“The Prefecture Commissioner’s wife just arranged a matchmaker for Second Young Master. This visit must bring more good news,” Baoxian said, supporting Qingyuan as they returned to Pale Moon Pavilion.

Pale Moon Pavilion was Consort Jin’s former courtyard. Fourteen years ago, two consorts were lost in one breath, severely wounding the Master’s vitality – he never took in any more women afterward. This small courtyard remained empty until today. Houses uninhabited for too long easily harbored ghosts. Now that she was brought back to fill it if Consort Jin wanted to harm someone, it would be her daughter.

Qingyuan had lived in this courtyard for some days, hoping her mother might appear for a visit, but it was not to be. Her grandmother over there said her mother died of consumption shortly after giving birth to her. In her memory, “mother” was just a simple title without substance. But on life’s long journey, who didn’t have origins? She looked at the moon gate, at the newly tended flower beds. That first day she stepped into the Xie family, her assigned courtyard was overgrown with weeds – hardly a place for human habitation. Yet here she found a subtle connection with her mother. With the courtyard cleaned up and lamps lit, she could almost imagine a silhouette cast on the gauze window – fourteen years ago, before being driven from the Xie family, her mother sat there doing needlework.

Qingyuan had asked her grandmother over there what her mother looked like. Her grandmother’s gaze grew distant as she gestured, “This tall, with elegant brows and eyes, just like you.”

Her mother stayed with the Chen family for only eight months. Years later, when Grandmother Chen recalled, she only remembered her sitting under the wisteria trellis, face full of sorrow day after day.

“Bad people are usually quick-witted – when one livelihood ends, they find another. They wouldn’t hang themselves from one tree. Your mother’s illness came from worry, and those who worry are usually honest people.” So Grandmother Chen never believed her mother had poisoned someone.

Murder was no small matter – evidence could easily be found, and she might not have had the courage to commit the crime. At first, Qingyuan carried the burden of her mother’s sin, feeling ashamed and unable to lift her head. But gradually she felt something was wrong – too many things didn’t make sense. She shouldn’t hastily admit her mother’s guilt. So when the Xie family wanted her back, she came. They gave the elderly Chen couple a considerable sum as compensation for fourteen years of care. She saw the tears on her foster grandparents’ faces – the Xie family didn’t understand that decades of emotional bonds couldn’t be settled with money.

She had secretly vowed that once she accomplished what she meant to do, she would return to care for the elderly couple. Only her foster grandparents had truly been good to her. The Xie family’s repeated requests for her return were merely to use her fortune to maintain household peace. Having never shown care since childhood, they still cast her aside after bringing her back. She hadn’t yet met her father, and even the name “Qingyuan” was casually chosen by the Old Mistress.

Qingyuan – “Qing” followed the generational pattern, and “yuan” meant completeness. The Old Mistress had simply said, “It’s good that you’ve returned.” She accepted this name, after all, Xie’s blood flowed in her veins. She never struggled against herself or hated being an Xie descendant. But before entering this mansion, she had another name for fourteen years – her foster grandparents called her Yunya. Like tender leaves sprouting from soft white clouds – quite lovely to think about.

While she pondered these things, Baoxian was considering the Prefecture Commissioner’s wife’s intentions: “I expect she’s here to arrange marriages for the young ladies of the household. Wonder which one it’s for this time.” She glanced at Qingyuan while speaking, “Fourth Young Miss, we should prepare too.”

Qingyuan showed no reaction, instead reaching into a basket to search, asking where the morning’s pattern had been placed.

Baoxian was anxious about her indifference. The Xie family wasn’t a place to stay long-term – finding a good family and making a good marriage could be a way out. She deliberately pushed the basket further away, “My Young Miss, did you hear what this servant said?”

Unable to reach it, Qingyuan made a sound of displeasure and stood to pull the basket back, responding casually: “I’m still young, what’s the hurry? The three elder sisters aren’t even engaged yet, how could it be my turn?”

“That’s not necessarily true,” Baoxian said. “In a place as big as Sheng Prefecture, every area has different customs. Some arrange marriages by seniority, but not in Hengtang. When there are several young ladies of similar age in a family, it doesn’t matter who gets engaged first. Especially in official families, finding suitable matches isn’t easy – as long as the match is made, the meat can stew in the pot first, regardless of other matters.”

Qingyuan merely smiled. She understood perfectly well that any good matches would never fall to her. The Xie family hadn’t brought her back to arrange her marriage – her function was to protect the household, and when necessary, serve as a sacrifice for peace.

Of course, her maids were on her side, as was natural, and she knew how other households discussed her. Some thought she agreed to return merely to claim status as an official’s daughter. They secretly covered their mouths and snickered, laughing at her shallowness, not knowing her dangerous position. But they couldn’t guess that she hadn’t returned to acknowledge Xie Shu as a father – she came for her mother. A dead person still carried the guilt of murder; she needed to uncover the truth, regardless of the outcome.

“For now, I just want to stay in the Xie household, not go anywhere,” her fingers slowly caressed the copper scissors as she spoke slowly. “Leaving now would defeat my purpose, wouldn’t it?” This past month, she had endured so much mistreatment – what reason was there to retreat?

