Starting the next day, Gu Tingye moved himself into the inner study to sleep. Minglan quietly prepared for him a jade-skin cool mat and a set of bedding, and even considerately added a soft gauze bed-curtain embroidered with yellow katydids on a sky-blue ground, along with two white jade mugwort incense burners to drive away mosquitoes.

Gu Tingye stood in the side chamber of the study and looked at the neatly and perfectly arranged furnishings, and felt his anger flare up all the more.

Strictly speaking, this was not a quarrel in the ordinary sense of the word — no more than one spouse flying into a rage on their own, while the other listened meekly, was frightened into tears, and yet the result fit the usual pattern perfectly: argument — cold war.

The most vexing problem in the world is knowing exactly what the problem is, and yet being unable to solve it.

Faced with her husband’s expression of barely contained menace — as though demanding she produce her genuine heart on the spot — Minglan found it deeply troubling.

If Gu Tingye had been an ordinary man, Minglan was confident she could have put on a tearful performance, and the matter would have passed. But this man had seen much of the world and was long practiced at reading people — over two years, he had come to know Minglan’s character nine parts out of ten. She could not fool him.

If Minglan were to rush over right now and go through the motions of remorse — “Oh, I have realized my mistake, please forgive me, in truth I truly love you deeply” — she imagined he would not so much as lift an eyelid in response.

Minglan understood what Gu Tingye’s words that night had meant. But between husband and wife, the closest of all relationships, one could not speak plain truth at every turn — otherwise, the very first thing that would have to be said was: “The truth is, I came from another life entirely.” She felt clearly that she had grown comfortable and complacent of late, and had let her usual careful attention to her husband’s feelings slip — truly unpardonable.

She resolved to reflect on herself.

One party wanted the other to recognize the root cause of the problem — to be sincere and genuine in their dealings — which was a matter of sentiment.

The other felt there was nothing wrong with the sentiment; it was the approach that needed improving. The issue was one of method, a technical problem.

The former felt the wife was not being sincere, always trying to be too clever by half.

The latter felt the husband was making things unnecessarily complicated. What was wrong with simply living peacefully day by day? What use was being sincere? Could you eat sincerity for dinner?

Gu Tingye would not come back on his own. Minglan had not yet thought of a way forward. She could only carry on managing the household and looking after the children as usual. The husband and wife ate their meals across from each other in silence, and if the man’s expression was too dark to be good for one’s appetite, Minglan would eat again later.

As time went on, Minglan somehow found, without any particular dignity, that this sort of life was not entirely unbearable. It would be even better if only she could have a few more children — unfortunately the man would not come back to sleep in the room.

Seeing the state of things, Gu Tingye was all the more furious, and all the more determined not to return to the room. Yet he missed his son, and so he would often take the boy to sleep in the study with him at night. He had grown quite practiced at soothing a child to sleep by now, and it was not particularly difficult.

If he returned late, he would come in deep in the night and nudge the barely-awake Minglan out of her sleep, then carry little Tuan Ge’er in his wrappings away with him — and Minglan would find herself unable to fall back asleep. If he had early court the next day, he would return before leaving, while the room was still pitch-dark, and slide the boy back into her quilt — and Minglan would be pushed awake again, and then lie there holding the soundly sleeping little ball of flesh until daybreak.

As for the little chubby one, who slept with his mother the first half of the night and his father the second half, who had his father’s face as the last thing he saw before closing his eyes and his mother’s face as the first thing he saw upon opening them — he showed no discomfort whatsoever with this arrangement, and would sometimes wake in the middle of the night to play and roughhouse with Gu Tingye for a while before drifting off again, worn out and sleeping straight through until dawn. Minglan pressed her hand to the boy’s freshly shaved little bald head and sighed without energy.

— Do you even know that your father is taking his revenge on society in the middle of the night?

During these days of the husband and wife’s cold war, the household was not without its own stirs.

On the third day of the cold war, Qiu Niang made a restless move — carrying a small bowl of bird’s nest broth, she headed toward the study to “check in” on Gu Tingye. No one knows what she said, but rather than improving things, she somehow managed to irritate Gu Tingye, who flung the dish along with the broth right out the door. Qiu Niang went back and wept bitterly for a long spell.

