When a married young lady returned to her natal family, she naturally had to dress formally and bring seasonal gifts according to custom—it wouldn’t do to arrive empty-handed. Last night, Seventh Miss had instructed Lixia to send word out, having her rouge and powder shops select some premium southern goods. She also chose some air-dried beef and mutton that Xu Fengjia’s friends from the northwest had sent. After paying respects at Leshan Residence and Qingping Garden, Xu Fengjia had already arranged personal attendants to accompany her and prepared the carriage. She then brought the two senior maids Shangyuan and Zhongyuan back to the Yang family—both maids had relatives serving in the Yang household, so whenever there was an opportunity to visit their natal family, she tried to arrange for them to come along.

Though First Master had said that once Ninth Brother and his wife married, he would take the Grand Madam and move back to the imperially-bestowed residence, leaving the large mansion near the Confucian Temple for Ninth Brother and his young wife, Quan Ruiyun had already been married in for over half a year, yet the two elders showed no signs of moving. Naturally, no one would take the initiative to mention this. Seventh Miss entered and went straight to the main courtyard. The Grand Madam and Quan Ruiyun were drinking tea inside. Seeing Seventh Miss, they were naturally delighted.

After the three exchanged greetings, Quan Ruiyun rose to take her leave. “Since Elder Sister has returned today, I should keep you company, but there are still some household matters…”

From her tone, it seemed the Yang family’s household management had already been handed to Quan Ruiyun. Seventh Miss nodded with a smile. “You’re busy!”

The Grand Madam also smiled slightly and instructed Quan Ruiyun, “Since Little Qi has rarely come back, tell Madam Cao to prepare several more dishes that Seventh Miss used to love.”

Quan Ruiyun naturally had no objections. After making her obeisance to the Grand Madam, she lowered her head and withdrew from the room. Though the unique elegance characteristic of Quan family members hadn’t dissipated in her movements, this time when they met, this young matron’s face showed more shrewdness.

When Seventh Miss had last visited, she’d had matters on her mind, and Quan Ruiyun’s natal family had sent someone to fetch her, so they hadn’t been able to meet. Seventh Miss glanced at her sister-in-law’s retreating figure and said to the Grand Madam with a smile, “Though Ruiyun is somewhat older than Ninth Brother, the two of them seem quite well-matched.”

The kind smile on the Grand Madam’s face slowly faded. After a long while, she drank a sip of tea and sighed softly. “She’s already turning twenty this year… Half a year since the wedding, and still not a hint of news from her belly!”

The dissatisfaction in her words was self-evident.

Seventh Miss immediately fell silent and lowered her head to drink her fresh tea.

The Grand Madam looked at Seventh Miss. After a long while, she finally realized—Seventh Miss’s belly also had no news yet.

She couldn’t help feeling somewhat flustered. She glanced at Seventh Miss before covering up with a cough and asking, “Why didn’t you bring Shou’ge and Fu’ge along?”

“It’s already midsummer now—too hot for the journey.” Seventh Miss had no mind to hold a grudge against the Grand Madam. She changed the subject. “When autumn comes, I’ll let the children come see you.”

After the two discussed some idle chat about Fu’ge and Shou’ge, Seventh Miss told the Grand Madam, “I came back this time also because there’s something I want to ask Mother to help with.”

The Grand Madam had already regretted her earlier slip of the tongue. Seventh Miss was so deep in her thoughts that she had probably already offended her. Hearing these words, her heart calmed instead. She said eagerly, “Speak, speak.”

“Before this year’s autumn harvest, our Sixth Branch will finally take over household management.” Seventh Miss sighed. “These past years it’s been Fifth Sister-in-law managing the household… When we take over, we’ll naturally need to go through the accounts. I want to borrow Mother’s connections to hire two accountants from Jiangnan.”

The Grand Madam’s spirits immediately lifted, and even her haggard face gained some radiance.

She questioned Seventh Miss carefully about the circumstances of taking over household management and couldn’t help but praise her. “After all, you’re our Little Qi. Even the strictest mother-in-law probably couldn’t find fault.”

After pondering for a moment, she smiled. “As for accountants, there are some in the capital too. If you ask me, we may not need to go all the way to Jiangnan to find them. I could just write a letter home and have Madam Li handle this matter, but these past years, between our two families…”

She didn’t continue, but Seventh Miss already understood: Lord Li probably still harbored resentment these past years. Ever since First Master’s promotion, he had fully expected the position of Jiangnan Governor-General to naturally and rightfully go to him for advancement. Who knew the governor-general position would remain vacant for several years with no one to fill it, while Lord Li’s term as Jiangsu Provincial Administration Commissioner was nearly up. To trouble him with such a small matter at this time—he probably wouldn’t take it seriously.

