Lin Dongqi slumped her shoulders and sighed, "I can't seem to do anything right in front of my mother-in-law. Whether I cry or smile, she always finds fault. She sends people to make sarcastic remarks and criticize me indirectly, yet on the surface, she treats me with apparent kindness. Every time, she reduces me to tears, and I keep all these grievances to myself. I haven’t even told my own mother, afraid she’ll worry and get upset. Besides, I can’t hide under my mother’s protection forever. I already feel guilty for not being able to care for her properly now, and if I add to my parents’ troubles, wouldn’t that be even more sinful? I don’t know how to face the days ahead. My husband has passed the imperial examination and now serves in the Hanlin Academy. In a year, he’ll be assigned to a provincial post. I inquired and heard that my mother-in-law plans to keep me at home, not allowing me to accompany him."
Li Miaozhi gritted her teeth in anger and said, "I’m also worried that Su Meiru, that seductive fox, might stir up trouble. Just the other day, she was spreading rumors, claiming that my husband and father-in-law were hiding disloyal intentions, possibly embezzling funds from the household accounts, and that the books surely wouldn’t balance. When my father-in-law heard this, he flew into a rage and, without investigating, struck my husband. His back is still covered in bruises."
Miao and Qi exchanged a glance and sighed in unison. Li Miaozhi said, "Enough of this, let’s have a drink."
Jiang Xiyun glanced at Lin Dongqi, then at Li Miaozhi, and lowered her voice. "I’ve heard two recent pieces of gossip that might cheer you up. Perhaps after hearing them, all your troubles will melt away."
Li Miaozhi asked curiously, "What gossip?"
Jiang Xiyun said leisurely, "The Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, Wang, has fallen head over heels in his old age. Two years ago, he took a new concubine and dotes on her excessively. Not only does he neglect his wife of decades, but even his own children are pushed aside in her presence."
Li Miaozhi laughed and said, "Sounds just like my father-in-law. Those two ought to meet and become sworn brothers."
Jiang Xiyun continued, "The Vice Minister’s wife tried everything—crying, making a scene, even threatening suicide—but nothing worked. It wasn’t until her brother brought an even more beautiful Yangzhou courtesan and gave her to Wang as a concubine that things changed. The courtesan’s contract is held by the wife, so the two are now united. As the saying goes, 'People only hear the laughter of the new, not the tears of the old.' With this new rival competing for favor, Wang’s attention has been split, and he no longer blindly follows the first concubine. The household has since settled into a semblance of peace."
Li Miaozhi, being clever, caught on immediately. "You mean... I wonder if my mother-in-law would mind if my father-in-law took another concubine..."
Jiang Xiyun said calmly, "Rather than suffering daily under Su Concubine’s provocations, it’s better to find her a worthy rival. Your mother-in-law has your husband, her eldest son, as her support in the long run. Right now, she just needs an ally to ease her frustrations for a while. What’s there to fear in taking on a new concubine? Besides, if Su Concubine continues to sow discord and drive a wedge between father and son, the family will fall apart!"
Li Miaozhi thought for a moment, then clenched her teeth and said, "You’re right. That’s a possible solution. Tomorrow, I’ll return to my parents’ home and discuss it with my mother. She’s on good terms with my mother-in-law, so it would be more appropriate for her to bring it up."
Lin Dongqi widened her eyes as Jiang Xiyun looked at her and said, "There’s another piece of news circulating outside. In the Hanlin Academy, Academician Zhao’s wife and daughter-in-law often clashed. Zhao’s wife was fierce and domineering. But then Zhao became infatuated with the famous courtesan Hua Yuchi and spent a thousand taels of silver to remove her from the courtesan registry and bring her home. Since then, Zhao’s wife has lost interest in picking on her daughter-in-law, focusing all her energy on competing with Hua Yuchi. The daughter-in-law often comforts Zhao’s wife, and the two have actually grown closer."Lin Dongqi was taken aback for a moment before immediately understanding, murmuring, "This... my father-in-law isn’t the type to be fond of women..."
Jiang Xiyun said, "Duke Zhenguo only has two elderly concubines by his side, and he is still in the prime of his life. If your elder brothers and sisters step in to arrange for him to take a new concubine from a respectable commoner family, it wouldn’t be impossible. Apart from this, is there any other solution? Given the blood ties, your mother-in-law is scheming against you. As a junior, you have no choice but to endure it. If you dare talk back even once, the fault of disobedience will fall on you. Are you willing to endure this for the rest of your life?"
Lin Dongqi bit her lip and remained silent.
