Yutong had given birth to a fully formed male fetus. For her, long out of favor and isolated without support, dreaming only of gaining status through motherhood, this was a devastating blow. As she looked at Biwu sitting beside her, holding a bowl of medicine and urging her to drink, Yutong saw Biwu’s smooth skin, full bosom, and faint smile at the corners of her mouth as a triumphant, gloating expression.
Yutong felt disoriented, suddenly remembering that His people had long been taken away, leaving her alone and in this predicament. All of this, she believed, was bestowed upon her by the insincere woman before her. A wave of heat suddenly rushed through her cold body. Mustering all her remaining strength, she lunged at Biwu when she wasn’t paying attention, knocking her to the ground. She then clawed at Biwu’s beautiful face with both hands.
Biwu had been secretly relieved, thinking heaven was on her side. Yutong had met with misfortune before she had to act, preserving Qier’s status as the only heir. Regardless of what happens in the future, Madam Qi will always prioritize this child’s safety. But before she could fully rejoice, she was knocked to the ground, her throat tightly gripped. As she caught her breath, her face began to sting, and Yutong’s cries filled her ears: “You two-faced, vicious woman! You pretend to be kind to me, but you’ve been hurting me all along! Are you satisfied now? Give me back my child’s life!”
The attack was so sudden that Biwu hadn’t anticipated it. Her first reaction was to desperately protect her face. Fortunately, the nearby maids and women reacted quickly, pulling Yutong away and helping Biwu up. Biwu sat down with the help of her maid, trembling as she said, “Bring me a mirror.”
The maid hesitated briefly before fetching a mirror from Yutong’s room. Biwu, dissatisfied with how far the maid held it, insisted on holding it herself to look closely. After one glance, she let out a terrible scream, smashing the mirror on the ground and wailing miserably. How could her beautiful face have been scratched like this? At that moment, she wanted to kill Yutong.
Mrs. Guo, who had been responsible for Yutong’s care from the beginning, realized that her half-year of hard work had been in vain. Not only would she not receive a reward, but she might also be held accountable. Annoyed by Yutong’s constant wailing and Biwu joining in, she said irritably, “Concubine! If your facial wounds get contaminated with tears or powder, they might leave red marks.”
Biwu froze in fear, biting her handkerchief hard and tilting her head back to force back her tears. “I’ll sit here and wait for the young master to come and do me justice! This vile creature lost her child and now wants to drag someone down with her. She can’t stand seeing others better off than her. What a mindset!”
Yutong lay on the bed, looking at her coldly. “You ugly monster, let’s see how you harm others now.”
Biwu let out a high-pitched wail, then abruptly stopped. She wanted to lunge at Yutong but held back, turning to run out, saying she was going to see Madam Qi and Liu Chang to seek revenge.
Liu Chang, following Yutong’s maid to her small courtyard, heard the chaos inside before even entering. Two women were competing to outshout each other, mentioning “justice” and “vile creature.” He frowned in disgust and turned to leave. The maid, seeing this, threw herself at his feet, begging him not to go, repeatedly saying how pitiful Yutong and the little young master were.
Liu Chang, who had little interest even in Qier, cared even less for the “child” of Yutong, with whom he had only slept a few times before she became pregnant. He found everyone’s claims of pity annoying, thinking he was the most pitiful of all. Irritated by the maid’s incessant chatter, he kicked her aside and walked straight ahead.
Biwu, rushing out in a rage, saw Liu Chang’s back. Instantly, her angry expression changed to whimpering cries, and her steady stride became a stumble, though her speed didn’t decrease. She waved her handkerchief and took small steps toward Liu Chang, collapsing in front of him at the right moment. She raised her scratched face to him, looking pitifully vulnerable. “Young master, you must seek justice for this servant!”
Liu Chang, seeing her face, shuddered in horror. He looked away, unable to bear the sight, but still helped her up. Frowning, he asked, “How did this happen?”
Yutong laughed as she came out. “I did it! She poisoned me and made me lose my child!” She looked at Liu Chang with a sinister expression, gritting her teeth and enunciating each word: “A life for a life!”
Yutong stood with disheveled hair and disheveled clothes, leaning against the doorframe, still trembling. Her face was deathly pale, with only her eyes, filled with hatred and madness, unnaturally bright. Liu Chang shuddered again. He looked numbly from the hateful Yutong to the softly crying Biwu beside him, feeling an indescribable frustration and despair.
