As soon as Madam Xu entered the room, she gazed at Shen Hui for a moment, her voice choked with emotion as she whispered, “My dear Ah Hui, how have you become so thin?”
She was slightly stout, with fair skin and dark hair, a broad face, and long eyes. Her hair was meticulously styled into a cloud-like bun, adorned on each side with a gold comb inlaid with gems. Though her tone was filled with concern, her eyes held a hint of scrutiny, her gaze sweeping lightly over Shen Hui—just the right amount of worry.
She was not an easy person to fool.
Shen Hui steeled herself to respond, fearing that this aunt might discover she was no longer the same person inside.
“Aunt, I’ve finally seen you.” In Madam Xu’s presence, she dared not resort to tricks like ginger juice and instead tried hard to summon tears. “After a serious illness, it’s fine if I’ve lost some weight—at least I didn’t lose my life.”
“Illness?” Madam Xu’s concern grew more genuine upon hearing this. “How did you fall ill? Are there any lingering effects? That heartless, madwoman Lady Jiang has mistreated you to this extent. You should have told me earlier.”
Of course, Madam Xu would have preferred to rebuke Shen Father, but out of respect for him as the father of both sisters, she refrained from criticizing a father in front of his children.
Shen Hui took the opportunity to pull Shen Wei to her side. “I’m much better now, thanks to my sister’s care. Through this ordeal, I’ve come to realize that only a true sister can be relied upon.”
“Sister, you exaggerate. It was only what I should do.” Shen Wei had never heard Shen Hui praise her like this before. Timidly, she curved her brows and eyes into a smile, feeling both flattered and surprised.
This seemed reasonable enough.
Madam Xu’s scrutiny diminished slightly.
No wonder she had sensed a change in Ah Hui’s temperament. It must have been the experience of a serious illness, enduring pain and the fickleness of human nature, that made her understand the depth of sisterly affection and temper her former willfulness and harshness.
“My lady, if I may interject for a moment.” Seeing the right opportunity, Qing’er leaned in and whispered into Madam Xu’s ear about how Shen Father and Lady Jiang had conspired to deceive her. Finally, she added, “Not only that, but Ah Hui also said there’s more to the story of your sister’s death.”
Madam Xu’s brows furrowed tightly, her eyes growing colder. After a long silence, she let out a low, bitter laugh. “Indeed… No wonder my sister’s burial was so rushed back then.”
She had long harbored suspicions, and now she was even more convinced that Shen Father was the mastermind behind her sister’s death.
“Yes, the Shen family claimed that a ‘master’ said your sister was afflicted with a strange illness and carried too much ominous energy. They didn’t even hold a proper vigil—just placed her body in the coffin and buried her directly. If not for someone tipping you off, you wouldn’t have known about it.” Qing’er, personally promoted by Madam Xu to serve by her side, naturally shared her resentment.
“Lady Jiang was likely involved as well.” Madam Xu restrained her anger, her regret tinged with hatred. “No wonder I once discovered Lady Jiang meeting someone in secret, staying out all night, and not long after, my sister fell ill and passed away. And coincidentally, Lady Jiang is a firm believer in so-called ‘masters’ and loves dabbling in strange, supernatural things.”
“Do you suspect Lady Jiang used Sorcery to harm your sister?” Qing’er gasped in shock and quickly beckoned Shen Hui over. “Ah, Ah Hui, come here quickly. Didn’t you say your father allowed Lady Jiang to make you drink talisman water?”
“Yes.” By sheer coincidence, Shen Hui had inadvertently confirmed Shen Father and Lady Jiang’s guilt.
Qing’er wrapped an arm around Shen Hui’s shoulders and patted her head. “They’re using the same trick again, trying to kill you too.”
“Aunt, Sister Qing’er, I’m so scared.” Shen Hui feigned terror and hugged Qing’er. “Father ignored my cries and pleas, only listening to Lady Jiang. He even praised her for forcing me to drink talisman water, calling it a wise decision.”
After all, a bowl of talisman water was much cheaper than medicinal soup.
Madam Xu took Shen Hui's hand: "Don't be afraid. From now on, you'll stay in Chang'an and work in the prince's residence. No one will dare harm you again."
Shen Hui covered her face in feigned tears, pulling Shen Wei to kneel: "Thank you, Aunt, for not holding our past against us and for looking after us sisters."
