Chen Yaoqing had been kept under strict confinement lately.

On that day, when the copper coin sores were discovered, he did indeed feel guilty in his heart. Lu Wanyang immediately seized on this vulnerability and took the opportunity to act. She first urged Madam Chen to look after his health and keep him away from his mistresses, then used Madam Chen’s authority as cover to have his mistresses beaten and sold off, dealing with them as she pleased.

On top of that, old Imperial Physician Zhong, being advanced in years, was especially cautious. Not only did he prescribe a medicine to be administered daily, he also ordered Chen Yaoqing to abstain entirely from women and refrain from indulgence for half a month, describing the consequences of disobedience in particularly grave terms. Madam Chen immediately became flustered beyond measure, dispatching two older maidservants and summoning two young manservants, who kept watch over him day and night in the south wing as he recuperated, not allowing him to step out even once. They even had to watch him drink his medicine with their own eyes before they were satisfied.

After enduring this for several days, Chen Yaoqing could bear it no longer. He took out money and bribed one of the older maidservants to let him out. Although the maidservant was reluctant to part with the money, she feared for her life as well and followed him step by step. Chen Yaoqing had lost his enthusiasm for mischief, so he merely planned to call on a few old acquaintances to drink some wine and listen to music. Lecherous as he was, he did fear death, and he did not dare truly defy the Imperial Physician’s orders.

He had no sooner stepped out the gate when a maidservant rushed at him and knelt down, saying: “I’ve finally waited for the young master. Our mistress managed to escape and has rented a small courtyard on Wanxiang Street, waiting for you every day. She’s grown so thin with longing.”

Chen Yaoqing looked at her and recognized her as the maidservant of the one he had been most infatuated with among his mistresses in recent days — the one called Yaoqin. This maidservant was called Xiao Ping. He had thought Lu Wanyang had dealt with all of them, so this unexpected pleasant surprise delighted him immensely. He followed her to Wanxiang Street and found, as promised, that Yaoqin had already arranged a tidy little courtyard there — quite elegant, with wine and food prepared, a soft and tender warmth, and attentive gentleness.

Chen Yaoqing drank until he was half-drunk, had Yaoqin sing beside him, and felt thoroughly at ease. But when Yaoqin finished singing and sat down on his lap, he still remembered the physician’s warning, and said with a thick tongue: “Your master, these past days, must practice restraint…”

Yaoqin only smiled and said: “Copper coin sores do indeed need to be treated that way.”

“You’re quite knowledgeable…” Chen Yaoqing had just praised her when suddenly a chill ran through his entire body and he looked at her with sharp suspicion.

“That’s wrong — how do you know I have copper coin sores? I only developed them the day before yesterday…” His voice cut off abruptly, because a coldness struck his abdomen — Yaoqin had plunged a dagger directly into his body.

“Of course I know about the young master’s copper coin sores, because it was I who transmitted them.” Yaoqin looked at him with a mournful smile. “Young master’s immense kindness, Yaoqin will never forget in all her lifetimes — and yet the young master has long since forgotten me!”

Chen Yaoqing was seized with terror. He pressed his hands over his abdomen and stared at her, mouth agape, and finally recognized where that vague sense of familiarity on her beautiful face had come from.

“Three years ago in Yangzhou, the young master found the local county magistrate and demanded the selection of thin horses. My family was originally an honest fishing family — poor, yes, but decent common people. The young master could not find suitable girls in Yangzhou city, so he forced our family to sell our daughters. My father refused and was arrested and taken to the county yamen, where he fell ill and died in prison. My mother was forcibly made to press her handprint, and my sister and I were taken to Yangzhou city and trained for a year. My sister could not endure the beatings and abuse and died of illness. I contracted consumption and was sold cheaply to a brothel. When I finally found my mother’s whereabouts, she had already wept herself blind and died within half a month…” Yaoqin’s face was streaming with tears, as though weeping blood. “Because of one word from the Chen family, my entire family was destroyed.”

“Heaven has eyes, and granted me the opportunity, with the help of a benefactor, to take my revenge. Originally, I intended to enter your household and kill your father, that dog official, cutting off your family’s power and influence. I had not expected your mistress to refuse to let me in. So it could only come to this today — settling accounts with you, repaying hatred with hatred, repaying grievance with grievance!”

