The banquet at the Grand Princess’s residence was, as expected, a grand affair.

In truth, to say Ye Lingbo had come to attend the banquet was less accurate than to say she had come to watch the Wei family make fools of themselves. In just two short days, the reverberations of that incident had not yet passed — it was precisely the moment when rumors were at their most thunderous, and Madam Wei was overwhelmed and frantic. In her state of panic, she was leaning on Lu Wenyin all the more, and seeing this, Lingbo could only curse the woman as a fool under her breath.

She quietly observed the state of affairs between Cui Jingyu and her own elder sister. Han Yueqi’s banquet had come to nothing — and truthfully, even if it had not come to nothing, Lingbo had felt it was not a very reliable approach anyway. These two had already met several times, and things between them were truly in a tangle of a hundred knots — without untying them first, forcing them together would still be useless.

Besides, Cui Jingyu was at the height of his influence now. The Marquis Wei household had lost face publicly, and he could only do better. With the Grand Princess personally intervening, Marquis Cui was seated in the place of honor at the outer banquet, attended personally by the Prince of Pingjun — and Lingbo could not get a single thread of information to hold onto.

She had no choice but to rely on Pei Zhao.

But the young General Pei was truly as free and unattached as a drifting cloud — half a day had passed without a sign of him, which was truly infuriating. And in searching for him, she had also missed an amusing spectacle that had taken place before the Grand Princess.

At the Grand Princess’s residence banquet, the men and women were naturally seated separately. The male guests outside had selected an opera, and it was proper to come in and seek the Grand Princess’s approval. They also knew how to play along and be agreeable — knowing that Wei Yushan was young, only eighteen, still at an age one might call that of a young man, they deliberately sent the “Young Marquis Wei” inside to make the request. Once he came in, the young misses naturally hid behind the screen, while the ladies all broke out laughing.

The senior matron most trusted by the Grand Princess was surnamed Song. She had been the Grand Princess’s wet nurse in former times, and had been conferred a rank of her own — she carried herself with the authority of a venerable matriarch. She took the opera booklet and took the lead in teasing Wei Yushan: “Why is it, Young Marquis, that a fine young man like yourself only selects operas full of fighting and warfare? Operas like ‘Mountain Encounter with a Beauty’ and ‘The Peacock Screen Selection’ are the sort you ought to choose — they suit the occasion of the Flower Announcement Banquet.”

She had set the tone, and the ladies immediately all laughed along. Some began saying that the Young Marquis was simply shy, some praised his bearing and manners, and others even asked Madam Wei outright: “What sort of young lady does the Young Marquis favor in his day-to-day life? Tell us, so we can act as matchmakers.”

Though Wei Yushan’s temper was usually an odd one, he still observed propriety at a time like this — especially before the Grand Princess — and could only stand there with his ears reddening, lips pressed tight, saying nothing at all.

Yang Qiaozhen could hardly let such a moment pass. She immediately stepped up and said: “Ladies, there is no need to rush — I happen to know just the one. The match is ready-made…”

She naturally would not openly name Lu Wanyang, but those among the ladies who were on good terms with the Wei and Lu families immediately chimed in, while the rest knew well enough that the Lu family had already set their sights on Wei Yushan as a foregone conclusion, and so held their tongues. The remaining ladies kept up the jesting, pulling at Madam Wei and demanding “one word of confirmation” from her. Even Matron Song joined in the fun, asking: “Which family’s young miss is it?”

“Matron, you guess.” Yang Qiaozhen simply refused to say outright.

Madam Wei had no real skill at maneuvering and was being pressed so hard she was nearly on the point of giving in. Wei Yushan, standing to the side listening, had already grown irritated. Then, just in time, he heard a light laugh from behind the screen where the young misses were hidden.

He did not know for certain whether it was A’Cuo’s laugh, but his instincts told him it must be.

“Just now the ladies asked why I only selected operas of fighting and warfare.” He spoke without even the honorific of “Matron,” simply and bluntly: “Huo Qubing once said, ‘while the Xiongnu have not yet been destroyed, how can I speak of making a home?’ The northern barbarians have not yet been destroyed, and I have no wish to concern myself with marriage.”

“Silly boy.” Matron Song immediately laughed and said: “The war is over now, and you still will not think about marriage? Even if you are a bit young, settling things early so you can marry in two or three years’ time is perfectly fine. Is that not so, Madam Wei?”

Madam Wei could only nod. But Wei Yushan was a stubborn mule through and through.

