Now, the head maid of Tuan Zhitai's ninth concubine, seeing that Tuan Zhitai favored her, intended to play the field and often flirted in front of him. Later, when Tuan Zhitai suddenly brought in two more concubines from outside, she knew she had no chance. Since then, whenever she met Tuan Zhitai, she would give him the cold shoulder and wouldn't give him the time of day, forgetting about her duties. Tuan Zhitai already had twelve concubines, and the newly acquired ones had him completely under their thumb, so he abandoned this idea. But every time they met, it would bring back memories, making him feel a pang of guilt. The head maid remained silent, always looking angry, which made him feel even worse. Thus, Tuan Zhitai was in a dilemma and decided to find a rich and handsome young man for her, so they could live a stable life together and make up for past mistakes.
With this plan in mind, he searched among the eligible bachelors in the government but found that either they were too old or already had a legal wife, making them unsuitable. As for candidates from other regions, the variety of men was too overwhelming, and the scholars were unbearably stuffy, so he was not satisfied with any of them. Tuan Zhitai was bummed out. Later, for a public matter, he called a meeting of the officers from the various camps. Among them was the acting commander of the right camp, Dai Shichang, a handsome man, probably in his early thirties. At this time, Tuan Zhitai had the intention of choosing a son-in-law for the head maid. After the meeting, he grilled Dai Shichang with many questions and was really impressed. Fortunately, Dai Shichang was a sharp cookie. Tuan Zhitai was thrilled.
After seeing off the guests, that evening the deputy general of the central army, Wang Zhancheng, went to the inner yamen to check in and inquire about Dai Shichang, asking if he had any family members here. Wang Zhancheng reported, saying, "He became a widower last August and hasn't remarried. He has no parents and no children." The boss was very pleased to hear this and said, "This guy's got a great future ahead of him. I really want to promote him." Wang Zhancheng replied, "The boss really likes him. If you take him under your wing, it will be the fortune of Dai the guerrilla." The boss was thinking of asking him to be a matchmaker but suddenly thought, "It doesn't look good for me, the boss, to be matchmaking." After some thought, he said, "There is a troublesome matter now. Before our main wife passed away, she adopted a girl from a relative's family as her goddaughter. After our main wife passed away, she's been living with me as my ninth concubine. She's just turned eighteen. It's time she got married. Although she is my goddaughter, I treat her like my own daughter. Today I see that Dai the guerrilla is very interested in her, and my old brother said that he hasn't remarried since becoming a widower. It's a perfect match. I'll have my friend Wang talk to him. Tell him not to worry about money; I'll take care of everything."
Wang Zhancheng kept nodding. After leaving, he rushed over to Dai Shichang's place that very night, laid out the whole story, and showered him with congratulations. He said, "My friend, this is a golden opportunity! Your future's looking bright!" Dai Shichang was beside himself with joy, surprise, and fear. He was happy that the governor wanted to marry his daughter off to him, but a military man like him? How could he possibly be good enough for the governor's daughter? He thought to himself, "If I marry her, it's a great match, but how much will it cost me?" His mind was a whirlwind. After a while, he just smiled. Wang Zhancheng understood his thoughts and explained how the governor wanted him to handle everything for both families. Dai Shichang was so grateful, he kept thanking Wang Zhancheng. So, first thing the next morning, Wang Zhancheng went straight to the governor. After hearing the report, the governor headed straight for Aunt Nine's room.
At this time, he had long forgotten about the Ninth Concubine, and suddenly seeing her come in today was like a bolt from the blue. He wanted to flatter her, but he realized he was favored and needed to save face. If he ignored her, or if he changed his mind at this moment, he feared it would upset her. In his dilemma, the steward had already sat down and said, "I came to see you today not for any other reason, but for the maids in our main room. The older ones are just asking for trouble. I want to send two away; it's clear to see. The older maid in front of you is also not young anymore, so she's easily dismissed. You don't lack people to use, so I specifically wanted to tell you." The Ninth Concubine was uneasy at first when she heard the steward wanted to send away her maids. She was afraid to disobey him. If she agreed, why would he accuse her of bullying? While she hesitated, she heard the steward say, "I've got something in mind for your maid. I found a son-in-law for her who is young and wealthy, which is a good match for her. But how can we call her a maid when she's marrying an official? I thought about it and had no choice but to say she is your goddaughter. Do you agree?" The Ninth Concubine was initially unwilling, but when she heard he was promised to an official, she calmed down. She thought, "This maid has indeed grown up; keeping her at home is also a disaster. If the master takes a liking to her again and makes her his thirteenth concubine, it would be even worse. It might be for the best to let her go." After thinking, she said, "I can't have her as my goddaughter, so let's say she's your goddaughter." The steward said, "We are not separate families; what's yours is mine, isn't it?" The Ninth Concubine said, "In that case, she should come out and kowtow to you on your behalf." The steward said, "That's not necessary." As they were talking, the Ninth Concubine had already called the older maid out, asked her to kowtow to the master, and change her title. The maid shyly kowtowed to the steward, who returned a slight bow. Then she kowtowed to the Ninth Concubine. The Ninth Concubine ordered everyone to address her as Miss Bao, since her nickname was Baozhu.
