Young Master Pei couldn’t compare to Third Master Xie in handsome elegance, much less in honeyed words.

But this person had one characteristic—soft-heartedness.

A soft-hearted man, even if women chattered endlessly, wouldn’t have the heart to interrupt—could only steel himself to listen.

Not only listen—he’d probably even open his mouth to comfort them a bit.

What First Madam and Third Madam needed most now was a young fellow to listen to their innermost thoughts, to walk a distance with them.

Of course, if Third Master Xie were here…

Mm!

The effect would multiply several times over.

Yan Sanhe looked at Madam Mao. “Madam, let’s talk in the side hall.”

Zhu Weixi asked carefully, “Miss Yan, may I accompany my mother…”

“No!”

Yan Sanhe’s gaze swept successively across everyone in the main hall. “Those with business, go tend to it. Those without, wait. No need to follow in.”

As her words fell, Li Buyan entered the room, leaning close to Yan Sanhe’s ear to whisper.

Everyone’s hearts were suddenly suspended.

Madam Mao looked at them, saying hesitantly, “Miss Yan, has something…”

“Madam needn’t be so easily startled.”

Yan Sanhe turned around, her tone extremely mild.

“I only had her indirectly inquire about some things. Right now the anchor of this household is you. If your heart isn’t steady, the Zhu residence will have difficulty passing this trial.”

Madam Mao looked at that pale face before her and suddenly felt that her fifty-two years had been lived like a dog’s.

Not even as steady as a young girl.

At the side, Zhu Weixi feared her mother would lose face and quickly changed the subject. “I’ll go brew a pot of tea.”

“Zhu Weixi.”

Yan Sanhe suddenly called her by name.

“You are First Madam of the Xie residence, the eldest daughter-in-law of Xie Daozhi. You’re not a servant of this household. Serving tea and pouring water—such things aren’t your turn to do.”

Zhu Weixi didn’t understand why Yan Sanhe would suddenly say such things.

Yan Sanhe: “After I question you today, return to the Xie residence to live. From now on, unless there’s important business, don’t come over.”

“Miss Yan?”

“You and Xie Erli are husband and wife. Your pillow companion is where you should invest thought and effort.”

Yan Sanhe’s expression turned cold. “In all things, too much is as bad as too little.”

Zhu Weixi stared blankly at the side hall door as it closed with a creak, unable to recover for a long while.

A large hand fell. Zhu Weixi turned, her eyes showing indescribable grievance.

“Second Brother?”

“Go back. Listen to Miss Yan.”

Second Master Zhu patted his sister’s head, wanting to speak but stopping.

Sister being devoted to her natal family was good, but as Yan Sanhe said, too much was as bad as too little.

Elder brother-in-law returned home alone every day to a cold bed, cold quilts, without even anyone to talk to. Over time, problems would arise.

…

The side hall wasn’t large. A daybed faced south.

Yan Sanhe and Madam Mao each sat on one side with a small table between them.

Yan Sanhe sat for a moment, feeling uncomfortable. She simply took off her shoes and sat cross-legged. “Buyan, bring paper and brush.”

Li Buyan’s bundle always carried a set of brush, ink, paper, and inkstone.

Spreading them out, Yan Sanhe ground ink while examining Madam Mao before her again.

Seeing her grind ink, Madam Mao’s heart began drumming. Seeing Yan Sanhe stare at her directly, her heart jumped as she secretly pinched herself.

“Miss, why do you look at me so?”

“Checking if your heart has calmed.”

Madam Mao was momentarily speechless.

“Don’t be afraid. I don’t eat people.”

Yan Sanhe used her eyes to signal Li Buyan to brew tea.

“I’m a woman, you’re also a woman. Just consider us chatting about domestic matters. Whatever you’re satisfied or dissatisfied with about your master, you can tell me.”

Madam Mao was originally someone who’d weathered great storms. Showing weakness before Yan Sanhe was only because this storm was too great, leaving her dazed.

“Miss Yan, where should I begin?”

“Why did you marry him?”

Only now did Yan Sanhe soften her voice.

“In marriage, daughters marry up, men marry down. You’re a legitimate daughter and wealthy young miss—by rights it shouldn’t have been him, a secondary son.”

“Miss Yan, this story is rather long.”

“No matter. However long, I’ll listen.”

Madam Mao touched the white jade bracelet on her hand, slowly sinking into memory.

She wasn’t from the capital. Her natal family was in Luoyang Prefecture. Her father came from an official family and later became Prefect of Luoyang.

Her mother was surnamed Geng, from Luoyang city’s prominent clan.

The Geng clan’s roots were in Yingchuan—called Yingchuan Geng clan. During the Eastern Jin dynasty, along with Langya Wang clan, Qiao Prefecture Huan clan, and Chenjun Xie clan, they were called the four great families.

Though Mother’s branch wasn’t from the main line, they were still legitimate Geng descendants. Later due to war, they migrated to Luoyang.

When Mother married into the Mao family, it was actually marrying down.

By old standards, the Geng and Mao families were separated by thousands of miles. It was Father’s intelligence and studiousness that caught Mother’s eye.

Father indeed proved worthy—after passing the imperial examination, he spent money to secure an external posting, returning to Luoyang Prefecture to work his way up from minor official.

In the first three years after Mother married into the Mao family, her belly showed no signs of activity.

No matter how powerful her natal family, she couldn’t withstand the saying “of three forms of unfilial conduct, lacking heirs is greatest.” After three years, the Mao family began arranging to take a concubine for Father.

Mother in a fit of anger returned to her natal family. On the road, taking shelter from rain, she hid in a small earth temple with unknown deities enshrined.

Mother in desperation knelt and prayed, begging the deity to grant her children.

Two months later, Mother became pregnant. Nine months later, she gave birth to her.

Afterward, Mother bore three more sons in succession. Her spine stood straight and tall. That concubine who’d been carried in by sedan chair—after five years her belly still showed no activity.

This matter became Mother’s lifelong talking point against Father.

“Miss Yan, you may not believe it, but from childhood I was doted on by both my mother and father. Especially my mother—she said I was her lucky star and never bore to scold me even once from small to large.”

Speaking of her mother, Madam Mao’s eyes shone with happiness.

“Whatever good things the family had, they all let me choose first. Not just my three younger brothers—even my father had to stand aside.

Miss Yan, to speak immodestly, my Mao family in Luoyang city was a first-rate wealthy household. I was the most favored eldest miss of the Mao family.

From childhood I was raised in luxury, lived in the best courtyard, wore the best clothes, wore the best jewelry.

From birth to marriage, no one in the Mao family dared compete with me, and no one dared give me the slightest grievance.

Even now, the courtyard I lived in as an unmarried girl is still kept for me. Before Mother died, she said as long as the Eldest Miss lives, this courtyard is hers—no one should think of taking it.”

No wonder she couldn’t get used to that small two-courtyard residence in the northwest corner.

Yan Sanhe hadn’t misjudged—this one’s bearing was cultivated from childhood with real gold and silver, a true flower of worldly wealth.

“The Madam is from Luoyang—how did you end up marrying to the capital?”

Asked this, the fifty-two-year-old Madam Mao’s face showed a blush belonging only to young maidens.

“It was my and Master’s fate, ordained by Heaven.”