First Madam Cheng soon received the report from the maid.
“She wants to see the master?” she asked, glancing at the sky. It was barely dusk—only half a day had passed since the girl had entered the household.
“I don’t think it’s her who wants to see the master,” the maid said in a low voice. “It’s the Zhou family who does.”
“Who knows how the Zhou family raised her? She’s only just returned, yet she’s already in such a hurry to speak,” First Madam Cheng remarked, brushing her sleeves lightly.
“It’s not just the Zhou family who’s impatient. Second Madam just spent half the day talking with her,” the maid added.
“Well, I’d like to see what they’re up to,” First Madam Cheng said, waving her hand dismissively. “Go and tell them that the master is out today and won’t be home. If they have anything to say, they can speak to me.”
The maid acknowledged the order and left, but soon returned in a hurry—alone.
“What is it?” First Madam Cheng asked, puzzled.
“She said…” the maid began hesitantly, casting a hesitant glance at Firat Madam Cheng before lowering her head as if struggling to speak. “She said that since the master isn’t here, she’ll come another day.”
She actually refused to see her?
First Madam Cheng’s face first registered shock, then fury. What does this mean? How utterly insolent!
“Madam, Madam—the Old Madam has sent someone!”
Just as First Madam Cheng was seething with rage, another maid hurried in, followed by an older woman.
This was one of Old Madam Cheng’s attendants, who offered only a half-curtsey upon seeing First Madam Cheng.
“Madam, the Old Madam says she’s moving out,” the woman said bluntly.
What? What’s wrong now?
First Madam Cheng stood up in alarm.
“Lady Fu, what’s going on?” she asked urgently.
“Madam, how could you just let that child into the house?” The woman shook her head disapprovingly.
The Old Madam loathes that foolish girl more than anything…
She had completely forgotten about that.
“No, Lady Fu, her return was so sudden…” First Madam Cheng quickly explained.
“Sudden? Even if it was sudden, you had half a day to inform the Old Madam,” the woman said, shaking her head. “Now she’s been stewing in anger all afternoon, saying she wants to move out and stay at a temple to worship Buddha—since chanting prayers is the same anywhere, she might as well be closer to the Buddha.”
“Yes, yes, it was my oversight. I truly didn’t mean to drive her out, I just forgot to inform the Old Madam,” First Madam Cheng sighed. “You know, my natal family is considering a marriage arrangement with her. I thought, if she’s to be married off, she can’t very well do so from outside the household…”
“If that’s the case, you should hurry and explain it to the Old Madam,” the woman said, her expression softening slightly as she urged her on.
“Right, right.” First Madam Cheng hastily followed her, pressing a hand firmly against her side as she walked.
“Madam, what’s wrong?” The woman finally noticed the gesture and asked with concern.
“It’s nothing, nothing. I just stood up too quickly and got a stitch in my side,” First Madam Cheng replied, lowering her hand.
“Madam, take care of your health. The household affairs are already demanding enough,” the woman said.
A demanding household wasn’t the real worry—after a lifetime as the lady of the house, who would fear managing domestic matters? Managing affairs wasn’t exhausting; what was truly draining was the endless nuisance and petty grievances.
She had truly made a mistake. She should have sent someone to intercept them on the road—have Shi’qi-lang brought home directly, while that foolish girl was sent straight to the Taoist temple. Then, once the marriage arrangements were settled, she could have been fetched back just to be sent off again. But now? She had let the girl enter the house right at the front gate, in front of everyone. Trying to drive her out now would be far more difficult. One misstep had led to another.
First Madam Cheng was filled with regret, though of course, she couldn’t voice this to the Old Madam. She would have to firmly stick to the explanation about the marriage. Stepping briskly through the deepening dusk, she hurried toward the Old Madam’s courtyard.
Meanwhile, Cheng Jiao-niang and Ban Qin were following Second Madam Cheng back along the path.
“First Master will return tomorrow, and so will your father. It doesn’t matter if you don’t see him today,” Second Madam Cheng said.
She was actually somewhat surprised. She had thought that even if the First Master wasn’t home, the girl would at least see the First Madam. Who would have expected the young lady to simply turn and leave?
