Remembering his late father, Gu Tingye behaved himself that night, simply holding Minglan as they lay side by side in silence through the midnight hours. Exhausted from the day, Minglan actually fell asleep in the man's furnace-like embrace. Gu Tingye gently stroked Minglan's soft black hair, noticing the faint weariness on her jade-like delicate face, which made his heart ache. Thinking of Rong Jie'er who would arrive tomorrow and Chang Ge'er who was far away—two children he had never intended to have—he couldn't help but sigh inwardly. Truth be told, he wasn't a good father either.
As his hand moved down to caress Minglan's soft abdomen, a sudden hope arose within him.
The next day, before dawn had broken, Gu Tingye got up to wash and dress. When he came out, he saw Minglan struggling valiantly to emerge from the blankets. He couldn't help but laugh and say, "Sleep a bit longer. You've been worn out lately."
Minglan shook her head firmly. "Since I'm going, I might as well follow all the proper etiquette. They expect morning greetings at Chen hour sharp there."
Gu Tingye glanced at the water clock and frowned. "But it's only Chou hour now?"
Minglan looked longingly at her pillow before gritting her teeth and turning to get out of bed. "It's rare for me to get up early anyway. Since I'm already awake, I might as well take care of some other tasks. Then I can sleep later on regular days."
These "other tasks" included: having breakfast with Gu Tingye, then seeing him off with a display of gentle wifely virtue. This act earned her a mocking eye-roll from Gu Tingye, which Minglan completely ignored as she continued smiling virtuously—even if she couldn't fool Gu Tingye, at least she could impress the household servants and build a good reputation.
Next came inspecting the servants during morning roll call and supervising household affairs along with various stewards' work performance. During this surprise inspection, some loyal and diligent servants received praise while slackers were punished, producing quite good results. By the second quarter of Chou hour, Minglan boarded her sedan chair and set off for the Ningyuan Marquis Household.
Clear Garden and the Ningyuan Marquis Household were two adjacent residences on the same street, separated by half of the Imperial Household Department's forest (the other half being within Clear Garden). Viewed from above, the positions of Clear Garden's inner compound and the Marquis Household's inner compound resembled the two ends of a bow. If Minglan were to walk directly along the bowstring—taking the path through the forest—she could reach the Marquis Household in just over ten minutes on foot. Unfortunately, for certain reasons, Minglan now had to follow the curve of the bow's arch: first leaving the inner compound, then the outer compound to reach the main gate, taking the sedan to the Marquis Household's main gate, then proceeding from the outer to the inner compound.
When Minglan stepped into the Xuānzhǐ Residence—a complex with two courtyards and three rows of houses—it was exactly Chen hour. Mama Xiang greeted her at the entrance with a smile but didn't invite her inside, instead saying in the courtyard, "Since the Second Madam said she would come yesterday, the Grand Old Madam has been waiting for you since early this morning."
Minglan paused briefly, her face showing slight embarrassment as she apologized, "This is all my fault for disturbing the Grand Old Madam's rest. Mama Xiang, I'm new here and unfamiliar with customs. Could you please tell me when the Grand Old Madam usually rises so I can come at the appropriate time?"
—Damn, does your mistress not need to get up if I don't come? Don't Madam Shao and Madam Zhu need to pay their morning greetings daily? Trying to fool foreigners!
Mama Xiang was momentarily taken aback but quickly responded, "Oh, Second Madam, you're too kind. This old servant has spoken out of turn. Actually, the Grand Old Madam is getting on in years—sometimes she rises early, sometimes late, and her sleep schedule is quite irregular...""That's quite alright," Minglan gently interrupted her. "If I arrive early in the future, I can wait in the side chamber. Once the Grand Old Madam is fully ready, I'll go in to pay my respects."
Hmph, let them make her wait! If they dare, let them make her stand in the courtyard for hours like she's being punished! This was Madam Yuan's favorite tactic, one that had caused Hualan much suffering. However, such tricks work well when used by a birth mother but backfire when employed by a stepmother. Just one instance of this would surely spawn countless rumors! How then would the Grand Old Madam, renowned throughout the estate for her virtue, continue to "win hearts through moral integrity"?
