Chapter 12: The Teaching of Mrs. Zhou

  "Laodier's wife, go and call your elder sister-in-law." Zhou Shi ordered He Shi.

  He nodded and was about to go call Gu, but Lian Xiuer hurriedly got down from the kang.

  "Mother, I'll go call," said Lian Xiuer. Zhou Shi was angry and had to hurry to tell Gu Shi and Lian Huaer, she didn't trust others to do it.

  Zhou Shi glanced at Lian Xiuer and hummed. Seeing that Zhou Shi did not object, Lian Xiuer hastily went to the west room.

  After a while, Lian Xiuer returned, and Lian Hua'er and Lian Duo'er supported Gu Shi and followed.

  "Mother, sister-in-law is really ill, hearing you call, she struggled to come over." Lian Xiuer said with a smile to Zhou Shi.

  The Zhou family didn't bother with their daughter, but just took a glance at Gu and had an idea. At her age, she thought it was easy to deceive her, how ridiculous.

  "Mother, daughter-in-law is paying respects to you." Gu squatted down and gave Zhou a slight bow.

  Zhou saw Gu's solemnity in performing the ritual and felt slightly relieved. In rural families, especially among close relatives, such formalities were not usually observed. But Gu's gift-giving ceremony was a custom reserved for respectable families, which suited Zhou's taste perfectly.

  Mr. Gu looked at Mrs. Zhou's face and saw that it was a bit better, so he continued to smile and said, "I wanted to come over early this morning, but my body is not cooperating, I'm feeling dizzy. I was afraid you'd worry, so I didn't dare tell you, I thought I'd wait until I felt a bit better before coming over."

  "Yes, grandma, this morning mother was going to come and pay her respects to you. She hadn't walked two steps when she almost fell over, it scared us all half to death." Lian Hua said, "Mother is still lying on the kang, constantly muttering that she wants to come over. This is the custom of a daughter-in-law showing respect to her mother-in-law in our family. Ever since grandma entered the Lian household, our family's etiquette and customs have been unmatched even by those big families in the city."

  Zhou's face involuntarily changed from gloomy to sunny, it was really Gu and Lianhua's words that struck a chord in her heart. Turning her head again to look at He, Zhang, and Zhao, she felt that the eldest daughter-in-law was still the most understanding and considerate.

  However, Madame Zhou would not change her mind because of this. The rules that need to be established will still be established. In the past, they didn't live together, so it's easy to say. In the future, when her eldest son becomes an official, she will naturally follow him, and when the time comes, she will live in the same courtyard as Madame Gu, inevitably interacting with each other every day. It is only right that she should take advantage of the present to discipline Madame Gu well, and also make Madame Gu obey her like Madame Zhang and Madame Zhao, not daring to say a single word of disobedience.

  As she thought so, Madame Zhou's face turned gloomy and she ignored Lian Xiuer's pleading gaze.

  "You're a scholar's wife, but you're also very pampered." Zhou Shi sneered, "Who still remembers that I'm the mother of a scholar?"

  "Mother, I..." Gu heard Zhou's tone was not good and hurriedly bowed his waist again, making an even more obedient appearance.

  "All these years, you've been living in town and got used to the comfort. As your mother-in-law, I didn't even serve you when you came back home yesterday, everything was fine, but this morning when I asked Xiuer to call you, you suddenly felt unwell. Why don't you come sit on the kang and I'll cook some food for you?"

  Gu's face suddenly turned pale, and Zhou's words pierced her heart. She thought to herself that she was extremely clever, and after entering the Lian family's household, she quickly understood the temperament of Old Lady Lian and Zhou, who were very good at flattering people. At the same time, she also knew that Zhou was difficult to get along with, so she came up with a plan to live in town with Lian Shouren, thus avoiding the hardship of serving her mother-in-law.

  Over the years, she has been very tactful and diplomatic, neither serving the Zhou family nor being the most favored daughter-in-law in front of Mrs. Zhou.

  Now, her daughter is about to marry into the Sun family, and her husband's official career has a promising future. She will soon become an official wife with status, so why did Madame Zhou suddenly change her attitude and try to control her?

