Nanny Tao’s heart gave a start upon hearing this.
“Are you certain, Madam?” The questioning words escaped before she could stop herself, and she immediately regretted it.
These past days she had been closely observing Shiyiniang. Shiyiniang was a person of keen intelligence, yet very modest in manner. A person of this kind would never speak carelessly without being ninety-nine percent certain.
The thought flashed through her, and she couldn’t help but look up and study Shiyiniang.
In the soft lamplight, Shiyiniang sat straight as a pine. The eyes that had once sparkled like stars were now utterly still and calm as she gazed back at Nanny Tao — calling to mind an ancient well of unfathomable depth, from which a chill seemed to emanate.
In a flash of sudden clarity, she understood.
Shiyiniang was asking her to declare her position.
If Qiao Lianfang were with child, what would she do?
Her mind immediately began to race.
First Mistress was the child she had nursed at the breast — there was the bond of a wet nurse, and the bond of one who raised her. And First Mistress had been so bright and quick-witted, so lively and endearing, so easy to love. In Nanny Tao’s heart, she was someone closer than a husband and dearer than a son… and yet, she had died of illness. The only saving grace was that she had left behind Zhun Ge, that one drop of her blood. Whatever it took, she would protect Zhun Ge well and ensure that First Mistress’s bloodline would live on forever.
But Zhun Ge was still young and needed Shiyiniang’s protection. So she would help Shiyiniang — on the condition that Shiyiniang upheld Zhun Ge’s interests.
Nanny Tao gave a faint smile. “Madam, from pregnancy to birth, it takes ten months… There is no need to be hasty.”
Shiyiniang looked at her steadily. “I was afraid you’d be the one who was hasty.”
Nanny Tao’s body gave the slightest tremor.
Shiyiniang’s expression turned serious. “Nanny Tao, I hope you will remember your purpose in helping me.” Her voice took on an edge of sternness. “Since this doesn’t affect Zhun Ge, don’t create unnecessary trouble.”
Nanny Tao gazed at the resolve in Shiyiniang’s eyes. Although she was silent for a long moment, her own eyes flickered. Then she slowly bent into a respectful curtsy. “This is a matter inside Madam’s household. I am a person of Madam’s household. Naturally I follow Madam’s instructions.” And fearing Shiyiniang wasn’t fully reassured, she added, “Besides, even if Qiao Yiniang bears a son, he would still have to come after the Second Young Master.”
In truth, Shiyiniang had genuinely feared that Nanny Tao might harbor some scheme — the woman knew the Xu household thoroughly and was sharp as a tack. Shiyiniang had worried she might not be able to keep an eye on her closely enough to stop her.
After seeing Nanny Tao off, she instructed Hupo, “Find a way to keep watch on Nanny Tao.”
Hupo nodded.
Nanny Tao’s aim was to protect Zhun Ge’s interests; Hupo’s was to protect Shiyiniang’s.
If something happened to Qiao Lianfang at this juncture, Shiyiniang would be the most obvious suspect.
Thinking of this, she couldn’t help but mutter irritably about Qiao Lianfang keeping it all hidden: “What on earth is Qiao Yiniang trying to do? Pregnant and she doesn’t tell us?”
“Whatever she wants to do, let her,” Shiyiniang said with a smile. “Heaven will have its rain, and a mother her choice of husband. The child is hers. As long as it doesn’t blow back on us, that’s all I ask.” She glanced at Hupo. “Besides, you sent such a generous gift on Qiao Yiniang’s behalf — some people will be uneasy about it now.”
Hupo was puzzled. After thinking for some time, she said, “You mean the Third Young Mistress? Are you worried she’ll exaggerate things before the Dowager?”
“Not her,” Shiyiniang said, shaking her head softly.
The Third Young Mistress was now singularly focused on moving out to a separate household, intent on taking as much as she could before leaving the Xu family. Under ordinary circumstances she’d certainly make a fuss out of pettiness, but now she’d likely just push Yi Yiniang to find some excuse to visit her own family too, then help herself to the return gifts. Whether those gifts would actually make it to Yi Yiniang’s family was another matter entirely.
