That night, Minglan slept fitfully.

She lay on her right side, and the little rascal inside kicked and kicked — very well, she understood what it meant. She quickly called for Danju, who slept on the side couch, to help her turn over. She shifted to her left side, but the little rascal still kicked. Minglan let out a sigh — fine, you are the greatest authority here. She tried with great difficulty to shift around, braving enormous risk to lie on her back, but the enormous belly almost cut off her own air supply, and the little rascal apparently disliked this position as well, kicking even more furiously.

Minglan propped herself up against the bedding and sat up in pain, one hand pressed over her belly, unable to suppress a moan. Little rascal, would you please be still? There are only so many sleeping positions in the world — I have tried every single one for you. What more do you want? Do you wish to sleep face down? That would not kill you!

Deep in the night, in the warm interior of the room, Minglan stroked her belly and supported her back, walking in slow circles around the small round ruyi table. She used to think that ignorant children were the worst kind. Now she knew it was fetuses that were truly the most infuriating — you cannot strike them, scold them, or even coax, persuade, or frighten them. Every inventive human tactic is rendered entirely useless against a fetus. If it is uncomfortable, it will ensure that you are more uncomfortable. And even if it has nothing troubling it, if it decides it wishes to make you uncomfortable, you will still be made uncomfortable.

Faced with such a formidable adversary, Minglan could only put away her temper and speak softly, for whatever little good it might do: “…I am sorry. These days, Mother has not looked after you properly — not eating well, not sleeping well, always thinking about… well… underhanded things. Tomorrow. Starting tomorrow, we will go back to reading stories. Where did we leave off? Ah, right — the little pig was building a house. One pig built a house of straw…”

She truly missed those old, languid, carefree days. No walking on eggshells, no suspicion around every corner. The more she thought about it, the more melancholy she became.

The next morning, Minglan woke up dull and listless. Nanny Cui looked on with aching pity, and pressed her belly gently: “It has dropped a little further. I suspect the birth will be in just a few days.” Minglan gave a helpless smile: “Nanny, you have been saying the same thing for seven or eight days now.” Nanny Cui stroked Minglan’s weary face and murmured softly: “Before, when the time had not come, we feared the child would come early. Now we fear it will not come at all. Ah, children truly are debts from a previous life — this child has come to collect from its parents. But when the young master grows up, he will repay his parents with love, and tend to the Madam with great filial devotion.”

Minglan sighed and carefully sat down at the table. She picked up her chopsticks and in one deft motion speared a fat, round lotus-fragrance millet cake and put it in her mouth. In truth, her requirements were not high — she was not hoping the little rascal would amount to anything great in the future. She only asked that the debt not compound with interest. To suffer through all this and then produce a wastrel who drained the family fortunes — that would truly make one cough up blood. Half-wondering whether she ought to find some moral primers to read aloud for the fetus’s edification, she ate through her morning meal. She had just bitten her round-faced millet cake into the shape of a crescent moon when she saw Danju enter with an unreadable expression on her face.

“Madam, the Yu Family… someone has come.”

Minglan blinked: “Which Yu Family?”

Danju seemed to be choosing her words carefully: “The family of Miss Yan Ran — and also… the family of the first Madam.” Minglan’s chopsticks paused for a half-beat in midair. An instinctive wariness rose inside her. “What is the Lady doing?” That scheming old woman — what trick is she playing now?! Then, without the least surprise, she heard the answer that followed: “She is accompanying the guests.”

Minglan put her chopsticks down with a clatter, and the crescent millet cake landed flat on the table. She glared and declared: “Go and say that I am heavy with child and cannot walk about — I am not able to receive guests!” She was being deliberately difficult, and she was not sorry about it. Danju’s face fell with distress: “The matron who came with the message said that the Lady understands perfectly the burden of being heavy with child, and has already taken the guests to the small garden pavilion.” Then she added, with the greatest difficulty: “And furthermore… the one who came is… is the Fourth Young Mistress of the Yu Family.”

