As dawn barely broke, the entire He household quietly rose from their beds. Even the children who usually required coaxing and threats from adults and servants got up on time, tidied themselves properly, and sat at the breakfast table.
Madam Cen appeared at the table punctually. Though her face showed signs of age and fatigue, her makeup was impeccable and her attire as elegant as ever, no different from before. She cast an authoritative glance at the family members. Noticing that Lady Bai, Lady Zhang, and Concubine Yang had swollen, red eyes and looked dispirited, yet were all neatly dressed and groomed, she nodded with satisfaction. “This is how it should be. The He family hasn’t fallen yet; we mustn’t lose our spirit.”
She briefly reported the financial losses tallied by Concubine Wu the previous day, then said in a deliberately cheerful tone, “Thankfully, we were prepared. Even if we stop doing business now, we can still live comfortably.”
Hearing this, everyone forced smiles. Madam Cen continued, “We can’t just sit around idly, nor can we rely solely on Danni working outside. After breakfast, let’s visit our acquaintances.”
He Hong was the first to volunteer, “Let me accompany Grandmother.” Once he spoke up, He Ru and the others quickly followed suit, expressing their willingness to go out with the adults. Ying Niang and Rong Niang offered to stay home to look after the younger children and handle household matters: “Although we’re not very experienced, we can start familiarizing ourselves with these tasks, little by little.”
Madam Cen’s eyes reddened slightly, then she smiled and nodded, “Good, good. It seems our careful upbringing hasn’t been in vain.” Seeing the children’s sensibility lifted everyone’s spirits considerably.
Halfway through the meal, Li Manniang and several of the He family’s relatives and friends arrived. They hurried in, first offering words of comfort before expressing relief. Li Manniang said, “Seeing you like this puts our minds at ease. We meant to come yesterday when we heard the news, but we wanted to gather more information first, which delayed us until this morning.”
“You’ve troubled yourselves during the festival,” Madam Cen quickly invited them to sit, exchanging pleasantries before getting to the point and explaining the situation in detail. Mudan came to pay her respects and greet everyone, then excused herself to leave.
“Danni!” Madam Cen looked at Mudan with concern, hesitated, then finally said, “Be careful, and come home early.”
Mudan felt a warmth in her heart. She nodded and silently left.
After Mudan’s departure, Li Manniang spoke quietly to Madam Cen, “Xing heard the news yesterday and rushed over with his father. When they arrived, you had already returned home, so they went elsewhere. Early this morning, father and son went out again. They’re doing everything they can to help. As soon as there’s definite news, they’ll send someone immediately. They asked me to come check on you first and see if there’s anything else we can do.”
Though Li Manniang didn’t say it explicitly, Madam Cen understood that Li Xing was likely deliberately avoiding Mudan, and Li Yuan probably felt it inappropriate to visit directly. Instead, he sent Li Manniang as a representative. However, since both father and son were helping behind the scenes, there was nothing to complain about. She thanked them, saying, “There’s nothing that needs to be done at the moment, but we appreciate your concern.”
Li Manniang sighed, “Are you going out? Go ahead, I’ll keep an eye on things here.”
Madam Cen thanked her and prepared to leave.
Meanwhile, Mudan walked out the door, took the reins from a servant, and mounted her horse. Standing at the street corner, she looked up at the gloomy sky, thinking about what she was about to do, her body filled with fighting spirit and strength. She was determined to succeed, to do well.
The early morning at the Zhu Gong mansion was eerily quiet, with no human voices to be heard. Only the occasional chirping of two birds, originally kept by Jiang Changzhong when he was home, broke the silence. Madam Du, looking somewhat tired, emerged from the room of the elderly Madam, who had been unwell since her last illness. She stood in the corridor, her expression somber as she gazed at the bare persimmon tree by the wall, increasingly thinking of Jiang Changzhong, who had been left behind in the military camp by Jiang Chong. Jiang Chong had returned with a carefree attitude, leaving Changzhong all alone there. She wondered how he was faring. Did he have new clothes to wear for the New Year? Did he have meat to eat? Would his temperament allow him to get along with others? Would he be taken advantage of by others’ schemes?
