Third Mistress Qiao knew her daughter, whom she had raised with her own hands, all too well. She knew that if she gave in now, Lianfang would likely take it all lightly again before long. She let disappointment show plainly on her face as she looked at her daughter: “Never mind. I’ve heard too much of your lip service. I don’t want to hear any more.”

“I mean it this time, I truly do,” Qiao Lianfang promised repeatedly. “You told me to say those things last time, and didn’t I say them?”

“Then ask yourself honestly — was I wrong about any of it?”

“No, no,” Qiao Lianfang quickly replied.

“Very well.” Third Mistress Qiao fixed her daughter with a steady gaze. “Since you say you’ll listen to me, I have several things to instruct you on.”

“Mother, say whatever you wish — I will do as you say.”

“Good.” Third Mistress Qiao’s expression turned stern. “The first matter is this: take the hundred taels the Marquis gave you and use them properly to buy a fine hair circlet — one more precious and more beautiful than any you have worn before. The next time the Marquis comes, wear it with a cheerful face and show him. Then tell him how happy it has made you…”

A trace of hesitation appeared on Qiao Lianfang’s face.

“Can you do it or not?” Third Mistress Qiao asked in a cutting tone.

Qiao Lianfang shuddered and immediately replied: “I can!”

“The second matter,” Third Mistress Qiao said after a pause, “is that after I leave, you are to go at once and apologize to Shi’yiniang. Request a change of physician and promise that you will have recovered your health before the eighth day of the twelfth month.”

Qiao Lianfang’s expression shifted through several emotions, yet she nodded compliantly enough.

Third Mistress Qiao relaxed slightly: “The third matter is this: from now on, do whatever Qin Yiniang does. Not one trace of disrespect toward Shi’yiniang. If you show any sign of insolence again, don’t expect me to come and see you.”

Qiao Lianfang was silent for a long while.

Third Mistress Qiao kept both sharp eyes fixed upon her, without relaxing for a single moment.

Mother and daughter faced each other in silence for a long while. At last Qiao Lianfang lowered her head, and bright tears fell onto her peach-red plain brocade vest.

Third Mistress Qiao could not bear it. She stepped forward and gently stroked her daughter’s hair: “Endure a moment’s indignation to cultivate a lifetime’s character. This is not the time to be concerned with empty pride. Remember what I have said.”

Qiao Lianfang began to weep softly.

……

Seeing that Third Mistress Qiao had gone to Qiao Lianfang’s rooms, Shi’yiniang was just about to rise and check on Zhen Jie’er when a junior maid came in to announce: “Liu Yuanrui’s wife has arrived.”

Shi’yiniang sat back down and had Liu Yuanrui’s wife shown in.

She wore a parrot-green Luzhou silk vest, her jet-black hair neatly pinned into a round bun with a large red velvet flower fastened in it, and from her ears hung solid gold willow-leaf earrings. Her eyes were bright and keen, and everything about her appearance spoke of capable efficiency.

She sank into a half-curtsy and greeted Shi’yiniang with practiced composure: “Madam, your servant is Liu Yuanrui’s wife. I am here to pay my respects.”

Shi’yiniang had someone bring a small stool for her.

She demurred repeatedly that she dared not sit, and stood respectfully before Shi’yiniang.

Shi’yiniang did not insist and, smiling, asked about the situation in Jinyu Lane.

Liu Yuanrui’s wife produced a small notebook stitched together from hemp twine and coarse paper and proceeded to render accounts for Shi’yiniang: “You first gave ten taels of silver, and later fifty more, for a total of sixty taels. Of that, each person received one padded winter coat — averaging two taels per adult and one tael per child — for a total of thirty-one taels. There were twenty-nine taels remaining. Seeing that the weather was turning bad, I bought ten taels’ worth of cabbage and turnips all at once. At that time, a fifty-jin sack of cabbage was seven-tenths of a tael, and a fifty-jin sack of turnips was nine-tenths. The Jiang Bingzheng family moved in on the sixteenth of the tenth month, with daily expenses for firewood, rice, oil, and salt set at five cents per day. Wan Yizong moved in on the twentieth of the tenth month — as his family has grown sons, three cents were added per day. Chang Jiuhe moved in on the twenty-third of the tenth month, with two more cents added per day…” Every entry was clear and accounted for, and she had even worked out a plan for the New Year: “…a simple midday meal, and a proper New Year’s feast in the evening. Dumplings on the first, second, and third day of the new year. Starting the fourth day, a hot pot each day — pork belly simmered with cabbage, turnips, and a bit of tofu — no more than seven-tenths of a tael a day, enough to last through the start of spring.”