Besides, the Grand Madam was after all a woman of the inner chambers with a narrow circle of acquaintances. This matter would still need to be entrusted to First Master.

She sighed.

Since her marriage, half a year had passed without seeing First Master.

Seventh Miss didn’t deny at all that she had intentionally avoided First Master. Toward this shrewd and cold bureaucrat, she harbored an ineffable disgust, yet was powerless to change it. No matter what, he was still her father in this era.

“Father should not have court today either, right?”

The Grand Madam looked completely bewildered but called Lidong to inquire. After a while, she received a report. “Master is resting today and hasn’t risen yet. Word has been sent in that Seventh Miss has returned. Presumably he’ll invite you out to meet shortly.”

Just looking at the Grand Madam’s series of actions, one could see that the relationship between the two elders had grown increasingly distant.

Seventh Miss remained impassive and told the Grand Madam about Grand Secretary Jiao. She also reported on Sixth Miss’s situation. “Everything is fine, and she gets along harmoniously with Her Majesty. It’s just that the Emperor is single-mindedly concerned with state affairs and pays no attention to beauty. Everyone in the palace is quite neglected… Sixth Sister is no exception.”

The Grand Madam immediately let out a cold laugh or two.

“Yes, concerned with state affairs is true, pays no attention to beauty—” She stopped halfway through her words and swallowed them back. “Did your Sixth Sister ask after Seventh Concubine Mother?”

Seventh Miss sighed inwardly.

The Grand Madam had truly lived too long in a superior position, especially before her. She never thought before speaking. Now that their positions had reversed, and she was no longer that concubine-born daughter who had to follow her arrangements in everything, the Grand Madam found it difficult to adjust psychologically. Several of her remarks were rather unpleasant.

“She asked.” She lowered her eyes and answered indifferently with two words, then said nothing more.

Seventh Miss’s attitude had never been this cold before.

The Grand Madam’s heart felt quite uncomfortable too.

Previously, when Seventh Miss had been at her side, even if she unintentionally said a few wrong things, Seventh Miss never took them to heart. She was magnanimous—even more open and frank than Second Miss.

Now that she’d become the Heir Apparent’s wife, she knew to show her displeasure. At the mention of pregnancy matters, her expression turned ugly. Just now, when she’d inadvertently criticized Feng Jin, she actually darkened her face and showed real anger—yet she was a legitimate daughter registered under her name! What relation did she have to the Feng family? Back then, hadn’t she looked down on the Feng family…

She was about to say a few words to needle Seventh Miss, but her expression darkened instead.

Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west—today’s Seventh Miss truly was no longer the same person as before.

The two grandsons were still young. If the maternal grandmother and herself were on bad terms, and with her poor health, who else could she rely on if not this stepmother?

If she truly angered her, with Seventh Miss’s temperament, she would silently go two or three years without letting the little grandsons come to the Yang family to see her. What could she do about it? When under someone’s roof, one must bow one’s head!

When the Grand Madam opened her mouth, her tone was much softer.

“You’ve rarely come back. Don’t rush to leave. After lunch, talk with your father. When Ninth Brother wakes from his afternoon nap, you siblings can chat. After dinner, have Ninth Brother escort you back to the Xu family.”

In the past, when would the Grand Madam have actively encouraged Ninth Brother to grow close with his own sister?

Seventh Miss didn’t press her advantage. She smiled. “Mother still loves me.”

The atmosphere in the room warmed again.

#

First Master indeed didn’t send Nanny Tai to fetch Seventh Miss to the small study until nearly lunchtime.

The new residence had ample space. First Master couldn’t wait and, as in his days at Baifang Garden, arranged an elegant small courtyard for himself in a pine grove. When Seventh Miss entered the room, he was sitting cross-legged on the kang, head lowered as he drank tea.

Not having seen him for a year or two, this handsome middle-aged scholar had aged considerably. Not only were there white hairs at his temples, even his face was covered with a layer of ashen pallor. His vital energy and spirit had visibly declined.

“Little Qi has come.” Seeing Seventh Miss approach, First Master beckoned with a smile. “I won’t get up—I slept late last night and rose late this morning too. I’ve made my daughter laugh at me.”

First Master had truly seen through worldly affairs. The father-daughter relationship had been awkward to that degree a year or two ago, yet now meeting again after her marriage, he acted as if nothing had happened, smiling as warmly as a spring breeze… With such shrewdness, if he didn’t become a Grand Secretary, who would?

Seventh Miss sat at the edge of the kang. Without exchanging pleasantries with First Master, she directly told him about Grand Secretary Jiao.

“It was just yesterday,” Seventh Miss’s tone was bland. “Though Father may have already received the news through other channels, as your daughter, I should still come tell you in person. That’s proper.”

