In the morning, they studied the Book of Songs, and in the afternoon, the tutor selected one passage each from the Analects and Mencius to lecture on. Sheniang sat in the study hall, a gentle breeze blowing, listening to the lesson and feeling rather drowsy. She turned her head and noticed that Liniang and Shunniang's heads had both begun bobbing like chicks pecking at rice.
They barely made it through to the end of class. Sheniang yawned as she walked out, with Qiuju and Dongmei carrying her books and supplies. They soon arrived home, but unexpectedly, Nanny Xia smiled and said, "Fifth Miss, let's change your clothes first before going to Mingyuan Hall. There's a welcome banquet today, and the Madam has already gone ahead."
"Is it for Third Sister?" Sheniang felt something was off. Third Miss's maternal family wasn't prominent—if she warranted such a grand affair, she wouldn't have been forgotten for so long back in the ancestral home.
Sure enough, Nanny Xia shook her head. "How could it be for her? It's our Sixth Master who has returned."
So Father was back. Sheniang understood.
"Then let's hurry. Once we're done, leave two people to guard the door, and we'll head straight over," Sheniang said.
In the past, they'd always rush her as if her life depended on it, only to end up waiting foolishly for Liniang in the end. What was the point of that?
Nanny Xia still hesitated. "For Fourth Miss—should we send someone to urge her along?"
"Why bother urging her? Whoever finishes first leaves first. Otherwise, I'll take a nap first, and when she's done, I'll get up and go—let her wait for me instead. See if she'd wait for me…" Sheniang said.
A child with spirit, boundaries, and principles—even a child—no one dares to underestimate.
Nanny Xia and the maidservants didn't dare make a sound. Normally, Nanny Xia would often fuss over Sheniang with a few words, but now, seeing her like this, she silently went to lay out the clothes.
Sheniang finished quickly and walked out, while her attendants followed, feeling rather uneasy.
Before long, they arrived at the small flower hall of Mingyuan Hall. Inside, people were packed in layers upon layers. At the very center sat several figures—on the main seat was a lean, spirited old man who looked quite immortal and otherworldly. Sheniang knew this was Old Master Pei. Beside him sat a plump old lady in a deep purple jacket and skirt—this was Old Madam Pei.
Below them sat the sons and daughters-in-law of the Pei family in order. There was no place for the younger generation to sit. Old Madam Pei noticed Sheniang entering and smiled, saying to Sixth Master Pei, "Your little daughter is here."
Sixth Master Pei had originally been an extremely handsome man, with features so delicate they bordered on feminine. His full brother, Fourth Master, was born with a more masculine appearance. At this moment, he looked at his daughter before him—she wore a pink satin turn-collar top with a butterfly-and-flower clasp at the collar, over which she had on a patchwork "water-field" sleeveless jacket. Her hair was styled in twin buns, each pinned with a gold-and-silver plum blossom hairpin, and from her earlobes dangled gold gourd earrings.
When he had left, his daughter had been only about four years old, with a bald little head. Now she had the graceful, budding bearing of a young girl, and her demeanor was even more composed.
Sixth Master Pei beckoned his daughter to come forward. He couldn't very well scoop her onto his knee as he had when she was little, so he simply said with emotion, "My little girl has grown up. Have you been well at home?" Then he asked, "Why haven't I seen your elder sister?"
Nanny Xia and the others grew tense at this. Families like the Pei household valued propriety above all, especially the order of seniority. If Fifth Miss said anything against her elder sister and outsiders saw it as a joke, then even if she were in the right, it would be a fault in Sixth Master's eyes.
But to their surprise, their young miss gave a sly smile. "I heard Father was back, so I wanted to see you first."
Sixth Master Pei was rather pleased to hear that.
Sheniang wasn't truly seeking her father's favor—she was simply giving Liniang a taste of her own medicine. Liniang used her unconventional ways to make everyone accommodate her, so Sheniang would be unconventional too, heeding no one's dictates.
In her past life, she had sat steadily as Empress for nearly thirty years—that hadn't come from her status alone.
Sixth Master Pei couldn't keep talking to his daughter forever, and the adults moved on to other matters. Sheniang stood together with Yueniang and Shunniang. Yueniang pulled a piece of pastry from her sleeve and stuffed it into Sheniang's mouth. "Fill your stomach first."
"Thank you, Second Sister." Sheniang found that Second Sister was actually quite easy to get along with. Though she had a fiery temper, everything was out in the open—she wasn't the type to scheme behind people's backs.
They had only been standing for the time it takes to brew a cup of tea when Liniang finally came hurrying over. Madam Yu scolded, "Your younger sister is already here. What were you dawdling about?"
Liniang came over sulkily and looked at Sheniang. "Why did you run off on your own?"
"Who told you to always be so slow? If you were quicker, we'd have come together. If you're slow again, I'll leave whenever I'm ready. To be honest, all that waiting for you—standing around day after day—has made one of my legs longer than the other." Sheniang said it half-jokingly, half-complaining.
Without Nanny Chen by her side, Liniang was considerably more subdued. "I'll be on time next time, alright?"
Sheniang smiled. "Don't make promises you can't keep. We'll see if you can get up early tomorrow."
Nanny Chen watched from a distance, silently criticizing Fifth Miss for pulling the ladder from under Fourth Miss's feet. Everything had been fine beforehand—though she complained, she still waited for Fourth Miss. Now, without a word, she had come on her own.
Of course, these little matters between sisters were trivial; the family banquet still had to proceed.
The young ladies were cherished guests in the household, and because of the imperial selection for the court this dynasty, any daughter of an official family had the possibility of being chosen. Thus, women held a fairly high status in the household.
