The next day, Seventh Miss indeed visited Zhishan Hall as a guest.

As soon as Xu Fengjia returned to the mansion, Seventh Miss claimed illness and didn’t go to Leshan Residence to pay respects. The next morning, the Grand Madam said nothing in Xu Fengjia’s presence, but after he stood to take his leave and went to Menghua Pavilion to speak with Duke Pingguo, she showed Seventh Miss some displeasure.

“Though the Heir Apparent is young, you must know where to draw the line. Impropriety can happen once, but not again.” Though the Grand Madam didn’t darken her face, the meaning in her words was already quite clear. “Now that the Heir Apparent will likely reside permanently in the capital, you must also arrange proper schedules for the chamber maids’ service, lest people outside say you’re jealous—that reputation wouldn’t sound good.”

Fortunately the men had all left early today, leaving only the women in Leshan Residence. Otherwise when these words came out, everyone would have been embarrassed.

Even with fewer people, the reactions of First Young Madam, Fourth Young Madam, and Fifth Young Madam were quite telling.

First Young Madam glanced at Seventh Miss, showing a hint of sympathy for the first time, but quickly withdrew it. If Seventh Miss hadn’t been watching her just then, she would have missed it. Fourth Young Madam gave a half-acidic snort, lowered her head to examine her fingernails, neither helping the Grand Madam scold Seventh Miss nor changing the subject to help her save face.

Fifth Young Madam remained indifferent, only the corners of her eyes seeming to show a trace of smile lines that flashed and disappeared without trace.

Though frequent intimacy between a young couple harmed no one, if it delayed proper duties like morning and evening attendance, that was frivolous. Seventh Miss lowered her eyes and obediently accepted the Grand Madam’s instruction, saying softly, “Grandmother speaks correctly. I’ll certainly explain to the Heir Apparent.”

Ni Grand Madam had long grown accustomed to Seventh Miss’s cotton-wrapped barbed responses, and took the opportunity to elaborate further. “The Heir Apparent is young and doesn’t understand propriety, but you as his wife mustn’t indulge him! There’s a proper time for everything…”

She looked at Seventh Miss, then stopped.

This newly entered sixth grandson’s wife was also looking up at her, eyes bright with starlight, seemingly listening intently, lips slightly curved in a smile, appearing not at all ashamed of being publicly scolded.

Speaking with this new Yang family daughter-in-law was like fighting a ball of cotton. Whether your words were sweet or bitter, they seemed to sink into cotton—praising her didn’t please her, scolding her didn’t distress her.

There was no more difficult opponent. Even when the Duke’s wife first entered the household, whenever chamber maids were mentioned, she would at least pull a long face and show great displeasure.

But the Heir Apparent’s wife just lightly acknowledged with “yes” and that was that… Hmph, wasn’t it just because her natal family had grown powerful? She herself was getting old, and the one managing affairs was a concubine-born sister-in-law who couldn’t control her?

Very well, let her be smug for a few days.

The Grand Madam smiled warmly at Seventh Miss, then changed the subject. “The day after tomorrow we enter the palace to pay respects. You must learn the etiquette well and not lose face or become a laughingstock for the Duke’s mansion.”

If it were her deceased Fifth Sister, she would probably show displeasure and frown at the contempt in these words.

But the current Heir Apparent’s wife merely smiled and replied breezily, “Grandmother rest assured, Xiaoqi knows what to do.”

The Grand Madam sighed inwardly—that damned first wife kept getting in the way. If she pushed too hard, Duke Pingguo might develop unnecessary suspicions.

Carrying faint displeasure, she lifted her tea for a sip and casually dismissed the several granddaughters-in-law. “Go pay respects to the Duke’s wife. I’m also weary and will rest a bit.”

The several granddaughters-in-law all stood to take their leave. The Grand Madam reclined on the kang, watching the maids shuttle back and forth collecting the scattered teacups throughout the room. She closed her eyes as endless thoughts surged through her heart.

After quite a while, light footsteps circled back into the room. The Grand Madam opened her eyes and saw Fifth Young Madam had returned, smiling self-deprecatingly. “When you’re old, you’re old. My mind wanders and I sit dazed for ages.”