When Yaoqin finished speaking, she pulled out the dagger to strike again. Little did she know that Chen Yaoqing had been pretending to listen to her accusations all along, and had quietly drawn his own dagger from his boot. The two struggled together. Chen Yaoqing, being a man, was more powerful despite his injury, and he gained the upper hand, managing to stab Yaoqin in return. He did not linger to look at her, but hurried to flee. Even in his panic, he had the presence of mind to fear death — he took out his imperially bestowed heart-preserving pills and held them in his mouth. In the struggle he had had the tendons of his leg cut, and after only two steps he collapsed to the ground. He could only crawl out of the bedroom door, crawling and shouting at the same time: “Yuanbao, Yungui, where are you — help — come quickly!”

As he shouted, his eyes lit up — it was the maidservant Xiao Ping, still carrying a tray of wine and food. Seeing him in this state, she was so startled that she let go, and the wine and food scattered across the floor. Chen Yaoqing saw that although she was not his own servant, she was still a source of hope, and he called out urgently: “Xiao Ping, save me quickly — Yaoqin has gone mad and wants to kill me. Take me away from here, we’ll find the Gold Guard patrolling the streets, Lord Luo of the Prefecture Yamen was my father’s student, my family has plenty of money. Save me and I’ll reward you with a hundred gold, I’ll make you a Concubine!”

Upon hearing this, Xiao Ping stepped forward, as though persuaded. She grabbed Chen Yaoqing and hauled him up — a maidservant who did hard work was indeed strong. Chen Yaoqing was just starting to feel relieved when she planted a foot on his hand. He cried out in pain and immediately released the dagger. Xiao Ping picked up the dagger, severed all the tendons in his hands, and dragged him back to the bedroom.

Yaoqin was leaning against the table, already at her last breath. Seeing Xiao Ping drag Chen Yaoqing back, she revealed a look of relief.

“I was careless and let him run. Good thing you were here.”

Xiao Ping’s eyes were red. She stepped forward to bandage Yaoqin’s wounds. Yaoqin only shook her head.

“You foolish girl, I came to take revenge with no intention of returning alive. Don’t worry about me — let’s finish this quickly, then you flee.”

“I won’t go. I have no home left either. Wherever you go, mistress, I will follow.” Xiao Ping shook her head.

When Chen Yaoqing saw the two of them turn to look at him simultaneously, both pairs of eyes filled with hatred, he immediately began to shriek like a pig being slaughtered.

“Xiao Ping, release me — you have no grudge against me. My father will definitely reward you handsomely — I am his only son, he will give you thousands upon thousands in gold, I guarantee you the rank of an imperially titled lady…”

What answered him was Xiao Ping’s hand rising and the blade falling. She grabbed his tongue with clean precision, sharp as slaughtering a chicken, and pulled it out and cut it in two.

If Lu Wanyang had been present, she would have been startled to find that Chen Yaoqing’s appearance at this moment — mouth full of blood, screaming — bore some resemblance to Xi Yun, who had died at her own hands.

“The Chen family naturally has everything.” Xiao Ping was plain in appearance, but her eyes blazed with a gemlike brilliance born of hatred. “But my family sheltered Chen Yaoqing from the rain and was slaughtered clean — I wonder who will compensate for that?”

By the time Lu Wanyang arrived at the Peach Blossom Banquet, the ladies had already sorted out the seating arrangements.

Fortunately, she had Madam Chen bringing her along. Madam Chen also knew that Chen Yaoqing had been in the wrong, and so these past several days she had been giving Lu Wanyang everything she asked for — she had scolded Chen Yaoqing and confined him to his quarters, and had also given Lu Wanyang the authority to deal with his mistresses. That was not all: she had also taken out an imperially bestowed grand robe with crimson woven silk and a hundred-flower brocade with full sleeves, originally intended for Chen Mengliu, and given it to her to wear, paired with a magnificent set of rose-red ruby head ornaments. How magnificent and grand it was.

Moreover, with the Princess of Pingjun as her patron, no one dared look down on her.

So Lu Wanyang naturally walked toward her customary seat and was about to sit down. At grand banquets such as the Flower Season Banquet, when the Grand Princess was present, from the Consort of Pingjun and the old Consort Dowager of the Liang Wang downward, it was Madam Shen and Madam Chen who divided the realm between them. But just as Lu Wanyang was about to sit beside Madam Chen, she heard Wang Yuwei laugh and say: “Madam Chen, it’s been so many days — how is it that you’ve grown even slimmer? Let me look — you’ve truly lost quite a bit of weight.”

As she spoke, she moved to stand beside Lu Wanyang, placing herself between her and the Grand Princess. Lu Wanyang was not flustered and smiled, saying: “Sister Wang is truly joking — after all, it is you who cares for me. Seeing that I’ve grown thin, you’d even sit in my place for me.”

