Proofread by Peter Gong
“My dad has been put in prison for almost ten days. The Official Liu doesn’t see me and doesn’t judge the case. I am afraid it is too much for my dad’s poor health if it continues. Now, the news that I am a girl is spreading out. Yesterday, when I went to the wharf, someone threw the rotten eggs and vegetables on me to prevent me from getting on the boat. Sir, do you know why? Their abilities in swimming are not good as mine. Why do they disdain me? Even the chargers of shops who used to show their respect to me become perfunctory now. Is it that important whether I am a male or female?” Ma Tian’en got angry immediately when she recalled that she was stopped by the close boatmen and smashed by someone. She felt that this group of people had changed a lot. Someone even said that it was because she was punished by the Ruler of Sea and Rain for disguising as a man that Ma Family met with mishaps. Bah! They didn’t mention it when our business was good.”
“This is a secular world in which we are too small to change it even if we are not willing. The difference between male and female is just like the difference between heaven and earth in people’s eyes. Maybe one day when the world changes, the difference between male and female would change. So, that’s the reason why Master Ma raised you as a man. However, what’s the most important is to save Master Ma. Only by doing this can you stabilize the situation. It indeed makes sense that you suspect Guo Qi is the son of Concubine Zhao. It would be clear when Ma Dacheng came back. However, I thought it would be better not to let Concubine Zhao or Guo Qi know. Because if they knew it, it would be certain for Guo Qi to return to Ma Family. Because of your mother’s immoral behavior, besides, you are a girl, the business of Ma Family is sure to be taken over by Guo Qi. Guo Qi who bears grudge against Ma Family has two reasons: one is that he doesn’t know he is the son of Concubine Zhao, but he believes that he is the son of Master Ma, so he suspected Master Ma abandoned him and his mother; the other is that he knows the truth, but still stakes himself against Ma Family, even sacrificing his mother. If so, he is too horrible. If he is justified to return to Ma Family, I am afraid you and your mother couldn’t establish yourselves in Ma family as he is scheming and wicked. Let’s talk to Master Ma first after he returns home.” Although Wu Zhong followed the gentleman’s doctrines, he was not pedantic. In addition, being afraid that Ma Tian’en would put the cat among the pigeons, he objected to her telling Concubine Zhao and Guo Qi the truth.
Actually, Ma Tian’en had concluded that Guo Qi was her half-elder brother, the son of Concubine Zhao. She sent Ma Dachng to Baoding just to check it out. The teacher objected to her telling others this thing, which was good for her. She had no confidence in coping with Guo Qi.
“Alright, let’s talk about it when Ma Dacheng comes back. Sir, you knew I am a girl before. Why do you move out now?” Ma Tian’en asked with confusion.
Wu Zhong hesitated, and then replied awkwardly: “Ma Family has been in trouble and I am afraid you can’t do with. No matter whom you are, as your teacher, I want to help you. Now your identity has been exposed, and if I stay on, I’m afraid people will gossip. You know public opinions kill.”
“Umm, can’t others stop gossiping if you move out? For my part, sir, how about you marrying into and living in my family? In this way, all problems will be solved.” Noticing Wu Zhong’s uncomfortable behavior, Ma Tian’en wanted to amuse him.
“Fine.” Wu Zhong promised immediately, then he looked at her comfortably.
“Umm, there is no scholar marrying into one’s family!” The teacher didn’t behave himself and learned to play jokes. Ma Tian’en thought.
“Then I don’t become the number one scholar and be your teacher forever.”
“Only be my teacher?” Ma Tian’en uttered. The air became ambiguous suddenly.
“Master, bad news!” The door of the yard was half-open. Ashun pushed the door open and yelled, running towards Ma Tian’en
“The official came to report that Master Ma fell in a faint and asked us to take him.”
“Ah, why did dad faint?”
“I heard that Mater Ma fainted after Guo Qi visited him.” Ashun spent silver prying into the news.
“Guo Qi, I will be irreconcilable with you!” Ma Tian’en ran outside with Ashun, without even waiting to say goodbye to Wu Zhong. Looking at Ma Tian’en’s back, Wu Zhong froze a momentin the yard, then he rushed to Ma Family, waiting for her and Master Ma.
For the illegal salt, Ma Liande indeed accepted silver. But the briber said that he worked at the Prefecture of Wudinghou, so no one could check. He just moved the rice to the capital of the country. What surprised him was that the boat was checked. However, he didn’t have any evidence to prove that the illegal salt was stored in rice by the Prefecture of Wudinghou. On the contrary, the Prefecture of Wufonghou asserted that what they transported was rice. Besides, on the waybill, it said rice. Finally, they reasonably carted the rice back from Yamen (government office in feudal China).
Ma Liande was beaten within an inch of his life, and he was obliged to confess that he transported the illegal salt. He was a common commander, and how could he afford to buy the illegal salt, so the responsibility was placed on Ma Chaosheng. Ma Chaosheng shouldn’t be beaten. After all, he had some influence. What was more, Ma Liande had no evidence to prove that Ma Chaosheng gave him the silver. This case was in a stalemate. Ma Chaosheng was detained in Yamen. Although Official Liu didn’t dare to offend Hu Family and Guo Family, he didn’t torture Ma Cahosheng deliberately.
Because there had been a lot of things in the court. It could easily identify that someone framed Ma Family up. Official Liu was not willing to speak up for Ma family, but he didn’t want to go too far in this case, either. He just locked Ma Chaosheng in prison. After Guo Qi left, Ma Chaosheng spat out blood and fell in a faint. The doctor came and said the situation was not optimistic. He thought it was necessary to inform Ma Family.
Ma Chaosheng was taken home, but still fainted. Madam Ma was bathed in tears. Ma Tian’en worried she would blame herself and didn’t tell her the thing about Guo Qi. Ma Chaosheng had fainted for three days. Madam Ma cared him all day and all night and she seemed thinner than before.
Ma Tian’en proved her conjecture from Ma Dacheng who came back from Baoding.
“Villagers said the manservant returned home with his wife and a newly born child. When the child was young, the manservant treated him well. The child looked different from the manservant when he grew up, and someone joked that the child was not his. The manservant believed it and often beat his wife and the child. Besides, the man drank much and gambled. Later, his wife couldn’t bear it and was beaten to death. She didn’t have any family members and was buried casually without using a coffin. Before long, the manservant received punishment from god. After drinking, he fell into the ditch and was frozen to death. Then, the child was missing. It was said that the child named Yu. However, the man often called him little runt. I showed them the picture you gave, someone said it was him. Although ten years passed, he didn’t change much.”
“So it is.” Ma Tain’en felt pity, although she already knew the outcomes. To be honest, it was her mother’ fault. She put these people in misery in a moment of aberration.
“Maybe Guo Qi is your……” Ma Dacheng asked hesitantly.
“Yes, he is my half elder-brother.” Ma Tian’en didn’t lie to him. He was smart, so it was hard for her to hide the truth.
“Why does he frame Ma Family up?”
“It was complicated. It’s hard to express clearly.” Ma Tian’en didn’t want to talk about it because it was related to her mother’s fault.
“Relax. I won’t tell anyone. As long as we keep it, on one can find it.” Finding her upset, Ma Dacheng said reassuringly. He had no feeling toward Guo Qi, only hatred and repugnance, so he didn’t wish Guo Qi to come home.