Second Madam remained in the hall until dinner time before taking her leave.

She boarded her plain oil-lit small carriage. After the time it takes to burn a stick of incense, she entered the Hanlin residence.

Though there were two estates on Second Yang Street, the Hanlin residence was several times smaller than the Governor-General’s residence.

With few residents—only Second Madam and Eighth Miss lived there year-round, along with a few disfavored concubines.

Compared to the first branch’s liveliness, the Hanlin residence at dusk had a lonely, desolate air.

“Has Eighth Miss taken her medicine?” Second Madam asked Nanny Lü, who came forward to greet her as she entered the hall.

“Already taken, currently drinking soup.” Nanny Lü smiled apologetically.

Eighth Miss’s constitution was poor. She’d grown up on medicine since childhood. With difficulty reaching ten years old, she still couldn’t go a day without medicinal soups. The Hanlin residence staff had long grown accustomed to serving her three meals of medicine.

Second Madam responded absently, preoccupied, then asked, “For the young masters, remember to prepare and send autumn clothes. Instruct the attending servants to serve carefully—don’t let them catch cold!”

Only then did she enter the Hanlin residence’s small garden to visit Eighth Miss.

Though the Hanlin residence’s garden was also refined, with so few family members, it inevitably seemed desolate.

Walking the bluestone path under the setting sun, gazing at the moss on the artificial mountain, a sense of bleak loneliness slowly surfaced.

Several pavilions in the garden were all locked up tightly… Those disfavored concubines had all been sent by Second Madam to the estates.

“I used to think the household too crowded and noisy.” Second Madam couldn’t help muttering to herself. “Now I find it lonely. Truly, human hearts are like ravines, never satisfied.”

Nanny Lü smiled to comfort Second Madam. “When it’s lively, that has its problems too. You envy next door’s liveliness—who knows, next door might envy your tranquility!”

Second Madam couldn’t help but look toward the high wall on the garden’s west side.

Across one wall, she could still hear murmuring voices from the small storeroom.

Nanny Yao must be taking inventory again…

All year round, the small storeroom never stopped. Nanny Yao had countless items to move out for airing and organizing—airing this, then cleaning that.

And this was just Sister-in-law’s personal small storeroom…

Scattered lamplight had already begun brightening in Hundred Fragrance Garden.

Second Madam quickened her steps and sighed.

After visiting Eighth Miss, she returned to the main courtyard hall.

Again cold and cheerless, with cold pillows and quilts.

She could only work on needlework with Nanny Lü to pass the time.

While carefully threading a needle, Second Madam chatted idly with Nanny Lü.

“Fourth Concubine asked me today to entreat Sister-in-law’s mercy, to let her burn incense at Huiqing Temple.”

Nanny Lü’s eyebrows jumped, her breathing stopping.

“What did the Grand Madam say…”

The two bent heads together, shoulder to shoulder. Speaking, there was no obvious master-servant distinction—more like a pair of intimate friends.

Second Madam let out a long breath. “You know Fourth Cousin—her mind is narrower than a needle’s eye. With that little vixen Seventh Miss making trouble on the side… I saw Sister-in-law was about to relent, but after Seventh Miss said a few words, she forbade her from leaving.”

After all, the Grand Madam was the mistress of the first branch. When she wasn’t in Suzhou, Fourth Concubine could still sneak out a few times. Now with her stationed in Suzhou, if she forbade Fourth Concubine from leaving, Fourth Concubine had absolutely no recourse.

“True.” Nanny Lü sighed. “What reason would a great household’s concubine have to constantly go out?”

Second Madam’s eyes dimmed. “What’s more worrying is that this marriage matter keeps progressing—it seems about to be settled…”

What she could exchange with Fourth Concubine was only Third Miss’s marriage.

Fourth Miss in that condition—even if she herself intervened, at best it would be a middling family.

Fourth Concubine needn’t rely on her—the Grand Master would never let Fourth Miss marry worse than a middling family…

Once Fourth Concubine lost hope, her last connection in the first branch would be severed.

Nanny Lü asked cautiously, “So do you think we should go to Huiqing Temple or not…”

Second Madam let out a long breath, wearily leaning against the satin-embroidered gold chair cushion.

