A little maidservant led in a woman dressed in a robe of parrot-green Lucheng satin.

She was no more than thirty-seven or thirty-eight years of age. Of medium height, slightly slender in build, with a broad brow and high-bridged nose — quite handsome-looking — though there was a pronounced air of dignity in her bearing that lent her a somewhat severe manner.

“Marquis, Madam!” She greeted Eleventh Young Mistress and Xu Lingyi with a respectful bow, her every gesture carrying the refinement and restraint particular to women of distinguished families.

Eleventh Young Mistress could not help but privately admire her.

Next to her mother, Qiao Lianfang carried rather the feeling of a painting that captures the surface but not the soul.

And it was precisely for this reason that Eleventh Young Mistress gave a faint, inward shake of her head.

If she had not been drawn into all of this, Qiao Lianfang would have no need to present herself for morning and evening greetings — and Madam Qiao would not need to endure such treatment either. As the mother of a concubine, she was not counted as a Xu family relative. To come and visit her daughter, she needed Eleventh Young Mistress’s permission, and had to enter by the side gate besides.

Xu Lingyi said nothing, only gave a nod — his manner decidedly cool.

Eleventh Young Mistress had no choice but to smile and ask, “Madam Qiao, is there something we can do for you?”

Madam Qiao’s eyes darkened slightly. She spoke quietly. “I have come to thank the Marquis and the Madam. Lianfang’s father passed away early, and I have only this one daughter. I had great hopes for her. She began her studies at three. By five she was reading the classical philosophers. Being both quick-witted and well-behaved, she became a great favorite of the Duke and his wife, who kept her close and raised her themselves. It was I, a woman without much experience, with limited vision and shallow understanding, who pampered her like a pearl in my palm — and in doing so, raised a daughter entirely ignorant of the ways of the world.” She then lowered herself into a deep bow. “If she has given any offence, I beg the Marquis and the Madam to take pity on her difficult childhood, having lost her father so young, and to forgive her. I am most sincerely grateful.”

Well! She hadn’t expected Madam Qiao to be quite so skilled with words.

She had told them of Qiao Lianfang’s pitiable history — fatherless, raised by a widowed mother alone; she had told them of her daughter’s exceptional talents; she had spoken of Qiao Lianfang’s relationship with the Duke and Duchess; and she had attributed both Qiao Lianfang’s proud nature and her present circumstances to her own overindulgence as a mother.

A truly remarkable woman.

Eleventh Young Mistress looked up at Xu Lingyi.

She caught Xu Lingyi’s gaze as it flicked toward her.

His expression carried the faintest trace of displeasure, as if to say: this is a matter between women — don’t tell me you expect me to step in.

Eleventh Young Mistress sighed quietly to herself, stepped forward a few paces, and helped Madam Qiao rise. “You are far too modest. Younger Sister Qiao is proper in her conduct and gentle in her nature — the Marquis and I are both very fond of her. Madam Qiao need not worry that she is not well cared for in this household.”

A gentle, understated counter — what is the meaning of this? Are you implying that Qiao Lianfang has complained to you of some grievance, or that you think your daughter has been treated unjustly?

Madam Qiao rose and met her gaze with a composed, fitting smile. “It is precisely because Lianfang is so well treated here that I feel uneasy. It was nothing but a mild chill — and yet so many physicians were summoned to examine her, and word was even sent to bring me here to visit. It is too much — I am overwhelmed with gratitude.”

Is she saying her own daughter has overstepped her bounds — or that these attentions to Qiao Lianfang have themselves overstepped?

Eleventh Young Mistress smiled faintly. “The Marquis is generous in his treatment of people. As sisters, we must also appreciate his kind intentions and live harmoniously — there is no question of overstepping. Besides, inviting Madam Qiao to come and see Younger Sister Qiao was the Marquis’s idea to begin with. If you wish to express your thanks, then please urge Younger Sister Qiao to recover quickly and serve the Marquis with all her heart.”

Madam Qiao’s eyes flickered, and she glanced swiftly at Xu Lingyi.

Xu Lingyi stood there, upright as a pine — but the very slight curl at the corner of his mouth betrayed his impatience.

She smiled faintly and curtsied to Eleventh Young Mistress. “Many thanks for your guidance, Madam. I will remember. I will certainly tell Lianfang to serve the Marquis wholeheartedly, and to live peaceably with her sisters.”

