Her body, soft and boneless, her skin delicate and smooth — Xu Lingyi could not bear to let go, feeling his heart swaying and his blood running hot… yet he still stopped halfway.

He had his own pride.

Eleventh Young Mistress looked at him, her eyes like a misty rain falling over the Jiangnan in the third month of spring — hazy and indistinct.

“I don’t know why it’s like this either…” Her voice was barely above a whisper.

Xu Lingyi lit the lamp to look at her.

Eleventh Young Mistress’s face, usually like a pear blossom, had flushed deep red like a blazing winter plum. She wrapped herself tightly. “I… I’m fine…”

Xu Lingyi looked at her delicate features, and the body that had not yet calmed bristled with tension once more, even more imposing than before.

From Eleventh Young Mistress’s vantage point, it was all perfectly visible.

A flash of alarm crossed her eyes.

Xu Lingyi sighed quietly to himself, then turned and drew her into his arms, tenderly stroking the top of her head. “I’ll call the maidservant in.”

Eleventh Young Mistress opened her mouth to speak, then stopped. “I…” In truth she didn’t know what she wanted to say, or what she could say.

Xu Lingyi gave a low laugh. “It’s all right, it’s all right.” He went to call the maidservant on night duty, then withdrew to the bathing room.

The room was brightly lit.

Hupo stood with downcast eyes, attending to Eleventh Young Mistress’s bath.

“Hupo.” Eleventh Young Mistress lay in the large pine-wood bathing tub, watching the petals floating on the water’s surface turn the clear water red. “When is my monthly time due?”

Hupo’s expression brightened. “It’s not entirely predictable, but most likely by the end of the month.”

Eleventh Young Mistress gave a soft “mm” and closed her eyes, letting the warmth of the water envelop her.

“Madam,” Hupo said hesitantly, “are you wondering whether… should we not have a physician come to examine…”

After all, she had been an unmarried young girl not long ago.

Eleventh Young Mistress smiled faintly. “There’s no need. I was only asking.”

Hupo didn’t fully understand these matters either, but that the Madam was paying attention to them was, all things considered, a good sign.

She helped Eleventh Young Mistress dress with a smile, then gathered everything up and walked out of the bathing room.

The gauze curtains hung half-open. Her eyes drifted over involuntarily… and she saw the Marquis holding Eleventh Young Mistress in his arms… kissing her temple, while his hand slipped inside Eleventh Young Mistress’s collar… The golden yellow bodice embroidered with paired lotuses fell loosely open, revealing the faintest glimpse of ivory-white skin… achingly beautiful, dazzlingly exquisite.

Hupo’s face flushed scarlet — red enough to bleed. She walked quickly out the door, her heart still pounding wildly.

No wonder Elder Sister Dongqing didn’t want to take the night watch.

Who knew she would run into something like this too…

Nanny Tao was right. The Madam should find the Marquis a chamber attendant — that way, they wouldn’t have to attend upon such things in the future.

Then she thought of the night before Eleventh Young Mistress married, when she had asked her, “Are you willing to come with me?”

For a moment, she stood there, stock still.

…

His skill was exceptional — Eleventh Young Mistress had heard of it in her previous life but had never witnessed it. Now that it fell to her, she felt thoroughly mortified in her helplessness.

She could not help but take hold of the hand Xu Lingyi had tucked inside her clothing. “Marquis, I beg of you…” Her voice was low and hoarse, on the verge of tears.

He looked at her pale face and at last relented.

He straightened her collar and gathered her in his arms as he lay down. “Sleep now. Early court tomorrow.”

Eleventh Young Mistress lay against Xu Lingyi’s chest, and even through the thin inner robe, she could clearly sense his arousal — she dared not move a muscle. She lay with eyes closed, praying only for the third watch of the night to come quickly.

Her limbs were not only rigid, but trembling faintly.

Xu Lingyi had never once forced a woman. Every woman before him had trembled for him of her own accord, willingly…

He wrapped Eleventh Young Mistress up completely inside his own quilt, then slipped into her cold bedding. “Go to sleep!”

His hand gently brushed away the strand of dark hair that had fallen across her cheek and tucked it behind her ear — and then he saw the unmistakable look of relief spreading across her face.

His hand paused for a moment. Then, with resolve, he turned and blew out the lamp.

The drumbeats of the night watch rang out one by one, counting from the first watch through to the fourth. Then, without a sound, he rose, dressed, washed, and took his morning meal.

