The stirring strings gave way to the plaintive, elegant tones of a shakuhachi flute. Qiqian’er had by now met a whole circle of household-managing matrons, and had, on the whole, made a fairly good impression.

She knew well that after that day of wailing mourners, her own reputation hadn’t come out unscathed. But the reputations of the two senior matrons of the Chang household weren’t much better either — after all, in all of Yanjing, theirs was the only household where a wife actually took a blade to her husband.

Because of this, families willing to tolerate Chai Shi tended, for the most part, to be broad-minded themselves. As the old saying goes, birds of a feather flock together — everyone here was more or less similarly big-hearted, and so socializing among them wasn’t much of a strain.

With the Chang family’s Old Madam making introductions, Qiqian’er did indeed make the acquaintance of a few matrons she rather liked.

Patiently feigning enjoyment of the shakuhachi music, she waited as the Chang family’s servants brought over several plates of peony blossoms for Qiqian’er to choose from. Not being skilled at flower arrangement, she simply took a pink one and held it, just to fit the occasion.

Once the servants carrying the flowers withdrew, the household-managing matrons of each family, reading the room, each found some excuse related to flower-viewing and slipped away on their own.

Just as Qiqian’er was about to take her leave as well, Chai Shi suddenly grabbed her hand, giving her meaningful looks again and again.

Startled, Qiqian’er waited until no one else was around before turning to Chai Shi and asking, “Nominal mother, is there something you wanted from me today?”

At this, Chai Shi’s face flushed red at once, and it took her a good while, stammering, before she managed, “Qian’er, ah, your nominal mother wants to ask you — it seems your family still has several younger brothers who haven’t yet taken wives?”

Qiqian’er nodded. “That’s right. Our fourth brother’s wife just came into the family, and I’ve been asking around on all sides for the others. There are still three at home, all well past the usual age — I’ve been thinking that this year, no matter what, we really must get their marriages settled.”

Chai Shi had in fact known this all along. Once Qiqian’er finished speaking, she gripped her hand even tighter, and asked with some urgency, “Then — then might I ask how old these young generals are this year?”

Qiqian’er thought for a moment. “None of them are young anymore. Youguи is twenty-three, and Erdian and Sier are both twenty — though those two don’t even remember what month they were born, so they just go by whatever Laodao decided to call their ages.” Saying this, Qiqian’er laughed a little and tilted her head at Chai Shi. “Could it be — is this flower-viewing gathering today actually meant to arrange a matchmaking thread for my younger brothers?”

Chai Shi, already embarrassed, turned even redder at being teased by the young woman, and mumbled without answering. It was the still-smiling Old Madam who cut in instead: “My child, don’t laugh at your nominal mother. This is all the fault of that useless nominal father of yours — he’s the one who’s doomed the girls of your nominal mother’s whole family…”

With no outsiders present, the Old Madam then, in a low voice, finally explained the reason behind it all.

Today’s gathering had indeed been carefully planned in advance. Ever since Pan Baqiao had married in last month, fearing they might miss the right opportunity, this mother and daughter-in-law pair had kept it secret even from the two younger wives of their own household, and arranged this flower-viewing gathering.

The reasoning was twofold: first, the old Countess and Chai Shi wanted to find a suitable match of equal standing for Chang Lianfang; and second, it was for the sake of her own natal family’s nieces.

That the Chai family’s daughters had long remained unmarried was a story that went back some time, and to explain it, one had to start with Marquis Chang, Chang Mianshen. It was said that in the first year of the reign, when His Majesty granted titles across the realm, Marquis Chang, though a rough sort of man, had a delicate mind of his own. He had calculated that meritorious officials would certainly be favored at first, but that to secure lasting prosperity without incurring the emperor’s eventual displeasure, one couldn’t appear too perfect — one needed some flaw.

This fellow, having heard too many old folk tales and plays, had thought up the idea of playing the role of a crude, foolish man who feared his wife, and had even pulled his own mother and wife into performing the act alongside him.

Afterward, naturally, His Majesty’s favor toward him only grew — every campaign to suppress rebellion used him, with no suspicion whatsoever. But this proved unfortunate for the marriageable daughters of his wife’s family — girls who had already reached the age of blossoming, yet found no suitors coming to ask for their hands.

