After Xianglan had struck Lu Ershenzi hard with a door bolt and publicly searched her clothes to humiliate her, Lu Ershenzi was so furious she stomped around her room. She planned to pour out her grievances when Lu Ershu returned from his duties. Just as she was gnashing her teeth in anger, she suddenly heard a knock at the door and a voice calling, "Is anyone home? Miss Chunyan has returned!"
Lu Ershenzi hurriedly opened the door to find her eldest daughter, Chunyan, standing at the doorstep. Chunyan wore a lotus-colored Phoenix-tail Chrysanthemum Patterned Jacket, adorned with a Red Gold Pearl-Tipped Hair Ornament and two Agate Hairpins in her hair. Jade Earrings dangled from her ears, and Gold and Silver Twisted Bracelets encircled her wrists. She appeared quite wealthy and distinguished, though somewhat haggard, with thick rouge powder accentuating her complexion. Beside her stood an old woman, and behind them was a seven or eight-year-old maid holding a bundle.
Overjoyed, Lu Ershenzi scratched her head and clapped her hands, exclaiming, "Who would have thought it was you? Our phoenix has returned!" She ushered them inside and offered to pour tea for the accompanying old woman.
Chunyan took some coins from her sleeve and pressed them into the old woman's hand, adopting a reserved demeanor as she said, "Please take the maid back to the carriage and wait for me. Use this money to buy some wine in the meantime."
The old woman beamed with delight upon receiving the coins and promptly led the young maid away. Once the door was closed, Lu Ershenzi asked, "Why have you returned home so suddenly? Your timing is perfect—you have no idea what just happened..."
Before she could finish, Chunyan burst into loud sobs. Startled, Lu Ershenzi pressed her with questions. Covering her face with a handkerchief, Chunyan wept and shook her head. Lu Ershenzi pulled her into the inner room and shooed her three children outside to play. Only then did Chunyan wipe her tears with the handkerchief and choke out, "That little vixen Yingge is one month pregnant!"
Yingge was also a Bedchamber Attendant to Master Lin, Lin Jinlou. Although she had been taken into his service two months later than Chunyan, she had consistently overshadowed her. Before Lu Ershenzi could react, Chunyan spat out bitterly, "I refuse to accept this! Among the Eldest Master's three Bedchamber Attendants, in terms of looks and figure, how am I inferior to that little wretch? Even Da Nǎinai holds me in higher regard, treating me more kindly than the others and elevating me in every way. The Eldest Master used to favor me too, giving me jewelry and clothes, but now he's been bewitched by that seductive creature, his resolve weakened. That vixen only knows how to sing a few tunes to please the men—she's no better than a Rouge powder, a low-class flirt. Wouldn't it disgrace the Lin family to elevate her to Concubine?"
Lu Ershenzi asked, "What did Da Nǎinai say about her pregnancy?"
Tears streaming down her face, Chunyan replied, "What can she say? She's been married for four years without producing any children. Old Madam has already sent down rewards and assigned two old nannies and two matrons to look after that little wretch. They've even allocated two young maids for rough work—she's practically living like a young lady! On top of that, she received silver and jewelry—a brand-new Red Gold Head Ornament Set and gold and silver bracelets. They said that as long as she gives birth, whether it's a boy or a girl, she'll be elevated to Concubine..." With that, she threw herself onto the kang and wailed loudly.When Lu Ershenzi heard this, she grew anxious too. Yingge’s parents also served in the household. At first, it hadn’t been a problem, but ever since both families’ daughters had been taken in by the Eldest Master, they had become rivals, exchanging sarcastic remarks and veiled insults whenever they met, even coming to blows several times. The hatred ran deep. If Yingge were promoted to Concubine first, Lu Ershenzi would feel utterly disgraced, even more humiliated than if Xianglan had struck her with the door bolt again. Patting Chunyan’s back, she urged, “Since that little slut is with child, she can’t serve the Eldest Master. You must quickly win his favor, have him stay in your room for a few nights, and bear a son soon so you can be promoted to Concubine too!”
Chunyan straightened up, wiping her tears. “It’s not that easy. The Eldest Master is rarely at home—one moment he’s in the capital, the next in Yangzhou. On the rare days he is home, he either has that flirt Huamei serve him or goes to Yingge’s room. He’s indifferent to me and doesn’t even pay much heed to Da Nǎinai. Lately, while the Eldest Master is in the capital, I heard First Madam has arranged for him to take another respectable concubine there—a beautiful and gentle one. When Da Nǎinai heard this, she was stunned for a long time. She took my hand and said, ‘Yan’er, though we are mistress and servant, we are as close as sisters. Even my own maids from my dowry aren’t as understanding as you. I feel an inexplicable bond with you. I never liked Yingge with her bewitching charms, but now our situations are the same. The Eldest Master doesn’t favor me, and I can’t complain. I only hoped someone I care for would catch his eye, but it turns out you’re just as unfortunate.’
