The news of Fifth Yiniang’s pregnancy brought the small study to life.

Old Master Luo himself could not entirely suppress a few notes of pride.

Qian Ming looked on and promptly insisted that they must drink: “…Today is the proper occasion for all of us sons-in-law. This does not count. We must arrange another day.” He paused. “In fact, there should be several more days.”

Xu Lingyi, by his nature, rarely spoke; Luo Zhensheng and Luo Zhensheng were younger members of the family — so all three simply sat nearby with smiling expressions.

Old Master Luo straightened to his full height, waved a large hand: “You set the date — whatever day you name. You say how many days and it shall be how many days. You shall drink your fill.” All straightforward generosity.

Qian Ming’s gaze then landed on Xu Lingyi, and seeing him seated with upright formality, his expression unsmiling, Qian Ming paused, shifted tone, and laughed: “I cannot decide this on my own — better to wait until Tenth Brother-in-law arrives so we can all discuss it properly.”

Old Master Luo’s smile cooled by a degree or two at this.

Xu Lingyi came infrequently, but every time he came he was fully respectful, observing every proper courtesy. Qian Ming needed no comment — any time there was the slightest stir he would come running to the Luo household; his manner was warm and his talk was lively, and not a single person in the Luo household, from top to bottom, disliked him. As for this Wang Lang — not only did he have an unpleasant, sour-sweet manner, he also wore a permanently arrogant look of contempt for others, which was deeply off-putting.

Thinking of how since First Madam had fallen ill he had not come once to inquire after her, Old Master Luo felt a chill in his heart. He turned outright to Luo Zhensheng: “Go and see whether Tenth Son-in-law has arrived. If he has still not come, let us not wait for him. Tell your eldest sister-in-law to have the meal served. We cannot keep the Marquis and your Fifth Brother-in-law waiting like this.”

Luo Zhensheng went at once.

Qian Ming felt that he ought to demur out of courtesy, but then he glanced over at Xu Lingyi — who had not moved an inch — and swallowed the words back down.

—

At the same time, Fifth Madam, now returned to the Sun Family residence in Red Lantern Lane, had sent her husband off to visit his mother and was herself cornering Old Marquis Sun in his study.

“Father, tell me plainly — is that child Xu Lingkuan’s?”

Old Marquis Sun raised an eyebrow: “What do you think?” And turned the question back to her.

Fifth Madam was briefly taken aback.

Old Marquis Sun continued, his tone weighted and earnest: “Danyang, we and the Xu Family are as close as family — you and Lingkuan might as well be said to have grown up together. No one knows Lingkuan’s character better than you. You have always been astute. If you keep circling these minor details, you will end up a second Luo Yuan Niang. Sometimes you need to learn from your Second Sister-in-law, Xiang Shi. Look further. Keep a broader heart.”

Fifth Madam’s color became faintly pale.

The answer was already on the verge of speaking itself.

Old Marquis Sun saw clearly, yet had no wish to shield his daughter in this matter. His daughter’s nature was proud and unyielding, and she had no full blood brothers to stand behind her. While he was still alive he could give her some support — but if one day he was gone, her husband would be her only anchor. He could not let her carry on making trouble as she pleased. With that in mind, his gaze turned sharp as a hawk’s. “Why are you not speaking?”

His manner was pressing.

Fifth Madam looked at her father, and her color paled further still.

What was there to say?

That she had imagined herself shrewd, believed she had her husband in hand — only to find that he had hidden this from her completely.

That she had stood watching others’ dramas, thinking herself the one looking on — only to find she had become the spectacle in others’ eyes.

Was it that she had failed as a person, or that the other party was simply too clever?

She felt agitated and unsettled.

“Since you cannot say it aloud — then bury it in your heart forever. Then pour a pot of scalding water over it and scald the root and all.” Old Marquis Sun’s expression was grave. He told Fifth Madam, one by one, the rumors circulating outside, then said: “…At this critical moment, even if you cannot help the household, do not add to its troubles. Otherwise you will genuinely be worse off than even that Marchioness Yongping — a daughter born of a concubine.” His tone carried clear warning.

If there was one person in this world Fifth Madam trusted above all others, it was her father, Old Marquis Dingnan. To have survived unscathed through the treacherous court of the late Emperor’s final years to the present day was not something just anyone could accomplish. So even though his words half choked her and she sat speechless for a time, she did bring out a contemplative expression at last.