After all, whose family, having worked so hard to raise a fine son, would want to hand him over to the old Chai family to be practiced on with a blade? One only had to see what sort of man Marquis Chang was — a man of formidable martial skill, veteran of countless campaigns — and still he regularly went to court with dark circles under his eyes.

The Chang family’s little “play” had run its course, and its benefits had been reaped.

But the side effects that came with it had also shown themselves. Chai Shi’s older brother held the respectable post of Vice Commissioner of the Provincial Surveillance Commission, rank four — yet his eldest daughter at home, already nineteen, found that those who came to arrange her marriage were only offering matches so lowly one dared not even consider them, including, among them, a widower. This left Chai Shi’s natal family unable to show their faces — while they didn’t dare say so outright, out of deference to the emperor’s favor toward the Chang father and son, some resentment inevitably leaked through, which left Chai Shi too ashamed even to visit her own family’s home.

Then, after the New Year, when His Majesty issued an edict granting titles and rewards to over a hundred meritorious officials, the young masters of Qinwei Lane had suddenly come into prominence — not to be underestimated at all, each now holding a solid official post carrying real weight and privilege. Chai Shi had thought it over and felt it was an especially fitting match, and so she had brought in Qiqian’er to act as matchmaker.

It wasn’t that Guan Si’er and the others had no admirers in Yanjing — quite the opposite, there were plenty who fancied them. What did they lack now, in terms of standing or means? Simply the fact that a man could take charge of a household without in-laws to serve drew countless people eager to arrange matches. Yet Guan Si’er and the others remained modest, and whoever approached them received the same answer: their sister-in-law managed such matters at home.

Not to boast, but from Zhang Wanru to Pan Baqiao, not a single wife Qiqian’er had found for the family had turned out poorly.

Interestingly enough, the Chang family’s Old Madam, full of guilt, explained the reasoning without ever mentioning her own son’s foolish scheme, instead saying in a roundabout way that it was all her own fault — that she had insisted on forcing her daughter-in-law to keep the incompetent Marquis Chang in line, never imagining it would end up implicating the girls of her natal family.

Just as she finished speaking, from the distant stage came a line of song floating in: “…pitiful me, a solitary, forlorn soul, thinking back on it now, how truly heartbroken and forlorn I am, ah…”

The whole room froze for a moment, then burst out laughing together.

Chai Shi listened intently for a moment, then called out toward the door, “Which family’s young lady requested this piece?”

The servant woman outside gave a name, and Chai Shi turned to her mother-in-law, shaking her head slightly with a smile. “A temperament like that won’t do at all.”

The Old Madam nodded in agreement. “Exactly so. So young, and already given to self-pity and complaint — no good, no good…”

Qiqian’er, meanwhile, stood off to the side thinking it over, and after a while finally asked, “I wonder, nominal mother’s family — how many unmarried nieces are there?”

Chai Shi’s face flushed, and she slowly held up four fingers.

Ah — that many?

Qiqian’er had no wish to take on too much at once, so for the moment she agreed only in principle, planning to make some discreet inquiries once she returned home. If the girls’ characters proved good, then anything else could be worked out; but if their characters were lacking, then even a mountain of gold and silver as dowry wouldn’t be enough to make her willing.

As for the business of taking a blade to one’s husband — hmph, what right did any man have in this world to strike his wife anyway? If Choutou behaved himself, all well and good; but if he ever misbehaved, she’d slap him clear into Baiquan Mountain herself, see if she couldn’t.

Lost in thought, Qiqian’er sat at Lícǎo Court until the afternoon before finally leaving early with Pan Baqiao. On the way back, as they passed the gates of Qingfeng, their carriage was suddenly surrounded by a group of young beggars. Qiqian’er lifted the carriage curtain, and someone stuffed a wad of cloth into her hand.

Once the beggar children had scattered, Qiqian’er held onto the bundled cloth the whole ride home. Only after Pan Baqiao had returned home and gotten out of the carriage did she finally unfold it in the light from outside the carriage window.

It was a message from Old Xin, arranging to meet her tonight at their usual spot outside Qingfeng.

After avoiding her for so many days, this old fellow had finally decided to show himself.

