Chapter 57: Difficulties and Obstacles

Mrs. Wen’s chest heaved with anger, a glint of resentment flickering in her eyes.

“Mother, it’s all my fault…” Wen Jiuniang glanced timidly at Mrs. Wen, then lowered her head. It had been a long time since she’d seen her mother lose composure like this.

Mrs. Wen shot her daughter a look, snorted coldly, and said, “It’s not your fault. I was simply too careless. Who would have thought that after all these years, there would still be people who remember her?”

“This hairpin…” Wen Jiuniang hesitated for a while before finally voicing her question. She remembered how lovely it looked when her mother played with it last night. After pestering her for quite a while, Mrs. Wen finally agreed to give it to her, and yet, trouble arose the very day she put it on.

“Of course, it was given to me by her back in the day. She only ever gave me the things she’d grown tired of,” Mrs. Wen replied coldly.

Wen Jiuniang pondered silently. According to Shopkeeper Xu, this hairpin was once the treasure of the gold shop, its value self-evident. For the late Lady Wen to have been so generous as to give her mother something so precious?

Catching a trace of doubt on her daughter’s face, Mrs. Wen thought to herself that this girl was always clever and scheming; now she even second-guessed her own mother’s words. Indeed, a grown daughter is like spilled water—sooner or later she belongs to another family. Perhaps it was best to find her a match and marry her off as soon as possible.

Wen Jiuniang looked up, just in time to meet her mother’s gaze, and fear gripped her heart. She hurriedly said, “Mother, please don’t worry. Since this hairpin was given to you by Lady Chu, it belongs to you. We neither stole nor robbed; let them gossip as they wish.”

Mrs. Wen’s expression shifted slightly. “Better leave it with me for now. When you’re married, it can go with your dowry.”

Seeing that her mother’s mood had not improved but grown even gloomier, Wen Jiuniang realized she had misjudged. She didn’t know why Mrs. Wen was so angry, but it must have something to do with the hairpin. Better to return this hot potato. With that, she handed it back.

“You may leave now,” Mrs. Wen said, pressing a hand to her forehead. For some reason, ever since Wen Qiniang had returned after several months away, she seemed utterly changed—not only stronger in body, but also unfamiliar in demeanor. If Mrs. Wen hadn’t watched her grow up, she might have suspected someone was impersonating her.

“Yes, Mother,” Wen Jiuniang replied uneasily. Though Mrs. Wen was her birth mother, she had never been especially kind to her; she treated her younger brother Shilang a little better, but toward Wen Qiniang she was almost entirely indulgent.

As soon as the young ladies left Mrs. Wen’s rooms, they all gathered at Wen Jing’s place.

“Seventh Sister, did you really owe the gold shop money?” Eighth Sister asked impatiently. She was always straightforward and wasted no time getting to the point.

Wen Jing nodded. “It’s true.”

Fifth Sister waved her fan. “I warned you about this long ago, but you didn’t believe me.”

Wen Jing suddenly remembered that back at the county office, Fifth Sister had indeed mentioned something of the sort.

“Fifth Sister, how did you know I owed several thousand taels of silver?”

“Don’t you remember? When we left the manor, those shopkeepers were all at the door demanding payment. Mother told them she would settle your debts, and because you looked so unwell, they agreed. I always thought Mother had paid them off, but who would’ve guessed Shopkeeper Xu would show up today,” Fifth Sister explained.

“Perhaps Mother doesn’t have much silver left,” Third Sister said softly.

Eighth Sister suddenly burst into laughter.

Third Sister, embarrassed and thinking she’d said something wrong, blushed.

“Is Mother really so poor that she’d claim our seventh sister’s mother’s belongings as her own dowry? And Ninth Sister actually had the nerve to show it off. I laughed so hard my stomach hurts,” Eighth Sister said between giggles.

Ninth Sister, just arriving at the door, heard this and stomped her foot in anger before storming off.

“Don’t talk nonsense, or Mother will punish you,” Third Sister chided, shaking her head.

Eighth Sister stuck out her tongue playfully.

Wen Jing had no recollection of the hairpin belonging to her own mother, but it wasn’t hard to guess. How could Mrs. Wen have such a valuable dowry? And if she did, why had she never worn it all these years? For all Wen Jing knew, it might even be stolen.

When the young ladies returned to their rooms for lunch, they waited and waited, but no meal arrived. In the past, when Madam Wu was in charge, the meal boxes always came early. As the saying goes, a new broom sweeps clean—what was this new stewardess, Madam He, up to?

“Miss, these greedy old hags must want to squeeze some silver from the young ladies,” Qingliu said with a look of disgust.

“Do you think a new stewardess has the nerve to act on her own?” Wen Jing curled her lips.

“Someone must be behind her,” Qingliu replied.

It was clear Liu had orchestrated this, no doubt connected to the earlier events.

“Miss, shall I go…” Qingliu said, unwilling to let her mistress go hungry even if she herself could endure it.

