A Willing Mistake, My Lady – Chapter 53
by Little PandaCapsized in a Shallow Ditch
The Beginning of the Beginning
Following the bustling crowds, they finally climbed halfway up the mountain to Huaguang Temple.
“Ah Tang, do you want to buy a bowl of herbal tea first? Let’s wait a bit before we go in. It’s just too crowded right now,” Jiang Chenyu said, looking at the massive, surging crowd at the temple entrance. Her main goal was to let Shen Hetang rest for a moment.
“Alright, sit here and don’t move. I’ll be right back.” Shen Hetang settled her on a clean stone bench. Nearby, a massive tree draped in wishing ribbons provided shade. The top half of the tree was green, while the bottom half was red—a truly spectacular sight.
“Okay, I won’t move.” Jiang Chenyu wore a flowing gauze skirt in contrasting shades of pale pink and blue-green, with an incredibly lifelike silk peony pinned in her hair. Looking at her wife sitting beneath the tree, lovelier than any flower with her ankle propped up, she still couldn’t bring herself to walk away.
“How about I wait until we find Chuntao before I go? They should be arriving soon.” Chuntao and Jiang Ning had originally set out with them as a group of four, but they had been separated by the crowd, leaving only Er Zhuzi behind at the foot of the mountain to look after the carriage.
After a moment of thought, she sat back down next to Jiang Chenyu. Beneath her wife’s silk skirt, her embroidered shoes were delicate and small, but the skin around her swollen ankle had turned a pale pink. It looked rather serious.
She had wanted to go into the temple to find a young monk and ask if they had any medicinal ointment. But if she left her wife here alone, what if she came back to find her snatched away? Honestly, there was no end to her worries.
Only a moment later, Chuntao and Jiang Ning arrived at the temple gates. Spotting the two of them sitting under the massive tree in such a conspicuous spot, they noticed them immediately.
“Miss, how did you get hurt?” Chuntao asked, hastily squatting down to inspect her.
“It’s nothing. There were too many people, and I sprained my ankle,” Jiang Chenyu replied, trying her best to bear the pain so she wouldn’t ruin the mood for everyone.
“Let’s go inside quickly. We’ll head straight back once we’ve offered the lamps,” Shen Hetang said. She had to get her back early; an injured person shouldn’t be wandering around outside.
“Alright, let’s go in,” Jiang Ning agreed.
There were quite a few visitors queueing to offer ever-burning lamps1 as well. Shen Hetang stood in the queue up ahead while Chuntao helped Jiang Chenyu sit down to one side.
The other visitors probably wanted to catch a glimpse of the eminent monk, so everyone moved quickly without any unnecessary delays.
Soon, it was Shen Hetang’s turn. She helped Jiang Chenyu over so she could personally request a lamp, write her blessing card, light the wick, place it inside the lamp stand, and finally perform a respectful Buddhist bow to complete the ritual.
Just as they were walking out of the temple gates, a woman was struggling and wrestling with a short, stout man, shouting at the top of her lungs, “Thief! Catch the thief!”
Panicking at the woman’s screams, the man brandished a knife to threaten her, then turned and bolted. Seeing his weapon, the nearby tourists dared not step forward to block him.
Shen Hetang scanned the area and saw no temple staff around; they were probably all gathered around the eminent monk or resting in the meditation rooms. Handing Jiang Chenyu over to Jiang Ning, she dashed after him.
The man hadn’t run far yet. He was truly audacious, daring to snatch purses at a crowded temple fair2.
“Ah Tang, be careful!” Jiang Chenyu’s anxious voice called out from behind.
“I’m fine, don’t worry,” she called back over her shoulder, picking up her pace and pursuing him in a straight sprint.
“How dare you rob someone in broad daylight! Drop the purse this instant!” She was closing in on him. For some reason, whenever the good guys and bad guys clashed, there always had to be some dialogue. But should she just kick him down from behind?
Hearing someone hot on his heels, the thief ran even more desperately, flailing his knife in a wild, frantic panic. Seeing this, Shen Hetang grew anxious, terrified that he might blindly stab some innocent bystander.
Seeing that she was refusing to let up, the thief twisted and turned through the paths before leaping behind a massive temple bell.
“Where’d this reckless brat come from, daring to get in your father’s3 way?!” the short man hissed, his malicious, triangular eyes glaring at her.
