After leaving the palace and boarding the carriage, the Grand Madam lowered her voice and asked, “What did Her Highness the Empress say to you?”

Luo Shiyiniang briefly relayed their conversation to the Grand Madam: “…It is such a weighty matter that Her Highness cannot help but feel uncertain at times. Please do not fault me for acting on my own initiative.”

She looked at the Grand Madam with some unease.

The Grand Madam sighed and patted her hand. “You spoke well. But remember — too many words invite mistakes. Do not take such risks again in the future.”

After all, she was only fourteen, yet she had managed to persuade Her Highness the Empress in a single stroke. If left unchecked, pride might take root in her heart, which would not bode well for her future.

Seeing that the Grand Madam had not reprimanded her, Luo Shiyiniang let out a great sigh of relief.

What she had done was, after all, without anyone’s prior consent…

While that thought was still turning in her mind, the carriage had already arrived at the Peony Gate of the Xu Mansion. The two of them switched to a small blue-curtained oil carriage and made their way to the Grand Madam’s quarters, where the Third Master, the Fifth Master, the Second Madam, the Third Madam, and the Fifth Madam were already waiting. Upon seeing them, everyone crowded forward at once. The Third Madam was the most anxious of all, asking urgently, “How is Her Highness the Empress?”

The Grand Madam answered without addressing the question, saying, “Let us all sit down and talk.” Then she turned to Luo Shiyiniang and added, “You go change your clothes as well.” With that, she was helped by Nanny Du into the inner chamber to change.

Everyone’s eyes immediately turned to Luo Shiyiniang.

The Grand Madam had not yet spoken — what standing did she have to say anything?

In that moment, she was deeply grateful that the Grand Madam had sent her back to her room to change, sparing her from being surrounded and interrogated by all these people.

Luo Shiyiniang curtseyed to those in the room and turned to walk back to her own quarters.

She had not expected to find Xu Lingyi waiting inside.

She promptly gave him a clear and concise account of what had transpired during the palace visit.

Xu Lingyi listened, then raised an eyebrow. “You have some nerve. You actually told Her Highness the Empress that whatever she commanded me to do, I would do? And if she had truly ordered me to go kill the Empress Dowager — would I have actually gone and done it?”

When brothers stand united, their strength can cut through iron. The Xu Family had the Second Madam with her breadth of mind, the quick-witted and clever Fifth Madam, and the steady and loyal Third Master. Now that the matter weighing on Her Highness’s heart had also been resolved — if everyone could pull together as one, she believed the Xu Mansion could weather even the fiercest storms.

Luo Shiyiniang’s mood brightened considerably.

If even she could see this, surely Xu Lingyi could see it too.

She felt that his spirits ought to be just as lifted as hers. The way he said it, it was nine times out of ten that he was simply teasing her. So she smiled brilliantly and replied, “The Marquis is accomplished in both literary and military arts, and his righteousness reaches to the heavens. Surely such a small matter cannot be beyond you.”

Xu Lingyi was briefly startled — then burst out laughing heartily.

That stern face of his really could be frightening!

Good thing she hadn’t been raised to be easily scared…

Watching him, Luo Shiyiniang found herself pressing her lips together in a smile.

“Go and change,” said Xu Lingyi, his eyes warm with amusement as he looked at his wife. “So we can go to Mother’s together.”

Luo Shiyiniang curtseyed and was attended by Binju to the washroom. After freshening up, she went with Xu Lingyi to the Grand Madam’s quarters.

The Grand Madam had just emerged from the washroom herself and was being attended by the Third Madam as she drank her tea. Seeing the two of them enter, she called for a young maid to bring two more chairs, and everyone sat back down in order of seniority. A young maid served tea to Xu Lingyi and Luo Shiyiniang, after which the Grand Madam spoke at last: “There is no need for anyone to worry. Her Highness the Empress has simply caught a mild chill. She is now well recovered.”

Everyone present was sharp and discerning — not one of them believed this, and instead, traces of tension appeared on each of their faces.

Luo Shiyiniang watched them and could not help a faint sigh.

The Second Madam listened, then smiled and rose to her feet. “Mother rose early this morning to visit Her Highness the Empress — you must be tired. Since Her Highness is well, we shall take our leave.”

The Grand Madam gave a slight nod.

The Third Madam’s brow revealed a flash of urgency. She hastily shot a glance across at the Third Master. The Third Master responded with a slight frown and averted his face. Looking around, everyone else had already risen to their feet.

