After Madam Yu finished her night patrol and returned, she saw Sheniang waiting at the door. She didn't want the children to ask too many questions about her past. It wasn't a good history.
So, she prepared to send Sheniang back first.
Little did she know, Sheniang said, "Mother, I have something regarding Third Sister to tell you."
Many people, when faced with difficult matters, choose to avoid them at first, even blaming others for meddling, thinking that if they don't listen or ask, it's as if the matter never happened.
In truth, the mother in Sheniang's heart had a kind and gentle side, but the other facets of her personality were perhaps unknown even to herself.
So, she didn't first ask Madam Yu about her and the deceased Fifth Madam's matter. Instead, she took a different approach and brought up Yiniang's affairs.
Now that Pei Yiqing was staying by the coffin and wasn't home, Madam Yu simply let Sheniang come in and rest with her. The mother and daughter washed up, sent the maids out, and then got down to business.
"Mother, since Third Sister has already confronted you, she must have made up her mind about you. Though I don't know what the grievance is, I do know what it means to strike first. This Third Sister of ours—there's something fishy about her." Sheniang hadn't come to raise questions; she'd come to solve problems.
Madam Yu's mind was already in a mess, but hearing her daughter finish, she couldn't help asking, "What fishy business?"
"Why not quietly send someone to Shuiyue Nunnery tomorrow morning to investigate her background? If she truly had a curse broken by some eminent monk, then so be it. But if there's something fishy, you'll have a hold over her. I've already prepared the portrait. Tell no one, and send a trusted confidant to investigate." Sheniang was a calculating person; she would never sit idle and wait for death.
Madam Yu opened her mouth: "This is too much trouble."
Who could have predicted what would happen in the future? Though Sheniang didn't know what caused Madam Yu's death, her subconscious always felt there was a connection.
Thus, Sheniang said, "Mother, speed is of the essence in war. If we delay any longer and she comes to you again, or frames you with some false accusation, you'll be left on the defensive."
"It can't be that serious." Madam Yu merely thought Yiniang was still young; perhaps someone had been whispering things in her ear.
Sheniang took Madam Yu's hand and said, "Mother, don't be afraid of trouble. Since last year, my dreams have always come true. First, I dreamed of Grandfather's sudden death, so I went to great lengths to make an Amber Rain-Coat to fulfill my filial duty and silently pray for Grandfather. But I never expected Grandfather to pass anyway. After Grandfather's death, I dreamed that you, Mother, also passed away a month after his funeral, and on your deathbed, you entrusted Brother to take care of me…"
Madam Yu's heart pounded with alarm, but she forced calm: "The Master does not speak of strange forces and spirits. You're a child; you mustn't talk nonsense."
"I'm not talking nonsense, Mother. Since heaven has given me this sign, it means I'm meant to warn you. If you don't believe me, just wait until tomorrow. Tomorrow something major will happen—Second Uncle will be carried back home, paralyzed from the waist down after being struck by a carriage." Sheniang was unwilling to reveal that she had been reborn; that was too shocking.
Madam Yu's heart trembled, yet she found it hard to believe. "Your Second Uncle manages the estates outside. He's always been extremely cautious, and he's a master of the household. How could such a thing happen?"
"If you don't believe me, just wait and see. But the person sent to investigate Third Sister must move quickly." Sheniang said calmly.
Madam Yu barely slept that night. By the next morning, dark circles hung under her eyes. Though Sheniang's heart was anxious, her face remained peaceful.
At dawn, Madam Yu summoned her dowry steward and gave the instructions Sheniang had laid out, sending her out under the pretense of going to Jiang County.
Sheniang was wholly focused on resolving this matter, but Nanny Chen observed her and thought she was harboring selfish schemes. She quickly whispered to Liniang, "Miss, you should visit the main hall more often. Look at Fifth Miss going there ten times a day and even sleeping with the Madam at night. At this rate, the Madam won't have any room in her eyes for you."
"Nonsense." Liniang's relationship with Sheniang had grown much closer these days; she'd finally come to understand what true blood kinship meant.
Nanny Chen said, "My dear girl, I'm thinking only of your welfare. If you don't believe me, just wait and see."
She muttered to herself as she walked out, only to see Fifth Miss Sheniang approaching from the opposite direction. Whether or not she had overheard, Sheniang's face carried a deferential smile as she said, "Our Fourth Miss has been thinking of you, Fifth Miss. Do go on in."
Sheniang smiled and said, "I was just thinking of going with Fourth Sister to visit Second Sister this morning."
Seeing Sheniang's composed demeanor, Nanny Chen relaxed.
Little did she know, Sheniang thought to herself: I have important matters to handle right now, so I won't deal with you yet. But you, who constantly sow your maggots—once I free up my hands, I'll deal with you.
So, her face showed nothing. She went inside, chatted and laughed with Liniang, then said, "I had a nightmare last night. Good thing I was at Mother's place, or I'd have been scared to death. Let me look through the dream interpretation book—I wonder if it portends good or ill."
Liniang had considerable skill in interpreting dreams for others and immediately brought out the dream interpretation manual.
The two sisters watched for a while, then Sheniang said, "I've made a black headband embroidered with orchids—it'll suit the old lady perfectly. Just say it's from you and take it to her."
Liniang was delighted but demurred, "How could I take credit for your work?"