On the fifth day of the cold war, Cuiwei had a matron who had been regularly sending things to the woman Cai Huan at the estate, along with the matron’s goddaughter, punished with twenty strikes each, and then dispatched together to that same estate.

On the eighth day of the cold war, Wang Shi’s family arrived in the capital.

Wang Shi’s maternal uncle had been posted away for several years, and now that his term had come to an end, he was returning to the capital for review, with his family having come on ahead. Wang Shi had been missing her family terribly, so she came early to let Minglan know, saying that in a couple of days, once Wang Old Madam had settled in, the whole family would go to pay respects to their elder. Minglan fretted over this for quite a while, then had no choice but to go and speak to Gu Tingye about it, looking up at him with pleading eyes afterward.

Gu Tingye feigned a calm expression and said: “The day after tomorrow I will come home early. We shall go together. As for Tuan Ge’er — he is too small. Let him stay.”

“Thank you, Marquis.”

Minglan had been waiting precisely for those words. She had never wished to bring Tuan Ge’er along, but she also did not want to be the one to play the villain — it was best that he said it. And so she went over happily, took his arm, and leaned against him.

Gu Tingye looked at her for a moment, then turned his head away. In his heart he gave a quiet inward sigh. She was like a child — genuinely contrite, obediently taking her punishment, very endearing and well-behaved — yet in her heart she had no idea what she had done wrong, and was not even willing to change.

The softness and warmth resting on his arm was fragrant and gentle, and she smiled at him like a flower in bloom. He liked it very much, and before he knew it his arm had moved around to draw in her waist. Suddenly, he thought, quite without dignity: this is fine too. Let’s just go on like this. What is the point of getting to the bottom of it all?

When the day after tomorrow arrived, Minglan, as always, went to invite Madam Shao along — and Madam Shao, as always, shook her head with a regretful smile: “You and Second Brother go. When those two little girls are sent back, the three of us can eat together.”

Having lived so long under Xiao Qin Shi’s thumb and learned to keep a low profile, or perhaps knowing all too well the longstanding grievances between the Gu Tingyu brothers, Madam Shao kept herself very much to herself in Cheng Garden. As gossip tends to cling to young widows, she almost never set foot outside the gate except to visit her own family. What was more, she had not lent a hand on the day of Minglan’s delivery, and whenever she saw Gu Tingye and Minglan after that, she was filled with unease — all the more gentle, careful, and measured in her manner.

Minglan gave a soft sigh and said gently: “Then I shall leave those two girls in Elder Sister-in-law’s care.”

In truth, she did not blame her. How many people in this world were truly selfless? Most first considered themselves.

Gu Tingye changed out of his court robes, and Minglan specially chose for him a deep blue Sichuan brocade robe embroidered with dark-patterned begonias. Then she took care to dress herself in her finest as well, and the husband and wife set off.

Though the Wang Family’s old residence was not large, its location was somewhat better than the Sheng Family’s — no more than half an hour’s carriage ride from the palace city. They arrived very quickly. The old manservant at the gate had been craning his neck waiting for quite some time, and the moment he spotted the black lacquer crest on the carriage, he knew it was the son-in-law of the Sheng Family from Ningyuan Marquis’s estate. He hurried respectfully to welcome the husband and wife inside.

Entering, Minglan found the Sheng Family had already arrived. Sheng Lao was seated beside a white-haired old woman, and Father Sheng Hong stood respectfully to one side, his face wreathed in smiles as he spoke. All around them, a ring of people sat or stood.

After going forward to kowtow in greeting, the old woman promptly raised her hand and asked Minglan and Gu Tingye to rise. Sheng Lao said with a warm smile: “Come to think of it, Old Sister, this is the first time you have ever met Sixth Girl.”

Wang Shi shifted her feet slightly in an uncomfortable manner. The Wang Old Madam paid it no mind, and drew Minglan to her side, looking her over carefully: “Yes, yes — a proper, fine-looking child. Old Sister is truly blessed.”

