Eleventh Young Lady paid her respects to the Grand Madam and then brought up her wish to select a few of Yuan Niang’s former attendants to serve in her own rooms: “…Mother, if you agree, I will make a few preliminary selections over the next few days. You can help me decide on them afterward.”

The Grand Madam’s gaze rested on her with great warmth. She smiled: “They were always meant to be at your disposal. Make the decisions yourself.”

Just as they were speaking, Zhen Jie’er and Zhun Ge woke and came out.

The two children paid their respects to their elders.

Zhun Ge then asked the Grand Madam: “Are we going to Second Aunt’s place today?”

Eleventh Young Lady was somewhat surprised — she hadn’t known Zhun Ge would say such a thing.

The Grand Madam chuckled and asked him: “Do you like going there?”

Zhun Ge squinted his eyes in a smile and nodded: “Second Aunt’s place has sweet steamed buns.”

The Grand Madam laughed: “All you think about is eating.”

Zhun Ge just stood there grinning.

The Grand Madam then said to Eleventh Young Lady: “…Yizhen has excellent learning. Before Qin Ge, Yu Ge, and Jian Ge began their formal schooling, they all learned a few characters from her first. Earlier, the weather was too hot, and then we were busy with your wedding, so Zhun Ge was kept indoors. Yesterday, Yizhen tested Qin Ge on his studies, and the child heard it all and started thinking about school himself!” There was fondness in her voice at Zhun Ge’s eagerness.

No wonder all three children had shown such respect to the Second Madam the day before.

Eleventh Young Lady was quietly taken aback, and showed a measure of open surprise: “I had heard that Second Sister-in-Law’s learning was exceptional, but I hadn’t imagined she could guide the children’s early schooling.” She then smiled and glanced at Zhen Jie’er: “Zhen Jie’er’s learning must also be under Second Madam’s guidance!”

The Grand Madam smiled and nodded: “Yizhen is accomplished in everything. She noticed that Zhen Jie’er has long fingers and specifically taught her music. The girl can already play a few pieces now.”

Eleventh Young Lady’s gaze moved to Zhen Jie’er’s hands.

Indeed — her fingers were slender and fine, the joints clearly defined, bearing none of the boneless softness of young ladies raised in seclusion, but carrying instead a quiet, hidden strength.

Zhen Jie’er noticed Eleventh Young Lady looking at her and curled her hands together self-consciously: “My hands are not pretty…”

Eleventh Young Lady smiled: “Earnest hands are the most beautiful.”

Zhen Jie’er was startled.

Eleventh Young Lady smiled further: “If you did not practice constantly, how would your fingers grow strong? And without strength, how could you play well?”

A faint blush of pink rose on Zhen Jie’er’s cheeks as she smiled softly — she was very lovely.

The corner of Eleventh Young Lady’s mouth curved upward.

Zhen Jie’er was not a beauty in the conventional sense — not willowy in figure or with features like the moon — yet her gaze was clear and tranquil, her bearing unhurried and poised, with the open manner of a daughter from a great family. In a way, she resembled the Second Madam… and was worlds apart from Wen Yiniang.

At this thought, she felt a quiet wave of relief.

Thank goodness the Grand Madam had kept Zhen Jie’er by her side. Had she been raised by Wen Yiniang, she might well have become another chatterbox…

The Grand Madam called to Wei Zi to prepare some refreshments to bring along, then smiled at Eleventh Young Lady: “Let us go over and give her a bit of lively company.”

Accompanying the Grand Madam was a matter of course for Eleventh Young Lady. She had just smiled and agreed when the Third Madam arrived, pulling Eleventh Young Lady aside: “I went to your rooms looking for you, and they told me you had come here. I was just coming to discuss the kitchen arrangements with you.”

Eleventh Young Lady feigned ignorance: “The kitchen arrangements? I don’t know much about such things. What would Third Sister-in-Law have me do?” She wore an expression of full cooperation.

The Third Madam then launched into a lengthy account of how difficult it was to manage a household, how great the family’s expenditures were, and so on.

