The Grand Madam looked at Shiyiniang with a smile. “It was you who sent word, wasn’t it?”
Shiyiniang smiled. “My lord was worried about you!”
“You child…”
Xu Lingyi had already spoken: “Mother, how could you come to the Western Hills without telling me? All that jolting along the road — if anything had been the matter, your son would be beyond redemption.”
“What nonsense are you talking?” the Grand Madam scolded mildly. “In broad daylight — all this talk of dying!” Then she added: “I only came out for a little outing — you needn’t make such a fuss!”
Xu Lingyi was about to say more, but Shiyiniang had already tugged at the corner of his robe. “My lord has come all this way — you haven’t eaten yet, have you? We’ve only just sat down ourselves.”
What was done was done; there was nothing more to be gained by dwelling on it.
He had only spoken out of momentary anxiety. With Shiyiniang’s gentle check, he caught himself at once and said with a smile: “I haven’t eaten either!”
The Grand Madam saw Shiyiniang take hold of Xu Lingyi’s sleeve and narrowed her eyes in pleasure. “Then let’s eat, let’s eat.”
Second Madam also smiled and had her maids help Xu Lingyi change his clothes.
The three of them sat with the Grand Madam and ate. Afterward, Second Madam urged the Grand Madam to head back: “…Take the road slowly, so the jolting won’t be too rough.”
Seeing that Second Madam was in good spirits and at ease, the Grand Madam set her heart at rest. She gave a great many parting instructions before at last being escorted by Xu Lingyi back to Lotus Lane.
Xu Lingning and Xu Lingkuan were waiting at the main gate. When they saw Xu Lingyi, both visibly relaxed. Alighting from the carriage at the ornamental gate, they saw Third Madam and Fifth Madam — both had come forward at once to greet the Grand Madam: “You’re back.” Only Third Madam curtseyed formally; Fifth Madam was supported by those around her.
The Grand Madam looked at this reception and laughed. “What — were you afraid I’d gone missing?”
“Mother, you are getting on in years — you really must not do this sort of thing again,” Xu Lingkuan said, supporting his mother. “When Fourth Brother heard you had gone to the Western Hills alone, he was so frightened his face went white.”
“Wasn’t Shiyiniang with me?” the Grand Madam laughed. “You’re all making far too much of this!”
As they were speaking, a manservant came running: “My lord the Marquis, an attendant from the Palace of Earthly Tranquility has come.”
The Grand Madam was momentarily taken aback.
Xu Lingyi quickly said: “Her Majesty the Empress had asked me to come see her after morning court. I had someone send word that I needed to go to the Western Hills to escort you back. She has probably sent someone to ask what happened.”
A flicker of unease crossed the Grand Madam’s face. “Go quickly and say something to Her Majesty. She is in the palace — there’s no telling how anxious she must be!”
“Now you understand,” Xu Lingkuan said, guiding his mother toward the inner courtyard. “In the future, if you want to go anywhere, please tell us first so we can make arrangements. Going off like this without a word — you gave us all such a fright…”
Xu Lingyi said, “I’ll go see what this is about,” and followed the manservant out.
Shiyiniang went with the group to the Grand Madam’s room.
A crowd of people surrounded the Grand Madam — some helping her change, others fetching water for her to wash her face, others making tea and bringing refreshments — all busy as a spinning top.
Seeing Shiyiniang also bustling about nearby, the Grand Madam smiled. “You go and change your clothes too.”
After a day’s travel, she really did not feel fresh. Shiyiniang smiled and assented, then returned to her own rooms.
Hupo and the others were busy waiting on Shiyiniang.
After washing her face and having her hair redone, she changed into a scallion-green robe with an interlocking floral pattern in brocade. Nanny Tao came in.
“Madam, Lu Yonggui has returned!”
Lu Yonggui had been managing the properties that had come with the first wife Yuan Niang’s dowry. When Shiyiniang had first married in and asked about this man, Nanny Tao had been evasive, only saying he had gone beyond the pass for business matters. She had hastily explained: “…The first young mistress’s properties and accounts are all in the hands of Steward Lu.” Her manner suggested she feared Shiyiniang might inquire further.