“Within five years, I will not consider marriage.”

At those words, the color immediately drained from Lu Wanyang’s face behind the screen.

Lu Wanyang was twenty — two years older than him. At the Flower Announcement Banquet, that was not any kind of issue; it was quite common for the bride to be somewhat older. But if one were to wait another five years, that would be an entirely different matter.

Lu Wenyin’s expression also turned unpleasant — but she held herself together. She said something about “Qiaozhen always loves to joke, so playful even before Her Highness…” and reined in Yang Qiaozhen, steering the conversation elsewhere. Wei Yushan, that stubborn donkey, cared nothing for how the matter would be smoothed over here, took the opera booklet, and walked out.

When Han Yueqi recounted this spectacle to Ye Lingbo, she could not help laughing as she told it: “I cannot think what got into Wei Yushan, either. What a joke — Lu Wenyin working so hard to make all these arrangements, so preoccupied with winning over Madam Wei, she forgot that the one Lu Wanyang has to marry is Wei Yushan.”

Ye Lingbo was also puzzled: “Could it be that he has his eye on someone? Why so precise about five years — it almost seems like he has a young miss in mind who is still very young. Could it be He Qingyi? She is only seventeen.”

“Who knows — I’ll leave that riddle for you to slowly unravel. I am going back now; there are things to see to at home.” Han Yueqi said.

“Han-jiejie is always sneaking off.” Lingbo complained, and then it came to her: “Oh — I understand. Today is the twenty-fifth, isn’t it? Your husband is coming back. No wonder.”

Han Yueqi laughed and pinched her.

“Listen to yourself — and these are supposed to be the words of a well-bred young miss? An unmarried girl teasing a married woman — just see if I do not tell Qinglan to give you a proper scolding.”

She said it in jest, but even as she spoke she was already climbing into her carriage. The Shen family was the leading family among the civil officials, and their good looks were an added rarity — Master Shen, Young Master Shen, both Tanhua-ranked scholars in unbroken succession. It was no wonder Shen Biwei had inherited such striking looks. Counting back, Han Yueqi’s Flower Announcement Banquet in those years had won her the top prize among all the young ladies. Shen Yunze had passed the imperial examinations at seventeen, placed as the Tanhua-ranked scholar, and served in the Hanlin Academy — a true paragon of talent and looks. Young love, lasting through heaven and earth.

It was for this reason that, having bid farewell to Han Yueqi, Lingbo was more firmly resolved than ever in her determination to mend the red thread of fate for her own elder sister. Unfortunately, that wretch Pei Zhao was nowhere to be found — truly infuriating. She did, however, come upon Shen Biwei. Shen Biwei had always occupied a position apart from others. The Grand Princess had always regarded her with particular favor, and at a bustling and splendid gathering like this, she still had a quiet world of her own — in a small courtyard garden, teaching Second Girl to play cuju.

Lingbo had originally come looking for Shen Biwei, so encountering Second Girl was an unexpected delight. Second Girl felt a warm closeness to Lingbo, and the moment she caught sight of her, her eyes lit up immediately. Calling out “Lingbo-jiejie,” she came running toward her and threw her arms around her.

Lingbo laughed and stroked her head, asking her how these past two days had been and whether she had grown accustomed to life in the Grand Princess’s residence.

Indeed, fine clothes make the person — within the Grand Princess’s residence, Second Girl had been dressed in fine silk garments. The wispy yellow hair of before had been dressed into a double bun like Yanyan’s, adorned with pearl and jade and velvet flowers, giving her a bright and joyful appearance. Not the slightest trace of her former look remained. She had learned her manners too, and knew to reply properly: “Her Highness has been very good to me, and Elder Su has been looking after me all along.”

“Do you miss home?” Lingbo teased her.

“I do not miss home. My mother says that Her Highness arranged new lodgings for them and has bestowed many things upon them. She told me to study my manners diligently here, read more books, and repay Her Highness and the elder sisters well in the future.” Second Girl answered with perfect obedience.

“That’s how it should be. Go on, then.” And so Lingbo sent her off to continue playing cuju with Shen Biwei, while she herself stood watching them from the covered walkway. The Grand Princess’s residence was refined and elegant throughout — even the plum blossoms had been trimmed with meticulous care, carrying the air of the imperial palace. Paired with the falling snow, it was truly beautiful. If Second Girl, after years of study, were one day able to sit beneath such plum blossom trees in her leisure hours and enjoy tea while admiring the snow, that would be a thing of elegance indeed.

