The serving women and Xu Lingyi passed each other going in opposite directions — one group heading out, one man heading in.

Xu Lingyi said curiously, “What’s all this about?”

Shiyiniang explained the Luo First Young Mistress’s purpose in coming, finishing with, “…I’ve handed the women over to Elder Sister-in-Law for her to deploy.”

Xu Lingyi nodded, then took out the floor plan Xu Lingkuan had drawn and explained to Shiyiniang which areas would be paved with what bricks, which areas would have what patterns, which areas would be carved with what designs.

Though Shiyiniang found it somewhat overly elaborate, seeing how pleased Xu Lingyi was, she simply went along with it and nodded in approval.

“We’ll break ground on the sixth day of the second month then,” Xu Lingyi said. “By the fourth or fifth month it should be ready to move in.”

That would be right around the time of the ceremony for removing mourning clothes for First Mistress’s third anniversary — all manner of relatives would be visiting, and the children wouldn’t need to be kept cooped up inside anymore.

“As my lord wishes.”

Xu Lingyi put away the plans. The next day he gave instructions to Steward Bai to go purchase earth and stone and prepare lumber. Shiyiniang, while keeping the children company, paid close attention to developments at Duke Maoguo’s manor. The serving women who had been sent over came frequently to report to her.

“The First Young Mistress took us to Duke Maoguo’s manor, and the household managers there immediately fawned on us and arranged our lodgings — they didn’t ask us a single question. They looked like people desperate not to get involved in any trouble. Duke Maoguo’s manor may be a noble household, but where are all the loyal and devoted servants? As I see it, this household will need Tenth Aunt-mistress to take charge in the future.” That last sentence was of course flattery directed at Shiyiniang.

Shiyiniang gave a noncommittal response and rewarded the woman one tael of silver.

The serving women became even more diligent, taking turns reporting to Shiyiniang. Their reports grew increasingly varied and elaborate, as if they believed the length and content of what they said was directly proportional to how much they cared about Tenth Sister. It got to the point where Shiyiniang even learned that the cook in the Wang family’s kitchen regularly pilfered food to sneak home.

“Today Madam Jiang wanted to go visit Minister Zhang at the Ministry of Justice, but she was blocked by Yuan Baozhu’s wife. She said quite a mouthful too — all very literary. I couldn’t quite follow it all.” The serving woman grinned ingratiatingly. “I thought this woman seemed unusual, so I privately inquired about her. Turns out she’s read the Elementary Learning Compendium!” She placed emphasis on the words, as if she had made a remarkable discovery.

Shiyiniang smiled faintly.

When Dongqing and Binju had served beside her, she had also taught them to read the Elementary Learning Compendium. For a family like the Jiang family, a female servant who could read was nothing remarkable.

The serving woman, seeing no particular reaction from Shiyiniang, couldn’t help feeling a little deflated.

Shiyiniang just smiled and had a maid bring the woman a fresh cup of tea.

Listening to gossip and discussing other households’ affairs with servants was not in keeping with the standards of womanly virtue. But the Wang family’s conflicts were unavoidable — knowing the situation was essential to handling it well. Sometimes what seemed like trivial, inconsequential chatter from these women could yield unexpectedly significant information. So she would subtly hint to them to keep telling her about the Wang family — for instance, by having a maid bring a fresh cup of tea, implicitly signaling: there’s still time, say whatever else you have to say.

The serving woman accepted the tea, thought for a moment, and said, “I also heard about something else.”

Shiyiniang’s eyes showed a glimmer of interest.

Encouraged, the serving woman immediately smiled and said, “I heard from a young maid beside Madam Jiang that this Yuan Baozhu’s wife was not originally one of Madam Jiang’s attendants. She came from their hometown of Le’an. She was sent by the Zhuangyuan master to deliver things to the Hanlin master’s wife. Then when the Wang family had this incident, the Hanlin master had Yuan Baozhu’s wife go along with Madam Jiang to assist. It’s said that Yuan Baozhu’s wife became somewhat difficult to manage as a result, and once openly talked back to Madam Jiang. Madam Jiang finds her irritating, but out of respect for the Hanlin master and the Zhuangyuan master, she’s been putting up with it.”