Jiang Xiyun paused before continuing, "Why not seek help from your eldest brother? I heard he once saved the life of your father-in-law’s second brother during the war. Their relationship is extraordinary. Go to him and pour out your grievances, exaggerating them ten or a hundred times over. He is fiercely protective of his own and will surely take up your cause with Duke Zhenguo’s second brother. It’s quite common for brothers to gift each other concubines. Once that happens, the matter will be settled..."
Lin Dongqi was somewhat tempted but felt uneasy. "But... doing this... isn’t it wrong?"
She then heard Jiang Xiyun sigh softly. "As women, we should have seen through this long ago. First, hold tight to your money, treat yourself well, and raise your children properly in the future. Everything else is illusory. In this life, one’s own happiness is what truly matters."
With these words, the three fell silent, hearing only the strains of music and song from outside. Unnoticed by anyone, Lin Dongwan, lying on the heated brick bed, quietly cracked open her eyelids a sliver, took a look, and closed them again.
Meanwhile, Xianglan had been standing in attendance for half the day. Once Qin Shi and the others finished their meal, the banquet was cleared, and fruits and pastries were laid out again. Qin Shi then told Xianglan to go and eat. The maids had already set up a table for her under the corridor. Xianglan had just sat down and picked up a bite of food with her chopsticks when she saw Lin Dongqi and Li Miaozhi approaching.
Lin Dongqi hesitated halfway and said, "Forget it," turning to go back.
Li Miaozhi quickly pulled her back, saying, "Weren’t we just discussing this? I’m here with you. If you can’t bring yourself to speak, I’ll help smooth things over." She added in a low voice, "Xianglan is your eldest brother’s treasure. Ask her to put in a good word for you, and it’ll be even more foolproof, won’t it?" With that, she tugged Lin Dongqi along. Seeing her still hesitating, she added, "Come on, this is for your own good. It’s like the emperor isn’t anxious, but the eunuch is."
Xianglan, seeing the two whispering to each other, knew something was up. She set down her chopsticks and stood up, asking, "Second Young Mistress, Third Madam, is there something you need?"
Li Miaozhi smiled and said, "There is indeed a matter. We’ve come shamelessly to ask a favor of you." She then pulled Lin Dongqi forward.
The two also sat down at the table. The three of them exchanged glances, and Li Miaozhi kicked Lin Dongqi under the table, giving her a meaningful look. Lin Dongqi’s face flushed slightly, and she stammered a few words before finally saying, "Xianglan, there’s something I need to ask of you now."
"Mm, Second Young Mistress, please go ahead."Lin Dongqi glanced at Li Miaozhi, hesitated for a moment, then steeled herself and said, "My mother-in-law... treats me with extreme harshness. Nothing I do pleases her—she says I lack integrity and wit, to the point where even the old servants put on airs before me. I’ve endured all this, but now that my husband is being assigned to an outpost next year, my mother-in-law refuses to let me go with him. Instead, she wants to promote one of her maids to Concubine to accompany him. I..." As she spoke, Lin Dongqi’s genuine distress surfaced, and she wiped her tears with a handkerchief. Taking a deep breath, she continued, "Someone recently suggested a plan: if we find a new concubine for my father-in-law, my mother-in-law will be too preoccupied with her to bother with me. Since your elder brother is close with Duke Zhenguo’s second son, I thought of asking him to have the second son arrange a banquet to welcome a respectable concubine. I must trouble you to plead my case with your elder brother... I know it’s absurd for a daughter-in-law to suggest taking a concubine for her father-in-law, but I... I have no other choice..." Tears welled in her eyes again.
Xianglan was startled by this. Li Miaozhi chimed in, "Indeed, Second Sister is in such a difficult situation. Please put in a good word with your elder brother for her."
Xianglan pondered for a moment before replying, "I’m sorry, Second Miss, but I’m afraid I cannot help with this."
Both Qi and Miao were taken aback.
Lin Dongqi asked, "Why not?"
Xianglan explained, "In the Four Books, Zigong asked if there was a single principle one could practice throughout life. Confucius said: it is forbearance. 'Do not impose on others what you yourself do not desire.' Second Miss, you know how painful it is when your mother-in-law forces a maid upon your husband. Since you would not wish to endure such a thing, do not inflict similar distress upon others in return."
Li Miaozhi argued, "That is the way of a gentleman, fitting for such interactions. But Second Sister’s mother-in-law has done such foul deeds—treating a petty person like her calls for repaying her in kind, so she may taste her own medicine!"
