Everyone was shocked. They hurriedly took Fangsi down, but her body was cold and stiff, indicating she had been dead for some time. It turned out that the previous night, Fangsi had cried until midnight, begging her mother to plead with Madam Song again. But Madam Guo had sighed, “Madam follows Young Master in everything.

Didn’t you see Young Master has made up his mind? It’s all your fault, you worthless creature, not only acting blindly but dragging me down too. After leaving the Song family, where can we mother and daughter go? Which of our relatives can we rely on?” Growing angry as she spoke, she struck Fangsi twice, wailing, “My fate is truly bitter, to have given birth to such a thoughtless wretch! I told you to endure for two years, but you wouldn’t listen, wasting such a good position and future. No wonder Young Master looks down on you, you lowborn beast, not fit for higher places!”

Hearing this, Fangsi cried even more bitterly. Madam Guo continued grumbling for a while, but her hands weren’t idle, packing up all the personal belongings she had accumulated over the years at the Song residence. The most valuable items that couldn’t be shown openly, she sewed into pockets inside her clothes to carry on her person. She had considered the Song household her retirement home, so she had accumulated many possessions – enough to fill three large trunks. But carrying so much out would be too conspicuous, so she selected only the most valuable items to fill one trunk.

Looking at the remaining items, Madam Guo felt heartache. Seeing Fangsi still weeping in the corner, her anger flared again. She struck Fangsi twice more, shrieking, “This is karma! Hurry up and pack instead of crying – I’m not dead yet!” She pushed and pinched Fangsi into the side room.

Fangsi, face covered in tears, opened the trunk and immediately saw the half-finished crossed-collar robe she had been making for Song Ke. Holding the garment, she wept bitterly, though careful not to let her mother hear. She thought to herself, “Young Master, my dear lord, how can you be so cruel! Now for the sake of Xiang Lan, you treat me like dirt, rushing to drive me away. Has all my past devotion to you counted for nothing?”

After crying for a while, she gritted her teeth and thought, “The Song family is determined not to keep me. All my hopes have turned to nothing. Why go home just to face more misery? Better to die and be done with it. At least my spirit can remain in the Song household – I won’t have to leave after all!”

She rummaged through the boxes and found her favorite bright outfit that she wore daily, staring at it for a long while. Madam Guo glanced over, saw the open trunks, and assumed Fangsi was packing, so she left reassured. Fangsi washed her face, tearfully changed her clothes, opened her mirror case to do her eyebrows and hair, made herself up fully, and put on all her valuable jewelry. She sat staring at the candlelight until the third watch. Looking outside, she saw all the lights were out in her mother’s room, indicating she was asleep.

She returned, tore a white silk trouser leg into a strip, stood on a stool to tie it to the beam, put her head through the loop, kicked away the stool, and departed for the yellow springs, swaying in the air.

In the morning, when Madam Guo came to call after washing up, she pushed open the door to find Fangsi hanging from the beam. She first screamed in shock, then collapsed to the ground, wetting herself.

When people took Fangsi down, they saw she was fully dressed and heavily made up, but her face was purple, her eyes bulging, with her tongue protruding – a horrifying sight in death. Madam Guo wailed over the corpse, constantly crying “My darling,” alternating between “How can I live without you!” and “Useless child, how could you die so stubbornly!”

She fainted straight away, and people had to pinch her philtrum and massage her chest. Madam Guo groaned and came to, but upon seeing the corpse again, she broke down crying once more.

When Madam Song received the news, she hurriedly came supported by Song Tanchai. Seeing Madam Guo’s pitiful state embracing the corpse and wailing, tears immediately rolled down her face. Song Ke quickly stepped forward, saying, “The sight is too unbearable – Mother, please return. I will handle this matter.”

Madam Song trembled, pointing at Song Ke with her prayer beads while crying, “This, this is all you’re doing… Now a life has been lost – are you satisfied? Poor clever Fangsi…” Unable to continue, she covered her face and wept.

Song Ke gave a look, and Song Tanchai gently consoled their mother and led her away.

Xiang Lan silently sighed, thinking this was truly an undeserved disaster for the Song family. They weren’t simply driving Fangsi away but sending her off with silver, jewelry, and fabric – treating her like an honored deity. Yet unexpectedly, it ended with this sickening event. She felt great pity and regret for Fangsi but also pitied her foolishness. Though a servant, Fangsi had never suffered in the Song household, living more comfortably than many young ladies. The masters had kindly offered to send her away with silver, and she could have found a reliable man to establish a family with, leading a peaceful life thereafter. Instead, she had so easily thrown away her life, leaving her mother to bury her child – truly too tragic.

Wanting to help but fearing Madam Guo would resent her presence, she quietly pulled Song Ke’s sleeve and said, “Fangsi was different from other maids. Since she died in the household, if we don’t properly handle her funeral, people will criticize us for being unkind. Does Young Master have any plans?”

Song Ke rubbed his brow and said, “Let’s handle it according to normal customs. Though Mother favored her, she was still a maid and shouldn’t exceed her station. We can give Madam Guo extra silver afterward.”

