Chapter 8
Li Changsheng, the previous Chancellor, died in the prime of his life. Overcome with grief, his wife, Madam Meng, left the main residence to recuperate at a separate estate. When she returned, afraid that familiar surroundings would revive her sorrow, she moved out of the main courtyard and into the more secluded Lotus Fragrance Courtyard. From then on, she rarely concerned herself with the household’s affairs. In her previous life, Li Weiyang had felt a deep affection for her grandmother, Madam Meng. Though the old lady was quiet and kept to herself, she was fair in all her dealings and never showed favoritism. Sadly, her health was poor, and she passed away before Li Weiyang became empress.
In the room, Madam Meng sat on the central heated couch, dressed in a sapphire-blue silk jacket embroidered with the Five Blessings Paying Homage to Longevity motif. A silver-marten fur Zhaojun hood adorned with a piece of jade covered her hair. Seeing Li Weiyang bow gracefully, she gave a faint nod and said only, “You’re home. That’s what matters.”
For some reason, the moment Li Weiyang heard those words, her eyes reddened. To everyone watching, it gave her a rather different air.
Just then, a beautiful woman in a honey-colored, wide-sleeved, round-collared Xiang silk dress, with a gold-inlaid phoenix hairpin in her hair, smiled and came over to help Li Weiyang up. She looked her over and said with a smile, “Old Madam, just look at what a lovely girl she is!” Then she glanced at the First Madam, who sat nearby. “Congratulations, Sister-in-law. You have another beautiful daughter.”
Madam Jiang, the First Madam, smiled faintly, but there was not a trace of mirth in her eyes. She slowly looked Li Weiyang over and said, “She certainly is a good girl. Come here and let me have a proper look at you.”
Li Weiyang’s eye twitched, but a respectful smile appeared on her face. She gently stepped away from the Second Madam, Madam Wen, who had just helped her up, and walked over to Madam Jiang with perfect poise. She curtsied again. “Mother.”
Madam Jiang looked at her with great affection. “They say Pingcheng’s mountains and waters are good for the health. When you were born, you were no bigger than a kitten, and you were frail, too. Look at you now—your complexion is much better. You’ve truly turned a misfortune into a blessing!”
Mountains and waters that are good for the health? Li Weiyang sneered inwardly. She’d nearly died there, and this woman still dared to claim she’d turned misfortune into a blessing. What astonishingly thick skin!
With a sweet smile, she replied, “You’re right, Mother. Weiyang has been fortunate to have your care all these years.”
Hearing those words, everyone thought Li Weiyang knew how to be tactful. If she had complained to Grandmother on the spot about being mistreated, Grandmother might have scolded the First Madam, but Madam Jiang could easily have blamed the servants for acting without her knowledge. It would have changed nothing, and Li Weiyang would have been left looking ill-mannered. So when she spoke this way, Madam Jiang smiled with satisfaction and took her hand. “It’s enough that you understand my good intentions. You’re home now. Be close to your sisters, and if you need anything, just come tell me.”
The Third Madam, Madam Zhou, watched quietly with a gentle expression and offered no comment. The Second Madam, Madam Wen, who had helped Li Weiyang earlier, wore a faintly mocking smile. Grandmother remained impassive throughout, fingering the Buddhist prayer beads in her hand.
“Yes, Weiyang will follow Mother’s guidance and be close to... my sisters.” To the others, a hint of blush appeared on Li Weiyang’s face, and she seemed utterly obedient.
The First Madam glanced at Zi Yan and Bai Zhi behind her and nodded. “It hardly seems proper for you to have only these two young maids at your side. Huamei, from now on, you’ll serve Third Miss. Take good care of her.”
A slender maid with fine brows and phoenix-shaped eyes stepped forward at once and respectfully curtsied to Li Weiyang.
“You’re grown now, and these two first-rank maids aren’t enough. We’ll add one for now, then another after the New Year. I’ve already chosen a second-rank maid for you. As for the third-rank maids, that’s easy enough—we can gradually add a few suitable girls.” The First Madam spoke like a thoroughly devoted mother.
