This time, Qingru’s shock truly made her ill for several days. This was perhaps the only lesson she had received in all her years of life – though called a joke, it had been extremely dangerous, and she could have lost her life with the slightest misstep. However, since it was under the pretense of jest, there was no way to argue about it. Madam Hu, heartbroken for her daughter, saw her current dazed state – though she wasn’t sick, she couldn’t open her eyes and spent all day sleeping fitfully. This couldn’t continue, so she leaned out and instructed Granny Sun, “Go invite the Eldest Young Master.”
Zhengze soon arrived with his wife, Madam Qiu. After the couple paid their respects to Madam, Madam Qiu went directly to the inner room to visit Qingru.
In the outer room, separated by a curtain, Madam Hu sat on the southern kang and sighed deeply, “Your sister seems to have been frightened too severely. Now she can’t even open her eyes. If you call her, she’ll respond, but if not, she just keeps sleeping. She’s been sleeping for two days and nights now – how can this continue!”
Zhengze truly had nothing to say about this sister. Refusing to learn from lessons, her tyrannical behavior feared no one, but now that she had learned a lesson, thinking about someone from the same mother’s womb still pained his heart. Like his father, he rarely inquired about inner chamber matters. When his mother summoned him, he had to come, but he sensed the upcoming conversation wouldn’t be to his liking. Still, fearing to displease his mother, he forced himself to stay alert and respond.
“Since she’s been frightened, it would be good to perform a soul-calming ritual. Have the doctor treat her properly for a few days, and once her mind is at ease, she’ll be fine.”
Madam Hu said, “How could it be so simple? She’s taken two doses of medicine but shows no improvement. I’ve also had people get talismans from the temple, but she’s still listless.”
“What else can we do then?” Zhengze glanced toward the inner room with drooping sleeves. Remembering that day’s events, still harboring anger, he said, “Mother may not like to hear my words, but as sister and I share the same mother, I certainly wish her well. However, sometimes her actions are truly too unrestrained. Like this time, didn’t she bring it upon herself? Wearing a man’s possession in public – what were people supposed to think? This was just a private banquet at the Shen mansion, with only us, Zunzhi, and the Shen brothers present. If there had been outsiders, and word had spread, how could sister face anyone? How could she marry? When one lowers their worth and invites contempt, who can they blame? She’s not the only girl in the family. Eldest Sister is older than them, and I won’t mention her, but Third Sister and Fourth Sister are both younger – has any of them caused such an incident? Being shot at like a deer – I still feel ashamed thinking about it…” He turned away in frustration, “Anyway when she recovers, Mother should properly advise her to cultivate herself and mind the dignity of a young lady from a great family.”
How could Madam Hu not know her daughter’s firecracker temperament? She was already troubled by it, and now Zhengze came with this lecture, making her head ache even more with anger.
“In her current state, you still come to lecture? I called you here to discuss how to resolve this urgent matter, and here you come dumping bricks and tiles by the cartload.”
In the inner room, Madam Qiu heard the mother and son’s tones growing unpleasant and moved out to stand beside her husband.
Zhengze heaved a heavy sigh, “With things as they are, I’m not a doctor – what can I do!”
Madam Hu said, “The elderly have a saying: where the three souls and seven spirits were frightened away, that’s where they must be found to recover. Your sister was frightened by Shen Run – perhaps we could find a way to get a piece of cloth or thread from him, burn it, and have your sister drink it. She would naturally recover then.”
Madam Qiu was startled and looked at Zhengze in shock. Fortunately, Zhengze remained clear-headed and said with furrowed brows, “How could Mother think of such a method? Shen Run isn’t Li Congxin – Mother surely knows what the Palace Guard does. Just a piece of cloth or thread could turn into a sorcery case if handled poorly. If we got caught up in something like that, even thirty large wine urns wouldn’t be enough to smooth it over.”
Madam Hu froze, sitting there in a daze. After a while, she rubbed her forehead and said, “I’ve truly become confused, this matter has thrown me into disarray. You’re right – keeping it carefully hidden is the best strategy. Making it public would only invite ridicule.” She paused and asked, “What about the Young Marquis – have you noticed anything?”
Zhengze said, “Please don’t mention him – I’m mortified to death. When he saw Qingru wearing that pendant, he asked me, ‘Is your sister already promised to someone?’ I wanted to dig a hole and crawl into it. In my opinion, since he already has someone in mind, why does Qingru still pine for him? There are plenty of good men in the world – why fixate on him alone!”
