The seventeenth year of the Kangxi Emperor’s reign, the sixteenth day of the first lunar month.
A heavy snowfall had come during the night. The moment one stepped outside, the biting northwest wind whipped straight into one’s face, driving the cold deep into the bones and making it particularly hard to drag oneself out from under the covers.
It was nearly the hour of the Rabbit. Apart from the soft, swishing sound of servants sweeping snow, the various courtyards of the Niu Gulu Duke’s residence remained deathly quiet.
Only the largest compound in the western courtyard had already been lit by candlelight for half an hour.
Gu Yunying finished two rounds of Baduanjin exercises in her room. The little bit of gloom still lodged in her chest left her body with the sweat.
This was her fourth day since crossing over.
Back when she’d transferred from Shenzhen to Beijing for work, she’d needed only two days to adjust. Even though the new territory was a little farther away—and a little more likely to have her seeing ghosts—three days had been plenty.
She liked a challenge.
She had been the kind of child other people’s parents held up as an example, and when she’d grown up, she’d become the sort of workaholic everyone called a juan wang.
Really, it was nothing complicated.
If there was a difficulty, charge straight through it and solve it. If there wasn’t one, create one, then charge through that and solve it too.
She climbed higher by proving her worth through one sprint after another, and she genuinely enjoyed the process of leaving everyone else behind.
As for where she worked herself to the bone, Gu Yunying didn’t particularly care.
Her parents had died young, and the grandparents who had raised her had passed away as well. She had long since been completely alone.
Beside her, Taohua was setting out breakfast. She reported in a low voice:
“This servant just heard from one of the kitchen boys that a few days ago, after our Side Fujin returned from paying respects at Kunning Palace, she had the storeroom opened and ordered them to look for medicinal herbs. There was quite a commotion. She didn’t even eat dinner.”
Gu Yunying lowered her eyes and ate her noodles.
“Any movement from the eastern courtyard?”
Taohua had been bought from outside. Her family lived right in Beijing, so she was exceptionally well-informed.
She studied her mistress’s expression before answering.
“The Principal Fujin of the eastern courtyard took Fifth Master to the clan leader’s residence the day before yesterday. No one knows what was said, but the gifts they brought…” She hesitated. “The clan leader accepted them.”
Gu Yunying’s round, moon-like face remained as calm as still water, though she slowed slightly as she ate.
She had majored in the humanities, and her history had always been pretty good.
Niu Gulu Duke Ebilong had died in the twelfth year of Kangxi’s reign, and his eldest son by a concubine, Faka, had inherited the title.
His fifth son, the legitimate youngest son Aling’a, would seize the title from his elder brother Faka in the twenty-fifth year of Kangxi’s reign.
Faka’s sister by the same mother, Empress Xiaozhao Ren, would die in the seventeenth year of Kangxi’s reign.
Once that happened, the western courtyard’s greatest pillar of support—the Side Fujin’s branch, which had stood alongside the eastern courtyard as one of the two major powers within the Duke’s household—would collapse.
As the legitimate wife and son of the eastern courtyard, Aling’a and his mother certainly weren’t going to sit around waiting to die.
Right now was precisely the perfect time for them to maneuver.
If Gu Yunying were in their shoes, she wouldn’t let the opportunity pass either.
Unfortunately, the Third Young Lady she had transmigrated into was the daughter of the western courtyard’s Side Fujin, whose mother was also the same woman who had given birth to Empress Xiaozhao Ren.
Between her and the eastern courtyard, there was only one possible outcome:
One side lived.
The other died.
Seeing the ceaseless activity from both courtyards, Gu Yunying suspected the empress’s death was very near.
But according to history, Imperial Noble Consort Wenxi would not enter the palace until the nineteenth year of Kangxi’s reign.
If she really had to sit here and wait another two years, who knew what the situation would look like by then?
In the best-case scenario, she would enter the palace and be made a consort. The eastern courtyard would be wary of her. Even if they managed to seize the title, they would only suppress the western courtyard behind the scenes, pinching their noses and sending gifts into the palace whenever necessary, all for the sake of appearances.
But if some butterfly effect caused the eastern courtyard to obtain the title ahead of schedule, they could casually marry her off to some family that looked respectable enough on paper, then send Aling’a’s full sister—the Fourth Young Lady—into the palace.
The western courtyard would be left dependent on others, entirely at their mercy.
