After the two sisters had talked for a while, Minglan led Hualan to Xuanzhi Garden to pay her respects to the Madam. The Madam was exceedingly courteous to Hualan, chatting warmly and going out of her way to befriend her, even deliberately praising Kang Yima a couple of times — saying she was “amiable” and “dignified and respectful.” But to her surprise, Hualan’s mood immediately deflated, and she responded coolly, barely engaging.
In Hualan’s view, her own sister Rulan had been ruined by this repulsive aunt, and had thrown herself away to become involved with a shabby, impoverished scholar. What did it matter that he had passed both imperial examinations? He still had to depend on the Sheng Family. And what did it matter that he was a compiler at the Hanlin Academy? Wang Family’s cousin, though only a licentiate, had already purchased an official post through his ancestral prestige and money. Whether a daughter married into that family could eventually rise to prominence was another matter entirely — and who knew how many years she would have to wait? It couldn’t compare to the Wang Family’s ten-thousand-fold fortune, friends and relatives spanning the realm, business connections if one wished to trade, and established family acquaintances in officialdom if one wished to serve.
The Kang Family wanted to take advantage and then turn around and burn the bridges behind them. For the Sheng Family, the Kang Family was like a piece of sticky candy — impossible to fling away, impossible to shake loose. Yuan Shao had, with great difficulty, established a horse-trading business with a ranch outside the frontier, and Wang Shi, with one careless word, gave Kang Yima the opening to try to get a share of it. This infuriated Hualan so thoroughly she nearly fell over backward — these days, even one’s own mother couldn’t be trusted to keep her mouth shut.
Seeing that Hualan showed no warmth, the Madam said a few more words and then took her leave, looking disappointed.
After seeing Hualan out, Minglan noticed the day was bright and sunny, so she stepped out of her sedan chair and strolled back to her room at a leisurely pace. Beside her, Luzhi kept chattering: “The Madam is heavily pregnant — what’s the point of walking such a long way?” Xia He said gently: “Sister, don’t worry. I’ve been counting — the Madam has only walked a hundred steps so far, it won’t be a problem.” Minglan couldn’t help but laugh. At six months, a pregnant woman was at her most stable. Not only could she walk, she could probably have squeezed onto a packed bus without any trouble.
As she walked along, she drew near Jiahi Residence and, too lazy to announce herself in advance, continued at her unhurried pace. From outside the courtyard gate, she could hear what sounded like people arguing inside. Minglan was mildly startled and glanced at the two maids beside her. Xia He and Luzhi were equally surprised — Jiahi Residence was ordinarily so harmonious, and of late, with Minglan pregnant, quarrels had been especially rare.
From within came the sweet, coquettish voice of Caihuan: “…Danju little sister, Xia Yu little sister is still so young. She only broke a few little trinkets — you’re already calling for punishment left and right, threatening to report it to the Madam and dock her monthly allowance. You’re even talking about flogging — that’s going too far. I say you’re far too strict.”
Hearing that voice, Minglan’s lips curved slightly without her intending to. That maidservant had become rather bold lately.
Then Danju’s barely suppressed, furious voice: “Xia Yu is in charge of managing the daily tableware. Yesterday she knocked over a Ru Kiln bowl, and just now she smashed a jade porcelain beauty-shaped vase. These aren’t ordinary dishes — they’re costly items. Shouldn’t she be punished?”
Caihuan’s laugh rang out clear and bright: “Oh my, Danju little sister, whether something is costly or not depends on where you are. In an ordinary household, naturally such things couldn’t afford to be broken — but who are we? Compared to what this household is, these items are really nothing special. If no one with an agenda pointed it out, the Madam herself probably wouldn’t even notice.”
Then came Xia Yu’s fawning and meek voice: “Danju sister, I told you long ago that I’ve always been clumsy and careless — I’m not suited to managing tableware. You just wouldn’t listen, and now…”
Only to be followed by Danju’s voice, barely restraining her anger: “Your tongue is quite agile! When I asked you to do sweeping and cleaning, you said you were among the first batch selected by Nanny Chang and refused to do rough work. When I assigned you to take turns on duty, you said you couldn’t sit or stand for long. Just what do you want to do?”
“Hmph, does that even need saying? Naturally she wants to be an inner-room attendant serving the master and mistress personally!” This was Xiao Cuixiu’s sharp voice. “Pfft — is she even worthy?!” Immediately, laughter broke out all around.
Xia Yu grew desperate and argued repeatedly: “I wouldn’t dare, I wouldn’t dare. I was originally assigned to tend to clothing and soft bedding — if Danju sister let me do that again, I definitely wouldn’t make mistakes.”
Caihuan continued lazily: “I say, Danju, when you were assigning the duties in the first place, why didn’t you think it through properly?”
