Having thrown down these words, the Seventh Miss lowered her head and passed through the archway, walking toward Siyi Pavilion.

She had only taken a few steps when she was suddenly pulled back by someone.

The person pressed down her head with one hand, forcing her to pass through the archway and stand in her original spot.

The Seventh Miss hurriedly covered the jewelry atop her head, glaring at Xu Fenghai with annoyance.

Fury clearly flickered in Xu Fenghai’s eyes.

This boy was like wildfire, as if he wouldn’t rest until he burned everything he touched. The slightest provocation could make him fly into a rage, his phoenix eyes bright like glass in a great fire, so hot they seemed about to melt.

“A mere concubine-born daughter…” he muttered softly. “Yet you have quite the nerve!”

The Seventh Miss’s eyes sharpened, looking coldly at Xu Fenghai.

The displeasure flowing through her gaze was self-evident.

Even if Xu Fenghai looked down on concubine-born daughters, he shouldn’t voice it. Some words, though everyone knew them, were still hurtful when spoken aloud.

“Does Cousin dare to say it even louder?”

She didn’t move at all, still standing at the cliff’s edge.

Playing around was one thing; pushing a cousin off the artificial mountain was another.

Though Xu Fenghai was wild, he wasn’t stupid. In front of so many elders, he wouldn’t do such a thing.

His earlier words were merely meant to frighten her.

If it had been the Sixth Miss, she would probably already believe it and be crying in fear.

But if the Seventh Miss would fall for such empty threats, then she wouldn’t be the Seventh Miss.

Neither of them spoke for a moment.

Xu Fenghai’s face showed contemplation. Clearly, he indeed didn’t plan to push the Seventh Miss off the artificial mountain.

His eyes suddenly brightened. He reached into his robe, withdrew something, and waved it before the Seventh Miss’s eyes.

Light flared suddenly.

The Seventh Miss couldn’t help but be startled, reflexively stepping backward.

Her wrist grew warm as Xu Fenghai grasped her hand again.

The Seventh Miss, who had nearly stepped into empty air, was pulled back by Xu Fenghai.

The two stared at each other, both somewhat frightened.

This wouldn’t be a joke if she fell.

The Seventh Miss reluctantly expressed thanks, “Thank you for your help, Cousin,” and tried to retreat into the cliff area.

Xu Fenghai let her, but showed no intention of releasing his grip. With a casual push, the Seventh Miss found herself pressed involuntarily against the Taihu rock.

“Not afraid of heights, not afraid of insects… you must at least be afraid of fire, right?” Xu Fenghai’s voice remained as languid as ever. He quickly pressed closer to the Seventh Miss as well.

The interest in his eyes was clearly visible.

He waved the fire striker again, and a spark flared up.

A hint of panic finally appeared in the Seventh Miss’s eyes.

A flash of triumph crossed Xu Fenghai’s eyes. “So there is something you fear?”

They were very close. His voice sounded low in the Seventh Miss’s ear, the ending note slightly rising, carrying laughter.

The Seventh Miss watched Xu Fenghai’s hand gradually approach, that tiny flame drawing near her clothing. Finally, she sighed.

She was about to yield.

Delicate garments couldn’t withstand fire.

She only had a few such outfits from Xianxiu Workshop. To suddenly lose one—to say she wouldn’t feel the loss would be a lie. When the First Madam asked, it would also be difficult to explain.

Ninth Brother’s voice suddenly rang out behind them.

“Be careful, it’s high here. Falling down would be no joke!”

He held onto the lake rock, speaking with a smile.

Xu Fenghai was startled and involuntarily stepped backward.

The Seventh Miss then took the opportunity to shake off Xu Fenghai.

“Let’s go find Fifth Sister and Second Sister!” She pulled Ninth Brother’s hand with a smile.

Ninth Brother’s gaze still circled around the fire striker in Xu Fenghai’s hand.

After the Seventh Miss tugged several times, he finally walked away with his sister.

Xu Fenghai stood in place, staring at the Seventh Miss’s retreating figure, inevitably showing some unconcealed vexation.