Xiang Lan, concerned for Song Ke, thought for a moment and said, “Young Master should focus on your studies – you can’t neglect the academy.”

Song Ke smiled bitterly, “If I don’t handle it, who in the household can? We can’t count on Mother, and my sister is an unmarried lady – it’s not appropriate for her to arrange a funeral.”

Xiang Lan said, “If you trust me, I can help manage it.”

Song Ke hesitated, “Can you handle it?”

Xiang Lan smiled, “Why not? If I can’t manage well, I’ll come to ask for your guidance.”

Seeing Xiang Lan’s jade-like smiling face, Song Ke’s troubled heart calmed. He thought to himself, “The household needs someone who can manage things. Let her handle it – if there’s any problem, I can fix it.” He nodded agreement and drew another hundred taels from the accounts.

Xiang Lan took charge, selecting a room from the back wing for the spirit hall, finding white cloth from storage to decorate inside and out, and sending people to buy incense, candles, paper money, a coffin, and other necessary items.

When Song Ke returned at noon, everything was prepared. He visited the spirit hall and offered incense to Fangsi. He saw Madam Guo sitting there blank-eyed, letting others arrange everything as if she had gone mad.

Back in his room, Xiang Lan was checking the accounts. Seeing him return, she said, “Including the coffin, we’ve spent forty taels total. Here are the details for your private review.”

Song Ke glanced at it, satisfied. Xiang Lan continued, “However since Fangsi died in the main house, it’s troubling. Young Master drew a hundred taels – we could use the remaining money to replace the beam and invite monks to chant sutras for her spirit. This would ease minds and comfort Fangsi’s soul.”

Song Ke had been uncomfortable about Fangsi dying in his mother’s room and replied, “Let’s do as you suggest.” He took Xiang Lan’s hand, saying, “Thank you for handling all this, saving me much trouble.”

Xiang Lan’s face reddened as she withdrew her hand. This made Song Ke value her even more, admiring her capability and respectability.

Due to the hot weather, the funeral was held after three days, with the spirit tablet placed at Jingyue Temple. The funeral was quite elaborate. Madam Song couldn’t help crying again, and afterward wanted to keep Madam Guo.

Song Ke frowned and said, “Fangsi died here – if Mother keeps Madam Guo, won’t she be constantly reminded and saddened? Better to send her to the old residence in the capital, where the Song family will provide for her in her old age.”

Madam Song saw the reason for this and sighed in agreement.

Madam Guo had hoped Madam Song would keep her, but even after the funeral concluded, Madam Song showed no such intention. She couldn’t help complaining to others, “I’m just an old woman with no one to rely on, not knowing where to go… I truly can’t bear to leave Madam.”

However, she now lived in the back wing and rarely saw Madam Song. Juan Hua, who now served Madam Song, followed Song Tanchai’s orders to keep strictly silent and warned the young maids, so none of Madam Guo’s complaints reached Madam Song’s ears.

After Fangsi’s burial, Song Ke urged Madam Guo to leave. Unable to stay longer, she went to kowtow to Madam Song while Song Ke was away.

Entering the inner courtyard, she saw Xiang Lan wearing a peach-red and white phoenix-tail dress, as bright as dewdrops on flowers, radiant and glamorous, chatting and giggling with Juan Hua.

Madam Guo’s eyes reddened with secret hatred: “If not for this little demon, how could my daughter have lost her life so needlessly? Now she lives comfortably while my daughter died so tragically…” She directed all her bitter resentment toward Xiang Lan.

Xiang Lan had noticed Madam Guo’s entrance from the corner of her eye. Seeing how she seemed to have aged ten years in these few days, her hair now completely white, she felt pity. But noting the hateful look in her eyes, she was startled, then understanding, shook her head, and thought: “Those who deserve pity often deserve hatred too. If she had taught her daughter better, how could Fangsi have come to this? The young maids say Fangsi cried until midnight that night while her mother beat and scolded her – perhaps Fangsi’s death was partly due to her mother’s abuse. Now that she hates me, I must be careful.”

She pulled Juan Hua’s sleeve with a meaningful look. Juan Hua turned to see Madam Guo climbing the steps toward the house and quickly said, “Madam, are you here to see the Madam? She’s reciting sutras – let me announce you.” She hurriedly lifted her skirts and went inside.

Madam Guo deliberately raised her voice, “This old servant is returning to Beijing and has come to kowtow to Madam.”

Hearing this from inside, Madam Song quickly said, “Let her in!”

When mistress and servant met, tears naturally flowed as they wept together. Madam Guo wiped her tears and said, “It’s all my fault. I came to kowtow and thank Madam for her kindness, but instead made Madam cry.” She tremblingly kowtowed, saying hoarsely, “Though this old servant can’t bear to leave Madam, I must go now. We may never meet again – Madam must take care of herself… This old servant… this old servant truly…” She choked up.

But Madam Song broke down first, sobbing deeply.

Xiang Lan stood outside, peeping through the window, thinking to herself: “This Madam Guo is truly capable, knowing exactly how to touch Madam’s weak spot. She’s so good at crying and speaking – it would be terrible if she softens Madam’s heart with a few words.” Frowning in thought, she quietly walked away.