Thinking this, Minglan couldn't help but feel a dark anticipation—oh dear, she realized she was becoming increasingly twisted.
Mama Xiang forced a smile, no longer daring to underestimate her, and quickly invited Minglan inside.
Upon entering, Minglan saw that Madam Shao and Madam Zhu had already arrived. They were sitting by the kang, conversing with the Grand Old Madam. Madam Shao looked sallow and worried, while the Grand Old Madam comforted her: "...Young Master Yu is blessed with great fortune. He's overcome difficulties since childhood, and he'll surely overcome this crisis as well."
"Second Sister-in-law is here," Madam Zhu rose to greet Minglan as she entered, smiling. "Eldest Sister-in-law was about to return to care for Big Brother after paying respects to Mother, but she waited especially for you."
Minglan couldn't help but glance at Mama Xiang beside her, her eyes conveying innocent confusion: One of you says I came early, the other says I came late—what exactly is going on?
Mama Xiang looked embarrassed and lowered her head.
Being quick-witted, Madam Zhu immediately noticed Mama Xiang's discomfort and realized her words might have been inappropriate. Without waiting for Minglan's response, she quickly smiled and pulled Minglan forward. Minglan didn't press further, simply making a respectful bow to the Grand Old Madam and Madam Shao before being offered a seat and served tea. After some pleasantries, the four women—young and old, just enough for a mahjong game—began conversing.
"...We were just discussing your eldest brother's illness," the Grand Old Madam said kindly, pointing to a plate of fresh fruits on the kang table and having a maid serve Minglan. "They say those who are often ill actually live longest. I've been comforting your Eldest Sister-in-law."
Minglan added her own words of comfort: "I have several fine aged ginseng roots in my storage. I'll send them to you later, Eldest Sister-in-law. If you need any other medicinal ingredients, please don't hesitate to ask."
Seeing Minglan's sincerity, Madam Shao managed a bitter smile: "Thank you in advance, Sister-in-law. As for your eldest brother's condition... we're just taking it one day at a time."
The Grand Old Madam sighed softly, her face full of compassion, and said to Minglan: "Your Eldest Sister-in-law and I have exhausted our options. I have a favor to ask you today—when you return, please speak with Tingye. He has extensive connections and wide acquaintances. Since his elder brother has come to this state, ask him to think of something. We must find a truly skilled doctor."
At these words, Madam Shao's previously lifeless eyes immediately brightened, looking at Minglan with desperate hope. Minglan's heart sank; she had been on high alert since entering this room. After thinking for a moment, she responded gently: "That's only natural. However, Sister-in-law, perhaps you could first tell me which doctors Elder Brother has consulted before, so Second Master doesn't end up seeking the same ones and wasting effort."Madam Shao thought it over and realized she was right, then quickly began counting them off one by one. As she spoke, she herself grew disheartened—from the several renowned medical families in the capital, to the famous clinics in Zhili, Shanxi, Shandong, Henan, and Hebei, from the head of the Imperial Hospital to the barefoot doctors in the countryside who offered their services for rewards. Over the past twenty to thirty years, almost every doctor who should have been consulted had been.
After saying this, she noticed the troubled expression on Minglan’s face across from her and knew she was asking for the impossible.
“Of course, we must continue searching, but…” Minglan pondered for a moment, choosing her words carefully, “As the saying goes, birds of a feather flock together. The second master’s acquaintances outside are mostly his military comrades. If we ask him to find a doctor, it’s likely to be someone who specializes in treating injuries and wounds. Grand Old Madam has more life experience than all of us combined, and third sister-in-law’s family has long resided in the capital. Then there are the uncles and aunts—why don’t we all think about any good doctors we might know? Once we have some names, the second master can go and invite them. With the whole family brainstorming together, it’s surely better than one person groping in the dark.” Gu Tingye might not know any highly skilled doctors himself, but once he learned of one, he could probably use his influence to pressure them into coming.
Madam Shao understood the implication and reluctantly agreed, nodding silently. “It seems that’s the only way.”
Grand Old Madam’s eyes flickered as she glanced at Minglan and sighed, “There are only three brothers in total. I just hope Tingye will find the time to visit his elder brother more often. Perhaps that might help him improve.”
