TSWRLM -Chapter 9 Putting It in Writing

Madam Mo stormed aggressively into Shen Qingyuan’s Wenxin Courtyard, only to return defeated shortly after.

By the time Qing Shu came back from escorting Chun Xi home, the “battle” was already over.

Inside Wenxin Courtyard, Shen Qingyuan was seated at his desk reading a book.

Incense burned quietly in the room, and tea sat by his side—everything calm and leisurely.

No one could have imagined that not long ago, the place had been filled with tension and chaos.

Qing Shu was puzzled.

Previously, his master had said that Madam Mo often ended up “lifting a stone only to drop it on her own foot,” so even if she caused trouble, he couldn’t be bothered to argue. Why, then, had he chosen to engage with her today?

As he was thinking, Shen Qingyuan spoke, “Did you deliver her safely?”

Qing Shu immediately refocused. “Yes, I did. Miss Chun Xi even gave me a handful of dried sweet potatoes.”

Shen Qingyuan paused slightly as he turned a page and looked up at Qing Shu. “Were they good?”

“They were quite tasty—sweet and chewy. I finished them on the way back.”

“Mm.”

Shen Qingyuan withdrew his gaze and said nothing more.

Qing Shu felt confused.

His master had never cared much about food—why ask about this all of a sudden?

The news that an official from the Jingzhao Prefecture had been pelted with rotten eggs in the street spread quickly.

Madam Wang went to the neighbor Aunt Li’s house to gossip and didn’t even bother scolding Chun Xi for coming home late.

At dinner, Madam Wang deliberately hinted at Chun Xi:

“What mother doesn’t love her daughter? If my daughter were killed so unjustly, I wouldn’t just throw rotten eggs at corrupt officials—I’d risk my life to avenge her!”

Chun Xi showed no reaction at all and replied calmly, “If you truly care about your daughter, you should find a matchmaker and arrange her marriage sooner.”

Madam Wang disliked those words and was about to scold her, but Chun Xi continued:

“Today, when I went to burn incense for Father, I ran into Young Master Wei. He’s convinced I’m scheming and that leaving the Wei household was just me playing hard to get. If I don’t get married soon, our family may face disaster.”

Madam Wang’s face changed drastically, and she hurriedly asked for details. When she heard that Chun Xi had completely offended Wei Lingze by relying on Shen Qingyuan, she slammed her bowl down in anger.

“How did I give birth to such a fool? The young master clearly had feelings for you! You just needed to soften your attitude—how could you incite outsiders to beat him?”

“He wanted me to be his hidden mistress. Aren’t you afraid people would gossip and shame us if that got out?”

There was a saying: A wife is not as good as a concubine, a concubine not as good as a prostitute, and a prostitute not as good as a secret lover.

Being a kept mistress was the lowest and most disgraceful of all.

With Madam Qian and Cao Wen present, Madam Wang hadn’t expected Chun Xi to speak so bluntly. Her face flushed with embarrassment.

She argued stubbornly: “When did the young master ever say he wanted you as a mistress? If you truly had no feelings for him, why didn’t you stay and continue serving him?”

With three years of service, Chun Xi could have remained as Wei Lingze’s personal maid. Even after his official wife entered the household, she wouldn’t have been sold off.

But she would have become a thorn in their side, tormented every single day.

Madam Wang’s irrationality shocked Chun Xi. She sneered: “I’ve already offended him. If you truly refuse to marry me off, then our whole family can go to the underworld together—it’ll be nice to have company.”

After saying that, Chun Xi lowered her head and continued eating.

Madam Wang, however, felt as if a bone was stuck in her throat.

Madam Qian, already emotional due to pregnancy, turned pale with fear at Chun Xi’s words. Eight-year-old Cao Wen was also frightened. Both looked at Madam Wang pitifully, as if she were the villain bullying Chun Xi.

After simmering with anger, Madam Wang beat her chest and wailed loudly: “What sin have I committed? What kind of daughter forces her own mother to marry her off? Old Cao, open your eyes and see the daughter you raised!”

Her loud cries drew all the neighbors to watch.

Aunt Li, her closest neighbor, quickly supported her, giving Madam Wang even more confidence as she complained to the crowd.

She cried about being widowed young, raising three children alone, managing the household, and soon having to care for her daughter-in-law during childbirth.

“And yet my daughter insists on getting married now, with no consideration for me!”

A girl eager to marry wasn’t considered respectable. Combined with Madam Wang’s pitiful performance, the crowd began blaming Chun Xi for being inconsiderate.

Chun Xi sat quietly, saying nothing in her defense.

After the crowd finished criticizing her, Madam Wang continued: “It’s not that I want to keep you home to serve your sister-in-law. It’s just that the family needs money right now—we simply can’t afford a dowry for you.”

This was her true intention.

Chun Xi had become sharp-tongued after her time in the Wei household—Madam Wang couldn’t outargue her, so she relied on public pressure.

Though Chun Xi had offended Wei Lingze and couldn’t delay marriage any longer, Madam Wang didn’t want to provide a dowry.

All the money Chun Xi had sent home over the years—and the fine silks she brought back—Madam Wang wanted to keep them all.

But she also didn’t want the reputation of being a harsh mother who seized her daughter’s property.

So she needed the neighbors as witnesses to frame Chun Xi as unfilial and at fault.

Chun Xi saw through her intentions clearly.

Not wanting to cause a public scene, she said gently: “All the money I earned in the Wei household over the years has already been sent home. Since you say there’s no money, I won’t make things difficult for you. I can forgo the dowry—but you must promise never to ask me for money again.”

Chun Xi was too calm, which made Madam Wang suspicious.

Could it be she had some hidden way of making money?

But seeing how Chun Xi had been lounging around at home lately, Madam Wang dismissed the thought.

How could anyone earn money just by eating and resting at home? She must be pretending to seem mysterious to trick me!

And besides, she was still Chun Xi’s mother—would Chun Xi really ignore her in the future?

After thinking it through, Madam Wang finally decided: “Fine. As long as you don’t want a dowry, I won’t ask you for money again.”

Chun Xi nodded, then looked at Cao Wen: “Words alone aren’t enough. Little brother, go fetch paper and brush. Let Mother put this in writing—and ask all the uncles and aunties here to leave their thumbprints as witnesses.”

A written agreement? With thumbprints?

The neighbors hesitated.

After all, they were mother and daughter—blood ties couldn’t be broken. If they signed today and the two reconciled tomorrow, wouldn’t they be caught in the middle?

Besides, Chun Xi had just brought back so many valuable items from the Wei household—selling just a few bolts of cloth would easily cover a dowry.

Seeing this, the crowd quickly changed their stance, urging Madam Wang to be more generous and not argue with her own daughter.

Without Chun Xi’s years of servitude in the Wei household, could Cao Wu have gotten married? Could Cao Wen have attended school?

But to Madam Wang, their words sounded like they were forcing her to bow her head and admit fault.

What mother apologizes to her daughter?

Furious, Madam Wang snapped at Cao Wen: “What are you standing there for? Go get the paper and brush at once!”