As the twelfth month drew near, the pace of life within Wuzhou City quickened slightly.

Sugar merchants on the move hurried back and forth. They needed to take delivery of their goods and transport them to their planned destinations in time to move large quantities before the New Year. At year’s end, households that had counted every coin all year long would take some of the money and grain they had saved and exchange it for “luxuries” they couldn’t ordinarily afford. Wuzhou’s granulated sugar was high quality and reasonably priced — whoever transported it away earliest would earn the greater profit. Once everyone knew about this trade, the margins would even out.

Some merchants who had visited Wuzhou before had roughly scouted out conditions here; this time they came again, bringing goods that Wuzhou didn’t produce. A trip in both directions — no empty carts — meant profits on two ends. Wuzhou produced sugar, Fulu tangerines, and preserved fruits. The last was a byproduct of the local sugar production.

Proper preserved fruits used honey to cure the fruits, but honey was even more expensive than sugar — also something the poor couldn’t afford. Since Wuzhou produced sugar, and the region was warm and produced abundant fruit, people had substituted sugar for honey to cure and preserve a wide variety of “preserved fruits.” And Wuzhou lacked certain other products — fine silks, for instance, and certain books, fine handicrafts, and the like.

Merchant Zhang Xing arrived in Wuzhou City, hauling two carts of goods with several assistants, dusty from the road. It had been over twenty years since he had last come to Wuzhou City to find buyers. Back then he had been young, often traveling the four corners to sell goods. Later, as his business grew, he rarely went out himself anymore. This time was different — he wanted to find a new source of income.

Wuzhou City had changed enormously from memory! It was actually beginning to resemble a proper prefecture capital. Zhang Xing made inquiries along the way and came to a particular shop front.

He Family Thread Shop, primarily dealing in woolen and silk thread but also carrying needles, thimbles, embroidery frames, plain silk, and the like. Three bays of shopfront; goods sold downstairs, people living upstairs, storage behind. The owner was surnamed He; the family trade had been passed down, and the current proprietor was a young man of about twenty named He Da. Seeing Zhang Xing, he was quite surprised: “How is it you’ve come in person?”

“Exercising the joints!”

“Please come inside!”

The two exchanged pleasantries, and Zhang Xing mentioned he had brought goods. He Da was deferential and did not presume. He Da took out a ledger and went over the goods with Zhang Xing item by item, noting down each one. When the count was finished, he smiled: “In past years we always came to you to purchase goods; this year you’ve been good enough to bring them to us in person.”

Zhang Xing said: “None of that formality. Your father and I were doing business when he was alive; then your mother took over management and continued to patronize my trade. Now I come to deliver goods myself — why not?”

He Da took a good look at Zhang Xing’s build. Zhang Xing was different from someone like He Da, who ran a small shop and — though he kept two assistants — still had to tend it himself sometimes. Zhang Xing was a well-established major merchant in the thread trade back in his home prefecture, fifty years old, with a paunch, and seldom going out personally on business runs.

Well — this was Wuzhou now, not the southern prefecture. They were a prefecture capital now too! The old prefecture capital had become the neighboring prefecture.

He Da said: “You’ve come in person; there must be a reason.”

Zhang Xing said: “Haven’t been out and about for a long time. Wuzhou isn’t far — I’m out here to stretch my legs and visit old friends. How is your mother? Is she well? I have some good silk I’ve just gotten hold of — I want to give it to her.”

He Da said: “Fortunately she’s very well. You’re too kind. She’s not home today — she’s gone to the tribal school to see Doctor Zhū.”

“Ah…” Zhang Xing was looking for a conversational opening when he heard a shopkeeper’s voice welcoming a customer outside. Pointing to that, he said: “Wuzhou is so much more prosperous than before.”

He Da also settled in for a chat: “It really is! Ever since our Lord Zhù came here, life has gotten better day by day! A few years ago I had to pay protection money to the street patrol every month — a few hundred coins. From the moment My Lord arrived — guess what? She rounded them all up, confirmed they had been extorting people, gave them each twenty strokes, and dismissed the lot of them!”