Outside the gate, Minglan’s expression grew subtly stern. She had never liked unfamiliar hands touching her personal clothing. Furthermore, since her marriage, the couple’s intimate life was frequent, and items like bed linens were most susceptible to gossip. Xia He was cautious, Xia Zhu was honest, and both had been purchased from outside — they had no relatives or connections within the household. Along with Danju and Xiaotao, no one else was ever allowed to handle those things.
Luzhi, standing beside Minglan, had long been seething with indignation and was practically itching to leap out and scold someone. Minglan glanced at Xia He beside her — the maid was quick-witted, and immediately stepped forward, calling out loudly: “What’s all this racket? Can’t you see the Madam has arrived?”
The courtyard fell quickly silent. Minglan walked slowly past everyone without a word. Each maidservant bowed with head lowered, not daring to speak. After Minglan entered the room, a moment passed before Luzhi emerged and called Danju and Caihuan inside.
Danju wore a guilty expression. The moment she saw Minglan, she stammered: “Madam, it’s all my fault — I didn’t keep a proper watch over them…” Minglan quickly cut her off, saying: “I told you long ago that a compassionate heart is necessary, but one must not simply indulge people. From what I heard just now, this isn’t the first time Xia Yu has behaved this way. I can’t believe that among all the maids in this household, there’s not a single one with nimble hands and feet — as if she’s irreplaceable.”
Danju’s tears swirled in her eye sockets. She had, in truth, long wanted to discipline Xia Yu, but every time she had been about to act, Caihuan had come out to create a disturbance.
In terms of seniority, Caihuan had entered the inner quarters even before Danju and Xiaotao. In terms of standing, she had been a first-rank maid at Wang Shi’s side. Back in the Sheng Mansion, Minglan’s maids, upon meeting those who served Wang Shi, still had to speak flatteringly and fawn upon them. Now that she had come to the Gu Household, she had been demoted beneath Danju, and naturally Caihuan was unhappy about that.
“Caihuan.” Minglan called her name suddenly. She responded at once.
Minglan’s expression was gentle, and she smiled warmly: “I hear you’ve been going to chat with Gong Yiniang frequently lately.”
Caihuan startled. She had prepared a whole stomach full of words to explain herself, never expecting Minglan to say this: “This, this, where would such a thing come from…” Minglan wasn’t bothered by her evasion, and said mildly: “Yesterday you and she talked for two incense sticks’ worth of time at the lotus pond. A few days before that, you went to Gong Yiniang’s room and had tea for a quarter of an hour. Six days ago, you went to deliver new fabric to Rong Jie’er and then detoured there, talking for nearly half an hour.” Caihuan broke out in a cold sweat, the back of her garment quickly soaking through. For some reason, her knees buckled and she sank down with a thud, saying repeatedly: “Madam, this servant has been foolish and thoughtless, this servant…”
Actually, breaking a few items was a minor matter, and even the petty quarreling and bickering between maids was minor. What was galling was that Caihuan had deliberately stirred up trouble to disrupt the harmony. Minglan smiled more warmly than ever and had Luzhi help Caihuan to her feet: “Look how frightened you are. It’s nothing at all — Gong Yiniang is bored with nothing to do, and since you two get along well, feel free to keep her company often.” Caihuan’s heart pounded frantically. She had always been quick with words, and though she knew logically that there was nothing here to fear, she was still afraid.
“There are others to manage matters in the courtyard. If you have free time, go and amuse yourself with Gong Yiniang.” Minglan spoke kindly, but there was no smile in her eyes. Caihuan’s face turned deathly pale, and she repeatedly said she would not dare, but couldn’t articulate any further.
Minglan turned and glanced at Danju. Danju understood her meaning, straightened up, turned and walked out of the room, and began loudly scolding Xia Yu in accordance with the usual procedure — docking her monthly wages, imposing a caning, stripping her of her post, and sentencing her to sweeping duties.
“…I trust you won’t drop the broom handle too,” Danju said with full force.
Listening to the cries and pleas from outside, Caihuan bit her lips tightly. Xia Yu had always been on good terms with her, and hearing this, she dared not say another word, yet deep resentment swelled within her.
She knew perfectly well why Wang Shi had sent her along as part of the dowry — she didn’t believe for a moment that Minglan didn’t know it too. Truth be told, she herself had been reluctant. Her mother was doing quite well in the Sheng Mansion, and she herself had been a second-rank servant there — why bother going elsewhere? But after entering the Marquis’s household and seeing the boundless wealth and power, and seeing the new son-in-law — young, strong, and vigorous, with such attentive tenderness toward his wife — she couldn’t help but feel a stirring in her heart.
In the beginning, when Minglan was newly married, she hadn’t dared to entertain any such ideas. But now, seeing Minglan pregnant, she thought — no matter how tightly Minglan kept her grip, could she really hold a man back for half a year? If he was to take a maid into his favor, she herself would be the top choice.
