Half a quarter before the hour of Shen, the Zhen family's carriage stopped at the gates of the Song Mansion. Madam Meng, accompanied by Jiafu, was led through a side entrance by servants and eventually brought to a side hall. There was neither tea nor anyone to receive them—only two maids standing stiffly by, staring blankly. After a long wait, the sound of footsteps finally approached. Madam Song appeared, dressed in splendid new robes, adorned with gold and jade, surrounded by a crowd of maids and matrons like the moon encircled by stars. She took her seat. After Madam Meng and Jiafu paid their respects, Madam Song remained silent, her gaze like two fine-toothed combs, sweeping over Jiafu from head to toe several times, leaving no detail unnoticed. Only then did she gesture to a chair beside her and invite Madam Meng to sit.
"Just now, the ladies from Anyuan Marquis House visited, and we talked for a while. I must have neglected you," she said, then raised her voice to scold the maids for their lack of manners—how could they not serve tea to guests? Were they no better than common folk from the streets? The maids, who had clearly been instructed to slight them earlier, were now berated senselessly and dared not retort. They hastily served two cups of tea and apologized to Madam Meng.
Madam Meng quickly excused them. Madam Song smiled faintly. "Your Zhen family is quite prominent in Quanzhou. For you and your daughter to travel all the way to the capital and visit me for the first time, only to be met with such poor hospitality—it must be quite laughable."
From the moment Madam Song appeared, Madam Meng had sensed her displeasure. The veiled barbs in her words were unmistakable. Moreover, Granny Ye stood beside her, cold and disdainful, a stark contrast to her demeanor when they parted at the docks that morning.
The Song family now held great power, and Madam Song carried herself with arrogance. Even Madam Xin had to tread carefully around her, and she even meddled in the marriage arrangements between Madam Meng’s daughter and the Heir Apparent of Duke Wei's Mansion. Madam Meng understood the complexities at play and had initially sought to stay on good terms to avoid trouble. Now, she was utterly bewildered, unsure what had gone wrong. For the sake of her daughter’s marriage, she could only endure and exchange a few polite words.
Madam Song’s attention remained fixed on Jiafu. After a few words, she beckoned the girl forward. Jiafu approached with downcast eyes and called her "Godmother." Madam Song asked her age and what she usually did at home, to which Jiafu answered obediently, appearing every bit the well-mannered young lady.
Granny Ye had rushed back to the Song Mansion earlier, eager to pour out her grievances to Madam Song with embellishments. At the time, Madam Song had been deeply displeased.
Logically, if a family was marrying off their daughter and stopped by a temple to pray for a fertility charm—even if she was to be a stepmother—it was perfectly natural and none of her business.
But she was still irked. In her view, the Zhen family’s daughter should be grateful beyond measure for the honor of being recognized as her goddaughter and married to Pei Xiuzhi, filling the void left by her own ill-fated daughter. A sparrow flying onto a golden branch ought to be tearfully thankful and consult her in all matters. It wasn’t as if she would forbid Jiafu from bearing children in the future. But to conceal such intentions from her now and already make such plans—clearly, this was aimed at her grandson. That was absolutely intolerable.Given her temperament, how could she hold back? Hearing the old woman say that the Zhen family's daughter had such a fox-like, seductive appearance that no man could resist a few whispers on the pillow, her heart itched like a cat's scratch. She couldn't wait to summon the girl and see for herself. Earlier, there had been no noblewoman visiting to delay her—she had simply learned of the Zhen mother and daughter's arrival and deliberately suppressed her impatience to keep them waiting, hence her late appearance.
At the first glance of the Zhen daughter's face, her heart skipped a beat. She realized the old woman hadn’t exaggerated—this girl was far more beautiful than her own deceased daughter. Instantly, she felt a surge of dislike. While making small talk, she scrutinized the girl’s every word and gesture, not missing even a flicker of expression. The more gentle and obedient Jiafu appeared, the more suspicious she grew, convinced it was all an act. Her irritation multiplied until, at last, her gaze fixed on the small embroidered pouch faintly visible beneath Jiafu’s outer robe at her waist. Suddenly, she smiled and said, "This pouch’s embroidery looks quite exquisite. Did you make it yourself? Let me take a closer look."
Madam Meng immediately recalled the Charm for conceiving a child they had obtained on their way to the Guanyin Temple. She had told her daughter to keep it hidden but had since forgotten about it.
