In the depths of winter, snow had begun to fall in the middle of the night, while inside the room it remained warm as ever.

In the large bathtub, the hot water had grown cold. The still surface of the water reflected a series of faint ripples. Outside the tub, a splash of water lay not yet dried on the floor, and scattered pieces of cloth lay about.

On the tea table, on the windowsill, pairs of red candles burned bright, the flames fierce and strong, the candle stands dripping small drops of red wax, until midnight came and they burned down and went out.

Early the next morning, before daylight had come, Qiao Yunsheng lay curled beside his wife, the two of them sleeping peacefully and deeply beneath the same coverlet. Perhaps the warmth of the bedding had been too comfortable — the tip of his nose had broken out in a few fine beads of sweat.

A nanny came to knock at the door and called out softly once. Pei Ruozhu immediately woke — while Qiao Yunsheng merely stirred, still holding Pei Ruozhu’s hand, and continued to sleep.

The nanny said: “My Lady, everything has been prepared as you instructed beforehand.” She was an old trusted servant whom Pei Ruozhu had brought along.

“I understand.” Pei Ruozhu replied.

“One, two, three…” Pei Ruozhu counted aloud for Qiao Yunsheng.

On the count of “three,” Qiao Yunsheng opened his eyes, released her hand, and obediently rose to dress himself.

On the first day after the wedding, by custom, the newlyweds were to go and pay their respects to the elders.

The roosters had finished crowing and full daylight had arrived. In the main hall of the Nanping Earl’s estate, the uncles and aunts of the Second and Third Branches sat waiting, expecting the new bride to come present tea and pay her respects. Among themselves they were whispering quietly about how to properly establish the rules and conduct of the Qiao household.

One cup of tea was drunk. A second cup grew cold. Still no one came. The second uncle’s face darkened with anger. Full of plans to give this new niece-by-marriage a proper dressing-down, he sent a servant boy to hurry things along.

The servant boy came back, and haltingly reported: “In reply to Second Master: the Earl went into the ancestral hall early to pay his respects to the ancestors. The young Madam has been burning incense and offering tea at the side shrine. Before dawn this morning, she also led the household servants to the riverside to float lotus lanterns, and there at the river’s edge she knelt in the posture of a new bride, reciting prayers and performing the full nine prostrations.”

The four members of the Second and Third Branches went pale with fury, a mouthful of rage lodged in their throats — impossible to swallow, impossible to spit out.

The second uncle could only bring one palm crashing down on the tea table, sending the teacups clattering and shattering to the ground.

This young couple had no regard for any of them whatsoever. This sequence of actions was as good as saying to every soul in the household, and to the world outside — only those departed masters of the First Branch, now gone from this world, are worthy of receiving a new bride’s kneeling cup of tea. As for the Second and Third Branches, they could spare themselves the pretense of wearing the skin of uncles and aunts and imagining they could use that to hold power over them.

Three days later was the return visit to the bride’s family home, and the Pei household hosted a grand banquet to welcome the new son-in-law.

Lian Jie’er, Lan Jie’er, and Ying Jie’er also came back, each bringing their husbands along.

At the banquet, the four sons-in-law sat together — different in temperament, yet conversing with ease and warmth. Qiao Yunsheng quickly became familiar with his three brothers-in-law.

The eldest brother-in-law, Xu Zhan, had served in the Hanlin Academy for many years and was the most composed of them all — the informal “head” of the four.

The second brother-in-law, Situ Yang, was forthright and candid, spoke bluntly but with reason and measure, and was the best at enlivening the atmosphere — a few words from him and the distance between people closed right away.

The third brother-in-law, Qiao Yunsheng, spoke little, but was gentle and deferential. Whenever the brothers-in-law spoke, he listened attentively, and only offered his own views at the key points.

The fourth brother-in-law, Chen Xingchen, was broadly learned and widely traveled, well-versed in the customs of north and south, and spoke with reason and evidence.

After the banquet, before the old matriarch, Lin Shi gathered the four daughters and produced Pei Ruozhu’s dowry list, distributing it for them to read carefully. She then said to Lian Jie’er, Lan Jie’er, and Ying Jie’er: “Ten years earlier or ten years later, the circumstances of the Earl’s estate are vastly different. When Lian’er married, the estate’s money was insufficient and its assets thin — the dowry that could be given was not particularly generous. Now that Zhu’er is married, the Emperor himself has bestowed the marriage, and the Earl’s estate’s finances are considerably more at ease, so naturally the dowry given was much more substantial.”

