Chapter 5

Concubine Zhao made many treats and asked me to take them to Eldest Sister.

She was clever with her hands and was always eager for Eldest Sister and me to remain close.

When I arrived at Eldest Sister’s courtyard, she was in the middle of a tantrum.

She had quarreled with another official’s daughter while out on an excursion. When she went to Mother for comfort, she received a scolding instead.

Just then, the little miss woke and cried for her mother, so Mother had Nanny Chang escort Eldest Sister out.

The moment Eldest Sister returned to her own courtyard, her temper erupted.

I stood outside holding the platter and did not dare enter until she had spent her fury.

The room was a wreck. Her two personal maids were tidying it in terror.

When she saw me come in, Eldest Sister hurled the last teacup in her hand at the nearer maid.

“Get out! All of you! Now that Mother has Little Sister, you don’t treat me as your mistress either, do you? You think you don’t have to obey me anymore?”

“Ah Jiu, why did Mother have to give birth to that little wretch? She’s not even a son. What use is another daughter? Isn’t having me enough for Mother?”

“I wish she’d die! Then no one would steal Mother from me!”

The two maids had already retreated in fear.

I, however, was only a mute.

No matter what I heard, I could not run and tell anyone.

The little miss died.

Barely two years old the previous month, she accidentally fell into the ornamental pond and drowned.

Mother had the child’s wet nurse and personal maid executed and punished a host of other servants.

Then she fell gravely ill.

Everyone in the estate spoke and moved with the greatest care. No one dared make a loud sound.

Concubine Zhao put away her embroidery basket too and kept me confined to our courtyard, refusing to let me go anywhere.

But that evening, Eldest Sister came to fetch me. “Ah Jiu, the peaches are ripe. Let’s go pick some!”

I did not want to go.

The pond where the little miss had died lay beside those peach trees.

Mother was still ill. If she learned we had gone there,

nothing would happen to Eldest Sister, but disaster would surely fall on me.

The mere thought of the wet nurse and maid beaten to death made me tremble with fear.

“Eldest Miss, Ah Jiu has had a terrible fright these past few days. Her wits still haven’t returned. Just look at her standing there in a daze. Why not wait until tomorrow?” Concubine Zhao spoke on my behalf.

Eldest Sister glared at me, then stormed away.

Concubine Zhao watched her go before turning to look at me.

As if speaking to herself, she sighed. “What is the point of having so many children? Bringing them into the world only creates more sin.”

I did not understand what she meant.

I only wondered why, when she had always wanted me to stay close to Eldest Sister, she was now willing to refuse her for me.

Still, what Concubine Zhao had done suited me perfectly.

I did not know whether Eldest Sister had anything to do with the little miss’s accident. But she had grown increasingly domineering and vicious of late. I had no idea how long the affection won by playing the mute fool could protect me.

If I took one wrong step, would Eldest Sister treat me like Third Sister—or like the little miss?

I dared not imagine it.