She crushed the note to ash in her hand, gathered her skirts, and stepped down from the carriage. She found She Jixiang approaching her, his face twisted with worry — the Old Madam had invited Old Madam Jiang to stay with them for a while.

It struck like a thunderclap out of a clear sky. Qiqian’er stared at She Jixiang in disbelief. He nodded helplessly and sighed, “Madam, please go and see for yourself quickly. Even if you hadn’t come back, I was about to send someone to fetch you! They’ve already cleared out the west wing at the old residence — and madam, that’s no one who ought to be staying in the west wing! Madam, you’d better think fast what to do!”

This was the kind of slip that could cost the whole family their heads.

Qiqian’er steadied herself against the wall beside her, and after a long sigh, said helplessly, “Well — well, if the Old Madam doesn’t want her presence known, then let’s all just play dumb. After all… ignorance is no crime, right?”

She Jixiang’s heart had by now broken and mended itself several times over. He nodded at last. “Ah, I’ve already sent someone to the capital to inform the master. You’d better go over there and keep an eye on things — our Old Madam… ah!”

This truly was too bold a thing to have done.

Steadying herself, Qiqian’er stood in place for a moment, then picked up a basket of freshly picked peonies and, taking Siyue and the others with her, headed for the old residence. She had walked only partway when she heard the sound of a fishdrum and sanxian lute — instruments typical of the countryside.

Listening more closely to the lyrics — could it be the tale of “The Xiang Consort’s Couch”?

Qiqian’er’s legs went weak on the spot.

Pity the poor woman who had lived through two lifetimes and seen no small amount of the world — even so, never in her wildest imagination could she have guessed that her own family’s Old Madam could have caused such a stir as to lure the Old Madam from the palace itself into their home to listen to “The Xiang Consort’s Couch.”

This particular story of the Xiang Consort’s Couch was thoroughly indecent, utterly unfit for polite company — it told of a scholar traveling to take the imperial exams who, caught in rain, took shelter for the night in a village household. Deep into the night, as he sat reading by lamplight, a young widow came to him pouring out her loneliness and sorrow…

After a long moment, Qiqian’er, clutching her trembling heart, turned to She Jixiang with eyes full of disbelief.

She Jixiang said, quite troubled, “In answer to madam — truly, there was no ill intent. It’s just that when we reached the entrance to the street, our Old Madam happened to see a blind couple carrying an old lute on their backs. Our Old Madam, being kind-hearted, invited them to come stay and perform for a few days — partly to give them a few good meals, and partly to help entertain our ancestor. Those wandering performers earning coin door to door — what fine repertoire could they possibly know? Those who truly want good storytelling hire famous masters from Yanjing…”

“Say no more!” Qiqian’er cried out in a low voice, reaching up to push at her own chin, forcing out some semblance of a smile despite herself, and walked onward with weakening steps toward the old residence.

She didn’t notice that She Jixiang, watching her retreating figure, was thinking to himself — he himself, from dealing often with tenant farmers on the estate, was the one who happened to know of such indecent tales. But how could their young madam at home — still so young — possibly know of “The Xiang Consort’s Couch”?

He could hardly have known that in her previous life, Qiqian’er had spent so many years as a widow that she had grown quite freewheeling — not only had she secretly sought out and enjoyed such racy tales, she had even gathered a group of fellow widows for private gatherings, quietly buying and reading such stories on the sly.

She had even once remarked that such racy tales were the truest reflection of human nature, while all those tales of talented scholars and beautiful maidens were nothing but hollow, meaningless nonsense.

Poor Qiqian’er — by the time she reached the gate of the old residence, the performance came through even more clearly. Inside, they were singing: “…rain drips down on the lonely chamber, the dim, fading lamp lights the cold window, pity this delicate daughter of a good family, once fair as jade and orchid, lovely as the lotus… and now the cold rain and chilling dew strike this sorrow-laden body of mine…”

Ah, ah, ah, ah — and next would come the part where her “brother” comforts her out of pity, calling her aside to some private, secluded spot to carry on…

Qiqian’er cleared her throat, forced out a few awkward laughs at the doorway, then shoved the household’s main gate open with force and swept inside with great fanfare, laughing loudly, “Ha ha, oh my! A’Nai! Look what wonderful thing I’ve brought you!!”