Two days later, the Intendant urged the groom to quickly prepare the betrothal gifts. The Intendant's office allocated three thousand yuan to Dai Shichang as wedding money and assigned him two tasks related to the wedding arrangements. The Intendant did not have a daughter of his own, so he treated this eldest girl like his own daughter and gave his ninth concubine three thousand yuan to help prepare the dowry for Miss Bao. With the money, everything became easier. The Intendant chose the second day of October for the wedding. Dai Shichang specially rented a large mansion. Within three days, the matchmakers delivered invitations, gifts, and jewelry, and the event was quite the spectacle. The two matchmakers were Wang Zhancheng from the central army and Kang Naifang from the capital. They both wore uniforms to the Intendant's office that day. The Intendant, citing official business, sent his nephew to receive them instead. The matchmakers did not sit in the main hall but in the flower hall on the west side. The Intendant, ever mindful of appearances, preferred it this way.
On the day of the wedding, the groom's family threw a lavish celebration, the house ablaze with lights and festive decorations. Although some people knew that Miss Bao was the Intendant's ninth concubine's maid, everyone pretended not to notice and came to flatter her. Many officials also took this opportunity to give gifts, and the Intendant was happy to receive valuable presents. The wedding yielded twenty thousand yuan in gifts, and the Intendant even gained a new godson—a truly profitable affair! The details of the wedding will not be mentioned. A few days later, Miss Bao and the groom returned home, with the ninth concubine as the hostess. Childless herself, she was overjoyed by the addition of a charming and attentive son-in-law.
Now, about Dai Shichang. Being young and inexperienced, and having this newfound power, he got a bit cocky and looked down on his colleagues. Of course, some of his colleagues envied him. Others knew her real story and were constantly making snide comments. Dai Shichang didn't pay attention at first, but after hearing it more often, he felt something was wrong and told Miss Bao when he got home. Miss Bao said, "My mother was good friends with the deceased madam, and I had just been taken care of by her for three days when the madam passed away. Who cares what people say, true or false?" Although she said so, her face fell. Dai Shichang didn't say anything more.
When Miss Bao returned to the yamen, only the Chief Secretary and Ninth Madam treated her like a daughter; the other wives and their nephews still treated her like a servant, though a bit better than the rest. She couldn't afford to act like she was one of them. Her former companions teased her when they saw her, asking her to sit down, offering her tea, calling her "Miss" one after another, which really got to her. Of the twelve wives, only the Ninth Madam was nicer than the Twelfth, who had a real knack for cutting remarks. It got under her skin when the master showed favor to the Ninth Madam's maid. One day, when she heard everyone praising Miss Bao, she became even angrier and sneered at her own maids, "So she's a 'Miss,' huh? Call her 'Miss Maid'—it'll do you all good in the long run!" Word spread like wildfire. Some mean girls started mocking her to her face, which made her furious but left her powerless. Dai Shichang heard about it and felt terrible. But he needed this 'fake' connection to get ahead, so he just had to grin and bear it.
This "Fake Mount Tai" indeed has power. Less than a month after getting married, Dai Shichang was promoted to the rank of junior officer. In addition to his usual tasks, he was also put in charge of a fleet. Everyone saw how capable he was, and all the civil and military officials in the city, except for the governor and the town's general, were fawning over him; even some assistant magistrates had to consider his opinions. Miss Bao became even more arrogant and domineering, treating Dai Shichang like her servant. Later, someone tried to follow Dai Shichang's path, but Dai Shichang instead followed his wife's lead, helping the magistrate of Tuan broker a deal that earned sixteen thousand yuan, which the magistrate accepted. From then on, Miss Bao took control and became even more arrogant, completely disregarding her godfather.
