The Marshal’s birthday banquet was an enormously lively affair. Guests listened to opera while exchanging toasts, and the Marshal himself, dressed in a red longevity robe, moved from table to table offering drinks accompanied by his aide-de-camp, his face already flushed with wine.

Yan Qin quickly found her way to Shi Yutong’s side, and the two whispered back and forth, clearly on close terms.

Shi Yutong was the only daughter of Si Yitai Du Linghua, who was also the Marshal’s most favored concubine. Riding on that favor, Du Linghua had made herself half mistress of the Shi household, and her daughter had followed suit — arrogant and domineering, acting as though she were above everyone else.

Yan Qing couldn’t understand the lilting, drawn-out style of the opera singing, but the performers themselves were captivating, drawing bursts of enthusiastic applause.

A young maidservant passed by Yan Qing’s side and refilled her cup with fresh lotus heart tea.

This era had no such thing as “beverages” — tea was an essential fixture at any ladies’ leisure table, from foreign black tea to authentic bird’s nest tea, ginseng tea, and longan tea, with varieties aplenty.

The teacup rested on a small white bamboo tray, its surface fine and light, carved along the edges with delicate, lifelike patterns.

Yan Qing picked up the tray and examined it with interest before holding it out to the maidservant. “Would you do me the trouble of delivering this to Director Shi?”

The maidservant was visibly startled, but instinctively took it. She recognized this young lady — not only for her striking appearance, but for her engagement to the Shi Family’s Second Young Master.

Knowing she was a future mistress of the household, the maidservant didn’t dare dally, and went off at once to carry out the errand.

No sooner had the maidservant left than Yan Qin appeared, with Shi Yutong at her side.

“Sixth Sister.” Yan Qin took hold of Yan Qing’s wheelchair with a show of affection. “This is your first time at the Shi estate, isn’t it? Yutong wants to take us on a little tour.”

Yan Qing glanced at the hand resting on her wheelchair.

Madam Yan echoed the suggestion from the side: “You’re going to be marrying into the Shi Family — getting familiar with the place first is a good thing.”

She then instructed Yan Qin, “Take good care of your Sixth Sister.”

Yan Qing didn’t know anyone at this table, and Father Yan was off at another table drinking. Even though she could tell Yan Qin and Shi Yutong had something underhanded in mind, she couldn’t see any way out. She had no choice but to let the two of them chat and laugh as they wheeled her toward the rear courtyard.

The main courtyard was noisy and bustling, and no one noticed as the three figures passed through the ornamental gate into the back.

The Shi estate was vast in its grounds, easily matching the wealth of well-established families like the Yan Family.

Past the ornamental gate and turning left lay a garden, with lush flowering plants and trees arranged around a central pond.

On the far side of the pond ran a covered walkway, and beyond it stood two adjacent side rooms.

Yan Qin giggled and offered a pretense of reassurance: “Sixth Sister, don’t be afraid — I’m just showing you around. I won’t do anything to hurt you.”

Yan Qing surveyed her surroundings with a quiet glance, kept her eyes lowered, and said nothing.

“Enough — what’s the point of being polite to a good-for-nothing?” Shi Yutong’s voice dripped with contempt. “A cripple, dreaming of marrying my Second Brother — utterly delusional. I’ll show you today exactly why a toad cannot hope to feast on swan meat. Marry into our Shi Family? Dream on!”

Shi Yutong pushed open the door in front of her and shoved Yan Qing’s wheelchair roughly inside. “Stay here and behave yourself. You’ll have something to answer for shortly.”

Hearing the lock click shut from outside, Yan Qing furrowed her brow slightly.

—