Chapter 1: Sister-in-Law Visits

The spring chill this year was colder than in previous years. The windows and doors in the old lady’s room were tightly shut, and red charcoal was burning, making it warm and cozy. However, just after stepping out of Shou’an Hall, she felt a surge of damp, cold air, chilling her to the bone.

Having slept poorly the night before and hurrying out this morning, Gu Xiyan was not dressed warmly enough. She shivered with the cold.

Beside them, Qiusang couldn’t help muttering, “It was so warm yesterday, who would have thought it would turn so cold today. Should’ve worn more.”

Gu Xiyan replied, “Never mind, I see Fourth and Fifth Sister-in-law are both dressed like this.”

As a young widow, she had always maintained a low profile and remained cautious in the Duke’s Manor, never daring to stand out or draw attention. In all matters, she avoided being too conspicuous—for instance, when paying her daily respects to the elderly, she refrained from wearing anything others did not.

The maids and servants around the old lady were all sharp-tongued and quick to curry favor with the high-ranking while snubbing those of lower status. If they saw her dressed differently, they would inevitably gossip, “Others don’t even complain about the cold, but why does Sixth Young Madam have to act so delicate and precious? It’s just a short walk to pay respects to the elderly!”

As Gu Xiyan thought of these things, it felt as if the sharp, mocking voice was still ringing in her ears.

Having been a widow for two years, she had already witnessed so much of the fickleness of human nature, so when something happened, she couldn’t help but weigh her options carefully.

Qiu Sang sighed softly and was about to say something, but in the end, she held her tongue.

Gu Xiyan slightly adjusted the collar of her robe, deliberately turned to the west, and walked along the western corridor.

In the mornings, the gentlemen of the mansion also come to pay their respects to the old lady. They usually enter from the east side, so she takes this route to avoid running into them.

After all, she is a widow, and she must be extra cautious in all matters to avoid being in a compromising situation and giving others cause for gossip, lest she becomes the subject of the servants’ idle chatter.

Who would have thought, as she turned the corner past the large decorative screen in the hallway, she would unexpectedly spot someone. Dressed in a crimson silk feiyi robe, he strode into the moon gate with an imposing, confident air.

This was the third master of the Duke’s residence, Lu Chenglian.

In a household as illustrious and wealthy as the Duke of Jingguo’s, with its lineage spanning generations, the family naturally flourished in numbers. The elderly lady alone had five children, disregarding distinctions between legitimate and illegitimate heirs. Two of her daughters were already married, while among her three sons, the eldest, Lu Jinglun, had inherited the dukedom and married Ruiging, the daughter of the emperor’s own mother. The other two sons had also achieved their own successes, bringing glory to the family.

By the generation of the elderly lady’s grandchildren, the three branches of the family had produced eleven children in total. Gu Xiyan’s husband, Lu Chengyuan, was the sixth among them, preceded by five older cousins. The one standing before them now was Lu Chengmian, the third young master and his third cousin.

Lu Chengmian was the eldest legitimate son from the main branch, born to Princess Ruiging. As a child, he was raised in Hui’an Palace, cherished under the care of the Empress Dowager. It was said that during his childhood, the current emperor had once patted his forehead and remarked on his exceptional bone structure, prophesying that he would become a pillar of the Great Zhao. Because of this, he received even greater favor, bestowed with rare treasures and toys crafted by the imperial workshops.

When he grew older, he was granted the honor of studying in Wenhua Hall alongside the imperial princes, under the tutelage of the Chancellor of the Hanlin Academy. He also accompanied the imperial entourage to the royal hunting grounds, observing military drills and learning the arts of archery and horsemanship.