“I’m from the Yamen. You tell me if I have the right to interfere!” Shen Hetang wanted to capture him immediately, but the shameless scoundrel kept circling the massive temple bell, playing a frustrating game of hide-and-seek with her.
Just as she was about to leap outward and cut him off, a tall, burly man suddenly appeared on the other side of the bell. He whipped out a handful of powder and hurled it straight at Shen Hetang’s face. The powder stung her eyes like fire, and she instinctively raised her hand to shield them.
Seizing the moment, the burly man grabbed the wooden clapper and slammed it violently against the bronze bell twice. The massive, heavy bell swung forward, its deep, reverberating ring crashing straight toward Shen Hetang.
She was bent over, and her head took a solid, direct blow from the swinging bronze. In that instant, the thunderous tolling of the bell felt as though it had smashed right into her brain. Endless ripples of sound, along with the solemn, deafening resonance, echoed endlessly inside her head.
Forcing her bloodshot eyes open, she still leaped forward to give chase. Now that they were clear of the crowds and structures, it was much easier.
The burly thief lacked the agility of his shorter partner. After chasing him a short distance, Shen Hetang lunged forward, locked her arm around his neck in a chokehold, and dragged him to the ground with all her might. Caught in the tight grip, the brute thrashed desperately but couldn’t break free. When he swung his fist to strike her, she simply leaned back to dodge, leaving him squirming on the dirt like a fish washed ashore.
Annoyed by his struggles, Shen Hetang blinked her irritated eyes and looked down at the burly man, whose face was turning a deep crimson as he gasped for breath.
“You can’t blame me for this. You’re the one who blinded my eyes. Even if I choke you to death because I can’t see, you deserve it. A massive guy like you, and you still had to resort to cheap tricks.” With her other hand, she whipped off the scoundrel’s belt and cleanly bound his hands behind his back.
The thief stared at her in utter panic, completely caught off guard by this opponent who refused to play by the rules.
“Your partner abandoned you and ran off. And to think you helped him escape. Now you know what it means when disaster strikes and everyone flies their own way4, huh?” Shen Hetang detested his underhanded methods, so she deliberately spoke to needle him.
The brute tried to struggle again, but a couple of sharp kicks from her quickly made him behave. By then, the Temple Supervisor5 had arrived with a group of workers. After expressing their deep gratitude to Shen Hetang, they locked the man in the woodshed. Normally, Shen Hetang would have taken him back to the Yamen herself, but her head was currently throbbing and heavy, and the ringing of the bell refused to leave her mind.
Furthermore, the temple officials feared that handling the thief now would disrupt today’s temple fair, so they decided to wait until after the eminent monk finished his sermon. Shen Hetang told them they could simply report him to the local authorities directly. As for how the temple would handle it, she couldn’t bring herself to care; Huaguang Temple wasn’t within the borders of Qingyuan County anyway, so it likely fell outside her Yamen’s jurisdiction.
She had no idea what kind of “auspicious day” today was supposed to be, but it had turned out to be nothing but rotten luck.
Once they returned to their residence, she endured her splitting headache to apply medicine to Jiang Chenyu’s ankle, washed out her own eyes, and then collapsed into a deep sleep.
“My head hurts, so I’m going to sleep for a bit. Ask Chuntao to apply the medicine for you this afternoon,” she murmured before lying down.
Jiang Chenyu sat beside her, sensing that something was wrong, but she couldn’t find any visible wounds. She decided it was best to let her rest first.
She picked up a hand fan and began to fan her, just as Shen Hetang always did for her. In her dazed, half-conscious state, Shen Hetang blindly reached out, groping for Jiang Chenyu’s arm.
Fearing that she was uneasy, Jiang Chenyu quickly slipped her hand into hers. After a moment’s thought, she lay down beside her as well.
Yet, even when night fell, there was still no sign of Shen Hetang waking up. Growing anxious, Jiang Chenyu quickly ordered Er Zhuzi to fetch a physician. Although it was late and most physicians had already gone to bed, the Eldest Miss of the Jiang family had plenty of money and could simply use silver to drag a physician over.
But once the physician arrived, she suddenly remembered a crucial matter. She didn’t dare let him take Shen Hetang’s pulse. The moment he laid a hand on her wrist, wouldn’t her true identity be exposed? Ah Tang had kept this secret hidden for so long; she couldn’t let it be ruined so easily.
Hopping back and forth on one leg, she weighed her options before finally deciding to just let the physician perform a visual inspection instead.
