Having risen so early, and needing to “happen upon” Madam Xiang at the temple, Shiyiniang had the previous afternoon sent two serving women ahead to ask Jining to set aside a quiet, secluded side room. After eating, the party went to the side room. Jining still had morning lessons to attend to and, after exchanging a few words, rose and took her leave.

Shiyiniang attended to the Old Madam as she rested.

The Second Madam then indicated the large kang by the window in the outer room: “Fourth Sister-in-law has worked hard. You rest a while too. I will go for a stroll outside.”

The kang was large enough to sleep two with no difficulty. By saying this, she was indicating she did not wish to share a bed with her. And Shiyiniang had no habit of sharing a bed with a stranger either. She smiled and said: “Second Sister-in-law was also up early today—do rest. I was just thinking of going to ask Reverend Jining to write a few protective amulets for me.”

The Second Madam knew that two of the Luo Family’s concubines had taken the tonsure here. She smiled and without further ceremony had Jiexiang attend her onto the kang. Shiyiniang then brought Nanny Song and Hupo out of the room.

“Does Madam truly intend to go and ask the Reverend Jining for protective amulets?” Hupo asked with some hesitation.

“Yes.” Shiyiniang smiled. “She spent the better part of two hours reciting ‘Let the mind abide in no fixed place and thus arise’ to me the other day. We ought to show some response.” She then asked Nanny Song to go and invite Jining over. “We cannot simply go wandering all about the temple on our own.”

Nanny Song’s expression visibly relaxed.

She had genuinely feared that the Fourth Madam would suggest going for a look around. If they were to encounter some shameless rogue who had snuck into the temple grounds among the women, the resulting talk could only harm a woman’s reputation.

As if afraid Shiyiniang would change her mind, she quickly acknowledged the instruction and turned to leave the small courtyard.

Hupo could not very well bring up the matter of the concubines. She asked Shiyiniang quietly: “Madam, are you tired? Shall we request another side room? I can have a maidservant keep watch here and come report the moment there is any movement.”

“No need.” Shiyiniang smiled. “We will have the noon meal here and return to the mansion afterward. I can rest on the carriage, which is a sounder sleep than this would be.”

Hupo did not press further. Spotting a small pavilion behind the side room, she said: “Shall I accompany Madam to sit over there for a while?”

Having risen so early, she felt wide awake and full of energy. With the clear fresh air and the occasional sound of birds calling among the trees, Shiyiniang too felt a stirring of interest.

“Very well. Let us go sit in that pavilion.”

Hupo acknowledged this and had a young maidservant bring cushions, tea things, and the like, then accompanied Shiyiniang to the pavilion in the hillside.

Leaning against the pavilion railing and looking down, one had a clear view of Cisource Temple’s release pond.

Though it was morning and not the first or fifteenth of the month, the area around the release pond was gradually growing as lively as a market. There were old women in threadbare clothing, young women dressed in fine silks, and several children attended by clusters of serving women…

Shiyiniang brought up the two concubines of her own accord: “Since they have taken up the religious life, let them set aside all worldly matters. Let us not disturb them.”

Hupo nodded and presented hot tea to Shiyiniang.

But Shiyiniang had abruptly leapt to her feet: “Hupo, look! Is that person Lu Yonggui?”

Hupo was startled. She looked in the direction Shiyiniang was pointing and saw a middle-aged man in a lilac-colored Daoist robe. Of medium build, he carried himself with considerable composure. He stood out conspicuously amid a group of women. But the distance was too great for her to be certain.

Shiyiniang’s expression became grave, and she instructed Hupo: “Take a young manservant with you and go have a closer look.”

Hupo did not dare delay and quickly went.

Shiyiniang slowly settled back into her seat.

Both concubines had entered the household when they were very young and knew nothing of the outside world. Yet they had chosen to come to Yanjing… People generally feel a nameless sense of familiarity toward a strange city when there is someone they know there.

With this thought, she grew restless and unsettled.

Was that person really Lu Yonggui or not? If it was, what was he doing at Cisource Temple, where the two concubines were observing their religious vows? Was it coincidence? Or… Lu Yonggui had been Yuanniang’s most trusted companion servant and managed Zhun Ge’s assets. The two concubines, meanwhile, had been on bitterly hostile terms with the First Madam. Could there be a secret between them that no one else knew?

Shiyiniang was worried. Thinking further of the lies the two concubines had told her in the past, of Yang Yiniang’s suicide, and of Shiniang’s attempt to take her own life on her wedding day… the fingers with which she held her tea cup went slightly pale.

Lvyun said in a soft voice: “Fourth Madam, Reverend Jining has come.”

Shiyiniang gave an “oh,” composed herself, and rose with a smile.

Nanny Song accompanied Jining, slightly breathless, into the small pavilion.

“Fourth Madam truly has an eye for the best spots.” Jining performed her greeting and smiled. “This small pavilion is called the Prospect Pavilion. It offers the finest vantage point in all of Cisource Temple.” She indicated the release pond below. “One can see the release pond from here,” then pointed to a grove of trees to the right, “and on that side, a whole hillside of plum blossoms. It is a pity Madam has come a little late in the season. Had you come two months earlier, you could have warmed a pot of wine and sat here admiring the snow and the plum blossoms. That would have been a fine and refined pleasure.”

Shiyiniang’s thoughts were occupied with that figure below. She exchanged a few pleasantries with Jining.

Seeing that Shiyiniang had little interest in conversation, Jining tactfully guided her to a small Buddhist shrine not far from the side room, offered incense to Guanyin Bodhisattva, and wrote out the protective amulets, which she folded into triangles and placed inside a slate-blue brocade pouch embroidered with white lotus flowers.

Shiyiniang donated twenty taels of lamp oil money.

