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Chapter Sixteen:
Divorce Case (Part 2)
After dinner that day, Madam Xiao caught Cheng Shaoshang, who was planning to continue chatting with her brother about Imperial issues, and said she wanted to greet everyone in the Ge family. Cheng Shaoshang knew when to stick her neck out, and when not to, so she simply agreed. When they arrived at the guest’s residence, neither Old Master Ge or Uncle Ge were there, only Cheng Yang was lying on Aunt Ge’s lap, crying softly.
“Aunt, take me back. I want to go home! I want to go home!”
“Silly girl, this is your home, with your parents and family…”
This made Cheng Yang cry even harder. “Aunt taught me to be filial since I was a child, and Father is lonely, so I can still serve a little bit. But Mother… the second day I came to the Cheng house, she drove Niao Niao away. I later heard that Niao Niao almost lost her life! These days, she hasn’t said a word to me! Every day, she only focuses on Younger Brother, criticizes Father, says bad things about First Aunt in front of Grandmother, and calculates despicable things. I am truly ashamed… I can’t stay here! Aunt, please! Take me home!”
Aunt Ge’s heart ached when she heard this. She had held Cheng Yang when she was in swaddling clothes. At the time, she had no grandchildren, and the other children were all older. This little girl was raised by her flesh against flesh, learning to talk and growing teeth. She was obedient and sensible from a young age, honest and genuine, and she loved her with all her heart.
“Yang Yang, listen to your aunt,” she said with tears in her eyes. “You have a future here in the Cheng family –”
Cheng Yang cut her off with a cry, “I don’t want a future! I want my Aunt and Uncle!”
Madam Xiao sighed and told the maidservant to announce them.
Cheng Shaoshang thought to herself that Cheng Yang was not familiar with the previous Cheng Shaoshang, which was a good thing.
When they entered the residence, Cheng Shaoshang saw that Aunt Ge and Cheng Yang were desperately wiping away tears and tidying up their clothes. Madam Xiao sat down, acting like she didn’t notice, and greeted them. Kneeling on opposite sides and greeting each other, Cheng Shaoshang learned that Old Master Ge was pulled away by Father Cheng to drink and reminisce.
[Here Shaoshang begins to mix up what she calls Cheng Shi. She’ll call him Cheng Shi, General Cheng and Father Cheng. It’s interesting that Father Cheng becomes more used as the time goes on.]
The former in-laws who had just agreed to divorce went to drink, only her husband could do this type of thing. Madam Xiao sneered secretly, with a smile on her face, while urging her daughter to give her greetings. Cheng Shaoshang quickly showed off the results of her training these past few days, bending her arms flat on her side, bowed down in one go, with her head down respectfully. She thought of the gift that the Ge family had brought her with the New Year was not that bad.
After receiving the greeting, Aunt Ge was full of praise, but the focus of the praise was Cheng Shaoshang’s appearance and greeting posture. She did not mention any other traditional ladies’ talents such as qin, chess, calligraphy, painting, or household managements, which was very considerate of her.
“My Sister…”
Originally, Aunt Ge wanted to make amends for the Ge family, but as soon as she began, Madam Xiao interrupted her. “Sister, stop talking,” she said. “Our two families lived next to each other and we don’t know why she is like this. Haven’t you suffered from her? Eldest Sister-in-law is a mother, but she couldn’t beat or punish like a real mother. You’ve suffered losses and there’s nothing to say against it!”
Aunt Ge sighed. “I have suffered my sins. Later, when she married into your family, it was your turn to suffer.”
Madam Xiao shook her head. “Now that she’ll be taken home by Old Master Ge, you will have to suffer again. I feel sorry for you.”
“I’m so old, how can I still let her bully me?” Aunt Ge waved her arm dismissively. “Before leaving, Father had instructed people to tidy up the neighboring village and will have her stay there after we return to cultivate her character!” Madam Ge thought she was still the daughter of the Ge family, who was once known for her noble character.
Madam Xiao remembered Uncle Ge’s slap today. She nodded. “That’s good.”
They looked at the two girls next to them while they spoke. Upon hearing her biological mother’s criticism, Cheng Yang became embarrassed with her hands on her knees and head almost lowered to the floor. Cheng Shaoshang had a calm expression, neither angry nor gloating. She just looked sideways at the guest house furnishings, rolled up her sleeves and helped the maidservant to serve the buttermilk in front of everyone, one by one.
Aunt Ge was secretly amazed, thinking that even though she had been delayed by Madam Ge for the last ten years, she was the daughter of General Cheng and Madam Xiao. She had an extraordinary demeanor, not arrogant or cowardly, and showed no signs of timidness.
