On the seventeenth of the first month, the men of Qinwei Alley all had to return to their posts. The morning they were seeing them off, the alley was packed with people, and carriages and horses filled every space.

The old madam kept having people pile things onto her son’s and grandsons’ carriages, all the while nagging at She Qingling, “Son, ah, when will you be back next time?”

She Qingling was reluctant to leave home too, but he knew he had no idea when he’d next return. Looking at his old godmother’s head full of silver hair, he finally said, “Mother, I’ll have them clean up the house in Yandu properly. If I miss you, I’ll send someone to bring you over to stay a few days. What do you think?”

The old madam understood at once what this meant. Her face took on a look of mock reproach as she patted him and laughed, “Oh, I won’t go there. My days here are good — good food, good sleep, and this whole street full of people I know. What would I do in Yandu? I wouldn’t know a soul there. Don’t you worry about me, just tend to your business.”

She Qingling nodded in agreement, his heart settling, and finally turned to look at his daughter-in-law standing at the gate, smiling.

Hm. All day he hadn’t quite dared to look at her — it felt as if there were a wasp’s nest grown wise with age somewhere in the household, no one knew how many years it had been cultivating itself. On ordinary days it looked harmless enough, but who could have guessed that once it burst open, it would unleash a calamity vast enough to send a cold sweat down anyone’s spine.

Ever since learning what this little wife of his had stirred up back in Yandu, She Qingling felt that decades of hard-won wisdom and political cunning had utterly collapsed.

Could things really be handled this way?

His little daughter-in-law was still the same petite figure, wearing a goose-yellow cloak, her small face still just as tiny, her grape-round eyes shining with unrestrained laughter.

She’d caused a disaster, and clearly wasn’t afraid of it in the least.

And this was the very person that more than a dozen matrons from the Duke of Zheng’s household couldn’t catch, couldn’t hold down — pressed too hard, surrounded too tightly, she simply led a whole troupe of professional mourners in circles like a kite on the wind.

She’d circled the Duke of Zheng’s residence flinging spirit money everywhere, and with that stinker of a Choutou adding to the mischief, she’d stirred the whole Zheng household into such a frenzy that half of them wanted to hang themselves on the spot.

Such a grand spectacle of mourning wails had thrown into chaos the scheme the Zheng family had quietly been laying for over a year. In any case — cough — the Duke of Zheng’s household had certainly had its face thoroughly slapped and swollen by her.

Later, when the Empress Dowager summoned her to account for it, she’d put on an entirely innocent face and said, oh? He didn’t die? How can that be? What a wrongful accusation this is… going there trip after trip during the New Year, wailing and crying until my tears could fill a river — wasn’t that in response to news of a death?

No one told us the old patriarch was still alive.

Indeed, no one had told them the old patriarch was fine.

Qiqian’er naturally knew what her godfather was thinking, so she just bared her two rows of little white teeth and smiled at him.

She Qingling sighed helplessly, looking at his little daughter-in-law, utterly unable to fathom her.

This person was now considered the number one shrew among the noble ladies of Yandu, ranked first in thick-skinned brazenness in this era, and unrivaled as the foremost teller of bald-faced lies with a straight face.

How had it come to this — that his family’s ancestral grave and the Chen family’s ancestral grave, combined and shrouded in five-colored smoke, had together summoned up someone like her?

In the end he pointed at her and said, “You’re still laughing? Just think about it — from now on, whatever tea gathering any decent household holds, just see who dares send you an invitation.”

Hearing this, Qiqian’er tossed her head proudly and said, “Listen to you, father — you can rest easy on that account. Does the world these days really judge who to associate with by character and virtue? There are plenty of people eager to fawn over power who’ll come crowding into our household — I wouldn’t even want to bother with the rest! As long as you hold power for even one more day, and my husband can keep our family’s standing propped up, would I lack for invitations?”

Just listen to that — she’s only seventeen, and this is how the Huo family raised their daughter?

She Qingling really wanted to dig up this family’s ancestral grave and ask their eight generations of forebears where on earth this shameless, face-tearing audacity of hers had come from. He couldn’t out-argue her either, so he turned to look at his son instead, hoping he’d rein her in. But Chen Dasheng didn’t dare provoke her at all — he could only pretend not to notice, hitching up the hem of his robe and crouching down, picking up a stick to scrape mud out of the carriage wheel.