This so-called “maternal family” was, in truth, a family Minglan had never met a single member of before. Meeting them now for the first time, she turned her head to look more carefully. She found that though the Wang Old Madam was quite advanced in years, her nose was elegantly straight and her brows and features composed and fine — she bore a strong resemblance to Kang Yiniang, and must have been quite a striking beauty in her youth. In comparison, the Wang Uncle’s wife standing to one side was somewhat lacking — her expression was strict and she did not easily smile.

The Wang Cousin, whose given name was You — a single character — had a square, broad face and large mouth and nose, a down-to-earth, sturdy-looking young man, not unlike Wang Shi in appearance. Naturally Minglan also came face to face with an old acquaintance — Kang Yun’er, who had married into the Wang Family.

She was at this moment subjecting Minglan’s attire to a critical, appraising gaze — from the double-ringed blue jade bracelets on her wrists all the way up to the white jade and gold-thread phoenix hairpin at her temple. This hairpin was fashioned from seven or eight pieces of mutton-fat white jade set together with threads of red gold, and quite apart from its value, the craftsmanship alone was extraordinary — to grind an entire piece of mutton-fat white jade as thin as a cicada’s wing was said to be a technique from the previous dynasty that had since been lost.

Kang Yun’er’s heart had been bitter for a very long stretch before she finally managed to rein in the impulse to speak.

Minglan paid her no attention, and turned to address Kang Yun’er: “Elder Sister, you’ve returned to the capital?” Sheng Changwu was truly a good husband — no one knew what excuse he had found, but he had managed to bring his wife back from their home county.

Kang Yun’er glanced at Kang Yiniang standing ahead of her, then came forward and took Minglan’s hand. She said in a low voice, full of shame: “Dear Younger Sister — what happened before the new year… it was all because of my mother. You — you… please don’t take it to heart.”

Minglan smiled faintly and changed the subject: “Why didn’t Elder Brother Changwu come today?”

Kang Yun’er said: “He has been assigned to the western garrison camp these days and can only come home once every half-month.” Seeing that Minglan would not take up the thread she had offered, she felt a deep sadness. But however much her birth mother had done wrong, she was still her birth mother.

“Fifth Elder Sister can’t come either,” Minglan said, knowing full well what was weighing on Kang Yun’er’s mind, but not inclined to forgive Kang Yiniang on her account. She shifted topic again: “A relative by marriage in our family passed away recently, and she has gone to the countryside to pay her condolences.” Yan Jing’s posting outside the capital had essentially been confirmed. Rulan had lately been extremely obedient and agreeable toward her in-laws, terrified that some mishap might occur and she would once again be unable to go.

The Wang Old Madam said gently to Gu Tingye: “I shall take the liberty of addressing the Marquis as my younger daughter’s son-in-law. From now on, you are our family’s son-in-law as well.”

Gu Tingye sat at an angle and brought his hands lightly together: “Old Madam, please take good care of yourself.”

The Wang Old Madam was mildly displeased. When he had greeted Sheng Lao just now, he had called her “Grandmother” — yet when he greeted her, he called her “Old Madam,” and kept his distance. She glanced sidelong and saw that her daughter-in-law’s expression flickered, and then she looked at her own eldest daughter.

Kang Yiniang was still standing there in a sulk.

The Wang Old Madam sighed inwardly. She naturally knew of the grievances between her eldest daughter and the Marquis’s household. From the moment she had come in until now, neither Minglan nor the Marquis of Ningyuan had once addressed her as “Maternal Aunt.” She truly could not understand her own daughter — for a relative connected by no blood ties at all, both sides should be all the more polite and accommodating, for otherwise, what obligation did the other party have to pay any attention to her at all?

Over there, Sheng Hong was in high spirits, and said with a smile: “I dare to ask, Madam Mother-in-law — when might Maternal Uncle be expected to return?”

When he had gone to the Wang Family to propose the match, everyone else had considered him a poor prospect, but this mother-in-law had been warm and kind to him. The Wang Uncle had been a decent and generous man too, and had given him considerable guidance and support in his early years in officialdom.

The Wang Old Madam looked at her favorite son-in-law with affectionate eyes: “At most one month, at best half a month — the business must be properly handed over before he can leave. It was only because I missed you all so much that I came ahead.”

Sheng Lao said cheerfully: “Come to think of it, Eldest Changbai and his wife are also coming back to the capital soon for their review. When that time comes, we can all have a family reunion dinner together.”

