Xu Lingyi and Eleventh Miss returned to the Lotus Courtyard at the first quarter of the You hour. They quickly changed clothes, freshened up, and then headed to the Grand Dowager’s quarters.

The courtyard was quiet, yet from a distance, the laughter of Xu Sijian and Zhun Ge’er could already be heard. Once inside, the room was even livelier.

Xu Sijian and Zhun Ge’er were in the middle of the main hall competing at shuttlecock kicking. Xu Siqin was counting for Zhun Ge’er, while Xu Siyu was counting for Xu Sijian.

Third Master sat on the first grand chair on the western side, watching with a cheerful smile, occasionally calling out “Be careful — kick it higher!” to join in the fun. Third Madam sat below her husband. Though she watched Xu Sijian and Zhun Ge’er with the same smile as her husband, her eyes were somewhat vacant, making her appear a little distracted.

Fifth Master Xu Lingkuan was dressed in a dark raven-blue robe with a concealed pattern of Western flowers in cut silk, seated on the first grand chair on the eastern side. His lips were pressed tightly together, his expression somewhat grave — compared to his usual manner, the buoyancy was gone, replaced by a certain steadiness. Fifth Madam, seated below him, was his exact opposite. She watched Xu Sijian and Zhun Ge’er with a beaming smile, turning back now and then to say a few words to her husband, her expression lively and playful.

When she saw Xu Lingyi and Eleventh Miss enter, he shot to his feet, startling Fifth Madam — who had just turned to speak to him.

“What’s gotten into you?” she asked, following his gaze toward the doorway.

Everyone else turned to look as well.

The cheerful noise in the room fell immediately silent.

Xu Siqin and Xu Siyu stopped counting at the same moment; Xu Sijian and Zhun Ge’er stood there sheepishly.

“Ah, it’s the Marquis and Fourth Sister-in-Law who have returned!” Fifth Madam, her belly large with child, stood up. She greeted Xu Lingyi and Eleventh Miss with a radiant smile, her cheerful tone breaking the room’s stillness.

“Fourth Brother! Fourth Sister-in-Law!” Xu Lingkuan murmured softly, yet his gaze toward Xu Lingyi carried the resolute determination of a warrior who goes forth never to return.

Xu Lingyi did not spare him so much as a glance and cupped his fists toward Third Master: “Third Brother!”

“You’re back!” Third Master stood up with a smile and returned the gesture. “Everyone has been waiting for the two of you so we can eat!”

“Yes, yes indeed!” Third Madam immediately chimed in with a laugh, picking up her husband’s words. “We’ve all been waiting for the Marquis to return before supper!” Her earlier listlessness had vanished in an instant; her eyes darted busily over Eleventh Miss, carrying a mixture of curiosity and probing, as though Eleventh Miss had suddenly become someone quite different.

It seemed Third Madam had already heard the rumor about the child. It was only unclear whether Fifth Madam had heard it yet…

Eleventh Miss considered this as she returned Third Madam’s greeting, yet her gaze drifted involuntarily toward Fifth Madam.

The corner of Fifth Madam’s mouth curved slightly upward — she was watching her with an expression hovering between a smile and not quite a smile.

She must have heard about this matter as well…

The thought had barely flashed through Eleventh Miss’s mind when their eyes met.

Fifth Madam’s lips curved deeper at once, her smile transforming into something brilliant and open. “Fourth Sister-in-Law!” she called out warmly and affectionately.

It was as though the detached, unconcerned smile from a moment ago had vanished without a trace, like water flowing past a stone.

Truly worthy of someone the late Emperor had bestowed the title of County Princess upon… Look at how quickly she could change her expression — she was indeed first among the noble and official families.

Eleventh Miss smiled and nodded to her. By then Xu Siqin, Xu Siyu, Xu Sijian, and Zhun Ge’er had all come forward in succession to pay their respects.

She set aside her thoughts and greeted the children with a pleasant expression.

Xu Lingyi gave a faint nod and looked toward the inner chamber: “Where is Mother?”

Indeed — everyone was present, yet the Grand Dowager was nowhere to be seen.

Eleventh Miss also looked toward the inner chamber.

