Madame Lü looked at her daughter, carefully weighing her words. “She gives away the family’s belongings to outsiders, which shows she is someone who cannot hold onto wealth… There is no need to tell your father and brothers either; just let her be.”
Even if her own daughter had missed the chance with the Huangchi County Magistrate’s legitimate second son, she still did not want to watch Xu Zhihe obtain a smooth and favorable marriage.
The Third Girl had ruined her own future and hidden it from the whole family; she certainly couldn’t blame her, the legitimate mother, for this.
Madame Lü quietly offered some guidance to the Fourth Miss: “Yuyan, in the future, you will also be a Da-niangzi managing a household… This is something you must learn.”
The Fourth Miss froze for a moment before asking, “What? Learn what?”
“If someone you dislike makes a mistake, do not go and disturb them.” Madame Lü’s voice was pressed very low, speaking somewhat hesitantly. But in the next instant, she firmly completed the second half of the sentence: “When necessary, you might even need to help fan the flames and push the waves, completely cutting off any possibility of her turning things around.”
Do not give your opponent a chance to recover.
Madame Lü originally had not wanted to teach these schemes and tactics to the Fourth Miss; she was too pure, too naive… But if Young Master Deng truly managed to rank high in the imperial exams in the future, not learning these inner-courtyard tactics of wealthy and prominent families simply wouldn’t do.
If she allowed Xu Yuyan to remain this naive, she would only end up being eaten in the inner courtyard until not even her bones remained.
The Fourth Miss’s eyes instantly widened.
Meanwhile, in Concubine Yao’s courtyard.
Tian Mama repeated the news gathered by their eyes and ears in the neighboring courtyard to Concubine Yao. After listening, a cold sneer hooked the corner of Concubine Yao’s mouth.
“Niangzi, the Huangchi County Magistrate has the intention of marrying a young miss from our Xu family… It is time you made early plans for our Sixth Miss as well,” Tian Mama reminded her after finishing her report.
Concubine Yao looked at her own fingernails. With few flowers blooming in winter, she hadn’t found any suitable fresh flower juice to dye them; the orange-red dye from autumn had already faded.
“What is there to panic about?” Concubine Yao’s expression was dark and heavy. “Xu Yuyan has thrown her whole heart onto ‘Deng-lang’; she won’t succeed. As for the Third Girl…”
The Third Girl had no father’s care in the residence, nor a biological mother. Furthermore, having just been involved in the matters regarding Xianwei Wei and Young Master Zhang, the Master likely felt annoyed just looking at her, let alone picking out a satisfactory marriage for her.
She had never paid any mind to Xu Zhihe.
Even without her saying it, Tian Mama understood the meaning she wanted to convey and followed Concubine Yao’s line of thought. “The Master is naturally biased toward our Sixth Miss… However, Niangzi must also take precautions. Ever since the Fourth Miss told that fellow from the Deng family that Da-niangzi wanted to see him, that timid coward immediately changed his tune and started hemming and hawing. He hasn’t shown his face in nearly five days.”
Concubine Yao narrowed her eyes. “That will not do. The Fourth Miss absolutely must be with Deng-lang for a long, long time; only then will my Shu-jie’er have her day to shine.”
Following her gaze, Tian Mama saw that the wick of the oil lamp was about to burn out and added some oil to it.
The room instantly brightened considerably.
Concubine Yao said, “I remember that fellow from the Deng family still owes a debt to the gambling house… Doesn’t Liu Ping have some connections with the gambling house? Tell him to urge them properly; do not let the debt go bad.”
Liu Ping was the manager of Concubine Yao’s farm estate. He had some ability, but later committed an offense, owed people silver, and was beaten half to death. Concubine Yao took a gamble and ordered people to save him. Liu Ping proved to be rare in his gratitude; he immediately swore to the heavens that he would work like a horse and toil like an ox to repay Concubine Yao’s kindness.
Understanding perfectly, Tian Mama immediately nodded and withdrew to order people to handle the matter.