“Fenghai.” Madam Xu called out loudly, “Why are you standing there stupidly? Come eat some pastries.”

He then composed his expression and strolled into Siyi Pavilion.

#

After turning several corners and descending steps, Ninth Brother’s expression darkened.

“Did he bully you?” he asked the Seventh Miss.

His tone was low and resentful.

The Seventh Miss didn’t want to say much.

Though Ninth Brother and Xu Fenghai were relatives, there was ultimately a layer between them. They weren’t blood-related cousins, so their relationship could be close or distant.

Moreover, Xu Fenghai was the future Duke Pingguo.

“No!” She shook her head with a smile.

Ninth Brother looked doubtful.

The Seventh Miss could only sigh, “Your Seventh Sister isn’t so easily bullied.”

Ninth Brother was half-convinced and didn’t raise this awkward topic again.

The Second Miss and Fifth Miss sat on stone stools and chairs appreciating the fish, using flower petals to tease the plump koi.

The siblings chatted for a while before Xu Fenghai sought them out again.

“Fifth Cousin.” He acted as if he hadn’t seen the Seventh Miss at all, laughing heartily as he beckoned to the Fifth Miss.

The Fifth Miss then abandoned her siblings and ran off with Xu Fenghai.

Ninth Brother couldn’t help feeling somewhat jealous, “Fifth Sister and Cousin are truly compatible.”

The Second Miss and Seventh Miss exchanged glances. Neither took up the conversation.

They were still young now, but in a few years when they grew up, marriage proposals would come.

Though the Seventh Miss didn’t know of Madam Xu’s intention to make the Fifth Miss her daughter-in-law, she knew it was best not to pick up on this kind of talk from Ninth Brother.

When the Fifth Miss returned momentarily, she carefully scrutinized the Seventh Miss, her eyes rippling with concealed laughter.

At mealtime, everyone descended the artificial mountain together and walked toward Zhuying Terrace.

The chrysanthemums outside Zhuying Terrace had bloomed profusely, displaying myriad forms of extreme beauty.

“Cousin asked me all about you!” The Fifth Miss pulled the Seventh Miss back a few steps and whispered in her ear. “What did he do to you just now? Next time I advise you to just yield and it will pass. Don’t provoke Cousin’s temper, or else… I thought you were a clever person! I didn’t expect such a stubborn nature! Earlier you shouldn’t have gone against his wishes…”

The Seventh Miss looked at the Fifth Miss.

There was indeed some genuine concern in the Fifth Miss’s eyes.

“If Cousin would act like a proper cousin, I would have yielded long ago.” The Seventh Miss said calmly.

Her tone carried an inviolable quality.

The Fifth Miss was taken aback.

Looking at the Seventh Miss’s eyes, she showed somewhat more respect.

“Suit yourself.” She was still somewhat dissatisfied after all, “When the time comes, don’t come crying to me!”

Having said this, she ran ahead to find the Second Miss.

The Seventh Miss bit her lip, suppressing words of rebuttal.

She still had to endure… When she couldn’t endure momentarily, it created such vexing troubles.

She still had to endure.

She produced a smile and hurried forward several steps, catching up with the Sixth Miss.

#

After the Double Ninth Festival, everyone’s lives seemed to return to their normal track.

Whenever Xu Fenghai saw the Seventh Miss, he always had an unpleasant expression.

The Seventh Miss took it calmly, treating Xu Fenghai as air.

Madam Xu still made social calls as usual, but the First Madam declined, saying she needed to prepare the Second Miss’s dowry. She had the Second Madam accompany Madam Xu out while she remained at home.

“Let me slack off for a couple days!” she joked with the Master Elder.

The Second Miss’s dowry had indeed reached the time to gather it together.

Since the engagement several years ago, intermittently, quite a few fine things had been prepared. Some were still stored in the small storeroom. Now they all needed to be properly organized, wrapped in red cloth, waiting to be loaded onto boats and sent to the capital.

The Second Miss’s wedding auspicious date was set for the first day of the twelfth month. However, since the capital was far from Suzhou, around early eleventh month, the Sun family’s wedding procession would arrive in Suzhou to formally take the Second Miss, travel by waterway to the capital, then hold the official ceremony.

