“I pay my respects to Father… and to Sister.” Song Qingqing curtsied, dressed in a deep crimson waist‑trimmed gown, her hair adorned with gleaming gold hairpins, her face lovely as a peach blossom, her smile bright as spring breeze.
Zhou Du sipped the tea she offered, then presented her with a pair of fine Hetian jade bracelets and a gold pomegranate necklace strung with pearls as her formal greeting gift.
Gu Yanshan knew little of women’s jewelry yet even he could see these were of extraordinary value.
Since their wedding, Zhou Du had given him, her own husband, nothing at all while he had fallen deep into debt. As Mistress of the House, she neglected her husband yet lavished wealth upon his concubine. Strangers would think this concubine was her beloved, not his. Where in all the world was there such a wife?
When the rites were done, Song Qingqing had waited for Gu Yanshan to help her rise only to find him standing lost in thought, staring blankly into space. Unwilling to remain kneeling indefinitely, she stood up on her own, stung and displeased.
At breakfast that followed had the Marquis and Zhou Du not been present the two would have fed one another bite by bite, so utterly wrapped up in each other were they.
After Gu Yanshan and Song Qingqing departed, the Marquis sighed and shook his head. “Du’er… you are Mistress of this Manor. Henceforth… I must ask you to bear with that ungrateful boy.”
Since the wedding, the Marquis had rarely disciplined his son. When he could bear his behavior no longer, he offered only sharp words and privately entreated Zhou Du to forbear and endure.
Zhou Du felt no surprise. The Marquis was, after all, Gu Yanshan’s father. A daughter‑in‑Law remained, in the end, an outsider.
“Father speaks too kindly,” Zhou Du replied calmly. “The Heir is blameless he merely holds his concubine dear. So long as he honors the Principal Wife and does not exalt the concubine above her station… it is no great matter.”
Gu Yanshan had lived in the Song household from the age of eight. Lady Song, determined to secure him for her daughter, had ensured he was kept far from all other women servants attending him were always men or elderly matrons. Later, when he joined his father at the frontier, he had lived entirely among men, meeting no women at all. Once betrothed to Song Qingqing, he had eyes for no one else. Forced to marry Zhou Du, he had remained a husband in name only.
Now, with Song Qingqing truly his, he had discovered the full sweetness of marriage and longed to be beside her every waking moment. They rose together, parted only when he went to duty, and reunited at dusk. After family supper, they returned together to their courtyard living, in all truth, as husband and wife.
Zhou Du, meanwhile, was occupied from dawn till dusk managing estates and trade, overseeing the smooth running of the entire Manor, and bearing the weight of all ceremonial visits and courtesies between noble houses. Gu Yanshan and Song Qingqing kept quietly to themselves and in their clinging affection, left Zhou Du in perfect peace.
“Madam,” Lian Qing entered bearing a letter. “Word from Second Young Master.”
Gu Yanchuan had been gone more than three months. The Wu family estate lay in Qinghe Commandery. Upon arrival, Zhou Ze had received him and arranged lodging within the Prefect’s residence. Wu Sidao had agreed to instruct him yet had not formally accepted him as pupil. Even should Wu Sidao refuse in the end, Zhou Du knew these months of guidance would prove invaluable.
Zhou Du washed her hands. “Bring Lijiao here. She has waited eagerly for word from her brother.”
“Already sent for, Madam.”
Moments later, a little figure darted in clad in willow‑green jacket and orange skirt, hair arranged in adorable rounded buns, fresh and delicate as carved jade.
“Sister‑in‑Law! A letter from Second Brother?”
Zhou Du caught her gently. “Slowly, little one do not fall.”
Lijiao’s nurse, duly warned by Zhou Du, had softened considerably. No longer did she forbid this or forbid that. The little girl had gained healthy weight and looked blooming and bright.
“Sister‑in‑Law’s floors are soft,” Lijiao said cheerfully. “One could fall and never hurt!”
The days had grown cold. Zhou Du’s chambers were lined with thick wool carpets, walls insulated with pepper paste, heated by underground flues and braziers warm and bright as spring.
“Prattling child,” Zhou Du smiled, touching her nose gently. “Come. Let us read what he has written.”
Gu Yanchuan sent his greetings to them both and wrote that Wu Sidao had at last consented to take him formally as his pupil. Yet once the ceremony was performed, he must remain to study beside his master and likely would not return home until the New Year.
“Second Brother is so clever!” Lijiao beamed then her smile faded. “But the New Year is still so far away… I miss him already.” Her eyes glistened with unshed tears.
Zhou Du soothed her. “It will pass quickly. Two months and a little more. Think of it this way after you have eaten your sweet water‑chestnut cake twenty times… you shall see him again.”
Both siblings shared a passionate love of sweets. Zhou Du allowed Lijiao her favorite cake only once every three days enough to delight, never enough to harm.
Lijiao counted on her fingers. “That does not seem so very long…”
As they spoke, Gu Yanshan entered, the cold wind swirling in behind him.
Lijiao curtsied politely. “Elder Brother.”
Whether Zhou Du’s words had taken root or not, Gu Yanshan no longer dismissed or disdained his younger brother and sister at least, not openly.
Seeing Lijiao there, he forced a smile and spoke as gently as he could. “Is Little Sister visiting her Sister‑in‑Law again?”
“Second Brother sent a letter,” Lijiao said. “Sister‑in‑Law is reading it to me.”
“Indeed?” Gu Yanshan felt a strange, unnameable twinge. His own brother writes not to his father, not to him but to Zhou Du, his sister‑in‑Law.
Zhou Du answered plainly. “Second Brother writes that Master Wu has accepted him as pupil. He shall remain there to study and return only at the New Year.”
Gu Yanshan nodded. “Master Wu accepted him? That is good news… does Father know?”
“We shall tell him this evening at supper,” Zhou Du replied.
So she is the very first to know, Gu Yanshan thought.
“Is something amiss, Heir?” Zhou Du asked. “You have a rare day of rest why not spend it with Madam Song? Why come here?”
She smoothed Lijiao’s hair, and the little girl, understanding perfectly, let Lian Qing lead her out to play.
Once they were alone, Gu Yanshan hesitated and then spoke awkwardly. “Qingqing’s birthday draws near. I wish to give her something fine.”
Zhou Du nodded knowingly. “You wish to borrow silver? Very well. How much? I shall record it in the ledger.”
Gu Yanshan flushed with anger. “Why must this be counted too? It is a birthday gift! When I gave a gift to Father last month, you kept no record! Do you single out Qingqing for unfair treatment?”
Zhou Du looked him steadily in the eye. “Gifts to Father are duty and devotion we are one household, and such things I do not record. But gifts to Madam Song are yours to give or hers to receive. They are no concern of mine.”
“Heir… you ask me to give my silver so you may win your concubine’s favor. Do you take me for a fool?”
Defeated in argument, Gu Yanshan threw up his hands. “Very well! Then as Mistress of this House shall you offer her nothing? Does she not call you Sister?”
Zhou Du brushed a speck from her sleeve and spoke calmly. “Madam Song shall receive every courtesy due her fine cloth, fine jewelry, and a feast prepared in her honor. That is what I owe her as Mistress.”
“But you are you and I am I. If you wish to pour out your heart in gifts… do not ask me to pay the cost.”
Gu Yanshan burned with indignation. “What manner of wife are you? You ought to be ashamed of yourself!”