In the courtyard, the strings fell silent. The blind couple paused, listening intently, and a group of unsuspecting old widows turned, startled, to look at Qiqian’er all at once.

That’s right! In this courtyard — their own Old Madam was an old widow; Old Madam Jiang was a living widow in all but name; the very pregnant Madam Lu was a former widow; Lü Shi and Yang Shi were widows currently in mourning.

No one knew quite how their Old Madam had gathered such a group, but there they all were, one lively courtyard full of them — and even Qiqian’er, the newest arrival, had been a widow in her previous life too.

Qiqian’er, feigning surprise, glanced around the courtyard, then laughed again. “Oh my! So many people here!” With that, she turned and pouted at She Jixiang. “Why didn’t anyone tell me we had honored guests at home today? How rude of us!”

She Jixiang gave an awkward, sheepish look, feigning that there hadn’t been time to apologize. “In answer to madam — you’d only just gotten out of the carriage and gone straight to find the Old Madam with your flowers, there simply wasn’t time.”

Qiqian’er stepped forward, positioning herself in front of the blind storyteller, and bowed respectfully to the round-faced, fair-skinned Empress Dowager Jiang, whose eyes had turned red from the sorrowful tale of the young widow: “Oh my, my Bodhisattva! However did you find it in your heart to grace our humble home with Buddha’s light!”

This flattering remark pleased her greatly, and Empress Dowager Jiang immediately pressed her lips together and smiled. All her life she had trodden carefully around others, and this being her first visit to the home of a dear old friend, she had felt no small measure of unease inside.

She never would have guessed that this granddaughter-in-law would be so skilled at putting people at ease — a single remark had swept away her awkwardness entirely.

And so it was that this woman carried not the slightest air of an Empress Dowager about her — mainly because she had never been raised to have such airs in the first place.

The Old Madam said, somewhat embarrassed, “Now, child, don’t go blaspheming the Bodhisattva like that — what Bodhisattva am I…”

But before she could even finish, the family’s own troublemaking ancestor gave a cold snort. “What? You don’t want to be one?”

Oh, dear ancestor — that remark left absolutely no room for the family’s future generations to hide behind. In thousands of years of history, surely she was the first to bring an emperor’s birth mother home to listen to indecent tales.

Qiqian’er’s heart, liver, spleen, lungs and kidneys all twisted into one knot at once, yet she couldn’t let any of it show, and had to say instead with a smile, “What do you mean, don’t want to? I’m — I’m absolutely delighted!”

She reached out and shook Empress Dowager Jiang’s arm playfully a few times, then took a red peony from her basket and tucked it into the Empress Dowager’s hair, finally leaning her face close against the Empress Dowager’s neck, presenting the sight to her own family’s troublemaker: “Look, look — this is what true kinship between grandmother and grandchild looks like — both of us equally lovely, don’t you think?”

At this, the whole courtyard burst into laughter.

Having finally managed to steer the conversation away from the indecent tale, their own Old Madam still had to twist things around, saying in a jealous, sour tone, “Hmph! Since that’s how it is, you two grandmother-and-grandchild pair can go off and be affectionate with each other somewhere else — this poor lonely old woman is very busy. I’d only gotten through the opening of a perfectly good story, and you go and interrupt — off with you now, you’re in the way of this old woman’s listening.”

Qiqian’er took a breath, then immediately draped herself over the Old Madam’s shoulder, whining, “A’Nai, don’t you love me anymore?”

The Old Madam remained cross. “Hmph, love you? Not anymore. Heartless little thing — after all the fine rice and flour I fed you to raise you up, you turned into this ungrateful creature — love you still? I’ve got plenty of others who love me.”

Qiqian’er feigned indignation, throwing herself onto Empress Dowager Jiang and pouting, “Grandmother Jiang, look at my A’Nai, how petty and small-minded she is…”

Even as she spoke, she was surreptitiously kicking at Eunuch Qiu, who stood behind her pretending nothing was happening.

Eunuch Qiu stumbled from the kick, steadied himself, and stared at Qiqian’er in bewilderment.

Qiqian’er turned and looked at him with an entirely innocent face, then, steeling herself, said loudly, “A’Nai, ah, actually — actually, today I wanted to discuss something important with you.”