Zhang Xing said: “I’d heard of this Lord’s reputation long ago. They say ever since she arrived, Wuzhou has been growing considerably richer — good things coming from everywhere. Could she be some kind of wealth-bringing deity?”

He Da said: “Perhaps she is indeed!”

“And speaking of it — Wuzhou’s sugar is a pure windfall, more profitable than the tangerines. Everywhere is selling Wuzhou sugar. Even the middlemen have made a tidy sum — I just don’t know whether the purchase price is truly as they say.”

He Da raised an eyebrow and smiled: “World Uncle, your business is in thread, isn’t it?”

Zhang Xing said: “One never has too many streams of income.” Back in his home prefecture capital, sugar was sold as well, but at a high price. He had no plans to open a sugar shop himself — that really would be going outside his lane — but with capital in hand, having come to look personally, if the purchase price was as rumored, he would buy in a batch and resell, not retailing it himself.

He asked He Da whether he knew any large-volume sugar suppliers, and whether there was a way to make an introduction. He Da said: “If we’re speaking of the best, it’s the Xiang Family Workshop — an old established name! The official sugar workshop is also excellent. The rest, though not as good as those two, are all made by the same method.”

Zhang Xing said: “An official workshop? Hmm — do you know where the Xiang Family Workshop is? Worthy nephew, would you have connections to arrange a meeting? I won’t let you go to this trouble for nothing.”

He Da laughed: “World Uncle — what kind of talk is that? You’ve come to deliver goods yourself, which has already saved me a great deal of trouble — and with such fine goods too. Running an errand for you is nothing. It’s just that people are coming from everywhere to buy. I don’t know if they still have stock. Also, I’ve heard they only take payment on the spot — I don’t know if you’ve brought enough cash? Or perhaps we could use the current payment for your goods as a credit, and transfer it from my end to theirs?”

Zhang Xing said: “That would work! Like mother, like son — your mother is a person of method; the shop in her hands, she can rest easy. You’ve certainly taken after her.”

“World Uncle teases me — World Uncle, wait a moment; let me say a word to the others, and then I’ll go ask around for you.”

Zhang Xing said: “Much obliged, worthy nephew.” He also had the silk intended for He’s mother brought out, and He Da offered a token demurral before accepting.

Zhang Xing watched his receding figure and thought: The He family, mother and son struggling alone — looks like things have finally turned a corner. Wait — if Wuzhou’s sugar is so popular, how does he have a connection?

Because He Da had a mother.

He’s mother, Madam Meng, had been widowed in her youth and managed the thread shop her husband had left on her own. Capable and determined, and because life as a widow was hard, she had fallen ill in middle age. He Da ran about desperately, trying every remedy — and found a female physician to see his mother. The female physician was none other than the current medical doctor-scholar of the tribal school: Zhū Zi — who also went by the name Huajie.

Huajie, a woman who had become an official — rare enough in itself — had another identity on top of that: she was the Governor’s elder sister, albeit of different fathers and mothers. With this connection, He Da and his mother had made occasional gifts of thread and yarn to the Governor’s Residence — the residence always paid a fair price, presenting an entirely official face — and it couldn’t exactly be said there was no relationship between them, though it was not especially close.

Madam Meng also thought: now that I’m getting older, illness will come more frequently. Rather than becoming a doctor oneself through years of suffering, it would be better to learn medicine first. Furthermore, if she had a little medical knowledge, she could tend to her own relatives’ illnesses, and also use this skill to build connections, which would benefit her business. A sound investment!

When she first raised the idea, Madam Meng was trembling inside, also afraid of being turned away as an imposition. She said: “I have no way to repay your great kindness. In future, if the lady ever goes to see patients, I am willing to come and assist.”

Huajie agreed.

At first everyone assumed it was just a thing said in passing — once the tribal school opened, with “uncivilized mountain folk” from all the tribes sending students, Huajie was rushed off her feet. They assumed the well-born forget easily, and it would just be forgotten. But no — the lady had not forgotten. Once the tribal school was settled, the Governor’s Residence sent a female official with a card asking Madam Meng: still learning or not?

