The estate truly hadn't been lived in for a long time; even though it was swept clean, its sheer size and lack of human energy made it feel desolate, though one could still glimpse its former glory in that very emptiness. Why would such a fine estate be abandoned? Qi Yue looked up at the ancient, imposing residence before her. A horizontal plaque hung above the entrance, yet it bore no characters. How… strange.

“Has the Shou Mu Zhai been prepared?” Madam Chen inquired from the side. A servant quickly replied that it was ready. “Move Yue Niang’s things over there,” Madam Chen instructed. This declaration caused the three people walking ahead to pause again, turning back to look at Madam Chen. Madam Chen paid them no mind, and Qi Yue naturally deferred to the host’s wishes. “Go settle in and rest for a while first,” Madam Chen told her. When family members meet, there are bound to be private matters to discuss; it was inconvenient with outsiders present. Qi Yue nodded, made no fuss, and followed the servant guiding the way, with maids carrying chests and luggage trailing behind.

“Xue Niang, who is this person?” the man couldn't help but ask, watching the direction Qi Yue had gone, where a distant compound was faintly visible. “She is Qi Yue Niang,” Madam Chen replied with a gentle smile, also gazing towards that residence. “The Shou Mu Zhai—only she can reside there.” Who is Qi Yue Niang? They hadn't heard of any prominent Qi family in Yongqing Prefecture. The three exchanged glances, mutual incomprehension clear in their eyes. Madam Chen said no more and walked ahead. The three had no choice but to follow. But before long, they emerged, looking helpless.

“Brother, Sister-in-law, don't worry. I grew up here; how could I not be used to it?” Madam Chen said with a smile. “I will go to the main house tomorrow; I won't come over today.” The man looked at her and sighed. “Suit yourself,” he replied. “This estate is too large; the few of you are not enough. These people must stay,” the woman remarked, gesturing toward the seven or eight maids and men who had followed. Madam Chen nodded and did not refuse. “Thank you, Sister-in-law,” she said with a smile, watching the three depart by carriage and horse. The courtyard gate closed. Although lights were lit, the illumination was quickly swallowed by the vast compound.

A few streets later, the carriage and horses of the three entered a grand mansion. In the night, the lights were brilliant: a gate adorned with bronze door knockers shaped like fierce beast faces, large lanterns illuminating the four characters—De Qing Gong Fu—above the gatehouse. The doorkeepers, all uniformly dressed in brown, stood in neat lines, listening to a steward-like figure speaking. A few steps away was a side gate. People were moving in and out; upon seeing the carriage approach, someone immediately opened the gate wide, clearing the path. The carriage proceeded straight in, traveling a considerable distance before stopping before a screen wall. A flurry of people immediately poured out, their dazzling jewelry catching the eye. They escorted the trio through a passage into a courtyard bearing the two characters “Xi Ning.”

“Xue Niang is back?” “Why wouldn’t she come back?” “How could she possibly live in that old place?” “If we had known, we shouldn't have indulged her in buying it…” The room buzzed with continuous chatter. An elderly woman, her hair completely white, seated in the position of honor, was clearly accustomed to such clamor, her expression remaining placid. “You all know this child’s temper has been peculiar since she was young,” she finally spoke. At her word, the noise in the room vanished. “Mother, Xue Niang is already grown; why do you still call her a child?” the man addressed as Third Brother by Madam Chen said with a laugh. “How old is Xue Niang?” the old woman asked with slight confusion. “Old Madam. Xue Niang is the same age as the Fourth Master; she will turn forty-one after the twelfth lunar month,” a plump woman, smiling, said while steadying the old woman’s shoulder. The old woman was clearly surprised. “Over forty? Impossible! It seems like only yesterday she was reading aloud to me in a clear, crisp voice,” she murmured. Everyone in the room laughed. “She can still read to you in a clear, crisp voice now, Madam,” everyone chuckled. The old woman did not laugh; instead, she began to weep. “Poor Xue Niang, never met her father. And you married her off so far away. When she was sick unto death, you hid it from me—don't think I don't know,” she said. The room fell silent; no one dared to laugh, understanding that the old woman’s senility had flared up again. They quickly soothed her, explaining that she would see Xue Niang tomorrow, and only then did the old woman calm down. After chatting a while longer, everyone withdrew, leaving only Third Master Chen.

“Why has she returned so suddenly? We tried repeatedly to invite her, but she always refused to come to the capital,” the old woman asked. “I saw her, and she seemed very happy, her spirits excellent,” Third Master Chen replied. “She just said she wanted to return; she said nothing else.” The old woman sighed and said nothing. “However, she brought someone back this time,” Third Master Chen added. “Is it her child? Bringing them back would be best. This time our family will arrange a suitable match nearby for them,” the old woman suggested. “No, not her children. She didn't say who, just a woman,” Third Master Chen corrected. “Furthermore, she allowed that woman to move into the Shou Mu Zhai.” The old woman sat bolt upright. “Your Fourth Uncle’s Shou Mu Zhai?” she asked in astonishment. “That room, Xue Niang wouldn't even let you father enter—how could…” Indeed, Third Master Chen’s face was etched with equal confusion. How could that room, which his sister guarded like her own life, now house this other woman? Who exactly was this woman?

