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墨書 Inktalez
Your real estate has changed, and after gathering some money from the fabric workshop, you opened a ready-to-wear shop.
You rented a two-story storefront on the street; the backyard houses the weaving and dyeing workshops, while the first floor sells affordable ready-made clothing, and the second floor offers high-priced custom-made skirts, along with some men's clothing for sale.
As the business grew, the demand expanded as well. Customers were no longer satisfied with local fabrics and often requested Shu Brocade, Cloud Brocade, Song Brocade, and Man.
Should you settle for a modest fortune or continue to grow stronger? Second Sister has quite an ambition and chose the latter.
One day, Second Sister invited you to a restaurant for a meal. Upon entering a private room, you saw Liang Feng and asked her in disbelief if there were really no other captains available.
Second Sister playfully nudged you towards Liang Feng with a sly look in her eyes, saying, "None."
Liang Feng helps your family transport brocade without charging any money; Second Sister takes advantage of this and sells you off without hesitation. She made an excuse to leave you alone and whispered in your ear as she departed, "It's all for the fabric workshop, Eldest Sister."
The Han River's waterways are extensive, but there are only so many docks; whoever occupies them makes money. Thus, various shipping guilds formed, competing fiercely for profit in bloody and violent struggles.
Liang Feng's father had formed a shipping guild with his relatives when he was young. They were brave and ruthless, constantly expanding their influence; at their peak, they had forty large ships within their guild, controlling half of Wuchang's docks.
However, in recent years, their guild has been on a decline; ships have been lost or destroyed. Liang Feng had three older brothers who either died in guild disputes or perished during cargo transport without leaving any remains.
The captain has faced consecutive setbacks, losing his edge and becoming cautious and hesitant. Liang Feng took on these responsibilities when he was only seventeen years old.
You had clearly weighed the pros and cons before but still found yourself thinking about him. One sleepless night, clutching your pillow, you crawled into Second Sister's bed and remarked that Liang Feng was just a boy who hadn't fully matured yet; he did manual labor and lived day by day—he wasn't a reliable support.
Second Sister groggily responded to you as she woke up; you then changed the subject to say that dumplings should be eaten hot and men should be strong... Liang Feng's physique was indeed appealing to you; being older than him as his sister meant it wouldn't hurt to show some affection.
Second Sister turned away with her eyes closed, frowning as she covered her ears with the blanket and muttered, "Indeed, no problem..."
But you felt conflicted; an official decree carries inherent authority. You feared that if you couldn't rely on someone powerful anymore, you'd lose your current good life...
However, according to societal views, marrying him—a young man who is clear of any scandal—would mean you gained a significant advantage; it seemed like you should agree directly...
Second Sister threw off the blanket and sat up abruptly with her disheveled hair, gritting her teeth: "Liang Feng, right..."
Now that you were alone together in a room, it was likely due to your disturbance of Second Sister's sleep.
Liang Feng broke the silence with a smile and explained to you: "The second shopkeeper is enthusiastic but misunderstood my intentions; I don't want money—I just want to express gratitude for Consort's guidance towards my younger sister without any ulterior motives."
Recalling your private conversations with Second Sister, you inadvertently blurted out: "No ulterior motives? That's rather disappointing."
Realizing what you just said, you suddenly stiffened and looked up at him.
Liang Feng initially gazed at you in surprise but then his smile warmed slightly. You wanted to explain but feared making things worse instead decided to take your leave while he teased from behind: "I'm just a rough man; Consort's words are profound—could you clarify?"
You walked side by side along the street; knowing he was interested in pursuing you made it clear that he could easily catch up if he wanted to. However, he wasn't overly aggressive either—he gave you some space until he stopped you at your doorstep.
He worried that if you went home again and turned against him, the spark he had ignited would extinguish once more. "I only have an old father and a younger sister at home; my father is kind-hearted and my sister is well-behaved—you've met them both."
"Our shipping guild isn't what it used to be, but I can earn five hundred taels a year for household expenses; if that's not enough for you, I can take on more work."
"I noticed you on your first day teaching my sister how to read; if you're willing, I can ask my father for your hand in marriage tomorrow."
