On this fine day, just as Xiang Lan was planning to take the bedding out for sunning, she suddenly heard Cao Li Huan call from the hall: “Xiang Lan, take these items to Madam Lou.” She pushed forward a marigold-colored lacquered wooden box on the table: “You must hand it to Madam directly and say it’s from me. She’ll understand when she sees it.”

Xiang Lan nodded, asked for directions, and carried the box out. Luo Xue Wu was situated in the most remote corner of the Lin family garden, and Xiang Lan walked briskly along the quiet stone path leading out.

Spring was in full bloom – the plantain leaves were deep green, bamboo leaves a rich emerald, and peach and apricot blossoms blazed like sunset clouds. Birds called from among the trees, gentle breezes rippled the clear pond water, and maids in red and green occasionally crossed the arched bridge – everything radiated vitality. Xiang Lan admired the scenery as she walked, feeling her spirits lift.

After leaving the garden, she came to the Knowledge Spring Pavilion on the easternmost side, where Zhao Yue Chan resided. It was an expansive compound with three grand and elegant main rooms plus four wing rooms, and numerous side rooms in both east and west courtyards. Xiang Lan entered the courtyard cautiously, finding it completely silent. She called out several times, “Is anyone here?” but received no response.

Having no choice, she walked forward but dared not enter the main room. Seeing a window partially open on the right, she approached and peeked in. Zhao Yue Chan sat in a carved wooden chair with a begonia pattern, with Ying Shuang standing to her right. Two women knelt at Zhao Yue Chan’s feet – one with head bowed and shoulders trembling, clearly crying, while the other sobbed hoarsely, “Madam, I didn’t bump into Sister Chun Yan…”

“Zhi Cao, you bumped into me, how can you say you didn’t? Madam, please give me justice.” The woman who had been crying with bowed head suddenly looked up – it was Second Aunt Lü’s eldest daughter Chun Yan.

“Madam, I was standing behind Sister Chun Yan, but I truly didn’t touch her. She somehow stumbled forward herself and bumped into Sister Ying Ge…” Zhi Cao, a maid of thirteen or fourteen, trembled constantly, crying pitifully.

“Nonsense!” Chun Yan glared at Zhi Cao with gritted teeth, her pretty face becoming somewhat fierce. “You little hussy, spewing such lies – aren’t you afraid of being struck by lightning!” As she spoke, she couldn’t help but pinch Zhi Cao twice. Zhi Cao tried to dodge but couldn’t escape, crying out in pain as tears streamed down her face.

Zhao Yue Chan slapped the table and shouted, “Enough! Will this ever end?”

The room instantly fell silent. Zhao Yue Chan turned to look aside and asked, “Ying Ge, are you feeling any better?”

Only then did Xiang Lan notice a beauty reclining on an arhat bed by the wall, wearing a light blue-gold jacket embroidered with plum branches, and a gold double-lotus hairpin. Her face was pale, clutching her chest in a delicate pose of distress. Ying Ge placed her right hand on her lower abdomen and said tearfully, “I’m fine, but I’m worried about the baby… Madam, this is Master’s first child. If anything happens to it, how could I face the Old Madam and Madam?” As she spoke, tears rolled down her cheeks.

A snicker came from the corner: “Well, Sister Ying Ge, everyone here knows the Old Madam gave you to Master – no need to mention her every time, right? Just relax, Madam has keen judgment and will surely clear up this injustice.” The tone was neither light nor heavy, carrying a sense of schadenfreude.

Xiang Lan looked toward the voice and saw a young woman of seventeen or eighteen sitting in the corner, wearing a two-colored jacket embroidered with golden chrysanthemums. She wore a large gold phoenix hairpin with auspicious pearls and a crimson gold-embroidered skirt. She had an oval face with a slightly pointed chin, bright eyes, and white teeth, with a black beauty mark under her left eye. Though heavily made up, which would have looked vulgar on others, it suited her well. She seemed impatient as she examined her freshly dyed nails, her gold bracelets making her wrists appear especially white.

Xiang Lan thought to herself: “Among all the women in the room, aside from the exceptionally beautiful Zhao Yue Chan, she’s the most eye-catching. Her bearing is like that of a proper young lady – she must not be from a humble background.”

“Sister Hua Mei, how can you speak like that… I’m only concerned about Master’s flesh and blood.” Ying Ge wore an expression of shock and distress as more tears fell.

Hua Mei seemed to be smirking behind her handkerchief as she said, “Enough, save your pitiful act for Master. It won’t work on me. Aren’t you always complaining about chest pain or stomach aches to lure Master to your room? The master will be back soon, and today’s fortunate bump gives you another chance to cry and gain more of his love and pity. Perhaps tomorrow I should learn from Sister Ying Ge – get caught in the rain, lie in bed moaning until Master comes, and maybe end up with child myself…”

Zhao Yue Chan said coldly, “Hua Mei, have you said enough?”

Hua Mei smiled charmingly: “Yes, I’ll be quiet.” She then took out a hand mirror from her sleeve and began fixing her hair.

Xiang Lan could barely keep from laughing, thinking: “Master has three concubines – Chun Yan, Ying Ge, and Hua Mei. Chun Yan is lively and pretty, Ying Ge plays the pitiful beauty, and Hua Mei is alluring and gorgeous. This room full of beauties covers every type. Add in the heavenly beautiful Zhao Yue Chan, and Lin Jin Lou is quite fortunate in love. Among these three, Chun Yan is the most brainless, Ying Ge the most theatrical, and Hua Mei the most interesting.”