Concubine Yao gazed at the flickering flame, a faint smile on her well-maintained face. On the bed, the heavily intoxicated Magistrate Xu rolled over, murmuring something in his sleep.
Early the next morning, Xu Zhihe went to pay her respects to Madame Lü as usual.
She didn’t know if it was her imagination, but Madame Lü seemed to give her a second glance… though it was too fleeting to be sure.
Once everyone was seated, Madame Lü picked up the tea beside her hand, took a shallow sip, and finally said to the group, “The weather is growing colder and colder. From now on, coming once every five days will suffice; there is no need to make this trip every single day.”
This was a rule that had existed previously. Everyone nodded in succession to indicate their understanding and thanked Da-niangzi for her consideration.
Madame Lü said, “Alright, you may all return to your respective courtyards.”
Xu Zhihe mingled in the crowd as she left. The Fifth Brother, Xu Yingzhang, walked beside her and called out, “Third Sister.”
“Hmm?”
Xu Zhihe stopped walking and turned her head to look at him.
Looking at Xu Zhihe, Xu Yingzhang recalled the things his mother had done over the years, and his ears couldn’t help but feel a bit hot.
“I heard Third Sister went to the bookstore yesterday and brought back quite a few books, including Vice Councilor Fan’s Memorial to Yueyang Tower?”
His heart surged with emotion. In the past, he knew of Concubine Du’s methods but turned a blind eye to them. Now that he had encountered difficulties, he had no choice but to bow his head to the “Third Sister” he had never taken seriously before.
“That’s right,” Xu Zhihe nodded, realizing the intention behind Xu Yingzhang’s question. “Do you want to borrow a book?”
Xu Yingzhang nodded, a faint flush on his cheeks.
Xu Zhihe looked at him, as if observing him closely. During this period, she distinctly felt that the frequency of Xu Yingzhang’s appearances was increasing.
If she remembered the turning point correctly, this change in him should have started after he entered the west wing… Could it be that he had his eye on the books she brought back?
Xu Zhihe’s feelings toward Xu Yingzhang were very complicated… Although Xu Yingzhang hadn’t acted directly, he had invisibly enjoyed the silver Concubine Du extorted from her. However, last month, for the first time ever, her one tael of silver monthly allowance actually reached her hands with over seven hundred copper coins remaining, so Xu Zhihe had guessed Xu Yingzhang’s intention to show goodwill.
If one were to say there was absolutely no barrier between them after so many years, it would naturally be impossible.
Xu Zhihe remained silent for a long time. With such a long silence, anyone with a slight understanding of social interactions would know this was a silent refusal.
Xu Yingzhang stared at her intently and said in an offhand tone, “Am I putting Third Sister in a difficult position? My mother did tell me I shouldn’t have made this trip.”
It wasn’t that she was afraid of the Third Miss, but rather that from the bottom of her heart, Concubine Du didn’t believe the Third Girl could possibly have any good books.
Xu Zhihe looked up at him.
When mentioning Concubine Du, he deliberately softened his tone.
Although Concubine Du’s power in the household couldn’t compare to Madame Lü and Concubine Yao, she still wasn’t someone Xu Zhihe could afford to provoke right now.
After a long silence, Xu Zhihe chose to compromise. “Come with me.”
Xu Yingzhang revealed a smile of assured victory.
The two walked to the door of the west wing, one after the other. Xu Yingzhang sensibly stood outside.
Seeing him stop at the door, Xu Zhihe was slightly taken aback. After a moment, she said calmly, “It’s fine. Fang Li, open the door.”
Xu Yingzhang hesitated for a second. Although he didn’t know why Xu Zhihe was allowing him inside again, since his sister said so, he would follow her instructions.
Aside from that copy of the Memorial to Yueyang Tower, Xu Zhihe stacked the other books Chen Yundu had given her into a pile and said, “I haven’t read these yet, so I cannot lend them to you for now. As for these poetry collections, essays, and copybooks, if you like them, feel free to pick whatever you wish.”
Xu Yingzhang smiled and voiced his agreement, then lowered his head and earnestly selected from the pile of books.
