Chapter 5: In This World, Among Men, The Pure Are Few And The Impure Are Many

“So many years have passed—if I were to tell it all, it would be a long story.”

Tao Momo began from the day Concubine Jin entered the household. She and a few other matrons had been assigned to the Danyue Pavilion from the very beginning, so she remembered clearly how Concubine Jin had lived in the Xie family.

Concubine Jin was beautiful—an archetypal southern beauty, with delicate features and a refined air. Who in the world doesn’t love a beautiful woman? Master Xie Xu, though a military man, was well-read and skilled in writing, no less than a scholar. Concubine Jin, though from a modest background, was also literate and wrote beautifully. Because of this, she was especially favored by the master.

Every love story begins well. In the first two years after she entered the household, the two were inseparable. Their affection was deep and tender—words could hardly do it justice. But when one enjoys too much favor, jealousy is inevitable. At that time, the master already had a wife and two concubines, all of whom had borne children. Concubine Jin, alone in the deep halls of the residence, suffered many silent grievances in places the master could not see.

“It would have been bearable if that were all,” Tao Momo sighed, “but the master’s affections didn’t last. Back then, he hadn’t yet taken up his post in Jiannan Circuit and was still serving as a military commander in Shengzhou. People trying to curry favor sent him Concubine Xia, who was skilled in singing and dancing. Slowly, Concubine Jin fell out of favor.”

Tao Momo shook her head repeatedly. “People say that in grand households, the struggle for favor among wives and concubines is deadly—and it’s true. Concubine Xia soon became pregnant and gave birth to Third Young Lady. But after her confinement, she began complaining of stomach pains and died within half a year. Later, a banned herb known as Xiamaxian¹ was found in her medicinal soup. The master investigated, and little by little, the clues pointed to Concubine Jin. A young maid even testified that Concubine Jin had once asked someone to buy that herb under the pretense of needing it to reduce swelling. She couldn’t defend herself and was ultimately expelled from the Xie household.”

Qingyuan sat there, listening quietly, her hands and feet growing cold. “Why would my mother harm Concubine Xia? Was it really just to compete for favor?”

Tao Momo replied, “That’s what they said. In a household like this, all the wives and concubines live for the master’s favor. But think about it, miss—your mother was so beautiful. Couldn’t she have risen again one day? Forgive my bluntness, but a woman who hasn’t borne children is always different from one who has. The master had no shortage of heirs. In the end, he would have returned to the Danyue Pavilion.”

“If that’s the case, then it makes even less sense for my mother to have killed Concubine Xia,” Qingyuan said after a long silence. “The most favored ones—one dead, one cast out. With the thorns in their side removed, peace returned to the household. What a perfect plan—two birds with one stone.”

Tao Momo gave a helpless smile. In a grand household, traps lay everywhere. Those with deep roots couldn’t be removed, but newcomers without backing were easily crushed.

Qingyuan’s mind was in turmoil. Her fingers twisted the handkerchief tightly, so much so that her knuckles turned white. She couldn’t fathom how her mother had been condemned so hastily. Just some dregs of medicine in Concubine Xia’s tonic and the testimony of a single maid—and her mother was branded a murderess and expelled from the Xie family without a chance to defend herself. If her mother hadn’t unknowingly been pregnant, Qingyuan herself might never have been born.

She was swept into the whirlpool of the past, gritting her teeth. “If she really killed someone, she should have paid with her life. Why was she only expelled? It doesn’t make sense.”

Tao Momo replied, “Most likely, it was to protect the family’s reputation. The Xie family has been part of the gentry for generations. If the case had gone to the authorities and caused a public scandal, the master’s name would have been tarnished. So they told outsiders that Concubine Xia died from taking the wrong medicine. But how could they silence all the gossip? Rumors still spread. The master originally wanted to have Concubine Jin executed, but it was the madam who pleaded for her life. That’s the only reason she survived.”

Qingyuan let out a long sigh. Only now did she realize who the cleverest person in the household had been—Madam Hu. Xie Xu had truly loved her mother. If he had killed her in a fit of rage, he would surely regret it once he calmed down. And when people regret, they often grow resentful. Anyone who had stood by and said nothing at the time would become a target of that resentment. Madam Hu understood this clearly. So she chose to play the good person, earning herself a reputation for kindness. After all, once her mother was expelled, there was no way she could return—the old madam would never allow it.