First, serve the Marquis wholeheartedly — and then live peaceably with her sisters…

Eleventh Young Mistress smiled and said, “The hour is growing late, and I still need to pay my respects to the Grand Madam with the Marquis. I’ve already told the kitchen to prepare a proper meal — please stay and dine before you go, Madam Qiao.”

Madam Qiao thanked her with grateful feeling and curtsied, then respectfully saw Xu Lingyi and Eleventh Young Mistress out the door.

Outside, the eaves and rooftops were a world of jade and glass, and snow was falling thick and fast.

Fortunately, the path to the Grand Madam’s quarters ran entirely under covered walkways — no need for umbrellas, no need for wooden clogs. Eleventh Young Mistress followed lightly in Xu Lingyi’s footsteps.

Rounding a corner, Xu Lingyi suddenly turned back. “Mind the ice underfoot.”

Eleventh Young Mistress blinked and looked down.

The green stone pavers were carved into fine ridged lines — precisely to prevent slipping. And the covered walkways were a good half-zhang wide, precisely so that wind and snow could not blow in and make the ground wet. Why would he suddenly bring up whether the ground was slippery?

She looked up again, but Xu Lingyi had already stridden on ahead.

She did not dare linger and hurried after him.

…

The room was heated by underfloor warming — as warm and comfortable as spring. From a small silver-gilt incense burner in the shape of a lotus, a faint scent of pine drifted in and out, adding a touch of warmth and fragrance to the air.

The Grand Madam was leaning against a large ginger-yellow brocade bolster pillow on the window-side bed, watching with a smile as Zhun Ge — dressed in a bright red brocade crane-patterned robe — recited the *Elementary Learning Compendium* in a singsong voice. “…The first day of the first month is called Yuan Dan and the seventh day is called Ren Ri. On New Year’s Day, pepper-blossom odes were offered to the sovereign to wish him longevity; on New Year’s Day, people drank tusu wine to ward off pestilence…”

Xu Lingkuan was seated below the Grand Madam, with Xu Lingning sitting across from him. The Fifth Madam, in a vivid red brocade peony robe, was radiant with the bloom of pregnancy, and sat beside her husband. The Third Madam stood behind Xu Lingning; on the brocade stools nearby sat his elder son Xu Siqin and younger son Xu Sijian, while Xu Siyu sat beside Xu Sijian, about two feet apart.

He was the first to see his father and stepmother enter. He immediately stood, calling respectfully, “Father” and “Mother.”

Zhun Ge’s recitation was interrupted. He turned and looked at Xu Lingyi, then immediately trotted to the Grand Madam’s side, clutching her sleeve and looking up at Xu Lingyi with anxious eyes.

The others in the room also rose to bow in greeting.

Xu Lingyi gave his eldest son a nod, then cupped his hands in return to his brothers, and took his seat across from the Grand Madam.

Eleventh Young Mistress went to stand beside the Fifth Madam.

“You can recite the *Elementary Learning Compendium* already?” He smiled and looked at Zhun Ge, who was being held in his grandmother’s arms. “Who taught you?”

Zhun Ge’s eyes clouded with uncertainty. The Grand Madam gave him a gentle nudge — “Your father is speaking to you” — and he came back to himself, answering in a small voice, “Grandmother taught me!” He then looked up and stole a peek at Xu Lingyi’s expression. Seeing that he wore a steady smile, with no trace of impatience, he added a little ingratiatingly, “Grandmother taught me. She said the New Year was coming, and that I ought to learn the proper customs for the New Year…”

Hearing Zhun Ge’s answer in his soft, childlike voice, Xu Lingyi did not wear the look of displeasure he usually did. Instead he smiled and nodded approvingly. “Very good. Following your grandmother, you’ve actually learned some proper manners.”

Zhun Ge pressed his lips together in a grin toward Zhen Jie’er, who was sitting beside the Grand Madam, with a small gleam of pride in his eyes.

Xu Lingyi, seeing his son quite unable to contain himself, gave a faint frown. The Grand Madam, sensing this was heading in an unfavorable direction, quickly smiled and said, “How is it that you’ve both come so late today? We’ve been waiting to start the meal. I won’t speak for the others, but your Fifth Sister-in-law is with child — she still needs to get back to the rear garden afterward. In this bitter cold, if something goes wrong, I’ll tie you up and make you go apologize to Fifth Brother.”