Yet day after day passed, and there wasn’t the slightest movement in the Madam’s quarters. The people in the Sheng Mansion used to say the Sixth Young Lady had a good temper and a gentle disposition — but it turned out that had all been a disguise. What a ferocious jealousy — she had been in Minglan’s service for a whole year now, and still wasn’t permitted to enter the main room. Even bringing tea and doing cleaning in the main room day-to-day was not allowed.
Yet the Marquis by nature was upright and open — he never spared more than a glance at the maids. No matter how much she dressed up and applied heavy rouge and powder, she had never once drawn a second look from the son-in-law. How could she not be furious?
Minglan watched the figure of Caihuan retreating respectfully from the room, propping her chin on one hand in quiet thought.
Caihuan walked slowly back to her own room. She had barely closed the door and taken a few steps when she saw Ruomei sitting on her bed, looking at her coldly: “Your sister Caichai once spoke a few kind words on my behalf in front of me back then. Today I’ll offer you a few words of warning in return.”
Before she could open her mouth, Ruomei said coldly: “I know what plan you’re hatching in your heart. But Caizhai sister, who accompanied the eldest young lady — wasn’t she also giving you the same kind of warning?”
Caihuan had her innermost thoughts laid bare, and her face flushed crimson. She snapped in protest: “What nonsense are you talking about?”
“You had better wise up!” Ruomei’s gaze was scornful. “Back then, the eldest young lady had gone years without bearing a child, and also had a formidable mother-in-law to contend with — that was the only reason Caizhai was elevated. What standing do you have now? Is your reach that long?”
Caihuan felt a surge of shame and anger, turned her head away and said nothing. Ruomei was strong-willed — when she spoke, she spoke to the end. She walked up in front of Caihuan and said steadily: “Don’t think the Madam would be held back by a sense of restraint and wouldn’t dare deal with you. Do you know about what happened with Nanny You and Yancao back then?”
Caihuan stared at her in startled confusion. Ruomei said: “Nanny You was greedy and loved drinking. The Madam had long wanted to deal with her, but for lack of a justifiable cause, she held back for a full year. In the end she had accumulated enough mistakes and caught her in a major misstep, then disposed of her all at once and cleanly! And Yancao — the Madam was already displeased with her in her heart at that time, yet out of consideration for the years of kinship, she continued to treat her well anyway. A person whose character has been corrupted, with no loyalty and no integrity — would the Madam still want her? Ridiculous! As long as you serve diligently, the Madam will surely find you a good match in the future.”
Caihuan’s expression shifted through several colors. She privately cursed Minglan — shamelessly so, she thought. Such a large belly, and she was still brazenly keeping the man to sleep in her room, sometimes even being playful and affectionate in plain view. Those matrons were all the same — bullying the weak and fearing the strong. After Nanny Cui had offered advice once, everyone else, cowed by the mistress’s power, dared not say a word. She had intended to report the goings-on here to Wang Shi, hoping Wang Shi would come and counsel Minglan to be more virtuous and magnanimous. But Liu Kun’s wife, having received some benefit from Minglan, kept blocking her at every turn — nothing could be accomplished. It was truly infuriating!
Feeling vexed, she couldn’t help but taunt: “You want to marry a licentiate yourself, so you assume everyone else is the same?… Even going out to be a legitimate wife — what does it matter? If she can’t handle things, she’ll be bullied all the same. Can it possibly be as comfortable as living here in the household?”
Ruomei’s face flushed red, and she laughed coldly several times, saying “Fine, fine, fine” repeatedly, then turned, opened the door, and left.
In the fourth year of Chongde, early spring — even the abundant good spring light could not clear the haze that hung over the capital. The Emperor was determined to reform and reshuffle the distribution of power, but encountered enormous difficulty. The salt-inspection censor personally appointed by the Emperor hadn’t even reached the borders of Lianghuai yet when he had already been ambushed twice.
The first ambush was by “mountain bandits” in the Jizhong region. Upon hearing this, Gu Tingye’s eyes flashed with killing intent, and he said bitterly: “If the Emperor hadn’t urgently transferred me north at that time, just two months would have been enough to eliminate the bandit menace entirely!” He had previously led troops to suppress the rebellion of two princes, sweeping northward from the south with a trail of blood and rolling heads — pacifying the region in short order. Minglan, as usual, offered her praises, then idly puzzled aloud: “But isn’t Jizhong a flat, open plain? There are few deep mountains or dense forests there — where would such bold mountain bandits come from?” She had scored very well in geography.
Gu Tingye’s gaze turned dark and unreadable. “…Indeed. Without even a mountain, where would ‘mountain bandits’ come from?” His tone was filled with pointed mockery, carrying an undertone of bloodiness.