“Whose sloppy work is this? Look how careless — mud packed all through the axle…”

Qiqian’er silently gave her husband a thumbs up. Chen Dasheng, not daring to offend either party, could only give a vague, noncommittal “mm, mm,” looking thoroughly cowed.

“This useless one!” She Qingling flung his sleeve in exasperation, letting the young eunuch help him into the carriage.

Qiqian’er came down the steps, stepped forward to lend a hand, and helped her father-in-law into the carriage, saying, “Listen to you, father — with your eye for people, could your son really be useless? He’s plenty capable.”

This remark left She Qingling nearly choking on a mouthful of cold air. He could only sit himself down and complain, “Whether he’s capable or not, you can’t even see it! As for you — tomorrow I’ll have the imperial physician’s best hand come examine you, and prescribe a few good tonics to nurse you back to health. The two of you together are beyond saving. When I get my grandchild, it certainly won’t be left in your hands.”

It was outrageous enough having a daughter-in-law wailing at a funeral — but a full-grown man too? Getting physical besides, hanging who knows how many stewards up in trees — on the fifteenth of the first month no less, so that the trees outside the Duke of Zheng’s gate hung not lanterns, but two rows of hung-up stewards instead.

Hearing this, Qiqian’er’s face flushed bright red at once, and for the moment she didn’t dare talk back sharply. Instead she began fussing, “Where in this world has an old father-in-law ever spoken of such things?”

She Qingling had thrown caution to the wind by now and said, “There never was such a thing before — but now there is!”

So what of it?

Qiqian’er pouted and grumbled, “Fine, fine, fine, you’re so impressive, you’re the biggest one in this family, even the old madam ranks behind you… Let me tell you — Jintai’s wife’s tribute of a few stone rubbings, I’ve put them all in that butterfly mother-of-pearl box for you. Your green stone and cinnabar and powder pigments for painting, I’ve bundled them together with your toubmo, chenyu, and feiqi incense pills, all in small boxes, all sealed up — don’t let those boys go pawing through it carelessly. And the two jars of old plum-blossom snow collected this New Year — I buried one under the tree root for you, and put the other jar, the black pottery one, in the back carriage — be careful when they’re unpacking it…”

She Qingling took the thin blanket his old mother handed him and laid it over his legs, nodding along absently, the endless stream of nagging still pouring into his ears: “…In the past, when you traveled rough roads, you’d often get cold pain in your belly at night — at home it was fine, everyone knew about your condition and no matter how it was jostled it was never a problem. But now that you’re in the palace, no one can look after you properly. I asked Master Cheng to prepare some white cogon-root fragrance for you, it’s in the green-patterned bundle — later, if you’re not feeling well at night, have them boil it for you to drink. Remember?”

Grown as he was, he’d never been nagged at like this in his life. She Qingling coughed several times in a row, yet the carriage still didn’t dare move.

The two nagging women beneath the carriages showed no sign of stopping.

The old madam took the food box sent from the kitchen and passed it up into the carriage, still chattering, “Son, pad these cakes along the road — Mother’s telling you, no matter how tired you get, as long as your stomach’s full you’ll recover. Don’t ever shortchange your stomach…”

“Yes, Mother, I know.”

Not reassured, Qiqian’er checked the charcoal stove in the carriage once more, saying as she looked, “When you get back this time, find some time to invite Censor Pan’s in-law out, treat him to a meal and some wine…”

Before she even finished, She Qingling burst out, “Who is he?”

Am I to invite him? I’ve never even invited the Emperor himself!

Qiqian’er shot him a look. “Who is he, you ask? He’s our Second Aunt Ma’s cousin-in-law. Inside and out, this whole family depends on you, the elder father — if you don’t take charge of it, am I supposed to go out and show my face on such matters myself? It’s not that I look down on your son, but with that head of his, handling a matter this big, he’s nowhere close to your level. One moment of not watching closely, and we’ll be settling accounts with trouble later!”

She Qingling, thinking it over, decided she had a point. He stopped coughing, nodded steadily, and said with great composure, “Mm! Very well, I’ll arrange it when I get back.”

Seeing him agree, Qiqian’er brightened, reaching back to take the foot warmer the servant had prepared, tucking it and the hand warmer in for him. “That’s how it should be. What do you know of matters outside the house better than father? This year our family has a lot to keep busy with — in a few months you’ll be a grandfather, seeing three generations of our family together. Do you still want peace and quiet?

