A person of leisure?

What a remarkable sort of leisure this was!

One moment at the First Madam’s side, one moment at Fifth Miss’s, and now here in the heated side chamber of Lvyun Tower… Surely there was no one more leisurely than her!

Ziwei laughed coldly to herself, while keeping her face wreathed in smiles. She exchanged a few pleasantries with Wu Xiaoquan’s wife, then held out to Hupo the two parcels she had been carrying: “These are Xinyang Maojian tea. Miss is busy with the embroidered screen and asked me to come pay her respects to Hupo.”

Hupo accepted the tea leaves and politely invited her to take a seat.

Ziwei declined gracefully: “Miss cannot be without someone at her side, and the newly arrived junior maid is ill. I won’t sit — I’ll come another day to gather with everyone.”

Since they all served before their mistresses, and their mistresses’ affairs took precedence above all else, Hupo could not insist she stay. After Ziwei had taken her leave of Wu Xiaoquan’s wife, Hupo saw her to the door.

As the two of them reached the eaves, they came upon Shanhu, Feicui, Daimao, Duwei, and Dujuan, being escorted by junior maids carrying red lanterns.

There were the inevitable exchanges of pleasantries.

Learning that Ziwei had come on Fifth Miss’s behalf to deliver tea, and that she could not linger since Fifth Miss had no one else to attend her, they offered their courteous words and let her go — Hupo seeing her out, while Shanhu and the others were ushered by junior maids through the curtained entrance into the heated side chamber.

Just as mistresses were ranked by status, so too were their maids — and in accordance with their mistresses’ standing. Shanhu and the others were from the First Madam’s room, and thus the most honored guests. With their arrival, the atmosphere shifted entirely.

Wu Xiaoquan’s wife was the first to step forward and greet them. Yutong and Yuhuai moved to help Binju receive the guests — one taking cloaks, another shifting chairs and stools — and directed Qiuju, Zhuxiang, Baizhu, Jingzhu, and the other junior maids in serving tea and refreshments. In an instant, the bright clatter of jade pendants, the soft rustle of layered skirts, and the chirping voices of greetings all wove together into a clamorous and lively tapestry.

Then Hupo returned from seeing off Ziwei, and Shanhu and the others presented her with handkerchiefs, sweat towels, and jade ornaments — another round of cheerful chatter ensued. When Dongqing arrived leading the rough-work women with the food boxes, everyone jostled and deferred to one another, sorting themselves by rank before finally sitting down.

Wu Xiaoquan’s wife naturally took the seat of honor. Hupo, as the guest of the evening, sat beside her. They then tried to seat Dongqing at the place just below Wu Xiaoquan’s wife, but Dongqing raised the bowl of smoked pork she was just then holding and smiled: “And who is going to serve our assembled sisters, then?”

Feicui’s eyes darted about, and she immediately pointed at Binju. “Today, let you be the hostess.”

Binju smiled and stepped forward to take the smoked pork from Dongqing’s hands. “You sit, Sister — I’ll attend to our honored guests.”

Wu Xiaoquan’s wife also took Dongqing by the hand. “Do sit down — we’re all among ourselves here.”

Seeing this, Hupo rose from her seat. “Sister has been rushing about all day for my sake. The only reason I am sitting here at all is that I did not want to disappoint her. If Sister refuses to sit, I will be even more ill at ease.”

Dongqing held firm. Shanhu, thinking how at every previous gathering among the maids, Dongqing had always been the one sitting at the lower end, ladling out the soup, pouring the tea — and this time it was her own room hosting the banquet — began to feel that prolonging the dispute would only dampen the mood. She also thought of how Hupo had been suddenly transferred here by the First Madam, which meant she was not yet as close to Eleventh Miss as Dongqing was. If, at a key moment, Dongqing could put in a word for Hupo before Eleventh Miss, Hupo’s days here would be much easier. This moved her to extend a small kindness.

She smiled and took Dongqing by the hand. “In that case, Sister, come sit beside me!” And with that, she moved to the seat just below Wu Xiaoquan’s wife.

This way, while Dongqing was spared the very top seat, she found herself settled in the second-best position.

Feicui was the most quick-witted of them all. She glanced from the standing Hupo to the seated Shanhu, then took the seat just below Hupo. “Then I won’t stand on ceremony — I’ll sit across from Shanhu.”

