First Young Madam had a quiet disposition. Throughout the journey, she spoke no unnecessary words, silently accompanying Seventh Miss into Qingping Court in the southwest of Xiao Cuijin. An old nanny from Madam Xu’s side had already emerged from the courtyard with a smile, welcoming Seventh Miss and the two nannies into the main hall.
“Your timing is unfortunate—Madam just took her medicine and went to sleep.” The old nanny smiled as she served tea to Seventh Miss and First Young Madam, then stood to the side with lowered hands to deliver her report.
Seventh Miss glanced at the old nanny, then swept her gaze around the room.
The blue brick floor was polished to a mirror shine. The curio shelves lining all four walls were filled to capacity with precious trinkets. In terms of value, they were in no way inferior to the furnishings in Grand Madam Ni’s quarters. Though the old nanny was a servant, she wore tribute satin rarely seen even in ordinary official households…
It seemed that though Madam Xu was often ill, she ultimately hadn’t lost her real authority.
First Young Madam lifted her tea and took a sip, then rarely spoke up—her Shanxi accent still unmistakable. “Mother didn’t sleep well last night? When I came to pay respects this morning, they said she was still sleeping. How is it that…”
The old nanny sighed along with her. “First Young Madam is thoughtful. Last night Madam suffered from insomnia again. She only managed to fall asleep this morning, so naturally she rose late.”
She then apologized to Seventh Miss. “This has made Miss Seven come for nothing. Oh my, you’re truly a grown young lady now. That year in Suzhou, you were just this small…”
After exchanging pleasantries with Seventh Miss and chatting a few idle words, First Young Madam rose to take her leave. “I won’t disturb Mother further. I’ll take my in-law sister to see Sixth Sister-in-law.”
When mentioning Fifth Miss, the form of address she used was “Sixth Sister-in-law.”
The old nanny was also very cordial toward First Young Madam, showing no contempt due to her Shanxi accent. She smiled as she saw First Young Madam and Seventh Miss out of Qingping Court, watching them depart before turning back inside.
The failure to meet Madam Xu at Qingping Court left Seventh Miss somewhat uneasy. Madam Xu’s illness seemed to have manifested five or six years ago, but from the onset, the condition had been severe. According to Fifth Miss’s letters, just in the one year since she’d entered the household, Madam Xu had come close to death several times.
With her health deteriorated to this extent, she naturally couldn’t manage household affairs. Fifth Miss was the Heir’s Wife—by rights, after a full year of marriage she should take charge of household management, but unexpectedly she’d become pregnant in her first year. The household affairs seemed to have returned to Grand Madam Ni’s hands…
Forget it—she could ask Fifth Miss about such matters in a moment for the clearest answer. Seventh Miss shook her head slightly and made conversation with First Young Madam. “Why doesn’t Fifth Sister live within Xiao Cuijin? I thought all the family’s womenfolk resided in the rear garden.”
First Young Madam smiled faintly. “Oh, actually Xiao Cuijin is by custom merely a place to enjoy scenery. None of us live inside it. We all ordinarily reside in the outer courtyards. Sixth Brother’s family lives in Mingde Hall…”
She casually introduced a few details to Seventh Miss, then fell silent again.
The atmosphere at Duke Pingguo’s estate was truly far more oppressive than the Yang household.
The two walked slowly for about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea before exiting Xiao Cuijin. They proceeded along a pathway beside the side rooms of the main courtyard, then turned a corner to see a five-bay hall with carved beams and painted rafters situated in the center of the compound. Seven pairs of roof beasts in various postures adorned the eaves. The plaque reading “Mingde Hall” hung high, its inscription and seal even gilded—the current Emperor’s own calligraphy. The maids accompanying First Young Madam hurried ahead to announce them. Before long, Fifth Miss emerged from the house holding her belly, personally coming out to greet them.
“Elder Sister-in-law, Seventh Sister!” She called out with a smile. “Seventh Sister, it’s been so long!”