As she was lost in these heartrending thoughts, she suddenly saw Jiang Changyi and Jiang Yunqing walking slowly from afar. The siblings were talking and laughing quietly. Both were dressed in new clothes, looking bright and beautiful. The young man appeared handsome and refined, while the young woman was graceful and elegant. They had both grown into fine young adults.
Madam Du felt a surge of discomfort. They seemed to be living so comfortably… But then she noticed that when the siblings saw her, they immediately wiped the smiles from their faces and approached her with restraint, carefully bowing and greeting her. Seeing this, Madam Du felt even more upset. Why did they act this way? Was she a tiger? Had she ever deprived them of food or clothing? A bunch of ungrateful white-eyed wolves! While cursing inwardly, she maintained a facade of kindness on her face and said gently, “Have you both had breakfast? Are you here to pay respects to your grandmother?”
Jiang Changyi, with a somewhat ingratiating smile, replied, “Yes, this morning’s breakfast was delicious. Has Mother eaten yet? You’ve been so busy and tired lately, you should rest more. Grandmother won’t blame you.”
Jiang Yunqing added, “Yes, yes, let me take care of things here. Mother, please go and rest. You’ve been working so hard.” She then added shamefacedly, “I’m embarrassed to say that I didn’t wake up as early as Mother. I’m truly unfilial.”
Madam Du felt somewhat mollified and sighed, “Ever since your grandmother fell ill last time, she hasn’t been getting better. I’m really worried.” Just then, she saw Jiang Chong approaching with his hands behind his back. She felt annoyed again and turned her face away, smiling even more brightly and warmly at the two children, asking after their well-being and inquiring about Jiang Changzhong’s studies.
Jiang Chong listened for a while, then said, “Wife, you’re exhausted. Go and rest. Leave this to us.”
For some reason, ever since Jiang Changzhong had been sent away, Madam Du suddenly felt insecure. Even though she had eyes and ears everywhere, she still wasn’t at ease. How could she miss such a lively, joyous scene where the whole family was showing filial piety? Seeing that Jiang Chong and the children were about to go in to accompany the elderly Madam, she suddenly felt her fatigue disappear and wanted to join them. Indeed, Jiang Chong gave her a grateful look and, when the children weren’t paying attention, secretly squeezed her hand.
Suddenly, Bai Xiang hurried in, winked at her, and said, “Madam, there’s a small matter in the outer accounting room that requires your attention.”
Madam Du looked tiredly at Jiang Chong and the others, smiling, “I’ll go take a look.”
Jiang Chong said, “You’re always taking care of everything by yourself. How can you manage it all? Let Qing’er and Yi’er help share the burden. You rest, and let the two of them go.”
The speaker meant no harm, but the listeners took it to heart. Jiang Changyi, Jiang Yunqing, and Madam Du all had strange expressions on their faces. Madam Du smiled and said, “That’s fine, let Qing’er come along.”
Jiang Yunqing didn’t dare to go. She would rather be scolded for being lazy, useless, and unfilial than go. She smiled coyly and said, “Mother, please spare me this time. I’ll follow you another day. It’s rare to have Father and Brother at home…”
Madam Du pretended to scold her a couple of times, then followed Bai Xiang out. Once they reached the outer room, she asked, “What is it?”
Bai Xiang looked around cautiously before whispering, “A guest has arrived. It’s He Mudan. She’s brought quite a few gifts.”
Madam Du was startled, then smiled coldly, “Well, well, the sun must be rising from the west. What is she here for?”
“She hasn’t said yet. But she doesn’t look too well,” Bai Xiang replied. “So, will you see her or not, Madam?”
Madam Du raised an eyebrow, “See her? Of course, I’ll see her. Didn’t I warmly invite her to visit? How could I not receive her now that she’s here? That wouldn’t be right. Go and escort her to the flower hall immediately. Serve her the best tea and fruits. I’ll be there shortly.”
Bai Xiang left to carry out her orders.
Madam Du returned to her room and slowly changed into a set of magnificent clothes, making herself look dazzling before leisurely heading out. By the time Bai Xiang came to inform her, nearly half an hour had passed.
