Second Madam was also summoned by Liu Momo. Upon entering and seeing Jiafu standing in the room without Madam Xin present, she assumed Madam Xin had called both of them there. She smiled and said, "What does your mother-in-law intend to do, summoning me as well? Is this some kind of tribunal?"
Jiafu greeted her with a bow. "Aunt, please don’t misunderstand. It was my own decision to invite you here."
Second Madam was slightly taken aback and glanced at her. Just then, Madam Xin entered. Spotting Meng Shi, she gave her a sidelong look before turning to Jiafu and asking coolly, "The maid said you were looking for me? What is it?"
Jiafu requested that both women dismiss their accompanying maids and servants. Second Madam immediately complied, smiling as she sent them away. Madam Xin showed a hint of displeasure but eventually did the same. Jiafu thanked them both, then stepped forward and, without a word, knelt before Madam Xin, performing a solemn kowtow with utmost reverence.
Madam Xin was stunned.
Such a grand gesture had only been performed once before—on the morning after the wedding, during the formal greeting of her parents-in-law. Ordinarily, only common courtesies were observed.
"What is the meaning of this?" Madam Xin frowned slightly, finally sensing something unusual about Jiafu.
Jiafu raised her head. "There are no outsiders here, and Aunt is family, so I shall speak plainly. I’ve come for no other reason than to ask you, Mother, how you view the incident when my husband was accused of disrespecting his late father during the mourning period at the age of sixteen."
Madam Xin’s face stiffened, and she froze on the spot. Second Madam also slowly lost her smile, staring at Jiafu in silence.
Jiafu continued, "I know the matter caused quite a stir back then. Since it was already made public and widely known, it’s no longer a taboo subject. It’s not that I’m blindly defending my husband, but I’ve never believed that someone of his character could have committed such a shameless act. I’ve long been puzzled. As the saying goes, no one knows a son better than his mother. So I couldn’t hold back any longer—even if it means facing reprimand, I wanted to seek confirmation from you, Mother."
After speaking, Jiafu lifted her eyes to meet Madam Xin’s gaze.
Madam Xin had initially looked down at her, but after a moment of silent confrontation, seeing Jiafu’s unwavering resolve, her own gaze grew restless, flickering away. She said irritably, "Why bring this up after so long?"
"To outsiders, it may be a thing of the past, but to me, it’s a shared fate. My husband’s honor is my honor; his faults are my faults. The same goes for you, Mother, and even the entire Duke’s household. That’s why I implore you to speak plainly."
Madam Xin muttered vaguely, "Naturally, I don’t believe You’an could be such a person..." She coughed lightly and trailed off.
"With those words from you, Mother, I am reassured!" Jiafu kowtowed to her once more.
"Why that concubine hanged herself outside my husband’s quarters back then, tarnishing his name, is not what I seek to uncover today. All I wanted was your affirmation, Mother. I ask that you identify and punish, according to family rules, those who still dare to whisper about this matter."
Madam Xin said stiffly, "What do you mean by this?"Jiafu's eyes were slightly reddened as she spoke, "It hasn't been many days since my husband left, yet rumors have already begun to spread in the household again. They say there are midnight cries from the room where the concubine once lived, and some claim to have seen the ghost of a hanged woman lingering outside my husband's childhood residence. Mother-in-law, having lived through those past events, must despise such rumors even more than I do. My husband has been entrusted with a critical mission by Your Majesty to handle affairs on his behalf. At such a crucial time, if the household becomes lax and allows servants to spread baseless gossip, and if it spreads outside like before, damaging my husband's reputation would be the least of our worries. It would be difficult to explain to Your Majesty, who has placed such trust in him!"
Madam Xin paused for a moment.
"Outrageous! How could such things happen? This must be thoroughly investigated!" Her tone was laced with anger as she walked over to comfort Jiafu. "Your grandmother has been unwell, and I've been preoccupied with attending to her, along with other matters. I had no idea the servants had become so unruly. Rest assured, now that I know, I will get to the bottom of this and expose the rumor-monger!" She then called out loudly, ordering the stewards to summon all the maids, serving women, and stewards—both high and low—immediately.