Fifth Miss had grown slightly plumper, her face rounder, but her manner hadn’t changed much—still spoiled with a touch of willfulness, though a hint of innocence still flickered between her brows.
Seeing Seventh Miss, her smile held genuine joy from the heart. Disregarding First Young Madam, she rushed forward to grasp Seventh Miss’s hand and pull her inside. “Finally seeing family from home! Yang Qi, let me tell you—though I sometimes found you annoying at home, this past year I’ve actually missed you quite a bit!”
Still so frank and outspoken!
Seventh Miss couldn’t help but laugh aloud. She glanced apologetically at First Young Madam and gently chided Fifth Miss. “Fifth Sister, you should also greet First Young Madam…”
First Young Madam smiled and waved her hand, rarely revealing a trace of mischief. “I know that seeing her own sister, Sixth Sister-in-law certainly won’t remember to greet me—which is perfect, as Brother Guang had some stomach trouble this morning. I apologize to my in-law sister, but I’ll return to the courtyard to check on him first and come back for you later.”
Fifth Miss and Seventh Miss smiled as they saw First Young Madam off together, then returned hand in hand to the main hall to talk. Fifth Miss pulled Seventh Miss’s hand as she introduced things. “The east wing is the Heir’s area. From last year until now, it’s only been occupied for about ten days. I usually stay in the west wing. Come, come, I’ll show you.”
This was a typical northern-style main hall—the eaves relatively low to retain warmth. The blue brick floor was toasty warm, heat rising from below: underfloor heating had been installed. The hall had no curio shelves. Several precious furnishings were casually placed on small standing tables in the corners, displaying a careless sort of wealth. Entering from the hall led to a long corridor with doors opening on both sides. The west wing alone had five rooms, alternating bright and dark. Fifth Miss pulled Seventh Miss straight into the western inner room by the outer wall—clearly this was where she received guests. Several types of tea snacks were already arranged on the small kang table. Guyu and Chunfen were busy pouring tea. Seeing Seventh Miss enter, they greeted her with smiles. “Seventh Miss has arrived! Our mistress has been thinking about preparing good food for you since early morning! Hearing you were coming today, she didn’t sleep well last night! She got up early to tidy the room, just waiting for you!”
Fifth Miss laughed and spat lightly, supporting her waist as she sat by the kang, then exchanged warm greetings with Nanny Liang and Nanny Tai. “Two nannies, how long has it been!”
Nanny Tai was composed enough, but Nanny Liang’s face was already covered in tears. “Over a year without seeing Miss—Miss has truly grown up…”
She had watched Fifth Miss grow up, so their bond was different from others. Fifth Miss naturally didn’t treat her as an ordinary servant. Smiling, she patted Nanny Liang’s hand. “Seeing each other is a happy occasion—why are you crying? Chunfen, take Nanny Tai outside for tea. You’ve worked hard half the morning—sit and rest a while!”
She then urged Seventh Miss to eat the snacks. “Later at Leshan Residence during the meal, you definitely won’t be able to eat much. Fill your stomach first so you don’t get hungry in this cold weather and fall ill when you return.”
Seventh Miss couldn’t help but smile. “Oh my, Fifth Sister has become considerate after getting married!” She examined Fifth Miss’s complexion carefully, then reached to touch her belly. “Is the baby well-behaved?”
Fifth Miss waved her hand casually. “It’s just a lump of flesh—what does well-behaved or not mean? But it’s growing fierce! The midwife says that though it’s only six months, it’s already as big as others at full term.”
Mentioning the child, her spirits visibly dropped. Instead, she was very concerned about the family situation, asking urgently, “Is everyone at home well? I heard Ninth Brother didn’t come to the capital—what happened? Are Father and Mother’s health good?”
