Xiang Lan walked to the back door where the carriage was ready. Lifting the curtain to peek inside, she saw a red-lacquered camphorwood chest in the carriage compartment. Without hesitation, she climbed into the carriage and began untying the ropes securing the chest. The door-keeping matron anxiously asked, “Miss, what are you doing?”

“Don’t stop me,” Xiang Lan replied. “This is Young Master’s order. I have my reasons.” Opening the chest’s lid, she found only some coarse cotton clothes in the top layer. She kept digging through layer after layer until she discovered precious items like the Jade Gallbladder Vase hidden inside. Shaking out a cotton jacket, a cloth bundle fell out. When she opened it, she found gold, silver, and jade jewelry—Phoenix Facing the Sun Hairpin and pure gold necklaces—clearly items that only the masters could afford to wear.

Xiang Lan gave a slight cold smile and called Lu Dou over, saying, “Quickly go call the First Young Lady, tell her something terrible has happened in the back.” Lu Dou was quick-witted and ran off immediately.

Soon enough, Song Tan Chai arrived holding Jun Xi’s hand. All the servants and attendants hurriedly stepped aside. Xiang Lan pointed to the items found in Matron Guo’s chest and said, “Young Lady, please look at these. She had hidden them, preparing to take them away.”

Jun Xi stuck out her tongue and exclaimed, “My goodness, there’s so much!”

Song Tan Chai trembled with anger, gritting her teeth as she said, “How outrageous! Such a devious servant deserves to be beaten to death with clubs before being thrown out! Where is she now?”

“She’s kowtowing in Madam’s room,” replied Xiang Lan.

Song Tan Chai turned to leave immediately. Jun Xi said, “Young Lady, don’t rush. Let’s have someone take back the discovered items first.”

Song Tan Chai thought for a moment and said, “If some of these items were Mother’s gifts to her if we take everything away…”

Xiang Lan gave a cold smile and said, “Young Lady, don’t worry. The most incriminating items are probably on her person. When I saw her go to kowtow to Madam earlier, her chest and waist were bulging—how could summer clothes be so bulky?”

Hearing this, Song Tan Chai’s eyebrows shot up again. Xiang Lan whispered something to her, and Song Tan Chai nodded repeatedly.

Meanwhile, in the main room, Matron Guo was crying, her face covered in tears, “This old servant had hoped to stay by Madam’s side through thick and thin, but who would have thought such a thing would happen? My thoughtless little beast has caused Madam trouble. This old servant truly deserves ten thousand deaths to face Madam…” She continued kowtowing without stopping.

Madam Song quickly rose to help Matron Guo by her arm, saying, “Get up, get up, the ground is cold. Stand up and we’ll talk.”

Juan Hua also went to help her up. Matron Guo stood but when Madam Song asked her to sit, she refused. Finally, she sat sideways on a small stool at Madam Song’s feet. Looking at Matron Guo’s hunched body and graying hair, Madam Song felt heartache, thinking to herself, “She used to be so healthy and cheerful, but now she’s come to this state. Not only has she lost her daughter, but she’s also grown distant from me…” Aloud, she said, “Try to accept it. Elder Brother said the Song family will certainly provide for you in your old age. When the time comes, you can choose whichever maid or servant you like to become your adopted child, to care for you like a son or daughter for life.”

Matron Guo shook her head, tears streaming down her face. Madam Song also shed a few tears. Matron Guo wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and said to Madam Song, “This old servant has been keeping something in her heart, hesitating whether to speak of it or not. But since I’m about to leave, I might as well speak up. If Madam doesn’t believe it, then so be it. But if you do believe it, please keep it in mind.”

“What is it?” asked Madam Song.

Matron Guo gave her a meaningful look. Madam Song understood and said to Juan Hua, “You go first. Tell the kitchen to add a soup for Elder Sister’s lunch.”

After Juan Hua left, Matron Guo said, “This old servant has always felt that Xiang Lan isn’t someone who knows her place. Since coming to our family, not only has the family paid silver for her medical treatment, but she’s also captivated the Young Master’s soul. I heard several senior sisters in the household discussing how Young Master had released Xiang Lan’s parents from service. Originally, they were just a modest household, but these days they’ve become wealthy, spending lavishly. They have meat with every meal, and they’ve bought new furniture. I heard they’re even looking around to buy a house! The door-keeping matron says Xiang Lan frequently returns home through the back door. I think she’s finding ways to move silver from the Song family to her home! Madam, think about it—how else could her family become wealthy so quickly?”

Madam Song was somewhat convinced but still hesitated, saying, “Young Master lives simply—how much money could he have in his quarters? Large sums are all recorded in the accounts. Though I don’t manage them, I know every bit must be recorded. How could a mere maid touch the accounts? If you say she’s living extravagantly daily, perhaps the girl has stolen some silver, but buying a house is such a large expense—surely that’s impossible.”

Matron Guo urgently said, “Madam is too kind! Think about it—though Young Master’s quarters may not have much silver, there are still several precious items. The white jade vessel, the lion-shaped tripod—all left by the Master. If that girl has stolen and sold them…”

Madam Song’s expression finally turned serious. She patted the kang table and said, “I understand. Tomorrow I’ll have Tan’er secretly check if anything is missing from Young Master’s quarters.”

Matron Guo continued, “Not only that, but I’ve observed that Xiang Lan’s facial features don’t bode well—they’re not the features of someone destined for great fortune, longevity, and many children.”

