The county magistrate’s assistant, concerned that Chu Huaisheng might not fully understand, patiently elaborated once more: “The young ladies studying in that women’s academy are all descendants of national dukes and daughters of princes! Today I was there assisting the prefect with the reception, and I saw with my own eyes that your third daughter was truly in her element — on excellent terms with all those noble young ladies. The daughter of Duke Yingguo herself was holding Chu Linlang’s hand and laughing and chatting with her, eating and drinking together.”

There was also a sentence the county magistrate’s assistant left unspoken: just how does this Chu Linlang manage to have such connections?

Some time ago, he had actually received an official document from the Ministry of Finance, instructing him to assist this Chu Niangzi in properly transferring ownership of her shop, and to ensure no outside interference. At the time the county magistrate’s assistant had been puzzled as to what the document meant — but not until the Chu family caused this scene did he understand that Chu Huaisheng was the very “outside party” in question!

So as long as one was not foolish, one knew exactly which side to be on.

Having said all of this, the county magistrate’s assistant offered a word of sincere counsel: “Master Chu, we are old friends, so let me give you a word of advice — within your family, it is this concubine-born daughter who has connections reaching up to the heavens. Given Chu Niangzi’s wits and capabilities, the idea of you, as her father, taking advantage of her for nothing — that is bound to be a scalding mouthful you will not be able to swallow. When a family is at peace, all things prosper. If you cannot behave like a proper father, how can you expect your daughter to fulfill her filial duty?”

With that, the county magistrate’s assistant had no desire to linger. After all, so many distinguished guests had arrived in the area, and he had no time to waste idle words on a merchant who exploited his own daughter.

Chu Huaisheng was momentarily dazed. He turned and looked at his second daughter, Chu Jinyu. “What — how — how did this come about? How did Chu Linlang end up in school alongside noble young ladies?”

Chu Jinyu was similarly bewildered. The news she had originally heard was clearly that Chu Linlang, unable to bear children, had been divorced by Zhou Sui’an and had left with nothing. It was only after third sister had gone and caused a scene at the Zhou household that she had barely managed to retrieve two shops.

Chu Linlang was a married woman on her own — without a solid footing in the capital — and apparently had even gone off to serve as a live-in housekeeper for some fifth-rank Court of Judicial Review junior official.

All in all, a proper official’s wife who had sunk to such depths — truly humiliating!

So how was it that within just a few months, she had come sailing back in the company of a group of noble young ladies, aboard a government vessel with a military escort, returning home in such glory?

This question, however, soon had someone answering it on her behalf. At that very moment, there came a loud knock at the door again.

The gatekeeper opened it and found that it was the second son-in-law — the honorable Master Zheng — who had gone to the capital on official business and been tasked with bringing Chu Linlang back.

Zheng Biao was dressed in his naval military uniform, and his expression was not pleasant.

Seeing him return, Chu Jinyu was just what she needed, and hurried over to ask: “Husband, you are back? Did you see third sister?”

Chu Jinyu meant to ask whether Zheng Biao had seen Chu Linlang leaving the house as he arrived.

But Master Zheng mistakenly understood his wife to be asking whether he had managed to catch the woman back in the capital.

As it turned out, Zheng Biao had originally received orders from his superiors to escort the female students of the capital’s women’s academy on their boat excursion, and had also, as a side errand given by his father-in-law, gone to the capital to apprehend his concubine-born sister-in-law who had left her husband.

It should have been simple enough, and his father-in-law had also promised to give him a bit of compensation for the trouble. He was happy enough to drag that unfortunate woman back.

But who could have expected that once he arrived in the capital, he spent considerable effort tracking down Chu Linlang’s whereabouts, going one by one to every residence she had ever lived at, until he finally traced her to the Deputy Minister’s official residence.

Standing before the stone lions at the gate of the Deputy Minister’s residence, Zheng Biao already felt a chill of apprehension, wondering whether barging into an official’s home to seize a person was inviting trouble onto himself.

By the time he found out that Chu Niangzi had already given her notice and left, he breathed a long sigh of relief.

