By the eleventh month, several heavy snows had already fallen one after another in the capital.
In the Qinren Fang alley, at the residence of the Vice Minister of Revenue, Xie.
Madam Xie had just returned from a plum blossom viewing banquet. After her maids helped her remove the numerous hairpins and ornaments from her hair, she changed into a light, soft set of home clothes and reclined languidly on a daybed.
The daybed was draped with furs from the north, and two braziers sat in the center of the room. The silver frost charcoal, priced at a tael of silver per jin, radiated a warmth so comforting it seemed to soften one’s very bones.
Madam Xie took a sip of the milk pudding sent from the small kitchen and spoke with a smile to Nanny Yao beside her. “Although the Marquis’s residence is wealthy and grand, there’s truly no place as comfortable as one’s own home.”
Nanny Yao, helping her mistress rinse her mouth, also smiled. “Isn’t that the truth? Nowhere is as comfortable as one’s own home.”
Nanny Yao was Madam Xie’s wet nurse. She had cared for her since childhood and followed her into the Xie residence upon her marriage. By now, she had reached an age where she should have retired in comfort.
As Nanny Yao had no children of her own, Madam Xie had specially set aside a courtyard for her retirement, often sending for her to chat and reminisce about the past. With the favor of the family’s matriarch, Nanny Yao lived a life even more comfortable than that of the Xie family’s concubines.
Only someone with Nanny Yao’s seniority would dare to offer an opinion on matters concerning the eldest daughter, Xie Yurou.
Seeing that Madam Xie was clearly in a good mood, Nanny Yao began to massage her legs. “Has there been any definite news? They’ve already held several banquets.”
There was a hint of dissatisfaction in Nanny Yao’s tone. Having raised Madam Xie, she loved Madam Xie’s children as if they were her own grandchildren and couldn’t bear to see them suffer the slightest grievance.
It was the Marquis’s residence that had first hinted at a marriage alliance with the Xie family. Yet, from the tenth month when winter began until now, the Marquis’s residence had hosted one banquet after another under various pretexts, inviting all the noble ladies of the capital. This behavior was unpleasantly suggestive of someone keeping their options open while stringing them along.
Madam Xie, however, was unconcerned. She knew perfectly well the caliber of the daughter she had raised.
Throughout the entire capital, not even the princesses and commandery princesses could outshine her daughter. If the current emperor’s elder sons weren’t either already married to their primary consorts or still too young, Madam Xie might not have even considered the Marquis of Qing’an’s residence.
Fortunately, the heir of the Marquis of Qing’an was a man of fine character. Not only was he handsome, but he was also learned, having earned the title of Juren in the provincial examinations at the beginning of the year. With his own ambition and a marquis for a father to support him, his official career was all but guaranteed.
If Xie Yurou married into the family and gave birth to the legitimate heir, a lifetime of wealth and stability would be assured.
Recalling the words the Marquis’s wife had passed to her today, a contented smile appeared on Madam Xie’s face. “Yes, there’s definite news. She said that after the twelfth month, they will petition His Majesty to decree the marriage.”
Nanny Yao was delighted to hear this. “That’s wonderful. A marriage decreed by His Majesty will bring our young lady great honor.”
Since the matter wasn’t completely settled, Madam Xie didn’t wish to say more, and the two of them let the subject drop.
Just as Madam Xie was about to close her eyes to rest, she suddenly remembered something and summoned Mei Xiang, the head maid currently attending her. “Is the Third Young Lady feeling any better?”
Mei Xiang, who was tying a medicated forehead band on Madam Xie, quickly replied, “This servant went to see her at noon. She was coughing quite severely. The doctor prescribed medicine and said she must rest well.”
Madam Xie’s expression turned cold. Nanny Yao, ever observant, understood why her mistress had put effort into raising a concubine’s daughter and quietly suggested, “In this old servant’s opinion, why not choose another obedient girl for the Eldest Young Lady to take with her? The Third Young Lady’s mother died of consumption, and now she herself is constantly bedridden. It’s clear she is ill-fated.”
What Nanny Yao truly wanted to say was that bringing such a person to the Marquis’s residence would not only be of no help to the Eldest Young Lady, but if something were to happen to her, it would tarnish her young lady’s reputation.