Seventh Miss and Nanny Liang together gave Fifth Miss a detailed account. Ninth Brother had stayed behind to go directly to the Northwest for the examination this summer rather than make the trip to the capital. First Master and First Madam were both in good health. First Madam still had her old problem of coughing and wheezing. First Master had developed a habit of taking short naps over the past year, but with medication, nothing serious…
Fifth Miss was very relieved. “Safe and sound—that’s good!”
She suddenly raised her head with a somewhat haughty air. “Hmph, the affairs of this world are truly unpredictable. Just this past April, who knew Father would join the cabinet as minister? The Xu family looked down on me for nothing—you should have seen their faces. In June, Grandfather passed away… By July, well then, once the transfer order came down, everyone who saw me wore a different face—people in the capital really have no character at all!”
Seventh Miss couldn’t help but exchange a glance with Nanny Liang.
In ancient times communication was inconvenient. Many things weren’t suitable to write in letters, especially for married daughters who customarily reported good news but not bad to their natal families.
After marrying into the Xu family, Fifth Miss’s letters contained only the two words “all is well,” at most adding a few sentences about trivial Xu family matters. About her own circumstances in her husband’s household, she never mentioned a word.
First Madam’s greatest worry was whether Fifth Miss had suffered hardships at the Xu household. Sending Seventh Miss to visit as a guest—the most important purpose was for her most trusted confidante to see Fifth Miss’s situation with her own eyes.
Seventh Miss asked in a low voice, “So at the Xu household… are you happy or unhappy?”
Fifth Miss lowered her head without speaking. After a long while, she finally smiled. “These snacks were specially prepared for you—eat!”
Seventh Miss’s heart immediately sank.
She had long known the Xu household was no shallow estate. A new bride entering the family would inevitably suffer some grievances.
A century-old aristocratic family at the eye of the storm, with sisters-in-law all legitimate daughters of prominent families, each with their own backing, and the grandmother-in-law and mother-in-law at odds… Though extremely wealthy, private conflicts and disputes would certainly be abundant.
However, Fifth Miss was after all related to her mother-in-law. As long as Madam Xu was willing to protect her somewhat, she shouldn’t suffer too much at the Xu household. To put it bluntly, the several sisters-in-law merely held the title of elder sister-in-law. In terms of family background and dowry, not many surpassed Fifth Miss.
How could she be unwilling to even mention this…
Seventh Miss lifted the blue-and-white small cup of beef bone tea and took a sip, gazing at Fifth Miss without speaking. Fifth Miss propped her chin on the kang table. After quite a while, she wiped her eyes. “Sigh.”
Then she looked at Nanny Liang.
Nanny Liang understood tactfully that the sisters had private matters to discuss. She rose and made small talk with Chunfen as they left the room. “Let’s see what the Heir’s east wing looks like…”
Guyu naturally also withdrew silently.
Seventh Miss set down her bowl, sat up straight, and gazed solemnly at Fifth Miss, gently grasping her swollen hand—pregnant women’s limbs often swelled.
“You’ve suffered many grievances at the Xu household?”
Fifth Miss’s tears rolled out of her eyes like pearls from a broken string, one after another.
“On the third day after the wedding, Cousin left for Guangzhou. We didn’t even perform the return visit ceremony. He came back for over ten days in May, but spent all those days busy outside. Everything about going to the Southern Seas—the Emperor dumped it all on him. He was so busy he didn’t even have time to sleep, much less pay attention to family matters.” She began to sob intermittently, pouring out her grievances to Seventh Miss. “Three sisters-in-law—only Elder Sister-in-law is somewhat easier to deal with, though that’s just superficial. Fourth Sister-in-law relies on having entered the family early and being Grand Madam’s relative. In her words, she mocks our Yang family as nouveau riche, saying marrying into the Xu family was a blessing earned in a previous life.”
