“When you meet the Madam in a moment, don’t show any timidity.”

Nanny Wang walked along the corridor with Seventh Miss, giving instructions as they went.

“You’ve rarely seen your sisters. You may not be able to recognize them in a moment. Right now in the Madam’s room, there are probably only Second Miss and Fifth Miss, both your elder sisters. Don’t be impolite to them.”

“Yes.” Seventh Miss spoke softly, holding Nanny Wang’s hand, looking left and right along the way, showing no signs of stage fright.

Nanny Wang felt somewhat puzzled.

Since birth, Seventh Miss had lived with Ninth Concubine in their old home in the northwest. They only came to Suzhou last year, and as soon as they arrived, Ninth Concubine fell ill. Seventh Miss attended to her illness day and night, rarely leaving the courtyard. She had only met the Madam once during last year’s New Year. Such a tiny child, about to meet her unfamiliar legitimate mother… why didn’t she know fear?

Was she too clever to be afraid, or too foolish to even know fear?

Nanny Wang suddenly had some doubts about her own presumptuous decision. What if this Seventh Miss was a foolish person…

But Ninth Concubine couldn’t possibly not understand her own daughter, could she? Nanny Wang glanced at Seventh Miss and felt she had overthought things. Ninth Young Master had an audacious temperament. Perhaps, with siblings sharing a heart, even Seventh Miss was naturally bold.

Though she thought this, she still gave one more warning.

“If you embarrass yourself in front of the Madam… you’ll be in trouble.” She deliberately added a trace of fierceness. “Though the Madam is kind and gentle, the discipline nannies around her are not so easy to talk to. Striking your palms, not letting you eat dinner—those are light punishments!”

Seventh Miss still maintained her calm demeanor, lifting her head to look at Nanny Wang and saying softly, “I understand, Nanny. I won’t embarrass you.”

Nanny Wang suddenly couldn’t see through Seventh Miss anymore.

They passed through Baifang Garden and entered the main courtyard. In the main courtyard, a group of young maids were carrying bundles and chests of furs and silks outside, laughing as they moved things, saying, “Eldest Miss still has the same temperament—she wishes she could move all the good things from her husband’s family back to her natal home.”

Nanny Wang said to Seventh Miss with a trace of pride, “Your eldest sister is also a concubine-born daughter, also raised under the Madam’s care… Look at the holiday gifts she sent! This huge courtyard can barely contain them all.”

Seventh Miss tilted her head to look at the courtyard full of large wooden chests and baskets upon baskets of lychees and grapes, nodding with envy.

Nanny Wang suddenly felt she understood Seventh Miss again.

They entered the main courtyard through the back gate. Unlike the South Side Courtyard, the main hall of the main courtyard sat in the center of the yard. The roof had two or three layers of flying eaves, with extremely finely carved figures on top, gilded with gold foil that gleamed blindingly in the sunlight.

A maid came out to greet them, asking Nanny Wang with a smile, “Nanny Wang, you’ve come quite early today? Whose child are you holding? She looks quite adorable.”

Nanny Wang put on a stern face. “This is Seventh Miss.”

That maid let out a soft exclamation and hurriedly gave Seventh Miss a smiling curtsy. “This servant Lichun pays respects to Seventh Miss.”

Seventh Miss smiled and stepped aside halfway. “How do you do, Sister Lichun.”

Lichun also smiled sweetly. She wore a brand-new tender yellow tribute satin jacket and sky-blue brocade horse-face skirt. Everything she wore and carried was exquisite. Standing beside Seventh Miss, she looked more like a young lady than Seventh Miss herself. “Seventh Miss rarely comes to the main courtyard. For a moment I was dim-sighted and didn’t recognize you. The Madam just woke from her afternoon nap and hasn’t had her snacks yet… I’ll go report right away.” With that, she turned and hurried into the main hall. Nanny Wang stood on the ground with Seventh Miss, and the maids going in and out came over to ask questions.

“Nanny Wang, should this fur be stored in the small storage room or the official warehouse?”

