As a noble lady from a prominent family, Madam Wei could only take brisk walks within her own mansion.
The Rongchang Marquis Mansion occupied an entire street. Even walking a single lap around the central axis buildings took half an hour; two laps would fill a full hour.
Taking advantage of accompanying her on these walks, Feng Qingsui gained a fairly thorough understanding of the mansion’s layout.
The entire estate faced south, with the ancestral hall, gardens, the Pine and Cypress Hall where the elderly Lady Rong resided, the banquet hall for feasts and gatherings, and the main courtyard used by the Marquis for receiving guests and handling affairs forming the central axis. Scattered on the eastern and western sides were courtyards of varying sizes.
The courtyard of the Rongchang Hou Shizi and those of the Marquis’s other sons were located on the eastern side.
The guest courtyards and the courtyards of the Marquis’s brothers were situated on the western side.
Feng Qingsui had previously wondered why her sister and brother-in-law would bring their child to attend the birthday banquet of the elderly Lady Rongan—young, unmarried ladies from prominent families rarely went out to meet guests.
From Madam Wei, she learned that during Lady Rong’s birthday banquet, her father had devised a unique arrangement: he had a hundred children write the character for “longevity” on the spot as a tribute to Lady Rong.
Madam Wei’s father was none other than Wei Buqun, the Minister of Rites and the superior of her brother-in-law, who served as a Vice Minister of Rites.
Undoubtedly, her brother-in-law and sister had brought Xiao Yu to the banquet at the request of their superior.
Just as they were discussing the hundred children offering longevity wishes, Feng Qingsui and Madam Wei happened to be walking along the corridor on the western side of the banquet hall. Outside the corridor was a crescent-shaped lake called Moon Lake, spanned by a winding nine-turn bridge. On the other side of the bridge lay the guest courtyards.
Gazing at Moon Lake, Madam Wei sighed softly.
“It’s a pity one mischievous child sneaked away during the banquet to play on this bridge, fell in, and drowned, nearly spoiling the auspicious occasion.
Fortunately, the Heir reacted quickly, saying that ‘Heaven’s way avoids perfection, and human affairs shun completeness.’ It was Heaven’s will for the elderly lady to live a long, long life that this child met such a fate, so the elderly lady didn’t take it to heart.”
After speaking, she pressed a hand to her forehead, showing a look of regret for having spoken out of turn.
“Why did I bring this up with you? It’s not something discussed openly in the mansion…”
A shadow flickered in Feng Qingsui’s eyes.
She knew why Madam Wei had spoken carelessly. When one is weary, it is difficult to control oneself; what is on the mind often slips from the tongue. Pretending to console her, she said, “You must be tired. Let’s rest in the banquet hall before continuing our walk.”
Madam Wei nodded immediately. “We should indeed rest. My legs are about to give out.”
The western side door of the banquet hall was open, and Feng Qingsui helped her inside.
To the north was the main hall for banquets, with auxiliary halls on the eastern and western sides. To the south stood a stage.
“On the day of the elderly lady’s birthday banquet, they set up a full three hundred tables, invited six opera troupes and various acrobatic and musical groups, and the festivities lasted a full day and night.”
After sitting down at a tea table in the auxiliary hall, Madam Wei pointed to the stage and said to Feng Qingsui, “If you had been here then, you could have enjoyed quite the spectacle.”
Feng Qingsui looked at the vast stage but thought instead: Was Xiao Yu writing here at that time?
Xiao Yu’s calligraphy was exceptional. Despite her young age and limited techniques, her composition and layout were remarkably spirited, and she had even designed her own unique script.
That script was delightfully crooked, adorable, and full of lively variation, much like herself.
Feng Qingsui had never met Xiao Yu in person, having only seen portraits her brother-in-law had painted. Her sister said Xiao Yu closely resembled her when she was young, so looking at Xiao Yu’s portrait always felt like gazing through time at her sister.
Xiao Yu was also gentle and kind-hearted, just like her sister.
“Suisui Yi, Mother says you’re really good at telling stories. When you come to the capital, will you tell me stories? I’ve saved up all my candies for you to eat when you arrive.”
“Suisui Yi, I hid a red envelope in the clothes Mother sent you. Use it to buy fried glutinous rice cakes. Mother said the cakes can’t be mailed—they’d spoil.”
