Shen Hui lay slumped by the couch, her eyes tightly shut. The tear stains on her face were still damp, itching uncomfortably. With an air of three parts utter grief and a few threads of weary fragility, she made Liu’er and Qi’er too hesitant to offer any comfort. They could only pour tea and fetch water, wanting to help her sit up to catch her breath and calm her emotions.
“Sister, please take care of yourself,” Liu’er observed her expression, growing increasingly puzzled.
Among the servants in the mansion, it was rumored that Steward Shen indulged his second wife in mistreating his daughters. Given Sister Ah Hui’s temperament, why would she grieve for him? Not clapping her hands in delight was already considered filial piety.
Her guess was correct.
Shen Hui was using the pretense of having cried herself into a faint to slowly savor the joy of sudden wealth. Her mind was filled entirely with the four big characters: “It’s great to have money.”
The Servants’ Kitchen had fixed prices for ordering dishes. A plate of snacks like fried phoenix tree seeds cost three copper coins. Staple foods like hubing (barbarian cake/bread), made from mixed grains, were five coins. Vegetable dishes, because they required lard for stir-frying, weren’t cheap—eight coins. Meat dishes were even more expensive, ranging from ten to thirty coins. The most luxurious item was sugar cake, which was only available if some senior maid wanted it, enough was made with leftovers, and someone saved a portion for sale.
As for fresh fruit, rather than searching for it in the Servants’ Kitchen, it was better to climb a tree and pick some.
Poor Shen Hui was a sandeng binü (third-class maidservant), earning only three hundred copper coins a month. If not for Shen Wei’s closeness with Nanny Zhang, she wouldn’t have been able to freeload on food and drink every day.
But now it was different. Never mind the twenty taels, just the four thousand copper coins alone were enough for Shen Hui to indulge in extravagant eating and drinking for a long time.
Leaning against the pillow sewn from scrap fabric, feeling the rough texture against her hand, she ultimately dismissed the thought of replacing it with a set of fine cloth bedding. She also didn’t plan to buy new silk flowers or dresses. Instead, she began to fantasize about roasted mutton, grilled tripe, grilled intestines brushed with sauce, Hufan and lamb fat leek cakes sold at the West Market, and fried dumplings stuffed with meat filling. Moreover, it was currently late summer and early autumn. No one was selling cooling lengtao (cold noodles) anymore, but shops selling hot po dao mian (sliced knife-cut noodles) were bustling again. Loaded with zhuyu (cornelian cherry/spice) and pepper, eating them would make one sweat profusely.
Nothing could be lacking, least of all her mouth.
“Sister, sister?” Shen Wei, having washed her face, came over to nudge Shen Hui.
Qing’er, after seeing Aunt Duan off and waiting until Liu’er and Qi’er had left the room, finally couldn’t hold back a laugh. “Don’t call your sister anymore. She may be here in body, but her spirit has probably already flown into some food shop.”
“It’s been many days since we last met. How has Sister Qing’er become so mischievous?” Shen Hui then stopped pretending.
“Could it be that what I said is wrong?” Qing’er tapped Shen Hui’s forehead lightly and gently wiped away her tear stains. “You both heard what was said earlier, right? Ah Hui, Aunt Duan now counts as half a teacher to you. Your silver is entrusted to her—this is Madam Xu’s trust in her. As for Ah Wei, your share Madam ordered me to give to Nanny Zhang. Nanny Zhang is also a kind person. The kitchen has plenty of ‘grease,’ so there’s no fear of her embezzling yours.”
Shen Hui blinked, warmth filling her heart, knowing this was Madam Xu helping the two of them win people over. “Thank you, Aunt, for paving the way for me and my sister.”
“It’s that you and Ah Wei are fortunate—the right timing, favorable conditions, and harmonious relations. Otherwise, in the past, given the temperaments of Aunt Duan and Nanny Zhang, even if Madam Xu intervened, they wouldn’t have easily agreed to teach you.” Qing’er took the sisters’ hands, speaking earnestly. “You don’t need to understand all this. Just focus on learning well from them. Acquiring some knowledge and skills will be of great use in the future.”
