Seventh Miss hadn’t expected the news to spread so quickly.

The next morning while she was still practicing calligraphy, Nanny Wang entered the room.

“Nanny Wang.” Seventh Miss hurried to greet her, about to set down her brush to speak with Nanny Wang, but Nanny Wang pressed down on her shoulder.

“Seventh Miss, no need for formalities—continue practicing!” Nanny Wang’s face was full of gentleness as she smiled and added, “I didn’t expect Seventh Miss to have such an unforgiving temperament.”

Seventh Miss’s heart first tightened, but quickly relaxed again: Nanny Wang could only dislike Third Miss even more than she did.

If she hadn’t been certain of this, how would she have dared speak so rudely to Third Miss?

She replied matter-of-factly, “However you put it, I’m a young lady of the main courtyard… Third Elder Sister went too far.”

Even if Nanny Wang hadn’t originally liked Seventh Miss, she now had to feel three parts favorable toward her.

Third Miss had always been greatly favored by the Master. When First Miss was home in the past, First Miss greeted everyone with a smile, and things between her and Third Miss were harmonious enough.

Second Miss had a cool temperament, and Third Miss was somewhat afraid of her, so no conflicts had erupted between them.

Fifth Miss harbored some envy of Third Miss’s favor… As a concubine-born daughter, what she wore and used were no inferior to Fifth Miss, a legitimate daughter. But Fifth Miss couldn’t parse the meaning in Third Miss’s words and would often only feel angry about it later.

Only Seventh Miss, usually keeping a low profile, proved to be extremely clever when bickering with Third Miss. This was the first time Third Miss had been so thoroughly stifled. It was said she’d smashed several bottles and jars last night in anger, which made the Master somewhat uncomfortable when he went to Xikeiang to speak with Fourth Concubine, so he called Third Miss over to scold her.

“If only these two young ladies could learn from Sixth Miss,” she sighed affectedly.

Seventh Miss’s eyes flashed.

She hadn’t expected that Nanny Wang saw through Sixth Miss’s protective coloring so clearly.

“Legitimate and concubine-born are different!” she replied with a smile. “After all, she hasn’t even entered the main courtyard, yet acts that way… People who don’t know might think she’s a legitimate young lady!”

Nanny Wang was even more satisfied.

Her attitude toward Seventh Miss became noticeably warmer.

Lichun wasn’t surprised at all, but Ninth Young Master privately asked Xiaoxue, “What did Seventh Sister do right? Why does Nanny Wang seem even closer to her than to Fifth Sister?”

Xiaoxue had to tell Ninth Young Master. After hearing it, Ninth Young Master looked thoughtful.

By the third day, even Second Miss knew about the matter.

With the Grand Madam away, morning and evening attendance had been waived by the Master. Being a romantic scholar-gentleman, when there was nothing happening at the yamen, he liked to lie about like Yuan Long, lingering at Huansha Wu until the sun was high before rising. The sisters had fewer opportunities to gather.

Second Miss, missing her little brother and busy embroidering her trousseau, arranged with Seventh Miss and Ninth Young Master to have the pair come to her residence at Youhuang for dinner every three days.

After dinner, Second Miss gave Seventh Miss a meaningful look and strolled toward the small study herself.

Seventh Miss had no choice but to obediently follow.

Youhuang was a small courtyard with one entrance. Second Miss loved cleanliness—she usually ate breakfast and lunch in the west wing. Seventh Miss had visited several times, each time eating in the west wing before leaving. This was her first time entering the main hall.

The main hall was also small and delicate with three rooms inside and out. Second Miss’s maid Xiaohan stood at the entrance to the west inner room, beckoning to her with a smile.

Seventh Miss smiled at her, lifted the bamboo-green glass bead curtain, and entered the west inner room.

Youhuang was arranged very elegantly and cleanly. Inside and out, there were no superfluous decorations, though just looking at these evenly colored glass bead curtains, one could sense the wealth behind the elegance.

The west inner room had two or three large pine wood bookshelves stacked full of books. Many books lay open and piled messily together. A bamboo brush holder on the green jade desk by the window was stuffed full of brushes. Cicada-wing Xuan paper, Xue Tao paper… scattered haphazardly across the desk.

Seeing this, Seventh Miss felt quite warm toward it and gained several more parts respect for Second Miss.

It was clear Second Miss truly had learning.

Second Miss sat at the green jade desk. Seeing Seventh Miss enter, she pointed to a rosewood round-backed chair by the window.

“The matter of you bickering with Third Younger Sister has already reached Father’s ears,” she said straightforwardly.

Seventh Miss couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow.

In her childhood when playing with companions, quarrels were inevitable. Back then, what she looked down on most were people like this—suffering the slightest grievance and immediately crying ‘I’m telling my dad.’

She hadn’t expected Third Miss to be this type of person.

“Third Elder Sister…” Speaking with Second Miss wasn’t like speaking with Nanny Wang—she couldn’t brazenly display her loathing for Third Miss. Seventh Miss pondered for a moment and was about to speak.

“Third Miss handled this matter very ungracefully,” Second Miss interrupted her. “Father wasn’t biased though—he scolded her quite a bit.”

