“The message has been delivered.”

The next morning, when Bailu was serving Seventh Miss as she rose, she reported softly.

“I heard that after hearing it, she didn’t cry or make a fuss—she just pondered in silence without speaking…”

Seventh Miss wasn’t surprised.

The Second Madam was actually quite a rare intelligent person.

As long as she could think through the advantages and disadvantages involved, she wouldn’t do anything foolish.

After all, just seeing how for the sake of her three sons’ futures, she could endure years of separation from her husband and remain in Suzhou working diligently, it was easy to guess what was most important in the Second Madam’s heart…

“Just tell Second Aunt this.” She instructed Bailu thus: “Say that Father and Mother were able to help Second Uncle reach his current position, and they can just as easily destroy Second Uncle’s official career with a flip of their hands. If she wants to push things to that point, she’s welcome to seek death—we won’t stop her. It’s just that we’d been hoping in the future that several cousins would help our Ninth Brother more. If she wants to destroy all that herself, then no one can help her.”

As long as the Second Madam could figure out the meaning in these words, she probably wouldn’t cause trouble again.

In ancient times, individual heroes rarely achieved great things. Behind any high official stood their clan’s power.

Although relations between the Second Branch and First Branch had deteriorated sharply, within the clan they were still one lineage. No matter what, things wouldn’t become too ugly.

Didn’t the Great Master and First Madam’s low-key handling prove this very point?

As long as the Second Madam behaved herself and didn’t cause trouble, after the two branches divided in the future, at most they would have less contact. The Great Master might even use Second Master as his eyes and ears in the capital. It would just mean not being as generous with money as in previous years.

But with the passage of time, after Ninth Brother and Min’ge took their positions, Ninth Brother would be isolated and need helpers both in the clan and at court.

By then, perhaps the Second Branch could gradually draw closer to the First Branch again, and the Second Branch could still borrow the First Branch’s influence.

However, if the Second Madam committed suicide over this matter, things would be much more complicated.

If Second Master didn’t know his place and let things blow up, after the Great Master lost face, destroying Second Master’s official position in anger wouldn’t be difficult.

And having committed such a scandal, the clan could actually strike them from the genealogy and expel the Second Branch…

At that point, relatives would become enemies, and whether the Second Branch could even preserve their wealth and status would be questionable.

“I originally thought…” Bailu was somewhat embarrassed. “The Second Madam had finally remembered the words ‘face’ and ‘dignity’ and wanted to end herself to preserve face for the Second Branch and her young masters…”

“Once this matter came out, the Second Branch already has no face to speak of.” Seventh Miss’s gaze was distant. “However, if Second Aunt committed suicide, with dead people telling no tales, Second Uncle might actually spread the matter everywhere, making both families lose all face.”

“Yes.” Bailu smiled. “It’s just that if the Second Madam could see through this point, she wouldn’t be the Second Madam!”

“However, I presume Second Aunt has also recognized this point: now, she is the fish and meat, and I am the knife and chopping board.” Seventh Miss donned her sky-blue cloak with embroidered cloud patterns and smiled again. “I can deal with her however I want, crush her into the mud if I wish… Death? That also depends on whether I’m willing or not.”

Struggles in large estates were like this—one step to heaven, one step to hell.

That the Second Madam had fallen to this state was entirely of her own making.

Bailu smiled and brought up hot tea. “The weather is cold. You should at least drink a sip before going to pay respects, lest you catch a chill again and the Madam blames us for not serving attentively.”

Seventh Miss smiled and put away her thoughts, accepting a sip of scalding ginseng tea from Bailu’s hand.

Only then did she lift the curtain and leave the room to pay respects to the First Madam.

“Drinking ginseng tea in the early morning is indeed effective.” She chatted casually with Bailu along the way. “I’m not as afraid of the cold this winter.”

In previous years, Seventh Miss’s hands and feet would be ice-cold every winter, and she was always reluctant to leave her room.

Bailu smiled. “It’s also because the Dangshen sent this year is good quality—you can taste the difference in medicine quality immediately.”

Since Seventh Miss had been elevated to legitimate daughter status, the food, clothing, and daily necessities in the western side courtyard had visibly become more refined.

“Step by step, things will get better and better.” Seventh Miss said softly. “Once we arrived at the western side courtyard, we had to make a life for ourselves. Step by step, things will get better and better.”

