Elder Yu had been born the son of a poor family, yet his natural brilliance had won him a mentor’s recognition from an early age. That mentor had given him his beloved daughter in marriage and consistently advanced his career, and from that point Elder Yu had risen steadily, though he had weathered trials and setbacks along the way before finally withdrawing from official life gracefully and in full dignity. Yet for all his lifetime of extensive experience, when the maid Gong Hongxiao — who had been sent back by the Marquis Mansion — laid out that whole sequence of events before him, he could not help but stagger with shock and disbelief.

Was it possible that he, of all people, had a son and daughter-in-law capable of such staggering foolishness?

“My master is wise and clear-sighted — within the Marquis Mansion, the Madam there was all-powerful and brooked no opposition! My very life was in her hands. If she told me to say something, how could I dare refuse?” Hongxiao knelt on the floor, tears and mucus streaming down her face. “I failed to speak the truth and allowed the young mistress of the great house to suffer wrongly on my account — it was all my cowardice and fear of death. I beg my master in his mercy and compassion to forgive me.”

With his daughter’s betrayal of her husband and taking a lover exposed before the faces of parents and brothers and their wives, the color of Yu Daren’s face alternated between green and red, so mortified he couldn’t even lift his head. Beside him, Yu Da Shi fixed Hongxiao on the floor with a gaze fit to spit fire, restrained only by the presence of her parents-in-law from making a scene. Yu Daren stole a glance at his elderly father’s expression, saw the elder man’s chest rising and falling heavily, and immediately said with great care: “It is entirely my son’s fault for being unfilial and causing my father distress. Every wrong here is my own doing — I beg Father to calm himself, and above all to take care of his health.”

Elder Yu glanced sideways at his son, and said with cold sarcasm: “Now you suddenly know how to be filial. Between you and your wife you could bribe a Daoist priest and turn black into white, and you’ve made a complete ruin of my face that took a lifetime to build. Do me a favor — bring me a bowl of arsenic so I can close my eyes early, and spare me from witnessing the filthy goings-on in your household.” Just as Gu Tingye had predicted, Elder Yu had spent decades navigating the treacherous currents of officialdom, honing himself until he was as slippery and sharp as an old fox. Outside of treason and having the entire clan wiped out, there was very little that could throw him into genuine panic — and his constitution was therefore not the kind to be broken by anger. As proof of this, when he scolded people now, his lungs and voice were in splendid form.

Yu Daren’s face burned to his ears; not daring to say a word in his own defense, he sank to his knees with a heavy thud. Yu Da Shi saw this and, gritting her teeth, knelt as well. Seeing the eldest brother and his wife kneel, the wives of the third and fourth branches did not dare remain standing, and each couple dropped to their knees together. Elder Yu’s expression remained unruffled as a windless pond. He turned to face Gong Hongxiao, who was still trembling like a sieve, and said: “The Gu family’s letter says you were treated unfairly all these years, and they are now returning you. We shall make proper arrangements for a good family to marry you into.” He then turned to Yu Si’s wife: “Old Fourth’s wife, once we are back in Dengzhou, I leave this matter to you to handle.”

Yu Si’s wife glanced at the eldest sister-in-law kneeling in front of her, and said hesitantly: “Father, this…” Before she had even finished, Yu Da Shi had already raised her head, her face full of bitter resentment, glaring at Hongxiao with eyes that blazed: “Where in the world is there such an easy escape! This wicked little wretch acted with vicious intent and harmed us greatly — beheading would be too light a punishment! How can we possibly…”

Elder Yu brought a palm down flat on the table. He looked down at them coldly. Yu Daren immediately grabbed his wife’s sleeve and pulled it hard. Yu Da Shi turned her head, and the moment she met her father-in-law’s gaze, cold as ice, she shivered instantly and did not dare say another word.

Hongxiao was sharp-witted enough — seeing the state of things, she immediately kowtowed again and again, sobbing until she could barely breathe: “It is all my fault — please, my master, do not let this upset your health, your wellbeing is everything! I know I deserve no mercy, but I think only of my mother, old and frail — how can I, as her daughter, abandon her in her final years? I only beg my master to show me mercy, to spare my life, so I may serve and care for my mother until her end!”

Elder Yu turned his head back slowly, and said in a detached tone: “Though you grew up in the household, you are a relative of the first young mistress’s birth mother — neither a bonded slave nor an indentured servant of this family. How could the Yu family presume to dispose of you? Seeing that you are now without means, I am only using a senior’s authority to arrange a match for you out of good will.” At this, the corner of his mouth curved into a strange, cold-edged smile: “It was originally an imposition on you to have you accompany Yan Hong out as a secondary wife — it is the Yu family that ought to be apologizing to you.”

The final two words were spoken with deliberate, weighted emphasis. The implication was unmistakable. Hongxiao’s heart lurched violently; she looked up in startled terror. In the flickering lamplight the old man’s deeply-lined face seemed for an instant that of a judge from the underworld, sending a chill through her entire being. She hastened to lower her head again; every trace of performance had vanished, and she trembled in complete earnest, thinking to herself: this old man is formidably perceptive — he has actually seen through it.