Madam Xiao frowned as usual, feeling that Cheng Shaoshang and Madam Ge had been together for ten years, so indifferent, neither resentful nor unbearable, just heartless.
Aunt Ge turned and pulled Cheng Yang over to her. “Don’t feel embarrassed when you hear this,” she said earnestly. “The more you shrink away, the more people will stab you. Don’t lower your head. It’s not uncommon for your biological mother to divorce or remarry and it isn’t your fault. You are the daughter of the Cheng family, remember that. Your parents are not only the reason you look like you do, but also affect your character. If your parents’ character is right, you should learn to follow them. If they are not good enough, you should learn from them. Remember, your words and deeds are the best ornaments on your body. Now, raise your head up!”
Cheng Yang tried her best to lift her head up, with tears in her eyes, and managed to hold her shoulders upright.
Madam Xiao showed admiration for Aunt Ge, and Cheng Shaoshang put away the contempt in her heart. She originally thought that the family of Madam Ge would not be much better than her, but she now realized how short-sighted she was.
“It’s said that a man’s ambition is everywhere, so can a daughter forever rely on her parents to live?” Aunt Ge said. “As a child grows up, they always have to establish their own family, and elders cannot be your lifelong support. When my aunt was young, she never expected that there would be a great chaos in the world, and all the poems and songs she had learned before would be useless. She had to work hard with your uncle to plan for food for the people and was constantly afraid. Who would have thought that such a terrible disaster would happen? But she just gritted her teeth and survived!”
Tears welled up in Madam Xiao’s eyelashes. “When my family was destroyed, Sister and the Xiao family helped a lot.”
Aunt Ge patted her hand, then turned back to her niece. “Yang Yang, if your life goes well, it will be the blessing of the gods. But life is long and there are many unexpected things. Only if you have a firm mind and strong limbs, not afraid of the mountains falling and the sea dying. No matter where you go, you can be like a big tree. Not only can you stand by yourself, but you can also protect the young and weak flowers and vines underneath the tree. What do you say? Now that the world is about to become peaceful, as long as you learn three or four points from your aunt, you will be safe in the future.”
Cheng Shaoshang was in awe of Aunt Ge at that moment and looked at Cheng Yang, who was sobbing uncontrollably, trembling, and nodding repeatedly.
Madam Xiao smiled and wiped her tears. “What did you say?  It seems my sister is so honest and dignified now, yet no one praises her.” Cheng Shaoshang wanted to roll her eyes.
After talking for a while, Aunt Ge finally got to the point of the conversation and entrusted Cheng Yang to Madam Xiao with tears in her eyes. “It’s a small place in the countryside. I haven’t seen the world and I don’t know the rules of the capital. You have to teach her well. Although she is foolish, it’s better to be honest and obedient.” She put one of Cheng Yang’s hands in Madam Xiao’s, who agreed solemnly.
Seeing the two women’s display in front of her, Cheng Shaoshang rolled her eyes in her heart. This was more impressive than the scene of Liu Bei entrusting his son to Zhuge Liang in Baidicheng’s Tuogu hall.
[Baidicheng (White Emperor City) is located in Fengjie County in Chongqing. It’s most famous for the story of Liu Bei (161-223 CE) entrusting his son and country to prime minister Zhuge Liang (181-234 CE). He was the founding emperor of the Shu Han. Tuogu Hall was said to be where this happened. It’s now a tourist attraction and the recreation scene looks… very touristy. Cheng Shaoshang is finding this scene a bit pretentious and put on.]
Fearing that it would not be easy to see each other in the future, Cheng Yang stayed the night to talk to Aunt Ge. Madam Xiao led Cheng Shaoshang back, reminding her remember Aunt Ge’s good advice along the way. Actually, Cheng Shaoshang fully agreed with what Aunt Ge had said but was sick of listening to her mother’s chatter and quickly interrupted.
“Why don’t we go find Father, or find Uncle Ge to formally greet him. What about Grandfather? I haven’t properly greeted him yet, so why do I have to rest early?”
The corners of Madam Xiao’s mouth curled up. Cheng Shaoshang quickly said, “Never mind.” He was running on little sleep and no rest and she assumed he was dealing with that woman at the moment.
Cheng Shaoshang successfully stopped Madam Xiao from admonishing her. When she stepped out of the gate of the guest residence, she looked back and saw a room off in the distance of Aunt Ge’s residence that was faintly lit with lights.
Old Master Ge was indeed dealing with his daughter at this time.
