Chapter 343

Chapter 348: Death (Part 1)

Qiu Hong and Dong Hong pretended not to hear. One smiled and said, "Lady Wen, which shopkeepers should we send invitations to?" The other chuckled, "We don’t know much about these things. Should we ask Song Mama for a list to follow?" Lady Wen laughed, "No rush, no rush. My lady said that since the two families are joining in marriage, the Xu family only made one request—to wait until the Eldest Daughter turns sixteen before the wedding. The Shao family readily agreed. We’ve got years to prepare!" The thought lifted her spirits, and she suddenly felt life had become much easier. The next day, she brought the dowry list to Eleventh Miss for approval: "What do you think?"

Eleventh Miss kept the list: "I’ll show it to the Dowager first."

Lady Wen cheerfully discussed sending invitations to several shopkeepers with Eleventh Miss, drank half a cup of tea, then took her leave.

Lord Xu emerged from the inner chamber: "Why did you hand the preparations over to Lady Wen? If you really want to use her, let her manage the accounts instead!"

"Let Lady Wen try her hand at it. If she doesn’t do well, we can reconsider."

There were boundaries between internal and external affairs, and this was an internal matter. Hearing Eleventh Miss’s words, Lord Xu said no more. Sitting with her in the hall, he discussed Zhenjie’s affairs: "...The Shao family has invited Marquis Lin as the matchmaker. On our side, I was thinking of asking Count Zhongqin. What do you think?"

Both were highly respected nobles.

"You’ve thought this through, my lord," Eleventh Miss replied with a smile. A young maid entered: "My lady, Princess Fucheng has sent an invitation for the Eldest Daughter. She said the Crown Princess will be married in autumn and wishes to host a summer banquet at home while she still can, inviting a few close friends to admire the lotus blossoms."

Soon, palace attendants would arrive to instruct Fang Jieer on court etiquette. Though this posed no difficulty for Fang Jieer, it would make it inconvenient for friends and family to see her.

This would likely be her last gathering as a young lady before marriage.

Eleventh Miss nodded in agreement: "...If the Eldest Daughter wishes to go, let Song Mama accompany her."

The news of Zhenjie’s marriage was now known throughout the household. Zhenjie, too shy to face others, had been hiding in her room, refusing to see anyone. Even when Huijie invited her a few days prior, she declined. Thinking that once Fang Jieer entered the palace and she herself married to Cangzhou, they might never meet again, she bashfully informed Eleventh Miss and went to Princess Fucheng’s residence, accompanied by Song Mama.

Upon returning, Lord Xu told Eleventh Miss: "I visited Count Zhongqin’s residence. He has been bedridden for over a month. Lady Gan politely declined the role of matchmaker."

Eleventh Miss had only seen Count Zhongqin once from afar—a frail man, his vitality sapped by excess.

"Lady Gan didn’t mention anything when she last visited," she frowned slightly. "Is the Count unwell?"

"They say it’s due to the heat—he drank too much iced mung bean broth and suffered diarrhea," Lord Xu replied. "Though his spirits are low, his speech remains clear. It shouldn’t be serious."

The Gan family’s situation was complicated. The heir and his wife had long been wary of Lady Gan. Now that Count Zhongqin was ill, her position grew precarious.

Eleventh Miss grew concerned for Lady Gan.

"My lord, should we visit together?"

Since it was Count Zhongqin who was ill, female relatives usually need not attend. But as relatives, she was unsure.

"No need," Lord Xu said. "I’ve already paid a visit." Then, recalling Eleventh Miss’s friendship with Lady Gan, he added, "If you’re worried, send a maidservant to check on her."

Eleventh Miss thus sent Song Mama to deliver two bottles of tonic pills to Lady Gan.

Upon returning, Song Mama reported with a sigh: "...The heir has been attending to the Count at his bedside. Lady Gan hasn’t seen him in days. When I arrived, I happened to encounter the heir’s wife’s personal maid insisting on incense and candles from Lady Gan, claiming the Count’s illness required constant lighting. Her tone bordered on insolence. When Lady Gan saw your gifts, she was deeply moved—her eyes brimmed with tears. She asked after your health and whether you had moved back. She said once the Count recovers, she’ll come to thank you in person."

Eleventh Miss fell silent.

The Count still lived, yet...

Noticing Eleventh Miss’s darkened expression, Song Mama realized her slip. Flustered, she retrieved a small red-lacquered, gold-trimmed box—about an inch tall and three inches wide, with a tiny copper lock—from her sleeve: "My lady, Lady Gan asked me to give this to you. She said these are some of her personal trinkets and asked you to keep them for her."

Eleventh Miss was startled.

Had Lady Gan already sensed something and was making contingency plans?

She accepted the box without comment.

Song Mama, raised in noble households, had heard enough to imply, "When Lady Gan gave it to me, no one else was present."

Eleven Miss gave a nod, and Song Mama withdrew.

She climbed onto the bed, slid open the headboard panel adorned with magpies perched on plum branches, and carefully tucked the box inside.

Lord Xu then invited Zhou Shizheng, the third son of Princess Fucheng and Fang Jie’s father, to serve as the matchmaker. The betrothal gifts were delivered on the twenty-second of June.

Afterward, the weather grew increasingly hot, with the constant drone of cicadas. Iced mung bean, lotus seed, and sour plum soups were served daily, while ice blocks were set out in the chambers of the elder madam, Eleven Miss, the fifth madam, and the second madam to cool the heat. Chun Ge stayed with the elder madam, and Lijing Pavilion, shaded by dense woods, stayed pleasantly cool. Worried about Xu Sijie, Eleven Miss often invited him to her room during her free time, reciting tales from the *Three Character Classic*. Within half a month, he could recite several tales fluently, which filled Eleven Miss with pride. She had someone fetch copperplate paper to craft study cards for him.

