Spring wine gatherings always consisted of just the midday meal. After watching the private opera performance, everyone bid farewell one by one. On the road back to the Xu residence, Seventh Miss thoughtfully observed Yu Qiao the entire way.

Yu Qiao’s mood was clearly much better than when they came. A radiant smile continuously graced her lips, giving this refined young lady a different kind of charm.

Since the Fan family marriage discussion last year, Yu Qiao had almost never been this happy. Seventh Miss searched her memory for a while and could barely recall a few times she’d been this cheerful—but all seemed related to the Qilin Troupe.

Before, she’d thought Yu Qiao’s life was simply monotonous, and occasionally going out to watch opera was her only entertainment. Now it seemed… perhaps it wasn’t only that.

Seventh Miss’s mind rapidly weighed how to handle this.

Naturally she wouldn’t take Yu Qiao out for spring wine gatherings anymore. However, for the few days when the Xu family was hosting their own gatherings, they’d already arranged to invite the Qilin Troupe for private performances. To suddenly change troupes at this point would be unseemly, and they couldn’t find a replacement troupe on short notice anyway.

Counting it out, there were four days. If Yu Qiao caused any incident, the Xu family’s reputation would be completely ruined.

But thinking of the smile on Yu Qiao’s face as she emerged from behind that high wall, Seventh Miss felt something soft inside her being quietly touched.

She thought of Fifth Miss’s expression when mentioning Feng Jin.

Fifth Miss’s life tragedy could be said to have begun with that slap Seventh Miss gave her—otherwise she probably wouldn’t have married into the Xu family. Although it would have caused disgraceful commotion, and she might even be living miserably now, at least she’d still be alive.

Since that time, Seventh Miss had been very afraid of interfering with others’ fates. Especially since Yu Qiao’s situation was so similar to Fifth Miss’s…

She casually glanced at Yu Qiao again, weighing how much of the joy in her eyes came from genuine feeling.

Yu Qiao noticed Seventh Miss’s gaze. She looked back curiously and smiled. “Sister-in-law, do I have flowers on my face?”

“You’re especially beautiful today.” Seventh Miss smiled and complimented Yu Qiao.

Yu Qiao touched her face, then showed some of the melancholy common these past months. “Beautiful? What use is beauty!”

If the Fan family’s second young master looked much like his elder brother, then at most he could only be called plain-featured.

Seventh Miss couldn’t help showing Yu Qiao a sympathetic smile. She patted Yu Qiao’s hand without saying more.

The carriage fell quiet. Both sisters-in-law coincidentally lifted the cotton curtains, gazing through the glass windows at the lively Zhengyang Gate Street, listening to the noisy market sounds and the monotonous rumbling of wheels.

After a while, Yu Qiao said dreamily, “Sister-in-law, I truly was especially happy today…”

Seventh Miss shot her a surprised glance.

Yu Qiao’s face had already been covered with a faint blush. “I won’t hide it from sister-in-law—since childhood I’ve especially loved the Qilin Troupe’s performances. Their lead actress Cui Zixiu is extremely beautiful. I’ve always wondered whether this comes from makeup, or if he’s truly this beautiful.”

She looked left and right, then leaned close to Seventh Miss’s ear and said in a low voice, “Today at the Quan family, I secretly went to where they put on makeup and peeked through the back window—I saw Cui Zixiu preparing to apply powder, face completely bare—he’s truly beautiful!”

Such behavior naturally completely violated the standards for a proper young lady. Seventh Miss raised one eyebrow in surprise, somewhat amused—truly, from ancient times to the present, celebrity worship’s fervor never faded.

She then felt relieved—just going to look was fine, just one-sided admiration was fine.

“You’ve done this deed, but how dare you tell me?” She deliberately teased Yu Qiao. “Aren’t you afraid Sixth Sister-in-law will punish you?”

Yu Qiao indeed became somewhat anxious. She glanced at Seventh Miss cautiously, but also detected the rippling smile in Seventh Miss’s eyes.

“I know Sixth Sister-in-law is different from others.” Clearly, Yu Qiao was boldly testing Seventh Miss. “When I mention the Fan family match, everyone says I’m foolish, saying the Fan family is a rare good match—prosperous circumstances, the champion’s brother, and he himself is ambitious… But only Sixth Sister-in-law has shown me some pity.”

No one could perceive the subtle differences in people’s attitudes better than the person involved. Yu Qiao had actually detected even this trace of compassion from Seventh Miss.

Seventh Miss couldn’t help sighing.

She neither confirmed nor denied Yu Qiao’s statement, only saying lightly, “Everyone has been through this age and understands your thoughts. However, you cannot be so improper again in the future. You must remember, you’re a daughter of the Xu family. Your every word and action not only represents your own reputation, but even represents Yu Ping and Yu An’s lifelong reputations. As the elder sister, one misstep from you will implicate your two younger sisters—Yu Qiao, do you understand what I’m saying?”

Yu Qiao looked at Seventh Miss. She bit her lower lip and nodded seriously.

“Sixth Sister-in-law is right. In the future, I won’t be so rash again.”

