With the eldest young mistress now managing the household, there were far fewer constraints, and everyone laughed and played freely for several days.

On the sixteenth of the tenth month, Xu Lingyi came after leaving the yamen to bring Shiyiniang home.

Shiyiniang was still talking with Fifth Young Miss in the rooms: “…I’ve done the accounting. The rent on that shop is two hundred taels a year. Goods can be fronted for half to start, and the staff are family people who can be kept fed for now without wages. In a year, the minimum earnings would be three or four hundred taels.” She gave a somewhat abashed laugh. “I know things are different for you now — three or four hundred taels may not even be worth your notice. But with this income, at least we could afford to buy a few cosmetics.”

Fifth Young Miss wanted to go into partnership with her to open a shop selling dried fruits.

Shiyiniang could not help but laugh inwardly.

Fifth Young Miss looked at her, now married to Xu Lingyi, and imagined she was living in untold luxury and wealth. Little did she know that Shiyiniang did not even have the two hundred taels each that Fifth Young Miss spoke of as starting capital.

Moreover, from what Fifth Young Miss said, the shop was located on West Main Street — a property under the Shun Wang’s name. The dried fruits were to be sourced from a supplier called Shengji Dried Goods, which was a business belonging to the family of Lv Cheng, the Military Commander of Shandong. On what grounds would they go and negotiate with the Shun Wang and Lv Cheng? Plainly speaking, bringing her into the partnership was simply a way of borrowing the weight of Xu Lingyi’s name. Never mind that she had only just entered the household and had absolutely no understanding of the relationship between these two families and Xu Lingyi — even if she had known, she would rather help Fifth Young Miss build this shop on her own than go into partnership. What family’s falling-out between brothers or estrangement between fathers and sons had not started over money?

“I’m afraid this matter would be rather difficult,” Shiyiniang said with a smile. “None of the sisters-in-law in this household run outside shops, and I am still so newly arrived…”

Fifth Young Miss had not even let Shiyiniang finish before pouting: “You, you’ve gone and married a Marquis for nothing.”

Shiyiniang only smiled and said nothing.

One person’s poison is another’s treasure.

What she wanted was nothing more than a place to put down roots and make her life.

Xu Lingyi had already given her that.

What remained was her own affair…

Fifth Young Miss looked at her entirely unmoved expression and said in exasperation: “The biggest dried goods shop on West Main Street and the silk-and-cloth shop at the South Fence Gate are partnerships between Third Sister-in-law and her brothers from her own family. Not to mention Fifth Sister-in-law’s Yongsheng Gold and Jewelry on West Main Street. You — well-behaved at home and not any sharper in the world outside either.”

Though she had known Third Madam would certainly stash away private savings, having shops publicly open on the most prosperous streets of Yanjing was something Shiyiniang still found quite striking: “Fifth Elder Sister, who told you about this?”

“Who needed to tell me?” Fifth Young Miss laughed. “Word has spread all over Yanjing. Who doesn’t know?”

That meant Xu Lingyi knew as well!

She felt a quiet sense of relief.

A man who had, at so young an age, built up such an estate — even granting all his inherited advantages, one could not deny the efforts of his own making. Since even he raised no objection, she certainly had even less call to say anything.

“…We sisters are only opening a small dried fruit shop. Stop worrying — nothing will go wrong,” Fifth Young Miss continued trying to persuade her. “If we sisters all do well, people will say fine things about it. And comings and goings and social courtesies are more respectable. And it gives face among the sisters-in-law…”

Shiyiniang smiled faintly.

When she thought about it, she had known Fifth Young Miss for four years now, and no one understood Fifth Young Miss’s way of thinking better than she did, given that she had once been her opponent in household matters… Sisters all doing well, people speaking well of it, face in public — she believed those were genuinely Fifth Young Miss’s own sentiments. But Third Madam opening a dried goods shop on West Main Street and a silk-and-cloth shop at the South Fence Gate — she did not believe Fifth Young Miss had arrived at that idea herself. It must all have been Qian Ming’s doing.

But Qian Ming had hit on something quite right.

Shiyiniang also wished her sisters all to do well.

Whatever the circumstances, they all shared one surname. In the eyes of others, they would always be one family.