He pushed open the door. Outside was a world of white. Soft flakes of snow, like goose down, were still drifting from the sky.

“Marquis, it’s snowing.” Linbo draped a black otter-fur cloak over Xu Lingyi’s shoulders.

He stood for a moment, gazing somewhat distantly at the cloak that shimmered with a dim, bristling light in the red lantern glow, and thought of the blue-black strands of hair that had spread across his shoulder the night before… Then, suddenly, he said, “Go and heat a handwarmer.”

Linbo was taken aback.

In the steamy heat of the Miao borderlands, the Marquis hadn’t loosened a single button of his collar. In the bitter cold of the northwest, he hadn’t needed so much as a single brazier. How was it that now, back in Yanjing, he suddenly wanted a handwarmer?

But years of disciplined training made him bow his head immediately and murmur a respectful “Yes.” He quickly whispered instructions to the page boy beside him to go heat the handwarmer.

Xu Lingyi, meanwhile, took the opportunity while waiting to step inside the inner chamber.

He lifted the curtain and looked at Eleventh Young Mistress, still sleeping.

Her delicate brows — dark as distant mountains — were gently knitted, as if she were troubled by something in her dream, or perhaps disturbed by the lamplight falling through the gauze curtains. She turned softly toward the wall, and her brow eased somewhat — though her red lips pursed the slightest bit, like a petulant child, carrying a kind of particular, guileless charm.

Xu Lingyi smiled despite himself, quietly lowered the gauze curtains, and strode out.

Listening to the footsteps grow gradually more distant, Eleventh Young Mistress let out a long, slow breath and opened her eyes.

She didn’t want to face Xu Lingyi… After a night like that, any way she behaved would feel strange and uncomfortable.

She lay quietly, and the quilt seemed still to hold the trace of Xu Lingyi’s scent — deep and warm.

She liked it very much. It made her feel at ease.

And yet she wanted nothing more of it…

Gradually, she heard the soft and careful movements of the maidservants.

“Madam, Madam!” Hupo called to her softly.

Eleventh Young Mistress took a deep breath.

She still had to go and pay her morning respects to the Grand Madam.

She rustled her way out from under the covers and composed her expression into a warm and gracious smile. “Come in. I’m already awake.”

Hupo hung up the gauze curtains. Lvyun, with Shuangyu and Fangxi, attended to her as she rose.

Nanny Nanyong’s wife came in and curtsied, then with quick and practiced hands began dressing Eleventh Young Mistress’s hair.

Eleventh Young Mistress told Hupo, “Go and fetch Nanny Tao.”

Hupo acknowledged and went off. Before long, Nanny Nanyong’s wife had finished setting the bun.

Eleventh Young Mistress turned her head this way and that, studying her reflection in the mirror.

Her expression was as composed and serene as ever. Her smile was as warm and gracious as ever.

Satisfied, she gave a small nod.

Nanny Nanyong’s wife opened the carved red lacquer jewel case, and the hairpins and ornaments gleamed brilliantly at one another, like a sky full of stars.

She began browsing idly through them.

“The kitchen made milk pastries today — remember to take a couple home later for little Niu’er.”

Eleventh Young Mistress smiled, and selected a hairpin of enamel cloisonné in blue glass.

Nanny Nanyong’s wife received it with both hands and, with movements somewhat restrained, helped Eleventh Young Mistress put it in. “Coming here to take food home every single day… if Nanyong finds out, he’ll scold me.”

“It’s nothing special. The child likes it — that’s what matters.” Eleventh Young Mistress smiled and watched as Nanny Nanyong’s wife opened the carved red lacquer case containing the earrings and rings. “When Niu’er wakes up and sees you’ve come home — and with something for her to eat — she’ll be so happy.”

Nanny Nanyong’s wife nodded eagerly, and her shy look turned to joy. “The silly little thing only thinks about food. She’s noticed that every time I leave and come home, I bring back something nice to eat — so now she promises to lie in bed nicely and not kick off her covers, not fuss for Aunt Zhao to soothe her, just wait quietly for me to come back.”

A child’s demands on her parents are sometimes so very small…

A flicker of wistfulness crossed Eleventh Young Mistress’s brow. She smiled and said, “Then don’t listen to Nanyong. He’s a rough sort — what does he understand? I eat here alone, and I can’t finish everything anyway. It would only go to waste.”

Nanny Nanyong’s wife pursed her lips in a smile, looking rather embarrassed.

A little maidservant announced, “Nanny Tao has arrived.”