"What's there to be embarrassed about? Sister, we're sisters—who could be closer than us? Nanny Xia at my place has a sharp tongue, and the servants are always spreading rumors, hoping we sisters will quarrel so they can curry favor with the masters. But I won't fall for it." Sheniang's words carried a pointed meaning.
Liniang understood at once and said, "I won't fall for it either."
With the headband Sheniang had made for her, she immediately took it to the old lady to curry favor. Only then did Sheniang breathe a sigh of relief. For now, everything else had to be stabilized—she needed to sort out her mother's matter first.
As for Pei Ji, though still a youth, he often accompanied his uncle and father in receiving guests at the mourning hall. But Pei Yiqing, fearing his son would catch cold, frequently sent him on errands to the inner courtyard—in truth, to let him rest.
Though Pei Ji was born of a concubine's branch, he was the eldest grandson of the family, raised since childhood at the old master's knee, and held in high regard. Wherever he walked, everyone rushed to greet him.
Seeing this, He Biyun felt even more that Yiniang had been wronged.
Both were bastards—one sent to a temple to endure bitter days with barely enough to eat, while the other was pampered and imperious, carrying himself with all the airs of the eldest young master of the Pei estate.
In her view, Madam Yu was likely just like the deceased Fifth Madam—only luckier, never caught. But fearing Fifth Madam might expose the truth, she had deliberately spoken those heartless words that drove Yiniang's mother to take her own life, while she herself lived high on the hog.
When Pei Ji saw Yiniang, he called out, "Third Sister."
Yiniang pretended nothing was amiss and asked, "Where is Eldest Brother coming from? Why aren't you before the mourning altar?"
"My father sent me back to fetch something. Please go ahead, Third Sister." Pei Ji smiled.
Yiniang gave a slight nod, straightened her back, and walked on ahead. When she was out of earshot, Pei Ji's page Wang'er said, "Eldest Young Master, this Third Miss is like a scullery maid at the old lady's place, yet she puts on such airs before us."
"Don't talk nonsense." Pei Ji tapped the page's head with his fan.
Though Wang'er was young, his family had served this household for generations, so there was little he didn't know. He insisted, "It's true—even the head maid doesn't do as much as she does. By day she copies sutras for the old lady, makes her shoes and socks, prepares her favorite snacks, and when the old lady's back and legs ache, she personally massages them. She humbles herself far too much."
Pei Ji thought to himself that while this counted as filial piety, the old lady had never raised Third Sister, so her efforts seemed excessive.
None of the other young ladies of the house, not even Shunniang, did such things.
With that thought, Pei Ji hurried to the inner courtyard. Finding the main room empty, he had the maid on duty fetch a new book of his father's, and upon learning that only Sheniang was in the courtyard, he went to her.
Sheniang was making knee pads at the time. She thought that after today, her mother would surely believe her words. It wasn't that she was unwilling to save Second Uncle—it was that her abilities were truly limited, her words carried little weight. Getting her mother to believe her was already difficult enough, let alone reaching Second Uncle, whom she couldn't even meet.
Besides, last year she had seen Second Uncle force himself on a household maid, and she wished she could punch such a shameless man.
Lost in thought, she saw Pei Ji approaching and quickly stood up with a smile. "I'm making knee pads for you, Brother."
Pei Ji looked over and saw Sheniang holding a piece of russet satin embroidered with a peach tree and three sheep, edged with silver thread—an exquisitely crafted pattern with auspicious meaning. Delighted, he said, "Though you're young, Sister, your craftsmanship is superb. But what can I give you in return?"
"I don't want anything from you, Brother. As long as we're all well, that's better than anything." Sheniang spoke from the heart.
Pei Ji didn't grasp her meaning. He mentioned meeting Yiniang on the way and remarked, "She's taken over all the maids' tasks—why does she bother?"
Sheniang replied, "She came back from the nunnery, already branded an ill-omened person, at odds with her stepmother. At her age, once the mourning period ends, she'll be sixteen. Who will arrange a match for her then? As for Fifth Aunt's temperament—though we shouldn't speak ill of our elders—you can imagine she won't make things easy. So Third Sister needs the old lady as her patron. Perhaps in the future, the old lady might put in a word or two about her marriage, which would carry more weight than anyone else's."
"I see. That does make her pitiable." Pei Ji sighed.
Sheniang shook her head. "She's pitiable, yes, but her misfortune isn't of our making. She's not lacking in schemes either—before, she didn't dare stick her neck out herself and wanted Mother to do it for her. Not to mention—"
She stopped short of telling him what had happened yesterday.
The siblings exchanged a few more words. At noon, Sheniang had her meal, and being somewhat weary these past days, she fell into a deep, drowsy sleep.
Meanwhile, Madam Yu was entertaining the wife of the magistrate of Wenxi County. Seeing that it was getting dark, she breathed a sigh of relief, only to hear a commotion break out outside. It turned out that Second Master Pei had gone to survey the burial site and happened to occupy some villagers' land. Naturally, he had people pay money to forcibly purchase it, but unexpectedly, the villagers were also extremely spirited. Today, when they saw him coming, they directly sneaked onto his carriage, drove it toward him, and sent him flying off. His lower body was immediately paralyzed.
Madam Lu, who was already ill, fainted on the spot.
Madam Yu stood there dumbfounded, then hurriedly went to find Pei Yiqing: "I was still skeptical before, but I never expected that our daughter has actually opened her heavenly eye."