Madam Meng absolutely still wanted to learn!

So Madam Meng’s connection to the Governor’s Residence grew closer by another degree. Though she had still not managed to meet the Governor herself, she had come to know some of the ladies of the Governor’s household. The manager of the Xiang Family Workshop, Xiang San Niang, was exactly a “retainer” of the Governor’s Residence — the story was that her father had been killed by mountain folk, and My Lord had later helped her family exact revenge, so she and her second brother had both entered My Lord’s service.

Xiang San Niang and Huajie happened to be acquaintances, and He Da — through this connection — was able to cut a modest sort of line and meet Xiang An.

He Da was not presumptuous about it. Meeting Xiang An, he was very respectful, stood with his hands at his sides, first acknowledged himself a junior, and then said: “I am only playing go-between — whether anything comes of it is up to you, Ma’am. Business matters are your domain; I would not presume to comment.”

Xiang An looked at this young man. He Da was no exceptional beauty to set hearts aflutter at first sight, but a steady, hardworking young merchant who was also filial — Xiang An was reasonably willing to give him face. She said: “Alright then — if he has time, meet him late afternoon. You must make clear to him: I only accept cash; no credit, no exceptions.”

The workshop was expanding rapidly. Whether hiring people, purchasing materials, building a new workshop, buying new livestock — all of it required cash. And some of the goods were also sold through their own channels, such as the sugar sold to the capital. Large-quantity goods needed one’s own sales channels — otherwise one was simply providing cheap labor for big merchants to buy low and sell high. Everything produced at the source cost far less than the final retail price. Pure hard labor for others.

Selling oneself meant the question of “recouping investment” — when the goods were sold, the money came back into the accounts. Unlike selling directly to an incoming merchant who paid on delivery.

Both carried risks and advantages. Xiang An had chosen to balance both. Now it was the end of the eleventh month; by convention, year’s end was when settlements were made everywhere — whether distributing dividends, paying wages, or settling materials costs. She needed cash flow.

He Da understood this logic — they were all in business and one word was enough. Zhang Xing was He Da’s acquaintance, but Xiang An had never met him and didn’t know his reputation, so first dealings had to be in cash.

He Da facilitated the connection, gaining a bit of face for himself. Zhang Xing examined the goods and first bought two hundred jin to test the waters, agreeing that if this transaction went smoothly, he would come back for more next time. Cash and goods were exchanged on the spot, and Xiang An agreed that if he came again, even if the Xiang Family Workshop had sold out, she would find a way to source some from the official workshop for him. Zhang Xing was very satisfied.

Xiang An recouped another batch of costs, had it entered in the ledger, and used this sum to pay for four newly purchased mules, prepay a deposit on the water mill for the new workshop, and outfit a small courtyard as a dormitory for the young female workers. Apprentice workers were paid nearly nothing — almost no wages at all — and in return the operation had to provide a decent place to eat and live, and clothing as well. The girls from the foundling home were very young and had nowhere else to go; leaving them on their own wasn’t safe. Better to provide a dormitory, which both protected them from certain potential harms and made them easier to manage — at shift time they just had to go to work.

They had completed this piece of business, and Madam Meng didn’t even know it yet.

She was in the tribal school looking at her “dormitory room.”

This was an entirely novel experience. As a long-time resident of what had been the prefecture capital and was now the state capital, Madam Meng was not unfamiliar with the official school — she knew the official school sometimes provided dormitory rooms for certain students. But those were for young scholars, a privilege she had never expected to share. She, a half-old woman with grandchildren, going to school with a group of young girls?

She was actually quite willing — it just felt a little strange.

These were mountain girls, naturally a bit more bold than city girls, talking among themselves in languages she barely understood, with only the occasional word she recognized. After being widowed, she had even considered going into the mountains to peddle goods — things like needles and silk thread that mountain people could hardly produce themselves made for high-profit trading runs. In the end, without enough manpower and with a young son to look after, she had given up the idea and instead went to the larger prefecture capital to buy stock.