The Grand Madam, seeing that the two of them were not going to finish anytime soon, smiled, took Zhun Ge by the hand, and said to the Third Madam and Eleventh Young Lady: “I will take the children to Yizhen’s place. The two of you speak at your leisure.”

Eleventh Young Lady, who had been worrying about news from the Luo family, smiled and agreed, saw the Grand Madam and the children to the door, then headed toward her own rooms: “…Third Sister-in-Law, please come sit with me there and we can have a proper talk.”

The Third Madam, eager to see the matter settled, smiled and followed Eleventh Young Lady.

“…Have each of your rooms draw up a menu of the dishes you like and let the kitchen put together the meal plans accordingly… I couldn’t find Fourth Sister-in-Law, so I went to Fifth Sister-in-Law first and told her about this as well. She gave her full approval and asked me to come speak with Fourth Sister-in-Law, saying that once you agreed, we could start making changes to the old arrangements tomorrow.”

Eleventh Young Lady smiled: “Third Sister-in-Law is the one managing the household now. No one understands the household’s situation better than you do. Since Third Sister-in-Law thinks this arrangement is better, it must have its merits. I have no objections. When the time comes, you may give your instructions directly to Nanny Wu in my courtyard, who handles the kitchen.”

The smoothness of it all caught the Third Madam off guard, and she gave a slight, startled blink.

Just then, a small maidservant came in to announce: “Fourth Madam, Nanny Tao is here.”

Eleventh Young Lady exchanged a few polite words with the Third Madam and saw her to the door.

Returning to her rooms, Nanny Tao presented Eleventh Young Lady with a list of names and went through each one: “…Please see if you are satisfied.”

The people Nanny Tao had selected were all young maidservants from Yuan Niang’s rooms — ones with no particular connections or background.

Eleventh Young Lady nodded with satisfaction: “This is exactly what I wanted.”

Those who were older might have more experience, but they also tended to act on habit. The quicker ones had long since been elevated to senior maidservants; those who weren’t had long since been let go. These young maidservants were still young, had received a degree of training, and held low ranks — coming into her rooms and immediately becoming second-rank or third-rank maidservants ought to make them value the opportunity.

Seeing Eleventh Young Lady’s satisfaction, Nanny Tao smiled: “Then I will go bring them in!”

The First Young Mistress had still not arrived, so Eleventh Young Lady smiled her agreement.

Before long, Nanny Tao returned with six maidservants and four matrons in tow.

The maidservants were between twelve and thirteen years of age, all plain-faced, neat and clean in appearance, with quick and clever looks about them. The matrons were all around forty, with honest-looking faces and a capable, practical air about them.

They all paid their respects to Eleventh Young Lady and stood to one side with their hands folded before them.

Nanny Tao then introduced each one in turn.

The four matrons each had husbands who worked either on Yuan Niang’s farmlands or as odd-job workers in the Xu household. The eight young maidservants were named Lvyun, Hongxiu, Shuangyu, Fangxi, Qiuyu, Yanrong, Xiulan, and Lanxuan. Among them, Lvyun and Hongxiu were to serve as second-rank maidservants; the others would be third-rank maidservants.

Eleventh Young Lady recalled that Yuan Niang had two senior maidservants — one named Lv’e, one named Yanhong — and she studied the two girls carefully.

Their looks were quite ordinary, but there was a steady, composed quality about them.

Without any visible reaction, she matched each face to its name, then said a few brief words — “In the future, listen to your senior sisters and get along in harmony” — and sent them off with Hupo to be settled in.

She then had Dongqing grind the ink, and carefully copied all the names out fresh.

Nanny Tao stood watching, and noticed that the handwriting, though elegant, carried a free and easy quality — feminine in its graceful softness yet with a touch of masculine sweep — and her heart gave a quiet lurch.

The First Madam had said she was skilled in needlework and cared little for reading…

A measure of resentment stirred within her.

Did the First Madam truly know this Eleventh Miss at all?

She was already thinking she ought to find a moment to go to the Luo Mansion and ask a few questions.

Eleventh Young Lady, seeing how visibly moved Nanny Tao had been at the sight of her handwriting, smiled inwardly.

