Chapter 3

I had never been particularly interested in the four arts. There was too much to do in this life for me to waste time on them.

So, upon returning to Minglang Court, I ordered all four tutors sent to Jiang Shuang.

She would also be responsible for their future fees. They were no longer to be paid from the household accounts.

It was no small expense, but if she asked Father for the money, there would naturally be little difficulty.

I beckoned Nanny Ruan over. Mother’s dowry had always subsidized the household, so although Grandmother nominally managed the estate, the real control lay with Nanny Ruan.

In my previous life, if I had not been so ignorant—if Grandmother had not disposed of Nanny Ruan on some fabricated charge of embezzlement—I probably would not have met that end.

“Nanny, you’ve noticed there’s something wrong about Miss Jiang Shuang too, haven’t you?”

Nanny Ruan bit her lip. “She looks a little like you, but the resemblance is really to your father—”

I nodded. “See how they’re always exchanging meaningful looks? There must be more to their relationship.”

“At her age, it obviously can’t be an affair. Which means—”

“Father and daughter!”

Nanny Ruan and I spoke together.

At last, someone on my side knew who Jiang Shuang really was.

I had never doubted their loyalty to me. But in this society, servants and masters stood worlds apart.

They had followed Mother into the Jiang family when she married. Father had naturally become their ultimate authority too.

Only when his interests diverged sharply from mine—so sharply that my life was threatened—would they have the courage to fight for me.

Nanny Ruan wept in anguish. “My poor young lady! You’d barely been born when that little wretch came along.”

I took her hand. “Now Father’s brought her into the house and calls her my stand-in. Clearly, he’s planning to let her take my place.”

Nanny Ruan cried out in alarm. “Take your place? They mean to— What can we do?”

“Don’t panic, Nanny. Now that we know their plans in advance, we’ll turn their own scheme against them. Let them die by it.”

Three days later, news suddenly arrived from Quanzhou. Grandfather’s latest trading ship had encountered pirates at sea, and all contact with it had been lost.

That was the tactful way of putting it. What it meant was that the entire investment was gone.

Father smashed the teacup in his hand when he heard.

Grandmother was aghast too.

I lowered my head to conceal the smile at my lips. The businesses in Mother’s dowry were all connected to Quanzhou.

Father and Grandmother had envied the profits of Grandfather’s maritime trade. Every time he sent out a ship, they bought several shares and made a fortune.

Gradually, their appetites grew.

For this voyage, they had not only invested all the Cheng’en estate’s remaining wealth, but persuaded me to put in every coin available in Mother’s dowry accounts too.

Losing everything was a devastating blow.

“How can this be? Your father-in-law must compensate us!”

Grandmother finally recovered enough to burst into loud sobs.

Father kept demanding answers too, insisting that Grandfather make good their losses.

I dabbed the corners of my eyes with a handkerchief soaked in chili water. Tears instantly streamed down my face, and I flung myself into Grandmother’s arms.

“But Grandfather’s lost more than anyone! Even if we ask him to pay us back, he can’t afford it!”

Father staggered back into his chair. “What are we going to do? My fortune! All my money!”

I took his hand. “Father, our whole family will have to weather this together!”

And so, everyone began tightening their belts.

Meals were limited to three dishes a day. Orders for summer clothes were canceled. All monthly allowances were suspended.

No one could withdraw money from the accounts. Of course, there was no money left to withdraw anyway.

After putting these measures in place, I endured one day of plain food at home, then asked Grandmother’s permission to spend some time at the temple south of the city.

“I’ll pray for Mother and ask her to bless us, so we might recover at least some of the ship’s cargo.”

At that, Grandmother promptly sent me on my way.

Naturally, I did not actually go to the temple. I found someone to impersonate me, then went myself to a country estate I had bought beforehand.

I had new clothes made, bought jewelry, and sampled the capital’s famous restaurants. Finally, word reached me that trouble was brewing at home.