The charm bore a pomegranate pattern, instantly recognizable. If Jiafu still carried it in her pouch and it fell into Madam Song’s hands, it would be terribly awkward. Unease prickled at her, and she was about to steer the conversation elsewhere when Jiafu had already removed the pouch and presented it with both hands, shyly saying, "I did embroider it myself, but my needlework is poor. You flatter me, Godmother."
Madam Song took it, turning it over in her palm with feigned admiration. Pretending to examine the inner stitching, she tugged at the opening, and the pouch gaped. A quick glance revealed two small Scented Cakes at the bottom—and indeed, a charm. Under the guise of inspecting it further, she flipped the pouch inside out, only to find it was just an ordinary Amulet. She shot a glance at the old woman.
The old woman, who had been quivering with anticipation, eyes wide, waiting for the Zhen daughter to be humiliated—after all, what decent unmarried maiden would be caught carrying a Charm for conceiving a child?—was stunned to see only an Amulet. Noticing Madam Song’s look, she leaned in, wriggling her eyebrows frantically, signaling that the Zhen daughter must have hidden the other charm away.
Having failed to catch her out, Madam Song had no choice but to offer a few more compliments before neatly refolding the pouch and returning it to Jiafu.
Jiafu accepted it and reattached it as if nothing had happened. Beside her, Madam Meng exhaled in relief, silently counting their luck. Hurriedly, she produced an envelope and said with a smile, "My daughter is foolish, yet you honor her by taking her as a goddaughter. Our Old Madam was so grateful that she insisted I bring some local products—nothing valuable, just a token of our appreciation. The items have already been brought in by the servants. Here’s the list for your perusal."
Having learned of Madam Song’s greed, Madam Meng had prepared lavish gifts to suit her tastes. Though she called them "local products," the list was filled with expensive items, some even rare treasures.
Madam Song took the list and skimmed it, finally feeling somewhat appeased. The Zhen family, at least, had some sense. Pleased by the gain, her expression softened slightly.Madam Meng observed the situation discreetly and quietly let out a sigh of relief. Remembering Quan Ge'er, she felt it would be impolite not to inquire since she was already here. With a smile, she said, "I just visited the Pei family, thinking I'd see Quan Ge'er, but was told he's here with you. He must be four years old now? Our Old Madam specially had a Hundred Blessings Golden Lock made for him, blessed by a high monk to ensure the child wealth, nobility, and a long life." As she spoke, she took it out.
Madam Song was well aware that the marriage arrangement between the Pei and Zhen families had progressed this far. Having already softened her stance and even accepted the girl as a goddaughter, she couldn't find any respectable excuse to oppose it now, even if she was dissatisfied with the Zhen girl. She decided to summon Quan Ge'er, using this opportunity to subtly warn the Zhen girl about her place. Once married into the family, Madam Song could always find a reason to send a trusted matron to keep an eye on her, confident she wouldn't stir up much trouble.
Having made up her mind, Madam Song responded, "How thoughtful of the Old Madam. I'll have the child brought here so you can see him."
Madam Meng naturally agreed. Madam Song gave the order, and soon, children's laughter echoed from the corridor outside. A handsome maid in her late teens crawled in on all fours, carrying a four- or five-year-old boy on her back.
The boy was Quan Ge'er. Originally quite delicate in appearance, his love for food had turned him plump and heavy. Seated on the maid's back, he waved a willow branch wildly, shouting "Giddy-up!" as if riding a horse, while several other maids followed closely, ready to catch him if he fell. The crawling maid was panting and sweating profusely.
Jiafu watched him with a faint smile, though her eyes remained cold.
In her previous life, after marrying into the Pei family, Pei Xiuzhi had adored her, and she soon became pregnant. At five months, she slipped on some mung beans and fell heavily, miscarrying immediately. She bled profusely and took a long time to recover, but her health was permanently damaged. After that, whether with Pei Xiuzhi or later with Xiao Yintang, she never conceived again.
Those mung beans had been scattered underfoot by this very child. Jiafu remembered how furious Pei Xiuzhi had been, ready to hang and beat the boy, only to be stopped by Madam Xin. The next day, Madam Song had stormed over, claiming the child was too young to understand and might even have been falsely accused. The matter was eventually dropped.