Yes. There were things she had done… deliberately.

When she had first learned that Yu Yan Hong was taking a lover, she had known perfectly well how grievously improper it was — surely the kind of disgrace that would ruin her utterly — yet she had never made any forceful effort to stop her. Later, when the Madam of the Gu household had instructed her to go and use the situation against Yu Da Shi, though there had been threats and inducements involved, she had also genuinely wanted to bring harm upon Yu Da Shi. But why? What was all of it for?

Her father had been a village scholar, the family possessing a few dozen mu of decent farmland and living a comfortable, content life. As an only daughter, she had been raised on her father’s knee, cherished and adored. Then one day her kind father died, and their clan’s uncles and cousins attempted to seize the land and force her mother to remarry. Their loyal old family servant had been quick-witted enough to wake mother and daughter in the night to gather their valuables and flee to relatives. Through a winding and circuitous path they had eventually taken shelter with Yu Da Shi’s branch of the family. To make their days easier to bear, she had strained herself to the utmost to please the eldest young mistress and Yan Hong — bowing and scraping, ingratiating herself, flattering and fawning.

But in the end, what had come of it? When trouble arose, Yu Da Shi, fearing the depths of the Ruyuan Marquis Mansion were more than her precious daughter could manage on her own, had made the decision without a moment’s hesitation to send her along as a secondary companion. It wasn’t that she disdained the wealth and grandeur of the Gu family — it was that with Gu Tingye’s reputation well-known throughout the land, what good fortune could she possibly expect? And besides… Hongxiao turned her eyes slightly, glancing sideways at the master and his wife kneeling to her right, then withdrew her gaze with a quiet, desolate feeling.

There had always been something else she had been hoping for, kept privately in her heart.

She was an orphaned girl living on others’ charity. He was an unremarkable and overlooked third son born to a concubine. A young man and a young woman, their feelings quietly mutual.

That one year, on that particular day, at dusk as the sun set behind the treetops, he had come running to find her with his head full of sweat, so happy he didn’t even know his hair had come loose. He told her, brimming with joy, that he had noticed the signs between them. Though he had hinted they should keep a cautious distance for now, he was not unwilling — he only feared that raising it too abruptly might make the eldest young mistress feel threatened. So long as she was willing to take the first step and speak the first word, he would find a way to make it work.

At that moment she had felt as though she were living in a dream. How dearly she had loved the Yu family. The Yu men were all of upstanding character without vicious habits; the Yu women, from old to young, were warm and patient and had never once looked down on her for being an orphan. In that instant she made up her mind: if she could achieve what she hoped for, she would redouble her efforts to please her elders, take on some duties in the household in time, bring her mother to live with them, and they would all live well together.

But she would never forget the expression on Yu Da Shi’s face at that moment — so selfish, so absolute, so completely matter-of-fact. She knew this woman through and through. When it came to her own interests, every other tie was worthless. Any further pleading would be in vain. She said nothing more — only smiled mechanically and agreed to “look after” Yu Yan Hong well, while quietly extracting a tidy sum of money from Yu Da Shi.

The year Yan Hong’s affair was exposed, when she hurried to the Yu household in a panic seeking help, she happened to overhear a piece of news. Elder Yu had a close friend and fellow student from his youth who was now past sixty, with only a granddaughter to carry on the family line. Seeing the Yu family’s abundance of grandsons, he had made a sincere and earnest request for one of them to marry into his household. After discussion between father and sons, the choice fell upon this particular third son born of a concubine. By the time she learned of it, he had already left for distant Qiongzhou, married into another family’s household.

At that moment her heart had gone utterly cold and dead. The Gu household, the Yu family — what did any of it matter to her now. She was done caring.

Perhaps they would never meet again in this life. That was all right. That was all right.

Hongxiao was lost in a daze of distant memories and had no idea what else Elder Yu had been saying. She only knew that at some point two matrons on either side of her had taken her by the arms, helping her up and steering her out. Outside, moonlight was clear and the stars sparse, the night bright as day. One breath of cold, clean air entered her chest and she jerked alert, suddenly awake. She felt through the inner lining of her skirt to the hidden pouch sewn there — it held four small-denomination bank drafts, her accumulated savings. The rest of her gold, silver jewelry, and loose coins she had already secretly sent to her mother’s keeping.

She reached up and pressed her hand to her chest. Beneath it was a five-tael bank draft, given to her today before she left by the Marquis Mansion’s mistress.

“You are resourceful and capable — no matter what heaven has withheld from you, you’ve never been shy about taking matters into your own hands.” That young and beautiful Madam of the Marquis Mansion had held in her eyes a peculiar kind of compassion. “Take this silver — consider it my being a hypocrite, sending you out the door while still trying to look generous. I’ll only send you off with one phrase: let yesterday and all its many things be as though they have died. From now on, live well.”

Hongxiao, unable to distinguish between grief and relief, lost in a fog, stumbled her way outside.

After she had gone, the old nursemaid who had been keeping watch at the door closed it firmly behind her. Attendant maids stood at a distance all around. Only the Yu family was left inside.