Eleventh Young Mistress dismissed Nanny Nanyong’s wife, and smiled at Nanny Tao as she said, “My monthly time is most likely at the end of the month — when do you think would be a good time to arrange the Yiniangss’ nights of attendance?”

Nanny Tao immediately replied with a smile, “Naturally, they should be arranged at the beginning or the end of the month.”

Nanny Nanyong’s wife, who had almost reached the curtain, paused almost imperceptibly in her step.

Eleventh Young Mistress was absorbed in what Nanny Tao had said and didn’t notice. Her mind was racing.

If that were the case, her own time would fall in the middle of the month — the most fertile period. Was she wrong in her assumption after all?

Smiling, she picked out a pair of red-gold cloisonné enamel lilac earrings from the case before her.

“If your own time were arranged at the beginning or end of the month, it would certainly coincide with your monthly period,” Nanny Tao said, stepping forward with a smile to help Eleventh Young Mistress put on the earrings. “At that point, a chamber attendant would need to be arranged. Besides,” she said, glancing at Eleventh Young Mistress with an expression that was half a smile, “the Marquis is already quite fond of you, Madam — why let someone else take that opportunity for nothing? Arrange the Yiniangss for the beginning and end of the month, and your own time in the middle — that would be most suitable.”

Eleventh Young Mistress gave a noncommittal smile and said only “I understand,” then focused on finishing her toilette.

When she stepped out the door, however, she found Nanny Nanyong’s wife standing under the eaves, clutching an oil-paper parcel, her head lowered, her left foot shuffling against the ground in quiet uncertainty.

“What is it?” Eleventh Young Mistress smiled and asked her. “Is there something you want to say to me?”

Nanny Nanyong’s wife looked up at Eleventh Young Mistress, her gaze a little frightened, like a startled rabbit.

Eleventh Young Mistress made her smile as gentle as she could and waited quietly for her to speak.

Nanny Nanyong’s wife looked at the warmth of Eleventh Young Mistress’s spring-like smile, and felt as though the pastries in her arms were burning hot. She pressed her lips together, and at last spoke. “I… I have something to tell Madam…”

Eleventh Young Mistress took Nanny Nanyong’s wife alone into the reception hall.

Nanny Nanyong’s wife rushed to say, “Madam, you mustn’t arrange your own time in the middle of the month — the days just before and after one’s monthly period are when conception is easiest.” Her voice came out fast and urgent, as though something was chasing her from behind.

Eleventh Young Mistress was startled.

“I didn’t mean to overhear.” Nanny Nanyong’s wife’s face had gone somewhat pale.

Eleventh Young Mistress suddenly understood.

She seemed to recall reading in some book that people in the old days believed the days just before and after a woman’s monthly period were when she was most likely to conceive — and so it was common to arrange the nights of attendance for high-ranking consorts during those very days, with the result that they actually found it much harder to become pregnant.

Sometimes it only takes a kind smile.

She smiled and took Nanny Nanyong’s wife’s hand. “Thank you for telling me.” And then, with a touch of wistfulness in her voice, “My mother is far away in Yuhang — no one has ever told me these things.”

Nanny Nanyong’s wife let out a breath of relief and quickly withdrew her hand, dropping into a curtsy. “Madam, it was not my place to speak.”

Eleventh Young Mistress shook her head. “Please don’t tell anyone else about this. I have my own difficulties. Nanny Tao is, after all, someone my elder sister left behind — sometimes I cannot easily go against her wishes. And then there is my stepmother from my family home — she is also difficult to account to…”

Nanny Nanyong’s wife looked at her with eyes full of sympathy, nodding again and again. “Madam, rest assured — I won’t say a word to anyone!”

Eleventh Young Mistress smiled and patted her hand, then turned and walked out of the hall.

Her mood finally lifted.

Nanny Tao didn’t want her to conceive, so she had arranged for her own time to fall in the middle of the month — and then used the arrival of her monthly period as a pretext to convince her to arrange a chamber attendant for Xu Lingyi… It was exactly as she had suspected. But in truth, that was the time when conception was most likely.

In front of Xu Lingyi, Eleventh Young Mistress was always nine parts honest and one part guarded — because she knew that a man as shrewd and perceptive as him would be nearly impossible to deceive with her modest tricks. It was better to be straightforward with him; that would earn his trust far more readily.

Since everyone already shared that particular mistaken belief, then let the misunderstanding go on being a misunderstanding.

She smiled faintly.

—