Chapter 3

If Yun Yaoyao had merely been an ordinary concubine scheming for favor, she would have had no more than the usual handful of tricks. She would not have been worth my attention; at worst, I would have ordered her beaten.

Maintaining relations with other noblewomen, managing the household’s people and supplies, and overseeing the farms and shops that belonged to me personally and to the marquisate—those were matters demanding my own attention.

Yet some evil spirit seemed to have possessed Yan Yunqing, for he insisted on helping Yun Yaoyao make trouble for me.

This was how it began. My dowry included a bolt of Shimmering Brocade. Yun Yaoyao happened to see it while things were being put away, then promptly asked Yan Yunqing to obtain it for her.

It was only a bolt of cloth. If Yan Yunqing wanted to win his darling’s heart, he could buy one himself.

Shimmering Brocade was expensive, but to a marquis its price was no more than that of a jar of wine. If that proved impossible, he could simply ask me to spare a bolt from the household stores.

Instead, he sent a servant to demand the one in my chest by name.

His message amounted to this: “Yun Yaoyao is a lonely orphan and cannot compare with my wife’s wealthy family. It is only a bolt of cloth. I ask that Madam part with it.”

Yun Yaoyao had entered the estate claiming to be an orphan from Yangzhou. Her parents had died early, she had no brothers to support her, and her life had been one of hardship until Yan Yunqing rescued her—a classic tale of a hero saving a beauty.

It was only cloth. In the past, whenever I found something suitable among my dowry goods, I had given it to the household’s children and even bestowed pieces on the concubines.

But it was still my dowry.

Since ancient times, no decent man had ever taken his wife’s dowry to curry favor with a concubine.

I glanced at my matron, who immediately stepped forward with a worried face. “Why did Concubine Yun not send someone to ask us directly? Shimmering Brocade is soft and brightly patterned. It has already been cut up to make a little quilt for our young lady.”

The attendant who had come for it could only smile awkwardly. “Then this servant will ask what my lord wishes to do…”

“That will not be necessary,” I said gently. “Have the matron select a bolt of Flowing-Cloud Brocade from the storeroom and send it to Concubine Yun.”

The attendant heard nothing amiss and went back delightedly to report success.

Yun Yaoyao had failed to get the Shimmering Brocade and received Flowing-Cloud Brocade instead. When Yan Yunqing next visited, she lowered her head and wept in silence.

I was embroidering a handkerchief for Qing’er when Yan Yunqing stormed in with a dark face.

He began by interrogating me. “Madam Lu, it was only a bolt of cloth. Why be so petty? If you did not wish to give it, you could have refused. Why humiliate Yaoyao as well? I once believed you generous. I never knew your heart was so vicious!”

I calmly put down my embroidery, raised my eyes, and met his gaze head-on.

Yan Yunqing frowned, unaccustomed to seeing me look at him that way.

“Whatever do you mean, my lord? It is only a bolt of cloth.” I smiled radiantly, my eyes guileless, before changing tack. “A concubine in this household who has borne no children receives ten taels of silver a month, in addition to room, board, clothing, and every daily necessity. Even at its most expensive, a bolt of Shimmering Brocade costs around a hundred taels. If Concubine Yun wants one, she need only save for a year or so and can buy the newest pattern. Mine is ten years out of fashion. Surely our little sister would not want it.” It was my subtle way of reminding him that the cloth belonged to my dowry. I would rather not say so bluntly.

“Besides, I sent her Flowing-Cloud Brocade. To make such an uproar before our lord over one bolt of cloth shows a shocking lack of discipline.” With airy ease, I pronounced my decision. “Concubine Yun covets luxury, knows nothing of thrift, and has egged our lord on to sow discord between husband and wife. Beginning today, her allowance is suspended for three months, and she is confined to reflect upon her conduct.

“Our concubine needs to quiet her mind, and I happen to know an excellent method. Send her a bushel of mung beans. Once she has picked out every red bean hidden among them and strung them into a necklace for our lord, she may come out again.

“What do you think, Husband?” Only after issuing the orders did I turn to ask Yan Yunqing.

What could he say? In every respectable household, the principal wife governed the rear court—unless he meant to flaunt his favoritism and trample his wife in public.

Unable to vent his fury at me, Yan Yunqing swallowed it, rose with his face dark, and swept out.

Not only had his visit failed to gain him anything, it had brought Yun Yaoyao a fresh punishment. She immediately began to wail and make a scene.

Yan Yunqing was already displeased. Her crying gave him a headache, so he scolded her and went to another concubine’s courtyard instead.

Back in the Eastern Courtyard, my matron sat knotting decorative cords as she recounted the farce to me.

I gave a mocking laugh. “Our lord likely never heard a word of what Concubine Yun was crying about.”

The matron heartily agreed.