A few days later, another dispatch arrived — the imperial envoy’s party had again been set upon by fierce brigands within Ludong’s Xiong County. Only through the desperate defense of Forward-Wing General Geng Jiezhong and others had the censor Zheng Chengfang escaped unharmed, but many of the accompanying soldiers had been killed or wounded. Not long after, Comrade Lao Geng was carried back to the capital, and before a physician could even be summoned, an imperial edict called him into the palace — the Emperor wished to question him in detail.
That night, Gu Tingye returned home and said grimly: “This matter is clearly not simple.” During the day, the red-eyed Nanny Geng had come to seek medicine, and Minglan already understood something of the situation. She could only sigh: “Just to obstruct the investigation of the salt administration, they dared to be so outrageously bold?!”
Gu Tingye lightly rubbed the jet jade thumb ring on his thumb and said mockingly: “Money can make the devil turn millstones. All those tens of thousands of taels of salt revenue every year — who knows how many years it’s been going on.” Minglan couldn’t help but see a blizzard of silver snowflakes drifting before her eyes. She was lost in thought for a long moment, then said: “Oh right — Nanny Geng’s sister came this afternoon. I gave her the last two liang of tiger bone from the storeroom.”
“Well done,” Gu Tingye praised, then sighed. “Lao Geng’s household has thin resources and no relatives or friends to speak of in the capital — we should help where we can.” Just as he said this, he noticed the girl across the table furrowing her brow, and asked: “What’s wrong?”
Minglan bit her lip slightly and hesitated, murmuring: “Actually… Nanny Geng’s sister had gone to the National Uncle’s mansion first.” Not knowing how to continue, she trailed off. Gu Tingye’s expression became grave: “What happened?” His tone was unnerving. Minglan sighed: “Naturally, when it comes to valuable medicinal herbs, the National Uncle’s mansion would have the most. Unfortunately, today Lady Zhang happened to have gone back to her maternal family, so it was that Zou Yiniang who received the guest — Nanny Geng’s sister left empty-handed.” Gu Tingye slapped the desk hard and said furiously: “Such a shallow and petty woman — and Congxing, my brother…”
He swallowed the rest of his words forcibly and let out a long breath. “Ai, forget it!” A just official can hardly judge household affairs — such things were ultimately not for outsiders to comment on. He quickly changed the subject: “Fortunately the Emperor is wise and later dispatched Chengyong and his men with a battalion to catch up, which prevented a greater disaster.” Had the salt-inspection censor fallen before accomplishing anything, who knew how much longer the salt administration audit would have been delayed.
Seeing her husband’s face full of displeasure, Minglan went over and patted his arm, saying gently: “Don’t let it vex you so. After so many years of accumulated abuses, how could reforming the old order and establishing the new possibly be easy?” She said self-deprecatingly: “Never mind the grand affairs of the court — even managing the acre of ground that is this household, I’m still taking it slowly.”
Gu Tingye pressed his palm to Minglan’s belly, and his gaze suddenly turned tender: “Don’t tire yourself out. If anything happens, tell me — I’ll stand up for you.” Minglan was deeply moved, though she noticed the man’s gaze was warmly directed at her belly — at this moment she was standing and he was sitting, and she very much wondered whether that declaration had been addressed to herself or to the one inside.
The little rascal in her belly was quite well-behaved, generally stretching and kicking only at certain intervals: after the midday nap, about a quarter-hour after dinner, and around the middle of the night. Minglan had worked out this pattern, and Gu Tingye would come at those set hours to interact with his unborn child, sometimes even excusing himself midway through a conversation with the private tutor Gongsun to slip back to the room. He loved pressing his face against Minglan’s belly, feeling each powerful kick of the fetal movement. Minglan half-reclined against the bedhead, gently stroking his coarse, thick hair. In the lamplight, with him beside her, she felt only a deep, quiet warmth.
The situation outside was not good — it was a time when capable men were needed. Given the man’s nature — wild as fire — he would long since have been out battling for position. She knew he was staying in the capital for her sake.
“If… if the Emperor needs you somewhere… you don’t need to worry about me. Important affairs should always come first.” Minglan felt her tongue weigh a thousand catties. Such a short sentence came out haltingly and broken, leaving her mouth full of bitterness; she didn’t want him to leave.
Gu Tingye raised his head. His severe features softened in an unimaginable way — like the sudden bloom of spring light spreading slowly across the far side of a frozen river. He stroked her belly and smiled gently: “You are my most important matter.” The greatest matter of his entire life.
He gazed steadily at her and saw that her eyes were drifting, her fair and smooth skin radiating a kind of fleeting, brilliant beauty like a cactus flower opening for just a moment. On her face was a dazed, bewildered expression — as if she did not know which way to turn, helpless as a lost child, even tinged with a hint of distress. As he gazed, lost in contemplation, a wizened image suddenly floated up in his mind — people always said he and his father were alike in both appearance and character. With that thought, he suddenly felt a sense of foreboding, and immediately shook the idea away.