Outside the flower hall, she stopped to listen. The room was completely silent, with only Bai Xiang’s laughter sounding particularly jarring. After a long while, she heard Mudan’s weak response. Madam Du plastered a smile on her face and said in a cheerful voice, “What a rare guest! What wind has blown such an esteemed visitor to our home today?”
She saw that Mudan was wearing a set of pink-green brocade jacket and skirt, with several double-pronged gold hairpins in her hair. She wore no makeup, and upon seeing Madam Du, her eyes immediately reddened. As she rose to greet her, she forced a smile and said, “Thank you for not rejecting me, Madam, and for visiting me at home. I’ve been meaning to return the courtesy but never had the chance. I took the opportunity of the festival to visit you. I hope I’m not being presumptuous.”
Madam Du hurriedly steadied her, smiling, “What nonsense are you talking? I sincerely invite you to visit. It’s just that you didn’t come, and I didn’t want to force you.”
She noticed that Mudan seemed to be holding something back as if facing some difficulty. While speculating, Madam Du deliberately acted warmly, urging Mudan to eat this and take that, chatting about trivial matters to block Mudan from speaking.
Mudan was prepared for this. Knowing Madam Du’s propensity for pretense, she simply stood up to bow and said in one breath, “To be honest, I wouldn’t dare to disturb you without good reason. I’ve come to seek your help, Madam.”
Madam Du immediately changed her demeanor, putting away her smile. She steadied Mudan, speaking with concern and warmth, “Oh my, what’s this about? We can talk properly. Tell me, if there’s anything I can do to help, I certainly won’t refuse!”
Mudan gratefully said, “I knew Madam was kindhearted. This trip hasn’t been in vain.” She then recounted the He family’s misfortune, not mentioning Liu Chang but only mentioning Xiao Yuexi. With a red face and trembling voice, she said, “I don’t know how the Xiao family could have such a misunderstanding, believing that the Grand Duke and I have that kind of intimate relationship. I’m at my wit’s end now and had no choice but to come to your residence, shamelessly asking Madam to help clarify the situation. Please don’t let me be hastily married off to a distant place. I would be eternally grateful.”
Madam Du couldn’t help but feel angry. The Xiao family was truly impatient – was their daughter unable to find a husband or what? Last time, she had politely declined Madam Xiao, the Minister’s wife. Then Jiang Chong returned, and Minister Xiao sent someone to propose marriage again. She had persuaded the elderly Madam, saying Xiao Xuexi’s behavior needed further observation. She also advised Jiang Chong to discuss it with Jiang Changyang first to avoid angering him and damaging their relationship or offending others. This had delayed things. Since then, the Xiao family hasn’t visited again. She thought anyone who cared about-face wouldn’t come again. Who knew they would now try to bypass the Zhu Gong mansion and still make the match, probably planning to approach Madam Wang? Dream on!
Thinking of this, Madam Du feigned righteous indignation: “How can they be so inconsiderate! To do such a thing!” Yet she didn’t make any firm commitments.
Mudan carefully observed her expression, showing slight hesitation and unease. She probed softly, “I can’t afford to offend their family. I’m afraid this matter will bring disaster to others in my family. If they don’t believe me, they might act more harshly and harm my brothers. I had no choice but to seek your help, Madam. I don’t know if you…”
Madam Du replied with an ambiguous smile, “If such behavior is true, I certainly don’t approve! But you know, these matters of human relationships aren’t so simple. It’s not difficult for me to help you, but you must tell me the truth so I can fully understand the situation.”
Mudan nodded, “Please ask.”
Madam Du looked up, her gaze sharp as she stared at Mudan: “There’s no smoke without fire. What’s going on between you and the eldest young master? If you don’t tell the truth, I won’t know how to handle this delicately. I want to help you, but I’m afraid of overstepping and making things worse.” Since the Xiao family was so wary of He Mudan, she couldn’t believe these two were completely innocent.
Mudan remained silent until Madam Du began to show impatience. Then she said softly, “I’m just a merchant’s daughter, and I’ve been divorced. I’m not worthy of him.”