The Old Madam blinked. “Something important?”

Qiqian’er nodded vigorously, glanced around at everyone, and shot a meaningful glance toward Madam Lu. Madam Lu immediately understood, standing up with a smile. “Oh my, if the family has important business, we’ll come back another day — let’s mark our place in the story and continue tomorrow.”

With that, she led the way out, and Qiqian’er let out a breath of relief, glancing around at the others — this time, everyone understood what was meant.

Once everyone had left, the blind couple were also ushered out by a sweating She Jixiang. Empress Dowager Jiang made to leave as well, but Qiqian’er said, “Oh my, my old Bodhisattva, you mustn’t leave — you and my family aren’t outsiders at all. This matter, truly, needs the wisdom of someone as experienced as you to discuss.”

Empress Dowager Jiang, having spent her whole life at the mercy of others, never imagined she would be so valued in the Chen household. Delighted, she sat up straight, took Qiqian’er’s hand and asked, “Truly, you wish to discuss this with me?”

Qiqian’er nodded like a woodpecker hammering away, and the Old Madam, lacking confidence, asked, “Then — then would I really be suitable?”

Qiqian’er nodded. “Suitable! Perfectly suitable!”

But what exactly was this important matter to discuss? Qiqian’er’s eyes darted about for a moment, glancing at the utterly puzzled Old Madam, and recalling today’s events at Xiaoxian Garden, she finally said, “Old Bodhisattva, didn’t I receive an invitation from Marquis Chang’s household today?”

Empress Dowager Jiang thought for a moment. A marquis? She knew of a great many marquises, and there were three surnamed Chang alone, so she asked, “Do you mean our Shao Shang’s Chang family, or one of the other Chang families?”

Before anyone else could answer, their own family’s troublemaking ancestor cut in: “Old sister, of course it’s the Shao Shang Chang family. Why, our two families are practically nominal relatives — their little Xiaohuar calls me his nominal grandmother, you know.”

Empress Dowager Jiang grew even more confused. “Little Xiaohuar?”

Someone brought over a stool for Qiqian’er. Turning to look, she saw it was none other than Eunuch Qiu Le, his forehead beaded with cold sweat.

He had been dragged aside by She Jixiang and given a thorough explanation, and had been scared half to death, feeling as though he’d aged half a lifetime in an instant — his heart was still trembling even now.

Never mind anyone else — if word of today’s events ever reached the palace, he, as head eunuch, might just manage to keep his own life, but everyone else in attendance wouldn’t stand a chance.

An empire’s Empress Dowager, wandering outside under the guise of worshipping the Buddha, secretly listening to indecent tales — there was no wall in this world without a crack for the wind to slip through! Having been castrated as a child, sheltered though the palace environment might seem, he himself had never even known what “The Xiang Consort’s Couch” was.

Overwhelmed with gratitude, Eunuch Qiu personally brought a stool for this little lady who had saved them all, even giving her a thumbs-up, and respectfully helped Qiqian’er to sit. Once settled, Qiqian’er said, “Ah, Grandmother Jiang, you wouldn’t know — Xiaohuar is just a nickname our A’Nai carelessly gave Chang Lianfang, not realizing it would end up sticking to him for years to come. No matter how much he’s accomplished over the years, with all his genuine skill and ability, he’s still stuck being called ‘Little Flower.’ Being a junior in status, he can hardly object openly, but he’s complained to me about it plenty in private.”

Empress Dowager Jiang paused, then after a long moment asked, “Chang Lianfang — actually called Little Flower?”

The Old Madam turned her head and gave a snort. “So what if he’s called Flower — he was born good-looking, wasn’t he? Besides, the name’s small and humble — ‘Little Flower’ — even King Yama of the underworld wouldn’t bother collecting someone with such a name. If I hadn’t given him that name, mark my words, he’d have met his end on the battlefield long ago.”

Hearing this, Empress Dowager Jiang’s remarkably innocent eyes slowly filled with mirth, and she began to laugh, chuckling more and more until tears streamed from her eyes with laughter.

