“You’re saying you’ll put Hongyu Cove under my management?” Mo Zi had been blowing wood shavings off the nine-bend bridge when, hearing Qiu Sanniang’s words, she turned her head to stare at her.
Qiu Sanniang smiled and nodded. “How about it? Very happy, right?”
“Is Madam joking with me, or are you serious?” Mo Zi’s face showed no smile. “If it’s just casual talk, that would be best. As I said before, I’ll take it as you praising me.”
“Mo Zi, you’re not happy? I thought I understood you quite well—you shouldn’t like being stuck in this small courtyard unable to move, right? Now I’m giving you an opportunity, so why are you unwilling?” Mo Zi wrinkled her brow while Qiu Sanniang raised hers.
“If Madam were having me replace Cen Er managing Wangqiu Tower, I’d truly be happy. Hongyu Cove? Right now there’s nothing there—weeds taller than people. Though there’s a permit to operate a shipyard, it’s been abandoned for nearly a hundred years. Starting from scratch—how could that be easy? The ship business isn’t like other trades. The requirements for shipbuilding skills are extremely high. It’s not something you can start just by knowing how to keep accounts and hiring some workers, much less something my small carving tricks could command master shipwrights with. Producing one inferior boat means the lives of an entire boatload of people.” Mo Zi spoke completely honest words. After refusing, she even offered advice. “If Madam wants to operate a shipyard, you might as well find experienced people.”
“Setting aside whether people would be willing to work for a woman, even if experienced people were everywhere, I wouldn’t know if I could trust them, and I couldn’t constantly watch over them myself. Though I don’t expect the shipyard to make any money, I certainly can’t knowingly lose money.” Qiu Sanniang put down the tiny lotus-picking boat. “You do your work. I haven’t thought it through clearly either—I just feel that letting such a plot of land lie fallow growing weeds, might as well be used for something.”
“Madam, the urgent priority is still Wangqiu Tower’s opening. Besides, without investment, there’s no need to worry about profit or loss.” Mo Zi spoke to Qiu Sanniang who was already walking out of the carpentry room.
Qiu Sanniang turned her head, as if confirming how sincere Mo Zi was, then finally smiled. “Those words are correct. I’ve been idle recently, so naturally I think about more things.”
Mo Zi made a sound of agreement, expressing concurrence, then lowered her head to continue assembling the second and third bends of the nine-bend bridge.
Qiu Sanniang’s gaze lingered on Mo Zi for a moment longer, her expression thoughtful, before she turned and walked out. Though what Mo Zi said was right—without investment, losses wouldn’t occur—the more she thought about the fortune teller’s words, the more credible she found them.
The Qiu family had been comfortable for a hundred years but couldn’t achieve great wealth and honor. Moreover, they had no connection to the court and couldn’t produce a single scholar. Not only could they not produce scholars, even their business talents deteriorated with each generation. As a daughter, she naturally didn’t count. But Qiu San and Qiu Si were truly not good material. The Qiu family had long since fallen from its peak, and by this generation, they would probably slide to the very bottom. Hongyu Cove was the Qiu family’s place of origin, yet it had been abandoned by later generations. Could this also be a reason why the Qiu family’s fortune was always insufficient? And now that this land had passed to her hands, she couldn’t move an inch, with numerous restrictions. It seemed this plot of land absolutely could not remain fallow. Even if she didn’t understand fate calculations, she knew about feng shui.
The next day was Wei Qiongyu’s birthday, and Mo Zi accompanied Qiu Sanniang there.
The first time showing her face before the mansion’s masters, however, Mo Zi was quite experienced in how not to attract attention. Her head hung low in humble obedience. Borrowing Bai He and Hong Mei to “charge into battle” on the front line, and borrowing Xiao Yi’s long arms and legs, she safely stood in the shadows. Almost no one gave a second glance to the new Third Young Madam’s second-class maid.
The banquet was set up in Wei Qiongyu’s courtyard, mostly with female family members of the second household.