And now he had returned at this moment, of all times? And come to see her of his own accord? What could he want?
“He arrived early this morning,” Nanny Tao said with a smile, “to pay his respects to you. But you had accompanied the Grand Madam to the Western Hills. He waited until dusk and still you had not returned. As a grown man, it wasn’t appropriate for him to remain in the inner quarters, so he specially asked me to convey his greetings and said he would come see you again first thing tomorrow morning.”
Shiyiniang considered for a moment, then smiled: “Tell him to come see me after the afternoon hour of Wei, at a quarter past.”
Nanny Tao assented with a smile.
Shiyiniang sat at the dressing table to put on her earrings, and gestured for Nanny Tao to withdraw.
But Nanny Tao, still smiling, walked to the dressing table, picked up a silver-gilt twisted-wire pearl hairpin, and pinned it in Shiyiniang’s hair. As she did so she said in a low voice: “Madam, you are newly arrived, and there are things you may not know. Households of the nobility are not the same as ordinary wealthy families — there are rules governing how a wife and concubines live together. Before, there was only Qin Yiniang and Wen Yiniang. The first mistress took twenty days, and each of the two concubines took five. Now that a full month has passed, you ought to have an arrangement in mind.”
She must think that because I am young and no one has spoken to me of these matters… she feels she must guide me in everything.
Shiyiniang smiled mildly. “This is something Nanny need not trouble herself about. I will ask my lord’s wishes before making any arrangement.”
Sensing her displeasure, Nanny Tao smiled. “Madam, don’t blame me for speaking out of turn. Men govern affairs outside the household, women govern affairs within — this has been the rule since the beginning of creation. Why consult my lord? And if you do ask him, how is he to answer? To say ‘yes’ would earn him the name of ‘one who favors his concubines’; to say ‘no’ would burden you with the reputation of ‘jealousy.’ This matter, Madam should simply decide herself!”
Shiyiniang smiled faintly. “What Nanny says makes sense. Naturally, it is I who make decisions in this room. So I say — where my lord wishes to sleep, and how many nights he stays — is entirely up to him.”
Nanny Tao’s smile froze on her face.
“Very well, the hour is not early. I still need to attend the Grand Madam at dinner.” Shiyiniang rose with a smile. “Whatever the matter is, let’s speak of it tomorrow.” With that, attended by Lvyun and Hongxiu, she went to the Grand Madam’s quarters.
—
She could hear Fifth Madam’s bright laughter even through the curtain. As she approached, faint words drifted out: “…I was so envious at the time. I thought, one day I’d find a way to pick one and wear it. But before I could make up my mind, I was sent home. Today, thanks to you, my wish has come true!”
The announcement from a little maid cut off Fifth Madam’s words.
Shiyiniang entered the room and saw on the low table before the Grand Madam’s platform bed a large scarlet dish with an ocean-wave pattern, holding seven or eight translucent white camellia blossoms in water.
“Shiyiniang, come here.” The Grand Madam beckoned her with a smile. “The white camellias have bloomed in the palace — Her Majesty sent some over. Come pick two for yourself.”
Shiyiniang saw that Third Madam and Fifth Madam each held two blossoms in their hands. She also noticed that Xu Lingyi had already returned. She found herself wondering quietly: could the Empress be worried about the Grand Madam, yet unwilling to ask outright, and using the sending of flowers as a pretext to probe what had happened at home?
She went forward, paid her respects to the Grand Madam, admired the flowers with genuine delight — “How beautiful they are” — and selected two blossoms.
The Grand Madam then instructed Nanny Du to serve dinner.
Yao Huang and Wei Zi hurried to summon Xu Siqin and the other children from the warm side chamber where they had been playing.
The younger generation paid their respects to their elders, and everyone sat together for the meal, then returned to their respective quarters.