Watching her laugh, the Old Madam grew a little flustered with embarrassment, reaching out to swat at Qiqian’er. “You little rascal, you’re a proper troublemaker through and through — dragging our family’s business out just to give her something to laugh at. Now, hurry up and tell your actual business!”

Qiqian’er, feeling awkwardly caught out, laughed it off for a moment before finally saying, “Ah, right, the actual matter — Old Madam, today the Chang family invited me to view flowers at Xiaoxian Garden, and it’s because my nominal mother, Chai Shi, said she wants to match her three nieces to our Si’er and the others as wives.”

This had, admittedly, been a pretext born of necessity — but to her surprise, the Empress Dowager took the matter seriously, asking earnestly, “Three of them?”

Qiqian’er nodded. “Yes, three. Youguи, Erdian, and Guan Si’er still have no matches settled — and they’re all well past the usual age for marriage. Earlier this year, thanks to the emperor’s grace, all three of them were promoted a rank, which has caught the eye of the ladies of Yanjing.”

While the real matter was being discussed, the family’s own troublemaker steered things off course again: “Why are you already calling her ‘nominal mother’ at this point? The proper rites haven’t even been carried out yet, the incense altar hasn’t even been set up — there’s no reason to be so casual about it! And her — what she’s proposing for our Si’er, is her family’s foundation solid? What rank is Little Flower’s uncle, anyway?”

Qiqian’er could only coax her along. “A’Nai, it’s only a matter of time, sooner or later. Calling her that a few days early doesn’t really matter.”

The Old Madam remained unconvinced. “That’s not how it works. In the past it might not have mattered, but this past year I’ve felt uneasy about it. Just look at that Bao Shi of theirs — what sort of person is she? Look at all the trouble she’s caused you time and again — not even country folk are so petty. I’ve half a mind not to become in-laws with them at all — someone that narrow-minded, squabbling over every last scrap, has no generosity of spirit whatsoever. If we became nominal relatives, she’d technically count as your sister-in-law — and then you’d be living under her roof, so to speak. Wouldn’t that put you in a difficult position?”

This, truly, was someone who cared for her from the heart — unconcerned with whatever wealth or status the other family held, only worried that she herself might come out at a disadvantage.

Since the trouble was already stirred, Qiqian’er figured she might as well see it through herself. She took the Old Madam’s hand with a smile and said, “A’Nai! It’s fine, really. I’ve never once come out at a disadvantage.”

At this, the Old Madam immediately brightened with pride, tilting her head to boast to Empress Dowager Jiang, “Old sister, I’m not one to brag, but this little rascal here is something else — even that Bao Shi from the old Chang family, hmph! Ten of her together wouldn’t be a match for my granddaughter-in-law here…”

Goodness knows what there was to be so proud of — after all, who in this world doesn’t prefer a virtuous, gentle, and modest woman?

Qiqian’er let go of her hand, rubbed her forehead, and was about to explain when she heard Empress Dowager Jiang say with a smile, “That’s a good thing, being formidable is good. I do like formidable people.”

Having spent most of her life meek and submissive, never even daring to lose her temper, she found herself all the more fond of Qiqian’er for it, taking her hand again and saying, “Good child, you did right coming to consult an elder first about a matter like this. Since you’ve asked me, then I’ll say what I think — though I don’t know if what I say will be right or not.”

Qiqian’er nodded quickly. “Old Bodhisattva, you really have come like timely rain. We’re all from out of town, and you already know what kind of family background we come from — but as for the affairs of Yanjing’s noble households, we truly don’t know the first thing about them. In name, Guan Si’er and the others call me sister-in-law, but a matter as important as marriage, if not handled well even once, could bring resentment for half a lifetime. What I need most is exactly someone like you, so experienced and worldly-wise, to guide me.”

Hearing this, the Old Madam nodded along in agreement as well. “That’s exactly right, old sister. I’ve lived on this street for nearly two years now, and you’re the only person I’ve come to consider true family. What do I know of the world? Ask me when the fields need watering and I could tell you — but how deep the waters run behind any household’s doors, how would I know that?”

Seeing how sincerely they sought her guidance, Empress Dowager Jiang smiled, and finally straightened her back. “My child, well then — if you’re asking me for my honest opinion, taking all three girls from the old Chai family at once — I don’t think that’s suitable at all!”