Jiafu turned to Meng Shi. "I invited Auntie here as well, hoping to ask for your help. If there are no rumors in your quarters, that would be best. But if there are whispers, I beg Auntie to take charge with us and prevent trouble before it starts."
Second Madam said sternly, "A'fu, why didn't you tell me sooner? It's also my fault for not noticing. Don't worry, I'll summon everyone under my charge and question them one by one! Like grasshoppers tied on a string, none will escape!" She then ordered her own servants to be gathered as well.
Jiafu wiped away her tears and thanked Madam Xin and Second Madam again. "Whether or not we find the culprit, when my husband returns, I will relay everything to him faithfully. Then, we will both come to thank Mother-in-law and Auntie properly."
Madam Xin looked slightly embarrassed. "You'an is my son after all. How could I tolerate such insolence from the servants? Rise now."
Only then did Jiafu get up from the ground.
All the maids, serving women, and stewards from the Pei family's inner quarters—over a hundred people—were gradually summoned to Madam Xin's courtyard, packed shoulder to shoulder, filling the entire space. At first, no one knew what was happening, and murmurs spread among them. But when Madam Xin, her face cold, explained the situation and demanded the source of the rumors be uncovered, the courtyard fell into dead silence.
The accusations flew back and forth—who would admit to spreading the rumors? Those named pointed fingers at others, some eager to gain favor by naming names, while others seized the chance to settle personal grudges, accusing people left and right. Those accused naturally protested their innocence, dragging yet others into the fray. Soon, the courtyard was filled with cries and pleas of injustice. Madam Xin ordered some to be slapped, and the interrogation dragged on until midnight. Finally, only about ten suspects remained. Exhausted, Madam Xin and Second Madam instructed the stewards to continue the questioning overnight, demanding answers by morning.
Jiafu had already left before Madam Xin and Second Madam. The next morning, news arrived that the culprit had been identified—the one who first spread the rumors was none other than Xiangmei, a maid from Zhou Jiao'e's household.It was said that Xiangmei had been secretly summoned that night, unbeknownst to Zhou Jiao'e at the time. When Xiangmei learned she had been accused, she defended herself vehemently, but the stewardess interrogated her fiercely like a wolf or tiger. After several rounds of questioning, Xiangmei confessed on the spot and signed a statement, claiming she had acted under Zhou Jiao'e's orders. Upon hearing the news, Madam Xin rose in the middle of the night and summoned Zhou Jiao'e for a confrontation. Naturally, Zhou Jiao'e denied everything. Madam Xin said little at the time, merely offering a few words of comfort. But the next morning, she gathered all the servants again and publicly ordered Xiangmei to be dragged out, stripped of her pants, and beaten with bamboo rods. The charges were twofold: spreading rumors to stir unrest, and falsely accusing her mistress—a crime warranting harsher punishment.
Some maids and servants who had already suffered the night before, their mouths still swollen from the ordeal, now watched Xiangmei's fate in terrified silence. Zhou Jiao'e, too ashamed to show her face, hid away, muttering that it would be best if Xiangmei were beaten to death.
When Liu Momo heard the news, she was indignant, wishing she could personally deliver a few blows to Xiangmei. Jiafu, however, merely smiled faintly.
The day before, she had stormed into Madam Xin's presence, bringing Second Madam along as well, forcing an investigation. She hadn’t truly expected to uncover the original source of the rumor.
The origin of the rumor might seem murky, but in reality, it could only be one of a few people. The Pei household had its share of hidden grievances—unknown to outsiders but crystal clear to those involved—just like the slander against Pei You'an years ago.
Her goal had been to halt the spread of gossip before it escalated, cutting off the potential for further rumors while also making it clear to the other side that while they had turned a blind eye to past incidents—since Pei You'an had accepted the blame back then—they would not tolerate anyone trying to stir trouble in his absence now.
Her objective had been achieved.
Just the day before, the ghostly rumors had been vividly recounted among the servants. But after a single night, not a single maid or steward dared to utter another word. The entire Duke's residence fell into complete silence.
