“The two brothers have gone out together again!” The Grand Matriarch’s face showed a hint of disappointment.
Eleventh Young Mistress smiled. “On ordinary days, the Marquis may go or not go to social engagements as he pleases. But with the year-end approaching, the high officials from the provinces have found various pretexts to return to the capital early and pay their respects to the Emperor — those are people the Marquis truly cannot avoid seeing.”
The Grand Matriarch nodded. “I know this all too well. It is only that the house has been so lively of late, and I find myself a little reluctant.”
Eleventh Young Mistress smiled. “By early summer next year, it will be easier.”
In spring, the high officials from the provinces would return to the capital for their formal reviews. Given Xu Lingyi’s rank and standing, social obligations would multiply again.
“By early summer, when the weather is warm again, there will be no end of places to go. Who will need him to keep us company?” The Grand Matriarch made a show of indifference, smiling, when Third Mistress arrived.
She wore a robe of red ten-pattern brocade, her hair styled in a peony bun, a band of gilt jade around her head, brows painted, powder applied, rouge on her cheeks — dressed with considerable ceremony and splendour.
By the look of it, the couple had quarrelled…Only when one wishes to conceal something does one take such particular care in that direction…She couldn’t have been struck, could she…
Eleventh Young Mistress thought privately, then stepped forward to greet Third Mistress.
The Grand Matriarch smiled and asked, “Where have you been all this while?”
Third Mistress came forward smiling to make her bow to the Grand Matriarch, saying, “The weather is cold, and with nothing to do at home, I was going through the chests. I happened upon a robe this fine” — she glanced down at what she was wearing — “and thought I would put it on to come and see you. What do you think — presentable?”
The Grand Matriarch looked her up and down. “Beautiful. A robe this bright and striking would do very well for the New Year celebrations.”
“Truly!” Third Mistress laughed. “In that case, I’ll go home and put it away carefully, and take it out again when the New Year comes.”
The Grand Matriarch pointed at Third Mistress and turned to look with a smile at Eleventh Young Mistress, who stood behind her. “You see — she’s taking the opportunity to complain to me and ask for new clothes!”
Eleventh Young Mistress smiled. “Mother has no end of fine things in her storerooms. Why not take this chance to bestow some upon us? If we wore your gifts when paying New Year calls, that would be a fine thing to show off.” As she spoke, she pressed her lips together in an amused smile.
For the elderly, those who have the means — who would not wish to play the generous patron and be welcomed wherever they go?
The Grand Matriarch laughed warmly and said to Nanny Du at her side, “Say what you like, one cannot afford to echo her.”
“It is only that you have so many treasures, my lady, that the young women are all envious.” Nanny Du offered her flattery with perfect composure and warmth, in a manner most pleasant to the ear.
The Grand Matriarch was evidently very pleased, and instructed Weizi: “Tomorrow, open the storerooms and bring out the several bolts of newly styled brocade and tapestry weave that came as palace gifts — let them choose. And call Danyang along as well. Set some bolts aside for Yizhen too.”
“Oh my!” Third Mistress’s face lit up with delight, though there was perhaps a touch of exaggeration to it. “We are in luck, thanks to your generosity, my lady!”
Eleventh Young Mistress smiled warmly. “Mother cannot bestow her gifts fast enough on us!”
The Grand Matriarch simply laughed.
Nanny Du said, “Our Grand Matriarch has things in abundance — only as long as you have the strength to carry them away.”
Third Mistress turned to Eleventh Young Mistress with a laugh. “All the better — we ought to eat a few extra bowls of rice then.”
The whole room broke into laughter.
Just then, Xu Siqin arrived with his two brothers. After paying their respects, they eagerly asked what everyone was laughing about. Nanny Du repeated what had just been said, and Xu Sijian immediately declared, “I want new clothes too.”
Third Mistress extended a slender finger and tapped her younger son on the forehead in exasperated fondness. “When have I ever let you go without food or clothing?”
Xu Sijian mumbled something unintelligible.
