On the other side, Third Madam Chen—unaware that she had already become meat on someone else’s chopping block—was so anxious that blisters had formed on her lips. Even when her son came to pay his respects, it couldn’t calm the restlessness in her heart. She hurriedly sent people out again and again to see if Third Master Chen had returned home, all the while cursing non-stop: “No plan in his mind at all—things have reached this point and he can still feel at ease staying out!” In her heart, however, she became even more determined to persuade Third Master Chen to extract some money from that Lu family, supposedly some wealthy tycoon from Jiangnan.

Chen Mingqing entered the door carrying a bowl of rock sugar and pear soup. Seeing the situation, she hurried forward to console Third Madam Chen: “Mother, what’s all this fuss about? We’re going to Qingxu Temple tomorrow. If you don’t rest now at this hour, by tomorrow morning the sores at the corners of your mouth will have worsened.”

Third Madam Chen had a particular condition—whenever she became anxious and agitated, she easily developed mouth sores, and once they appeared they easily festered. Once festered, they would hurt for ten days to half a month, and she couldn’t even drink a sip of soup without gasping for breath.

She took the rock sugar and pear soup her daughter handed her, drank it all in one gulp, and let the maid serve her by wiping her mouth. Only then did she feel the pent-up frustration in her heart dissipate considerably. Looking at her daughter as beautiful as flowers and jade, she couldn’t help feeling somewhat emotional: “Fortunately I still have such a thoughtful child like you. Just for your sake, I must live well. Let’s see who dares look down on us in the future!”

Outside, a nanny responded through the curtain: “Third Madam, Third Master has returned home and has gone to the concubine’s quarters.”

Third Madam Chen immediately ground her teeth in hatred. At a time like this, when she couldn’t sleep night after night over the matter of money and her hair was nearly all falling out, Third Master Chen actually still had the mind to seek pleasure in the concubine’s courtyard!

Chen Mingqing hurriedly stepped forward to hold back her mother who had already stood up. Sighing, she tried to persuade her: “Mother, wouldn’t it be better to discuss whatever matter it is tomorrow? Father is returning at this hour—he’s most likely had some wine. He’s afraid of quarreling with you. Just spare him this once and speak of it tomorrow.”

These past few days, she herself hadn’t felt well in her heart either. Thinking of Old Madam Chen’s open mockery and blatant disdain toward her that day made her feel humiliated. After all, they both shared the Chen surname, yet the difference between herself and Chen Mingyu could truly be described as the distance between heaven and earth.

But no matter how distressed she felt, life still had to go on. As for dowry and face and such matters, she actually truly didn’t care that much about them—the family’s circumstances being what they were, with mother wearing her heart out over money matters, father being someone whose words carried no weight, and a younger brother below who would also need money everywhere when it came time for him to take a wife in the future. Thinking it through this way, she wished she could conjure up some silver to help mother resolve her worries and difficulties. How could she dare harbor extravagant hopes about how much dowry she might receive?

Right now, her only hope was that her parents could be harmonious, that her younger brother could be ambitious in the future, and that the whole family could live better days ahead.

Third Madam Chen got down from the bed. The forehead band on her head had tilted somewhat. She impatiently reached up to remove it herself and patted her daughter’s hand: “Don’t you worry. Don’t concern yourself with this matter. Mother will definitely see that you marry out in grand style.”

Chen Mingqing didn’t know why the matter had circled back to the question of marriage or not. Feeling somewhat helpless and somewhat weary, she tugged at her mother’s hand: “Mother, don’t go over there. Whatever the matter is, at least wait until tomorrow to discuss it.”

The two of them had just had a quarrel earlier. If Third Madam Chen now rushed over to the concubine’s courtyard so thoughtlessly to find someone, making such a commotion, given Third Master Chen’s face-conscious habits, he would definitely fly into a rage. When things got out of hand, it would give Old Madam Chen another opportunity to rebuke both Third Madam Chen and Third Master Chen.

Third Madam Chen stroked her daughter’s head and forcibly restrained her temper, sending her daughter back to her room: “Rest assured, rest assured. Mother hasn’t reached the point of such foolishness. I won’t go over there myself. I’ll have someone invite him over. I have matters waiting for him here. I won’t quarrel with him. You go back to your room and sleep first. Get your energy up so you can go to Qingxu Temple tomorrow in good spirits.”

She had heard that because Madam Tong came from the Marquis Wuning household, she had never liked sickly young ladies. The marriage had already been settled, and previously Madam Tong had been fairly satisfied with Chen Mingqing. They couldn’t let such a small matter ruin Chen Mingqing’s image in her future mother-in-law’s mind.

Chen Mingqing was left with no alternative. She returned to her room with her maid, but still felt uneasy and sent her wet nurse to the main chamber to gather information: “Go and see. If there’s no commotion, let it be. But if Father and Mother start quarreling, come find me first.”

Third Madam Chen truly did as she said. She wasn’t at all angry about Third Master Chen going to the concubine’s courtyard. If she were to get angry about such things, she truly would have been enraged to death long ago. How could she have lived until now?

She lowered her posture and looked at Third Master Chen, who was clearly somewhat displeased. After thinking for a moment, she got straight to the point and asked Third Master Chen: “Doesn’t Master want to rise one more level? Father won’t help, and Second Brother won’t pay any attention either. Didn’t you mention some days ago that the司隶 from the Personnel Selection Division of the Ministry of Personnel said he could help pull you up?”

This matter was indeed genuinely real. It was just unfortunate that the司隶 made it clear he would only help if given silver. In the current circumstances, where would the silver come from? The Old Master and Old Madam were angry about Third Madam Chen bringing Old Madam Xiang and offending the Song family last time. They felt he couldn’t even control his own wife and had no intention of intervening in his affairs at all. Even now, he was still completely in the dark about everything.

Hearing Third Madam Chen bring this up, he said somewhat irritably: “So what if it’s true? Never mind that seven thousand taels of silver have now gone down the drain—even if we had seven thousand taels in hand, would we stuff it all in? Would we still have to live our lives afterward or not?”

Third Madam Chen laughed once, personally poured a cup of tea and handed it to Third Master Chen to help him sober up, then said softly: “I happen to have a ready-made method for making a fortune here. I just don’t know if Master has the courage for it or not?”

Third Master Chen, having lost a large sum of silver—though it was his wife’s, he still felt such heartache that he couldn’t sleep or eat—heard Third Madam Chen say this and stared at her with wide eyes, asking: “What method?” His face still carried three parts vigilance: “Don’t you go thinking up some methods that harm others to benefit yourself. Don’t truly provoke Old Madam to fury then, and even I won’t be able to protect you.”

How could Third Madam Chen care about all that? She opened her mouth and related everything Madam Fang had said down to the last detail. At the end, her eyes shining brightly, she looked at Third Master Chen: “Lord Fang equally serves under the Old Master, yet he dares to do such things. Why wouldn’t you, his own son, dare?”

Third Master Chen fell silent, looking at Third Madam Chen half-believing and half-doubting. He hung his head, apparently thinking about something. Only after a long while did he raise his head to look at Third Madam Chen: “You’re not deceiving me?”