Before the evening meal, the Dowager Madam made an excuse that she had something to say to Zhen Jie’er and kept her in the inner room. Shi’yiniang carried Zhun Ge and summoned Xu Siqin, Xu Siyu, and Xu Sijian to the hall.

“Zhen Jie’er moves to my quarters tomorrow. I spoke with the Dowager Madam, and tomorrow evening you brothers will come to my rooms for dinner — a celebration of Zhen Jie’er’s happy move to her new home.” She looked at the three Xu brothers with a warm smile.

The three of them all wore surprised expressions.

Xu Siyu was the first to recover, and looked at his mother with a smile: “What about Zhun Ge?” His gaze was deep, like a vast night sky, with a light in it that was difficult to read.

Shi’yiniang replied: “He’s not so young anymore. He can’t spend all his days following his sister around. He’ll stay here with Grandmother, and Zhen Jie’er will come and live with me for the time being.”

Xu Sijian immediately grinned broadly: “Wonderful, wonderful. We’re going to eat at Fourth Aunt’s place tomorrow.” He turned to Zhun Ge: “Good food for us!”

Zhun Ge beamed at Xu Sijian: “Good food!”

Xu Sijian pulled a face at Zhun Ge: “What’s that got to do with you? You’re a little white rabbit — you only get to eat grass.”

Zhun Ge was still in the mourning period.

He did not fully understand what Xu Sijian meant, but could tell from his tone that it was not friendly, and he retorted: “You’re the little white rabbit. I’m a big tiger.”

Xu Sijian snickered: “A tiger being carried around in someone’s arms.”

At that, Zhun Ge made to jump down and go after Xu Sijian. Shi’yiniang held him firmly: “Third Young Master, you said last time you’d take our Zhun Ge horseback riding. I think there’s no better time than the present — why not tomorrow?”

Xu Sijian gave an awkward little laugh and looked around as though he hadn’t heard.

Zhun Ge, seeing Xu Sijian left flustered by a few of Shi’yiniang’s words, stopped trying to jump down and sat contentedly in her arms with a grin.

Shi’yiniang bent close to Zhun Ge’s ear: “When someone provokes you with words, you answer back with words. Jumping down to settle scores is not how a gentleman behaves.”

Zhun Ge nodded earnestly.

Xu Siyu looked at the two of them, his gaze veiled and unreadable.

Xu Siqin quickly stepped in to smooth things over: “Fourth Aunt, what time should we come tomorrow?”

Shi’yiniang smiled: “Come after paying your respects to Grandmother.”

All of them agreed that they would certainly be there. Just then Third Master and Third Madam arrived, and Shi’yiniang took the opportunity to mention that Zhen Jie’er would be moving the next day and that Xu Siqin and Xu Sijian were invited to dinner.

Third Master agreed with an affable laugh and instructed the two brothers: “Don’t go making trouble.”

Xu Siqin and Xu Sijian quickly affirmed, and the couple went in to pay their respects to the Dowager Madam.

The Dowager Madam, seeing that Shi’yiniang had finished on her end, smiled and brought Zhen Jie’er out for the meal.

After dinner, Third Master asked Zhen Jie’er: “Is there anything missing from your room, or anything you’d like? Just tell Third Aunt — we’ll send it to you.”

Zhen Jie’er replied graciously: “Grandmother and Mother have prepared everything. Nothing is missing. Thank you so much for thinking of me, Third Uncle and Third Aunt.”

Third Madam, half-worried about what Third Master might say next, quickly smiled and added: “Mother’s storehouse is full of fine things.”

Third Master heard this, smiled, and let the matter rest.

The Dowager Madam then instructed Nanny Du to take Zhen Jie’er and Zhun Ge to their rooms to rest, and said in a low voice to Third Master and Third Madam: “Tomorrow the young ones will all be going to celebrate Zhen Jie’er’s move. You two come over early to my rooms — we’ll play cards.”

Third Master and Third Madam readily agreed.

With the hour growing late, everyone went their separate ways.

……

Early the following morning Shi’yiniang first went to check on the east wing room, saw that the floor heating was running and the furniture had been wiped and polished spotlessly clean, and only then went to pay her respects to the Dowager Madam and collect Zhen Jie’er.

Zhen Jie’er wore a small coat of moon-white grey squirrel fur and a bright blue skirt, with the solid gold chrysanthemum ornament Shi’yiniang had given her, and kowtowed three times to the Dowager Madam with great propriety.

