The dock was bustling with people. When a large ship moored, glimpses of maids flitting about behind the cabin doors and busy matrons caught the crowd's attention. Realizing it must be the female relatives of some wealthy family arriving by water, they stopped to watch.
Madam Meng took a purple gauze veil from Liu Momo and placed it over her daughter's head. The sheer fabric draped to her shoulders, obscuring Jiafu's face. Escorted by Madam Meng and Zhen Yaoting, she stepped out of the cabin. Through the fluttering veil, her eyes immediately landed on a handsome young man astride a fine horse ashore. With his hair tied by a golden hairpin and clad in brocade robes, he stood out vividly among the drably dressed travelers and porters around him.
He was craning his neck in their direction. Spotting Jiafu's party emerging from the cabin, his eyes lit up as he swiftly dismounted and hurried forward.
...
Pei Xiuzhi briskly boarded the deck and bowed to Madam Meng, beaming. "I'd calculated your arrival these past few days and been waiting eagerly. Finally, you're here. Was the journey smooth?"
Madam Meng hadn't traveled north since her husband's passing three years ago, though she had met Pei Xiuzhi during his visit to Quanzhou the year before last with her nephew Pei Xiuluo from the second branch, when they'd stayed at her home.
"By your grace, all went well," Madam Meng replied cheerfully.
Zhen Yaoting greeted him as "Second Cousin," while the Zhen family stewards, led by Zhang Da, paid their respects in unison. Pei Xiuzhi nodded before turning his gaze to Jiafu.
When he'd last visited Quanzhou, she was just fourteen yet already strikingly beautiful—an image that had lingered in his mind ever since. Moments ago, when the wind lifted her veil briefly, that fleeting glimpse of her ethereal beauty had left him even more dazzled.
"Cousin," he called softly, his voice tender as he looked at her.
Jiafu merely gave a slight curtsy before passing by him, surrounded by maids and matrons as she boarded the waiting family carriage ashore.
Pei Xiuzhi turned to watch her until she disappeared into the carriage, then snapped back to attention. He hurried to assist Madam Meng ashore and cleared the way ahead, personally escorting the Zhen mother and daughter back to their residence.
...
The Zhen family home was located in the western part of the city, just two streets away from the Duke's mansion. Originally a private residence of a capital official who had sold it when posted elsewhere and short on funds, the Zhens had purchased it months prior to prepare for the wedding. Stewards had long since arranged everything meticulously inside and out.
After settling in briefly to rest and change clothes, Madam Meng brought her children, servants, and gifts to visit their relatives at the Duke's mansion.
The old Duke of Wei was a founding hero of Great Wei, having fought alongside the first emperor to establish this hereditary title for his descendants. The Duke's mansion occupied over half the street, its grand vermilion-painted gate at the southeast corner flanked by stone lions. The lintels bore patterns signifying supreme rank—towering, solemn, and incomparably majestic, a stark contrast to ordinary official residences that proclaimed the Duke's exceptional status.The main gate, usually not opened wide, was now closed, with only the side gate for daily use left ajar. A few gatekeepers stood there with their hands tucked in their sleeves. Spotting the Second Master leading the group from afar, they scurried over to greet them, bowing to Madam Meng as she stepped down from the carriage and exclaiming, "Madam, you’ve finally arrived! Our mistress just sent someone to ask after you. Please, come inside quickly."
Jiafu had already removed her veil and was helped down the carriage by maids and matrons. Following her mother and brother, she passed through the side gate, traversing corridors and halls until they reached a large courtyard in the southeast. A glossy black gate stood half-open—this was the residence of the Duke’s eldest branch.
Madam Xin, dressed in casual home attire with a dark purple overcoat, heard the bustling commotion of maids and matrons outside the courtyard and knew the guests had arrived. She smoothed her hair but remained seated until Madam Meng’s laughter drifted in, calling, "Is our dear lady inside?" Only then did she rise and step out, followed by six or seven maids and matrons. Spotting Madam Meng, she smiled warmly and said, "Here I am!" She briskly moved forward, embracing Madam Meng affectionately and sighing, "You really didn’t have to rush all this way. You must be exhausted. Why not rest first? A few days’ delay wouldn’t have mattered—it’s not like I’d have eaten you!" She then scolded her son, "Didn’t I tell you earlier? Rushing like this, not even letting them catch their breath."
The surrounding maids and matrons burst into laughter, chiming in, "Our mistress has a heart of gold. She’s been fretting over your journey, even blaming the Second Master out of concern."
Madam Meng quickly replied with a smile, "No need to worry. It’s been so long since we last met—I couldn’t wait to see you. Today, I wished I had wings to fly here!" She then urged her children to step forward and greet Madam Xin.