Nurse Zhu arrived with several strong women, their approach bringing a gust of ominous wind. They bowed to Liu Chang, and Nurse Zhu said solemnly, “Young master, this old servant has been sent by Madam to investigate this matter.” Seemingly ignoring Biwu’s disheveled state, she signaled to the women, who split into two groups, one restraining Biwu and the other supporting Yutong.
At this moment, all of Biwu’s intelligence was awakened. She screamed, not allowing the women to touch her, desperately clinging to Liu Chang. Sobbing, she said, “Young master, I didn’t do anything… You must believe me, I already have Qier…”
Nurse Zhu interrupted her with a cold laugh. “Concubine, calm down. The truth will come out, and justice will be served!”
Biwu was terrified. By the time the truth was uncovered, would her face have healed? With the young master having a beautiful princess, would he even look at her again? Impossible! Without her, could Qier grow up safely? Probably not. She looked at Liu Chang in panic, begging, “Young master! Please, save me.”
Liu Chang frowned and turned to Nurse Zhu. “This matter is indeed very suspicious and must be thoroughly investigated! Whoever did this must not be allowed to get away with it.”
Nurse Zhu smiled triumphantly at Biwu, but before she could finish, Liu Chang said, “First, call a doctor to examine them, then bring them to me for questioning.”
Nurse Zhu’s expression froze. She forced a laugh and said, “Young master, this isn’t a matter for men to handle. Don’t worry, Madam has instructed us to get to the bottom of this, ensuring no one is wronged. This old servant also…” Her words trailed off as she saw a look of malicious suspicion in Liu Chang’s eyes. Unable to withstand it, she lowered her head and whispered, “Yes…” Then she turned and scolded the women who had come with her: “Hurry and fetch a doctor!”
Biwu, feeling as if she had been given a new lease on life, looked at Liu Chang with adoring, grateful eyes. “This servant truly wouldn’t dare. Young master, please see clearly, that someone is trying to frame me.”
Liu Chang pressed his thin lips tightly together. After a long while, he said coldly, “Don’t be stupid! In the future, stay far away from such matters.”
Although his tone and attitude were harsh, Biwu deeply felt the care and tenderness behind his words. She wanted to cut out her heart and offer it to Liu Chang with both hands. If not for fear of tears falling on her wounds, she would have generously offered her crystal-clear tears to Liu Chang. She knelt before him, tightly hugging his knees, and suddenly, as if enlightened, said slowly and softly, “Young master, this servant is not stupid. Don’t worry, this servant understands. From now on, whatever you want this servant to do, this servant will do, without any presumption.”
Liu Chang liked this statement very much. He felt that of all the things he had heard lately, this was the most pleasing and comforting. He stroked Biwu’s hair and said gently, “Get up now and take good care of Qier. I’ll go see Yutong and tell her not to hate you.”
Biwu fought back the waves of nausea rising within her and managed to nod, seeing him off at the door with gentle obedience. Liu Chang then went to Yutong’s room, which was as silent as death. A strong, unpleasant smell of blood permeated the air. It was pitch black, with no lamps lit and no servants in sight.
As Liu Chang lifted the curtain, a small stool hit his shin hard. He kicked it away in pain, cursing loudly. From the darkness came Yutong’s cold laugh: “Stop cursing. Everyone has been taken away by Nurse Zhu.”
Liu Chang angrily asked, “Where are the others? Are they all useless?”
Yutong laughed bitterly, “When the tree falls, the monkeys scatter. I’m already in this state, who would still care about my life or death? It’s good enough they haven’t driven me out of this room.”
Liu Chang stood still for a moment, an overwhelming sadness unexpectedly filling his chest. He felt like crying. After a while, he asked, “Do you want some water?”
Yutong didn’t respond for a long time. Finally, she said, “There’s a flint, steel, and candle on the table by the window outside.”
Liu Chang fumbled his way over, taking a while to find the items but struggling to use them. Yutong struggled out of bed and silently made her way to his side, taking the flint and steel and skillfully lighting the candle.
The weak candlelight dispersed the darkness in the room. Liu Chang poured Yutong a cup of water, and they sat facing each other in silence for a long time. Eventually, Liu Chang said, “You know best what happened. Tell me the truth.”
Yutong glanced at him. “The people around this servant were all sent by Madam, and I only interacted more with Concubine Biwu.”
Liu Chang stood up. “This incident may not necessarily be Biwu’s doing. Take care of yourself and recover. There are still many days ahead. I’ll arrange for other people to take care of you. If you want to eat or use anything, just say so.” Yutong felt his words seemed to have another meaning, but she couldn’t grasp it. However, his visit, showing kindness and concern, was genuine. The fear, despair, and resentment in her heart suddenly subsided, like a flame doused with water.
