chapter 2

The next morning, I shot upright in bed.

“Husband! My husband!”

His gleaming golden memorial tablet stood on my bedside table. I hurried over to inspect it. Only after confirming that it was unharmed did the weight lift from my heart.

Hearing me get up, Xiaocui entered with water and helped me wash and dress.

“How are you feeling, my lady?”

I shook my still-foggy head. “A little dizzy.”

“I’ll fetch an imperial physician at once.”

She had just reached the door when I remembered something and caught her sleeve.

“Wait. What about Uncle Wen?”

“He twisted his back last night. He’s bedridden and cannot get up.”

I breathed a sigh of relief and waved her off to find the physician.

No doctor remained on permanent duty at the estate. Taking pity on my lonely circumstances, the emperor had granted Imperial Physician Li permission to stay here and tend to me.

Xiaocui soon returned with him. At his side was a cool, elegant young woman whose face was hidden behind a veil.

“My lady, this is my niece, Susu,” Imperial Physician Li said.

“Greetings, my lady.” Susu’s voice sounded muffled, as if deliberately lowered.

“She may be young, but her medical skill is no poorer than mine,” he explained. “There are many matters in which it is inconvenient for a man to attend a female patient. I took the liberty of bringing her to serve you. I hope you will permit it.”

So he wanted to secure a position for his niece. Since Imperial Physician Li had vouched for her, I trusted her. Women did not enjoy much standing in the Jin Empire. If she wished to practice medicine, I was happy to help.

Susu stepped forward and took my pulse with great concentration. After a long while, a hint of a smile touched her brow.

“You are strong and the baby is safe. Keep your meals light for the next few days. If you crave anything, ask Imperial Physician Li or me before eating it.”

“Of course.”

The trouble was that my morning sickness had become so severe that I could no longer stomach even my favorite peach-blossom pastries.

The only thing I desperately craved was Pei Susu’s sour pear cake.

Pei Susu had been the old marquis’s youngest daughter and my nominal younger sister-in-law. She played the zither beautifully and made an exquisite sour pear cake.

The first time I tasted it, I asked for the recipe. She refused to teach me no matter what I offered. Perhaps she found me too vulgar compared to the refined daughters of noble houses, for she had always regarded me with wary suspicion.

I had assumed there would be plenty of time to win her over. Instead, she drowned the day after my wedding.

Seeing the sadness on my face, Susu asked, “What’s wrong, my lady?”

A tear slid down my cheek.

“Your name sounds familiar. It reminds me of Susu. I miss her terribly.”

I missed her sour pear cakes.

Holding Susu’s hand, I was consumed by regret.

If only I had known, I would have beaten the recipe out of my sister-in-law while I still had the chance.

Susu’s eyes widened. She looked three parts startled and two parts distrustful.

“Lady Susu died the day after you entered the household. How could you miss her?”

“We were family, however briefly.”

Which was why it had been truly unkind of her not to give me the recipe.

“What a pity I never had the chance to grow close to her,” I sighed. “If only she were still alive…”

Then I could have sour pear cake!

The thought that I would never taste it again brought fresh tears to my eyes.

My grief was utterly sincere. Susu’s pupils trembled. She tightened her grip on my hand, as though some deeply held conviction were beginning to crack.

“I… I never realized that was how you felt.”

She stood frozen, lost in thought.

Then I understood.

The estate was short of servants. If she was willing to care for me, I had to show my appreciation. Unfortunately, I had only just risen and carried no loose silver.

What was I supposed to do—tell her to wait while I fetched money from my room? Imperial Physician Li was right there. How embarrassing.

After some thought, my gaze fell on the enormous gold bracelet around my wrist.

I had always been generous. In fact, I had originally prepared this bracelet as a bribe for Pei Susu.

What a perfect coincidence!

“Susu, I meant to give this to Susu, but never had the chance.” I pressed it into her hand. “You are of similar age and even share the same name. It must be fate. Please take it.”

To my surprise, she stumbled back. The distrust in her eyes vanished.

“You even prepared a gift for me? Sister— My lady!” Her pupils quaked. Remorse and guilt flooded her face. “I… I deserve to die!”

I stared at her.

It was only a gold bracelet. What nonsense was this silly child talking about?

In the end, I decided she must have grown up poor and never seen anything fine.

When I woke the next morning, an entire plate of sour pear cake waited on the table, along with several other kinds of pastries.

“Oh, you’re awake, my lady!”

Beaming, Xiaocui carried the plate over. “Miss Susu heard that you haven’t been able to eat, so she made all these treats for you.”

“This sour pear cake…”

As though expecting the question, Xiaocui smiled. “What a coincidence! When Miss Susu went to the kitchen, she happened to find the sour pear cake recipe that Lady Susu had hidden away.”

I took one bite and looked up in delight.

The taste was exactly the same as Pei Susu’s.