Zhao Yue Chan stared at Ying Ge and asked, “Did you see who bumped into you earlier?”

Ying Ge shook her head, saying, “After we left Madam’s room, I had just reached the steps when someone pushed me hard from behind. If Lei Er hadn’t grabbed me, I would have fallen… but I still hit my stomach, and it hurts.” She clutched her abdomen, frowning in apparent pain.

Zhao Yue Chan said, “Just rest well. Ying Shuang has already sent Xiao Yi to fetch the doctor.”

Suddenly Zhi Cao burst into loud sobs: “Madam, Madam, it wasn’t me! I didn’t push Chun Yan!”

“Nonsense! It was you who pushed me hard from behind, making me bump into Ying Ge!” Chun Yan pointed at Zhi Cao, her eyes nearly shooting fire.

“It wasn’t me, it wasn’t me, really wasn’t me!” Zhi Cao shook her head vigorously, crying so hard she hiccupped, her earrings swinging and hitting her face.

Chun Yan trembled with rage: “I saw your hands grabbing my clothes, yet you dare say it wasn’t you! I’ll tear your mouth!” She lunged at Zhi Cao.

Zhi Cao screamed as Chun Yan pinned her down and started hitting her. The maids in the room were shocked and rushed to separate them. Ying Ge wore a cold smile while clutching her stomach and moaning. Hua Mei sat in the corner, shrieking, “Oh my, what shall we do? Hurry and stop them! Sister Chun Yan, let go quickly, don’t beat that little maid to death.” Her voice contained amusement.

Xiang Lan’s eyes widened – this Chun Yan truly inherited Second Aunt Lü’s fiery temper, resorting to violence at the slightest provocation. As she watched the two rolling around while others failed to separate them, she suddenly felt a weight on her shoulder and heard a voice say, “What are you watching?”

Xiang Lan jumped in fright, losing half her wits. Turning around, she saw a round-faced young maid standing behind her, smiling broadly – it was Xiao Juan, whom she’d met on her first day at the mansion.

Xiang Lan clutched her chest, saying, “Oh, it’s you. You scared me.”

Xiao Juan grinned: “What are you sneaking around looking at…” Before she could finish, her expression suddenly turned serious. She pulled Xiang Lan aside and whispered, “Quick, bow your head and stand properly.” Xiang Lan hurriedly followed suit, bowing her head respectfully. From the corner of her eye, she saw a tall figure hurrying past without looking at them, pushing open the door and entering with a stern voice: “What’s all this commotion!”

As the saying goes, “When one bird enters the forest, a hundred birds fall silent” – the room full of beauties immediately grew quiet. Chun Yan, still straddling Zhi Cao, hurriedly scrambled off upon hearing the voice. She frantically adjusted her loosened hair, stealing a glance at the door and mumbling, “Master.”

Zhi Cao still lay half-prone on the ground sobbing, her hair completely disheveled by Chun Yan, with hairpins and ornaments hanging loosely. An old woman tried to help her up, succeeding only after several attempts.

Lin Jin Lou squinted, his gaze sharp as a sword, slowly scanning the room. His presence alone was intimidating, making everyone feel suffocated and unconsciously step back. Finally, his gaze settled on Zhao Yue Chan, asking, “What’s going on here?”

Zhao Yue Chan raised an eyebrow and said, “Someone bumped into Ying Ge, and she says her stomach hurts. I immediately had her rest here and sent her to a doctor. Chun Yan and Zhi Cao were standing behind Ying Ge at the time. Chun Yan says Zhi Cao pushed her, causing her to bump into Ying Ge. Zhi Cao claims she didn’t push Chun Yan, saying Chun Yan bumped into Ying Ge on her own.”

Lin Jin Lou sat down in a chair, his voice hard as stone: “Has the doctor been called?”

Ying Shuang said softly, “Someone has been sent to fetch one. They should arrive soon.”

Lin Jin Lou looked at Ying Ge, who had tears on her pale face. Seeing Lin Jin Lou look her way, she appeared even more pitiful, furrowing her delicate brows and gazing at him with a “please pity me” expression. Lin Jin Lou turned to look at Zhao Yue Chan: “You’ve created quite a scene here, turning from an interrogation into a brawl. Have you learned anything? Who pushed Ying Ge?”

Zhao Yue Chan played with her red musk prayer beads, her expression indifferent: “I feel uneasy about making such a scene, but Ying Ge carries Master’s child. She’s now the apple of Master’s eye, and Master has repeatedly instructed me to take special care of her. If this bump harms the child, even hanging myself wouldn’t atone for the guilt. Never mind an interrogation or brawl – I’d willingly reenact King Xiang Yu’s suicide at Wu River if necessary.”

Chun Yan fell to her knees with a thud, crying out: “Ma… Master, I didn’t push her. Someone pushed me from behind, and I lost my balance and bumped into Ying Ge…” As she spoke, she inched forward, trying to grab Lin Jin Lou’s leg. But one glance from Lin Jin Lou stopped her in her tracks. She awkwardly lowered her hand, collapsing into a heap on the ground, still crying, “I didn’t mean to…”

Ying Shuang’s eyes flashed as she stepped forward and snapped, “Silence! Neither Master nor Madam has spoken – how dare you interrupt!”

Chun Yan was startled, shrinking her neck and not daring to speak further.