Chapter 3 – Stirred Up

The Duke had clearly instructed not to alarm the Dowager Madam and Madam, but a quick-tongued maid couldn’t resist rushing to the main quarters with the news.

It was a cold winter night. Dowager Madam Xu, Lady Zheng, had finished her dinner early and retired to the warm alcove, dismissing the concubines who had kept her company for conversation. She was about to lie down and rest when she suddenly heard the news, causing her to stagger in shock and almost fall. Her maids quickly supported her. Rui Xue, the Dowager Madam’s head maid, glared at the maid who had brought the news, Mrs. Pan, standing by the door.

“Madam Pan, we’re always told to handle matters with care. Now, the Dowager Madam was just about to rest, and with your loud announcement, how can she possibly sleep?”

The Dowager Madam waved her hand, saying, “Enough, enough! This household has become increasingly unruly since the First Madam fell ill. What kind of family are we? How can such wild rumors spread here? A person who passed away and has already been prepared for burial for two days has suddenly come back to life? Is there truly such a phenomenon in the world? Tie up that foolish gossiping maid and give her a good beating!”

“Oh, Dowager Madam, it’s true! My eyes aren’t deceiving me. I saw it with my own eyes! If there’s even a hint of falsehood, you can take my head!”

Madam Pan had just gone to the garden to speak with another maid when she saw the scene from afar and couldn’t hold herself back from running to the Dowager Madam to report it. She had once been a quick-witted, capable maid who had come as a dowry servant with the Dowager Madam when she married. However, her prospects faded when she married a minor servant who got into trouble for petty theft during purchasing errands. Her husband was sent to work the fields, and although she herself wasn’t punished thanks to the Dowager Madam’s protection, she lost her standing in the household. Nevertheless, as the Dowager Madam’s dowry maid, she was still occasionally asked after, allowing her some residual respect, though her idle chatter often irked the other maids.

The Dowager Madam couldn’t stay still any longer and sat up. “Go, summon the Madams!”

Behind the cool, slightly dim gray floral screen, a few maids waited outside. At the Dowager Madam’s words, they promptly went out to relay the message. Rui Xue and the other close maids quickly helped her put on her outer robe, redid her hair, and settled her on the divan, covering her knees with a warm blanket. Rui Hong brought her a cup of hot tea, which Madam Pan reached out to take, intending to serve it to the Dowager Madam herself. Rui Hong, however, pulled away, giving Madam Pan a scornful look though speaking with forced courtesy.

“Madam, best be careful. You wouldn’t want to spill it and scald yourself!”

Madam Pan, embarrassed, withdrew her hand but leaned close to the Dowager Madam and whispered, “Dowager Madam, don’t forget, ever since the Seventh Young Master passed, the First Madam has been bed ridden and may not be able to come.”

The Dowager Madam shot her a sharp look, and Madam Pan fell silent, bowing her head in submission. Rui Xue and Rui Hong exchanged looks of disapproval, the woman was getting more thoughtless, prattling about the Seventh Young Master right when it was best left unspoken. Two months earlier, the Seventh Young Master, Xu Junjie, had died in battle alongside his father, the Duke Xu Junying. The First Madam had collapsed from grief and had been bedridden since. The Dowager Madam herself was deeply saddened by the loss of her grandson, and it had taken time for her to recover. Now, another tragedy struck as the Duke’s wife, Lady Qin, suddenly passed. For Madam Pan to bring up the Seventh Young Master again was in poor taste.

The Dowager Madam’s eyes darkened, and she said, “It’s proper to rest if one is unwell, but we can’t just let things go unattended. Jingyu is young and may overlook details, especially since her family matters have kept her away. The Second Madam, too, has been plagued by dizzy spells lately, and with the household left to Yurou, she has no experience, especially handling a matter of this scale. No wonder things are in such disarray! Didn’t the Second Madam just come by earlier to sit and chat with me?”

Rui Xue added with a smile, “Dowager Madam, the Second Madam is indeed feeling a bit better today. She even asked for some of your headache medicine when she came to pay respects.”

The Dowager Madam gave a slight humph, and just then, a robust woman with her hair in a cone, like bun, dressed in a black robe and a dark crimson pleated skirt, walked in. Madam Pan saw her, pursed her lips, and instinctively stepped behind Rui Xue, who made no effort to shield her and instead stepped forward to greet the new arrival.