“If that’s what she wants, I’ll not give her the satisfaction,” Wen Jing said coolly.

Qingliu was taken aback. Her seventh young mistress truly was different now. In the past, Wen Qiniang would have said, “Better to avoid trouble; just send them the money.”

“Isn’t there a small kitchen in our garden? Go fetch some minced meat, vegetables, and flour. If they won’t deliver our meals on time, we’ll feed ourselves. I refuse to believe they’d dare starve me,” Wen Jing instructed.

“Yes, Miss, I’ll go at once.”

Once you give in once, they’ll try again and again—were the Wen family’s young ladies to be bullied by an old hag? Wen Jing snorted coldly. The old Wen Qiniang had been timid and easy to push around, mistaking villains for loved ones. But she was not someone to be trampled. From today on, she would expose their true faces step by step.

Qingliu quickly returned, arms full.

“Miss, I noticed the head cook was delivering dishes to all the other rooms except ours,” she said, putting things down.

“Did anyone see you?” Wen Jing asked, thinking perhaps Third, Fifth, and Eighth Sister had already bribed the staff.

“I went to the storeroom; they didn’t see me.”

“Mince all the meat and vegetables,” Wen Jing instructed.

Qingliu hesitated, then nodded. “All right.”

“Who would’ve thought Miss could make snacks too?”

Wen Jing smiled but didn’t reply. She had no desire to fabricate an excuse. She simply wanted to make a snack from her hometown—partly to fill her stomach, partly to savor a taste of her former life. Back then, after work, she’d often buy one or two on the pedestrian street.

“It’s done, Miss,” Qingliu said, wiping sweat from her brow.

“Knead the dough,” Wen Jing said.

“Right away.” Qingliu put the flour in a basin, added warm water and eggs, and kneaded it vigorously. Afterward, she blanched the vegetables, then heated oil in a pan, stir-fried the meat and cabbage until half-cooked, and added seasonings.

“Wrap the filling in dough, then pan-fry until both sides are golden,” Wen Jing instructed.

Soon, Qingliu took out the crispy, golden meat-and-cabbage pastries and drained the oil. The scent of freshly pressed rapeseed oil filled the air.

“Try one,” Wen Jing said, picking up a pastry. She was already starving.

Qingliu took one and, after the first bite, exclaimed at how delicious it was, devouring it eagerly despite the heat.

Qingliu, who had always mingled with the rougher maids, was never as ladylike as the first-rank ones—something that suited Wen Jing just fine. If old Madam Wu saw her now, she would surely have had something to say.

After three pastries, Wen Jing finally felt full. She wiped her mouth, just as footsteps sounded outside.

Qingliu quickly put down her pastry and wiped her mouth clean.

Stewardess Gu, the cook, arrived with two matrons carrying food boxes. From a distance, all three caught a whiff of the aroma. Seeing the plate of unfamiliar pastries, they were immediately intrigued; cooks are always curious about new foods, especially fragrant ones.

Wen Jing came out to meet them.

“Miss, I apologize for the late meal. Please don’t hold it against me,” said Stewardess Gu hurriedly.

“I had Qingliu make us some snacks; we’ve already eaten. Thank you for your trouble,” Wen Jing replied with a smile.

“You flatter me, Miss,” said Gu, eyeing the pastries on the table.

“I’m feeling a bit tired. Qingliu, see our guests out,” Wen Jing said with a yawn, heading back to her room.

“Yes, Miss,” Qingliu replied. Instead of ushering them out, she smiled and said, “This is a snack from our hometown. Miss was hungry, so I made some.”

Stewardess Gu swallowed hard. The manor usually served only dainty dishes. These pastries, though rustic, smelled absolutely mouthwatering. She wondered how they tasted.

Qingliu picked up the last half-pastry from their own plate and ate it in two bites. Then she said, “Please leave the food here, Stewardess Gu.”

Gu stared at Qingliu’s throat as she swallowed, her eyes full of disappointment.

Qingliu said with a smile, “Such rustic fare surely isn’t to your taste.”

“Oh no, it’s good to change things up now and then. These pastries smell wonderful—enough to whet anyone’s appetite,” Gu replied.

“In that case, come earlier tomorrow, and I’ll teach you how to make them. We have many snacks in our hometown. If my mistress agrees, I’d love to make them all for her,” Qingliu offered.

“Next time, you can use the main kitchen. The small kitchen doesn’t have all the ingredients. We’d be happy to learn,” said Gu.

“As long as my mistress agrees, that would be best.”

“Agreed, then. If you ever need anything, just ask. We’ll be off; no need to see us out,” Gu said, leading the two matrons away.

Wen Jing emerged and looked at Qingliu. “You little rascal, I never said I’d teach them.”

“Miss, let them come to us for favors. We’ll see if they dare delay our meals again,” Qingliu replied with a grin.

Wen Jing couldn’t help but smile wryly. It wasn’t a bad strategy, but she’d have to come up with new tricks to keep them entertained in the future. (To be continued…)