She thoughtfully stroked the smooth, cool celadon tea bowl.

In the Grand Madam’s room, everything used was black-glazed rabbit hair bowls and plates worth a thousand gold per kiln firing…

“The one who’s always dealt with Huiqing Temple is Fourth Concubine, not us.” Her gaze held threads of confusion. “If that abbot has any caution at all, he might not reveal anything to us… Fourth Concubine is timid and speaks vaguely…”

“Then let’s just forget it?” Nanny Lü looked frightened. “This matter seems unreliable!”

Second Madam sighed again.

“By calculation, Second Brother from the main branch should be halfway there by now. If we don’t act soon, once the family register is entered, there’ll be no room for maneuvering!”

When the marriage is settled then, Fourth Concubine will certainly not deal with her anymore…

Ninth Brother’s position as heir would be solid as a mountain, impossible to shake.

“What exactly did Fourth Concubine say?” She asked Nanny Lü again.

Nanny Lü had to repeat it to Second Madam. “She said the abbot of Huiqing Temple is skilled in malicious spell arts. The reason the Grand Madam severed ties with Huiqing Temple was because Third Concubine’s death years ago was connected to Huiqing Temple’s abbot.”

Third Concubine’s death again!

This Third Concubine truly died in spectacular fashion.

Second Madam couldn’t help but sneer coldly.

“She said they only took Third Concubine’s birth chart there, and not long after, Third Concubine went mad, determined to quarrel with the Grand Master… Reportedly the Huiqing Temple abbot keeps malicious spirits.” Nanny Lü couldn’t help clasping her hands together, chanting Buddha’s name. “That’s why it was so effective. At the time, Fourth Concubine and the Grand Madam each paid over a thousand taels to get him to act…”

Second Madam thought it over repeatedly, unable to decide.

“If we rashly go seek his help, he might not agree.” She was troubled.

Then she changed her mind. “After this village, the first branch’s vast wealth will have nothing to do with our three young masters!”

Nanny Lü couldn’t say anything definitive either, only watching Second Madam as she deliberated.

Second Madam took out account books to review.

The more she looked, the more uncomfortable she felt.

“Split the household right upon entering the door—gave us all hillside land! Not even a few taels of income per year.” She spoke while sighing. “Master isn’t good at management—so poor we can barely afford wives for our sons! And won’t ask Elder Brother and Sister-in-law for help.”

She carefully reviewed the entire matter from beginning to end again.

That little slutty vixen Seventh Miss, borrowing the opportunity of the three sisters from Yarn-Washing Cove’s miscarriages, and using the mouthful of black blood in Ninth Brother’s room as bait, played supernatural tricks, fabricating everything seamlessly. Fourth Cousin actually believed that Ninth Brother had been cursed with malicious spells, which made him reckless and caused great disaster.

Bah! Clearly he harbored evil intentions from childhood! Audacious and lawless—just wait for him to betray his teachers and ancestors in the future!

Unfortunately, Fourth Cousin’s nature was both suspicious and soft-hearted. Though through her own pleading, she brought several sons back to Suzhou, Elder Uncle performed a great cosmic shift and maneuvered the children into Shantang Academy.

One raised nearby until age ten, the others far away in the capital unseen for years—Fourth Cousin never relented, saying she needed to observe the nephews’ character for a few years before promoting them. At that moment, the malicious spell explanation emerged. She believed it deeply—no amount of explaining could make her understand.

Those slutty vixen siblings were fated to have luck. Right at that moment, Fourth Cousin developed smallpox. Seventh Miss made a show, made a big fuss, pretending to serve devotedly, winning Fourth Cousin’s favor again. She simply promoted them to legitimate status… Wanting to send people to the clan to secretly sabotage things, Fourth Cousin somehow received guidance, and the steward was abandoned after just a few stations.

She seemed determined to carefully cultivate this pair of siblings and nurture mother-son affection!

