Eleventh Young Miss let out a great breath of relief at the words.

Linbo, his face alight with excitement, squeezed in: “Let me see. Let me see.”

A small stool could not hold two people. Zhaoying jumped down.

“My Lady, Young Master Fengqing is asleep up there…” he said, his face full of smiles.

Eleventh Young Miss nodded. “Quickly go and tell Steward Bai, so he doesn’t worry. And the Marquis should be informed as well.”

Zhaoying nodded rapidly: “I’ll go at once.”

Steward Bai was in the inner courtyard; Xu Lingyi was at the Grand Madam’s quarters.

Linbo, hearing this, immediately jumped off the stool: “Then I’ll go to the Marquis.”

Eleventh Young Miss nodded, and the three left the bedchamber.

Dongqing and Binju crowded over.

They had half caught something just now but weren’t entirely sure. Their faces showed a mixture of anticipation and apprehension.

Eleventh Young Miss smiled and nodded to them: “The child has been found — he crawled up to the top of the bed to sleep.”

“Amitabha!” Dongqing turned toward the west, palms pressed together. Binju repeated over and over “Thank goodness, thank goodness,” and the two wept with relief.

“Alright, alright!” Eleventh Young Miss smiled. “The child has been found — no more crying.”

The two dabbed at their eyes with their handkerchiefs and nodded.

Linbo and Zhaoying smiled at the sight, took their leave of Eleventh Young Miss, and headed off — one to Xu Lingyi, the other to Steward Bai.

Binju then said: “Should we get Young Master Fengqing down? Sleeping on top of the bed like that — if he rolls off, that would be another catastrophe.”

Eleventh Young Miss considered it. True enough. He would be groggy when he first woke, and if he happened to fall, it would cause yet more trouble.

“If only we had let Linbo and Zhaoying wait a little longer,” Dongqing said. “Just the two of us — we’ll probably never get him down.”

Binju rolled up her sleeves: “It’s fine. He’s only a three-year-old child.”

Dongqing, having been bitten once, was still wary and could not help hesitating.

Eleventh Young Miss thought for a moment: “There’s no great rush. Let’s see how it goes.” Then she brought Dongqing and Binju to the bedchamber, stood on the small stool, and peered up over the bed top.

In the dim, enclosed space above, Fengqing lay curled around the food box, fast asleep.

Eleventh Young Miss was momentarily still, and a faint ache stirred in her heart.

He had been beaten until he was frightened, and gone hungry until he was frightened — and so had grown accustomed to taking food with him and finding a place he considered hidden and safe, where he could rest…

She gazed at him for a long moment, then quietly stepped down from the stool: “Let him sleep well up there for now. Just make sure he doesn’t fall.”

Binju puzzled: “So we’re not bringing him down then?”

Eleventh Young Miss said nothing.

Dongqing quickly tugged at Binju’s sleeve and smiled: “We have only made trouble for My Lady. Let Binju attend on you to the study for a rest. I will stay here and watch Young Master Fengqing.”

Eleventh Young Miss only then noticed a faint dampness of perspiration on her back.

“Don’t disturb him.” She glanced at the bed top. “Just stay here and watch carefully.”

Dongqing nodded. Binju attended Eleventh Young Miss to the study.

The books here were different from those in her own quarters’ study — not only far more numerous, but covering a vast range: the hundred schools of philosophy, geographical records and maps, military strategy and formation, poetry and lyric verse. The greatest number were volumes on military strategy and formation.

Binju said in some surprise: “My Lady, the Marquis has no fewer books in his study than the First Master has in ours at home.”

Eleventh Young Miss gave a slight smile and said nothing. She reached at random for a copy of Commentary on the Book of Changes and began to read.

She had only turned a few pages when a startled cry came suddenly from the bedchamber: “My Lady! My Lady! Please come quickly!”

Eleventh Young Miss’s mind went to Fengqing in the room. She dropped the book, gathered up her skirts, and ran.