In her previous life, she had begun studying calligraphy at the age of five. Except for the three years at the Luo Mansion, she had never once stopped, regardless of her circumstances. Knowing as she did that in ancient times one’s character was judged by one’s handwriting, how could she have put all her energy into needlework? She would have to write a decent hand at the very least.

With the list complete, Eleventh Young Lady handed it to Nanny Tao: “See if there are any mistakes.”

Nanny Tao looked it over — not a single error.

Knowing that Eleventh Young Lady had committed everything to memory, she was mildly surprised, yet no longer as astonished as before. From Eleventh Young Lady’s attitude toward the Third Madam’s management of the household, to memorizing all the names after hearing them only twice — she had already formed an impression of Eleventh Young Lady as sharp and capable. The capacity for surprise had diminished considerably.

Eleventh Young Lady then called Binju and Zhuxiang in and had them all sit down together to draft the menu.

Nanny Tao found that Eleventh Young Lady knew a great many dishes — some she herself had never even heard of.

Zhuxiang hesitated: “What if the kitchen cannot make them?”

“Whether the kitchen can make them is their business; drawing up the menu is our business!” Binju said dismissively, adding another dish to the list — “Buddha Jumps Over the Wall” — “…The mark of a dish is its ingredients — it can call for abalone and sea cucumber, or it can use pork belly and napa cabbage. I want to see how they choose to serve it!” Her tone was entirely one of a person setting a deliberate challenge.

Nanny Tao was thoroughly pleased at the prospect.

The Third Madam’s takeover of household management had swept away Yuan Niang’s old rules — which was another way of negating Yuan Niang’s contributions.

But Eleventh Young Lady, still smiling, instructed Nanny Tao: “Find a way to see what dishes the Fifth Branch has put on their list.”

Nanny Tao immediately understood.

The Fifth Branch was with child. For the Fourth Branch to act before the Fifth Branch at this juncture would look to others as though the Fourth Branch were deliberately trying to trip them up.

Acting so hastily at a time like this would indeed seem rather rushed.

Nanny Tao smiled and withdrew.

Eleventh Young Lady continued enjoying herself with Binju and Zhuxiang as they filled out the list. By the time Hupo came back to say all the new people had been settled in, she sent Hupo to take Binju and Zhuxiang to choose their helpers: “…Each of you find your own assistants. As for me — if the food is not right, I will only go to Zhuxiang; if there is nothing to wear, I will only go to Binju.”

The two of them immediately grew serious and followed Hupo out to make their selections.

Dongqing smiled and poured Eleventh Young Lady a fresh cup of tea.

Eleventh Young Lady lifted the teacup and asked: “What hour is it now?”

Dongqing went to check the clock: “Just past the first quarter of the midafternoon hour.”

Eleventh Young Lady felt a quiet unease rise within her.

At this hour, the First Young Mistress still had not come — could something have happened?

She was still turning it over in her mind when a little maidservant came in to announce: “The First Young Mistress of the Luo family is here!”

“Please show her in!” Eleventh Young Lady was already on her feet and moving to meet her.

The door curtain was lifted, and in came the First Young Mistress, dressed in a crimson full-sleeved jacket with a headdress of golden filigree phoenix bearing pearls — her steps hurried.

The urgency was plain in her brow.

Eleventh Young Lady’s heart sank with a sense that something was wrong. She quickly took the First Young Mistress’s hand: “Why have you only come now?”

“Something terrible has happened!” The First Young Mistress had barely spoken the words before tears gathered at the corners of her eyes. “Mother heard that the two Yininangs intend to take their vows at Ci’an Temple, and she collapsed from rage.”

She had known the First Madam would be furious, but she hadn’t imagined it would go this far.

“What is her condition now?”

“Imperial Physician Liu from the Imperial Medical Office has already been called.” The First Young Mistress dabbed at the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief. “She has not regained consciousness. When I left, they were still taking her pulse. Father was in such a panic he was shouting at everyone. I have already sent people to inform Elder Brother and Fifth Elder Sister. Only Tenth Elder Sister — I do not know what to do about her. When Wu Xiaoquan accompanied Fourth Uncle to Yanjing for over a year, no one ever raised the matter of the Fourth Yiniang…”

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