About the time it would take to drink two cups of tea, Madam Qiao returned.

Her face was ashen, her expression blank and dazed. When a maidservant stepped forward to support her, she shoved the girl sharply to the ground.

The maidservant’s face contorted with pain, yet she did not dare make a single sound. She scrambled back up and moved again to help Madam Qiao.

This time, Madam Qiao stood limp and vacant, allowing herself to be supported. But her eyes were fixed with an unwavering stare on Qiao Lianfang, who still sat at the Grand Matriarch’s side — and only after a long moment did she make her way back to her seat, walking as though she could not feel the ground beneath her feet.

“Madam Qiao,” said Madam Lin, noticing the fine beads of sweat on her forehead and the way she swayed as though she might collapse at any moment, “are you feeling unwell?”

Madam Qiao — who was always so lively and quick — turned to look at Madam Lin with eyes that had difficulty focusing. She was silent for a long while before she could gather herself enough to say, “I do feel a little unwell.”

Madam Lin said quickly, “Should we not fetch a physician?” She made to rise. “I’ll go and let the Grand Matriarch know.”

Madam Qiao seized Madam Lin’s arm with a sudden, fierce grip. “No, no, don’t bother. I just have an upset stomach. Yes — an upset stomach. The fresh peaches that Fourth Madam sent…”

Madam Lin could not help but frown.

Madam Qiao’s grip was remarkably strong, making her arm ache. Her words made no sense. She was clearly far from well.

But since she said she was fine — why should she pry?

With that thought, Madam Lin discreetly slipped her arm free and said with a smile, “Do let me know if you feel worse, and I’ll go and fetch a physician at once.”

Madam Qiao gave a nod and slumped in the grand chair as though her bones had gone soft.

Watching from a distance, Eleventh Miss felt a quiet certainty settle over her: First Madam must have told Madam Qiao everything about Qiao Lianfang.

But did First Madam know?

She cast a glance toward First Madam.

First Madam was chatting and laughing with Madam Gan at her side.

Eleventh Miss was about to look away when she saw First Madam rise, exchange a few quiet words with Madam Gan — who nodded with a smile — and then step into the reception hall. She called a small maidservant over. “Take me to the privy.” Then she turned to Luoqiao: “You come with me.”

Luoqiao curtsied and followed First Madam, led by the little maidservant, to the privy behind the reception hall.

First Madam stopped at the privy entrance and pressed a small silver ingot into the maidservant’s hand. “You needn’t wait on me here — I’m not used to being watched.”

The little maidservant glanced at Luoqiao, pocketed the ingot with delight, and withdrew.

First Madam then spoke to Luoqiao in a low voice. “Stand guard here. If anyone comes, have them wait outside. Understood?”

Luoqiao said quickly, “Understood.”

First Madam gave a small nod. She stood at the privy entrance for a moment, looking carefully in every direction and confirming that no one was nearby. Then she slipped out alone through a side gate, crossed through the Dianzhuntang Hall, and made her way quickly to the small courtyard.

At the foot of the steps in the covered passage stood two matrons, craning their necks to catch a glimpse of the fireworks. Seeing First Madam approach, they stepped forward and bowed. “And where might you be going, ma’am? Our Fourth Madam has already retired for the night. If you have anything you wish to say, perhaps it would be best to wait until morning.”

At once, a sharp voice cut in: “It’s dark and you can’t tell who’s in front of you?”

The two matrons immediately shrank back and called out respectfully, “Nanny Tao.”

In the half-light of the covered passage, a woman in a dark green embroidered jacket came forward with a composed expression. It was Nanny Tao, who served at First Madam’s side. Seeing First Madam, she broke into a warm smile. “First Madam, you’ve come!”

First Madam gave a nod and pressed forward impatiently. “How is First Madam Yuan?”

“She has been waiting for you!” Nanny Tao replied, falling into step beside First Madam as she ushered her into the small courtyard.

The courtyard was dark, save for two large red lanterns hanging beneath the eaves of the main room. A small maidservant stood at the door with nothing to do, idly peeling at her fingernails. Hearing footsteps, she jerked her head up with wide, wary eyes and called out, “Who’s there?”

