<h4>Chapter 56: Heading for the Capital</h4>


    Trantor: Iris


    Proofread by DragonRider


    Coming with two boats and going back with six would definitely intrigue a royal censor (Yushi) to roll up his sleeves, and grind ink to write down a report on suspected corruption to the emperor. Luckily, Minn and her grandmother were just on a trip to visit rtives. News came from the capital that Sheng Hong achieved an “Excellent” again for his official performance assessment and was entitled as Langzhong (TL: name of an official) under the Ministry of Works (Gongbu), a fifth ranked official responsible for the construction and renovation of the country’s infrastructure, at least an official in the capital.


    T/N: The Ministry of Works was one of the Six Ministries under the Department of State Affairs in imperial China that was in charge of construction and repair of country’s infrastructure such as craftsman, cronds, water conservancy, transportation and the execution of other government orders.


    Since they had decided to settle down in the capital, they just moved furniture from the old mansion in Jinling to decorate their new home in capital, plus the food, clothes and utilities given by Sheng Wei and Uncle Er’niu. Brocades and fur of all kinds alone were packed in several dozens of cases. With such abounding luggage, Minn and her grandmother bade farewell to family rtives and boarded the boat.


    In fact, Minn felt curious why Sheng Hong decided to take an office in the Ministry of Works? Before the Spring Festival, father had started to build connections and he himself had achieved quite a lot in his official career, so Minn thought he might have made it to the best of the Six Ministries, namely Ministry of Personnel (Libu) or popr department like Ministry of Revenue (Hubu) or Ministry of Penalty (Xingbu) at least. The current Emperor had held his throne for more than two decades and buildings required such as the Imperial Pce and Imperial Ancestral Temple had all finished long ago, so now the Ministry of Works was as idle as a nursing home. Minn asked Old Madam Sheng threw the question back, “What do you think, my girl?”


    Minn rolled her eyes. Old Madam Sheng was an advocate of interactive and inspiring teaching who seldom told her directly why or what to do but encouraged her to ponder on her own. Minn thought for a while and said, “The Emperor is getting old and the crown prince is yet to be decided. Now the political arena in the capital is storming and fickle. If father really took a plum job, he might be involved in the contest for the crown-princeship, getting into many troubles. Father is really a wise man.”


    Old Madam Sheng smiled and stroked Minn’s hair, nodding in approval. The river water flowed in a steady pace and the boat proceeded smoothly, making peoplefortable by slight shaking. During the days in Youyang, Minn spent every day with Pin, leaving few days chatting with grandma. Only after getting on board did they have an opportunity to have a good talk with each other.


    “My poor child. Which official is not clever? Especially those in the capital where the political river is far from clean. It’s just some people assumed themselves clever that they don’t hold in their greed and want to seize this opportunity toy a wager on the crown. However, how fickle and weird things run in the imperial court! It’d better to act fool as your father does.” Old Madam Sheng was leaning on a bed paved with a nnelette nket and chatted with Minn with leisure, “What did you say when you bade farewell with Pin? Cuiwei said you didn’t sleep wellst night.”


    Minn thought about it or honestly answered, “I told Pin, in the future, not to boss around Cousin Taisheng and be a quiet and gentle girl, otherwise she might upset aunt Yun.”


    Old Madam Sheng took a glimpse at Minn, saying suggestively, “You were being oversensitive. You aunt prefers girls that are straightforward and cool. Why would she dislike Pin?”


    Minn sighed, “As a niece, of course she likes Pin; but to be a daughter-inw, it’s hard to tell.” There was no mother-inw in this world that wished to see her son to be a hen-pecked husband.


    Old Madam Sheng frowned, “What husband? You little girl, stop talking nonsense.”


    Minn responded in a hurry, “What can’t I say with my own grandma? I won’t say these to others. Pin and Cousin Taisheng make a lovely pair. Any person with eyes can tell.”


    This sentence seemed to intrigue Old Madam Sheng who slowly sat straight and smiled to Minn, “Talking serious, Taisheng is a nice child. His family boasts wealth and shops without any brother to share with him. In Youyang, many families are interested in him. During your stay, you aunt treated you really nice. I’m afraid some treasure that your aunt cherished so much that she didn’t even give Pin ended in your pocket.”


    Minn looked right into grandma’s eyes and said word by word, “The reason why aunt treated me with generosity is you, grandma. I’m not that silly to be this arrogant. Pin and Cousin Taisheng grew up together. What’s it called? Right, childhood sweethearts.”


    Old Madam Sheng was a bit surprised. Seeing Minn’s clear eyes and determined face, she smiled, “You see that? You’re not all silly.”


    Minn felt really ttered, and a bit embarrassed. But for the eavesdropping that day, how could she possibly figure this out since she had spent all her time hanging out with Pin?


    Old Madam Sheng sat straight and Minn timely crammed a cushion under her back and she herself also slid into grandma’s quilt. Old Madam Sheng held her granddaughter’s tiny shoulders and said, “This month spent in your big uncle’s house, I believe you’ve seen and heard a lot and experienced quite a different world. Anything you learnt from it?”


