The Fifth Branch had somehow returned to calm, and the Pei family members breathed a sigh of relief. Old Madam Pei said to Nanny Xiang, "This Madam Cao has been raising a ruckus like a chicken chasing dogs—she's completely lost all decency. She's worse than those of humble origins."
Nanny Xiang said, "Actually, it's good that she's making such a fuss."
"How so?" Old Madam Pei did not understand.
Nanny Xiang smiled and said, "This Fifth Madam has always been the boldest of speech and the most willing to make a scene. If she wanted to divide the family and shouted it out without regard for propriety, then even if you didn't want to divide, you'd have no choice but to divide. Now that she's already annoyed everyone with her antics, if she makes another fuss about dividing the family, people will only say she's in the wrong."
Old Madam Pei slowly nodded. "That makes sense."
After such a long journey by carriage, Old Madam Pei's body was also feeling unwell. Moreover, with Old Master Pei gone like that, after all those years as husband and wife with Pei Shuo, she still felt quite sorrowful.
But Old Madam Pei did not go around proclaiming her own poor health—she was not the type to be overly sentimental. What she worried about now was the rise and fall of the Pei family; there was no room for anything else.
She didn't say anything, but Madam Meng still came to attend to her. Madam Meng's own health was not very good either—back then, in order to conceive, she had suffered a great deal, and her body was always chilled.
Old Madam Pei felt that Madam Meng was a decent person. Though she wasn't as eloquent as Madam Lu, she had been raised according to the rules of women's instruction. She had some selfish motives, but in the end, she was still a virtuous and virtuous woman.
"Mother, shall I call for a physician to take a look?" Madam Meng said from the side.
Old Madam Pei shook her head. "This is an old ailment of mine. I've brought pills with me; I just need more rest and I'll be fine."
"Should we add another layer of padding under the carriage? That way it'll be softer and more comfortable," Madam Meng suggested.
Old Madam Pei smiled. "I'm fine. No need for you to fuss."
Seeing that Old Madam Pei's complexion was still good, Madam Meng felt reassured and continued to stay by her side, keeping her company in conversation. She also sent word to the other sisters-in-law of each branch, saying that her presence here was enough and that they should each take care of their own children.
That was what she said, but as daughters-in-law, they could not simply ignore it. When they reached the post station, Madam Huo found Madam Yu and went over together, even bringing the children along to pay their respects.
Sheniang and Liniang followed along, but unexpectedly found Yiniang there attending to the medicine. Everyone knew that she did not get along with Madam Cao, and given Madam Cao's character, Yiniang would only suffer under her. It was better for her to stay by the old lady's side, so everyone sympathized with her and understood her choice.
Compared to Madam Meng, she was more attentive and more articulate. She knew the details of the illness, the medication, and how many times the old lady woke at night—all by heart.
Madam Yu said to her, "Good child, you've worked hard. You've been fulfilling our filial duties for us. It's not easy for us to come down from the carriages on the road. In the future, if anything happens with the old lady, just call on me directly."
"Sixth Aunt, rest assured. If anything comes up in the future, I will discuss it with you all." He Biyun looked at Madam Yu and felt more and more that heaven was truly unfair. Both of them had gone to Xuan Du Temple to pray for children, yet Madam Yu was alive and well, so prosperous, with both sons and daughters, and a husband who doted on her—while Yiniang's real mother had to die to quell the rumors.
Madam Yu had no idea what she was thinking. As for Sheniang and Liniang, they only took a few glances from outside. Seeing that Yueniang's eyes were swollen and her body carried a sour smell, they knew she had motion sickness and was listless, so they both offered suggestions.
Sheniang said, "I wonder if this post station has any oranges. I've heard that orange peel can prevent motion sickness."
"I don't hold out much hope for that anymore. Honestly, I usually ride in carriages just fine. I don't know why this time I'm so sick—throwing up and having diarrhea." Just thinking about it made Yueniang's chest feel tight and uncomfortable.
Sheniang didn't know why either. Many people's ailments were simply inexplicable.
That was also why she liked to jump rope, do somersaults, and walk around—because doing so made her body stronger.
Fortunately, just as everyone was straining their eyes looking ahead, they finally arrived at Wenxi County. The county magistrate came out in person to welcome them, putting on an extremely grand display. This was the first time Sheniang had returned to her hometown since being reborn. The Pei family was a prominent clan of the Hedong Commandery, with sprawling estates and rows of memorial archways that inspired awe and reverence.
The Pei family's grandfather's generation originally had three brothers. The grandfather and the second grand-uncle were born to the first wife and had been driven out by their stepmother when young, which was why the three brothers did not have a good relationship. The second grand-uncle, having never held official office, managed the family's fields and shops at home. Relying on his elder brother who served as a vice minister, he lived comfortably as a wealthy man. His two sons—one served as a county deputy magistrate locally, and the other had been recommended by Old Master Pei to work under the Fujian governor's staff.
The ancestral residence was even larger than the one in the capital. The Sixth Branch was housed in the western side courtyard of the third compound, and the second grand-uncle's family had already cleaned the house thoroughly.
Madam Yu had lived in the old residence for a few years. Her elder brother Pei Ji and Liniang had both been born there, but none of them had much memory of the old house.
That night, they had no time for social niceties. They all just wanted to make their beds, eat, and then sleep.
Madam Lu's side, however, still had much to do. She had the younger uncles set up the mourning hall first, then assigned people to watch over the incense—it could not be allowed to go out. Not to mention that the family still needed to invite Taoist priests and Buddhist monks to perform the rites. She already knew in advance where the grave site would be, so she could arrange the manpower accordingly.