As the Ghost Festival (Zhongyuan) neared, Xu Siyu sent a letter home, reassuring his family.

"...The teacher is strict in his instruction, and his wife is kind and gentle... In my free time, I hike the hills behind the academy with my classmates. Your son is well, so please do not worry, Father, Grandmother, and Mother."

"As long as he’s well, that’s all that matters!" the elder madam murmured approvingly. Just then, a young maid rushed in: "Madam, the steward’s office announced Count Zhongqin’s death."

Eleven Miss’s heart tightened, and her hand flew to her chest. The elder madam sharply questioned the maid, "Are you certain?"

The maid paled in fright. "That’s what Manager Zhao said!"

The elder madam fell silent for a long moment.

The room fell deathly silent.

"This summer’s heat has been relentless," the elder madam muttered under her breath. "No wonder he couldn’t endure it."

Eleven Miss snapped out of her daze, realizing Count Zhongqin had been younger than the elder madam. She quietly felt grateful for the elder madam’s sturdy health and asked the maid, "Did Manager Zhao mention when we should go to pay respects?"

The steward’s office arranged the sacrificial offerings.

The maid stammered, "He said... at dawn tomorrow."

The elder madam instructed Eleven Miss, "You and Lady Dan should attend tomorrow."

Since Count Zhongqin was younger, the elder madam was exempt from attending.

Eleven Miss acknowledged the order, informed the fifth madam, then returned to her chamber. After dismissing her attendants, she quietly retrieved the red-and-gold lacquered box Lady Gan had entrusted to her, caressing it for a long while before putting it back.

The next day, the Xu household changed into simple mourning clothes to pay their respects.

In the mourning tent for female guests, Madam Gan greeted mourners without visible sorrow. After offering incense, Eleven Miss and the fifth madam bluntly asked Madam Gan, "Why isn’t Lady Gan here?"

The fifth madam discreetly tugged her sleeve.

Eleven Miss pretended not to notice, calmly meeting Madam Gan’s gaze.

Madam Gan’s eyes flickered with surprise before she replied, "My mother-in-law was so overcome with sorrow at my father-in-law’s passing that she fell ill."

"Ill?" Eleven Miss pretended surprise. "I had no idea. Would you kindly have someone escort me to see her?"

Madam Gan hesitated before instructing a matronly attendant, "Escort Lady Yongping."

The fifth madam frowned.

Eleven Miss followed the attendant to Lady Gan’s quarters.

Lady Gan was in the west wing behind the main hall. She appeared unsurprised by Eleven Miss’s arrival, struggling to sit up and directing a maid to fetch a stool and tea.

Yanrong deftly assisted the maid, leaving the attendant at the bedside visibly uneasy.

Eleven's mother looked at Lady Gan, whose face was pale and expression weary, sighed softly, and tucked in the corner of her quilt for her.

"I'm fine!" Lady Gan said gently, gazing at her. "My sister-in-law came to see me just a few days ago. After the initial mourning week, my elder brother will also visit."

Eleven's mother let out a relieved breath.

Lady Gan's elder brother was the Grand Secretary of the Office of Transmission—if he was willing to stand up for her, not only would it be justified, but even the heir wouldn’t dare to be careless.

"That’s good then!" she said with a double meaning. "Once things settle down for you, I’ll invite you over for some assorted pastries again."

Lady Gan gave a slight nod.

Eleven娘 cast a glance at the maidservant straining to eavesdrop, then rose to take her leave.

On the way back, she encountered Lotus Leaf, a maid from Madame Wu’s household.

"Madame!" The maid’s expression eased. "Madame Wu is waiting for you in the garden pavilion behind the main hall!"

It seemed Madame Wu had instructed Lotus Leaf to find her.

A gentle warmth arose in Lady Eleven's bosom as she trailed Lotus Leaf towards the pavilion.

Madame Wu immediately chided in a low voice, "Everyone’s just waiting to see the Gan family’s disgrace—why must you involve yourself?"

"Lady Gan was, after all, the honored witness at my hair-pinning ceremony," Eleven娘 replied. "It is only fitting that I pay her a visit, both out of sentiment and propriety."

When words don’t align, even half a sentence is too much. Madame Wu shot her a glare before turning away and sitting down on a Ming-style armchair.

Eleven's wife smiled faintly.

And just as Madame Wu had predicted, all of Yanjing spent that summer watching the drama unfold in the Gan family. First, over Lady Gan’s affairs, her natal family had a vehement dispute with the Gan family, ultimately forcing the Gans to compromise—returning control of Lady Gan’s dowry to her and building a secluded widow’s courtyard in the rear garden for her residence. Then, the Gan brothers fought over the division of family property, taking their lawsuits all the way from the Shuntian Prefect to the Dali Temple. Every scandal—from keeping male concubines to maintaining opera troupes—was dragged into the open.

Hearing of this from distant Fujian, the Jiang family sent two matrons, claiming they feared Miss Third of the Gan family might be overwhelmed with grief and her maids too inexperienced, so they came to serve her for a while.

The people of Yanjing buzzed with gossip. They all said Miss Third of the Gan family had an unlucky astrological alignment—her filial mourning wasn’t complete before her natal family’s began, and now, dragged down by her brothers’ scandals, she was losing face with her betrothed’s family…

In truth, another incident occurred during this time, but compared to the Gan family’s affairs, the people of Yanjing found it too dull to stir much interest.

By the eighth lunar month, the former Shanxi Regional Commander was transferred by imperial decree to become the Fujian Regional Commander. *Note: "头七" refers to the 7th-day post-funeral ritual in Chinese tradition.*