Miss Bao had a strange quirk; she liked to be called "Auntie" by others and disliked being called "Madam Dai." Why? She said being called "Madam Dai" just meant she was Mr. Dai's wife, nothing special. Being called "Auntie" was more fitting for her status as the magistrate's goddaughter. She often said, "Let me tell you, every family in Hubei has a young lady, right? And they all get married, so they become 'Auntie.' But which one of those 'Aunties' is as powerful as me?" She enjoyed flattery, and everyone was eager to flatter her. Some aspiring officials who couldn't follow Dai Shichang's path would have their wives go and flatter Miss Bao. Everyone knew her temper well, and when they met her, they would keep calling her "Auntie" endlessly. Not many of these aspiring officials were wealthy, so these wives who interacted with her knew she came from money and spent it freely; their gifts had to be expensive, and some even pawned their belongings to afford them.
This wife, her husband's surname was Qu, called Qu Nai'an, who had been a magistrate and served as a local chief for two years and as a local official for half a year, all of which were difficult tasks. He had not held any other official positions. He thought about getting a better job and discussed it with his wife, hoping she could help him with connections. The wife got all high and mighty and said, "Wives just sit back and enjoy the good life; we don't get involved in that sort of thing." Qu Nai'an hurriedly bowed and almost knelt down. The wife said, "We have to agree on the price first before we do this." Qu Nai'an replied, "Okay, I'll do what you say." The wife asked, "If you get promoted, how much money will you give me in a year?" Qu Nai'an said, "We don't separate; what's mine is yours, what's yours is mine, why even say it?" The wife said, "It's not the same. If you get promoted, it'll be harder to get money out of you than pulling teeth, so let's make it clear first." Qu Nai'an said, "If the wife wants money, how could I dare to refuse? Without money, there is no way." The wife said, "I don't know what position you will be promoted to and how much money you can get; you figure it out yourself." Qu Nai'an thought for a long time and said, "We split it 50/50." When the wife heard this, her eyes went wide, and she yelled, "What do you mean half for each? Who will use that half?" Qu Nai'an hurriedly smiled and said, "It's for you to use; I'll help you keep it." The wife said, "You don't need to worry; I can handle it myself." Qu Nai'an repeatedly said, "Right, right," not daring to say a word. The wife continued, "I will help you with your affairs, and it will cost money. You can't skimp on the first bribe; not even a penny can be missed. If you want to get promoted, you will have to bribe regularly. You're so poor now; how can you give me money? I'll have to use my connections to borrow the money. If I can't borrow it, I'll have to pay it myself. Do you think this money doesn't need to be repaid?" Qu Nai'an said, "It should be repaid! It should be repaid! If the wife says so, all the money for getting promoted will be managed by the wife. Even if I need money, I have to ask the wife for it. Is that okay with you?" The wife said, "That's fine." They figured they'd get a monk at the temple to pull some strings.
Miss Bao is very sociable, with many friends. In the provincial city, apart from the wives of the Fan and Liang families, all the other wives are in contact with her. She has more female friends than male friends. Today she drinks at one friend's house, tomorrow she plays cards at another friend's house. She'd go around in a palanquin, carried by four bearers, with official lanterns hanging from it, making quite a splash! In the provincial city, she ran things like a big business. Bao also loves to visit temples; every temple in town owed her a favour. For example, if she donates one hundred yuan, the monks and nuns must give a portion to her household, with each person receiving at least ten yuan. She has a lot of income and expenses. Even if she didn't want to, her staff would encourage her to give more. The monks and nuns would regularly visit, showering her with blessings and flattery, bowing with their hands together, chanting "Amitabha," and asking, "Madam, are you well?" Bao is used to hearing all kinds of sweet words. She became friendly with them, visiting the temple daily and even hosting vegetarian feasts for her friends. Seeing her piety, people invited her to join them, usually at the temple. Word got around, and everyone who knew how to work the system started cozying up to the monks and nuns.