Looking back now, not having children in her past life had been a blessing in disguise. But no matter what, she couldn't muster any affection for this child before her.
Madam Meng was stunned, but the Song family seemed accustomed to such scenes. Madam Song chuckled indulgently, scolded him playfully, and ordered the child brought over.
Quan Ge'er loved riding people, especially pretty maids. At the Pei residence, he didn't dare play like this—after someone reported him to the Old Madam, who summoned Madam Xin, she forbade him from riding people. But the Song family had no such restrictions, so Quan Ge'er preferred coming here.Granny Ye hurried over, picked up Quan Ge'er, and handed him to Madam Song, who sat him on her lap. The child squirmed, wanting to get down, but she held him firmly and looked up at Jiafu, saying, "I only had one daughter, as dear to me as my own heart. Now that she's gone, Quan Ge'er is no different from my own flesh and blood. I’m a person who believes in clear distinctions between kindness and enmity. Whoever treats Quan Ge'er well is treating me well..."
She paused, narrowed her eyes, and emphasized, "But if anyone dares to lay a finger on him—even if it’s just a single hair—if I find out, they won’t get away with it."
Madam Meng gasped at this. Jiafu, however, widened her eyes and nodded vigorously. "Godmother, you’re absolutely right. Quan Ge is precious. Who would dare touch him?"
Madam Song wasn’t sure if Jiafu truly understood her meaning. As she stared at Jiafu, the child on her lap also fixed his large eyes on her. Suddenly, he slipped out from under her arm, ran up to Jiafu, tilted his head back, and pointed at her with his hands on his hips. "You get down! I want to ride a horse!"
Jiafu walked over to the child, stopped in front of him, and bent down with a smile. "Riding a horse isn’t possible, but I can hold you and play with you."
Quan Ge'er immediately threw himself on the ground, kicking his legs wildly and wailing, "No holding! I want to ride a horse! I want to ride a horse!"
Madam Meng’s expression darkened. Madam Song quickly signaled Granny Ye, who stepped forward to pick up Quan Ge and coaxed him, "Let’s go outside. We’ll ride a horse out there."
Quan Ge spat at her and pounded her with his fists, shouting, "She’s pretty! I want to ride her!"
Jiafu stood there, watching the tantrum-throwing child coldly, a faint smile still lingering on her lips.
Now even Madam Song’s composure wavered. She coughed, and several maids rushed forward to help Granny Ye carry the screaming Quan Ge out. The cries gradually faded, and the side hall finally fell silent.
Madam Song forced a laugh. "He’s not usually like this. He’s just a bit fussy today."
Madam Meng managed a strained smile. After sitting for a while longer, she stood to take her leave. Granny Ye, having finally soothed Quan Ge, returned and said, "Madam, you saw it with your own eyes, didn’t you? Look at that fox-like charm of hers—what man wouldn’t fall for it? Today, before she even arrived, the Heir Apparent personally went to the dock to fetch her. You didn’t see how he stared at her without blinking, as if he’d already forgotten all about Quan Ge’s mother! As the saying goes, a stepmother means a stepfather. Once she has her own children, Quan Ge might as well lose his real father too! Madam, you mustn’t be fooled by her. This girl is two-faced—I’ve lived and traveled with her for months, and I know it better than anyone."
Madam Song thought of her deceased daughter, feeling both sorrow and helplessness. Frowning, she said, "It’s not as if I’m satisfied with this Zhen family girl either. But I’ve already agreed to it, and on your advice, even took her as my goddaughter. It’s a done deal—how can I bring it up now?"
Granny Ye slapped her own mouth hard. Just then, a young maid who had left earlier rushed back in a panic. Granny Ye scowled. "What’s this recklessness? You’ll scare Madam! I’ll sew your mouth shut with needles!"
The maid waved her hands frantically. "It’s Quan Ge! The young master isn’t well!"
Madam Song startled. "What’s wrong?"The maid gestured and said, "Just now, we were playing with the young master in the courtyard when he suddenly cried out that bugs were crawling on him, scratching all over. I looked at him, and heavens—his face puffed up like dough rising in an instant..."