Liu Chang had initially planned to consult with Madam Qi, but he changed his mind after a moment’s thought. He left the inner courtyard and called Qiushi, giving him detailed instructions. Qiushi accepted the orders and left to make inquiries and arrangements.
Liu Chang stood beneath the tall old pear tree outside his study, a cold smile appearing on his face. Did they think he was a fool? Before even entering the household, they were trying to extend their reach to his side, aiming to suppress him for life. Fine, let’s see how this plays out! His previously aimless life suddenly seemed to have found a purpose.
Meanwhile, Yuhe hurriedly returned to the He family home. Upon entering, she first asked Shuer for a large cup of water, which she gulped down. After wiping the sweat from her face, she went to look for Mudan. Upon inquiry, she learned that Mudan and Madam Sun had gone to Taoist temples and Buddhist monasteries to seek out peony and peach blossom reservations and hadn’t returned yet. Yuhe sat in the corridor, fanning herself with a plain silk fan, and began to tell Mama Lin about the day’s events at the Hou mansion.
“I was tempted several times to tell Madam Bai about that matter. It was really hard to hold back,” Yuhe said.
Mama Lin replied, “It’s good that you didn’t say anything. Otherwise, Madam Bai might have thought Miss Dan was sending her incense just to ask for favors. Even the best incense would have lost its charm.”
Yuhe said, “If things don’t work out with the Li family, won’t we have to ask her for help in the end?”
Suddenly, Mudan entered, her face flushed and sweating profusely. “If we need to ask her, I’ll go personally. Sending her incense and asking for favors are two different things.”
Yuhe happily greeted her, “You’re back!” She handed Mudan a handkerchief while instructing Shuer and Kuaner to fetch water and clean clothes.
Mudan snatched the fan from Yuhe’s hand, fanning herself vigorously. She gulped down half a cup of tea, wiped her face with the handkerchief, and complained, “This weather is unbearable! Today’s outing was unlucky!”
Yuhe blinked and smiled, “You had bad luck too? I stepped in dog excrement today.”
Mudan laughed, “No wonder I smelled something foul when I came in. So it was you who brought it back. What happened to you?”
Yuhe smiled, “You tell me about your day first.”
Mudan sighed, “I visited no less than ten Taoist temples and Buddhist monasteries today, but couldn’t buy a single peony or peach blossom. As soon as I opened my mouth, they said everything had already been reserved at high prices. Even offering more money couldn’t get me a single plant. They only tried to palm off some inferior varieties on me. I couldn’t find out who had so much money and leisure time to do this, even when I offered money for information.”
If this had happened at just one or two places, she wouldn’t have found it strange. But encountering the same situation at so many locations made her suspicious. Although she had quickly decided to send more than ten of Fourth Brother’s shop assistants to inquire about the situation at other temples, hoping to reserve good varieties before the mysterious buyer, she had a feeling that these efforts might be in vain. Concerned about Li Yuan’s response, she had to return home to wait.
Yuhe frowned upon hearing this, “It sounds like someone is deliberately preventing you from making purchases.” She then recounted her own experiences of the day, handing over the two green-dyed carved ivory tubes given by Madam Bai. “Madam Bai is truly a kind person. Quick, open them and see what kind of lip rouge she’s made. We servants are so curious.”
Mudan opened one of the ivory tubes to find a creamy purple lip rouge, similar to modern lipstick. The other tube contained pink lip rouge. Though different in color, both had a delightful fragrance.
Yuhe handed the handkerchief she had used to wrap the lip rouge to Shuer, saying, “Smell this, isn’t it fragrant? The scent will probably last for days. I’ve heard that the lip rouge bestowed by the palace each year contains more than a dozen fragrances. I imagine Madam Bai’s version is no less elaborate.”
Mama Lin chimed in, “What’s so special about the palace’s version? Second Young Master obtained a tube from Master Li’s uncle and figured out its composition long ago. It’s nothing more than a mixture of fourteen different fragrances including valerian, elecampane, alfalfa, lemongrass, patchouli, Lysimachia foenum-graecum, high-quality agarwood, Java patchouli, styrax, benzoin, sandalwood, clove, musk, and others. Madam Bai’s version seems different – the pink one has a subtle orchid fragrance, while the purple one smells of plum. The formula is probably slightly different. However, it’s very suitable for our Miss Dan.” She then cast a stern glance at Mudan, “You’ve tanned again! From now on, use the bath bean with white atractylodes and white peony for washing your face and hands, morning and evening.”