Outside the rain was fierce and the wind violent. He only wished to shelter her beneath his wings, to pour all his effort into building a warm and safe nest — to keep the knife-like wind and the snow-like rain from frightening her, so that she might live in joy and peace all her life.
Entering mid-April, the court’s power struggles grew ever more intense. Several censors jointly memorialized the throne, impeaching Wei-North Marquis Shen Congxing for abusing his authority for personal gain, listing eleven charges including unlawful seizure of farmland, predatory appropriation of property, and forming illicit factions. If it had been mere false accusations it might not have mattered — but the Left Censor-in-Chief Liu Suyang, a man of upright character with no partisan leanings, had also submitted a memorial of censure. The Emperor charged Liu Zhengjie to conduct a thorough investigation, and upon investigation, it was found that there might well be truth to the accusations. Most serious among them were reports that Shen Congxing’s eldest son had long been domineering and bullying others outside, and that his in-laws, the Zou Family, had been lending money at usurious interest, driving people to their deaths.
For a time, memorials came flooding in, with attacks and accusations unceasing.
“If the accusers are men of stern integrity, they act against the deeds and not the person. But if they are villainous schemers bent on destruction, they do the opposite — they act against the person and not the deeds.” The private tutor Gongsun Baishi stroked his sparse beard.
“That is to say, what that faction is truly resentful of is the Emperor’s series of measures. But constrained by the principles of the ruler-subject relationship and the demands of moral justice, they cannot openly oppose them. So they aim their blade at those closest to the Emperor.” To put it simply — I can’t obstruct your policies directly, so I’ll slander those who carry them out, thereby sabotaging the established course of action. Minglan cradled her belly, full of worry. The Emperor appeared to have been genuinely angered this time and had already issued a clear decree reproaching the Shen Family. Xiao Shen Shi had come weeping once — Minglan had no choice but to come and consult the old teacher Gongsun.
Gongsun Baishi nodded with a smile, glancing at Minglan’s large belly with the hope that the future little Marquis would be equally quick-witted.
“What’s so terrible about it all?” Minglan groaned, her head feeling as large as a bushel. She recalled that Shen Congxing’s eldest son was only twelve this year, and Xiao Shen Shi had said endlessly how honest and simple-hearted her nephew was — what trouble could he possibly have stirred up?
“Nothing more than the division of profit.” Gongsun Baishi’s lips curved into a contemptuous arc. “The salt administration, frontier trade, sea shipping, the Maritime Trade Supervisorate, and the various checkpoints throughout the Six Ministries and Nine Courts — the key and lucrative posts. The Emperor wants them to vacate positions so he can install his own people: first, to fill the imperial treasury; second, so that in future, imperial decrees can be carried out more efficiently. They refuse. That is all.”
“They should be reasonable — with so many profitable posts, what harm in surrendering a little revenue?” Minglan yearned for a harmonious society where everyone could talk things through.
Gongsun Baishi laughed coldly: “Take the Duke of Qian Guo as an example — his son married the princess born to the late Shengde Empress. He and several other families have monopolized the sea trade for nearly fifteen years, netting at least twenty thousand taels of income annually. And how much have they remitted to the state? Hmph. Would they be willing to give it up? Even if they did, a new era brings new favorites — the Emperor naturally has his own trusted men to promote.”
Minglan saw another flurry of silver snowflakes before her eyes. With great effort she steadied herself and muttered: “After so many years, they should have eaten and drunk their fill — what harm in stepping back now?”
“If the human heart knew contentment, why would it ever seek more?” Gongsun Baishi summarized it succinctly and cleanly. Greed has no bottom.
Minglan shook her head in resigned acknowledgment — indeed, it was rare to see a corrupt official spontaneously reform. But if Gongsun could see through this, so could others. As long as the National Uncle Shen kept his composure, with the backing of his in-laws at the Duke of Yingguo’s household, things would most likely be all right.
However, a fly does not land on an uncracked egg. That the National Uncle Shen had attracted attention was also a result of lax household management. Some of the accusations were embellishments and fabrications by his opponents — but others were true. Gongsun Baishi let slip, almost in passing, that the Zou Family had even recently tried to get their hands into the procurement of military grain supplies — truly astounding audacity. After scorning the Shen Family, he then lavished considerable praise on Minglan, commending her for managing the household clearly and keeping the servants well in hand, and further noting that with Gu Tingye’s fearsome reputation for showing no favoritism to anyone, the Gu Clan relatives had turned up nothing incriminating upon investigation.
Old Gongsun had always been sharp-tongued and disdainful, sparing with compliments — so when kind words did emerge, they were rare indeed. Minglan was so pleased by the praise that she felt a bloom of joy in her heart, and immediately found this wrinkle-faced old man considerably more pleasing to look at. After a warm exchange of pleasantries, she also divided in half the large, fresh walnuts of the finest quality that Xiao Shen Shi had sent over the previous day, and then retrieved a lingzhi mushroom from the storeroom, to help the old man’s increasingly sparse and thinning hair situation.