“Fifth Elder Sister, this is all news to me, and I haven’t formed any view on it yet.” She smiled. “Could I give it some thought first before I give you an answer?”

Fifth Young Miss was somewhat disappointed, but knowing Shiyiniang had always been cautious by temperament, she did not feel her face had been thrown back at her. She smiled: “Then answer me quickly — the New Year is fast approaching. Every household will be buying fruit boxes to celebrate the New Year and visit relatives.”

Qian Ming truly did have a head for business…

Shiyiniang nodded, and just then a maid came to announce: “The Marquis is here!”

The two smiled and went to the main room together.

Everyone exchanged greetings, and Luo Zhensheng urged Xu Lingyi to stay for dinner.

Xu Lingyi naturally agreed.

Before long, Qian Ming, Yu Yiqing, and Fourth Young Miss arrived.

The four men went to the outer courtyard, and the eldest young mistress entertained the ladies in the main hall for dinner.

Shiyiniang noticed that during the after-dinner tea, the eldest young mistress slipped quietly away to the eastern side chamber with Fifth Young Miss.

Could it be that the eldest young mistress was also involved in this?

She was rather startled.

If that was the case, this would be a difficult situation indeed.

After all, the eldest young mistress was her sister-in-law — she could hardly afford to offend every single member of her own family.

She tried to find a moment to speak with the eldest young mistress, but right up until she and Xu Lingyi bid farewell to Madam Luo, no suitable opportunity arose.

She would have to send word in a few days inviting the eldest young mistress to visit the Xu household!

Shiyiniang’s expression was somewhat distracted.

Xu Lingyi noticed but said nothing, and asked: “Do you want to stay home a few more days?”

Shiyiniang told him about the roasted corn and glutinous rice stuffed lotus root: “…And we bought lamb’s head meat to eat as well. I didn’t dare have even a single bite. But it was very lively!”

Xu Lingyi looked at her cheerful expression and truly could not understand what was so lively about any of that. He replied in a perfunctory way: “You could also make rose sugar syrup. I had some once at Shun Wang’s house.”

“Because we didn’t have any roses!” Shiyiniang smiled. “We sent someone to buy some but couldn’t find them!”

“The household flower room has some. You can make it at home from now on.”

Shiyiniang suddenly hit upon an idea: “Marquis, could you arrange for a nanny to be assigned to my rooms?”

Xu Lingyi raised an eyebrow, puzzled.

Shiyiniang said shyly: “There are so many rules in the household I don’t understand, and I don’t feel comfortable asking others.”

Xu Lingyi saw how candid she was and laughed: “Noted!”

In the half-lit interior of the carriage, the corner of his brow lifted, and his face held a bright, buoyant expression.

Shiyiniang suddenly remembered — Xu Lingyi was only twenty-seven this year. Still quite young.

……

Returning home, the first order was naturally to go and pay respects to the Grand Madam.

The Grand Madam smiled when she saw Shiyiniang, but there was no warmth in her eyes.

“You’re back! How is your mother-in-law?”

“Mother is doing well. She can now hold a spoon and eat porridge on her own.” Shiyiniang felt uneasy inside, unable to fathom how, after just a few days back at her family home, all the Grand Madam’s warmth toward her had vanished entirely. She answered the Grand Madam’s questions with careful caution.

The Grand Madam exchanged a few pleasantries with her, called Zhen Jie’er and Zhun Ge out to present themselves before Shiyiniang, and then urged her to return early and rest.

Shiyiniang walked back to her own courtyard thoroughly puzzled, and was met by the sight of Qin Yiniang, Wen Yiniang, Nanny Tao, Hupo, Dongqing, and a great crowd of maids and nannies all waiting there.

She was rather taken aback.

Dongqing, already with tears in her eyes, curtsied to her: “Madam!”

“What is going on?” Shiyiniang could not help but ask Xu Lingyi, who was standing to one side.

“Oh!” Xu Lingyi said, his expression calm. “Fifth Brother and Fifth Sister-in-law have moved to Zhaozhuang Hall. Each branch’s people no longer need to keep out of the way.”

Could the Grand Madam be thinking that she was the one who had…?

The thought flashed through her mind and was gone, and she felt she was reading too much into things.

