Over at Fifth Miss’s side, upon hearing that Young Master Qian had not passed, she hurriedly asked Luo Zhensheng: “What about Fourth Sister’s husband? And Elder Brother?”

“Elder Brother and Fourth Sister’s husband both passed,” Luo Zhensheng said. “And Fourth Sister’s husband even placed higher than Elder Brother.” Seeing his sister’s face go pale, he tried to comfort her: “Your future husband didn’t pass this time, but he can just sit the examinations again a few more times. When Elder Brother and I went to check the results, we even saw several men older than Father who had passed in the same cohort as Elder Brother!”

Fifth Miss was so frustrated she sent him straight out the door.

Luo Zhensheng had no idea how he had managed to offend his sister again. He left with an embarrassed look and came face to face with Hupo.

“Fourth Young Master, is Dijin feeling any better?”

Luo Zhensheng’s brow furrowed slightly: “I honestly don’t know what’s wrong with her. She still hasn’t recovered fully by today. I said I would get a physician for her, but she said that Elder Sister has just passed away and Mother is not in a good mood — if she found out she’d probably think Dijin was being troublesome. If you have time, go check on her. Otherwise she’ll just lie in bed day after day, listless and miserable.”

Hupo covered her mouth with her sleeve and laughed.

No wonder everyone said the Fourth Young Master had such an even temper…

“Have you come to see Fifth Miss?” Eleventh Miss had been spending these days by the First Madam’s side every day, leaving these maids without much to do. Hupo, at a loose end, struck up a conversation with Luo Zhensheng.

Luo Zhensheng nodded: “Fifth Sister’s husband has failed the examinations. I came to comfort Fifth Sister.”

Hupo smiled: “The Fourth Young Master is truly thoughtful…”

All the maids in the household liked talking with Luo Zhensheng, and Luo Zhensheng liked talking with them.

He fell into idle chat with Hupo: “…Look at Elder Brother — how well First Sister-in-law looks after him. And then look at Young Master Qian. He said that on the morning of the day he entered the examination hall, to save himself one tael of silver in carriage fare, he nearly arrived late…”

“Really?” Hupo smiled. “Still, that Young Master Qian was able to study at the Imperial Academy — that is quite remarkable!”

Luo Zhensheng nodded: “That’s what I told Fifth Sister too…”

The two chattered about this and that at great length, until the maids from Luo Zhensheng’s room came looking for him and they parted ways.

That evening when Eleventh Miss returned, Hupo relayed all of this to her: “…By all accounts, Young Master Qian failed the examinations entirely because of his impoverished circumstances!”

Eleventh Miss, however, privately thought that a great part of Qian Ming’s failure was due to his having spent too much of his attention elsewhere.

But if that was the case, Fifth Miss must be deeply disappointed.

She was still turning this over in her mind when Binju carried in hot water: “Miss, the Third Master has come?”

“At this hour?” Eleventh Miss was genuinely surprised.

Binju nodded.

Hupo immediately said: “Let me go and see.”

Eleventh Miss gave a nod.

By the time Eleventh Miss had finished washing and refreshing herself, Hupo returned, laughing: “The Third Master had also sent someone to check the examination results. When he learned the First Young Master had passed, he was overjoyed and came specially to advise the First Young Master on how to prepare for the Palace Examinations!”

Eleventh Miss laughed despite herself.

The next morning, when Eleventh Miss went to pay her respects to the First Madam, the First Madam told her about the Third Master’s visit: “…You see — blood is blood, uncle is uncle. If the Third Uncle’s two sons were not still young and without sons-in-law yet, why would he come to guide your elder brother? Otherwise, your elder brother is the first in the ‘Zhen’ generation to have passed the metropolitan examinations — why haven’t we seen your Second Uncle come to give your elder brother any words of advice?”

The meaning was: the Second Master had not come to advise Luo Zhensheng because he had a son-in-law competing with Luo Zhensheng in the Palace Examinations. The Second Master cherished his own daughter, and therefore also cherished his son-in-law. The Third Master had come because at present there was no conflict of interest between Luo Zhensheng, Luo Zhenkai, and Luo Zhenyu.

What the First Madam was saying with all of this — was it to tell her that Luo Zhensheng alone was her true elder brother?