But then the demands of his official duties kept him occupied, and he had no time to continue searching for the person. He could only return to the docks to fulfill his assignment, and wait to escort the distinguished party on their departure.

Not until Zheng Biao caught a glimpse from a distance of Chu Linlang standing at the bow of the ship chatting and laughing with a group of noble young ladies, was he struck once again with astonishment.

He then inquired and discovered that these noble young ladies on the vessel were none other than the very party his naval unit was assigned to escort this time — and that Chu Niangzi was herself a student of the Ronglin Women’s Academy.

Only then did he fully grasp that his sister-in-law had sky-high connections and remarkable capabilities!

A merchant’s concubine-born daughter — and yet she could stand beside the future Empress, the daughter of the illustrious Tao family, laughing and conversing as equals.

The thought of what would have happened had he listened to his wife and his fool of a father-in-law and charged in to seize the woman — would that not have brought down some catastrophic trouble on his head?

All the way on the return journey, Zheng Biao had wanted to exchange a few words with his sister-in-law, say hello — but had found no opportunity.

Because the escort soldiers protecting the vessel were not permitted near the ladies’ boat without a token of passage, and could only remain on the military ships.

By the time they finally arrived, Chu Linlang had disappeared without a trace, he knew not where.

Master Zheng figured she had probably gone back to the Chu family home, and so, seizing a moment between guard shifts, had hurried back — lest his foolish wife, following her father-in-law’s lead, do something stupid and needlessly offend her own younger sister.

And then the first thing his wife said upon his entering the door was to ask whether he had caught the woman.

Master Zheng, thinking of how he had worn out his two legs running about the capital searching, all for nothing, and had nearly offended someone and ruined his career on top of it, immediately felt a surge of blind fury.

He was accustomed to striking people at home. In such a foul mood, he reflexively dealt Chu Jinyu a slap across the face, while his mouth ran foul: “What are you staring at! The blasted assignment nearly worked me to death!”

Chu Jinyu had never expected that this man would hit her without even sorting out who was right and who was wrong — and right here on her own family’s property, no less!

The resentment that had long been building inside her surged up. Emboldened by being on her own home ground, she refused to yield, leaping up to claw at Master Zheng’s face while crying out: “Why did you come in the door and start hitting people?!”

Zheng Biao had not expected his usually submissive wife to suddenly fight back. He was caught off guard as she clawed a line of scratches across his face. Stung with pain, he raised his leg to kick her.

But the elder Madam came rushing over to shield her daughter, and was instead sent staggering backward by her own son-in-law’s kick to the stomach, crying out in pain as she fell to the ground.

At just that moment, Chu Renfeng came stumbling home reeking of alcohol with two dissolute companions, took one look at his mother knocked to the ground, let out a shout of rage, grabbed a carrying pole by the door, and went for his second brother-in-law.

In an instant, the Chu family’s main hall erupted into screaming chaos, with cries of divorce ringing out unceasing.

Chu Huaisheng had never expected the family to plunge so suddenly into complete havoc — and in the blink of an eye at that. A perfectly good dinner had barely been touched before his second son-in-law had sent the whole table flying.

—

Meanwhile, Chu Linlang had taken her mother to the medical clinic to have the burns treated, and also had the doctor take her mother’s pulse.

The doctor said that Sun Shi appeared to have been eating poorly, with a deficiency in her vital energy and blood. On top of that, she had recently caught a chill from the wind, with persistent, unresolved internal stagnation, and a mild cough — she needed to properly rest and take her medicine.

After the doctor wrote out the prescription, Chu Linlang could not bring her mother to the guesthouse where the noble young ladies from the academy were staying, so she found a guest inn in the town and booked a room.

Sun Shi’s mind was full of worry over her daughter’s falling out with Chu Huaisheng, and she was consumed with distress.

Between soft coughs, she asked Linlang whether she should go back and apologize to Chu Huaisheng.