The physician had never heard of such a bizarre request, but he ultimately yielded for the sake of the silver.
After a thorough visual examination, the physician concluded that she was simply asleep. He instructed Jiang Chenyu to keep a close watch on her; if she still hadn’t woken up by tomorrow, she could send for him again.
With no other choice, Jiang Chenyu could only wait and see. Since there was no fever, no visible injuries, her breathing was steady, her pupils were normal, and her body temperature was fine, she lay back down beside her.
Fortunately, in the middle of the night, Shen Hetang pulled her into a warm embrace. This finally made Jiang Chenyu believe the physician’s words. Could she really just be asleep?
As for Shen Hetang, her consciousness had drifted far, far away, carried by the ancient, mysterious tolling of the temple bell. She had found herself inside a grand, imposing manor, where a beautiful, heavily pregnant woman stood before her mother-in-law, quietly listening to a lecture.
“Huiniang, it’s not that I, your mother-in-law, am being unreasonable,” the old woman began, pausing halfway through before continuing. “The concubine accompanying Yao’er became pregnant at the same time as you. By all rights, my heart should favor you. However, word has come from their side that her pregnancy shows all the signs of a male heir.”
“You also know how difficult it was for you to conceive this child. It’s incredibly hard for Yao’er to return home even once, so being able to carry this pregnancy is truly your blessing,” the old woman nagged on. “But the Shen family needs a son to maintain our household’s prestige. Yao’er is out leading troops in battle, and weapons have no eyes. If the manor remains without a male heir, outsiders will whisper, and who knows what malicious schemes they might hatch.”
“Mother, if you have something to say, please speak plainly,” the pregnant woman replied. She, too, came from a prominent family and possessed the pride of a well-born lady. She had truly had enough of standing here listening like a meek little quail.
The Old Madam cleared her throat, looking at the daughter-in-law she was otherwise quite satisfied with. Though she had a bit of a pampered temper and relied on her head maid’s assistance to manage the household, she had never committed any major blunders and was always respectful toward her.
But if she couldn’t provide an heir for the Shen family, no amount of virtues mattered. If she didn’t secure a male heir, how could she face her late husband when she passed on? He had exerted immense effort to build this estate for their descendants; it couldn’t be allowed to end in her hands. Without seeing a grandson, how could she ever close her eyes in peace?
“My meaning is this: if Concubine Ru gives birth to a son, we shall bring them back to the Shen Manor. You will raise and instruct the boy personally, and we can have Concubine Ru assist you with managing the household affairs, so she doesn’t harbor resentment from being separated from her son.” The old lady laid out her plan in its entirety.
“Mother, your daughter-in-law hasn’t even given birth yet. It won’t be too late to discuss this if I do end up having another daughter,” the woman replied, doing her best to maintain a polite, dignified facade.
What a joke! To rob her child of status and hand over management of the household to that woman—had her mother-in-law lost her mind? Who would want to raise that woman’s child? That troublesome concubine already monopolized the master, and now she spent every waking moment of her pregnancy hinting to everyone that she was carrying a boy, as if no one else knew how to bear a child! Although she was absolutely furious, she couldn’t vent her anger on her mother-in-law.
“Sigh, I know this is unfair to you. I’m only discussing it with you in advance because carrying on the family line is of paramount importance. I want a legitimate grandson too, but the question is, can you bear a legitimate grandson for our Shen family?” The eldest child was already a girl, and the Old Madam had already consulted several experienced midwives about this current pregnancy; they all said the shape of her belly pointed to another girl. She had no other choice but to make do with what she had.
“Mother, let’s wait until my child is born before discussing these matters. If we show such disdain for the baby beforehand, I fear that even if it’s a boy, he won’t want to come to the Shen family.” Knowing that the Old Madam was superstitious, she used this reason to deflect the conversation.
“That does make sense. We won’t speak of it for now. Just focus on nurturing your pregnancy in peace.”
“Yes, Mother,” the woman replied, lowering her eyes submissively.
But her mother-in-law’s words remained lodged in her heart like a thorn. Looking at her eldest daughter, who was as exquisite as carved jade, she grew even more anxious about the child in her womb. What if it really was another daughter? She absolutely refused to raise that woman’s child. She could keep dreaming.
If that woman were allowed to manage the household by then, what use would she herself be? Was hogging the master not enough for her? Did she want to seize the entire Shen Manor—the very home she and her daughter relied on? She could dream on!