She suddenly remembered that first night in the western side courtyard when Second Miss had given her six taels of silver, and how she had taken out the money box Ninth Concubine had left behind and carefully placed those six taels inside.

Seventh Miss gazed at the ash-gray sky, her lips gradually curving upward into a rare brilliant smile.

#

Seventh Miss arrived early today. The First Madam had just risen to wash up, and even the Great Master hadn’t yet come from the outer courtyard.

“Mother.” Seventh Miss smiled before speaking, smoothly wringing out a hand towel and passing it to the First Madam’s hand, taking over from Lidong.

She also prepared willow twigs and tooth powder for the First Madam. “I came early today and caught this opportune moment to curry favor.”

The First Madam was so amused by Seventh Miss that she couldn’t stop smiling. “Where did you learn to talk like this!”

She asked Seventh Miss: “Have you prepared your lessons? Don’t let Teacher Huang keep you after class again.”

Seventh Miss had always been lackadaisical about embroidery and was kept after class by Teacher Huang several times a month to make up work.

Seventh Miss protested: “Mother is teasing Little Seven.”

The mother and daughter chatted intimately in the eastern side room. Seventh Miss took opportunities to help the First Madam dress and apply face powder. Her movements were nimble, and having served the First Madam so habitually, the First Madam naturally enjoyed it.

Before long, Ninth Brother also arrived.

“Mother!” He smiled as he entered the eastern side room. “The lotus root you sent yesterday tasted even more fragrant than eating it in summer.”

“Eating it in winter naturally has a fuller flavor—five parts of taste becomes ten.” The First Madam was again amused by Ninth Brother. “Have you finished all your homework?”

“I have.” Ninth Brother blinked. “Father even said the day before yesterday that after New Year I should go study with Teacher Zhang. Teacher Zhang from the family school passed the provincial examination this session and will be returning to study for the spring examinations, so he won’t be teaching anymore.”

“Oh, oh.” The First Madam was very pleased. “Going to Teacher Zhang’s is also good.”

Now that the Zhang and Yang families were about to have genuine kinship relations, Teacher Zhang would certainly be very dedicated in educating Ninth Brother.

She asked Ninth Brother curiously: “Who is the provincial graduate this session?”

Seventh Miss instantly broke out in a cold sweat down her back.

Although being provincial graduate didn’t mean one had firmly stepped onto the official path, it meant more recognition than ordinary examination candidates.

She didn’t know whether Feng Jin’s provincial graduate status was something the Great Master had personally orchestrated. If so, what was the Great Master’s purpose…

Upon hearing this news, Seventh Miss felt a vague unease in her heart.

If he’d only been second or third place, it would have been better.

Otherwise, the First Madam would find out sooner or later anyway… With Feng Jin’s reputation as the top scholar in the silver flowers exam, being able to delay until today was already quite lucky.

Ninth Brother indeed froze.

After stammering for a moment, he was about to speak.

But voices of Sixth Miss and Fifth Miss talking came from outside the room.

“Fifth Sister’s cloak is really beautiful.” Sixth Miss’s praise was as sincere as ever.

There was also First Concubine’s light laughter: “Fifth Miss is blossoming more radiantly!”

The main group from Hundred Fragrance Garden had come to pay respects.

The First Madam forgot the previous topic and led Seventh Miss and Ninth Brother out of the eastern side room.

“Paying respects to Mother.”

“Greeting the Madam.”

“Good morning, Sixth Sister…”

For a moment, greetings rose and fell throughout the room.

Everyone’s faces bore warm smiles.

This was the manner of a prominent clan.

Before long, the Great Master, Third Miss, and Fourth Miss also entered one after another.

Inevitably there was another round of courtesies and pleasantries.

The Great Master was in a good mood, smiling as he told the First Madam: “Second Brother sent word that he’s returning for New Year and is already on the road. He should arrive home by the eighteenth of the twelfth month.”

The First Madam also smiled. “Good, then everyone will be together for New Year this year.”

The couple discussed it like the simplest family matter.

But the daughters all listened in stunned silence.

Second Master’s return certainly wasn’t as simple as just coming home for New Year.

Fifth Miss and Sixth Miss both made eye signals at Seventh Miss.

