SGEIRS -Chapter 78 Absolutely Absurd

Ningdong watched the master and his servant walk away, still a little shaken, and whispered, “Madam, you really scared me just now. Luckily, the Marquis didn’t do anything to you.”

Meng Jinyao remained calm. “His son was in the wrong first. Even if there were punishment, it would be lighter than what his son deserves.”

Though she spoke so confidently, Ningdong was still worried and advised, “Next time, you should try to avoid contact with the Young Master. He ran away from his wedding, causing you to become the subject of ridicule, and yet he turns it around as if it’s your fault. People who blame heaven and earth and shirk responsibility are best avoided. Who knows when he might lose his mind and lash out again?”

Meng Jinyao nodded slightly and said in a gentle voice, “Don’t worry. I have no time to seek trouble with him. Today was just a chance encounter—simply bad luck.”

Previously, Meng Jinyao had gone to see Gu Xiuming twice, and both times she brought Chunliu along. Ningdong had never witnessed her mistress confronting Gu Xiuming directly. Seeing it today, her heart ached for her mistress. With such a troublesome stepson, life for her mistress would no doubt continue to be complicated.

Meng Jinyao suddenly became curious. “Ningdong, am I really that bad at lying? Could he see right through me at a glance?”

Ningdong smiled. “Madam, did you forget? The Marquis is the Chief Judge at the Dali Court; he investigates cases and interrogates criminals. You definitely couldn’t fool him. Besides, your words aren’t bad, but the Marquis probably already knew enough to not believe you.”

Meng Jinyao: “……”

Ningdong then asked, “Madam, shall we still go for a walk in the garden?”

After the commotion with Gu Xiuming, Meng Jinyao had lost interest. She shook her head lightly. “No. Let’s go tomorrow. First, let’s return to Weirui Pavilion.”

Just as she said this and was about to turn back, she paused mid-step. In that brief moment, interest returned. “It’s not dinner time yet. Let’s take a walk. We’ll go to the Lanyue Pavilion; it’s the best place in the residence to view the sunset.”

Ningdong nodded. “Ah, and after enjoying the sunset, we can return in time for dinner.”

A few days later, it was drizzling, and pedestrians hurried along the streets. A small sedan chair entered through the side gate of the Changxing Marquis Residence.

The Young Master of Changxing Marquis, Gu Xiuming, had taken a concubine—the very girl he had been longing for, Li Wan’er.

Among the masters of the Changxing Marquis Residence, only Gu Xiuming was in high spirits over this event. No one else was happy. In families of their standing, taking a concubine before the official wife has entered the household is extremely disgraceful. It damages reputation and brings no joy.

Many servants whispered about this absurd matter in private.

The next morning:

Chunliu glanced at the sky and wondered, “Madam, it’s already the fourth quarter of the hour, so why hasn’t Concubine Li come to pay her respects yet?”

Although their lady was still young, she was still an elder in the household. Li Wan’er, being a junior, should have come to pay her respects as soon as she entered the residence, to leave a good impression. In the future, if there were a proper Young Mistress, Li Wan’er would need to pay respects to her every day.

Some naive people might think paying respects to elders is troublesome, and skipping it would save trouble. But for a junior not to be allowed—or to fail—to pay respects is seen as unrecognized and unwelcome by the elders. Since their lady had not forbidden Li Wan’er from paying respects, she should do so.

In other wealthy households, concubines, unless explicitly prohibited, would seize every opportunity to pay respects and ingratiate themselves with the elders. Even standing by the elder while serving meals would be considered prestigious. Being in front of elders and serving them demonstrates recognition and approval.

For concubines, serving meals establishes rules with the main wife, a form of hardship, but for the concubine, it is an opportunity to gain favor. If she wins the elder’s favor, the main wife cannot treat her too harshly.

Meng Jinyao was not surprised and remained unbothered. “She probably won’t come.”

Chunliu frowned. “This Concubine Li really has no manners.”

Meng Jinyao pursed her lips, smiling. “Ignorance is no crime. It’s not her fault. If she doesn’t come, it actually saves me trouble.”

She knew it was all Gu Xiuming’s doing. Li Wan’er had just entered the household and, without a governess to teach her the rules, probably didn’t know the etiquette of paying respects to elders.

But Gu Xiuming knew and didn’t remind her, clearly to spare her any embarrassment. Since she was unaware, she was excused from paying respects.

Chunliu was frustrated. She couldn’t understand what spell Concubine Li had cast over the Young Master to make him abandon his proper, well-mannered wife and elope with such an unruly concubine, causing such a huge embarrassment.

She glanced at the unconcerned Meng Jinyao and said, “Madam, you are kind.”

Meng Jinyao replied, “Concubine Li hasn’t performed the formal rites before Heaven and Earth or before her parents. She is not my proper daughter-in-law, so it’s not required for her to pay respects. Whether she comes or not makes no difference.”

Chunliu was stunned. That was true. A proper daughter-in-law must pay respects to her mother-in-law. An improper one is not required. Being allowed to pay respects is a privilege, so concubines take pride in it. If Concubine Li doesn’t want it, that’s fine—but not being recognized by the elder makes her even less respectable than an ordinary concubine.

Meng Jinyao suddenly remembered that the Old Madam had been at the temple for a few days and might be returning today. She asked, “By the way, is Mother coming back today?”

Chunliu nodded. “Yes. As usual, she returns in the afternoon.”

When Old Madam Gu returned, except for those with official duties still at work and Gu Xiuyuan and Gu Xiuhong studying at the academy, all other juniors came out to greet her.

One person was missing. Gu Xiuming, who had taken leave from the academy, had gone out with his newly taken concubine Li Wan’er in the morning and had not yet returned.

Seeing her little grandson Gu Xiuwen, Old Madam Gu asked Madam Zhang, “Eldest daughter-in-law, Xiuwen’s three elder brothers are at the academy. Why didn’t he go?”

Madam Zhang explained, “Mother, I was thinking that Xiuwen will eventually attend Lingshan Academy, where all students are outstanding. To help him keep up, I had a teacher give him one-on-one instruction before he officially enrolls. That’s why he didn’t go to the academy today.”

Old Madam Gu listened and, unusually approving, nodded in satisfaction. “This method is good. For Xiuwen at this stage, one-on-one teaching is better.”

Madam Zhang, secretly pleased that her method was recognized, thought of Gu Xiuming. She looked at Meng Jinyao thoughtfully. “Third Sister-in-law, Gu Xiuming took leave from the academy, didn’t he? Why is he nowhere to be seen?”

Old Madam Gu’s gaze also searched for her grandson. Scanning the crowd, she slightly withdrew her eyes in disappointment.

Meng Jinyao knew Madam Zhang wanted Gu Xiuming to make a fool of himself before the elders, but everyone already knew about Gu Xiuming leaving with Concubine Li, so she answered truthfully: “Xiuming took a few days’ leave because he took a concubine. It just so happens that this morning he went out with Concubine Li. He probably didn’t know you were returning today.”

Hearing this, Old Madam Gu frowned, her disappointment deepening. Her grandson, in whom she had placed high hopes, took leave just to accompany a concubine! How absurd!

Taking a concubine isn’t marriage. Why take leave?

If she remembered correctly, Concubine Li entered the household only yesterday. Just after entering, Xiuming took leave for her sake. Taking leave for an unworthy concubine, disregarding studies—what kind of future does that bode?