This time it was Minglan who was in a difficult position.

When the elder Master Xiong had originally constructed Chengyuan Estate, he had designed the small garden pavilion — with its lovely views of the water and the hills — as a reception room for the female members of the inner household. It was situated especially close to the main quarters, Jiaxiju. Given that the visitors on this occasion were the family of the original wife, and that the Second Young Mistress of the Yu Family was also present, Minglan as the second wife suddenly felt her confidence falter. She called for a full escort, dressed herself with careful formality, and went to the small garden pavilion in a procession.

The moment she stepped inside, Minglan looked up and saw the Lady sitting with two middle-aged ladies elegantly dressed in brocade, speaking together. Two rows of maidservants and matrons stood on either side in attendance. At the sound of her entrance being announced, everyone turned their heads to look. The lady seated to the Lady’s right, in a lotus-pink double-breasted summer over-gown, rose and came toward her, took Minglan’s hands warmly, and said with delight: “Why, is this not Minglan? Come, let me look at you — my, how tall you have grown, and you have blossomed so beautifully as well.”

Seeing her, Minglan also felt a wave of genuine warmth and smiled, bowing in greeting: “Presenting my respects to Fourth Aunt. Has Fourth Uncle Yu finished compiling the music notation for the Qingtang Collection? How are the younger brothers and sisters? Speaking of which, little sister Yan Rong must be nearly old enough for her coming-of-age ceremony by now.”

Fourth Aunt Yu’s eyes were slightly red, as though she had been crying for several days. She smiled through her tears: “All well, all well. Your fourth uncle is just fidgeting about as always — when has that man ever had a moment’s rest? It is so kind of you to remember Rong’er. She often speaks of you and Yan Ran.”

“Sister Yan Ran wrote to me just recently. She said she had been found to be with child again, and she was complaining that the Duan Family would not let her visit the tea gardens anymore — they have kept her confined at home to rest.” Minglan said, taking Fourth Aunt Yu’s hand as they walked together.

“Is that not so? Yan Ran is a blessed child. Now with both a son and a daughter, even the servants who went to visit came back and said the Duan Family treats her very well.” Fourth Aunt Yu’s face was full of warm contentment, her fair and fine features bright with smiles. “That child really — knowing perfectly well that her fourth uncle loves nothing better than to travel, she never stopped praising Dali Province, saying the tea flowers blanket the fields, morning mists and evening clouds fill every vista, the landscapes beg to be painted, and the people are simple and kind. She spoke so vividly that even your fourth uncle’s wanderlust was stirred, and he kept insisting he wanted to go and see for himself.”

Fourth Uncle Yu was actually the second son in the family — but the Yu Family counted the cousins all together in one generational numbering, which was how he came to be called Fourth Uncle. It had not changed over all these years, and Minglan could not help being amused.

Fourth Aunt Yu had been raised in a scholarly family. By the age of ten she could already play chess from notation, play flute and pluck the zither, and excelled at painting fish, insects, birds, and beasts. She had later married the fourth son of the Yu Family, a man of kindred spirit, and the two lived in cheerful harmony as one. For a long while, she had been Minglan’s benchmark for what a talented woman of ancient times might be. Though brilliantly accomplished and fond of the arts, she was never lofty or contemptuous of those beneath her. She managed the household affairs of the Yu Family’s old estate in Dengzhou, looked after the in-laws, and brought up her niece Yan Ran — all done in a reasonably competent and thorough fashion. Though born into a distinguished family, she was warm and approachable, and had never once looked down on those of lower station. When the mood took her, she would sometimes offer Minglan a few pointers on her terrible brushwork. When she went with her husband to the countryside, she would pick up interesting little trinkets and bring back an extra one for Minglan as well. The first small clay figurine Minglan had received after coming into this world, the first little pinwheel, the first grass-woven cricket cage, the first small fluffy rabbit — all had been gifts from her.