The Master had only gone to Xikeiang yesterday. Seventh Miss only knew that Third Miss had smashed some dishes and bowls and been scolded by the Master. She hadn’t known that Third Miss’s attempt to tattle had instead resulted in her own reprimand.

Even this incomplete version of events had been told to her by Nanny Wang.

Information was so poorly circulated! Seventh Miss sighed inwardly, then immediately admired Second Miss’s capabilities. Though she stayed deeply secluded each day without showing emotion, she was actually so clear about matters at Xikeiang.

Xikeiang was territory Fourth Concubine had cultivated for years—news from inside rarely spread outside.

“However,” Second Miss paid no mind to Seventh Miss’s silence, “though Father doesn’t say it aloud, in his heart he will certainly be somewhat displeased with you. After all, what he most likes is brotherly harmony and family peace.”

A faint mockery crossed her face.

Seventh Miss didn’t care.

Just for Ninth Young Master’s sake, the Master wouldn’t detest her to the utmost. Besides, it was such a small matter—how displeased could he be? Taking it a step further, displeased or not, living in the inner courtyard meant watching the Grand Madam’s preferences, not the Master’s.

“Little Seven was rash,” she said in a soft, delicate voice of self-criticism. One still had to maintain appearances.

Second Miss disagreed. “Should you just let her say such shameless things?”

Her tone was usually quite flat—rarely this intense.

Seventh Miss looked at Second Miss in surprise.

“Clearly a concubine-born daughter from a secondary household,” Second Miss’s disdain was very obvious, “yet she doesn’t know her place. Every day stirring up trouble, honeyed words masking a dagger heart… Yet her methods are so clumsy! Truly laughable!”

Seventh Miss immediately felt several parts closer to Second Miss.

A year ago when she and Ninth Concubine first arrived in Suzhou, Third Miss was the first to visit them at the south side courtyard.

At the time she’d smiled very sweetly and her attitude had been quite polite. Seventh Miss had secretly congratulated herself that Third Miss wasn’t difficult to get along with.

Who knew that just after leaving the south side courtyard’s gate, she’d begun laughing until she doubled over, her silver-bell laughter carrying far.

“What Ninth Concubine is wearing isn’t even as good as the rough-work maids at Xikeiang!”

Ninth Concubine and Seventh Miss had just seen her out and were still in the courtyard—those words reached their ears unrestrained.

Sometimes, grudges were formed just like that.

Just thinking of the hurt revealed in Ninth Concubine’s eyes at that moment made Seventh Miss want to slap Third Miss a few times and teach her how to behave.

She barely restrained the impulse to agree with Second Miss.

Second Miss was an elder sister—scolding Third Miss a few words, she had the status and the reason.

She was also a concubine-born daughter from a secondary household and Third Miss’s younger sister. Some things Second Miss could say that she couldn’t.

“Third Sister is sometimes not very proper,” she replied reservedly. “But Little Seven was also somewhat presumptuous—after all, she is an elder sister… Please don’t take offense, Second Sister.”

Second Miss showed a trace of approval but didn’t say much more.

The two exchanged a few pleasantries, then mentioned Eighth Concubine’s pregnancy.

“Dahan serves quite wholeheartedly,” Second Miss said flatly. “It’s just that Eighth Concubine’s pregnancy signs aren’t good, and she has many worries, so she inevitably suffers every day or two.”

“By calculation, in another four months, the household will add another person,” Seventh Miss made a show of happiness.

Second Miss sighed without responding.

Seventh Miss realized she couldn’t see through Second Miss’s thoughts at all.

Though Second Miss usually presented an upright and stern appearance, deep down she was crystal clear about these matters, wasn’t she?

Soon it was Qingming. On the morning of Qingming, Seventh Miss rose early to wash and dress.

Such a serious occasion wasn’t suitable for continuing to pose as twins with Ninth Young Master. Besides, Second Madam wasn’t a fool—there was quite a large difference in bearing between her and Ninth Young Master. She might fool someone once, but could she fool them a second or third time?

This probably wasn’t the Grand Madam’s intention either.

However, it was within reason for twins to be somewhat close.

By the time Seventh Miss finished writing her hundred large characters, Ninth Young Master was just getting up, rubbing his eyes as he walked out while Xiaoxue helped him dress, then coaxed him to the washroom. Ninth Young Master was accustomed to living in the main hall and often went the wrong way.

After breakfast, Nanny Wang and Lichun busily took keys to open the main hall’s door. Yesterday they’d had someone clean it—today everyone would first gather here to hear the Master say a few words.

Seventh Miss and Ninth Young Master properly entered the main hall’s reception room and sat down according to birth order. Before long, the sisters arrived one after another. Everyone exchanged greetings, and the Master also entered the reception room, sleeves swinging.

The Master was getting on in years. Having stayed at Huansha Wu these past days, he seemed somewhat listless with faint dark circles under his eyes.

He said a few conventional words, pinched Ninth Young Master’s cheeks, then took him first to Nianxian Shrine.

Seventh Miss sat right beside Ninth Young Master. When the Master’s gaze swept over her, it clearly paused.