“And then there’s Youtian, Erdian, and our own Guan Si’er — none of them are so young anymore. You’re always out in front of His Majesty, so keep an eye out for any family of good character, won’t you? We’re not asking for power or connections, just a daughter from a family who’s sensible and knows how to manage a household — wouldn’t you agree?”

She Qingling reached up with his slender, elegant fingers to pinch at his sleeve, and nodded with graceful composure, “Mm…”

Wait, that’s not right? I’ve only formally acknowledged Dasheng as my son — why am I responsible for Second Aunt Ma too? He didn’t want to get involved, but didn’t dare provoke her either, so he muttered under his breath, “I’m already so busy out there…”

His little daughter-in-law raised an eyebrow. “Busy or not, you still have to manage it! I’m an outsider who married into this family — you’re the father who holds this household up! I’m only asking around about matters of the inner quarters, but isn’t marrying off a son part of the inner quarters too? What if the girl’s good, but has a string of rotten troubles trailing behind her that come back to bite us — your son would suffer for it!”

Having said her piece, Qiqian’er briskly pulled the carriage curtain shut and turned to instruct the eunuch driving, “Let’s go! Look at the time already, the sky’s about to be fully bright. If we delay and the city gates of Yandu get crowded, we won’t get anything done today — why are you two still dawdling on and on…”

Who knew who was really the long-winded one — either way, she always had the reasoning on her side.

As for the old madam, she held the hands of Yiyue and Eryue, going down the alley asking each of her grandsons in turn — had they packed their spring jackets? Their shoes and socks? Had they brought everything they needed?… She asked her way down the line without looking back, and went into the old house. The old woman was growing more and more reluctant to see people off these days.

Once he’d sent off the men of the household, She Qingling’s ears were still ringing with complaints. By the time they’d traveled quite a distance out of Quanhou Street, he found himself staring, bemused, at the hot cake in his hand with a bite taken out of it, and suddenly burst out laughing, muttering to himself, both quietly and rather smugly, “Our family… mm, mm! Cough, so I really am the father holding up this household after all…”

Having seen off the men of the house, it was now Dingxiang’s turn to move — not that Dingxiang wanted to move, but her mother-in-law simply couldn’t bear it any longer. This old madam, sharp-tongued and vinegary by nature, had been thoroughly suppressed by the formidable matriarchs of every branch in Qinwei Alley, and could no longer stand her days there. Once Chen Dingxiang had returned to her natal family, it turned out to be no small matter — aside from the half-deaf one, every single one of those sisters-in-law was fierce, each and every one of them formidable in her own right. Qinwei Alley was practically a den of demons.

In the old madam’s own words, she couldn’t stay another day — stay any longer and she’d go mad.

Cui You couldn’t let his own mother go mad either, so with no other choice, he begged a favor and negotiated with the tenant renting his own house, finally getting them to vacate, and moved his family to behind Quanhou Street instead.

For the younger sister-in-law’s move, Qiqian’er didn’t go over — if she stood there, whatever she said or didn’t say, the old Cui madam would surely claim she’d come to bully her again. And so instead she held Siyue’s hand and stood at the mouth of Quanhou Street with Wanru and Yuniang, her fellow sisters-in-law, to see them off. Nearly an hour passed before the Chen Dingxiang household finished packing up their odds and ends. Watching the carriage disappear from sight, the sisters-in-law were about to head back when they saw several roughly-dressed women, carrying shoulder poles together, heading toward the stream outside Quanhou Street.

Qiqian’er didn’t recognize these women, yet their attire was familiar to her — she herself had once dressed this way, for the sake of the family’s livelihood: the half-length worn jacket and skirt, the narrow sleeves that went back and forth with labor.

She even knew roughly where such women would live — in the very place she herself had once lived. And since there was no well at home, and it wasn’t proper to beg water from a neighbor for money, they’d rise quietly in the early morning, before anyone was up, to fetch water themselves.

The women, faces covered in dust, bodies worn from labor, bowed respectfully from a distance the moment they spotted Qiqian’er and the others, then took the long way around by Qipan Courtyard to avoid them.

Zhang Wanru, supporting her belly, watched the women too. Seeing how intently Qiqian’er stared, she said to her, “They’re just poor unfortunate souls.”

Qiqian’er turned to look at her. “I’ve never seen these particular ones before.”