Xu Zhihe didn’t have a massive amount of books, but within the Xu residence, it could be considered quite a collection. Xu Yingzhang took four books, plus a later generation’s traced copy of the Duobao Pagoda Stele.
“Thank you, Sister. I will certainly take good care of them,” he said.
When Xu Yingzhang walked out of the west wing, servants were coming and going in the courtyard, and no one paid attention to this side.
He carried the books back. Concubine Du sat in the room, quietly waiting for him.
Xu Yingsong had already fallen asleep. Concubine Du sat alone at the table. Seeing him enter, she glanced at the books he carried in his arms.
“Stand still.”
His footsteps paused, and he bowed in greeting to Concubine Du.
The latter looked at him. “You went to talk to the Third Girl?”
Xu Yingzhang did not hide it. “Yes, I borrowed a few books.”
Concubine Du glared at him. “If you wanted to borrow books, you should have gone and asked your Eldest Brother. If you build a good relationship with your Eldest Brother, you won’t lack benefits in the future.”
Besides, everyone knew perfectly well in their hearts how their courtyard had treated Xu Zhihe in the past. How could they possibly build a good relationship with her side just because they let go of this month’s allowance?
Could Xu Zhihe genuinely be doing this for his own good? From the bottom of her heart, Concubine Du didn’t believe it.
Thump—
Xu Yingzhang securely placed the books he had borrowed from Xu Zhihe onto the table and raised his eyes to look at Concubine Du.
Concubine Du was startled by his suddenly sharp expression.
“…What is wrong?”
“Mother should speak less of such things in the future… Eldest Brother looks down on me.” Xu Yingzhang’s tone was flat, devoid of joy or anger. “On the contrary, it is Third Sister who overlooks past grievances and, without a second word, allows me to pick whatever I want.”
In the past, when he went to find his eldest brother, Xu Yingdi, Xu Yingdi would wear a face full of mockery, pushing him left and refusing him right, reluctant to lend him a single book.
Finding it utterly humiliating, Xu Yingzhang was no longer willing to seek Xu Yingdi to borrow books.
And going to find Xu Zhihe today was merely to try and see if it was feasible. From the very beginning, he hadn’t believed he would succeed.
Concubine Du froze for a second, then immediately realized that Madame Lü and Xu Yingdi both had eyes higher than the top of their heads; how could they possibly show a pleasant face to their mother-and-son pair?
“…Mother understands.” Concubine Du nodded with some self-blame, hesitating before asking, “In the future, I will give you an extra one hundred copper coins every month. Will that be enough to buy books?”
Naturally, it wasn’t enough.
Concubine Du was uneducated in matters of brush and ink. She only single-mindedly hoped her son could achieve success in his studies, so naturally, she didn’t know how expensive paper and ink were outside.
Xu Yingzhang didn’t directly say whether it was enough or not, only saying, “Many thanks to Mother.”
Concubine Du breathed a sigh of relief. With so many mouths in the courtyard waiting to eat, and the Seventh Brother right at the age of growing his body, she truly had no more to give.
…
In the west wing.
After Xu Yingzhang left, Xu Zhihe reorganized and sorted the books again.
Standing nearby, unable to offer much help, Fang Li watched Xu Zhihe’s fingertips glide over the books one by one and suddenly said, “Has the Miss noticed that the Fifth Brother is seeking you out more frequently?”
Xu Zhihe naturally felt it.
A couple of days ago, when she was ill, Xu Yingzhang came to visit her, and since then, his attitude had gradually improved.
Seeing her nod noncommittally, Fang Li immediately understood that her Miss knew what she was doing in her heart, and she instantly relaxed.
Seeing that she wasn’t resistant, Fang Li rolled her eyes thoughtfully and said, “That’s good too. Although the Fifth Brother was indifferent to the Miss in the past, he wasn’t disrespectful of seniority like the Fourth Miss and the Sixth Miss.” After speaking, she paused. “…The Miss has no biological brothers, so building a good relationship with the Fifth Brother now will add a layer of protection in the future.”