She gritted her teeth and spoke loudly: “Wait a moment.”

Everyone in the room looked at the Third Madam in surprise.

The Third Master shook his head repeatedly at her.

The Third Madam could see it perfectly clearly — but with all eyes now upon her, there was no backing down. Steeling herself, she pressed on: “Mother, Jian Ge’er will be turning twelve after the new year. I was wondering whether it might be time to open up a separate courtyard for him in the outer wing…” She glanced somewhat timidly at the Grand Madam. “At the time, Jian Ge’er had chicken pox, and out of concern for him, I kept him back one year. But now that he is growing older, and with Zhen Jie’er also living in the inner courtyard — it would not look right to keep him there any longer.”

The Grand Madam considered this and replied, “What you say is not wrong. Jian Ge’er is no longer small — he should indeed have his own separate courtyard…”

The color drained from the Third Madam’s face.

Though no one had spoken to her plainly about what had been happening of late, she had pieced together a rough picture on her own. Today, when the Grand Madam had gone to the palace, she had taken the opportunity to return to her family home and spoke with her elder sister-in-law about the situation in the household. Her sister-in-law had told her a great deal, and she now had a clearer understanding of the difficulties the Xu Family currently faced. She had meant to wait and see for a while longer — but now, it was clear she could wait no further. What the Third Madam had ostensibly raised was the matter of opening a separate courtyard for Xu Sijian — but what she was truly asking was whether the Third Master could still receive an outside posting. If he were to be posted away come spring, there would naturally be no need to go to all the trouble of setting up a new courtyard in the outer wing; but if he could not be posted away, then given Xu Sijian’s age, he certainly could not remain in the inner courtyard any longer.

To raise such a question at a moment like this… was truly ill-timed…

The thought flashed through Luo Shiyiniang’s mind, and in the same instant, she understood the Third Madam’s meaning.

She quickly and discreetly gave a small tug at the corner of Xu Lingyi’s robe.

Having heard the Third Madam speak, Xu Lingyi had a fair sense of what she meant — but the Grand Madam was still speaking with her, and it was not his place to interject. Just then, Luo Shiyiniang gave his sleeve a pull, and he felt a quiet smile form somewhere within him.

Luo Shiyiniang seemed to be growing more and more perceptive…

As that thought passed through his mind, he reached back and closed his hand around the fingers that were tugging at the corner of his robe.

This startled Luo Shiyiniang considerably, and then filled her with embarrassment.

What did he mean by this?

If the Grand Madam were to see — what on earth would she think?

She quickly struggled to pull her hand away.

But he held on firmly, and after several failed attempts, she was still unable to retrieve it. She was growing frantic — when she heard Xu Lingyi speak in an unhurried tone: “Mother, I think this matter can be discussed in due time. The new year is nearly upon us, and there is already so much to attend to.”

With Xu Lingyi speaking up, everyone’s gazes turned in his direction.

Luo Shiyiniang composed her expression into a smile at once and stood gracefully behind Xu Lingyi, allowing him to hold her hand as he pleased.

Xu Lingyi’s words were unmistakably telling them all that there was still room for things to turn around.

The Third Master and the Third Madam both brightened visibly. The Third Madam immediately broke into a smile: “Since the Marquis has said so, then we shall follow the Marquis’s lead.”

Xu Lingyi gave a faint smile, quickly released Luo Shiyiniang’s hand, then smoothed the front of his robe and said to Luo Shiyiniang in a composed tone, “Let us head back first — it will allow Mother to rest early.” With that, he walked out with his head held high.

Luo Shiyiniang hurriedly curtseyed to those in the room and hastened after him.

Along the way, Xu Lingyi’s expression was cool and austere — so much so that Luo Shiyiniang began to wonder whether everything that had just happened was a figment of her imagination. What she did not notice was the faint upward curve at the corner of Xu Lingyi’s mouth when she was not looking.

—

Since each household took their meals separately, after dinner, Xu Siyu and Zhun Ge came to pay their respects to Xu Lingyi and Luo Shiyiniang. Just then, the three Yiniangcame over to pay their greetings as well, and everyone gathered around, settling down in a circle with Xu Lingyi and Luo Shiyiniang. Xu Lingyi, as he had done before, quizzed Xu Siyu on his studies. Learning that Xu Siyu had continued reading without interruption ever since the tutor had closed the school for the Laba Festival, Xu Lingyi was very pleased.

“Take these next few days to rest. Keep your grandmother company and talk with her.”

