The Tong Family's main household currently has four unmarried young ladies, all residing in the West Courtyard. Upon entering through the Hanging Flower Gate, to the left is the Lingyun Pavilion where the eldest miss used to live when she was at home, and to the right is the third miss's courtyard. Further ahead is the fourth miss's Lichun Pavilion, with the eighth miss living next door. Xiqiu lives on the west side of the West Courtyard, which can be reached by crossing the carved railing and pavilion in the middle and a half-acre of bamboo forest.
As soon as you enter the courtyard, the first sight that meets the eye is the verdant peppermint and camphor trees. Inside the door, there is a uniform set of red lacquer furniture. A room serves as the study, with the bedroom on the right. The two of them sat down at the study table, one on each side: "Sixth Sister, try this." On the table was freshly brewed tea, with the fragrant aroma of the speckled bamboo purple clay teapot wafting through the air.
Xiqiu picked up the tea cup, took a small sip, glanced around the study, and noticed books placed everywhere within reach, with her own paintings of flowers and birds hanging on the walls. The room was filled with a refined scent of ink, and it had many more books and paintings than last time, she sighed, "Xinzhu's tea-making skills are increasingly excellent, Fourth Sister, you must never marry her off."
Tong Xiyan, puzzled, curiously asked, "She's fifteen. Mother said she would match her out this year. Why do you say that, Sixth Sister?"
Xiqiu laughed, "Fourth Sister, when you go to your husband's home in the future, with such a capable maid to assist you, your husband will surely linger every day without leaving."
Xinzhu, who was serving, had already been eavesdropping. She blushed and placed the cut fruit in her hand onto the table, pouting, "What's gotten into Sixth Miss today, teasing us, master and servant?" Then she turned to look at her bewildered mistress, stomping her foot and said, "Miss, you should control Sixth Miss."
Tong Xiyan finally understood, pinched Xiqiu's arm that was resting on the table across from her, "Dead girl, today you certainly learned how to talk."
Xiqiu pursed her lips and smiled. This straightforward and unsophisticated Tong Xiyan, like a neighbor's newly grown-up sister, made her feel close yet slightly dreamy, wondering how long such days would last…
The three of them chatted and laughed for a while. Xiqiu, still worried about the beaten Siliu, got up and said, "It's getting late, I need to go back and change clothes, later I must pay respects to Mother."
Tong Xiyan, knowing she was concerned, didn't keep her, personally rummaged through the treasure cabinet at the edge of the heatable brick bed, and finally retrieved a slender jade-green bottle: "This is something Big Brother obtained from the Imperial Pharmacy in the palace for me when I pricked my finger with a needle last time. He said it's very good for treating such external injuries, you should take it and try."
Xiqiu was touched in her heart: "Thank you." She handed the bottle to Sixing, walked to the door, and turned back, "Spring is almost here, remember to wear the mask I made for you when you go out."
She has a mild pollen allergy, cannot withstand flower scents, and since traditional medicine couldn't cure it, she could only be careful with her care.
Tong Xiyan nodded, pushed her out, "You should hurry. Judging by the time, Aunt might also be arriving soon, if you don't hurry home, you might have to rush to Mother's house again."
Xiqiu didn't say any more, turned around, left the courtyard, crossed the carved railing and pavilion in the middle, and went through the half-acre bamboo forest, entering Zhiqu Courtyard.
Siliu was leaning in her room on the couch, the heated brick bed was warm, her face looked a bit pale. Seeing Xiqiu come in, she quickly tried to get up and salute, but Xiqiu walked over in a few steps and pressed her down, "Don't move, be careful not to tear the wound again."
Siliu knew Xiqiu's temper. When she said there was no need, it truly meant there wasn't. She no longer forced herself to get up. Her clothes had already been changed, and her lower body was covered with a crimson begonia flower blanket. Xiqiu had Sixing wash the wound with mild saltwater and then applied the medicine given by Tong Xiyan, "You just rest, don't worry about other matters."
Siliu didn't shed a tear in the First Madam's room but couldn't help sobbing quietly at the moment, "Miss, it's this servant who implicated you."
Xiqiu, fearing she would hold everything in and the wound would be slow to heal, comforted her, "Saying this is pointless. Although you were punished today, do you know where you went wrong?"
Siliu wiped her tears, nodding, "This servant shouldn't have forgotten Miss's instructions, shouldn't have quarreled with Shuixiang, and definitely shouldn't have spoken recklessly before Lady."
Xiqiu, seeing that she understood, nodded with relief, "I know your character, if it wasn't for Shuixiang saying unpleasant things, you wouldn't quarrel with her, moreover, her words must have something to do with me."
Siliu was startled, "Miss knows what Shuixiang said?" Then she thought and lowered her head, "Miss has never minded these things, you must be blaming this servant for being too impulsive."
Xiqiu looked at her, sighed, "You protected me, how could I blame you? Besides, today's matter, if you are so clever, how could you not see through it? Lady has a clear mind like a mirror. If she truly thought you were at fault, what has Fugui got to do with it? How could she really heed Fourth Miss's words?"
Siliu was surprised and asked, "Then why?"
Xiqiu accepted the tea Chunyan poured, lowered her gaze, and scraped the floating leaves with the lid of the cup, "You all think about it."
She was gradually maturing, and in the future, there would be many occasions where she could use them, so they should think about how to use people reasonably.
Siliu and Chunyan were both frowning, thinking about the intricacies, but Sixing suddenly raised her head and said, "Is it because of Madam Wang?"
Xiqiu said nothing, looking towards Siliu and Chunyan.
Siliu was startled, "Madam Wang was already favored, and now she is with child. The Third Miss is becoming increasingly arrogant because of this. She's doing this first to remind Lady, and second to test Lady."
Chunyan was somewhat agitated. She regretted after rushing in and reporting from outside the door today, worried she had involved the Miss in trouble. Having been clever, she quickly grasped what Xiqiu hinted at after a brief explanation, understanding most of the situation, "Lady went along with it, but didn't believe the affair story, nor mentioned our private sale of embroidery, only saying the maid's quarrel broke the rules. First giving Third Miss face, yet treated them equally by also punishing Shuixiang, which was equivalent to warning the Third Miss, even if she turned the world upside down, she'd still be akin to our Miss."
Xiqiu smiled with satisfaction, "This matter is likely not over yet. The four kitchens in the residence are probably going to be drastically reorganized."
Sixing snorted coldly, "Those women deserve it, gossiping all day long."
Lady merely used this incident's title, Xiqiu shook her head and changed the topic, "Can you think of another point, why is Third Sister targeting me?"
Siliu, who had always been the frankest, said with curled lips, "That's not simple, it's because of the Cousin Master."
Xiqiu nodded, "Third Sister is doing this to ruin my reputation before the concubine comes, cutting off my possibility to become her competitor. She couldn't and didn't need to move Fourth Sister, so her concern comes closest to me. Another reason is my concubine mother has the Seventh Young Master, and she doesn't; she is reminding Lady that no matter how favored Madam Wang is, she has no sons. If things are going to be fair, they mustn't be biased."
The three of them turned pale at this statement. Siliu, with intense loathing, said, "Third Miss is truly cunning. Our Miss has always yielded to her in everything, and back then, when the Madam offered her to live in Zhiqu Courtyard, she refused, claiming the winters were cold, summers had many mosquitoes, and it was too far from the main house, so our Miss exchanged places with her. Now, Madam Wang merely has a pregnancy, and it's unknown if it's a son or daughter, yet she's so arrogant. If she truly marries the Cousin Master in the future, wouldn't her eyes be higher than the hair bun?"