Seventh Miss lowered her head and eyes, making herself appear very demure.

The Master’s throat moved several times, but in the end he said nothing, leading Ninth Young Master out of the reception hall.

As soon as he left, the hall immediately became lively. Third Miss still wore a cheerful expression, smiling as she spoke with Fourth Miss. “Fourth Younger Sister, help me check—is my necklace catching my hair?”

Everyone’s gazes immediately focused on her neck.

Third Miss wore a ruby and pure gold necklace at her chest, heavy gold chains hanging before her. Looking at it, not only was it solid gold, but considerable effort had been invested in its intricate carving. Moreover, gleaming golden, it looked as if newly worn.

This necklace alone was easily worth over a thousand taels.

Though Third Miss didn’t say a word to Seventh Miss, she’d clearly told everyone: a little bickering was nothing—she’d suffered a grievance and the Master would naturally compensate her.

Everyone’s gazes then turned to Seventh Miss.

Seventh Miss wore no superfluous adornments, only a pearl flower inserted at her temples and glass-type blue-flowered jadeite bracelets on her hands.

Jadeite couldn’t be considered very precious jade material.

Second Miss secretly frowned, her face becoming three parts colder.

Seventh Miss acted as though she hadn’t heard Third Miss’s subtext, still keeping her head lowered, focused on the handkerchief in her hands.

Third Miss proudly chatted and laughed with Fourth Miss, discussing how the plum blossoms at Little Fragrant Snow had fallen and the pear blossoms at Jade Rain Pavilion were blooming beautifully.

Only then did Seventh Miss look up and call Bailu. “Pour me tea.”

Bailu hurriedly smiled and brought the teapot with Lichun, adding tea for each young lady one by one, chatting with Lichun while refilling cups.

No matter how much the Master favored you, Third Miss—as long as you were a concubine-born daughter from a secondary household, you couldn’t bring your maid into the main hall!

A trace of mockery flashed in Sixth Miss’s eyes as she glanced at Third Miss.

Though Third Miss still wore a full smile, the mirth in her eyes had completely vanished.

As for Second Miss, she still looked ordinary and cool, but her eyes had softened.

“My nieces have all arrived so early,” Second Madam’s laughter suddenly came from the courtyard. “I’ve come late!”

“Second Aunt!” Everyone rose to greet her respectfully.

Second Madam led a delicate, timid little girl into the hall.

Seventh Miss couldn’t help but carefully observe Eighth Miss, whom she was meeting for the first time.

Eighth Miss shared the same birth year, month, and day as Seventh Miss and Ninth Young Master. Seventh Miss had emerged from the womb first. While Ninth Concubine was still laboring to birth Ninth Young Master, Eighth Miss had been born. These three children were separated by less than two or three hours.

Unlike the tall and slender Seventh Miss and Ninth Young Master, Eighth Miss appeared very small and thin. At seven years old, she looked like she was five or six.

She wore a powder-blue satin skirt and peach-red silk brocade jacket embroidered all over with golden cocoons. Judging purely by appearance, she was a beauty in the making, but unfortunately she showed signs of illness that somewhat overwhelmed these beautiful clothes.

Eighth Miss seemed very attached to Second Madam. After greeting her sisters, she leaned against Second Madam.

After Second Madam drank two bowls of tea in the guest seat, she led the sisters to worship at Nianxian Shrine.

The Master had already finished worshipping the ancestors with Ninth Young Master and left first without running into Second Madam, only leaving word to keep Ninth Young Master at his place for lunch.

Nanny Wang and Lichun couldn’t hide their delight: In the Master’s heart, he still most loved Ninth Young Master from the main courtyard!

Second Madam showed no embarrassment either, smiling as she heard the little maid’s words, nodding to dismiss her. She turned back to lead the daughters into Nianxian Shrine.

Nianxian Shrine was a small ancestral hall made by opening up three small rooms. Upon entering, one could see a row of rosewood long tables with over ten memorial tablets displayed, each with a lifelike portrait hanging above it.

Seventh Miss only glanced briefly before not daring to look further, following behind Second Madam as they offered incense and kowtowed to each tablet in turn.

Over ten tablets—done quickly enough, they soon finished worshipping.

The originally solemn procession exiting Nianxian Shrine immediately became lively.

Third Miss pulled Eighth Miss to her side, smiling as she teased her with conversation.

Sixth Miss also moved to Seventh Miss’s side, commenting on Eighth Miss’s new outfit. “Though the material is good material, pairing peach-red with powder-blue is somewhat vulgar!”

Moreover, it highlighted Eighth Miss’s poor complexion.

Seventh Miss nodded absently. “That’s Little Fragrant Snow up ahead, isn’t it?”

Most of Little Fragrant Snow’s white plum blossoms had fallen. A roof was faintly visible through a cluster of green leaves.

Sixth Miss said with a smile, “Yes, if you branch off from this path, you’ll reach Little Fragrant Snow. Going straight then turning left is Juba Immortals Hall.”

As they spoke, the two walked along and could already see the viburnum flowers blooming like clustered snow around Juba Immortals Hall.