Lichun stopped in her tracks.

She understood very clearly in her heart what Bailu feared most by leaving the main house with great effort…

With Nanny Liang as her backing, by the twelfth month, Bailu would likely be released to marry.

The Seventh Miss would inevitably lose an arm.

It was rare that she would take the initiative to discuss this matter with Bailu…

Lichun then deliberately made her footsteps heavier and entered the eastern inner room with a smile.

“The First Madam sent me to deliver some jewelry to the Seventh Miss.”

Both the Seventh Miss and Bailu stopped talking.

Bailu hurried forward to receive the box.

“Thank you for your trouble, Sister Lichun.” She joyfully carried the box to the vanity table. “I’ll go pour tea.”

The Seventh Miss then pulled Lichun’s hand, having her sit down beside herself.

“This twelfth month, a batch of people will be released for marriage.” It was the same opening line.

Lichun’s heart tightened, and she acknowledged with a sound.

Ever since she had secretly entrusted this matter to the Seventh Miss, she had gained some hope.

But now hearing the Seventh Miss bring up this topic on her own initiative, she became nervous instead, and for a moment, didn’t dare to listen further.

“I’m afraid both you and Bailu haven’t reached the age yet,” the Seventh Miss paused.

Lichun’s heart sank straight down, her complexion darkening somewhat.

“Thank you for your concern, Seventh Miss.”

Indeed, both she and Bailu were still a bit young. According to the Yang family rules, maids were generally released to marry at the age of twenty.

“However…” the Seventh Miss continued, “I’ve already mentioned to Mother that I want to place you in Ninth Brother’s quarters…”

She smiled somewhat apologetically, “I should tell you first, otherwise it would seem like I’m secretly sabotaging you.”

Being transferred from the main courtyard to a young master’s quarters couldn’t really be considered a good thing. Moreover, Ninth Brother was only seven this year. Even Lixia was already sixteen. After serving for a few years, she would be released to marry, without any particular distinction.

However, Lichun’s eyes immediately reddened.

The First Madam had only returned a few days ago, yet the Seventh Miss had already laid the groundwork for her.

Actually, when she had confided her concerns to the Seventh Miss, it was merely better than nothing, just arranging another backup path for herself.

The Seventh Miss wasn’t favored, was young—how could she have any say before the First Madam?

Unexpectedly, the Seventh Miss had truly taken the matter to heart.

“I won’t forget your kindness!” She grasped the Seventh Miss’s hand tightly.

Lichun was genuinely moved.

The Seventh Miss quickly withdrew her hand and patted her knee.

“Be careful lest someone sees and laughs at us.”

Lichun then lowered her head to wipe her tears, speaking brokenly, “In this deep mansion, all alone…”

The Seventh Miss also sighed along with Lichun.

The First Madam had such a temperament.

As Lichun was the head maid by her side, she inevitably drew envy.

Usually, both openly and secretly, she probably suffered no small amount of grievances.

“Things will gradually get better.” She comforted Lichun, “Everyone’s dignity is slowly earned.”

No one could say these words as genuinely as the Seventh Miss.

Thinking back to when she first arrived at the main courtyard, she was just a faceless concubine-born daughter who couldn’t even produce reward money.

Now, before the First Madam, she could even speak up. And all at once, she had received so many rewards…

A warm current spread through Lichun’s heart.

“Yes.” She wiped her tears and gradually calmed down. “Thank you for your guidance, Seventh Miss… I know in my heart how to conduct myself!”

For the First Madam to entrust Ninth Brother to Lichun’s hands, she would naturally need to consider it for a period first.

Not to mention anything else, she would need to see whether Lichun’s conduct was reliable, whether she could look after Ninth Brother well.

How to perform—that was for Lichun to grasp herself.

The Seventh Miss nodded, “Suspicion in melon fields and plum groves… Sister Lichun, from now on when you have no business, don’t come to the west side courtyard anymore.”

She spoke these words quite frankly.

