Ying Shuang complied, stepping forward to slap Xiang Lan twice across the face. Zhao Yue Chan raised her eyebrows and said: “Fool! Who told you to use your hands? Bring the bamboo paddle to beat her!”

Ying Shuang fetched the bamboo paddle. After two strikes of “pak pak,” Xiang Lan’s cheeks began to swell. With more strikes, blood appeared around her nose and lips. Xiang Lan felt her face burning with pain, blood, and tears flowing together, the suffering nearly making her faint. Full of grievance and injustice, she cursed inwardly: “Zhao Yue Chan is trying to kill me with fabricated crimes. If I confess, she’ll say I’m vicious-hearted and have me beaten to death. If I don’t confess, she’ll say I’m stubborn as iron and beat me even more severely. I might as well clench my teeth and refuse to confess.”

After more than ten consecutive strikes, Zhao Yue Chan said: “Stop.”

Ying Shuang withdrew the paddle. Xiang Lan’s entire face was swollen beyond recognition, already numb with pain, tears, and mucus flowing. Unable to speak properly, she kowtowed several times and said with difficulty: “Madam, please investigate clearly. I truly don’t know anything. Even if I had a hundred times more courage, I would never dare take the master’s belongings.”

Zhao Yue Chan said coldly: “I ask you, what did Concubine Lan say to Hua Mei before she died? Did you hear it?”

Xiang Lan’s heart sank. She raised her tear-filled eyes to look at Zhao Yue Chan, thinking: “Zhao Yue Chan cares so much about this, it seems Concubine Lan’s death has major implications. But I already lied to Yin Die, saying I heard Concubine Lan wanted to see Master. I don’t know what Yin Die has said behind my back, so I can’t change my story now.” She could only endure the pain and say unclearly: “I didn’t hear very clearly. Concubine Lan only said she missed her parents and Master, dying without seeing them one last time.”

Zhao Yue Chan said harshly: “Still trying to deceive me! The beating wasn’t enough!”

Xiang Lan kowtowed repeatedly, crying: “Please spare me, Madam. Even if you beat me to death, I still don’t know anything. I don’t know who has been instigating things before you, I want to confront them!” As she spoke, she looked up to glance at Yin Die.

Yin Die had already been frightened soft by Zhao Yue Chan’s methods. Seeing Xiang Lan look at her, she waved her hands repeatedly and backed away saying: “Why, why are you looking at me… Only you and Hua Mei were beside Concubine Lan when she died… Concubine Lan spoke with Hua Mei for quite a while, you, you must have heard!”

Xiang Lan was clever and immediately guessed eight or nine-tenths of the matter, thinking to herself: “It seems Concubine Lan had some leverage over Zhao Yue Chan, probably related to the blue booklet… Ying Shuang and Chun Ling collided in the garden, both fell, and in the confusion took the wrong booklets. Zhao Yue Chan’s lost booklet must contain something deadly important. Concubine Lan got hold of Zhao Yue Chan’s weakness but was forced to death instead. Now Zhao Yue Chan is looking for that booklet and wants to eliminate me along the way.” After this thought process, she pointed at Yin Die and said: “You’re talking nonsense! You were standing beside Concubine Lan, even closer than me. I was far away and could barely hear anything unclear. You should have heard more clearly!”

Because of her facial injuries, speaking was particularly difficult and painful enough to make her tears fall.

Yin Die was instantly frightened, her hair standing on end. She fell to her knees with a thud, repeatedly kowtowing and saying: “This little hussy is talking nonsense! Madam, I was standing far away, all the senior servants in the room can testify for me… I…” Seeing Zhao Yue Chan’s slightly darkening expression, she immediately fell silent.

Watching them accuse each other, Zhao Yue Chan just smiled coldly, her enchanting peach-blossom eyes containing only ice and mockery. She said lightly: “Keep talking then, you dog-eat-dog worthless slaves, each trying to fool me. You’re all getting too bold. If you don’t give me a proper explanation today, neither of you will come to any good end. Don’t blame me for being heartless if you anger me – I’ll sell you both to the brothels!”

Yin Die was frightened stupid, shrinking into a trembling ball on the ground.

Xiang Lan sobbed: “This servant is truly wronged… What Concubine Lan said before she died, this servant didn’t hear… And I wouldn’t dare steal the master’s things… If I speak one word of lies, Madam can beat me to death…” She began wailing loudly, hoping the noise would bring someone to save her.

Zhao Yue Chan pointed and cursed: “What are you howling for? Gag her mouth! You little bewitching fox who seduces men, you deserve to be beaten to death. You thought Master’s favors were plenty so you tried to steal some oil to eat, didn’t you? Pah! Break her dog legs!” Ying Shuang took a cloth and gagged Xiang Lan’s mouth. Zhao Yue Chan said loudly: “Take her to the small room in the back courtyard and watch her carefully, I’ll decide what to do with her.”

Then Ying Shuang called two sturdy old women to come in and drag Xiang Lan away. After all this commotion, Zhao Yue Chan was somewhat tired, and still frustrated that the booklet remained unfound. She waved her hand at Yin Die saying: “Get out, let me rest.”

Yin Die kowtowed once before getting up to leave, but Zhao Yue Chan shouted: “Come back!”

Yin Die hurriedly turned back and stood with hands down, listening. Zhao Yue Chan glared at her saying: “If one word of this matter leaks out, it’s all on you. Remember well, search Concubine Lan’s room inside and out thoroughly for me. If you can’t find that booklet, watch out for your hide!”

Yin Die shuddered in fright and hurriedly agreed before leaving.