#

Returning to the Duke’s residence, Seventh Miss naturally had to report to Qingping Court about Yu Ping’s marriage matter.

Arranging a marriage was difficult, but refusing one naturally couldn’t be simpler—especially hearing Quan Ruiyun’s tone, Quan Zhongbai himself didn’t want to remarry, so this matter was of course extremely simple. Seventh Miss added and subtracted from Quan Ruiyun’s words, reframing them into a respectable explanation for Madam Xu, who nodded with satisfaction. “You handled this very well. Having your sister-in-law convey the message was the best possible approach.”

She smiled and patted the back of Seventh Miss’s hand, asking, “I heard Ruiyun is quite capable and virtuous. She’s recently promoted several servant girls to concubines—is this true?”

Seventh Miss couldn’t help freezing.

This was the first time Madam Xu had indirectly and tactfully urged her about having children.

Quan Ruiyun and Seventh Miss had married around the same time. Until now, neither woman’s belly showed any news.

Urging Quan Ruiyun, criticizing Quan Ruiyun, was urging Seventh Miss, criticizing Seventh Miss.

This simple principle was something every noble lady would understand. That’s why when Seventh Miss returned to her natal home last time and heard the Grand Madam complaining about Quan Ruiyun’s lack of children, Seventh Miss had gotten angry—the Grand Madam still treated her like a concubine’s daughter to be bullied at will, without even basic respect.

Madam Xu mentioning Quan Ruiyun promoting maids to concubines was tactfully urging Seventh Miss to also consider childbearing matters.

Seventh Miss immediately felt quite displeased.

Quan Ruiyun was the first wife, so naturally the pressure to bear children was great. But she herself was a second wife—when Fourth Lang and Fifth Lang needed raising, that was her responsibility. But when discussing heirs, they no longer counted as her assets?

She smiled and shook her head. “I haven’t heard of this. Ruiyun didn’t mention it to me either. Perhaps Mother misheard.”

This was also the first time Seventh Miss had responded so directly to Madam Xu’s words, even daring to suggest she’d misheard.

Madam Xu couldn’t help narrowing her eyes, looking at Seventh Miss thoughtfully.

Under her gaze, Seventh Miss remained composed and unaffected, even showing a calm confidence and ease.

Madam Xu sighed inwardly.

A daughter-in-law without skill was worrying, but one with too much skill was also somewhat unsettling.

Suddenly she remembered events from many years ago.

At that time, Fengjia was only eighteen, even more outspoken than now. The letters he wrote home repeatedly declared, “I will only marry Yang Qi!”

That unstoppable momentum almost seemed to leap through the paper itself.

Madam Xu’s gaze grew distant.

After a long while, she smiled. “Whether I misheard or not doesn’t matter. Most likely your grandmother misheard. When I went to Leshan Residence to pay respects this morning, your grandmother mentioned this matter, directly praising Ruiyun’s capability…”

She didn’t continue, but Seventh Miss’s face already showed embarrassment. She smiled apologetically at Madam Xu. “Little Seven understands Mother’s meaning now.”

Only on the matter of promoting concubines would Seventh Miss be so prickly, immediately defensive when touched.

Speaking of it, only this bit of impulsiveness made her seem somewhat human—otherwise, she was so shrewd and capable she didn’t seem human at all.

Madam Xu actually felt somewhat relieved. She patted Seventh Miss’s shoulder and smiled. “It’s fine. Your grandmother is just admonishing you. To truly do anything to you—right now, she doesn’t have the means.”

With Seventh Miss having the Dowager Consort’s appreciation, Imperial Consort Ning’s favor, a powerful natal family with a father rising to Chief Grand Secretary, and internally her husband’s wholehearted devotion and support—even if the Grand Madam used her status to pressure her, she probably couldn’t suppress her. A few words of admonishment—how could she not endure them?

Seventh Miss smiled slightly without being modest, but instead brought up Quan Zhongbai’s matter with Madam Xu.

“Doctor Zhong says my health has improved considerably lately. I was thinking that when Divine Physician Quan returns to the capital, I’ll invite him to prescribe a few formulas. After recuperating for a period this way, fertility should come more smoothly.”

Fourth Lang and Fifth Lang were already four years old. If Seventh Miss recuperated for a year or so and then bore a child, even if it was a son, being five years younger wouldn’t pose too great a threat to the twins’ inheritance rights.

Seventh Miss was both expressing her urgent desire to bear children while arranging everything properly and carefully.

Madam Xu nodded with relief. “When you handle things, I’m at ease!”

During the festive season, Xu Fengjia naturally couldn’t idle at home either. Today he accompanied Duke Pingguo to visit former battlefield comrades. Seventh Miss had already eaten dinner, but he still hadn’t returned home.

After dinner before the first night watch, Quan Ruiyun indeed sent someone to deliver food and drink to Seventh Miss. “These are all foods the young mistress mentioned to our young madam today. As soon as young madam returned home, she rushed to prepare and send them to you. If you’re willing to eat them, just send word back.”

