Fu Tingyun felt both grateful and moved. She quickly invited the young novice monk to stay for breakfast and rewarded him with two taels of silver. She then gave him the *Lotus Sutra* that her third brother-in-law had managed to find yesterday: “Take this to Master Zhenghe.” She also handed him a package, “I’ve made some vegetarian pastries. Take them back to share with your fellow disciples.”

The young novice thanked her cheerfully.

Fu Tingyun called for a carriage to send the young novice back to Tanzhe Temple, then dispatched Yu Wei to report to her third sister: “…Mr. Ji sent someone to say that he already knows about the matter, so we don’t need to visit him at Tanzhe Temple.”

Upon hearing this, her third sister rushed over immediately: “Did Mr. Ji express any displeasure?” Her tone was somewhat fearful.

“No, not at all,” Fu Tingyun reassured her. “If he were truly displeased, he wouldn’t have specially sent a novice monk to inform us.”

Only then did her third sister breathe a sigh of relief and said sheepishly, “These past few days, I’ve been thinking about your brother-in-law’s matter even in my sleep, afraid that something might go wrong… I’ve made myself somewhat superstitious.”

“If I were in your situation, I would probably be the same as you, Third Sister,” Fu Tingyun said with a smile as she chatted casually with her third sister. “You’re quite composed. Those who can’t stay calm would probably mention it dozens of times a day.”

Her third sister glared at her and said, “I’m an experienced person after all. I wouldn’t go as far as mentioning it dozens of times a day as you suggested, would I?”

Fu Tingyun covered her mouth and laughed.

The sisters happily exchanged intimate conversation.

In the inner courtyard of the Yu residence on Jiadao Street, Madam Fan frowned as she spoke to Pearl’s wet nurse: “Wasn’t she better yesterday? How did she develop a fever early this morning? Were you all not attentive enough during the night?”

As soon as she spoke, the maids, servants, and old women in Pearl’s room all knelt.

“Madam, please understand, we changed shifts every hour and didn’t dare close our eyes even once,” the wet nurse kept kowtowing repeatedly. “She was fine at the Hour of the Tiger. When I checked on her at the beginning of the Hour of the Rabbit, I only noticed that Young Miss’s face was a bit red, and when I touched her, her body felt slightly cool. By the time the maid for the middle of the Hour of the Rabbit came on duty, Young Miss’s body had become warm…”

Madam Fan felt very irritated as she listened and asked, “Who was on duty at the beginning of the Hour of the Rabbit?”

The room fell completely silent.

Madam Fan slammed her palm on the kang table with a “bang,” making the teacups and teapot rattle loudly, causing all the maids and old women in the room to suddenly pale.

“Have you all become mute?” she shouted. “Who was on duty at the beginning of the Hour of the Rabbit?” she asked again.

Two young maids, around fifteen or sixteen years old, crawled forward, trembling: “Ma-Madam, i-it was us on du-duty!”

Madam Fan glanced at them with disgust and instructed Mo Zhuan: “Go call for a slave trader!”

Upon hearing this, the two young maids no longer cared about propriety and rushed forward to cling to Madam Fan’s legs: “Please spare us, Madam, please spare us… We truly attended to the Young Miss the entire time, not slacking off for a moment, really, if we’re lying, may heaven strike us down with lightning…”

Immediately, several old women came forward to pull the two young maids away.

The two maids struggled and continued to beg Madam Fan for mercy.

For a time, the room was in chaos with crying and shouting.

Yu Jingxiu, who had lifted the curtain to enter, frowned: “What’s going on here?”

Madam Fan stood up and smiled as she went to greet him: “Husband, you’re back!” She curtsied to Yu Jingxiu and said, “The little maids in Pearl’s room let her develop a fever again. I’m sending someone to take them away to be sold.”

Yu Jingxiu nodded indifferently.

Madam Fan looked to the old woman holding the two young maids, signaling them to quickly drag the girls out and not make a scene here.

The two old women understood, covered the mouths of the young maids, and carried them out.

The room immediately returned to silence.

Madam Fan personally helped Yu Jingxiu change his clothes: “Who were you drinking with yesterday? You drank so late that you didn’t even come home.” She added with concern, “Have you had breakfast? Your body still smells of alcohol. Would you like the kitchen to prepare a bowl of sobering soup for you?”

During dinner yesterday, Yu Jingxiu had sent a servant to inform her that he was drinking with friends outside and wouldn’t be returning for the night, but nothing more.

Perhaps due to drinking late into the night, Yu Jingxiu looked somewhat dejected, and his voice was a bit hoarse: “No need. Just help me change clothes.” He added, “Yesterday I was with Brother Zhongming. We chatted so enthusiastically that it got very late. I feared disturbing Father and Mother, so I simply stayed overnight at Brother Zhongming’s house.”

Hearing this, Madam Fan smiled and said: “That’s fine. I’ll have someone prepare an assortment of pastries to send over later—you disturbed their household, so you can’t go without expressing some gratitude, right?”

Yu Jingxiu didn’t put such small matters to heart. He nodded, casually ate breakfast, and went with Madam Fan to pay respects to Lady Yu.

Not seeing her granddaughter, Lady Yu asked: “Where is Pearl?”

Madam Fan quickly replied: “She developed a fever again early this morning, so I didn’t dare bring her out.”

Lady Yu’s expression became slightly displeased upon hearing this: “How is she sick again? Her constitution is already weak, so you should be even more attentive in caring for her. There’s no room for negligence.”

Hearing the reproach in Lady Yu’s voice, Madam Fan hurriedly said: “It’s all because those maids and old women weren’t diligent enough. I’ve already called a slave trader to sell off the two maids who were on night duty.”