Take Longhua Temple in Wuchang, for instance. Longhua Temple is located inside the Binyang Gate, with a large scale and always packed with devotees. It is said to have a history of several hundred years. The temple has a grand main hall dedicated to Shakyamuni Buddha, as well as halls for Guanyin, Arhats, a dining hall, guest quarters, meditation, and monks' quarters, among many other buildings. There is also a private parlor for female visitors. Longhua Temple is a famous scenic spot in Wuchang, and officials and tourists in the city love to visit. The temple has an abbot (the head monk) who is responsible for spiritual practice and nothing else. The monk in charge of hospitality is called Zhike, and he is responsible for welcoming guests and liaising with various government offices. He was on a first-name basis with everyone, from the governor on down. To be a good Zhike monk, one must first be handsome and affable, and secondly, know how to talk to different people. Zhike monks specialize in receiving guests and do not need to perform religious ceremonies. They say it's easier to deal with the men (they're stingy!), but the women are where the real money is. Therefore, they work harder to please the wives of the guests. He knew who their husbands were, who their relatives were, and who held sway – and he never got it wrong.
The Zhike monk at Longhua Temple is called Shanzai; he was from Zhenjiang. He became a monk at Jinshan Temple when he was young. He is good-looking and smooth-talking. At the age of twenty-three, he returned from a pilgrimage to Sichuan and stayed at Longhua Temple in Wuchang for a few days. At that time, Longhua Temple was short of manpower, and seeing his intelligence and likability, they wrote to Jinshan Temple and asked him to stay as an assistant. Several months later, he was promoted to Zhike monk. In less than a year, he knew all the bigwigs and fat cats in Hubei Province, and he could converse with them all. What's more, the wives of these officials and merchants all liked to visit his temple. The temple's coffers swelled several times over. With his good connections, he was happy to play matchmaker, and people always made sure he got his cut.
The monk Shan Zai heard that Miss Bao was the adopted daughter of the governor of Hubei, with a wealthy background. He sent some gifts in the name of donating to the temple renovations and also sent two invitations, saying that in a few days he would be holding a grand ceremony and asked Mr. Dai and Miss Bao to attend. Miss Bao was young and lively, and as soon as she heard about the lavish affair, she immediately agreed. The monk Shan Zai had arranged with the steward of the Dai family in advance, and on the day of the event, the whole place was spruced up.
The male guests were divided into three levels: the first level was for senior officials such as governors, prefects, and magistrates, as well as their staff and relatives; the second level was for lower-ranking officials and some wealthy merchants, foreign traders, and money lenders; the third level was for lower-ranking county officials and ordinary businessmen. Each level had someone responsible for reception. Although Dai Shichang was only a low-ranking military officer, he was arranged in the first-class seat because he was related to the governor. The female guests were also divided into three levels, with similar arrangements to the male guests. The monk specially prepared an elegant room for Miss Bao, with an imported bed, new bedding, a lake-blue canopy, duck down pillows, and snacks on the table, saying they were for Miss Bao's use during nap time. There were four imported chairs in front of the bed, a small round table, and a dressing table by the window with various cosmetics, combs, mirrors, etc., for Miss Bao to use after waking up or after meals. There was also a toilet behind the bed. Miss Bao lived comfortably, and the monk served her attentively, better than he would his own parents.
Miss Bao often visited Longhua Temple, and her reputation grew. This gave Shan Zai considerable influence, allowing him to exploit his connections for personal gain. Some people who wanted to get ahead began to flatter the monk Shan Zai, who lined his pockets and acted the big shot.
Mrs. Qu, a devout woman who frequented Longhua Temple, knew Monk Shanzai well. However, she was short on money, and the monk only recognized wealth. Miss Bao donated five hundred taels of silver for a meal, while Mrs. Qu only managed to scrape together ten measly dollars. The monk barely registered her, treating her with disdain. Mrs. Qu tried to brown-nose him, but because she was generous, she always felt embarrassed.
Before you knew it, the forty-nine days were up. Monk Shanzai hit on another money-making scheme: ordination. He distributed flyers, attracting many people who wanted to be ordained. This time, he set the rule that each person had to pay up and suffer the indignity of kneeling in front of the old monk with burning mugwort on their heads until their scalps were blistered and oozing, causing them to cry in pain and only be able to chant "Amitabha Buddha." Those who have been ordained say that as long as they chant "Amitabha Buddha," they will not feel pain and can also shed their earthly attachments. After being burned, scars will be left on the head, and hair will never grow back, known as the "cauterized scalp." Monks with these scars could beg anywhere; those without were just "wild monks." Those ordained had to meditate for nine straight days and nights in the meditation hall, without a break; any rule-breaking resulted in a beating.