There was no room left for further delay without seeming small-minded. Dongqing could only settle, with a token protest, into the seat below Shanhu. “Sisters, you’re all far too kind.”

Everyone who had made it into the First Madam’s room was clever indeed.

Duwei promptly pushed Daimao into the seat beside Feicui. “Come sit, Sister — my legs are aching from standing.” And she took the last seat at the lower end across from Wu Xiaoquan’s wife. Dujuan followed without ceremony, settling herself with a grin beside Duwei.

Binju, seeing everyone seated, breathed a quiet sigh of relief and invited Yutong, Yuhuai, Baizhu, and Jingzhu to another table.

Just then, someone lifted the curtain and peered inside.

Sharp-eyed Qiuju called out: “Baizhi, why have you only just arrived!”

Everyone looked up.

A tall, slender young woman stepped through the entrance.

It was Baizhi, the head maid from Tenth Miss’s room.

She entered and gave a deep curtsy to the assembled sisters. “I’m late — please forgive me!”

Hupo and Dongqing rose from their seats, and Yutong came forward to take her by the arm toward her own table. “All our sisters are here today — no amount of sweet talk will excuse your lateness. You’ll have to down three full cups as your penalty!”

Baizhi pleaded for mercy. “Dear Sister, I really did have to steal away to come.” As she spoke, she drew from her sleeve a red drawstring pouch with a branch-flower pattern and a dark green crinkled gauze sweat towel. “These are from me and Jiuxiang for the guest of honor.” She also gave a curtsy to Dongqing: “We won’t be staying for the wine today — another time, the two of us will host and invite everyone. Please also give our regards to Eleventh Miss and tell her we are most grateful she thought of us.”

Feicui, remembering the promised embroidered-gold winding-branch pouch that had eventually arrived with only a glimmer of gold thread, could not resist chiming in with a smile: “Baizhi, since you say ‘another time’ — when exactly would ‘another time’ be?” Her tone carried a faint note of mockery.

Baizhi’s face reddened. “When I have a free day, I’ll invite everyone.”

She genuinely wanted to save face among her sisters, but simply could not afford to put on this kind of show.

“I do wonder when Sister might find herself free,” Feicui said, tilting her face and smiling at her. “When Sister accompanied Tenth Miss to pay respects to the First Madam last time, you even promised Duwei there a pair of shoes… and we’ve yet to see them to this day.”

Baizhi’s face went through shades of red and white, her lips moving — there was a murmur, but not a word was distinct enough for anyone to make out.

Shanhu could not help but frown slightly. She came forward with a smile and took Baizhi’s hand. “She’s the sort who would pluck a single hair from an iron rooster — we all keep well clear of her, yet here you are, having walked straight into her hands, poor thing.” She glanced at Hupo, then said to Baizhi, “Since you can’t stay, I’ll have the junior maids pack a few dishes for you to take back — that’s our way of honoring your good intentions.”

With so many people watching, Hupo did not feel it was her place to step in, for fear of making Dongqing lose face.

Dongqing, for her part, was thinking that the First Madam had put Hupo in charge of the affairs of Eleventh Miss’s room, and that most of the maids here had originally been her own companions — she ought to give Hupo every consideration. So she too remained seated and said nothing.

Wu Xiaoquan’s wife’s gaze flickered for a moment. She quickly lowered her eyes, turning her wine cup round and round in her fingers, as if she had noticed nothing at all.

And just like that, the atmosphere chilled.

Baizhi’s face cycled through red and white. She said quietly: “Never mind. There’s always food and drink — that’s not what’s lacking. It’s just that it’s so rare for us sisters to have a chance like this to gather together…”

Though she had no idea why neither Dongqing nor Hupo had spoken up, Qiuju could see Baizhi’s plight plainly enough. She did not stop to think further, and with a cheerful air she instructed Zhuxiang: “Baizhi loves pan-fried silverfish, and Jiuxiang loves preserved goose neck — open the food boxes and find them. Let Baizhi take them back. As for me, what a pity — I love that preserved goose neck too. I was counting on Jiuxiang as my excuse to eat some…”

The table erupted in laughter.

The women carrying the food boxes heard this and immediately brought both dishes to the table.

Baizhi, seeing that the dishes truly were there, looked at Qiuju with a flash of genuine gratitude in her eyes.

Life was difficult for everyone… she understood that well.