Hearing these words, what Madam Hu had been unable to understand suddenly became clear. So this was what Qingyuan had been waiting for – giving the Young Marquis a reason so that even if someone came to propose marriage, he could properly decline. But the coincidence was too perfect – if it hadn’t been planned between Qingyuan and Li Congxin, then there was only one possibility: the Fourth Young Lady had deliberately obtained a man’s jade pendant and tricked Qingru into wearing it, causing Li Congxin to misunderstand and destroying Qingru’s hopes of entering the Danyang Marquis’s household.
This realization was truly shocking – at such a young age, the Fourth Young Lady’s methods of competing with men far surpassed her mother’s. When Concubine Xia first entered the household, Jin Chunqing had been completely neglected, left aside for ten days or half a month without seeing the master once. Now she had borne such a daughter, making up for all her mother’s losses – truly eye-opening.
Understanding the scheme, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath, “It seems that pendant might not be the Young Marquis’s. Tomorrow, go see him – we can’t let people look down on your sister behind her back.”
Zhengze said, “Whether it’s his or not, now that this has happened, what use is there in speaking about it?”
Madam Hu frowned, “It’s better than letting him misunderstand your sister.”
Zhengze wanted to argue but noticed Madam Qiu quietly tugging at his sleeve. So he swallowed his words, made a few perfunctory remarks, and then took leave of Madam Hu.
By this time, the sunset had spread across the sky, intense burning clouds densely built overhead, casting a red glow on everyone’s faces.
As Zhengze and Madam Qiu walked back, halfway along he asked why she hadn’t let him finish speaking. Madam Qiu replied, “Don’t you know how protective Madam is of Second Sister? If you had said more then, it would have seemed like you, as her brother, don’t protect your siblings, watching helplessly as your sister falls into difficulty. In my opinion, the Second Sister’s current state is the result of Madam’s spoiling. Among all the sisters, she’s the only one who gets whatever she wants – they wouldn’t dare give her the moon if she asked for stars. Even Old Madam constantly indulges her, as if the whole family’s future glory depends on this legitimate daughter’s status. To be honest, it’s no wonder Fourth Sister wants to trick her – even I look down on her, and she’s my sister-in-law by the main wife!”
Zhengze could only shake his head, “Nothing to be done about it. With so many children in the family, somehow she ended up spoiled like this.”
Madam Qiu smiled, “Isn’t it because she’s Madam’s daughter! My suggestion is, to verbally agree with Madam, but don’t go speak with the Young Marquis – don’t let people look down on you too. This marriage shouldn’t happen as it does. Second Young Lady’s aspirations are too high – why covet a noble house? These days in the capital, if she has the ability, she could enter the palace and become an imperial consort – that would be truly glorious, and you as her brother could share in her glory.”
Zhengze fell silent, feeling his wife’s words made sense. He didn’t want to take this initiative – how would he explain it to people? Say my sister mistook someone else’s possession for yours? Pah, even more embarrassing! Better to keep it covered up, not mentioning it at all. Second Sister would marry someone eventually – why insist on reaching for the Danyang Marquis’s household?
Meanwhile, Madam Hu was grinding her teeth in hatred, unable to continue with her prayer beads. She threw them on the kang table and paced back and forth.
Granny Sun stayed by her side, following her steps, “What does Madam plan to do now?”
What plans? Madam Hu stared at the glass lamp on the table, where the candle burned steadily inside its shade. People were like lamps – those with shades didn’t fear the wind and those without could be extinguished by a single breath.
“The Fourth Young Lady cannot stay,” she said coldly. “We should find a way to send her away.”
Granny Sun hesitated, “Old Madam might not agree. Earlier when the household was unsettled, we went to great lengths to get her back from the Chen family. Recently when the master faced difficulties, she was the one who worked to establish connections with the Commander’s mansion. Old Madam still counts on her to stabilize the household – how could she bear to send her away?”
Madam Hu gave a cold laugh, “When have we ever informed Old Madam of our important actions? In her advanced age, she sits in a well, knowing nothing of the outside world!”
Granny Sun was Madam Hu’s confidante, the most trusted among her attendants. The longer one served by their master’s side, the more astute they needed to be. Sensing Madam’s ruthlessness, she nodded, “Indeed, it would solve everything at once.”
With a plan in mind, action could proceed without panic. Madam Hu picked up her prayer beads again, carefully fingering them one by one, her tone changing to one of helplessness, “I’m not someone who can’t tolerate others. If she knew her place, in such a large household, would we begrudge her food? But she insists on stirring up trouble, inciting discord in the household. The people in Hanxiang Pavilion and Liuhua Court just watch for entertainment, and even the eldest daughter sides with her. Given time, how could I, the proper main wife, not be suppressed by them? Old Madam counts on her to stabilize the household, but I see it becoming more unsettled. Previously we feared ghosts in Danyue Pavilion at Hengtang, but now that we’ve moved to Youzhou, Jin Chunqing’s spirit couldn’t have followed. Better to deal with this person early and spare everyone worry.”