Madam Song knew that Matron Guo had some skill in physiognomy and quickly asked, “What’s not good about them? I thought she looked kind, with clear eyes and fine brows, a slim waist and round hips—features suitable for bearing sons.”

Matron Guo mysteriously said, “Madam doesn’t know, but women with such outstanding beauty are not good to take as wives. Look at her face, with its peach blossom complexion. The ‘Art of Hemp Cloth Physiognomy’ says, ‘Those with faces like peach blossoms must be bewitching.’ It means that those with such delicate, peach-blossom-like complexions must be licentious people. They won’t bear children early, and far from being fortunate, they might cause one’s wealth to scatter and their family to fall into ruin. They might even bring death to others!”

When Madam Song heard the words “bring death,” she was greatly alarmed and hurriedly said, “What should we do? Will she bring harm to our Young Master?” She grabbed Matron Guo’s hand and continued, “Thank goodness for you. I had no idea about such matters. Ah, if it weren’t for Young Master saying that staying here constantly reminded you of how Fang Si died, fearing it would sadden you, I truly wouldn’t want to let you leave like this…”

Matron Guo’s heart leaped with joy. She was about to say, “It’s no matter, I’m willing to stay here with Madam,” when she heard the door open. Song Tan Chai entered supporting Xiang Lan’s hand. Seeing Matron Guo, she smiled and said, “Matron is still here having a hard time parting with Madam? The carriage at the gate has been ready for quite some time. Lu Dou was just sent to ask when Matron Guo would depart.”

Matron Guo’s heart tightened, and she hurriedly said, “Madam can’t bear to part with me, I…”

But Xiang Lan took a small step forward and said, “Matron should quickly go check. Your packed chest just fell from the carriage and broke open on the ground. Things are scattered everywhere. The servants were going to clean it up, but I was worried that with too many hands, someone might steal your things, so I ordered them to leave it alone.”

Matron Guo’s face changed dramatically. Song Tan Chai gave a sardonic smile and said, “Matron, since you’ve kowtowed to Madam, you should hurry and take a look.”

Madam Song hurried outside. At the back door, she saw the chest wide open. Besides the few hairpins and rings that she and Fang Si usually used and the trinkets given by the masters, all the other hidden vessels and jewelry were gone. The silver notes at the bottom of the chest remained untouched. Her hands and feet instantly turned cold, and she cried out, “Oh! Those damned beasts!”

From behind came a cold voice asking, “Who is Matron cursing?” Song Tan Chai approached and ordered the matrons on either side, “Hold her arms.” Then she told Yue Xi and Jun Xi, “Search her.” The two stepped forward and reached into Madam Song’s clothes. Sure enough, they felt something hard and found over ten pieces of precious jewelry on her person.

Song Tan Chai’s face darkened as she pointed to a jeweled ring, saying, “This is part of Madam’s dowry. I’ll go ask her if she gave it to you.”

Matron Guo’s legs went weak. Crying bitterly, she pleaded, “Young Lady, have mercy! At least let me keep some dignity!”

Song Tan Chai looked at her with disgust and ordered, “Tie her up and throw her in the carriage.”

Matron Guo wailed without cease: “Young Lady, please spare me!”

Song Tan Chai shouted, “Hurry and gag her!”

Someone stuffed a cleaning cloth into Matron Guo’s mouth, and many hands tied her into a bundle.

Xiang Lan asked, “Young Lady, do you still plan to send her to Beijing?”

Song Tan Chai frowned slightly: “It wouldn’t be safe to send someone like her to the old residence. I was thinking of selling her, but I’m afraid Mother won’t agree.”

Xiang Lan sighed silently. Though Matron Guo was detestable, she was now alone, having lost her daughter, and truly pitiful. Since they were already sending her away, as long as they never met again in the future, that would be enough. Why go to extremes? So she said, “I heard that when the Master passed away, Matron Guo stayed by Madam’s side throughout. She has suffered some hardships these years. If we sell her like this, word might spread that the Song family is unkind. I heard Young Master mention she has a nephew in Yangzhou—why not send her there?”

Song Tan Chai nodded and told the cart driver, “Don’t take her to Beijing. Take her directly to her nephew’s house in Yangzhou. Tell her nephew to watch her carefully and not let her return to the Song family! If he can keep her in check, the Song family will give five taels of silver each year; if he can’t control her, he’ll have to weigh the consequences himself.”

As the two stood by the carriage, Matron Guo heard Song Tan Chai’s words about “wanting to sell her” and was so angry her eyes nearly popped out. She made muffled sounds and struggled all over. But when she later heard Xiang Lan suggest sending her to relatives in Yangzhou, she was stunned. She never imagined that at this point, Xiang Lan would still speak up for her. She suddenly felt all strength leave her body and lay in the carriage like one dead.

She vaguely understood in her heart that Fang Si’s suicide couldn’t be blamed on Xiang Lan, but she needed someone to hate to feel better. If Xiang Lan hadn’t come to the Song family, she and her daughter would still be fine, serving as second-tier masters, living well with fine food and clothes. Though Young Master didn’t fancy Fang Si, he was always cordial. After another year or two of persuading Madam to intervene, Young Master would eventually have taken her as a concubine. But now?

Fang Si lay lonely in her coffin buried underground, and the Song family had even replaced the beam from which she had hanged herself. Everyone now surrounded Xiang Lan, just as they had once surrounded Fang Si…

Matron Guo closed her eyes, and tears rolled down her face.