Thus, to be a concubine was to live a life where life and death hung by a thread. No wonder everyone aspired to be the official wife. If even great favor couldn’t last, it was better to secure a proper position and suppress those who came after.

Qingyuan slowly released her hands. A gentle breeze drifted in through the gaps in the bamboo blinds, and her mind gradually cleared. She steadied herself and asked, “That maid who testified against my mother—where is she now?”

Tao Momo replied, “After your mother was expelled, the gates of the Danyue Pavilion were sealed. The servants who had worked there were reassigned throughout the estate. I really don’t know where she ended up.”

Baoxian, who had been listening quietly, saw the unyielding look on her mistress’s face and gently advised, “Try to let it go, miss. So many years have passed. If that maid really was ordered to falsely accuse your mother, she was likely either killed or sold off far away. She wouldn’t still be anywhere near Shengzhou.”

Qingyuan felt a deep ache in her heart. She stood and began pacing the room in a daze, murmuring, “I just want to know who was behind it all—who made my mother suffer such injustice.”

Two lives had been lost—one after the other—at the hands of that person. And now, Qingyuan still had to carry the burden of a crime falsely pinned on her mother, living with that shame. The more she thought about it, the more unbearable it felt.

Tao Momo considered for a moment and said, “Please don’t be too anxious, miss. Let me think of a way. I’ve been in this household for over thirty years—I still know a few people. I’ll ask around. Maybe I can find something out.” She paused, then glanced at Qingyuan’s expression and added, “But I must also advise you—life is full of storms. Though this old matter is deeply painful, you must take care of yourself. Even if you find out who it was, what then? The madam and the other concubines’ children are all grown now. For their sake, the master won’t pursue it any further.”

Qingyuan nodded. “I understand. You don’t need to worry.”

She only wanted to uncover the truth. As for what to do afterward—that would be her decision.

Tao Momo gave a respectful bow and quietly withdrew. Baoxian, seeing her mistress standing dazed by the lattice window, softly called, “You woke up early today, and there’s nothing urgent now. Why not rest for another half hour?”

Qingyuan didn’t respond. She continued to stand there in a daze. Outside, the wind had scattered the morning mist, and the sky had become clear and bright. She focused her gaze for a while, then finally turned away and said, “It’s time to prepare Grandmother’s medicine.”

She stepped out of the Danyue Pavilion and headed toward the corridor outside Huifang Garden. Baoxian followed behind, puzzled—if the old madam didn’t appreciate her efforts, why did she still go to such lengths?

The little maid in charge of tending the fire saw her coming again and quickly stood up with a respectful bow, holding a palm fan. She was just about to ask Fourth Young Lady to rest when she heard her say, “I’ll prepare the medicine. Once it’s done, you can take it to Yuejian and have her deliver it to Grandmother.”

The little maid hesitated before replying, still puzzled. In a household full of masters and young ladies, most didn’t even bother to pretend at filial piety—let alone actually do anything. But Fourth Young Lady was different. She didn’t seek credit, quietly squatting there to tend the fire and add herbs.

Yet this dull task, with a beauty involved, seemed to carry a touch of grace. The little maid watched her move with calm precision—her wrist turning the fan, her hand adjusting the coals—so naturally and beautifully. A child’s heart doesn’t think too deeply, but she couldn’t help sighing inwardly: whoever marries Fourth Young Lady in the future must be like an immortal. In this world, among men, the pure are few and the impure many—that man would need a heart as clear as crystal not to be frightened off by Concubine Jin’s tarnished name.

With a soft pop, a coal in the brazier cracked, sending up a few blue sparks. Qingyuan, using a cloth to protect her hand, lifted the lid and checked the decoction. The medicine was boiling, and she could see the dregs settling at the bottom. She moved the pot aside and placed it on a green brick.

As she was pouring the medicine into a bowl, Yuequan arrived and smiled. “Why must you do this yourself, Fourth Young Lady? You’re letting these little maids grow lazy.”

The little maid muttered in protest, “I did tell her not to trouble herself…”

Yuequan gave her a look, and the maid immediately fell silent and stepped aside.

As the old madam’s chief maid, Yuequan carried considerable authority. Qingyuan filled the bowl, covered it with a lid, and smiled. “I was idle anyway. Doing something keeps me from growing sluggish. The medicine is ready—please take it to Grandmother.”

Yuequan hesitated. “Why don’t you deliver it yourself?”

