When the voices ceased and footsteps faded, Qiu Sanniang opened her eyes and asked from within the bed curtains, “Has Mo Zi left?”
The curtain was lifted as Bai He tied it back gently in a decorative knot. “Yes, she just left. Said she had social engagements.”
“Social engagements…” Qiu Sanniang smiled with some fatigue. “It’s been a long time since I’ve heard that term.” Thinking back a year ago when she was in Jiangnan, competing with others in drinking and music—those were truly carefree days.
Bai He’s slender body stiffened, then she suddenly dropped heavily to her knees before the bed.
“Bai He, get up and speak.” Qiu Sanniang showed no surprise at all, slowly rising and stepping barefoot onto the blue brick floor. With half-lowered eyes and loose hair, her expression was inscrutable.
Hong Mei and Lu Ju came in smiling, but seeing the scene, both their faces changed. Two thuds sounded as they knelt as well.
“So you’ve all discussed this together. Well then, everyone get up, and let just one speak.” Qiu Sanniang spoke listlessly. She had been turning over and over the question of what to do, wondering where her quick temper had gone. Of the five maids she could trust, one who knew her heart best had already flown away, increasingly difficult to hold onto, so she might as well let her be; one had no interest in anything beyond her orders; these three banded together, wholeheartedly wanting her to be a stable Third Madam Xiao, more nagging than her own mother.
No one rose. Bai He was the one to speak: “Miss, we servants don’t understand—the young master shows you every kindness, so why do you still hold onto that divorce document?”
Last night while making the bed, she had found an envelope under the pillow. She called for the literate Hong Mei, who revealed it was a divorce document. It turned out that calling Mo Zi had not changed Qiu Sanniang’s mind, but had the opposite effect. After enduring a sleepless night, Bai He decided to ask for clarity.
“This servant knows Miss is different from other sheltered young ladies—you traveled the rivers and lakes with Master since childhood. In all the world, among women of such broad experience and outstanding talents as Miss, this servant has seen few equals. Miss loves to roam about—this servant knows better than anyone. But, Miss, a woman must eventually marry and settle down. If the young master treated Miss poorly, we servants would naturally not dare say a word. But the young master’s feelings—even we coarse people can see them clearly. If Miss insists on leaving the mansion, setting aside how the Prince and Princess Consort would object, Miss’s reputation cannot be preserved. If Miss leaves the mansion, you might be as carefree as before, but Miss, have you considered whether you can be carefree for a lifetime?” What a Bai He—illiterate, yet every sentence carried weight. “Before leaving Qiu Mansion, my godmother told me that Madam Qiu’s only dying wish was that you marry a good husband who would treasure you like a pearl or jewel, ensuring your lifelong peace. Godmother asked me to serve you well and to settle stably in the mansion no matter what. This servant dares to kowtow to you, begging Miss to think thrice and thrice again, and not to act rashly.”
Her forehead struck the ground with a heavy, dull sound.
“Madam, think thrice!” Hong Mei kowtowed as well.
“Miss, Lu Ju is the dullest, but for such an important matter, can’t you wait a bit longer?” After speaking, Lu Ju followed with a kowtow.
“Stop kowtowing! You’re making my heart anxious and confused. When my temper rises, no one can stop me!” Given the bond of growing up together, and Hong Mei’s intimate and warm affection, Qiu Sanniang couldn’t bear to see these maids begging her. She wanted to soar freely like Mo Zi, but discovered that once you enter a noble household, it’s as deep as the sea—her hands and feet were all bound, and one move affected many people.
At these words from Qiu Sanniang, none of the three dared kowtow anymore, kneeling rigidly in place.
“Before Mo Zi left, what else did she say? I heard her speak at length.” In the end, only this woman understood her.
Bai He bit her lip. Having heard the conversation last night, Mo Zi probably took the same indifferent attitude toward the divorce document as Miss did. So for the first time, she hesitated about whether to convey the truth. Though she didn’t fully understand the meaning in Mo Zi’s words, she feared that if Qiu Sanniang heard them, she would make up her mind.
Qiu Sanniang smiled charmingly. “If you don’t tell me, I’ll assume Mo Zi is on my side.”
Lu Ju muttered, “Mo Zi has always been on Miss’s side.”
Qiu Sanniang’s smile deepened. “Good, if one person is on my side, then I’ll—”
Thinking Qiu Sanniang had made up her mind, Bai He quickly said, “Mo Zi said Miss need not deliberately fake her nature—just be yourself. It’s still that same phrase: if others treat you with sincerity, you treat them with sincerity. He has already told you all his secrets, so you should tell him yours as well. If he cannot accept it, Miss can think about the next step then. If he cannot bear to part with you, Miss can follow her heart—that wouldn’t be wrong either. A caring person is easy to find, but a devoted person is rare. If Miss sees clearly, it all depends on Miss’s own heart. If you abandon it, then abandon. If you gain it, then gain. No need to worry too much. She also said—”
Qiu Sanniang’s eyes flashed with brilliant light. “What else did she say?”
“She also said Miss is not naturally coy or bashful—hesitating and looking back only loses Miss’s true nature. Miss once said you’re not like her, keeping your fist hidden in your sleeve, not daring to bring it out. Well, she’s waiting to see Miss this time land a decisive blow. Whether in great mansions and deep courtyards or marketplaces and open spaces, one can live happily anywhere. No one says you must fight to win. Victory without—” She couldn’t continue. Looking up, Bai He was startled.
Qiu Sanniang’s face was radiant, her weary fatigue swept completely away. “What excellent advice to follow one’s heart! What excellent ‘abandon if you abandon, gain if you gain’! What excellent ‘great mansions and deep courtyards, marketplaces and open spaces, live happily anywhere’! What excellent ‘victory without battle’! Truly, listening to your words is better than reading ten years of books. Being too coy isn’t like me at all!”
