Xiqiu nodded slightly. She wasn’t surprised that Fifth Madam had dealings with Tong Xiyang and Madam Jiang as well. She nodded and said, "You’ve worked hard."

Tiancheng smiled in reply and turned to leave. Suddenly something came to him; he looked back at Xiqiu, a little uncertain, and said, "As I was leaving, an old woman came in through the side gate. I didn’t think much of it at the time, but she looked somewhat familiar, like I’d seen her somewhere before. I just couldn’t recall for the moment."

"An old woman?" Xiqiu straightened up and asked, "Could she be one of the mamas serving by some Madam in a manor?"

Tiancheng nodded as well and replied, "That’s what I thought too." He just felt she might be one of those old women who follow by carriage at some Madam’s side, someone he’d seen somewhere and found familiar. He’d been hesitating just now whether to report it to Xiqiu.

Xiqiu didn’t take it to heart either. Since Fifth Madam was lending out Qian at interest, it was only natural that there would be many such old women coming and going at her place; nothing strange about it.

While they were talking, Fourth Master Xiao happened to come in. Xiqiu went up to greet him. Seeing Tiancheng there as well, Fourth Master Xiao asked, "What are you talking about?" In front of Tiancheng, Xiqiu answered, "I sent Tiancheng to take a look at Fifth Brother’s manor."

Fourth Master Xiao raised an eyebrow, looked at Xiqiu, and asked, "Why are you going to inquire into Fifth Brother’s affairs?"

Seeing the couple speaking, Tiancheng bowed and withdrew. Xiqiu sat down opposite Fourth Master Xiao and told him about Fifth Madam’s matter from beginning to end: "...Back then the interest Qian that Jiang Shilin took was put out by her. This thing can be big or small; I don’t know what she’s capable of doing, so I paid extra attention to it."

Fourth Master Xiao frowned as he listened, his expression turning displeased. "She has income from shops and fields, and the Silver allotted to them when they split off was enough for her and Fifth to live on for the rest of their lives!" Clearly he was very unhappy about Fifth Madam lending out Qian at interest.

"We don’t even know whether Fifth Young Master knows about this. Do you think we should talk it over with him?"

Fourth Master Xiao set down his teacup, nodded in anger, and said, "Leave this matter alone. Tomorrow I’ll go talk to Fifth myself." Xiqiu was afraid he’d again rain curses down on Xiao Yanting, who would swallow his grievance and then go home to have another big quarrel and fight with Fifth Madam; if things blew up it would look bad. She advised, "Don’t scold Fifth Brother. I don’t think he necessarily knows about this. As long as Fifth Sister-in-law stops, let it go."

Fourth Master Xiao’s gaze paused for a moment. After a brief silence he still nodded as she said and replied, "I know." The next day, when he saw Xiao Yanting, he still couldn’t hold back and gave him a thorough scolding. Xiao Yanting was also greatly shocked when he heard about Fifth Madam’s lending Qian at interest. Feeling guilty, he hung his head and didn’t dare speak. When Fourth Master Xiao finished and he went back to his own manor, he did indeed quarrel with Fifth Madam.

Fifth Madam, furious and aggrieved, pointed at Xiao Yanting and cursed, "One moment you’re buying a painting, another you’re buying a writing brush, and you still go out carousing with your disreputable friends from time to time. If I weren’t lending out Qian at interest, this household would have collapsed long ago!"

Xiao Yanting frowned and shouted angrily, "When we split from the family, the Silver Mother gave us was enough to spend for a lifetime. Even if you did nothing, we still wouldn’t starve. Don’t use this to fool me. You know perfectly well where the Qian you earn goes. The Qian you send to Tongzhou every month is more than what our whole family spends, isn’t it? I haven’t even reproached you for that, but you still can’t go and do something like this. If word gets out, where am I supposed to put my face?"

