"Niangzi! Something terrible has happened!"
He Mama came running in with a panicked expression, stumbling over the threshold and nearly falling headfirst into the room.
Jiang Shiyao gently patted her daughter who had nearly woken up from the sudden noise.
She frowned with displeasure. "What's all this commotion about?"
He Mama lowered her trembling voice. "The master has… has gone gambling again… and Chang Shun from the outer courtyard reported him to the madam!"
Jiang Shiyao shot to her feet, but quickly composed herself. "Has He Dayou been brought back yet?"
"Not yet. I just heard about it from Chang Shun. He thinks the master stole money meant for flower seeds from the estate."
Jiang Shiyao's gaze fell upon the bamboo poles drying silk threads in the courtyard.
"Take a bamboo stick and intercept them. While beating him, say the borrowed money meant for his old mother's medical treatment was gambled away by him."
Her eyes narrowed as she leaned closer to He Mama. "Remember – it was borrowed!"
At the side gate of the Duke's residence, He Dayou was being dragged by two servants.
His face was deathly pale as he was pulled across the threshold.
How could a mere gardener have so much silver to lose? He had just repaid fifty taels last time, and today he gambled away another hundred.
The bamboo grove affair was about to be exposed.
Should he confess voluntarily to redeem himself…
"He Dayou! You're gambling again!" A green shadow flashed at the corner of his eye, followed by a stinging pain across his face!
Just as he was about to curse, He Mama came crying and throwing herself at him, pounding on his body.
"You wretched man! You've gambled away all the rice in the house and you're still at it!"
"This silver was what I barely managed to borrow from Niangzi for your old mother! What will happen to her now that you've gambled it away!!"
He Dayou was momentarily stunned.
He Mama continued hitting and crying over him. "You heartless wretch!"
"Don't think of me, but at least think of Little Stone back in our hometown!"
"Enough of this wailing!" Chang Shun impatiently pushed He Mama away.
He didn't care whether the money was borrowed or stolen – all he wanted was to drive He Dayou out of the Duke's residence.
The gardener position was lucrative. Without getting rid of He Dayou, how could his mother secure him the flower room position?
He Dayou looked at his wife sitting on the ground, and finally understood.
Niangzi Jiang was the Young Lord's concubine. If the bamboo grove matter came to light, the blame would likely fall solely on him.
The madam was known for her severe methods. If she discovered he had concealed and stolen money, death would probably be his only fate.
Rather than seeking certain death, it would be better to cover this up and strive for a path to wealth!
In the main hall.
The Duchess Zhao Shi was reviewing account books.
When He Dayou was brought in, she frowned in annoyance – why bother her with such trivial matters!
"If the evidence is clear, just send him to the authorities. Why bring him here to dirty my eyes!"
Chang Mama immediately stepped forward. "Madam, this He Dayou is a chronic gambler! But this old servant found no irregularities in the flower room accounts – that's the most suspicious part!"
Zhao Shi looked up. "A mere gardener actually has such capability."
He Dayou immediately kowtowed. "Reporting to the madam, this humble servant wouldn't dare use the flower room's funds even if I had the courage of heaven!"
"This money was… was borrowed by my wife, He Mama, wet nurse to Sister Fu, from Niangzi Jiang!"
Chang Mama, "Borrowed? Niangzi Jiang lent you a hundred taels??!"
Zhao Shi, "What are Jiang Shi and the young miss's monthly allowances?"
Chang Mama, "Ten taels for the lady, five taels for the young miss."
Zhao Shi leaned slightly forward. "How generous of Jiang Shi. With a ten-tael monthly allowance, she can lend you a hundred taels."
She demanded sharply, "Speak! Where did the money come from?!"
He Dayou trembled, his heart pounding nervously.
"It… it was borrowed from Niangzi…"
Chang Mama turned and said, "Madam, this…"
Zhao Shi pinched the bridge of her nose. "Summon Jiang Shi."
Rather than dealing with a mere gardener, she preferred to use Jiang Shi to cause some trouble for her dear mother-in-law!
When Jiang Shiyao arrived, He Dayou was kneeling at the entrance of the flower hall, his back soaked through with sweat.
She stepped into the flower hall without glancing sideways.
"Greetings to Madam."
Zhao Shi's expression was displeased. Jiang Shiyao had been elevated by her son himself back then, and she had turned a blind eye to the matter.
But now, she had overstepped and was mingling with that old woman!
Zhao Shi gently blew on her teacup, neither looking up nor allowing Jiang Shiyao to rise.
After a long while, Zhao Shi slowly raised her head. "Rise."
"I called you here to see your way of generating wealth, Niangzi Jiang. With a monthly allowance of ten taels, you can still lend a servant one hundred taels."
Jiang Shiyao kept her head lowered. "In reply to Madam, I am merely an inner chamber woman. What would I know about generating wealth?"
"A few days ago, the Young Lord gave me some silver. He Mama's mother in her hometown fell ill, and I lent it to her considering her diligent care of Fu'er."
Zhao Shi snorted coldly. "It seems you've forgotten your status after climbing to a higher branch."
In that instant, Jiang Shiyao understood that Zhao Shi was deliberately targeting her not because of the gardener's matter.
It was because Old Madam Zhou had prepared birthday gifts without consulting the mistress of the household, instead seeking out a mere concubine like her.
She immediately knelt down decisively. "Madam, please see clearly."