Fifth Young Madam smiled slightly, sat beside the Grand Madam, and gently began massaging her shoulders. “Where does Grandmother get such ideas? You simply have too much on your mind.”

She paused before saying carefully, “It’s also us younger generation who don’t understand—at this age, still making Grandmother worry for us.”

The Grand Madam lifted her eyelids and looked coldly at the young maid standing in the corner, waving her hand. The servants hastily retreated from the room, closing the door for the Grand Madam.

“Is everything arranged properly?” The Grand Madam sighed, reached out and patted Fifth Young Madam’s knee. “You were too hasty.”

Fifth Young Madam bit her lower lip, eyes shifting. “Grandmother…”

The Grand Madam waved her hand somewhat irritably, blocking Fifth Young Madam’s unspoken apology.

“This new sister-in-law of yours is no simple character.” The elderly woman laboriously shifted her body, sitting up to lean against the Five Blessings Embracing Longevity pillow, gently tapping her aching upper arm. Fifth Young Madam immediately bent down to massage the Grand Madam’s hand. “These past months, I’ve tested her several times—you’ve seen it too. She deflects left and right with complete ease. Even your mother-in-law at her age didn’t have this composure. If you think of her as that deceased sister-in-law, you’ll be the one to suffer.”

“How could your granddaughter-in-law not see it?” Fifth Young Madam lowered her head, sighing slightly. “But Sixth Branch presses forward step by step. If we can’t catch Sixth Sister-in-law’s weakness, I fear within a year, not just our Fifth Branch but even Fourth Branch will have no foothold in this household.”

Yes, Sixth Branch was already powerful enough, and now they’d married in such a formidable second wife…

“Is everything arranged properly?” The Grand Madam asked again.

This time, her words carried a chilling edge.

Fifth Young Madam nodded. “Everything’s been arranged. There will be no trace left.”

She lowered her voice. “Several times when discussing household affairs with Sixth Sister-in-law, I deliberately showed anxiety. Someone as meticulous as her won’t fail to have thoughts…”

The Grand Madam couldn’t help but smile with satisfaction.

In scheming, Fifth Young Madam truly yielded to no one. With such capabilities, how could she fear failing to build the family fortune in the future?

For a moment she thought of Fifth Young Master’s loud voice and intimate attitude when entering and leaving Leshan Residence.

Raised at her side from childhood, naturally the affection was extraordinary.

“That hundred thousand taels of silver.” She spoke lazily. “Don’t bother repaying it. At my great age, after I pass away, how the private savings are divided—won’t it all be up to the Madam? Given privately is given. Saves trouble later!”

Fifth Young Madam immediately covered her mouth in soft exclamation, then pulled out a handkerchief to dab at her eyes. “Grandmother…”

The Grand Madam waved her hand again, laboriously sitting halfway up, looking solemnly at Fifth Young Madam.

“But after household management returns to your hands, never do this kind of thing again.” She lowered her voice. “If Duke Pingguo learns of this, Fifth Branch’s dignity could fall into the mud in an instant. If Fengjia hadn’t left for Guangzhou without consummating the marriage, and if she’d requested to take over household affairs before the New Year, Duke Pingguo might well have permitted it—what would you have done then? Young people act without looking ahead!”

Fifth Young Madam sobbed softly while choking with apparent sincerity. “Grandmother speaks truly. Fifth Master and I were too rash…”

Behind the handkerchief’s cover, the corners of her lips revealed a faint smile.

The Grand Madam saw this but said nothing more—a capital noblewoman who couldn’t learn to say one thing and mean another, to act one way in front and another behind, wasn’t a true capital noblewoman.

She slowly reclined back onto the pillow, sighing again despite herself.

“Whoever was so ruthless and reckless that they had to eliminate the previous sixth grandson’s wife—and made such a commotion doing it—now doing anything is inconvenient!”

Fifth Young Madam also sighed along with the Grand Madam.

For a moment neither spoke. The rear hall of Leshan Residence fell into suffocating silence.

#

Lady Xu took a much more open attitude toward daytime intimacy.