Eleventh Miss murmured her assent.

A look of satisfaction crossed the First Madam’s face.

On the day of the Palace Examinations, the First Master and the Third Master personally escorted Luo Zhensheng to the East Flowery Gate — Luo Zhensheng would sit the Palace Examinations in the Hall of Supreme Harmony.

Three days later, the results of the Palace Examinations were announced.

Yu Yiqing placed third overall — the position of Tanhua. Luo Zhensheng placed tenth in the second tier.

The Luo household celebrated with great joy. Though there was no red bunting hung along Bow String Lane, every face was alight with a smile impossible to conceal. The First Master of the Luo family even murmured as he offered prayers at the ancestral altar: “The Luo family can flourish for another forty years.” He then wrote letters to his old friends and classmates to share the good news.

Marquis Yongping was the first to send his congratulatory gift — a jade-inlaid white ink bed.

Luo Zhensheng was delighted with it and wrote a letter of gratitude in return.

The Third Master urged him to study diligently and prepare for the upcoming examination to become a scholar-in-waiting at the Hanlin Academy, and frequently came by to review Luo Zhensheng’s coursework.

Passing the Hanlin examination meant Luo Zhensheng could remain in Yanjing; failing it meant he would be posted to an outer province. Two different starting points; two entirely different careers ahead.

The atmosphere in the Luo household was full of quiet tension, and people walking past the outer servant’s quarters instinctively lightened their footsteps.

Even amid this critical juncture, the First Madam did not forget Young Master Qian. She not only rented him a pleasantly situated courtyard near the Imperial Academy, but also sent Nanny Hang’s son, Hang Xincai, along with two manservants and two matrons to attend to his needs there.

Before long, the twenty-second day of the fourth month arrived — the day of Yuanniang’s funeral procession.

The First Madam kept Eleventh Miss by her side. Luo Zhensheng set off before dawn with the Second Madam, the Third Madam, Luo Zhenda, Luo Zhensheng, Luo Zhenkai, Luo Zhenyu, Yu Zhiqing, Qian Ming, the First Young Mistress, the Third Young Mistress, Fourth Miss, Fifth Miss, and Tenth Miss to the Xu estate.

The First Madam then asked Eleventh Miss to help her organize the birthday gifts to be sent to the Grand Dowager.

A pair of longevity stone bonsai sculptures, a pair of sky-blue glazed hundred-pleat flower vases, a figure of the Three Star Gods in peach-red glaze, a figure of Li Bai in blue and white overglaze red, a pair of celadon plum vases…

Eleventh Miss and Nanny Xu spent an entire morning packing and wrapping these items.

The First Madam then asked Eleventh Miss: “Have you finished the pair of round-toed plain cloth shoes the First Young Mistress asked you to make?”

“They are finished.” It was not that Eleventh Miss was particularly familiar with the specifications the First Young Mistress had listed, but rather that the measurements for this pair of shoes were like none she had ever made before.

The First Madam nodded. She had Eleventh Miss bring the shoes over, then gestured at the items arranged in the room: “These are what we of the Luo family are sending. You should also express your own sentiments.”

Were it not for the matter of the small courtyard, this gesture would naturally have made one feel warmly thoughtful. But given how things stood now… Eleventh Miss thought of the way the Grand Dowager had looked at her in the small courtyard and the way she had looked at her when she came to pay condolences at Yuanniang’s mourning hall, and felt that to do so would appear too deliberate — the Grand Dowager likely would not appreciate it. Yet she could not contradict the First Madam. After all, the so-called plan to have her enter the household was nothing more than speculation and hearsay — no one had ever said it to her face directly.

That evening when Luo Zhensheng returned, the First Madam naturally asked him for a full account of Yuanniang’s funeral, and inevitably another round of weeping ensued. The First Master spent a long while consoling her before she calmed down somewhat, and was helped to rest by Luoqiao.

The next day, after breakfast, the First Madam was just sending someone to deliver the birthday gifts to the Grand Dowager when Commander Wang of the Imperial Tiger Guard came in person, accompanied by Wang Lang, to pay a visit.

Because of their elder sister’s passing, they were observing major mourning for nine months. As a result, Fifth Miss and Young Master Qian’s marriage could only be revisited in winter.