When Mo Zi saw the Old Princess Consort also appear, she thought to herself that this Concubine Wei was indeed very capable—from old to young, everyone seemed close to her. Looking again at the Princess Consort, she kept calling her “younger sister,” even saying that because the birthday person was the greatest, two head seats were set out, sitting alongside Wei Qiongyu, giving her full face.
For a concubine to achieve what Wei Qiongyu had was the highest realm.
Besides these three, there were the Prince’s two other concubines, Chen Shi and Zhang Shi. Bai He whispered to Mo Zi that among them, Zhang Shi was the youngest at thirty-five.
As for the younger generation, Xiao Eldest Young Madam Fang Shi and Qiu Sanniang held the highest status, because the Princess Consort had only borne sons, no legitimate eldest daughter. Wei Qiongyu had no children, Chen Shi had one son and two daughters, Zhang Shi had one son and one daughter. Compared to legitimate daughters-in-law, of course secondary sons and daughters were far less precious.
However, for a family like Prince Jing’s mansion, secondary daughters were treated somewhat better than secondary sons. The existence of secondary sons was a hidden threat to legitimate sons, but secondary daughters’ marriages could bring benefits to the family. Prince Jing mansion’s secondary daughters were completely different from secondary daughters like Qiu Sixth Miss and Qiu Seventh Miss. In daily food, clothing, and expenses, they were no different from young ladies of wealthy families, raised pampered and charming, and the Princess Consort personally supervised their needlework and embroidery, teaching them household management.
Fourth Miss Xiao Wanrou was nineteen, Fifth Miss Xiao Mingrou was seventeen, Eighth Miss Xiao Fengrou was sixteen. Currently, the Princess Consort was seeking suitable matches for Xiao Wanrou.
Mo Zi looked at the three young ladies from behind—each had good features, with Xiao Mingrou’s appearance the most outstanding. A small oval face set with beautiful eyes like pearls, a delicate nose, cherry lips, never showing teeth when smiling, a gentle expression, and an extremely warm temperament that drew people close.
There was also one young lady—Wei Sixth Miss. Whether because it had been too long since they’d met or the nourishment of Prince Jing mansion’s food, she’d developed more noble bearing than before. Her temperament, however, remained cool and distant.
However, what Mo Zi was most curious about was probably the matter of Wei Qiongyu having no children. Especially hearing that Wei Qiongyu was still the Prince’s most favored woman to this day, somehow she had a feeling. It wasn’t that Wei Qiongyu couldn’t bear children, but rather that to live safely in this great household, she’d chosen not to have any. Without offspring, she wouldn’t compete with the Princess Consort for favor and could gain the Princess Consort’s “sisterly affection.” Wei Qiongyu had essentially given up the path of using children as future support and firmly bound herself to the Princess Consort. Your son is my son, your good is my good. On the boat, one could already see that Wei Qiongyu treated Xiao Erlang like her own son, and clearly her efforts hadn’t been wasted—the Xiao family’s three legitimate sons were extremely respectful and loving toward this Concubine Yu. However, no matter what, if her guess was correct, she not only admired Wei Qiongyu but also felt sympathy. In this era, how much determination did it take for a woman to give up becoming a mother?
The mansion’s male masters didn’t come to the banquet, saying they’d let the wives and daughters enjoy themselves freely, and would come listen to opera after the tables were cleared. So there were only two tables—one for elders, one for juniors.
After eating, amid chatter and laughter, gifts were presented. The Old Princess Consort bestowed a pair of jade ruyi scepters. The Princess Consort gave an emerald and pearl headdress. Among the younger generation, Qiu Sanniang’s gift was the simplest. Knowing Wei Qiongyu worshipped Buddha, she’d selected a small Guanyin statue from her dowry chests.
Xiao Eldest Young Madam pursed her lips in a smile, unable to hide her contempt. “Everyone says our Third Young Madam is wealthy, with eighty sedan chairs of dowry chests that dazzled everyone’s eyes at the time. Though Concubine Yu worships Buddha, such a small Guanyin statue isn’t even enough for worship.”