“The Madam said to cellar the lychees and bring them out during the New Year festival to serve guests. But more than half of this basket has already turned black. What do you think should be done, Nanny?”

“Good Nanny, this bolt of satin was already soiled at one end when it was brought in. May I cut off that section? If the weight is short, Nanny, please don’t come looking for trouble with us.”

Seventh Miss now understood that Nanny Wang was a great favorite beside the Madam. Nanny Wang put on airs and answered intermittently.

“Store it in the official warehouse. The Madam wouldn’t care for this type of material.”

“Distribute them among yourselves to eat. You little hussies are getting a bargain!”

“Set the cut piece aside and don’t put it in storage. I’ll ask the Madam later before disposing of it—you’re all becoming more and more careless in your work. A bolt of this gold-woven qilin satin costs several dozen taels of silver. Can we afford to waste it?”

The maids all lowered their brows and eyes submissively and went off to do their work. It seemed that though Nanny Wang was a favorite beside the Madam, her popularity wasn’t very good.

After Seventh Miss had been standing for a while, Lichun came out with a smile.

“Please come in quickly, Seventh Miss. The Madam heard you’d come and is very pleased. Nanny, the Madam says to have you supervise these little hussies in storing the New Year gifts, then come in later to check the accounts.”

Seventh Miss looked at Nanny Wang reluctantly. Nanny Wang felt she had some responsibility. She pressed Seventh Miss’s shoulder, released her hand, and watched as Lichun led Seventh Miss into the dark main hall before turning to watch the young maids move things.

When Seventh Miss entered the main hall, everything went dark before her eyes and she could barely see. Lichun led her around a screen, and the room brightened again—the side of the main hall facing the front gate was fitted entirely with gleaming glass windows.

Lichun led her around a display shelf, then lifted a glass bead curtain with a smile and led Seventh Miss into a bright bedroom.

In the bedroom, standing, sitting, or reclining, there were a full six or seven people. Seventh Miss swept her eyes over them and saw two girls dressed as young ladies sitting in chairs, two or three servants dressed as maids or matrons either sitting on small stools in front of the chairs or standing behind the bed. In the very center of the room was a large rosewood canopy bed with gold lacquer and mother-of-pearl inlay. On the bed lay a small boy, and a middle-aged woman dressed richly with a prosperous face sat at the bedside, speaking softly to the small boy.

“Your seventh sister has come, why don’t you get up? What’s the use of being lazy?”

Seventh Miss properly dropped to both knees and kowtowed, then raised her head and said, “Little Seven pays respects to the Madam.”

Only then did the Great Madam turn her eyes to look at her, with a trace of smile in her eyes. “Ah, you’ve grown.”

Seventh Miss then stood and turned toward her two sisters. “Little Seven pays respects to Second Sister.”

“Little Seven pays respects to Fifth Sister.”

The cold-faced Second Miss stood up and nodded, accepting her half-courtesy. The pretty Fifth Miss rolled her eyes, snorted, and turned her head away without even looking at her.

Seventh Miss took it all in stride, stood up, lowered her head with hands folded, and stood to the Great Madam’s left.

The Great Madam’s gaze at Seventh Miss held several parts surprise. She hadn’t expected Seventh Miss to respond so appropriately, without a single fault to pick.

“Little Seven, please sit.” The Great Madam revealed a smile, then turned to coax the small boy on the bed. “Ninth Young Master, look, Little Seven looks exactly like you. She’s just a bit taller than you.”

The small boy scrambled up in one motion, staring with eyes like large black grapes, sizing up Seventh Miss from top to bottom.

“Mother is lying to me.” He said with pouting lips. “This person is clearly the same height as me.”

“What ‘this person’—that’s your seventh sister.” The Great Madam said with a smile, then glanced at Fifth Miss. “Don’t let your Fifth Sister lead you astray. She has no manners, and you’re following her example.”

Fifth Miss snorted again, folding her arms and raising her head high. The Great Madam gave her a look and continued, “All I ever hear is you two bickering. Fifth Sister doesn’t know how to yield to her younger brother.”