In the blink of an eye, twenty years had passed — time waited for no one!

Madam Meng looked at the “dormitory room” again — a room with several beds, and tables, chairs, a wardrobe, and a wash stand. Except for a room shared by four people being a little snug, it was the sort of arrangement a modest-comfort household would give a pampered daughter.

The female servant who had led her in said: “You — if you want to go home at night, you’ll have to keep track of the time — it’s not good to keep coming and going…”

Madam Meng knew this female servant — she was the daughter of old Yao with the wine-red nose, from the east end of the street. Old Yao worked at the yamen; when the yamen selected personnel, he got his daughter into the selection too, and she evidently passed. Now she’d been transferred here to supervise the tribal school…

Two acquaintances, ordinarily calling each other “Auntie” and “Big Niece” when passing on the street — but here in the tribal school, they both instinctively wanted to say a few “official-sounding words.”

Madam Meng said: “Thank you for the trouble — I understand. I won’t be causing any inconvenience to the school.”

The two exchanged courtesies, and young Nanny Yao said: “Even if you don’t stay here, you may come and rest during the noon break — just don’t bring outsiders; that’s a breach of rules.”

“Understood.”

Once every point was covered, Madam Meng slipped two embroidered handkerchiefs into young Nanny Yao’s hands with a smile: “Coming here I had a fluttery heart, but seeing you made me feel at ease.”

Young Nanny Yao also felt a little flustered: “You gave me such a start, Auntie! They all say you’re a for — a capable woman, and truly you are! You dare think and dare act. I’d love to be like you someday.”

The two exchanged mutual praise. Madam Meng took the opportunity to ask about the situation at the tribal school — by the time she was done, she knew the class and break times and other matters. From her experience in life, seeing a set of regulations was only the surface; if you thought understanding a few points of the rules meant you knew everything and had only to follow them — you were already well on your way to losing your entire capital. The court itself said no bribery, and look how that went!

Young Nanny Yao didn’t mock her, and shared some of the school’s details with her: “They’re all young girls — it’s too early to tell yet. They haven’t learned much yet either — all starting with spoken language and calligraphy, and memorizing some medicine formulas on the side. You’ll definitely be ahead of them! You can speak! And you can read and do arithmetic too.”

Madam Meng said: “Oh, we have to memorize things too? I’m getting on in years and learn slowly — I’d better start right away.”

Young Nanny Yao said: “Don’t worry, Ma’am — settle in first today. If you need anything else, come find me.”

“Safe journey now.”

Madam Meng looked around the dormitory room once more, thinking she would need to bring a few things of her own. Although she had been told the school would supply certain brushes and paper, Madam Meng always felt that, being an older person, she wasn’t quite “that sort of student” and would be embarrassed taking too much from the school. If younger students came in later and she was still occupying space, that wouldn’t do. She’d better prepare her own things.

A notebook was essential, wasn’t it? Paper and brushes were essential, weren’t it? A medicine pouch was essential! Oh, and she still needed to learn characters!

She had learned a scattered handful of characters here and there — but clearly that was nowhere near sufficient for school. Madam Meng went to ask young Nanny Yao how these girls were learning to read, and found out it was through character songs. Madam Meng thought: this is easy enough! Go and copy them!

Once she had made up her mind, she told young Nanny Yao, collected her identity tablet, and left the tribal school to go and arrange things at home. First she stopped by the shop, picked up an old blue printed-cloth book bag she had sewn, checked its size, decided it was just right. She went to find her son — and was told that Zhang Xing had come today, and the two of them had gone out.

Madam Meng estimated this was business, which couldn’t be delayed. She said to her daughter-in-law: “When they come back, you two manage Zhang Great Gentleman’s dinner. This family is yours now — you’re the ones who have to hold it together.”

The mother-in-law was willing to hand over authority; the daughter-in-law was happy to accept — quite willing to support her mother-in-law going to school in exchange for the “empress dowager stepping aside.” Even when Madam Meng took some cash to buy paper and brushes and the like, the daughter-in-law said: “There’s nothing urgent in the shop — let Yang San Er go buy it.”