She found Dongqing standing with arms spread wide in front of the bed. Hearing someone behind her, she did not even dare turn her head, and called out: “My Lady, Young Master Fengqing has woken and was just about to roll off the top… I called out, and he shrank back in.”

Binju, who had rushed in right behind, lifted her skirts and stepped up onto the stool: “Young Master Fengqing, I’ll carry you down.”

But a “thud, thud, thud” of feet kicking against the wooden boards came from the bed top, retreating only when he reached a corner.

Eleventh Young Miss could not help shaking her head.

To Fengqing’s mind, all of them were the villains who had forcibly dragged him to this unfamiliar place and scrubbed him in water. Of course he would not meekly allow himself to be carried down.

“Leave it — wait for Zhaoying and the others to come back. They are strong and have longer reach; they can manage this more easily than we can. We only need to make sure he doesn’t fall.”

Dongqing stood in front of the bed, Binju stood on the stool, and the two remained in this standoff for a short while, until Steward Bai and Zhaoying came rushing in, both slightly breathless.

“My Lady, I heard Young Master Fengqing has been found.” Steward Bai’s face was full of excitement.

Eleventh Young Miss smiled and nodded: “Fengqing is a mischievous one — he ran up to the top of the bed. I have put Steward Bai to needless worry.”

“My Lady says this and will make this old servant feel ashamed,” Steward Bai said, looking at Eleventh Young Miss with a gaze full of admiration and bowing deeply. “If not for My Lady, this old servant truly would not have known how to see this through.” Then, without waiting for Eleventh Young Miss to speak, he pointed at Dongqing and Binju in puzzlement: “My Lady, what is this?”

He was indeed the great steward of the Marquis Yongping Household — flattering people, he was not the least bit lacking. Compared with him, Wan Daxian did not come close. There was much to learn.

If not for the pressing matter of Fengqing at hand, Eleventh Young Miss would have genuinely liked to seize the opportunity to exchange a few words with Steward Bai and become better acquainted.

She gave a brief account of what had happened. Steward Bai immediately smiled: “Is this something worth troubling My Lady over? A single word to me would have done.” Then he beckoned to Zhaoying: “You stand below. I’ll go up and bring Young Master Fengqing down.”

Zhaoying was a perceptive one — and in front of Eleventh Young Miss at that. He immediately said: “With me here, there is no need for you to climb the bed top. You stand below and watch. I’ll go bring Young Master Fengqing.” Without waiting for Steward Bai’s reply, he was already heading for the small stool.

Binju didn’t care who went up, as long as Fengqing could be brought down. She immediately yielded the stool to Zhaoying and even said: “Be careful.”

Steward Bai, seeing this, made no further show of deferring, and stationed himself at once in front of the bed. Dongqing naturally stepped aside, positioning herself behind Eleventh Young Miss.

“Don’t worry, Binju.” Zhaoying scrambled nimbly up to the bed top. “Young Master Fengqing, Young Master Fengqing — it is me, Zhaoying. The Marquis’s Zhaoying. Let me carry you down, so you don’t fall and hurt yourself.” He spoke coaxingly as he crawled toward Fengqing, who was huddled in the corner.

A large boat is slow to turn; a small one spins easily.

Fengqing curled himself up and “thud-thud-thud,” scurried to the opposite end.

Zhaoying had no choice but to crawl after him on all fours.

He had just stretched out his hand and touched the hem of Fengqing’s clothes when Fengqing darted off to yet another side.

And so it went. Fengqing, as though he had found a delightful game, not only showed no sign of tiring, but broke into bright, gleeful laughter — “heh-heh-heh.”

Those below could not see what was happening above, and hearing only the disorderly thumping, could not help asking: “What is going on up there?”

Eleventh Young Miss and Steward Bai both waited. Zhaoying’s patience was wearing thin.

“Nothing, nothing.” He answered while cautiously creeping closer to Fengqing, then lunged forward with full force and caught Fengqing in his arms.

