Zhao Wensheng didn’t notice Achan. Clutching his fish basket, he hurriedly entered the Zhao residence through the back gate. Once it closed, the lingering fishy smell persisted.
Achan didn’t dwell on it, but upon returning home, she felt an unpleasant odor clinging to her. Unable to bear it, she went to the kitchen, heated water, bathed, and washed her clothes.
Perhaps the kitchen door’s gaps let in cold air, for the next day, she developed a fever.
Having learned from her previous illness, she knew humans needed doctors, especially with her frail body, which could easily give out.
Forcing herself up, she visited the nearby clinic and got medicine.
The physician who checked her pulse said her body was weak and needed careful nurturing, urging her to take extra care.
Achan thanked him, rubbing her wrist where the black line remained. Until she resolved this issue, her health would likely stay poor.
The illness came quickly but left slowly. After two days of medicine, she felt better and stopped taking it regularly, only for the fever to return.
Having learned her lesson, Achan didn’t dare skip doses again. After several more days of medicine, she fully recovered.
By the time she was well, it was February. Sun Mama hadn’t visited, and Achan didn’t know how Lady Xiao Lin was faring.
On the tenth of February, the weather was clear.
Achan dressed warmly and burned mugwort in her room. After about fifteen minutes, with the room filled with smoke, she opened the doors and windows to ventilate. Pushing open a window, she saw the Zhao residence’s carriage below.
She hurried downstairs just as a knock came at the door.
Opening it, she found Sun Mama outside, who stepped back from the strong mugwort scent.
Achan smiled at the clothes in Sun Mama’s hands, asking softly, “Is Aunt feeling better, Sun Mama?”
“She is,” Sun Mama nodded, though her tone hesitated. “Madam took medicine to stabilize her pregnancy and is much better, but her appetite has been excessive lately.”
“Isn’t that a good thing?” Achan asked. Didn’t people say eating well was a blessing?
“It is,” Sun Mama forced a smile, but worry lingered in her expression.
Achan was curious but didn’t press.
Sun Mama quickly refocused on Achan, handing her the clothes. “The Flower Festival is in two days, and Madam wants to visit the Flower Goddess Temple. These are new clothes she picked for you.”
The top was white with pink peach blossoms embroidered on the collar and cuffs. The skirt gradated from white to pink, with floral branches embroidered at the hem, exquisitely crafted. The fabric and workmanship far surpassed what Achan wore, and it was clearly more expensive.
Achan didn’t refuse, accepting the clothes graciously. “Please thank Aunt for me, Sun Mama.”
As she took them, she noticed a wooden box beneath. Sun Mama passed it to her as well.
Sun Mama explained with a smile, “This contains a new set of hair accessories, a few pairs of earrings, and some velvet flowers, all chosen by Madam for you. Don’t forget to wear them the day after tomorrow.”
“Since it’s Aunt’s kindness, I won’t refuse,” Achan replied.
She accepted the gifts, though whether Lady Xiao Lin’s intentions would succeed depended on Achan’s mood.
Achan looked forward to the Flower Festival, or rather, she loved lively places.
On the morning of February twelfth, she donned the new clothes, styled a simple bun, and chose a peach blossom hairpin and a pink velvet flower. Even her earrings were shaped like peach petals.
The box of golden peach blossoms suggested Lady Xiao Lin hoped to attract some valuable suitors for her.
As she finished preparing, Sun Mama arrived.
Seeing Achan open the door, Sun Mama gasped inwardly, thinking Madam’s eye was sharp. With just a little dressing up, Miss Chan was captivating, even to her. Others would surely be enchanted.
Achan rode with Sun Mama to the Zhao residence, where they would join Lady Xiao Lin and Zhao Wenyue to head to the Flower Goddess Temple.
In the main house, Lady Xiao Lin had been up for a while, eating breakfast when Achan arrived.
Before entering, Achan caught another whiff of fish, a smell she couldn’t stand. Her steps slowed, and she whispered to Sun Mama, “Does Aunt eat fish for breakfast too?”
Sun Mama’s face showed clear concern. “Indeed. Lately, Madam, for some reason, insists on fish every meal, eating a whole one each time. Yesterday, when the kitchen didn’t prepare it, she scolded the cook and nearly threw her out.”
Achan sensed something amiss and asked, “Three live fish a day? Aren’t they hard to come by now?”
“They are. The eldest young master gets them from a familiar fishmonger and has them delivered to the residence.”
“For my cousin to find so many live fish this season is quite a feat.”
“Exactly. The eldest young master has been very filial lately, and Madam’s been much happier,” Sun Mama agreed.
Seeing no more answers forthcoming, Achan changed the topic. “Did you investigate the crying Aunt heard that night?”
