The story goes that Xianglan had struck Lu Ershenzi hard with a door bolt and publicly exposed her by searching out the stolen clothes, humiliating her thoroughly. Fuming, Lu Ershenzi stomped around the house, waiting for Lu Ershu to return from duty so she could pour out her grievances. Just as she was gnashing her teeth in fury, she suddenly heard a knock at the door and a voice calling, "Anyone home? Miss Chunyan has returned!"
Lu Ershenzi hurriedly opened the door to find her eldest daughter, Chunyan, standing there. Chunyan wore a lotus-colored BeiZi embroidered with phoenix-tail chrysanthemum patterns, her hair adorned with a gold-drop pearl hairpin and two agate hairpins, jade earrings dangling from her ears, and gold-and-silver twisted bracelets on her wrists—a picture of wealth and elegance, though she looked somewhat haggard, her face heavily powdered to mask her pallor. Beside her stood an old maidservant, and behind them was a little maid of about seven or eight, carrying a bundle.
Lu Ershenzi was overjoyed, scratching her head and clapping her hands. "Who would’ve thought! Our family’s phoenix has returned!" She ushered them inside and offered tea to the accompanying maidservant.
Chunyan pulled a handful of coins from her sleeve and pressed them into the old woman’s hand, adopting an air of restraint. "Please take the little maid back to the carriage and wait for me. Here’s some money for wine."
The old woman grinned at the coins and dragged the little maid away. Once the door was closed, Lu Ershenzi asked, "What brings you home so suddenly? You’ve returned just in time—you wouldn’t believe what just happened—"
But before she could finish, Chunyan burst into loud sobs. Lu Ershenzi was startled and pressed her with questions. Chunyan covered her face with a handkerchief, weeping and shaking her head. Lu Ershenzi pulled her into the inner room and shooed the three children outside to play. Only then did Chunyan wipe her tears and say, "That little hussy Ying Ge is a month pregnant!"
Ying Ge was also a Bedchamber Attendant to the Lin family’s Master, Lin Jinlou. Though she had been taken into the household two months after Chunyan, she had always managed to outshine her. Before Lu Ershenzi could react, Chunyan spat bitterly, "I refuse to accept this! Among the Master’s three Bedchamber Attendants, in looks and figure, how am I inferior to that little wench? Even Taitai holds me in higher regard, treating me more kindly than the others, always elevating me. The Master used to favor me too—he even gave me jewelry and clothes. But now he’s been bewitched by that little seductress, his legs gone weak for her. That hussy can only sing a few tunes to please men, a lowly Sing-song girl at heart. Elevating her to Concubine would disgrace the Lin family!"
Lu Ershenzi asked, "What did Taitai say about her pregnancy?"
Chunyan’s face was streaked with tears. "Taitai has been married for four years without bearing a child—what can she say? The old mistress has already sent rewards, along with two old nannies and two maids to tend to that little wench. They’ve even assigned two little maids for rough work—she’s practically living like a young lady now! And there’s more—silver and jewelry, brand-new gold hair ornaments and bracelets. They say as long as the child is born, whether it’s a boy or a girl, she’ll be elevated to Concubine..." With that, she collapsed onto the kang, wailing loudly.When Lu Ershenzi heard this, she also grew anxious. Ying Ge's parents also served in the household. Initially, there had been no issues, but ever since both families' daughters were taken in by the Master, they had become openly hostile—exchanging cold sneers, veiled insults, and even coming to blows several times, their enmity running bone-deep. If Ying Ge were to be promoted to Concubine first, Lu Ershenzi would feel utterly humiliated, worse than if Xianglan had beaten her with a door bolt again. She immediately patted Chunyan's back and said, "Since that little harlot is with child and can't serve the Master, you must quickly win his favor. Get him to spend a few nights in your room so you can bear a son soon and be promoted to Concubine too!"
Chunyan straightened up, wiping her tears. "It's not that easy. The Master is hardly ever home—one moment he's in the capital, the next in Yangzhou. On the rare days he stays, he either calls for that flirt Hua Mei or goes to Ying Ge's room. He's indifferent to me and doesn’t even spare a glance for Taitai. Lately, while he’s been in the capital, I heard First Madam arranged another proper concubine for him there—a beautiful, gentle one. When Taitai heard, 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 don’t understand me as you do. There’s an inexplicable bond between us. I never liked Ying Ge with her fox-like ways, but now you and I are in the same boat. The Master doesn’t favor me, and I can’t complain. I only hoped someone I care for could catch his eye, but it seems you’re just as unfortunate as I am.'"
