Hearing Eleventh Miss’s question, Wanxiang’s gaze was burning: “Madam, as the saying goes — kindness is exploited by others, just as a gentle horse is ridden to exhaustion. In all fairness, who in this household has a more legitimate standing than you? Yet look at how things stand now: household matters are managed by Third Madam, young master Zhun’s affairs are in the Dowager’s hands. Even Consort Qiao — they say she’s been unwell every other day, and comes to pay her respects whenever she feels like it, and skips it whenever she doesn’t. She hasn’t put you in her eyes at all. In the end, it all comes down to your being too soft with people. Take this very situation — Third Madam has conducted herself crookedly and handed you an opening herself. If even now you don’t take hold of it properly, you’d truly be letting a golden opportunity pass by…”

There truly were no secrets to speak of in this household!

Eleventh Miss watched Wanxiang’s lips moving open and shut, and felt something between laughter and exasperation.

Here she was — young, newly married, still trying to make sense of the people and relationships around her, of common birth to boot, with no experience following her elders to learn household management. To rush into taking charge of a marquisate’s inner affairs — not only did she herself lack full confidence, even the Dowager wouldn’t dare take that risk. As for Zhun Ge, he was the household’s hope for the future; his education was a matter of grave responsibility. How could the Dowager hand a child over to someone she didn’t yet fully know? The business with Consort Qiao was even more absurd. She had been the one to agree to excuse Consort Qiao from morning greetings — yet somehow it had gotten out as Consort Qiao being arrogant and negligent… Thinking of this, something stirred within her.

Could there truly be such rumors circulating in the household?

Or could it be that Wanxiang was entirely fabricating all of this to goad her into going after Third Madam?

“Who has been spreading such nonsense?” Eleventh Miss smiled, cutting off Wanxiang’s words. “Consort Qiao has poor health — that is precisely why I specifically excused her from morning greetings!”

“Madam, this has spread throughout the entire household.” Wanxiang’s gaze flickered. “If you do not put a stop to this atmosphere, people will start saying you run a lax household!”

Eleventh Miss could now be even more certain of Wanxiang’s intentions.

Her ability to get to the bottom of Third Madam’s rice-swapping scheme and leverage it so thoroughly — by any measure, she had both boldness and resourcefulness. But it was a pity that her private motives were too heavy, her sense of fairness too wanting — which made her seem small-minded and unfit for greater responsibility.

“Everything you’ve told me, I now know.” She smiled. “Do not breathe a word of this for the time being — I will handle it.”

Wanxiang saw that after all her long speech, Eleventh Miss showed not the slightest agitation, and instead dismissed her with an air of “you need not concern yourself further.” A dim sense of unease stirred within her.

If this matter were not reported to the Marquis, even if the Dowager were to learn of it, she would likely cover for Third Madam to protect her own dignity. As long as Third Madam had room to breathe, it would only be a matter of time before she tracked down who had let the matter out. Kitchen managers — there wasn’t one without some personal arrangement going on. When that day came, even if she were a reincarnation of First Madam herself, there would be no way to wriggle free.

For a moment, she both regretted coming to report the matter at all, and was furious with Eleventh Miss for refusing to step forward… her expression shifted between shades of blue and red.

“Let me say this much.” She was on tenterhooks, but certain things had to be said now, for fear there would be no further opportunity. “This matter must be reported to the Marquis. Third Madam was appointed by the Dowager herself — if something like this comes to light, they will certainly cover for each other. I have taken such a risk — it was all for Madam’s sake…”

Eleventh Miss shook her head inwardly.

Everyone has private motives, but once they go too far, they are bound to breed resentment…

“I will think it over carefully.” She smiled calmly and gave a nod, then changed the subject: “As for your position — I would like to hear your own thoughts. Then I can plan accordingly on your behalf.”

Wanxiang was greatly disappointed at hearing this.

Yet now that things had come to this point, with Eleventh Miss neither angry nor flustered, she had no better course.

“Madam.” Her expression fell. “I still wish to remain in the kitchen.”

Eleventh Miss nodded: “I understand. I will see to it.” Then she raised her teacup.