At that point, whether Gu Yunying entered the palace or not, the support behind her would vanish.
Power and wealth were all well and good, but having them oneself was always better than relying on someone else.
If she really gave the eastern courtyard the chance to dig a grave beneath the western courtyard’s good days, Gu Yunying would rather find a block of tofu and kill herself by smashing her head against it.
Unfortunately, the greatest advantage she had in fighting the eastern courtyard was also the most difficult one:
She had to keep her bargain second sister alive.
No matter how hard it was, she had to give it a try.
“Taohua, you’ve done very well.”
Gu Yunying set down her half-finished bowl of noodle soup and slipped a five-tael silver ingot into Taohua’s hand.
“Put aside whatever you’re doing for now. Avoid the servants and go outside to find out what else they’ve been doing. Don’t worry about spending money. If you run short, come back and ask me for more. I’ll go pay my respects to Mother first.”
Taohua was delighted by the praise and answered brightly.
Gu Yunying changed into a half-new, half-worn reddish-brown padded robe of plain cloud-patterned Zhang velvet and left with her maid Meihua.
She had just entered the main compound of the western courtyard when she reached the covered walkway. Guiyuan, the senior maidservant attending Side Fujin Shushujueluo, rubbed her hands together and hurried over to greet her in a low voice.
“Her Ladyship was tossing and turning all night and only fell asleep an hour ago. Third Young Lady, perhaps you could wait in the side room for a while?”
Gu Yunying had opened her eyes to discover, for no apparent reason, that she’d transmigrated.
She didn’t know whether the original owner had somehow switched places with her or had simply died suddenly.
She had spent one day staring blankly into space while sorting through the original owner’s memories. For the past two days, she’d been coming to pay her respects just as the original owner had.
Guiyuan had long since had the heated kang in the side room warmed for her.
“No need to trouble yourself. Let Mother sleep a little longer. You and Guizhi have worked all night. Take turns resting in the side room with a bowl of ginger soup.”
Gu Yunying smiled gently and amiably.
She had come from an administrative assistant background. Whether dealing with superiors or subordinates, she always believed in greeting people with a three-point smile.
Even when she was stabbing someone with a knife, she did it with a smile.
That was how she’d distinguished herself among countless assistants and earned her first opportunity for promotion.
Sure enough, gratitude appeared on Guiyuan’s face.
“Thank you for your consideration, Third Young Lady. The wind is strong and the weather is cold these days. Why don’t you stay and warm yourself up before heading back?”
Gu Yunying had no intention of staying.
Her mother wasn’t even awake yet, and she didn’t want to sit around doing nothing. If she was going to fight the eastern courtyard, she wanted an opportunity to scout the terrain herself.
“In a few days, it’s Fourth Sister’s birthday in the eastern courtyard. Mother probably won’t have the time to worry about it, so I’ll go back and sort out the gift list for the eastern courtyard first, then come—”
“The eastern courtyard would love nothing more than to swallow Her Ladyship whole, skin and bones, and Third Young Lady is still eagerly thinking about currying favor with them!”
A slightly shrill female voice abruptly cut her off.
An ample, matronly woman in a purple-brown satin banner gown patterned with subtle swastikas came striding down the covered walkway.
It was Madam Lin, Shushujueluo’s dowry nursemaid.
She held a wooden box in her hands, and her voice rang out like a gong.
“My dear Young Lady, at least have some pity for your own mother—”
“Why don’t you raise your voice a little more?”
Gu Yunying interrupted her in an even tone.
“That way, everyone outside the residence can enjoy a laugh over how badly the masters of this household get along.”
She paused.
“And if you wake Mother again, she won’t be able to eat or sleep properly. If she collapses before Second Sister gets better, that would certainly fulfill your loyalty, wouldn’t it? In that case, Madam Lin, you’d better have a burial coffin prepared for yourself as well.”
Madam Lin’s solemn expression instantly froze.
For some reason, although Third Young Lady looked just as gentle and refined as she always had, Madam Lin suddenly felt a chill run down her spine.
But she had thrown her weight around in the western courtyard for years. With Guiyuan standing there, she refused to lose face.
Lowering her voice, she muttered resentfully,
“This servant only followed Her Ladyship’s orders. I found a hundred-year-old ginseng for the Empress. Her Ladyship intends to send it into the palace later.”
“Wait until Mother wakes up.”
Gu Yunying glanced at the wooden box, thoughtful.