Chu Linlang was in the middle of applying medicine to her mother’s neck when she heard this. She simply said, with total unconcern: “I do not depend on him to live, so what does it matter whether he forgives me or not?”

Linlang’s pale, delicate skin had been inherited from Sun Shi, but now Sun Fu’s snow-white neck had been scalded a vivid crimson.

Linlang was heartbroken. She regretted it now — back in the Chu household, why had she thrown only one slipper?

She ought to have tipped what remained of that pot of soup directly over Chu Huaisheng’s head.

In addition to the fresh burns, Sun Shi bore a roughened brand scar on her right shoulder.

Her mother had told her — this was from when she was a child and had been abducted by traffickers. When the children who had been taken were to be divided among several brokers, the buyers would pick who they wanted, then use a small iron brand to mark their selections on the chosen children’s shoulders before loading them onto boats, so as to avoid confusion.

Some received one mark, some two — exactly like branding animals in a pen.

Her mother had been beautiful, and so she had been chosen by the madam of a pleasure boat. The brand mark she received was lighter than most, but it was still an indelible mark of shame on her shoulder.

Now, the old scar had yet to fade, and new injury had been added — her mother’s shoulder and neck bore yet more burns and blisters.

Linlang’s letters from her mother over the years had always reported only the good and concealed the bad. But now, no matter what her mother said about things being fine at the Chu household, Linlang would never believe it again.

That whole family — the elder Madam was jealous and calculating, and Chu Huaisheng was mercenary and cold-hearted.

And now her troublemaking second elder sister had come back home to visit. If her mother returned there, what good could possibly come of it?

She said to her mother: “I now have a residence of my own in the capital. After I sell the two shops here in Jiangkou, there will be no more business keeping me here. This time I have come back specifically to bring you with me — from now on, we will not return here.”

Sun Fu had spent every day in tears since hearing that Zhou Sui’an had cast off her daughter, and now to hear her daughter say she was going to take her along, she was even more alarmed. “You are taking me? Would I not be even more of a burden than a dead weight? How would you ever remarry with me in tow? No — I am already useless. I cannot drag you down any further! Besides, if I do not go back, your father will just keep making trouble for you.”

As she spoke, she rose to leave — she would go back and endure Chu Huaisheng’s torrent of abuse herself; anything was better than ruining her daughter’s future.

Chu Linlang pressed her mother back down and held her hands — her mother’s hands, which had grown rough with thin calluses. Ever since Sun Shi had aged past the peak of her beauty, she had been put to every manner of rough work in the Chu household, more like the household’s hired help than anything else.

Her mother was frail and helpless, but she had always been trying to protect her in her own way.

“Mother, listen to me. From the day I married, I never relied on any man to keep me. So even as a divorced woman, I have no need of a man to give me my meals. As for whether you come to live with me or not — that has nothing to do with whether I marry or not. And if there ever comes a day when I have lost my mind completely and decide to marry again, any man who cannot accommodate my own mother — what use would I have for him?”

Sun Shi looked at her daughter in a daze. She did not know how Linlang had gotten through those bitter days after the separation, but she could see that her daughter now looked so radiant and full of life — it really seemed as though she had managed perfectly well all on her own.

Chu Linlang knew that her mother had a timid and yielding nature, so there was no need for her mother to step in — she would handle the negotiations with Chu Huaisheng herself.

As for the pretext, she had already thought of one while at the doctor’s.

She would simply have the doctor tell the Chu household that Sun Shi had a serious illness — that treatment and medicine would be costly and drawn out over a long time.

Knowing Chu Huaisheng as she did, the three words “costs money” alone would be more than enough to make him let go, and he would practically shove her mother out the door rather than waste any more food on her.

However, her mother’s deed of ownership was in Chu Huaisheng’s possession. If it were not retrieved, he would always have a hold over her mother for as long as she lived, and would pop up from time to time to use her mother as leverage and stir up trouble.

So bringing her mother away was not the difficult part — but how to obtain that deed of ownership was the true problem.