Those who came from the palace held themselves in higher regard than ordinary servants, and even Duan and Zhang were no exception. Though they had never looked down on Madam Xu, they had certainly never curried favor with her either.
But times were different now.
With the Emperor critically ill and Prince Chu's ascension to the throne imminent, everyone sought to find a mouthpiece before entering the palace—someone to put in a good word for them with their masters, hoping to rise to great heights in the future.
Shen Hui carefully considered Qing'er's words, sighing at Madam Xu's thoughtful intentions and feeling immensely grateful that she had brought Shen Wei along the right path.
Thinking of her foolish younger sister, she glanced at Shen Wei. Seeing the uncertainty in her eyes, she feared the girl might cling to blind filial piety and asked warily, "Are you upset?"
"No. To speak a most treasonous thought, after hearing about Father, I didn't feel a shred of grief in my heart—just a slight emptiness, mixed with both relief and fear." Shen Wei furrowed her brows, her eyes flickering with apprehension. "Sister, do you think there really is an underworld? Would the underworld officials condemn me for being unfilial?"
Shen Wei was timid; merely discussing such matters made her shoulders tremble.
"You're thinking about it wrong. You should consider it this way: whether in this world or the next, judgment should follow due process. Compared to the baseless charge of unfiliality, acts like harming one's first wife and indulging in gambling are far more heinous. The underworld officials are fair and reasonable—they would surely sentence Shen Zhengxiao to the eighteenth layer of hell first. Cause and effect cycle; good and evil are repaid accordingly." Instead of refuting her superstitions, Shen Hui played along, coaxing and deceiving her. "If you're truly afraid, copy a few more sutras. Or, when the Mid-Autumn Festival comes and the manor allows servants to rest, I'll accompany you to the temple to donate some incense money."
"Will that work?" Her gaze fixed intently on Shen Hui's face, desperately seeking reassurance.
Shen Hui used a handkerchief to wipe away the water droplets near Shen Wei's ear, flawlessly maintaining her composure as she spun her tale. "Of course it will. These are good deeds that accumulate merit, and in time, they'll offset any wrongdoing. If you're still worried, just pray more. Besides Buddhist temples and Taoist monasteries, there are also Nestorian and Zoroastrian temples in Chang'an city."
Shen Wei only half-understood, but she felt that since her sister knew more than she did, following her advice couldn't be wrong, so she stopped dwelling on it.
Just as they were speaking, Liu'er gently knocked on the door. "Sisters, a young lady has come, saying she is Chun Tao from the princess consort's side."
"Please invite her in quickly." Shen Hui shot Shen Wei a meaningful glance, and both of them covered their faces in feigned sorrow before lying back down on the couch.
"Ah Hui, Ah Wei, please accept my condolences." Chun Tao instructed a young maidservant to set down a carved lacquer box. When opened, it gleamed with silver. "Although Steward Shen was a servant of the manor, news of his death isn't something the princess consort would normally concern herself with. But the princess consort is kind-hearted. After learning of it and hearing that he left behind two orphaned daughters, she specifically ordered me to bring another fifty taels of silver."
Fifty taels?!
Beneath the handkerchief covering her face, Shen Hui's eyes widened like copper bells.
"The princess consort is virtuous and benevolent. This servant is endlessly grateful." She swayed unsteadily, forcing herself to rise and offer thanks.
"Please, don't move." Chun Tao could hardly miss her act, suppressing a smile as she gently played along. "The manor indeed doesn't allow house-born servants to observe mourning, for fear of offending the masters. But when a blood relative passes away, how can one not grieve for a few days? Rest well."
This girl, still pretending—she must be overjoyed by now.
Just then, a young maidservant hurried over, wearing a duck-egg green fine cloth skirt and a matching silk Banbi, with a pair of goose-yellow silk flowers pinned in her hair—the attire of those from Prince Chu's consort's courtyard.
"The princess consort has just instructed me to inform you that she has several volumes of personally transcribed sutras to bestow upon the sisters Ah Hui and A Wei, hoping they will recite them frequently to aid their late father in swiftly ascending to paradise." After listening to the young maidservant whisper a few words in her ear, Chun Tao raised her voice slightly, as if deliberately, "The princess consort's handwritten sutras are precious, and I fear the young maidservant might damage them in haste. Allow me to fetch them instead."