Xu Lingyi had already said: “This is not the place for conversation — let us go in first.”

He was right.

Shiyiniang, though full of bewilderment, allowed herself to be surrounded by the Yiniang, maids, and nannies and ushered inside.

Wen Yiniang promptly stepped forward to serve tea to them both.

Shiyiniang noticed that Qiao Lianfang was nowhere to be seen.

“Has Qiao Yiniang’s illness not yet improved?” she asked Xu Lingyi.

Xu Lingyi said: “She seemed somewhat better after a few doses of the medicine, but these last two days there has been a setback.”

“Should we find another physician?” Shiyiniang said.

“Illness arrives like a mountain falling, but departs like silk being drawn,” Xu Lingyi replied. “Let us observe a while longer first.”

Shiyiniang nodded, and Dongqing attended her as she went to change clothes.

Nanny Tao, however, rushed in after them.

Shiyiniang, seeing her expression, knew she had something to say. She herself was indeed curious about what had transpired in the household over these past days, and so she did not stop her.

“Madam, while you were away these days, the Master rested at Qin Yiniang’s quarters.” Her voice then dropped, as if for emphasis. “He spent the night.”

Shiyiniang needed a moment to understand what “spent the night” signified in Nanny Tao’s meaning.

Of all people — with the young and beautiful Qiao Lianfang right there — and he chose to go to Qin Yiniang’s quarters… Unexpectedly, Xu Lingyi was quite loyal in his affections.

At this thought, she felt a measure of reassurance settle within her.

Nanny Tao, seeing Shiyiniang show no reaction, quickly cautioned her: “When the late Madam was alive, the Marquis, though he only spent five nights a month at the Yiniang’s quarters respectively, would at times merely rest at Wen Yiniang’s, yet never once omitted Qin Yiniang. You must not assume, because she is getting on in age, that you can afford to be careless with her.”

Shiyiniang did not care for Nanny Tao’s tone.

Whom Xu Lingyi favored and whom he did not was entirely his own right — it was not her place to intervene.

“I understand.” Without quite realizing it, Shiyiniang had taken on Xu Lingyi’s manner of speech. “Why did Fifth Madam move to the garden? What has everyone been saying?”

Nanny Tao, seeing her cool manner, understood that Shiyiniang had not taken her words to heart. She thought to herself: young girls are all the same — so confident in their youth and beauty that they do not know the height of the sky or the depth of the earth. Once they hit a wall, they’ll know soon enough whom to go crying to.

Knowing this sort of thing could not be rushed, she set aside the matter of Xu Lingyi spending the night at the Yiniang’s quarters, and said in a low voice: “The Marquis of Dingnan came and negotiated with the Grand Madam and gave Fifth Madam a severe reprimand. Fifth Madam moved to the garden that very same day, and the Grand Madam could only agree. Anyone with eyes could see this was the Marquis’s idea. Otherwise, who else could have invited the Marquis of Dingnan? The Grand Madam has been worrying about Fifth Madam these past few days, afraid something might not be right with her. She says, better safe than sorry. On top of this, Second Madam moved herself to the Mountain West Villa to avoid any appearance of impropriety, and the Grand Madam has felt even more unsettled.”

“Second Madam has moved to the Mountain West Villa?” Shiyiniang stared at Nanny Tao in astonishment.

“She absolutely insisted on moving,” Nanny Tao nodded repeatedly. “The Grand Madam could only agree.”

What a shrewd woman!

“And Third Madam?”

“Third Madam has been occupied with overseeing the kitchen purchases and has not been heard to say anything troublesome.”

“The kitchen purchases? What has happened there?”

“Word is that from now on, all vegetables, fruits, and dried goods are to be sourced from a single supplier, to prevent the purchasing agents from any underhanded dealings.”

To have thought of that — she truly had some ability.

And what should she herself do?

Take a cut from the accounts?

That seemed the more discreet and safer approach.

“How has Zhun Ge been?”

“Well,” Nanny Tao smiled. “The Grand Madam used to take him to Second Madam’s every other day, and he has already learned to hold a writing brush. But now that Second Madam has moved away, what he has learned may well fall into neglect.”

From her tone, she clearly approved of Second Madam teaching Zhun Ge.