Given the First Madam’s suspicious nature, if Lichun came to the west side courtyard too frequently, it might instead arouse her suspicion, making her think the Seventh Miss had colluded with Lichun before recommending her to Ninth Brother’s quarters.

Lichun understood tacitly and left the west side courtyard with a nod.

Returning to the First Madam’s quarters, she reported with a smile the Seventh Miss’s gratitude.

“After all, she hasn’t seen much wealth. She held onto this servant and asked many questions.”

“Oh?” The First Madam was quite interested, “What did she say?”

“Some of the fine things in Madam’s possession, the Seventh Miss didn’t even recognize them!” Lichun covered her mouth and laughed.

The First Madam’s heart felt very satisfied, the corners of her mouth tilting slightly upward. “When I was a young lady, I also loved beauty, and indeed put effort into jewelry.”

#

The Seventh Miss was indeed appreciating the box of jewelry the First Madam had given.

The First Madam truly didn’t value money at all.

When she didn’t make a move, she didn’t, but once she did, it was a grand gesture. Taking this box of jewelry out and exchanging it for over a hundred qing of land would be no problem at all.

There were several sets of pure gold headdresses, all prepared to be worn as complete sets during festivals. The Seventh Miss originally only had one set of silver headdresses, and the craftsmanship wasn’t particularly fine. Qingming and Duanwu could be casually passed over, but the New Year festivities couldn’t be so easily dismissed. Not to mention anything else, during the ancestral worship in the twelfth month, the headdresses had to be worn out.

Now with the complete set of pure gold and ruby-inset headdresses given by the First Madam, she wouldn’t have to feel embarrassed before her sisters.

Bailu carefully categorized the jewelry, storing such grand sets of headdresses separately in boxes lined with velvet.

There were also intricately crafted pavilion and figure earrings, filigree jade tower gold hairpins, kingfisher-feathered mandarin ducks playing among lotus hairpins, jade butterfly walking ornaments…

Simply dazzling to the eyes!

The Seventh Miss then smiled and picked out a pair of jade-green jade bracelets, asking Bailu, “Are they pretty?”

Bailu nodded, “They look like Dushan jade, which can also be considered treasures.”

The wives and maids of great households were exceptionally skilled at appraising jewelry, one after another.

The Seventh Miss then smiled and handed them to Bailu.

“You gave me a pair of bracelets back then, now I’m returning a pair to you.”

Bailu hesitated somewhat.

This was a bit too valuable. Such fine Dushan jade was probably rare even in the hands of madams and young ladies.

Looking at the Seventh Miss’s smiling face, she bit her lip and nodded, accepting them.

“Thank you for the Seventh Miss’s reward!”

The Seventh Miss never played at false sentiments with the maids.

When admonishing you, she was completely serious.

When rewarding you, it was also substantial.

To refuse further would instead make her seem petty.

The Seventh Miss then smiled and nodded.

She found another pair of light filigree pearl-inlaid pure gold bracelets and put them on herself.

Previously without jewelry to wear, she had no choice but to wear the jade bracelet the maid had given her. Now that she had new jewelry, of course she should wear it immediately so as not to let down the First Madam’s kind intentions.

She then found a gold and jade fish treasure hairpin and instructed Bailu, “Call Lixia over!”

When Lixia arrived, in front of Bailu, she handed the treasure hairpin to Lixia, then found a golden peony and handed it to Bailu.

“The bracelet was returning what’s yours, this is the actual reward.”

The treasure hairpin was somewhat more valuable than the golden peony.

Neither maid was dissatisfied.

The Seventh Miss observed this and nodded secretly.

She then whispered to Bailu, “Judging from Madam’s tone, I’m afraid you won’t be among the batch released this twelfth month.”

If Bailu was eager to go out and marry, she would need to ask Nanny Liang to plead before the First Madam.

Bailu’s expression was calm, “Serving the Seventh Miss for a few more years is my good fortune.”

This was also sincere.

Even without the two newly acquired pieces of jewelry, she wouldn’t ask her godmother.

Newly promoted steward’s wives, even with Nanny Liang’s support, would only be assigned to positions with little profit for several years.