Outside the door, Aunt Duan seized the opportunity to call out to Chun Tao, "Why trouble you further? I shall go and retrieve them."
"Then please accompany me, Aunt." Chun Tao replied with a beaming smile.
"The princess consort suddenly summoned me, is it…" Aunt Duan's expression remained unchanged, but anxiety churned within her heart.
Chun Tao continued to smile, shaking her head slightly.
The Princess Consort of Chu governed her subordinates with strictness; the maids and servants always wore smiles on their faces, making it difficult to discern their true emotions, and their lips were especially tight-lipped.
Ningyuan Residence.
The Princess Consort of Chu disliked keeping birds or parrots, so the corridors stood empty. As autumn deepened and mint became difficult to cultivate, she had it removed and replaced with moss-covered stone bonsai arrangements. This should have added to the desolation, but paired with the sutra-chanting of the servants in the small prayer hall, it transformed into a Zen-like tranquility, truly serene.
Aunt Duan and Chun Tao were led into the study. At the head of the room, the Princess Consort of Chu sat quietly transcribing sutras, not lifting her head.
"Aunt Duan, this is the medicinal residue you previously presented to the princess consort, and this is what was obtained from Shiwu. The latter contains several additional precious herbs compared to the former." After writing the final character, her fingertips lingering with the scent of ink, the princess consort finally spoke, instructing Chun Tao to present two oil-paper packages. Her demeanor was dignified, restraining the accusatory tone in her voice, and the corners of her lips even maintained their usual, perfectly measured upward curve. Yet her words caused layers of cold sweat to seep from Aunt Duan's back. "Thus, it transformed from a tonic into a harmful poison."
"This servant knows nothing. I only knew that upon discovering a maidservant under my charge had been bribed by Consort Zheng to conceal her illness, I dared not hide it and reported it to the princess consort." Aunt Duan bowed deeply, lowering her head as she forced herself to remain composed.
The Princess Consort of Chu's faint smile remained unchanged. "Aunt Duan, you are an elder who followed from the palace to the wangfu. I shall not make things difficult for you. But the properties of these two medicinal residues are contradictory; there must be something peculiar about them. If I do not investigate thoroughly, I fear I may bear the infamous reputation of deliberately allowing villains to harm a consort. And you, being the first to report the matter of the medicinal residue to me—if you serve another master behind the scenes, you would become the bait to lure me into a trap."
"This servant is filled with trepidation." Aunt Duan lowered her head even further, almost touching the ground. "If the princess consort would deign to listen to a word of truth from this servant, I am willing to relieve your worries."
"Speak." The Princess Consort of Chu gazed intently, silent for a moment, then nodded.
"Within the wangfu, those who dare to harm Consort Zheng are few, and even fewer can accomplish such a deed silently. Consort Cui is the most suspect. However, recently Consort Cui has been preoccupied with the Second Young Master's marriage arrangements, leaving her with little time to spare. Moreover, setting up such an elaborate scheme is not the work of a day. Earlier this year, she was placed under house arrest by your order, princess consort. How could she still have the mind to lay traps?" Aunt Duan spoke slowly. "This servant ventures a disrespectful guess: I fear the mastermind behind this may have employed a self-inflicted injury strategy, aiming to kill two birds with one stone. When chaos erupts in the wangfu, leaving the Fourth Young Master orphaned and helpless, Her Majesty the Empress, who values descendants, would likely take him into the palace to be raised."
Her guess hit the mark, aligning almost perfectly with what the Princess Consort of Chu suspected.
"Aunt Duan, setting aside your meticulous mind and sensitive conjectures, your boldness alone is truly extraordinary." The room fell into silence. After a moment, only a light chuckle from the Princess Consort of Chu could be heard.
"The princess consort's inquiry, how dare this servant deceive with false words. If I have displeased the princess consort, it is entirely due to my clumsy tongue." Aunt Duan, hearing her tone, knew she had successfully passed this test, yet did not rise.
"I was never displeased. Rise." The Princess Consort of Chu signaled Bihe to help her up. "In the future, if you have matters to report, go directly to Chun Tao. There is no need to go through the trouble of relaying messages through layers."
