Blossom

Qi Xia found a secluded spot and lifted her clothes to look—her lower abdomen was covered in bruises.

Everyone in the Duke of England's Mansion said the Second Young Master was amiable, so she dared not speak up. The next morning, she had to act as if nothing had happened and accompany Song Han to the Hall of Cultivating Will to visit Dou Zhao.

"Next summer, I’ll have a nephew?" Song Han wore a dark green brocade robe that accentuated his refined, jade-like features, making him appear gentle and elegant.

Dou Zhao smiled and nodded, offering him some candied tangerine.

His eyes lit up as he laughed. "This is Fujian candied tangerine! I heard the storms in Fujian made winter bamboo shoots and candied tangerine unavailable in the market?"

"I’ve been craving sour and sweet flavors lately, so your brother had someone specially send these from Fujian." Dou Zhao had been vomiting for two months, and Song Mo had gone to great lengths to find food she could keep down. She hadn’t lost weight but had developed a habit of snacking now and then. Seeing Song Han enjoy the treat, she also took an orange from the snack box and began peeling it.

Song Han remarked, "They say sour cravings mean a boy, while spicy cravings mean a girl. Sister-in-law, you must be carrying a son."

The arson case at the Duke of England's Mansion had long been resolved. Shuntian Prefecture and the Five Cities Garrison concluded that all the thieves had been executed, and Song Mo accepted this verdict. After returning Emperor Taizong’s sword, he resumed his regular duties with the Golden Guard, staying in the palace every few days.

Today was another day Song Mo had to enter the palace. No sooner had he left than Song Han arrived. Song Han was already fourteen this year, taller than Dou Zhao. By convention, Dou Zhao should have avoided him, but Song Han acted as if unaware of such propriety, walking straight into the main chamber. Dou Zhao, however, had her own plans and pretended not to notice, receiving him in the Resting Chamber.

"Thank you for your auspicious words, Second Young Master," Dou Zhao said with a smile. "Your brother and I also hope for a son."

If she gave birth to a son, Song Han would become the third in line for succession. She was curious to see what expression he would wear then.

"That would be wonderful," Song Han said cheerfully, his smile bright. "Then I can teach my nephew martial arts, fly kites with him, and skate on ice, just like my brother did with me when I was little..."

Dou Zhao smiled faintly and chatted idly with Song Han about trivial matters.

Meanwhile, Qi Xia was invited by Su Xin to the tea room for some tea.

"I heard your wedding is set for the twenty-second. Today’s already the twentieth—why are you still working in the mansion?" Qi Xia asked curiously, cradling a steaming cup of Longjing tea.

Afraid others wouldn’t ask the right questions.

Su Xin inwardly sighed but maintained her usual gentle smile. "Madam gifted me a small three-courtyard house. I’ll be married from the Hall of Cultivating Will and hold the ceremony there. My younger sister, Gan Lu, and Su Juan have all gone to help prepare the bridal chamber. I’d rather stay by Madam’s side until then."

Qi Xia’s eyes widened. "Sister, you’re getting married from the Hall of Cultivating Will?"

To be wed from the master’s residence was an immense honor.

Su Xin nodded with a smile.

She had initially felt it improper, but Madam insisted she marry from the Hall of Cultivating Will, and the Young Lord had also approved, even saying Su Lan’s bridal procession would depart from there as well... Overwhelmed with gratitude, she had knelt and kowtowed three times to the Young Lord.

"Congratulations, Sister!" Qi Xia couldn’t quite describe the emotions stirring in her heart.

Rumors in the mansion claimed that when Madam’s senior maids married, she gifted them two thousand taels of silver as dowry. Qi Xia hadn’t believed it—but now, it seemed true.Su Xin brought her some pea-flour cakes, donkey rolls, and turnip cakes to eat.

Qi Xia was one of Song Han’s senior maids, responsible for attending to his writing and reading. She had a basic grasp of literacy.

The pastries were made with molds, each bearing the three characters "Imperial Kitchen" on the bottom.

After hesitating for a while, she said, "Sister, these are imperial gifts, aren’t they? If we eat them, will Madam be displeased?"

Su Xin laughed. "Didn’t Madam have no appetite a few days ago? The Young Lord only hoped she would eat a little, so he brought all sorts of delicacies home. These are the most common—we have plenty. If left too long, they’ll spoil, so Madam has been giving them away, a few boxes here, a few boxes there. I thought since the New Year is approaching, they’d make decent gifts, so I saved some. Go ahead and eat. If you like them, take a few boxes back for the junior maids in the Second Master’s quarters."

The sweet, soft pea-flour cakes had always been Qi Xia’s favorite, especially the imperial ones—sweet but not cloying, with a lingering aftertaste. But remembering the kick she’d received yesterday, the cake in her mouth didn’t taste as good as usual.

She took a sip of tea when a bright-eyed, fair-skinned maid came running in, calling out, "Sister Su Xin!"

Su Xin’s expression darkened. "What’s the hurry? If you disturb Madam, you’ll regret it!"

The maid took a deep breath to steady herself before reporting, "Old Madam Lu and Ningde Princess have come to see Madam. Hearing that you’re to be married soon, both ladies have gifts for you. Madam sent me to fetch you to kowtow and thank them."

The Duke of England’s Mansion was so large—who would remember a mere maid? The gifts for Su Xin were only given out of respect for Madam.

Qi Xia mulled this over as she saw Su Xin, her cheeks slightly flushed, out the door.

The young maid studied her curiously. "Sister, are you Qi Xia from the Second Master’s quarters? You’re so pretty. No wonder people say both senior maids in the Second Master’s quarters are beauties!"