Qingyuan still smiled. “Grandmother, like you, would rather I spend my time reading and practicing calligraphy…”

Before she could finish speaking, someone in the alley behind her picked up the conversation. The voice was lazy and malicious, dragging out the words: ‘Sister Yuequan, you’d better be careful. What if someone added something else to the medicine? If the old lady ends up in trouble, you won’t be able to escape responsibility.’

Qingyuan turned her head and saw that Qingru and Qingrong had arrived. Qingru was holding a scroll of xuan paper—likely the copied Precepts for Women she had been punished to transcribe, now brought to report to the old madam. Qingrong accompanied her, and every time she saw Qingyuan, it was as if she were facing her mother’s murderer—her eyes filled with a hatred so intense it seemed she wished Qingyuan dead.

If she hadn’t heard what Nanny Tao said, she wouldn’t have known what happened fourteen years ago. Qingrong’s barbed words would have made her feel uncomfortable—perhaps indignant and wronged, perhaps ready to clash head-on. But now that she knows the truth behind it all, she feels calm instead. Only deep within her heart remains a hidden pain—untouchable, yet ever-present—something she can only endure in silence.

She gave a slight bow. “Second Sister, Third Sister.”

Qingrong was even more aggressive than Qingru. She showed no mercy, believing herself the victim—while in her eyes, Qingyuan was the sinner, someone who deserved to be trampled underfoot. She cast a disdainful glance at Qingyuan and sneered coldly, “I wouldn’t dare. With someone as formidable as you, who would dare call themselves your sister? When Grandmother and Madam discussed bringing you back, I said it then—you’d never want to return. Better to be a phoenix in a chicken coop than a toad in a golden nest.

“The Chen family may not be nobility, but at least life was comfortable. You had servants at your beck and call and were never mistreated. But look at you now—climbing high, forgetting the kindness of those who raised you, and choosing instead to bow your head in the Xie household, scrambling to do servant’s work. Tell me, is that really a better life?”

Qingrong’s words struck straight at the heart, sharp enough to cut to the bone. Qingru, standing to the side, was thoroughly enjoying the scene. She watched Qingyuan with schadenfreude, chuckling quietly at her misfortune.

The sisters’ behavior made it hard for anyone nearby to intervene. Everyone simply watched Qingyuan with unease.

Qingyuan’s expression remained calm. As usual, she handed the tray to Yuequan and placed a small begonia-patterned box beside it, reminding her that it was to be used after the old madam took her medicine.

Seeing that Qingyuan ignored her, Qingrong felt as if she had punched a cotton pillow—her anger only flared hotter. She turned to Qingru and said, “Second Sister, just look at her. Can you believe there are people like this? She’s being scolded right to her face and acts like nothing’s happening. I finally understand—like mother, like daughter. That saying couldn’t be more true.”

At this point, even Baoxian couldn’t bear to listen any longer and spoke up: “Third Miss, you can’t say things like that…”

Qingyuan gently tugged at her, then turned to Qingrong with a smile and said,
“Third Sister, I did say I wouldn’t come back, but I was afraid it would look bad if things escalated to the magistrate’s court. That’s why I entered the Xie household. Now that I’ve been home for over a month, I feel more and more that returning was the right choice—this is where my roots are.

“Every day I see Grandmother and Madam, and I feel a deep sense of closeness. My brothers treat me well, and my sisters all look after me. Even though I didn’t grow up at home, everyone still remembers the bond of blood. Naturally, they’re willing to be patient with me.”

Qingrong had originally hoped to provoke a quarrel and stir up trouble. Most people already disliked Qingyuan, and if things escalated, they would surely unite against her. But Qingyuan handled it with grace, turning the situation around with just a few calm words—boldly telling lies with a straight face. For a moment, Qingrong was left speechless.

Seeing that Qingyuan had things under control, Yuequan finally smiled and said,
“I’ll go deliver the medicine to the old madam. Are you young ladies here to see her? I’ll let her know, and you can go in shortly. Just now, she mentioned wanting to check on your studies. Fourth Miss, I assume you’ve finished copying the Admonitions for Women? Bring it along so she can take a look.”

And just like that, the tension was quietly defused. Qingyuan had no intention of getting entangled with them, so she took the opportunity to step away.

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¹ 下马仙 (Xiamaxian): A toxic herb in traditional Chinese lore, often associated with miscarriage or poisoning, especially in historical fiction.

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