As Mid-Autumn Festival approached, news came from the palace that Prince Qing and his consort, who had been stationed in Yidu for many years, would return to the capital from Qingzhou Prefecture to attend this year’s Mid-Autumn banquet. Before her marriage, Princess Qing had been a close friend of Princess Rui’an in the palace. Having followed Prince Qing away from the capital for many years, this rare return to the capital made her want to see this former good sister. The two hadn’t seen each other for over twenty years and naturally had much to catch up on, so they arranged for her to stay at the marquis residence for several days.

For Yuanxi, who had just taken charge of the household management and was still in chaos, this was really not good news. The protocols for receiving a prince’s consort were complicated—just finding accommodation matching the princess consort’s status gave her quite a headache. In the end, she followed Concubine Cai’s suggestion to renovate Qixia Courtyard next to the main courtyard where the princess lived, which would be most time and labor-saving while conveniently allowing the two to visit each other. But this meant another large expenditure—how much silver to allocate, how many craftsmen to arrange, how to control the construction schedule—everything required careful planning.

Yuanxi was almost daily buried in these trivial affairs, so busy her feet barely touched the ground, only able to return to her room to catch her breath in spare moments. On this day, having stolen half a day of leisure, she leaned against her beauty couch, sipping in small mouthfuls the sour plum soup An’he had iced for her. Her gaze moved to the books on her desk that had been idle for who knows how long, suddenly feeling deep emotion—she could never return to those days of hiding in the chancellor’s residence reading and daydreaming alone.

However, managing such a large marquis residence was truly not an easy task. If Concubine Wang were still here, she would certainly have arranged everything perfectly. Thinking of this, she looked at the sweet and sour soup in her cup and silently sighed: though Concubine Wang was selfish and greedy, she had ultimately devoted all her energy to the marquis residence. Having reached this point today, who could judge right from wrong clearly?

Just as she was lost in random thoughts, Nanny Li gently pushed open the door, followed by a pretty little maid whose fair face still bore tear tracks. A pair of round, large eyes looked at her timidly, appearing quite pitiful.

Seeing Nanny Li’s hesitant expression, Yuanxi quickly asked, “What’s wrong? Has something happened?”

Nanny Li sighed, “Madam has been busy with affairs recently, so I shouldn’t trouble you casually, but…”

Yuanxi set down her porcelain bowl and deliberately put on a stern face, “What need is there for such words between us? Speak quickly about whatever it is, or I’ll really get angry if you don’t.”

Nanny Li then pulled the pitiful little maid forward, saying, “This maid is named Zhui’er, serving in the second young mistress’s quarters. She happens to be from my hometown, so we get along very well normally. Who knew that a few months ago, when she went to deliver tea and snacks to the second young master, she was actually…” She stopped speaking and sighed deeply. Zhui’er covered her face and began crying softly. Nanny Li also wiped away tears before continuing, “We servants have lives beyond our control. Having our purity violated can only be swallowed as bitter medicine. Who knew this month she discovered she was with child, but the second young master refuses to acknowledge it. The second young mistress also says she’s been improper and wants to abort her child and expel her from the residence. She’s a weak woman with no relatives in the capital, so she came to this old servant, hoping Madam would seek justice for her.”

Yuanxi frowned. If what she said was true, this matter involved the bloodline of the marquis residence—it shouldn’t be her place to intervene. So she tentatively asked Zhui’er, who was already crying uncontrollably, “Do the master and princess know about this?”

Zhui’er wiped her tears while saying, “I went to beg the princess, but she only had Nanny Yu tell me that the second young master was never under her discipline, so she couldn’t intervene in this matter. I also went to find the master, but he simply wouldn’t see me.”

Yuanxi felt somewhat puzzled. Since this involved the marquis residence’s bloodline, why would the master and mother-in-law be so indifferent? She showed a troubled expression and was about to refuse when Zhui’er had already fallen to her knees with a thud, crying out, “Please save the child in my belly, Madam! This servant’s life is worthless, but the fetus is innocent. As long as I can give birth to this child, I’m willing to leave the marquis residence forever, hand the child over to the second young mistress to raise, and swear never to see him again.”

Seeing her desperate determination to protect the child in her womb, Yuanxi felt moved. After hesitating for a while, she said, “How about this—I’ll try to help you speak with the second young mistress to see if there’s any room for discussion.” Zhui’er raised her head in surprise and joy, thanking her profusely. Nanny Li was also overjoyed and quickly helped her up. After Yuanxi comforted her further, she brought Nanny Li to Wang Shuqin’s room.

When she entered, Wang Shuqin was trimming a peony before her. She looked much thinner, with faint worry still lingering between her brows. Turning to see Yuanxi, she performed a very formal bow, saying, “How does elder sister-in-law have time to come to my room today?”

This was Wang Shuqin—no matter what she hid in her heart, she could always appear so dignified and proper. Yuanxi inexplicably recalled the time she had been framed by her, struggling to push these thoughts away as she sat down, “I came today about that maid Zhui’er’s matter.”

A flash of malice crossed Wang Shuqin’s face, but she still smiled, “A lowly servant—why should elder sister-in-law trouble herself?”

Yuanxi hesitated before slowly saying, “She told me she’s willing to keep this child, raise him under your name, and leave the marquis residence herself, swearing never to see this child again. What does younger sister-in-law think?”

Wang Shuqin gently picked up the branches and leaves she had just cut and threw them out the window, her brow showing no ripples as she said, “She’s someone from my quarters, and it’s a matter of my quarters. As for how to handle it, elder sister-in-law doesn’t need to make decisions for us, does she?”

Her words were cold and hard, yet reasonable. Yuanxi sighed, knowing there was no room for further discussion, and could only take her leave with Nanny Li. Upon returning to her room, Zhui’er immediately approached with hopeful expectation, but seeing her expression, understood what had happened and softly collapsed to sit on the ground, covering her face and crying desperately.

Yuanxi had Nanny Li send Zhui’er away, feeling somewhat stifled and uncomfortable. She understood she could do nothing and shouldn’t be the one to act, but were some people born to have lives like grass, to be trampled by others? Looking at the gradually dimming daylight outside the window, she suddenly very much wanted to return to the chancellor’s residence, to be an unloved but happily simple young girl.

Just then, a servant called from outside, “Madam, the marquis requests your presence.” Thinking of Xiao Du, Yuanxi’s heart couldn’t help but soften. She collected these melancholy emotions, tidied her hair and clothes, and followed the servant to Xiao Du’s study.

Upon entering, she felt the atmosphere was wrong. Xiao Du stood with his back to the door, his gaze fixed somewhere outside the window. Hearing footsteps in the room, he only coldly told the servant to leave and close the door, but didn’t turn around.

Once the door closed, the room immediately fell into silence—a suffocating quiet with only the sound of water drops falling from the water clock. Yuanxi had never seen his back appear so cold and rigid, her heart skipping with growing unease.

Just then, Xiao Du finally turned around, his face showing both pain and mockery as he picked up a paper from the desk, “So you have another name called Wanwan?”

Yuanxi’s body shook violently, feeling struck by lightning. She stared fixedly at the half book page in his hand, unable to speak for a long moment.