The meaning was clear – she indeed had feelings for Jiang Changyang. Madam Du, keeping her composure, said, “Worthiness is not for others to decide. It depends on the eldest young master’s thoughts. What does he think?”
Mudan looked sad and dejected as she said, “He… his future is so bright…” She stopped there, then forced a smile and said, “The Grand Duke is a good person. He saved my life. I only wish him well.” Inwardly, she apologized for portraying Jiang Changyang as someone who craved power.
A good person! An ambitious good person! It seemed he truly had his eye on the throne, wanting both the beauty and the power, neglecting nothing. What a good person indeed! Madam Du was silent for a moment, then looked at Mudan sympathetically and said, “What a pity.” Seeing Mudan’s eyes redden again, she added, “You should go home now and wait for my news. I’ll do my best to clear up this misunderstanding for you.”
Her words were vague, neither promising nor refusing anything. Mudan didn’t say more. She stood up to leave, saying, “If Madam can indeed save my family, we’ll be at your service for anything you need.”
“I just hope for everyone’s well-being. If there’s a need, I’ll send someone to call for you,” Madam Du nodded and asked Bai Xiang to see Mudan out. Sitting in her place, she began to calculate. If this matter was indeed true, how could she ensure the Xiao family’s efforts would be in vain, completely dashing their hopes? If one Xiao family was gone, another would come. She wanted to see if Jiang Changyang couldn’t have both his desires fulfilled, which he would choose – He Mudan or something else? In this process, she would need to provoke this girl a bit, making her emotional and willing to cooperate with her actions. After a while, Bai Xiang came in, and she quietly instructed her, “Go, have someone investigate thoroughly what’s going on. Who’s in charge of this case? Don’t let others in the mansion know.”
Mudan left the Zhu Gong mansion and went straight to Fengle Ward. She had Kuan’er take money to knock on the door and request to see Ahui, while she hid far away by a wall. After about the time it takes to burn an incense stick, Ahui and Kuan’er were seen walking towards her, constantly looking back. Mudan then stepped out to meet them. Ahui said, “My mistress hasn’t been well enough to go out and meet guests lately. Please understand, Miss He. Whatever you need to say, you can tell me, and it’s the same.”
Mudan then spoke quietly for a while, with Ahui nodding continuously. After parting with Ahui, Kuan’er said, “Mistress, aren’t you going to see Lady Bai? Perhaps Lady Bai has other ways to find the Fen Princess.”
Mudan shook her head. Lady Bai needed to take care of her pregnancy, and Pan Rong had been helping since yesterday. By now, they should know about the connection with Liu Chang. There would be inconvenient, awkward aspects on both sides. Where they could help, they would do so without her saying much. If she went, it would only put them in a difficult position and worry Lady Bai. It was better to let Pan Rong comfort Lady Bai with kind words.
Seeing her shake her head, Kuan’er’s face also darkened. As the mistress and servant passed through the West Market, they first took a stroll inside. They saw that the usually bustling He family shop was tightly closed, with seals pasted on it, looking desolate. They couldn’t help feeling heartbroken. Kuan’er cursed, “The problem was clearly with the spices, why did they seal up this place too?”
Mudan rode back to the firm, sighing slightly, “Because the owner broke the law. So their entire existence is deemed unreasonable.” Fortunately, because of the upcoming festival and several days of holiday, many valuable items weren’t stored in the shop. Thanks to Miss Qin’s warning, Madam Cen had ordered them to be hidden in the wall cavity. Otherwise, it would have been more than just a disaster.
Kuan’er seemed to half-understand her words, only frowning and saying, “I wonder how the Madam and others are doing, going around to ask for favors?”
Mudan shook her head, “I don’t know. I just hope that my father and brothers have been kind and reasonable in their dealings, so people won’t kick us when we’re down.”
Suddenly, they heard someone shout, “Isn’t that the He family’s young lady?”
Mudan turned to look and saw a tall, dark-skinned man smiling and walking towards them. It was Aobu, whom she had met at the treasure gathering. He was wearing a snow-white round-necked, narrow-sleeved shirt, which made his dark skin stand out even more. Mudan dismounted and smiled at him, “It’s you.”