“Fifth Sister-in-law appears gentle and quiet on the surface, but privately she’s vicious and cruel. I’d barely entered the household when she was already speaking ill of me in Grand Madam’s ear, saying I was accustomed to extravagance and didn’t know how to manage a household… Third Aunt is so ill—I couldn’t very well ask her to stand up for me in everything. If I hadn’t gotten pregnant, I truly would have had no foothold in this family!”
“In May when Father submitted his resignation petition, everyone’s faces changed. In June when Grandfather died, well then—two months pregnant and I still had to stand while serving Grand Madam. If Seventh Brother hadn’t felt sorry for me and pleaded on my behalf, I wouldn’t even have had a place to sit. That very night I started bleeding and nearly lost the baby. Fifth Sister-in-law even said I was faking illness. I really wanted to—” The more Fifth Miss spoke, the angrier she became, her hands clenching into fists. “In July when the transfer order came down, everyone in the family instantly changed their faces. All a bunch of damned opportunists with eyes only for wealth and status, looking at people through door cracks! If Father hadn’t come to the capital, I really wanted to die and be done with it!”
Seventh Miss couldn’t help but frown deeply.
Given Fifth Miss’s temperament, suffering grievances as a new bride in a major capital household was inevitable. Born a legitimate daughter, she’d never been accustomed to bowing low. With three sisters-in-law above her like three mountains pressing down, not to mention Grand Madam Ni… But looking at Fifth Miss’s state, after over a year, she still seemed unable to find any leverage in struggling with her sisters-in-law. This was truly inappropriate. The legitimate daughter of the Viceroy of Liangjiang, with a dowry worth ten thousand gold, from prestigious families on both her father’s and mother’s sides—with such background, suppressing a few sisters-in-law should be a small matter. How…
“You wouldn’t just let people bully you, would you?” She raised her voice. “When you were home before, you didn’t have such a soft temperament…”
Fifth Miss lowered her head, fidgeting with the corner of her garment, not answering for a moment.
Could she be a domestic tyrant? Seventh Miss felt somewhat exasperated.
Glancing at Fifth Miss and seeing her beautiful face full of hesitation to speak, her heart stirred again.
“Has the relationship between Grand Madam and Third Aunt really become so cold and rigid?” she asked Fifth Miss in a soft, low voice.
Out of respect for elders, speaking ill of mother-in-law and grandmother-in-law in Mingde Hall was hardly proper behavior for a virtuous woman.
Fifth Miss let out a long sigh and nodded.
“It’s not quite that cold and rigid,” she kneaded the handkerchief in her hands. “You know the Ni and Qin families have never gotten along. Back then, Third Aunt’s marriage was arranged by the old Duke Pingguo. So from the moment she entered the household, she never had it easy. Third Aunt relied on her natal family’s power and her own methods to suppress Grand Madam severely for years. It’s only these recent years that her illness has worsened, and Grandfather has—the Grand Consort’s standing in the palace has grown heavier this past year, so only then…”
When two factions fight, if one gains the upper hand, naturally the followers of the other suffer. Seventh Miss’s brow furrowed tighter. “Duke Pingguo has never…”
“Third Uncle is a man after all—how could he be bothered with rear courtyard matters? But he still respects Third Aunt and hasn’t distanced himself from Qingping Court because of her illness. It’s just that we dare not trouble Third Aunt with trivial matters. She’s already prone to worrying. If she hears I’ve suffered grievances, she’ll have even more sleepless nights…”
Seventh Miss’s brow creased even tighter.
“What about Sixth Sister?” She abruptly changed the subject. “How is Sixth Sister in the palace?”
Fifth Miss started slightly, then answered honestly. “She’s doing quite well, actually. Hey, you know the Emperor’s temperament—he’d love to accomplish thirty years of work in three years since ascending the throne. Doesn’t the harem belong to the Empress? The Empress favors our Consort Yang Ning most—she’d practically pin her to her sash and carry her everywhere. Before I became pregnant, I was fortunate enough to enter the palace and see her a few times. Though she looked thinner, she seemed quite spirited!”