They’ve reached the point of needing old ginseng just to keep her alive?
The situation was even worse than she’d anticipated.
Madam Lin didn’t think much of it, but no matter how favored she was, she knew better than to openly argue with her mistress.
She curled her lips, swallowed her irritation, and turned into the side room.
Gu Yunying ignored her.
She quietly instructed Guiyuan, “When Mother wakes up, tell her I have something very important to ask her. It concerns Second Sister’s safety. Tell her not to rush into the palace.”
Guiyuan had secretly enjoyed watching Madam Lin—who normally acted like half the mistress of the household—get firmly put in her place by Third Young Lady.
She was consequently even more respectful now and hurriedly agreed.
Gu Yunying returned to the western main courtyard after preparing the gift list.
Only half an hour had passed, and Shushujueluo was already awake.
The main room was filled with a table of breakfast dishes. Shushujueluo’s eyelids were swollen, and she listlessly sipped the porridge before her.
The moment she saw Gu Yunying, she simply put down her spoon.
Her voice was hoarse and edged with irritation.
“You stopped Madam Lin from handling an important task first thing this morning and sent everyone running around. What exactly are you playing at? Can’t whatever it is wait until I return from the palace?”
Shushujueluo couldn’t believe a fourteen-year-old daughter could possibly help at a moment like this.
If the girl could simply avoid making trouble, she would already be grateful.
Gu Yunying cast a faint glance at Madam Lin.
No matter how much trouble she’d caused, Madam Lin was nowhere near as troublesome as this old woman.
Judging by Shushujueluo’s clothes, she suspected that the moment Gu Yunying had left, Madam Lin had immediately called her mistress awake.
Gu Yunying didn’t take the scolding to heart.
Her daughter was on the verge of death. She couldn’t sleep or eat properly. No one in that situation was going to have a good temper.
First, she had Guiyuan bring over a hard-boiled egg to reduce the swelling around Shushujueluo’s eyes.
Then she sent Meihua outside to stand guard.
Only afterward did she take Shushujueluo’s hand and lead her to sit on the soft couch.
“I’ve been so worried about Second Sister’s health. Mother, tell me honestly—what exactly is wrong with her? Is she physically ill, or is it something troubling her heart?”
The history books didn’t say.
But according to the original owner’s memories, Second Sister’s body hadn’t actually had any serious problems.
Otherwise, she wouldn’t have been able to endure nearly ten years in the palace.
If her body was truly at the end of its strength, even a god couldn’t save her.
But if the problem was in her heart, there was still something Gu Yunying could do.
Madam Lin was Shushujueluo’s trusted confidante. She had already lost face in front of Third Young Lady and was afraid her mistress would be won over by the girl.
So she refused to leave.
She merely pretended to tidy the table while casting furtive glances from the corners of her eyes.
Shushujueluo didn’t send her away either. She simply didn’t have the energy to bother.
The moment Gu Yunying asked her question, tears spilled from her eyes. Covering her mouth, she began sobbing like a kettle coming to the boil.
“Do you know why your father was suddenly remembered by His Majesty a few days ago? Why His Majesty bestowed the family temple upon him and even gave him the posthumous honorific ‘Kexi’?”
“It was because she submitted a memorial to His Majesty in the empress’s name after the New Year’s Eve palace banquet!”
There were many servants attending her, but there were some things Shushujueluo truly had no one to talk to about.
Her four sons spent their days studying at the clan school. She couldn’t rely on them.
And she certainly couldn’t pour out her heart to her daughter lying half-dead in Kunning Palace.
At least Gu Yunying was the only daughter at her side.
She could no longer hold back all the grievances churning inside her.
“Because of all that mess before His Majesty took personal control of the government, His Majesty has been carrying a great deal of anger. Your father was seriously ill, but he didn’t even dare summon an imperial physician. He was afraid His Majesty would take his anger out on our family and ruin your brothers’ futures.”
“And that foolish girl went and offended His Majesty after barely enjoying a few days of peace! His Majesty even stripped her of control over the palace affairs. She wouldn’t let anyone summon an imperial physician either. I think she’s planning to follow your father and repay her guilt with her life!”
The more Shushujueluo spoke, the harder she cried.
“How did I end up giving birth to such an unpromising daughter? There were so many roads she could have taken, yet she had to go and drive herself into a dead end.”