Madam Song's expression changed abruptly, and she hurriedly rushed outside. Quan Ge'er had already been carried back into the room, lying on the bed and crying incessantly. When Madam Song approached, she saw his face covered in red rashes, swollen as if inflated, and was utterly terrified. She scooped him up, calling him "my darling" repeatedly, then frantically ordered someone to fetch the imperial physician. By the time the physician arrived, Quan Ge'er's face had swollen further, resembling someone stung by a swarm of bees. His entire face was bloated, and rashes dotted his body. Some had already been scratched raw from the itching, leaving him whimpering and crying in discomfort.
The physician couldn't pinpoint the cause either, prescribing only a medicinal decoction to apply for the swelling. Yet, the swelling stubbornly refused to subside. After a night of torment, it finally showed slight improvement by the next day.
Madam Song had initially intended to keep this from Madam Xin, but as luck would have it, the Pei family sent someone the next day to fetch Quan Ge'er. Unable to conceal the truth, Madam Song had no choice but to explain, feeling deeply aggrieved herself, insisting that the child had been perfectly fine before this happened. Upon hearing the news, Madam Xin rushed over in a fury, her face dark, and took Quan Ge'er away.
Madam Song was left feeling awkward and uneasy. Still worried about Quan Ge'er, she repeatedly sent servants to the Pei residence to inquire about his condition. When she learned that Madam Xin had made veiled accusations in front of her own maids, she was furious. But since the incident had occurred under her care, she couldn’t muster the usual defiance and had to swallow her anger. By the evening of the second day, she finally received word that the swelling had mostly subsided, allowing her to breathe a sigh of relief.
Old Woman Ye, having endured months of hardship in Quanzhou and feeling slighted by the Zhen family’s paltry compensation of twenty taels of silver, was determined to sabotage this marriage. She whispered into Madam Song’s ear, suggesting that ever since the Zhen daughter arrived, Quan Ge'er had suffered this unprecedented and bizarre illness—proof that their birth signs clashed and their fates were incompatible.
Madam Song, ever prone to shifting blame, found herself swayed by Old Woman Ye’s insinuations. The next night, the storeroom manager reported that among the gifts sent by the Zhen family, the supposedly most valuable jade and pearls were of inferior quality upon inspection. Though still precious, they fell far short of being top-grade, significantly diminishing their worth. The manager asked how to handle them.
Recalling Madam Meng’s deferential attitude during her visit, Madam Song doubted the Zhen family would dare to deceive her with subpar goods. She concluded this must be the best they could offer and sneered in contempt, "Hah! I thought the Zhen family was wealthy, but it turns out they’re nothing special. For the Pei family to agree to such a match just shows how destitute they’ve become!"
...
Three days passed in a flash, and the day arrived—the sixtieth birthday celebration of Old Madam Pei of Duke Wei's Mansion.Although Duke Wei's Mansion had declined, its noble status remained. The old Duke of Wei had made illustrious military achievements, and Old Madam Pei held an Imperial Mandate of the highest rank. Her daughter had once been the primary consort during the Tianxi Emperor's reign but had passed away early due to illness. The Tianxi Emperor had always cherished her memory, and thus, Old Madam Pei's position was extraordinary. On her sixtieth birthday, the palace sent eunuchs early in the morning to bestow customary gifts as a sign of imperial favor. The noble families and powerful figures in the capital who had ties with Duke Wei's Mansion also came to offer their congratulations. On this day, the mansion's gates were wide open, adorned with splendor inside and out, briefly reviving a glimpse of its former glory.
Since returning from the Song Family, Jiafu had not stepped out for several days. Upon hearing that Quan Ge'er had fallen ill and was brought back from the Song Family, Madam Meng, though disliking the child, went to visit him. Upon returning, she said to Jiafu, "He's almost recovered now. He just scratched himself raw in a few places and is still crying and fussing."
Jiafu pursed her lips and remained silent. Madam Meng, preoccupied with her thoughts, did not bring it up again. On the day of the birthday celebration, Madam Xin, overwhelmed with tasks, asked Madam Meng to come early to help. Naturally, Madam Meng agreed and instructed her son to stay home instead of going out to play. After changing into the clothes prepared for the occasion, she took both her children to Duke Wei's Mansion in the afternoon.
Mother and daughter sat together in the carriage. Madam Meng remained silent throughout the journey. Jiafu leaned against her mother and nudged her arm. "Mother, what are you thinking about? I’ve noticed you’ve been quiet these past two days."