So, about Longhua Temple, only the monks received precepts this time, no women. This monk came up with an idea and said to the wives, "Ladies, your good fortune in this life is thanks to past lives' good deeds. Keep at it, and your next life will be even better!" The wives asked how to cultivate, and the monk said that as long as they received precepts like the monks and then gave, that is cultivation. Miss Bao asked if she needed to shave her head, and the monk said no, as long as she sincerely took refuge. Miss Bao also decided to receive precepts, asking how much money was needed. The monk said, "Give what you can." Upon hearing this, the wives all expressed their intention to receive precepts. Miss Bao was generous and gave the monk three hundred dollars as an offering, one hundred for the monks' meals. The monk gave her the Dharma name "Miao Shan." The other wives also donated money to receive precepts, and Mrs. Qu donated ten dollars. Afterwards, the monk hosted a banquet for the wives who received precepts.
Mrs. Qu was particularly eager to get in good with Miss Bao, taking every opportunity to show her attentiveness, constantly trying to win Miss Bao over. She often went to Miss Bao's house to pay respects, showering her with gifts. One time, Miss Bao got drunk at a friend's house, and Mrs. Qu was also there. Seeing the situation, Mrs. Qu quickly went over, rubbed Miss Bao's back, lit her a cigarette, and personally helped her into the sedan chair, seeing her home. That night, Mrs. Qu slept over at Miss Bao's. The next morning, when Miss Bao woke up, she felt mortified. Later, the two became close, and Miss Bao got used to it. Mrs. Qu had a particularly good temper, even put up with her mother-in-law. Some maids asked her for things, and she'd give them what they wanted and even joke around with them. Seeing that, Miss Bao joined in and teased Mrs. Qu too.
One day, Bao got drunk again. Mrs. Qu went over to pour tea for her and also prepared a smoking pipe. Bao, swaying and tipsy, hugged Mrs. Qu's neck and said, "If I could have a daughter like you in my next life, I would be so happy!" Mrs. Qu replied, "How could I be worthy of being your daughter? I'm nowhere near your level." Bao said, "Everything else is fine, I'm just worried that you're older, and I'm so young—how could you be my daughter?" Mrs. Qu responded, "What are you talking about, dear! As the saying goes, 'It's not about age.' How can I compare to you? As long as you're willing to take me in, I would gladly kneel and call you 'Mama,' and serve you well." At that moment, Bao was already a bit confused from drinking and blurted out, "Since that's the case, you should kowtow to me, call me 'Mama,' and I will take care of you in the future." This made Mrs. Qu very happy; she immediately knelt down and kowtowed to Bao, calling her "adoptive mother." Bao agreed in a daze. After Mrs. Qu finished kowtowing, Bao didn't move. That night, after Mrs. Qu took care of Bao until she fell asleep, she hurried back home.
Her husband, Qu Nai'an, had already secured a position at the Qingdao Bureau through his connection with Dai Shichang. One day, he received his salary and returned home. He waited for his wife until midnight, but she was nowhere to be seen; he thought she must have stayed at the Dai family and wouldn't come back today. Unexpectedly, after midnight, he suddenly heard someone knocking on the door. When he opened it, it was his wife. As soon as she entered, without saying anything, she bluntly asked, "Did you get your salary?" Qu Nai'an replied, "I just received it today, but since you haven't seen it yet, I didn't dare to use it." His wife said, "Okay." She immediately took out the salary, and upon seeing it was a total of seventy silver dollars, she ordered him to prepare a couple of feasts and use the remaining money to buy some men's and women's clothing and other gifts for tomorrow. Qu Nai'an was terrified of his wife and always did what she said, so he could only repeatedly promise, not daring to disobey.