Old Marquis Sun observed this with quiet approval, and offered his daughter this guidance: “This matter is neither large nor small. But what you must consider is — at this moment, what would the Marquis think? What would the Grand Dowager think? What would Lingkuan think? And what would your Fourth Sister-in-law think? Bear in mind: to plan carefully before acting is the only way to remain undefeated.”

Fifth Madam sat quietly in the warmth of the study’s inner alcove, falling into a reverie.

Old Marquis Sun did not rush her. He sat to one side, sipping his tea slowly.

Indeed — with something like this having come to pass, what would the Marquis think? He would naturally wish to suppress the situation, so he would acknowledge what needed to be acknowledged, and take on what did not need to be acknowledged as well. Those who saw through the scheme would praise the Marquis for his magnanimous heart. Those who did not would only envy the Marquis for his roguish charm. But privately — the Marquis, whenever he set eyes on that child, would likely feel a faint pang of guilt toward Shiyiniang, who had accepted the child without a word of protest. As for the Grand Dowager — flesh was flesh, whether the palm or the back of the hand. The more exasperated she was with Lingkuan, the more her heart would ache for the Marquis, and the more warmly she would feel toward an obedient and compliant Shiyiniang.

Thinking all of this through, Fifth Madam found she could no longer sit still.

That Xu Lingkuan — impulsive and thoughtless in everything he did. To have hidden all of this from her, to have left her looking like a laughingstock without even understanding why — worse than if he had simply made her accept the child outright. And yet she had, all unknowing, fussed and cooed over that child herself, which, in the eyes of those who knew the truth, must have made her into the most priceless comedy imaginable. And given Xu Lingkuan’s nature — not only would he be endlessly grateful to the Marquis for cleaning up after him, he would feel indebted to the point of reverence toward Shiyiniang, who was raising his child.

The realization stoked a surge of fury in her.

How much could it possibly cost to raise one child? When all was tallied up, it was a matter of no more than a hundred taels of silver per year.

Well played, Shiyiniang — with a hundred taels of silver she had at once earned the Marquis’s gratitude and the Grand Dowager’s goodwill, and come away looking virtuous and gracious in her own husband’s eyes. Quite the calculation.

She plays deaf and dumb, and thinks I am easy to push about. This time, if I do not show her something, she will truly think I fear her.

Fifth Madam grew angrier the more she thought; her expression darkened by degrees.

Old Marquis Sun, who had been watching his daughter’s face throughout, inwardly sighed.

His daughter had, in the end, been undone by the vanity of that empty title of “county princess”… She could not endure grievance.

“Think of Xiang Yi Zhen.” Old Marquis Sun’s words were pointed. “And think too of the departed Luo Yuan Niang.”

Fifth Madam pressed her lips tightly together and said nothing.

If he did not settle this today, heaven knew what his daughter might get up to after she returned home.

Old Marquis Sun continued to persuade her: “You have a long life ahead of you. There will be many times to come when you must rely on the Marquis. And the Marquis is a man who understands good from ill. What is lost in the east can be recovered in the west. Yield a step today, and perhaps tomorrow it is you who takes a step forward.” Then, thinking of that time he had described Shiyiniang as a “spring onion” and caught Xu Lingyi’s expression… his voice became a touch sterner. “A harmonious household prospers in everything. You are the legitimate daughter of the Sun Family. Do not do anything unworthy of our family’s conduct — and leave me unable to face Old Marquis Xu after I am gone from this world.”

“Father…” Fifth Madam could not suppress her indignation. “That Shiyiniang…”

“Hold your tongue!” Old Marquis Sun’s face darkened, and he cut his daughter off without hesitation. “Is ‘Shiyiniang’ a name that comes from your mouth? What have I been saying all this while — you have taken every last word as empty air.” His voice sharpened. “Do not forget — what is the most important thing to you right now?”

Struck by her father’s rebuke like a bolt of thunder, Fifth Madam froze where she stood — and instinctively, her hand moved to the gentle swell of her abdomen.

And gradually, her mind grew clear again.