“Mother-son affection? Mother-son affection is that easy to nurture?” She couldn’t help but laugh coldly, muttering to herself. “Years ago, coveting the Feng family’s convex embroidery technique, using both soft and hard tactics to hire her as a concubine, couldn’t out-scheme her in methods or machinations, nearly letting her rise to become the proper second branch concubine mistress. Exhausted all efforts joining with Fourth Concubine to squeeze her out to the northwest… Even let her take her daughter away. Does she really think no one knows about these things?”

Wanting to join hands with Fourth Concubine again, the other party was lukewarm. If not for recently borrowing the opportunity of Fourth Cousin wanting to marry Third Miss to the Zhang family, causing Fourth Concubine’s resentment, she couldn’t even establish this connection with Fourth Concubine!

But she absolutely refused to take the poisoning route again.

Said with thousand hardships and ten thousand difficulties she’d only cultivated Chushu, and to cover up afterward already spent several thousand taels of silver…

Instead, she mentioned malicious spells.

Said Huiqing Temple could help make connections, but demanded arranging a husband’s family for Third Miss no worse than the Wang family.

Truly a lion’s mouth opening wide! A character not beaten for three days who’d tear tiles from the roof—dared to bargain with her?

In the future when Hong Brother assumes leadership of the Yang family, the first one to eliminate would be her!

Second Madam suddenly raised her eyebrows, making her decision.

“Tomorrow I’ll personally go to Huiqing Temple!” She commanded Nanny Lü calmly. “Send someone to tell Fourth Concubine to greet the temple in advance.”

Nanny Lü couldn’t hide her worry. “If someone catches evidence of this…”

Second Madam sneered. “Fourth Concubine doesn’t have that courage!”

Nanny Lü thought carefully and relaxed: Yes, Fourth Concubine after all had a history of cooperating with Second Madam to cause trouble around Ninth Brother.

She didn’t dare scheme against Second Madam, just as Second Madam didn’t dare excessively pressure her.

“Let this old servant go instead.” She discussed with Second Madam. “Fourth Concubine just mentioned Huiqing Temple, and you’d rush to burn incense there. If it comes out later, it would inevitably give Seventh Miss ammunition.”

Mentioning Seventh Miss, Second Madam’s expression darkened.

“Heaven dropped down such a deep-scheming, belly-full-of-bad-water calamity star!” She spat hatefully. “More detestable than First Miss, with schemes and calculations exactly like that damned birth mother!”

Nanny Lü could only accompany Second Madam in criticizing Seventh Miss.

“I still must go.” Second Madam’s anger subsided somewhat, and she made the decision. “You’re separated by a layer after all—inconvenient to negotiate prices with the abbot…”

No matter how devoted Nanny Lü was, she was still a servant.

This kind of matter had no standard rates—entirely up to the abbot’s mouth.

Second Madam ultimately felt more assured negotiating the price personally.

Nanny Lü could only agree repeatedly.

She brought up matters from the capital. “Master sent another letter.”

Second Madam opened the letter, casually scanned a few sentences, then set it aside.

“Still the same old three topics—asking about sons, asking about daughter, then asking me for money.” Resentment rose in her eyes. “The first branch supplements him several thousand taels yearly—gone before New Year!”

The cold relationship between Second Madam and Second Master wasn’t new.

Nanny Lü just smiled. “Money? We don’t have enough for ourselves—several young masters returned to Suzhou, precisely when money’s needed. How much could the capital spend? Nothing more than a few concubines and Tenth Miss.”

Second Madam also smiled. “Yes, I know what you mean. This money—Concubine Xiang shouldn’t expect to see a single fen!”

She recalled Lady Xu’s words.

“Managing a household sometimes requires throwing away face!” At that time, Lady Xu was still a spirited young woman. “What’s face worth? Can you eat it, wear it? Don’t deal in empty things—tangible benefits in hand are what matters most!”

If she hadn’t thrown away face, how could she have contended with her stepmother?

If she hadn’t thrown away face, how could she have forced her late mother’s dowry from her father’s hands and brought it to the Yang family’s second branch?

When pushed into a corner, face was the least important thing to consider—tangible benefits in hand were what mattered most!

#

After three or four days, Second Madam called on the Grand Madam, inviting her to burn incense together.