Song Han had two senior maids—the other was Caiyun.

"You’re the real beauty," Qi Xia replied with a smile. "What should I call you, little sister?"

"Call me Ruo Zhu," the maid said cheerfully. "I’m a second-rank maid in Madam’s quarters, but once Sister Su Xin and Sister Su Lan are married, I’ll be promoted to first rank." She couldn’t hide a hint of pride. "Then I’ll have time to visit you in the Main Chamber."

First-rank maids in the Duke of England’s Mansion oversaw several second- and third-rank maids, which meant they had more free time.

Qi Xia knew that the second-rank maids in Dou Zhao’s quarters with names starting with "Ruo" had all come with her from Zhen Ding—they were her trusted circle. Though young, they held considerable status. Perhaps because after marrying into the Duke of England’s household, ties with Zhen Ding had weakened, and due to the discord between the Duke and the Young Lord, the new maids in the Hall of Cultivating Will had all been selected from the Song family’s farmsteads.

She smiled and agreed.

Ruo Zhu immediately launched into a lively conversation.

She chattered about Ruo Tong’s temperament, who among them would be promoted to first-rank maid, how the other two "Ruo" maids were displeased, which of the new maids were unruly and had already caught Madam’s attention, how Su Xin had disciplined them—pouring out everything like beans from a bamboo tube. Before Qi Xia could even ask, Ruo Zhu had spilled it all.Qi Xia couldn't help curling her lip.

What use was beauty without brains? If she hadn't come from Zhen Ding, she would have long been trampled underfoot and never risen to prominence.

She listened with a smile as Ruo Zhu chattered about the affairs in Dou Zhao's chambers, occasionally interjecting a few words that made Ruo Zhu even more eager to talk.

Just then, a young maid lifted the curtain and called out to Ruo Zhu, "Hurry! The wife of the heir to Yan'an Marquis has arrived."

"I must go serve tea," Ruo Zhu exclaimed, jumping up. She bid Qi Xia a quick farewell and dashed off like a gust of wind.

Another young maid came to summon Qi Xia, "Sister, the Second Master is returning to his chambers."

Old Madam Lu and Ningde Princess were related by marriage, but the wife of the heir to Yan'an Marquis was a female guest, so Song Han naturally couldn't linger.

Qi Xia hurried over to help Song Han into his cloak and escorted him toward the main chamber.

As they walked, Song Han asked her, "What were you all talking about earlier?"

When attending social visits like this, if Song Han needed his maids to attend to him, they would follow him wherever he went. If he didn't require their immediate service, the maids would usually be settled in the tea room or side chambers, where they would be entertained by the host's maids or matrons with tea and snacks.

After yesterday's incident, Qi Xia felt compelled to curry favor with Song Han and recounted the tea room gossip as amusing anecdotes.

"A three-courtyard house?" Song Han murmured after hearing her words. "Are you sure it was three courtyards, not three rooms?"

"This servant heard it clearly," Qi Xia replied. "It was three courtyards!"

Song Han stopped in his tracks, standing on the covered corridors as he gazed at the withered branches trembling in the cold wind. After a long silence, he said, "Go find that Ruo Zhu and ask what gifts Gu Yu sent as congratulations."

Qi Xia also thought Ruo Zhu was someone who couldn't keep secrets. Confidently, she answered, "Yes," and escorted Song Han back to the main chamber. She then rummaged through her belongings for a few decorative knots and returned to the Hall of Cultivating Will in the afternoon.

Since she was a maid from Song Han's household, the people in Dou Zhao's chambers treated her politely. Upon hearing she was there to see Ruo Zhu, they invited her to sit in the rear chamber of the main hall.

"Many guests came today, and Sister Ruo Zhu is still serving in the main chamber," said a young maid named Fufeng, who was only eight or nine years old, as she poured tea for Qi Xia. "Does Sister Ruo Zhu have urgent business? If so, I can try to pass on a message when I have a moment. If not, please sit for a while, have some snacks and fruit, and wait for Sister Ruo Zhu."

At this point, Qi Xia should have left and returned another day. But suddenly, the image of Song Han's menacing face under the lamplight flashed through her mind... She shuddered, vaguely sensing that if she didn't carry out Song Han's task properly, last night's events might repeat themselves.

Swallowing her pride, she smiled and said, "Then I'll wait here for Sister Ruo Zhu."

Fufeng brought her some fruits to pass the time, apologized for leaving, and went back to her duties.

Qi Xia waited in the rear chamber until dinnertime before Ruo Zhu finally rushed in, panting.

She gulped down a bowl of tea before asking, "What did you need me for, sister?"

Qi Xia explained her purpose.Ruo Zhu smiled and said, "Such a trivial matter, why did you have to come in person, sister? You could have just sent a little maid with a message. It's been so busy today, I couldn't get away, and it's almost time for the second lock-up—the Young Lord has no idea how many people he's announced the happy news to, with all these congratulations coming in left and right. I'll go to the accountant's office tomorrow and ask for you."

Qi Xia expressed her gratitude profusely, giving her a few decorative tassels before returning to the upper courtyard.

Ruo Zhu examined the tassels—one had a plum blossom design inlaid with two pieces of jade, while another was adorned with delicate pearl flowers. They were clearly of considerable value.

Smiling, she took the tassels to the main house.

Dou Zhao was having dinner with her Aunt and Zhao Zhangru.

Noticing Ruo Zhu peeking in, she chuckled and said, "Come in and speak!"

Ruo Zhu walked in cheerfully and showed the tassels to Dou Zhao. "Madam, these were given by Qi Xia from the Second Master's quarters. She also asked me to find out what gifts Young Master Gu has sent to congratulate you."