In the autumn of the twenty-third year of Hongping in Dazhao, the Di tribes from the northwest invaded the border, their iron cavalry pressing close to Suzhou Garrison. The Emperor appointed Lu Chenglian as the Deputy Commander for Pacifying the Barbarians, leading elite cavalry on a western campaign. Lu Chenglian achieved three victories in three battles, with frequent reports of triumph, crushing the Di forces. The Emperor was greatly pleased and increasingly rewarded Lu Chenglian with honors. With control over military power, Lu Chenglian became illustrious and influential for a time.

Recalling these events, Gu Xiyan lowered her eyelashes, unwilling to witness the triumphant spirit of the man before her.

Her husband, Lu Chengyuan, had perished in this very western border war, with no trace of him alive or dead.

In a single campaign, some returned to their homeland in glory, adorned with honors, while others never made it back.

At that moment, Gu Xiyan, faced with this sudden encounter, could not easily avoid it. She merely gave a slight bow as a form of greeting.

Her husband, Lu Chengyuan, ranked sixth among his brothers. As the younger sister-in-law, she ought to show some respect.

Lu Chengliang didn’t even glance at her directly. With a faint nod, he simply strode forward.

The passage beside the folding screen was rather narrow. As they brushed past each other, the corner of Gu Xiyan’s eye caught the fluttering edge of his brilliant crimson robe—made of ramie silk, exquisitely elegant and vivid, strikingly bright and lively in this transitional season of lingering chill.

Gu Xiyan thought of her deceased husband again and couldn’t help wondering for the ten thousandth time what it would be like if he were to return alive. Even without any military achievements, it would be enough just for him to be alive.

Who knew that just then, Lu Chenghai suddenly stopped in his tracks and glanced over.

Caught off guard, their gazes met.

Gu Xiyan was momentarily stunned, her mind going blank as she hurriedly looked away.

His gaze was too sharp and icy, like a blade, capable of seeing through people’s hearts.

Gu Xiyan felt flustered inside and hastily replied with a casual remark, “Third Master, good morning.”

With that said, she lifted the hem of her skirt and hurried forward. She walked so quickly that she felt as if she might trip over the hem at any moment.

Qiūsāng followed closely behind, almost breaking into a jog. After they had traveled a considerable distance, she whispered a reminder, “Young mistress, slow down. There are people up ahead.”

Upon hearing this, Gù Xīyán realized how frantic she must have seemed. There was nothing unusual about her situation, yet her haste made it appear as though she were guilty of something.

Breathless, she sighed softly and thought to herself that from now on, after paying her respects, it would be better to leave together with the fifth young mistress.

Normally they would go back together, but today the fifth young mistress had something urgent to attend to and left early. While serving the old lady some cheese, she couldn’t find anyone to take over, so she was delayed and had to return alone.

Thinking about this, she felt rather pointless. As a widow, she had to consider everything carefully, constantly afraid that others would gossip.

No one had ever taught her how to be a widow. Even after two years, she was still treading carefully.

She suddenly recalled Lu Chengjian from earlier. He ranked third among the brothers, but in reality, he was only two years older than Lu Chengyuan. Although they were cousins and looked quite similar at first glance, having been raised by the Grand Empress Dowager and educated by the emperor, his bearing and authority were quite distinct from the other brothers.

He was the pampered son of the esteemed Duke’s household, yet his temperament was haughty and aloof, looking down on everyone. Most in the mansion feared him, so naturally, a young widow like Gu Xiyan kept a respectful distance.

Her breathing gradually steadied as she slowly made her way back to her own courtyard. Just as she stepped through the gate, she saw Nanny Sun standing under the eaves, eagerly peering out. Upon seeing her return, Nanny Sun hurried forward to greet her.

“Madam, you’ve finally returned. I just heard from my son that—”

She glanced outside and fell silent.

Gu Xiyan paused inwardly at her tone. Sun Mama’s second son, Sun Wanger, worked in the front courtyard; news certainly traveled fast around here. For her to be this anxious, something important must be brewing.