Thinking this over, Shiyiniang broke into a bright smile. “Let’s none of us be in a hurry. We just wait and see.”
…
Shiyiniang wasn’t in a hurry — but certain others were.
First thing the following morning, two nannies arrived from Duke Chengguo’s manor. They said they had come on Madam Qiao’s orders to deliver something to Qiao Lianfang: “…That bed canopy — our Madam has had it since she received it and never used it. And it being winter, the nannies searched for a long while and couldn’t find it at first. Our Madam was troubled, so she had the managers search through the night. The moment it was found, she sent us over with it.” And they held up the box they were carrying.
Sending a bed canopy in the dead of winter.
One could only wonder how Madam Qiao came up with such a pretext.
Shiyiniang barely managed to keep herself from laughing out loud.
Without a physician’s confirmation, Qiao Lianfang certainly didn’t dare say outright that she was with child — not until she was certain. But requesting a physician meant going through Shiyiniang. The most convenient solution was to make a trip back to Duke Chengguo’s manor — she could get the diagnosis there, let Madam Qiao and the senior Madam Qiao know, and have them advise her all at once. A single visit, three advantages.
“The two of you must have come such a long way,” Shiyiniang said with a smile, lifting her teacup. “Please give my thanks to Madam Qiao for her kind concern.”
The two nannies from the Qiao household froze.
They hadn’t expected Shiyiniang to practically see them off before they’d gotten a few words in.
One of them quickly stood up and said, “Madam, when we left, our Madam also instructed us to pay Qiao Yiniang our respects while we were here.”
“Oh?” Shiyiniang’s movement to set down the teacup paused slightly.
The other nanny hastened to add, “That’s right, Madam — our Madam asked us to look in on Qiao Yiniang. Qiao Yiniang was feeling a bit unwell yesterday, and our Madam has been worried. Since we were coming to deliver the canopy, our Madam thought we could look in on her while we were at it — whether she’s better or worse — so we could go back and give our Madam some peace of mind.”
Feeling unwell… The Qiao family already knew Qiao Lianfang wasn’t feeling well…
Looking at the two steadfastly insistent nannies, Shiyiniang smiled softly.
Using the excuse of delivering something to bring out the matter of the pregnancy. Was this Madam Qiao’s idea, or Qiao Lianfang’s? Was it Madam Qiao trying to tell her that Qiao Lianfang had Duke Chengguo’s manor to protect her? Or was it Qiao Lianfang worrying about the child and whether the pregnancy could be safely carried to term?
But Shiyiniang had a vague feeling this was Madam Qiao’s idea.
Because this situation only benefited Madam Qiao.
Qiao Lianfang had brought back so many gifts, and yet the Qiao family returned only an eight-color gift box. Rather than break their customary rules for Qiao Lianfang’s sake, the family needed to compensate in some other way. The best approach was to use the pretext of delivering something, and through that, let the news of Qiao Lianfang’s pregnancy come out. First, it would set Qiao Lianfang’s mind at ease. Second, it would obscure the real sequence of events — making people think it was the Xu family’s generous gifts that came in response to Qiao Lianfang’s pregnancy, rather than the other way around.
Whichever it was, Shiyiniang would face it with equanimity. She wouldn’t claim to be a good person, but to plot against an unborn child who had no means to protect itself — that she could not bring herself to do.
But the Qiao family’s way of treating everyone else as fools, trying to obscure truth with misdirection, had aroused a displeasure in her.
They wanted to use the Qiao family’s nannies to let word of the pregnancy slip out…
If she just let them succeed, how could she maintain the dignity befitting a wife of Xu Lingyi?
Some things could be overlooked with one eye closed. Others could not be allowed to overstep, not even by half a pace.
The faint clink of porcelain sounded as Shiyiniang set her teacup down on the side table.