The other noble young ladies from the academy, under the arrangements of the local officials, had set out the following day to tour the mountains and scenic spots. Chu Linlang had not gone along — she had not come back to Jiangkou for pleasure.

Chu Linlang watched the elder Madam’s uneasy expression and continued to describe the seriousness of the concubine’s illness. As she spoke, her eyes began to redden.

After all, just a few days ago, the concubine had been punished by the master and made to kneel in the courtyard, and had fainted from hunger.

Chu Jinyu was inclined to refuse, but looking at the amount, she truly could not bring herself to do so.

These words gave the elder Madam such a fright that she kept waving her hands frantically, sobbing that she needed to wash her face.

However, both managers immediately said they wished to follow her to the capital.

And the elder Madam rushed to wash her face, then looked down at her blood-splattered clothing — it was revolting beyond description, and her expression was as grim as if she had stepped in something vile.

Although both of them had taken some care with their appearance before coming out, Chu Jinyu’s face bore the marks of bruising, and the elder Madam walked with a slight limp — clearly both bearing the aftereffects of the domestic brawl in the household that day.

Dongxue stifled a laugh, brought over water, and let the elder Madam wash her face.

Chu Linlang could see that the elder Madam did not believe her, and when she suggested seeing Sun Shi and taking her back to the Chu household at the same time, Linlang simply smiled, then led them both to the guest inn where she was staying temporarily.

Their managers and shop assistants all shared in the shop’s profits and bonuses — so with an opportunity like this before them, why would they not seize it with both hands?

Chu Linlang having connections that reached all the way up to the heavens was a good thing — but those connections ought also to be of use to the Chu family.

Just before the elder Madam and the others came in, Xia He had slipped the fish blood bladder into Sun Shi’s mouth and painted her face with a sallow yellow tint.

What Chu Linlang was asking for was not, in truth, a particularly difficult thing at all — it was nothing more than releasing an old concubine. Even selling Sun Shi to a broker would not fetch as much as this! She ought to make as much of it as she could now, while she had the chance — if the master came back, this money would not fall into her hands!

“Mother, listen carefully. Since the day I married out, I have never depended on a man to keep me. So even as a divorced woman, I have no need of a man to provide for me. As for whether you come to live with me or not, that has nothing to do with whether I remarry. And if there ever comes a day I have lost my senses and decide to remarry, any man who cannot accommodate my own mother — what use would I have for him?”

Sun Shi looked at her daughter blankly. She did not know how Linlang had made it through those hard days after the separation, but she could see that her daughter now looked radiant and glowing. She truly seemed to have done perfectly well on her own.

Chu Linlang knew her mother had a timid nature, so she handled the negotiations with Chu Huaisheng herself.

The shop-selling business was something she had arranged in advance, with interested buyers already making inquiries early on.

She used a handkerchief soaked in chili oil to dab at the corners of her eyes, and the tears came readily.

Over the preceding days, guided by the manager, she had met with several buyers in turn. After comparing prices, Chu Linlang had signed contracts with the highest bidder and exchanged the banknotes.

Watching second elder sister leave, Chu Linlang turned back inside with a cold smile and headed upstairs to her mother’s room.

Hearing this, Chu Jinyu at once said: “That is wonderful — with you there to care for her in person, my mother can rest easy.”

So, finding a moment when Chu Huaisheng was away from home, she sent word and invited the Chu family’s elder Madam and second elder sister out for tea.

“Elder Madam, I will be frank with you — I noticed that Sun Niangzi has been coughing quite badly in recent days, so I took her to see a doctor. The doctor said she has contracted — consumption!”

“In this household, it is only second elder sister who is truly kind-hearted and knows how to show compassion. If second elder sister could persuade the elder Madam to allow my mother a peaceful place to convalesce, I will be endlessly grateful to second elder sister, and will certainly find ways to show my thanks.”

As for the Chu family, beyond two visits from a young servant urging Sun Shi to hurry home, there had been no other disturbances. Chu Linlang guessed the county magistrate’s assistant must have had a word with her father, which was what had kept him quiet for the past few days.