Minglan smiled somewhat shyly. “I’ll speak to the second master about it when I return.”
Seeing her respond so readily, the others had little else to say. Madam Zhu couldn’t help but scrutinize this new sister-in-law closely. Minglan sat quietly, mostly listening to others speak, only occasionally interjecting with a lighthearted remark. She spoke sparingly, saying only what was necessary, and every word she uttered was measured, leaving room for interpretation. Though she seemed to agree to everything, in reality, she had committed to nothing.
Madam Zhu inwardly sighed with a bitter smile, sensing that her mother-in-law’s intentions were likely to come to nothing.
Just then, a maid outside announced loudly: “Rong Jie’er is here.” Everyone turned to see Gong Hongxiao and Qiu Niang entering, one on each side, with Rong Jie’er in front. Dressed in a pale yellow thin silk jacket embroidered with chrysanthemums, Rong Jie’er still appeared frail, her head bowed and silent.
“Aren’t you going to greet your mother?” Madam Zhu said with a smile.
Rong Jie’er lowered her head in a bow, though her curtsy was awkward and poorly executed. Then, in a very soft voice, she murmured, “Greetings to the madam.”
Seeing her stubbornness, Qiu Niang beside her let out an almost imperceptible sigh and performed a graceful curtsy. Meanwhile, Gong Hongxiao stepped forward nimbly, offering an eager and respectful bow as she said cheerfully, “Greetings to the madam.”
Minglan nodded to each with a smile. “I’ve heard from Third Madam that most of you have already packed the larger trunks. Hurry and finish organizing the rest soon—we’ll be returning to Clear Garden today.”
Qiu Niang was overjoyed, her eyes brimming with happiness. Gong Hongxiao looked up at Minglan, biting her lip as if hesitating to speak. Minglan, finding it troublesome, intended to pretend she hadn’t noticed. However, Grand Old Madam spoke up kindly, “Second Madam is a generous person. If you have something to say, go ahead.”
Gong Hongxiao repeatedly bowed, her tone humble. “This humble one wishes… wishes to bring two maids along—Jinxi and Wu’er… They came with me as part of my dowry. I… I can’t bear to part with them…” Her voice trailed off, growing softer and softer.Minglan keenly noticed Rong Jie'er slightly turning her head to cast a quick glance at Gong Hongxiao before immediately lowering her head in silence.
Upon hearing this, the Grand Old Madam smiled and looked at Minglan, her eyes inquiring. Minglan responded with a gentle smile, "As long as the Grand Old Madam and Eldest Sister-in-law agree, I certainly have no objections."
The Grand Old Madam nodded contentedly and pointed at the two women, speaking softly to Minglan, "These two haven't had it easy either. Tingye has been gone for so many years without any news, and none of us knew anything. Yet they stubbornly insisted on waiting for him. Ah... hearts are made of flesh after all. Given their sincerity, if they ever act inappropriately in the future, please be lenient with them."
Her words were filled with compassionate kindness. Hongxiao and Qiu Niang were momentarily moved, their eyes reddening as they gazed at the Grand Old Madam.
Gu Tingye had been away from home for over three years, and the treatment these two received in the first two years versus the last year differed by at least two stars. Yet the Grand Old Madam managed to deliver these words so smoothly and naturally—Minglan inwardly admired her greatly and resolved to learn from such an exemplar. Mimicking the Grand Old Madam's sincere tone and adding a touch of gentle reproach, her delicate brows and eyes charming, she laughed, "Look at what you're saying! Even without your instruction, how could I possibly mistreat them?"
The Grand Old Madam took Minglan's hand, her eyes warm with affectionate amusement. "You child!"
Madam Zhu smiled with pursed lips, Madam Shao wore a relieved expression, while Hongxiao and Qiu Niang humbly expressed their gratitude. Hongxiao even dabbed the corner of her eye with a handkerchief to heighten the emotional effect. The maids on both sides chimed in with light, amused laughter, as if everyone genuinely believed this to be true. Indeed, life is like a play, and a play is like life—Minglan felt her day had been extraordinarily harmonious.
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