Wanxiang rose with a dejected air to take her leave.

Eleventh Miss called Hongxiu over: “Stand at the door and watch — the moment the Marquis returns, come and report to me.”

Hongxiu, seeing the gravity of her expression, did not dare to be careless, and went off to stand watch.

Eleventh Miss held a cup of hot tea and sat alone on the large heated platform by the window, turning the matter over in her thoughts for a long while.

…

Xu Lingyi returned to find Eleventh Miss’s maid Hongxiu waiting for him and raised an eyebrow.

Though they had been married only a short two months, Eleventh Miss was always measured and steady in her conduct. For her to have someone waiting for him at this hour…

He said in a low, even voice: “What has happened?”

Xu Lingyi was possessed of a natural authority that did not require anger to command respect — and now his expression was grave as well.

Hongxiu trembled slightly with fright before managing to stammer: “Madam has asked that the Marquis come to her the moment he returns!”

Xu Lingyi nodded and strode toward the main room.

The curtain was lifted, and he entered, carrying with him the heavy chill of the outside air.

Feeling a rush of cold wind sweep in, Eleventh Miss knew without looking that Xu Lingyi had returned.

“My lord, your concubine has something urgent to speak with you about!” She stepped down from the platform to help Xu Lingyi remove his cape, and at the same time gave a look to signal the attending servants to withdraw.

Xu Lingyi, seeing a trace of urgency in her brow, let his expression soften. “Sit down and tell me.”

Eleventh Miss nodded, poured tea for Xu Lingyi, and the two of them sat on either side of the large heated platform by the window. She relayed what Wanxiang had told her.

The colder Xu Lingyi’s gaze grew with each sentence he heard, the more he rose and said: “I’ll go and look.”

The sooner this sort of matter was resolved, the better.

Eleventh Miss picked up the cape nearby and helped Xu Lingyi put it on again: “You won’t be dining at Mother’s this evening — what excuse should we give?”

A flash of incomprehension crossed Xu Lingyi’s eyes.

Eleventh Miss explained: “What Third Sister-in-law did is certainly wrong, but she is after all a daughter-in-law of the Xu household, appointed by Mother herself to manage it. If Mother were to know of this, she would not know how much grief to feel. I think it is best to keep it from her.”

Xu Lingyi listened, a slight furrow forming in his brow: “Tell her the Emperor has ordered me to take the Five City Infantry Command out on city patrol. I will be home late.”

“Yes.” Eleventh Miss agreed gently and walked him to the door.

In this world there was no wall without cracks, and Third Madam’s methods — sooner or later they would be discovered. If discovered earlier, they could be caught in the act; if later, they would become the subject of gossip. Neither outcome was anything but damaging to the Xu household — and beneath a nest that falls, there are no whole eggs. She herself was now a daughter-in-law of the Xu household, bound to it in voice and breath, in root and branch — what brought honor to one brought honor to all, and what harmed one harmed all. This was certainly among the reasons Eleventh Miss did not want the matter made public — but she had a more pressing concern.

Mobilizing such a large amount of grain was not something Third Madam alone, as a woman of the inner quarters, could have accomplished. There was likely more to this than met the eye — perhaps implicating some of the outer-court managers, even certain important figures within the Xu household… She did not want to become a moth flying headlong into a web, yet she could not stand aside either — not when disaster victims might be harmed, or the Xu household might be drawn into serious difficulty. The best course, then, was to have Xu Lingyi step forward to resolve it. If even he could do nothing, she would simply have to accept the outcome.

Before the matter was resolved, she naturally had to remain silent, so as not to put the quarry on alert and make herself out to be the false accuser.

But when she saw the snow falling in great swirling sweeps, settling on Xu Lingyi’s straight, pine-like figure, she couldn’t help but call after him: “My lord!”

Xu Lingyi turned. He saw Eleventh Miss standing beneath the eaves. Her great red cape was like a wayward cloud chasing the snowflakes through the air. A pair of eyes, bright and shimmering, were fixed steadily on him… He couldn’t help but walk back over. “What is it?”

