Her cheeks burned scarlet, and yet with her fair, pale complexion beneath it, she looked like deep crimson wine from the western regions spreading in a bloom across white silk — her large, water-bright eyes glaring at the other in indignant fury, just like the glazed lanterns bestowed by the Empress a few days ago; only a single glimmer of firefly light within them, yet crystalline and translucent throughout, the glass a vivid and rich hue, and once the candles were lit in every one, they blazed with the gorgeous, radiant brilliance of peach and plum blossoms in full flower.

Looking at Minglan like this, the younger Shen Shi was rather struck with admiration, and thought privately that no wonder Marquis Gu was so taken with her. Then, seeing that Minglan was truly annoyed, she didn’t dare push her luck any further, and in a gentle, placating tone offered her apologies and made amends — when it was she herself who had come here seeking comfort, after all.

“Oh, by the way — I have some white tea here, and a few small local specialty items. Would you take them back with you on my behalf?” Minglan said coolly.

The younger Shen Shi laughed: “You’re far too formal — I only like Longjing.”

Minglan was quite helpless: “They’re not for you — they’re for your sister-in-law. I want to thank her for recommending those bricklayers.”

“Didn’t you thank her already last time?”

Minglan sighed lightly: “You don’t know the whole of it. When I thanked your sister-in-law then, it was merely for the sake of appearances. This time, it is genuine gratitude. The craftsmen your sister-in-law recommended are truly excellent.” Though their reputation was not large, they were quietly capable and got results.

She chose her words carefully: “During the fire this time, the other buildings were all burned to varying degrees, but the newly-built walls and several of the outbuildings came through perfectly fine. My Marquis went and examined them himself — layer by layer of bricks and timber, the mortar well-packed with rice paste, and only the finest quality glutinous rice at that. It was this that made them so sturdy and fire-resistant — truly honest work with quality materials. Alas, in these times, people as reliable as that are rare.”

“Ah — so you’ve given this round of work to them as well.” The younger Shen Shi’s eyes were quick to catch the implication.

Minglan nodded, her expression full of admiration. When she thought of her own sister-in-law, the younger Shen Shi also felt nothing but wholehearted surrender, sighing: “My sister-in-law is someone who calls things exactly as she sees them — the most steady and reliable of people. Her Majesty often praises my sister-in-law as well, and tells me to learn from her instead of being mischievous all the time.”

Minglan said approvingly: “Her Majesty the Empress is most perceptive.”

“But my sister-in-law tells me to pray and perform more acts of kindness, and then the Buddha will bless me.” The younger Shen Shi said gloomily.

Minglan asked in surprise: “Don’t you pray to Buddha regularly?”

“My sister-in-law says I only light incense in times of desperation and seek the Buddha’s feet only in a crisis. That I’m too calculating, with nothing but ulterior motives.” The younger Shen Shi lowered her head: “One should begin at all times and in all places — showing compassion to the elderly, caring for the young, accumulating virtue and doing good deeds, holding a good heart whether or not one has any particular prayer to make.”

Minglan felt her own face go rather red at this. It seemed that she herself was, in fact, precisely like that as well. The moral standard of someone from the modern age was apparently not very high.

After this bout of self-reflection, when Gu Tingye returned home later, Minglan was just about to open her mouth and declare that she intended to do more good deeds from here on out, so that she might accumulate more blessings in the future — more fortune, and higher rank for her husband (still quite calculating, she admitted) — when Gu Tingye spoke first.

“Elder Yu has largely recovered.”

Minglan was startled, and her instinct prompted her: “You went to ask Physician Lin?”

Gu Tingye nodded, his expression growing somber as he settled his hands on the armrests of the master’s chair: “While we have this opportunity, let it all be dealt with cleanly — there’s no need for things to drag on endlessly.”

Elder Yu had started to regain consciousness half a month ago, and had been under medical care and recuperating ever since, visibly much improved these past few days.

Minglan was silent for a moment, then sat down beside the man: “Don’t go too far — Elder Yu should not have known what was being done.”

Gu Tingye gave a cold snort: “That surnamed Yu has been insufferably arrogant — what happened before, I let pass. But he actually dared let his wife come and bully you! Hmph — when someone brings trouble right to our very door, why should we be afraid of anything?”

He glanced at Minglan and softened his tone: “Rest assured — the rest of the Yu family has no quarrel with me. I won’t involve too many people beyond what is necessary.”