"This servant thanks the princess consort for her appreciation." Only then did she completely relax her breath.
The study's silence was broken as Chun Tao lifted the beaded curtain and ordered the door opened, swinging it wide.
"This is a Buddhist sutra I copied by hand. Take it to those two sisters." The Princess Consort of Chu spoke slightly louder. "It is true that servants belong to a lowly status, but servants are also people. As children, grieving for a deceased father is a natural human emotion. How could I, like others, truly confine them, only concerned with preventing funeral matters from obstructing the masters' good fortune?"
She clasped her hands together, her expression devout: "Cultivating Buddhism emphasizes freedom, following nature's course, and avoiding forceful demands. The great prince's blessings reach the heavens, and our wangfu follows, receiving protection and fortune, unafraid of any talk of strange forces or chaotic spirits."
Aunt Duan bowed deeply once more: "The princess consort speaks rightly. This servant thanks you on behalf of Ah Hui and A Wei."
"The people you instructed Chun Tao to find have all been located. Within two days, the matter can be accomplished." After Aunt Duan left, Bihe added tea for the Princess Consort of Chu and presented a food box.
Inside were some pastries and side dishes.
"Good. It happens that two days from now is a rest day. The great prince will return to the mansion. Go and invite the great prince over." The Princess Consort of Chu picked up silver chopsticks and took a piece of sugar crisp pastry, tasting a couple of bites.
For pastries to achieve flakiness, lard must be used—this violates dietary precepts.
But the Princess Consort of Chu acted as if unaware, eating as usual.
Bihe understood: "The princess consort wishes to seek the great prince's help."
"In this matter, I have indeed been too hasty for success." The Princess Consort of Chu washed down the sweetness with clear tea. Her usually desireless eyes churned with fervor from deep within, as if about to burst forth with sparks. "Bihe, do you remember when I was young, my mother took me hunting? I was mischievous, got separated from my brother. The winter was cold, freezing my hands red, itchy, and painful. You used flint to light a pile of branches to make a fire to warm me—it was extremely difficult. I sat shivering to the side, watching the gradually brightening fire, longing for warmth, feeling it was truly hard to endure."
Now, whenever she thought of the Emperor's poor health, and after his passing, she would follow the great prince into the palace, that bone-deep itchiness emerged from her body once more.
The Emperor favored Xian Yu Wang and suppressed the great prince. Even though she married a Legitimate Offspring Imperial Prince, after waiting many years, she still could not become the Crown Princess as her mother had hoped, entering the Eastern Palace with her husband.
But she no longer needed to be Crown Princess.
Take one step forward, leap directly to the Empress's position.
"I remember. Later, the great prince was asked by the Eldest Princess to search for you, and that's how you fell in love." Bihe, seeing her lack of interest in the sugar crisp pastry, moved other side dishes closer, including dishes like braised beef and grilled river shrimp.
The Princess Consort of Chu's smile became three parts more genuine. She shook her head, the oriole hairpin at her temple swaying lightly, as if about to take flight. "That is not important. What matters is waiting. Even if I can hardly wait, I must strive to wait."
Two days later.
"A Wei and I are being promoted to second rank? Really or fake?" Shen Hui's mouth hung open wide enough to fit two buns. She pinched herself hard twice, afraid she was having a beautiful dream early in the morning before fully awake.
The monthly allowance for a second-rank maid was a full five hundred copper coins, and the hair oil, silk flowers, cosmetics, and cloth they could receive were also more than those for third-rank maids. Even if they couldn’t use them all and sold them outside the mansion, it was still a guaranteed profit.
"This is an order personally given by the Great Prince." Aunt Duan, finding it unbecoming, patted her cheek. "Close your mouth—what kind of behavior is this? It’s being said outside that there are bandits robbing travelers outside Chang’an city, and a steward from Chu Wangfu unfortunately met his end, leaving behind two orphaned daughters. Fortunately, the Princess Consort is kind-hearted and bestowed a considerable amount of silver. She didn’t even restrict the orphaned girls from mourning their father, saying that those blessed with deep fortune naturally have good luck and need not fear talk of supernatural forces. This has earned praise from everyone in the capital. Thus, to show his agreement with the Princess Consort, the Great Prince made an exception to promote you."