Unexpectedly, the Wang family had chosen precisely this moment to call.

If they were too impatient and simply wished to call things off entirely, that would be one thing.

Eleventh Miss hurriedly sent Hupo to find out what the Wang family had to say.

Hupo came back and said: “…The Wang family says they wish to hold the formal betrothal on the twenty-eighth day of the eleventh month.” Then she added with a laugh: “Shanhu said that this Wang young master is tall and imposing, handsome and generous. Though his speech is rather haughty, given his exalted status, a certain pride is only to be expected.”

But Eleventh Miss felt a chill settle in her heart at these words.

Fifth Miss, for her part, was thoroughly irritated: “He’s no imperial scion — what gives him the right to be this impatient? The mourning period for a major bereavement isn’t even over and he’s already pressing for the betrothal!”

Ziwei and Ziwei naturally rushed to soothe Fifth Miss: “Your future husband can now study without worries — passing the imperial examinations is only a matter of time. When the time comes, you will have your noble lady’s title and a bright future ahead of you. Is that not far better than a ducal household with a title but no real power? Does our household not lack a peerage, yet live just as comfortably?”

Fifth Miss heard this and her expression suddenly changed: “Something is not right…”

Ziwei and Ziwei exchanged bewildered glances, not knowing what Fifth Miss meant.

“Mother dislikes Yang Yiniang so much — how could she simply treat Tenth Miss well just because Yang Yiniang died?” Her eyes were sharp and intent. “And I could sense it clearly at the time — that Madam Jiang had plainly set her sights on me…”

Ziwei and Ziwei were alarmed: “Are you saying… But the Wang young master appears so presentable…”

Fifth Miss smiled: “There are still long days ahead. We shall simply watch and see!”

Over at the Grand Dowager’s side, upon hearing that the birthday gifts sent by the Luo family included two pairs of plain cloth shoes made by Eleventh Miss herself, she specifically had Wei Zi bring them out.

They were two very ordinary pairs of round-toed plain blue cloth shoes, yet they appeared somehow fresher and more luminous than the ordinary blue cloth shoes one usually saw.

The Grand Dowager paused in faint surprise.

Wei Zi had already exclaimed in amazement: “Grand Dowager, look at this.” She brought the spectacles for her.

The Grand Dowager looked closely and discovered that the instep of the shoes was embroidered all over with the character for “fortune” in matching thread.

“What a clever idea!” Wei Zi picked up the other shoe and examined it closely. “Showing only when the light falls on it just so — truly beautiful!”

The First Madam held them in her hands for a long while without speaking, yet instructed Wei Zi: “Go and find Nanny Niu from the needlework bureau for me.”

When Nanny Niu arrived, the Grand Dowager pointed to the shoes and asked: “Please take a look — where is this cloth from? Whose thread is this? Can you tell when they were made?”

If she had still had the heart to make shoes while her elder sister lay dying — well, that would truly be…

The Grand Dowager thought this, and a cold disdain rose quietly within her.

Nanny Niu examined them carefully for a long while, then said with a smile: “The cloth is the triple-woven Songjiang blue cloth — the Palace uses this same blue cloth. The thread is difficult to place by origin, but it certainly came from the south. As for when the shoes were made, that is truly hard to say. They look quite fresh, but a well-kept pair can look new even after being stored for more than a year.”

The Grand Dowager, hearing this, felt somewhat disappointed. She exchanged a few more words with Nanny Niu, then let a look of weariness settle on her face.

Nanny Niu was quick-witted and immediately rose to take her leave.

The Grand Dowager had no choice but to have someone offer a gratuity, and saw Nanny Niu back to the palace.

Nanny Du then offered comfort to the Grand Dowager: “…She is still young, and a concubine’s daughter at that — naturally she must do as her first-rank mother bids. Certain things — once she has married into the household, you can teach her slowly.”

The Grand Dowager sighed: “I would rather have been overthinking it.”

“How could it be overthinking?” Nanny Du smiled, pouring a cup of tea for the Grand Dowager. “The Luo family has suddenly thrust a daughter-in-law upon you — it is only right that you should wish to look her over carefully!”

The Grand Dowager said nothing. But the light in her eyes grew dim.