Eleventh Miss watched him approach and stop at a distance of five paces from her.

“My lord,” she said, looking at him. “The matter of the porridge distribution can be taken as large or small. At its grandest — it is disaster relief, for the common people. At its simplest — it is an act of virtue, an accumulation of merit for the Xu household. Besides, our porridge stall stands right beside that of the Weibei Marquisate’s Lin family. No matter how great your anger, please wait until this matter has passed before expressing it.”

Xu Lingyi understood that she was reminding him not to let anything show that others might notice while he dealt with the situation. He found her somewhat fussy and answered to brush her off: “Understood.”

Seeing his casual response, Eleventh Miss realized he had not taken her meaning at all, and had no choice but to explain further: “Every household has been distributing porridge for some time now — switching the grain at this juncture is no different from hanging a sign saying ‘no silver buried here.’ My lord might consider having the women who cook the porridge rinse the rice several more times, then add some vinegar before cooking — just to be safe. If anyone grows suspicious, simply say you found their work careless. Once that serving has passed, you can arrange to have the rice replaced — there will still be time.”

But looking up, she saw a flash of amusement pass through Xu Lingyi’s eyes.

Eleventh Miss was taken aback.

Xu Lingyi had already said lightly: “It is only a matter of the rice having gone moldy. When I was on campaign I ate the same — there is no need for all this fuss. Stop worrying about unnecessary things and go keep Mother company properly — just make sure she doesn’t become suspicious.”

Eleventh Miss found herself at a loss for words. Thinking that he would be spending the night with Consort Wen this evening, she said: “I will instruct Consort Wen to leave the door unlatched for you.”

Xu Lingyi gave a nod and turned to leave.

Eleventh Miss went to the Dowager’s quarters.

Because of the unrelenting heavy snow, with the back garden having mostly stone paths, the Dowager — worried that Fifth Madam might slip and fall — had long since excused her from morning and evening greetings. She had also told Xu Lingkuan not to come to pay his respects but to stay and accompany Fifth Madam. Third Master and Third Madam, for their part, were occupied with the porridge stall and were not to be seen until mealtimes.

Eleventh Miss arrived just past the first quarter mark past the Shen Hour. Zhen Jie’er and Zhun Ge were in the main hall being attended by several maidservants as they jumped rope.

Seeing Eleventh Miss enter, Zhen Jie’er promptly led Zhun Ge in paying their respects.

Perhaps because Eleventh Miss had always kept a certain distance from Zhun Ge, he no longer watched her with the guarded wariness he had shown when she first entered the household.

Eleventh Miss was naturally pleased to see this, and stopped at five paces’ distance from them, meeting the two children’s greetings without drawing any closer: “What is Grandmother up to at the moment?”

Zhen Jie’er smiled and said: “She and Nanny Du are playing leaf cards together! They say it’s no fun!”

Eleventh Miss smiled at them both and turned to head toward the inner room.

“Why didn’t Father come with you!”

From behind her came the light, thin voice of Zhun Ge.

Eleventh Miss turned back. She saw Zhun Ge clutching Zhen Jie’er’s sleeve tightly, watching her with a complex expression.

“Your father has to take the Five City Infantry Command out on patrol tonight.” Her smile was just as warm as before. “He can’t come and keep Grandmother company for dinner today.”

Both Zhen Jie’er and Zhun Ge’s eyes showed a shadow of disappointment.

The bond between parent and child is instinct. Even though Xu Lingyi was so stern with the children, they still loved him and held him in their thoughts…

Eleventh Miss felt a touch of envy.

The Dowager, too, could not conceal her disappointment upon hearing that Xu Lingyi would not be home for dinner.

Nanny Du comforted the Dowager: “You may as well think of the Marquis as having gone out for an engagement!”

The Dowager gazed at the swirling snowflakes outside the window and said with reluctance: “Going out for an engagement, at least, has life and color to it. But look at this fierce wind and heavy snow…” The tone was one of deep concern for Xu Lingyi.

A faint smile touched the corner of Eleventh Miss’s mouth.

In her mind, the face of her mother from her previous life drifted into view…