Zhen Yaoting bowed respectfully, while Jiafu curtsied and offered her greetings. Madam Xin studied Jiafu for a moment before tenderly taking her hand and sighing to Madam Meng, "Such a radiant daughter—how did you raise her? I’ve always said I lack such fortune. If only I had a daughter like this, I’d have someone to share my heart with."
Though pleased by the praise for her daughter, Madam Meng demurred, "A'fu is simple-minded and lacks refinement. I just hope she won’t be a bother in the future—that’s all I pray for."
A matron beside Madam Xin interjected, "How could our mistress ever find her bothersome? She adores her too much!"
After more warm exchanges, Madam Meng was ushered to her seat. Madam Xin frowned slightly and asked her attendant, "Has the other party not arrived yet?"
No sooner had she spoken than a maid’s voice announced from outside, "Second Madam is here!"
Madam Meng hurriedly stood to welcome her.
Jiafu looked up to see her aunt, Second Madam Meng, entering with her entourage, followed by her fourth cousin, Pei Xiumacro. Second Madam Meng smiled and said, "I meant to come earlier, but I was waiting for the third one. He sent a servant back, saying his essay was praised by the Imperial Academy’s tutor today, so he’s delayed and asked me to apologize on his behalf. He’ll pay his respects when he returns."
Her smile was warm and familiar, just as it had always been.Originally, it was Second Madam who first considered arranging a match between Jiafu and her son, Pei Xiuluo. However, she had some reservations about the Zhen family's status. In her mind, the ideal scenario would be for Jiafu to become her son's concubine. She privately hinted this to Madam Meng, assuring her that if Jiafu entered their household, she would treat her as her own daughter and never let her suffer any grievances. At the time, Madam Meng pretended not to understand and did not respond, so Second Madam realized the Zhen family would not allow their daughter to be a concubine and dropped the matter. Unexpectedly, not long after, the match was settled with the eldest branch instead.
Madam Meng had only this one daughter and would never agree to let her become a concubine, even if the other party was the grandson of a Duke's household. However, when Madam Xin's people came to propose the match, Old Madam Pei, who held authority in the family, immediately agreed. Madam Meng herself also considered the matter carefully. Though her daughter would be a second wife, she would still become the legitimate wife of the Duke's Heir Apparent. Any sons she bore would be rightful heirs. Moreover, the second son of the eldest branch was outstanding in both character and appearance—truly one in a hundred. There was no real reason to oppose the match, so the marriage was settled.
Because of the earlier incident, Madam Meng had worried that this reunion between sisters might be somewhat awkward. But seeing that her sister's attitude remained unchanged, she assumed there were no lingering grudges and finally relaxed, praising her nephew for his diligence. Jiafu and her brother went forward to greet their relatives, and Pei Xiumacro cheerfully called her "cousin." Once the pleasantries were exchanged, Madam Meng asked, "How is Old Madam? If she has time, I’d like to bring the children to pay their respects."
Madam Xin sent a servant to inquire, and shortly after, the old maidservant returned and said, "Old Madam has been unwell these past few days and is currently in the prayer hall. She hasn’t finished her sutras yet. She says there’s no need for you to trouble yourselves with formal greetings after your long journey. She asks Madam and Second Madam to entertain you well and not neglect family."
Though Jiafu and Pei Xiuzhi’s marriage had already been settled, and everyone in both families knew about it, Jiafu had still been in mourning at the time, so everything had only been verbally agreed upon without formal betrothal gifts. Thus, Old Madam referring to the Zhen family as "relatives" was not inappropriate.
In recent years, Old Madam Pei’s health had been poor, and she rarely appeared to receive guests. Everyone had long grown accustomed to this. Moreover, the Zhen family was not considered particularly distinguished in the eyes of the Duke’s household, so Old Madam’s response was entirely expected. Sending someone to ask had merely been a formality.
Madam Meng quickly rose to her feet. "Then I won’t disturb Old Madam. On the day of her birthday celebration, I’ll bring the children to pay their respects properly."
The birthday was only three days away, so it was indeed soon. Madam Xin nodded in agreement. Madam Meng then glanced around but did not see Quan Ge’er and asked about him.
Madam Xin smiled faintly. "The other family said they missed Quan Ge’er. My back has been aching these past two days, and I thought his noise would be too much for me to handle, so I sent him over."
In truth, this was just an excuse. Quan Ge’er had been taken away the day before by Madam Song’s people, who claimed they had obtained a rare treasure and wanted their grandson to see it. Madam Xin had been reluctant to let him go, but Quan Ge’er had thrown a tantrum, crying and rolling on the floor, insisting on going. Left with no choice, Madam Xin had allowed him to be taken away, and he had not yet returned.Second Madam's lips curled into a faint, mocking smile. Madam Xin caught sight of it and felt a flicker of irritation, though her face remained all smiles as she continued speaking. She then turned to Second Madam and said with sincere warmth, "You sisters haven't seen each other in years. Now that you're here, if you have things to discuss, please do so freely. Don't mind me."