Shortly after, Ying Shuang returned to find Zhao Yue Chan sitting on the kang bed holding her temple. She walked over quietly, poured a cup of tea, and placed it on the table, saying softly: “Madam has said such things and beaten her so severely, yet Xiang Lan still won’t confess. It seems she truly doesn’t know what Concubine Lan said before dying…”

Zhao Yue Chan frowned slightly: “What does it matter if she truly doesn’t know? This servant girl can’t be kept anyway.”

Ying Shuang said: “Does Madam plan to sell her… sell her…” The word “brothel” turned several times in her mouth but she couldn’t say it.

Zhao Yue Chan laughed coldly: “Brothel? I’d like to, but with that old sanctimonious woman in charge now, my every move is being watched. It’s not so easy to do as I please. In a few days, after things settle down while handling that little cheap one’s funeral matters, we’ll quietly call a slave trader to sell that girl to a brothel, somewhere far away. Only after getting rid of her will I have peace.”

Ying Shuang didn’t dare speak, only smiled apologetically. Zhao Yue Chan said: “Qing Lan and that bastard died at just the right time. With no witnesses and eliminating a major concern, it saved me some trouble. But I can’t rest easy until that booklet is found.” She lay on the kang bed lost in thought for a while, then suddenly said: “Go get paper and brush, write a letter to my cousin telling him to wait for me in the small passage room by the west gate of the mansion at exactly the hour of Hai, either tonight or tomorrow night.”

Ying Shuang wanted to advise against it, moved her lips but didn’t dare make a sound.

After being lost in thought for a while longer, Zhao Yue Chan asked: “Has that little hussy Hua Mei shown any movement?”

Ying Shuang quickly replied: “Bai Lu is watching her constantly, not even a fly could get out.”

Zhao Yue Chan nodded and said: “In a while, say that I’ve lost some jewelry from my room and need to search every room. Take people to thoroughly search her room.”

Ying Shuang hurriedly said: “Madam can rest assured, we’ll search every nook and cranny completely clean.”

Let’s set aside how the mistress and servant plotted. Speaking of Hua Mei, while helping handle the funeral matters in the east wing, she secretly retrieved the booklet from under the bedboard. Returning to her room and opening it for a look, she was startled. She bolted the door and read through it page by page, couldn’t help but laugh coldly repeatedly: “No wonder Qing Lan staked her life on it, so it was for this thing. She was foolishly dreaming, but such good fortune has fallen to me instead.”

Sitting in her room thinking it over, she changed into fresh clothes, applied another layer of powder before the mirror to make her complexion appear more haggard and pale, hid the booklet close to her body, called Xi Que in to give some instructions, and the two headed to Madam Qin’s quarters.

Qiang Wei was hanging talismans to ward off illness at the door when she saw Hua Mei approach and block her saying: “What brings Miss here? The Madam is unwell and just fell asleep after taking medicine.”

Hua Mei appeared on the verge of tears: “I know Concubine Lan just passed away and Madam is heartbroken, inevitably feeling unwell, but… but I…”

Qiang Wei asked: “What’s wrong, Miss?”

Hua Mei pulled out a handkerchief from her collar to wipe her eyes: “I just received a letter from home saying my father had a fall and his condition has worsened. They want me to come home to see him…” As she spoke, tears rolled down and she began sobbing uncontrollably.

Xi Que patted Hua Mei’s back consolingly: “Miss, don’t cry, don’t harm your health by crying.” She looked up at Qiang Wei and said: “Miss wants to go home for a visit, but Concubine Lan just died and things are chaotic in her quarters. The First Madam is also weak and does not see anyone in her room, so Miss came to ask leave from the Madam.”

Qiang Wei said: “This is important, wait a moment.” She turned and went inside to find Hong Jian, explaining the situation. Hong Jian frowned in thought and said: “The Madam just fell asleep, let’s not disturb her with this small matter. If Hua Mei’s father’s condition is serious, it would be unfilial not to let her return home. Let her go then, following protocol, withdraw twenty taels of silver from the accounts for her to take home for the sick visit and medicine. I’ll mention this to the Madam later.”

Qiang Wei received the message and went out to tell Hua Mei.

Naturally, Hua Mei and her servant expressed endless gratitude. Hua Mei said tearfully: “My good Madam, truly like a Bodhisattva, even giving silver, there’s no one so merciful in the world.” She immediately knelt on the steps and kowtowed three times toward the room to Madam Qin.

Qiang Wei thought to herself: “No wonder they say Miss Hua Mei in Master’s quarters is most skilled at speaking and handling matters. Seeing her now proves it true, she’s a clever one.” She hurriedly helped Hua Mei up saying: “The ground is cold, quickly get up.”

Hua Mei held Qiang Wei’s hand saying: “Dear sister, Concubine Lan just died so tragically. We were like sisters, incomparably close. It feels worse than having my heart carved out. Then hearing about my father’s accident, my legs are trembling and weak. I boldly ask my sister to help support me for a while.”

Qiang Wei was a second-rank maid in Madam Qin’s quarters, naturally kind-hearted and soft. Hearing Hua Mei speak this way, she and Xi Que supported her on either side, walking to the second gate to see her and her servant onto the carriage before returning.

As soon as Hua Mei got in the carriage, all traces of grief and fragility vanished from her face. She lifted the curtain and said to the driver: “Go quickly, I’ll double your reward.”

Xi Que took a handkerchief to wipe the fragrant sweat from Hua Mei’s forehead, asking softly: “First Madam and the others won’t chase after us?”

Hua Mei leaned against the carriage wall, took out the booklet, and stroked it gently, saying lightly: “Not so quickly. Taking advantage while she’s unprepared, let’s quickly slip away in the chaos. We’ll hide at home for a couple of days and return when Master comes back.”

Xi Que made a sound of agreement and took a fan to fan Hua Mei.

Hua Mei closed her eyes slightly.