Wen Yiniang fell silent, at a loss for words. Qin Yiniang, seeing this, had no choice but to step forward with a smile. “We’ve come to see if there’s anything we can help the First Miss with!”

Shiyiniang understood perfectly — Wen Yiniang wished to see her daughter. Yet the distinctions between rank were clear. If she were to encourage Zhen Jie’er and Wen Yiniang to interact as mother and daughter, others who witnessed it would only say that Zhen Jie’er had no sense of propriety. There was nothing she could do about that. But a mother-daughter bond was natural instinct — if Wen Yiniang simply missed Zhen Jie’er and had come only to see her, she was more than welcome.

“Since both Yiniiangs have come, do help look around and see what this room might still be lacking.” Shiyiniang said with a warm smile, her eyes sliding over to Zhen Jie’er. She saw the girl gazing at Wen Yiniang with a somewhat dazed expression.

Having been separated for so many years, and now suddenly face to face — Zhen Jie’er probably didn’t know how to act around Wen Yiniang either.

Smiling, Shiyiniang led the two of them on a tour of the room, and Zhen Jie’er, not daring to be remiss, followed close behind.

Wen Yiniang seemed somewhat distracted, while Qin Yiniang occasionally clicked her tongue in admiring praise. Zhen Jie’er kept her head lowered, stealing glances at Wen Yiniang from time to time.

When the circuit was complete, everyone sat down again. Shiyiniang had someone bring embroidered stools for the two Yiniiangs. “…The time was so short — we’re making do for now like this.” She then explained everything — the plans to renovate the second courtyard the following spring, and the plan to find Zhen Jie’er her own courtyard in the rear garden once the Fifth Lady had moved out — all so that Wen Yiniang could set her mind at ease.

“Madam has thought of everything.” Wen Yiniang looked at Shiyiniang, a strange flicker passing through the depths of her eyes.

Shiyiniang smiled. “This is simply my duty — there is nothing particularly thoughtful about it. Only, from now on, the First Miss will be living with us, and everyone should visit each other often when there is nothing pressing. A family at peace and in harmony — warm and close — that is what makes a proper home.”

Both Wen Yiniang and Qin Yiniang nodded repeatedly at this.

Seeing that the hour was growing late, Shiyiniang asked both Yiniiangs to stay for dinner. “Qiao Yiniang hasn’t been well, so we won’t call for her. There are no outsiders today — let us all sit together and eat.”

She had no wish to assert the rules of hierarchy over Wen Yiniang in front of Zhen Jie’er. After all, she was Zhen Jie’er’s birth mother, and deserved to be given some measure of dignity in her daughter’s eyes.

Zhen Jie’er looked at Shiyiniang, the corners of her eyes growing faintly moist.

Wen Yiniang was also taken aback.

Since Shiyiniang had married into the household, she had been quite cold toward the Yiniiangs. Apart from the morning and evening greetings, she would not see them at any other time — even matters were conveyed through the maids. Let alone being invited to stay for a meal.

This was the very first time.

For a moment, she was overcome with a rush of mingled emotions.

She had not expected Shiyiniang to grant her such dignity — and even more unexpected was the fact that she would not have to appear before her daughter in the humbled, submissive posture she had braced herself for.

Wen Yiniang bent her knees in a curtsy to Shiyiniang. “Many thanks, Madam.”

Shiyiniang had three tables set up.

She and Zhen Jie’er and Zhun Ge sat at one table.

Nanny Du, Nanny Tao, and the others sat at another.

The two Yiniiangs shared a table between themselves.

Though it was not exactly lively and boisterous, it was cheerful and pleasant.

After the meal, Nanny Du and Nanny Tao took Zhun Ge to rest in Zhen Jie’er’s room, while Zhen Jie’er followed Shiyiniang to her own room for the afternoon nap. The two Yiniiangs each returned to their own quarters.

Shiyiniang and Zhen Jie’er sat together beside the dressing table. Hupo attended to Shiyiniang, helping her remove her hair ornaments, while Xiao Li attended to Zhen Jie’er, removing her pearl hairpins. Zhen Jie’er climbed onto Shiyiniang’s bed with a touch of self-consciousness. Shiyiniang smiled over at her. “Sleep now. When we wake up later, we’ll discuss what to have for dinner!”

Zhen Jie’er nodded and smiled, closing her eyes.

Once Shiyiniang’s breathing had settled into a steady rhythm, Zhen Jie’er opened her eyes and stared quietly up at the canopy overhead, her thoughts drifting to Wen Yiniang.