“All of you rise.” Elder Yu indicated this with a gesture; his voice was not loud, yet no one dared disobey. The daughters-in-law of the Yu family all stood up quietly, and only the Yu sons remained kneeling on the floor.

Elder Yu said: “Old Fourth’s wife, Gong Shi is in your hands. Find her a solid, reliable household in the countryside and let her settle down and live quietly and properly. See that this is done cleanly.” The fourth son’s wife pressed her skirts and bowed her head respectfully: “As Father instructs — your daughter-in-law will see to it with great care.”

After so many years, the several daughters-in-law had long grown accustomed to their naively unworldly mother-in-law and their formidably capable, all-managing father-in-law. From the day they married in, they had all reported directly to Elder Yu, so responding to him came very naturally.

Yu Da Shi’s resentment had not abated; she couldn’t stop herself from voicing her objection once more: “Our family fed and clothed that ungrateful wretch for all these years, only to have her bite the hand that fed her! Father, even this is letting that vile creature off too easily! Won’t you reconsider…”

“Hold your tongue at once!” Yu Daren let out a sudden fierce shout, instantly cutting off his wife’s words. “With Father present, is there room for you to speak? Not an ounce of propriety — have you not looked at your younger brothers’ wives? How have you been conducting yourself as the eldest sister-in-law!”

Yu Da Shi’s eardrums were ringing; she stared at her husband in shock. He had never been this harsh with her before.

Beside them, Yu Si’s wife curved her lips slightly and said in an unhurried tone: “Sister-in-law, don’t be upset — Father has his reasons for handling it this way. The matter of our niece Yan Hong is a disgrace by any measure. The Gu family has been generous enough to sweep it all clean, and yet sister-in-law, you had to go and make that move.”

Her words were soft and measured, yet every sentence concealed a blade: “How could the Gu family not be on their guard after that? What if one day you’re seized by another impulse and decide our niece died unjustly, and go making demands and claims — would the Ruyuan Marquis Mansion have to swallow that insult in silence? They can hardly have the Marquis going around proclaiming to all under heaven that his former wife was unfaithful. So you see — that is why Hongxiao must be kept alive and well.”

When this matter had not yet been brought into the open, everything remained conveniently vague. But once it had been exposed, as the only remaining witness, Hongxiao could not die.

Firstly, she could not remain in the Gu household — if she did, any future testimony could be suspected of having been coerced or fabricated by the Gu family, and would lack credibility. She therefore could only be taken back by the Yu family themselves. Now, in order to avoid any suspicion of suppressing witnesses, the Yu family not only could not let Hongxiao die — quite the opposite, to demonstrate their openness and transparency, the Yu family would have to ensure Hongxiao lived on properly and well, making everything straightforward and aboveboard.

Such a simple matter, and yet Yu Da Shi had failed to grasp it even now, and still had the nerve to throw a tantrum.

“Just now your eldest brother was praising his sister-in-law for being reasonable — and now you speak to sister-in-law in this manner?”

In truth Yu Da Shi had not quite followed all of it — but this was no impediment to her own eruption. She raised her narrow, slanting eyes and fired back immediately, without the slightest flinch; but Yu Si’s wife’s expression remained perfectly composed. She only said lightly: “Sister-in-law, I’m only anxious about this. The slightest breath of wind about niece Yan Hong’s matter getting out — how are the Yu family’s unmarried daughters ever to hold their heads up in the world?”

Yu Da Shi fell instantly silent, like an engine from which the fire had gone out.

Her words were like needles piercing skin — pain cutting straight to the heart, yet not a single drop of blood showing. Yu Si’s wife continued in the same gentle, quiet voice: “Not to speak of Yan Rong and Yan Qing — even Yan Ran, who is already married, and Yan Qiao — how are they to stand firm in their husbands’ households? I say this for sister-in-law’s own sake, too: let’s not dismiss it lightly — little niece Yan Yu is young yet, but if word gets out that her own full-blooded elder sister has brought this on herself, how is she ever to find a good match?”

Yu Da Shi was struck dumb and, the next moment, gripped with a sudden terror at the thought of the consequences for her beloved youngest daughter. After these words were spoken, she bowed respectfully and took a step backward to stand beside her husband, not uttering another sound.

Elder Yu let out a faint sigh. Taking this particular eldest daughter-in-law had been the great miscalculation of his life — her mind not upright, and her wits insufficient. When he had first heard of all this, he’d gone quite a while without being able to speak, the world spinning around him — it was less anger than sheer incredulity.

To think that a man as shrewd as he had been all his life should have such a credulous and reckless fool under his own roof!

He and his wife had had four sons together — setting aside the second who had died young, the remaining three had all grown to maturity, married, and had children of their own.

The fourth was mild and unworldly by nature, devoted to music and the arts; matters of official career and financial management were as distant to him as the quest for scriptures in the Western Heavens — fortunately his fourth daughter-in-law was still capable of managing the household. The third was intelligent and talented, but had somehow acquired all the habits of a romantically aloof man of letters who looked with supreme disdain upon anyone who strove for fame and advancement — even the lice on his person carried a certain refined and lofty air. Only the eldest had inherited the ambition in his blood, yet his aspirations outstripped his abilities. He had never excelled at his studies, nor distinguished himself as an official, and had lingered perpetually in the middling ranks of fifth and sixth grade.