In those childhood years, the Yu household had been a place of sanctuary deep in Minglan’s heart. Elder Master Yu was stern yet principled; the old matriarch of the Yu Family was gentle and benevolent; Yan Ran had treated her as a true elder sister; and sometimes while playing in the Yu Family’s garden, one could catch a distant glimpse of Fourth Aunt and her husband in the pavilion on the lake, bent over a game of chess or playing duets on flute and zither, the whole family bright with laughter and warmth — and young Minglan had felt such quiet longing in her heart.

Minglan had not seen anyone from the Yu Family in a long while, and was still thinking of exchanging a few more pleasantries when the Lady called out cheerfully from her seat: “Minglan, come and sit down at once. You speak of your own heavy figure, but then you leave the guests to stand in the cold.”

Minglan made no effort to argue, and simply walked over with Fourth Aunt Yu at her side.

“This is the eldest young mistress of the Yu Family — come and pay your respects.”

The Lady introduced the guest with an air of great cordiality, pulling at the eldest young mistress of the Yu Family. Minglan smiled and bowed in greeting. Beside her, Danju steadied her arm firmly, and as Minglan raised her eyes for a casual appraisal, she was momentarily startled. This Eldest Young Mistress Yu was exceptionally well-preserved — far younger-looking than one might expect. Upturned outer corners to her eyes, slanting brows, cheekbones a touch high, her skin white and smooth, she possessed a mature and striking beauty with a bold, forceful energy — she looked no more than thirty or so.

Eldest Young Mistress Yu did not stop studying Minglan either — from the five-phoenix sun-crested solid gold and red gemstone hairpin atop her head, to the nine-tiered solid gold gourd necklace at her breast, hung with fine translucent jade pendants, and finally to Minglan’s enormous, prominently rounded belly. Her gaze flashed with a sudden sharpness, and then she settled herself broadly in her seat and received Minglan’s bow of greeting without so much as a word in return.

She did not speak a word to Minglan, and simply turned to Fourth Aunt Yu at her side: “You were right just now — Yan Ran is a blessed child. With her grandfather personally finding her a match, how could she lack for good fortune?!” Fourth Aunt Yu suddenly realized her earlier words had inadvertently offended her elder sister-in-law, and could only smile awkwardly without reply, and quietly sat down.

“Every girl in our family has been blessed — only my poor Yan Hong was born under a thin star. Ah, I wonder if anyone still burns incense for her, all these years after her passing. Such a lonely wandering spirit…” Eldest Young Mistress Yu forged on with her oppressive manner, speaking at her own pace.

“Sister Yan Hong is buried in the Gu Family’s ancestral plot,” Minglan could not help interjecting. “How can you speak of a lonely wandering spirit?”

Eldest Young Mistress Yu was most displeased at being interrupted mid-sentence. Her gaze sharpened and fixed on Minglan as she said slowly: “…Not even a child left behind — she is not so far from a lonely wandering spirit after all.”

Minglan’s heart sank. She firmly resolved not to be drawn into this line of conversation, and took a warm broth bowl from Danju’s hands and blew gently on the contents. Elder Master Yu had been a man of formidable competence throughout his life — capable of guiding great matters of state at court and of managing family affairs at home. His wife was a woman of pure and gentle temperament; his children were largely obedient; he had even personally stepped in to choose each of his daughters-in-law. The family atmosphere was simple and uncomplicated. This Eldest Young Mistress Yu, who was bold and sharp-tongued, was probably the sole exception in the entire Yu household — and yet oddly enough, her father-in-law doted on this daughter-in-law, almost invariably doing as she said, which was no small source of frustration for Elder Master Yu.

Seeing the conversation come to a standstill, the Lady composed herself and said with a smile: “Goodness, what a thing to say, honored kinswoman. Though that child Yan Hong was not long at the Gu Family, I was genuinely fond of her — what a frank way she had of speaking, and so generous-natured. Oh my, let me say something that may not be easy to hear — I liked her even better than my own daughter. And you raised your daughter so beautifully, honored kinswoman, yet it is the Gu Family that failed her…” As she spoke, she could not help but choke up.

