Concubine Fei’s words left Yu Jingxiu somewhat dazed. Meanwhile, she turned her face away to wipe the tears from the corners of her eyes. When she looked back, her face bore a brilliant smile.
“This concubine will take her leave now,” she bent her knees in a curtsy to Yu Jingxiu and said, “Master should rest early!” Then she rose and withdrew from the study, hurrying back to the kitchen.
The kitchen remained as quiet as when she had left. Everything had already been tidied up, and Cai Rong was sitting on a small stool, lost in thought.
Seeing Concubine Fei return, her face lit up with joy as she called out, “Concubine!”
Concubine Fei smiled and nodded at her, asking, “After I left, did any of the kitchen servants come to give you trouble?”
“No,” Cai Rong felt a warm glow in her heart, “No one came after you left.”
“Then let’s return to our quarters!” Concubine Fei smiled, “It’s getting late, and we still need to pay our respects to the First Madam early tomorrow morning!”
Cai Rong responded with a sound, then held an umbrella to escort Concubine Fei back to their room.
For some reason, she felt that Concubine Fei seemed relieved, as if her entire being had lightened.
The next morning, the rain had stopped.
Cai Rong rose early to help Concubine Fei with her washing and grooming. Just as they stepped out of their wing room, before they could call Concubine Wu, they heard Yu Jingxiu’s angry shouts coming from the main house. Although they couldn’t make out what he was shouting, the anger conveyed in his voice was perceptible.
Yu Jingxiu was known for his good temper and rarely lost his composure, especially in front of the First Madam!
Cai Rong shuddered, feeling somewhat anxious as she glanced at Concubine Fei.
Concubine Fei’s expression also turned solemn as she whispered, “Tell Concubine Wu that we’ll go over later.”
Cai Rong nodded hurriedly, helped Concubine Fei back inside, and then went next door to inform Concubine Wu.
Concubine Wu thanked her with a smile, gave her a handful of twisted sugar candies to eat, then had Lian Xin help her change into casual clothing before sitting on the large kang bed by the window to do needlework.
Lian Xin, however, felt as restless as if a cat were scratching at her heart. She frequently ran to the doorway of the wing room to peek outside on tiptoe.
Concubine Wu warned her: “Be careful not to invite unwarranted trouble.”
Hearing this, Lian Xin’s face reddened, and she sheepishly sat down beside Concubine Wu to help with the needlework.
By noon, news came from the front courtyard that Madam Fan had fallen ill.
Concubine Wu thought for a moment and instructed Lian Xin: “Help me change clothes. We’ll go see the First Madam.”
Lian Xin, however, became hesitant: “Is it appropriate to go at this time?”
Even a fool could see that the First Madam had fallen ill because she was upset with the Master.
She couldn’t help but mutter quietly: “I wonder if she’s sick or…” She dared not say the words “pretending to be sick.”
“You talk too much,” Concubine Wu frowned and rebuked Lian Xin in a low voice.
Lian Xin quickly took Concubine Wu’s arm and smiled ingratiatingly: “I only speak this way in front of you, Concubine. I wouldn’t dare say such things in front of others!”
“So you know these words shouldn’t be spoken!” Lian Xin was lively and active, and Concubine Wu truly feared she might cause trouble. Unfortunately, she could not protect Lian Xin afterward, so she could only admonish her, “Don’t you know that trouble comes from one’s mouth? Do you not remember what happened to that little maid who served in the front reception hall? How can you never learn your lesson…”
Listening to this, Lian Xin’s face turned pale and she trembled, gripping Concubine Wu’s arm tightly as she hastily promised, “I’ll never dare again.”
After Concubine Wu gave her a few more quiet instructions, she finally took Lian Xin to the main house.
Concubine Fei and Cai Rong had arrived before them and were waiting under the eaves. Upon seeing Concubine Wu and Lian Xin approach, Concubine Fei smiled and nodded at Concubine Wu, then glanced at the main room where Madam Fan was, suggesting that Madam Fan was unwell and that this was neither the time nor place to greet her.