In the blink of an eye, the dream shifted. Two pregnant women were sitting together, enjoying iced drinks. Normally, pregnant women weren’t supposed to consume things that were too cold, but both were on the verge of giving birth, and the summer heat was so unbearable that they simply couldn’t care less.
The woman sharing the iced drinks with Madam Shen was her head maid, Xianggui. She was an efficient, reliable woman, and Madam Shen’s most trusted confidante. She had spent her youth helping Lin Huiqing manage the Shen Manor, which had delayed her own marriage prospects.
Later, after consulting her on the matter, Lin Huiqing had arranged a marriage for her with a promising young officer serving under General Shen. Both parties were quite pleased with the arrangement, and they had wed in a quiet, low-profile ceremony.
But Madam Shen still required Xianggui’s assistance, and Xianggui herself didn’t want to leave her mistress. After all, her husband had to depart with the General anyway; what was the point of her staying alone in the countryside?
Within the Shen Manor, as long as it was a matter her mistress decided, she was the authority. She ate well, dressed well, and didn’t have to perform manual labor herself; she only had to direct the other servants. As the head maid, she enjoyed a fair amount of prestige.
Moreover, her mistress was pampered and delicate; if she left, what if a new maid didn’t know how to attend to her properly? Ultimately, she had remained by Madam Shen’s side as the Managing Nanny6, leaving both women without any worries.
Almost a year ago, General Shen and Xianggui’s husband had both returned to the Shen Manor for a half-month stay, resulting in both mistress and maid becoming pregnant at the same time. This was a joyous occasion, and both women had been absolutely thrilled.
However, Madam Shen’s good mood had only lasted for two months before news arrived that Concubine Ru was pregnant as well. Madam Shen was thoroughly enraged. What on earth was Shen Yao doing? Was there no war left to fight at the border? Why was he spending all his days hovering around that woman’s belly?
It was Xianggui who had constantly consoled her, suggesting that perhaps Concubine Ru had resorted to underhanded tricks upon learning of Madam Shen’s pregnancy.
But regardless of the circumstances, the pregnancy was real. That woman truly tried to compete with her in everything.
Right after they finished their iced drinks, as fate would have it, both women went into labor at the exact same time. Suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck Madam Shen. She arranged for Xianggui to be brought into her own chambers, keeping only a single delivering midwife in the room. Two young maidservants were stationed outside the door to carry water, while everyone else was strictly barred from entering.
She didn’t even notify the Old Madam in the front courtyard that her daughter-in-law in the rear courtyard was giving birth. Since this was Madam Shen’s second child, aside from a bit of mental stress, she wasn’t panicking at all.
She even found the spare energy to instruct Xianggui on how to push, which made the elderly midwife watching from the side secretly chuckle.
As expected, Madam Shen gave birth first. But when the child was brought before her, her strength left her completely. It was indeed another daughter. Fortunately, she had prepared a backup plan; now, it all depended on whether Xianggui’s belly would be cooperative.
Between the two of them, surely at least one would give birth to a boy. She would just borrow him. In any case, she would never hand over everything in the Shen Manor on a silver platter.
Whether she gave birth to a boy or a girl, no one would dare snatch away what was hers. She had guarded this wretched Shen Manor as though she were a living widow, and she hadn’t done it just to let that woman reap the rewards. Not in her wildest dreams!
Footnotes
- chángmíngdēng (长明灯), traditional Chinese 'ever-burning lamps' lit in temples to accumulate spiritual merit, pray for blessings, or guide the souls of the deceased.
- miàohuì (庙会), traditional Chinese temple fairs held on auspicious days, combining religious worship with lively markets, theatrical performances, and folk activities.
- lǎozi (老子), an arrogant, coarse way to refer to oneself in Chinese, literally meaning 'your father' or 'I, your father'.
- dà nàn lín tóu gè zì fēi (大难临头各自飞), a famous proverb meaning 'when disaster strikes, each flies their own way,' emphasizing self-preservation over loyalty.
- jiànyuàn (监院), the administrative supervisor of a Buddhist temple in ancient China, responsible for managing daily operations, monastic discipline, and external affairs.
- guǎnshì gūgu (管事姑姑), a high-ranking managing nanny or head maid in a wealthy household who oversees domestic affairs and manages lower-level servants.
0 Comments