Her reaction was the complete opposite of the Grand Madam’s. Not only did she not mind Seventh Miss claiming illness and not coming to pay respects, the look in her eyes held three parts more intimacy and three parts more smile.

After everyone dispersed, she kept Seventh Miss behind to carefully instruct her about the preferences of the palace women.

“The Empress Dowager most loves quiet and refined young ladies like you. You’re also the daughter of the new Grand Secretary and sister of the Marquis Dingguo’s wife. When you meet, she certainly won’t make things difficult for you. As for the Empress, your sister-in-law is your sister—speaking of it, you’re distantly related, and with the connection through Consort Ning, appearances will certainly be maintained. Only the Dowager Consort has probably wanted to see you for some time…” Lady Xu paused, coughed several times, and looked at Seventh Miss meaningfully before continuing. “When you were still in Jiangnan, the Dowager Consort already knew your name. Now that this connection has fallen to our Xu family, it’s quite remarkable. The Dowager Consort’s curiosity is only natural.”

This was the first time Lady Xu had tactfully mentioned the past matter of Xu Fengjia intending to take Seventh Miss as his wife, and tactfully implied that the Xu family’s upper echelons all knew this news.

Even as Seventh Miss tried to suppress it, she couldn’t stop the blush rising, her whole face burning intensely.

“Xiaoqi knows what to do.” Her voice was like a mosquito’s buzz. “Mother please rest assured.”

Lady Xu looked at her and smiled, saying nothing more—with a father who was Grand Secretary, one older sister who was the Empress’s sister-in-law, and another who was a prominent palace consort, even if the Dowager Consort felt uncomfortable, she probably wouldn’t show it outwardly.

“That’s good then.” She patted Seventh Miss’s hand again. “The Dowager Consort has been in the palace for years without children for company. She’s most troubled by loneliness. If you can suit her temperament and she invites you into the palace to chat every now and then, that’s also good. You can conveniently visit Consort Ning as well.”

These words conveyed warmth.

The sisterly affection between Seventh Miss and Sixth Miss was Seventh Miss’s private matter. That Lady Xu would give this instruction showed she’d gradually begun to care about Seventh Miss as a person and wanted to build an emotional connection with her.

She herself hadn’t frequently visited Qingping Courtyard these past months. Wasn’t Lady Xu’s exceptional kindness toward her because of Xu Fengjia’s face?

Thinking of the love bite Xu Fengjia left below her ear, his insistence yesterday that she not rise to pay respects, a vague warmth floated up in Seventh Miss’s heart.

After all, she’d been fighting alone for too long. Just a little warmth, no matter who gave it, she felt distinctly.

After discussing a few more trivial matters with Lady Xu, Seventh Miss stood to take her leave. “…I also want to visit Zhishan Hall to speak with Eldest Sister-in-law and ask about palace protocol.”

She left Qingping Courtyard, winding her way out from Xiao Cuijin Garden, then turned at the corridor leading to Mingde Hall and entered a small courtyard outside Xiao Cuijin’s walls. First Young Master’s family lived in this small side courtyard. Though remote, it was closer to Xiao Cuijin, so when the children were free they could enter the garden to play anytime.

As soon as Seventh Miss entered Zhishan Hall’s courtyard, two maids came forward respectfully to greet her. “Sixth Young Madam has arrived!”

Someone else went inside to announce her. Soon First Young Madam came out to greet Seventh Miss.

Just watching these servants’ conduct—quiet, obedient yet proper—one knew First Young Madam was no incompetent person either.

Seventh Miss smiled and exchanged greetings with First Young Madam face to face before stating her purpose. “I wanted to consult Eldest Sister-in-law about palace protocol!—I’ve come at an inconvenient time? Sister-in-law is going out?”

First Young Madam had indeed already changed into outdoor clothing.

She usually dressed very plainly. Though not excessively shabby, one could tell she put no effort into her appearance. Nearly thirty years old and having given birth several times, she often looked somewhat haggard.

But today was different. First Young Madam wore a tribute satin jacket with gold embroidery all over. Not only had she applied brow makeup and eye cosmetics, she’d also rarely worn gold hairpins and jade bracelets. She looked several years younger, finally resembling a wealthy family’s young madam.