Qi Yue had no idea that the room she occupied was a forbidden zone in the eyes of the Chen family. To her, all rooms were the same—merely places to sleep. This room was quite good. Although the furnishings showed some age, there was no musty odor, suggesting it had been carefully maintained. “Why is this plaque blank?” Qi Yue asked curiously, pointing to the large, dark-blue plaque hanging in the center of the room. A Ru, along with A Hao and some of Madam Chen’s maids, were organizing the inner bedroom. Qi Yue had no need to lift a finger; she wandered through the three well-lit rooms. A maid who was busy lighting incense glanced over, then immediately lowered her head as if startled. “Your servant does not know,” she whispered. Not knowing meant not wanting to say; Qi Yue understood that subtext. She waved her hand and moved away, not pressing the issue. Soon the sleeping quarters were tidied. Madam Chen’s servants withdrew. A Ru and A Hao settled in the small servants’ quarters in the outer room. The long journey was exhausting, especially in an era reliant on horse-drawn carriages. Qi Yue collapsed and immediately fell asleep. Silence reigned through the night.

Qi Yue awoke to the sound of soft birdsong. She felt refreshed. Outside, A Ru and A Hao were already up and came in to attend to her as soon as they heard her stir. Breakfast was already prepared in the adjoining dining hall. As she walked, Qi Yue surveyed the courtyard. Seeing her approach, the two maids quickly rolled up the fine silk and bamboo blinds. The arrangement of this house resembled that of the Marquis of Dingxi, yet it possessed distinct differences. It held the same opulence and luxury, but with an added layer of refined elegance. This, perhaps, was the difference between the newly rich and established gentry.

“Did you sleep well?” Madam Chen entered from outside. “Very well,” Qi Yue replied, turning back with a smile. “You must be hungry. Come, let’s eat,” Madam Chen said warmly, pulling her to a seat and taking a place beside her. The table was laden with cold platters of meat and vegetables, soups, pastries, and preserved fruits. “These are all specialties from the capital. Taste them and see if they suit your palate,” Madam Chen explained with a smile. Qi Yue nodded and casually picked up a couple of items. “Mmm, delicious,” she praised, her eyes bright. Madam Chen’s smile deepened. “Yes, you must like them,” she said, watching Qi Yue with evident delight. “Aunt, you eat too,” Qi Yue invited. Madam Chen nodded and ate slowly. Silence during meals; they finished quickly. Though the table was full, it looked largely untouched—but Qi Yue had eaten as much as she could. It was simply that Madam Chen had prepared too much. Fortunately, Madam Chen didn't mind; seeing her happy was enough, and she didn't press Qi Yue to clear the entire table.

“Is the accommodation acceptable?” Madam Chen asked as they left the dining hall and returned to the main reception area. “It’s very nice,” Qi Yue smiled. Madam Chen’s gaze swept around the room. “This was my father’s room,” she stated. Qi Yue was suddenly startled. That meant this was the most honored space in the entire household! Madam Chen had let her stay here?

“Like you, I never met my father,” Madam Chen continued. Qi Yue was somewhat surprised. She didn't know if Qi Yue Niang had met her father, but did Madam Chen not have a father either? “I was posthumous,” Madam Chen turned to Qi Yue and smiled faintly. “My father passed away while my mother was carrying me.” “That is truly regrettable,” Qi Yue said, offering a measure of comfort. “Mother said she was already quite old when she raised me. She hadn't planned on having more children, but Father had always wanted a daughter,” Madam Chen turned back to look around the room, her hand stroking the tables and chairs as she spoke softly. “Father was already in his forties then. When the imperial physician diagnosed it as a girl, he was overjoyed…”

Qi Yue followed her, realizing Madam Chen must also be in her forties now. Recalling a father she had never met must be a sorrowful thing; listening quietly was the best comfort at such a moment. “Mother said that Father spent every day in the study naming me—unlike my two older brothers, whose names were chosen by Grandfather,” Madam Chen recounted, turning back to smile at Qi Yue. “Fathers always dote on their daughters,” Qi Yue smiled too. She thought of her own father. Even with two daughters at home, her father’s love was abundant. She wondered if her father could bear it when he learned of her death. She lowered her head, masking a flicker of sadness.

Madam Chen didn't notice, her attention returning to the room, as if seeking her father's presence there. “Father had chosen a name for me: Xue (Snow),” she continued, laughing softly to herself. “Everyone teased him, saying that after so much thought, he chose such a simple name.” Qi Yue looked up and smiled slightly. “But I love it. Xue Niang, Chen Xue—how lovely it sounds,” Madam Chen mused. Qi Yue nodded in agreement. “After naming me, Father went out,” Madam Chen said. “And he never returned.” The topic abruptly shifted, leaving Qi Yue momentarily taken aback. Madam Chen then walked back to the central hall, looking up at the blank plaque above. The smile had completely left her face. “Not even his body returned; there is only a cenotaph in the ancestral graves,” she stated, word by word, her gaze fixed intensely on the plaque. “But, Father must have been delighted. He died where he belonged, unlike these…” Her words cut off sharply there. “I will go home shortly. You can rest here, or go out and play as you wish,” she said, turning to smile at Qi Yue. The change in subject was so rapid that Qi Yue could barely keep up. (To be continued) No pop-up novel network www.RT