    Minn, next to her grandma’s soft belly, felt soothing and saidzily, “At the very beginning there were things I didn’t understand, but now I seem to understand. When back home, I heard that the third uncle’s family was in poor condition. Not only did they have to rely on big uncle in every aspect, but they were never grateful. Then when I witnessed all this with my own eyes, I indeed looked down upon them. The strangest thing is that big uncle’s family always tolerate them, giving them allowance from time to time and never skipping to invite them to dinners on holidays and festivals. Then I thought: why big aunt-inw didn’t avoid them when she really disliked them?”


    Old Madam Sheng tapped on Minn’s little hand, asking, “You know the reason now?”


    “Yes,” Minn gently rubbed her body against grandma’s belly, feelingfortable. Then she continued, “A person should be strict to himself but tolerant to others. All others in Youyang know the good of big uncle’s family and the bad of the third uncle’s family, so no matter what might happen, everyone would believe it’s the third uncle’s family’s fault.”


    Old Madam Sheng nodded with satisfaction. She pinched her granddaughter softly on the face and smiled, “You’ve beenzy and hated to socialize since you were very young. I worried that you might be too indifferent. Now seeing you understand worldly affairs, I’m really happy. Minn, remember, no matter how bad the third uncle’s family is, Third Old Master is still alive, who is our rtive within two generations. If we totally ignore them, not helping them and enjoying wealth on our own, we would be used of being snobbish. Most businessmen are regarded as dishonest by others, but the reason why your big uncle is reputed across the whole county is that he spends money on providing the third family with a luxurious life. What’s bad to do that and gain reputation and what’s good to leave wealth all to descendants?”


    Minn knew that Old Madam was teaching her, so she listened with care and cut in, “When elder sister Shn got a peaceful divorce, Pin and I were so pissed off, wondering why to leave half of the dowry to Sun family who was so hateful. Later, I figured it out. If we really required all the dowry, they would surely resist desperately and file repudiation of wife, leaving sister Shn in disadvantage. Thus, this was to use money to avoid trouble.”


    Old Madam Sheng gently brushed Minn’s soft hair near ears and said slowly, “Right. Who wasn’t annoyed by that family? But we had no choice. The one with great wealth will fear the one with nothing. It’s never easy to get a peaceful divorce, so we have to find a reason except for a husband not virtuous and mother-inw vicious because these things can’t be discussed in public. My old sister-inw is really resourceful. She reasoned with them, tried to touch them emotionally, seduced them with wealth and coerced them by power. Such things should be dealt with in the way to cut the knot with a sharp knife. To finish everything in one day and immediately send Shn away, and it will be alright when all rumors fade.”


    Minn nodded again and again. Suddenly she climbed up and groaned, “But Sun family is so hateful that I couldn’t help biting my teeth. Should we just let it go?”


    “What a bad-tempered girl you are!” Old Madam Sheng smiled, “Your big aunt-inw is not a docile woman, yet she could neither do something at present nor disy resentment but to befriend with them. Just wait to see what will happen in the future. In my view, the Sun and his mother are stupid and greedy people, so they will have their karma before others do anything to them.”


    Minn nodded with joy, “Pin promised to write to me once there is something new about Sun. I’ll read to you then.”


    Old Madam Sheng scolded, “You naughty girl that enjoys drama so much, you’re also a crafty one! This time you spent more than enough time hanging around with Pin and I didn’t restrict you. When we get home, hold back a little.”


    Minn held her grandma’s arms and guaranteed sincerely, “Grandma, don’t worry. I’ve experienced and understood quite a few worldly affairs. When I’m home, I’ll sure behave nicely and don’t let you worry.”


    Old Madam Sheng held the little granddaughter lovingly and said slowly, “It’s easier to kill time when having someone to worry about.”


    Arriving at the Jingjin Dock and getting off the boat, they headed right back home along the official road. The moment they reached the capital gate, they saw servants of Sheng family waiting there, so they changed into the carriage of Sheng family and went on.


    In a ce like capital where hundreds of officials and aristocrats dwelled, property prices were not lower than the capital, Beijing, where Yao Yiyi lived. In addition, the ancient time was pickier. Buying properties required not only money but also identity, especially for those ces near the Imperial Pce. Those without a noble job and origin were never permitted into even if they owned great wealth.


    For example, for usurious loan lender or an owner of a meat factory, they couldn’t buy a house even with the amount of money that could fill a Titanic. Sheng family, a businessman one, shouldn’t have been unable to buy a property, but several decades of years ago, the Great Old Master Sheng bought a fiveyer courtyard with both money and fame that the family had gained due to his son’s third-ce achievement in the imperial exam. The house was in an advantageous ce with Linqingfang where schrs gathered on the right and noblemunity on the left. He had also seized the opportunity of his son marrying a youngdy of Marquis and bought the garden behind their house and merged them into one.


    Many of Sheng Hong’s colleagues were of ordinary origin and seeded through exams, so they could only buy a house on the outeryer or remote corner of the capital and Sheng Hong became one of the few officials of the same-level that owned a house with a garden. Minn once again eximed the importance of choosing the right family to be born.


    “That year, the Old Marquis (Old Madam Sheng’s father) only reluctantly approved the marriage because he knew Old Master had such a house, not too poor at least.” Fang Mama told Minn in secret.


    Minn eximed to the sky: Must a man possess a house if he wants to get married?