Xu Lingyi’s suggestion was met with a moment of silence from everyone present.

The two Yininangs’ true intention was not to take holy vows but to escape the Luo household. It was only by entering religious life and becoming persons outside the secular world that all worldly matters would cease to follow them. A family shrine — even if the First Master agreed, the two Yininangs most likely would not.

But Luo Zhensheng said: “The Marquis’s idea is a good one. Let me consult Father and we will discuss it further.”

Xu Lingyi gave a nod, then smiled: “I will go pay my respects to my father-in-law, and then I will take Eleventh Young Lady home.”

Outside, lanterns were beginning to flicker on.

Everyone clustered together to accompany Xu Lingyi to the First Master’s quarters. In front of the First Master, they spoke only of having heard that the First Madam was unwell and coming especially to inquire after her.

The First Master thanked Xu Lingyi for his kind concern, said a few words of “it is nothing to worry about,” and invited Xu Lingyi to stay for dinner. Xu Lingyi declined, citing the lateness of the hour and insisting on leaving. The First Master, seeing that the house was still in disarray, did not press him and saw Xu Lingyi and Eleventh Young Lady to the door.

The two each boarded their own carriage. The matron accompanying the carriage suddenly pressed an oilpaper packet into Dongqing’s hands: “Something for the Young Lady to tide her over!”

The source was unclear, and Dongqing didn’t dare give it to Eleventh Young Lady. She thanked the matron evasively.

But the matron, who was well-accustomed to being watchful on the road, gave her a sharp smile: “Don’t be put off — it is from the Marquis.”

Dongqing broke into a wide smile and brought it to Eleventh Young Lady: “The Marquis was thinking of you!”

Eleventh Young Lady smiled and opened the paper packet.

Still-steaming meat buns.

She took a bite.

Pork and napa cabbage filling.

Eleventh Young Lady had found yet another good thing about having married Xu Lingyi — anyone who was near him would be protected and looked after.

…

Returning to the Lotus Lane residence, the two went first, as always, to pay their respects to the Grand Madam.

The Grand Madam asked after the First Madam’s illness.

Before Eleventh Young Lady could reply, Xu Lingyi said, in his unhurried way: “Nothing serious. She was upset that the two Yininangs want to take their vows.”

The Grand Madam nodded: “As long as the relative-by-marriage is not gravely ill, that is what matters.”

Eleventh Young Lady thanked the Grand Madam for her concern. The Grand Madam then asked Xu Lingyi: “Have you eaten? If not, I will have the kitchen prepare something.”

“I have eaten,” Xu Lingyi said, his manner as composed as ever. “Only I am not accustomed to Jiangnan-style food and didn’t eat my fill. I will just have a bowl of noodles when I get back.”

Eleventh Young Lady was startled — she hadn’t expected Xu Lingyi to say that. She was also quietly grateful, for it spared the Grand Madam from thinking that her son had gone to his in-laws’ home and been treated with so little hospitality that he wasn’t even offered a meal… The circumstances today had simply been unusual — had they stayed for dinner at the Luo household, they would likely not have returned until very late.

The Grand Madam laughed: “When did you become so particular about food?”

Xu Lingyi smiled without comment.

The Grand Madam guessed that her son had never had much affection for that mother-in-law of his, and was likely simply unwilling to eat the Luo family’s food. She did not press the point further, and with a smile sent the two of them on their way.

The two paid their respects to the Grand Madam and returned to their own rooms.

Eleventh Young Lady busied herself arranging for noodles to be made for Xu Lingyi.

The cook had been assigned by the Grand Madam and was naturally well-acquainted with Xu Lingyi’s tastes. The fried sauce noodles came out fragrant and rich, eaten with a clear broth made from simmered chicken, duck, and large bones — Xu Lingyi finished a full bowl of it, and Eleventh Young Lady could only watch in something like astonishment.

How on earth did he maintain his figure…

Xu Lingyi, however, was watching Eleventh Young Lady take small, careful sips of her soup, her noodles barely touched — only two strands eaten — and asked her: “You don’t like it?”

“I can’t eat.” Eleventh Young Lady was thinking about Tenth Young Lady.