Wang Uncle’s wife’s eyes shifted slightly, and she asked with what seemed like concern: “Speaking of Changbai — he truly is impressive, taking charge of a region at such a young age. Our You Ge’er is still only reading and studying. By the way, didn’t word come last time that his wife was expecting? Has she given birth yet?”

Sheng Lao was even more pleased: “Born at the beginning of last month, second day of the month — mother and child both doing well.”

Wang Shi was also very happy and could not stop herself from boasting: “The matrons who came to bring the news all said the baby boy is a big and chubby one — eats well, sleeps well, full of energy! And there is a lucky mole right here on his chest — sure to be clever and prosperous his whole life!”

The Wang Uncle’s wife chimed in pleasantly: “How wonderful — congratulations, Old Madam. You are truly blessed — more grandchildren all the time, with children and grandchildren filling the house.” Though she had not intended any double meaning, the words were already enough to make Kang Yun’er and Kang Yiniang shift about uneasily where they sat.

Just then Hualan came through the door, rolling down her sleeves as she walked, a troop of children trailing behind her. She was saying: “…Now that you’ve had your fruit, you must sit quietly and behave…” She looked up and smiled: “Oh, Sixth younger sister, Brother-in-law, you’ve arrived.”

“Greetings, Elder Sister.” Minglan came forward with a smile. Gu Tingye also rose and clasped his hands: “I hope Elder Brother-in-law is well lately.”

“Fine, fine — everyone at home is well.”

Minglan made a point of saying something cheerful: “I heard that the horse ranch in the outer regions has been doing very well the past couple of years. People can’t stop queuing up for Brother-in-law’s horses these days.”

“That man!” Hualan waved a hand, unable to conceal her pride. “These days he is out first thing in the morning and not back until midnight. And there’s never a quiet moment at home — people coming every day.”

The Wang Uncle’s wife pointed and laughed: “No wonder you showed up at first light today — you came to get some peace and quiet!”

Hualan sidled up to the Wang Uncle’s wife with a flattering laugh: “Come now, from early this morning until just now I’ve been helping you shift and carry things — have I had a single moment of leisure? There’s no merit in this, but at least I’ve put in the effort. You wouldn’t say such things, surely — are you afraid I’ll ask for wages?”

The Wang Uncle’s wife made a show of thinking it over before saying: “Very well — at the end of it, I’ll let you have a share of the fruit.”

Hualan bit her lip and turned her head with a smile: “Grandmother, you truly are capable — wherever did you find such a daughter-in-law? Such a one for managing a household, I must say — the Wang Family can only go from strength to strength with her around!”

The whole room of women dissolved into laughter, the Wang Old Madam most of all, pointing at Hualan and scolding her with delight: “You little monkey! How dare you make fun of your elders! Go and let your grandmother smack you!”

Even the men couldn’t help the hint of a smile. Sheng Lao, Sheng Hong, and even Wang Shi looked at Hualan with expressions of warm affection. Only Kang Yiniang and Kang Yun’er mother and daughter showed expressions that shifted between dark and light. Zhuang Jie’er stood to one side in composed and dignified manner with Hui Jie’er, while the two boys Quan Ge’er and Shi Ge’er both tottered along and pressed close to the Wang Old Madam’s sides, being very affectionate.

Kang Yiniang suddenly turned to Minglan and said: “What a joyous occasion today — dear niece, how is it you have not brought your little boy along?”

Minglan was momentarily startled. Though she heartily disliked Kang Yiniang, she put on a look of helplessness and glanced toward Gu Tingye.

Gu Tingye answered for her: “The child is still small. When he is older, we will bring him out.”

Kang Yiniang’s face curved into a cold smile. Kang Yun’er, seeing that look, became anxious and tugged at her mother’s sleeve — but Kang Yiniang would not let it go: “The Marquis household’s little boy is truly precious…”

“Whose child is not precious.” The Wang Old Madam suddenly spoke and cut her off. “A child who has not yet reached his first full year — what reason would there be to bring him out?” She then said in a serious tone of reprimand: “You have also borne several children. Do you truly not understand even this much?”

Kang Yiniang pressed her lips together in reluctant silence.

