With that thought, everything became clear.

Eleventh found herself looking at Second Madam anew.

Her reasoning had arrived at exactly the same conclusion as Xu Lingyi’s.

After the incident broke, the first thing Xu Lingyi had done was tell her that they needed to keep the Empress steady — that she must not say or do anything that would displease His Majesty.

Xu Lingyi had an extensive network of informants, but Second Madam…

If she had consistently served in this capacity as a strategist at the family’s most critical moments, then the respect that the Grand Dowager and Xu Lingyi accorded her became entirely understandable.

The thought passed, and Eleventh felt a quiet surge of ambition.

This society imposed many constraints upon women — among them the notion that “a woman without talent is virtuous.” What the Xu family did was clearly at odds with this idea. Was it because the particular trials the family had endured had given women the opportunity to exercise their intelligence and thereby elevate their standing within the household? Or had the Xu family always possessed the confidence and openness of mind to allow women to participate in family affairs?

She believed it was the former — when a great family faced ruin, it was more often the women and young children who were spared.

Of the twenty-four noble houses stripped of their titles in the Zheng’an Wang treason case, fewer than five had ever had their titles restored. That number said everything.

Second Madam’s words not only prompted Eleventh to reflect — they also made the Grand Dowager’s eyes light up.

“Precisely. That is the only explanation that holds.” She looked at Xu Lingyi with a sharp, penetrating gaze. “What do you intend to do?”

Xu Lingyi looked at Second Madam. “Second Sister-in-law, it has been some time since you last saw Her Highness the Empress. At today’s mourning rites, you ought to pay your respects to her.”

Second Madam nodded. “Marquis, rest assured. The reason I rushed back from the Western Hills was precisely because I feared the Imperial Noble Consort and others would take advantage of the situation to unsettle Her Highness’s resolve. The best remedy for grief is to bear another prince.”

It sounded like a riddle.

Yet everyone in the room understood its meaning perfectly.

If the Empress were deposed, who would stand to gain the most? Naturally, it would be the Imperial Noble Consort, who had already borne a son and was basking in imperial favor — and the Empress Dowager in Cining Palace, who sat in her quarters each day fearing that an Emperor in the prime of his power might discard her once she was no longer of use.

If the Emperor and Empress could be helped to transform their grief into renewed closeness, it would be the greatest possible blow against that scheme.

“Then let us adjourn.” Xu Lingyi rose to his feet. “We must be up at dawn tomorrow for the mourning rites at Sishamen.”

The Grand Dowager nodded and invited Second Madam to spend the night in her own quarters. “…I would like to talk with you a while longer.”

At this hour, returning to the rear garden was indeed rather inconvenient.

Second Madam had been away for several months, and it was the middle of winter. Simply heating the floor warming channels would take several hours; by the time the room was warm enough, it would likely already be time to enter the palace.

Second Madam cast a somewhat hesitant glance at Eleventh.

Eleventh found it puzzling.

Why look at me? It is not my place to decide where you sleep, nor can I override the Grand Dowager’s wishes.

Instead, she said, “I will go and ask Nanny Du to bring Second Sister-in-law’s usual things over.”

Second Madam’s lips parted slightly, as though she were about to say something, but the Grand Dowager had already taken her by the hand. “You have come all this way in such a hurry — go and freshen up first.”

As they spoke, Eleventh had already gone to summon Nanny Du. Nanny Du, knowing the gathering had concluded, led a large group of maids and matrons filing in.

Eleventh curtsied to the Grand Dowager and Second Madam. “I shall take my leave with the Marquis.”

The Grand Dowager nodded. “Get some rest early.”

After Xu Lingyi had paid his respects to the Grand Dowager, the two of them left the Grand Dowager’s courtyard, one behind the other.

Along the way, Xu Lingyi’s steps slowed and he waited for her to draw level with him, then asked in a low voice, “Are you afraid?”

Eleventh was startled.

Xu Lingyi had already stopped walking and was looking at her with a deep, unfathomable gaze. “Are you afraid?”