Aobu pointed to several foreign merchants dressed in various styles not far away and said sympathetically, “We’ve all heard about what happened. We don’t believe your family would do such a thing. We’ve received a lot of help from old Mr. He in the past. Everyone has pooled together some funds, intending to send them to your family. Perhaps if they’re well-fed, the second young master and his brothers can be released. Now that you’re here, we can give it to you instead. If you need witnesses, we can all go. The He family isn’t that kind of people.”
Seeing Mudan look over, those foreign merchants all bowed to her, their faces showing friendly concern. Mudan’s eyes welled up again, this time different from when she was at the Zhu Gong mansion – it was genuine emotion. She bowed back first, then said chokingly, “Thank you all for your kindness. I thank you on behalf of my father, mother, and brothers. I also believe that the truth will come out eventually. But please keep these for now, we don’t need them at the moment.”
An old Persian with white hair came over. It was the elder who had presided over the treasure gathering. He handed a jade token to Mudan and said, “We’ve all discussed it. Sending these things to your home might attract attention. They’ll be kept at my inn. If you need them later, anyone with this jade token can come and collect them. If you end up not needing them, you can return it to me later.”
Mudan couldn’t refuse. She carefully hid the token close to her body, thanking everyone with tears in her eyes and a smile. Then she hurried off to the East Market to find Zhang Wulang.
Usually, many shops would be closed for the festival, but because many people had free time and money to spend at this time, Zhang Wulang’s cockfighting arena was extremely busy. Zhang Wulang wasn’t out front supervising and greeting customers as usual but was hiding in a room, quietly discussing matters with someone.
Fan Li’er, wearing a new red silk cotton jacket and skirt, sat at the entrance with her legs crossed, holding a handkerchief full of melon seeds. She squinted her eyes, nibbling on the seeds while vigilantly watching the main door. When she saw someone enter and confirm their identity, she would move aside slightly. If she saw someone unsuitable, she would cough loudly and stand up to greet them loudly.
Mudan and Kuan’er pulled their hoods tight over their faces and rushed in. Fan Li’er saw them and was about to stand up and greet them loudly when she suddenly saw Mudan pull back her hood and smile at her. She smiled happily, pointing inside to indicate that Zhang Wulang was in there. Without announcing them to the people inside, she directly let Mudan enter. Then she pulled Kuan’er to sit with her at the entrance, sharing the melon seeds.
Mudan lifted the curtain and poked her head in, calling out, “Brother Zhang Wu.” Suddenly, there was silence inside. Zhang Wulang was sitting on the couch with his legs crossed, Gui was sitting nearby, and several other people, some familiar and some unfamiliar, were looking at her. Not far away, someone was sitting on a crescent-shaped stool with their back to her, motionless.
Gui was the first to stand up and bow. Zhang Wulang also greeted Mudan. Then the person turned around and looked at Mudan silently – it was Li Xing. She hadn’t seen him for a while and didn’t expect to find him here. It was probably a coincidence. Mudan was suddenly overwhelmed with emotion. She unconsciously grabbed her hood and smiled, saying, “Everyone’s here.”
Zhang Wulang invited Mudan to come over and sit. Li Xing immediately stood up, silently offering his crescent-shaped stool to Mudan. Mudan hesitated for a moment, then walked over and sat down. The charcoal brazier burning brightly in front of the stool immediately sent a wave of warmth up to her. After drinking the hot tea handed to her by Gui, the chill on her face and body immediately dissipated.
Seeing her seated, Zhang Wulang said, “We’ve just put together the information we’ve gathered, and we’ve done everything according to what you said. We should have news in a couple of days.” Not only were they investigating the source of the counterfeit goods, but also the weaknesses of the two key figures. Don’t underestimate these common folk – they’ve been mingling in the markets for a long time and know many things others don’t.
Mudan looked at Gui, who nodded, indicating that the internal guards had also requested help through Jiang Changyang’s influence.
Mudan let out a sigh of relief.
“This case is being personally handled by the Prefect of Jingzhao,” Li Xing said softly. “Your sixth brother has had one of his legs broken. He’s lost several teeth.”