Xu Siyu answered respectfully.

Xu Lingyi’s gaze then fell upon Zhun Ge.

Zhun Ge shrank back and shuffled his feet sideways toward Luo Shiyiniang.

Xu Lingyi watched him and let out a sigh of resignation. “It is getting late — everyone may go.”

The three Yiniang, along with Xu Siyu, Zhen Jie’er, and Zhun Ge, curtseyed and took their leave, each returning to their own rooms.

Luo Shiyiniang told Xu Lingyi about how Zhun Ge spent his days these past weeks playing shuttlecock and jumping rope with the young maids: “…He has had a constitution weakened by deficiency since birth. With this kind of daily movement, his body will gradually grow stronger. While it is true that for a gentleman, cultivating learning and refinement is important — good health matters even more. Some things simply cannot be rushed. Once we find a tutor next year to begin his early education, things will gradually improve.”

“There is nothing else to be done,” said Xu Lingyi with a rueful smile.

Luo Shiyiniang asked him, “Would you like to wash up here, Marquis, and then head over — or shall you wash up after going over?”

By the schedule, he was supposed to spend the night at Wen Yiniang’s.

Xu Lingyi said, “I will stay here tonight.”

There was so much to manage both within and outside the household, and he was clearly not in the right frame of mind for anything else — a few days prior he had been meant to spend the night at Qin Yiniang’s, and though he had gone once, he had spent all the other nights here. Besides, today she had gone to the palace to see Her Highness the Empress — surely she had things to tell him.

Luo Shiyiniang sent someone to inform Wen Yiniang — telling her that the Marquis had matters to attend to and would not be coming tonight. Then she had the bed made up and attended to Xu Lingyi as he settled in.

Xu Lingyi first asked in careful detail about the Empress’s state of mind. Learning that Her Highness was much improved, he let out a quiet sigh of relief.

Perhaps because he had heard that the Empress had used the pretext of asking about Luo Shiyiniang’s medicine to call her aside privately, he now also asked about how she had been faring with her own treatment.

“Imperial Physician Liu said it would take several months before any effect could be seen. For the moment, I have not noticed any difference.”

Xu Lingyi instructed her, “You must take the medicine diligently, as Imperial Physician Liu has prescribed. Do not be careless about it.”

Of course Luo Shiyiniang did not dare be careless.

Who could guarantee there would not be some unforeseen eventuality… If by some chance she truly did conceive, at her current age and in her current state, it would be quite dangerous. If she could strengthen her body through medicinal treatment beforehand, her chances of survival would be considerably greater.

She nodded with genuine seriousness.

Xu Lingyi hesitated for a moment, then said abruptly, “Tomorrow I will be home a little late… I am going to have a conversation with His Majesty.”

By the looks of it, he had made up his mind to play the card of a loyal and suffering subject.

Luo Shiyiniang naturally wished to encourage him: “So the Marquis may be able to rest at home before the new year? Then I won’t have to rise at the second period of the night every day either.”

Xu Lingyi could not help but laugh at that. “Once I have resigned from office, it will not be nearly as easy to get things done as it is now.”

He was referring, no doubt, to how a man’s influence fades the moment he leaves his post.

A person who had once tasted the flavors of power, suddenly relinquishing it all — there would inevitably be a sense of loss.

Luo Shiyiniang deliberately made light of it: “As things stand now with you still holding office, I haven’t felt any particular convenience in having it. Quite the opposite — it has felt extremely inconvenient. I had wanted to have the courtyard tidied up come spring, and to plant pomegranate trees and magnolia trees in the passageway… With you at home, that would suit me far better.”

When workers were hired to renovate the courtyard, she would have to avoid being present, and any instructions she had would need to be conveyed through the steward to the craftsmen — nowhere near as direct and easy as simply speaking to Xu Lingyi herself.

Xu Lingyi could read perfectly well what she was doing and could not suppress a laugh. “So it is for this that you want me to resign!”

Luo Shiyiniang continued to talk nonsense with him: “Precisely. I have given it careful thought, and I find that holding office is, on the whole, a losing proposition. Setting aside the early morning rises every day — which mean the kitchen staff must consequently prepare two early meals — just consider the salary against the expenditures…” She ran through the figures for Xu Lingyi. “The socializing and gift-giving obligations alone are no small expense. Without office, some of the engagements that could be declined can simply be declined…”

As Xu Lingyi listened to his wife talk absurd nonsense, the melancholy of resigning began to lift somewhat.

—