Elder Yu had long practiced the Taoist path of following natural circumstance, knowing full well that success in officialdom also required a certain innate aptitude — some people could be taught and would learn, while others could be taught endlessly and it would come to nothing. Since none of his sons were made of that particular material, he had not forced them. If heaven were willing and a few talented grandchildren should emerge, then the Yu family might yet flourish. If not, peace and safety were their own blessing. In any case, with his own accumulated prestige and his eldest son’s official rank, the children and grandchildren could at least expect a comfortable and leisurely life of modest prosperity back home.

“A thousand-mile embankment collapses for want of an anthill; the governance of a household rests with the grandchildren, and its foundations lie in the inner quarters.” Elder Yu leaned back in the master’s chair, his frame looking ever more aged, and sighed: “Had the children been raised with proper care from the beginning — their characters shaped, their ways corrected and guided along the right path — how could this calamity have come to pass today? Fortunately, the Sheng family’s Old Madam and the Madam of the Gu Mansion have something of an old acquaintance. If the Ruyuan Marquis Mansion harbored resentment and the two families became enemies, who among you could withstand the disasters that would come beating at the door once I am gone?!”

At these words from their aged father, all three sons kowtowed in acknowledgment. Yu Daren in particular was already weeping openly, and crawled forward on his knees to embrace his father’s legs, sobbing: “Father’s teaching, your son will engrave upon his heart — never again will he dare act rashly. Your son has been unfilial, failing to keep his wife in check, listening to others’ goading and carrying out foolish deeds. And causing your younger brothers to share in this humiliation as well — your son… your son truly has no face to be the eldest brother. I only beg Father to take care of his health, and allow your son to mend his ways and be a filial son to you!”

As he spoke, he kowtowed repeatedly, the sound of his forehead striking the stone floor ringing out: thud after thud. The second and fourth sons also pressed their foreheads to the ground beside him. Their wives, seeing this, could only kneel down once more. Elder Yu patted his eldest son’s shoulder; seeing that the man’s forehead was already bruised and turning purple, with the faint trace of blood showing, he could not bear to continue watching, and could only let out a long sigh.

Yu Da Shi, for all her lack of great intelligence, had quick ears for the drift of words. She heard that her father-in-law was implicitly censuring her; though she knelt obediently enough, inwardly she was full of grievance. She drew out her handkerchief and pressed it to her face in a pantomime of weeping: “It is your daughter-in-law who has been unfilial! Knowing full well the Gu family was a wolves’ den, I still forced Yan Hong to marry into it — so young, and yet a life was lost! Well, so be it — at least Yan Ran is living well now. This ill-fated child — consider it that she blocked a calamity on behalf of her elder sister…”

Elder Yu heard this and his face went the color of iron. These words were a direct accusation that he had been partial — thinking only of Yan Ran’s future happiness while disregarding whether Yan Hong lived or died. Yu Daren could endure no more; he leaped to his feet and brought a palm down in a sharp, resounding slap across his wife’s face, then raged at her: “You vile woman! How dare you speak such nonsense?! The match with the Gu family was obviously my fault — I let pig-fat cloud my own judgment and brought it on myself. What does it have to do with Father? That wretched creature dishonored the family name — her death was entirely deserved! Even if she hadn’t died in the Gu household, she should have come home to end it with a white cord!”

Yu Da Shi, her hand pressed to her face, was struck completely dumb where she stood and could not speak.

Yu Daren continued to rage: “And how dare you bring up Yan Ran! If it had been her — would she have thrown away her virtue after merely a few months of being neglected? With my daughter Yan Ran’s honest, virtuous, and patient nature, even if she had suffered a temporary grievance, she would have endured it and let it pass. In just four more years, when her husband returned from his post, would it not all have been settled happily? No — it is you, you! A mother who fails to teach her daughter bears the blame. And now you dare not repent?”

In truth what was driving him was the thought that had Yan Hong not made this blunder, even if husband and wife had remained cold toward each other, the position of first wife — steadfastly held through years alone in an empty chamber — would have been secure. And now, with Gu Tingye firmly wielding power and prestige, all that wealth and fortune had slipped through their fingers — and his chest was swollen with bitter regret.

No one knows a son better than his father. Looking at his eldest son’s profile where the veins stood out in his temples, Elder Yu knew perfectly well what was going through his mind, and felt half contemptuous and half ruefully amused — though he couldn’t be bothered to say any more about it. He simply waved his hand: “Enough. All of you go back — keep the mouths of those around you shut tight, so you don’t end up bringing harm down upon your own daughters.”

Seeing that the elder master was exhausted, they all offered their respects and filed out together. As they crossed the threshold, the second and fourth sons exchanged a glance, together briefly casting their eyes toward their eldest brother ahead, then the two couples looked at each other with a shared, barely perceptible press of the lips and walked on with bowed heads.