First Master didn’t quibble with the sarcasm in Seventh Miss’s words. He had already furrowed his brows tightly, pondering, countless calculations flashing through his eyes. After a long while, he asked Seventh Miss thoughtfully, “You said your cousin…”

He glanced at Seventh Miss, then seemed to remember something and excitedly jumped off the kang, pacing about on the floor.

Seventh Miss responded woodenly.

She hadn’t expected that Imperial Consort Xu’s news was still exclusive at this time. From First Master’s reaction, he seemed to know nothing of the details.

He was getting ideas about Seventh Miss, wanting her to use Feng Jin’s connections to inquire about news for him.

If she hadn’t yet married, if she hadn’t yet established herself firmly in the Xu family, if there were still heavy barriers between her and Xu Fengjia… Seventh Miss might also have inquired for First Master. After all, whether First Master could rise to become Chief Grand Secretary was truly very important to her.

But now, in Seventh Miss’s heart and on her face, there was only a refreshingly indifferent detachment.

She sat quietly at the edge of the kang, watching First Master pace back and forth in the room. After a long while, this shrewd Grand Secretary finally came to his senses and sat back down at the kang’s edge, excitedly pounding the kang table.

“The Emperor truly has ambition!” The slight dejection that had previously shown on his face had completely vanished—he was truly radiant now. “Good, good! Little Qi brings good news as soon as she arrives. You said your cousin…”

Seventh Miss showed a perfunctory smile. “Father should plan carefully and make arrangements for the future.”

She opened another topic. “I came this time also because there’s something I want Father to help with…”

She told First Master about her idea of finding two shrewd and capable accountants from the Huai region.

Currently in the empire, Shanxi and the Huai region were the wealthiest. Where rich people gathered, there were naturally many accountants too. With First Master’s connections, finding two or three expert accountants wouldn’t be difficult.

First Master casually waved his hand and accepted the matter. “Just a matter of writing a letter tomorrow! Within two months, I guarantee the people will be delivered to you.”

Seventh Miss smiled slightly, thanked First Master, and rose to take her leave. “Then Little Qi will go inside first—there are still some matters I want to discuss with the Madam.”

She had absolutely no intention of mentioning Feng Jin.

First Master was obviously still in a state of excitement. He furrowed his brow and pulled the topic back to Feng Jin, his tone carrying instruction.

“Later you should still take the initiative to ask your cousin how the Emperor plans to handle this matter. The more we know on our side, the steadier our actions will be…”

“Father also knows Cousin Zixiu.” Seventh Miss interrupted First Master’s narration, showing no intention of sitting back at the kang’s edge.

Not until this sentence did First Master fully “wake” from his excited state.

He frowned, scrutinizing Seventh Miss up and down without concealment, immediately falling into deep thought.

Seventh Miss sighed inwardly.

It seemed today wouldn’t end well. First Master would insist on opening Feng Jin’s connections through her…

She simply let him look. She surveyed the interior, walked a few steps, and leaned against a small cabinet, crossing her arms as she gazed toward the scenery outside the window.

After a long time, First Master finally sighed deeply.

“Is Shanheng still blaming Father?”

He showed the dejection of a middle-aged man, as if wounded by Seventh Miss’s coldness. A trace of pain actually appeared between his brows.

Seventh Miss looked at him with a smile and lightly nodded her head.

First Master probably hadn’t expected Seventh Miss to be so frank. He froze, then after another moment, explained to Seventh Miss in a heavy voice. “You’re also someone who manages a household now. How can you not understand Father’s helplessness… If Father had no affection for you at all, why would I have arranged your dowry and private property—”

Seventh Miss interrupted him again.

“The words aren’t spoken that way. If Little Qi had no feelings for you at all, why would I bring you messages?”

She raised her chin, exposing for the first time before this authoritative parent her complete disdain.

This man had once been her heaven. Her life, death, glory, and disgrace had all hung on his single thought. Before him, all Yang family members were humble, so she was no exception.

But servile fawning was not her habit!

Many things she hadn’t mentioned, even pretending not to notice at all, didn’t mean she wouldn’t remember them in her heart.

First Master was immediately choked by Seventh Miss’s words—he couldn’t fail to understand her meaning. As a Yang family member, she hoped First Master could go far, so when she had the opportunity, she would fulfill her duties as a daughter.

But those more active gestures, those reckless schemes, those willing efforts… required more sense of belonging and deeper affection toward him before she would do them.

Seventh Miss’s gesture was plainly telling First Master: although she would continue cooperating with him for mutual benefit, emotionally, she didn’t value First Master at all—or more extremely, she found him repugnant.

And First Master’s earlier excitement and thoughtless reaction now seemed rather presumptuous.

“The two words ‘filial piety,’ Yang Shanheng, you—”

No matter how deep First Master’s scheming, Seventh Miss was still his daughter. He rarely became angry.

Seventh Miss interrupted First Master for the third time.