“This time several nephews will take the examinations. Though hopes of passing aren’t high, I still want to pray.” She invited the Grand Madam. “Since Daoist Jiushou of Plum Blossom Abbey passed away, I’ve felt it’s no longer efficacious. I want to visit some new temples. Sister-in-law, do you have interest in joining me? I want to visit all the famous Buddhist temples.”

The Grand Madam was languid. “You go ahead.”

Her expression completely indifferent.

She used to pay such attention to Da Brother and Hong Brother’s studies…

Seventh Miss smiled beside the Grand Madam. “Second Aunt can rest assured—the brothers are all accomplished youths. Even if they don’t pass this examination, they’ll certainly pass next year!”

Seeing Seventh Miss’s smiling face, Second Madam felt nauseated inside.

These past six months, whenever she entered the Governor-General’s residence, Seventh Miss would invariably arrive within half an hour.

As if she would devour Sister-in-law…

“Indeed.” She could only force out a dry laugh. “I accept Seventh Miss’s auspicious words!”

Having laid groundwork with the Grand Madam, she took Nanny Lü everywhere to pray to gods and worship Buddha.

The first day she went to Hanshan Temple, the second day to Huiqing Temple.

The abbot of Huiqing Temple, Master Tongguang, didn’t neglect her either. He personally accompanied Second Madam touring Huiqing Temple’s scenery.

Suzhou was a prosperous land with flourishing Buddhist customs. Temples were countless. The incense money of distinguished officials and nobles needn’t necessarily be donated to any particular temple. Therefore, these abbots all cultivated excellent skills in reading expressions. Sometimes they didn’t resemble abbots but rather businessmen.

When Second Madam hinted slightly at ritual services, Master Tongguang spoke eloquently, praising his Huiqing Temple.

“Not to boast, old monk speaking,” Master Tongguang invited Second Madam to his meditation room for tea. “The temple’s ritual service teams are all top quality, and fees aren’t particularly expensive…”

Clearly intending to continue.

Second Madam developed a headache from his talking. Seeing no one around, she simply spoke directly.

“Speaking of which, Fourth Concubine of my Yang family’s first branch has always burned incense at your temple.” She reminisced with Master Tongguang. “I’ve heard even her natal Ge family frequently does ritual services here.”

Master Tongguang stroked his white beard. “This is true. Your residence’s Fourth Concubine has always frequently performed ritual services at the temple…”

Again about to boast eloquently.

Second Madam felt Master Tongguang truly lacked perception. Fourth Concubine had already greeted him, yet he couldn’t understand the subtle implications.

Then she relaxed: This kind of matter, after all, couldn’t be brought into the open. Master Tongguang couldn’t rashly reveal things, lest she had no such intention and everyone would be embarrassed.

She asked again, “I’ve heard that besides ordinary ritual services, the temple also has… also has some…”

Master Tongguang’s eyes flashed. He stroked his beard without speaking.

Second Madam took a paper from her sleeve, lightly placing it on the mat.

“After success, twenty thousand taels of silver.” She quoted her price frankly. “Master, see if it’s worthwhile.”

Master Tongguang lowered his eyes, gazing at that thin slip of paper.

The paper wasn’t folded. The line of small characters “Zhaoming tenth year, tenth month, twenty-third day, shen hour, third quarter” was clearly exposed to Master Tongguang’s eyes.

The atmosphere immediately grew heavy.

Second Madam cleared her throat and was about to speak when Master Tongguang raised his head and coughed lightly.

“This… if you don’t leave some evidence…”

Second Madam was overjoyed.

This kind of unsavory matter—not every temple was willing to involve itself.

Master Tongguang willing to act was ideal.

But she kept her guard up. “Let’s wait until success before seeing the silver!”

She assured him, “I always keep my word. Master can rest assured—I definitely won’t cross the bridge and demolish it!”

She wrote an IOU for twenty thousand taels, in duplicate, pressing her handprint.

“Just waiting for Master’s good news.” She spoke mysteriously.

Master Tongguang collected the IOU and the slip with the birth chart, rising with a smile. “This old monk will see Madam off a few steps!”