Chapter 1

My son returned from Yangzhou with a pregnant woman and brought her before me.

He pushed a cup of tea toward me. First, he wanted me to accept a daughter-in-law. Then he wanted me to hand over the storeroom keys.

“Chu Chu is carrying the Marquis household’s eldest legitimate grandson. She shouldn’t have to live under your disapproving gaze.”

The clan elder stroked his beard and chimed in.

“At your age, it’s time to let go. Money is just an earthly possession. You bring none into this world and take none with you when you die.”

“You’re an outsider by marriage. What kind of propriety is there in clinging to the Chu family’s estate?”

The entire hall nodded along. They had even prepared a list assigning each of them the shops they wanted.

It suddenly struck me that the rice I’d put on the table for twenty-one years might as well have been fed to dogs.

“Fine.”

I set down my teacup.

“If you all want me to hand it over, I will.”

Only, the person who received my share of the estate would have to change.

1

Chu Xing’s eyes lit up. He reached for the key ring at my waist.

I raised my hand and slapped his away with a sharp crack.

“What’s the rush?”

He clutched the back of his hand, his face darkening.

“You’ve already agreed. Why are you still putting on airs?”

Chu Chu hurriedly tugged at his sleeve.

“Your Lordship, please don’t. The Madam has managed the household for so many years. It’s only natural she feels at a loss now that she has nothing to do.”

She turned to me with a gentle smile.

“From now on, you can simply enjoy your retirement. I’ll take care of everything for you.”

I looked her over.

A plain dress, a silver hairpin, tears glistening at the corners of her eyes—and a piece of white jade hanging at her waist.

It was the coming-of-age gift I’d given Chu Xing.

“Take care of what, exactly?”

She looked frightened and lowered her head.

Chu Xing immediately stepped in front of her.

“Mother, you know what she means. Why make things difficult for her?”

“I don’t. Tell me.”

He slapped a list down on the table.

Six shops inside the city, two estates outside it, and two grain warehouses in the north and south.

Even the bank where I kept my silver had been recorded in meticulous detail.

“Hand all of these over to me. We can pay Chu Chu’s bride price out of them, too. As for your dowry, keep a little for your old age. The rest will belong to your grandson eventually anyway.”

I looked at the list and laughed.

“The child hasn’t even been born, and you’ve already worked out how to buy my coffin.”

The clan elder coughed.

“That’s not what we mean. Xing is the heir. He’ll inherit the title sooner or later, so naturally the family estate should belong to him. The branches of our clan helped prop up the Marquis household in the past. We deserve a share of the profits as well.”

“Third Uncle, which particular instance of help are you referring to?”

He was at a loss for words.

I held out my hand.

“Bring me the IOUs and investment agreements. I, Bai Yahan, will honor every debt.”

Fifth Aunt hurriedly said with a smile, “We’re all family. There’s no need to say things that will hurt our feelings.”

“You can take my money without hurting my feelings, but asking one question does?”

Her smile finally fell away.

My husband had been dead for only a year. The formal approval for Chu Xing to inherit the title hadn’t even been completed, yet they were already impatient.

When the Marquis household was in debt, I never took a single coin from the clan. Now that the shops were making money, they all seemed to consider themselves owners.

Chu Xing was losing patience.

“Why must you keep track of every little thing? I’m grown now. You don’t have to arrange every part of my life!”

I studied him for a moment.

“Fine. Starting today, your monthly allowance is cut off. You’re an adult. Earn your own money.”

He jerked his head up.

“You’re throwing a tantrum!”

“You want to be the master of your own affairs. I’m granting your wish.”

Chu Chu held her belly, her voice trembling.

“But what will the baby eat?”

I looked at Chu Xing.

“Ask him. Isn’t he about to become a father?”

The hall finally fell quiet.

I took back the list and told them that the assets would have to be settled against the deeds and account books. Ten days from now, we would meet in this very hall and transfer everything in front of everyone.

Chu Xing still wanted to argue, but the clan elder stopped him.

“Let your mother think it over. It’s not as if she can take all that property down into her coffin.”

I didn’t answer.

After leaving the main hall, I took off the key ring and handed it to Chunxiu, the maid who had served me for twenty years.

“Bring out the chest with my property deeds.”

Her eyes reddened.

“Madam, are you really giving it all away?”

“I am.”

“Also bring me a copy of the Ministry of Revenue’s public notice calling for donations to the relief effort.”

2

At the bottom of the deed chest lay an old padded jacket.

When Chu Xing was little, he was always cold. Other children wore one layer of cotton, but he needed two.

I ran my fingers over the sleeve. There was a crooked line of mending. It was from the first time he had tried to write my name. He’d splashed ink all over it, then begged me not to throw it away.

“Mother, keep it. I’ll take care of you when I grow up.”

Seeing me pause, Chunxiu said softly, “The heir is only being foolish for the moment. Once the baby is born…”

“Then he’ll need land for the child. And a house for the child.”

I folded the jacket neatly and placed it back at the bottom of the chest.

“He’ll have another child after this one.”

The words I hadn’t had the heart to throw away—after all these years, it turned out I was the only one who still remembered them.

By the time the steward, Xu Cheng, arrived, I had spread all the deeds across the table.

On one side were the account books for my original dowry from my father. On the other were the properties I had bought over the years with the profits from my business.

Every deed bore my name.

Back when my father-in-law was still alive, I had worried the clan would fight over these newly acquired properties. I had deliberately asked the authorities to draw up clear deeds separating them. That precaution from years ago now spared me a great deal of argument.