Early the next morning, everything was ready. Miss Bao got up early to dress and prepare. With everything in order, they carried the banquet gifts and went to the Dai family. Miss Bao was very tired because she had gotten drunk the night before and slept until noon. Someone came to report that Mrs. Qu had arrived. Mrs. Qu was wearing a quilted jacket and a red skirt, and her husband wore an official's peacock feather, so Mrs. Qu also had a four-inch long small feather on her head. She walked demurely into the gate, with two people carrying gifts and the banquet behind her. Miss Bao forgot about her drunkenness from the night before and was surprised. After they met, Miss Bao asked what was going on, but Mrs. Qu just smiled and didn't say anything. She walked into the living room and placed two high-backed chairs, a cushion in the middle, and a red carpet behind. Mrs. Qu said, "Please, esteemed guests. My daughter is here to pay her respects to her godfather and godmother today; there's no need to be shy." Dai Shichang hid in the room, confused, and Miss Bao was also stunned. A maid and an old mother nearby remembered what had happened last night and told Miss Bao. Miss Bao said, "Just drunken ramblings, how can it be true? How can I accept Mrs. Qu as my goddaughter? You've put me in a terribly awkward position!" She walked to the door to refuse, but Mrs. Qu had already knelt down, saying, "Since the godfather is not coming out, it's the same to pay my respects to Heaven." Miss Bao hurriedly returned the courtesy, saying repeatedly, "The honor is all mine!" After Mrs. Qu finished bowing, she quickly presented the gifts, saying that they were two gifts for the godfather and godmother and a banquet to honor the god-grandparents. Miss Bao modestly refused to accept. But Mrs. Qu wouldn't give up. She said, "Last night, my godmother already took me in. Today doesn't count; how can I face people in the future?" So the maid and the old mother beside her persuaded, "Today, Mrs. Qu came to pay her respects to the godmother sincerely. Madam should accept her goodwill and make her happy. Just be kind to her in the future." Miss Bao had no choice but to reluctantly accept her as her goddaughter. Later, Dai Shichang also came out to pay his respects. Miss Bao had the maid, old mother, servants, and cooks all come to kowtow to Mrs. Qu. Everyone changed their address to call her Grandma Qu. They then had a feast and drank. After dinner, Miss Bao felt guilty and thought, "Why not take her to the Magistrate's Office today and let her meet the god-grandparents, to enhance my reputation?" She immediately told Mrs. Qu about this idea. Mrs. Qu was willing and even said, "It's only right to pay respects." So Miss Bao sent the old mother to the Magistrate's Office first to explain the situation, saying that Grandma had accepted a goddaughter and would come to pay respects to the master and the ninth concubine, but not to reveal who it was. After the old mother left, Miss Bao then took Mrs. Qu in her sedan chair to the Magistrate's Office.
In the blink of an eye, we arrived at the Tuanzhi household and, of course, went straight to the Ninth Aunt's room. By this time, Tuanzhi had already heard from my mother and knew that Miss Bao had adopted a goddaughter. Everyone thought she was a young lady from another family. The Ninth Aunt quickly prepared a gift. Just as she was busy, someone came to report that Miss Bao had returned. Everyone stood up, wanting to see what she looked like. Miss Bao walked in front, followed by an old lady with a wrinkled face, and upon closer inspection, there were a few strands of gray hair. Everyone was very surprised, thinking it was the young lady's mother who had come along. But it was just the two of them. So everyone was even more puzzled. Tuanzhi was also in the room at the time, looking through the glass window and feeling intrigued. Then they heard Miss Bao shout in the yard, "Godmother, I brought someone to show you." As she spoke, she entered the room and told her mother to unroll the red carpet. Miss Bao pulled Mrs. Qu and said, "Please meet my grandparents." Everyone finally understood that this old lady was Miss Bao's goddaughter. But why would she choose an elderly woman instead of a younger one? It's really hard to understand. However, with such sincerity, the Ninth Aunt could only come out and be polite to her, accept her gift, let her sit down, and exchange pleasantries for a while. Mrs. Qu also presented the prepared gift. The Ninth Aunt reciprocated with fifty dollars. Then they had a meal, eating until late at night before dispersing. Although Tuanzhi did not come out to meet her that day, she accepted her gift, which was considered a polite gesture.
Mrs. Qu, since it was her first day here, didn't want to overstay her welcome, so she left when it was time. Ninth Aunt repeatedly urged her, "Come over whenever you have time; we're family now, no need to be polite." Mrs. Qu was extremely happy and, as she got off the sedan chair, was busy making plans, thinking about when to come again. She also considered throwing a dinner party another day to entertain her grandparents. She pondered, "They're loaded, so I can't be cheap; it's gotta be fancy." She thought again, "Anyway, Grandma gave me fifty bucks today, so I'll use it to entertain them. If I cozy up to them, they might help my husband get a better job. It'll be worth it if I can land a good position." She reflected, "I owe it all to Monk Shanzai. When I have some money, I must go to the temple and donate to repay his kindness." Just as she was figuring things out, the sedan chair stopped, and it was said that they had arrived at the doorstep. Mrs. Qu collected herself and got off the sedan chair. Before she could step out, a follower ran over and said, "Madam! The master's had a fall! He broke his leg in the loo!" Mrs. Qu was shocked. To find out what happens next, stay tuned for the next installment.