Xu Siqin, seeing this, quickly laughed and said, “There are mountains beyond mountains. Seeing Grandmother’s things — who wouldn’t want them? Even I do. It is only because I am the eldest that I’m too embarrassed to ask.”
This made the Grand Matriarch break into a broad smile. “That’s right, that’s right. Why else would your mother keep thinking about my things!”
Zhun Ge’er, hearing this, chimed in with his babyish voice, “I want Grandmother’s things too!”
The whole room dissolved into laughter, the atmosphere most merry.
After the meal, the Grand Matriarch, as always, saw Xu Siqin and Xu Siyu to the door with repeated and heartfelt instructions. Eleventh Young Mistress, Third Mistress, and Xu Sijian waited until the wet nurses had taken Zhen Jie’er and Zhun Ge’er off to rest, before taking their leave of the Grand Matriarch.
The Grand Matriarch, being old, slept less and less as the years went by. Even after the doors were shut at the xu hour, she would not fall asleep at once — she would often chat with Nanny Du, or Weizi, or Yaohuan, or play a few rounds of leaf cards. This evening was no exception. She dismissed the attending servants off to sleep and kept only Nanny Du.
“Go and find out,” the Grand Matriarch said. The expression of tender warmth she had worn all evening transformed into one of sharpness and efficiency. “Which dukes of the Five Military Commands Bureau, besides Old Fourth, took part in the patrol? Ask White Head Steward as well — who did Old Third account with yesterday evening? Ask the page boys around Old Third — when did General Fan Weigang return? Where is the theatre performance being held, and what opera is being staged? At what hour did the two masters part ways with General Fan, and at what hour did they return to the household?”
Nanny Du, equally transformed from her earlier warm and easy manner, answered with gravity. “Yes.”
The next morning, a little past the si hour, the Grand Matriarch was seated as usual in the heated alcove of the east chamber of the Buddhist hall, transcribing the Heart Sutra with composed and upright posture.
Nanny Du walked in softly.
The Grand Matriarch sat perfectly still, her brush moving in fluid, flowing strokes, without lifting so much as her eyelids.
“Well?”
Nanny Du thought of the information she had gathered, and even with all her composure, she could not help pausing before she spoke. “The people of the Five Military Commands Bureau say no patrol arrangements were made. White Head Steward says Third Master spent the entire night of the day before yesterday alone in the accounts room. Third Master’s page boys say General Fan returned the day before that, and invited the Marquis to a theatre party. The Marquis and Third Master arrived at the you hour at the third quarter, and left at the beginning of the xu hour, returning to the household at the first quarter of the hai hour.” She recounted everything she had heard as simply and without emotion as she could, yet her voice still lowered of its own accord.
The Grand Matriarch appeared not to have heard. Not until she had completed the final brushstroke did she lift her head and look at Nanny Du. “Mount this and send it to Old Third.”
Nanny Du bent respectfully at the waist and answered with deference, “Yes.”
The Grand Matriarch extended her hand.
Nanny Du quickly helped the Grand Matriarch to her feet.
The Grand Matriarch went into the main hall of the Buddhist shrine, kowtowed three times before the enshrined Guanyin Bodhisattva, lit three sticks of incense, then rose and returned to the heated alcove with Nanny Du.
“What was Old Third’s wife doing last night?” Her voice was cool and clear.
Nanny Du had followed the Grand Matriarch for nearly forty years, and had long since learned her ways. Before coming to report, she had thought through every question the Grand Matriarch might ask, prepared herself, and only then came to deliver her account. And so, though the Grand Matriarch had not specifically asked her to look into this matter, Nanny Du had quietly done so herself. Now that the question was asked, it was not difficult to answer.
“She is said to have been doing needlework the whole time, waiting for Third Master to come home. She did not sleep until late in the night.”
“And Old Fourth’s wife?”
“She instructed the matrons on night duty and the people at Qiao Yiniang’s side to keep the gate open for the Marquis. She herself retired at around the beginning of the hai hour, as usual.”
The Grand Matriarch’s expression grew pensive.
“In your view — does she not know, or is she simply keeping her composure?”