Concubine Wu felt relieved and returned her smile.
The curtain of the main hall was lifted, and Mo Zhuan walked out with a stern face: “The Imperial Physician summoned by the Master for the First Madam will arrive shortly. Both Concubines should withdraw for now.” After speaking, without even looking at Concubine Fei and Concubine Wu, she turned and went back inside.
Concubine Wu was unconcerned and was about to leave.
However, Concubine Fei called to her in a low voice: “Let’s go together.”
Concubine Wu smiled and nodded, but then saw Lady Yu entering, surrounded by a large group of maids and elderly female servants.
The two quickly stepped aside, and as Lady Yu approached, they both bent their knees in curtsy, respectfully calling out “Lady.”
Lady Yu’s gaze swept over them, but she didn’t slow her pace, heading straight into the hall.
All the maids and elderly servants followed her into the hall, eyes downcast, except for Matron Shu, who glanced back at Concubine Fei.
Concubine Fei was just studying Lady Yu from the corner of her eye when their gazes met.
Matron Shu’s lips curled slightly, revealing an expression that was neither a smile nor a frown.
Concubine Fei felt a chill in her heart. She wanted to look more carefully, but Matron Shu quickly took a few steps to follow Lady Yu into the hall.
Matron Shu was a very low-profile person. She followed Lady Yu’s instructions in all matters; even Yu Jingxiu might not be able to command her. What did that look of hers mean?
Concubine Wu had kept her head lowered the whole time. Seeing that Lady Yu and her attendants had entered the room, she couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief and greeted the somewhat dazed Concubine Fei: “I’m going back now. Will you return later or come with me?”
“I’ll go with you!” Concubine Fei’s expression was somewhat stiff. She forced a smile at Concubine Wu and returned to their quarters in silence.
By the afternoon, word came from the main house that the Imperial Physician had diagnosed Madam Fan with heartache.
This news even alarmed Grand Secretary Yu.
“So young, yet afflicted with such an illness,” he frowned as he asked Lady Yu, his brow creased with a hint of annoyance. “You should select a few more people for Depu’s household. This can’t go on.”
“Has the Old Master become confused?” Lady Yu smiled. “How can we place more people in Depu’s household at this time? Even if we were to do so, we would need to wait for some time. I think we should handle this matter slowly.”
Grand Secretary Yu became somewhat agitated upon hearing this and impatiently said: “You and I are both halfway into the grave, yet we have only our granddaughter Zhen. Now is not the time to be heartbroken over him.”
Being long-married, Lady Yu understood what Grand Secretary Yu meant with just a hint. Hearing this, she couldn’t help but be surprised and asked solemnly: “Old Master, is there something happening outside?”
“What could be happening outside?” Grand Secretary Yu said, yet he waved his hand with a troubled expression. “Just take care of the household affairs.”
Lady Yu complied with Grand Secretary Yu’s wishes, but later sought out Yu Huai’an to inquire.
Yu Huai’an carefully considered his words: “There hasn’t been much happening these days… except that the Commander-in-Chief Zhao of Guizhou has been recognized for his achievements in pacifying the frontier. The Emperor has asked the Inner Court to convene and discuss appointing Commander Zhao as the Right Army Deputy Marshal with the title of Southern Expedition General… It seems that for this matter, the Emperor even specially summoned Commander Zhao’s wife into the palace to converse with her as a sign of favor…”
Lady Yu’s mood became extremely bad at this news.
Ah-Sen’s mood, however, was extremely good.
He asked Fu Tingyun: “Does this mean the Ninth Master will be promoted again?”
“We’ll have to wait for the official document,” Fu Tingyun smiled and bent down to take out a pair of tiger-head shoes that Young Master Xi had worn as a child from a chest, handing them to Wang Jingtong. “Take these and place them by your pillow for good luck.”