Furthermore, that girl had a pretty face. Though not a national beauty like the Eldest Young Lady, she was still a fresh, delicate flower. With no one in the residence to hold her in check, who knew if she might develop improper thoughts and cause trouble for the Eldest Young Lady in the Marquis’s residence.
Madam Xie sighed. “I originally chose her because she seemed honest and well-behaved, thinking Yurou could take her along to help manage the household. But now, it seems we should forget it.”
“Honest and well-behaved” was a euphemism. In reality, all the servants attending the main wife knew that the Third Young Lady had been raised by Madam to be timid and cowardly. Aside from her decent cooking skills, she was no match for the Eldest Young Lady.
Placing such a weak person by the Eldest Young Lady’s side, she could only be controlled and manipulated.
Madam claimed to pity the motherless concubine’s daughter, but in truth, she was simply raising a plaything for her eldest daughter.
Unfortunately, this plaything had now lost its value and would likely be sent away soon.
Fifteen should have been an age of lively activity, but Xie Linlang was frequently bedridden. As soon as winter set in and the capital turned bitterly cold, she was all but confined to her bed.
A young maid returned carrying a food box, hastily shutting the door before the wind and snow could blow into the inner room.
Hearing the sound, Xie Linlang put down her book, pulled the brocade quilt higher, and let out a cough.
Seeing her awake, Xiao Qiu quickly set down the food box and hurried over. “Young Lady, you’re coughing again. Should I ask Doctor Qin to come have a look?”
Xie Linlang shook her head. “Forget it. It’s an old ailment that gets worse every winter. The doctor will only prescribe more bitter medicinal soups. Just let me rest for a bit.”
A look of pity flashed in Xiao Qiu’s eyes, but she was helpless.
“Then please put on a blanket, and this servant will help you with your meal.”
Although Xie Linlang was raised in the main courtyard, Madam Xie’s Minghui Courtyard was vast. Compared to where the Eldest Young Lady lived, her own quarters were remote and far from the matriarch’s rooms.
But Xie Linlang had no complaints. She preferred staying in her own room to observing the strict etiquette required in her legitimate mother’s presence every day.
Xiao Qiu first replaced the bed warmer in Xie Linlang’s quilt with a fresh one before helping her with her meal.
The small kitchen in the main courtyard did not provide for a concubine’s daughter like her, so Xiao Qiu had to fetch Xie Linlang’s three daily meals from the Xie residence’s main kitchen.
In the summer, it was fine; the food arrived at a perfect temperature. But once winter arrived with its biting winds and snow, the congealed grease on the food made it inedible.
Xie Linlang sighed. “I’m not hungry yet. Just put it on the brazier to warm up.”
She had to be grateful to her legitimate mother for at least remembering to allocate charcoal to her. Otherwise, the winter would be even harder to endure.
Xiao Qiu quickly agreed and placed the dishes one by one on the brazier.
The masters of the Xie residence used high-quality silver frost charcoal for heating in the winter. This type of charcoal was favored by the great families of the capital because it burned for a long time without producing smoke.
As a young lady of the Xie family, Xie Linlang naturally used this fine charcoal as well, but what was sent to her room were all broken pieces and fine dust. Not only did it burn out quickly, but moving it would stir up clouds of ash.
When Xie Linlang was younger, unable to bear the cold, she had asked the steward for more charcoal a few times, only to be reprimanded by her legitimate mother for being extravagant at such a young age.
At that time, Xie Linlang had been grateful for her legitimate mother’s care and felt a certain filial affection for Madam Xie. Or perhaps, she simply hadn’t understood her own status. Feeling she had been punished unjustly by her legitimate mother, she had even tried to argue her case before Master Xie.
The consequences were, naturally, more than her young self could bear. The experience of being locked alone in the ancestral hall in the freezing cold was not pleasant. It was also after that incident that her legitimate mother found fault with the wet nurse who had cared for her since birth and sent her away, replacing her with Xiao Qiu, who was then just a half-grown child herself.
Having learned her lesson the hard way, Xie Linlang suddenly understood many things. Her legitimate mother was not her birth mother. Towards her, she could only show respect and must never overstep her bounds.