Madam Meng said: “I need to go myself.”

She not only bought paper and brushes but also made last-minute preparations: she paid twenty coins to have someone copy the character songs for her, with the paper included in her own cost — working out to roughly one coin per fifty characters!

Madam Meng bought a bookbag full of things and, without a maid to follow, carried everything home herself. Her daughter-in-law was at the shop holding the baby; Madam Meng smiled and patted the baby’s small cheek: You, hurry and grow up — once you’re grown, study hard and learn to read, and then copying for Grandmother will save me these twenty coins.

Having had the character songs copied, she felt sufficiently prepared — now she could wait calmly for tomorrow, to try school for herself.

That evening, He Da and Zhang Xing came back to the shop. Zhang Xing hadn’t forgotten that his pretext for coming was to deliver goods and look in on Madam Meng — an old acquaintance — and still insisted on seeing her. This capable widow who managed her household affairs was different from an ordinary woman at home. She had already made a name for herself and had no fear of gossip about “improper mingling of men and women.” The two met face to face; Madam Meng had her son and Zhang Xing eat together while she joined them, and said: “I’m handing all the household things over to the young couple — I should have a rest too.”

Zhang Xing said: “Admirable, Madam! You’ve worked hard all your life — time to enjoy some ease.”

“You’re close to my age, your family’s property is ten times or a hundred times mine, your son is capable — you could have rested long ago.”

Zhang Xing shook his head: “Times have changed. Ever since that Bian Commissioner arrived, life has gotten tighter and tighter.” He had a bellyful of grievances. As a merchant, everyone understood — you had to feed the authorities above, layer by layer. Losing a little blood was fine, as long as you could still do business in peace.

What he feared most was not just taking your money but also constantly disrupting things so you had no time to make money.

Infuriating!

Madam Meng said: “Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west — fate turns. How many more years can Commissioner Bian be in office? Outlast him and wait for the next one.”

“Here’s hoping! Isn’t that exactly why I’m looking for a new source of income, to keep outlasting?”

Zhang Xing, who didn’t dare speak badly of the commissioner back in his home territory, was in the neighboring prefecture and let loose some of his grievances. Having done so, he felt lighter and went back to his inn, planning to return the next day.

In the thread shop, He Da asked his mother: “How was the tribal school, Mama?”

Madam Meng said: “It’s just me and a bunch of young girls.”

He’s daughter-in-law was holding the baby, watching the young girl clear the table, and said: “Then Mama should find someone to go with you! Don’t you have some friends, Mama? Who is free?”

Madam Meng hadn’t minded in the least being an older woman among small girls, but her daughter-in-law was right — having a companion would be nice for mutual support. She happened to have just the right close friend: her neighbor from before she was married, Wang Shi.

Wang Shi was the same age as her but had better luck — never widowed, with a husband who was still alive to this day. Though the husband was not particularly wealthy or skilled at managing a household, at least he was a man, and with a man in the house, no one dared wail outside the yard at night. When he was young he had hauled water when asked to haul water, chopped wood when asked to chop wood. Aside from leaving wood chips all over after chopping and not caring that he’d wet his shoes when hauling water, there were no other serious flaws. No whoring, no gambling, and willing to work and support the family.

Wang Shi was also a bit sharp and willing to work hard. She had raised one son and two daughters. The children were more capable than their father — literate, could do sums, had accumulated a bit of property. The son was even a neighborhood headman now, and the daughters also knew a few characters. The family now had a couple of hired hands and one maidservant. Not as wealthy as the He family, but not poor either.

The more Madam Meng thought about it, the better the idea seemed.

It had to be her. Anyone else would be stuck doing cooking, washing, and minding grandchildren. Wang Shi’s family didn’t need her to do all that by hand anymore! Even if there were things to help with, they wouldn’t all fall to Wang Shi.

Madam Meng slapped the table: “It’s her!”