The Dowager Madam’s eyes immediately grew wet at the sight.

“Get up quickly, quickly!” The words had barely left her lips when tears fell.

Shi’yiniang quickly produced a handkerchief to dab the Dowager Madam’s eyes: “She’s still in the same courtyard. She’ll come with me every day to pay her respects, and come to keep you company in her free time.”

“I know.” The Dowager Madam took the handkerchief from Shi’yiniang. “That tiny little person,” she said, gesturing with her hand to show how small, “grown to this size, leaving me for the first time…”

Hearing this, Zhen Jie’er began to weep.

Shi’yiniang felt herself swept into the emotion too — as though she had become the villain forcing this painful separation — and her own eyes grew moist without her bidding.

“Don’t cry, don’t cry.” The Dowager Madam gathered Zhen Jie’er into her arms and wiped her tears. “When you’re there, remember to listen to your mother.”

Zhen Jie’er nodded again and again. Zhun Ge, led in by his wet nurse to pay his morning respects to the Dowager Madam, took in the scene and began to cry too. For a moment the room was filled with weeping on all sides.

Shi’yiniang quickly went to comfort Zhun Ge.

The Dowager Madam had already gotten hold of herself and, asking Shi’yiniang to pass Zhun Ge over to her, said: “All right, all right, don’t cry. Your sister is going to live at your mother’s side. You must see her off with a smile.” But no matter what she said, Zhun Ge kept crying.

“Zhun Ge, would you like to come and see your sister to my place?” Shi’yiniang said. “We’re going to decorate her room today. Don’t you want to come?”

Zhun Ge nodded repeatedly, tears still in his eyes as he looked at the Dowager Madam.

The Dowager Madam patted Zhun Ge on the head and told Nanny Du: “Take him along.” Then she said to Shi’yiniang: “There’s no need to come back and see me today.”

Nanny Du smiled and replied, “Yes, Madam.” Together with Shi’yiniang and a reluctant Zhen Jie’er, they said their farewells to the Dowager Madam and went to Zhen Jie’er’s rooms.

Zhen Jie’er’s belongings had all been packed. Her two senior maids, Little Oriole and Little Sparrow, along with several second- and third-tier maids and matrons, were already waiting. Seeing Shi’yiniang enter, they curtsied in unison. Zhen Jie’er then presented her wet nurse Granny Hu and her personal maids to Shi’yiniang.

Shi’yiniang accepted the greetings with a smile, while quietly counting heads inwardly.

One wet nurse. Two senior maids. Two second-tier maids. Four third-tier maids. Four junior maids. Two work matrons… That was quite a number of people. Crowding together in her quarters for a short while would be fine, but it would eventually be inconvenient for everyone. She would have to find a separate courtyard for Zhen Jie’er in the back garden sooner rather than later.

Turning this over in her mind, Shi’yiniang accompanied Nanny Du, and together with Zhen Jie’er and Zhun Ge, made her way to her own quarters.

From some distance away, she could already see a maid who looked strikingly like Qiuhong — the maid who served Wen Yiniang — standing at the gate and craning her neck to look. The moment she saw them coming, the maid turned and hurried away.

Shi’yiniang gave a faint smile.

So Wen Yiniang was still keeping watch over her daughter.

As they entered, Hupo, who had been waiting at the gate, gave Shi’yiniang a meaningful look, then turned to the gathered maids and matrons and curtsied to Zhen Jie’er: “Greetings to First Young Mistress.” She then stepped forward and introduced herself with some ceremony: “I am Hupo, who serves by Fourth Madam’s side. I pay my respects to First Young Mistress.” She curtsied again.

Zhen Jie’er’s cheeks grew faintly pink, but her composure was quite natural as she received the greeting and said: “Please rise, Sister Hupo. Now that we live together, I hope Sister Hupo will give me guidance in all things.”

Hupo quickly protested: “First Young Mistress does me too great an honor — your servant is humbled!”

Zhen Jie’er had her senior maid Little Oriole tip Hupo with a small silver ingot of eight fen: “For Sister to buy flowers.”

Hupo accepted it graciously and curtsied once more in thanks, then introduced Nanny Tao, Dongqing, Binju, Zhuxiang, and the others.

Zhen Jie’er distributed her tips, and everyone together proceeded to Shi’yiniang’s main rooms.

