Chapter 4

Zhao Shizhai returned in such a rush that he nearly tripped as he entered.

My mother-in-law laughed at him. “You’re about to become a father, yet you’re still so unsteady.”

He looked at Lin Manrou and me, and for once the warmth and delight in his eyes were genuine.

In my previous life, he had shown me a brief moment of true affection when he learned I was pregnant. But that sliver of sincerity soon turned into Lin Manrou’s jealousy. On the day of the Flower Festival, she deliberately started an argument with me, and we got into a shoving match that cost me my child.

In this life, however, Lin Manrou was pregnant too. Her belly would be the greater obstacle. She and Xu Xiangyao could fight to their hearts’ content. All I needed to do was protect my own child.

“Ah-Wu, if there’s anything you want, just say so. I will have Shizhai buy it for you,” my mother-in-law said, evidently wishing to show proper respect to me as the principal wife.

“There isn’t anything in particular. I’ve simply been tired these past few days.” I gave her an apologetic look. “Mother, the household is always busy at the end of the year. I’m afraid I don’t have the energy to manage it. Why don’t I give the authority tallies to Cousin Xiangyao for now and let her handle things in my place?”

My mother-in-law slapped her forehead. “Look at me—I never even thought of that. This is my fault. Now that you’re pregnant, you truly should rest more. We’ll give the tallies to Xiangyao temporarily, then return them to you after the New Year, when the household is less busy.”

“Why give them to Young Mistress Xu?” Lin Manrou protested. “She’s an unmarried young woman. What business does she have managing His Lordship’s household? If my lady is tired, I have plenty of energy…”

Her reasoning was perfectly clear. She and Xu Xiangyao were already at odds. If Xu Xiangyao took charge of the household, Lin Manrou’s life would become miserable.

So she was determined to prevent Xu Xiangyao from gaining that authority.

But my mother-in-law cut her off with a cold snort. “If Young Mistress Xu doesn’t manage it, should we let you? Concubine Lin, do not forget that you are pregnant too. Your petty fights are one thing, but if you harm Shizhai’s child, you had better consider the consequences.”

She appeared to be rebuking Lin Manrou, but her words were also a warning to Xu Xiangyao.

Lin Manrou was only a concubine. Her opinion did not matter, and the decision was settled.

“Don’t worry, Aunt, Sister-in-law. I will manage Cousin’s household well. If there’s anything I don’t understand, you can both teach me,” Xu Xiangyao said.

When Lin Manrou and I were both found to be pregnant, Xu Xiangyao had looked as though the sky were falling. Now that I had temporarily handed her control of the household, she was bursting with ambition again. She probably believed this was her chance.

The first thing Xu Xiangyao did after receiving the authority tallies was take advantage of the year-end confusion to place her own people in every courtyard.

She planted someone in my Zhuming Courtyard as well—a maid named Qiuyue, who was assigned to sweep the front courtyard.

I told Jinxin to watch her carefully. Qiuyue was not to enter my private rooms, nor was she or anyone else to touch my food or pregnancy medicine.

Jinxin was steady and dependable. After my warning, she personally took charge of everything that entered my mouth.

Zhao Shizhai had probably had enough of the fighting between Xu Xiangyao and Lin Manrou, because he began visiting my courtyard frequently.

He brought a book and said he wanted to read aloud to the child in my belly.

I let him. After all, it was his throat that would grow dry, not mine.

Xu Xiangyao came to my courtyard several times under the pretext of delivering tonics. When she saw that Zhao Shizhai and I remained several yards apart and showed no affection, she relaxed and devoted herself to her own affairs.

I had Jinxin store every tonic untouched on the display shelf.

In the blink of an eye, New Year’s Eve arrived.

There was a palace banquet, and Zhao Shizhai left early that morning.

As the marchioness, I should have attended as well. But my morning sickness had been troublesome these past few days, and the palace banquet had countless rules. Afraid I could not bear the strain, my mother-in-law had Zhao Shizhai request that I be excused.

After he left, Jinxin pulled me into the inner room and whispered, “My lady, I saw Madam Zhou from the kitchen speaking with Qiuyue from our courtyard.”

Madam Zhou had once been Xu Xiangyao’s wet nurse. After receiving the authority tallies, Xu Xiangyao had taken the opportunity to install her in the kitchen.

The moment I heard that, I knew Xu Xiangyao was about to act.

I told Jinxin, “At tonight’s family banquet, do not leave the old madam’s sight.”

“My lady, your morning sickness has been so severe. Will you be able to endure it?” Jinxin asked worriedly.

I shook my head. “I wasn’t talking about myself. I meant you. You must not leave the old madam’s sight.”

Jinxin did not understand, but she nodded. She had always obeyed me.

Sure enough, during the family banquet that evening, a maid came to fetch Jinxin, claiming that something had happened in Zhuming Courtyard and required her decision.

With my warning fresh in her mind, Jinxin naturally refused. Right in front of my mother-in-law, she said, “What could possibly have happened in Zhuming Courtyard? At most, the old servants are drinking and playing cards and have gotten into an argument. It’s New Year’s Eve. There’s no need to restrain them. My mistress’s morning sickness is so severe—how could I let her out of my sight? Whatever the matter is, come tell me tomorrow.”

My mother-in-law laughed. “Ah-Wu, that maid of yours is excellent. She knows what matters most.”

I seized the opportunity. “Did you hear that, Jinxin? You must always know your priorities. Your only duty tonight is to take care of me.”

Even if the sky had fallen, that maid could no longer lure Jinxin away. She stood there for a long moment. Only when my mother-in-law gave her a suspicious look did she come to her senses and hurry off.

I was enjoying myself and refused to leave, sitting beside my mother-in-law to watch the performance.

“My child must want to stay up with his grandmother and wait for his lucky New Year’s envelope,” I told her. “That must be why he won’t let me go back.”

Delighted, my mother-in-law ordered the servants to bring over a daybed and a brazier so I could lie down whenever I grew tired.

Near midnight, she told Xu Xiangyao to direct the stewards in setting off firecrackers at the estate’s front gate.

As the midnight bell rang, firecrackers erupted outside the gates.

Lin Manrou’s personal maid came running toward Ci’an Courtyard in tears. “She’s bleeding! She’s bleeding!”

The older servants were about to scold her for her lack of decorum. Then, by the red glow of the lanterns, they grasped what she meant and all turned sharply toward my mother-in-law and me.

“What happened?” My mother-in-law shot to her feet.

Lin Manrou’s maid said, “My mistress’s stomach began hurting half an hour ago. She went to the privy two or three times and thought she had eaten something that disagreed with her. But just now, she discovered blood.”

“Then hurry and summon a physician.” Yawning, I started toward Henglan Courtyard.

My mother-in-law caught hold of me and ordered Nanny Li, her attendant, and Jinxin, mine, “Take the marchioness back to Zhuming Courtyard to rest. Do not let her exhaust herself.”

Then she said sternly to me, “You are pregnant too. You must not overexert yourself. Concubine Lin is only a concubine. If she bleeds, she bleeds, but nothing can happen to the child in your belly. I will send Xiangyao to Henglan Courtyard.”

“Very well. I will do as you say, Mother,” I replied obediently.

Still yawning, I returned to Zhuming Courtyard under the escort of Jinxin and Nanny Li and went to sleep.