Chapter 13

Lu Feng stayed in the residence for three consecutive days, making Jiang Wanrou’s life increasingly difficult. The days were manageable—spending time with Huaiyi and handling household affairs passed the time. But the nights were unbearable, as Lu Feng tried various methods with her, leaving her feeling humiliated and exasperated.

The only upside was that Lu Feng had been especially agreeable over the past two days. Jiang Wanrou took the opportunity to bring up the matter of Ying’er and asked the Jinlong Bureau to help locate someone. Lu Feng agreed without asking too many questions. Even regarding Ma Chunlan, who was locked in the woodshed, he did not inquire further, leaving Jiang Wanrou full of explanations with no outlet.

Lu Feng trusted her deeply, adhering to the traditional belief of “men handle external matters, women handle internal affairs.” He never discussed court politics in the private quarters. Similarly, matters like disciplining a cook or dealing with a maid were, in his view, affairs of the inner household and should be managed at the discretion of the mistress. He did not interfere.

Moreover, over the years, she had managed everything meticulously, never making a single mistake.

Since he never asked, Jiang Wanrou saw no reason to bring up the matter herself. Firstly, it wasn’t something to be proud of, and secondly, so much time had passed. The situation was irreversible now—Huaiyi was already five years old. Holding onto the past served no purpose.

Midday, Yao Jinyu stopped by, mentioning that one of the concubines in the third master’s household was newly pregnant and had just been diagnosed. With this joyous occasion in the third branch, Jiang Wanrou, as the household’s mistress, sent a jade ruyi scepter, two pairs of gold bracelets, a “Hundred Sons and a Thousand Grandsons” bed curtain set, and two catties of bird’s nest as gifts.

Yao Jinyu bowed gracefully and said with a laugh, “Eldest Sister-in-law, you are so generous! On behalf of the unborn child, I thank you in advance.”

“We’re family. No need for such formalities,” replied Jiang Wanrou with a gentle smile.

Jiang Wanrou smiled faintly. Despite Yao Jinyu’s past attempts to trip her up, she didn’t dislike her. Struggles in the inner courtyard were always like this—either the east wind prevails over the west, or the west wind over the east. Their differing positions were the source of their discord. Yet, as the third master’s household grew livelier, Jiang Wanrou genuinely began to admire Yao Jinyu.

The third master of the Lu family was known to be a lover of beauty, gentle and romantic. It was said that before he married, he had many confidantes in brothels and courtesan houses, reveling in his charm and gallantry. The Yao family from Jiangnan was wealthy but lacked nobility, and Yao Jinyu’s marriage to the third master was a climb in status, so she didn’t dare exert much control over him. However, she surprised everyone with her “generosity”—accepting the third master’s romantic interests into the household, whether they were confidantes or cousins. Whoever caught his fancy was brought into the residence, and she never administered birth-control medicine to them. If they could conceive, she allowed them to have the child and even gave them an official status. This once turned the third household into a chaotic mess, with concubines constantly battling like hens.

Over time, the third master began to avoid going out, as the feuds among his concubines became increasingly troublesome. Instead, he found peace in his wife’s quarters, where she was kind, perceptive, and intelligent. The third master held her in high regard, and none of the concubines dared to provoke her. After all, while the third master’s “true loves” were numerous, he had only one officially wedded wife.

There was once a concubine who naively hoped to replace the legitimate wife. During that time, the third master treated her like a precious treasure, visiting only her quarters, embodying the sentiment of “among the thousands of waters, choosing only one ladle.” The woman even became pregnant, but fate was cruel—she tragically passed away, along with her unborn twins. The third master fell into a period of melancholy but soon returned to his lively and amorous ways. Since that incident, no further offspring had been born in the third household.

Yao Jinyu’s expression was radiant, as though the unborn child were her own. Jiang Wanrou offered her gifts and couldn’t help but remark, “Third sister-in-law’s generosity truly is the third master’s blessing.”

To be fair, if Jiang Wanrou were in Yao Jinyu’s position, she doubted she could have done as well. She could never accept raising someone else’s child, nor could she endure having Huaiyi’s possessions divided among others.

Yao Jinyu responded with a playful smile, “Oh, eldest sister-in-law, you flatter me—I’m almost embarrassed.”

Yao Jinyu laughed while covering her mouth with a handkerchief. “It’s nothing, really. Having a concubine’s son in the future could support my own son. As for daughters, they’re even simpler—just give them a dowry, and they can bring us another family connection through marriage. There’s no downside. But as for the eldest master—”

Her smile faded as she spoke earnestly, “Eldest sister-in-law, I mean no offense, but the main household only has one child. Without a brother to support him, Huaiyi may face challenges in the future.”

Jiang Wanrou sighed softly and replied, “Right now, I only hope his health improves. As for the rest… we’ll leave it up to fate.”

These matters were beyond her control. She had been taking medicine for years, and Lu Feng—healthy and vigorous—didn’t seem to have any issues. Furthermore, pregnancy and childbirth for women were like crossing the gates of hell; she had suffered greatly back then and saw no reason to seek further suffering now.

There were unresolved issues from the past, as well as Lu Feng’s messy history with his former fiancée. That red agate earring left behind—she still didn’t know which lady it belonged to. It was better to focus on solving these chaotic matters first.

