The stars are so bright.

Madam Qian wore an expression of deep unease, but after a moment’s deliberation, she steeled herself. After all, as a mere housemaid, how could she contend with those people?

She drew a long breath and spoke in a low voice, “Madam, there is indeed something I must tell you. You see, I’ve always been in charge of the meals for this courtyard. Unless the Old Madam sends over food, I go to the main kitchen with others at every mealtime to fetch our share. There was no problem at first, but as time went on, I realized something was wrong.”

“Oh? Tell me more.” Ning Qian’s interest was instantly piqued. Could it be that the people in the main kitchen were taking liberties with their food? Yet, no matter what, she was still the Third Madam of the Yu family. Surely, even the servants would understand to show her proper respect.

Madam Qian scratched her head. “Madam, I watched you grow up. Though you wished for me to accompany you as part of your dowry, I truly wanted to come. It is my duty to look after your affairs with all my heart. But here, I am just a lowly second-class maid. My words carry little weight—even providing good food for you is a struggle.” With that, she let out a long, dejected sigh.

She recalled how comfortable life had been in the Ning household. Although the Yu family was also a prominent clan, life here seemed so much harsher.

Madam Qian’s litany of complaints boiled down to this: she no longer enjoyed the comforts she’d once had in the Yu household. She must have suffered some grievance, or she would never have come to pour out her heart like this. She was not one to chatter idly, and Ning Qian knew this well. After a moment’s thought, she smiled and said, “Has someone upset you, Madam Qian? If so, they ought to be ashamed. Judging by what you’ve said, it seems the main kitchen is at fault?”

“Madam, to serve you is my duty, no matter the hardship. But I feel for your sake. For some reason, the main kitchen seems most dissatisfied with our courtyard. Whenever I go to fetch food, they treat me with utter indifference. Worse, we are always given whatever is left after everyone else has been served. Just yesterday, I saw they had prepared chestnut-braised chicken, a dish you particularly enjoy. I asked them to send a portion over, but they claimed it had been reserved for the Second Madam. There was an entire pot—how could one person eat so much? Clearly, their behavior towards us is deliberate.”

Shuni widened her eyes. “Madam Qian, you’re absolutely right. They are obviously treating us differently.”

“Indeed! Madam, you are the Third Madam of the Yu family—your status is no less than theirs. You are simply too kind, too gentle. That’s why they take advantage.”

Ning Qian burst out laughing. “Madam Qian, I know you have my best interests at heart. Truly, their behavior has been excessive. Perhaps they see me as newly arrived and think to test my boundaries. Nianyu, go fetch ten taels of silver for Madam Qian. Since she’s just come, there are many matters to smooth over. Madam Qian, use the money as you see fit.”

Madam Qian bowed her head at once. “Madam, forgive me for troubling you.”

“Nonsense. You belong to me—I cannot stand by and let others mistreat you. For now, let’s keep a low profile. You know my ways: I do not provoke unless provoked. But if they ever cross the line, I won’t let it pass, even if you say nothing.”

With those words, Madam Qian felt greatly reassured, her spirits revived. “Yes, Madam. With your support, that is more than enough. I’ll go now and see to the matter at once.”

“Very well, off you go,” Ning Qian waved her hand nonchalantly.

Time flew swiftly by. In the blink of an eye, Ning Qian had been married into the Yu family for over a month. By now, she had mostly adapted to life here. Though it was not as comfortable as in her maiden home, it was still bearable. In truth, as long as one’s expectations were not too high, life could be tolerable anywhere.

The Yu family compound was vast. When she had nothing to do, Ning Qian would stroll around with Nianyu. With time, however, she discovered that certain places were forbidden, such as the so-called Shu Yin Court. Once, she and Nianyu merely approached it and were immediately turned away. It seemed that in such grand households, all manner of strange rules abounded.

Under the silvery moonlight, Ning Qian stood absent-mindedly in the courtyard, gazing up at the sky. The moon’s glow lent her skin an ethereal softness, and as the night breeze fluttered her skirts, she seemed almost ready to soar away with the wind.

This was the sight that greeted Yu Ziqi as he entered. His heart gave a sudden, violent thump, and the tension in his face softened. What does a man long for when he returns home, if not this warmth and serenity?

“What are you thinking about?” he asked.

Ning Qian started, clutching her chest, and blurted out, “Can you not walk so silently?”

Hearing her cry, Nianyu and Shuni hurried out. “Madam, what’s wrong?” they asked in unison. On seeing Yu Ziqi, they bowed their heads and withdrew.

Yu Ziqi cleared his throat and headed inside. “Go fetch the meal,” he said, as if he had not just heard Ning Qian’s outburst.

Waving her hand at Nianyu and Shuni, Ning Qian hurried after Yu Ziqi. She helped him out of his outer robe and brought a damp cloth for him to wash his face. “I—I was just…”

“Hmm, I hadn’t realized your voice was so loud. By the way, what were you doing out in the courtyard?”

“Oh, nothing. Just looking at the moon.”

“Looking at the moon?” Yu Ziqi raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. Had this woman learned to wear a mask too?

Ning Qian gave a sheepish smile. “The moon is lovely tonight, so I stepped outside for a bit.” What else could she say—that she was simply bored out of her mind?

Suddenly, Yu Ziqi stood up and walked outside without a word. Ning Qian stared after him in confusion. What was wrong with him tonight? “Master, the meal is ready. Are you going out now?”

“The moonlight is so fine tonight—let’s have dinner outdoors. Eating by moonlight might be a pleasant change.”

“Are you serious?” Ning Qian’s eyes widened. This man was acting very strangely tonight.

“Of course.”

Ning Qian fell silent. Since he was making an effort to be cordial, she saw no reason to object.

He drew her into his arms, and together they stood beneath the pavilion in the courtyard, gazing up at the moon. Suddenly, Yu Ziqi asked, “When people die, do they really become stars in the sky?”

Ning Qian was dumbfounded. Why was this man so odd tonight? Wasn’t this the sort of tale women told children? If he asked such a question, how could she possibly answer?

“My lady, the stars are so bright tonight.”

“Master, are you quite all right?”

Yu Ziqi turned to her with a gentle smile. “It’s nothing. The beauty of the night has simply made me a little sentimental.”

“Are you troubled by something, Master?”

“No, don’t fret.”

“Oh.” Ning Qian shrugged indifferently. If he didn’t wish to share, she wouldn’t pry.

“Madam, the table is ready,” Nianyu whispered, approaching at that moment.

“Very well, I’m coming.” Ning Qian turned to Yu Ziqi. “Master, you must be tired. Let’s eat.”

“Yes.”

Following him, Ning Qian couldn’t help but mutter inwardly: this man was behaving so strangely, as if possessed by a woman’s moodiness. Had she not known otherwise, she might have suspected he had some hidden inclination.

[End of chapter.]