The Fifth Madam covered her mouth and laughed behind her sleeve.

Xu Lingkuan rose in some alarm. “No, no, that’s not right.” Catching himself, he changed his words. “It won’t happen — I’ll take good care of Danyang. Nothing will go wrong with her… Fourth Elder Brother doesn’t need to go and apologize to me.”

The Grand Madam burst into laughter at that, and even Xu Lingyi broke into that rare smile of his. With that, the others had no reason to hold back, and everyone laughed.

Eleventh Young Mistress, meanwhile, took the opportunity to study the three children seated across from her.

The youngest, Xu Sijian, was grinning from ear to ear, happy all the way through.

Xu Siyu was also smiling — but his eyes held a cold and distant look.

And Xu Siqin, watching Xu Siyu, had a bitterness to his smile.

This was the second time she had noticed Xu Siqin smiling with that bitter edge when he looked at Xu Siyu… Of the children in the younger generation, only these two had their own separate courtyards in the outer wing — and their courtyards, she had heard, were right next to each other. Xu Siyu was only eleven this year. In her previous life, she had been called mature for her age at that age — and even so, she had gotten along well with the young nanny next door, telling her how tedious practicing the piano was, and how terribly “unfortunate” she was… Was Xu Siyu’s relationship with Xu Siqin anything like that?

“Weiwei,” the Grand Madam said with a smile, instructing her maidservant, “serve the meal. Third Brother sent over some wild duck today, and I had the kitchen make a wild duck hot pot. Everyone should try some.”

Xu Lingyi helped the Grand Madam up, and the others gathered around as the two of them walked to the dining room in the east side chamber.

The dining room had three tables already set. The Grand Madam and her sons sat at one; the daughters-in-law at another; the younger generation — Xu Siqin and the others — at a third.

The Grand Madam and Xu Lingyi sat together, with the younger ones seated by their respective nurses. The Fifth Madam, being a special case, excused herself and was helped to her seat by Nanny Shi. The Third Madam and Eleventh Young Mistress remained standing to help Weiwei and Yaohuan arrange the chopsticks and bowls, until the Grand Madam laughingly scolded the two of them. “…What use is all this showing off at a time like this — both of you sit down and eat properly.”

Even so, the two of them first set the bowls at the Grand Madam’s table and for the younger children before finally taking their own seats.

The maidservants and older women began to serve the dishes.

The Grand Madam chatted with her sons. “The snow has really come early today — it’s only the beginning of the eleventh month!”

Xu Lingyi smiled. “Who could say otherwise. Reports of snow disaster have come in from Shandong, Shaanxi, Hebei, and Henan — the Emperor has been busy these past few days meeting with the Grand Secretariat to discuss the relief efforts in the various regions.”

The Grand Madam was a woman of Buddhist faith, and this troubled her. “If the snow doesn’t stop, there will be people freezing to death this year.”

“Mother, should we not set up a porridge kitchen?” Xu Lingkuan asked.

Both the Grand Madam and Xu Lingning looked to Xu Lingyi.

Xu Lingyi smiled. “Whatever has been done in past years, we will do again this year.”

But the Grand Madam hesitated somewhat. “Should we perhaps consult with the Empress first…”

The room fell quiet, almost as one.

Xu Lingyi smiled. “If we go out of our way to make a show of it, people will find it peculiar. I’ll manage this matter — and when the time comes, I’ll likely need to trouble you, Mother, to oversee the arrangements.”

The Grand Madam nodded. “Is that what we’ll do?”

Everyone present let out a quiet breath of relief.

Xu Lingning then said with a smile, “Then I’ll start laying in some rice. If we’re opening a porridge kitchen, we can’t have the gruel so thin you can see your face in it.”

The Grand Madam nodded approvingly at this. “Get started early. If this snow keeps up, the roads will freeze over badly — it’ll be hard to get things in later.”

“Don’t worry, Mother — I know my limits,” Xu Lingning answered respectfully.

The Grand Madam gave a slight nod, and Eleventh Young Mistress noticed the eyes of the Third Madam, seated across from her, darting about with a quick, calculating look.