“Please convey my words to Madam Qiao,” she said at an unhurried pace. “When Qiao Yiniang came to pay her morning respects just now, she was perfectly well — there was nothing the matter. Tell Madam Qiao not to worry. From the moment Qiao Yiniang entered the Xu household, she became a person of the Xu household. Though we may not claim to be vastly wealthy, I assure you that if anyone in this house falls ill — even a lowly little maid — we call in the Imperial Physicians of the Imperial Medical Academy to have a look. Tell Madam Qiao she need not concern herself.” Then she rose and gave Hupo instructions: “Please see the two nannies out — don’t let them lose their way, wandering about not knowing east from west.” And she turned and walked into the inner chamber without a backward glance.
The two nannies stood rooted to the spot.
They had not expected Shiyiniang to be so unyielding.
“Please follow me,” Hupo said. Already anxious about Qiao Lianfang’s pregnancy, and now seeing the Qiao household’s nannies arrive with such an air of superiority, she was furious, and her words were not at all kind. “The Xu household has its strict rules of conduct. Some areas may only be used by the Madam and the young ladies; other areas are reserved for maids and serving women. We wouldn’t want you to unknowingly break the rules and bring embarrassment on Duke Chengguo’s manor’s good name.”
The two nannies were respected figures in the Qiao household. Having Hupo speak to them this way left their faces cycling through shades of red and white. In their hearts they fumed at the Third Madam Qiao for telling the Madam of the Yongping Marquis household things like “the Marquis’s wife comes from an ordinary background, lacks confidence, and does everything only after getting the Dowager’s and the Marquis’s approval — she would never dare offend Duke Chengguo’s manor.” That was what had emboldened the two of them to come here, intending to let Qiao Lianfang’s pregnancy slip out, while also getting on Qiao Yiniang’s good side — now that Qiao Yiniang was with child, if she gave birth to a son, she would be firmly established in the Xu household, and there would be things worth pursuing through her by whispering in the right ear… And yet they had been shown out in such a thoroughly ignominious fashion.
They fled in complete disarray.
Only then did Hupo feel the faintest release of her frustration. She went back to Shiyiniang.
Shiyiniang had already returned to the main hall and was waiting for her. Seeing her come in, she pointed to the box the two Qiao nannies had left behind. “Take it to Qiao Yiniang. Then ask how she’s feeling. If she says she’s unwell, go tell the outer courtyard managers and have them help arrange for a physician to come. But if she says nothing is wrong with her…” She smiled. “We can hardly force a physician on her, can we?”
Hupo acknowledged this and set off.
Shiyiniang returned to the inner chamber and went back to her embroidery of the poem “Valley Wind” — these past days had been so tangled with affairs that she had only embroidered a dozen characters or so. She hoped Hui Jie’er wouldn’t be too disappointed when she saw it.
Before long, Hupo came back.
She was beaming as she held out her hand to Shiyiniang. “Madam, the management token!”
Shiyiniang saw this and smiled as well. “Same place as always — go help yourself.”
“Yes!” Hupo went off to the outer courtyard with a buoyant step.
The Imperial Physicians of the Imperial Medical Academy were on duty in ordinary times and could not be summoned at will. By the time Physician Wu arrived, it was already the beginning of the afternoon. Xu Lingyi happened to be returning from the outer courtyard to change his clothes.
Seeing that the courtyard had only one answering maid, not a single other maid or nanny in sight, he said with some puzzlement, “What’s going on here?”
The maid quickly replied, “Qiao Yiniang is feeling a little unwell. Madam has had a physician called for her.”
Xu Lingyi’s brow furrowed. He nodded, then walked quickly into the inner chamber.
Shiyiniang was bent over an embroidery frame, stitching characters. The noonday sunlight streamed in, casting her silhouette in warm gold.
Without his noticing, the furrow in his brow eased away.
“Where are Zhen Jie’er and Sijie?”
It was past the New Year festival now, and the days with sunshine had grown more frequent. Xu Lingyi was dressed in a sapphire blue satin robe, rolling back his sleeves, ready to wash his hands and face.
Shiyiniang heard him come in and knew it was nearly time to go have their meal at the Dowager’s. She set down her needlework and replied, “Zhun Ge is still over there playing.”
“Why is Qiao Yiniang ‘unwell’ again?” His voice carried a barely perceptible trace of displeasure. “She only just recovered a short while ago.” He followed a young maid into the washroom.