Minglan stood a little further back, watching the Wang Old Madam with a cool, appraising eye — though she had lived far away for many years, she clearly knew very precisely how old Tuan Ge’er was.

After everyone had eaten lunch, they gradually took their leave. Kang Yiniang said she had no mother-in-law of her own and wished to stay a few days with her birth mother. Kang Yiniang’s husband flung his sleeve aside and left. Wang Shi also wished to stay, but was dragged away by Sheng Hong. The Wang Old Madam said she wanted to rest after her noon meal, asked the Wang Uncle’s wife to go and manage things herself, and then retired to the inner room with Kang Yiniang. Once all the attendants had been dismissed, she began to speak privately.

“When will you ever learn to mend that terrible habit of yours!” said the Wang Old Madam with a sigh. “You know perfectly well that the Marquis of Ningyuan is a rising power right now — why must you insist on provoking that girl!”

Kang Yiniang curled her lip in disdain: “What is so remarkable about her — nothing but a servant woman’s bastard child…”

“Silence!” the Wang Old Madam snapped. “What does it matter how she was born? Her rank is higher than yours, her circumstances grander than yours. You must show respect, give way, and keep a polite manner — otherwise, you will have nothing but suffering ahead of you!”

Kang Yiniang was unconvinced: “It is only because she is young and pretty now, and the Marquis is fond of her. When the Marquis grows tired of her, she’ll have plenty to suffer! Besides… heh heh — it is coming soon enough. Lately that wretched girl and the Marquis have had a falling out. The Marquis has even moved to sleep in the study. From what I could see today, the two of them are indeed not as close as they used to be…” She chuckled as she said it.

Yet the Wang Old Madam was entirely unconcerned, and instead scolded: “I have told you time and again to leave off with these crooked schemes, and still you will not listen. And where did you get this from, anyway? The Marquis and she are not close — does that make them close to you? What are you laughing about? Did you not see how the Marquis looked at you today? Whatever have you been doing to earn such open contempt from him?”

Kang Yiniang pressed her lips together and said nothing, unwilling to reveal her earlier scheming with Xiao Qin Shi. She felt only a mild twinge of regret.

Though Cai Huan had been sent by Minglan to the estate as punishment, she had managed to win over a matron still in the household — and that matron’s goddaughter was one of the sweeping maids in the outer courtyard of Jiaxi Residence. The moment Cai Huan obtained any information, she reported it to Kang Yiniang at once. But it was a pity — the message had only been relayed once before the estate manager noticed something was amiss.

And then that line of communication had been cut.

Kang Yiniang suspected Minglan had long been keeping watch, suspicious that things on her end were not yet entirely clean, and had deliberately been waiting there. Otherwise, how could the timing have been so coincidental?

The Wang Old Madam suddenly recalled something: “I heard a rumor — some illegitimate daughter of your household has been taken as a concubine by the Prince of An’yang? That old prince must be seventy by now, and the girl is only in her teens — how could you bring yourself to do it?”

This time Kang Yiniang genuinely smiled: “Mother, this one was not my doing. It was your dear son-in-law himself who had the notion to attach himself to the Prince of An’yang’s household. I merely offered a suggestion.”

“Are you not afraid that if the girl gains favor, she’ll come back and keep you in check?!”

Kang Yiniang said with confidence: “The girl’s mother and younger brother are both in my hands. What is there to fear?”

“No wonder you carry yourself with such assurance — so you have secured a connection with the Prince of An’yang.”

The Wang Old Madam continued trying to advise her, but seeing that her daughter was as incorrigible as ever, she grew discouraged and sighed: “Enough, enough — I am old. Your affairs are beyond my managing now. But regarding Yun’er’s situation, that I must speak to. After all, it concerns the Wang Family’s line of succession.”

Kang Yiniang’s heart clenched. Her daughter had still not conceived, and the Wang Uncle’s wife had been dissatisfied for a long time. She said in a trembling voice: “Mother — Yun’er is your very own blood-related granddaughter. You cannot…”

“You Ge’er is also my very own blood-related grandson!” the Wang Old Madam said sternly.

“…Yun’er bickers with her mother-in-law, defies her father-in-law, has even dared to strike my own personal attendant — raving and wild, just short of pulling out a knife and stabbing someone. If she were not my own flesh and blood, do you think I would have put up with her until today?!”