Jining escorted Shiyiniang back to the courtyard. On the way, she spoke of the two concubines: “…The two concubines have not stepped beyond the inner gate. They have been in earnest religious practice.”

In a flash of clarity, Shiyiniang changed her mind.

She smiled and said: “Since we are here, I really must go in and see the two of them.”

Jining feared nothing more than not being needed by Shiyiniang—not the opposite.

She smiled and led Shiyiniang to a three-courtyard compound behind the small Buddhist shrine.

The courtyard was kept impeccably clean, paved with grey stone bricks and planted with spotted bamboo—a restrained and refined atmosphere.

The two concubines lived in the rear row of rooms facing north in the compound: two chambers, an outer room and an inner one. In the center of the outer room stood a long altar table with an image of Guanyin Bodhisattva, and before the image, two straw-woven meditation cushions. There was nothing else in the room. Both concubines were dressed in plain green silk monastic robes, with their hair arranged in a Daoist knot secured by peach-wood hairpins. The First Concubine remained as amiable as ever; the Second Concubine remained cold and aloof. Yet compared to their time at the Luo household, both looked far better in health—the First Concubine in particular had filled out considerably.

“We are lay practitioners now, and the room is plain. Please be indulgent, Eleventh Young Miss.” The First Concubine’s eyes, as she looked at Shiyiniang, held a flicker of remorse. She turned and carried a large armchair out of the inner room. “Please, be seated.”

The Second Concubine looked on without a word, then also carried out a large armchair from the inner room and placed it beside Jining: “Please be seated, Reverend.” Though not warm, she was not cold either, and she had none of the sharp edge that Shiyiniang remembered.

“May I ask what the Reverend has brought Eleventh Young Miss here for?” The Second Concubine stood in silence to one side as the First Concubine received them.

“She can no longer be called Eleventh Young Miss.” Jining glanced at Shiyiniang, who had not yet spoken, and smiled to lighten the mood. “Your family’s Eleventh Young Miss is now the wife of Marquis Yongping. She must be addressed as Madam Xu.”

The First Concubine amiably followed along and called out a “Madam Xu”: “What has brought you to visit us so unexpectedly?”

“I came today to accompany the Old Madam to offer incense at the temple,” Shiyiniang said briefly. “I am stopping by to see you.”

The young novice attending the door brought in tea.

Jining personally presented it to Shiyiniang.

The fragrance was delicate and pleasant—fine pre-Qingming Longjing tea. A sip left one with a lingering sweetness. Though not quite as fine as what the Old Madam had gifted her, it was not far behind.

Seeing that Shiyiniang was silent, simply sitting and drinking her tea, Jining smiled and rose to her feet: “Madam, please sit here a while. I will go and check on the progress of the vegetarian meal being prepared for the Old Madam.”

Shiyiniang did not detain her and instructed Nanny Song to see her out. Then she said suddenly: “What was Lu Yonggui doing here?”

The expressions of both concubines changed dramatically.

Shiyiniang felt she had the answer she needed and sat composed, leisurely drinking her tea.

“Nothing in particular.” The First Concubine managed a strained smile. “We are all from the same town. He simply comes to see us when he happens to return to Yanjing.”

Shiyiniang rose to her feet: “In that case, let me go and ask Lu Yongfu about it. He is Lu Yonggui’s brother—there are certain matters he would likely know about as well.”

The First Concubine hurried forward and took hold of Shiyiniang’s sleeve: “Madam Xu, this has nothing to do with Lu Yonggui or Lu Yongfu.” A trace of agitation showed in her manner.

The Second Concubine, however, drew a long, slow breath: “Eleventh Young Miss has become Marquis Yongping’s wife, and her ways have changed entirely.” Her gaze rested on Shiyiniang, and the corners of her lips curved very slightly, while her brows carried a trace of contempt. “This is no great secret in any case. All the older members of the Luo household know it. Since Madam Xu has taken the trouble to seek us out over this matter, for us to continue concealing it would be a breach of hospitality.

“Before I was taken into the First Master’s household, I had been betrothed to the nephew of Head Steward Niu. Lu Yonggui and Lu Yongfu lost their father when they were young and owed much to Head Steward Niu’s assistance, who later arranged for them to enter the household as young manservants. In a manner of speaking, we have a certain connection. It is natural that, meeting someone from home in a strange place, Steward Lu would come to see us.”

She had doubts, but required evidence.

Shiyiniang let the matter rest for now.

“Why did Yang Yiniang take her own life?” She fixed her gaze on the First Concubine’s eyes. “You two must not tell me you do not know. Shiniang was escorted to Yanjing by the same armed caravan as you two.”

The First Concubine’s expression dimmed upon hearing this. She gave a faint sigh, but there was no guilt in her face.

“After Yang Yiniang was made to kneel in the ancestral hall by the First Madam, she contracted a chill.” The Second Concubine spoke in a steady, dispassionate tone. “The First Madam refused to let her see a physician throughout. It dragged on and eventually became consumption. The small amount of savings she had was nearly exhausted. For the sake of Shiniang’s future, she was forced to press Shiniang into fawning upon the First Madam. When she saw that the First Madam had not the slightest intention of relenting, she concluded the First Madam could not be relied upon. She then discussed with the two of us the idea of escorting Shiniang to Yanjing. The arrangement with the armed escort was entirely Yang Yiniang’s idea. As for taking her own life…” The Second Concubine gave a cold smile at this point. “She was already in the final stages of her illness. Rather than sit and wait for death, she decided to make one desperate gamble—hoping that the First Master, moved by old affection, and by the fact that Shiniang had grown up under his very eyes as his most beloved daughter, might be willing to secure Shiniang a future.”

Little had she known that this man was not to be relied upon at all.

—