Lady Yu’s expression became even more displeased: “When De Pu was born, his health was excellent! Our third branch had only this one seedling, so his wet nurse and I attended to him day and night without rest until De Pu was three years old. He didn’t even sneeze once and grew stronger than other children. Only then did I dare sleep through the night.”

The implication was clear: if the maids and old women couldn’t take good care of the child, then she should do it herself.

Madam Fan bit her lip and softly responded, “Yes.”

Lady Yu no longer paid attention to her, exchanged a few words with her son, and then picked up her tea.

Madam Fan and Yu Jingxiu promptly stood up to take their leave.

Lady Yu nodded with a smile.

Once they were outside, Madam Fan’s grievances welled up irrepressibly: “Husband, I often check on the child in the middle of the night…”

“I know,” before she could finish, Yu Jingxiu smiled and said, “You’ve grown thinner these days.”

Madam Fan felt a sweetness in her heart.

However, Yu Jingxiu changed his tone and said: “But Mother has a point. What do those maids and old women understand? It’s better if you take care of her. Pearl is our first child after all.”

After all this talk, he still thought she hadn’t taken good care of their child.

Madam Fan secretly became annoyed and was about to argue with Yu Jingxiu when he said: “I have some matters to attend to after I finish at the ministry today, so I won’t be back for dinner.” Then he left with Cheng Xin in long strides.

Madam Fan stood there, unable to recover for a long time. So as soon as she returned to her room, she immediately summoned Mo Zhuan: “Have you found out about what I asked you to investigate? Why haven’t you reported back to me?”

Mo Zhuan hesitated for a long time before finally saying: “The Master has been in a bad mood these days… They say that the Old Master had originally arranged for the Master to serve as the Left Giving Official in the Ministry of Personnel, but someone beat him to it and took the position from the Master…”

Madam Fan was greatly shocked: “It’s just a seventh-rank position, and someone snatched it away?”

Mo Zhuan nodded, not daring to say more.

Madam Fan felt increasingly anxious.

The Yu family had been established for over a hundred years, and in her mind, they were like the memorial arch on Jiqing Street—standing firm against wind and rain.

How could they suddenly become so unstable and insecure?

She quickly asked Mo Zhuan: “What else did you hear?”

Mo Zhuan still hesitated.

Madam Fan impatiently said, “Our fates are tied together. What can’t you say? If this causes us to miss something important, that would truly be letting me down.”

Only then did Mo Zhuan say: “They all say that the Old Master was too close to Grand Secretary Shen. Now that Grand Secretary Shen has retired, our Old Master has been in the cabinet for many years and has won people’s hearts. The new Grand Secretary can’t tolerate our Old Master, so he wants to deal with our Old Master!”

Madam Fan listened in shock, saying anxiously: “What should we do? What should we do? He can’t just stop being a Grand Secretary!”

Mo Zhuan was also worried: “Yes! Everyone feels uneasy, not knowing what will happen!”

Madam Fan bit her teeth: “Worst case, we’ll go back to Nanjing—the Master is the top scorer of the Jiaxu examination after all, and the Yu family ancestors have produced several Directors of the Imperial Academy. Surely we can open a private academy?”

Hearing this, Mo Zhuan’s expression relaxed, and she quickly smiled: “Yes! The Master is a top scholar after all! If he were to open an academy, those wanting to become his disciples would probably break down the doors trying to get in.”

Though she said this, the thought of the illustrious top scholar becoming a mere teacher left her feeling somewhat discontented.

Madam Fan’s expression was quite melancholic.

Perhaps because “you can deceive your superiors but not your subordinates,” Concubine Wu also learned of this matter.

She asked Lian Xin: “Do you know who snatched the Master’s position?”

Lian Xin shook her head.

Concubine Wu thought for a moment and said: “In a few days, it will be the birthday of the third young madam of the Wu family. Help me deliver some gifts then. Afterward, ask the people around Madam Wu to see who took the Master’s position.”

“Yes!” Lian Xin nodded repeatedly.

Concubine Wu then pondered: “Also inquire about where Madam Zhao next door is from, or where Official Zhao is from. If no one in the inner courtyard knows, go ask the stewards!”

Lian Xin asked in confusion: “What’s the purpose of inquiring about this?”

“Just curious,” Concubine Wu smiled. “I heard that Official Zhao is from the south, but looking at Madam Zhao, she seems more like someone from the north.” She added, “Madam Zhao is quite beautiful.”

Lian Xin understood and smiled: “Don’t worry, Concubine. I’ll find out everything.”

Concubine Wu nodded with satisfaction and rewarded Lian Xin with one tael of silver: “Buy yourself some flowers to wear.”

Lian Xin withdrew joyfully.

Concubine Wu went to report to Lady Yu.

Lady Yu naturally agreed and even rewarded her with twenty taels of silver: “Also, help me buy something to send over when the time comes.”

Concubine Wu thanked her repeatedly.

After she left, Mama Shu smiled and flattered Lady Yu: “Madam is so kind-hearted. It’s Concubine Wu’s good fortune from three lifetimes to have come to our family!”

Lady Yu sighed and said: “I’m just planning—Official Wu and the former Vice Minister of Personnel Hao Jianfeng were in the same examination year and are good friends. Hao Jianfeng is also a veteran of the Ministry of Personnel. For De Pu’s matter this time, we’ll inevitably need to seek Hao Jianfeng’s help.”

Mama Shu responded with a smile but said nothing more.

When the day arrived, Lian Xin got up to dress and make herself presentable before dawn. After breakfast, she rode in the Yu family carriage and happily went to the Wu residence.

However, just after noon, Lian Xin returned.

With a woeful expression, she told Concubine Wu: “Madam Wu says for you to go to their residence immediately.”