Zhang Wanru said, “Such a small matter wouldn’t dare trouble you, sister-in-law — these are the last batch on Quanhou Street, arranged by the Rear Army Commandery. They’re all widows, housed in those farmhouses up against the hill. When they arrived before New Year, the Commandery had houses repaired for them and gave them a stipend too. Seeing you were busy, I mentioned it to Jixiang’s family, and had them set aside a portion from our charity funds to help them furnish some household goods.”

Qiqian’er nodded, comforted. “That’s how it should be. They’re all people who have it hard.”

Zhang Wanru smiled and said, “Ha, and it’s not just our family — that lady in charge of the Tang household sent over rice and grain too. If they work hard, they’ll manage to pull through eventually.”

The women disappeared from sight around Qipan Courtyard. Qiqian’er watched for a while, thinking to herself that though she and Yang-shi and Wan-shi were ultimately different from before, this world had never lacked for people suffering hardship — and even if she wanted to reach out and help, how many could she really manage to help?

The sisters-in-law, finding this rather dull, turned back together into the alley. Once they’d reached a safe distance, Zhang Wanru spoke again, “Did the little sister-in-law receive the Peng family’s invitation card from Lìbu Alley? We just received one at home a moment ago, and I hear the Yu family got one too.”

Da Niu, quick-witted, gestured to her mother behind the aunts’ backs; Yuniang understood at once and covered her mouth to laugh.

Qiqian’er stopped in her tracks. “Oh! Are you two laughing at me?”

Zhang Wanru admitted it with a nod, laughing. “That’s right — with neighbors this close, we can’t very well refuse to go. I’m heading over to sit with them today. Will you join the old madam’s table at noon? Or shall we call Da Niu’s mother and the others to keep you company?”

Ding Yuniang chimed in eagerly, saying she’d go too, and would bring along Da Niu and Er Niu.

In the past, not even mentioning outside families, the invitations from Liubu Alley alone were more than the household could get through. But ever since the commotion yesterday, today the family’s invitations had dried up entirely.

Qiqian’er wasn’t bothered by it though. She walked toward the old house together with Zhang Wanru, saying as they went, “Just as well. Now that everyone’s gone, I can go grind flour. Hey — the New Year just barely over, what’s the Peng family sending invitations for at a time like this?”

Mother Yuniang and her daughters stopped at their gate, and with a smile bid farewell to their sisters-in-law. She had her own mother-in-law to attend to, and wouldn’t be going to pay morning respects at the old house.

Once she’d gone inside, Zhang Wanru looked left and right, then leaned in close to Qiqian’er’s ear and said, “That Peng family’s daughter was selected into the palace — the one called Ruiniang. I’m telling you, word has it her family went through the Zheng family’s connections.”

“Ah?” Qiqian’er was thoroughly startled. Of the households currently living on Liubu Alley, she knew some and had no idea about others, but in two lifetimes, Quanhou Street had never before produced a girl who entered the palace as an imperial consort.

That little girl called Ruiniang — she’d met her a few times, even given her a meeting gift. As for looks, well, in all conscience, she really was an exceptional young lady.

Zhang Wanru wore an expression of full disdain. “Our family isn’t on good terms with the Zheng family — who knows what they sent us an invitation for? Could it be they think that once I go, our tutor could look after their girl in the palace? Wanting to find the real Buddha, and coming to you instead, sister-in-law? Humph! What a clever little scheme.

Qiqian’er said, “It’s simply that in-law uncle and their Old Master Peng are colleagues in the same ministry, and now they’re neighbors too, that’s all.”

Zhang Wanru scoffed coldly. “That’s not it at all — I think that family has too many ideas of their own, coveting whatever’s cooking in everyone else’s pot. This world is full of self-satisfied fools — sister-in-law, you don’t know, they even wanted my mother to act as matchmaker, wanting to marry a girl from their side branch to our Youtian. It made me so angry, I flat out refused! Humph, and they dare say such a thing? Our Youtian is on equal standing with their Old Master Peng — just from how that family carries on, my father says, humph, they won’t get far.”

Qiqian’er sighed. “Wealth and glory blind the eyes. Her father ought to have a bright future too — my father says, with His Majesty’s temperament…”

Qiqian’er glanced around carefully, and once she was sure it was safe, said to Zhang Wanru, “His Majesty guards the inner palace closely — if a family has a daughter as a consort, it actually ruins their prospects instead.”

Zhang Wanru’s mouth fell open in shock. Qiqian’er nodded firmly at her. “Who knows what they were all thinking — there are plenty of good young men on Quanhou Street. Whichever family she ends up with, given Ruiniang’s looks and bearing, that would have been the fate of a proper lady managing a household.”