So Chu Jinyu’s single laugh went without anyone joining in, and under Chu Linlang’s steady, cool gaze, she could only draw her laughter back with an embarrassed smile.

Sun Shi’s acting was a bit lacking, but when she bit down on the swim bladder she had fallen into a genuine coughing fit, and sprayed all the blood in her mouth out in one go.

As she said this, she pressed a banknote into Chu Jinyu’s hand.

Linlang indicated that she actually had no desire to take her mother away either — as a divorced woman, life was already difficult enough, and if the family was not bothered by the trouble, she could reluctantly agree to send her mother back.

“Elder Madam — do not open your mouth, do not exhale! The doctor said the blood from my mother’s illness is full of toxic poison — it can pass the disease to others!”

She then described in vivid, colorful detail how she had been working as a household manager for a capital official, had gone to offer birthday congratulations to the Sacrificial Wine Official Qi Gong, and unexpectedly, a few brushstrokes of her own calligraphy had caught the old man’s eye. He had said it was a shame for someone like her not to pursue further study.

Her eyes were tightly shut, but her eyelids were flickering rapidly — clearly she was not really asleep.

No longer concerned with bringing Sun Shi home, the elder Madam could only think of rushing back to bathe and change.

Chu Linlang looked up steadily at the elder Madam and said quietly: “Oh? In good health, you say? Sun Niangzi told me she has been coughing for many days now — and had you called a doctor to examine her in all that time?”

The elder Madam walked in, immediately struck by a heavy smell of medicine. When she reached the bedside — Sun Shi, who had seemed quite all right just a few days ago, now had a complexion even more sallow and waxen than before.

She knew that the shop business, by custom, started with an account audit at the beginning of each month, during which Chu Huaisheng would go in person to the neighboring town to inspect the accounts.

That remark caused the second elder sister Chu Jinyu, who knew full well what Chu Linlang was actually capable of, to accidentally laugh out loud.

The previous day, Linlang had obtained a fish’s swim bladder from a fishmonger, filled it with blood drawn from a purchased rooster, and tied it off.

The elder Madam was stopped short. A minor cough like this — what reason was there to spend money calling a doctor? Still, she could no longer say flatly that Sun Niangzi was perfectly healthy.

This second elder sister — as a child, she had frequently stolen copper coins from the elder Madam’s cash box to buy sweets.

The heavy, pungent smell of blood hit them full in the face — utterly inescapable.

When it came to invoking powerful names and banners to lend herself authority, Chu Linlang was absolutely unapologetic in the moment, simply smiling as she improvised the tale with ease.

The managers and shop assistants had all watched what this woman was capable of over the years. In terms of business insight alone, she stood out among men as well.

This second elder sister had made a bad marriage and was kept under a strict hand by her husband — she could not even manage her own dowry freely.

Chu Linlang dabbed at her eyes with a handkerchief soaked in chili oil, and the tears flowed readily.

She had found a high bidder among the buyers and signed the contracts, completing the exchange of banknotes.

Watching second elder sister leave, Chu Linlang turned back inside with a cold laugh, then went upstairs and returned to her mother’s room.

Hearing this, Chu Jinyu said at once: “That is wonderful — with her own daughter there to care for her personally, my mother can rest easy.”

So, taking advantage of Chu Huaisheng being away from home, she sent word and invited the Chu family’s elder Madam and second elder sister out for tea.

“Elder Madam, to speak plainly — I noticed that Sun Niangzi has been coughing quite badly these past days, so I took her to see a doctor. And the doctor said — Niangzi has — she has contracted consumption!”

Chu Linlang said quietly to Chu Jinyu: “In this household, it is only second elder sister who has a truly good heart and knows how to show compassion. If second elder sister could speak to the elder Madam and secure my mother a peaceful place to recuperate, my gratitude to second elder sister would be boundless. And afterward, there is further thanks I would like to give.”

As for the Chu family, beyond two visits from a young servant urging Sun Shi to hurry home, no one else had come to cause trouble. Chu Linlang suspected the county magistrate’s assistant had probably tipped off her father, which was what had kept him quiet for the past few days.