Yu Da Shi was the replacement wife the eldest son had taken while serving at his post; she had not served long under her parents-in-law and did not fully grasp the measure of Elder Yu’s capabilities. Yet both she and her husband were perceptive people, and they knew full well in their hearts that their eldest brother was clouded with rage right now and hadn’t thought things through clearly. Seeing that the eldest sister-in-law had now brought about such a serious calamity, it would actually have been better if Elder Yu had handed down a severe punishment at once. But instead, the old father had questioned and questioned the eldest throughout the night, and never once issued a word about how to handle the eldest daughter-in-law.

The eldest branch of the family, they feared, was in for serious trouble.

After the children had all gone out, Elder Yu rose wearily and walked into the inner room. He found his wife sitting on the edge of the bed, weeping soundlessly. He moved over and sat beside her, and said gently: “Stay out of this matter — your health is poor, and I don’t want you to fall ill before I’ve even drawn my last breath.”

His wife wept until her eyes were swollen: “It is all my fault for being an unfit wife — I’ve failed to teach the children properly, and here you are still worrying about things at your age.”

Elder Yu said with a rueful smile: “What parent in this world can give a child their body and also give them their mind? Children grow up and make their own choices — we parents need only do our duty, and that is enough.”

His wife choked: “Can this matter… be smoothly resolved? I’ve heard that the Marquis Gu is not an easy man to deal with.”

Elder Yu patted his wife’s back, doing his best to reassure her: “Rest easy — if that Ruyuan Second Son Gu had intended to pick a quarrel with the Yu family, he would not have sent Gong Shi back.” His wife had always trusted her husband, and with her husband’s words now spoken she asked no further questions. She pressed her handkerchief to her face to dry her tears, and said with a smile: “Indeed — didn’t you say the tea transport permit for the Duan family was something he helped arrange? I can see he’s a clear-headed man.”

“Clear-headed! What more does one want of him! He was made a cuckold and yet harbored no old grudges — that was already more than gracious enough. And they dared to go to his door and pull that trick! ” Elder Yu stood up and walked slowly in circles around the room, wishing only that he were not old and frail — otherwise he would have personally administered the family’s punishment and given his eldest a thorough beating himself. “When I first learned that the Marquis had arranged the tea permit on the Duan family’s behalf, I still thought nothing of it — felt it was only right and proper. But now I am so ashamed I could not stand it! Look at how cleanly and precisely that business was handled — complete in duty and compassion to the last, so that even if the matter were to come to light in the future, not a single fault could be pointed at him. Every step you take must account for the steps that follow — and then look at our own worthless wretches…”

The more Elder Yu thought about it, the angrier he became, a surge of heat rising in his chest; he couldn’t help but lay some blame on his wife: “You as well — how could you listen to what the eldest daughter-in-law said, and actually allow her to go and cause a scene at the Gu household?”

His wife twisted her hands in helpless shame: “I was muddled — but… how could I…” She lowered her voice: “That Daoist priest insisted with certainty that only a joyous event to balance the bad luck would work. If it would make you well again, I would walk into the halls of the underworld itself without fear.”

Elder Yu didn’t have the heart to lose his temper with his wife; he stood by the table, stamping his foot repeatedly, and raged: “The eldest daughter-in-law’s motives I understand perfectly — was it not simply that she saw the child’s birth mother was a woman from the opera world, and thought that if the child truly inherited the earldom, he would need her branch of the family to come in and add some respectability!”

His wife was also taken aback: “But she’s lost her mind too — how could she act rashly in something like this? Did she think the Marquis Gu was so easily fooled? If she provoked him into fury, he’d uproot the entire family — and then what would she have left to take advantage of?”

Elder Yu loudly agreed, and thereupon cursed more freely than ever: “A foolish woman from the inner quarters being muddled is one thing — but our wretch is the greater idiot, he only knows how to listen to his wife! I said it years ago — he has soft ears, he wavers when facing decisions, his character lacks firmness, and he fails to judge matters clearly. He was simply not made to be an official! At the time he still wouldn’t accept it — he sulked and complained that his old father wouldn’t lend him support. With that level of ability and capability, if he’d truly been assigned a major task and carried a major responsibility, he’d have been picked clean to the bone!”

His eldest son had a thousand failings, but reckless misbehavior was not one of them — and the reason he had felt at ease sending him to a post away from home was precisely because he was the timid and compliant type, and with a learned and virtuous wife beside him, even if he showed no particular achievements, he would at least avoid catastrophe. But it was Yan Ran’s birth mother who had lacked sufficient fortune and died young — and the replacement wife that had filled her place was defective goods. Not only narrow-minded and dim-witted, but fond of goading her husband into action.

“Have Yan Yu brought to your room afterward — you will raise and educate the child yourself.” Elder Yu stopped still and gave the instruction in a grave tone.

His wife looked up, her eyes uncertain: “You mean… the eldest daughter-in-law…” She might have been guileless all her life, but she knew the ruthlessness with which her husband acted. Elder Yu said evenly: “She is a source of harm — she cannot be kept.”