Madam Ge was crying with a runny nose and tears all over her face, almost washing off the ointment that had just been applied to her cheek. She only kowtowed and begged her father. “Father is there really no way? I, I don’t want to leave! I really didn’t know that you didn’t ask your nephews to enter the Imperial Academy and wanted to find a teacher separately. I thought it was that horrible woman… Oh no, it was Sister who got in the way…”
Old Master Ge’s face was indifferent. “Do you know what regret is now?  It’s too late for regret. Don’t blame Madam Xiao for buying off your Nanny Fu. If you really did something irreparable, would Madam Xiao let you go? Let the Ge family go? Tonight, I came to tell you that we are setting off tomorrow morning. Stop crying and accept it.”
“Father has such a cruel heart.” Madam Ge was genuinely shocked. “What do I do when I return home? Won’t I be ridiculed if I’m divorced by the Cheng family?! These past ten years, I have worked hard without merit and I –”
“The villagers already know,” Old Master Ge said coldly.
“Everyone knows it,” Madame Ge muttered to herself. She had been strong since childhood and always outstanding in front of her family and friends. Now that she knew she was going to lose more face, she was even more unwilling to go back.
“If I don’t want to go back, I won’t go back!” Madam Ge shouted hysterically.
Old Master Ge slapped her face with a backhand and, even though his strength was not heavy, he woke Madam Ge up. “Do you think General Cheng is as easy to bully as Cheng Cheng?” he asked. “If you don’t leave… where are the few households that took advantage of the chaos to occupy the Xiao family’s farmland and houses? What happened to them? If you don’t leave, he will send troops to take you away! Drive you away with a whip, beat you up with a stick! Do you want to lose face like that?!”
Madam Ge covered her face, fear in her heart. “It won’t stop… The Cheng family treats me like this, and they are not afraid of criticism from the countryside…”
“Even if it’s not the Cheng family, I want you to come back,” Old Master Ge lamented. “When cattle and sheep are whipped, they know how to protect their young. But back then, you were dissatisfied with Madam Xiao giving birth to dragon and phoenix twins, so you used the words of a shaman to say that she hindered your children, and forced her to send them home. A child that had just turned a year old, and you were willing to travel for such a long distance. At that time, being a father was heartbreaking! You didn’t understand filial piety before, I thought you were young and ignorant. But now, I can no longer lie to myself!”
Madam Ge crawled over to her father and grabbed the hem of his robe, repeatedly saying, “No, no…”
“Not only are you cold and unlucky, but you have a malicious heart!” he continued. “The Tian family was poor and had been relying on the Cheng family to provide assistance. The Tian family’s son had been following General Cheng since childhood, and has been even more loyal since the uprising. How did he die? He died protecting General Cheng; ten thousand arrows pierced his heart and he died! In all the chaos of the battle, there were no bones left!”
“General Cheng pitied his family’s elderly mother and widow,” the old man said with tears on his face. “They were all weak-minded people. They were afraid of being conspired against by being rewarded with gold, silver, and property, so now they are sheltered by the clan. They wait for Tian Ding’s son and the crown prince. Everyone in our village knows this story and they all praise General Cheng for his kindness. But you, you…!”
Old Master Ge became angry. “That year, General Cheng sent someone back to the capital to pick up his daughter. You obstructed it. The Tian family’s Madam said you were wrong, that you were about to sell the orphan and widowed mother of the family. It really was a beast’s act! Do you think no one knew about this? A few years ago, Tian Ding’s widow remarried, and her husband’s house was nearby. Did you really think no news would spread? The villagers are all cursing you for not being human! The Cheng family has divorced you and the villagers can only cheer!”
Madam Ge grabbed her father’s clothes and refused to let go. “You let those two bitches corrupt my reputation outside?”
Old Master Ge kicked her away and scolded, “First, you wanted to place your own people in the residence, but the women of the Tian family were in the way and you were determined to get rid of them! Second, are they wrong? You keep General Cheng’s daughter away from him, which is of no benefit to you, just because you want to hurt Madam Xiao! Such viciousness and despicableness are rare in this world!”
Madam Ge had nothing to say and collapsed to the floor, crying.
“For many years, you have disobeyed me in every way,” he sighed. “You are disrespectful to me and your brother and sister-in-law, you are greedy for wealth and collect money in the name of the General for theft! I am ashamed of you for being so evil! If you don’t leave, I will tie you up tomorrow!”
Seeing her father’s resolute attitude, Madam Ge was at a loss of what to do.
…
Here’s a cute little story. I’m using the website jjwxc to translate the novel and at the end of the chapters, the author will leave little notes thanking people for reading or clearing up some confusion. She actually gives some good insight into Madam Xiao in later chapters which I plan to include.
This chapter’s note, however, is telling everyone that there is no Ge Family conspiracy and they are really just nice people. I thought it was cute and wanted to share.
: Zhèng dàn (the starring female role in a Chinese opera)