Shen Hui let out a half-suppressed "wow" of surprise and couldn’t help but wrap her arms around Aunt Duan’s arm. "Aunt Duan, I’m so happy I could faint."
"Shameless." Aunt Duan wasn’t used to such closeness from others and tried to pull her arm away. After a couple of unsuccessful attempts, she sighed in resignation and let Shen Hui hold on.
"Shameless is shameless, but with a promotion to second rank and so much silver in hand, I’d be laughing even in my dreams." Shen Hui’s eyes instantly lit up with greed, curving like the crescent-shaped fried dumplings with duck filling she’d had for breakfast. "Right now, I have six taels of broken silver and four thousand copper coins in my possession. There’s another fifty taels stored with you, Auntie. From now on, I’m going to eat meat with every meal."
Last night, Qing’er came again, giving each of the sisters eleven taels. The twenty taels in whole pieces were a reward from the Third Young Master. Madam Xu, calculating their share, found it came to an odd amount, so she took out two taels of silver to make up the difference.
In total, they divided forty-eight taels of burial silver, seventy taels of reward from their master, and the two taels added by Madam Xu.
Even with so much money, Madam Xu still didn’t allow her nieces to keep it all, fearing Shen Hui would squander it on food and drink and worrying Shen Wei might be deceived. She only took six taels of silver ingots, cut them into half-tael pieces of broken silver, and stored the rest as before.
"Shen Hui, go practice your handwriting." Aunt Duan couldn’t bear to listen any longer and raised a book to tap her on the head.
"Wrong, wrong, I’m going right away." Shen Hui set down the pastries and ran off. "Auntie, these are pastries I brought for you from the kitchen—all sweet and savory flavors."
She had observed that last time, among the pastries she gave Aunt Duan, the sugar cake was left untouched, while the chrysanthemum pastry with its slightly salty filling was completely eaten.
"Come back." Aunt Duan sighed in exasperation. "You should strive to improve yourself. A few dozen taels may seem like a lot to you now, but that might not be the case in the future. Save your money and stop showing off."
Shen Hui picked up a plate of pastries. "But you like them, Auntie. If you like them, it’s worth it."
Aunt Duan gazed at the sincerity in Shen Hui’s eyes, her expression complicated. Her heart softened, and the words of reprimand vanished without a trace, leaving only a sigh. "Desires of the palate should be restrained above all."
Of course, the pastries were delicious, but every time she couldn’t resist eating them, she would remember her days as a young Palace Maid, when taking even half a bite more than allowed would earn her scoldings or kneeling punishments from the nüshi responsible for their training.
Over time, she began to associate eating with pain—hungry but afraid to eat, her heart trembling with fear every time she picked up her chopsticks.
"That sounds like a miserable way to live. Anyway, everyone dies someday. As long as you haven’t committed any crimes, there’s no shame in enjoying life while you’re alive." Shen Hui didn’t understand.
"Full of twisted logic." Though her heart had softened, Aunt Duan truly wanted to order someone to drag her out. She rolled the book tighter, thinking it would be more convenient for hitting.
Seeing this, Shen Hui covered her head and fled, "I'm leaving, I'm leaving, please don't get angry."
"Really…" Aunt Duan tossed the book aside and rubbed her brow.
Forget it.
Young in age, like wild grass in spring, no matter how fierce the wildfire rages, it cannot burn away that vitality.
She couldn't just turn into a pile of ashes and then resent the other endlessly growing blades of grass, imposing harshness, pain, and rigidity upon them, leaving only fear behind.
Aunt Duan picked up a crispy roll stuffed with diced ham and took a bite—it was savory, just the flavor she loved. Then she tried the chestnut cake, which was perfectly balanced between sweet and salty, with sesame mixed into the filling. When she bit into it, the rich aroma of oil filled the air.
A thought arose in her mind, one that her former self would have considered utterly absurd.
Shen Hui needed her as a teacher, someone to guide her constantly; she, too, couldn't do without such a lively and sincere apprentice, whose genuine heart could melt away numbness.
Author's Note:
Savory chestnut cakes are really delicious [perked-up rabbit ears]