Just how did the Zhou family teach her…?
Second Madam Cheng couldn’t help but glance at Ban Qin.
Ban Qin walked beside Cheng Jiao-niang, her eyes lowered meekly.
This maid must also be part of the Zhou family’s arrangements—constantly reminding and instructing her on what to do and say, moment by moment…
“Jiao-niang, what I said to you earlier was sincere,” Second Madam Cheng added after some consideration. “After all, you are a young lady. It won’t do for you to leave home without a dowry. But there’s no rush—we can discuss this further once your father returns.”
“There’s no hurry for this,” Cheng Jiao-niang replied with a nod.
As they spoke, they stepped into the courtyard.
“I don’t want to! I don’t want to! I want to stay in my own room—”
In the hall, Cheng Qi-niang was wailing, her face buried in her hands.
Second Madam Cheng, torn between anger and anxiety, grabbed her and gave her two sharp smacks.
This only stirred up a hornet’s nest—Cheng Qi-niang’s sobs grew even more frantic, her breath coming in ragged gasps until she nearly fainted.
“There’s plenty of room here,” Second Madam Cheng said, pushing the still-sobbing Cheng Qi-niang aside. “You can stay with your younger sister—she’ll move in with me.”
Cheng Qi-niang burst into loud, dramatic wails.
“No need,” Cheng Jiao-niang replied with a faint smile as she stood. “I dislike noise.”
Second Madam Cheng flushed with embarrassment. She smacked Cheng Qi-niang twice more before hastily rising.
“She’s just unaccustomed to you since you’ve only just returned—please don’t take offense,” she said apologetically.
Cheng Jiao-niang gave a slight nod of acknowledgment.
“Of course not,” she said, declining Second Madam Cheng’s offer to escort her.
After a few polite insistences, Second Madam Cheng instructed the maid to see her out properly.
As they stepped out of Second Madam Cheng’s courtyard, Ban Qin glanced back. Inside the warmly lit room, Second Madam Cheng was embracing Cheng Qi-niang, soothing her. Ban Qin turned her gaze forward again, where Cheng Jiao-niang, cloaked against the night breeze, walked unsteadily ahead. The lanterns around them flickered, their light seeming both distant and near.
The courtyard by the lotus pond had already been tidied up, and the furnishings Cheng Jiao-niang had brought on the carriage were arranged inside. The heated floors filled the rooms with warmth. Aside from a few maids, another person stood waiting at the door.
“Greetings, Miss,” Chun Lan said, kowtowing beneath the eaves.
“Chun Lan!” Ban Qin greeted her cheerfully.
“Ban Qin, thank you for looking after Jin Ge’er,” Chun Lan added, kowtowing to Ban Qin as well.
“Not at all—if anything, I relied on him,” Ban Qin laughed. “He was the one accompanying Miss on the journey. I was the one lagging behind.”
Chun Lan kowtowed again.
“I—I have no other business. I just came to thank the young mistress,” she said, briefly lifting her eyes to glance at Cheng Jiao-niang, who sat inside the hall, before quickly lowering her head again. “I am overjoyed to see the young mistress fully recovered.”
Cheng Jiao-niang looked at her and smiled faintly, pushing forward a tray in front of her.
“Have some pastries,” she said.
Pastries?
Chun Lan froze for a moment before raising her head. Under the glow of the standing lamps in the hall, the young lady was smiling at her—a smile so bright it dazzled.
Ban Qin personally escorted the dazed Chun Lan out, the latter clutching a bag of pastries. Standing at the courtyard gate, she watched as the maid left, bowing repeatedly in gratitude.
The young mistress has fully recovered. The young mistress has fully recovered.
Yet in this entire household, the only one who truly saw the young mistress’s recovery—and rejoiced in it from the heart—was this single maid. Others either failed to notice or, even if they did, had no time for joy.
Miss had once said that in this world, malice from others was the norm—so one must grow accustomed to it. That was why, for even a drop of kindness or a fleeting smile, she would repay it with a flood of gratitude.
“Close the gate and lock it,” Ban Qin said, turning to go back inside.