Li Weiyang smiled and thanked her. She knew that the First Madam was not the only one assessing her; Grandmother Madam Meng, the Second Madam Madam Wen, and the Third Madam Madam Zhou were all sizing her up, too. Her father was the Chancellor, and her legitimate mother, Madam Jiang, ran the household. But the First and Second Branches had been competing with each other for years, and as for the Third Branch... In short, there was no shortage of open and covert rivalry between them. For Li Weiyang, newly returned to the family, the most important thing was to find her footing.
The First Madam looked at her again and frowned. “Child, why are you dressed so lightly?” She beckoned. “Bring over the cloak I prepared.”
With everyone watching, she personally draped the cloak over Li Weiyang’s shoulders with a smile.
The cloak was light and warm. Peonies were embroidered in gold thread on its pale rose-pink cocoon silk, and black-thread cloud patterns edged the hem. Its silver-marten lining was thick and looked very warm. Li Weiyang lightly touched it and realized the lining was old. Clearly, the First Madam had dug it out from the bottom of a trunk to make a show of her generosity. She smiled faintly. “Thank you, Mother.”
Just then, someone came in to report to Madam Jiang, “First Madam, the Imperial Censor’s wife has sent five bolts of tribute ramie from Ningzhou, patterned with flowing clouds. What would you like to do with them?”
The First Madam nodded, rose with a smile, and said, “Grandmother, I have something to attend to, so I’ll take my leave. Weiyang, once I’m finished, I’ll take you to see your father.”
Li Weiyang quickly smiled. “Yes. Thank you for going to the trouble, Mother.”
The prayer beads shifted in Madam Meng’s hand, and she gave only a slight nod. The First Madam smiled and took her leave. As soon as she was gone, the women of the Second and Third Branches rose as well. Madam Wen, especially, cast Li Weiyang a disappointed look. She had thought she might see this concubine-born daughter lodge a complaint against Madam Jiang, but it seemed she was just a pushover, too timid to utter a word despite all the hardship she’d endured.
Once the three Madams had left, all the beauties in the room followed them out.
Madam Meng looked at Li Weiyang’s delicate, refined features and, for some reason, suddenly sighed. She said to Nanny Luo beside her, “See this child out.”
Li Weiyang knelt and solemnly kowtowed to Madam Meng once more before following Nanny Luo out.
Nanny Luo escorted Li Weiyang beneath the eaves. Suddenly, Li Weiyang let out a soft “Oh!” Nanny Luo stopped and asked, “Third Miss, what’s wrong?”
Li Weiyang shook her head, a puzzled expression on her face. As if absentmindedly, she rubbed the back of her neck. Nanny Luo said nothing and continued walking, deliberately falling half a step behind. She glanced at the back of Li Weiyang’s neck and saw several red marks, as if she’d just been pricked with a needle. Blood was welling from them, and Nanny Luo froze in shock.
Li Weiyang seemed to be trying to endure the pain, but after only a few steps, her eyes filled with tears. Nanny Luo could no longer bear to watch and said with a smile, “The pattern on Third Miss’s cloak is so beautiful. Grandmother has been wanting one made for herself, too. Would you mind taking it off so we can borrow it for a couple of days?”
The Old Madam’s clothes naturally differed from Li Weiyang’s in their patterns and colors. Li Weiyang understood perfectly, but pretended not to and obediently took off the cloak, handing it to Nanny Luo. Nanny Luo accepted it and, as if by chance, ran her fingers over the silver-marten lining. Her expression changed slightly.
“Nanny Luo, is something wrong?” Li Weiyang asked innocently.
Nanny Luo glanced at the maids nearby, her smile unchanged. “It’s nothing, Third Miss. Go have a look at your new residence. Grandmother can’t do without me, so I must hurry back.”
Li Weiyang looked at the cloak clutched tightly in Nanny Luo’s hands and smiled faintly. “Yes, Nanny Luo. You’d better hurry back!”