On the way back, Shiyiniang said to Xu Lingyi: “My lord, Nanny Tao tells me Lu Yonggui has returned and wishes to see me. He manages my late elder sister’s dowry properties. Since this will be the first time we meet, I would like to invite you and Elder Brother and Elder Sister-in-law to receive him with me tomorrow. What do you think?”
Xu Lingyi stopped walking, his expression shifting to something somewhere between a smile and not, as he looked at Shiyiniang. “I won’t be joining you. Just you and your brother and sister-in-law — it’s a family matter.” He seemed determined to keep a clear distance from it.
—
The next morning, Shiyiniang sent Hupo back to the Luo Mansion to invite Elder Brother and Elder Sister-in-law. Luo Zhensheng and Elder Sister-in-law, upon hearing it concerned Lu Yonggui, agreed immediately.
She then called Nanny Tao and asked: “How is the monthly stipend for the maids in this room distributed?”
Nanny Tao smiled: “When the first mistress was managing the household, those serving in the mansion were paid by the mansion all together. The dowry attendants of each household were paid by their own household.”
“How does that work?”
“Take your household, Madam,” Nanny Tao said with a smile. “In terms of the set allocation, there are four first-tier maids, six second-tier maids, ten third-tier maids, six coarse-duty matrons, two kitchen matrons, two small kitchen maids, and two coarse-duty kitchen matrons. This is the fixed establishment — the monthly stipends for all these are paid collectively from the household funds. For example, a hairdressing wife-servant is not part of the fixed allocation, so her stipend must come from your own funds. Similarly, if you wish to add a first-tier maid beyond the quota, her stipend would also come from your own funds.”
In other words, she did not need to manage the stipends of the people in her room.
“What if my household only has five coarse-duty matrons?”
“Then only five people’s stipends are paid.”
“Are the stipends collected by each household and then distributed, or paid all at once?”
“Paid all at once.”
“When?”
“When the first mistress was alive, it was on the first of each month. After Third Madam took over the household, it moved to the fifteenth.”
Shiyiniang’s expression shifted. “Does that mean I still haven’t paid Nanny Nanrong’s stipend?”
She herself had lived through times of waiting anxiously for a monthly stipend.
Nanny Tao smiled: “Though she serves in your quarters, her nominal position belongs to the Grand Madam’s household. Her stipend is drawn from the Grand Madam’s side — you don’t need to concern yourself with her.”
A little maid came in to announce: “Madam, Third Madam has come!”
What does she want?
Shiyiniang welcomed Third Madam in, and the two of them sat down on either side of the large platform bed by the window in the east anteroom.
Maids served tea and brought refreshments.
Shiyiniang smiled and asked: “Has Third Sister-in-law something on her mind?”
Third Madam pointed to the cloth-wrapped bundle in Qiuling’s hands: “I’ve brought Fourth Sister-in-law her monthly stipend!”
Shiyiniang was somewhat surprised.
Speak of the devil!
She maintained an air of indifference and had Hupo accept it. “Third Sister-in-law has gone to all this trouble to deliver it in person.”
“Oh, it’s nothing at all!” Third Madam smiled. “I also wanted to come sit with you for a while.” She sipped her tea. “In fact, there is something I wanted to consult with you about.” She glanced at the servants attending in the room.
Shiyiniang understood the hint and dismissed the attendants.
“Fourth Sister-in-law,” Third Madam lowered her voice, her gaze burning bright, “would you like to earn some money for your face powder and rouge?”
Shiyiniang was astonished.
This was the second person to have asked her this!
Yet Third Madam seemed very satisfied with Shiyiniang’s expression. She let out a seemingly helpless sigh. “Two days with ten taels of silver earns one tael; one hundred taels earns ten; if you had ten thousand taels, you could earn a thousand… Honestly, such a good opportunity — if my business weren’t a little short of capital, I would never in a thousand years be willing to bring in a partner.”
Shiyiniang could not help but furrow her brow.
How was this any different from money falling out of the sky?
Unless it were something illicit — for a legitimate business, how could the returns be this high? She had no idea what scheme Third Madam was really running, or what sort of business this was. Did Xu Lingyi know about Third Madam’s “venture”?
—