Though the Seventh Miss’s resources were still tight now, she was generous… and conducted herself methodically, gradually gaining dignity in the main courtyard.

In three years, she would likely be a favored person.

To discuss marriage then would be better than finding a family in such haste now.

The Seventh Miss smiled with relief.

She was also very satisfied with Bailu.

If Bailu was determined to leave, you could keep the person but not the heart.

Since everyone wanted to cooperate for a few more years, that couldn’t be better.

“These few years, teach Lixia more.” She glanced at Lixia.

Lixia was just playing with that treasure hairpin, the word “novelty” written all over her face.

Bailu also looked at Lixia and smiled.

Although she was quite favored by the Seventh Miss, when it came to the Seventh Miss’s true confidant, that was of course still Lixia.

#

The next morning early, Bailu brought up a tray of chrysanthemums.

“There are moon chrysanthemums, golden essence, and garden chrysanthemums.” She selected a small yellow sweet chrysanthemum for the Seventh Miss with a smile, “This one is good, both elegant and not overpowering in color.”

The Seventh Miss didn’t much like wearing overly bright, ostentatious large fresh flowers, generally only selecting newly blooming half-open buds.

She also changed the Seventh Miss into a silver-red fine silk jacket and adorned her with the gold ball flower hairpin given by the First Madam.

Wealth hidden but not displayed.

Both Bailu and Lixia praised, “Red looks good on the Seventh Miss.”

When the Seventh Miss entered the main courtyard, the Second Miss and Fifth Miss had already arrived.

Ninth Brother also praised, “Red looks good on Seventh Sister.”

The Second Miss hadn’t dressed up specially, but the Fifth Miss had put on that skirt made of starlight satin. When she moved, it was as if stars were twinkling on her body.

She wore a large West Lake Willow Moon flower. Though still young, she already possessed a charming allure.

“Fifth Sister is dressed far more brilliantly than I am.” The Seventh Miss demurred.

“Ninth Brother already praised me.” The Fifth Miss seemed to be in a good mood, looking at the Seventh Miss with an indescribable emotion in her eyes. “After breakfast, we’ll go climb the mountain.”

She too had several new pieces of jewelry on her head and hands.

The Third Miss noticed the change in the Seventh Miss as soon as she entered.

The Seventh Miss already looked like a wealthy young lady.

From head to toe, not a trace of hardship could be seen…

In her ear was an expensive folded chrysanthemum, atop her head was pinned a pure gold ball flower, she wore clothing from Xianxiu Workshop, and the bracelet on her wrist had changed from inferior jade to pure gold.

Hmph… After all, she was being raised in the main courtyard. In just half a year, that little girl who once wore patched clothing had become a different person.

Being under one’s legitimate mother’s knee is just this good!

Turning her head, she saw that rare skirt on the Fifth Miss.

The Third Miss didn’t say a word all morning.

The Sixth Miss, however, looked enviously at the new things on the Seventh Miss’s head and hands.

“Mother gave them, didn’t she?” She whispered to the Seventh Miss.

Though the Sixth Miss also had plenty of jewelry, it was all accumulated piecemeal over the years, never having the good fortune of receiving so much at once like the Seventh Miss.

The Seventh Miss nodded with a smile.

“Mother saw I didn’t have much jewelry, so she gave me some.”

The Sixth Miss then felt at peace.

Everyone in the Yang family had witnessed the Seventh Miss’s poverty.

The Master Elder, however, was completely oblivious to the undercurrents among his daughters. Instead, facing Fourth Yiniang’s sparkling eyes, he felt somewhat guilty.

The local custom in Suzhou was that on the entire day of the Double Ninth Festival, everyone went out to climb heights, drinking wine and making merry.

Though the Yang family had many female relatives and it was inconvenient to go out, after breakfast, when Madam Xu and the Second Madam arrived at the hall, everyone rose together and entered Baifang Garden. They climbed the Taihu rock artificial mountain that began at the front of Huansha Hollow, progressively increased in height, and abruptly ended outside Ju Baxian.