Shiyiniang was rather surprised, yet also found it entirely within reason.

Even if the Jiang family disapproved of Wang Lang, Madam Jiang was still the Jiang family’s daughter-in-law. There would always be people who interpreted Madam Jiang’s intentions as the Jiang family’s intentions, and people who, out of respect for the Jiang family’s name, couldn’t easily refuse Madam Jiang’s requests. But she hadn’t expected that Yuan Baozhu’s wife was actually Jiang Song’s person, nor that Jiang Bai would use this as a pretext to plant someone in Madam Jiang’s household.

It appeared this Yuan Baozhu’s wife was held in high regard by the Jiang family.

On the surface, the Jiang family paid no heed to Madam Jiang’s actions, but in reality they were watching her every move.

The serving woman, seeing that she had told Shiyiniang something she didn’t already know, couldn’t help breathing a quiet sigh of relief, and said, “Though, I thought what Yuan Baozhu’s wife said made quite a bit of sense. Women who go about in public each have their own difficulties, but going to the Ministry of Justice — that seems rather improper. Who in their right mind would want to get mixed up in a legal matter?”

She glanced discreetly at Shiyiniang’s expression as she said this.

These serving women weren’t naive. The Luo family and the Wang family were clearly at loggerheads, and they were caught in the middle. How could they not tell?

Seeing Shiyiniang give a faint nod of agreement, the serving woman’s eyes darted about thoughtfully. So it’s true, she thought — everyone says the Madam doesn’t look kindly on that Madam Jiang. There’s no need to show her any particular courtesy in the future. Dropping her voice, she said, “Madam, there’s something else I heard. Madam Jiang has been going through the Old Madam’s trunks these past few days.”

Shiyiniang was startled.

Had those collateral relatives gotten to the Old Madam’s belongings?

The thought flashed through her mind, then she shook her head.

That couldn’t be it. Minor pilfering, perhaps — but rummaging through the Old Madam’s trunks could get one reported to the authorities.

While she was still thinking, the serving woman continued, “A young maid near the Old Madam said that Madam Jiang has been taking out some of the things the Old Madam had set aside for Tenth Aunt-mistress and pawning them.”

Set aside for Tenth Sister? Not necessarily.

As the old saying goes: the courthouse doors are open wide — don’t enter without silver to grease the way.

Madam Jiang being short of money to grease palms was surely the truth of it.

After the serving woman left, Shiyiniang mentioned the matter to Xu Lingyi: “…Yuan Baozhu’s wife daring to block Madam Jiang means nine chances out of ten it’s on Jiang Bai’s orders.”

Shiyiniang thought about the Jiang family’s stance toward Xu Lingyi — and felt that Madam Jiang’s ambition to restore Wang Lang’s reputation would face no ordinary obstacles.

Xu Lingyi nodded. “Even if unintentionally, good deeds do bring their own rewards.” The serving women Shiyiniang had sent hadn’t expected to gather this kind of intelligence. “But the fact that Jiang Song dispatched this Yuan Baozhu’s wife to Yanjing right now, and that she’s such a capable woman…” He murmured thoughtfully, “I suspect it has something to do with Zhun Ge’s marriage.”

There was reason to think so.

Right as Zhun Ge’s mourning period was drawing to a close, someone had arrived from Le’an to see Jiang Bai’s wife — and after arriving, she was in no hurry to leave, but was instead sent by Jiang Bai to keep watch over Madam Jiang.

Shiyiniang agreed.

She had even thought further ahead.

If she were in their position, she would also send someone ahead to prepare the ground — first to become familiar with the situation in Yanjing, and second to sound out Zhun Ge’s character. After all, the two families had only exchanged birth-date cards and had not yet exchanged formal betrothal gifts.

“Do you think I should go pay Madam Jiang a visit?”

What the children’s future held was one matter; the adults’ attitudes were quite another.

“No need.” Xu Lingyi shook his head. “With families like theirs, if you ignore them, they’ll think you lack sincerity. If you’re too eager, they’ll suspect you have something to hide. Let’s pretend we don’t know anything.”