“That’s exactly right!” Zhang Wanru sighed, and after a silent spit, said, “Hey, just look at the young eunuchs who wait on our tutor — every single one sharp as crystal, full of clever little schemes. Dealing with them is such a pleasure! Not a wasted word among them, just one look and, small as they are, they handle things thoroughly and smoothly. That Ruiniang — looks, no complaints there, it’s just that with no one to pick at her flaws, she’s grown arrogant, looking down her nose at everyone.

“Hey, all she’s got is a pretty face — as for that temperament of hers, better not even mention it. Once she goes in, even half-dead would count as a good outcome for her — no need for anyone else to punish her, being spoiled at home for over a decade like that would be enough to torment her to death in there on its own.”

Talking all the while, the sisters-in-law reached the end of the alley, stopping in front of the old house’s gate. Chen Siniu’s household had its gate wide open, with two people in their forties or fifties standing with hands behind their backs, sizing up the lintel, and a feng shui master holding a compass, pointing this way and that.

Qiqian’er said in a low voice, “As for how dangerous it is inside there, I couldn’t say — but the Empress Dowager’s edict of reprimand against me, we already have two scrolls of those at home, delivered just last night.”

Hearing this, Zhang Wanru was utterly astonished, staring wide-eyed at Qiqian’er. “What! The Empress Dowager reprimanded you?”

Qiqian’er nodded as if it were nothing. “Yes, reprimanded — said I lacked virtue.”

Zhang Wanru’s legs went weak, and she had to steady herself against her maid, asking in a trembling voice, “Then — then what else did it say?”

Afraid of frightening her further, Qiqian’er reached out and looped her arm through hers to comfort her. “Don’t be scared. No one outside knows — my father took the edict away quietly just as he was leaving, so pretend you don’t know either… I even went right up to their gate and wailed mourning cries, and they still don’t get to lose their temper over it? Look over there — my fourth uncle and his wife Qiao-shi look like they’re about to come back. Heh! This household really can’t seem to go a day without some excitement.”

Zhang Wanru, utterly at a loss, looked at Qiqian’er for a long moment before finally saying, “Little sister-in-law, none of that seems to faze you at all — tell me, how is it you’re not afraid of anything?”

Qiqian’er was stumped by the question, standing there for a good while before answering, “Maybe… maybe it’s because I have money…”

Before she’d even finished speaking, Zhang Wanru spat at her. “Pah! With those few measly coins to your name, and you call that money?”

Having said her piece, she headed off toward the old madam’s courtyard. Qiqian’er lifted her skirt and hurried after her, still explaining, “No, don’t you believe me — I actually have a big jujube orchard…”

Before she could finish, an angry roar burst out from inside the old madam’s courtyard: “Get out!!”

A moment later, the stone woman from Qiao-shi’s courtyard came scrambling and tumbling out. Catching sight of Qiqian’er, she gave a start and dropped straight to her knees, asking after her respectfully, “M-my lady, greetings.”

Of the two “Stone” grannies on Quanhou Street, one belonged to the Yu family, the other to Qiao-shi. But as for character and competence, Qiao-shi’s Stone granny was the lowest of the low — aside from coming cheap, she couldn’t even read basic social cues.

Qiqian’er gave a cold laugh. “We were getting along just fine — the moment you show up, nothing’s fine anymore. What did you do to upset our old madam this time?”

The stone woman, afraid of Qiqian’er, didn’t dare answer, only trembling in fear. Before Qiqian’er could press further, the old madam called out from inside, “Don’t waste your breath on idle talk with her — get in here at once.”

Seeing there was trouble in the Chen household, Zhang Wanru withdrew at once, only pausing outside the window to pay her respects to the old madam, then quietly left with her maid.

Once she’d gone, Qiqian’er finally went inside, and found the old madam holding Xique, weeping. Seeing Qiqian’er come in, she said, “This past year and a half, I’ve fasted and chanted sutras every single day — why haven’t I had a single good day to show for it? That heartless one, he’s not coming back.”

Qiqian’er looked at the old madam, then at the several loads of gifts arranged on the floor of the room — on the surface nothing more than some eggs, pastries from a middling shop, and rolls of silk fabric peeking out.

Oh? These two have actually been willing to spend money to honor the elders this time?

