After hearing Concubine Fei’s words, Yu Jingxiu secretly sighed in his heart.

If Concubine Fei could understand this matter, why couldn’t his wife comprehend it?

Inexplicably, he suddenly felt somewhat weary.

With no desire to answer Concubine Fei’s words, nor any will to explain further, he instructed her: “Stay here and keep the First Madam company.” Then he said to Madam Fan, “I’m going to my study. If there’s anything, just send someone to relay a message.” After speaking, without even glancing at the people in the room, he turned and left the inner chamber.

“You…” Madam Fan watched Yu Jingxiu’s resolute departure with a heart-wrenching pain. Such cold indifference was something she had never before seen in Yu Jingxiu… especially in front of Concubine Fei.

She held back strongly, barely preventing her tears from falling, but she collapsed weakly onto the kang bed.

Concubine Fei gave Mo Zhuan a meaningful look, signaling her to console Madam Fan, while she softly said: “First Madam, I’ll go make you some almond milk.” Then she turned and left.

Mo Zhuan looked furious and was about to scold her, but then remembered that the First Madam was already upset. She swallowed the words that had reached the tip of her tongue and instead approached to quietly comfort Madam Fan: “First Madam, the Master has important matters… official business.” In her heart, however, she was thinking that Concubine Fei was always so clever at ingratiating herself. One day, she should find an opportunity to report her misconduct to the First Madam, to prevent her from forgetting her place and daring to leave without her permission…

Seeing that only she and Mo Zhuan remained in the room, Madam Fan felt a pang in her heart, and tears began to stream down uncontrollably.

Mo Zhuan quickly took a handkerchief to wipe Madam Fan’s tears.

Madam Fan accepted the handkerchief but asked in a daze: “Do you think the Master truly only wants to help that Miss Min with her lawsuit?”

Mo Zhuan naturally didn’t believe this. Otherwise, she would have already persuaded Madam Fan, and Madam Fan wouldn’t have argued with Yu Jingxiu, at least not so intensely. But seeing Madam Fan’s gaze full of expectation, she could only say against her conscience: “Perhaps we truly misunderstood the Master… Didn’t Concubine Fei also say that the Master readily gave up something worth five thousand taels of silver…”

Madam Fan nodded silently.

Recalling Concubine Fei’s earlier remark that “the First Madam probably won’t stay long in Nanjing,” she suddenly became furious and asked Mo Zhuan: “Where is Concubine Fei? Where did she go?”

Earlier, her mind had been in a daze, and she hadn’t noticed Concubine Fei’s departure.

Mo Zhuan quickly replied: “She went to make almond milk for you.”

Madam Fan responded with an “Oh,” thinking about how calm and composed Concubine Fei had been when speaking in front of Yu Jingxiu, compared to her panic and distress. She felt very uncomfortable and didn’t want Concubine Fei to serve her anymore. After some thought, she said, “Go check on her. If she’s already prepared it, bring it to me. If not, tell the kitchen servants to make it instead.”

Mo Zhuan understood her meaning, acknowledged with a sound, and went to the small kitchen.

The small kitchen was quiet. Concubine Fei stood by the stove, stirring the almond milk in the pot with a ladle. Her little maid Cai Rong was helping her tend the fire.

Hearing the movement, Concubine Fei looked over with a smile. Upon seeing Mo Zhuan, she appeared somewhat surprised, her smile becoming more affectionate.

“Why has Miss Mo Zhuan come?” she greeted Mo Zhuan warmly. “The almond milk will be ready soon. It’s nice and warm. I’ve even added some osmanthus flowers—it will help you sleep better…”

As she spoke, Mo Zhuan had already walked to the stove. Seeing that the almond milk was almost done, she didn’t bother calling the kitchen servants and said: “The First Madam sent me to check. When you’re finished, clean up these pots and bowls, and go rest.” Seeing Concubine Fei nodding with a smile, as if she hadn’t taken the earlier turmoil to heart at all, Mo Zhuan couldn’t help but add: “About today’s matter, don’t go around talking about it… the Master spending two thousand taels of silver frivolously isn’t something respectable.”

“Don’t worry, Miss Mo Zhuan,” Concubine Fei quickly assured her. “This is our internal family matter. If outsiders learn that the Master and First Madam are quarreling, we servants will also lose face.”

Seeing her solemn expression, Mo Zhuan nodded and took the almond milk to Madam Fan’s inner chamber.

Concubine Fei found a small celadon bowl from somewhere, filled it with almond milk, placed it on a red gold-trimmed begonia flower tray, and instructed Cai Rong: “Wait for me here a moment. I’ll take this bowl of almond milk to the Master and come right back.”

Cai Rong quickly said: “Let me come with you! It’s still raining outside!”

“No need,” Concubine Fei smiled. “I’ll be back very soon. Take this time to help clean up the kitchen, so the kitchen servants won’t grumble tomorrow morning.”

Cai Rong found this reasonable and repeatedly answered “Yes.”

So Concubine Fei, holding an umbrella in one hand and the almond milk in the other, went to Yu Jingxiu’s study.

When Yu Jingxiu heard that Concubine Fei had come to deliver almond milk, he hesitated for a moment, then had his servant escort her in.

Concubine Fei placed the almond milk beside Yu Jingxiu’s hand and smiled: “I’ve already delivered the First Madam’s portion. Miss Mo Zhuan is attending to her there.” Then, with a teasing smile, she said, “Don’t worry, the First Madam is just feeling a bit sour at heart, which is why her temper flared. Once she thinks it through tomorrow, everything will naturally be fine.”