Second Madam smiled. "We've already caught up quite a bit earlier. It's enough for now. Besides, my niece and nephew look tired. We can always talk more another time."
Madam Meng then took her leave. Madam Xin urged her to stay for a meal, but Madam Meng politely declined. "Very well," Madam Xin said. "You must be exhausted from the journey. Go home and rest early. I won't keep you any longer." With that, she rose to see them out.
Since entering, Jiafu had stood quietly by her mother's side, her head slightly bowed. Yet she could feel Pei Xiuzhi's gaze lingering on her repeatedly. The sight of him brought back memories of their final moments as husband and wife in her past life—pitiful, tragic, laughable, and hateful all at once. Even now, his persistent stares made her deeply uncomfortable. She was all too aware of the undercurrents between Madam Xin and her aunt and had no desire to linger a moment longer, wishing only to flee this household as quickly as possible. As for Zhen Yaoting, having just arrived in the capital after years away, he was eager to explore and had long grown impatient with the women's idle chatter. Relieved at the chance to leave, he hurried out the door.
Despite Madam Meng's repeated refusals, Pei Xiuzhi not only escorted them to the gate but insisted on accompanying them all the way back to the Zhen residence. Touched by his attentiveness, Madam Meng invited him in for tea after they disembarked from the carriage. Pei Xiuzhi glanced at Jiafu and smiled, but she suddenly spoke up: "Mother, we've only just arrived today. The house is still in disarray, and the stove isn't even lit. It would be impolite to invite Second Cousin in like this. Perhaps another time would be better."
Madam Meng paused, taken aback by her daughter's unusually stern tone and serious expression.
Before her mother could respond, Jiafu turned to Pei Xiuzhi with a polite smile. "Thank you for your kindness today, Second Cousin. I'm sure you wouldn't mind cold tea, but my mother has been traveling nonstop and only just arrived. As you saw, she hasn't had a moment's rest before visiting relatives. She's exhausted, and today really isn't the best time. I hope you'll understand."
Pei Xiuzhi, who had been about to follow them inside, halted at her words. "Of course," he said reluctantly. "I'll take my leave then. Please rest well."
Madam Meng bid him farewell. Only after he was out of sight did she relax, leaning on her daughter's arm as they walked inside. "You weren't wrong just now," she admitted with a tired chuckle. "I am rather worn out. Still, it's rare for him to be so attentive, even escorting us home. It feels rude not to offer him tea. Besides, you two aren't exactly strangers anymore. Once the old madam's birthday celebrations are over—"
"Mother!" Jiafu cut in. "Second Cousin and I aren't even formally engaged yet. Even if we were, it wouldn't be proper for our family to entertain him at length. He's already spent the whole day with us. If you invite him in now, it might invite gossip."
Madam Meng suddenly realized her oversight and sighed. "You're right. I hadn't thought of that."In Madam Meng's memory, her daughter had always been delicate and obedient, always following her words. Now that she was about to be married into the Duke's household, Madam Meng had initially felt uneasy. Yet, to her surprise, her daughter had considered everything so thoughtfully—even things she herself had overlooked. Though slightly astonished, she felt deeply comforted, seeing how mature and sensible her daughter had become.
Jiafu leaned against her mother as they walked slowly inside and said, "Mother, you should rest first and regain your energy. I’ll send someone to the Song family with a visiting card. If Madam Song is available, we can visit them after noon. She is my godmother, and I’d like to pay my respects early to show our sincerity."
Madam Meng felt both tenderness and relief. "I was worried you’d be tired and thought we could go tomorrow. But since you’re so eager, it’s fine. If they reply, we’ll go earlier—it’s a visit we must make sooner or later."
After settling her mother in her room to rest, Jiafu felt no fatigue at all. She watched as Tanxiang directed the maids to organize their belongings while waiting for the Song family’s reply.
Before noon, the messenger returned with word that Madam Song had invited the Zhen family to visit during the hour of the Monkey (3–5 p.m.).
Jiafu had anticipated this response.
In her past life, she had dealt with Madam Song before. This "godmother" was arrogant and impatient. During their journey north, Jiafu had already provoked the displeasure of Granny Ye, who would surely have reported every word and action to Madam Song upon returning home. Given Madam Song’s temperament, how could she resist summoning them immediately? Even if she hadn’t planned to see them today, she would inevitably call them over.
The so-called fertility charm was merely an excuse.
The matter of fate that Jiafu had been contemplating since waking—whether it could be altered—would hinge on what came next.
Today was truly an excellent opportunity, and she had to seize it.
A sudden surge of excitement and nervousness rushed through Jiafu. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath to steady herself, and then called for Tanxiang. "Prepare a bath and fresh clothes for me," she said.
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