“Xiao Yi!” Her voice rose.
Xiao Yi, who had been absent all night, appeared in the room shortly after.
Qiu Sanniang took out the divorce document from under her pillow. The maids kneeling all around trembled in their hearts. “Go, give this to Mo Zi. Have her keep it safe. When it’s time to show it to someone, don’t be soft-hearted.”
Ignoring the increasingly bitter expressions of the others, Xiao Yi took it and left.
At Hongyu Shipyard, Mo Zi had just sat down and Min Song had just begun mocking the large wooden shed for indoor shipbuilding when Xiao Yi arrived. After saying “Keep it safe, and when it’s time to show it to someone, don’t be soft-hearted,” she disappeared like a gust of wind again.
Mo Zi noticed that Xiao Yi had been diligently practicing her lightness skills lately. Could she be afraid of Huayi?
“Who is that girl? Her eyes look down on everyone, and she never speaks clearly.” In just two days, Min Song had already encountered Xiao Yi twice.
“My employer’s head maid. Oh right, now she’s your employer too.” Looking at the two characters on the envelope and recalling Xiao Yi’s words, Mo Zi’s expression fell. Wasn’t this making her the villain? Moreover, how was she supposed to know when not to be soft-hearted? She and Qiu Sanniang were on completely different battlefields now, separated by a great distance!
Without showing any emotion, she tucked the envelope into her clothes.
“Let’s be clear—I came for your skills, not for your employer.” Min Song’s brow carried proud clarity. “The Min clan doesn’t serve as others’ servants.”
“Oh my, Young Master Song is calling our Brother Mo a servant!” Entering with Zan Jin, grinning cheekily, was none other than Chou Yu. Behind him were his two elder brothers. All three carried large bundles on their backs.
“…” Only now did Min Song remember Mo Zi’s status, looking embarrassed. “Who called him that?”
“How did you three get here?” Mo Zi rose to greet them. “Did Cen Er send you?”
“A few days ago, we three told Cen Er we wouldn’t work for him anymore and came to ask you for work, to save the trouble of borrowing and returning us later.” Chou Yu still carried a large bedroll. “Brother Mo, will you take us? We won’t eat for free. Normally, we can watch the place. If you want us to test boats in the water, that’s just one word from you.”
Hearing this, Mo Zi beamed with delight, clapping her hands. “Excellent! I actually wanted to suggest this long ago, but feared you were tired of the water and didn’t dare disturb your leisure.”
“We were tired of it, but after making a few trips with Brother Mo, somehow we became attached again.” The cheers at Banjiang still rang in their ears, blood boiling.
“A Song, take them to the dormitory.” She found this odd-job shipwright very convenient to use.
“Brother A Song, come on, help me carry this bedroll.” Chou Yu laughed heartily.
Min Song was too angry for words, but he actually went to help carry things.
“Brother Mo, this is an invitation from Leopard Gang’s Xu Jiu. It was delivered to Wangqiu Pavilion yesterday, and Cen Er had us bring it to you.” After laughing, they got to serious business.
Hearing this, Zan Jin said, “This time it won’t be someone impersonating again, will it? Let’s bring more people and beat them until their souls scatter.”
“Probably not.” Mo Zi glanced over it briefly. “It’s the Leopard Gang’s leadership succession ceremony, widely inviting various factions from shipping companies and boat gangs to witness. The eighth day of the eighth month—an auspicious day.”
“You know Xu Jiu?” Min Song carried Chou Yu’s bedroll with a trace of surprise on his face.
When a gang changed leadership, inviting people from shipping companies was custom and tradition. But there was a huge difference between general invitations and personal invitations. Before he came, the old master had received an invitation from the old Leopard Gang leader, while other shipping companies just got general invitations where attendance didn’t matter. Shipping companies and boat gangs were separate groups that didn’t interfere with each other, but their interests were deeply connected. Whose personal invitation you held represented which faction’s influence. Just as the old master was a trusted support for the old leader, Mo Zi receiving Xu Jiu’s personal invitation clearly meant she represented a force that Xu Jiu valued. One side was a declining old power, the other a rising new power. The obscure Hongyu actually stood slightly higher than Risheng. No wonder the old master said Hongyu’s emergence would break the existing balance among shipping companies and decisively sent him here.
“We’ve had dealings.” Schemed against people together.
To Min Song, Mo Zi’s smile seemed somewhat cunning and devious. The old master wanted him to learn more from Brother Mo about how to conduct himself, but this manner of being thick-skinned and glib when not serious, yet shouldering everything when serious—he could never learn that. No one could learn it!
“How about it, shall we all go see?” The invitation said she could bring one table of people. One table meant about ten people. They had exactly that many here.
“Great! More excitement!” Chou Yu was most enthusiastic. “Boat gangs have the best sorghum liquor!” Jar after jar, all you can drink.
“Brother Mo, my brother won’t go.” Fei Xia slowly spoke a sentence.
Chou Yu’s expression was like having cold water poured over him. Very dejected, he still argued with his mouth: “Big brother, those people might not recognize—”
“I said, not going.” Fei Xia’s voice wasn’t stern. He simply had no expression, completely blank—so blank it scared children.
“Fine, don’t go then. Why be so fierce?” Chou Yu muttered.
“Brother Mo, could you bring back a few jars of good wine for him?” Compared to the child-scaring Fei Xia, Shui She’s long face became incomparably amiable.
Regarding the unusual behavior among the three brothers, Mo Zi seemed unconcerned, didn’t ask a single question, just smiled and agreed.