Hopefully so!

Yu Jingxiu sighed inwardly, nodded casually at Concubine Fei, and took a sip of the almond milk.

It was sweet, with the osmanthus fragrance that he greatly enjoyed.

He couldn’t help but take another large sip.

A gleam flashed in Concubine Fei’s eyes as she watched. Smiling, she bent her knees in a curtsy and said: “It’s getting late. The Master should also rest soon! Nothing drains the spirit more than litigation. Although the Master is fighting for justice, if justice isn’t achieved and you exhaust yourself first, even with a willing heart, you’ll have no strength to use. Miss Min, as a woman, has traveled thousands of miles to the capital to file a lawsuit. She probably doesn’t even know which way the door to the Court of Judicial Review opens, and has surely suffered countless hardships and heartaches. How fortunate she is to have met the Master, a man of chivalry willing to guide her. She must have burned countless incense sticks and prayed to Buddha many times, placing all her hopes in the Master. If the Master abandons her, Miss Min would surely find heaven deaf and earth mute to her pleas…”

Yu Jingxiu thought of Miss Min’s eyes, bright as morning stars whenever she saw him, and her grateful expression whenever he made progress. He couldn’t help but smile wryly and said: “If you’re leaving, just leave. Why so many words?”

Seeing that Yu Jingxiu’s tone was quite affectionate, Concubine Fei relaxed her tense nerves and boldly replied, half-testing and half-complaining: “The Master gives this concubine so little face, even pointing out my few polite phrases. How embarrassing!”

Yu Jingxiu was quite surprised to see her suddenly become so humorous. Upon further thought, Concubine Fei had indeed just been speaking politely, yet he had seriously told her to stop wasting words… Realizing this, he couldn’t help but laugh.

Seeing this, Concubine Fei also laughed.

The cold room was instantly filled with a sense of warmth.

Concubine Fei then asked Yu Jingxiu: “What does the Master plan to do about Miss Min’s case?”

Hearing this, Yu Jingxiu frowned slightly and said: “What do you mean by that?” His tone carried some displeasure, but without the anger it would have held in the past.

Concubine Fei felt reassured.

She looked at Yu Jingxiu with a calm and sincere gaze: “Today’s incident began with those two thousand taels of silver…”

Yu Jingxiu’s lips parted slightly, as if he wanted to say something.

But Concubine Fei said: “Master, please let this concubine finish.”

Yu Jingxiu fell silent.

Concubine Fei continued: “Two thousand taels might just be money for buying books or paintings to you, but for ordinary families, it could be their entire fortune. Even if you don’t care about it, that doesn’t mean others don’t. Your intention was simply to help Miss Min, but if it were a man, that would be one thing. The issue is that Miss Min is a woman, and when others learn of this, they’re bound to think sideways. If rumors spread because of this, it would not only damage your reputation but also make it difficult for Miss Min to face others. This concubine has an idea, though I don’t know if it’s feasible. I’ll share it with the Master to consider. If it works, please think about it; if not, just treat it as idle talk and laugh it off.” Without waiting for Yu Jingxiu to speak, she continued, “It’s inappropriate for the Master to frequently visit Needle Lane. The best solution would be to use the Lady’s name. For any matters, let the Lady send someone to speak with Miss Min. Better yet, invite Miss Min to stay in our home. This would not only silence those who spread gossip but also provide comfort to Miss Min in her lonely state. However, since you didn’t consult with the Lady beforehand, and now the First Madam has quarreled with you, if you were to ask the Lady to intervene now, what would the First Madam think? I suggest you simply ask the First Madam to take the lead. Have her visit Miss Min with great fanfare, send her pastries and fruits occasionally—seeing this, others would have nothing to say…” She paused here and continued, “I just don’t know what crime Miss Min’s father committed. If it’s a major offense, would our actions lead to trouble for us?” She chuckled and said, “I don’t understand these external matters; the Master must decide!”

As Yu Jingxiu listened, he thought this was indeed a good idea.

This approach would also prevent his wife from constantly harboring suspicions.

He couldn’t help but muse: “Miss Min’s father is merely a minor county magistrate who got caught up in his superior’s troubles. It’s not a major issue. But because Miss Min’s father comes from humble origins, with him being the only Imperial Scholar in their family, and given his upright character, after his troubles began, many kicked him while he was down, with few offering help in his time of need. That’s why he became the scapegoat and was escorted to the capital. When Miss Min’s mother heard her husband had been imprisoned, she was so shocked and frightened that she fell ill. Their family has only one younger brother, just six years old this year, too young to help. She had no choice but to sell everything she could, entrust her mother and brother to her uncle, and rush to the capital to clear her father’s name…” As he spoke, he smiled bitterly and said, “Because it costs money to bribe the jailers, to save silver, she refused to eat, relying only on cold water to stave off hunger. She collapsed in the snow from hunger and cold… How could I watch her die before me?”

As Concubine Fei listened, her brow immediately showed sympathy, and she said disappointedly: “I thought my childhood was difficult, but I never imagined there were people who suffered even more than I did.” Then she continued: “Master, you must save Miss Min! Otherwise, not only will her days be hard, but her mother and brother might not survive either.” As she spoke, tears glistened at the corners of her eyes, “You grew up in comfort and don’t understand… but this concubine, like Miss Min… knows that feeling… It’s not easy to bear…”