Although she had taken medicine in advance as a precaution and drunk hot water, what was meant to come still came. The next morning, she woke up with her head heavy and her feet light, and a runny nose. Her body had always been known as iron-forged—she rarely fell ill. Though this was only a minor ailment, it somehow felt different from usual.
When she went to pay her respects in the morning, Madam Yu pressed her forehead against hers for a long moment before saying, "As long as there's no fever, it's nothing serious. You'll be better in a few days."
"Mm, it's just a bit of a stuffy nose." Sheniang sniffled.
But even so, she still rose early to attend her studies, while Liniang stayed home to sleep in. At the schoolroom, Meng Jilan and Song Xianhui were, as always, the earliest to arrive. When they heard that Sheniang had caught a chill, they fussed over her with concern.
Meng Jilan said, "You really should have a physician come take a look."
"We have ready-made prescriptions at home, so we didn't call for a doctor. Besides, as long as there's no fever, it's nothing serious." Sheniang knew her own condition well enough—whether she took medicine or not, it would take about six or seven days to recover. Since her case wasn't severe, she just needed to be a bit more careful.
As they were speaking, Yueniang came over. Since her visit to the Xin'an Marquis Estate, she had witnessed the difference between households of marquises and dukes and ordinary official families. By the time spring came and flowers bloomed next year, the two families would be able to finalize the engagement. Hence, she no longer scrambled and schemed like Yiniang and Liniang, running to the old madam's side at every opportunity.
Yiniang and Liniang arrived just in time—one because she had personally gone to the small kitchen to make breakfast for the old madam, and the other purely because she had overslept while doing her hair and makeup.
Because the weather was too cold, the schoolroom only held classes for half a day. After lunch, the tailor came to the house to make new clothes for them.
Each of them was to have one padded inner jacket, one lined outer jacket, one padded overcoat, and one fur coat made, along with two pairs of padded trousers and two skirts. Madam Yu said to the tailor, "White silk jackets look good with red sleeveless vests—just make them in bright red and silver-red."
The Pei family was very large, so whenever tailors and embroiderers came to the house, it was always a big commission.
By the time the clothes were finished, Sheniang's chill had also recovered. It was now the Laba Festival, and the whole family gathered together to eat laba porridge. Sheniang couldn't help but ask, "I wonder when Brother will come home?"
Out in the freezing snow, having to study at the academy—it truly wasn't easy.
After all, Pei Zhen of the eldest branch was only a year younger than her brother, and he studied at home, taught by renowned tutors. Never mind talk about it being character-building—even princes who were truly favored and expected to inherit wouldn't be treated this way.
Even she, at home, had easily caught a chill, let alone her twelve-year-old brother.
Speaking of her eldest son, Madam Yu said, "Your brother won't return until the end of the year."
"Mother, why doesn't Second Brother have to go to the academy? Even I, who jumps rope a hundred times every day and has such a strong constitution, caught a chill. I really don't know how Brother manages all alone." Sheniang rested her chin on her hand, lost in thought.
Madam Yu was also full of worry, but Sixth Master Pei said, "It's not a good thing for a boy to be raised in the inner chambers like a girl. Your brother studying at the academy now—he can shed the arrogance of an official's son and exchange ideas with his classmates. That's a good thing."
"Father is right. It's just that your daughter's heart is too narrow." Sheniang thought that even her own father couldn't criticize their elders at home, nor could she question whether her grandparents were being partial—that would be unfilial.
But Sixth Master Pei missed his son just as much; he simply didn't speak of it constantly.
Liniang pouted and said, "Father, Mother, we could send some laba porridge and snacks to Brother."
Madam Yu replied, "We just sent him fresh clothes and bedding the other day. Your brother said he'd be coming home in a few days and told us not to send anything more."
Seeing the atmosphere grow a bit heavy, Sheniang smiled and said, "Mother, I heard someone mention yesterday that the Marchioness of Dingbei would be coming over today. Will she ask you to join her for cards? I've heard they're all very skilled at playing cards. Maybe you shouldn't go."
Madam Yu laughed at this. "You clever little minx—you're subtly saying your mother isn't good at cards." After laughing, she added, "The Marchioness of Dingbei is indeed coming. Your Fifth Aunt has already prepared the banquet, so I only ate a few bites just now."
Speaking of the Marquis of Dingbei, Sixth Master Pei said, "I heard that the youngest son of the Marquis of Dingbei failed to be selected as a companion for the Imperial Grandson?"