Ninth Young Master became smug. The Great Madam continued, “Ninth Young Master doesn’t understand either. Fifth Sister has a bad temper, so you follow her example—when I tell the Master, he’ll be careful to spank you.”

Seventh Miss sat steadily with a slight smile on her lips, listening to the Great Madam and Ninth Young Master’s deep mother-son affection.

The Great Madam felt somewhat bored.

Ninth Young Master slipped off the bed and ran up to Seventh Miss in his underclothes. “You’re Seventh Sister?”

“Ninth Brother, I’m your Seventh Elder Sister.” Seventh Miss couldn’t help but smile.

Everyone laughed. Lichun laughed the loudest, and the maid standing by Fifth Miss’s chair also laughed unrestrained.

Even Fifth Miss couldn’t help but secretly smile. Ninth Young Master’s small face flushed red. He walked back to the Great Madam’s side and buried his head in her embrace, refusing to come out again.

The Great Madam looked at Seventh Miss gently, patting Ninth Young Master’s back and asking, “Has Seventh Miss learned to read?”

Seventh Miss’s expression dimmed. She stood up and said:

“In answer to the Madam, Little Seven hasn’t attended school.”

“I’ve been too busy and forgot. The Yang family’s daughters should all recognize a few characters.” The Great Madam said, “Looking at your clever face, you’re at the age to attend school. In a few days, I’ll speak with the teacher and have Bailu escort you to and from school.”

A maid who had been standing by the bed quickly responded. Seventh Miss glanced at her and smiled slightly. Bailu wore a jade-colored cloud satin jacket. Everything she wore was neither new nor old. Though she didn’t seem as glamorous as Lichun, her materials were still good quality.

The Great Madam said nothing more. Seventh Miss stood up and said, “Then, Little Seven takes her leave.”

The Great Madam smiled and nodded. Both Second Miss and Fifth Miss turned their heads to watch as Bailu came forward to lead Seventh Miss out the door. Even Ninth Young Master raised his head, pouting as he glanced at Seventh Miss’s retreating figure with seeming indifference.

Only after Seventh Miss left, and Second Miss, Fifth Miss, and Ninth Young Master went to the courtyard to play, did the Great Madam’s expression darken.

“Where is Nanny Wang?” she asked.

Nanny Wang quickly entered the inner room.

“I asked you to go see how Ninth Concubine’s illness was, so why did you bring Seventh Miss back?” The Great Madam blew on her scalding hot tea and asked slowly.

Nanny Wang’s heart tightened, then quickly relaxed.

“In answer to the Madam,” she knelt down and crawled closer to the Great Madam on her knees, saying softly, “Yesterday Fourth Concubine went to the South Side Courtyard. She indeed wants to take Seventh Miss to raise in her own courtyard.”

The Great Madam’s eyebrows lifted.

“How strange…” she murmured, gazing through the bright glass window at Ninth Young Master’s figure running around in the courtyard. “Why has Fourth Concubine suddenly become so kindhearted?”

Nanny Wang had followed the Great Madam for a full twenty-some years. She knew the Great Madam’s temperament, so she didn’t say much, only lowered her head and waited for the Great Madam to ask questions.

The Great Madam indeed asked, “How much did Ninth Concubine give you?”

Nanny Wang showed the Great Madam the gold bracelet on her wrist.

At one glance, the Great Madam knew this gold bracelet weighed a full three or four taels.

“This is Ninth Concubine’s treasured jewelry from the bottom of her chest.” Nanny Wang said, “I still remember that year when she gave birth to Seventh Miss and Ninth Young Master, the Madam took this gold bracelet off her own hand and rewarded her with it.”

The Great Madam’s gaze grew distant. “In the blink of an eye, another five or six years have passed.”

Nanny Wang smiled slightly and said nothing.

Ninth Concubine had sent out her most treasured jewelry, which showed she truly wanted Seventh Miss raised in the Madam’s courtyard. The conditions Fourth Concubine offered must not have moved her heart yet… What conditions did Fourth Concubine offer, and why did she want to pull Seventh Miss into her own courtyard?

