Chapter Thirty-Six: Solitude in the Mountains

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The maid, Qingqiu, approached with a face full of hostility, scrutinizing the dishes on the table one by one, snorting, “I haven’t seen shark fin yet, but the food here is much better than ours. How dare you claim you keep everything clean!”

Tao Chunying and the others in the kitchen remained silent. Qingqiu gave Shiqian a signal, and with a loud clang, Shiqian dropped her tray. The two began rummaging through drawers and cupboards.

Both girls had elegant names, but their behavior was unexpectedly rude. It seemed the notion of ancient ladies being gentle and refined might need reconsideration. Lingran shrank into a corner, wondering if they’d turn up some hidden “rose dew” just like in those old novels.

The commotion evidently caught the attention of those outside. The chief steward of the kitchen, a round-faced woman, hurried in with a smile, reaching out to pull Qingqiu aside and discreetly passing something into her hand, saying, “Miss Qingqiu, please don’t be angry. Last night, too much abalone and shark fin was used for the Prime Minister’s birthday banquet, and in today’s rush, no fresh supplies were delivered. We dared not serve cold leftovers to the young lady, so perhaps they mixed in some of the usual side ingredients. The young lady is a person of impeccable character! And Lady Dantai is renowned for her magnanimity…”

Lingran watched coolly as everyone in the kitchen spoke humbly to the two maids, thinking: Lady Dantai and the young lady must be difficult to deal with. It would be wise to avoid them whenever their names are mentioned.

While the steward was speaking, Tao Chunying couldn’t hold back any longer and abruptly interjected, “Everything here is good. We didn’t add anything else…”

The steward glared at her, rebuking, “You have no sense! Would the young lady falsely accuse you? Keep quiet!”

Tao Chunying and the other women seemed genuinely aggrieved; their eyes radiated resentment and dissatisfaction, but none dared to say another word.

Qingqiu tucked away whatever the steward had given her, gazing coldly at the women, but said nothing further for the moment.

Shiqian, clearly following Qingqiu’s lead, stopped searching and stood by her side.

Qingqiu’s tone softened considerably, “Steward He, I know Sister Tao is your sister-in-law, but you needn’t use the Prime Minister’s banquet to pressure us. Remember, the Prime Minister loves our young lady best.”

“Yes, yes, yes,” Steward He replied three times in quick succession. “The young lady was raised by Lady Dantai, her temperament needs no praise, and the Prime Minister’s affection is only natural. As servants, if we fail in our duty, we deserve correction. Please, let the girls go back and apologize on our behalf to the young lady. I’ll personally prepare her favorite chrysanthemum silk pastry and have it sent to Chifeng Residence.”

Steward He evidently held some sway in the household; after her coaxing, Qingqiu’s anger faded, and she left with Shiya, tossing a few perfunctory words behind as she went.

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Tao Chunying wiped the fish fin soup from her face and hair, tears streaming down her cheeks.

Steward He offered a few words of comfort before hurrying off to prepare pastries at the front.

The older women gathered up brooms and cloths to clean the mess, persuading Sister Tao to eat. She wiped her tears, shook her head, and left without touching her meal.

The atmosphere dropped to freezing point. Everyone returned to their seats, but the meal tasted bitter.

Lingran timidly asked, “Um... wasn’t it said that Lord Xiang is an only child? How is there a young lady?”

“You’re new to the Prime Minister’s residence, aren’t you?” one aunt glanced at Lingran. “The young lady is the Prime Minister’s adopted daughter. She was originally a relative from Lady Dantai’s family. Since the household lacked heirs, the Prime Minister allowed Lady Dantai to adopt her. She’s fortunate; the other concubines wanted to bring in children, but the Prime Minister never permitted it.”

Lingran finally understood and nodded, “Thank you for enlightening me, Auntie.”

“This child speaks with learning. How did you come to the Prime Minister’s residence? I haven’t heard of any new servants being bought lately,” the woman took an interest in her.

“We were sent here by another noble to serve as maids,” Lingran replied vaguely. She knew better than to blurt out everything.

The aunt let it go. Another woman added, “You’re new, so be careful. Just take care of Lanze Mountain Hall. That place is special; few people will bother you there.”

Lingran nodded repeatedly, thinking to herself that, contrary to what TV dramas and novels depict, the women in these grand households weren’t so poisonous—these kitchen ladies seemed quite ordinary.

She took the opportunity to ask about the proper forms of address for the aunts and sisters, and after finishing her meal, helped clean up the dishes. Back in her previous life, she’d never done such chores; her mother had always handled them. Now, living alone, she finally felt the warmth of her mother’s daily care, and as she washed the dishes, her eyes grew moist. She hoped that, freed of her burden, her parents would have a better life.

By the time everything was cleaned up, night had fully fallen.

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Aunt Mao, who had spoken with her most, handed her a lantern made of white paper, saying, “It’s dark now, take this. Remember to bring it back to me tomorrow.”

Lingran thanked her, took the lantern, and walked out, treating it as an after-dinner stroll, slowly making her way back to Lanze Mountain Hall. She lit the candles on the altar in the main hall and then noticed that someone had been there at some point—the previously removed painting had been rehung, perhaps because Wu Wei’s new portrait failed to satisfy Lord Xiang as much as the original. She wondered how Biqing and the others were faring at Lord Xiang’s residence, and where they had been assigned.

Remembering the instructions from Sister Li and Mother Gu, she found the incense, lit it by candle, and bowed three times before placing it in the incense burner. She noticed that there was still a large empty space behind the wall where the portrait hung, so she took a candle and went behind to see what lay there.

It turned out to be the staircase to the upper floor, but the entrance was completely nailed shut with wooden planks. The upper level was pitch black, and in the darkness, she had an eerie sense of someone watching her from above.

Her heart beat wildly, and she quickly retreated, putting the candle back on the table. Only then did she notice three memorial tablets on the altar, and she moved closer to examine them.

The largest tablet in the center bore the inscription: “By imperial decree, the spirit of Lady Chuo Luo Si, Duchess of Xiang, honored as Dowager Rongmu.” Twin coiling dragons adorned the tablet, clearly indicating an imperial title. Judging by the surname, Lord Xiang’s mother was of foreign origin, which explained why the woman in the painting wore many braids and was dressed in the costume of the northern tribes.

Turning to the tablet on the left, it read, “Beloved Consort Lanze, spirit,” signed “Chu Liuxiang.” Lingran realized at last that the hall’s name came from this. Moreover, Lord Xiang’s mother was not his father’s legitimate wife; Chu Liuxiang had only called her “beloved consort.”

She picked up the tablet on the right, which read, “Late mother, Lady Chuo Luo Si of the Chu family, spirit. Unfilial son, Chu Yu, weeps in remembrance.”

Lingran’s maternal grandfather had died early, and she had seen the inscriptions on gravestones; whether or not the children were dutiful, the tablets always said “filial son” or “filial daughter.” The words “unfilial son” here must have been written by Lord Xiang himself, for no one else would dare such a thing. Did he feel some deep remorse toward his mother?

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Many thanks to wxzj001 for the gift of the He’s Jade Disk. This chapter is dedicated especially to you. To be honest, I feel I’ve wasted your generosity! I am deeply grateful for the 100 reward. Thank you again.

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