“It’s me,” Nanny Tao answered, and First Madam saw the little girl’s shoulders drop with relief as she turned and pushed the door open. “The First Madam was just asking after you!”

Nanny Tao gave a nod, helped First Madam inside, then turned back to the little maidservant and said sternly, “Keep a close watch,” before pulling the door firmly shut behind her.

The creak of the door hinge was sharp and clear in the still courtyard, making the little maidservant flinch.

First Madam Yuan lay resting on the nanmu-framed bed by the window of the western side room. When she saw First Madam, a smile spread across her lips — soft and tranquil in the pale white light of the sheep-horn palace lantern.

“Nanny Tao, give Mother the things.” Her voice was light. Though her face was etched with exhaustion, her eyes shone bright.

Nanny Tao acknowledged the instruction and produced the white skirt with embroidered borders of bamboo, plum blossoms, and orchids.

First Madam took it and sighed. “Why put yourself through all this trouble… The Qiao family are not people easily provoked.”

“Mother, you ought to understand this better than I do.” First Madam Yuan smiled gently, her dark eyes in the lamplight as still and deep as an ancient well. “One cannot sleep soundly while another rests at the foot of one’s bed. They thought that because I was ill, I had no recourse. So they acted without restraint, coming and going as they pleased. If I don’t take the hardest one and break it, there will be no end of trouble. And in truth, this was a trap of my own setting — but she would not have fallen into it had she not been so eager to show herself off before the Marquis. Why did no other family’s daughter come making a spectacle of herself? The blame lies only with her own excessive eagerness. I cannot be faulted for it.”

First Madam said nothing — plainly in agreement with her daughter’s reasoning.

“Keep that skirt safe.” First Madam Yuan smiled. “Better not let anyone with ill intentions find it, thinking they’ve been left to rest easy.”

First Madam nodded. “I understand.” And right there before her daughter, she undid her own skirt, pulled the other one on underneath, and drew her own skirt back over the top.

Qiao Lianfang was shorter than First Madam, and the skirts of that era were all made with generous pleats. With First Madam wearing it beneath her own, one could not tell at all that she had on a second layer.

“What does the Marquis say?” she asked as she dressed. “Does he agree with your plan?”

First Madam Yuan replied with something seemingly unrelated, her smile bright: “The Grand Matriarch has agreed to seek a match with the Jiang family for Zhunge!”

First Madam’s expression shifted with clear surprise — she had plainly not expected First Madam Yuan to say such a thing. She hesitated. “But the Marquis… and the matter of a second wife…”

“This is not the right moment,” First Madam Yuan said, still smiling. “Let this be resolved first. The other matter is not pressing. Even if it were, it cannot be rushed. One must at least wait until I am dead.” The corner of her mouth lifted with a faint, sardonic edge.

First Madam’s eyes reddened at the sight. She held herself together for a moment, then could hold on no longer. Tears spilled down her cheeks.

“Mother, please don’t.” First Madam Yuan reached out and took her mother’s hand. “I did not ask you here to make you cry!”

First Madam nodded hastily, fumbling for her handkerchief to wipe her tears. “Is there anything else? I’m listening. Whatever you need, I will see it done.” Then she could not stop herself from voicing her complaint: “I truly cannot understand it. The Jiang family has connections throughout court and countryside — an alliance with such a family would be an honour beyond measure. Why does the Marquis refuse so stubbornly? If he had agreed from the start, none of this would have been necessary, and you wouldn’t have had to…” She paused, as though something had just occurred to her, and her voice became suddenly careful and hesitant. “Can it be that he truly has some other intention? Setting aside the legitimate heir in favour of a concubine’s son — that would violate the laws of the Great Zhou. The censors would impeach him for it. Is he not afraid of damaging his name for posterity?”

“Mother, after all these years, do you still not understand?” First Madam Yuan said with a smile. “If those laws truly carried such weight, why would there be any need for the Inspectorate in the first place?”

“True enough.” First Madam sighed, resigned. There was a look of quiet frustration on her face.

“So as I said, the most pressing matter right now is to secure the Jiang family alliance,” First Madam Yuan said, her tone unhurried. “Once Zhunge has the backing of such a powerful family, no one will be able to shake his position as heir. ” Those last words fell with quiet, absolute finality.