“This servant does not know,” Nanny Du replied. Well aware of the gravity of the matter, she adopted even more deferential language. “However, some days ago Wanxiang went to call on Fourth Mistress. That very evening, the Marquis went out on his city patrol. This morning, the Marquis did not go straight to morning court as usual, but went first to Fourth Mistress’s room, where he took his breakfast. It is said that when breakfast was served, all the attending servants were dismissed.” After a pause, she added quietly, “The people on that side are all trained by Nanny Tao. Only a rough outline could be learnt — anything more, and there was no way to find out.”
The Grand Matriarch gave a slight inclination of her head. “How does Fourth Mistress treat Nanny Tao?”
“Not long after she first entered the household, White Head Steward of the outer courtyard assigned the wife of Xiang Chou’er from the horse stalls to carry things for Fourth Mistress. Shortly after, the granddaughter of that Nanny Xiang — the one everyone calls Little Fangfei — was placed in the back garden to sweep the grounds. Within a few days she had taken the vacancy left by a maidservant who had married out, and was promoted to second rank, now drawing a monthly wage of five hundred coppers. Nanny Xiang does not know how to express her gratitude — she speaks well of Fourth Mistress to everyone she meets, and has even made meat pastries to send her. She keeps close company with Hupo from Fourth Mistress’s side, making shoes and socks for Hupo, quite warmly acquainted.”
A faint smile touched the corner of the Grand Matriarch’s lips. “She is quite clever.”
Nanny Du could not tell whether the Grand Matriarch was praising Fourth Mistress or praising Nanny Xiang, and so replied in a measured, ambiguous tone, “Indeed so.”
The Grand Matriarch settled back into the heated alcove and took up a copy of the Diamond Sutra from the desk.
Meanwhile, Eleventh Young Mistress sat on the large kang by the window, working at her needlework. The moon-white silk curtains hanging at the glass window were held aside with a silver hook, and the view outside was fully visible. The vast white snow reflected a faint blue light that streamed inward, tracing over her form — a delicate yet graceful silhouette, like a willow branch.
Lvyun crept softly over, only to find that her mistress’s needlework had, at some unknown moment, come to a stop. Her eyes were fixed distantly on the half-embroidered camellia on the embroidery frame, lost in thought.
Lvyun hesitated for a moment, then said quietly, “My lady — the gardeners have come to change the flowers.”
Eleventh Young Mistress gave a quiet sound of acknowledgment, straightened up, her gaze regaining its usual liveliness, and showed a warm smile. “Let them come in.”
Lvyun answered softly and presently led two matrons inside, who bowed to Eleventh Young Mistress and then replaced the camellia flowers in the room, which were nearing the end of their bloom, with winter plum blossoms — some fully open, some still in bud.
The room was at once filled with a faint, drifting fragrance.
Eleventh Young Mistress breathed in deeply and asked the matron, “Are there narcissus flowers as well?”
The matron smiled. “Naturally there are — they have not yet formed their buds, however. If you would like narcissus, my lady, I will go and speak with Head Gardener Ji right away, and they can be sent over in a few days.”
Flowers brought from the heated greenhouse were presented at the half-open stage — those not yet in bud were not brought up.
Eleventh Young Mistress smiled. “No matter — have her send me a few pots. I will tend to them myself.”
The matron agreed at once, and she and the other matron placed a pot of winter holly in the corner and arranged mondo grass and aloe vera on the flower stand.
Hupo came in, holding a celadon gu vase with a woody lotus hibiscus.
“My lady, where shall I place this?” She smiled at Eleventh Young Mistress.
Eleventh Young Mistress looked at the hibiscus — flowers as large as a bowl, blazing red, blooming in brilliant intensity — and the sight of it brought a warmth to one’s heart. Against the winter room filled with lush green plants, it was festive and pleasing to the eye. She glanced around with a smile and then pointed to the kang window just behind her. “Put it there.”
Hupo answered and climbed onto the kang. As she set the vase on the window ledge behind Eleventh Young Mistress, she lowered her voice. “My lady, it turned out just as you suspected. There is something amiss about this business of replacing the maidservants!”