Her daughter Yueniang could have helped, but she got carsick, so she had to manage everything on her own.
Back in her room, her back ached all over, and only her maids could massage her to ease the discomfort.
"Madam, the whole family's burden rests on your shoulders. As the saying goes, 'The capable are always busy.'" The maid flattered her.
Everyone assumed that she and her husband worked in tandem to earn money, but in truth, household expenses were considerable, and the money from selling those fields had almost all gone to subsidize the family. There was no choice—with so many mouths to feed, they had to keep going.
Still, she didn't want to split the family. If they stayed together, everyone could pull in the same direction and look out for one another. Once divided, it would be hard to say what might happen.
Especially since her husband was only a purchased student—her daughter's engagement had been settled, but she feared something might go wrong.
Another servant came in, and Madam Lu forced herself up to give instructions. She had slept less than two hours before having to rise again.
On the other side, Madam Yu rustled as she dressed, stuffing a piece of peach pastry into Pei Yiqing's mouth. She knew that when her husband got hungry, he had absolutely no strength at all.
Pei Yiqing caught her hand: "Wife, won't you sleep a little longer?"
"Today is our first day back. I need to go early to pay my respects to the old lady and see if she's recovered. Then I'll check whether Second Sister-in-law needs my help." Madam Yu didn't want to be called lazy.
Pei Yiqing, being shrewd, took a bite of the peach pastry and set it aside: "Just go along with the crowd. Do whatever the others do, and don't let anyone order you around."
Madam Yu couldn't help laughing: "Why are you talking so childishly? Besides, I'm not a three-year-old child."
"Then lean over here." Pei Yiqing seemed about to whisper something.
When Madam Yu leaned in, he planted a kiss on her cheek with a smack.
Madam Yu gave him a coy sidelong glance, then walked to the door and told the maid: "I'm going ahead. Have the two young ladies stay in their rooms when they wake up."
Meanwhile, the maids and nannies in Sheniang's room were all exhausted from the journey, each one sleeping soundly and unable to stir.
Sheniang was the first to wake. For the past few months, she had been squeezed in bed with Liniang every night, and she never slept well that way—she was used to sleeping alone.
Before long, Qiuju sent Lanruo and Guifang to the kitchen to fetch the meal.
Unexpectedly, they didn't return until half an hour later.
Sheniang couldn't help asking: "Why did it take so long? Surely the kitchen wasn't unprepared?"
"When we got there, they were cooking for the old lady and Sixth Miss. The old lady's dishes were one thing, but they also had to simmer a separate sour bamboo shoot soup for Second Branch's Miss Yue, and Third Miss even had her own private stove for braised duck. When we asked for a bowl of meatball soup, they made all sorts of excuses and kept putting us off." Lanruo was nearly in tears from frustration.
Sheniang said: "The kitchen staff are Second Aunt's people, so of course it's like this. Since they always serve their own first, there's no need for you to go so early tomorrow."
Nanny Xia said: "Why don't we tell the mistress about this?"
"What good would telling my mother do? Could she make Second Aunt put us first? We'd probably just get scolded for our trouble. Besides, how can you seek justice from a crooked person?" Sheniang didn't seem bothered at all.
Meanwhile, Liniang was eating very well—she had cherry pork and stewed cuttlefish eggs, and it was said the cuttlefish eggs were personally bestowed by Old Madam Pei.
Nanny Xia looked at Sheniang awkwardly, afraid she might be upset. After all, the two sisters—one was the old lady's favorite, while the other had to wait so long for ordinary dishes.
When Sheniang heard this, she didn't even blink, though she found it strange.
Old Madam Pei wasn't the type to be completely partial. If she was deliberately elevating Liniang like this, there must be a reason—she just didn't know what it was.
Perhaps she genuinely liked Liniang, but Sheniang feared there might be another motive.
Over at Liniang's side, Nanny Chen was serving her food: "The cherry pork whets the appetite, and the cuttlefish eggs stimulate digestion, promote urination, strengthen the spleen, and reduce swelling. Eat more, miss, to build up your strength."
"I nearly got sick of eating on the road. Home cooking is much better." Liniang laughed.
Nanny Chen said: "It's not that the kitchen cooks well—it's that the old lady ordered it. Only you and Sixth Miss get this treatment. No one else has such privilege."
Liniang set down her chopsticks: "Does my sister have any?"
"She certainly doesn't. Fifth Miss doesn't seem to be favored by the old lady. It's different with you—you have a naturally lovely disposition that makes people like you." Nanny Chen smiled.
Over the past few months, Nanny Chen had noticed that the sisters' relationship had improved considerably, so she deliberately tried to sow discord again. She feared that if Liniang became uncontrollable, she herself would be useless as a nanny.
Liniang felt a secret delight at being favored by the old lady, but at the same time, she felt a bit guilty toward Sheniang. She said to Nanny Chen: "My sister loves cherry pork, and I can't eat all this anyway. I'll take some to her later."
Nanny Chen couldn't speak too bluntly, but she hoped Fifth Miss would refuse, and then Fourth Miss would realize she was being presumptuous.
Liniang arrived carrying the cherry-glazed pork, only to find that her elder brother Pei Ji had also sent over a bowl of chicken soup wontons. Pei Ji explained, "When I ran into Lanruo on the way, she told me the dishes had been taking quite a while. Knowing she loves wontons, I had someone send a bowl over."
Sheniang would hardly turn anything away. She chuckled and said, "If you all come across any good food in the future, just bring it all over—I certainly won't mind."
Nanny Chen stood in the side room, listening to the three siblings' cheerful laughter from within, and could only shake her head in resignation.