Chapter 69: Birthday Feast

Third day of eleventh month—bright sun—rare winter light—Old Madam Shen's seventieth grand feast.
General's house scrubbed inside out—public purse for new finery—east wing feast—quiet elegant—trimmed gardens—maids in clean ru skirts—graceful—great-house air at once.
Old Madam high in Rongjing Hall—many ladies and misses greeting. Shen house top martial clan—officials came for face—Ren Wanyun busy hosting.
Chen Ruoqiu held house keys now—but yearly birthdays always Ren's show—Ren better with great ladies—Chen bookish—Ren smooth—laughter filled Rongjing.
Shen Yuanbai clung Old Madam eating honey milk candy—ladies praised clever child—great future—Old Madam beaming—Ren's Qing cloud lifted.
Chen sour—all praise for Yuanbai and Shen Yuan abroad—third branch feared son talk—Chen years no son—only Yue—Shen Wan no interest elsewhere—Old Madam wanted concubines for Wan—refused—Old Madam blamed Chen—Ren favored.
"Where are First and Fifth Miss today?" Lady Yi smiled.
Ren received ladies—Yue with young misses—tea and cakes in garden—no Shen Miao or Shen Qing.
Ren and Old Madam faces dark—Chen lip curl.
Qing better—could see people—still swore shred Shen Miao—hidden—Ren comforted against suicide—Chen guessed—promise Shen Miao's miserable end.
Fifth heard Old Madam took Wei chart—turned wild—resist marriage—flee—Old Madam alarmed—Ren and Old Madam—stubborn shown—escape possible—Fifth must not slip—or swap with Qing fails.
From resist—locked ancestral hall—southwest corner—hidden—guards doubled—west yard maids—all four personal—deeds in Old Madam's fist—move one inch—maids die.
Days in hall—sutras—Ren grind pride—prevent accident—birthday—release might shock guests—agreed—Fifth absent.
Ren headache—years in great house—cannot read one girl—fool yet outplayed all on Qing—or loud flee threat—only lock.
Chen enjoyed Ren's face—smiled—"First Miss not well—appear for gift later. Fifth ill—wind—rash—might spread to young ladies—stay indoors."
Rash contagious—no one dares peek—girls love beauty—no risk.
Lady Jiang laughed—probe—"Busy wedding embroidery—won't see us—Ren must tend girls—marriage not delayed."
Wei Huang matches gossip—Shen never confirmed—who marries whom—blur—Jiang tested truth.
Ren flash—knew intent—smile—"Even embroidering—grandmother's birthday—filial duty—both unlucky ill—how absent?"
Soft deflect—admitted matches.
Veteran ladies heard—congratulations—Old Madam stroked Yuanbai—joy all round.
Qiushui Garden—young misses—chess leaf cards—pastries—chat.
"Yue—" Jiang Xiaoxuan—"sisters still unseen—truly ill?"
"Truly." Yue shook head—worry—"First better—Fifth worse—rash—maids infected—" head down—"you see no west yard maids today."
"Bai Wei understood—" many guards west—no one out—fear spread—Pei said plague towns isolate sick?"
"Exactly." Yue.
Yi touched shoulders—shiver—"Terrifying—don't catch."
"Relax—" Yue smiled—"avoid west—safe—see—I am fine?"
"Heart wide with such sister." Yi pout—"Fifth like disaster star—always trouble."
Feng Ning anger flash—held—muttered—"Recruiting hate for Shen Miao or herself—hypocrite." Meaning Yue.
Qin Qing beside Feng—proud—contempt at Yue.
Feng close to Fifth—Yue excluded—Qin beauty proud—Yue's rival—today host ignored Qin—pair sat together odd.
"Who knows if sick." Qin blunt—Feng—"Let's visit Fifth."
"No relation—you go." Qin refused—"West yard sealed—rash—you can't enter."
"Outrage—" Feng—"all granddaughters—why lock Fifth from birthday—like prison."
"Mind your business." Qin glance—"Not our affair."
Feng bit lip—glared at Yue in crowd.
No one saw shade—shadow flash—vanished in flowers.
Northwest Shen corner—waste yard—bad ground—weeds—abandoned—birds cats only.
Today—figures at wall.
Leader back to garden—arms folded—thinking. "Master—passed east wing—west yard guarded."
"Scouted—west outer guard only—experts at ancestral hall—perhaps—"
"Feint." Turned—handsome face—"thing is in Shen hall."