Minglan watched her with cold eyes, inwardly commenting that it was a waste not to put this woman on the stage.

Eldest Young Mistress Yu was moved to heartache and wept: “Had I known she was not fated for the Gu Family, I would never have let her marry into it. To lose her life for nothing — and she was so young…” The Lady was uncommonly sympathetic, calling her “honored kinswoman” at every turn, blaming herself ceaselessly, insisting that it was entirely the Gu Family’s responsibility that Yu Yan Hong had not been properly looked after. She pressed her handkerchief to her eyes and choked: “It is not only your heart that cannot bear it, honored kinswoman — even I, whenever I recall that child Yan Hong’s fine qualities, feel utterly stifled with grief. Tingye was in the wrong as well — barely married before he went off gallivanting again, leaving Yan Hong alone, solitary and desolate — and so she fell ill beyond recovery…”

Oh for goodness’ sake! You old schemer — you might as well come right out and say Gu Tingye killed Yu Yan Hong! What is this “barely married before going off gallivanting”? What about the families of military men — their husbands go away for months or even years at a time! Are those wives supposed to drop dead eighty times over? And “solitary and desolate” — with her in-laws above her and sisters-in-law around her, and with her husband away for barely two months before she was gone? If one were being kind, one might call it profound marital devotion, an inconsolable longing. If one were being blunt — one might call it an inability to endure solitude, an incapacity to be without a man!

Given how turbulent Gu Tingye’s first marriage had been, the former description was clearly not applicable to Yu Yan Hong — and you scheming old witch, are you defending Yu Yan Hong, or are you disparaging her?!

— Minglan was full to the brim with inner denunciations, but could only fight her internal battles in silence, enduring it all.

“What can one say — my son-in-law had originally sought Yan Ran, and through that failure came to dislike Yan Hong, so neglect was inevitable. Let me say something disrespectful: given all that, why did my father-in-law insist on interfering…” Eldest Young Mistress Yu grew increasingly unbridled. Even the usually even-tempered Fourth Aunt Yu could not help frowning at this. At last Minglan found an opening, and quickly interjected with a half-joking tone: “But that is not the right way to put it. How can it be called ‘interfering’? It was what Elder Master Yu had agreed to long ago. Elder Master Yu’s ‘prior agreement,’ made decades before — surely that takes precedence over your husband’s ‘prior agreement’ made just a few months earlier, by at least that many years.”

At this, Fourth Aunt Yu could not suppress a smile, and gave Minglan a half-reproachful glance.

Eldest Young Mistress Yu was at a loss for words. She stared at Minglan for the length of half a cup of tea before a light cough from the Lady recalled her attention. She turned toward Minglan, her tone stiff and unyielding: “We have come today with a particular request that we are ashamed to make. In recent years, my father-in-law’s health has been deteriorating more and more. He came to the capital specifically to seek medical treatment, and for the past several days he has been drifting in and out of consciousness…”

Minglan was greatly startled: “Elder Master Yu is ill?” She turned to look at Fourth Aunt Yu.

Fourth Aunt Yu nodded, eyes brimming with tears: “Since last month, he has been losing consciousness from time to time. This episode has been especially alarming. That day, Father had just taken his medicine and seemed slightly clearer-headed — and he said… he said…” She looked at Minglan with discomfort, as though struggling to continue.

A contemptuous curl appeared at the corner of Eldest Young Mistress Yu’s mouth: “If you cannot say it, then allow me to be the villain. That day, the elder Master was somewhat more lucid and said he had lived without regrets, that now surrounded by children and grandchildren he wished for nothing — except that Yan Hong had died young, which was pitiable, and had left behind not a single heir. After that, we also invited the Daoist Yuanyuan of the Qingfeng Temple, who said that holding a joyous ceremony might very well bring him around.”