For days the household had been discussing the Second Miss’s dowry.

When the First Miss married earlier, not counting the ready silver, the clothing materials and jewelry alone were worth over ten thousand taels of silver. The First Madam had also accompanied her with two shops and an estate of over a hundred qing.

Everyone said this dowry could equal nearly half the Li family’s assets. Though the First Madam never commented much on this, given the Li family’s status, this dowry was quite generous.

But the Sun family was different. The Marquis Dingguo’s household had been wealthy for generations, and the Second Miss would be the future Marchioness Dingguo. This dowry truly couldn’t be light.

Even with this preparation, everyone was still shocked when the dowry figures emerged.

“The clothing materials and jewelry alone cost thirty thousand taels of silver… and that’s not even the major portion. I heard the First Madam intends to transfer the Xianxiu Workshop in Jiangbei to the Second Miss’s name.” Bailu relayed gossip to the Seventh Miss, “That represents over a hundred thousand in family assets!”

Xianxiu Workshop was the First Madam’s dowry. When she married over, Xianxiu Workshop was merely two shops with just over ten embroiderers.

As the Master Elder rose step by step in his career, Xianxiu Workshop gradually became one of the two or three notable embroidery houses in Jiangnan, bringing in at least fifty to sixty thousand taels of silver annually.

If the First Madam didn’t give it to her daughter, would she wait to leave it to Ninth Brother’s wife in the future?

The Seventh Miss took it calmly.

The Third Miss, however, was quite envious.

It was precisely the time to prepare her dowry… Even if Fourth Yiniang had some private savings, how could they compare to Xianxiu Workshop?

The Master Elder also had some complaints.

“This is too extravagant.” He grumbled to the First Madam, “Not counting Xianxiu Workshop, there are also estates… Won’t this dowry amount to two hundred thousand taels of silver?”

The Second Miss’s dowry was so substantial. Then there was the Fifth Miss—she would require an identical portion at minimum, making it four hundred thousand taels of silver.

Accompanying the First Miss had cost fifty thousand taels. The Yang family still had four concubine-born daughters, which would require at least another two hundred thousand taels no matter how one calculated.

Then there was Ninth Brother’s wedding… These children’s marriages would cost nearly one million taels of silver.

Even if the Yang family’s affairs were prosperous, could they withstand such expenditure?

The First Madam remained unmoved.

“Xianxiu Workshop is my dowry.” She reminded the Master Elder. “The Second Miss’s dowry from the official accounts is only one hundred thousand taels.”

A legitimate daughter’s dowry being twice that of concubine-born daughters wasn’t too wasteful.

“Moreover… the First Miss is also a concubine-born daughter from the main courtyard.” The First Madam lowered her head again, “Her dignity should naturally be somewhat better than other concubine-born daughters.”

The Master Elder’s face immediately darkened.

Did this mean she didn’t plan to give the Third Miss, Fourth Miss, and Sixth Miss the same dignity?

But Xianxiu Workshop was the First Madam’s dowry. Even if the First Madam wished to throw it into the water, the Master Elder couldn’t say anything about it.

“You should also leave some private property for Ninth Brother’s wife, shouldn’t you?” he said slowly.

The First Madam was very displeased.

“When I married over with my dowry, I brought one hundred thousand taels of ready silver with me, which over the years has all been supplemented into household expenses. The several estates, their yields over these years have also largely gone into the official treasury.”

This referred to the matter of the First Madam using her dowry to supplement the household before the Master Elder had passed the imperial examination.

“Only Xianxiu Workshop remains with me… In the future, Ninth Brother’s wife will naturally have her own dowry.” She smiled ambiguously.

The Master Elder said nothing more.

What more could he say?

At the drop of a hat, the First Madam would bring up past matters to suppress him.

He no longer wished to say anything more.

Several days later, Fourth Yiniang sent word: the Master Elder had taken Shuangjiang into service.

Newly taking in a bed-warming maid, one truly should inform the First Madam, lest when assigning maids to marriage, she mistakenly send her out in confusion.