Meticulous and thrifty — she was indeed a woman who knew how to manage a household.

Shi’yiniang gave a small nod and indicated the small stool: “Sit down and we’ll talk.”

Liu Yuanrui’s wife, knowing she had passed the test, smiled and settled herself on the edge of the stool: “Many thanks for Madam’s kindness.”

Shi’yiniang smiled: “I didn’t expect you to keep accounts.”

Liu Yuanrui’s wife looked slightly abashed: “I just made it up myself. Nothing like what a proper bookkeeper could do.”

“Let me have a look,” Shi’yiniang said, still smiling.

Liu Yuanrui’s wife handed it over with a faint blush. Hupo took it and passed it to Shi’yiniang. Shi’yiniang opened it to find nothing but circles, crosses, and dots… Just like Wan Yizong, she had invented her own system of notation.

That at the very least proved one thing — she had an excellent memory.

Shi’yiniang smiled and returned the account book to Liu Yuanrui’s wife, then asked about the other families.

Liu Yuanrui’s wife spoke with a measured, careful quality to her words — clearly someone who chose what she said with some deliberation.

Shi’yiniang then brought up the matter of Wan Daian’s marriage: “…I wonder what sort of daughter-in-law his family has in mind?”

Liu Yuanrui’s wife’s gaze shifted, and she smiled: “Now that you have secured a position for their son, why not bestow a marriage as well? The Wan family would think their ancestors had truly smiled on them!”

What a quick-witted woman.

Shi’yiniang smiled faintly: “These things depend on fate. Wan Daian’s mother came to thank me the other day, but I didn’t ask in any detail.”

Liu Yuanrui’s wife immediately smiled and said: “If Madam has such intentions, why not grant me the honor as well — let me run the errand and earn myself a pair of matchmaker’s shoes.”

Shi’yiniang smiled: “I’d be happy to give you that pair of shoes, if only I knew whether you had the skill to earn them!”

Liu Yuanrui’s wife promptly rose to her feet: “Madam, wait for my good news!” She then bent forward and asked Shi’yiniang: “Which of the young ladies here does Madam think would suit Daian? So that I know what to say when the time comes.”

Shi’yiniang thought of Wan Yizong’s family’s attitude, and fearing that if she named someone outright the reason might never come to light and people would only laugh at her for it, she replied vaguely: “I simply thought Wan Daian seemed a fine young man and was moved by the idea. As for who exactly, I haven’t decided yet — several of them are of the right age.”

Liu Yuanrui’s wife offered a few compliments along the lines of “every one of Madam’s maids is a heavenly beauty,” then rose and took her leave.

Hupo offered a suggestion: “Should I go and make some inquiries as well? The young women in our household — surely they can’t be doing Wan Daian’s family any great favor, and yet they seem reluctant. It doesn’t sit right.” In her heart she understood well enough: Shi’yiniang wanted to cultivate her own people, but whether it was Wan Yizong or Chang Jiuhe, there was still a degree of distance. The best approach was to match someone like Dongqing from her own inner circle as a wife. Otherwise, what was the point of securing Wan Daian that posting in the clerical office? Without a go-between, there was no way to relay messages at all.

Shi’yiniang thought it over and said: “All right — see if you can find a way to make some inquiries. Otherwise, there’s no choice but to find another way to place someone in the outer courtyard. But with the Marquis and the Dowager Madam watching, that won’t be easy to get past…”

“Madam, don’t worry,” Hupo said with a smile. “Things will never come to that.”

She offered Shi’yiniang a few more reassurances before Third Mistress Qiao came in to take her leave.

“Madam is right — letting things drag on like this, neither better nor worse, truly will not do,” Third Mistress Qiao said with a small bow. “Please, Madam, do help arrange a different physician. Perhaps with the right treatment, she will recover!”