He is a passionate and sincere young man, laying himself bare for you to see, while you are a calculating older woman, weighing the pros and cons, hesitating and coveting his body.
You say that you are not suitable for each other, but your voice lacks conviction. You mention that you are a widow, older than him, and involved in rumors with the county magistrate; in short, there is no possibility for you two.
He approaches closer, lowering his voice. "So what if you're a widow? I'm just a rough man who works on boats; I like whoever I want, regardless of what others say. 'A woman three years older than a man is like gold bricks,' as the old saying goes. You keep saying you don't like me, but that only shows you have an interest in me..."
You are left speechless because he is right. In fact, you have considered being with him; you've even planned your future together. You could use some silver to obtain a Salt License; you would operate behind the scenes while he performs in front, wanting him to rely on you for profit.
But upon seeing his candid smile, an unwarranted sense of morality suddenly arises within you. You think that if years later he becomes worldly and finds you old and ordinary, drifting away from you, you would surely leave him money and let him go without any hard feelings.
This reflects the difference in thinking brought about by age and experience; while he is still exploring feelings and confirming intentions, you are already considering an exit strategy.
You open your door and invite him inside. You have visited the Liang Family many times; this time it is your turn to open yourself up.
You lead him into the room like a captivating enchantress. Your soft arms wrap around his broad shoulders, and after a kiss, his bright eyes fill with emotion. His warm body presses against your cool skin, sending shivers through both of you.
At a crucial moment, he asks, "What does this mean for us?"
You silence him with a kiss: "Don't ask..."
Don't ask or worry; let's enjoy ourselves first.
As it is his first time, he moves awkwardly at first but gradually becomes more skilled after turning over twice. He puts on a thin garment and lifts you up with enthusiasm, though it leaves you feeling somewhat pained.
"Tell my father tomorrow, inform your siblings; we can hold the wedding banquet the day after," he says contentedly.
In his mind, having done this means he has received your approval. Yet, satisfied as you are, doubts begin to creep in as you murmur to him not to rush—there's still much to do: book the banquet hall, embroider the bridal veil, hire a flower palanquin.
He cheerfully agrees.
He makes several trips on the boat and buys a large three-entry courtyard house, yet you haven't booked the banquet or embroidered the veil.
He is not foolish; he realizes that you are intentionally delaying things. Despite having spoken harshly before and softened his approach afterward, treating you well in every possible way, you still keep your guard up against him.
Heartbroken, he leaves, saying he will take on a risky cargo run.
You feel anxious for a month and a half until hearing news of someone caught smuggling salt by officials who were sentenced to execution.
It turns out that person was trying to marry a materialistic woman and worked himself to death only to end up on the path of crime and ultimately lost his life.
Terrified out of your wits, you rush to the execution ground only to find it is not who you thought it was. Disheartened, you walk home and bump into Liang Feng who has come looking for you.
He had just returned from Hangzhou City where chaos still reigns; so when he spoke of danger earlier, he was not lying to you.
He saw your red eyes and asked what was wrong, wondering if someone had bullied you in his absence. He felt heartbroken, completely forgetting that you had quarreled before. You looked at him and suddenly understood everything.
You thought that with money, you could spend your life indulging in male beauty, but you didn't realize that no matter how much power or wealth you had, there were some people you could not treat as mere distractions. He offered you a sincere heart; if you hurt him, you would end up hating yourself because you genuinely liked him too.
At the age of twenty-two, you got married, inviting only your closest friends and family. However, the Liang Family had many relatives, resulting in over ten tables at the banquet. Your Second Sister arranged for someone to help tidy up the new home that Liang Feng bought, decorating it festively. Your Third Brother couldn't make it back in time but sent a statue of the Yellow Jade God of Wealth, wishing your Eldest Sister endless prosperity. Your Fourth Sister personally embroidered your bridal veil. Your Fifth Sister… did nothing but taste the dishes after your Second Sister finalized the menu and declared them delicious.
The brothers at the dock were all good men, drinking from jars. After the ceremony and a hearty meal, Liang Feng was already so drunk he was out cold.