“Yes.” Eleventh looked at him honestly. She truly was afraid… This was a world she did not fully understand, and she could not see what lay ahead. “But I know the Marquis is always standing in front of me.” This was the truth — when something went wrong, it was the man who bore the first blow, the man who represented this family — Xu Lingyi. “Siyu, Zhen Jie’er, and Zhun Ge stand behind me, so I cannot afford to be afraid.” This too was the truth. Whatever else might be said, she was the adult and they were children — young, not yet grown.

Looking at Eleventh — whose head barely reached his shoulder, yet whose gaze was utterly steady — Xu Lingyi gave a slight nod. “Let us go back.”

…

On returning to the courtyard, they found Zhen Jie’er waiting in the entrance hall.

Seeing them, she stepped forward with light, graceful steps to greet them both, her eyes brimming with deep worry.

Xu Lingyi gave a brief nod and went straight into the room. Eleventh took Zhen Jie’er’s hand. “Is Zhun Ge asleep?”

Zhen Jie’er nodded. “I came back after he had fallen asleep.”

Eleventh looked at her somewhat pale face and said softly, “It is all right.” The moment she said it, she felt the comfort was too thin — it might well make Zhen Jie’er worry more — so she added, “The matter of the Fifth Prince was a misunderstanding. But we do worry that ill-intentioned people might spread malicious rumors, so we must take precautions early.”

Zhen Jie’er was still young, and seeing Eleventh speak with such firm conviction, she let out a breath of relief. “You gave me such a fright.”

Eleventh gave her a small smile. “Go and rest now. Tomorrow morning the adults of the household will all be going to the mourning rites, so I am entrusting Zhun Ge to your care for a few days.”

Zhen Jie’er immediately said, “Mother, do not worry. I will look after him well and make sure he does not cry or fuss.”

“I have always trusted Zhen Jie’er to handle things.” Eleventh smiled and walked her to the east side room, then went back inside.

Xu Lingyi had already changed and come out. “What were you saying?”

“Zhen Jie’er was worried, so I said a few words to comfort her.”

Xu Lingyi nodded. “I need to go to Banyuepan. Go to sleep — there is no need to wait for me.”

He must be going to meet with his advisors.

Eleventh nodded, saw Xu Lingyi to the door, then washed and went to bed — but could not sleep no matter how she tried. Her mind was a tangled knot. It was not until the second night watch drum sounded that she had begun to feel vaguely drowsy. She had just closed her eyes when a commotion outside stirred the air, and Hupo came in with a robe thrown over her shoulders. “My Lady, the Marquis has returned.”

She scrambled up, and just as she draped a jacket around herself, Xu Lingyi walked in, bringing a gust of cold air with him. Seeing Eleventh’s eyes bright and clear, he frowned. “Why are you still awake?”

Eleventh gave a vague murmur of reply and got up to pour him tea.

Xu Lingyi looked at her wearing only a thin jacket and pressed her back down. “Lie down quickly — you will catch a chill.”

Seeing that his tone left no room for argument, and that Hupo had brought a junior maid in to attend to him, Eleventh obligingly nestled back under the covers.

Only then did Xu Lingyi go to the washroom to rinse his mouth and freshen up.

Eleventh and the junior maid used a warming brazier to take the chill off his bedding.

The bedding had just begun to hold a trace of warmth when Xu Lingyi emerged.

“No need for all that trouble,” he said, pulling off his shoes and getting into bed. “There is floor heating in the room — it is warm enough.”

The junior maid quickly put the warming brazier away and withdrew. Hupo stepped forward to draw the bed curtains closed for them.

Eleventh wanted to ask how things had gone, but feared he might think her overstepping. She held back, said nothing, and leaned forward to blow out the lamp.

Inside the bed curtains, all was still. Each could hear the other breathing.

Both knew the other was not asleep. Xu Lingyi turned over to face her. “Do not worry. This time the oversight was mine — I had not anticipated that the Qu family would have such audacity. I will not give them a second opportunity.” His voice held a note of deep regret.

“The Qu family?” Eleventh had a vague recollection of the Imperial Noble Consort’s surname being Qu. “Is it the Imperial Noble Consort’s family?”