Shi’yiniang smiled faintly: “It should have been done long ago.” She then lifted her teacup to signal the end of the visit and went to find Zhen Jie’er.

Zhen Jie’er had already finished choosing her items and was with Weizi drawing up an inventory. Seeing Shi’yiniang approach, she came forward holding Zhun Ge’s hand to greet her with a curtsy.

“What did you choose?” Shi’yiniang asked with a smile, and took Zhun Ge into her arms.

Zhun Ge made no protest and allowed himself to be carried.

Zhen Jie’er smiled a little shyly: “I liked a plum-blossom vase, a glass tray, a sweet-white porcelain pedestal dish, and a set of old-kiln tea ware.”

Shi’yiniang was quite surprised — then a moment’s reflection told her it made perfect sense.

Had it been herself, she would likely have chosen the same sorts of things: tasteful and unassuming, nothing she could actually bring herself to carry off from among the Dowager Madam’s treasured possessions.

She smiled and patted Zhen Jie’er on the head: “Very well. If anything is missing, we can always go and buy it later.”

Zhen Jie’er smiled, and Shi’yiniang carried Zhun Ge to the Dowager Madam’s quarters.

Seeing Zhun Ge arrive in Shi’yiniang’s arms, the Dowager Madam was mildly surprised. When she saw what Zhen Jie’er had selected, she hesitated slightly and asked: “Was there nothing in the storehouse that you liked?”

Zhen Jie’er smiled: “I like these very much. The plum-blossom vase is celadon blue — we have red plum trees by the Lijing Pavilion, and a branch of blossoms arranged in it will be beautiful. The sweet-white pedestal dish would look wonderful in winter with golden-yellow tangerines or red apples piled in it. The glass tray can be used to grow flowers from the hothouse, and I can share the blooms with everyone. And the old-kiln tea set — Second Aunt will surely love it when she comes back…”

“This child!” The Dowager Madam gave a fond, helpless smile in Shi’yiniang’s direction. “Always thinking of everyone else.” She turned to instruct Nanny Du: “Since everything she’s said makes good sense, go to my storehouse and record these items as removed from inventory, and register them under Zhen Jie’er’s name.”

Nanny Du agreed with a smile.

Zhen Jie’er quickly stepped forward to thank the Dowager Madam for her gift.

The Dowager Madam then asked how the preparations of Shi’yiniang’s rooms were coming along.

“Why don’t you come and see!” Shi’yiniang said with a smile. “We had the rooms swept and dusted and replaced the dark green bed-curtains with sapphire blue ones.”

The Dowager Madam was quite eager: “Let’s go, then!” And so Shi’yiniang, Zhen Jie’er, Zhun Ge, Nanny Du, Weizi, Yaohang, and a great crowd of junior maids and matrons all swept over to Shi’yiniang’s quarters in a lively procession.

The rooms had been freshly whitewashed when she married into the family, and were a bright, clean white throughout — black lacquer lattice screens and furniture, sapphire blue bed-curtains, grey-blue floor tiles — altogether neat and elegantly unadorned.

The Dowager Madam nodded approvingly, again and again.

Shi’yiniang pointed to the south-facing warm inner room: “Zhen Jie’er will rest here for the time being.” Then she indicated the north-facing room: “Her maids and matrons will sleep here.”

The Dowager Madam listened — then suddenly walked out.

Everyone, uncertain of her meaning, hurried after her.

The Dowager Madam looked around, then stood in the passageway and said: “This courtyard seems quite spacious. Let’s convert the passageway into five main rooms with two side chambers each, add a three-bay covered porch at the front, and put three wing rooms on the east and three on the west. I imagine that will serve well enough for a few years.”

Hupo’s heart leapt with quiet delight.

A covered porch was typically where matrons on night watch slept, or where stewardesses could shelter while waiting to make their reports — on bitter cold or scorching days, one could hardly have them standing under the eaves. Now that this porch was being added to the front of the inner courtyard’s main rooms rather than the front courtyard, it was meant for stewardesses to come and attend to household business…

She could not help but let the corner of her mouth curve upward.

—