Seventh Miss’s brow gradually smoothed.
“Fifth Sister, you’ve been foolish.” She spoke softly. “Sixth Sister has such standing in the palace—do any of the other young madams have relatives serving as imperial consorts? Probably not. And Father has just been promoted to cabinet minister… You’re also the Heir’s Wife! Who would dare not give you face? Even if Grand Madam doesn’t like you, appearances must be maintained. If you’re reluctant to go to Grand Madam’s quarters—doesn’t this give you a perfect shield? Treat the sisters-in-law as playthings. When you have time, exchange a few pleasantries with them. When you don’t, just ignore them. Why get angry… Stop crying. When you’re pregnant, you absolutely mustn’t get emotional!”
Fifth Miss broke into a smile through her tears and gave Seventh Miss a look. “Silly girl, you’re the one with the sweet tongue.”
Though she said this, after venting thoroughly, her spirits seemed much improved. Wiping tears from the corners of her eyes, she chatted with Seventh Miss. “I’ve been suffering so much grievance that I’m telling you all this. I know in my heart what I should do. Just watch—once I’m out of confinement, if I don’t wrest control of this household from Fifth Sister-in-law, I’ll be a failure! The first thing will be auditing the accounts. If I don’t audit them to the bottom, I’m not worthy of the Yang surname!”
“And Fourth Sister-in-law—she doesn’t even recognize our family’s hall name… Hmph, flying arrogant and domineering right over our Yang family’s heads.” Fifth Miss reapplied her makeup, touching up her face. “When I see you off to Leshan Residence in a bit, I must properly mortify her…”
Seventh Miss couldn’t help but frown again.
Fine—Fifth Miss’s personality was lively, and her style of handling matters would certainly differ from her own. There was no superiority or inferiority, just different temperaments.
“I think you’d better not go.” She gently persuaded Fifth Miss. “Six months pregnant with such a belly, still running around here and there—even watching you makes me anxious. Once the child is born, what account can’t be settled? You were just crying so hard—I’m truly afraid you’ll disturb the baby’s qi!”
Fifth Miss giggled and affectionately linked her arm through Seventh Miss’s again. “Fine, fine, fine—if you say don’t go, I won’t go.”
Probably having tasted both sweet and sour after marriage, she treated Seventh Miss with much more genuine warmth.
“Let me talk with you a bit more—Elder Sister-in-law will probably come to fetch you soon.” Fifth Miss pushed the plate closer to Seventh Miss. “Try some quickly—these pea cakes and mung bean cakes were made fresh this morning. You can’t get such refined sweets outside.”
Only then did Seventh Miss regain her appetite, eating slowly and carefully.
Fifth Miss propped her elbow up and also picked up a piece of emerald green mung bean cake to eat.
The room fell quiet for a time.
After a long while, Fifth Miss finally spoke.
“Actually… what you said back then was absolutely right.”
Her tone changed, as if emotion had been extracted, leaving only an empty voice. “In these great households, human life means nothing at all. Even I had to expend enormous effort just to gain a foothold. If it were you… even with a thousand methods, one dish sent down as a reward, and the next day you could very well be a corpse. Childbirth and confinement—every moment is full of openings. Killing someone couldn’t be easier. A husband’s favor—what does that count for? Men? In the inner chambers, men are just decorations!”
Seventh Miss was shocked.
In that moment, the fragrant sweet pea cake in her mouth seemed to lose all flavor.
She looked toward Fifth Miss. Fifth Miss’s lovely face seemed veiled by a light gauze.
“I think we should have Mother find you some midwives.” After a long pause, Seventh Miss finally spoke slowly. “If the kitchen is short-staffed, just send word. We’re all in the same place, and in the future… Fifth Sister will be able to hold her head high.”
Fifth Miss quickly adjusted her expression as well.
“Yes, if I can give birth to a son this time, that would truly be raising my head in pride.” She stroked her belly, revealing a smile of anticipation.