  She was indeed clever and thought for a moment before suddenly understanding. Madame Zhou's temperament was the most stubborn, Madame Zhou just wanted to let her know that even if she became an official's wife, Madame Zhou was still the old lady above her head.

  But after all these years of carefree days, would she have to be controlled by her mother-in-law as the wife of an official? Gu Shi was momentarily annoyed and stood there in a daze.

  "This old wife of mine, not dying of old age, didn't serve the xiucai's wife properly, I should beat her!" Zhou Shi suddenly raised her voice and howled, opening her two palms to slap herself in the face.

  Lian Xiuer, Zhang Shi and He Shi rushed forward to block him.

  Lian Man Er was already stunned by what she saw.

  Gu's eyes snapped open as if she had just woken up from a dream, and she broke out in a cold sweat. She knew that the current imperial court placed great emphasis on filial piety. Even if Rong Yin wanted to become an official, there couldn't be even half a speck of tarnish on his reputation for being a dutiful son. If she wanted to become the wife of an official family, it was the same.

  "Mother, you're going to kill your daughter-in-law!" Gu Shi hastily knelt down with a thud and hugged Zhou Shi's legs. "Daughter-in-law has been serving the old master in town, it was mother's order. Daughter-in-law never dares to forget mother's teachings, every day she kowtows towards this old mansion, for mother. Now that she's back, daughter-in-law wants to take good care of mother..."

  Gu bowed his head and knocked several times on the ground, while Lian Xiuer, Lian Huaer and others persuaded Zhou Shi with kind words, and only then did Zhou Shi stop her action of slapping herself in the face.

  "I want you to be obedient. Now that you're back, just take turns doing household chores with your sisters-in-law." said Lady Zhou.

  "Yes, Mother." Gu hastily nodded and stood up, with an unspeakable bitterness in his heart.

  At that time, she was in her teens and was a sought-after daughter of a good family. High or low, she finally chose Lian Shouren, but became a concubine, having to take care of the children left behind by the first wife as soon as she entered the house. What did she want? No mistake, she liked Lian Shouren's handsome appearance. But if Lian Shouren didn't have the honor of being a scholar on his body, she wouldn't agree to marry him either.

  She had originally hoped that Lian Shouren would quickly pass the imperial examination and become an official, so she could be a lady. However, Lian Shouren repeatedly failed to pass the exam and remained a xiucai. Despite this, over the years in town, she had hired cooks and servants to handle daily meals and chores (of course, all of this was kept secret from the old mansion). She, Lian Hua, and Lian Duo were all spoiled and didn't have to lift a finger. Now, however, they would have to cook, feed chickens, and feed pigs in this rural place!

  Gu is now really dizzy.

  "It's just those chores you've done before, go cook first. Hurry up a bit, your father and the others will be back soon." Zhou Shi waved her hand at Gu Shi, telling her to get to work.

  Lian Man'er pulled Zhang Shi out of the upper house and walked into the courtyard, where Zhang Shi stopped in her tracks.

  "Man Er, you go back first, I'll help your aunt cook." said Zhang Shi.

  It seems that Zhang is indeed a legendary super diligent person who can't keep his hands and feet still.

  Lian Man'er grasped Zhang's hand tightly, while Zhou wanted to take advantage of Gu. If Zhang was clever, she should have kept a distance at this time. Moreover, with Gu's cunning, she should be able to handle it well, why did Zhang go to be the cannon fodder?

  But these words are hard to say out loud, at least not for now.

  "Mother, in your heart, who is more important, Grandma or Eldest Aunt?" asked Lian Man'er to Zhang Shi.

  "Of course, it's more important to be filial to the elderly." Zhang Shi straightened her expression and explained to Lian Man Er, "Your elder aunt and I are of the same generation, she is older, so we should show some respect in our daily lives, but there is no need for excessive filial piety."

  "This is it. Grandma should eat the rice cooked by Eldest Aunt, no matter how it's cooked, it's her filial piety. Grandma will feel comfortable after eating. If Mother goes to do it instead, wouldn't that be taking away Eldest Aunt's chance to show her respect to Grandma? Neither Grandma nor Eldest Aunt would be happy." said Lian Man Er.