Third Miss and Fourth Miss whispered together, discussing in low voices.

Even Ninth Brother looked contemplative.

But the Great Master seemed not to take Second Master’s return seriously at all. He looked around with a smile and asked the First Madam: “The Zhang family has set the twenty-ninth of the first month next year to formally come propose marriage—did you know?”

Third Miss immediately stood and withdrew into the western side room.

“Yes, Madam Li has already conveyed the message.” The First Madam’s expression remained normal.

Privately, although the First Madam had some complaints about Third Miss’s marriage, after Seventh Miss comforted her a few times, she’d come to accept it: with the Yang family’s current status, even marrying Third Miss to the Zhang family’s second young master was still considered marrying down. And being able to form a kinship with the Zhang family would give Ninth Brother more invisible support at court in the future.

Precisely because of this, although the First Madam wasn’t fully dedicated to Third Miss’s marriage, she hadn’t particularly neglected it either.

“They also said they want to hold the wedding next summer.” The Great Master brought up Third Miss’s wedding date. “Their second son is already over twenty this year. Madam Zhang is anxious to hold a grandson.”

When the topic progressed to this point, it was no longer appropriate for the daughters to remain.

The three young girls followed Fifth Miss’s lead and left the hall, deciding to have breakfast together at the western side courtyard.

“Madam Zhang isn’t just anxious to hold a grandson.” As soon as they entered the western side courtyard hall, Fifth Miss spoke freely. “I’m afraid she’s anxious for Third Sister to marry in and suppress the eldest daughter-in-law’s arrogance… Ever since the legitimate grandson was born, I heard things have been getting more and more outrageous.”

“Every family has its difficult scriptures to recite!” Sixth Miss disagreed. “Just look at our family—who knows what trouble Second Uncle will stir up when he returns. If we can’t even have a proper New Year, that would be truly laughable!”

Mentioning Second Master, who was rushing day and night toward Suzhou, both Fifth Miss and Seventh Miss fell silent.

Seventh Miss looked thoughtful. “I’ve never met Second Uncle…”

Fifth Miss pursed her lips. “Then keep your eyes wide open and watch—Second Uncle won’t rest until he puts on a grand show when he returns home this time!”

Seventh Miss was born shortly before Second Master passed the metropolitan examination and left Suzhou.

She couldn’t help feeling some anticipation for this second uncle she’d never met.

Although right now the Great Master and First Madam appeared nonchalant, as if the Second Madam were just a naughty little girl who’d made a small mistake.

In reality, the Second Madam’s misstep had directly pushed the two families to the brink of rupture.

Whether it could be salvaged would depend on how Second Master handled things.

#

By mid-afternoon, Lidong entered the western side courtyard.

Seventh Miss had already gone to Hundred Fragrance Garden to play with Fifth Miss and Sixth Miss, so Lidong missed her.

“Does the Madam have instructions?” Bailu was attentive and offered Lidong a seat. “If it’s urgent, I’ll immediately send someone to the garden to call Seventh Miss back.”

Lidong smiled. “It’s nothing! I just came to see you.”

Although the two maids now served different masters, they had once served together in the First Madam’s quarters and shared that bond.

Bailu’s eyes flashed—Lidong was always cautious and rarely left the main courtyard during her duty hours.

“Then let’s go to the western wing room and talk properly.” She pulled Lidong into the western wing room with a smile.

Seventh Miss had few possessions. The left and right rooms of the western wing housed Lixia and Bailu. The row of south-facing rooms housed several junior maids, two nannies, and rough servant women who usually went home to rest.

Lidong couldn’t help envying them. “Only side courtyards have this much space… The row of rooms in our main courtyard is packed full of people.”

The First Madam had many matters to handle and many people under her, but the main courtyard was only so large. Several head maids lived in worse conditions than junior maids in the two side courtyards.

Bailu just smiled. “Should we compare the perks we get?”

Having both served in the main courtyard, how could they not know the tricks involved?

Working in the main courtyard, whether major or minor tasks, every day brought either reward money or gate gifts. In good months, four or five taels of silver were guaranteed; even in lean months, there were two or three taels in extra income.

In the western side courtyard, although Seventh Miss wasn’t stingy, she was normally tight-fisted. Sometimes aside from monthly wages, there was rarely extra income. Over the year, that was nearly a hundred taels difference.

