Chapter 17: Signs
Ming Wei naturally had no idea about Second Madam's furious words after her departure, but the fact that Second Madam allowed her to leave the main residence without obstruction meant she had successfully passed scrutiny.
Even if Second Madam found it hard to believe, there was nothing she could criticize. The original Ming Wei was raised under her watchful eye and had lost her birth mother early. Second Madam was confident she wouldn’t have outside help. She simply considered the embroidery token incident as a stroke of luck for Ming Wei and let it go.
“How did the thing I asked you to look into go?” That day, after finishing the embroidery task Second Madam had assigned her, Ming Wei gently rubbed her sore neck and asked Tangli, “Any word about Linghua?”
The young maid in the grand garden that day looked vaguely familiar to Ming Wei, possibly someone who tended the flowers in the Old Madam’s courtyard. The lively Tangli, however, knew her name. Since Tangli’s godmother did rough work in the Old Madam’s courtyard, Ming Wei figured she might be able to get some information.
“Haven’t seen her these past couple of days,” Tangli shook her head and stepped forward to massage Ming Wei’s shoulders, saying softly, “My godmother only said that on the day of the Old Madam’s birthday feast, Linghua mentioned her brother was coming to visit her. After that, she disappeared.”
Seeing Ming Wei’s puzzled look, Tangli quickly explained, “Her brother is a servant who runs errands at the second gate. It’s common for maids and old women to pass things in and out. Her brother had the convenience and could see her now and then.”
Ming Wei nodded.
That explained why Linghua was in the grand garden that day. The small side gate on the west side of the garden led outside. The front courtyard was bustling that day, while the rear was quiet—perfect for a secret meeting.
Could it be that she got scared and ran home? Ming Wei silently speculated. She didn’t want to dig too deeply. The embroidery token she gave as a birthday gift at the Old Madam’s banquet had already drawn enough attention. If she also had a maid snooping around the Old Madam’s courtyard, it would be seen as overstepping.
“If you hear anything, keep your ears open,” Ming Wei simply instructed, not wanting Tangli to be too obvious.
However, the matter of Linghua being drowned in the well eventually reached the Old Madam.
Rongshantang (Hall of Glorious Goodness)
After lunch, the Old Madam reclined against a large ginger-colored cushion, resting on a black lacquered luohan bed adorned with sapphire blue brocade patterned with auspicious clouds.
Two young maids with shaved foreheads were rhythmically tapping her legs with massage mallets, while Xu Momo sat on a brocade stool beside her, chatting.
“Da Furen sent a letter. She says our Second Young Miss will depart soon,” Xu Momo beamed. “You’ll see her again in less than a month!”
Hearing this, the Old Madam smiled.
Among the four sons of the Marquis of Chengping, only the eldest was born of the main wife. The second, third, and fourth sons were all born of concubines. After giving birth to the heir, the Old Madam could no longer conceive. Sensible and dignified, she arranged for the Marquis to take concubines, who bore him three more sons.
Of the four sons, only the Heir resembled the Marquis in character and ambition. He and his family were now stationed with the Marquis in the northwest. The remaining three sons were all idle and pleasure-seeking.
The eldest son’s only legitimate daughter, Ming Qian, had been raised by the Old Madam since childhood and was her favorite among the granddaughters. She hadn’t returned to the capital with the Old Madam earlier due to illness. Now of marriageable age, the Old Madam planned to bring her back to arrange a good match.
“Second girl isn’t young anymore. If we delay any further, it’ll be hard to find a good family,” the Old Madam said with a trace of tenderness in her eyes. “She needs to be married off properly in the capital.”
Xu Momo, naturally understanding, smiled and said, “Exactly. The Marquis and the Heir will return to the capital in a year or two at most. If she marries off somewhere far, you won’t rest easy!”
The Old Madam nodded, smiling. “That girl is good-natured. Even when she’s wronged, she won’t complain. Such a generous heart and pretty face—how could I not take her marriage seriously?”
Suddenly, the Old Madam seemed to recall something and sighed. “I heard Eldest Girl isn’t doing so well?”
Xu Momo’s expression shifted slightly, and she quietly replied, “It’s not your fault! You did all you could. It’s just that Concubine Bao was too short-sighted, and Second Madam—well, she’s just like that. Second Master never bothers with these things. What more could you have done?”