Xiao Eldest Young Madam was the legitimate granddaughter of Grand Commander Fang Yuan, but the Fang family’s descendants weren’t good at managing finances and excelled at squandering, so they were outwardly impressive but inwardly hollow. After marrying in, she’d used her position managing the household to appropriate quite a large sum of silver to pay debts for her natal family’s father and brothers. After the Princess Consort learned of this, from then on she lost favor with both her mother-in-law and husband.
Later when selecting a wife for Xiao San, the Princess Consort didn’t just look at rank but also at the woman’s family circumstances.
Actually, with Xiao San having gone through two legitimate wives, Xiao Eldest Young Madam took some schadenfreude. She thought, fine, you despise my natal family’s poverty, but even if people have money, don’t they still fail to become this prince mansion’s daughter-in-law? Originally hearing that this time they’d married in a merchant family’s daughter, she found it even more laughable. Who would have thought those eighty sedan chairs full of dowry would enter the prince’s mansion, and Qiu Sanniang was beautiful as a celestial being. Her heart was furious to death. Now seeing such a meager gift, it was the perfect opportunity to vent.
Since entering the prince’s mansion, Xiao Eldest Young Madam had frequently made snide remarks, which Qiu Sanniang found distasteful. Normally she’d endure it, but today Eldest Young Madam was being sarcastic in front of so many people. She gave a cold laugh, about to retort.
Hong Mei had followed Qiu Sanniang for such a short time that she still didn’t understand the meaning of her laughter and momentarily didn’t think to intervene.
“Reporting to Old Madam, Princess Consort, Concubine Yu—this Guanyin was carved from pure stone from the Huafeng cliff face of Nande. It’s not worth anything precious. However, within this palm-sized Guanyin statue are micro-carved a hundred small Guanyins with a hundred different expressions, each one different, carrying the auspicious meaning of a hundred years of longevity and the compassionate heart of universal salvation. This gift, in terms of value, can in no way compare with Old Madam’s and Princess Consort’s, so it can only be judged by sincerity.” The one who spoke could only be Mo Zi. But she cleverly hunched her back and lowered her head, avoiding most of the gazes.
Seeing they couldn’t see her face clearly and she was just a maid anyway, the women paid her no more attention.
Having listened, Qiu Sanniang’s heart calmed. Following Mo Zi’s words, her tone became relaxed and coquettish. “If Concubine Yu doesn’t like this gift, shall I take it back?”
“How can there be any reason to take back a gift given to me? Better to admit you can’t bear to give me such a good thing and just brought it out to make me envious.” Wei Qiongyu joked, passing the small Guanyin statue over for the Old Madam and Princess Consort to see.
“Old Madam, elder sister, should I return it to Third Miss or not?”
A master at easing the atmosphere. Mo Zi sighed in admiration. She might be eloquent, but she couldn’t do what Wei Qiongyu did so willingly. She helped Qiu Sanniang out of shared honor and disgrace—that is, self-protection.
“How can you return it to her? Such a fine thing.” The Princess Consort looked and her gaze held appreciation, smiling warmly.
“Return it for what? This girl has so many fine things yet is stingy with one piece?” The Old Princess Consort also looked, nodding—this gift was truly given with sincerity. As for value, Fang Shi simply didn’t recognize quality.
“Third Miss, my birthday is in the seventh month. You just find something others think isn’t substantial enough—I’ll be waiting.” The Old Princess Consort was wise, using these words to subtly reprimand her eldest grandson’s wife.
“Old Madam, are you making things difficult for me or doting on me?” Qiu Sanniang covered her mouth and laughed.
All the women laughed together.
Xiao Eldest Young Madam’s laugh was stiff.
After opening gifts, everyone went to Qingyun Garden’s tower to listen to opera.
Mo Zi didn’t expect that while listening to opera, a major incident would occur.