Zhao Shi glanced at the person kneeling obediently before her.
If not for her honest and dutiful nature, she would have been driven out the day she climbed into Xian'er's bed.
"You're embroidering birthday gifts for Old Madam. I heard it's an auspicious beast."
Jiang Shiyao replied, "Yes, an auspicious beast presenting peaches."
She paused briefly. "Today when I showed the embroidery to Old Madam for her review, something strange happened."
"Oh? What strange thing?"
A faint, almost imperceptible smile touched Jiang Shiyao's lips. "Miss Song was also there. She thought I had served the Young Lord yesterday and claimed my embroidery was defiled, then presented a new design."
"The strange thing is, the new design was exactly the same as my auspicious beast presenting peaches."
"What a shameless creature!" Zhao Shi immediately slapped the table. "She hasn't even entered the door yet and wants to manage my son's women!"
She took a breath to calm herself. "What else?"
Jiang Shiyao continued, "After I explained, Gao Mama said that since both of us could think of the auspicious beast presenting peaches, it must be heaven's will, and it would surely gain Empress Dowager's favor."
"I thought Miss Song also wanted to express her sentiments, so I suggested that I complete the auspicious beast, and let Miss Song do the final peach and the eye-dotting."
Zhao Shi snorted. "Let Song Jiyun embroider? Aren't you afraid she'll ruin…"
Her voice trailed off as if suddenly thinking of something, and a smile spread across her lips.
She signaled to her confidante Xiang Mama with her eyes.
Xiang Mama immediately dismissed all the maids inside and out, including He Dayou at the door.
When they were alone, Zhao Shi said slowly, "Jiang Shi, I also have a birthday gift for you to prepare."
Jiang Shiyao pretended not to understand and looked up.
The smile on Zhao Shi's face blossomed even more. "Just focus on making a better one. You can draw silver from the public funds anytime!"
"Do this quietly. Don't tell anyone."
"Yes."
The corners of Jiang Shiyao's lowered lips curved upward.
The big fish has taken the bait.
Even without He Dayou's incident, she would have made sure the happenings in Old Madam's courtyard reached Zhao Shi's ears.
Each had their own schemes, and this conflict between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law presented the perfect opportunity for profit.
The finer the goods, the higher the price.
Though Old Madam had Shuangjiang monitoring her accounts, Zhao Shi—operating in secret—wouldn't send additional watchers.
"Mother!"
Jiang Shiyao nearly thought she'd misheard.
A tall shadow fell across the doorway, landing beside her, followed by a small figure being set down.
"Your son pays respects to Mother." A deep voice sounded above her.
Jiang Shiyao glanced sideways—his black boots were spotless.
Little Fu'er beside him clasped her chubby hands and curtsied with childish diction.
"Fu'er pays respects to Grandmother."
Zhao Shi set her teacup down with a clatter. "I haven't even done anything yet, and you're already rushing over!"
Zhou Congxian patted his daughter's head. "Fu'er showed me her calligraphy practice from the past two days today. It reminded me of when you used a rattan cane to force me to practice writing as a child."
Zhao Shi snorted. "Did you remember because you want to upset your mother now?"
"Jade must be carved to become useful. Your son is grateful for Mother's hardships."
Zhou Congxian picked Fu'er up.
"Jiang Shi gave birth to Fu'er and has raised her so well. Even if she has faults, I beg you to forgive her for my sake."
Zhao Shi rolled her eyes at her son. "Fine, fine. How would I dare make things difficult for the person who holds your heart?"
She had struggled to conceive this son—losing two children before him—and had treasured him like pearls since childhood.
Yet that old woman always tried to steal her son's affections.
Concubines were one thing, but she had to choose a Song family bride for him.
Did that old woman think she didn't know what schemes lay behind having her grandniece marry into the family?
"Xian'er, tomorrow your eldest sister has arranged to visit the temple with Miss Li. Accompany them."
Zhou Congxian knew what his mother intended. "Mother, it wouldn't be proper for me to go."
Zhao Shi was displeased. "Why wouldn't it be proper?"
Her gaze fell on the mother and daughter nearby. "The incense at White Horse Temple is potent. What's wrong with a father going to pray for his daughter's safety?"
"Let Second Brother go instead."
Zhao Shi's eyebrows nearly shot up. "I'll go tomorrow too! Accompany your mother to the temple—let's see how you refuse then!"
Zhou Congxian sighed helplessly. "My marriage with Miss Song has already been formally agreed upon by Grandmother and Father."
"You can't disregard two young ladies' reputations for your personal desires."
"My personal desires?" Zhao Shi's lips trembled as she stared in disbelief at the son she'd nurtured with all her heart.
"Zhou Congxian! You actually say I'm acting for personal desires?!"
"That day when Song Jiyun pulled you into sharing a carriage through the market streets, did you truly think I didn't understand her intentions?!"
Zhou Congxian released an almost imperceptible sigh and handed his daughter to Jiang Shiyao.
"Take Fu'er back first."
Jiang Shiyao immediately embraced her daughter, curtsied, and turned to leave the main hall.
Zhou Congxian marrying Song Jiyun was an unchangeable fact.
Yet hearing his words still caused a dull ache in her heart.
She could only hope the three-month deadline would arrive quickly.
So she and her daughter could leave this place.
The next day, while Jiang Shiyao still slept holding her daughter, a large hand roughly shook her awake.
"Ah—!!"