Madam Meng was a decisive, fast-moving woman. No sooner said than done. The next day she entered the tribal school first, sat in on classes with the young female students for half a day, and even had some young female students asking her how to pronounce certain characters, wanting to learn speech from her.

The young female students couldn’t understand the language yet. After some gesturing back and forth, they would point to a character; if she recognized it, she would read it aloud. Somehow they managed to communicate.

During the break, she found Huajie and, steeling herself, called out: “Doctor!”

Huajie asked: “Is there something with the lessons?”

Madam Meng said: “Doctor, in this school, I am the only one from outside — all the others are young girls. Will that cause people to gossip about you?”

Huajie said: “It will not. If someone wants to learn, I teach them.”

“Others can come too?” Madam Meng asked, adding: “People around my age, who already know a few characters.”

Huajie gave a serious nod: “As long as they can keep up with the learning. You — your presence here can ease some people’s suffering. Any medical student must also accompany me on patient visits. You, though not formally enrolled in the tribal school, are auditing here — and should similarly accompany me. This is how it works.”

In official schools, the medical students were just so — funded by the government, they became physicians under government management. They collected a fee but could not refuse to see patients — though in practice, some were difficult and ignored ordinary patients.

Madam Meng said: “That’s wonderful!”

That same day, the moment she left the tribal school, she ran to her good friend Wang Shi’s house. Wang Shi’s husband’s family were surnamed Wu. Two rows of housing, a bit old now.

Wang Shi saw her come and had her daughter pour tea. Madam Meng didn’t stand on ceremony: “No need! Ah — what are you doing these days?”

Wang Shi said with surprise: “What could I be doing? Staying home.”

Madam Meng said: “How dull! Let me show you something good!”

Wang Shi scooted further away from her: “What are you planning?!” The two had decades of friendship. From childhood, Madam Meng had always been a firebrand — what people commonly called a “busybody.” Wang Shi’s circumstances were similar to hers, and they lived nearby, but she had always been swept along by Madam Meng’s schemes.

Madam Meng said: “Something good. Do you know the Governor’s sister?”

“She’s a good person.”

“Indeed she is! And she’s even teaching people some medical skills — what a rare opportunity! I’ve already pleaded your case. Come with me.”

“???” Wang Shi had never imagined such a thing was possible!

Madam Meng urged: “What are you staying home for? Your children are all grown up and you don’t even have grandchildren yet — if you don’t take these next few good years to get out and have some fun, when will you? And having this skill, medical knowledge all connects — when grandchildren come, you can take a look at them yourself. Even for yourself, getting older means more ailments — what household can be calling in a doctor every few days?”

Wang Shi was tempted. She said: “Let me go tell my husband.”

“No need to ask — when has anything your husband decides turned out right? Better you make up your own mind!” Madam Meng had lost her husband early and was used to being head of the household.

Wang Shi said: “I’ll still ask.”

Madam Meng said: “Where has he gone? I’ll wait for him to come back and speak for you!” She and Wang Shi’s husband Wu Da were also acquainted — both couples were old friends.

When Wu Da returned, before he could get his bearings, Madam Meng launched a barrage: “All women together, what could be better! She’s learned it, and everyone in the family is looked after! Your family has so many people! The school even has a place to rest, and includes two meals a day! And it’s all young girl students around! Ah —”

Wu Da was talked dizzy and somehow found himself persuaded before he quite knew what had happened.

Madam Meng was delighted: “Oh, and we need to prepare some paper and brushes — don’t worry, I have some too, I’ll share with her! So that’s settled!” As long as she had a companion, she would be all the more justified!

Madam Meng left triumphantly, leaving the Wu family to stand blankly for a good while — until their son Wu Yi came home.

Wu Yi asked what had happened, looked at his parents, and asked his sister Wu Ren: “And you didn’t stop them?”

“You know what Auntie Meng’s mouth is like — no duck would dare honk back at her, as you well know!”

Wu Yi said: “I’m going out.”

Wu Ren called after him: “Where are you going?”