She then produced three separate lists and passed them to the three of them. Lin Shi explained: “In recent times, quite a few new assets have been added in Suzhou Prefecture and Taicang Prefecture, and there are also new holdings in the capital. I have calculated the estimated values, and I will add a bit more for each of you three.”

The three of them naturally would not accept, and demurred repeatedly — they were already married and out of the household, how could they still take assets from their maternal family?

Lin Shi said: “These assets were earned by your father, and I merely helped to manage them. This is also his intention.”

The old matriarch also said: “Since it is being given to you, accept it. As long as the family is of one heart, however much silver is spent can always be earned back.”

The Second and Third Branches of the Qiao household had always coveted the fat piece that was the First Branch — especially now that they saw Pei Ruozhu had entered the door with such a generous dowry.

They thought: to say nothing of asking her to supplement the Second and Third Branches, surely she could at least return the betrothal gifts they had contributed on Qiao Yunsheng’s behalf?

Having hit upon this notion, the second uncle could not contain himself for more than a few days, and before two days were out he dragged his wife along to find Pei Ruozhu.

“Serve tea to Second Uncle and Second Aunt.” Pei Ruozhu was respectful and proper, her face arranged in a smile, betraying nothing of her thoughts.

After the preliminary pleasantries, the second uncle felt that the niece-by-marriage before him did not seem as formidable as the talk outside had made her out to be, and began to probe, saying: “Niece-by-marriage surely knows — for the sake of the eldest nephew’s wedding, we two uncles practically emptied the entire estate just to piece together those hundred-odd trays of betrothal gifts to bring to the Pei household.”

“I know. My husband has told me about all of this. The trouble you two uncles have gone to has been considerable.”

“Since niece-by-marriage knows the state of affairs in the household, I shall not conceal it any further.” The second uncle’s gaze wandered, feigning a look of difficulty.

Pei Ruozhu had already guessed his intention, and out of curiosity to see what pretext he would come up with, said: “We are all family, Second Uncle may speak directly.”

The second uncle put on an expression of bittersweet sadness, hinting vaguely: “The thing is, our son Yunzhao has reached the age for a match, but the余 family is asking for far too many betrothal gifts, and with the estate’s assets now depleted, there is simply no way to gather so much… I’m afraid it may be a case of hearts aligned but fate denied…”

Just as he spoke, the second aunt beside him had already begun to weep and dab at her eyes.

Pei Ruozhu understood entirely. So this was it — under the pretense of their son seeking a bride, they wished to have the elder cousin and his wife pay for the younger cousin’s betrothal gifts. A truly clever scheme.

If she agreed, the Second and Third Branches would be at her door for every marriage into or out of their households in years to come — and every piece of her dowry stuffed into that bottomless hole would never fill it.

If she refused outright, they would take that out in the open to damage the First Branch’s reputation, saying the First Branch was in charge of the estate, yet had no concern for the marriage affairs of the younger brothers and sisters.

Pei Ruozhu soothed the weeping aunt: “Aunt, please don’t be distressed. Now that I have married Yunsheng and am managing the household, whether as the presiding mistress or as a sister-in-law, I ought to do my part.” She agreed: “Second Uncle, Second Aunt, rest assured — I will go to the Yu Family tomorrow and discuss the matter of the betrothal gifts with them.”

The second uncle and aunt had never anticipated things would go so smoothly. They exchanged a covert glance, their eyes bright with delight, and thanked Pei Ruozhu again and again, praising her for being gracious and sensible.

The following day, Pei Ruozhu went to the Yu household early and came straight to the point: “The second branch uncle and aunt have encountered a difficulty, and have asked this niece-by-marriage to draw from her dowry to prepare betrothal gifts for the younger cousin Yunzhao. I thought — we are all family — so as the eldest sister-in-law, newly entered into the household, I could hardly be stingy, and so I agreed.”

She handed over a list and said: “I have selected from my dowry several items of considerable value. Lady Yu, please look them over and see whether they are suitable.”

