37. Chapter 37: A Purge in the Inner Household (II)

If Mother Gui had previously failed to grasp the Third Young Miss’s intent—how to utilize Suye, and how to maneuver Lady Ye into personally driving the woman surnamed Yang out of the household—the moment she set eyes on Yang in the main kitchen, she understood perfectly.

It was no wonder the Third Young Miss had not spelled it out; for a young, unmarried lady, such matters were simply too improper to speak of aloud.

Yang had been purchased by the household back when Lady Ye was still a concubine. At that time, Lady Ye lived in the same courtyard as the Fifth and Sixth Young Misses, and Yang served as the cook for their small kitchen. Because of her culinary skill, Tantai Shanchang had been enticed to spend many an evening in Lady Ye’s courtyard just to enjoy her cooking. After Lady Dong passed away and Lady Ye took control of the inner residence, she had Yang transferred directly to manage the main kitchen.

Yang possessed more than just a talent for cooking; she had a certain… figure. She was a widow, and as the saying goes, a widow’s doorstep is rarely free of trouble. While her face was unremarkable, her figure was truly extraordinary—a wasp-waist and shapely hips. It was only after she could no longer make a living outside that she sought refuge in the household as a cook.

When Lady Ye first brought her in, she had been deeply wary of that physique; it was the sort of figure that would incite jealousy in women and lust in men. However, Yang’s cooking was truly superb. After much deliberation, Lady Ye kept her, but ordered that all of Yang’s clothing be tailored by the manor’s needlework shop—exclusively loose, baggy garments that completely swathed her form, rendering it impossible to discern her silhouette. Fortunately, Yang’s face was plain enough that Lady Ye was finally set at ease.

When Mother Gui arrived at the kitchen with Suye, she found Yang busy at the stove. Although a welcome banquet was being prepared, Mother Gui and Nanny Jiang were servants, after all; they would only get their turn to eat once the masters had finished.

At that moment, Yang had tied her apron strings tight around her waist, instantly highlighting her exquisite curves.

Mother Gui narrowed her eyes slightly, turned to Suye, and said, "Suye, my dear, you are a precious girl. Why not wait outside and catch a breeze? I will go in myself. The kitchen is thick with greasy smoke, and I would hate for it to ruin your fine dress."

Suye frowned, glancing down at her new silk skirt. It was made from fabric purchased during the Third Young Miss’s last trip to the Great Buddha Temple. The Third Young Miss was truly naive about such things, buying mostly expensive materials; the fabric for this skirt alone was worth a tael of silver per bolt. It was the first time she had worn such a garment, and it felt so light, cool, and soft that she was indeed reluctant to step into the smoky kitchen. She pointed toward the woman at the stove and said, "That is Sister Yang. You can just look for her yourself, Mother!"

Mother Gui smiled and turned to enter.

"Is this Sister Yang?" Yang turned around, glancing at Mother Gui. Not knowing who she was, she remained silent.

Mother Gui continued, "I am from the Dong residence, serving the Third Young Miss. Today, Taohong said she wanted to host a table of dishes for Nanny Jiang and myself. I thought, since I am a newcomer, I shouldn't add to the household’s burdens, so I came to find you privately."

As she spoke, Mother Gui took a string of coins from her sleeve and said with a smile, "I hope you don’t mind preparing two jugs of wine as well. I don’t have many hobbies, but I do enjoy a drink or two!"

Yang’s late husband had also been surnamed Yang. Worried about her attracting unwanted attention, Lady Ye had always called her "Sister Yang," and the name had stuck. Yang took the money from Mother Gui’s hand, her mind racing to calculate how much she could pocket for herself after buying the wine. Finding the sum significant, her mouth curled into a happy smile.

"Mother Gui, is it? Taohong just told me to take good care of you two. You can rest assured," Yang said, clutching the money and beaming.

Mother Gui reached out to pat Yang’s hand, then exclaimed in surprise, "My, Sister Yang, your skin is so soft and supple—it feels just like that of a girl in her prime!"

Flattered, Yang straightened her posture, causing her chest to puff out. Mother Gui’s gaze lingered for a split second before she covered her mouth and chuckled, "Your late husband was truly a lucky man!"

Yang’s expression darkened. Not wanting to show rudeness to Mother Gui, she muttered, "That short-lived wretch passed away early, leaving me to suffer and toil alone. Lucky? He was lucky enough to have someone wait on him until the day he died!"

Mother Gui feigned ignorance, frowning. "Is that so? Such a young woman, and with a figure like yours, why hide yourself away in the kitchen? You really ought to find someone to remarry!"

Yang let out a dry laugh. "What’s so good about marriage? You have to wait on a man, watch his moods, and even if you earn money, it belongs to him—and you still have to buy his wine!" She gestured with the coins in her hand and laughed, "It’s better this way. All the money goes into my own purse. What’s not to like?"

Mother Gui gave a knowing smile. So, she was greedy. As long as she was greedy, things would be much easier to manage.

Mother Gui held Yang’s hand, refusing to let go, and advised in a heavy, earnest tone, "Sister, that’s not the way to look at it. Do you have children? If you do, that’s fine—at least you’ll have someone to see you to your grave. But if not, when you die, you’ll be rolled up in a straw mat, and that will be the end of it!"

Mother Gui had struck a nerve, and Yang’s face immediately turned unsightly.

Acting as if she hadn't noticed, Mother Gui sighed, "To tell you the truth, I’ve had a hard life too. My man was a short-lived one as well. Fortunately, he left me a son. A woman must have something to rely on! In my eyes, your future is brighter than anyone else’s! I’ve just arrived from the Dong residence and don’t have much to offer, but please take this bracelet as a gift. If you ever rise to greatness in the future, don't forget me!"

With that, Mother Gui gave Yang a meaningful look and slipped a solid gold peony-patterned bracelet from her wrist into Yang’s hand. The weight of the gold was so heavy that Yang’s wrist sank, leaving her stunned.

Outside, Suye had waited for a long time. Growing impatient, she wondered why it was taking so long just to hand over a string of coins for wine. Puzzled, she poked her head in and caught sight of Mother Gui pressing something into Yang’s hand. As Mother Gui turned, Suye saw a flash of gold in Yang’s palm.

Suye had received a jade thumb ring from Mother Gui that morning; she knew exactly how valuable these gifts were. This "Mother Gui" was truly a generous one—was it really necessary to be so lavish? The gold bracelet in Yang’s hand was clearly worth far more than her own jade ring.

Suye bit her lip in frustration. When Mother Gui walked out, she spoke as if she were feeling slighted on her behalf: "Mother, why give Sister Yang such a precious thing? She is the Lady’s person. No matter how well you treat her, she will never truly be on your side! She is not like me."

Suye was trying to demonstrate her loyalty, but Mother Gui only looked at her with an inscrutable smile. "In my eyes," she said, "she is exactly like you, Suye."

Suye stood frozen in place. What could Mother Gui possibly mean?