You stepped outside to relieve yourself and saw your sisters sitting together, cracking sunflower seeds. Two younger sisters asked Second Sister when she would find someone to marry. Second Sister crossed her legs and raised an eyebrow: "I must have lost my mind to be like Eldest Sister and find a man to control me?" Business rivals feared her, and among her partners were several admirers. Second Sister was living quite comfortably now.
Fourth Sister mentioned someone from long ago—the girl who had taken her Certificate of Freedom and married a Household Servant. "At first, I kindly helped her out because I was worried she would struggle if she got pregnant. But she took advantage of me, making me work for free while she served her man."
Fifth Sister asked, "What happened later?"
"Later on, I couldn't keep working for her for free, so I stopped going. Then I heard she had complications during childbirth and bled to death; the Midwife panicked halfway through and ran away. Her man didn't even find a doctor for her, just let her die like that.
"She suffered a lot but still remembered the good in that man, saying he was very considerate and always thought of her when there was something good to eat or enjoy. In the end, she died and was hastily buried in a hole in the mountain; that man immediately found a new wife..."
Fifth Sister gasped in shock as sunflower seed shells flew everywhere: "It's fine; if Eldest Sister has complications during childbirth and bleeds out, we'll use the best ginseng at home to help her. If she dies, I'll buy the best coffin for a grand burial..."
You felt a sharp pain in your lower abdomen and trembled as you said, "You should wish for my well-being." You didn't want to die yet, so every night you diligently prepared lamb intestines for your man.
Liang Feng complained it was cumbersome, saying "How many sections of intestines does a sheep have? It's enough for our household." But he still respected your choice.
By the time you turned twenty-four, perhaps one of those intestines had a hole because you became pregnant. The following year, you arranged for everything after death—finding a Midwife and a doctor on standby—and held onto a hundred-year-old ginseng as if facing death head-on.
In the end, as soon as you spread your legs, the child was born.
You cried tears of joy at this rebirth and felt grateful to your original family for what seemed like an inherited good constitution from your mother.
But this also opened the door to happiness for Liang Feng. You had two children in three years, one after another. However, in your thirty-second year, Liang Feng died.
When you couldn't see the living or the dead, you could still laugh and say that you were wealthy and powerful, and that you could live just fine without a man. But when the body was retrieved from downstream and brought to your home, you fainted on the spot.
Yet you had a sister-in-law waiting to be married and three young sons and two daughters to care for; you had to shoulder the responsibilities of the family. After regaining consciousness, you arranged the funeral as if nothing had happened. Only at night, when no one was around, did you hold the spirit tablet and cry.
You finally felt like those despicable men who chase after their wives to the crematorium; with your beloved gone, you regretted not treating him better in the past. Liang Feng died at the hands of river bandits, and with no way to seek revenge, you became a widow.
At the same time, Third Brother wrote to ask you to buy a house in Wuchang; he wanted to bring his wife and children back. It seemed that the southeastern coast had become chaotic enough for even a cunning businessman like him to feel anxious. But Wuchang was not peaceful either. Where could there be a good place?
In your moment of despair, Fifth Brother-in-law suggested that the family move to the capital. Fifth Sister's husband was someone she picked herself; that year she took in many abandoned children and entrusted them to Master Luo for training. The rest became your family's enforcers, except for one who begged Second Sister for mercy to let him join the army. He said if he could earn military merit, he would come back to marry Sister Five.
Sister Five bit into her big pancake and said nonchalantly, "If you don't want to work for my family, just say so. Earning military merit? I won't marry anyone in my life just like my sister!" The boy smiled shyly but didn't argue; later he rose through the ranks, sending letters every month until he came back with drums and gongs to propose when he became a thousand-household commander.
Second Sister pushed Sister Five forward: "You can't afford to offend a soldier; marry him!" Now Fifth Brother-in-law had also been promoted again and was commanding officials. When he said they should move, everyone felt reassured.
After much ado, you, Second Sister, Fourth Sister, Fifth Sister, and Third Brother finally reunited in the capital. Coincidentally, Fifth Brother-in-law's allocated house was exactly where you used to serve another family. That family had produced corrupt officials; before their young master could rise to power, their estate was confiscated. The house lay abandoned for ten years until it regained vitality in your hands.
Times had changed; reflecting on this made you all emotional as you divided up the five courtyards properly and happily settled in together as a family.
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