“We looked into it but found nothing. Fortunately, Madam hasn’t heard it since.”
Achan nodded.
Excluding supernatural causes, the crying was likely human-made. Without deep grudges, spirits wouldn’t bother. But as an outsider, she couldn’t say so outright.
The only mistress in the residence was Lady Xiao Lin, with her husband and their two children. If someone was behind it, there was no clear suspect.
Sun Mama didn’t notice Achan’s expression change and continued, “Madam saw the sachet you made last time and liked its scent. She said to make more for summer but found the embroidery on the sachet lacking.”
Achan felt awkward, not admitting she’d bought the sachet outside.
“By the way, can you make incense to repel rats and insects?” Sun Mama asked.
“Why do you need that? Is the residence plagued by rats?” Achan asked, puzzled.
Sun Mama frowned, recalling something. “The cook told me recently that every morning, the kitchen yard is swarmed with flying insects, and there are more rats.”
“Could it be unwashed ingredients attracting them?”
“I think so, but Cook Wang won’t admit it,” Sun Mama huffed. “They see Madam’s pregnant and busy, so they’re getting sloppy.”
“Haven’t you used pest-repelling powder?”
“We have, the usual kind, but it’s had no effect this time. The rats run rampant in the kitchen.”
Achan thought before saying, “Ordinary incense powders aren’t very effective against rats. Burning incense works better, but it leaves a smell, making the kitchen unusable for a day or two.”
“That… won’t do. The residence relies on the main kitchen since we have no secondary one. Can you think of another way?”
Achan didn’t refuse. “Alright, I’ll think of other formulas when I get back.”
Normal formulas wouldn’t work, but she could try special ones, though the materials were harder to find.
Still, Lady Xiao Lin was generous, so Achan would meet her needs.
Sun Mama beamed. “Thank you, Miss.”
They entered the main house. The maid picking out fish bones was dismissed. Lady Xiao Lin, ignoring their arrival, focused on eating half a fish from a plate.
The fish wasn’t large, about a pound, but even if she liked it, eating it every meal seemed excessive.
Even Achan, who loved chicken, wouldn’t eat it daily and occasionally had vegetables, especially since Lady Xiao Lin was pregnant.
But if Sun Mama, who’d served her for years, didn’t dare comment, Achan certainly wouldn’t.
When Lady Xiao Lin finished the fish, she set down her chopsticks, looking fully satisfied.
Achan observed her closely, noting she seemed to have gained weight in recent days, but her complexion was poorer than at their first meeting, with dark circles under her eyes.
When she stood, Achan noticed her belly seemed larger than a few days ago.
“Sit,” Lady Xiao Lin said, pointing to a stool beside the table, then instructing Sun Mama, “Check if Wenyue’s ready. Tell her to hurry.”
Before Sun Mama could leave, Zhao Wenyue’s voice rang out. “I’ve been ready forever. Mother, you’re the slowest.”
Entering the main house, Zhao Wenyue saw Achan, wearing the velvet flower hairpin she liked, and her expression turned hostile.
But she quickly recalled her mother’s words from yesterday about finding a good match for Ji Chan benefiting the family, so she held back.
Ji Chan could only be smug for now. No matter how alluring she dressed, she’d only be fit for a concubine.
Once Zhao Wenyue arrived, Lady Xiao Lin, supported by Sun Mama, left the courtyard. Two carriages slowly departed the Zhao residence, heading toward Yongding Gate in the west.
Due to the Flower Festival, the road to Yongding Gate was crowded with carriages and horses. It took an hour and a half to queue out of the city gate.
The carriages moved haltingly, and after another half hour, they reached Yongshan.
The Flower Goddess Temple was halfway up the mountain, requiring them to disembark and walk. Fortunately, the slope was gentle, and a slow climb wasn’t too tiring.
The trees lining the path were adorned with colorful paper strips, fluttering like blooming flowers in the breeze.
Lady Xiao Lin had prepared colored paper strips for Achan and Zhao Wenyue. Achan hung hers on a low branch, then turned to see a middle-aged beauty approaching. Upon closer look, it was none other than Lady Xue.
Lady Xue’s two children followed her, along with her brother, Xue Mingtang.
When Achan looked at Lady Xue, she happened to look back.
Achan met her gaze without flinching, even offering a smile. Lady Xue, startled, stepped back, steadied by Xue Mingtang.
Lady Xiao Lin also saw the Xue family, her expression neutral, not yielding the path.
Though she disliked her legitimate sister, she had no kindness for the woman who took her place.
In contrast, Zhao Wenyue, after hanging her paper strip, spotted Xue Mingtang and broke into a smile.
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