She had truly been muddled — the child was what mattered most. To give birth swiftly to a son, to draw her husband to her side, to earn the Grand Dowager’s greater satisfaction, to make her standing in the household more secure — that was what mattered.

She knew her bedfellow better than anyone. If Xu Lingkuan felt that she had suffered grievances or endured hardship on his account, he would feel guilty, and in everything he would defer to her by several degrees. Conversely, if he ever felt that she had deceived him, his heart would turn to iron, and no amount of weeping or pleading would bring him back. So where Xu Lingkuan was concerned — only a gentle approach would do.

Then there was the Marquis. If she were honest, his bearing and temperament were both admirable, and his manner toward people was generous. As long as you did not go too far, he would generally turn a blind eye. So for as long as Xu Lingkuan remained the Marquis’s younger brother, she had nothing to fear from that quarter — he was the easiest of all to manage.

Then there was the Grand Dowager.

The old lady had weathered many storms, had buried her children more than once; by this age she had no appetite for further turmoil, and preferred to act the benevolent elder, letting things pass in a haze of goodwill and harmony. Yet she was no ordinary woman at her core — decisive and firm to the bone. There was likely not a single thing in this household she had not seen through. So in the Grand Dowager’s presence, the wisest course was gentle compliance and gracious magnanimity.

Seeing his daughter’s expression shift to one of dawning comprehension, Old Marquis Sun’s expression eased. He lowered his voice: “Think on it carefully.” Then he rose and left the study, calling to a servant boy: “Go and fetch Nanny Shi for me.” Some things were best guarded against before they happened. With Nanny Shi to watch over her, nothing too serious should go wrong.

Alone in the small study, Fifth Madam let out a long, long breath.

Indeed — this was no time for muddled thinking. In this world, there were no remedies to be bought for regret.

Look at Shiyiniang — she had taken the seemingly disadvantaged position, accepting the child outright, and in doing so secured her footing on the grounds of “righteousness.” She could not engage with her openly. If she did, not only would she fail to accomplish anything, she would turn the Marquis, the Grand Dowager, and Xu Lingkuan against her, and become the second Luo Yuan Niang.

While she was still deep in thought, a young maidservant crept in, trembling, to invite her to the flower hall for the midday meal.

Fifth Madam stepped out of the study and met Xu Lingkuan coming from the opposite direction.

“Why were you gone so long?” He was written all over with concern. “Are you all right?” And he reached out carefully to steady her.

“I have not seen Father in so long — I wanted to have a proper conversation with him.” Fifth Madam studied her husband’s face with care. “What is there for you to worry about?”

Her words carried a hint of something more.

“Your belly is growing bigger by the day — how could I not worry?” Xu Lingkuan’s gaze was sincere, his words guileless — he had entirely missed the undercurrent in what she said.

Something stirred in Fifth Madam’s heart. She said in a coy, aggrieved tone: “You say you worry about me — but it is only to coax me. If you truly worried, you would go and buy me some of Ma’s fish jerky.”

Xu Lingkuan was caught off guard.

Fish jerky was something every household could make, but the Ma Family’s fish jerky shop on Horse-Riding Lane off the West Grand Avenue was said to be the finest thing in all of Yanjing. They sold only a hundred plates per day — not a dish more. On an ordinary day you would have to send a servant boy to queue, let alone today — the second day of the New Year, when the Ma Family shop would long since have closed its doors. Where on earth would he find any?

Yet looking at his wife’s pouting lips, and thinking of what he had hidden from her — his heart hardened. “Then wait here. I will go and buy it for you.”

A flash of surprise crossed Fifth Madam’s eyes.

In the past Xu Lingkuan had treated her well, but never quite to this extent. To attempt the impossible…

In a spark of light, everything became clear to her. Her mind was made up in an instant.

There was no such thing as a free meal in this world. Since he was this uneasy in his conscience — why trouble herself to expose it?

With the thought came a high, rising curve at the corners of her mouth.

“Fifth Master, please stay!” Fifth Madam stepped forward and took her husband’s arm. “Your concubine was only speaking in jest — how could Fifth Master take it so literally? In weather cold enough to freeze water drops, on top of the New Year holiday — wherever would one find Ma’s fish jerky…” Her words were soft and gentle, her smile warm and bright, as she took her husband’s arm and walked with him toward the flower hall.