Once the decision was made, the Yu family moved swiftly. First, Elder Yu’s wife chose a comfortable day, prepared a generous gift, and went to call on the Sheng family’s Old Madam. After a sincerely remorseful round of apologies, the Old Madam, who understood her nature — gentle to the point of softness, gentle to the point of frailty, a woman who had spent her whole life depending on her husband’s lead — saw no point in further reproach. After a good deal of tearful lamentation, the two old friends could only make their peace.

Two days later, the fourth son’s wife prepared another generous gift and presented herself at the Ruyuan Marquis Mansion to see Minglan, and proceeded to deliver a thorough and earnest apology.

The fourth son’s wife was a person of elegant and unworldly disposition, not one for getting entangled in such matters — but Elder Yu’s instructions compelled her, and so she came. She stumbled through her apology, stuttering and faltering, so mortified she was nearly on the verge of tears. Minglan had no intention of resenting people who had known nothing of it anyway; in order to stop the fourth sister-in-law from continuing to apologize, she quickly called for Tuan Ge’er to be brought out as a rescue.

Tuan Ge’er had just finished nursing and smelled sweetly of milk all over; freshly dug out from his warm wrappings, he was nodding and wobbling in the wet nurse’s arms. The moment this bleary, white, round, plump little bundle appeared, the fourth sister-in-law’s tears turned to a smile on the spot. She cuddled and cooed over him, then looked up at Minglan: “What a beautiful little baby — good people truly do receive good fortune. You are a blessed child.” After handing the baby back to the nursemaid, she reached down from beneath her skirts and undid a pure gold pixiu charm: “Your fourth uncle had this blessed by a senior monk during a visit to Cloud Glow Mountain at the start of the year — put it on the child for good luck.”

Minglan took it and looked it over, smiling: “When it comes to Fourth Aunt’s kind intentions, I never stand on ceremony.” While calling to Danju to go and fetch a brocade pouch for the gold pixiu, she also smiled and said: “I still remember from when I was small — Fourth Aunt’s finest pulled-sugar sweets, melted down and made into caramel-glazed cherries. Elder Sister Yan Ran could never quite get a mouthful ahead of me.” The fourth sister-in-law laughed out loud: “The two of you! If you loved them so much, I could have sent some home with you — why did you both insist on fighting over them!” Minglan pretended to sulk: “But Aunt doesn’t know — snatched food always tastes better.”

This exchange at last eased the atmosphere. The fourth sister-in-law spoke of Yan Ran next, and Minglan smiled: “In Yan Ran’s most recent letter she talked about cultivating camellia plants — quite the expert she’s become, really something.” The fourth sister-in-law let out a laugh: “How unexpected. Father was always afraid she would take after her fourth uncle and have no head for household affairs, and so never allowed her to lose herself in flowers and birds and insects. It turns out all that effort was for nothing.”

“In truth Elder Sister Yan Ran greatly admires Fourth Uncle — she only held back because the Elder Yu was watching.”

The two of them laughed heartily. Speaking of Elder Yu reminded the fourth sister-in-law of her task for the day; she steeled herself and finally spoke: “My sister-in-law — the day before yesterday, she was… dismissed by Father-in-law back to her family.”

Minglan was genuinely surprised; the expression on her face was peculiar, somewhere between astonishment and something else — surely not? Had Tuan Ge’er’s father truly predicted this?

The fourth sister-in-law said with difficulty: “The charge cited for the dismissal was one of the seven grounds for divorce — disrespect of in-laws: failure to tend adequately during illness, as well as defiance of elders.”

This was an unassailable charge, and one delivered personally by her own parents-in-law — it would be nearly impossible to argue against. Even the marriage of the lady Tang Wan had been destroyed by this very clause. Minglan stammered: “But how… what about Yu Daren… won’t this offend his wife’s family?”

The fourth sister-in-law recounted the matter quietly: “At first eldest brother refused, but Father-in-law was absolutely resolved, and eldest brother could only comply. As for the wife’s family — well, after eldest sister-in-law’s birth father passed away, she had long since largely stopped maintaining ties with her family.”

Yu Da Shi was a concubine’s daughter; she had been given to Yu Daren in marriage because her birth mother had been favored. But the current head of her family was the legitimate eldest son, and the relationship between half-siblings had been poor for years — being sent back home in disgrace was the end of everything.

“Father-in-law was truly furious this time — he even had a memorial of impeachment written out against eldest brother for unfilial conduct.” The fourth sister-in-law lowered her voice. These past few days the Yu household had been in nothing short of a tempest — waves crashing and surging ten thousand feet high.

Elder Yu was a man of absolute resolve, who had managed every affair both inside and outside the household for decades with an iron hand, never showing any leniency toward the inner quarters. Yu Da Shi had at last experienced the methods her father-in-law had once used against his political opponents. She collapsed on the spot with fright, rolling on the floor and wailing to heaven and earth, now begging for mercy, now threatening to take her own life. Elder Yu did not so much as lift an eyelid. He simply had the matrons bind her up and carry her into a carriage and send her away, telling her that if she wanted to die, she could die elsewhere. Then Elder Yu called in Yu Da Shi’s children and, as though nothing had happened at all, addressed them with a warm and smiling face, gently instructing them that from now on they would live in their grandparents’ quarters.