“Indeed.” First Madam nodded. “Have you settled on which branch of the Jiang family to approach? In my view, Jiang Bai — the Hanlin Academy’s Rector of Studies — would be the best match. He already holds that position, and if nothing goes wrong, a cabinet appointment is only a matter of time.”

“Mm!” First Madam Yuan gave a small nod. “You and I are of the same mind. They have a younger daughter — legitimate-born. She turned two this year, and is of a comparable age to Zhunge. As for Wang Shi, I have already sent people to Taiyuan with generous gifts, and given that we are willing to form a marriage alliance with Wang Lang, I trust she will not refuse to act as go-between for Zhunge.”

First Madam was somewhat hesitant. “The Maoguo Ducal house has fallen into decline after all — using Wang Shi as the go-between, I’m not sure whether the Jiang family will pay her any regard.” She hurried to add, lest her daughter think her unwilling: “I am not reluctant to spare a few daughters — I simply worry we might be doing Wang’s family a favour for nothing!”

“There are things you are not aware of,” First Madam Yuan said with a smile. “Although Wang Shi comes from a noble family, she keeps a humble and obliging manner in the Jiang household and is very well regarded. When Jiang Bai was a Shu Jishi scholar in Yanjing, his wife fell gravely ill. Wang Shi not only attended her day and night without rest, but also went everywhere seeking doctors and medicines on her behalf, even praying at temples and shrines. Later, when Jiang Bai’s wife recovered from a remedy Wang Shi had found, she became exceptionally close to her — far more than ordinary. I once had word sent to the Jiang family, but they declined politely. Otherwise, why would I be going to the trouble of asking her to intercede?”

“You know far more about these things than I do.” First Madam smiled. “You are the one to make these decisions.”

First Madam Yuan fell quiet for a moment, then said, “Mother, the marriages of my three younger sisters — please do keep that in mind. Propriety demands that the elder sisters wed first.”

First Madam’s eyes narrowed slightly, and a cool resolve settled over her face. “You may set your mind at ease. I know what must be done.”

First Madam Yuan drew a long, slow breath, and for the first time, a look of wistful sadness passed across her expression. “Sometimes one cannot help but believe in fate. Of all the people who happened to remain in the hall, it was her. Of all the things that could have worked out, this one did. And she was not frightened in the least… I had still wanted to observe a little longer… but time does not wait for me. Now I can only choose her. I can only hope that Heaven will be merciful and take pity on my earnest hopes — that she is as genuine on the inside as she appears on the outside, and that I have not misjudged her…”

—

While First Madam and First Madam Yuan were exchanging their private words, Third Madam used the pretext of bringing tea to the Grand Matriarch to signal to Fifth Madam, and the two of them slipped away to the reception hall.

“…brought up by fast horse courier from Nanjing — twenty taels per fish — and then all of a sudden, every last one vanished. Isn’t that strange?” Third Madam kept her voice barely above a whisper. “If I hadn’t been on good terms with the people from Liu’s, today would have been a terrible embarrassment — the first family banquet I’ve hosted, and the very shad fish the Grand Matriarch herself requested would have gone missing. When I looked into it, I was told the servant responsible was the nephew of an attendant your mother brought from her own household. Frankly, our own family’s household servants have always come from within — we don’t bring in outsiders. Fifth Sister-in-law, this is not something I feel it’s my place to handle. It would really be best if you saw to it yourself.”

Fifth Madam smiled. “Third Sister-in-law, please don’t worry. If the servant turns out to be one of mine, I will give you a full account.”

“Oh, don’t say it like that.” Third Madam smiled. “I’m not looking to hold anyone to account. I just find the whole affair so odd. And as you know, I’m still finding my footing managing the household — there are bound to be gaps, and there are bound to be people looking to test me… I have to be careful at every turn.” She sighed with an air of helplessness. “I do hope Fourth Sister-in-law recovers soon. The moment she’s well, I’ll have no hesitation handing this burden back to her.”

Fifth Madam listened with a polite smile, just about to offer some gracious words in reply, when a startled cry rang out from beneath the eaves of the reception hall: “Madam Qiao — what has happened to you?”

—