So Chu Jinyu, having laughed to herself with no one joining in, found herself under Chu Linlang’s cool, steady gaze and could only draw her laughter back with an awkward smile.

Sun Shi’s acting had been a bit clumsy, but when she bit down on the swim bladder, she had fallen into a genuine coughing fit, and all the blood in her mouth came spraying out in one go.

She pressed a banknote into Chu Jinyu’s hand as she spoke.

Linlang made clear that she actually had no desire to take her mother away — as a divorced woman on her own, life was already hard enough. If the family did not mind the trouble, she could reluctantly agree to send her mother back.

“Elder Madam — do not open your mouth, do not breathe — the doctor said the blood from my mother’s illness is full of toxic poison that can pass the disease to others!”

In the tea house, to the gentle, lilting sounds of Suzhou-style singing, the Chu family’s elder Madam cautiously ventured to ask Linlang how she had managed to gain entry into the Ronglin Women’s Academy, packed as it was with noble young ladies.

As for the matter of Linlang wishing to take Sun Niangzi away — that would require a discussion with her mother before any decision could be reached.

After that, any managers and shop assistants who wished to come with her to the capital were welcome to do so. Those who preferred not to go would each receive a generous severance payment.

Everyone said consumption was contagious. Both her children had been brought along to her parents’ home — if they caught the illness from a consumption patient, what would become of them?

Chu Jinyu stole a glance at the figure on the banknote. It was enough to make her eyes burn.

Convinced it was all an act, the elder Madam sat down at the bedside and, with an air of gentle warmth, called out to Sun Shi — only to have Sun Fu’s eyes snap open without warning, and then the elder Madam heard a fit of coughing that could not be held back. Sun Shi had just managed to press her lips together and suppress it into two stifled coughs when her mouth suddenly flew open and erupted into a cascade of blood droplets that sprayed all over the elder Madam’s face.

She knew that by household custom, the account audits began at the first of the month, when Chu Huaisheng would go personally to the neighboring town to inspect the accounts.

This remark caused the second elder sister Chu Jinyu, who knew perfectly well what Chu Linlang was actually capable of, to accidentally laugh out loud.

The day before, Linlang had gotten a fish’s swim bladder from a fishmonger and filled it with fresh blood drawn from a rooster she had purchased.

The elder Madam was stumped. A minor cough like this — why would money be spent on a doctor? Still, she could no longer say flatly that Sun Niangzi had been in good health.

This second elder sister — as a child, she had frequently stolen copper coins from the elder Madam’s cash box to buy candy.

That heavy smell of blood hit them full in the face — absolutely inescapable.

When it came to waving the banner of authority, Chu Linlang was completely shameless in the moment, simply smiling as she improvised with ease.

These past years, what Chu Niangzi was capable of — her managers and staff had all seen it with their own eyes. In terms of business acumen alone, even measured against men, Chu Niangzi was a cut above.

This second elder sister had made a poor match, kept under a very tight hand by her husband — she could not even manage her own dowry.

Chu Linlang wiped the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief soaked in chili oil, and the tears came readily.

She had over the preceding days, guided by the manager, met with buyers in turn. After comparing prices, Chu Linlang signed contracts with the highest bidder and completed the exchange of banknotes.

Watching second elder sister leave, Chu Linlang turned back inside with a cold smile, went upstairs, and returned to her mother’s room.

On hearing this, Chu Jinyu at once said: “That is wonderful — with her own daughter there to care for her, my mother can be at ease.”

So she took advantage of Chu Huaisheng being away from home, sent word, and invited the Chu family’s elder Madam and second elder sister out for tea.

“Elder Madam, to speak plainly — I noticed that Sun Niangzi has been coughing rather badly in recent days, and I took her to see a doctor. And the doctor said — Niangzi — she has contracted consumption!”