She didn’t believe it for a moment, and crouching down, poked through the gifts — and sure enough, aside from a thin layer of decent items on top, the bottom was propped up entirely with wooden boards.

Unable to hold it in, Qiqian’er burst out laughing on the spot — she was thoroughly in awe of that couple, that they could play the part of petty schemers to such a degree, truly rare in this world.

The old madam had been quite upset a moment ago, but hearing Qiqian’er laugh, she leaned over to look, spotted the wooden boards under the loads herself, and froze — froze for a good while, utterly helpless, and finally burst out laughing too.

What else was there to do but laugh? Cry instead?

She took a breath and said, “Well… that’s just how it is. No saving him, nothing to be done! He did something to be ashamed of, and doesn’t even dare face his nephews anymore — he’s planning to sell off the house here and buy one in Yandu instead. That woman came just now to say he’s short on funds and wanted me to help him out. I told her to get lost.”

Qiqian’er was startled, standing up abruptly and going to sit beside the old madam, wrapping an arm around her shoulders, gently rocking her and murmuring, “Grandma~!”

The old madam patted her hand. “Mm?”

Qiqian’er coaxed, “I’m not exactly well-off either.”

The old madam knew she was just trying to cheer her up, and finally, her eyes reddening with grievance, said, “What did I do to deserve this? I haven’t done anything wrong, have I?”

Qiqian’er said, “Don’t worry yourself. What’s going on here — did fourth uncle really sell the house?”

“Hai! Sold it!” The old madam took the handkerchief from Yiyue, wiped her nose, dabbed at her resigned eyes, and said with a bitter smile, “I’m his mother — I know exactly what he’s scheming. He must have heard that your Choutou helped his brothers all get cushy positions, and now he’s trying to prop me up too.”

Qiqian’er helped the old madam change handkerchiefs, then gave Eryue a look, sending her to fetch Master Cheng. Once everyone had stepped out, she finally said, “So are you going to let him prop you up?”

The old madam stroked Xique’s hair a few times and sighed. “Being a mother just means being the sacrificial grass at the head of the line — one wrong move and your own children end up resenting you. Forget it! He used to peel me raw, and now he wants me, his mother, to act as the go-between and help him put on airs as an elder. Heh! What a fine dream that is. This old woman of mine isn’t foolish anymore — why should I go on suppressing the good ones just to keep feeding a rotten, festering thing like him, head to toe?

“Forget it. If he wants to sell the house, let him sell it. As the old saying goes, out of sight, out of mind! In any case, this old bag of bones of mine is staying right here — if he won’t come back with his wife to see me, then that’s on him for being unfilial. It’s not that I never understood these principles before, I was just used to letting them push me around. Enough — I won’t think of it anymore…”

Saying she didn’t want it anymore, she was still hurting nonetheless. The old woman didn’t want to cry, so she just kept stroking her granddaughter’s hair, one stroke at a time. “The children don’t even suggest bringing me over to live with them either — is that also ‘not wanting’ me?”

Xique, understanding, stood up sensibly and wiped the old madam’s eyes for her, then silently hugged her own grandmother close.

She was all the old madam had left to rely on.

Before long, Master Cheng arrived, took the old madam’s pulse, and prescribed no medicine, but did give her, suited to her condition, a jar of honey pills blended from costus root, clove, patchouli, nardostachys, betel nut, cassia bark, musk, and nutmeg — a fragrant remedy most effective for regulating the qi and easing the chest, and much easier to swallow than herbal medicine, most suitable for an elderly person to take.

One wouldn’t expect it, looking at Qinwei Alley full of rough soldiers, but tucked away in this very alley was a great talent, Master Cheng — his skill at treating illness was only middling, but his mastery of incense and fragrance had no equal. He simply didn’t care to show off this talent outside, and only made his incense for the people of Qinwei Alley.

Even She Qingling, when he left, had taken with him more of Master Cheng’s various fragrances than anything else — which alone showed how good they were.

Even the palace, it was said, had nothing to compare.

Once the old madam had taken her fragrant medicine and settled into sleep, Qiqian’er led Xique out. At the gate, she turned with a darkened expression and instructed Jixiang’s wife: “Go find young master Si in the city, and tell him fourth master is selling the house — find out who the buyer is, and what background and connections this buyer has. Our Qinwei Alley isn’t what it used to be. Since father moved in before the New Year, word’s already leaked out, and from now on we can’t afford to let outsiders come poking around. This house is safest kept in our own hands.”