In my view, simply redistribute these three chests, and Grand Matron should keep more private reserves. As the residence gains more people, there will be rewards to give, and when they marry or go out, trousseaus and stipends to provide.”

Grand Matron thought this made sense, especially since she had given some out only two months ago. Today, on impulse, she had wanted to distribute wealth again, but the important point was that she had no income coming in. She said: “Send them back to the storeroom. We’ll give them out when the year’s end arrives.”

That way, she would not have to give again at that time.

Thus, after seeing Madam Wang, Grand Matron abandoned the idea of distributing wealth. Gan Lu hurried to return the three chests to the storeroom, then came back to serve tea and gently urged her: children and grandchildren have their own fortunes, so worry less. She also reminded: “Didn’t Second Young Madam say a new play has opened and she wants to invite you? You should just enjoy your blessings.”

Grand Matron smiled again and said: “The second daughter-in-law likes splendid, valuable ornaments. Pick a few attractive ones and put them on the Curio Shelf. When she comes, she will be pleased to see them.”

Helpless, Gan Lu said: “You have given quite a few fine items to Second Young Madam already. Why did you prepare only a few vases for Second Young Master today?” She added under her breath: letting Madam see that had earned Grand Matron a needless reputation for favoritism; if Madam was displeased, she would likely make the Marquis uncomfortable again. Truly…

Grand Matron said: “I give good things to the second daughter-in-law simply because I like her. Tell me, who else in this residence is willing to put such thought into me? If I occasionally give her one or two items, she is happy and so am I. As for the second boy, he has his father-in-law’s support and no shortage of silver, unlike his elder brother… forget it. The older I get, the more muddleheaded I become.”

What could Gan Lu say?

She could not understand why, when Grand Matron looked stingy but was actually generous and would loosen her hand as long as she was coaxed happy, the Marquis and the Heir Apparent never came to coax her. If not for the rule requiring morning and evening greetings, they probably would have stayed away for days. As for Second Young Madam, she had earned what she received.

That night, Madam Wang tossed and turned, unable to sleep. In the middle of the night she got up, went to the secret room in her quarters, took out a box of pearls, and decided to give them to Xin An the next day, thinking that if Grand Matron truly sent things out like that, she could take good items from the estate storeroom to make up for her son.

Fortunately, at morning greetings the next day, Grand Matron announced that the storeroom needed to be re-inventoried and that for the time being there would be no stipend to the father and sons. Only then did Madam Wang’s anger subside, but she still sent the box of pearls to Xin An and told her to set them into jewelry.

After lunch that day, Xin An was about to nap when laughter came from next door. Nan Feng came in to report: “Xue Yu has returned. She just drank the Concubine Tea and is now Concubine Yu. The people from Chun Hua Courtyard have just congratulated her.”

Nan Feng added: “Her belly is not small and her complexion is good; you can tell at a glance she did not suffer on the estate. Auntie Cai even said that with a pointed belly she will certainly bear a little son.”

Finding it amusing, Xin An said: “Auntie Wang, pick two pieces of jewelry to send over as my congratulatory gift, then praise her belly and say it will definitely be a boy. Talk up the child’s importance; after all, he would be the Marquisate’s eldest grandson of this generation.” [It never hurts to make things difficult for Tao Yi Ran.]

Auntie Wang turned to fetch two not-too-expensive hairpins, found a small box to pack them, and carried them with a smile next door. She praised Xue Yu’s belly again and again, said Xue Yu was blessed, and pulled Auntie Cai to talk about how lively Chun Hua Courtyard would be in the future, paying no attention to Auntie Liu’s face on the verge of cracking. It was a pity Tao Yi Ran remained inside and did not come out, so no one knew what she thought.

A little later, there was another burst of joy next door, and Xin An, half-asleep, murmured: “What now next door?” Nan Feng soon returned with news and said: “Concubine Yue retched twice and then declared she is with child. The estate physician happened to be taking Concubine Yu’s pulse and took hers as well. Both are two months along.”

Xin An fell silent. [Is Tang Rong a breeding boar, to be sowing this much?] [Wasn’t he recuperating all this time?] [Did he go into action while still injured?]

Nan Feng said with a mixture of awe and dread: “Second Young Madam, by this time next year there will be three little ones next door. With cries one after another, our courtyard will seem very quiet.”

Not to mention Xin An; even Nan Feng was unsettled. When Auntie Wang returned and heard this, she sighed faintly. The look she gave Xin An was laden with a you-know-what-I-mean undertone.

Xin An spread her hands and said: “What can we do? Why don’t we move to another courtyard so that out of sight means out of mind?”

She added with mock seriousness: “Or we could get a dog to raise here for some liveliness?”

“Young Madam,” protested Chun Yang as she stamped her foot, “at a time like this, how can you not be anxious?”

“Anxiety won’t help,” Xin An replied.

She then instructed Auntie Wang: “In a bit, tell everyone in the courtyard not to loiter by the gate next door and not to clash with them. If they say a single ‘my belly hurts,’ you will not be able to escape blame. Right now they are the big masters, understand?”

Chun Lv said, aggrieved: “We want to be the big masters too.”

“You must be patient with this,” Xin An said. “I am not anxious, so why are you?”

“And also…” She remembered something and continued: “From now on, do not babble nonsense in front of Second Young Master. You make him anxious. He ends up being told he is ill even when he is not.”

“It wasn’t us, it was Lai Lai,” someone blurted.

“Right, Lai Lai,” another chimed in. “How could we say such things before Second Young Master? We are unmarried girls.”

“Exactly, it was Lai Lai, always talking too much,” a third agreed.

They sold out Lai Lai without hesitation, which made Xin An laugh. She asked: “What did Lai Lai say before Second Young Master?”

Chun Lv, the quickest, began: “He said Second Young Master…”

Chun Yang hurried to cover her mouth and, smiling awkwardly, said: “We don’t know. We don’t know what Lai Lai said.”

Realizing her slip, Chun Lv nodded repeatedly to show she did not know, truly did not know.

Xin An rolled her eyes at them and said: “No matter who said it or who is guessing wildly, not another word from now on. If I catch anyone, I will find some black-hearted matchmaker to marry her off to a man who beats his wife eight times a day.”

The girls looked frightened and promised they would not dare again, but in their hearts they were not afraid at all. They knew their young lady; she would never let them be beaten eight times a day. Still, Second Young Master must certainly not be allowed to start guessing wildly again. [Truly, what a vexing business.]

Xin An stretched her back. However many were born next door, it did not affect her much. With three pregnant women together, it would be impossible for no incidents to arise. [With this, the people next door will move faster, won’t they?]

She was growing impatient with the delay. After so long there had only been rumors and no substantive progress. [Why is it so troublesome?]