"With such a wonderful opportunity, even the imperial clansmen are all fighting to get in." Madam Yu wisely did not mention that the Marquis of Dingbei was no longer what he used to be.
In this dynasty, aside from a few marquisates that held hereditary Iron Certificates of Privilege, all other marquisates either had Descending Hereditary Peerage or Three-Generation Hereditary Peerage. The Dingbei Marquisate was one of the Three-Generation Hereditary Peerage.
The old Marquis of Dingbei had been a founding meritorious official with outstanding military achievements, earning his marquisate. The current Marquis of Dingbei was of the same generation as Old Madam Pei's nephews. By the next generation, the title would only descend to a position like Commander.
If the family didn't rise again, they could only rely on the shadow of their ancestors' glory.
Of course, the Marquisate still held a much higher status than the Pei family at present, but in the long run—with her father's generation already having produced two jinshi degree holders—the Pei family's future prospects might be even brighter.
Yiniang had also received her new clothes, but the fifth branch didn't gather together as one big family. They usually ate separately.
Nanny Chang was just saying with a smile, "These clothes are all fine workmanship, with no skimping on materials or effort."
Suisui, who had grown up alongside the true Third Miss since childhood, stood nearby. Seeing He Biyun usurping her place and swallowing her pride before Fifth Madam, wanting only to play the role of the eldest young lady without any thought of vindicating the real Yiniang, she felt a surge of indignation.
She had privately spoken of this to Nanny Chang, but Nanny Chang had instead advised her to watch her words and actions, saying they should be grateful to He Biyun, and speaking of how difficult her circumstances were.
Having spent so many years in the nunnery, Suisui was no fool and knew how to read the room. She dared not provoke He Biyun either—if she were cast out, then no one would ever know what had truly happened to her young mistress.
At that thought, she stepped forward and said, "Miss, this servant will go to the sewing room to fetch a pattern to make shoe templates for you."
Yiniang said, "Go on, then."
With the ground frozen and snow everywhere, Suisui had nowhere else to go. Fortunately, she was on good terms with Lanruo, who served Sheniang, so she came to find her. Lanruo received the monthly wages of a third-class maid—no more than a string of cash a month—but fortunately her mistress occasionally bestowed extra gifts, making life bearable.
When Suisui arrived, Lanruo was hiding in her room drinking porridge. Seeing her come in, she moved to ladle out another bowl. "Qiuju and Dongmei have gone with Fifth Miss to the main hall. I'm just having some laba porridge here—would you like a taste?"
"No need, I've already eaten." Suisui smiled as she spoke, then noticed Lanruo's rose-red fur jacket and the velvet flowers pinned in her twin buns. She remarked, "Your mistress treats you very well."
Lanruo replied, "Indeed she does. Every month, our miss takes two qian from her own allowance to buy us maids flowers to wear or fruit to snack on. She never scolds or punishes us. One day, Sister Qiuju asked me to keep the night watch—my first time doing it—and the miss worried I'd be cold, so she had Nanny Xia bring me an extra quilt."
Suisui began to weep at these words.
Lanruo asked hurriedly, "What's the matter?"
"Nothing. I just remembered how my own young mistress used to treat me the same way. She had such a kind heart." Thinking of her days in the nunnery, Suisui could not help but grieve.
…
When Sheniang heard Lanruo's report, she asked in puzzlement, "She really said that?"
Lanruo affirmed, "Every word of it."
"How strange. Isn't she with her own mistress right now? Why would she speak of the past?" A vague suspicion formed in Sheniang's mind, though she was not certain of it.
She was about to ask more when Nanny Xia urged, "Dear miss, you must hurry—we still need to go to Mingyuan Hall together."
Originally, when it was said that the Marchioness of Dingbei was coming, Sheniang had assumed the adults would simply entertain her for a while. She had not expected the marchioness to request meeting the young ladies of the household.
Nanny Xia and the other maids quickly helped Sheniang change into fresh clothes and put on her hairpins and ornaments. At Nanny Xia's urging, Sheniang drew her hood closed and hurried to the main hall—but Liniang had still not arrived.
"I told you there was no need to rush. Some people will dawdle no matter what." Sheniang said crossly to Nanny Xia.
Nanny Xia smiled apologetically at Madam Yu, who sent someone to urge Liniang along. It was nearly the time it takes to brew a cup of tea before Liniang finally appeared. Madam Yu said sternly, "Whether you two sisters squabble at home, I care not. But when you are outside, you must be modest and courteous. Do you hear me?"