This son and daughter — one fifteen, one twelve — had just opened their mouths to say a few words in their mother’s defense, when they heard Elder Yu say lightly: “Any Yu family grandchild henceforth found to be disrespecting family rules and defying their elders will similarly be expelled from the household.” Their personal matrons immediately hustled them away. One should note that between legitimate and concubine-born grandsons, the Yu family had more than a full dozen — they could well spare the two of them. As for Yu Daren himself, by this point his hands and feet had gone limp and he could only tremble.

“Right now, Father-in-law has asked eldest brother’s wife to go through the eldest sister-in-law’s dowry list item by item — not a single thing is to be missing, all to be sealed and kept in storage. If she comes to claim it, it will be returned to her. If not, it will go to her son and daughter.” Were it to be sent back to her family straightaway, her eldest brother would very likely swallow it all up on the spot.

Thinking of how thoroughly Elder Yu had arranged everything, and wondering how long in advance he had been quietly working it all out in his mind, the fourth sister-in-law shuddered with lingering unease — she hadn’t expected that this mild and kind old gentleman, when he finally struck, would strike so absolutely.

Minglan fell into a prolonged silence. When she had been in Dengzhou, she had once admiringly praised Elder Yu for being so genial and kind. Master Zhuang had smiled and said a single sentence: “The more thoroughly cultivated a person is, the less trace they leave.” On reflection, that was precisely right — anyone who had made a success of life in official circles, how many of them had truly been vegetarians?

“This has all been brought about by matters in our own household — that the Yu family has been so unsettled on account of it is something I truly feel bad about.” In truth she didn’t feel bad about it in the least, but such things still had to be said.

The fourth sister-in-law hurried to reassure her: “Don’t think that way — the Yu family is entirely in the wrong toward you! Father said that eldest sister-in-law was a source of harm and he feared eldest brother might be goaded again into doing something that would bring ruin to the whole family. Eldest brother argued a few words on his wife’s behalf, saying she had only wanted him to advance step by step in his career and so forth — Father was so furious he invoked the family rules and gave eldest brother a thorough…” She caught herself at once; fearing Minglan might read too much into it, she had been defending the family with great urgency, and in her haste had blurted out even the fact that the eldest had been beaten.

Minglan smiled: “With higher rank comes greater fortune, and greater entanglement; with lower rank comes lesser fortune, and lesser consequence. The Elder has the heart of a devoted father — Yu Daren will understand it in time.” As the saying went, if one doesn’t have a diamond drill, one shouldn’t take on porcelain work. And Yu Daren didn’t even have a bronze drill — he was at best a product of the New Stone Age. To have truly shattered an expensive and precious piece of porcelain, causing the clan to be wiped out and heads to roll, would not have been a pleasant matter at all.

“Exactly right — that is precisely Father-in-law’s thinking.” The fourth sister-in-law said cheerfully. “At the time, Father-in-law had barely recovered from his illness when he heard that eldest sister-in-law had come to your household, and he was furious beyond measure — he punished eldest sister-in-law by making her kneel through the night, and intended once his health had improved further, to come in person to make his apologies to the Marquis. But then, once he learned the full details of what had happened, he felt she could not be let off lightly any longer.”

The two of them chatted a little longer about household matters. The fourth sister-in-law said: “In a while we will be heading back to Dengzhou — the matter of Hongxiao, Father has entrusted to me. Rest easy.” Minglan gave a faint nod. “With Fourth Aunt handling things, how could I not be at ease? I only wonder — has the Elder’s health fully recovered? If not, it would be better to remain in the capital and recuperate a while longer.”

The fourth sister-in-law looked embarrassed; she was genuinely reluctant to speak of these things, but Elder Yu had made it clear that the Gu household must be informed. She had no choice but to say, coughing as she went: “Ahem — as for that… Father and Mother are not returning to Dengzhou. They say that as eldest son, it is only right that he should care for his parents. In the future they will follow eldest brother to whatever post he is assigned — and after a time, ahem ahem, they will make arrangements for him to take a new wife.”

Minglan’s mouth twitched at the corner, and suddenly she found she had nothing further to say.

After seeing the fourth sister-in-law off, she returned to her room to find Tuan Ge’er awake; the wet nurse was holding up a rattle-drum to amuse him, and the little ball of flesh was stretching his hands out in earnest effort to grab it, laughing until he drooled. His bright, clear eyes swiveled around, and catching sight of his mother, he immediately broke into happy babbling. The wet nurse rose to bow in greeting, her round face looking very honest and simple, and added with a smile: “The young master can recognize people now — he knew his mother had come.”

Minglan sat on the bed with the child in her arms and leaned in to kiss his chubby cheek — only to get a mouthful of drool. She wiped it off with a handkerchief, sighed, and felt a touch of deflation. The previous night Tuan Ge’er’s father had told her that the fate of Yu Da Shi would likely be either “death by illness” or being sent back in divorce — and that Yu Daren would swiftly take a new wife.

At the time, Minglan had quite naturally let out a heartfelt exclamation of admiration: “Advisor Gongsun is truly remarkable — even this he could see as clearly as though through a mirror.”