In high spirits, she strolled happily back to her room. The vine-draped trellis in the spring sunshine carried the fragrance of green growing things. Minglan was just about to reach up and pick a flower bud when Xiaotao, quick-eyed, had already plucked a little cluster, and mistress and maid exchanged a smiling glance. Just at that moment, Luzhi came hurrying over from the other direction, sweat beading on her forehead, her face full of both surprise and delight. She quickened her pace by two steps and leaned close to Minglan’s ear, whispering: “Madam, we’ve caught that little hussy making a mistake.”
Minglan raised an eyebrow: “What happened?”
Luzhi saw that only Xiaotao was nearby and said in a low voice: “The snow pear and bird’s nest is simmering on the stove for you — but she ran off.”
Minglan closed her eyes briefly and sighed: “All right, let’s go over.”
Luzhi was barely concealing her excitement, but then hesitated: “But… that place… ?” She meant Wang Shi.
Before Minglan could speak, Xiaotao muttered under her breath first: “We’ve advised her, and the Madam has given her warnings too — she refuses to change. What can we do about it? Getting angry would be pointless. Besides, it’s not like we eat her food anymore.”
Luzhi’s eyes lit up, and she nodded furiously. She had found Caihuan an eyesore for a long time — out of fear that Minglan would say she lacked enough generosity, she had put on a show of asking one extra question, to demonstrate that she was, in fact, quite benevolent. The few of them had grown up together from a young age, and naturally found it difficult to truly accept those who joined later. Furthermore, Caihuan’s coy and affected manner was practically the textbook image of a classic antagonist out of Nanny Fang’s lectures — which triggered in them a visceral, instinctive revulsion.
Minglan let out a sigh and touched her swelling belly. If it were only for herself, she might have glossed over this and let it pass — but for the child’s sake, she could not allow someone with divided loyalties to remain close at hand. She could not take that risk.
Walking slowly back to the room, Xiaotao first helped Minglan change into a pair of soft slippers. She had just settled sideways against the kang headboard when Danju led the others in. This time, Caihuan came in with not the slightest trace of her earlier hesitation — holding herself upright, she walked at the head with her head high, Caihuan and Xia Yu following behind, looking aggrieved and forlorn.
The moment Caihuan saw Minglan, she fell with a thud to her knees: “Madam, I know I was wrong — please spare me this once.” She kowtowed again and again, all while pleading and explaining in an unbroken stream: “We were watching the stove perfectly fine, but then someone came looking for me to talk, and Xia Yu happened to step out to relieve herself… I was only away for a tiny moment… Madam, please forgive me…”
Xia Yu was frightened as well, and kowtowed alongside her.
Minglan sat quietly above, her gaze drifting slowly from the small celadon jar in the shape of a Buddha’s hand with twin fish and lotus patterns on the kang table, across to the little side table with its ebony inlay, silver, and cloisonné legs, and then came to rest on Caihuan. In her heart was not without pity. This time, she had been deliberate about it. Dealing with a maidservant was not difficult — as long as the one in charge held that intention and caught some small evidence, a swift disposal could follow at any time.
Caihuan harbored resentment in her heart and had, with reckless disregard for consequences, cultivated connections with people outside the courtyard. Those with hidden agendas could easily take advantage of that. Now that she herself was pregnant and needed to be ten times more careful than usual, this Caihuan — loyal to no one, her head full of improper ideas — could no longer be kept by her side.
“Who came to find you?” Minglan’s voice seemed to float from somewhere above.
Caihuan wiped her tear-streaked face and stumbled over her words, unable to produce any coherent explanation. Danju let out a cold laugh and answered on her behalf: “One of Xiang Mama’s maids — one called Linglong.”
Minglan laughed softly. Caihuan kowtowed forcefully, saying repeatedly: “Madam, it’s my fault, I was wrong…”
“I hear that in private conversations, you’ve often complained that I won’t let you attend me personally — that I’ve kept you at a distance and left you out in the cold.” Minglan stated this slowly. Caihuan’s pupils constricted sharply, and she shot an resentful glare at Luzhi and Danju. Xiaotao caught it and, very honestly, said immediately: “I was the one who told the Madam.” Caihuan turned to glare at her with equal fury.
“Madam, this servant did have some wicked thoughts that deserve a beating.” Seeing that pleading was useless, Caihuan began to justify herself. “But from the start, when I was serving beside you, I thought I would give my all and serve the Madam faithfully — I never expected…” She wiped at her tears. “…that the Madam wouldn’t treat me as one of her own people. It was only then that I said some things I shouldn’t have…”
Minglan slowly straightened up and bent slightly forward, looking directly at Caihuan: “You are a clever person. You’ve been in the Gu Household for over a year now. What the situation in this household truly is — do you genuinely not know?” Caihuan stopped crying all at once and stared blankly at her mistress. Minglan curled her lips. “You keep saying you want to serve me faithfully — but what am I afraid of? What am I guarding against? After observing all this time, do you truly not understand at all?”
