Madam Pan, the mother of Prince Heyang, and Old Madam Pei were old friends. Now that Madam Pan had passed away in peace, Old Madam Pei personally attended her funeral. Upon returning, perhaps due to the sudden change in weather, the old lady's appetite became irregular, and her daily meals diminished. As the season grew colder, even during the day, she spent most of her time in a drowsy slumber.
Jiafu had a vague memory—in her past life, Old Madam Pei seemed to have passed away not long after Xiao Lie ascended the throne. So now, seeing the old lady's health decline while Pei You'an was away from home, she grew extremely anxious. Not only did she personally attend to the old lady morning and night with great care, but she also frequently summoned imperial physicians for treatment.
Despite this, the old lady's health, like a lamp nearly burned out, gradually dimmed. Jiafu began to sense an ominous premonition in her heart.
On this day, nearly a month after Pei You'an had left home, Jiafu received his first letter.
The letter was brief and to the point, much like Pei You'an's usual way of speaking to her.
He told her that he had arrived in the Jingxiang and Nanyang regions over half a month ago. Everything was progressing smoothly, and she need not worry. He also asked her to convey his well-wishes to his grandmother.
Attached to the letter was a reading list. He mentioned that all the books listed could be found in his study. If she had spare time, she could read them in the order listed, from simple to complex, as a pastime. By the time she finished all the books on the list, he would likely have returned to the capital.
Since Pei You'an's departure, Jiafu had spent her days caring for Old Madam Pei and her nights consumed by longing for him. Sometimes, her yearning kept her awake deep into the night. Today, she finally received his letter. Though it contained no words of affection, the reading list he had prepared for her filled her heart with contentment. She felt both sweetness and regret, wishing the old lady's health would improve.
She went to see Old Madam Pei.
The old lady had been asleep all morning and had just woken up, looking slightly better. When Jiafu relayed the contents of Pei You'an's letter and his greetings, the old lady smiled and nodded repeatedly. At that moment, Madam Xin, Second Madam, and Zhou Jiao'e also came to serve the meal. After staying briefly, they were all dismissed by the old lady. Old Madam Pei told Jiafu not to linger either and to go back for a nap. She specifically instructed Jiafu not to mention her poor health in her reply letter, lest it cause unnecessary worry.
Returning to her room, Jiafu had no mood for a nap. She sat down and picked up her brush to write her reply when Liu Momo entered, standing nearby hesitantly.
Jiafu asked what was the matter.
Liu Momo stepped closer and whispered, "Madam, I've heard rumors among the servants these past two days. They say there's been crying at night in the room where the former concubine used to live, and also..."
She paused.
"And also what?"
Jiafu immediately set down her brush and turned to face her.
"And also... someone claimed to have seen a hanging ghost with disheveled hair and a long tongue, wandering in front of the courtyard where the young master used to live..."
Liu Momo watched Jiafu's expression as she spoke haltingly.
Anger slowly welled up in Jiafu's heart.
Pei You'an had only been away for such a short time, and with Old Madam Pei ill, such rumors had already begun to spread in the Duke's residence.If last year, during Old Madam Pei's birthday celebration, Jiafu had merely felt indignant upon overhearing the gossip from those two old maids while passing by Pei You'an's former residence, then at this moment, "indignant" was no longer sufficient to describe her current emotions.
She was furious—utterly furious.
Suppressing her anger, she asked, "Who saw it?"
Liu Momo shook her head. "That's still unclear. I asked around, but with so many servants in the mansion and rumors spreading between the two households and courtyards, it's impossible to trace who first started the talk."
Jiafu gritted her teeth. "Keep investigating! We must find out who saw that hanging ghost! They must have been terrified—make sure to comfort them properly."
Her tone was severe. Liu Momo was taken aback but quickly nodded and turned to leave, only to be called back by Jiafu. When she turned around, she saw Jiafu lost in thought. After a moment, Jiafu suddenly stood up and said, "Never mind. Don’t investigate anymore. I’ll have someone else look into it."
Liu Momo was surprised but hurried after her as Jiafu strode out of the room.
Jiafu first returned to Old Madam Pei’s quarters and discreetly summoned Yuzhu. Upon inquiring about her grandmother, she learned that the old lady had just taken medicine and was resting. She then pulled Yuzhu aside to a secluded corner and relayed in a low voice what she had just heard.
Yuzhu was shocked, her brows furrowing in anger. "Who dares spread such nonsense? This needs to be dealt with severely! No matter who it is, whether they have face or not—if caught, tearing their mouths apart would still be too lenient for such filthy talk!"
Jiafu said, "I was thinking the same—this must be addressed. But Grandmother hasn’t been in good spirits lately, and I fear such vile words might upset her if they reach her ears. It’s best she remains unaware. Please keep a close eye on things."
Yuzhu nodded. "Don’t worry, Madam. I know every servant around Old Madam Pei inside out. Those who slack off or gossip won’t get any leniency from me. Since you’ve specifically mentioned it, I’ll be even more vigilant."
Jiafu smiled and squeezed her hand before leaving. Once outside, she instructed Tanxiang to fetch Second Madam Meng while she herself headed straight for Madam Xin’s main courtyard.
Madam Xin was currently in Quan Ge’s room, fuming with anger as she scolded the wet nurse for negligence. The child had wet himself during his nap, and the wet nurse had failed to clean him promptly. Aside from the mess, in such weather, leaving him damp could easily lead to a chill. The wet nurse, somewhat aggrieved, defended herself, "I sent Xiaohong to the kitchen for hot water right away. But Xiaohong came back saying that just as a fresh pot was ready, that maid Xiangmei from Second Madam’s quarters took it, claiming Second Madam needed it urgently. She told Xiaohong to wait, which caused the delay."
Madam Xin was livid. She flung the clothes in her hand to the ground. "How dare they! Do they think they’re celestial beings descended from heaven? Is there no respect for rules anymore?"
The wet nurse muttered, egging her on, "Exactly! That’s the truth of it. Quan Ge hasn’t even seen Second Master more than a few times these days. Madam, it’s time to enforce some discipline."
Madam Xin’s expression darkened further, her rage simmering. She was about to summon Zhou Jiao'e for a reprimand, but the words died on her lips as she swallowed them back.The Zhou family had been in disgrace recently, but the position of the Imperial Harem remained unchanged, and who knew when they might rise again. The Empress seemed quite fond of Zhou Jiao'e—just a few days ago, she had sent palace attendants to deliver some imperial gifts to her. Moreover, Zhou Jiao'e had a rather fiery temper. If she refused to obey and caused a scene, it would not only make the old madam think her incompetent but also invite ridicule from the second branch of the family behind her back.
Madam Xin seethed with resentment and indecision when suddenly a maid entered, announcing the arrival of the eldest daughter-in-law. Seeing the nursemaid still staring at her expectantly, as if waiting for her to go reprimand Zhou Jiao'e, she grew even more irritated. Seizing the opportunity to step away, she ordered the nursemaid to take good care of Quan Ge and hurried out.
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