Minglan slowly widened her eyes, her heart sinking steadily.

“…And so the idea arose — to adopt a son into my poor fated daughter’s name. First, so that someone would be there to offer incense at her grave in future; and second, to give the elder Master some comfort in his final days. Should this indeed cause him to recover, it would be a meritorious act on your part as well; and should things go otherwise—” Eldest Young Mistress Yu spoke as fluently as though she had rehearsed this many times over. “…At least the elder man can depart this world at peace. Two purposes served at once. What do you say?”

She stared straight at Minglan, as though expecting an immediate answer.

Minglan was taken aback and blurted out: “And who would be adopted?” She turned her head toward the Lady.

“It would not be Xian Ge’er.” The Lady fanned herself leisurely with a round fan, smiling. “Before last year, Tingye said to me that Xian Ge’er is the old Marquis’s only son — how could he be given out for adoption? I found this quite reasonable, and so I had no solution — but as luck would have it, there is an excellent candidate ready at hand. Bring them in.”

One development after another — Minglan could barely keep up. As she turned her head, she saw Nanny Xiang leading in two figures, one tall and one small. The young woman who entered behind Nanny Xiang immediately knelt and kowtowed upon entering, and said in a clear, crisp voice: “Man Niang pays her respects to all the honored ladies here.” She then pulled the young boy beside her down to kneel as well. The boy appeared frightened, and said in a small voice: “Chang Ge’er pays his respects to the elders.”

For the first time in all these many days, Minglan was truly, genuinely shocked. How on earth had they been brought out from the place Gu Tingye had arranged for them?!

The Lady smiled and turned to address the assembled guests: “Back then, the second son was confused — in truth, one could say he was young and foolish. While away from home, he established a kept woman, and had a son and a daughter by her. The girl is being brought up with the second son’s wife.”

Eldest Young Mistress Yu was pleased: “This Chang Ge’er looks clever and well-behaved to me. Rather than being left outside, unable to be recognized as part of the family — would it not be better to have him registered under Yan Hong’s name?” The implication was unmistakable — that it was Minglan’s jealousy that had prevented Chang Ge’er from being acknowledged by the family.

Minglan drew in a sharp breath. Fury rose inside her heart like a fire. Despite the awkwardness of her heavy figure, she suddenly stood upright, raised her voice, and said with a cold laugh: “What a thorough and well-considered plan!”

First she turned to the Lady, making no effort to conceal the contempt in her eyes: “You are truly a person of great talents. There is nothing you do not know. Setting aside the matter of household scandals not being aired in public — given the Marquis’s current standing and position, the family can barely manage to keep his youthful indiscretions under wraps. Yet you have practically gone and proclaimed them aloud throughout the entire capital.”

The Lady’s composure was beginning to crack slightly. She said coldly: “I was only doing this for—”

Minglan cut her off sharply: “What you were doing it for, and what you intend — everyone in the Gu household understands perfectly well. There is no need for you to repeat yourself.” Then, before the Lady could grow angry and retaliate, she turned toward Fourth Aunt Yu, and said softly: “I know what kind of person I am, Fourth Aunt. Today I speak to the matter and not to the person. If I have given any offense, I ask most sincerely for your pardon.”

Fourth Aunt Yu rose to her feet, her expression caught between apology and helplessness, and said repeatedly: “I know your difficulty.” Faced with the enormous moral weight of the charge of being unfilial, and with a mother-in-law who was at a complete loss, she had known this request was inappropriate. Yet she had not dared not to come.

Minglan gave a slight nod, then turned to face Eldest Young Mistress Yu, and said word by word: “Sister Yan Hong was the Marquis’s first wife — I do not need you to remind me of that. Were there a child Yan Hong had left behind, the position of heir to this household would be without question! But Sister Yan Hong left behind not a single son or daughter!” Eldest Young Mistress Yu’s expression changed dramatically, and she fixed a wary gaze on Minglan.