Xu Zhihe looked at Fang Li and reached out to lightly tap her on the forehead.
When lending the books, she had thought in her mind that she might as well do him a smooth favor; when Xu Yingzhang’s name appeared on the golden scroll in the future, she could also bask in his glory. But upon truly seeing Xu Yingzhang, she couldn’t bring herself to think of all that… In the past, when she was most isolated and helpless in the Xu residence, not a single hand had reached out to her. Now, watching her days get better and better, how could she possibly pin her hopes of “protection” on anyone else?
Xu Zhihe firmly believed that in the future, she would be her own protection.
Being tapped, Fang Li let out an “Ouch,” and immediately reached up to cover her mouth, quietly watching Xu Zhihe roll out the paper and brush.
This was the Miss’s signal that she was going to practice calligraphy.
Xu Zhihe cast aside all distracting thoughts, calmed her mind, dipped the writing brush into the ink, scraped off the excess, and focused intently on practicing her writing on the paper.
…
Time flew like a shuttle, and in the blink of an eye, more than half a month had passed.
Once the weather turned cold, a layer of frost coated the ground outside, settling in the water vats in front of the doors and on the stone steps under the trees. The passing servants were bundled up tightly, revealing only their cold-reddened faces, walking hurriedly against the northern wind and frost.
The commotion outside drifted into the west wing.
With no need to pay her respects today, Xu Zhihe shrank back in bed, refusing to get up. With a thin blanket draped over her shoulders, she casually flipped through a book.
With a ball of yarn wrapped around her hand, Fang Li stood by the window, peering outside.
An indigo-clothed man, surrounded by servants, was walking toward the main hall. Fang Li felt his figure looked somewhat familiar, but she couldn’t recall where she had seen him.
Not long after the man passed, Concubine Yao, catching wind of the news, also arrived at the entrance of the main hall supported by her mamas. Uncharacteristically, Sun Mama blocked her path, forbidding her from entering.
Fang Li walked back to Xu Zhihe’s side and said, “Does the Miss not want to go take a look?”
Xu Zhihe wrinkled her nose indifferently and turned her head to the other side. “Even Concubine Yao hit a wall; what could I possibly do if I went… Wait, what did that man look like?”
Fang Li put down the ball of yarn in her hand and gestured, “Looking at his back, he was half a head taller than the Master, quite tall and thin, wearing a white futou… His appearance and attire looked like a scholar.”
Xu Zhihe’s fingers paused slightly, and then she said softly, “Xu Yuyan.”
“The Fourth Miss?” Fang Li didn’t understand Xu Zhihe’s meaning. She froze for a moment before finally realizing, “Is the Miss saying… saying this young gentleman is the man we saw with the Fourth Miss that day?”
Xu Zhihe didn’t state it with absolute certainty. “Eight or nine times out of ten.”
Word of the meeting between Madame Lü and the wife of the Huangchi County Magistrate had more or less leaked out within the household. If it truly were the Magistrate’s wife visiting, they, as the younger generation, would all need to go to the hall to pay their respects and treat her grandly, lest people feel the Xu household lacked proper etiquette.
But for Madame Lü to summon him alone today, having him enter through the main door, and refusing to let Concubine Yao watch, it absolutely had to be a private matter concerning the Fourth Miss.
Fang Li grew even more curious. She simply picked up her sewing basket, moved it to the window, and while continuing to crochet, poked her head out to watch the commotion outside.
“Concubine Yao is standing at the door of the main hall and refuses to leave.”
“Sun Mama has come out and told Concubine Yao to go back first.”
“The two of them are arguing.”
“Concubine Yao, supporting her lower back, is going back.”
…
Fang Li provided a real-time, detailed broadcast of everything happening outside.
T/n: The New chapter is up! Enjoy the ride and do join us on this adventure 😍🎉🎊. If you want to support me, do check my other novels on my Translator’s Page🫶. You can support the original author here. Please vote on NU here. If you’re interested, you can also buy me a Ko-Fi. Happy Reading 🤓 💅.