“The two words ‘parental love’—when has Father ever kept them in his heart?”

If her earlier attitude could still be called tactful, then now, what Seventh Miss’s words displayed was genuine, undisguised contempt.

First Master gritted his teeth in fury, staring fixedly at Seventh Miss, his chest heaving unevenly. Yet he still retained a trace of reason and didn’t say much more.

Seventh Miss looked at him. She smiled easily.

“Why must Father put on this appearance?” She looked toward her fingertips. “Aren’t these words also what you forced out? Two years ago when I coughed up blood before you, the words you said—Little Qi has always kept them in her heart.”

*What use is coughing up blood before me! If you have the ability, go back and swallow everything you said and everything you did back into your belly!*

First Master immediately recalled those words he’d roared out back then.

His face alternated between green and white, filled with shock and embarrassment.

Weren’t these words equally fitting when applied to him today?

Unless time could turn back, after those words, for Seventh Miss and him to speak again of family affection was already too laughable!

What made him even more speechless was that this embarrassment was also what he’d forced out of Seventh Miss… She hadn’t planned to say any of this to him!

He looked at the young matron before him in disbelief, asking himself repeatedly in his heart: Was this still that cautious Seventh Miss? How dare she, how dare she speak such rebellious words to her father!

First Master was First Master after all. He took several deep breaths and soon managed to calm down again with difficulty.

“Little Qi’s abilities have grown!” First Master even laughed self-deprecatingly. “But even if you don’t consider me your father in your heart, I’m still a Grand Secretary. To make things difficult for you, surely…”

He lowered his voice, regaining his forcefulness, even standing up to make himself appear taller, so he could completely overwhelm Seventh Miss in presence.

Only by once again making Seventh Miss submit, by once again proving that Seventh Miss couldn’t fly beyond his palm, could he continue maintaining his loftiness in her heart! These thoughts were but fleeting fragments in his mind, but after so many years rolling in officialdom, First Master had long since developed a set of techniques for controlling people.

Yet Seventh Miss’s body language remained very relaxed. She leaned against the cabinet, not even straightening her spine.

“This too is what you taught me, Father.” She showed a slightly mocking smile. “The enmity of killing your daughter—for the sake of profit, you could set it aside and continue cooperating with the Xu family. How could Father take my few insolent words to heart? Father, in conducting oneself and handling affairs, what you are is what you are. You can’t keep changing orders, being capricious and unpredictable.”

First Master couldn’t help but fly into a rage. But thinking carefully about Seventh Miss’s meaning, he fell silent instead.

Seventh Miss had completely learned his methods, grasped their essence, and turned them back on him.

In officialdom, actions were fundamentally unrelated to likes and dislikes. Every decision must maximize profit as much as possible.

Seventh Miss now had grown wings and held no low position in the Xu family. Even for Ninth Brother’s sake, First Master couldn’t possibly undermine her. On the contrary, he needed to help Seventh Miss as much as possible, letting her become even stronger. How she herself felt toward First Master wasn’t at all the focus of his consideration.

And Seventh Miss had already made her position very clear: the two would still cooperate, mutually benefiting. Where she needed First Master she wouldn’t be polite, and news that could help First Master she wouldn’t deliberately conceal… According to First Master’s way of doing things, he wouldn’t break with Seventh Miss.

First Master was trapped by his own logic.

He glared viciously at Seventh Miss, lips trembling, infinite currents of anger churning in his chest. After a long time, he barely managed to straighten his back and show a tolerant smile.

“Little Qi speaks reasonably.” First Master seemed to set aside all displeasure. “After all, you’re a married person. Too frequent contact with your cousin wouldn’t be good either… Don’t worry about this matter. Father will find his own way.”

Seventh Miss went with the flow and also showed a smile. “Father is still considerate of Little Qi.” She straightened. “Then Little Qi—will take my leave first.”

First Master even escorted her out of the small study and softly instructed Seventh Miss, “In the Xu family, be careful in everything.”

The slight unpleasantness just now seemed to have no great impact on First Master. In this moment, he became again that politician who was warm yet dignified, dignified yet warm.

Seventh Miss naturally wouldn’t again nakedly display her contempt. She looked at First Master with a smile and said softly, “Father should also take good care of yourself. The entire Yang family, from top to bottom, is counting on you!”

Filial daughter, loving father—First Master immediately showed a trace of emotion.

But in Seventh Miss’s filial piety, there ultimately shone through threads of superiority: if a person wanted to hide their anger and force out calm, it could only be because they knew their anger would bring satisfaction to the other party, and they could only try not to give their enemy joy by hiding their hurt and agitation.

This was the most dignified posture a loser could manage.

What was more interesting was that First Master couldn’t fail to understand that Seventh Miss had seen through his concealment—in this father-daughter confrontation, this time, he had lost.