The First Madam was so angry she couldn’t eat lunch.

In the afternoon, she kept the Seventh Miss in the main courtyard to keep her company.

“…I only replied a few words, and he throws a fit at me like this, deliberately elevating people from the Fourth House.” The First Madam’s face was full of indignation.

These words could only be said to the Seventh Miss. The First Madam was proud and unwilling to tell Madam Xu about household troubles.

The Seventh Miss couldn’t help but sigh as well.

The Master Elder was truly too shameless.

When the First Madam married into the Yang family, she had simply given the Master Elder an opportunity to rise.

There were plenty who passed the imperial examination, many with real ability among them. Without the Qin family’s support, could the Master Elder have reached his current position?

Yet after achieving success, his attitude toward the First Madam was completely different… How could the First Madam not feel cold-hearted?

“Mother, don’t be too angry.” Her face was full of hesitation to speak.

Seeing this, the First Madam felt somewhat more intimate.

The Second Miss’s nature was too detached. She couldn’t appreciate her suffering.

In her view, the household mistress should act impartially…

Ah, if only everything were so simple.

The Fifth Miss was also completely naive. She couldn’t even begin to understand such matters.

After the First Miss married out, beside her was only the Seventh Miss who was clever and perceptive, able to somewhat relieve her worries.

“One can truly share hardship but not prosperity.” She complained again, “The Yang family’s affairs are what I built up single-handedly. When has he ever managed these things? Have I ever kept even a bit of private property for myself? He won’t even let go of Xianxiu Workshop, wanting to give it to the Third Miss as dowry—in his dreams!”

The Seventh Miss’s heart stirred.

“The Fourth House is currently working hard toward the dowry.” She said softly.

The First Madam gradually calmed down.

She pondered the Seventh Miss’s words.

For the Master Elder to suddenly have complaints about the Second Miss’s dowry—of course it wouldn’t be without reason.

Speaking of which, the Second Miss had always been quite favored by him. If the First Madam was willing to provide more dowry using her own private money, the Master Elder wouldn’t say much.

It seemed that only the Fourth House still didn’t know the Wang family marriage proposal had fallen through, so they were planning ahead, starting to worry about the dowry.

The First Madam’s anger immediately dissipated. She revealed a smile.

“That’s fine, let the Fourth House jump around a bit longer.”

She affectionately patted the Seventh Miss’s knee. “Our Little Seventh is still sharp, able to perceive the subtle.”

The First Madam even used an idiom.

The Seventh Miss smiled with pursed lips.

However, if Fourth Yiniang continued jumping around, she would inevitably obstruct Madam Xu’s view. The First Madam pondered for a moment, then asked, “What do you think—when would be the best time to have Fourth Yiniang handle this matter?”

Imperceptibly, her tone had lost its stiffness and gained some casualness.

The Seventh Miss was somewhat puzzled.

“With guests still present, having Yiniang come out and move about now—wouldn’t that be a bit rash?”

She tactfully reminded the First Madam that disputes between wife and concubines need not be exposed before Madam Xu.

Given the First Madam’s strong personality, if she didn’t offer this reminder, she would inevitably become angry again.

The First Madam wanted to explain, to discuss Madam Xu’s intentions.

But then she felt that given Little Seventh’s age, she might not understand the intricacies involved.

“It’s fine, she’s like a third sister, she won’t say anything.” She glossed over it.

The Seventh Miss said nothing more.

The First Madam clearly had other plans.

It seemed that although she had gained the legitimate mother’s preliminary trust, for deeper matters, she still wasn’t qualified to know.

“Do you think our main house should also elevate another bed-warming maid?” the First Madam asked again.

Clearly, she didn’t plan to continue on that topic.

The Seventh Miss’s heart tightened.

The Fourth House had gained Shuangjiang, so the main house shouldn’t appear weak either. They needed to elevate a maid to compete with Shuangjiang.

Speaking of which, the Master Elder had also shown interest in Lichun. If the First Madam raised this idea to the Master Elder, there was no guarantee he wouldn’t go with the flow and take Lichun…