Minglan continued: “Now all of you speak of adopting a child…” She gave a cold laugh, and said in a raised voice: “If this Chang Ge’er is registered under Sister Yan Hong’s name — what is his status to be going forward? Is he counted as a concubine-born son? Or as a child of the original first wife?”

Eldest Young Mistress Yu was momentarily blocked, then said with derision: “All this talk back and forth — is it not simply that you fear Chang Ge’er will take the position of heir from the child in your belly? Do not try to deny it — a second wife is a second wife, not the first wife!” The moment these words left her mouth, she knew she had misspoken. She cursed herself inwardly for letting anger cloud her mind and make her run off at the mouth.

Minglan immediately burst out laughing. Then, abruptly, her expression turned serious: “Minglan stands corrected. However — the matter of succession is the very root of the clan. As a mere daughter-in-law, I would not dare to presume. I will only ask you one question, honored kinswoman: after Sister Yan Ran married, her birth mother was left without any heirs either. Should a child be adopted for her name as well — to serve as the eldest legitimate grandson of the Yu Family — would you or would you not give your consent?”

Eldest Young Mistress Yu cried out in fury: “How dare you be so insolent!”

“Who is being insolent here?” Minglan shot back with equal ferocity. “Many years ago, the Marquis was young and reckless, and wished to bring this Man Niang into the household. It was the old Marquis and the Lady who refused outright, citing her background in the entertainment trade. Now, however — with the old Marquis gone, his words carry no weight — and all at once, a child born of an entertainer is to become the heir to the Marquis of Ningyuan? Is the Yu Family truly set on making enemies of the Gu Family?!”

At these words, Man Niang, kneeling at the doorway, quickly glanced up. Minglan happened to turn her head at that very moment, and their eyes met — she saw that Man Niang’s gaze was sharp and full of malice, with none of the panic of a first meeting. Minglan immediately understood that Man Niang had long known who she was.

Minglan paid her no further mind. There was no room for compassion at a moment like this — it was only a matter of friend or foe.

Eldest Young Mistress Yu trembled with rage, unable to produce a single word for a long while. Then her eyes flashed with a sudden gleam, and she gritted her teeth: “My daughter died before she had even turned seventeen — the Gu Family owes us an explanation at the very least!”

Fourth Aunt Yu, seeing the situation grow increasingly tense, quickly pulled at Minglan: “There was absolutely no such intention!”

In truth, Elder Master Yu had said it in passing — she privately felt it was simply the musing of an old man moved to sentiment at the sight of his grandchildren gathered around him. But with the eldest son serving as head of the family, and her own husband having no official post, her words carried little weight. On top of that, the Xuanyuan Daoist priest had made much of the matter, making it seem as though refusing to follow Eldest Young Mistress Yu’s wishes was tantamount to impiety. That charge weighed heavily.

“Our family only wished to think of Yan Hong — that she died so young and in the flower of her life was truly pitiable, and we wished her to have someone to carry on for her. We had absolutely no intention of interfering in the Gu Family’s succession.” Fourth Aunt Yu spoke from the bottom of her heart with complete sincerity, and said continuously: “If you do not trust us, when Marquis Gu returns, you can convene all the clan elders to discuss it thoroughly and put everything down in a written agreement. But…” she said through tears: “Could the matter first be settled? Father — he… I fear he may not hold on much longer. Mother says that if you refuse, she will come herself tomorrow to plead with you, and will kneel before you and before Grandmother Sheng!”

She could hold back no longer, and broke down weeping behind her hands. The old matriarch of the Yu Family had lived a life of gentle frailty and compliance; all she could do now was weep her days away.

Minglan drew a deep breath. This was what she had feared most.

She could face any enemy and declare war on them. If she could fight, she would fight; if she could not, she could flee — or even play the fool and pretend ignorance. But she had no way to be sharp and cutting with Fourth Aunt Yu, and still less could she be cold and harsh toward that old matriarch who had stroked her hair and murmured fond words of care.