"When I heard that, I got angry and said to Taitai, 'That shameless Ying Ge has bullied you to your face! You’re too virtuous, but I can’t swallow this insult!' Yet Taitai just wept and said, 'Swallow it or not, what choice do we have? My womb has failed me, and now they’ve brought another concubine from the capital—a scholar’s daughter, outstanding in every way. There’s even less room for us now. Ying Ge is the Master’s favorite—you’d best avoid her, lest you bring ruin upon yourself...'"
As she spoke, Chunyan took the warm tea Lu Ershenzi handed her and drained it in one gulp. Tossing aside her tear-soaked handkerchief, she pulled another from her sleeve and dabbed her eyes. "So many rotten-hearted people in this household are waiting to laugh at me! Ying Ge parades around every day, cradling her belly—now craving fish, now chicken, complaining the food’s too salty, then too bland. The kitchen jumps to cater to her every whim, afraid of slighting her. Meanwhile, if I ask for a different dish, I’m met with scornful looks. My heart is bursting with resentment, yet I must keep a smile on my face. If I didn’t come home to cry now and then, life would be unbearable..."
Lu Ershenzi paced anxiously. Her family’s future hinged entirely on her eldest daughter’s favor. If her daughter lost the Master’s affection, the Lu family’s good days would be over—especially since Ying Ge’s family was already at odds with them. If the other family gained the upper hand in everything, not only her daughter but their entire household would struggle to survive. She clicked her tongue. "Is there really nothing Taitai, with all her power and dignity, can do?"
Chunyan scowled. "What can she do? Tear the seed from Ying Ge’s belly and plant it in mine?"
Lu Ershenzi thought for a moment, her expression darkening. "Even if it can’t be planted in yours, we can’t let her carry it to term!""What do you mean?" Chunyan leaned slightly forward, observing Lu Ershenzi's fierce expression.
"Your third aunt was originally the midwife in the mansion. I served under her for a while when I was young. There are plenty of ways to prevent a pregnant woman from giving birth—potent drugs, abortifacient needles, conflicting foods. Just add two or three ingredients, and that little wretch will suffer."
Chunyan was startled, feeling her hair stand on end, and whispered, "But what if it's discovered..."
Lu Ershenzi snorted. "Do it cleanly, and who would find out? Do you think the old madam and Taitai are innocent? The mansions are filthy places—who hasn’t had blood on their hands?" She grasped Chunyan’s hand 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 the Master’s Bedchamber Attendant, you’re practically half a mistress of the Lin household. With the young madam favoring you, this is a heaven-sent opportunity! Your parents’ later years, your siblings, and your own dignity all hinge on these next few years. Your third uncle runs an herb shop. I’ll ask him to prepare some medicine... One dose for that little wretch, and another secretly slipped into the Master’s tea. I guarantee he’ll dote on you more at night."
Chunyan’s face first paled, then flushed red. Lu Ershenzi tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear and murmured, "The first month is the most unstable, when miscarriages happen easiest..."
By the time Chunyan left the house, she was refreshed, her hair neatly combed and her face powdered, though her eyes were still slightly swollen. Xianglan, carrying a wooden basin to toss out dirty water, happened to see Chunyan standing at the courtyard gate, turning to speak to Lu Ershenzi, and quickly hid behind the grapevine trellis.
She had seen the Lu family’s eldest daughter the least. Earlier, when Xianglan lived in Still Moon Temple, by the time she left and returned to secular life, Chunyan had already been a maid in the mansion for years. She vaguely remembered Chunyan as a pretty girl and had once remarked to Xue Shi how such a bad bamboo like Lu Ershenzi could produce such a fine shoot. Xue Shi, however, said Lu Ershenzi had once been beautiful too, but after childbirth, she grew as fat as a sow.
Now, looking at Chunyan, her luxurious attire made her even more striking than before. Her originally delicate, fair face was heavily powdered, adding a seductive charm. With a sway of her slender waist, she looked every bit the Bedchamber Attendant who relied on her looks to serve. Xianglan curled her lip. According to gossip, Chunyan spent nearly all her monthly allowance and her master’s rewards on new, exquisite clothes and pretty hairpins, only bringing home unwanted clothes and jewelry for her parents and siblings. Xianglan thought, if she had given more money to support the family, would Lu Ershenzi have needed to steal from theirs every day?
Watching Chunyan step into the carriage, Xianglan shook her head, flung the basin’s water out, and turned back inside.
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