Though Ming Rui was a concubine-born daughter of the second household, she was still the Old Madam’s granddaughter. The Old Madam had once tried to help her. A distant relative of hers ran a prosperous business in the capital. Their son was a good man, though he had no prospects in officialdom and had followed the family trade since youth.
When the Old Madam discreetly suggested the match, Concubine Bao rejected it as beneath their station, insisting on finding a scholarly family for Ming Rui, even if it meant being poor.
That led to everything that followed.
Second Madam acted swiftly and married Ming Rui off, leaving Concubine Bao no time to protest. Second Master never paid any attention.
“When she came back that day, her eyes were red. She must not be doing well,” the Old Madam murmured, eyes half-closed. “But at the banquet, she looked a bit better. Who knows what trick her concubine mother gave her!”
Though the Old Madam disliked Second Madam, she had even less respect for how Concubine Bao climbed into bed with the Marquis. In Ming Rui’s marriage, the Old Madam believed Bao had been foolish to the extreme.
In the end, she still clung to the idea of respectability.
“You’ve done more than enough for the second household, and still they make you cold-hearted time and again,” Xu Momo scoffed. “Second Master’s been like this since his student days. I’ve never seen him show you any gratitude!”
Second Master’s mother had once been favored by the Marquis. When the Old Madam tried to discipline him for not studying, the concubine cried and accused her of mistreating a concubine’s son. Though the Marquis didn’t fully believe her, the Old Madam saw the resentment in Second Master’s eyes and stepped back.
Now that the Old Madam and the Marquis were older, their bond had deepened. Second Master’s mother had been killed by bandits on the way to the northwest. The other two concubines, mothers of the third and fourth sons, were quiet and obedient. The Heir’s position was unshakable, so the Old Madam took all three sons under her name, essentially making them legitimate.
In the future, should the household be divided, their lives wouldn’t be too hard. But a bit of silver was nothing to the Old Madam.
She was a strong-willed woman. Doing so was her way of repaying evil with virtue.
“I don’t want to bother anymore. Let them do as they please,” she waved her hand, dismissing the two maids massaging her legs.
Xu Momo immediately sensed the Old Madam had something to say in private.
“Has anything happened in the household lately?” the Old Madam lifted her eyelids slightly to glance at Xu Momo, her gaze gentle yet sharp.
Xu Momo tensed. She had a feeling the Old Madam was asking about Linghua’s drowning.
“I’m not sure which matter you mean?” Xu Momo hadn’t sorted it all out yet. She’d been away from the marquisate for too long, and her people weren’t as reliable.
She was a bit annoyed she hadn’t uncovered the truth.
“You know exactly what I mean,” the Old Madam’s face darkened slightly. Her voice turned cold. “Do you think I’ve grown old and useless?”
“I wouldn’t dare!” Xu Momo got off her stool and knelt. She felt ashamed that the Old Madam had to ask personally.
Seeing this, the Old Madam sighed softly and helped her up. “You’ve been with me for so many years. I know your heart.”
“I wanted to get the full truth before telling you,” Xu Momo said guiltily. “I didn’t think it would take so long.”
The Old Madam motioned for her to sit again. She leaned back against her cushion, turned the sandalwood prayer beads on her wrist, and softly chanted twice before asking, “What have you found?”
“That day, someone apparently saw Miss Cui from Second Master’s quarters in the garden,” Xu Momo hesitated, then added, “She seemed… disheveled.”
The Old Madam’s face instantly darkened.
“A grown man with concubines and bedmaids, yet he still stirs up trouble every day.” The Old Madam recalled the fight between Cui and Wen and found Second Master even more disgraceful.
“And when I investigated, it seemed someone didn’t want me to. They were interfering in secret,” Xu Momo said with frustration. “Some people are getting too bold, acting like Rongshantang means nothing!”
“You don’t need to look into it anymore. I’ve made up my mind,” the Old Madam turned her beads, her expression serene but with a chill beneath. “Do they really think I’m too old? That with the Marquis and the main household gone, they’ve become the true masters here?”
“Second Madam is in charge of household affairs now, yes?”
“Yes, she is,” Xu Momo replied quickly, heart trembling. The Old Madam was about to act.
“They’ve forgotten who truly rules this house,” the Old Madam’s lips curled into a cold smile. “No need to investigate in secret. Let Second Madam hear that a little maid from my courtyard drowned herself.”