At that moment, she hurriedly entered the house with Stewardess Sun, and Qiu Sang had already cleverly shut the door, drawing the heavy felt curtain to keep out the cold. She then urged the little maidservant to quickly serve a cup of hot tea.

Stewardess Sun was very anxious and said without hesitation, “My boy just had someone bring word in that, before dawn this morning, a woman arrived at the gate with her two children. When the door opened, she told the gatekeeper that she was the lady’s sister-in-law from her maternal family.”

Gu Xiyan was immediately shocked and asked urgently, “My sister-in-law? What happened next? Where are they now?”

Stewardess Sun stomped her foot in frustration. “Why else would I be in such a hurry to tell you, madam? When the gatekeeper saw them, he didn’t think they looked like the relatives they claimed to be and didn’t dare to let them in easily. If they had passed the message and it turned out they weren’t genuine, he would be held accountable. So now, the woman and her two children are waiting in the teahouse by the front gate. They were at least given a cup of hot tea while they wait for news from inside. If they really are who they claim, we’ll need further instructions.”

Gu Xiyan instantly felt weak in the limbs, so much so that she could hardly stand steadily.

Her father had been a sixth-rank clerk in the Provincial Administration Commission of Bingzhou, responsible for organizing household registrations and land holdings. However, two years ago, due to the mismanagement of census and land ownership records, which sparked chaos among displaced peasants, many officials in the area were dismissed, and her father was implicated, losing his position and ending up in prison. Upon hearing this news, her mother was overwhelmed with anxiety, falling ill and confined to bed.

This was already a stroke of extreme misfortune, but as misfortunes never come singly, more bad news struck. Her brother, who served in the coastal defense forces, also encountered tragedy. His ship was ambushed by Japanese pirates during a voyage, sinking into the sea, resulting in casualties and injuries. Her brother’s whereabouts remain unknown.

Soon after, her father died during exile, and her mother passed away as well.

For Gu Xiyan, within the span of two years, she had lost her husband, her parents from her maiden family, and her brother had disappeared as well. From the once radiant and delicate Sixth Young Mistress, she had become a widow with a heart as dead as wood. She had endured far too much, to the point that now, upon hearing just a hint of news, her heart would flutter into a frenzy.

With so many tragedies hitting the family, her sister-in-law had handled the funeral arrangements for their parents and then taken her two children to live at her own maiden home. Not long ago, she had even written to Gu Xiyan, saying that her younger brother was looking after the three of them, life was peaceful, and they lacked for nothing in food or clothing. Her nephew was already old enough to begin his studies, and her niece was well-behaved. At the time, Gu Xiyan had felt a slight sense of relief, thinking that this series of upheavals had finally settled down.

How could it be that suddenly, her sister-in-law from her maiden family had come to the capital? There had been no news of this beforehand at all!

Gu Xiyan’s heart raced wildly as she reflected on the implications of Stewardess Sun’s words. The gatekeeper had not dared to bring the visitor into the residence, nor had he dared to send word inside to announce their arrival. Instead, he had discreetly sent someone to confirm with her. This made it evident that the visitor was shabbily dressed and weary from travel.

In a household like the Duke’s Mansion, the company they kept consisted of high officials and noble relatives. The gatekeeper, therefore, could not quite make sense of the situation.

Though she hadn’t seen the person outside the gate, she had a subtle feeling that it was indeed him, with near certainty.

As she thought this, she looked up at Auntie Sun and caught a fleeting trace of sympathy in her eyes that she hadn’t managed to conceal in time.

Gu Xiyan thought to herself that Auntie Sun had already guessed, but simply found it awkward to point it out.

Suppressing the turmoil in her heart, she said, “With so many walls in between, how could we be sure it’s really him? We’d have to go and see for ourselves. But as a widow in mourning, I cannot casually go beyond the inner gate. What should we do?”

Seeing this, Madam Sun was straightforward: “Since you have this concern, Young Madam, it’s easy to resolve. Let my son now deliver a message. Just say we need to meet the person. Then, ask the guards outside the second gate to bring the woman in so you can have a look.”