The next day, while attending to the sickbed, Madam Xin reported her handling of the matter to Old Madam Pei. The old lady remained silent for a moment before nodding. "You did well. As the head of the household, this is how such matters should be dealt with—preventing trouble before it arises. As the saying goes, three men spreading falsehoods can make an innocent man seem guilty. With You'an carrying out duties for Your Majesty, countless eyes are watching outside. We cannot afford such disorder at home."
Madam Xin acknowledged her words.
Old Madam Pei never mentioned the matter again afterward, and Jiafu continued to serve her diligently, remaining by her bedside day and night.
The weather grew colder, and soon autumn gave way to the depths of winter. Apart from that incident, no further disturbances arose in the Duke's residence, but the atmosphere among the various households grew increasingly oppressive.
The old lady's condition worsened, and she often slept through entire days without waking. When the imperial physician visited the day before, his tone suggested her lamp of life was nearly spent, and she likely wouldn’t last the winter. Pei Quan took leave to attend to her at her bedside.
Jiafu moved her bedding to the old lady’s quarters, serving her morning and night without rest. That evening, she sent Yuzhu—who had kept vigil the previous night—to sleep, taking over the watch herself.
After dismissing the remaining maids and servants to rest, Jiafu sat quietly by the old lady’s bed.
The room was utterly silent. After a while, the old lady slowly opened her eyes. Seeing this, Jiafu hurriedly rose, fetched a cup of warm water, and helped her take a few sips.Old Madam Pei had been in a daze for several days prior, but now her spirits seemed to be gradually improving. She instructed Jiafu to help her sit up, leaning against the pillow, and gently patted her hand with a sigh. "You'an has only been gone for such a short time, yet you've grown so thin from taking care of me. When he returns and sees you like this, he’ll surely be heartbroken."
Jiafu looked at the frail hand holding hers, suppressing the sorrow in her heart, and replied, "As long as you are well, Grandmother, this granddaughter-in-law does not feel tired."
The old madam smiled faintly. "How is You'an lately? Any news?"
It had been four or five months since Pei You'an left the capital. Upon arriving at his destination, he first subdued the leader of the rebellious refugees. Then, after conducting a thorough investigation of the local population and conditions, he submitted a memorial advising the court to halt the forced relocation of already settled refugees. Instead, he proposed establishing new prefectures where appropriate, registering the refugees in the official household records, recognizing the land they had cultivated, and allowing them to pay taxes as proper citizens to stabilize the situation. Xiao Lie approved his memorial, and now he was likely occupied with the aftermath.
Jiafu recounted the situation.
The old madam nodded. "I knew You'an would handle it well..."
She trailed off, gazing at Jiafu as if lost in thought, falling silent.
Jiafu grew slightly uneasy under Old Madam Pei’s gaze and asked softly, "Does Grandmother have something to say?"
The old madam seemed to snap out of her reverie and spoke slowly, "I know about what you did last time, forcing your mother-in-law to act. You did well. I remember during my birthday celebration, you encountered two gossiping maids outside You'an’s residence. You were angered and spoke up in his defense. I was puzzled—back then, you and You'an had little interaction. Why did you believe in his innocence and defend him?"
Jiafu replied, "A'fu met Elder Cousin when I was young. Though we had no further contact, I was certain he was an upright gentleman who would never do such things. Now that I am fortunate enough to be his wife, even if I were incapable in other ways, I would never allow others to slander him."
The old madam stared at her without speaking, her grip on Jiafu’s hand gradually tightening.
"Old Madam, His Majesty has arrived with the imperial physician to visit you in person. The imperial carriage is already at the gate."
Suddenly, hurried footsteps sounded outside, and Yuzhu’s voice came through.
Jiafu was startled and was about to rise when she felt her hand gripped tightly again—Old Madam Pei refused to let go.
Confused, Jiafu looked at the old madam, whose eyes flickered as if she were making a decision. After a moment, the old madam said, "There’s no need for you to leave. Go behind the bed, into the green gauze cabinet, and stay out of sight."
Jiafu was taken aback.
"Go," the old madam said, her expression now calm.
"Remember, no matter what you hear, keep it to yourself. This is my instruction."
Old Madam Pei looked at her, enunciating each word clearly.
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