In her previous life, it was Old Master Pei's death that caused the entire household to fall into chaos.
Because Old Master Pei had passed so suddenly, the family, still immersed in the festive atmosphere of the coming New Year, had to arrange everything on the spot. Madam Yu had to urge people to bring her eldest son Pei Ji back from the academy, while Pei Yiqing had to send someone at dawn to report the mourning period at the yamen. The other branches of the family did the same—those holding official posts reported their mourning obligations, and those studying were pulled out of school.
The couple had to split up to handle matters separately. As for Sheniang and Liniang, Madam Yu told them to stay at home, afraid they might be struck by some ill fortune.
Sheniang rose quickly and instructed Qiuju and Dongmei: "First, pick out some plain, subdued clothing for me—I won't be able to wear the fur coats meant for the New Year." She then had Lanruo and Guifang find several plain white handkerchiefs, and also told them: "The same goes for you two—you can't wear those bright, colorful clothes anymore. Choose the darkest colors you can find."
A rough-serving maid outside brought in hot tea and added: "The mistress of the Fifth Branch just led a large group of people out with great fanfare."
Nanny Xia swirled the hot tea in the cup several times to cool it, then strained a small cup and handed it to Sheniang, saying only: "Now that she manages the household, she'll naturally be the one to handle the funeral arrangements."
Matters as weighty as who managed the household were not something the servants of the Sixth Branch could presume to question.
Sheniang and Liniang waited until dawn before going together to the mourning hall. Old Master Pei, after celebrating his sixtieth birthday last year, had already prepared his own coffin.
Old Madam Pei, who was usually cold-faced, wept like a tear-soaked figure, and everyone else wept along with her. Old Madam Pei had lost her most beloved youngest son just a few years prior, and now her husband was gone too, with her only remaining son far away in Shandong. Even Sheniang could sympathize.
In her previous life, when her mother had died, she had felt only panic—nothing else, not much feeling at all. But now, she truly understood the impermanence of the world.
Yet Sheniang had barely seen her grandfather even once a year. The only time they had truly interacted was when she had presented the Amber Rain-Coat, and her grandfather had rewarded her with a set of jewelry.
She was sad, yes, but not deeply grieved.
Still, she had to cry—and cry loudly at that.
Looking at Liniang, who was weeping even harder than she was, Sheniang thought to herself: See, Liniang isn't stupid at all. Her usual foolishness is just a pretext to get special treatment, making everyone yield to her.
The funeral should have been presided over by Fifth Aunt, Madam Cao, but she fainted, and only then did everyone learn she was with child. Old Madam Pei immediately had Madam Meng take over the household management, with the funeral arrangements in her hands.
Though Madam Meng was usually plagued by minor ailments and wasn't as harsh as Madam Cao, who seemed ready to beat people to death, she was actually quite capable at managing affairs. She first had the head steward hire tailors to make mourning clothes: "These mourning garments must be completed within three days."
Beyond that, there were the tent builders who specialized in erecting mourning sheds, paper effigy makers for the funeral offerings, incense and spirit money, and painters to write the funeral eulogy—all manner of miscellaneous tasks.
Naturally, none of these tasks required Sheniang and the others. The mourning hall hadn't even been set up yet.
Sheniang and the others went to the rear building to wait together, in case the adults summoned them. The Pei girls had never all gathered together like this outside of their usual lessons. Yueniang looked deeply troubled—with Old Master gone, she wondered whether her marriage arrangement would still hold.
So she murmured: "Since we're holding the funeral here in the capital, I wonder if we'll still need to return to our hometown?"
Liniang quickly replied: "Of course we will. We'll have to escort the coffin back to the ancestral home."
Yueniang glanced at Liniang and thought to herself: Fourth Sister naturally has nothing to worry about. Her father is a jinshi from both examinations, her mother has a substantial dowry, and most importantly, the Dingbei Marquis's household is Grandmother's natal family.
These troubling thoughts weighing on her heart—she couldn't share them with anyone. They were just the private worries of a young lady.
Yiniang grew even more anxious upon hearing this. Her father was serving as an official in Hedong Commandery, and if she were to run into members of the He family, what would she do? And with Madam Cao now pregnant, her arrogance would likely only grow worse. Yiniang would have to figure out how to deal with her.
The two older sisters were lost in their own thoughts, while Liniang whimpered that she felt unwell and retreated to a corner to sip hot tea. Meanwhile, Sheniang and Shunniang sat together, and Shunniang spoke up, which was rare for her: "Fifth Sister, Grandfather was perfectly fine yesterday. In the evening, Grandfather and Grandmother even had dinner together. How could he have gone so quickly?"
"That's what I'm wondering too. It's almost the New Year, and yet this happens. Did Grandfather have any old ailments?" Sheniang asked.
Shunniang shook her head, indicating she knew nothing.
In truth, Sheniang had been just as confused about all this in her previous life. After all, she was still a child. She hadn't slept well the night before, and now she was feeling drowsy, barely holding herself together.
An hour later, word came from outside that the eldest young master had returned.
"Brother is back." Sheniang quickly stood up.
Though Pei Ji was not the eldest son of the eldest branch, he was still the eldest grandson of the next generation of the Pei family. While the household didn't need him to handle any major affairs, there were certain matters where his presence as the eldest grandson could lend some dignity.
Thus, after arriving home, Pei Ji went straight to the front courtyard to help, without entering the inner quarters.
Meanwhile, Old Madam Pei had sent everyone off to their tasks, then pried open the hidden compartment in Old Master Pei's study, retrieved the keys, and instructed Nanny Xiang, "When night falls, have a few reliable people go to the Wu-numbered storeroom and move the things to my chambers."
