The four new little maids were all under ten years of age — two younger than Minglan, two older. Their given names were: Second Girl, Bring-a-Brother, Little Flower, and Niuniu. The Old Mistress smiled and had Minglan give them new names. Minglan had experience with this — she had chosen Xiaotao’s name after all. These four, she thought, might as well be called “Lychee, Longan, Loquat, and Sweet Osmanthus” — all fruit, neat and matching.

She was just about to say so when Danju beside her gave a soft little cough and said with a smile: “The Fourth Young Miss has two attendants whose names are Dew Seed and Cloud Cutting — said to come from poetry, which is why they sound so refined and pleasant.”

Xiaotao, standing beside Danju, expressed her feelings about her own name through the eloquence of her expression alone. The Old Mistress and Nanny Fang both wore a look of quiet amusement that seemed to tease Minglan — and it quite ruined her urge to be nonchalant about it. It was just Tang poetry — who couldn’t manage that?

Thoroughly flustered, Minglan immediately pulled out a volume of poetry and in two shakes found a suitable verse. Gao Chan, very well — was he as formidable as Li Bai? Li Bai was the Immortal Poet, after all! Minglan drew herself up with great dignity, stood in the center of the room, pointed to the smallest girl: “You shall be called Yancao — Swallow Grass.” She pointed to the slight and slender one: “You shall be called Bisi — Jade Thread.” She pointed to the gentle and bashful one: “You shall be called Qinsang — Qin Mulberry.” And the last, the quick and bold one, she named Luzhi — Green Branch.

Danju was the most obliging, immediately stepping forward to add a flattering flourish: “Young Miss has chosen such lovely names — refined and pleasing to the eye, and these four are all green growing things, while Xiaotao and I are red — it seems Young Miss has favored us and lifted us up. Thank you, Young Miss!”

As she spoke she even pulled Xiaotao along to curtsy to Minglan together. Minglan recovered some measure of her dignity. Xiaotao was pleased too and added her part enthusiastically: “Yes — Danju-jie and I can actually be eaten, and they cannot!”

Minglan: …

The Old Mistress laughed until she nearly toppled over on the couch, watching the children’s cheerful nonsense with great amusement. The four newly arrived girls covered their mouths and giggled softly. Nanny Fang sat smiling on a low stool, thinking contentedly: ever since this Sixth Young Miss arrived, this Hall of Longevity and Tranquility has truly been a joy.

The Old Mistress grew more cheerful with each passing day — perhaps because her heart was at ease, her health improved along with it. Sheng Hong was greatly pleased, saying repeatedly that it had been the right decision to bring a child here to be raised, for now the Old Mistress even had the energy to oversee household affairs again. As the reshuffling of household staff was drawing to a close, Changbai returned from seeing the wedding party to the capital. Sheng Wei and Changwu still had business to attend to in the capital and were remaining there, so Changbai came back on his own. On the same boat came a bone-thin old gentleman — Master Zhuang Ru.

Sheng Hong had been trying to invite Master Zhuang Ru to the household to open a school for several years, sending gift after gift and writing more than a dozen earnest letters. Yet Master Zhuang’s teaching was celebrated for its results, his rate of producing successful examination candidates was widely praised, and as a result his services were always in demand — he had never been free to come. Several months earlier, Master Zhuang had celebrated his seventieth birthday in great style, and at the banquet had been so carried away that he drank a few cups too many. Unluckily he contracted a chill and spent over a month confined to his bed. The physician recommended he recuperate somewhere with a milder, more humid climate. The Jiangnan region was too far. Dengzhou was just right.

Master Zhuang considered his diminishing store of bones and concluded that his old life ought to take priority. He therefore accepted Sheng Hong’s invitation and traveled back together with Changbai, who had been in the capital. He brought with him a wife of ample vigor and strong constitution. Their daughter had long since married far away to Shanxi, and their son was serving as a county official in the south — whether as a clerk or assistant magistrate, no one could be quite sure. Sheng Hong had set aside a small garden on the western side of the house, refurbished it in a matter of days, and made it available for Master Zhuang and his wife to live in.

The elderly couple brought only two servants between them but came with twenty chests and boxes, every single one heavy. After Minglan received the full report from that gossip Xiaotao, she reflected: even in ancient times, the private tutoring business was apparently quite profitable.

Sheng Hong had originally engaged Master Zhuang on behalf of his two elder sons’ studies. But following Nanny Kong’s profound education, he felt it would be a waste not to put good teaching resources to full use. So he respectfully negotiated with Master Zhuang, added a further sum to the tuition, and enrolled the girls and the youngest boy, Changdong, as auditing students alongside the others.

The day before lessons began, Sheng Hong and Wang Shi summoned all the children for a talk. He first addressed Changbai and Changfeng, as was his custom — starting with governing the realm and benefiting the people, closing with honoring the ancestors, and interspersing it with remarks about loyalty to the emperor and love for one’s country — the two older boys listened with their heads bowed.