She shook her hands to decline. “In this bitter cold, I’ve even brought a lantern… I am truly grateful for everyone’s kindness today.” She caught Qiuju’s hand to stop her from packing the food into the box, and could not bring herself to say anything like “another time” ever again.

After more back-and-forth, it was finally agreed that Qiuju would split each of the two dishes in half, combine them in one bowl, and pack it in the food box to send Baizhi off.

Shanhu then turned to Feicui: “Baizhi and Jiuxiang have the hardest lot among all our sisters. Why must you be so exacting with her!”

Feicui was proud by nature, and with so many looking on, she muttered under her breath: “It’s not as if I was wrong — she did promise Duwei a pair of shoes…”

“Now you’re going even further afield,” Daimao said, also feeling Feicui had been out of line picking that kind of quarrel in such a setting. “Baizhi is just the sort who likes to make promises…”

Seeing the two of them at odds, afraid it might turn into a real dispute, Dongqing raised her voice with a cheerful laugh: “Sisters, let’s not spend all our time talking — mind the dishes don’t go cold!”

Shanhu knew she had spoken out of turn just a moment before. She smiled and reached for the wine jug from the junior maid, filling Wu Xiaoquan’s wife’s cup as she said teasingly: “This may not compare with the five-tael-a-jar Jinhua wine you usually drink, Nanny, but this comes from Eleventh Miss’s own heart — that makes it entirely different.”

Nanny Wu laughed and gave Shanhu a playful tap on the forehead. “You’re the sharpest one here, you are.”

Another round of laughter rose from the table.

From beyond the curtain came a bright, clear voice: “Who is Nanny calling sharp?”

Before the words had faded, a figure stepped through — wearing a dark teal felted wool cape trimmed with grey squirrel fur. In the lamplight, the jet-black hair above her temples glimmered with tiny droplets of water.

The entire room froze. A moment later, everyone rustled to their feet.

Wu Xiaoquan’s wife’s eyes gleamed; she was the first to smile and say: “Luoqiao has come late — penalty drinks, penalty drinks!”

At the sound of her voice, Qiuju came to her senses and hurried forward to take the cape Luoqiao had just removed. “Luoqiao, has it started snowing outside?”

Everyone only then noticed that there were still a few unmelted snowflakes clinging to her temples.

Wu Xiaoquan’s wife’s eyes brightened further — while beside her, Hupo’s complexion turned faintly pale.

“You are a rare visitor indeed, Luoqiao.” Hupo had already left her seat and gone forward to greet her, taking Luoqiao by the hand and leading her to her own place, calling for Zhuxiang to bring fresh cups.

Luoqiao laughed behind her hand. “But you’ve given up the host’s seat!”

On the other side, Shanhu and the others had also risen from their places, each offering her own seat.

Dongqing, taking advantage of the commotion, drew Binju aside. “Quickly — go to the kitchen and ask Nanny Cao to prepare a dish of sweet-and-sour fish slices.” She gave a rueful smile. “Luoqiao never takes much interest in these gatherings. Even when Fifth Miss hosts, she never goes. Who could have guessed she’d come tonight!”

Binju pressed a hand to the pouch in her sleeve, her face troubled. “It’s already past six in the evening — the kitchen fire has been extinguished for the night. Nanny Cao won’t be easy to deal with…”

Meanwhile, Hupo had quietly been keeping an eye on Dongqing ever since she called Binju aside.

After the flurry of deferrals settled, Luoqiao took Shanhu’s former seat; Shanhu moved to Duwei’s; Duwei went to the other table and sat with Yutong and the others. Fresh cups and bowls were laid, and the dishes were presented in full.

Hupo glanced about and grasped the situation. Without drawing attention to herself, she called Binju over, turned her body slightly to the side, and pressed into her hands the Xinyang Maojian that Ziwei had brought: “Brew this tea!”

Binju acknowledged and took it.

Then she felt something firm press into her palm — Hupo had slipped something else in with it. Small but heavy for its size.

Binju was surprised. She reached to feel what it was.

Hupo had already turned back toward her with a nod and a smile. “Better to boil fresh water first for the brew…”

Binju understood at once. She gave Hupo a nod. “Don’t worry. I’ll go to the kitchen now and have them send some hot water over.”

The two exchanged a smile, and a peculiar closeness arose between them — the intimacy of sharing a secret.

—