“I’d like to see how she plans to run this household.”
Even if Second Madam found it hard to believe, there was nothing she could criticize. The original Ming Wei was raised under her watchful eye and had lost her birth mother early. Second Madam was confident she wouldn’t have outside help. She simply considered the embroidery token incident as a stroke of luck for Ming Wei and let it go.
“How did the thing I asked you to look into go?” That day, after finishing the embroidery task Second Madam had assigned her, Ming Wei gently rubbed her sore neck and asked Tangli, “Any word about Linghua?”
The young maid in the grand garden that day looked vaguely familiar to Ming Wei, possibly someone who tended the flowers in the Old Madam’s courtyard. The lively Tangli, however, knew her name. Since Tangli’s godmother did rough work in the Old Madam’s courtyard, Ming Wei figured she might be able to get some information.
“Haven’t seen her these past couple of days,” Tangli shook her head and stepped forward to massage Ming Wei’s shoulders, saying softly, “My godmother only said that on the day of the Old Madam’s birthday feast, Linghua mentioned her brother was coming to visit her. After that, she disappeared.”
Seeing Ming Wei’s puzzled look, Tangli quickly explained, “Her brother is a servant who runs errands at the second gate. It’s common for maids and old women to pass things in and out. Her brother had the convenience and could see her now and then.”
Ming Wei nodded.
That explained why Linghua was in the grand garden that day. The small side gate on the west side of the garden led outside. The front courtyard was bustling that day, while the rear was quiet—perfect for a secret meeting.
Could it be that she got scared and ran home? Ming Wei silently speculated. She didn’t want to dig too deeply. The embroidery token she gave as a birthday gift at the Old Madam’s banquet had already drawn enough attention. If she also had a maid snooping around the Old Madam’s courtyard, it would be seen as overstepping.
“If you hear anything, keep your ears open,” Ming Wei simply instructed, not wanting Tangli to be too obvious.
However, the matter of Linghua being drowned in the well eventually reached the Old Madam.
Rongshantang (Hall of Glorious Goodness)
After lunch, the Old Madam reclined against a large ginger-colored cushion, resting on a black lacquered luohan bed adorned with sapphire blue brocade patterned with auspicious clouds.
Two young maids with shaved foreheads were rhythmically tapping her legs with massage mallets, while Xu Momo sat on a brocade stool beside her, chatting.
“Da Furen sent a letter. She says our Second Young Miss will depart soon,” Xu Momo beamed. “You’ll see her again in less than a month!”
Hearing this, the Old Madam smiled.
Among the four sons of the Marquis of Chengping, only the eldest was born of the main wife. The second, third, and fourth sons were all born of concubines. After giving birth to the heir, the Old Madam could no longer conceive. Sensible and dignified, she arranged for the Marquis to take concubines, who bore him three more sons.
Of the four sons, only the Heir resembled the Marquis in character and ambition. He and his family were now stationed with the Marquis in the northwest. The remaining three sons were all idle and pleasure-seeking.
The eldest son’s only legitimate daughter, Ming Qian, had been raised by the Old Madam since childhood and was her favorite among the granddaughters. She hadn’t returned to the capital with the Old Madam earlier due to illness. Now of marriageable age, the Old Madam planned to bring her back to arrange a good match.
“Second girl isn’t young anymore. If we delay any further, it’ll be hard to find a good family,” the Old Madam said with a trace of tenderness in her eyes. “She needs to be married off properly in the capital.”
Xu Momo, naturally understanding, smiled and said, “Exactly. The Marquis and the Heir will return to the capital in a year or two at most. If she marries off somewhere far, you won’t rest easy!”
The Old Madam nodded, smiling. “That girl is good-natured. Even when she’s wronged, she won’t complain. Such a generous heart and pretty face—how could I not take her marriage seriously?”
Suddenly, the Old Madam seemed to recall something and sighed. “I heard Eldest Girl isn’t doing so well?”
Xu Momo’s expression shifted slightly, and she quietly replied, “It’s not your fault! You did all you could. It’s just that Concubine Bao was too short-sighted, and Second Madam—well, she’s just like that. Second Master never bothers with these things. What more could you have done?”