Lidong’s face showed some bitterness. “When I was a junior maid, I didn’t know the older sisters’ difficulties. Now that I’m a senior maid, I realize that although it’s a good position, not everyone can stand firm there…”

Bailu raised an eyebrow.

These past years, Nanny Liang and Nanny Wang from the main courtyard had been very active in visiting the eastern and western side courtyards.

But Lidong, the chief senior maid, had always been cautious and rarely leaked information.

Speaking of it, what personal maids knew sometimes exceeded what steward nannies knew…

“If you have any problems, just come to me. If not me, then Lichun is just a few steps away in the eastern side courtyard.” She affectionately held Lidong’s arm and sat down at the table. “Is your family asking you for money again?”

Lidong’s family circumstances weren’t very good either.

Lidong’s eyes reddened. “They actually want to marry me to Nanny Li from the main kitchen’s fool son!”

Bailu suddenly understood.

It would soon be time again for maids to be matched with husbands.

The kitchen had always been lucrative. Nanny Li, who managed the main kitchen, had accumulated considerable wealth over more than ten years. Unfortunately, she only had one fool son who could only say a few simple words and didn’t even know to call her “mother.”

Lidong’s parents were pushing their daughter toward a dead end.

Coincidentally, Nanny Li from the main kitchen was also one of the First Madam’s trusted confidants…

Unless someone like Seventh Miss, a favored person, spoke up for Lidong, she would find it very difficult to escape the fate of marrying into the Li family.

She naturally showed some sympathy.

“Miss will certainly stand up for you!” She comforted Lidong carefully.

When Seventh Miss returned, it was already dinner time at dusk.

Bailu recounted Lidong’s request to Seventh Miss in full detail.

Seventh Miss listened very attentively.

“Lidong also said…” Bailu carefully repeated Lidong’s words: “This morning, after the Master and Madam finished discussing Third Miss’s marriage, they went into the eastern side room. The Master brought up this session’s provincial graduate. Apparently, Young Master Feng is Ninth Concubine’s relative. It came up by chance when he came to pay respects to the Master, and they discovered this relationship… The Master was thinking that our Ninth Brother doesn’t have many brothers and sisters around him. In the future at court, he’ll inevitably lack support, so it would be better to give Ninth Concubine a proper status. That way, Young Master Feng would also count as our family’s relative, and in the future there would be one more person to speak for Ninth Brother.”

Seventh Miss’s movements couldn’t help but pause.

No wonder Lidong dared come to her.

As the First Madam’s personal maid, who knew the First Madam’s private affairs better than she?

“The Madam was very angry after hearing this and said: Is the Qin family dead? Are we so lacking that we need one Young Master Feng? She also said, could it be that the Master had known about Young Master Feng all along but just never told her.” Bailu also let out a long breath. “At first the Master explained patiently and kindly, but later he also grew impatient and asked the Madam: Is Ninth Brother’s birth mother not Ninth Concubine? By refusing to elevate Ninth Concubine’s status, is the Madam being unvirtuous… He also said that any cousin couldn’t compare to relatives from the birth mother’s Feng family side, who had received our Yang family’s grace and would naturally wholeheartedly look after Ninth Brother in the future. Young Master Feng has good character, talent, and appearance. With just a little promotion in the future, he’ll naturally soar to great heights. Why should our Yang family refuse such a helper?”

“The Madam stopped talking. After a long while she finally agreed. The Master also comforted the Madam, saying Ninth Brother is very sensible and won’t forget the Madam’s nurturing grace, but the Madam must also fulfill Ninth Brother’s filial piety and not let him forget his birth grace, lest he be criticized in the future. Moreover, since the Madam now loves Seventh Miss so much, she should also consider who taught her such an endearing character… The Madam had nothing more to say and finally agreed that when the ancestral hall opens this twelfth month, Ninth Concubine would be elevated… As soon as the Master left, the Madam smashed several plates and bowls and went to bed in a huff… Even when Nanny Liang and Nanny Wang wanted to come in to pay respects, they were turned away.”

Bailu stopped speaking and looked somewhat anxiously at Seventh Miss’s expression.

“Lidong also said that these next few days we should visit the main courtyard less. Although the Madam has agreed, she’ll certainly be vexed these days, and we’ll inevitably become her outlet…”