Gu Yunying dutifully maintained an appropriately sorrowful expression.
Inside, however, she breathed a tremendous sigh of relief.
According to the original owner’s memories, her father, Ebilong, had been timid and fearful, terrified that Kangxi would eventually find an excuse to settle old scores with him.
He had literally worried himself to death.
From what Shushujueluo had said, the empress’s health was indeed poor, but she wasn’t yet at the point of complete physical collapse.
There was still hope.
“Mother, don’t panic.”
Gu Yunying’s voice softened.
“Once you enter the palace, don’t keep lecturing Second Sister with all those earnest words. Everyone understands the principles. But when something actually happens to you, only the person whose back is hurting knows how much it hurts.”
“Talk to Second Sister about things from when you were children. Cheer her up. If she can eat and drink normally, then it isn’t a serious problem. As for His Majesty, slowly—”
“Third Young Lady, that’s not appropriate!”
Madam Lin had finally found an opportunity to undermine Gu Yunying and immediately interrupted.
She looked at Shushujueluo with an expression of deep disapproval.
“Her Ladyship, think about it. When the Empress was still at home, she was always going to the Grand Tutor’s residence. If you and Her Majesty reminisce about the Guarjia family—that whole family of criminals—and word reaches His Majesty’s ears, wouldn’t that only anger His Majesty further?”
Gu Yunying’s expression cooled slightly.
She glanced at Madam Lin.
Twice now.
Seeing the growing panic on Shushujueluo’s carefully maintained oval face, Gu Yunying steadied herself and continued gently.
“I remember Second Sister loved ice skating. When we were little, she even carried me on an ice sled. There are plenty of happy things we can talk about.”
“What has happened has already happened. Right now, the most important thing isn’t whether His Majesty is angry or whether Second Sister still holds control over the palace.”
“We need to get her healthy first. At the very least, we should talk about things she actually wants to hear.”
She gave Shushujueluo’s hand a firm squeeze.
“Mother, as long as Second Sister is alive, we can slowly make our plans. But if something happens to her…”
She paused.
“If the Principal Fujin persuades the clan to submit a memorial requesting that her legitimate son inherit the title, then the western courtyard will be nothing more than meat on the eastern courtyard’s chopping block!”
Shushujueluo covered her mouth and sobbed so violently that her entire body shook.
Just imagining such a possibility made her feel that dying would be easier.
Seeing that she’d finally frightened her mother into listening, Gu Yunying calmly began laying out a solution.
“Once you enter the palace, go first to pay your respects to the Grand Em if you ask me, you must persuade Her Majesty to hurry and been spraying saliva everywhere as she spoke. Now she stoodpress Dowager. Ask the Old Ancestor to summon an imperial physician for Second Sister—”
“Oh, my dear Young Lady, absolutely not!”
Madam Lin threw her head back, her broad face filled with alarm, as though no one in the world could possibly be more loyal than she was.
“Her Ladyship has only just angered His Majesty. How could she possibly dare provoke the Grand Empress Dowager as well?”
She lowered her voice and cried out,
“My lady, if you ask me, you must persuade Her Majesty to hurry and confess her guilt to His Majesty. That’s what really matters!”
Shushujueluo was crying so hard she was nearly fainting.
If she’d been capable of persuading the stubborn mule in Kunning Palace, would she really have been so worried she’d considered hanging herself?
Madam Lin stood beside her, going on and on with her advice.
Neither of them paid the slightest attention to what Gu Yunying had said.
Their voices weren’t particularly loud, but together they were noisier than a thousand ducks.
Gu Yunying pinched the bridge of her nose.
She understood perfectly well that she couldn’t count on Shushujueluo.
So she rose decisively.
She swung her arm in a wide arc.
Smack!
Her palm landed squarely across Madam Lin’s face.
Madam Lin had been spraying saliva everywhere as she spoke. Now she stood frozen, one hand clapped over her cheek.
Shushujueluo stared at Gu Yunying in utter shock.
The entire room fell silent.
Gu Yunying rubbed her wrist.
This body really was a little too weak.
She would have to train harder when she got back.
With a gentle smile still playing on her lips, she looked at her mother and asked softly,
“Have you calmed down?”
She paused.
“If you haven’t, have Madam Lin dragged outside and given twenty strokes of the board. Let her call your soul back for you.”
“Once you’ve calmed down, we can sit down and slowly figure out what to do. How does that sound?”