Being caught meant suffering — instinct told Fengqing to scream at the top of his lungs, kicking and scratching.

Zhaoying dared not use brute force. He held on without letting go, but twisted his body away from the blows: “Young Master Fengqing, I’ll carry you down, I’ll carry you down.”

Struggling and thrashing, with a thunderous “crash,” a panel of the bed top gave way, and Zhaoying and Fengqing fell from the sky.

Everyone froze.

But Fengqing did not even blink. He rolled free of Zhaoying’s arms in an instant, slid off the bed, and pattered away toward the door on quick, small feet.

The adults in the room recovered their senses.

Eleventh Young Miss, standing furthest toward the door, stepped forward and grabbed Fengqing.

Fengqing screamed and kicked at Eleventh Young Miss furiously.

Eleventh Young Miss had not expected him to be so fierce, and was caught off guard. He wrenched himself free.

Steward Bai had already come to his senses. With several quick strides he reached forward and seized Fengqing.

Just as he had screamed and struck when caught by Eleventh Young Miss, Fengqing screamed and struck at Steward Bai.

But Steward Bai was not Eleventh Young Miss — he simply held on without releasing his grip.

“My Lady…” He looked at Eleventh Young Miss, waiting for her instruction.

Eleventh Young Miss looked at Fengqing — covered head to toe in dust, bristling all over like a creature wrapped in thorns — and set her jaw: “Give him to me.” She stepped forward, grasped Fengqing by the shoulders, and instructed Dongqing: “Go, fetch water and wipe his face.” Then she sat herself in the master chair, clamped her legs firmly around Fengqing’s wildly kicking and twisting legs, and gripped both his arms with her hands — holding him pinned securely in her lap.

Dongqing stared, agape, and took a long moment to come back to herself, gasped an “oh,” and went running out to fetch water.

Steward Bai and Zhaoying had not expected Eleventh Young Miss to act so decisively either. Without exchanging a word, both of them looked at each other, then simultaneously averted their eyes and composed their expressions — as though they had seen nothing.

Binju came forward, concerned: “My Lady, are you alright?”

Fengqing had considerable strength. But Eleventh Young Miss had made up her mind to teach him a lesson, and held him clamped in her arms no matter how he struggled and shrieked. Hearing Binju’s concerned question, she gave a small nod: “I am fine. Pay him no mind — he will stop fussing in a moment.”

Just as she spoke, Dongqing came back with the water. Binju wrung out a cloth and wiped Fengqing’s face.

Fengqing, after all, was only a three-year-old child, and was no match for several grown adults. His movements grew gradually smaller and weaker, his eyes filling with tears, until he was staring at Binju who was wiping his hands — all resentful defiance, but unable to do anything more.

Eleventh Young Miss felt the change in him, and her heart gradually settled. She said to him gently: “If you sit nicely in my lap, I will let go of you. If you agree, nod your head.”

Fengqing said nothing. After a long pause, his head dipped down twice — twice, lightly, like a bird pecking.

Eleventh Young Miss slowly released her hold on him.

Fengqing felt the restraining force around him gradually ease. He immediately sprang up with a “thump,” leapt off Eleventh Young Miss’s lap, and made for the door.

But his legs were short and his steps small — Eleventh Young Miss bent forward and caught him in one motion, and said coldly: “Since you do not keep your word, then we are even.”

She wrapped her arms firmly around him again.

Fengqing once more began twisting violently and shrieking at the top of his lungs.

Eleventh Young Miss treated it as though she heard nothing, and smiled at Steward Bai and Zhaoying: “There is nothing more to see here. The two of you may go about your business.”

Steward Bai had seen what was what — this was much like managing a skilled but difficult subordinate. When two people are nearly matched, the only question is who can dominate the other in presence and bearing.

“In that case, I will go and call a physician for Young Master Fengqing.” He took his courteous leave.

Zhaoying, taking note, said at once: “The Marquis instructed me to move his everyday belongings to the main room. I will go and pack things up.” He too withdrew.