But alas — affairs of the world came in endless tumult. When was there ever a chance to simply rest?

Lingbo had barely settled herself beneath the tree, watching Second Girl play cuju, when the female official Su appeared. She was not particularly courteous toward Lingbo, her expression cool and distant. Lingbo took the initiative to bow: “I pay my respects, Elder Su.”

“Miss Ye is too courteous.” The female official Su said lightly: “Thank you for the care you have shown Second Niangzi.”

“Not at all.” Lingbo had already guessed her purpose, and responded as she normally would.

And sure enough, the female official Su spoke.

“It is a fine thing that the young miss is compassionate and fond of Second Niangzi. But now that Second Niangzi has entered the princess’s residence, and Her Highness has already given Second Niangzi a new name and placed her in our care to raise, I am afraid she and the young miss will not be able to meet often in the future.” The female official Su spoke of something of weighty implication in a light and understated manner.

Lingbo, of course, understood perfectly.

“Elder Su is right.” She only smiled in reply: “Lingbo understands. I will not come to disturb Second Niangzi in the future.”

“Then many thanks to the young miss.” The female official Su maintained that air of lofty superiority that only one who had spent long years in the imperial palace could carry: “Jixiang — bring a sachet for the Second Miss Ye. This was sought by Her Highness before the Buddha. Wearing it often, young miss, is most conducive to calming the heart, cultivating the self, and nourishing one’s nature.”

“Many thanks for Elder Su’s kind gift.”

After this exchange was concluded, Lingbo’s expression turned so noticeably cool that even Shen Biwei and Second Girl, having finished their cuju game and coming over to walk beside her, could not help asking: “What did the female official Su say to you?”

“Nothing more than the usual palace talk.” Lingbo was unfazed. Seeing Shen Biwei walking backward in front of her, she said with disdain: “Look at yourself — a perfectly good banquet, and you have managed to work up a sweat all over again. Did you come to attend a banquet, or to do hard labor?”

“It is not as if this is the Flower Announcement Banquet — close enough is good enough. My mother does not even manage me.” Shen Biwei was thoroughly unruly and unconstrained. The two of them passed by a certain courtyard, which had no lights, but through the round moon gate one could make out the dense shadows of bamboo within — refined and elegant. Above the entrance were inscribed the two characters “Cautious Solitude,” rendered in a brushstroke of vigorous force, clearly the study of some royal son in residence.

Lingbo had only paused for a moment when Shen Biwei looked at her and said without words: “Here you go again!”

“What do you mean, here I go again?” Lingbo was exasperated into laughter: “I did not say a single word. What are you jumping at shadows for?”

“Don’t play innocent — as if I don’t know what you are scheming.” Shen Biwei threw an arm around her and made a threat: “Sooner or later I will catch you red-handed, and then we will see what you do.”

In truth, there was no need to wait for sooner or later. By evening, when one opera had been performed and tea and refreshments were brought out, the ladies were savoring their delicacies, sipping tea, and speaking of the joys and sorrows in the opera — some lamenting the workings of fate and consequence, some remarking on how marriage was destined, others sighing over the capriciousness of fortune. The candlelight was warm, the floor heating sent up a soft, drowsy warmth, the sound of strings and pipes drifted melodiously through the air. Even the high and lofty Grand Princess revealed a more approachable side, exchanging a few casual words with the matron.

At such a close and intimate distance, the Princess of Pingjun also showed the lively and spirited side of her younger years, and said with a smile to the Grand Princess: “Your Highness — I just heard someone remarking that this year’s Flower Announcement Banquet in the capital seems to have no shortage of outstanding men of the military. Where, one wonders, have all the young royal scions gone?”

She had opened the topic, and the others caught on. Madam Shen laughed and chimed in: “Quite so — this is precisely the matter that needs Your Highness’s impartial judgment.”

The Grand Princess also smiled: “What makes you say it is for me to render impartial judgment?”

“The military may have no shortage of fine young officers, but our capital is not without its royal sons either.” The Princess of Pingjun said playfully: “Though Young Master Shen is already wed, does not Your Highness’s residence have one such person of note?”

“Indeed.” The venerable Old Dowager of the Liang Principality also smiled and asked: “This old woman has also been meaning to ask — why has the young lord of the Duke’s household not appeared? I hear he has been studying at an academy?”

Though the words were spoken with such gentle mildness, Lingbo still had the sense that the entire hall fell into a momentary stillness — as if every lady and young miss present was holding her breath, waiting for the answer.