“Put the commercial properties in a separate ledger. Value my original dowry according to the old records, then donate half of it. Don’t fold the properties I bought later into the dowry as well—that would count them twice.”

Xu Cheng looked up.

“Where would you like to donate it, Madam?”

“The state treasury.”

There had been a drought in the Northwest this year. The court had posted a public notice soliciting money and property. They would accept silver, as well as income-producing farmland and shops. The local authorities would examine the deeds, then the Ministry of Revenue would review them before accepting anything.

I told him to bring the detailed ledgers and go with me to submit the donation.

“Leave the residence granted to the Marquis household and its ancestral sacrificial fields untouched. I won’t take what belongs to others and use it to curry favor with the court.”

Xu Cheng reviewed the list from beginning to end, then stopped at the South Warehouse.

“This warehouse needs to be investigated.”

I looked at him.

“Why?”

“Old Du, the warehouse keeper, reported that at the beginning of the seventh month someone came with a letter from the heir and changed the locks. He said the warehouse had been sold. I asked the deputy steward, and he said he had your approval.”

I rolled the brush between my fingers and said nothing.

I had only allowed Chu Xing to travel south to audit the accounts and collect debts from three shops.

I had never given him permission to sell a warehouse.

Xu Cheng brought over another account book.

The three shops had remitted twelve thousand taels, recorded as a purchase of new grain—but there wasn’t a single receipt showing that any grain had entered the warehouse.

I turned to the last page.

The signature at the bottom was Chu Xing’s.

“First, remove the South Warehouse from the donation list and mark it as disputed. Secure the original deed and have the buyer bring the approval letter for comparison. Trace the shop revenue through the bank records. Don’t alert the recipient.”

Chunxiu was so angry her lips trembled.

I, on the other hand, gradually grew calm.

He hadn’t just started eyeing my money today.

He had already spent it—and come back to force me to take responsibility for the debt.

Over the next few days, the authorities sent people to inspect the land and shops. I signed off on every item. First, I paid all the outstanding wages at the shops and included the pawn receipts and rental agreements.

That way, when I handed everything over, no one could use other people’s livelihoods to make me look generous.

Xu Cheng also wrote to the merchants in Yangzhou. He was to find out which inns Chu Xing had stayed in, whom he had met, and who had cashed the bank drafts—then have the people who were directly involved come forward and answer for it.

On the ninth night, the first reply arrived.

Chunxiu opened it. She had only read two lines when she cried out.

“Madam, this…”

I took the letter and looked again at the cash-disbursement slip Chu Xing had left in the accounts room on the day he departed.

I placed the two papers side by side. The wick crackled softly.

I folded the letter.

“Set out two extra chairs for tomorrow.”

3

On the tenth day, Chu Chu arrived even earlier than the clan elder.

She had changed into a deep-red dress. Holding Chu Xing’s arm, she came before me and began to kneel.

“Mother, please have some tea.”

I did not accept it.

Chu Xing reached out to support her arm and frowned at me.

“She’s heavily pregnant. How long are you going to keep making things difficult for her?”

“Did I tell her to kneel?”

He faltered at my question.

Chu Chu hurriedly said, “I chose to do it myself. Since Madam won’t drink the tea, I understand. You think I’m beneath you.”

She lowered her eyes, and a tear fell onto the tea tray.

“But the child in my belly is innocent.”

Fifth Aunt quickly helped her up.

“Look how sensible she is. Niece, if you keep acting spoiled, then you’re the elder who lacks compassion.”

I watched her hand reach toward my key box.

“Fifth Aunt, do you need to open my box just to help her up?”

Her hand froze in midair. Embarrassed, she pulled it back.

The clan elder entered, leaning on his cane, followed by several male cousins. Each had brought a servant carrying account books.

Anyone who didn’t know better might have thought they were dividing their ancestors’ estate today.

Chu Xing helped Chu Chu into my chair, then pushed another chair near the door.

“Mother, sit over there. Chu Chu is sensitive to drafts.”

That was the seat I had occupied for twenty years.

Chunxiu was about to speak, but I pressed her hand down.

I wanted to see just how far they would go.

Chu Chu rubbed her belly and asked quietly, “Is the South Warehouse on the list too?”

Chu Xing’s expression tightened, but he answered at once. “Of course.”

“Then I won’t ask for too much. I’ll just take the two silk shops by the river, North Estate, and…”

Her fingertip slid down the page.

Fifth Aunt couldn’t help leaning closer. “North Estate is hard to manage. Fourth in our branch knows farming best. Why not let him help you?”

“Then, as for the crops harvested later…”

The two of them actually began discussing how to divide the rental income right in front of me.

I lifted my teacup and took a sip.

“Have you finished deciding?”

Chu Chu pulled her hand back as if burned, tears welling in her eyes again.

“Madam, please don’t misunderstand. I only wanted to share the heir’s burdens.”

“You’ve only just come through the door, yet you already know which shops are by the river. You certainly did your homework.”

Chu Xing slammed his hand on the table.

“That’s enough! You can’t resent her everywhere just because she’s younger than you!”

The room fell silent for a moment.

I set down my teacup. My voice was so soft that even I was surprised by it.

“Chu Xing, say that again.”

The veins in his neck stood out, but he still refused to back down.

“Was I wrong? You’ve monopolized the household authority, and you won’t even give her a proper status. She isn’t trying to take the position of Marchioness away from you!”

“Then whose seat did you just tell me to give up?”

He opened his mouth to answer.

The clan elder hurriedly tapped his cane.

“What’s there to argue over a woman’s seat? Hand over the property first. We can talk about everything else later.”

I looked at him.