Quick, Hubby, All Aboard

Xue Dongting knew that the maid was not Wanqing’s. She smiled and said, “Look at me, I forgot something really important! We have some incense at home that Yuming found on an island when he was out at sea. Its aroma fills the room when you burn it. I head the shopkeeper at the incense store in town say that the imperial family in the capital is in high demand for the stuff. I brought some for you, as well as Mother Zhang and Madame. I almost forgot about it!” She reached into her robe and took out three small celadon canisters. “It’s almost bedtime, so better to have them sent over now. If Mother Zhang and Madame like it then they can light it.” She cast a casual glance at the maidservant and signaled with her eyes to Wanqing.

Wanqing understood and laughed. “So thoughtful to bring such rare gifts. Mother Zhang and Madame will certainly like it.” She took two of the celadon canisters and said to the maid, “Rosecloud, take these canisters of incense and deliver them.”

The maid, Rosecloud, came forward and took the canisters. Xue Dongting smiled. “It’s called dragon saliva incense, in case they ask.”

Rosecloud assented with her head down and went out.

Xue Dongting moved away and opened the other celadon canister and said to Wanqing, “Big Sis, I know you don’t like incense. You can regift it to someone else later.”

Wanqing was puzzled. She had never said she didn’t like incense. She frowned. “The incense?”

Xue Dongting looked to the door the maid had just closed and smiled. “Song Yuming found it when he was out at sea. Legend has it that it’s the congealed saliva of a dragon, so it’s called dragon saliva incense.”

Wanqing clearly wasn’t asking about where the incense came from. She thought it over and realized Dongting had said that to guard against eavesdroppers and had been stalling. “It’s stuffy in here, open the window and let some air in.”

Xue Dongting went over and pushed open the window and a cool draft poured in. The moon shone brightly in the courtyard and the shadows of the old plum trees were swaying. There was not a soul in the elegant little courtyard and a delicate scent of wintersweet wafted in the air. She laughed. “What a nice, quite little courtyard.!”

“What is it you wanted to say?” Wanqing said softly.

Xue Dongting gently shut the window and turned to Wanqing. “Big Sis, don’t come in contact with any incense in the future, and don’t eat anything Lady Yu sends you.”

Wanqing was taken aback. She had no idea what Xue Dongting was talking about.

Xue Dongting stepped up and took hold of Wanqing’s wrist, her fingers pressing on her pulse, checking. She whispered, “Big Sis, you’re already three months or so pregnant.”

Wanqing was dumbstruck at once. “What… What did you say?”

Xue Dongting looked at her. “There’s no mistake… Did you not have any inkling at all?”

Wanqing collected herself and said, “My period’s always been irregular, so I didn’t think anything of it. I never thought that…” She put a hand on her belly, her brows furrowed with worry. She didn’t look the least bit happy.

“Lady Yu won’t tolerate this child,” Xue Dongting said flatly.

Wanqing nodded but said nothing.

“That maid, Rosecloud, is she one of Lady Yu’s?”

“Mm,” Wanqing said. “She tends to me every day. I likely won’t be able to keep it from her.”

“What’s she like? Can she be trusted?”

“That girl is clever, but she’s not a bad person. I once tried to win her over, but to no avail.”

Xue Dongting frowned. “Lady Yu is mean, why would Rosecloud be willing to be ordered about? Does she harbor some secret or vulnerability that Lady Yu is taking advantage of to keep her under her thumb?”