Hupo, Nanny Tao, Little Oriole, and Granny Hu accompanied them. Dongqing and Binju stayed behind with Little Sparrow and the others to help sort out the chests and trunks Zhen Jie’er had brought. Shi’yiniang and Zhen Jie’er settled one on either side of the large kang by the window in the west side room, and set Zhun Ge on the kang to play. She had the junior maids bring a brocade stool for Nanny Du, served tea and refreshments, and proceeded to introduce Zhen Jie’er to her own household’s arrangements in person — how many maids and matrons there were, their names, their duties, what time Shi’yiniang rose each morning, what time she went to pay her respects to the Dowager Madam, what time she took her afternoon rest… Zhen Jie’er listened attentively and in turn introduced her own staff. Shi’yiniang asked about Zhen Jie’er’s daily routine, and finding the two of them kept very similar schedules, said happily: “Good — that way you won’t have to adjust to a whole new rhythm.”

Zhen Jie’er gave a faint smile. Little Sparrow came in to report: “Madam, First Young Mistress, everything has been put in order.”

Shi’yiniang smiled and pulled Zhun Ge up: “Let’s go and see your sister’s new room.”

Having sat and listened all this time with dwindling patience, Zhun Ge let out a cheer and grabbed Shi’yiniang’s hand to go along to the east wing room.

A painting of peonies and young pheasants hung in the center of the hall. On the long altar table stood a self-striking clock and a celadon blue porcelain flower vase. The lacquered grand armchairs were draped with sapphire blue cushions patterned with round flowers. In the corner stood a budding wintersweet tree in full flower, as tall as a person.

Zhen Jie’er’s eyes lit up like stars. She walked over and gently stroked the delicate pale-yellow petals of the wintersweet blossoms.

“Sister’s room is so beautiful!” Zhun Ge called out, pushing open the door to the north side room and running inside. “Sister, come quick, your bed is in here!”

Zhen Jie’er looked at Shi’yiniang with a puzzled expression and quickly followed him to the inner room.

There stood a small lacquered bed, identical to the one in her own warm inner room back at the Dowager Madam’s quarters.

Her eyes brimmed with tears. She looked at Shi’yiniang with a smile: “Mother…”

Shi’yiniang took her hand and led her closer: “I always liked your little bed very much. I had a look around in the storehouse and found one very similar to it.” She pointed to the carved panel on the bedstead: “Yours has the Five Rams design. This one has the Immortal Magu Offering Longevity.”

Zhen Jie’er nodded, yet the tears kept falling.

Shi’yiniang produced a handkerchief for her: “Don’t cry now — today is a happy day.”

Zhen Jie’er accepted the handkerchief with an embarrassed smile and dried her eyes.

Shi’yiniang then asked Zhun Ge: “What does your sister’s room still need?”

Zhun Ge made a keen circuit of the space, then pointed to the windowsill in the inner room: “There should be a pedestal dish there with tangerines and apples and chestnuts on it…”

Shi’yiniang laughed: “Our Zhun Ge certainly knows how to enjoy things.”

Nanny Du and Zhen Jie’er also laughed.

The room was filled with warmth and a beautiful sort of contentment.

A junior maid came to announce: “Madam, Qin Yiniang and Wen Yiniang have come to pay their morning respects.”

They had already paid their morning respects early that day, and now here they were again…

Shi’yiniang thought of the shadow she had spotted just now that had looked like Qiuhong, and smiled faintly: “Please ask the two Yiniangs in. First Young Mistress is here — a good time for them to pay their respects.”

The junior maid went off to comply.

Nanny Du quickly took Zhun Ge in her arms. Zhen Jie’er’s expression grew complicated.

Before long, Qin Yiniang and Wen Yiniang entered.

One wore a floral brocade vest in sapphire blue, the other in sandy green — they walked in with a composed, measured ease.

After they had paid their respects to Shi’yiniang, Shi’yiniang introduced them to Zhen Jie’er: “The one in sapphire blue is Qin Yiniang, the one in sandy green is Wen Yiniang.” She gestured toward Zhen Jie’er in turn: “And this is our household’s First Young Mistress.”

Both curtsied. Zhen Jie’er gave a small nod and had Little Oriole tip each of them with two small silver ingots of eight fen.

Qin Yiniang smiled and accepted with thanks. Wen Yiniang’s gaze lingered on Zhen Jie’er’s face for a long moment before she lowered her head and accepted the silver, offering her thanks as well.

The two then paid their respects to Zhun Ge, and exchanged courtesies with Nanny Du. Only then did Shi’yiniang say: “Is there something the two Yiniangs wished to discuss?”