Though this artificial mountain contained considerable intricacy within, the young ladies had to be refined, and the daughters only climbed the artificial mountain once a year during the Double Ninth Festival. Within the mountain, caverns spiraled, and before they even reached the small pavilion near Ju Baxian, Xu Fenghai was already pulling Ninth Brother into the mountain, scrambling up and down. Several maids rushed about anxiously outside the mountain, following the young masters here and there.

The Seventh Miss followed closely beside the Second Miss the whole way.

“You finally look like a Yang family daughter.” The Second Miss was also in a good mood, rarely teasing the Seventh Miss. “I thought you’d be another me, not loving flowers or plants, dressing plainly all the time.”

The Fifth Miss laughed heartily.

The Second Miss indeed didn’t love flowers and plants, nor did she pay much attention to dressing up, usually only seeking propriety.

The Seventh Miss also smiled with pursed lips.

No woman doesn’t love dressing up; the difference lies only in whether one has the means to do so.

Everyone chatted and laughed, winding through the artificial mountain. Soon they entered the pavilion, where maids brought chrysanthemum wine. The children each finished one cup, while the adults began appreciating autumn scenery and conversing.

Looking down from the artificial mountain, most of Baifang Garden’s scenery lay before their eyes.

In the distance, the Seven Li Fragrance looked cold and desolate. The red and yellow osmanthus flowers, separated by the bamboo grove in Youhuang, remained only as a blur of color. Yet their fragrance was strong and vivid, still clearly wafting even from this distance.

The clear pool of water at Wanhua Liuluo and a few remaining lotus flowers not yet withered…

She could hardly believe she actually lived in such a place of wealth far beyond the mortal world.

For a moment, the Seventh Miss stared lost in thought.

Xu Fenghai also pulled Ninth Brother into the pavilion and drank the chrysanthemum wine.

Madam Xu and the First Madam busied themselves having maids clean the boys’ hands and faces, brushing the dust from their clothes.

Having run about for so long, Ninth Brother was somewhat breathless. He nestled beside the First Madam, eating pastries while chatting sporadically with the Eighth Miss beside the Second Madam.

Xu Fenghai, however, gave the Fifth Miss a meaningful look.

The Fifth Miss then pulled the Second Miss and Sixth Miss to go down to a lower spot to feed the fish in Wanhua Stream.

Xu Fenghai slowly strolled to the Seventh Miss’s side.

“Are you afraid of heights?”

His low voice abruptly shattered the Seventh Miss’s reverie.

She frowned and quickly glanced around.

Several elders sat chatting and laughing in Siyi Pavilion, not noticing the two of them.

This spot was separated from Siyi Pavilion by two or three turns and several arched bridges formed by stacked lake rocks. Unless paying particular attention, one couldn’t see clearly the movements here.

However, no matter how bold Xu Fenghai was, he wouldn’t dare do anything to her right here, would he?

“I’m not afraid.”

The Seventh Miss gathered her thoughts and answered calmly.

Before her was a suddenly dropping stone wall, also three or four meters high from the ground.

Having stood here gazing with unchanged expression for so long, how could she fear heights?

Xu Fenghai nodded thoughtfully.

He looked at the Seventh Miss with a restless excitement in his eyes.

“Just looking, most people aren’t afraid.”

He leaned against the Taihu rock, folding his arms with a half-smile. “However, if they were to be pushed down, most people would become afraid.”

The Seventh Miss immediately felt irritated.

It wasn’t that she feared he would actually push, but she very much disliked this feeling.

Being servile before the First Madam was the helplessness of struggling to survive.

Retreating step by step before the Fifth Miss was still the helplessness of struggling to survive.

But no matter how noble Xu Fenghai was, he was ultimately just a relative of the Yang family.

No matter how much he looked down on her as a concubine-born daughter in his heart, given the Yang family’s standing, what could he really do to her?

She wasn’t born inferior to others.

The Seventh Miss couldn’t help but let out a soft snort.

“Most people dare to make empty threats.” She said lightly, “When it comes to actually acting, most people lose their nerve. Cousin, do you dare or not?”