Nanny Xiang paused for a moment before saying, "You truly are far-sighted, mistress."
"I have no choice but to be far-sighted. I'm just a lonely old woman—I can't manage what goes on outside, but I'm afraid that if many people secretly divide up the goods, no one would ever know," said Old Madam Pei.
In truth, no one's thoughts ran as deep as Old Madam Pei's. That day, Pei Yiqing had requested leave for mourning, prepared the funeral rites with his elder brothers, arranged the spirit tablet, and made plans for returning to their hometown—spinning like a top, so busy that even his son's return kept him occupied. How could he possibly have thought of such things?
Madam Yu, on the other hand, who usually seemed rather dazed, said to Sixth Master Pei, "Father passed so suddenly, without leaving a single word. Most of the family's lands and businesses have been managed by Second Brother. I wonder if the household will remain the same as it is now?"
This was what Pei Yiqing loved about Madam Yu—she appeared muddle-headed, but in truth, she was the one who worried on his behalf.
With their father gone, the division of the Pei family would likely not be far off.
Pei Yiqing said, "It certainly won't be the same in the future. Father was the anchor that steadied the ship. Though the inheritance is to be divided equally among the sons, what's brought out will likely be what others have already set aside for themselves."
"You mean they've been secretly hoarding…" Madam Yu was shocked.
Pei Yiqing snorted coldly. "Where do you think Eldest Daughter's dowry came from? The Second Branch plucks feathers from every goose that flies by. If we don't divide the family soon, everything will be scooped into the Second Branch's arms, and we'll be left with scraps—what good would that do?"
Madam Yu worried, "But it's not as if we can simply demand a division of the family. Besides, during Old Master's mourning period, without Old Madam's consent, there's nothing to be done."
"I naturally won't divide the family during the mourning period. I'll first sound out Fourth Brother's thoughts in the coming days, and after the mourning period ends, I'll seek out the elders of the clan we're close to. If that doesn't work, once the mourning is over and I'm reinstated to office, I'll take you and the children to an outpost posting. Especially Liniang—I refuse to let her marry into that Dingbei Marquis's household. Our two daughters would be best married into scholarly families." Pei Yiqing also hoped to one day seek out his birth mother—if not to support her in old age, then at least to settle her somewhere proper.
The couple settled the broad strokes of their future plans, and their hearts felt somewhat lighter. As for Old Master Pei's funeral, everyone grieved as they should, but after the grief came a host of other matters.
Sheniang was also exhausted that day and went to bed early, for she had observed her mother closely and found nothing unusual or out of the ordinary.
The next day, the mourning garments were completed, and everyone in the household donned them.
Old Master Pei's body had been wiped down with yellow wine, and his sons helped dress him in burial clothes. The inner coffin was lined with lime and charcoal, and a jade cicada was placed in his mouth.
They would wait for the eldest son of the Pei family to return, after which the whole procession would escort the coffin back to their hometown.
After breakfast in the main hall that morning, Liniang pressed a packet of sugar beans into Sheniang's hands, saying, "These are really tasty."
Sheniang did love sugar beans, but in her previous life in the palace, she hadn't dared eat too many—beans made one pass gas, which was terribly unseemly.
But now, she could grab a handful and pop them all into her mouth. "Thank you, Fourth Sister."
Liniang smiled. "I have more. Sugar beans aren't as sweet as frosting—they're delicious, but Nanny Chen won't let me eat too many."
The household had people taking turns keeping vigil over the coffin, and both Nanny Chen and Nanny Xia had been sent over. With nothing to do, Liniang saw Sheniang sitting there and gave her a packet of snacks.
Sheniang said, "Eat if you want to. Eating something is better than eating nothing. Anyway, Nanny Chen isn't here. Oh, I also have crabapple pastries and lily pastries—would you like some?"
Liniang blinked her big eyes. "Yes, yes, I want them!"
Without Nanny Chen by her side, Liniang didn't seem nearly as annoying as before.
The two sisters sat together eating pastries. Liniang took a bite of crabapple pastry, sipped some hot tea, then said in a conspiratorial whisper, "Sheniang, did you know? Last night, you all didn't wait for me. My hairpin fell at Shunniang's place, and when I went back to get it, I saw that Nanny Xiang from Grandmother's chambers secretly bringing people to move chests into Grandmother's room."
"Why would she be moving chests for no reason?" Sheniang was puzzled.
Liniang shrugged. "It was all very mysterious—I don't know what it was about."
"Let's tell Father and Mother later—they'll surely know," said Sheniang.
Liniang put her hands on her hips. "See? I did something useful, didn't I? You're always saying I'm slow."
Sheniang was rarely amused by her, but this time she laughed.
The two sisters then privately relayed this to Madam Yu and Pei Yiqing, and Pei Ji, who was nearby, spoke up: "If those chests had the character 'Wu' pasted on them, then they're from Grandfather's storeroom. Last time I came in second on the monthly examination, Grandfather personally took me there to pick something out."
Indeed—Pei Ji had been raised under Old Master Pei's care, so he would know such things.
Sheniang realized at once that something was wrong. According to the Records of Evidence, when a husband passed away, his wife had no right to inherit his property—unless the sons were still minors, in which case the wife could hold it in trust. But since the sons had all reached adulthood, the inheritance went entirely to them. In the Pei family's situation, by law, the grandfather's property was to be divided among the father and the uncles, with Old Madam Pei having no claim to it whatsoever.
Thus, by secretly moving the goods into her own chambers and passing them off entirely as her dowry, Old Madam Pei could then gift that money to her own biological sons or give it to Shunniang as a dowry, and no outsider would have any right to object.
This was nothing less than selling official salt as if it were private salt!