First Young Madam smiled at Seventh Miss. “Yes, I’d planned to offer incense at Huguo Temple today. When I return, shall I come to Mingde Hall to speak with Sixth Sister-in-law?”

Compared to usual, First Young Madam’s mood today could almost be called ebullient, her smile also rarely showing a trace of sincerity.

Seventh Miss was somewhat surprised—the Xu family’s young madams weren’t prisoners. Didn’t Fourth Young Madam go wherever she pleased? She’d never heard First Young Madam was Buddhist… Why on this ordinary day would she suddenly want to offer incense?

Naturally her face showed nothing. She turned and walked out of Zhishan Hall with First Young Madam. “How wonderful, I’ve delayed Sister-in-law…”

First Young Madam quickly waved her hand with a smile that emerged briefly before being forcibly suppressed. “Not at all. Usually I hope for Sixth Sister-in-law to come chat but she never comes.”

Seventh Miss watched First Young Madam’s back disappear around the corridor with deep suspicion before slowly strolling back to Mingde Hall.

Xu Fengjia was a busy man. He’d disappeared early in the morning and didn’t return for lunch. After her afternoon nap, Seventh Miss held Fourth Young Master and Fifth Young Master to play with them for a while. Then Yu Qiao, Yu Ping and a third concubine-born sister came to chat with her. She busied herself entertaining them—though each had full siblings, Yu Qiao and Yu Ping didn’t dare overly disdain Sixth Branch and occasionally came to build relations with her.

Though these two concubine-born daughters had some pride, they were both young—just rather sharp-tempered, nothing that could be called scheming. Their conversation was nothing but gossip about this family and that—the Marquis Dingguo’s Sun family had added a small hot spring, orchids in the garden bloomed early… Rambling on about trivial matters young ladies cared about. Speaking with them was also a small relaxation for Seventh Miss—among those she usually interacted with socially, only these two young ladies had the shallowest schemes.

Yu An was always very quiet before her two older sisters. Seventh Miss didn’t particularly show her favoritism, only asking Yu An when Yu Qiao and Yu Ping showed signs of leaving, “Will you help Sister-in-law look at some needlework?”

At the mere mention of needlework, Yu Qiao and Yu Ping practically wanted to cover their ears and flee. They exchanged glances and immediately stood to take their leave. Seventh Miss didn’t press them to stay, seeing them to the door before returning to joke with Yu An. “If you want to be alone in the future, just say you need to embroider. I think this excuse will work every time.”

Yu An laughed at her teasing. “So Sister-in-law has such a glib tongue too!”

She took out the pouch Seventh Miss had made to examine, revealing admiration as she looked. “Sister-in-law still asks me to look—truly worthy of Jiangnan training. These stitches, Yu An could never catch up even on horseback.”

Looking at her, she genuinely loved embroidery, unlike Seventh Miss who merely treated it as a required subject.

Seventh Miss’s heart stirred. She was about to speak when voices suddenly sounded outside.

Soon Lixia opened the door and entered, smiling as she told Seventh Miss, “Lady Min sent peace talismans and longevity locks for Fourth Young Master and Fifth Young Master, and also obtained two strings of blessed prayer beads for you. She just sent someone to deliver them. Since she was in a hurry to deliver things to her in-law’s Fourth Madam, she didn’t come in to pay respects. This servant gave a medium reward packet to send them off.”

“How thoughtful of Eldest Sister-in-law.” Seventh Miss didn’t mind, smiling as she remarked, then told Lixia, “Put the things away. Give Fourth Young Master and Fifth Young Master’s to Xiayuan to keep.”

After speaking a few more words with Yu An, Lixia came in again to announce—First Young Madam had arrived.

Before the words finished, First Young Madam was already entering the room with a smile, saying, “It’s cold, so I won’t have Sixth Sister-in-law come out to receive me.”

She was glowing—where was her usual wooden demeanor? She actually looked like a very refined young married woman. Seventh Miss was stunned for a moment before stepping forward to exchange pleasantries with First Young Madam.

“Not at all, as it should be, as it should be.”

But inwardly she couldn’t help wondering—was this trip to Huguo Temple really so important to First Young Madam?