“Master Zhuang is advancing in years but his mind is reputed to be quick and sharp still. Over a dozen years of teaching, he knows the way of the imperial examinations better than anyone. Apply yourselves well and seek his guidance — do not slack. And do not think that because you have some small measure of achievement or reputation, you may preen and swagger. Should I hear of it, I will break every bone in your bodies at once!”

This was Sheng Hong’s closing speech — stern and fierce to the extreme. In keeping with Confucian philosophy, a father must never show a kind face to his sons; ideally, one should beat them at every meal. But toward daughters, who would after all go to belong to another family, one could be a little more mild. When Sheng Hong turned to address the girls, his expression improved considerably:

“Though young ladies have no need to master the full canon of learning, understanding principle and reasoning is of the first importance in all one’s dealings in the world. Knowing more is always better, and saves one from appearing provincial and narrow when going out into society. I have arranged with Master Zhuang that from now on you four will attend the family school in the mornings. In the afternoons, when he discusses the eight-legged essay and examination technique, you need not attend.”

As Sheng Hong said all of this, Wang Shi’s face had gone rather green. She was not herself able to read, and as for verse — whether it was wet or dry, she hadn’t the faintest idea. In the early days of their marriage it had been fine, but as time went on, Sheng Hong grew increasingly frustrated: he fancied himself a gentleman of taste and literary refinement, and when he sighed at the moon, “the moon waxes and wanes,” he did not expect his wife to immediately respond with the next line, “as people part and meet” — but he did hope she would at least understand that her husband was lamenting the impermanence of mortal life, rather than answering with the non sequitur “well, of course the moon isn’t full — it isn’t the fifteenth yet!”

Over time, Wang Shi naturally came to know her own shortcoming in this regard, and so in later years she had positively championed the cause of her daughters’ education. Hualan was all right, but Rulan took entirely after her in temperament — clever enough in other ways, but with an absolute loathing of books. Having been forced to learn a few characters by daily coercion, she could not come close to comparing with Molan, who spent her days composing poetry and songs. At this thought Wang Shi’s expression shifted, and she said:

“Your father is quite right — this is not about hollow things like poetry and lyrics, but about proper principles, which are what truly matter. And when it comes to managing a household, one will have a dignified command of things!” Molan bowed her head lower. Rulan breathed a quiet sigh of relief.

Sheng Hong felt Wang Shi had not said anything particularly wrong, so he said nothing. Then he recalled a matter and added: “When attending your lessons, you four are not to wear those large gold locks.” He turned to Wang Shi: “Those scholars of Master Zhuang’s sort have always viewed gold and silver as things of vulgarity. The gold lock sent by Elder Brother is especially dazzling and showy — it would be fine for going out to social calls, but wearing it to see a teacher would be ostentatious.”

Wang Shi nodded: “Then we won’t wear them.” After a moment’s reflection, she said to the girls: “You four young misses will be appearing together before others — it would not do for you all to dress differently. The Old Mistress had a set of jade-pendant necklaces made the other day, did she not? Have each of you wear your own jade lock on it. As the saying goes, jade is the gentleman of all stones — Master Zhuang will certainly approve.”

Sheng Hong was quite satisfied: “Quite right — that will be very fitting. But… does Minglan have jade?” He looked toward Minglan as he said this, a hint of apologetic guilt in his expression.

Wang Shi smiled: “Minglan has spent fewer days in my care, and I confess I was remiss. It was the Old Mistress who was thorough — she personally searched through her own rooms to find a fine piece of jade, and sent it to Cuibao Studio to have the master craftsman carve it himself. I had a look — the jade is of a warm, deep tone, the quality smooth and lustrous, the workmanship both fine and beautiful. Looking at it, it seems even better than the Fourth and Fifth Miss’s pieces. I said — in the end, it is the Old Mistress — what she produces will always be of a different class!”

Minglan lowered her head and thought quietly: women, women — would it kill you to say something without layering it with hidden meaning?

The hidden meaning was not deeply concealed — everyone understood it. The boys were fine. Rulan immediately sent two probing glances across the room. Molan, who had been keeping her head down, also looked up toward her. Sheng Hong caught Wang Shi’s implication and said with studied composure: “As the children’s step-mother, you ought by rights to take more care of their affairs. And yet here is the Old Mistress making up for your neglect — that is truly not how things should be.” Watching Wang Shi bite her lips in silent objection, Sheng Hong added: “Well, never mind — since Minglan is being raised at the Old Mistress’s side, she will simply have to trouble her further.”

Husband and wife exchanged a few silent volleys of pointed looks, then let the matter settle.

Minglan quietly supplied the unspoken subtext for them all —

Sheng Hong’s underlying message: As the proper mistress of the household, all the children ought to be under your care. You show favoritism and you want me to defend that?

Wang Shi’s inner monologue: You utter — she didn’t come out of my belly, and she wasn’t raised by me from the beginning. Why should I spend money and energy and effort on her? Not having made life miserable for them already makes me something close to a saint. Though I must say, your mother isn’t exactly setting a great example either.

