tallest building

Chapter 78 Trying to Catch Adulterers

The second branch of the Gong family wanted to take a concubine. Although it wasn't a grand affair, preparations still had to be made in advance.

Unfortunately, on this very day, the matriarch of the Junior Minister of the Imperial Clan passed away, and the Gong family naturally received news of her death.

Madam Gong said, "We have been friends with their family for generations. Now that their old lady has passed away, we can't not go."

Madam Wei said, "Of course, my daughter-in-law has already asked them to prepare the carriage, and I think my sister-in-law will be going along as well."

"Of course! Now that she's back and in charge of the household, how can we not show our faces? The coffin will be kept for seven days, and our family members must go there every day for those seven days to make it proper!" Older people are particularly concerned about funerals, but not so much about weddings.

"The old lady is right. Of course, the more polite we are, the better. But I'm thinking that the weather is too hot right now, and there are a lot of people over there. There might not be enough places to sit, and the smell might not be very pleasant either."

"Why don't you go on the first and last day? My sister-in-law and I will go every day; I don't think they'll feel we're neglecting them."

“That’s true. If I go every day, the family will have to send someone to look after me, which would be inconvenient for them.” After thinking for a moment, Madam Gong said, “Then let’s do it your way!”

So he sent someone to tell Wen Mingqian to dress properly and come over to pay her respects.

Wen Mingqian hurriedly asked someone to find her plain-colored clothes. She usually didn't wear many hairpins and jewelry, and now she had to remove two more.

“Zhang Ma, please take good care of things at home with the other managers! I think Ma Ping’an, the gatekeeper, is quite capable and mature. If you need to go out to do anything, just have him take some people and do it first. I’ll see if it works when I get back,” Wen Mingqian said.

“Go ahead and don’t worry, young lady! I’ve been keeping an eye on Ma Ping’an these days, and he’s definitely someone I can rely on,” Zhang Ma said. “He’s just a little too young, and I’m afraid he still needs to go through a few major events to gain some experience.”

“You decide what to do! This mansion looks alright from the outside, but it’s actually leaking everywhere,” Wen Mingqian said. “Steward Song only cares about appearances, but inside it’s a mess. He lets the servants be greedy and even uses it as a way to win people over.”

"Those who form bonds based on profit will inevitably break up based on profit," Zhang Ma said. "It won't last."

Then she asked Wen Mingqian, "Who did you take with you today, young lady?"

Wen Mingqian said, "I will go with the old lady and the first wife. One maid will be enough."

He added, "Liu'er's clothes aren't very bright today, why don't you come with me?"

Liu'er quickly agreed, picked off another pomegranate flower from her hair, and followed her mistress out the door.

Not long after they left, Zhang Ma started directing everyone to get busy.

Sang Er slowly wiped the windowsill a few times, then came over to Zhang Ma and said, "I think I have heatstroke. I feel dizzy and unsteady on my feet."

Aunt Zhang said, "You really are a beauty! Go on, go back to your room and rest! You're not cut out for housework anyway."

Sang Er then went to the back, first lying down in her room for a while, and then going out through the northwest corner gate at lunchtime.

She didn't expect that there was a pair of eyes watching her all along. When they saw her go out, they followed her from a distance.

As the weather grew hotter, Song's pregnancy became increasingly difficult. Fortunately, many fresh fruits and vegetables were now available. The maids used silver spoons to scoop out the best parts of the fruits and vegetables, placing them on an agate plate with small silver forks for Song to use.

"Young Madam, please try this peach that your uncle sent. He said it was newly cultivated by fruit farmers in Dongdu in the last two years. Unlike the peaches of the past, which are soft and mushy, this one is crisp and sweet."

After taking a bite, Song said, "It's alright, but unfortunately it's not as sweet as lychee."

"Lychees are a rare commodity; this year, flooding in the south has made them difficult to transport. The amount that can be brought over isn't even enough for the tribute!"

Just then, Granny Yang hurriedly came in. Seeing her like this, Madam Song called to two maids: "Go to the kitchen and tell Sister Qi that for lunch I want a loofah and ham dish, and a braised pork tendon with yellow wine. Tell her to prepare some vegetables to go with the rest."

After the two maids left, Granny Yang couldn't hide her excitement: "Young Madam, that little hussy Sang Er really did something. This time she's handed us her weakness!"

Upon hearing this, Madam Song perked up and asked, "What shameful thing has she done?"

Mother Yang said, "I told my daughter-in-law to follow her, and I found that the little hussy had sneaked out again today. There's a small courtyard in an alley just across the street from our mansion. She went in and didn't come out for a long time. Inside the door was a young man, and the two of them were inseparable at the door. It was obvious that they were having an affair."

Song was very cautious: "Since ancient times, the key to catching adulterers is to catch them in the act. It's not accurate unless you catch them both together."

Granny Yang said, "Then what should we do? Let them meet again tomorrow, and we'll just break in and catch them."

Madam Song said, "Don't rush, the more this is the time, the more we need to stay calm. Wen Mingqian has been out attending the funeral these past few days, so this girl will definitely try to sneak out whenever she has a chance. You send someone who is more agile to wander around the house and find out who lives there. Knowing your enemy is the best policy."

Only after confirming that the two are having an affair can we ensure that breaking in and arresting them is foolproof.

Granny Yang said, "I understand, I'll arrange for someone to go right away."

Gong Chang'an had already enrolled in school and was studying at the same table as Feng Tianzhu.

Because Wen Mingqian had to go out to pay his respects every day for the past few days, Madam Wu, the young mistress of the Feng family, sent someone to inform her that Gong Chang'an should stay at their house for the next few days, since she wasn't going out to pay her respects anyway, and could take care of the two children.

Wen Mingqian didn't refuse, so as not to make people feel distant. So he asked Zhang Ma to pack some clothes, food and toys and send them to the Feng family.

"Tell Chang'an to be less mischievous in front of others. If he causes trouble, he won't be able to live so freely in the future," Wen Mingqian instructed Zhang Ma.

Two days later, Granny Yang came running excitedly to tell Madam Song the good news: "Young Madam, my nephew has found out the truth! The man living in that house is a poor scholar from Mingzhou, a fellow townsman of Sang Er. He's been coming and going for more than a day. Yesterday, my nephew secretly climbed over the wall and overheard the two of them talking under the window. They were making vows of eternal love, and it seems they're planning to elope!"

"How dare you! You're not afraid of death," Madam Song sneered. "But we've gotten off easy. We were thinking of bribing someone in that courtyard. Now we don't need to. Coercion is more effective than bribery, especially when lives are at stake."

"That makes sense. As long as we get her under control, she'll submit obediently," Granny Yang said smugly. "Otherwise, she'll be in big trouble!"

Song said, "Have someone keep watch today. Once Sang Er leaves, we'll follow her. Arrange for someone who can climb over the wall to get inside and open the door for us from the inside."

When Granny Yang heard that she was going to catch the adulterers in the act today, she couldn't stop smiling.

(End of this chapter)