Chapter 22: The Mistress of the Household

At the break of dawn, Wu Tiande held his newlywed wife’s slender waist, still eager for intimacy, but Qin Keqing was already utterly exhausted.

She pleaded, “Please, no more. I still have to prepare breakfast for the whole family and serve tea to the elders. If you keep being so unruly, and I end up unable to walk, it won’t just be me who’s embarrassed.”

Hearing this, and seeing the lingering tears on Qin Keqing’s face along with the bruises scattered across her body, Wu Tiande felt ashamed and restrained his restless desires.

They fell asleep entwined, dozing off for a second round of rest.

When daylight fully brightened the room, Wu Tiande awoke leisurely from his sleep. The blanket beside him was already cool.

Rubbing his temples, he sat up and glanced at the empty half of the bed. His heart stirred slightly. Quickly donning a coat and slipping on his shoes, he stepped outside.

The courtyard’s bluestone tiles were still damp with dew, and a faint fragrance of rice mixed with sweet osmanthus floated in the air.

Wu Tiande followed the scent toward the kitchen, where at the doorway he found Qin Keqing rolling up her sleeves, stirring white porridge in a clay pot.

She wore a plain, homey jacket and skirt, a simple silver hairpin tucked at her temple. The morning light caressed her profile, making her delicate features especially enchanting.

“Why are you up so early and cooking yourself?” Wu Tiande asked as he approached, gently grasping her wrist from behind. Qin Keqing turned with a lazy smile, the corners of her eyes still heavy with sleep. “It’s the second day of our marriage. I must make a proper breakfast for the family.”

She pointed to a bamboo steamer by the stove. “I steamed some rice cakes too. Qin Zhong and Cai Ming are still young; they’ll surely like these sweets.”

Soon, Qin Zhong and Wu Cai Ming finished washing and came to the main hall, followed by the couple Wu Xindeng and his wife.

Since Wu Tiande’s parents had passed early, Wu Xindeng and his wife were the eldest relatives in the household. Seeing Qin Keqing bustling with bowls of porridge, Wu Xindeng joked, “Tiande’s no good fellow, but he did marry a fine wife.”

“Uncle, don’t talk about your nephew like that! Your words might cause marital strife and leave me without a warm meal. Then I’ll have to come bother you in person,” Wu Tiande teased.

Wu Xindeng’s wife scolded her husband for his poor choice of words, prompting laughter all around.

After breakfast, Qin Keqing personally brewed tea from the early spring leaves and respectfully presented it to Wu Xindeng and his wife. “Uncle, Aunt, your niece-in-law offers you tea.”

Wu Xindeng sipped the tea and nodded repeatedly. “Good tea, brewed to perfection.”

His wife took a brocade box from her sleeve and handed it to Qin Keqing. “A small gift upon your arrival: a pair of pearl earrings and a golden hairpin with jade tassels. Not worth much, but please accept and wear them.”

Qin Keqing hurried to decline. “How can I accept this? Though you work in the Rong Mansion and earn easily, expenses and social obligations are considerable. Besides, cousin Cai Ming is unmarried and needs savings for a house and a wife. Better to keep it for him.”

Wu Xindeng’s wife smiled. “It’s a token from us elders. Just accept it. Cai Ming’s marriage is far off; a few trinkets won’t matter.”

Seeing her insistence, Qin Keqing formally thanked them and accepted. Wu Xindeng gave them a few words of advice to “live well” before the couple took their leave.

Wu Xindeng managed the Rong Mansion’s silver vault, and his wife oversaw the inner household. Both were busy and worried about any news from the Ningguo Mansion, so they hurried off to gather intelligence.

After seeing them off, Wu Tiande led Qin Keqing to the corridor where several people waited. Pointing to a lively young maid, he said softly, “This is Miss Qingwen.”

Qingwen stepped forward and bowed. “Miss Qingwen greets the young mistress.”

Qin Keqing knew Qingwen’s special status, backed by the dowager lady Shi of Jia Mansion and designated as Wu Tiande’s prospective concubine, so she treated her differently. She bent to help her up and said, “No need for such formality, Sister Qingwen,” even rewarding her on the spot with a silver necklace, which brought a delighted smile to Qingwen’s face.

Qin Keqing smiled slightly. Qingwen was easy to get along with, her emotions written plainly on her face and with no ill intentions.

Next came a sharp-featured woman. Wu Tiande introduced her as “Madam Lou, the shop manager, responsible for all accounts and overseeing audits of the two branches. You two will handle business matters, and I will no longer interfere.”

Madam Lou bowed. “Madam Lou greets the young mistress and will serve faithfully.”

“This is our head chef, Duo Guan. He’s in charge of all our cooking.”

Duo Guan, still somewhat drunk from the previous night, spoke in a muffled voice. “I am Wu Gui, nicknamed Duo Guan. Greetings, young mistress!”

Qin Keqing smiled. “From now on, you are responsible for all our family’s meals, Chef Duo.”

Then Wu Tiande introduced the maid Deng’er and the book boy Jia Jun, both of whom greeted her respectfully.

Qin Keqing noticed Deng’er’s considerable charm and a faintly flirtatious tone in her speech. She hesitated, worried that Wu Tiande might one day succumb to temptation and become Deng’er’s servant beneath her.

Her husband was utterly obsessed, having demanded her thrice the previous night over several hours without pause. With her frail body, she could hardly satisfy this lustful wolf. If he sought solace with Deng’er later, how could she, as the lady of the house, bear the shame?

But Qin Keqing had only been married a day. Deng’er’s seduction was merely a possibility, not reality. She couldn’t dismiss the girl on baseless grounds.

Besides, she heard that Deng’er was responsible for selling most of the liquor in the flagship fast-food store. If she drove her away, would the business survive?