Baoxian understood her thoughts and said no more, turning to look through the lattice window at the courtyard. The rain seemed to have lightened, with misty rain spreading everywhere. In such weather, with so few people, Pale Moon Pavilion seemed especially desolate and lonely.

“We should find a way to get a few more people here,” Baoxian said, wiping the table edge. “Other young ladies’ courtyards have ten or more between maids and old women. We’re not asking for much – even two servants for rough work would help.”

Qingyuan had her plans, speaking unhurriedly: “No hurry, we won’t lack help eventually.” She paused before asking, “Did you inquire about the person I asked about?”

Baoxian responded, “Just now Matron Xia had Chuntai send word that the people who served the Consort back then were all sent to various places. Now only one old woman works as a menial in the servants’ quarters.”

Qingyuan nodded. New people weren’t as useful as old ones – being bullied into the servants’ quarters showed that no one had regarded her mother highly these years. She needed to find a way to bring that old woman here – having served her mother, perhaps she could learn something from her.

“Ask around carefully again, see what kind of people she’s been in contact with lately…”

As she was giving instructions, she vaguely heard someone speaking outside and stopped. Looking through the curtain, a little maid stood at the door. Chuntai asked, “What brings you here?”

The little maid said, “Please inform Fourth Young Miss that the Old Mistress requests her presence up front.”

Chuntai acknowledged, and as the little maid turned to leave after delivering her message, she called her back: “Is it just our Young Miss being summoned, or all four Young Misses?”

The little maid replied, “All are called to go. Sister, please hurry – it wouldn’t be good to be late.”

Chuntai quickly came in, excitedly taking out combs to dress Qingyuan’s hair and change her clothes, saying, “The Old Mistress has finally thought to let Young Miss meet guests. Let’s dress you up properly, show the outsiders our Young Miss’s dignity.”

Servants naturally hoped for their masters’ success – when masters prospered, servants gained face. But for Qingyuan, this wasn’t necessarily good news. Going there meant being a mere accompaniment, likely to invite trouble.

However, having been summoned, she couldn’t refuse. Chuntai put a step-shake ornament in her hair, but she removed it, choosing instead a small gold and kingfisher feather fish pin. Just a subtle accent in her hair was enough preparation.

From Pale Moon Pavilion to the front reception courtyard required passing through a long, narrow corridor. Hengtang’s architecture featured connecting horse-head walls with simple doors cut through. Though the passage initially appeared empty, one might suddenly encounter someone at any moment.

Today was such a day. Halfway through, a door in the wall ahead opened, and out came a slender figure in cloud-goose brocade, accompanied by a tall, thin maid holding an umbrella so high it looked like an imperial canopy.

Having met, greetings were necessary. Qingyuan called out “Second Sister,” but her politeness wasn’t returned.

Including Qingyuan, the Xie family had three sons and four daughters. The eldest son Zhengze and second daughter Qingru were born to Madam Hu. After the third daughter Qingrong’s mother was poisoned, she was raised by Madam Hu. Consort Lian bore the eldest daughter Qinghe, while the remaining second son Zhenglun, and third son Zhengjun were from Consort Mei’s household. Three factions governed themselves in this great mansion, leaving only Qingyuan standing alone. When she first came to the Xie family, everyone looked at her like a pitiful cat or dog – after all, her mother had killed out of jealousy. For the prestigious Xie family to accommodate a poisoner’s child was purely due to the mercy of the Old Mistress and Master’s wife.

Qingru, as a legitimate daughter, looked down on Qingyuan from the bottom of her heart, naturally including the resentment of girls comparing looks and falling short. Her gaze toward Qingyuan always carried disdain, head held high, pointing her sharp chin at her, habitually snorting, “What, you’re going to the front too?”

Qingyuan knew to be humble and submissive, speaking softly, “Yes, someone came to my courtyard earlier with the message. I happened to meet Second Sister on the way.”

Qingru couldn’t stand her sweet, soft voice – born to be a concubine’s material. So she sneered again, turning her face away: “If I were you, I’d rather claim illness and not go. After all, showing your face would be embarrassing. If the Prefecture Commissioner’s wife asks, the Old Mistress might be put in a difficult position, unable to answer.”

After speaking, she turned south. Her maid Lvzhui, following her signal, suddenly tilted the umbrella to knock aside Baoxian, letting the rain collected on one rib pour all over Qingyuan.

Baoxian became angry at the sight, stomping her foot to confront Lvzhui: “Hey, you…”

Qingyuan said to let it be, looking down at her new sprout-colored satin dress now soaked with water, the wet areas gradually spreading, becoming dark and different from the dry parts.

Baoxian sighed heavily, speaking with suppressed hatred: “This appearance isn’t suitable for meeting people. Let’s go back and change – if we hurry, we might make it in time.”

Qingyuan shook her head, “We’ll go like this.”

Baoxian hesitated, “Keeping wet clothes on – what if you fall ill? These past days it’s been raining continuously, and the weather’s turned cold again.”

Qingyuan raised her hand, touching the water stains on her shoulder, smiling as she said: “Getting sick would be fine – I’m afraid I won’t get sick at all.”