"Good child, no more of these empty formalities—it creates too much distance." Madam Xu stopped her. "Besides, I never like to make absolute promises. The situation in the prince's residence is far more complicated than on the estate. If I want to get you both inside, it will require some maneuvering. For now, you and A Wei must obediently learn the rules and wait patiently."
"Yes," Shen Hui nodded meekly.
Madam Xu soothed the sisters and had them rest on the couch. She sent a young maidservant to bring pastries and sugarcane juice for them to eat and drink, to distract them, while she stepped out of the small pavilion with Qing'er for a private word.
Qing'er, adept at reading Madam Xu's intentions, asked, "Does the lady not wish to let Shen Zhengxiao and Lady Jiang off easily?"
Zhengxiao was Shen Father's given name—these two proper characters were bestowed by Prince Chu when the residence was first established. Unfortunately, his conduct had tarnished such a fine name.
Madam Xu gave a resolute nod, tacitly confirming it.
"But those two are, after all, your nieces' nominal parents. If they are punished, A Hui and A Wei will surely be implicated," Qing'er expressed some concern.
"Then we should simply cut off the problem at its root and eliminate it entirely—use their lives to pay for my sister's life, an eye for an eye." Madam Xu suppressed the scheme in her heart, concealing her cold intent, and waved a hand. "It's getting late. I still need to prepare food for the Third Young Master and cannot stay long. Keep an eye on the children while they bathe and wash their hair thoroughly, in case there are lice hiding in their hair."
Qing'er responded, "Rest assured, lady, the water is already prepared."
Qing'er had indeed prepared everything necessary, but Shen Hui was not prepared.
After happily finishing the pastries, Shen Hui felt drowsy and intended to lie down for a short nap. But then she saw two matrons carrying a bathtub into the room, followed by young maidservants adding water, and immediately they came to remove her robe and skirt.
"Sister Qing'er, we can wash ourselves," Shen Hui was genuinely panicked now, flailing her hands helplessly like a water-averse kitten being dragged for a bath.
"You little girl, getting shy now? Wasn't it the same when you first came to Chang'an?" Qing'er chuckled, stirring the water. "Hurry, don't let the water get cold."
Shen Hui had no choice and shot a glance at Shen Wei.
But Shen Wei completely failed to understand Shen Hui's signal. She climbed into the bathtub on her own using a small stool, grinning foolishly. "Sister, come look—there are flowers in here!"
Shen Hui was momentarily speechless and had no choice but to relent.
In the bathtub, one sister wore a frown, using petals to cover her embarrassment, while the other wore a smile, happily soaking in the water.
They were truly a pair—one unhappy, the other clueless.
"Sister, your face is so red," Shen Wei said, brushing her hand against Shen Hui's temple.
"Not as red as yours," Shen Hui retorted, trying to sink deeper into the water to avoid exposing anything below her neck.
"Make sure to wash their hair thoroughly, then apply the cleansing powder again," Qing'er instructed the maidservants, taking out several small wooden boxes. "A Wei's hands are getting drier. Fetch the Pork Pancreas Bath Beans made with Winter Melon Seed, Lingling Xiang Seeds, and Alfalfa for her to wash her hands separately."
After the bath, Shen Hui leaned against the couch, drying her hair and recalling the plot, when she suddenly sensed someone beside her and jumped in fright.
It was Shen Wei, who had squeezed herself over.
"Shen Wei, what are you sniffing around for?" Shen Hui pushed her away. "You have your own bed. Go back to it."
"I just wanted to… to smell how fragrant we are." Shen Wei had never used fine bath beans before and found them quite novel.
Shen Hui was unaccustomed to others' closeness: "Stop clinging to me."
"Sister, I'm actually scared. I don't want to sleep alone." Shen Wei had slept beside her sister since childhood; even during their previous stay in Chang'an, they had shared a bed.
"What a nuisance." Shen Hui glared at her, but seeing how pitiful she looked the more she was glared at, she could only relent, "Come here."
"Thank you, sister!" Shen Wei hurried to fetch her pillow.
Shen Hui had no choice.
Since she had already brought her silly sister to Chang'an, she would just have to endure it.
In the prince's residence, the Princess Consort of Chu lived in Ningyuan Residence, a spacious courtyard planted with banana trees and emerald bamboo. Within it stood a Cool Pavilion, connected by a winding corridor to a small garden. After adopting the Third Young Master, she expanded the side rooms into the garden, all for her foster son to occupy.
The garden had been recently renovated, with the side rooms converted into a study where the Third Young Master practiced calligraphy for two hours every day.