The color drained slowly from Caihuan’s face. Apart from the few senior maids who had constant duties to attend to, every girl in the courtyard was careful and restrained, rarely associating with people outside. Whenever someone from the other side came trying to establish social ties, everyone would steer clear as quickly as possible.
“I don’t like the affairs of this courtyard becoming known outside. But how much has leaked out through your mouth these days — you know that in your own heart.” Minglan said slowly. “It’s not that you don’t know the consequences — it’s only that you had other ideas in mind.” Caihuan had never truly regarded herself as belonging to the mistress’s side, and so she had gone everywhere seeking backers and helpers, hoping to leverage her connections for advancement.
Caihuan’s lips trembled like a sieve. She shuddered and couldn’t speak. She suddenly thought of Ruomei’s warning — was the Madam about to deal with her?! A wave of fear swept through her, and she quickly lurched forward and grabbed hold of Minglan’s skirt, crying out piteously: “Madam, I truly know I was wrong — if only the Madam had said all this to me earlier, I wouldn’t have dared to do any of it!”
Minglan shook her head: “You have the sequence backward. It isn’t that you wait for me to trust you first and then offer your loyalty; rather, you must first make everyone here trust and respect you, and then I will treat you as one of my own.”
Caihuan’s face was a mask of panic; tears and face powder had mixed together and streaked her face. “But, but…”
“But you couldn’t wait.” Minglan finished for her. “You’re not young anymore — you’re even a year and a half older than Danju.” She feared that before she could claw her way up to becoming a Yiniang, Minglan would have her married off.
“It’s truly hard on you.”
Minglan concluded softly at last, feeling no anger at all in her heart — only a faint helplessness and melancholy. Caihuan had been cautious enough — she had made Minglan wait for over half a month before catching this mistake. The room fell silent for a long while, broken only by the sounds of Caihuan’s and Xia Yu’s sobbing. Minglan steadied herself and turned her head, saying: “Call Nanny Cui and the others to come in.”
Nanny Cui entered leading two stout matrons, and Minglan took one look at them — both had sleeves that bulged conspicuously, which suggested they had ropes and gag cloths hidden inside. Caihuan and Xia Yu, upon seeing this formation, were already so frightened they could barely hold themselves together.
Minglan composed her expression into stern formality: “Even punishment should be clearly understood. Nanny Cui, please explain.”
Nanny Cui had long been sharpening her knives. Her brow was furrowed as deeply as the markings on an ink cord, her face expressionless: “The rules of this household — the Madam’s person is precious, and all food and drink must be handled with great caution and care.” Minglan’s meals and refreshments were prepared by hand by Granny Ge, and once out of her hands, were personally received by senior maids like Danju — passing through no intermediary hands. All medicinal soups and supplements were prepared on a small stove within this courtyard, monitored by specially assigned attendants. Each shift normally had two people, and if one stepped away, the other had to remain to watch — the stove was never to leave anyone’s sight.
“Today the two of you were watching the stove. Xia Yu reported in advance that she was going to relieve herself, but in the middle of it all, she slipped to the room to fetch snacks and then chatted and laughed with another maid, spending far too long. As for Caihuan, she committed an even worse offense — she actually abandoned her duty.” Nanny Cui spoke evenly, each word measured. “If we do not punish you today, there will be no way to discipline anyone else in future. The two of you can no longer remain in this courtyard…”
Her words were not yet finished when Xia Yu broke into a wail that shook the heavens. Caihuan, however, composed herself, straightened her posture, and said loudly: “Nanny Cui is correct. But I was brought here to serve the Madam — if Nanny Cui sends me away, how will Nanny Cui explain herself when asked about it?”
Nanny Cui was furious and was about to respond when a low, grave, and commanding male voice rang out from the doorway: “What’s going on here?”
Everyone turned at once. There stood Gu Tingye in his vermilion official robes, holding his black-gauze, winged-tip official hat in one hand, his face as dark as water. Minglan was startled — she had checked the hour deliberately, thinking he would still be out, and had chosen this time to deal with the matter precisely so as not to trouble him with such things.
“The Marquis is back.” She quickly got down from the kang and tried to shuffle over in her soft slippers.
Gu Tingye’s long legs covered the distance in a few strides and pressed down on her shoulders, softening his voice: “Sit down — don’t rush to get up.”
Xiaotao, standing nearby, showed admirable quickness of mind — she stepped forward with both hands to receive the official hat, trotted off to put it away properly, and then resolutely did not return, lurking instead at the doorway to sneak a look at what was happening.