  Zhang felt that what Lian Man'er said seemed reasonable, but also felt that something was not quite right.

  "Your sister and your third aunt usually help each other out, don't they? Your mother didn't say anything either?" said Zhang Shi.

  "Eldest Aunt just came back, on the first day of doing housework, it's not the same as before." Lian Man'er said, "Eldest Aunt's family has Hua Er Jie and Duo Er, they are all capable and don't need you to help. ... When Eldest Aunt needs help, she will speak up herself."

  Lian Man'er said so, but in her heart, she didn't think that way. She thought about why she should help the Gu family, when the Gu family was going to use her as a substitute for their own daughter's good marriage, which of course shouldn't be helped.

  Zhang guessed some of Lian Man'er's thoughts and was hesitating when Lian Xiu'er walked out from the upper house.

  "Fourth sister, third sister, aren't you coming in to help the eldest sister with her work? Although mother said so, you should understand that the eldest sister is a scholar's wife and not just an ordinary farm woman. The flowers are about to bloom, and Duan'er is still young, how can she handle the workload of the farm? Fourth sister, this bit of work in your hands doesn't count as anything, even if you take it all on, it won't take much effort from you." Lian Xiuer said rapidly.

  This is how Lian Xiuer was treated, being ordered around by Zhang like a servant. Lian Man'er was almost amused to tears, what kind of situation was this? Even if she had originally wanted to help, at this point she didn't want to go anymore.

  "Can't grandma eat the meal cooked by Xiucai's wife?" Lian Man'er walked to the window of the east house and said loudly, "In the future, Dabo will be a lady and also grandma's daughter-in-law. Hua'er and Duo'er are also grandma's own granddaughters. Why can't grandma eat a meal cooked by them?"

  Zhou heard what Lian Mian'er said in the house and nodded secretly.

  "Xiu'er, come into the house and let your sister-in-law do the chores." Zhou Shi said loudly towards the outside.

  Lian Xiuer was unable to do anything, so she glared at Lian Maner and had no choice but to go back into the house.

  Gu was circling around the stove, unable to even light a fire, let alone cook. Lian Hua and Lian Duo were disgusted with this messy job and hid in the house. Lian Hua also instigated Lian Xiu to ask Zhang Shi and Zhao Shi to come and cook. But Lian Xiu messed things up, and Gu was so anxious at the stove that she stomped her feet.

  She really can't do it and doesn't want to do these chores. But what Zhou assigned, if she didn't do it, that wouldn't be okay either.

  "Three younger brothers and sisters, four younger brothers and sisters." Gu's family lifted the door curtain and came out, smiling at Zhao and Zhang, "I haven't been back for a long time, and these servants have all had children. The two kids are also useless. You are all capable people, just lend me a hand!"

  Zhang was about to respond when Lian pounced on Zhang's sleeve.

  "Wait a minute, sister-in-law, I'll be right back," Zhang said to Gu, and then took Lianmeng back to the west wing.

  Gu stood at the door, his face fell.

  "Man'er, don't be heartbroken, Mother knows. In the western wing of the house, Zhang Shi said seriously to Lian Man'er, "There's just one thing you need to understand. This family can't be divided so clearly, and we can't be so calculating. When a big family lives together, someone always has to make sacrifices, or else how could this big family survive? Man'er, remember, hard work won't kill you. Mother is skilled with her hands and feet, Mother does more, eats well, and eats with dignity."

  Lian Man'er was a bit tongue-tied. What Zhang said were all orthodox and could be recorded in any book, but if he couldn't see the environment around him, it would be too pedantic, and he would pay for nothing, not even getting basic respect.

  "Daughter, what you said is right. But it also depends on the kind of person the other party is..." Lian Man'er said, if your kindness and tolerance are selectively ignored by the other party, and they take advantage of your goodness as a weakness to bully, then what should you do? What's more, your "weakness" will affect your most loved ones, such as your children. When they dare to lay hands on your child, what should you do? Should you continue to suffer losses without complaining?

  Lian Man'er's words struck Zhang like a bolt of lightning, leaving her stunned and tearfully distraught.

  "Màn er...... wǒ......"

  Translation: "Maner... I..."