“Madam Ji, you’re back! Madam Pan has just reported something quite unusual to the Dowager Madam…”

Madam Ji, also a dowry maid of the Dowager Madam’s, was far more capable than Madam Pan and had always been by her side, managing things with skill. Decades of service had fostered a deep understanding between the two, needing only a glance or a word to communicate.

The Dowager Madam took a sharp breath as they exchanged glances, nearly swallowing the tea leaf in her mouth.

“So… it’s true?”

Madam Ji replied respectfully, “Yes, Dowager Madam, it is. I was delivering medicine to the Second Miss and heard about it, so I went to see the First Young Madam myself. She was lying properly on the divan, and the Duke had summoned the Imperial Physician Su, who examined her thoroughly. He mentioned a similar case of fainting decades ago when he treated a high-ranking official’s wife, who is still alive and well!”

“Did Imperial Physician Su truly say that?”

Madam Ji nodded. “He even remarked on the First Young Madam’s blessed fortune.”

The Dowager Madam’s eyes flickered. “Let’s hope people don’t misconstrue that we nearly buried someone alive. She’s fortunate, indeed a daughter of a fallen official who married into the Xu family as the Duke’s wife. She ought to be content.”

The maids stepped back at the silent cue, and even Madam Pan hurriedly slipped away.

Madam Ji knelt on the redwood footrest, massaging the Dowager Madam’s calves. “By my calculations, Third Young Master should arrive with Miss Lan by morning.”

The Dowager Madam sighed. “Poor Lan, plagued by poor health. She would have been the Duke’s wife had her frailty not held her back. Instead, during that lakeside outing, Junying saw Qin Meinang by chance, enchanted by her harp skills. He’s always been direct, once he learned she was from the Qin family and met the Emperor by chance, who jokingly prodded him, he sought a marriage decree. Meinang’s health is failing now, and the First Madam clearly has plans for her cousin. Though Junying is filial, he’s known Lan since they were children, and I’d have preferred him to choose her. Yet, here we are…”

From outside, Rui Xue called, “The First and Second Madams have arrived!”

The Dowager Madam exchanged a look with Madam Ji, who rose and moved to the screen.

“The Dowager Madam is waiting for you,” Madam Ji announced, inviting in the two women, the elder of whom, Madam Zheng, the First Lady, wore a dark floral satin jacket and a simple bun adorned only with two gold hairpins. Her face was pale, and though she forced a smile, it looked more like a grimace as she greeted the Dowager Madam.

“Greetings to the Dowager Madam. I’ve been unwell lately and unable to serve you as I should, which has troubled me greatly.”

The Dowager Madam looked at her. “You may be feeling poorly, but you should still make an effort to get out and walk. The longer you lie in bed, the harder it becomes to get up. Even this old woman is managing, and yet here you are, too sick to stand. What does this mean?”

Madam Zheng lowered her head, suppressing tears, and allowed Rui Xue to help her to a stool. Meanwhile, the Second Lady, Madam Gui, clad in a blue patterned jacket and appearing worried, bowed to the Dowager Madam and then took a seat below Madam Zheng.

Madam Gui carefully said, “Please forgive my shortcomings, Dowager Madam. Miss Yurou informed me of Madam Meinang’s situation earlier, and since the Duke was already handling it, there’s nothing for you to worry about. Everything has been prepared, including arrangements for informing the family and ensuring no further confusion.”

The Dowager Madam nodded approvingly. “Young Yurou has done well, even if she doesn’t quite match Jingyu in acumen. In a critical moment, she handled things with composure.”

Then, looking at Madam Zheng, she said, “Regardless of your sorrow, you should go see Meinang. She’s experienced something extraordinary, after all, and she’s still so young. Comfort her, and teach her how to conduct herself when relatives and guests arrive. Her family is likely on their way, expecting a funeral, she might be too distraught to manage herself.”

Madam Zheng nodded, responding softly, “I understand.”

The Dowager Madam asked Madam

Gui, “Has the child… recovered from her fright?”

Madam Gui answered, “She has, and she’s resting in her room now.”

The Dowager Madam muttered thoughtfully, “Such trials…