Though Ming Rui was a concubine-born daughter of the second household, she was still the Old Madam’s granddaughter. The Old Madam had once tried to help her. A distant relative of hers ran a prosperous business in the capital. Their son was a good man, though he had no prospects in officialdom and had followed the family trade since youth.
When the Old Madam discreetly suggested the match, Concubine Bao rejected it as beneath their station, insisting on finding a scholarly family for Ming Rui, even if it meant being poor.
That led to everything that followed.
Second Madam acted swiftly and married Ming Rui off, leaving Concubine Bao no time to protest. Second Master never paid any attention.
“When she came back that day, her eyes were red. She must not be doing well,” the Old Madam murmured, eyes half-closed. “But at the banquet, she looked a bit better. Who knows what trick her concubine mother gave her!”
Though the Old Madam disliked Second Madam, she had even less respect for how Concubine Bao climbed into bed with the Marquis. In Ming Rui’s marriage, the Old Madam believed Bao had been foolish to the extreme.
In the end, she still clung to the idea of respectability.
“You’ve done more than enough for the second household, and still they make you cold-hearted time and again,” Xu Momo scoffed. “Second Master’s been like this since his student days. I’ve never seen him show you any gratitude!”
Second Master’s mother had once been favored by the Marquis. When the Old Madam tried to discipline him for not studying, the concubine cried and accused her of mistreating a concubine’s son. Though the Marquis didn’t fully believe her, the Old Madam saw the resentment in Second Master’s eyes and stepped back.
Now that the Old Madam and the Marquis were older, their bond had deepened. Second Master’s mother had been killed by bandits on the way to the northwest. The other two concubines, mothers of the third and fourth sons, were quiet and obedient. The Heir’s position was unshakable, so the Old Madam took all three sons under her name, essentially making them legitimate.
In the future, should the household be divided, their lives wouldn’t be too hard. But a bit of silver was nothing to the Old Madam.
She was a strong-willed woman. Doing so was her way of repaying evil with virtue.
“I don’t want to bother anymore. Let them do as they please,” she waved her hand, dismissing the two maids massaging her legs.
Xu Momo immediately sensed the Old Madam had something to say in private.
“Has anything happened in the household lately?” the Old Madam lifted her eyelids slightly to glance at Xu Momo, her gaze gentle yet sharp.
Xu Momo tensed. She had a feeling the Old Madam was asking about Linghua’s drowning.
“I’m not sure which matter you mean?” Xu Momo hadn’t sorted it all out yet. She’d been away from the marquisate for too long, and her people weren’t as reliable.
She was a bit annoyed she hadn’t uncovered the truth.
“You know exactly what I mean,” the Old Madam’s face darkened slightly. Her voice turned cold. “Do you think I’ve grown old and useless?”
“I wouldn’t dare!” Xu Momo got off her stool and knelt. She felt ashamed that the Old Madam had to ask personally.
Seeing this, the Old Madam sighed softly and helped her up. “You’ve been with me for so many years. I know your heart.”
“I wanted to get the full truth before telling you,” Xu Momo said guiltily. “I didn’t think it would take so long.”
The Old Madam motioned for her to sit again. She leaned back against her cushion, turned the sandalwood prayer beads on her wrist, and softly chanted twice before asking, “What have you found?”
“That day, someone apparently saw Miss Cui from Second Master’s quarters in the garden,” Xu Momo hesitated, then added, “She seemed… disheveled.”
The Old Madam’s face instantly darkened.
“A grown man with concubines and bedmaids, yet he still stirs up trouble every day.” The Old Madam recalled the fight between Cui and Wen and found Second Master even more disgraceful.
“And when I investigated, it seemed someone didn’t want me to. They were interfering in secret,” Xu Momo said with frustration. “Some people are getting too bold, acting like Rongshantang means nothing!”
“You don’t need to look into it anymore. I’ve made up my mind,” the Old Madam turned her beads, her expression serene but with a chill beneath. “Do they really think I’m too old? That with the Marquis and the main household gone, they’ve become the true masters here?”
“Second Madam is in charge of household affairs now, yes?”
“Yes, she is,” Xu Momo replied quickly, heart trembling. The Old Madam was about to act.
“They’ve forgotten who truly rules this house,” the Old Madam’s lips curled into a cold smile. “No need to investigate in secret. Let Second Madam hear that a little maid from my courtyard drowned herself.”
“I’d like to see how she plans to run this household.”
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