“Yes,” Xu Lingyi said. “The Qu family’s ancestors served as Commander of the Fujian Naval Forces since the previous dynasty. After submitting to the Great Zhou, they prospered still further — over the generations, their descendants held the posts of Fujian Naval Commander, Zhejiang Naval Commander, and Guangdong Naval Commander. During the Jianwu reign, when coastal pirates ran rampant, Qu Zhuo of the Qu lineage led his forces against the raiders and earned a fearsome renown throughout the land. He then went on to bring four islands under Great Zhou’s control and was enfeoffed as Marquis Jinghai. When the current Emperor ascended the throne, he came to rely heavily on the Qu family for maritime and coastal affairs. The Qu family, for their part, kept to their proper station and served the dynasty loyally. It was for this reason that His Majesty took a daughter of the Qu family as consort.”

Eleventh thought of that soft, honeyed voice… Even setting aside the political considerations, His Majesty must have been personally drawn to her. Otherwise he would simply have granted her the rank of a lower consort — why go so far as to make her Imperial Noble Consort? Small wonder that it made people eager to grasp for more.

Clearly, Xu Lingyi understood this as well.

“The woman of the Qu family is blessed with natural beauty and is skilled in music. The moment she entered the palace she won His Majesty’s adoration. In two short years she rose from Noble Lady all the way to Imperial Noble Consort.” His voice was entirely flat. “And she is perfectly placed, in the south, to counterbalance us here in the north.”

When all was said and done, it came down to His Majesty’s disposition.

Eleventh said softly, “Marquis, do not worry. Tomorrow I will take good care of the Grand Dowager and will assist Second Sister-in-law in securing a private audience with Her Highness the Empress.”

They were utterly in step.

Eleventh’s answer satisfied Xu Lingyi completely.

He found himself murmuring, “These past few years, pirates along the Fujian and Guangdong coast have been a serious problem. Whether for the good of the realm or for the broader picture, His Majesty cannot move against the Qu family at this time. But the fact that he cannot does not mean that we cannot create the conditions to make him do so…”

Xu Lingyi’s voice was very cold.

Eleventh could not help but follow his reasoning and think it through carefully.

How would one create such conditions?

Lure the Qu family into making a mistake? Cause the Imperial Noble Consort to fall from imperial favor? Or allow the Qu family’s power to swell to the point where His Majesty would grow uneasy?

All of these seemed possible — yet to actually carry them out would take a very long time and a great deal of effort.

The Qu family had survived two dynasties without falling for a reason; they had their own ways of enduring. The Imperial Noble Consort was in the full bloom of youth, and causing her to lose favor would likely prove no easy matter. As for letting the Qu family’s power grow unchecked — the Xu family would have to concede a great deal in the process, and once conceded, it was uncertain whether those concessions could ever be reclaimed.

Difficult from every direction.

Eleventh could not help but let out a soft sigh.

In the stillness, the sigh was clearly audible, and it carried a weight to it.

Xu Lingyi found himself thinking of her forthright answer when he had asked whether she was afraid.

“Do not be afraid.” He reached out and gently touched her head. “The Qu family has operated in Fujian for over a hundred years. Their power is formidable, but they have also committed no small number of unlawful deeds. With enough determination, even a single spark can set the plains on fire.”

Eleventh was genuinely taken aback.

From the way Xu Lingyi spoke, it seemed he intended to take the Qu family on by bringing formal accusations before the throne… That would not do. This was not a society governed by law — the only thing that determined success or failure was the Emperor’s will. Were they not on opposite sides, north and south?

She could not help saying, “Marquis, I believe that approach could be rather problematic…”

“Oh?” Xu Lingyi said. “What is problematic about it?”

His tone held a subtle undercurrent of anticipation, which struck Eleventh as rather curious.

Could Xu Lingyi actually want to hear what she thought?

The thought had barely crossed her mind before she said, “Since His Majesty cannot act against the Qu family at this time, even if you were to mobilize censors to impeach them, His Majesty — for the sake of the greater good — would likely bury the memorials without response. The Qu family are clearly capable of tampering with the palace food supply, which means they already have people planted within the palace walls — or at the very least, a powerful patron offering them support. Any movement on His Majesty’s side would in all likelihood not go unnoticed by them. If we alarm them prematurely, moving against them afterward will be far more difficult.”

—