“Suisui Yi, when are you coming back to the capital? If you don’t return soon, I’ll start losing my baby teeth.”
…
Memories swirled, nearly drowning out Madam Wei’s call.
Snapping back to the present, she smiled faintly. “What did you say just now, Madam? I was so captivated by the murals on the opera stage—is this carved scene of Magu Presenting Longevity?”
Madam Wei’s face lit up with pride. “This was newly carved before the Old Madam’s birthday celebration. It was painted by His Majesty’s own hand.”
Feng Qingsui allowed a touch of perfectly measured admiration to show on her face. “A painting by the Emperor himself—only the Old Madam of your esteemed household is blessed with such fortune.”
Just as Madam Wei was about to speak, voices suddenly drifted from beyond the wall.
“What are you dragging me to the lakeside for on such a cold day? It’s all wind here,” a woman’s voice cooed with playful complaint.
“Keep your voice down. Don’t let Father hear. Didn’t you say you wanted crab? I’m taking you to catch some. Someone delivered several baskets of crabs to the manor yesterday. We couldn’t eat them all in time, so they’re being kept alive in this lake,” a man’s voice teased.
“Nonsense. Even if there were crabs, would you need to catch them yourself?”
“You know me too well. Truth is, I’ve just gotten my hands on a new kind of medicine. I want to try it with you.”
“You scoundrel! This place is busy with people coming and going. Aren’t you afraid someone might overhear…?”
“We’ll row the boat to the middle of the lake. Guaranteed no one will hear.”
“Always full of tricks, you…”
…
The voices gradually faded until they could no longer be heard.
Feng Qingsui felt a moment of disorientation.
Due to her blindness in childhood, her hearing had become exceptionally sharp. While others recognized people by sight, she recognized them by sound.
That woman’s voice just now, though vastly different from a decade ago, she had still recognized it.
It was Cuique’s voice.
Cuique had once stayed at the Charity Orphanage where she and her elder sister lived for two months, sharing their room.
When Cuique first arrived at the orphanage, she clung to Feng Qingsui’s elder sister like a shadow, following her everywhere and imitating everything she did—more like a little tail than Feng Qingsui herself.
Upon hearing that Cuique’s parents had been killed by villains, her sister felt deep sympathy for her and always shared any treats she had with her.
Until one day, the orphanage supervisor summoned everyone to the courtyard, announcing that someone had stolen her purse and that each person would be searched.
At that time, she, her sister, and Cuique were all in their room. Upon hearing the summons, they headed outside.
Her sister led her by the hand, walking ahead, while Cuique followed behind.
Feng Qingsui heard Cuique’s footsteps pause for a few moments before catching up, and suspicion instantly arose in her heart—Cuique had been competing with her for her sister’s attention since arriving at the orphanage. Like a little beast guarding its food, Feng Qingsui had remained vigilant toward her.
So, after leaving the room, she insisted on fetching Xiao Bai—a rabbit cloth doll her sister had sewn for her. She had slept with it since infancy and, even tattered, couldn’t bear to part with it, clutching it whenever she felt anxious. Her sister had no choice but to take her back to fetch it.
Cuique followed as well, but Feng Qingsui quickened her pace to shake her off.
She rushed back into the room alone, threw herself onto the bed she shared with her sister, and reached under the pillow. Her fingers brushed against something smooth and silky—a purse.
—Cuique’s pause earlier had been to plant this stolen purse under their pillow, framing them.
Feng Qingsui tucked the purse into her own clothes, then found the doll, hugged it tightly, and headed for the door.
Unaware her scheme had been uncovered, Cuique saw her clinging to the doll and mocked, “You’re so grown up, yet you still act like a baby that hasn’t been weaned.”
Feng Qingsui remained silent.
While lining up for the inspection, she seized an opportunity to slip the purse back onto Cuique.
During the body search, the supervisor found the pouch and gave Cuique a severe beating.
The next day, her little Bai went missing.
Her sister searched for a long time before finding it in the ditch behind the kitchen, already torn to shreds and covered in filth.
She confronted Cuique, asking if she was the one who did it.
Cuique jabbed her forehead with a fingernail and snarled, “That tattered doll of yours—even if I stepped on it, I’d find it too dirty for my feet. Who do you think would want it?”