Slender and graceful, with very fair skin, eyes that held a gentle smile, and long golden earrings set with cat’s eye stones that dangled and swayed beside her ears like tiny swings — they were beautiful.

But why was it that whenever anyone spoke of her, they all seemed to regard her with such contempt? They all said she would do anything for money…

A restlessness stirred in her heart. Remembering that her stepmother lay beside her, she carefully turned over.

Before today, she had once gone to see Wen Yiniang in private.

It was when her birth mother had died… the household had been in some disarray, and she had pretended to lose her way and wandered over to the small courtyard on the eastern side. But Wen Yiniang had not been in the courtyard, and she had not dared to wait long. She left with her head lowered, and at the gate she heard someone call out “Wen Yiniang.” She looked up, catching only a glimpse of a pale, moon-white figure.

She didn’t know whether Wen Yiniang had ever secretly come to see her… or perhaps there was money to be made elsewhere, and whether or not she saw her own daughter did not matter — once, as she had been half-asleep, she had dimly overheard her wet nurse, Nanny Hu, talking with Wei Zi. They were saying, “The young miss is truly pitiful. Siyu’s Qin Yiniang is so afraid of bringing trouble upon her son that she dare not put a foot wrong. As for Wen Yiniang — as long as there is silver, she could sell even her own daughter… What kind of family is the Wang family, anyway? Never mind that the Marquis Yongping household now has an Empress — even without that hollow prestige, it would be impossible to marry the First Miss off to a traveling merchant. Who knows how much the Wang family paid her!”

At the time she had kept her eyes tightly shut, afraid that Nanny Hu would realize she was awake. Yet for reasons she couldn’t explain, no matter how tightly she shut her eyes, the tears still came.

Remembering all this, her eyes began to sting again.

A pair of gentle hands suddenly settled on her shoulder. “Zhen Jie’er, my mother was also a Yiniang.” The voice that spoke to her was warm and unhurried, calm and composed. “We can never choose where we come from. What we can choose is our own future.”

Zhen Jie’er turned over, eyes blurred with tears, and met a gaze as warm as the gentle sunshine of a March afternoon.

“Don’t cry anymore.” Shiyiniang took out a handkerchief and wiped her tears. “A young woman’s tears are like pearls — shed too many, and they turn into mere fish-eyes.”

Zhen Jie’er broke into laughter through her tears.

Shiyiniang stroked her hair gently. “Zhen Jie’er, you are only eleven years old this year. You have so much good time ahead of you. What has passed is only a very, very small part of your life. There will be better people to meet, better things to come. A better future still awaits you.”

Zhen Jie’er nodded.

She thought of the fear and worry she had felt when she first heard that her father intended to take her mother’s younger sister as his new wife… and yet things had not unfolded as she had imagined. Could this be counted as one of the better things she would encounter going forward?

Zhen Jie’er opened her mouth, then hesitated.

Shiyiniang said gently, “Is it that you don’t know how to get along with Wen Yiniang?”

Zhen Jie’er said nothing.

“She is a Yiniang of the household. You are the Miss of the household. When you cross paths, a courteous and cordial manner is all that is expected.” Shiyiniang said. “If she needs help with something — so long as it does not harm anyone — help her if you can. That will be enough to honor the bond between mother and daughter.”

She could not tell Zhen Jie’er to draw close to Wen Yiniang.

The Grand Madam had made it plain: Zhen Jie’er was the First Miss of Marquis Yongping’s household. In the future, she would be married into a family of equal standing, and her conduct had to conform to the standards society expected of her. Otherwise, she would find life full of suffering, and society would reject her.

Zhen Jie’er smiled.

“Rest for a little while.” Shiyiniang said with a laugh. “If Nanny Du sees us later, it will be dreadful — if she thinks I have been secretly scolding you and goes to Grandmother to report me, I will be in serious trouble!” she teased.

Zhen Jie’er pressed her lips together in a smile and asked Shiyiniang softly, “Mother, is it very difficult for you too?”

Shiyiniang was momentarily taken aback.

Zhen Jie’er said quietly, “With Siyu Ge, and me, and Zhun Ge, and all the Yiniiangs — is it very difficult for you?”

Someone understood her difficulties…

Tears suddenly brimmed at Shiyiniang’s lashes.