Xianglan smiled at this and said, "‘Do not impose on others what you yourself do not desire’ should not be divided into principles for gentlemen or petty people. Let’s consider this plan: would bringing in a respectable concubine truly resolve the matter? Perhaps the Duchess would grow even more resentful and bitter. If she is unhappy herself, she might vent her anger on her daughter-in-law and torment Second Miss even more. Moreover, walls have ears. If we manage to keep it secret, that’s one thing, but what if her mother-in-law later discovers our family had a hand in it? The consequences would be dire—this grudge might never be resolved in a lifetime. If it spreads outside, we would lose all face, inside and out. What if it escalates beyond control? Taking a step back, even if we repay her in kind for her mother-in-law’s tyranny, it would only provide momentary satisfaction. Once such seeds of conflict are sown, factions will form, opposing sides will emerge, and mutual harm and retaliation will grow increasingly severe. Resentment will deepen with each cycle, and the desire for revenge will know no bounds. We would end up living in constant strife, trapped in a world of slander and sabotage—would such a life bring any happiness?"
Lin Dongqi nodded slightly and could not help asking, "Then what should I do?"
Xianglan replied, "First, cease the malice. Do not harbor hatred, for when hatred grows, it leads to endless cycles of harm. Begin with a broad-minded forbearance to endure."
Li Miaozhi questioned, "If we endure everything, wouldn’t we become cowards? What if the other party takes advantage and bullies us even more?"Xianglan smiled again and said, "In family life, using evil to combat evil is ultimately a temporary solution, not a cure. Moreover, she is an elder. As the saying goes, 'One does not strike a smiling face.' Few are so deranged and unreasonable as to be utterly heartless—most people have some compassion. Close one eye to her faults and open the other only to her virtues. Treat her with sincerity and kindness. If she errs, don’t confront her head-on; find a roundabout way to handle it. 'Three feet of ice is not formed in a single day'—the same applies to human relationships. Trust is built gradually, bit by bit. That is the way to lasting harmony. If you retaliate and confront her tit for tat, even if you win temporarily, you will sow the seeds of future trouble. Only by stopping evil with a tolerant heart can you find true peace." After a moment’s thought, she added, "In any case, the appointment outside the capital is next year’s matter. First, try to move her with sincerity. If it doesn’t work by then, Madam and the Eldest Master won’t stand by idly, and I will certainly help as well. As for how to proceed, I urge Second Young Mistress and Third Young Mistress to think it over carefully."
Lin Dongqi took a deep breath and said, "What you’ve said, I..."
Xianglan looked at Lin Dongqi with utmost sincerity and said, "Every word I’ve spoken comes from the bottom of my heart, some born of personal suffering. It’s inevitable to encounter hardships and malice in this world. Filter out the bitterness and evil; don’t stir them up and let them spread. Treating others with kindness may be difficult at first, but life becomes easier as time goes on. Retaliating with hatred may bring momentary satisfaction, but it only creates more enemies, making life increasingly difficult."
Lost in thought, Lin Dongqi slowly stood up and began walking back. Li Miaozhi quickly followed behind her. After walking a short distance, Lin Dongqi suddenly stopped, turned around, and said, "I’ve decided to take Xianglan’s advice. 'Do not do unto others what you do not want done unto yourself.' I will start with tolerance and patience."
Li Miaozhi was momentarily speechless and simply stared at her without a word.
Gazing at the faint clouds on the horizon, Lin Dongqi said slowly, "You know, Madam didn’t treat Xianglan well initially. She disliked her for being too delicate and proud, fearing she might not be content with her lot. Even though Xianglan once saved me, Madam still found many ways to suppress her. Yet Xianglan never complained. She even acted with great benevolence and righteousness to save Madam and Fourth Sister. Though Madam treated her slightly better afterward, she still guarded against her and never confided in her fully. Still, Xianglan never uttered a word of resentment. I used to think it was because 'one must bow to the circumstances'—that she couldn’t afford to offend Madam and buried any resentment in her heart. But after hearing her words today, I realize she truly never held a grudge. I was the narrow-minded one. My mother is exceptionally astute, and her current fondness for Xianglan is entirely due to Xianglan’s consistent sincerity in handling matters and her forgiving nature in dealing with others. If she can achieve this, so can I."
Though Li Miaozhi still struggled to fully accept this, she was, after all, a sensible person and couldn’t help but nod slowly. Thinking of Jiang Xiyun, she suddenly sighed.
Meanwhile, Su Meiru, supported by two young maids and holding her belly, walked gracefully toward the main hall. On the Covered Corridor, she saw Lin Dongwan approaching with a beaming smile, who said, "Let me take a look! Oh, your belly is even bigger than a few days ago. You must be having a hard time, aren’t you?"
