That evening, Great Madam and Great Master had a falling out.
Great Master was so angry he directly moved into Huansha Cove. He didn’t emerge until the Lantern Festival to watch the lanterns together with Second Master and Second Madam. The couple sat facing each other across the room but didn’t exchange a single unnecessary word.
The atmosphere was inevitably somewhat awkward.
Though Ninth Brother and Seventh Miss were favored, on this matter they didn’t dare say an extra word.
Fifth Miss grew sad whenever this matter was mentioned. Her large eyes seemed like rain flower stones nurtured in clear water, carrying a moist luster at all times.
Fortunately there was still Third Miss, her face full of joy and satisfaction, flattering Great Madam and whispering with Great Master, barely maintaining a lively atmosphere.
Fourth Aunt also had smiling eyes, attentively and thoughtfully serving Great Madam. Previously these tasks had all been monopolized by Seventh Miss—she rarely had such an opportunity.
How could Seventh Miss not understand their mother-daughter calculations in her heart? Third Miss was about to start preparing her trousseau… At this juncture, naturally they would sell goodwill whenever they could.
Great Madam also rarely accepted Fourth Aunt’s attentiveness, not giving Fourth Aunt any slights openly or covertly.
Seventh Miss observed this with some surprise.
But didn’t pay it much mind.
After all, since Great Madam had written her and Ninth Brother under her own name, many things were different from before.
If it were the past, how could Great Master have sent Feng Jin in to pay respects to Great Madam? He probably would still have been concerned about Great Madam knowing he was privately promoting the Feng family.
Everyone harbored their own thoughts, making the Lantern Festival somewhat tasteless.
Even Sixth Miss, who usually had the fewest worries, felt bored seeing such a scene and just swung her goldfish lantern while whispering with Seventh Miss.
“Each year is even more desolate than the last!” Sixth Miss also seemed rather moved. “Once Second Uncle’s family goes to the capital, there will be fewer people at home. This year Third Sister is also getting married…”
The Zhang family had sent a matchmaker a few days ago to propose. Third Miss’s marriage was thus settled. All the wedding dates were agreed upon—this coming summer.
Second Master and Second Madam were guests residing in Suzhou. All their relatives and friends only socialized with them out of respect for Great Master. With low official rank and being a capital official position, they were much more leisurely in the first month than the First Branch.
The couple busied themselves checking accounts, selling off farmland they couldn’t properly manage for ready silver, making various arrangements. Some superior farmland was still solemnly entrusted to the First Branch for management, with the Second Branch sending people back to Suzhou annually to settle accounts with the First Branch.
Second Madam’s face showed no trace of abnormality. She sat affectionately shoulder to shoulder with Second Master below the Great Master and Great Madam, occasionally discussing something with Second Master in low voices.
Watching this, Seventh Miss raised her assessment of Second Madam by several points in her heart.
This type of person—give her a bit of sunshine and she’d shine brilliantly. Her vitality was comparable to dogtail grass, thick-skinned and deeply calculating…
If it weren’t for her bad luck running into Seventh Miss’s hands, she probably would have succeeded long ago.
Originally Seventh Miss thought she would surely become dispirited after this. Even if she could preserve her life, she’d be sent back to the Northwest hometown for house arrest…
Now it seemed that after the First Branch completely settled down, the Second Branch would likely have turmoil instead.
Second Madam had devoted herself wholeheartedly to working on the First Branch these past years, inevitably neglecting her own rear courtyard.
She truly could let go and move on. Since despairing over the adoption matter, she decisively changed targets and began cultivating Second Master’s affections.
She was a legitimate wife with a stain, having borne the Second Branch’s only three legitimate sons. Aunt Xiang was the favored noble concubine of many years, controlling the capital residence for years.
From now on, the Second Branch would have many troubles.
The banquet in Juxian Hall dispersed before the third watch.
Great Master and Great Madam walked Second Master and his wife out of the garden shoulder to shoulder. Turning back, they exchanged a few bland words before Great Master went straight into Huansha Cove.
The other children also dispersed.
Great Madam stood in place instructing Fifth Miss for a few sentences, telling her to watch her step. She stood watching Fifth Miss turn onto the long corridor before feeling relieved, then turned back with Seventh Miss and Ninth Brother to the main courtyard.
All along the way, her expression was uncertain.
Ninth Brother and Seventh Miss didn’t dare speak.
The atmosphere seemed very strange.
The maids and matrons were all so frightened they didn’t dare breathe loudly, carefully supporting Great Madam into the main courtyard. Only then did Great Madam come back to herself.
“Rest well!” She smiled as she settled this pair of children. “Ninth Brother must rise early tomorrow. After returning to your room, don’t make a fuss anymore. Sleep early to avoid losing propriety before Master Zhang.”
Starting tomorrow, Ninth Brother would study under Master Zhang.
Ninth Brother smiled and agreed, then pulled Great Madam’s neck and spoke head-to-head with her in whispers.
This made Great Madam’s face full of smiles. “Good, good. As long as you study diligently, Mother will comply with everything.”
Only then did he enter the east side courtyard.
After all, this was a son she’d raised with her own hands. This kind of intimacy was something Seventh Miss could never match.
Seventh Miss just steadily and properly asked Great Madam, “Please rest well too. There are many social obligations during the New Year, it’s exhausting. Mother must not shortchange your sleep.”
Great Madam also smiled and touched Seventh Miss’s forehead.
“Good, good. Sleep quickly.”
She stood in place, watching Seventh Miss’s small figure enter the side corridor before sighing deeply.
Nanny Liang came forward and carefully urged Great Madam, “It’s very cold outside. Madam should go inside first.”
Great Madam slowly closed her eyes and deeply exhaled again.
“Mm.” When she opened her eyes again, she’d recovered her usual grace and dignity. “It’s time to go inside.”