“Hearing this angered me, and I told Da Nǎinai, ‘That wanton Yingge has even bullied you, Madam. You are virtuous, but I can’t swallow this insult.’ Yet Da Nǎinai wept and said, ‘Whether you can swallow it or not, you must. It’s my fault for not bearing a child. Now that they’ve taken another concubine for the Eldest Master in the capital—a scholar’s daughter, outstanding in every way—there’s even less room for the two of us. Yingge is the Eldest Master’s favorite now; you should avoid her to save yourself from ruin…’”
As she spoke, Chunyan took the warm tea Lu Ershenzi handed her and drank it in one gulp. Tossing aside the tear-soaked handkerchief, she pulled another from her sleeve and dabbed her eyes. “So many vile people in the household are waiting to laugh at me! Yingge parades around in front of me every day, holding her waist and clutching her belly! She’s always demanding fish or chicken, complaining the food is too salty one moment and the soup too bland the next. The kitchen rushes to cater to her every whim, afraid of offending her. If I ask for a different dish, I get scornful looks and cold shoulders… No matter how stifled I feel inside, I have to keep a smile on my face. If I didn’t come home to cry now and then, I wouldn’t be able to go on…”
Lu Ershenzi grew frantic, pacing in circles. Their family’s future hinged entirely on their eldest daughter’s favor. If their daughter lost the Eldest Master’s affection, the Lu family’s good days would be over. Worse still, Yingge’s family was at odds with theirs. If the other family gained the upper hand in everything, not only would her daughter suffer, but their entire family would struggle to survive. Clicking her tongue, she asked, “Is Da Nǎinai, such a formidable and authoritative person, completely helpless?”
Chunyan frowned sharply. “What can she do? It’s not like she can pluck the seed from Yingge’s belly and put it in mine!”
Lu Ershenzi thought for a moment, her expression darkening. “Even if it can’t be put in your belly, we can’t let her carry it to term and give birth!”"How so?" Chunyan leaned slightly forward as she looked at Lu Ershenzi's menacing expression.
"My third aunt was originally a midwife in the mansion. I served under her for a while when I was young working in the estate. There are plenty of ways to prevent a pregnant woman from giving birth—Potent Medicine, Abortion Needles, or conflicting foods. Just adding two or three ingredients would be enough to make that little slut suffer."
Chunyan was startled, feeling her hairs stand on end, and whispered, "But what if it's discovered..."
Lu Er Ershenzi snorted, "If done cleanly, who could find out? Do you think Old Madam and Madam are clean themselves? The inner workings of wealthy households are filthy—who among them hasn't had blood on their hands?" She then grasped Chunyan's hand and said earnestly, "My dear girl, I've known since you were little that you were different from your sisters—pretty and clever. Now that you've entered the mansion as Eldest Master's Bedchamber Attendant, you're practically half a mistress of the Lin family. Da Nǎinai favors you too—this is a heaven-sent opportunity! Your parents' later years, your siblings, and your lifelong dignity all depend on these next few years. Your third uncle manages an herbal shop—I'll ask him to prepare some Little Medicine... Hmph, one dose for that little slut, and another you secretly put in Eldest Master's teacup. I guarantee he'll dote on you more at night."
Chunyan first turned pale, then flushed crimson upon hearing this. Lu Ershenzi tucked Chunyan's stray hair behind her ear and said softly, "The first month is the most unstable, when miscarriages are most likely to occur..."
When Chunyan emerged from her family home, she looked refreshed. She had recombed her hair and applied Rouge and powder to her face, though her eyes remained slightly swollen. Xianglan happened to see Chunyan standing at the courtyard gate turning to speak with Lu Ershenzi as she came out with a wooden basin to discard dirty water, so she hid behind the grape arbor.
She had seen the Lu family's eldest daughter the least. Previously, because Xianglan lived at Tranquil Moon Temple, by the time she returned to secular life, Chunyan had already been serving as a maid in the mansion for several years. She vaguely remembered Chunyan as a pretty girl and had once remarked to Xue Shi how such a rotten bamboo as Lu Ershenzi could produce such a fine shoot. Xue Shi, however, said that Lu Ershenzi had also been beautiful in her youth but grew as fat as a sow after having children.
Now, looking at Chunyan again, her luxurious attire made her even more striking than before. Her originally delicate, fair face was thickly powdered, adding a seductive charm. With a sway of her slender waist, she truly resembled a Bedchamber Attendant who relied on her looks. Xianglan curled her lip. She'd heard from gossipy women that Chunyan spent almost all her monthly allowance and her masters' rewards on new, exquisite, and expensive clothes and beautiful hairpins, only bringing home the clothes and jewelry she didn't like for her parents and siblings. Xianglan thought to herself that if Chunyan were willing to give more money to support the family, would Lu Ershenzi need to steal from their household every day?
Watching Chunyan leave and get into the carriage, Xianglan shook her head, tossed the water from her basin, and turned back into the house.
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