Su Meiru also smiled and replied, "Thank you for your concern, Eldest Young Mistress. I’m doing quite well. The tonic you brought back from overseas last time has been very beneficial." But inwardly, she thought, "Shameless creature! Insatiably greedy for petty gains—who knows how much silver she’s squeezed out of me under the guise of trading? If I didn’t have a use for her, I wouldn’t bother with her at all!"Lin Dongwan smiled like a spring breeze: "Of course, these medicinal herbs are all extremely precious." As she spoke, her smile gradually faded, and she glanced around. Su Meiru immediately understood and dismissed the attendants, asking: "What is it?"
Lin Dongwan said: "I heard something, Concubine, but you mustn't tell anyone I told you... Just now, I had too much to drink and was resting in the inner room when I overheard Jiang Xiyun and Li Miaozhi discussing how to persuade the elders to take a concubine for Second Uncle, to divide his favor from you. Oh my, when I heard this, I broke out in a cold sweat—how dreadful! Thinking of you, I rushed over to deliver the news."
Su Meiru was instantly enraged, her willow-leaf eyebrows shooting up as she sneered: "Those lowly little frozen mice who can't even climb to high places dare scheme against me? They truly don't know their place! I'll make sure they learn my methods soon enough!" Then, softening her expression toward Lin Dongwan, she smiled: "Thank you for telling me. If you hear any such rumors in the future, please do inform me. Otherwise, with no one to rely on, these vicious people with their endless schemes will devour me alive. Next time you send someone out for goods, I'll place another order. I'll give you fifty taels as a deposit first."
Lin Dongwan thought to herself that this was an opportunity to receive silver, her face blooming into a smile: "Don't worry, I understand completely. You must take care of yourself. Once you bear a son, with Second Uncle's affection for you, you could strut through the second branch's household without a care. Don't let this anger harm your health."
Su Meiru pretended to sigh: "In this entire household, you're the only one who genuinely cares for me. Others may show me respect on the surface, but I know what they're thinking—watching from afar, stirring up trouble, making insinuations, and criticizing indirectly. They're skilled in every trick, all with ill intentions, just waiting to see me humiliated. I've only found one true confidante in you, yet you're often not by my side."
Lin Dongwan sighed: "Isn't that the truth."
Su Meiru said: "Dear sister, in the future, whatever they say, I beg you to quickly inform me. Otherwise, I might not even know how I died."
Lin Dongwan hurriedly replied: "Of course, you don't need to specially remind me of that."
The two conversed a while longer. Su Meiru parted from Lin Dongwan and entered the flower hall through a side door. Wang Shi spotted her immediately, her face darkening at once. Li Miaozhi quickly stepped forward, leaning close to Wang Shi's ear to whisper: "Madam, please don't show your displeasure. With so many eyes watching now, even if it were a mortal enemy, you must act sweet as honey—especially since this is Old Madam's birthday. A stern face would reflect poorly on Old Madam. The more such occasions, the more you must display magnanimity."
Wang Shi forced a nod, squeezing out a faint smile as she said to Old Madam: "Look at her—we all said she shouldn't come in her condition, yet here she is. Come sit." Then her face fell again.
Li Miaozhi couldn't help sighing inwardly. No wonder her mother-in-law was disliked—she was too straightforward. On such occasions, one should at least put on airs. Her own mother had advised her that in dealing with people, one should be sweet-tongued but firm-hearted, always allowing others to save face. Her mother-in-law did precisely the opposite—harsh in speech but soft at heart, ending up bullied and mistreated while pleasing no one.
Old Madam Lin glanced up at Su Meiru and responded with a faint acknowledgment.Su Meiru appeared completely unbothered, as if she hadn't noticed anything. She stepped forward and made a slight bow, saying, "May Old Madam enjoy boundless happiness and longevity like the East Sea and Southern Mountains." She then added with a smile, "I should have knelt to pay respects, but given my condition, I beg Old Madam's forgiveness."
Old Madam Lin said, "Of course we don't blame you. Please sit and enjoy the opera."
Beaming with smiles, Su Meiru took her seat. Tea and fruits were immediately served by her attendants. As she happened to be seated next to Xianglan, Su Meiru gave her a slight, friendly smile. Xianglan recalled the rumors that had recently reached her ears—that Su Meiru was actually Lin Jinlou's former lover. Seeing her now made Xianglan somewhat uncomfortable. She forced a smile in return, then turned her gaze outward, paying no further attention. Though Su Meiru attempted conversation several times, Xianglan responded only with faint smiles, unwilling to say more. Eventually, Su Meiru stopped trying and simply nibbled on peanuts and melon seeds.
The opera on stage had not been playing long when someone announced, "The Old Master is here!" At this, everyone in the room rose to their feet.
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