As they took their seats at the banquet table, Old Madam Pei smiled and said, "It happens that Third Miss has also returned today. I saw she was weary from her journey, so I let her rest for a while. In the future, you sisters should get along well with one another."
With that, a young woman entered gracefully, dressed in a bright red jacket with a golden dragonfly clasp at her collar. Her hair was piled high in clouds of dark tresses, and her features were exquisite.
Fifth Madam Cao was saying to Yueniang, "Second Miss, this is our Third Miss. I'll trouble you to look after her."
The younger ones, including Sheniang, who were all younger than Third Miss Yiniang, stepped forward to offer their greetings. Pei Yiniang quickly said, "Dear sisters, please don't stand on ceremony."
Having lived in the nunnery for all these years, she had not become timid and submissive. Instead, she was poised and confident, no less than the girls raised in the Pei household—even her table manners were impeccable.
Sheniang had Qiuju pick up a cherry-glazed meatball for her, then glanced around the room. This was what a great family looked like. But once Grandfather was gone, the whole household had fallen apart.
After two rounds of the meal, it was getting late. Since they would need to come pay their respects to Old Madam Pei again tomorrow, everyone returned to their rooms. After Sheniang went back, Nanny Xia had someone bring a basin of water for her to soak her feet, sighing with emotion: "Miss has truly grown up now."
"Mother, do you know why I am this way?" Sheniang looked at her wet nurse.
Nanny Xia did not understand.
Sheniang smiled and said, "You raised me from infancy, dear mother, and your heart has always been with me. If I don't stand on my own, I'll only let others look down on you as well. Though brothers should be kind and sisters harmonious, it's only when an elder sister is loving that a younger sister shows respect. Fourth Sister always asks me to be understanding, and whenever something good comes along, she's the one who gets it. That won't be the case anymore."
On the way back just now, Sheniang had learned that Liniang had written to their father asking him to bring gifts, and he had brought her two bolts of Shu brocade—while Sheniang herself got nothing. She didn't expect her parents to favor her, but at least they should treat her fairly on the surface.
Just like in her previous life, the Emperor's beloved was not her, but she didn't ask for any special treatment either. Whatever treatment other empresses received, she wanted roughly the same.
But these details, she would not discuss with the servants. Servants who were too close became presumptuous, and those kept at a distance grew resentful.
Nanny Xia saw Sheniang's calm and composed demeanor, heard her words that touched the heart, and found herself convinced.
After washing up, Sheniang put on her clothes again and went to do her homework.
The courtyard was brightly lit tonight as well. Sixth Master Pei had returned today, and seeing his beloved wife like this, his spirits rose. Without even a word exchanged, they tumbled into each other's arms and performed the rites of marriage.
Madam Yu leaned against his chest and said, "Why did you only bring something for Fourth Miss and nothing for our Fifth Miss? They're both sisters—this won't do."
"I forgot. I only received your last letter, and in it, Liniang asked me to bring something for her," said Sixth Master Pei.
Madam Yu smiled. "The children are growing older. You haven't been home for so many years—you absolutely must not show favoritism."
Sixth Master Pei quickly said, "That was never my intention. Understood. I have a fine wolf-hair brush—I'll give it to our Sheniang tomorrow."
"Yes, that's as it should be. It's a pity our Ji'er is studying at the academy; otherwise, our whole family could be reunited." Madam Yu missed her son dearly.
When she had first entered the household and given birth to the eldest son of the Pei family, her status had risen steadily—she gained her husband's affection and her in-laws' esteem. But the child had been raised by his grandparents.
Sixth Master Pei knew that Madam Yu was gentle and mild-mannered, with a nature as soft as water. He said with sympathy, "Mid-Autumn Festival is coming soon. Ji'er will surely return. Don't worry—if not, I'll personally send someone to fetch him."
Madam Yu dropped the subject and said instead, "Third Miss only brought two servants with her. It must have been hard on her."
"I'm afraid Fifth Sister-in-law won't be too pleased," Sixth Master Pei said with a knowing smile.
After he spoke, he saw that Madam Yu looked puzzled, as if she hadn't understood.
In the side chamber of the Fifth Branch, Third Miss Pei Yiniang—no, He Biyun—sent someone outside to check that no one was eavesdropping at the door. Then she said to Yiniang's wet nurse and maid, "Nanny Chang, Suisui, Yiniang saved my life. Before she passed, she hoped I would look after you. So let the three of us be of one heart and one mind, and clear her name. In the future, I want everyone to know that she was not a person of ill omen, but one of great fortune."
Nanny Chang and Suisui knew that had He Biyun not brought them out, the people in the capital would have left them to suffer and do hard labor at the nunnery. They thought of their young mistress, who had been as lovely as jade and snow, suddenly slandered as a person of ill omen and sent to the nunnery, enduring all kinds of torment at such a tender age.
He Biyun was originally the daughter of a registrar in central Shanxi. It was said that she had been betrothed to the son of a Hanlin Academy Reader. However, on the eve of her wedding, a petty ruffian got hold of her undergarments and a love poem written in her own hand. The He family, being strict adherents of Neo-Confucianism with rigorous discipline for their womenfolk, found the scandal already spread abroad. They intended to send their daughter to a nunnery and then quietly strangle her. By chance, Yiniang happened to pass by, set a fire nearby, and fled with her.
Unfortunately, Yiniang died while gathering herbs. This He Biyun was quite resourceful, so she brought the two of them to the capital.
The two hurriedly said, "We servants will follow your every command."
"From this day on, don't make the mistake of calling me wrong. I am now your true Third Miss, Pei Yiniang." He Biyun said with a serious expression.