The person delivering things was Quan Ruiyun’s trusted senior maid. She also smiled and pulled from her bosom a fire-wax sealed letter, handing it to Seventh Miss. “This contains some private words our young madam is sending you. Please don’t laugh at our chattiness, young mistress.”

Seventh Miss smiled while having Lixia and others take her down to receive rewards and properly escort her back to the Yang family. Only then did she check the fire-wax sealed envelope. Carefully opening it, she found Quan Zhongbai’s elegant handwriting inside—several formulas written at length. On the reverse were instructions about foods to avoid, with a note stating: Some of these forbidden foods I remembered to mention to Sixth Miss at the time, while others I only figured out later. Since it’s inconvenient to re-enter Jingren Palace to examine Sixth Miss, I haven’t told her. Since Seventh Miss has channels to send things, please convey this on my behalf to fulfill a physician’s concern.

Knowing a doctor truly had countless benefits.

Seventh Miss felt somewhat moved. She quickly reviewed the pregnancy-preserving prescriptions Quan Zhongbai had written, summarizing over ten medicinal ingredients and their amounts—not particularly rare items. However, palace residents most feared privately storing medicines. These pregnancy-preserving drugs, Sixth Miss could neither keep on hand nor send people to request from the Imperial Medical Bureau. Therefore, they could only be privately given, sent into the palace by natal family members.

Such a favor—it was generous of Quan Ruiyun to have Quan Zhongbai give it to her… However, it was also because Seventh Miss ultimately had more of Sixth Miss’s intimacy and trust than anyone else, had more opportunities to enter the palace than the Yang family members, and unlike Second Miss, didn’t have an Empress as sister-in-law. Speaking of it, she truly was the most ideal person for this.

Just seeing how this sister-in-law, upon learning that Seventh Miss had openly and secretly helped her, immediately repaid with such a favor—one could tell that although Quan Ruiyun was currently being bullied by the Grand Madam, she was definitely not an incompetent fool. As long as she had a son to rely on and Ninth Brother obtained official rank, with the Quan family’s status and position, the Grand Madam probably couldn’t suppress her much longer.

Seventh Miss fell silent for a moment over the medicine list, weighing in her mind the names of Feng Jin and Eunuch Lian—for this matter, asking Feng Jin for help meant he would relay it to Eunuch Lian anyway. After all, only Eunuch Lian in the rear palace had the ability to deliver a package of medicine to Jingren Palace without anyone knowing. He could even swap out tribute embroidery—delivering a package of medicine was trivial.

However, whether to ask through Feng Jin or Eunuch Lian made a great difference in terms of favors owed.

Seventh Miss couldn’t help biting her lower lip.

If possible, she truly didn’t want to use this connection with Eunuch Lian—after all, Eunuch Lian’s guilt and affection for her all came from transferred feelings. Using Ninth Aunt’s tragedy to gain benefits for Sixth Miss and herself also made her uncomfortable.

But asking Feng Jin for help had a somewhat self-deceiving quality—wasn’t asking Feng Jin still asking Eunuch Lian?

Just as Seventh Miss was hesitating, sounds came from outside again. Fourth Lang and Fifth Lang’s laughter approached—the two children had come to pay respects.

Because the young heir was still small and didn’t need to go out socializing with Second Miss, Seventh Miss had simply brought him to stay for two days. Playing with the two children, she’d naturally reciprocated by sending Fourth Lang and Fifth Lang to stay at the Duke Dingguo residence for two or three days. They’d only returned to Mingde Hall this afternoon. When Seventh Miss returned, the two children were bathing. Presumably they were now settled, hair dried, and had come seeking Seventh Miss and Xu Fengjia to play.

Sure enough, as soon as the two children entered, they first rushed to Seventh Miss. Fifth Lang immediately hugged Seventh Miss’s arm, chattering endlessly about his experiences at the Duke Dingguo residence. Fourth Lang looked around for Xu Fengjia while absentmindedly correcting errors in Fifth Lang’s account. The room was immediately filled with the children’s childish tones.

Seventh Miss propped up her hand, listening while lifting Fifth Lang’s still-damp bangs, smiling. “Just bathed, and already covered in sweat again.”

Fifth Lang immediately grew anxious, complaining to Seventh Miss, “Seventh Mother isn’t listening to me!”

The character “seventh” he pronounced short and urgent—listening carelessly, it was easily missed, seeming as if he were simply calling Seventh Miss “Mother.”

Before Seventh Miss could respond, Fourth Lang had already swatted Fifth Lang. “You speak so fast, who can understand?”

The two children immediately began to scuffle. Seventh Miss and the maids rushed forward together, separating and holding them while scolding. Just when things were lively, Xu Fengjia returned.

“Father!” Both children forgot their recent dispute, both laughing as they rushed toward Xu Fengjia.

In that moment, Seventh Miss suddenly made up her mind to directly ask Eunuch Lian for help.

Before new life, many matters needn’t be calculated too carefully.

She turned her gaze toward Xu Fengjia, propping her chin, quietly watching this young general bend down and rub his two sons’ foreheads.

This matter—should she tell him or not?