These words perfectly aligned with Gu Xiyan’s intentions, and she quickly replied: “Then I’ll trouble Madam Sun with this.”

As she spoke, she hurriedly signaled to Qiu Sang with her eyes. Qiu Sang then took an embroidered pouch from the nearby box, grabbed a handful of copper coins from it, and stuffed them into Madam Sun’s hands. Madam Sun politely declined with a smile: “This won’t do. In the past, you’ve treated me so well, Young Madam. Such a small matter certainly isn’t worth such a reward. Please keep your gift for now. Later during the festival, this old servant will come by and ask you for it then.”

She firmly refused to accept, so Gu Xiyan had no choice but to let it go.

A moment after Madam Sun left, Gu Xiyan gazed out the window, watching as the sun gradually rose. Its light resembled a thin layer of gold dust, spilling over the bluish-gray tiles and illuminating the somewhat dim little courtyard.

Madam Sun walked briskly, her head slightly lowered. Soon, she passed through the hanging flower gate and vanished from sight.

She thought to herself, Madam Sun had seen through everything, but at least she retained a touch of kindness by not spelling it out, leaving a bit of dignity for her.

She didn’t even accept her gratuity, probably knowing she was too poor to dare take it.

Gu Xiyan gave a bitter laugh; as the young mistress of the esteemed Duke’s estate, she was truly not even as respected as a stewardess in the household.

She hailed from a family of minor officials, with her father’s highest position being a sixth-rank magistrate in the provincial administration. Originally not a native of the imperial capital, by all conventional logic, she should never have been able to marry into the capital’s Duke’s estate.

It all stemmed from an old favor her grandfather had done for the former Duke of Jingguo, leading to a marriage alliance being sworn between the two families. However, by the time of Gu Xiyan’s father’s generation, through a series of twists and turns, the marriage promise was not fulfilled. On his deathbed, the old Duke of Jingguo left a will, instructing his descendants that they must marry a daughter of the Gu family in the future.

After Gu Xiyan was born, the Duke of Jingguo’s household had already settled on the marriage arrangement. By the time she turned sixteen, she was welcomed into the household.

Such a noble and affluent household as the Duke of Jingguo’s was, after all, different from ordinary official families. When Gu Xiyan first married into the duke’s household, she was naturally cautious in every aspect, fearing to be ridiculed. She only hoped to give birth to a son or daughter early on, to secure her position as the young mistress of the household.

Yet, just when things seemed to be going well, this hope was completely shattered. Her husband passed away, never to return.

Many misfortunes had befallen her natal family, so she could only secretly sell her dowry to scrape together some silver to help support them, but even then, it was beyond her power to turn things around.

At that moment, Qiu Sang came in with a cup of tea and, seeing Gu Xiyan’s expression, gasped in surprise. “Young Mistress, what’s wrong?”

Her face was as pale as paper!

Leaning against the nearby screen, Gu Xiyan shook her head weakly.

Now she was almost certain that the person outside was indeed her sister-in-law. Her sudden arrival in the capital must mean something had happened, perhaps she had come seeking refuge. She thought to herself that she must go and speak with the matriarch, to beg her, hoping she might offer some support for her family.

For she truly had no other way.

She forced herself to sit down and picked up the cup of tea to drink. The tea was of fine quality, brewed from newly harvested artemisia shoots and should have been fragrant and refreshing, but at this moment, Gu Xiyan could taste nothing.

She was desperately wondering what had happened to her sister-in-law, what trouble had arisen—was it that something had befallen her nephew or niece?

How should she plead with the elderly madam later? What should she say? Would the elderly madam agree?

No matter what, she must first settle her sister-in-law properly.

While she was turning these thoughts over in her mind, a little maid hurried in with a message, saying that Mrs. Zhou from the household had arrived with a group of people.