After much thought, Qin Keqing decided to wait and see.

Although Wu Tiande had strong desires and acted recklessly, she was skilled with words and could counterforce with softness.

While their mutual novelty lasted, they could manage a few years. By then, Qingwen would be grown and able to share the burden.

Could two wives combined not hold their own against a single flirtatious maid?

Lost in thought, Qin Keqing was interrupted by two women entering—the housekeepers from the two branches, Mrs. Bao and Mrs. Bu. They bowed and said, “I am Mrs. Bao, representing the branch to pay respects to the young mistress!”

Qin Keqing had her maid Ruizhu present a tray with copper coins, handing each a coin. “A token for our first meeting, one coin each.”

She added to Mrs. Bao and Mrs. Bu, “The branch workers aren’t here today, so please give each half a coin to share the good fortune.”

Everyone accepted the coins and bowed in thanks. Qin Keqing smiled and said, “From now on, we are one family. Madam Lou, manage the shop well. Chef Duo, keep our meals delicious daily. Deng’er, keep the hall clean and sell more drinks. Jia Jun, learn from your master. Sister Qingwen, help me in the back courtyard. Our days will only grow more prosperous.”

She paused and looked at Mrs. Bao and Mrs. Bu teasingly. “Don’t just mind your own branches. Visit each other often. Share good leads. Together, we’ll grow the fast-food business bigger and stronger, and increase everyone’s monthly income!”

Her words brought laughter among them.

After everyone left, Wu Tiande stayed in the yard, instructing Wu Cai Ming, Qin Zhong, and Jia Jun in swordsmanship, while Qin Keqing returned to the main bedroom to discuss affairs with her two maids, Ruizhu and Baozhu.

The maids felt Qingwen was too beautiful and too flirtatious for her age, worried she might one day steal the master’s heart.

Their master was so obsessed that he had been at it repeatedly through the night; a frail wife like her could hardly satisfy him. If he turned to Qingwen for relief later, wouldn’t that be humiliating for the lady of the house?

But Qin Keqing only smiled and shook her head, explaining that Qingwen was a gift from Dowager Shi of the Jia family, destined to be a concubine. If Qingwen were mistreated, it would be difficult to explain to the dowager.

She instructed Ruizhu and Baozhu to treat Qingwen with respect, as a true concubine.

In her heart, she thought Ruizhu and Baozhu were too naive, unaware of marriage’s realities. Without Qingwen’s help in the future, her fragile body might not endure Wu Tiande’s relentless advances. Treating Qingwen kindly now was treating her future self well.

Later, Ruizhu and Baozhu helped arrange the household’s sleeping quarters.

Before Qin Keqing’s arrival, many had lodged in the back courtyard, including Jiao Ya from the Drum Tower West Street branch and Qu Feiyan, granddaughter of Old Man Qu. Both had stayed in the back wing rooms for some time.

Now that the eldest wife had arrived, the disorder in the inner household was difficult to justify.

Not to mention, Qin Keqing’s dowry included two parcels of gold and silver worth thousands of taels, acquired through years of embezzlement by Qin Ye, an official in the Ministry of Works. If lost, whose responsibility would it be?

Also, Qin Zhong and Wu Cai Ming, now bodyguards to Wu Tiande, were still underage and related to the couple by blood, but they were still male and female. Living in the back courtyard for extended periods might stir gossip.

“You’re right,” Qin Keqing mused. She was determined to remain faithful and never betray her husband, but rumors and slander were the worst. Better to nip such unpleasant talk in the bud.

After discussion, Qin Keqing decided to convert the outer study in the middle courtyard into a large bedroom with two bunk beds, where Duo Guan, Jia Jun, Qin Zhong, and Wu Cai Ming would live together.

“Wasn’t Duo Guan already living in a small room? He was comfortable there. Why move him out?” Ruizhu asked, puzzled.

She thought it best to leave Duo Guan’s quarters as they were.

Qin Keqing smiled. “Our maid Deng’er sometimes worries about curfew and has to leave early, so others have to share her duties. Why not give her the small room? When the shop is busy, Madam Lou can stay there with Deng’er for a night.”

Ruizhu and Baozhu understood and praised the idea.

But Qin Keqing’s real motive was to create opportunities for Duo Guan to seduce Deng’er and marry her, so Wu Tiande would no longer pursue Deng’er.

She believed Wu Tiande still had basic decency; otherwise, he wouldn’t be indifferent to Mrs. Bao.

As for the inner household, since Wu Tiande and Qin Keqing had no elder supervision, they would live in the main room. A small bed would be placed in the eastern side room, where Qingwen, Ruizhu, and Baozhu would take turns keeping watch at night.

The western side room would serve as Wu Tiande’s study.

When not on duty, Qingwen, Ruizhu, and Baozhu would sleep in the side wings. Qingwen, as a prospective concubine, would occupy the eastern wing alone, while Ruizhu and Baozhu shared the western wing.

Overall, there were still too few rooms, barely enough to accommodate everyone. When Qin Keqing bore children, the back courtyard would surely be overcrowded.

That night, Qin Keqing conveyed these plans to Wu Tiande, implying that with her substantial dowry and some savings, she could buy a standard three-mansion courtyard house. There was no need for the whole family to live cramped and uncomfortable.

Wu Tiande only smiled, his two rough hands roaming over her graceful body. Sometimes his grip was too strong, causing Qin Keqing to frown in pain.

“Are you even listening to me?” Qin Keqing snapped, embarrassed and angry. Wu Tiande’s heavy hands pressed painfully on her ample curves.

Only then did Wu Tiande come back to himself and say something that nearly made her scream aloud.

“What did you say? We won’t be living long in Beiping City either?”