Sheng Hong’s closing verdict: All right. The child doesn’t need you to raise her. Let everyone find their own way. Minglan’s birth mother is dead — she’ll rely on Grandmother. You needn’t bother yourself with it anymore.

Finally Sheng Hong said a few words to little Changdong. This child was only four or five years old. His birth mother, Xiang Yiniang, had originally been one of Wang Shi’s personal maids and still depended on the main household for her livelihood. The little boy was, in that sense, being raised under the main household’s roof. He was by nature timid and shrinking — neither legitimately born nor particularly favored. Wang Shi had not made things difficult for the mother and son, but simply ignored them entirely.

As they filed out, Minglan caught sight of Xiang Yiniang waiting at the door of the main room — eyes lowered, bearing respectful and unassuming. Seeing Changdong come out, she brightened and went to meet him, gently taking the small boy by the hand to lead him away. Minglan thought suddenly: compared to the long-dead Wei Yiniang, she was fortunate.

After Hualan married and left, Rulan moved into the Flourishing Pavilion. After Sheng Hong’s talk, Rulan went back to her room with a darkened face, kicked over a small round stool of black lacquer wood with a white marble top, then threw herself onto the bed and tore at the embroidered silk and brocade pillows. Wang Shi followed her in and caught her at it: “Wretched girl — what are you throwing a fit about now?!”

Rulan shot up and cried out: “It was bad enough that Fourth Sister took my jade lock — Lin Yiniang at least had the ability for that. But why should even that little nobody Minglan get ahead of me? I am worth less than a concubine-born child!”

Wang Shi grabbed her daughter’s arm and pulled her to sit on the edge of the bed. She tapped her on the forehead: “Your father made up a separate jade lock for you afterward, and its quality is nothing short of Molan’s — you thankless wretch! As for Minglan’s, that was the Old Mistress who gave it. You chose not to go to the Hall of Longevity and Tranquility yourself — who is there to blame?”

Rulan said fiercely: “I am the legitimate daughter — whether or not I go to flatter Grandmother, she ought to prize me above all others. That Minglan has only won a few days of favor from her, and already there is no difference made between legitimate and concubine-born. And they talk constantly of rules and propriety — it makes people laugh. A concubine-born little nobody, and they feed her and clothe her like a thousand-gold young miss! I have heard that in other families, concubine-born daughters are put to work as servants — beaten and sold at will. Why is she being kept like royalty!”

Wang Shi was beside herself. Nanny Liu Kun, from the side, smiled and passed over a cup of tea, while taking the opportunity to dismiss all the small maids and tidy the mess on the floor. She said: “Young Miss is still young and doesn’t yet know — only families of low breeding, merchants and country folk, treat concubine-born daughters without proper regard. The grander and more distinguished the family, the more they treat all the young misses alike! A young miss is a cherished guest in her own household, and her future marriage is always uncertain. Back in my own mistress’s day, I knew two distant cousins — one legitimate, one concubine-born. That family raised them both as young misses, in the same manner. When it came time for their marriages, the legitimate one married into a great and powerful household, and the concubine-born one married a poor scholar. Yet heaven is unpredictable — who could have known that great powerful household would later fall into ruin, while that poor scholar rose steadily through the ranks, his family prospering? And the concubine-born cousin was a kind-hearted woman — remembering the old affection from their shared girlhood, she often helped and supported the old family and her legitimate cousin’s household. In time, even that legitimate cousin’s children were married off with her help and support.”

Rulan listened with a sulky expression and said with a cold smile: “Is Nanny Liu saying I should end up like that legitimate cousin?”

Wang Shi dealt her daughter a slap on the back: “You witless creature — Nanny Liu is one of our own people, everything she says is said from the heart. What Nanny Liu means is this: the greater the household, the more it must avoid giving people cause to gossip. Girls before they are married are all treated alike. It is you who go about forever competing and grasping — and yet you have no real ability to show for it. You cannot win the affection of the Master or the Old Mistress, and you cannot even hold your own against Minglan!”

Rulan brooded in silence, then suddenly remembered something: “Mother, didn’t you say before that there is no point in trying to curry favor with the Old Mistress? So how is it that she is now giving away gold and jade so freely?”

Wang Shi was also somewhat vexed: “A rotting ship still has its nails. I was foolish — I suppose she still has some reserves of her own to draw on.”

After a pause, she took a patient, earnest tone with her daughter: “You are not very tolerant toward anyone, this child of mine. Sixth Sister never competes with you or makes trouble for you, and even she you cannot abide — and yet you have none of the cleverness to actually manage people. You will come to grief in the future. But when all is said and done, why should you bother competing with any of them? You are like your Elder Sister — your station is secure. You will naturally marry better than they do and live more comfortably than they do. What is there to quarrel about now? It only makes your father look at you poorly. Even if you must pretend — give me the performance of sisters living in perfect harmony!”

Rulan seemed somewhat persuaded. She gave a labored nod.