Wang Yuwei’s skill with words was no match for hers and could not outtalk her, but she did not retreat even when refuted. Lu Wanyang felt a growing unease in her heart, and sure enough, a young lady immediately laughed and said: “Madam Chen’s health is a small matter, but the Grand Princess’s august wellbeing is a great matter. Has the Princess not already said that at the Flower Season Banquet, there is no room for filthy matters?”

Whether it was Han Yueqi or Wang Yuwei — both were daughters of aristocratic families, and they now served as distinguished ladies. There were certain things they themselves could not say outright, but once the word spread, others would naturally say them.

Lu Wanyang had no shortage of people she had bullied over the years, so she could not immediately determine whether this was an old grievance or a hired thug from Han Yueqi’s faction. Fortunately, she had her own circle of followers, and Yang Qiaozhen immediately said: “What kind of talk is this? The Princess has said that at the Flower Season Banquet, all are sisters — how is it that someone is still making insinuations and slandering the ladies?”

But at this moment there was no room for her to defend herself. Madam Han, as the hostess, had already said with a smile: “Young ladies, please calm down — this is before the Grand Princess, and it is unlike ordinary circumstances. Yueqi, take the young ladies outside to sit for a while, and leave us older ladies in here to talk.”

With one remark, she expelled all the young ladies to the adjoining hall. But who counted as a “young lady” was defined by the hostess: Han Yueqi’s side only brought Wang Yuwei out, while all the young ladies from Lu Wanyang’s faction were taken out.

As Lu Wanyang departed, she passed through the outer area and saw that the ladies who ordinarily occupied lower standing were all glancing at her, their eyes full of the look of watching a spectacle unfold. She did indeed have matters attached to her name, and could not help feeling a certain guilty disquiet. She sat in the hall, her thoughts in chaos.

Being expelled from the center of power was something that had never happened to her. But the more this was the case, the more she had to display arrogance — only thus could she mask the guilt in her heart. She forced a smile and said: “Yueqi drives me out yet has to accompany me herself — surely she got the worse end of this deal.”

Han Yueqi sat quietly in a chair sipping tea. Lu Wanyang was dressed magnificently, yet Han Yueqi appeared gentle and dignified. This was something Lu Wanyang had never been able to understand in those years past — clearly they had both been overshadowed by Ye Qinglan, so why did she not yield, and even dared to wear the same clothes as Ye Qinglan without feeling jealousy or resentment? Could there truly be someone born willing to be second forever, to be trampled upon for a lifetime?

Yet she wore an autumnal green color and jade hair ornaments, her expression calm and gentle, and yet carrying an undeniable authority — this scene was just like four years ago.

“I came out to accompany you because I am the hostess. The next banquet will naturally have its own hostess to accompany you. But you, Wenyin — I fear you will never again enter another person’s main hall.” She held a covered teacup and smiled slightly at the ladies behind Lu Wanyang: “The fire has already been lit. It is time for all of you to jump ship. Wait any longer, and I’m afraid it will be too late.”

“What do you mean!” Yang Qiaozhen was the first to flare up, but any perceptive person could see that this outburst contained a good measure of unease — for when she finished speaking, rather than looking at Han Yueqi, she turned to look at the assembled ladies, as if trying to gauge something from their reactions as well.

Han Yueqi smiled slightly and said nothing. She saw a figure peering around the edge of the curtain, and immediately brightened.

“How did Lingbo come here?”

Lingbo stepped out fully: “My sister was worried about Sister Han and sent me to check on her.”

“Oh? Only Qinglan is worried about me — Lingbo isn’t?” Han Yueqi still had the leisure to smile and tease her.

Lingbo, being young after all, entered the hall as though entering a cage containing fierce beasts, and still had to steal a glance at Lu Wanyang before daring to continue their playful exchange, saying: “Sister Han has the fish trapped in the barrel — what is there for me to worry about?”

Over these four years, the Ye sisters had suffered no small amount of abrasion from Lu Wanyang. Were one to calculate it in detail, a whole account book would likely not be sufficient. But there was no point in lamenting one’s grievances — was there a single lady of lower standing in the capital who did not have an account to settle with Lu Wanyang? Even Madam Wei, a lady of distinguished merit, had suffered a significant blow at her hands.