Was the Second Madam’s discomfort genuine, or merely an excuse not to come back…

Xu Lingyi, however, was thinking of the ailing First Madam, and said, after a pause: “If you want to go back and see your mother-in-law, go speak to Mother yourself.”

That was to say, Xu Lingyi agreed that she should go see the First Madam. And by telling her to go speak to the Grand Madam herself, he must be worried that the Grand Madam might think she was not open and forthright — and was quietly directing a husband to speak for her in something as reasonable as wanting to visit her own mother — and that the Grand Madam would be displeased.

Eleventh Young Lady immediately nodded: “I understand. I will speak to Mother about this matter myself.”

Xu Lingyi, seeing that she had grasped his meaning, nodded and went to the washroom to change and freshen up.

Eleventh Young Lady made up the bed very carefully, even picking up the square buckwheat pillows to give them a thorough shake before setting them back down neatly.

That evening, she asked Xu Lingyi: “Marquis, do you still have to attend court early tomorrow?”

“Yes.”

“Every day?”

“Not every day. On the tenth, the twentieth, and the last day of each month there is one rest day. Then there are New Year’s, Lantern Festival, the Ghost Festival, Dongqing Festival — all days of rest.”

“Oh!” Eleventh Young Lady smiled. “Four more days and the Marquis will have a rest day!”

“If the Emperor does not rest, how would his ministers dare to rest.”

“That is true.” Eleventh Young Lady mused: “Come to think of it, being Emperor must also be a very demanding thing.”

“Yes.”

Eleventh Young Lady was quiet for a moment, then changed the subject abruptly: “Does the Marquis know the nun Jining? What sort of person is she?”

Xu Lingyi was silent for a while, then said: “She seems to know a bit of medicine, and so she moves about in the households of the prominent and wealthy, treating people for small ailments like corns and skin conditions. Over time, the ladies of these families have come to like having her look at their ailments.” He then added: “The wife of the Marquis of Jianning and the wife of the Baron of Shouchang put great faith in her — the two gilded Guanyin statues inside Ci’an Temple were donated by their families…”

Was he trying to tell her something?

Eleventh Young Lady turned this over in her mind.

Meanwhile, far away in Bowstring Lane, after the Luo father and son had seen Qian Ming and Fifth Young Lady off, they continued to discuss the matter of the two Yininangs: “…The Marquis suggested setting up a family shrine. From the sound of it, he clearly doesn’t want this to become a public affair. Father — if not for the monk, consider the Buddha: let this matter go.”

The First Master was silent, and after a long while said: “Since you all say to let it go, let it go. Only your mother…”

“I have already given instructions below,” Luo Zhensheng said, with a breath of relief. “Anyone who dares to say a word in front of Mother will be dealt with severely.”

The First Master nodded, then said mournfully: “I don’t know how things came to this. To think that in the beginning, neither of them wanted to be taken in — I did not compel them. Later, when they changed their minds and wanted to stay by my side, I treated them with care and affection…” He stopped mid-sentence, suddenly remembering he was speaking in front of his son, and the words came to an abrupt halt.

Luo Zhensheng felt rather awkward, and quickly rose with a smile: “It is getting late, Father — please get some rest. I have already taken leave and will go early tomorrow morning to the most reputable Songhe Hall in Yanjing to bring a physician to have another look at Mother.”

The First Master nodded and, after seeing his son out, turned and went back into the inner chamber.

A solitary lamp burned there, casting its light over the First Madam’s haggard face — the whole room still and cold.

The Sixth Yiniang came to invite the First Master to bathe: “Tonight, let Nanny Xu stay with the First Madam.”

The First Master shook his head: “There is no need. I will look after her myself.” And he reached over to tuck the covers more snugly around his wife.

The Sixth Yiniang stood there in a daze.

…

How Eleventh Young Lady hated this wretched system — she was obliged to rise every morning at the second watch.

After seeing Xu Lingyi off, Eleventh Young Lady collapsed back onto the bed with a yawn.

Dongqing hurriedly came to help her undress.

“Don’t bother.” She closed her eyes, her voice languid. “In two more hours I still have to go pay my respects to the First Madam.”

Dongqing couldn’t help but smother a laugh.