"Ha!" Fifth Madam slapped the table and retorted, "You still think you’re the Fifth Young Master of the Marquis Mansion? I’m telling you, you stopped being that long ago. You worry about your face and the Marquis Mansion’s face—when have they ever cared about you? Always trying to plaster gold on your own face." 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

Her words left Xiao Yanting choked with rage for quite a while. He stood up and swept the teacups and porcelain dishes on the table to the floor, where they crashed and clattered. "How can you be so heartless? Has Sheng been raised by you these past years? When have you ever cared about him? All you know is how to show yourself off outside all day. Go out and look around—what Madam of any household is as shameless as you?"

"You—!" Fifth Madam lunged at him. "I’m heartless? I say you’re the heartless one. I work hard managing this household, and you dare say I’m shameless. Are you even a man?"

The couple had another bout of shouting and scuffling. Sheng stood at the door, his face darkening, then turned and ran back to the Marquis Mansion.

Fifth Madam was so angry she cried and wailed. Then she remembered Old Madam Shen’s words. Gritting her teeth, she said to Xiao Yanting, "If you won’t be merciful, don’t blame me for being unjust!" After she finished, she shoved Xiao Yanting out of the room with all her strength. "Get out!" She shut the door and broke down sobbing.

Tiancheng hurried back to the inner courtyard. Xiqiu was just walking with Zhi. Startled, she looked at him and asked, "What’s wrong?"

"Madam, I remembered where I’ve seen that old woman." Tiancheng spoke somewhat excitedly. Hearing this, Xiqiu paused for a moment, then realized what he was referring to and asked, "Mm, tell me."

Tiancheng hesitated for a moment, then said, "That old woman is a carriage woman from the Shen Mansion. Once, when Madam Shen came to our manor, it was her who followed with the carriage in the outer courtyard. It’s been two years, and I only saw her that one time, so at the time I just felt she looked familiar and couldn’t recall it at once."

An old woman from the Shen Mansion—what was she doing going to Fifth Madam?

Xiqiu’s expression gradually darkened. Fifth Madam made wide acquaintances outside, but only among some small households in the Capital; she dealt mostly with other women. The noble families of merit had always kept their distance from her because of the Teng Family affair. And since Fifth Young Master was of concubine birth to begin with, there was still a layer of distance when they spoke. When had she started having dealings with the Shen Mansion?

"Go and investigate carefully what exactly that old woman went to see Fifth Madam about." Now that it involved the Shen Mansion, she had no choice but to take it very seriously.

Tiancheng answered, "I understand." Then he turned and strode out again. Zhi tugged at Xiqiu and asked, "Did something happen at Big Brother’s manor?" Xiqiu shook her head with a smile. "Yes, but it’s nothing big." Then mother and son continued their walk. As they walked, Zhi asked, "Mother, how much longer until the school opens? When is Mr. Ji coming back?"

Mr. Ji had gone back to his hometown before the New Year for the holidays. Xiqiu had given him a month and a half of leave; by her count he should be back soon.

That evening Tiancheng returned to report to Xiqiu. Fourth Master Xiao happened to be there as well, so he gave a detailed account: "I’ve made my inquiries. That old woman has gone there twice in total. The first time was on the eighteenth, the afternoon of the day Lord Jiang died. Fifth Madam even got into her carriage. The carriage circled around the city a few times and then went to the Shen Mansion. She stayed in the Shen Mansion for an hour and a half before coming out." He paused, then added, "But I haven’t been able to find out exactly what they talked about."

Xiqiu and Fourth Master Xiao exchanged a look. They hadn’t expected things to reach this point. How had Fifth Madam ended up secretly meeting with people from the Shen Mansion? Xiqiu said, "You’ve already done very well. Thank you."

Tiancheng replied somewhat embarrassedly, "The carriage woman at the Shen Mansion is fond of drink... I was just lucky." In private, they would also have some contact with the carriage drivers and stewards of various manors. They were close to some and not others, but they were very clear on each person’s temperament and background. As the saying goes, one may deceive those above but not those below. No matter how big or small the matter, these people saw it all and were sometimes even clearer than their masters.