Chu Linlang said quietly to Chu Jinyu: “In this household, it is only second elder sister who has a truly kind heart and knows how to show compassion. If second elder sister could speak to the elder Madam and let my mother have a peaceful place to convalesce, my gratitude would be endless, and there would be further thanks I would like to give.”

As for the Chu family side, beyond two visits from a young servant urging Sun Shi to hurry home, no one else had come to cause any further disturbance. Chu Linlang guessed that the county magistrate’s assistant had likely spoken a word to her father, which had kept him quiet for the past few days.

And so Chu Jinyu, having laughed alone with no one to join her, found herself on the receiving end of Chu Linlang’s cool, steady gaze, and could only awkwardly draw her laugh back.

Sun Shi’s acting had left something to be desired, but when she bit down on the swim bladder, she broke into a genuine coughing fit, and all the blood in her mouth came spraying out in one go.

As she spoke, she pressed a banknote into Chu Jinyu’s hand.

Linlang made clear she actually had no wish to take her mother away — a divorced woman on her own already had enough hardship. If the family did not mind the trouble, she could reluctantly agree to send her mother back.

“Elder Madam — do not open your mouth, do not exhale — the doctor said the blood from my mother’s illness is full of toxic poison that can spread the disease!”

In the tea house, to the gentle, lilting strains of the singing, the Chu family’s elder Madam tentatively asked Linlang how she had come to gain entry into the Ronglin Women’s Academy, filled as it was with noble young ladies.

As for Linlang wishing to take Sun Niangzi away — that needed to be discussed with her mother before any decision could be made.

After that, any managers and shop assistants who wished to follow her to the capital were welcome. Those who did not wish to go would each receive a good severance payment.

Everyone said consumption was contagious. Both children had been brought along to her parents’ home — if they caught the disease from a consumption patient, what would become of them?

Chu Jinyu stole a look at the figure on the banknote. It was enough to make her eyes burn.

Convinced it was pure performance, the elder Madam sat at the bedside and, with an air of gentle warmth, began calling out to Sun Shi — only to have Sun Fu’s eyes snap open without warning, before a fit of coughing seized her that she could not hold back. Having just barely pressed her lips together to muffle it into two stifled coughs, Sun Shi’s mouth flew open and she erupted into a spray of blood droplets that covered the elder Madam’s face from edge to edge.

This perfectly timed, spectacular spray of blood made up entirely for Sun Shi’s clumsy acting.

One old concubine who didn’t have long to live — if not now, when? If father returned, this silver would not fall into her hands!

“Surely not — I always thought she looked quite healthy!”

Looking at the old hairpin on her head — the very same one she had worn on her wedding day — Chu Linlang knew exactly what would most effectively win second elder sister over.

Chu Linlang, while the elder Madam was washing her face, pulled second elder sister aside for a bit of sisterly private talk.

Thinking of this, Chu Jinyu cleanly pocketed the banknote and agreed without hesitation.

In the tea house, to the gentle, lilting strains of the Suzhou-style singing, the Chu family’s elder Madam ventured to ask Linlang how she had gained entry into the Ronglin Women’s Academy, filled as it was with noble young ladies.

As for the matter of Linlang wishing to take Sun Niangzi away — that required going home to discuss it with her mother before any decision.

After that, any managers and shop assistants who were willing to follow her to the capital were welcome. Those unwilling would each receive a good severance.

Everyone said consumption was contagious. Her two children had been brought to her parents’ home — if they caught the disease from a consumption patient, what then?

Chu Jinyu stole a glance at the figure on the banknote. It was enough to burn her eyes.

Convinced it was all an act, the elder Madam sat at the bedside and, feigning gentle warmth, called out to Sun Shi — only to have Sun Fu’s eyes snap open without warning, then erupt into an unstoppable coughing fit. She had just barely managed to press her lips together and muffle it into two stifled sounds before her mouth flew open, and she sprayed a cascade of blood droplets all over the elder Madam’s face.

This spectacular, precisely timed spray perfectly compensated for Sun Shi’s clumsy acting.

One old concubine without long to live — if not now, when to take advantage? If father returned, this silver would not fall into her hands!

—