Gu Tingye sat down beside Minglan, one hand resting casually on the kang table, his face utterly unperturbed: “Please continue, Nanny. Deal with it as it should be dealt with.”
Nanny Cui looked toward Minglan with an expression of awkwardness — after all, these were maids who had come with the Sheng Family dowry, and to punish them so openly in front of the son-in-law seemed to reflect poorly on the Sheng Family. Even Minglan hesitated somewhat, unsure how to proceed.
Under the pressure of Gu Tingye’s imposing gaze, Nanny Cui had no choice but to speak plainly: “Caihuan is to go to the empty room on the west side. Xia Yu is to be transferred to serve at the second gate…” She trailed off as she spoke, and in response to her imploring glance, Minglan quickly picked up the thread: “It isn’t a grave offense. But without punishing them, there will be no way to restrain others. All right — you may go.”
She bore Caihuan no deep grudge. Truthfully — it was more that she herself lacked the ruthlessness and courage to destroy someone utterly. She would wait until after the birth, when she had more time, and then find Caihuan a husband.
“Marquis!” Caihuan wept like a pear blossom in the rain, and with miraculous strength wrenched free from the grip of the two matrons, flinging herself down at Gu Tingye’s feet. “Please have mercy and ask the Madam not to drive me away. From now on I will serve with all my heart. I was sent here by the Sheng Family! If I’m dismissed this way, what face will my mother have to hold up her head?”
Her grip was so strong that she actually pulled Gu Tingye’s robe-hem askew.
Nanny Cui grew frantic and stepped forward to seize Caihuan’s arm, trying to drag her away. Luzhi was furious and stepped in from the other side, grabbing Caihuan’s other arm and hauling outward.
“Wait.” Gu Tingye said, and looked down at Caihuan with a puzzled expression. “Is it you?”
A memory surfaced — some distant dusk, this maidservant seemed to have served him tea once, and had then been hurried away by that girl Xiao Tao. Caihuan immediately looked up with an expression full of hope, her brow knitted in a way that was somehow alluring, just opening her mouth to say something — when Gu Tingye’s brow furrowed, and he reprimanded sharply: “Again you? Didn’t I make it clear last time? The Madam is with child and cannot bear the smell of rouge and powder — everyone in Jiahi Residence is forbidden from applying face paint or perfume. Why are you again like this today?”
These words left Nanny Cui and Luzhi instantly relaxed. Danju, who had been desperately anxious a moment before, let out a breath of relief. Minglan looked up at the ceiling — she desperately wanted to shout at Caihuan: “You’re not even professional about this! If you want to attract a man’s attention, at least study your target first!”
As for herself — to better understand her husband and employer’s many preferences and habits, and thereby better fulfill her duties, she had worked so diligently. She had asked around among the old servants of the Gu household from multiple angles and learned that thanks to having a thoughtful and kind stepmother, Gu Tingye had already had a room full of singing girls by the age of fourteen — plump and slender, all varieties. Beyond that, at age nineteen, Second Young Master Gu had reportedly spent a full half month at a certain famous establishment of entertainment in the capital. To say nothing of all the romantic encounters he must have had during his years wandering among the rivers and lakes.
Feigning delicateness, performing vulnerability — he had seen more accomplished examples of that long ago. The amateur theatrics of a household maidservant had no technical merit whatsoever. So she had never worried that Caihuan’s little schemes would succeed — what she worried about was that after those schemes repeatedly failed, Caihuan might, of her own initiative or through the manipulation of others, turn to actively harming her instead.
“Marquis…” Caihuan was stupefied as well, her mouth hanging open, her face thick with rouge and powder, frozen in place.
Gu Tingye was displeased, his expression cold and hard. He turned to Nanny Cui and said sternly: “Why keep this sort of incorrigible creature in the household? Send her to the estate! If she still won’t behave, sell her outright. As for my mother-in-law — I’ll speak to her myself!”
Nanny Cui felt as if she had received a pardon from heaven and was overjoyed. The two stout matrons also sprang back to life. Without further delay, one on each side, they bound the girl with rope, stuffed her mouth, and dragged her straight out. Xia Yu didn’t dare say another word and voluntarily retreated herself.
Luzhi excitedly followed them out, intending to help them pack the “luggage.” Danju was still standing there blankly, not yet having fully processed what had happened. It was Xiaotao who had the steadiest nerve — she emerged smiling from behind the door: “The new Liuan Guapian tea that arrived today — shall I brew a cup for the Marquis?” Then she slipped over quietly and, without drawing attention, pulled Danju away with her.
After everyone had gone, Minglan looked left, looked right, then slowly moved over to sit beside Gu Tingye, and asked quietly: “Marquis, what’s come over you today?” He was not a man who enjoyed interfering in inner household affairs — usually when Minglan was managing the household, he would retreat to the inner room to read. Given today’s situation, it was obvious his mood was dark, and he had a stomach full of frustration that needed releasing.