"How long have you been back, Mama?" In the study, the Third Young Master heard sounds from the corridor. Having just finished his calligraphy practice, he set down his brush and called out.
Madam Xu entered the room carrying a carved lacquer food box and helped him put away his writing. "Just returned. I personally prepared some foxnut porridge and three side dishes. Please have some, Young Master. You ate little at dinner—don't go hungry."
The Third Young Master had dined in the Princess Consort of Chu's quarters that evening.
In recent years, Prince Chu had become devoted to Buddhism and Daoism, often observing vegetarian or fasting practices. Following her husband's lead, the Princess Consort of Chu adopted similar habits, eating only one dish, one soup, and one bowl of rice per meal, stopping when just half-full.
Thus, at dinner that evening, faced with the bland stir-fried shepherd's purse and wild mushroom soup, the Third Young Master had little appetite.
He opened the food box and saw that the side dishes accompanying the porridge were ginger and fermented black bean chicken, stir-fried quail, and three delicacies bamboo shoots. Smiling, he said, "Madam Xu is right. I'm tired from practicing calligraphy and should have some side dishes."
Though Prince Chu and his consort preferred vegetarian fare, they did not forbid their children from eating meat in daily life. The Third Young Master secretly enjoying some side dishes in his study did not break any rules.
"What did you go home for, Mama?" The Third Young Master was only ten years old, still growing, and clearly quite hungry. After taking two bites of the ginger and fermented black bean chicken, he finally remembered to ask.
"Reporting to the Young Master, my nieces have come to the capital to seek me out." Madam Xu stood to the side, tidying the Third Young Master's books and assignments, sorting them by category.
Madam Xu had originally known only a few characters, but after the Third Young Master began his studies, she often stayed up late reading alongside him. Gradually, she learned to distinguish various classics and even memorized parts of the Four Books and Five Classics, becoming more knowledgeable than the study attendants.
Over time, the Third Young Master grew increasingly reliant on her, distancing himself from his other wet nurses.
"I recall it isn't your nieces' birthdays these days. Did they suddenly come to the capital to experience the Qiqiao Festival in Chang'an and see the world?" The Third Young Master strictly followed the Princess Consort of Chu's teachings and did not eat to fullness, fearing it would harm his digestion. "Why aren't you speaking, Mama? Is something troubling you?"
Madam Xu did not answer directly: "Forgive this servant for troubling you, Young Master, but how could I dare burden you with my family affairs?"
"Madam Xu, you are my wet nurse. You shouldn't hide things from me." The Third Young Master had been clever since childhood and understood her meaning perfectly. "I've heard that Steward Shen and his second wife mistreat the two daughters left by his first wife and even withhold their monthly allowances."
"Young Master is well-informed; I cannot hide anything from you." In her words, Madam Xu did not treat the Third Young Master as a child. "My nieces are pitiful, but I am occupied with serving you day and night and have no time to attend to them. What do you think I should do?"
Third Young Master felt close to Madam Xu precisely because of her attitude.
Princess Consort of Chu cared for Third Young Master meticulously, but sometimes she was overly meticulous, forever treating him as if he were four or five years old. From what kind of drink he should have to whom he should befriend, she inquired into everything. While her concern was genuine, it inevitably made him feel constrained.
Consort Zhao had always obeyed Princess Consort of Chu and dared not contradict her. Only Madam Xu truly treated Third Young Master as a young adult.
“How could life on the estate compare to entering the prince’s residence? Mama should have mentioned this to me earlier.” Third Young Master remembered his birth mother’s reminder to do his utmost to hold onto this last wet nurse who was solely loyal to him. “I’ll ask Mother to find the steward and assign two people to serve in her courtyard.”
“You are kind-hearted, Young Master, but I cannot trouble you. The concubine is now with child and must be cautious in every way. Sending two clumsy maidservants to her abruptly might displease her.” Madam Xu had no intention of having Huixi and her sister serve Consort Zhao. “Just find some miscellaneous tasks for them, like in the flower garden or the main kitchen.”
Since her last miscarriage, Consort Zhao’s health had become noticeably weaker than before. Now pregnant again, the servants in her courtyard were all on edge day and night. Even with generous rewards, it was hardly considered a good assignment.
“Very well, let them first enter the residence and get accustomed for a while. After Mother gives birth, it won’t be too late to assign the two of them there.” Seeing that Madam Xu’s words were well-considered, Third Young Master agreed immediately.