…
The Wang family’s estate in Ting-zhou was brightly lit. Madam Wang, who had rushed in without even stopping to eat, headed straight for Wang Shi’qi-lang’s quarters.
“What’s wrong? What’s wrong? Is he ill?” she asked urgently, lifting her skirts as she hurried to the door.
The door to Wang Shi’qi-lang’s room was tightly shut, and a row of maids and beauties stood weeping under the eaves.
“Why all this crying?” Madam Wang scolded.
The maids and beauties immediately fell silent.
Madam Wang hurried into the room and immediately spotted Wang Shi’qi-lang lying on the bed, his head buried under the covers.
“What’s wrong? Are you exhausted?” she asked urgently, kneeling beside him and tugging at the blanket. “Let me see you quickly.”
Wang Shi’qi-lang clung tightly to the blanket, refusing to let go. Madam Wang, unable to pull it away, grew frantic and slapped the covers in frustration.
“Speak up! Your grandmother has already fainted from worry—must you make your mother collapse too before you’re satisfied?” she said, wiping her tears.
“Mother, your son is unfilial… I can no longer care for you in your old age or send you off in peace… I must depart first…”
Wang Shi’qi-lang’s muffled voice came from beneath the blanket.
As soon as these words were spoken, the maids and beauties kneeling in the corridor burst into loud wails.
“Young Master, Young Master! You can’t abandon me like this—!”
“Young Master, Young Master! I will go with you—!”
“All of you, get out!”
Madam Wang, dizzy from the weeping, shouted furiously.
Silence fell outside.
“Shi’qi, don’t worry. If anything truly happens to you, I will go before you,” Madam Wang said, sitting by the bed and wiping her tears.
“Mother,” Wang Shi’qi-lang peeked halfway out from under the blanket, his voice weak, “you must save me.”
Madam Wang quickly grasped his hand, tears still streaming down her face, yet now mixed with relief.
“Of course I’ll save you—I’d give my life to save you. Tell me quickly, what is it? Whatever it is, I will make it right for you,” she urged.
“I want to break off the engagement,” Wang Shi’qi-lang sobbed, looking up at her.
Break off the engagement?
“What engagement? You’re not even married yet…” Madam Wang began, then suddenly understood. “You mean the Cheng family’s young lady…?”
Her expression grew even more astonished.
Break off the engagement? Had she misheard? Did he mean get married?
“So that’s what this is about,” she said with a laugh. “Don’t worry—didn’t I already promise you? This marriage will go exactly as you wish. I’ve seen her, and my son’s taste is impeccable. You’ll wed before the New Year—no, this month! How about this month?”
Wang Shi’qi-lang let out a despairing wail and collapsed back onto the bed.
“Mother,” Wang Shi’qi-lang cried out, “if I marry her, I’m as good as dead!”
Madam Wang was taken aback.
“You… you don’t want to anymore?” she asked.
“I don’t, I don’t!” Wang Shi’qi-lang shook his head frantically against the pillow, sniffling. “If I marry her, I will die…”
As the saying goes, you never know a person’s heart until you interact with them. That Cheng family’s young lady had seemed decent—could it be that she was truly unsuitable?
Not entirely surprising, given she’d been a simpleton since childhood. Even if she had a pretty face, at her core, she was still…
“If you don’t want to, then forget it!” Madam Wang laughed, patting Wang Shi’qi-lang.
“Really?!” He bolted upright, his face alight with joy.
Seeing her son like this, Madam Wang couldn’t help but chuckle, torn between exasperation and relief.
“Was this really worth all that drama?” she teased, reaching out to pinch his cheek. “Such a trivial matter!”
At the same time, the old steward knelt before Master Wang.
“This matter is not a simple one,” he said with grave seriousness.
“What’s so complicated about it? It’s just a marriage arrangement,” Master Wang replied impatiently, rubbing his temples.
His son had returned home in hysterics, claiming he was going to die, throwing the entire household into chaos and even frightening the old matriarch into a faint. Yet when questioned, it turned out to be all over a marriage proposal.
It had been a frivolous affair to begin with—wouldn’t calling it off be for the better?
“Master, please hear me out about this Lady Cheng’s circumstances before making a decision,” the old steward urged, his expression solemn.