Madam Meng was lost in thought for a moment before murmuring, "I had only heard that the child was a bit mischievous, but I never imagined it would come to this. After you marry into their family, I fear you might have a hard time..."
Jiafu hugged her and said playfully, "Mother, what if they don’t take a liking to me in a few days and I don’t end up marrying Cousin? Would you scold me for being useless?"
Madam Meng was taken aback by her sudden remark and glanced at Jiafu. "Why would I scold you as long as you’re not heartbroken? If not for your grandmother, I’d actually be glad—"
She stopped herself and sighed, pulling her daughter into a loving embrace.
Jiafu’s smile faded as she nestled her small face against her mother’s chest and closed her eyes.
Everything was going smoothly, progressing step by step according to her plan.
Quan Ge'er’s sudden and strange illness had been within her expectations.
This child was the most crucial figure in her scheme to annul the engagement.
In her past life, there had been an incident where Quan Ge'er was perfectly fine one moment, but after visiting Madam Xin’s room, he soon developed swollen face and rashes, suffering unbearable pain and itching. Medicine provided no relief, and it took several days for him to slowly recover. Unexpectedly, the illness recurred shortly after, tormenting him repeatedly. Despite numerous examinations, imperial physicians could not identify the cause. Madam Xin was frantic with worry until an observant servant noticed that the illness always struck after he visited Madam Xin’s room.
At first, Madam Xin thought her room was unclean and hurriedly arranged for exorcism rituals, but to no avail.
It was Jiafu who eventually uncovered the root of the problem.
The issue lay in the ambergris incense burned in Madam Xin’s room.
Genuine ambergris has a soft, rich, and elegant fragrance, pure and unadulterated. In contrast, frozen borneol carries a faint, distinctive woody-moss scent in its after-aroma. Most people find it difficult to distinguish between the two fragrances.Jiafu was very familiar with fragrances and noticed that the incense burning in Madam Xin's room was not the usual ambergris but frozen borneol. Counting the days, it was precisely after switching to this box of incense that Quan Ge'er began suffering from his strange illness. Once the incense was removed, Quan Ge'er never fell ill again. Later, the imperial physician explained that Quan Ge must have had a unique sensitivity to that particular fragrance—an extremely rare condition—and cautioned against using it near him in the future.
Ambergris was known as the "celestial fragrance." The finest quality could retain its scent for several months, and among the wealthy families of the capital, anyone who could afford it used ambergris as a mark of status.
Madam Xin had always burned ambergris, and even now, when times were tight, she refused to switch to anything else. This box of frozen borneol had originally been presented as a tribute by the head of one of the estate's farms, who claimed it was high-quality ambergris obtained at great expense. Unable to distinguish the genuine from the fake, Madam Xin began using it after her original supply ran out. Little did she know it was counterfeit incense, causing Quan Ge'er much suffering. When she learned the truth, she flew into quite a rage.
This incident had caused quite a stir in Duke Wei's Mansion at the time, leaving a deep impression on Jiafu. In this lifetime, she naturally thought of using frozen borneol to help herself out of this predicament. That was why she had been using frozen borneol ever since returning from Western Hill Temple.
Ordinary people close to her would only notice the ambergris she used—how could they know this fragrance was not that fragrance?
Slowly provoking Madam Song's dissatisfaction with her—this was the catalyst.
She lacked an excuse to act out, so she would hand her one. Letting Madam Song use the excuse that she and Quan Ge'er were ill-fated to interfere and ruin this marriage—that was the strong medicine Jiafu intended to administer.
This method wasn’t exactly fair to that child, but back then, Jiafu had hesitated only briefly before making her decision.
In her past life, she had been kind to others, yielding at every turn and enduring everything, yet she had not reaped the so-called rewards of virtue.
Life was already hard enough. In this lifetime, she would be good to those who were good to her, and if possible, repay them doubly.
That was enough—no need to dwell on the rest.
"Mother, little sister, we're here!"
The carriage gradually slowed, and the voice of her elder brother Zhen Yaoting came from outside the window.
"A'fu, we've arrived. There are many people here today, and I’ll be busy, so I might not be able to look after you. Don’t push to the front where it’s crowded—stay in a quieter room at the back to avoid any mishaps. I’ll send someone to fetch you later."
Madam Meng gently patted her daughter’s shoulder.
Jiafu opened her eyes and gave her mother a sweet smile, nodding in agreement.
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