The two of them strolled in with leisurely ease, and Lu Wanyang grew even more panicked in her heart, so she had to strike first and said: “I think the two of you are just heartbroken and seething, that’s all. Sister Han, I wonder if your husband has come home to sleep yet? I was only saying recently — a day of marriage, a hundred days of affection. Sister Han’s standards are far too high. Having three wives and four concubines is perfectly common; how can one fall out with one’s husband over a mere concubine…”

Here they were in the hall, where words could not carry to the other room, so no wonder she dared speak like this. Lingbo was not about to let this pass and immediately said: “Lu Wanyang, I think you’re the one who’s gone mad. You’re a proper lady — have you taken up running a brothel? You were born with a talent for the gutter, truly. Can’t sleep a single night without harming someone, can you?”

“Listen to this — is this how an unmarried young lady speaks,” Lu Wanyang immediately mocked her and laughed: “But I think Lingbo’s chances of marrying are finished. She might as well be carefree about it. With your ordinary looks and no flexibility, I’m afraid the princes and young nobles won’t spare you a second glance.”

Her words were second in their force — the main thing was that they were always sharp and twisted, never following any upright path. Lingbo was not afraid of her and was about to retort, but was stopped by Han Yueqi.

“What is the point of trading barbs?” Han Yueqi only smiled slightly and called to her maidservant: “Bai Rui, go take Madam Chen’s teacup away. Don’t give it to the kitchen — just place it in the corridor and smash it. Burn the chair as well, lest the illness spread to others.”

This single remark set off an explosion among the ladies behind Lu Wanyang. Those present had all been at Lu Wanyang’s mother’s memorial feast, and had long harbored suspicions in their hearts, so they erupted: “What do you mean by that!” “Is this how a hostess behaves!” “The Princess should really hear this!”

“What the Princess needed to hear, she has already heard.” Han Yueqi only addressed Lu Wanyang with a cool smile: “Wenyin, Qinglan told you four years ago — if you don’t want others to know, simply don’t do it. Walk the night road long enough and you’ll always meet a ghost. When you and your husband were buying courtesans and sending concubines into people’s households to cause trouble, did you ever think it would come to this day?”

Lu Wanyang’s face turned deathly pale and she broke into a sweat. But she recalled that old Imperial Physician Zhong had said the illness was treatable, and moreover, a proper young lady of the household could not possibly be stripped and examined. So she forced herself to say: “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

But even as she said this, she turned to survey the assembled ladies, calculating in her mind who had leaked the information. She had a count of the servants in the household, but there was one thing she did not understand: even if word had leaked, how could Han Yueqi be so certain that she definitely had a venereal disease? Was she not afraid that it would come back to bite her as slander?

But she had no need to keep wondering.

Outside arose the sound of commotion. It was the older maidservants of the Han household — several of them — rushing in hurriedly with someone dressed like an older maidservant. This was the Flower Season Banquet; unless something earth-shattering had occurred, no one would disturb the ladies’ refined gathering. What was more, this was in the Grand Princess’s presence. So even without knowing why, everyone understood that something serious must have happened.

Lu Wanyang recognized at a glance that the older maidservant brought in by the Han household servants was one of the Chen family’s own — surnamed Yu, one of Chen Yaoqing’s wet nurses, and one of Madam Chen’s original dowry attendants. Being old and well-regarded, she had not come out for the Flower Season Banquet, but had remained in the household, and when neither she nor Madam Chen were present, all household matters great and small were decided by her. In terms of seniority, she was also a true elder of the Chen family — one who had watched Master Chen rise from a minor official of the Ministry of Finance to his current position as its chief, powerful and influential. She had seen the Chen family’s fortunes build to great heights, and no storm, however fierce, would have been enough to unsettle her.

Yet now, Nanny Yu’s face was a picture of helpless terror — sweating and in tears, supported by a maidservant, stumbling along behind the Han household servants with uncertain steps, clearly the bearer of catastrophic news.

Lu Wanyang’s vision darkened in waves. She knew that today something major had happened, and she dared not call out to Nanny Yu, but followed her inside. The young ladies from the hall naturally followed her in as well.

Nanny Yu was led into the main hall and was momentarily dazzled by the sight of the magnificently dressed ladies, unable at first to find her own mistress.

“How dare you,” Female Official Su immediately rebuked: “You are in the Grand Princess’s presence — how dare you barge in like this? Kneel at once.”

Nanny Yu was already beside herself, and when rebuked she naturally buckled at the knees and knelt. At just that moment, she caught sight of Madam Chen beside the Grand Princess, and quickly shuffled forward on her knees, clutching Madam Chen’s hand.

“Please forgive me, Your Highness — this is a servant of my household, grown muddled in old age…” Madam Chen had been smiling and apologizing to the Grand Princess when, to her shock, Nanny Yu shuffled forward on her knees to reach her, clutched her hand, and burst into loud, wailing sobs.