Lady Yu took it and began to look, listening as Pei Ruozhu described each item: “The jewels, jade ornaments, and accessories at the very top — each a masterwork — were bestowed by the Emperor upon my husband… The shops and properties that follow were granted by the court when the Nanping Earl’s estate was awarded its iron-certificate deed… Then there is this hundred-mu tract of paddy fields, lying along the riverbank, extremely fertile — it was bestowed by the Empress when I left the palace… And the last few miscellaneous items were rewards given by the court for my father’s achievements last year, a portion of which was included in my dowry.”

Pei Ruozhu maintained throughout the posture of an elder sister-in-law acting on behalf of the younger brother — and did not so much as mention Qiao Yunsheng by name.

Lady Yu’s face grew pale, her hands trembling. This full sheet of paper, item by item — not a single one was something the Yu Family would dare accept.

Every one of them was a bestowed item with official records on file.

Lady Yu had already made up her mind: this marriage could not go forward, and this matter could not be allowed to spread — otherwise, would it not appear that the Yu Family and the Qiao Second Branch had conspired to scheme after the First Branch’s new daughter-in-law’s dowry? Where would the Yu Family’s dignity be?

The Yu Family was already a household that had not quite risen high enough to matter and yet not quite low enough to be overlooked. If a misunderstanding of this nature got out and stirred up a fuss, they could only look even lower.

Lady Yu immediately put on a strained smile and demurred: “The Earl’s wife is so generous and gracious with her younger siblings — it truly moves one to admiration… But I’m afraid this may have been a misunderstanding. My daughter has already been promised to someone.”

She added: “The Yu Family will speak well of the Earl’s wife’s good name outside. We only ask that the Earl’s wife not allow the misunderstanding to be spread.”

Pei Ruozhu took back the list and replied evenly: “But of course. Since it was all a misunderstanding, I shall take my leave then… In future, the two households should still keep up their dealings.”

She had done what she had promised. Returning to the estate, the Second Branch came scurrying over to find out what had happened.

Pei Ruozhu gave them a slight lift of her gaze — her earlier smiling expression was no longer in evidence. In an unhurried manner, with just a few words, she relayed to them what the Yu Family had said.

The Second Branch stood in stunned bewilderment, not yet able to work out the reasoning behind it all. Then they heard Pei Ruozhu say in an even tone: “Next time Second Uncle and Second Aunt take it into their heads to scheme after my dowry, they might first consider — dare I give it, and dare you take it?”

On the twenty-sixth day of the twelfth month, another happy occasion was approaching — Yancheng was to take a wife, marrying the eldest granddaughter of the Director of the Imperial Academy, Miss Su.

Bringing in a new bride required getting through the blocking of the procession arranged by the Su household, so the groom Yancheng would need two capable groomsmen to assist him.

Old Master Su was the Director of the Imperial Academy, and he had students throughout the realm — he was never short of scholars to help block the procession.

Moreover, Miss Su’s uncles and cousins were all men of letters, and so when Yancheng came to claim his bride, he was certain to face wave after wave of scholarly challenges.

Not only would the groom himself be tested on his knowledge, but the groomsmen at his side would be tested as well. This was at once a joyful celebration of the wedding and a display before the assembled guests of the scholarly depth and heritage of both the Xu and Su households.

And so the groomsmen had to be two men of broad and profound learning.

Yancheng thought about it for barely a moment and settled on the Shaohuai-Shaojin brothers. The three of them had grown up together since childhood — a mere procession blocking was nothing to them, and as long as the three joined forces, engaging a gathering of scholars in debate would be no challenge at all.

Shaohuai and Shaojin had specifically chosen understated attire so as not to steal Yancheng’s thunder — only to have Yancheng send over two outfits of the finest cloth, each a perfect fit.

Once Yancheng learned of the brothers’ intention, he pursed his lips and teased: “As long as you two aren’t wearing masks over your faces, even plain homespun wouldn’t hide how striking you both are — there’s no need for that. Just wear the new clothes I had prepared for you.”

He then turned the joke on himself: “But with these ears of mine sticking out the way they do, neither of you could steal my thunder even if you tried.”

Yancheng was in excellent spirits. With the wedding the next day, he felt anticipation but no anxiety. He said: “Tomorrow, it all depends on the talent of my two young uncles.”

Pei Shaohuai was infected by Yancheng’s buoyant mood. He patted Yancheng on the shoulder and said: “Big Grandnephew, set your mind at ease — the three of us together are more than a match for the students of the Imperial Academy.”

Yancheng laughed heartily: “To have two young provincial top graduates as groomsmen — now that’s a distinction all its own.”