Sheniang quickly replied, "Yes."
Liniang, only after being nudged by Nanny Chen, set down her hand mirror and powder puff and also said, "Yes."
They lived far from the main quarters, and if they arrived late, Madam Yu feared Old Madam Pei might think she was deliberately being remiss. So she urged them, "Come, come, let's not delay."
Sheniang looked at Liniang and felt that if she kept on like this, she would eventually earn everyone's dislike. Her current popularity was propped up by Meng Jilan and Song Xianhui, who were both extremely adept at social graces and kind to everyone. But Liniang, basking in the praise of her small circle, assumed she was equally well-regarded elsewhere. Given time, her foolishness would inevitably turn others against her.
When there was no conflict of interest, no one would say anything. But once interests clashed, her shortcomings would become her sin. Yet Sheniang would not voice these thoughts—there was no need.
The three of them set out together, joining the other branches of the family before proceeding to Mingyuan Hall.
The Marchioness of Dingbei appeared to be in her thirties. She wore a robe of bright red brocade with woven floral patterns, a skirt of gold-threaded fabric, and a cap adorned with pearls and kingfisher feathers—two pearl knots, three half-open pearls, and eighteen kingfisher-feather peonies, dazzling to the eye. One could not help but think that she was indeed worthy of her title as a marchioness, radiating an aura of overwhelming nobility.
When Emperor Guangwu was still a commoner, he had seen the Captain of the Imperial Guard pass by in such splendor that he could not help but sigh, "To be an official, one should be Captain of the Imperial Guard." Likewise, upon seeing this magnificently attired marchioness, the young ladies could not help but reflect inwardly that a woman, too, should aspire to reach the station of a duke's or marquis's wife.
Old Madam Pei was introducing them: "These are your several grand-nieces. A few you have met before, and a few you have not yet met."
Sheniang hurriedly followed her sisters in performing the salute. Seeing this, the Marchioness of Dingbei said hastily, "Every one of them is as fresh as spring scallions—it's clear that Auntie has a gift for raising young ladies."
With that, she had servants bring out trays of gifts for the younger generation, each a pair of gold sleeve-weights. After receiving their gifts, the young ladies all sat down to keep the elders company in conversation.
The Marchioness of Dingbei then brought up the matter of the companion posts: "Though this matter didn't come to pass, his father said that in the future, he could seek a position in the Five Wards Military Command—that would do well enough."
"Mmm, that's a sensible point. Even if he had become a companion, what of it? When the master fares well, you don't necessarily fare well along with him; but if the master commits an error, it's the companion who must bear the punishment in his stead." Old Madam Pei took a sip of tea, speaking partly to console her grand-niece.
Still, she asked one more question: "So who was ultimately selected?"
The Marchioness of Dingbei replied, "One is the nephew of the Crown Princess's natal family, and the other is the Hereditary Prince of Prince Qing."
Hearing this, Sheniang sighed inwardly. In her previous life, the Imperial Grandson had been pitiable as well—the Emperor had passed away, and the Crown Prince, upon ascending the throne, had died shortly after, leaving the Imperial Grandson to succeed. As the saying goes, when the sovereign is young, the realm grows suspicious. Prince Jin then became Prince Regent, and in due course, before the Crown Prince could even take personal charge of governance, he died suddenly, and Prince Jin ascended the throne.
Fortunately, neither of those two companions had been implicated. The Crown Princess's nephew was extremely skilled in battle, and later, for his merits in pacifying the Western Regions, his portrait was hung in the Lingyan Pavilion. As for the Hereditary Prince of Prince Qing, he had originally married a daughter of the Chu family and was aligned with them. Later, when the Zhangxian Crown Prince born of Empress Chu died young, he, like the Chu family, remained highly trusted by Emperor Jianchang.
Of course, this faction of Chu loyalists looked down on her as Empress. Before her rebirth, Consort Guan had even tried to marry her niece to Prince Qing as a second wife in order to win him over.
Snapping back to the present, Sheniang sensed someone watching her. She looked up and found it was the Marchioness of Dingbei. She smiled generously and gave a slight nod.
Nanny Chen had thought that Fourth Miss was already secure in this matter, but who would have known that the Marchioness of Dingbei would praise Sixth Miss for her natural noble bearing, and Fifth Miss for her quiet demeanor and delicate features—yet never once mention their Fourth Miss…
What had gone wrong in between?