Gu Tingye had corrected her: “It was not Advisor Gongsun who said this — it was my own assessment.”

Minglan put on the shameless expression of someone who judges by brand name rather than quality, setting her small face with great seriousness: “But Yu Da Shi, whatever her faults, has been a member of the household for years and given the Yu family children. Even setting aside the monk’s feelings, one must consider the temple — and besides, Yu Daren has always been so protective of her. When she schemed against Elder Sister Yan Ran back then, the Elder himself had thought to send her away — and in the end, wasn’t it still left unresolved? The Marquis is a military strategist and a battlefield commander — what would he know about these affairs of the inner quarters?”

Gu Tingye raised an eyebrow and teased her with a smile: “In the art of warfare, the crux lies in reading the enemy’s mind. Strategy and calculation require anticipating one’s opponent from afar. If even affairs from a thousand li away must be accounted for, how much more so a minor household matter.”

The man had been in an exceptionally good temper of late; Minglan grew reckless with her tongue and teased back with a laugh: “Perhaps I should weave the Marquis a feather fan — it would complete the look.” You’re already dropping a couple of lines of wisdom and fancying yourself Zhuge Liang, are you?

Gu Tingye didn’t bother arguing the point — just smiled and tossed out a single remark: “The Madam will just have to wait and see.”

Very well. And now she had seen. Working backward from the result to the process: Elder Yu had at first still been willing to tolerate his eldest daughter-in-law, and so had punished her severely and planned to come personally and make his apologies. But when he learned of the full scandal, and that his eldest daughter-in-law had actually dared to come to the Gu household and attempt a swindle, he knew that a face-to-face conversation with Gu Tingye to clear the air was no longer possible — it would have to be settled privately, between women. At that point, a verbal apology alone was no longer sufficient; the Yu family would have to draw some blood.

Naturally, given the eldest daughter-in-law’s own conduct, she indeed could not be kept. Once Yu Daren took a new wife, even if the Yu family’s two elders passed away in the future, there would be no path back for Yu Da Shi. Besides, her hold over her husband was not necessarily so enduring — a man with soft ears is susceptible to influence from anyone. Once a new wife entered the household, one could hardly expect Yu Daren to remain loyal to his old one.

Gu Tingye was in the prime of his years, while the Yu family’s situation was uncertain and declining. So if the Yu family was going to apologize at all, the apology had to satisfy the Gu household thoroughly. As long as Minglan still cherished the old friendship, and with ten or twenty years’ time, the two families might yet have a chance of being on good terms again.

Under Advisor Gongsun’s professional mentorship, Tuan Ge’er’s father had clearly been making measurable progress. Minglan hugged the little ball of flesh and buried her face in the pillow, pressing her cheek against his small, chubby one, and whispered to him in a conspiratorial tone: “Tuan, do you think — that tiny little error of your mother’s, your father has probably forgotten about it by now, hasn’t he?”

The ball of flesh blew two bubbles of drool, expressing his contempt.

That evening, she made a special effort to prepare a table of fine dishes, and attended with great attentiveness to helping Gu Tingye out of his court robes and court hat, and then brought the plump little son out to delight him. Having eaten and slept well for the entire afternoon, Tuan Ge’er was in excellent spirits now, wriggling about in his father’s arms. Gu Tingye’s arms were strong and powerful, holding him securely enough that there was no fear of any amount of squirming.

Gu Tingye glanced without expression at the somewhat guilty-looking certain person, his face betraying neither amusement nor displeasure. With great composure he removed a small, chubby hand that was practically going into his mouth, then drew the little hand over to feel his stubble. The short stubble was prickly and ticklish to the touch, and Tuan Ge’er seemed to find it entertaining; he kept reaching out to feel it, giggling all the while. His small hands were growing more agile by the day, and his grip was not inconsiderable — Minglan never dared wear earrings when holding him, for fear he would grab them and yank. When he seized his father’s hair hanging over his shoulder and pulled with force, Minglan clearly caught a brief flash of pain across Gu Tingye’s face — but for the sake of maintaining his dignity, he kept his expression steady as a poker face.

Minglan lowered her head and smiled secretly. Serves you right for putting on airs.

By the time the dining table was set, Minglan sent the wet nurse to take Tuan Ge’er down so Gu Tingye could eat in peace. But Tuan Ge’er was in the midst of playing happily, one hand clutching a lock of Gu Tingye’s hair, the other clinging to Gu Tingye’s collar, his little face flushed red as he absolutely refused to leave. Ordinarily, the task of prying his fingers open would naturally fall to Minglan — but right now she was tucking in her neck and playing innocent. The wet nurse hadn’t the nerve either, and things came to a standstill.

At this moment Tuan Ge’er was very like an unweaned little animal — when it came to recognizing people he relied mostly on scent, and Gu Tingye’s presence was particularly strong; Tuan Ge’er was especially attached to him. Watching his son burrow into his arms just like a nursing puppy, Gu Tingye’s paternal tenderness overflowed at once. He decided to hold the child in one arm and wield his chopsticks with the other, while Minglan fawned with a flattering smile, serving dishes and ladling soup, being thoroughly obliging.