The Wang Old Madam drew a deep breath. “One year — one year is all I will wait. If Yun’er is still not with child by then, your sister-in-law will arrange a concubine maid for You Ge’er. Do not be alarmed — once the child is born, it will be registered under Yun’er’s name. It will be the same.”

Kang Yiniang let out a sharp cry: “My dear son-in-law’s elder brother — the one married into the Sheng Family — his wife also went many years without a child, and they still waited, didn’t they? And now she has finally given birth to a…”

“That is because they have two brothers!” The Wang Old Madam stated plainly. Then she said with deep seriousness: “But we only have You Ge’er. And his health is delicate — this is not a risk we can afford to take. If something were to happen, how would I face your late father?”

Kang Yiniang’s sharp teeth dug nearly through her lower lip. At last, with savage deliberateness, she said: “Fine — one year. If nothing comes of it, then take a concubine. But — ” She fixed her eyes on her mother, unblinking. “Keep the child and remove the mother.”

The Wang Old Madam’s heart lurched. She looked at her daughter’s face — so alike her own — and her heart softened once more. She gave a slow, reluctant nod.

…

When they returned to the mansion, Gu Tingye saw Minglan come in carrying a small clay pot coated in yellow mud, grinning from ear to ear with a childlike joy. He could no longer keep up the air of cold indifference: “Is that a local specialty from Chengde? What good thing has you so excited?”

Minglan looked up with a smile: “It is fern vegetable.” Seeing that the man did not quite follow, she added: “Bracken fern.”

“You enjoy eating that?” Gu Tingye was surprised.

“Not me — it’s for the wife of the Marquis Wei of the North, Elder Sister Zhang.”

Minglan slowly lifted away the oilcloth covering, and looked at the young, salt-pickled bracken fern inside, the brine perfectly clear and clean. She suddenly felt a warmth toward that Wang Uncle’s wife. She had just tried a couple of bites with Xiaotao and found it extremely salty, yet genuinely crisp and refreshing.

“Most bracken fern is sold dried — each household soaks it back in water before eating, which is good enough, but some of the freshness is inevitably lost. This potted bracken fern has been pickled in salt, yet it looks as though it was harvested not long ago while still fresh. Once it is rinsed out in spring water to draw off the salt, it will be ready to eat.”

Gu Tingye listened to her describe it with such enthusiasm that he could not help smiling: “Listening to you talk about it like this, even I’m starting to crave it.”

“There are two pots. We shall keep one for ourselves.” Minglan smiled brightly. “However you would like to eat it, I will make it for you. Whether braised in soup, or stir-fried — oh no, a cold salad would be best right now, in this heat.”

Gu Tingye gave a small, quiet smile.

She carried within her a joyful and optimistic spirit — wholesome and vital, as though even the greatest of troubles could be set aside and made new again. Every sunrise held hope; every tomorrow had happiness waiting just around the corner.

“Give that pot to me — I’ll have it sent over on a fast horse!” he said suddenly, feeling as though he himself had grown younger.

Minglan wrinkled her nose and said with playful mischief: “Eight-hundred-li express relay? Don’t invite people to laugh at us — the Marquis’s fast horses had best be kept for grander purposes. It’s still early. I’ll have the carriage hitched and go over myself, and say a word or two to Elder Sister Zhang while I’m there.”

Zhang Shi’s delivery was also coming close. She would bring something the woman liked to eat, and give her a final word of encouragement — consider it the last session of prenatal care before the birth. It was also a way of repaying Zhang Madam for having looked after her so many times.

“Come back soon.” Gu Tingye said, his eyes full of warmth.

Minglan nodded vigorously, the corners of her mouth curving up into two small dimples: “I’ll be back in time for dinner.”

In the courtyard, the begonia trees bloomed, their fragrance filling every inch of the ground. The man sat in the large rattan chair on the covered walk, his arms cradling the little chubby one and rocking gently back and forth, watching her go out the gate with a smile — he had never been able to stay angry with her for long.

But it was a pity that by the time the lamps were lit, she finally came back — looking exhausted, the hem of her skirt bearing a few faint spots of pale red.