She shook her head with a smile. “Not at all. Zhen Jie’er is my capable helper, Zhun Ge is also very well-behaved, and though I have had little contact with Siyu Ge, he is diligent in his studies and very clever — I like him very much too. As for the Yiniiangs, they all entered the household before me, serving your father and bearing all of you. Even without great merit, there is still the toil they have endured. I think it is quite good.”

Zhen Jie’er looked at her, seeing the shimmer of moisture at the corner of her eyes. She gave a small nod, leaned her head against Shiyiniang’s shoulder, and said nothing more.

The room fell into a hushed stillness, broken only by the soft tick-tock of the self-striking clock, which made the surrounding quiet feel all the more serene.

…

“Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, Palace-style braised wild rabbit. Stir-fried squab with coriander, mountain delicacy thorny dragon sprouts, jade bamboo shoots with fern greens, osmanthus fish strips, freshly minced vegetable hearts…” Zhen Jie’er looked up at Shiyiniang, her face full of bewilderment. “This… this is so much…”

“Today is your housewarming!” Shiyiniang said with a laugh. “Next summer, when your mourning period is over, we will properly look for a good spot in the rear garden for your own courtyard, and we will celebrate it grandly again. We can even invite Hui Jie’er from the Lin family.”

Zhen Jie’er looked a little embarrassed. “It is just far too extravagant!”

“Once in a while, it does not matter.” Shiyiniang smiled, handing the list to Hupo. “Take this to the kitchen and have them prepare it accordingly.”

Hupo smiled and withdrew.

Shiyiniang then called for Binju. “Go to the hothouse in the rear garden and bring a few of the flowers that are blooming nicely — set them out to add some color and cheer.”

Binju smiled and went off to the rear garden hothouse.

Shiyiniang sent Lvyun to fetch the wife of Nan Yong. “Come and dress our hair beautifully for us.”

Lvyun answered cheerfully and went off.

Zhun Ge came running up to her. “Mother, Mother — what about me? What should I do?”

Shiyiniang smiled. “When the flowers come from the hothouse, you can help arrange them.”

Zhun Ge nodded vigorously at this.

Nanny Tao looked on anxiously. “That simply will not do, that simply will not do!”

Shiyiniang laughed. “With so many of you standing watch, just let the smaller, easier ones be carried with his help — it is not as if we are truly putting him to hard labor. What is there to worry about?”

Hearing this, Zhen Jie’er spoke up from beside her. “Let me help him carry them then.”

Shiyiniang waved her off. “We are going to dress up beautifully. Zhun Ge — the flowers are in your charge.”

But Zhun Ge was not having it. He tugged at Zhen Jie’er’s sleeve. “I don’t want to carry flowers. I want to dress up beautifully like Elder Sister too.”

“Very well then.” Shiyiniang laughed. “We will do our hair, and you can sit and watch us.”

Zhun Ge agreed readily, and Nanny Tao looked on with visible relief.

When the wife of Nan Yong arrived, Shiyiniang and Zhen Jie’er walked hand in hand into the inner chamber, with Zhun Ge trailing after them like a little tail.

Today’s guest of honor was Zhen Jie’er, and Shiyiniang naturally had no intention of stealing the limelight. She settled Zhen Jie’er at the dressing table, had the wife of Nan Yong dress her hair in an elegant coiled bun adorned with pearl flowers, and had Xiao Li help her change into a moon-white cut-silk jacket embroidered with green bamboo — she stood gracefully upright, like a pale white lotus.

“Elder Sister looks so beautiful!” Zhun Ge called out with delight from beside them.

Shiyiniang looked on with satisfaction and took her by the hand to the eastern side room.

Bright red lanterns hung from the eaves. On the tea table inside, fresh flowers — the three winter friends — were arranged; along the central altar, a great spray of red wood hibiscus had been set out, lending the room a festive, joyful air.

“It feels like the New Year.” Nanny Du said with a beaming smile as she surveyed the flowers.

“Thank you, Mother!” Zhen Jie’er’s eyes shone brightly.

Shiyiniang smiled gently.

In her heart, however, she was worrying about Xu Lingyi, who had gone to the Western Hills.

It had already been three days. Not only was there no word from him — there was not a single piece of news about the Fifth Prince’s condition either. That the news could be contained so thoroughly was itself an unusual sign.

Where the Xu family would go from here, and what awaited them — Shiyiniang felt a creeping unease. It was precisely because of this that she had particularly wanted to draw the children closer together through this occasion of Zhen Jie’er’s moving in.

At a critical moment, only a united family could stand against the cold winds that were coming.

—