After offering her suggestion, Yao Jinyu didn’t delve further. She stood up with a smile and said, “That’s true—perhaps I’m just worrying unnecessarily. The eldest master and eldest sister-in-law share such a loving bond, so maybe good news is on the horizon.”

In recent days, Lu Feng has been uncharacteristically staying at home, and Yao Jinyu has heard bits and pieces. She teasingly winked at Jiang Wanrou, saying, “Sister-in-law, you certainly know how to manage your husband. You must teach me your ways when you have the time!”

She assumed Jiang Wanrou had taken her previous advice to heart, enticing Lu Feng into nights of indulgence. After all, Jiang Wanrou hadn’t gone to pay respects to the matriarch for several days—everyone knew what that meant.

Jiang Wanrou, with a stiff expression, sent Yao Jinyu away. How could she be an expert at managing her husband when she was the one being “managed”?

Such private matters were not something she could discuss, so she could only endure her frustrations in silence.

Feeling troubled, Jiang Wanrou was approached by Cui Zhu holding the account book, asking what should be done with the surplus boxes of fruits and lychees in the warehouse. The festival gifts had already been distributed, and the items given to each household followed a fixed amount—for example, the Zhou family and the Yao family received identical shares. Adding extra for any household wouldn’t seem appropriate. As Jiang Wanrou stared at the account book, feeling a headache, a refined figure suddenly flashed in her mind.

“How could I have forgotten about this!”

Jiang Wanrou muttered to herself and then instructed Cui Zhu, “Are there still a few rolls of Liuguang brocade in the storeroom? Have them brought out, along with the fruits, and send them to Master Pei’s residence on Xinyue Alley in the south of the city.”

She had previously mentioned visiting him but had completely forgotten. Now that she had the time, she realized that based on familial seniority, she was of a lower rank than her Fifth Sister. Ideally, she should visit her sister instead. However, both of them were married now, and as married women follow their husbands, Jiang Wanrou hadn’t lowered her head in such matters for years. Even when Jiang Wanxue became a princess consort, she only sent gifts without personally paying a visit.

Her relationship with her Fifth Sister was rather average, and while she vaguely remembered what she looked like, so many years had passed. Meeting now might not even lead to mutual recognition. Why bother making the trip?

If she wouldn’t go in person, then the gifts should be more substantial.

Jiang Wanrou pondered, thinking that if her memory served her correctly, the couple had been married for four years, and their child was likely three years old by now. Gifting a longevity lock and a gold necklace would be appropriate; the Liuguang brocade, a rare treasure in the capital, would be perfect for her sister. For her brother-in-law, such a refined gentleman, gold and silver seemed too vulgar, but calligraphy supplies—brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones—would suit him perfectly. Since the couple had moved to the capital, their elderly parents must have come as well. Considering the fatigue of their journey, she planned to include some lingzhi mushrooms and ginseng for them.

The Lu family’s storeroom was immensely well-stocked, filled with gifts bestowed by the imperial palace during festivals, tributes from subordinates, and offerings from various familial connections. Jiang Wanrou never hesitated to distribute from these reserves. As per tradition, the emperor and the harem would send another wave of rewards before the new year, filling the storeroom to the brim once more.

She called Cui Zhu over and gently instructed, “We had a misunderstanding with Master Pei the other day. You, with your quick wit and sweet tongue, can apologize properly and explain things well.”

“Madam, rest assured. I understand,” Cui Zhu replied confidently.

The festive gifts filled two carts, and Cui Zhu led a group of servants and guards on their journey. The grandeur of the procession startled the gatekeeper at the Pei residence, who hesitated and refused to allow them entry.

Cui Zhu spoke politely, “Sir, I’m a servant from the household of Master Lu Feng, sent by Madam Lu to deliver New Year’s gifts to Master Pei.”

The gatekeeper eyed the group warily and replied, “My master has just arrived in the capital and doesn’t know anyone named Master Lu. Miss, you must have the wrong house.”

“No, we haven’t. Oh, perhaps you don’t know the Lu family, but surely you’ve heard of the Jiang family from Marquis Ning’an’s residence? Your Madam and my Madam are biological sisters!”

The gatekeeper’s expression softened slightly but still blocked their entry. “My Madam has gone to the temple of the Child-Giving Guanyin outside the city and won’t return until evening. You should come back another day.”

Cui Zhu was exasperated by the stubborn gatekeeper!

Typically, when she mentioned the Lu household, people welcomed her in with utmost respect—this was the first time she’d faced such a situation. But remembering Madam’s specific instructions to “speak kindly,” she dared not offend him. While she was at a loss, her peripheral vision caught a glimpse of a figure in dark raven-colored clothing.

“Master Pei? Master Pei!”

Cui Zhu’s sharp eyes and good memory immediately recognized Pei Zhang, whom she had briefly encountered before, as he flashed past behind the wall. Taking advantage of the gatekeeper’s moment of distraction, her petite figure slipped through and dashed up to Pei Zhang, where she gracefully curtsied.

“Greetings, Master Pei. By Madam’s orders, I am here to pay my respects to you!”

The young girl’s voice was crisp and clear, emphasizing the words “by orders.”