Shiyiniang smiled, then asked Xu Lingyi about the construction: “When will the materials be brought in? We’ll probably need to put up curtain screens around the area. It would be inconvenient to go on living here as it is — shall we move somewhere else for the time being?”

“Stone is coming in first thing tomorrow.” Xu Lingyi thought it over. “The garden has Lingkuan and the others staying there… Why not discuss it with Mother and stay in her quarters for the time being?”

Shiyiniang quietly breathed a sigh of relief.

It was a good thing Xu Lingyi hadn’t suggested the courtyard First Mistress had left behind.

She smiled and nodded, then glanced up and saw the door curtain stir faintly — Hupo’s face appeared briefly in the gap before vanishing.

Shiyiniang showed no reaction, chatted a few more idle sentences with Xu Lingyi, made an excuse, and stepped out of the inner chamber.

Hupo was in the main hall.

Her hands clasped tight together, she was pacing in agitated circles, her expression deeply anxious.

Had something happened with Dongqing?

A few days earlier, the Wan family had sent over the birth-date card, saying the horoscopes were a good match. Shiyiniang had Nanny Tao negotiate a date for the betrothal gifts. But Lvyun had mentioned that Dongqing showed no joy — on the contrary, she was quite troubled. She was worried about not being able to adapt to life with the Wan family. It was something like pre-marriage jitters.

Shiyiniang gave a soft cough.

Hupo looked up at the sound and saw it was Shiyiniang. She came running over and pulled Shiyiniang into the east side room, then sent away a young maid standing at the doorway before leaning close to Shiyiniang’s ear and whispering, “Madam, I’m afraid Qiao Yiniang is with child.”

Shiyiniang was momentarily taken aback, then understood.

“You mean she’s pregnant.”

With Xu Lingyi away so often before, and now that life had more or less settled down, and given that Qiao Lianfang was still young, a pregnancy was perfectly natural.

“She still came to pay her respects to me this morning,” Shiyiniang said, frowning slightly. “And she said nothing about it? Could you be mistaken?”

By all accounts, being with child was a good thing. If it were true, why would she hide it? She would need to have a physician confirm it at some point. And one must remember — her turn for night attendance was coming up soon. If the pregnancy were disrupted because of that, it would be a terrible outcome for everyone.

“Nanny Tao has always had us keeping an eye on the dates over there.” Hupo’s face flushed slightly. “Before, Qiao Yiniang’s personal undergarments were always washed by her maid Zhurui. This month it was Xiuyuan who washed them. Zhurui was puzzled at first, afraid she’d done something wrong and fallen out of favor, and specifically went to ask Xiuyuan about it. Looking back now, it’s clearly something suspicious going on.”

Shiyiniang thought it over. “Since she’s chosen not to say anything, let us pretend we don’t know either. That way if my lord asks, we won’t be in an awkward position — it would only create unnecessary complications.”

Hupo hesitated. “Then should we say something to Nanny Tao…?”

“I’ll speak to her myself,” Shiyiniang said. “She’s too full of schemes — I don’t want her getting ideas. The Dowager has always longed for more grandchildren. If something were to happen to a life in my household, it would reflect badly no matter what.”

If Qiao Lianfang kept this hidden, there would be too many opportunities for someone to act against her. And she truly feared Nanny Tao might do something. Besides, what was known under heaven could not long remain concealed. Moreover, even if Qiao Lianfang gave birth to a son, given the current state of Xu Lingyi’s children, it would hold no particular significance.

“Yes,” Hupo acknowledged, and at that moment a young maid came in to announce, “Madam, Qiao Yiniang is here!”

Shiyiniang was startled and exchanged a bewildered glance with Hupo.

“Please show her in.” She smiled and instructed the maid, and went with Hupo to the main hall.

Xiuyuan entered supporting Qiao Lianfang by the arm.

Shiyiniang’s gaze involuntarily swept across Qiao Lianfang’s abdomen.

Could it be that she truly was with child, and that was why she was moving with such careful, deliberate steps, needing to be helped along?

—