Mudan sighed, “I don’t want to be tanned either, but what can I do? Riding a horse is the most convenient way to get things done. I can’t sit in a palanquin just to avoid the sun – that would waste so much time. It will naturally fade after this period.” She handed the lip rouge to Yuhe to put away and asked, “Has Cousin Li sent any response yet?”
Kuaner emerged from behind the silver-inlaid deer grass wooden folding screen, saying, “The water temperature is just right.”
Mama Lin quickly ushered Mudan behind the screen. After bathing, Mudan changed into a casual, cool single-layer silk short jacket in moon white, paired with a matching six-panel long skirt. She casually tied her half-dry hair into a ponytail, grabbed a fan, and went to chat with Madam Cen while waiting for news.
It wasn’t until the hour of you (5-7 pm) that Jili, Li Yuan’s most trusted attendant, came to deliver a message. He said that Prince Ning was unaware of the matter and that Manager Deng was only a second-tier manager at the estate, but he was the nephew of the Wang mansion’s head steward. It wasn’t clear yet whether the head steward was involved, but one thing was certain: someone had indeed set their sights on Fang Garden. Li Yuan was also very busy and advised Mudan to proceed with caution, avoiding any conflicts for the next couple of days while he found a way to resolve the issue. He also provided a note with names, official positions, addresses, and interests of families who owned estates downstream from Mudan’s river.
Mudan thought to herself that it was good Prince Ning didn’t know about the situation. Although Li Yuan hadn’t completely stepped back as she and He Zhizhong had feared, figuring out how to safely get through the next few days required careful planning. After all, she had spoken in front of Manager Deng, bringing up Li Yuan’s name. As she investigated others over the next two days, they would surely be looking into her background as well. If they were clever and determined to acquire Fang Garden, they would likely stir up trouble within these two days, possibly beyond Jiang Changyang’s ability to control.
The list Li Yuan provided indicated that she should try to placate these people and keep them from getting involved. However, the warning “not to get into any disputes” seemed odd to Mudan. Thinking about this made her increasingly anxious. She first wrote a letter briefly explaining the situation, cautioning Fifth Brother to be careful, and instructing him to have Hu Dalang gather the tenant farmers who had helped with the river repairs as potential witnesses. She then called a reliable servant, rewarded him with a coin, and instructed, “Ride to the estate immediately and deliver this letter to my Fifth Brother. You don’t need to return tonight.”
After the messenger left, Mudan busied herself to discuss gift preparations with Madam Cen based on the interests of the families listed by Li Yuan. As night fell, she couldn’t wait for dawn to arrive so she could visit these families with gifts.
Seeing beads of sweat forming on Mudan’s temples again, Madam Cen couldn’t help but comfort her, “There’s no use in rushing. In such matters, we can only do our best and leave the rest to fate. If we lose it, it’s not the end of the world. We can buy another piece of land and start over.”
Mudan forced a laugh and said, “Alright.” She knew that worrying wouldn’t help, but how could she not be anxious? Fifth Brother was alone there, and she didn’t know if he could manage everything or if he might encounter any danger. Moreover, even if she went to visit these officials’ families tomorrow, she wasn’t sure if they would agree to see her.
When He Zhizhong and the others finally returned home, Mudan rushed to him and whispered for a long time. Compared to her agitation, He Zhizhong was very calm: “There’s no need to worry about your Fifth Brother. No news is good news. As for these families…” He tapped the paper, “We haven’t heard of these households bullying others. You can try visiting them first and see what happens. Heaven doesn’t cut off all paths. Think carefully, is there no other way?”
Mudan pouted and said petulantly, “I’m not smart! I really can’t think of anything else.”
He Zhizhong just smiled without speaking. Mudan grew more anxious, fanning herself furiously. Suddenly, inspiration struck, and she slapped her forehead, “I am stupid! Who designed my garden? It was Master Fuyuan! Didn’t he design gardens for princesses? Although we can’t expect him to solve the problem for us, we can at least invite him to stay for a couple of days as a deterrent.” A famous garden designer like Master Fuyuan would surely know more influential people and his words would carry more weight than hers. If those people caused trouble in front of Master Fuyuan, he would be a witness. As long as he was willing to say a few words on her behalf at a crucial moment, it would serve her purpose.
Although she didn’t know if all these plans and arrangements would ultimately be effective, she had at least done her utmost, covering all bases. This was her property, the foundation for her career’s start, and she couldn’t allow it to be taken away so easily.
Suddenly, Madam Xue hurried in, saying, “Dan’er, your Fourth Brother has returned, and he’s brought that Zhang Wulang with him. They say they have something to discuss with you.”