Wang Jingtong accepted the tiger-head shoes with a blushing face, but then saw Ah-Sen standing nearby giggling. She couldn’t help but glare at him with a mixture of shyness and anger, though her gaze was too gentle to have any real impact.
Fu Tingyun couldn’t help but smile at the sight.
“Sister-in-law!” Wang Jingtong stamped her foot in protest.
Everyone burst into laughter.
Fu Tingyun said: “I’m just happy for Ah-Sen!” As she spoke, her eyes grew moist. “Ah-Sen is about to become a father now…” She recalled the first time she had met Ah-Sen, and tears involuntarily fell.
Ah-Sen’s eyes were red.
Wang Jingtong knew about Ah-Sen’s background; before their marriage, Ah-Sen had often told her about his experiences.
Her heart ached, and she, too, began to shed tears.
“Sister-in-law, please rest assured, I will treat Ah-Sen extremely well,” she promised Fu Tingyun.
Fu Tingyun nodded repeatedly. Looking at Wang Jingtong who had become tearful, she felt that she had been too emotional. She quickly smiled and wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes, saying: “Look at me. You rarely come back, and I’m only talking about sad things.” She took Wang Jingtong’s hand and said: “Come, let me pick out a few more clothes that Young Master Xi wore when he was little… A newborn’s skin is delicate, and worn clothes are best to avoid any chafing… that would be ideal…”
Wang Jingtong also felt that she had overreacted. Although somewhat embarrassed, she smiled and went with Fu Tingyun to the inner room where the chests were kept. Wanting to improve the atmosphere, she tried to find happier topics and brought up Zhao Ling’s possible promotion again: “I heard my father say that a Commander-in-Chief with a General’s seal is of the first rank, while a Deputy Marshal of the Military Commission is of the third rank. My brother is currently of the second rank, so in terms of rank hierarchy, should he be considered of the first rank? I wonder if he can receive salaries for all three positions?”
Fu Tingyun was amused by Wang Jingtong’s words and said: “I don’t care about his three salaries. I’m hoping he can serve as the Deputy Marshal of the Military Commission… When the Empress mentioned it, I was secretly delighted for half the day, only to find out it was just a nominal position!”
“Sister-in-law shouldn’t underestimate this nominal position,” Wang Jingtong smiled. “With this position, intelligence reports from the Right Army Military Commission will be sent to brother, and he’ll have a say in the Right Army’s affairs…”
Fu Tingyun was well aware of this but couldn’t help having certain wishes.
Since Zhao Ling wouldn’t be returning anytime soon, she dropped the subject and sighed instead: “I want to visit your brother in Guizhou, but he refuses to allow it, saying there’s too much miasma there and he’s afraid I might become infected… If only Young Master Xi were a bit older, it would be better.”
For high-ranking military officials like Zhao Ling, who guarded a region, protocol required that their families remain in the capital. If they wished to bring their wives to their posts, they had to leave their eldest sons residing in the capital.
Both choices were dear to her heart. If she wanted to be with Zhao Ling, she would have to separate from her son. If she wanted to care for her son, she and Zhao Ling would have to live apart. She could only hope that Zhao Ling would truly make up his mind to leave Guizhou after ten years…
As Fu Tingyun was chatting with Wang Jingtong, Yue Chuan suddenly rushed in with alarm: “Madam, something terrible has happened! The Young Miss has beaten someone!”
“Youyou?” Fu Tingyun was shocked. “Wasn’t she practicing calligraphy in her room? How did she end up beating someone? Is the person who was beaten alright? Has a doctor been called?”
“Steward Zheng has already gone to fetch a doctor,” Yue Chuan was so anxious that she began to cry. “The one who was beaten is a young master who is covering his eye and crying in pain. We don’t know how serious it is…”
Hearing it was a child with an eye injury, Fu Tingyun’s hands and feet went weak, and she could barely stand.
As a mother herself, she could empathize completely. If it were her child in such a situation…
She dared not think further and urged Yue Chuan to lead the way in desperation: “Quick, take me to see!”