Half-drowsy, Eleventh Young Lady murmured: “Put Chunwei and Xiayi on a rotation too. The way things are going, people will be worn out. But the best solution is to have the two of them learn the routine — otherwise they will just have to go on attending in person like this every day.”

Dongqing smiled and agreed. Eleventh Young Lady slept a while, then rose again.

The three Yininangs were already waiting under the eaves.

Under the eaves? She herself, when going to pay her respects to the Grand Madam, had never been made to wait outside under the eaves.

Eleventh Young Lady smiled slightly and told Hupo: “In the future, have them wait in the main hall.”

Hupo answered and went to invite the three Yininangs inside.

After paying their respects, Wen Yiniang immediately smiled: “I heard that the First Madam was taken ill — what is the nature of her illness? Is she somewhat better? Would she perhaps be in need of any good medicines?”

“Nothing too serious — at her age, one ailment after another is to be expected.” Eleventh Young Lady replied vaguely, then went to the Grand Madam’s quarters.

She paid her respects and inquired after the Grand Madam’s health, then brought up her wish to go back to her family home to see her mother.

The Grand Madam agreed at once, and had Nanny Du bring out some medicines for Eleventh Young Lady: “Give these on my behalf. When she is feeling a little better, I will go see her myself.”

Eleventh Young Lady thanked the Grand Madam, brought Dongqing, and returned to the Luo household.

At the gate, she encountered Fifth Young Lady.

The two of them started, then smiled and exchanged greetings, walking in together.

The First Young Mistress had already gotten word and came out immediately to meet them.

Eleventh Young Lady handed over the medicines the Grand Madam had sent: “A small token of the Grand Madam’s regard.”

The First Young Mistress gave her thanks and passed the medicines to Xinglin at her side, then led the two of them into the inner courtyard.

Nanny Xu stopped them at the entrance.

“We are helping the First Madam to wash and freshen up just now.”

The First Young Mistress could not help glancing up at the sky. “At this hour…”

A shadow passed over Nanny Xu’s eyes, and after a long moment she said: “The First Madam has lost control of her bladder.”

The three of them looked at one another.

Nanny Xu, not pausing to attend to the young ladies any further, turned and went back inside.

The First Young Mistress and the others waited in the courtyard for a while.

“Elder Brother went early this morning to Songhe Hall to bring a physician,” the First Young Mistress said with a rueful smile. “I hope Mother’s illness can be cured.”

“It cannot be rushed.” Eleventh Young Lady was already fairly certain the First Madam had suffered a stroke. “She will need slow and careful nursing.”

“Let us hope so.” The First Young Mistress was still sighing when a small maidservant came in to announce: “The Young Master has returned. He has a physician with him.”

The women quickly withdrew to the east wing. After the physician had finished his examination, they came back out.

Luo Zhensheng was holding the prescription and sending someone to have it filled. The First Young Mistress asked anxiously how things stood.

He could only give a bitter smile: “It seems the most we can do is nurse her slowly and make sure she does not get upset again.”

The First Young Mistress and Fifth Young Lady sighed together at some length.

Luo Zhensheng then said to Fifth Young Lady and Eleventh Young Lady: “You both have your own households now. Mother’s illness will not improve in a short while. There is no need for you to come back every single day — come when you have time. If anything happens, I will send word.”

The two nodded. Since Nanny Xu had finished by then, they went together to see the First Madam.

Watching her lying there, unable to say a word — only staring wide-eyed and straining her cheeks — each of them felt a deep sadness.

Eleventh Young Lady asked after Luo Zhensheng’s wedding: “…Should the date be moved?”

“No need,” Luo Zhensheng said. “Father will be setting out in a few days. He will see Four Brother’s wedding done and come straight back.”

There was nothing else to be done.

Then she asked after Tenth Young Lady: “Has someone been sent to inform her?”

“Word has been sent.” Luo Zhensheng’s expression darkened somewhat. “The reply was that the Maoguo Duke’s wife is herself not entirely well. She will come see Mother when she has a few days free.”

Fifth Young Lady let out a cold sound of contempt. Eleventh Young Lady quickly tried to soften things: “From what I hear, the Maoguo Duke’s wife is also past fifty this year, and with autumn upon us, it is not unusual to be a little out of sorts.”

—