Wu Yi ran to the He family. He was acquainted with He Da, and the two met; he explained the whole thing. He Da said: “My mother has worked hard all her life. Whatever she wants to do — as long as it harms no one — let her do it as a diversion. If your mother is unwilling, I’ll talk my mother out of it. You know what she’s like — if she didn’t have this spirit, there would be no me today.”

Wu Yi said: “The way you put it… my mother didn’t say she was unwilling either.” He suddenly thought — his mother had also worked hard all her life. Might as well let her go play! Learning medicine was better than going to temples with old girlfriends, being swindled out of incense money, money for interpreting omens, money for dispelling misfortune. He compared: Wu Yi’s second aunt-by-marriage had just two days ago parted with a full guan of cash to a fortune teller; Great Auntie two months ago had two piculs of grain calculated out of her hands for her second cousin’s fortune. An official school — surely it wasn’t there to swindle his family’s money. Wu Yi decisively said: “Then let her go.”

Wu Yi went home and said he’d talked it over with He Da; no big issue. He said: “As long as she isn’t doing this as an occupation — some neighbors have sudden ailments, and saving a life is better than building a seven-story pagoda.” He had a faintly scholarly turn of phrase — the parents had worked hard so their son could actually study several years of books, and by the by, taught their daughter some reading and sums as well.

In this household, the son was still young and already a neighborhood headman, so both his mother and his elder sister listened to what he said. The matter was settled.

Wang Shi found herself carried into the tribal school by her old friend Madam Meng in a bewildered daze.

When they arrived, Wang Shi still felt somewhat uneasy. From childhood she had lived a small-comfort life, and certain things she did understand. Those who take on students invariably want students younger than themselves — so the knowledge can be transmitted through those students after one’s death. Accepting two people older than yourself, who might actually die before you — whose legacy would be inheriting whose?

Yet “Doctor Zhū” was surprisingly pleasant and mild, saying: “You also have the will to learn — this is truly wonderful. But I don’t know whether things are convenient at home — have you arranged it? If there is the smallest difficulty, you may say so. Would you like the school to say a word to your family?”

Madam Meng didn’t need that kind of consideration — at the He household, Madam Meng was the head. This Wang Shi had a husband and a son, and even the sugar workshop had women who could come out and work. And now this…

Madam Meng said: “Her family has already agreed!”

Huajie still asked Wang Shi: “What did your family say? Even the smallest difficulty — you may tell me.”

Wang Shi said: “The family is alright — I — I’ll try first and see if I can keep up.”

Huajie said: “Alright.” She also asked how many people were in her family, and hearing there was one son and two daughters, she asked their ages and whether they had been to school. Looking at Wang Shi’s manner, her family seemed to be in modest comfort; if they didn’t need a daughter to earn money — if she could be spared — the tribal school still had places, and she wasn’t sure whether she could persuade someone to come learn medicine.

Opportunities to study were rare, but even when opportunity was presented, not everyone had the means to grasp it. If your family still needed you to go chop wood or herd cattle, short of exceptional talent, you could only give up the opportunity before you. Only for those above a modest-comfort level, with no pressing urgency, was it more possible to accept having a daughter come to the tribal school to study medicine. Otherwise, she would only be “hiring” people to come study.

Zhù Ying’s work involved both expenditure and income. Huajie could not help but think carefully — she would not spend a single extra coin.

Wang Shi’s children were all under twenty. The eldest daughter was almost exactly twenty this year — that age with still no marriage was a little unusual, but Huajie didn’t ask about it. Madam Meng’s mouth was quick, and she said: “She’s a truly good child! It’s just Heaven making her spend a few more years at her parents’ side.”

Wu Ren: a fair-complexioned, neat-looking daughter of modest-comfort family, literate and numerate, could do needlework, parents alive, brothers and sisters at home. Put her anywhere for matchmaking and the door would be worn down with suitors — yet she had not managed to marry. The original betrothal had been arranged and the horoscopes compared three times, and none had worked out. One time it was Madam Meng herself trying to arrange a match with her son. The betrothal gifts were already prepared; they compared the horoscopes — incompatible! Madam Meng had only one son and dared not take the risk. Both families amicably pretended the attempt had never been made.