In a flash of lightning, a thought leapt across her mind.

“Oh goodness! My belly aches!” Minglan suddenly clutched her stomach and cried out, bending over with an expression of great pain.

Fourth Aunt Yu went pale with alarm and immediately came to support her, urging her to sit down carefully. Danju, standing nearby, cooperated perfectly — she stepped forward to take hold of Minglan, calling out loudly for help. Upon hearing the commotion from outside, everyone waiting rushed into the room in a swarm — some steadying her, some crying out, some asking after her condition, some calling out in worried surprise, and some softly scolding the disturbance. Before the Lady could even react, Nanny Cui had already led the others in carrying Minglan away.

The others stood in momentary bewilderment. Eldest Young Mistress Yu, furious and frustrated, chased them to the doorway and shouted aloud: “Unless your Madam is truly about to give birth, I will be back tomorrow!” Fourth Aunt Yu was both agitated and anxious, and hastily tried to dissuade her: “Please, let it be. Do not cause a scene — look at how large her belly is. She really may be about to give birth!” Eldest Young Mistress Yu flung off her sister-in-law’s arm and said with a cold snort: “If you want to play the kind one, go ahead! Father still has half a breath left — I am not about to bear the charge of impiety!”

Inside, the Lady remained in her seat, not moving an inch, as though watching a fine show from her seat, only smiling as she sipped her tea.

……

Minglan paced back and forth across the room with a taut expression, thoroughly agitated. The truth was that her belly did not hurt at all — she had simply been overwhelmed in the moment and had no idea what to do, so she had resorted to that maneuver she most despised in ordinary times: feigning illness.

But this tactic could not be used repeatedly. What if they came back tomorrow?

What to do? What to do? What to do… Minglan’s mind was in turmoil. She was unwilling to give in, yet she could not bring herself to refuse the old matriarch and Fourth Aunt Yu. She cursed that scheming old woman in her heart — first it was Aunt Kang, now it was the Yu Family. First came the hard approach, now came the soft. Was there to be no end to this?

She walked so many circles she still could not think of a plan. If all else failed, there was only one option — she thought of walking away as the best strategy. She could simply have Tou Er’s guards escort her back to her parents’ home to give birth, dignity be what it may.

— No, that would not work either. Minglan thought it through carefully and let out a groan of despair. The old matriarch of the Yu Family, in all her single-minded distress, would likely chase her all the way to the Sheng Mansion and implore Grandmother in tears. For the sake of her own affairs, to cause those two old women in the last years of their lives to have a falling-out — that would truly be a grave wrong.

She was not so foolish as to optimistically believe she could solve everything once and for all.

Setting aside the Lady’s watchful gaze — that cold and inscrutable Man Niang alone was enough to make her head spin. Should Chang Ge’er truly be entered into the family record under Yu Yan Hong’s name, regardless of any prior agreement or written guarantee, the trouble that would follow would be endless. If her own son happened to be capable and strong, that was one thing — but if he turned out to be gentle-natured and easygoing, Chang Ge’er, having gathered a faction of supporters and enlisted some clan members to his cause, could easily stir up endless strife when the time came. There would be no peace.

Minglan collapsed into her chair at the table, at a complete loss.

With her head nearly numb from thinking, she suddenly found herself amused. Many couples who had fallen out bitterly would hurl the words “I will not let you go even in death” at each other — though such declarations rarely came to anything. Yet Yu Yan Hong had turned those very words into solid reality. Minglan felt equal parts irritation and reluctant laughter. Ah, and just how did this particular woman meet her end?

— Wait. How exactly did Yu Yan Hong die?!

Minglan slowly straightened up, leaning on the table with her elbows, lost in thought. Moments passed before her, face after face like frames from a film, until her mind finally settled upon the muddy gleam in the Lady’s smile.

Something was not right. Everything about this was not right.