So the next day, after morning greetings, as the sisters were about to withdraw, Madam Hu called out, “Fourth Young Lady, stay behind. About that matter from the other day, I’ll report to your grandmother on your behalf.”
Qingyuan had to stop, standing quietly to the side. Old Madam, not knowing what they meant, leaned against her cushion and asked, “What does Madam need to report about Fourth Young Lady?”
Madam Hu looked at Qingyuan with affection and said to Old Madam, “Her mother’s death anniversary is approaching. Fourth Young Lady has always been filial, but it’s pitiful that her mother’s tablet cannot enter the ancestral hall. If she wishes to pay respects, it’s inconvenient. I thought, since Bijin Temple is our family temple, the Buddha is all-forgiving – why not let her set up a tablet there and properly conduct rites for her mother? Though the sins of the dead are grave after all these years, we should consider the Fourth Young Lady’s position. I know she’s concerned but hesitant to mention it to Old Madam, fearing your displeasure. Since she calls me mother, I should arrange this for her, so I’m reporting to Old Madam for your decision.”
Old Madam pondered this before saying, “After all, they were mother and daughter. Fourth Young Lady having such thoughts is good – preventing filial piety isn’t the way of human relations.” She looked at Qingyuan, “Since that’s the case, you may go. Prepare plenty of incense and paper offerings, and have two experienced monks chant sutras for your mother for seven days to help cleanse her sins.”
Qingyuan inwardly despised their constant talk of sin but couldn’t openly object. She curtsied, “Thank you, Grandmother,” then to Madam Hu, “Thank you, Madam.”
Madam Hu’s proper, elegant face, when not showing malice, had a composed air. She looked at Qingyuan with kind eyes and said, “Start preparing today, and it will be exactly seven days until your mother’s anniversary. Since it needs to be done for seven consecutive days, going back and forth between home and temple might be too tiring.”
Qingyuan understood her meaning – she wanted her to stay at the temple. Though Bijin Temple was the Xie family temple, the nuns were still ordinary people. Human hearts varied in thickness, and if one couldn’t trust close relatives, outsiders required even more caution.
“I know Bijin Temple isn’t too far from home. The days are long now – setting out early when it’s cool would be fine,” Qingyuan smiled. “Though staying at the temple would save the journey, as a young lady, it’s not proper for me to spend nights away. Better to go back and forth daily.”
On this point, Qingyuan’s prudence never disappointed. If she had agreed to stay outside, Old Madam would have been displeased. A young lady’s reputation was crucial – any mishap would bring shame to the entire family.
“If that’s what you think, then do as you wish. Though it means seven days of toil, it’s for your mother after all.”
Qingyuan acknowledged and withdrew from Huifang Garden.
Baoqin felt relieved, “I was just worried Madam would insist on having young lady stay at the temple. For a young lady to stay outside, any little disturbance would be impossible to explain away, even with a mouth all over her body.”
Qingyuan just smiled slightly. She remained silent from Huifang Garden to Danyue Pavilion. After entering and sitting alone for a while, she instructed Chuntai to call in Granny Tao.
“Madam’s sudden kindness makes me uneasy,” she said carefully. “Though a Buddhist temple is a pure place, I’m worried about the journey there and back – who knows what winds might blow? I have several people in Youzhou City awaiting orders. Granny, please pass the word to them to escort me from a distance these days. That would set my mind at ease.”
Granny Tao acknowledged, “When I heard Madam wanted young lady to go to Bijin Temple, I was worried. I was going to ask if you wanted me to have my son find some people for protection. Since a young lady already has people, that’s even better.”
Baoqin was surprised, “I never knew the young lady had people in Youzhou City.”
Qingyuan smiled, “Grandfather arranged it for me. I thought I wouldn’t need them, but unexpectedly they’ll help me out of this situation.” Her smile gradually faded from her lips, and after a moment of silence, she continued, “If Madam truly resorts to underhanded methods, I can’t just wait for death. Let’s see how the Xie family handles things when trouble starts.”
Baoqin and Chuntai, being inner chamber girls, felt uneasy hearing her words, “Young lady must be careful and not risk danger yourself.”
Qingyuan slowly nodded. She wouldn’t face danger directly, but to counter-attack, she had to use her wits. She was prepared – this time she would have to put on a grand show that even Old Madam couldn’t suppress, no matter how she tried. Counting on the Xie family to cut off their flesh was impossible, but ruining Madam Hu’s reputation among Youzhou’s nobility would be as easy as turning her palm. Those officials and nobles valued reputation above all – losing face would make every step difficult. Compared to taking her life, would make Madam Hu suffer even more.