The second time, the other family had not been particularly superstitious, but with the He family’s precedent they had grown more cautious — so it came to nothing. The third time, seeing what had happened with the first two, they had also let it drop. After three misses, people asking stopped coming.

Wu Yi, nineteen years old, had studied enough books that he could write and do sums and knew how to handle people, and had — overtaking a number of neighbors — become the neighborhood headman this year.

The youngest, Wu Xin, ten years old — a girl who had only recently stopped climbing walls and trees in public.

Huajie took a liking to Wu Xin in her heart and intended, once she knew Wang Shi better, to meet Wu Xin. She smiled: “Perfect — you can share a room.”

Among the tribal school’s young female students, private conversations in their own language were circulating: Does the school in the lowlands take only old people? Or is it that the men’s schools take young men, the women’s schools take old women, and we’re only special because we come from the mountains?

From that point on, Madam Meng and Wang Shi joined the group of young girls and began their first schooling experience of their lives.

The days passed quickly. In the blink of an eye, the twelfth month arrived. The mountain people did not observe the lowland New Year, but its influence inevitably reached them. The tribal school broke for holiday on the twentieth day of the twelfth month — the Laba Festival was approaching. The tribal students departed together back to the mountains; they would not return to resume classes until the end of the first month of the new year.

Madam Meng and Wang Shi were no different — both packed up and went home on that day. They had found class more tiring than the young students, but were also more diligent, and in fact made a slightly faster pace than the young ones.

On the way home, Madam Meng said: “The New Year will soon be here — we really ought to go to the residence together and wish them a happy new year.”

“Isn’t that on New Year’s Day? If we go — will we even get through the door?” Wang Shi said calmly.

Madam Meng said: “What kind of attitude is that? If you don’t go, how do you know you won’t get in? Before the New Year, shouldn’t we bring our teacher a small gift? We go once before, then visit again on the first!”

Wang Shi said: “Well…”

Madam Meng shook her head: “You are truly someone with no worries about anything. Just listen to me — it’ll be fine!” She also planned to bring her son and daughter-in-law when the time came — getting their faces recognized by the gatekeepers of the Governor’s Residence would be worthwhile.

Wang Shi clenched her teeth. She was truly shyer than Madam Meng, but Madam Meng had roamed the world far longer and seen more of it. She said: “Alright.”

The two waited until they heard the Governor’s Residence had closed for the holiday, then brought gifts along, saying they had come to pay their respects to Doctor Zhū.

Arriving at the Governor’s Residence, they found several carts parked outside, all tightly covered with oilcloth. The two were looking at them when Huajie and Du Dajie came out from inside. The two hadn’t managed to slip away in time and had no choice but to step forward and greet her. Before Huajie could ask anything, Madam Meng asked first: “We haven’t come at an inconvenient time, have we? We wouldn’t want to delay Doctor’s important business.”

Huajie smiled: “Those are holiday gifts from My Lord’s former students, now serving as officials. That falls under My Lord to manage — nothing to do with me. Come, let’s go speak over here.”

The two looked at their own small gifts and then at the carts before them, and felt a brief, slight awkwardness. Huajie seemed to take no notice, speaking as she walked: “Have your households all prepared for the New Year?” She also invited them to come and spend time together during the holiday, saying she hadn’t met Wang Shi’s daughters yet. Madam Meng thought: What a pity I have no daughters! Inwardly she may have felt regret, but after leaving the Governor’s Residence, she still reminded Wang Shi: “Bring the children when you come to pay New Year’s greetings.”

Wang Shi said: “Of course you’d bring the whole family for New Year’s greetings.”

Madam Meng said: “Well, well, well — you already know it all, do you?”

The two old friends bickered as they went, each heading home to wait for New Year’s Day to rush over and be among the first to offer greetings. The Governor’s Residence would certainly have many people on the first — but they were coming to wish Doctor Zhū a happy new year first. That, at least, should be permissible, shouldn’t it?

Ah — the Governor’s students were officials now, with all these gifts to send…