Based on what she knew of the Yu Family: the elder Master Yu had always been consumed by his official career, which was why, after losing his first wife, he had insisted on marrying the daughter of his superior — a concubine-born daughter the old man had not particularly approved of — as his second wife. As for Eldest Young Mistress Yu… hmph, Minglan had just gotten a good look at her. A couple like this, both ambitious and unwilling to be at a disadvantage — why had they only now come to knock at the door of Ningyuan Marquis’s residence?!

Yu Yan Hong had been married into the Gu Family and was dead within less than a year. By any reckoning, the Gu Family owed the Yu Family. And yet when Gu Tingye later rose to great prominence, why had Eldest Young Mistress Yu and her husband never come to press for another daughter of the Yu Family to be taken as a new wife?!

Fourth Aunt Yu’s daughter, Yan Rong, was nearly of age for her coming-of-age ceremony this year. Yan Ran had once mentioned that there was also a cousin a year older than Yan Rong who was a concubine-born elder sister of Yan Ran’s — meaning that girl had come of age the previous year. If the argument was that one’s own daughter was too precious to give, one would think that with such enormous wealth and position dangling before her eyes, Eldest Young Mistress Yu would not be so kind-hearted as to spare even a concubine-born daughter. To say nothing of the fact that the Yu Family had many daughters among the cousin branches as well. Even the Peng Family had shamelessly come to seek a connection with the Gu Family — so why had the Yu Family, with far more standing and far more legitimate grounds, not come at all?!

Not only had no one come seeking a marriage alliance — the two families, the Gu and Yu, had had virtually no social contact of any kind. Minglan had originally assumed this was because the Yu Family bore Gu Tingye a grudge and had cut off all dealings. But looking at things now, that did not seem to be quite right either.

So then — what was Gu Tingye’s own attitude toward the Yu Family, toward his deceased first wife? Even if they had been a mismatched and unhappy pair, with her dead and gone, surely some measure of guilt or reluctance ought to remain? Minglan racked her memory, trying to recall.

It still did not fit. Gu Tingye’s manner was not one of any guilt or reluctance whatsoever.

They had been married for so long now. As husband and wife who understood each other’s hearts, they had spoken openly of almost everything — from court affairs to the trivial details of daily life. Even on the sensitive topic of Man Niang, Gu Tingye had occasionally brought it up of his own accord, mocking himself for his youthful recklessness. Yet regarding Yu Yan Hong, Gu Tingye had never breathed a single word — as though deliberately avoiding it. Yet Gu Tingye was not a cold or callous person. Why would he be like this?

Then there could be only one conclusion.

Minglan’s thoughts gradually became clearer — yet this was a bold assumption, and she did not dare to stake everything on it hastily. After a moment of consideration, she called Danju over and said in a low voice: “Go find Nanny Chang. No need for her to come here — only ask her one thing… how exactly did the Yu Madam before pass away? Does she know?”

Danju firmly committed this to memory, then hesitated: “And if Nanny Chang does not know?”

“If she does not know…” Minglan held her fist lightly to her lips and said slowly: “Then ask her — how did the Marquis seem in his feelings and manner after the Madam passed away? If she were to guess, how does she think that Madam Yu came to die? And whether the Gu Family was in any way at fault toward her.”

Danju chewed over this carefully, grasped Minglan’s meaning, and hurried out the door.

……

Inside Xuanzhi Hall.

Nanny Xiang whispered a few words in the Lady’s ear. Upon hearing them, the Lady’s brow creased slightly: “She has gone to find that old creature again?”

“Do you think that old creature might know the details of the matter…?” Nanny Xiang said with worry.

The Lady thought for a long while before slowly shaking her head: “She should not know. If she did, we would have to change our plan…”

“And what of Hong Xiao?” Nanny Xiang was still uneasy. “What if she lets something slip?”

A laugh escaped the Lady: “Unless the Northern Brocade Guard Headquarters is brought in to apply the full force of their instruments of torture — otherwise, she will never speak a word.”