The Great Madam’s gaze turned cold.

During the evening meal, the Great Madam casually brought up the matter of Seventh Miss. “…Ninth Concubine looks like she’s weakening. I was thinking, Seventh Miss is only six years old. To live in a separate courtyard so early, with no one to teach her proper behavior—when she goes to her husband’s family in the future, she’ll inevitably be looked down upon.”

Master Yang thought for a moment before remembering that Seventh Miss was Ninth Young Master’s twin sister.

“Then you decide.” He said casually. “A daughter only needs to recognize a few characters and embroider a few flowers, that’s all.”

“After all, she is Ninth Young Master’s twin sister.” The Great Madam said gently, “I was thinking, Second Sister will marry soon, and Fifth Sister has such a rough temperament. But Seventh Miss—I paid close attention today and she’s quiet and refined, perfect to keep Ninth Young Master company.”

“If you’re willing to take her into your own courtyard to raise, that would be best.” Master Yang’s gaze at the Great Madam softened. “But you just sent off Eldest Sister, and soon you’ll have to send Second Sister away. In a few more years, Fifth Sister will reach marriageable age too. To take care of Seventh Miss on top of all that would be quite taxing.”

The Great Madam lowered her head and smiled somewhat shyly. “Isn’t everything this concubine does for this family?”

The matter of Seventh Miss being taken into the Great Madam’s room to be raised was thus settled.

That evening, the Great Madam had Bailu go instruct Ninth Concubine to pack up Seventh Miss’s clothes and belongings, clean out the room on the east side of the west wing, and have Seventh Miss move to the main courtyard once the twelfth lunar month began.

“Ninth Concubine is still bedridden with illness…” Nanny Wang hesitated somewhat.

“If we’re to take her, we take her now.” The Great Madam was slightly displeased. “Ninth Concubine is only a concubine after all. Someone about to die carries bad luck. Once Seventh Miss enters the main courtyard, have her take a bath to wash away the bad luck.”

Nanny Wang felt a chill in her heart. “Yes.”

The Great Madam changed to a smiling face again and called Ninth Young Master to her side to ask, “Your Seventh Sister is coming to live in the main courtyard. With her to play with you, are you happy?”

Ninth Young Master blinked and looked at Nanny Wang. Nanny Wang’s heart had long since risen to her throat.

“She can come or not, I don’t care.” After thinking for a moment, Ninth Young Master dropped this line and ran off again.

The Great Madam laughed lightly. “This Ninth Young Master, really…”

She didn’t finish her sentence. Nanny Wang breathed a sigh of relief and said with a smile, “Ninth Young Master is still quite young after all.”

Precisely because he had been raised by the Great Madam’s side from such a young age, Ninth Young Master didn’t recognize his birth mother or twin sister at all.

The Great Madam sank into thought again.

“Never mind, let Seventh Miss move in after the New Year.” She said lightly. “Tomorrow find an auspicious time and take Ninth Young Master to see Ninth Concubine… After all, she’s his birth mother. With her illness so severe, Ninth Young Master should go fulfill his filial duty.”

“The Madam is virtuous.” Nanny Wang quickly said. By having Ninth Young Master visit his birth mother, the Madam left Fourth Concubine with nothing to criticize—she could only praise the Great Madam’s virtue. Otherwise, with the birth mother so ill and the son not even allowed to see her once, the Great Madam would seem too heartless.

The Great Madam touched her cheek and sighed. “Seventh Miss and Ninth Young Master really do look alike. The younger sister-in-law probably couldn’t tell which is which.”

The Great Madam’s younger sister-in-law was naturally Second Madam. Second Master Yang held office in the capital but left Second Madam in the old residence across the street. Second Madam came to visit every few days, and whenever she saw Ninth Young Master, she always loved to touch and pat him.

Nanny Wang’s heart tightened again. She wondered—when exactly had the Great Madam made up her mind to take Seventh Miss into her own courtyard to raise?

Surely it wasn’t a decision made on the spur of the moment today.

No one could fathom the Great Madam’s thoughts.