Third Master’s lips parted slightly, just about to answer, when Third Madam cut in first: “Mother is in the prayer hall. She said she would wait for the Marquis to return before eating together.”

Xu Lingyi’s expression paused briefly at this. He glanced at Eleventh Miss and said, “I’ll go invite Mother to come eat.”

They had first gone to Bowstring Lane, then to Red Lantern Lane — how had things unfolded there? What had been said among the relatives? He would most certainly need to discuss it further with the Grand Dowager.

Eleventh Miss gave Xu Lingyi a slight nod, indicating she understood. She then turned with a smile to Third Madam and Fifth Madam: “It’s entirely our fault for arriving so late. Have the maids set the table!”

Xu Lingyi went off to the prayer hall with an easy mind.

Third Madam, however, watched Xu Lingyi’s retreating figure with a small smile before turning back to Eleventh Miss. “Over the New Year, where did the two of you go?” She made no move to summon the maids to set the table.

Eleventh Miss slid a glance toward Xu Lingkuan and Fifth Madam.

Xu Lingkuan’s expression tightened; Fifth Madam’s eyes flickered briefly as she pricked up her ears.

Eleventh Miss gave a slight smile. “The Marquis and I paid a visit to Bowstring Lane.” She said nothing more.

A flash of disappointment crossed Third Madam’s eyes; Fifth Madam merely smiled, wearing the composed, unhurried air of someone who understood without needing to be told.

Third Master, who had been watching all of this, furrowed his brow slightly and instructed his wife: “Have the table set quickly! The children are hungry!”

Third Madam was instantly exasperated, shot her husband a sidelong glance, and went off with some reluctance to give the order.

Third Master behaved as though he hadn’t noticed, and turned to speak to Eleventh Miss with a smile: “In this bitter cold, Fourth Sister-in-Law should hurry to the eastern side chamber and warm yourself!” His concern was sincere and heartfelt.

Eleventh Miss was genuinely grateful and thanked Third Master with a smile. Thinking that Xu Lingyi and the Grand Dowager would likely not emerge for some time, she sought Third Master’s opinion: “…Why don’t we all take a seat in the eastern side chamber first?”

Third Master considered for a moment, then smiled. “Let’s wait here instead.” With that, he settled back into the grand chair.

Seeing this, everyone else took their seats as well.

Third Master wore a smile, his manner warm and mild; Fifth Master sat bolt upright, eyes straight ahead; Fifth Madam beamed, her expression contented and at ease; Eleventh Miss kept a faint smile at the corner of her lips, head slightly lowered in silence; Xu Siyu sat straight as a pine, lost in thought. Only Xu Sijian and Zhun Ge’er had their small heads pressed together, whispering and chattering about who knew what — drawing the occasional stern glare from Xu Siqin, who tried to signal his brother to quiet down. But Xu Sijian was entirely absorbed in talking to Zhun Ge’er and paid Xu Siqin’s looks no mind whatsoever; he grew louder and louder until finally he burst into giggles.

“Sijian!” Even Third Master could no longer bear it and called out to his son — reproachful in tone, yet gentle in voice.

Xu Sijian straightened up immediately upon hearing this.

“Children — how are they ever supposed to sit still?” Fifth Madam observed with a laugh. “We’re all family here; Third Brother needn’t be so strict.”

Third Master chuckled at this: “Jade uncarved is no vessel. If you don’t discipline them while they’re young, they’ll form bad habits when they grow up, and then there’ll be no managing them.”

Just as he was speaking, Third Madam came in and caught the tail end of his words. She laughed and asked, “Who is it that can’t be managed?”

Third Master was about to reply when Fifth Madam said first: “Third Brother was saying he worries that Jian Ge will be unmanageable when he’s grown.”

Her gaze shifted about in a way that gave one the feeling there was more behind her words.

Third Madam’s expression darkened slightly; she was about to say something when she caught sight of Xu Lingyi supporting the Grand Dowager as they walked in.

She swallowed the words back down and went forward with a smile: “Mother, you’ve come!”

Everyone rose to greet the Grand Dowager.

The Grand Dowager nodded, her expression calm and composed, and instructed Third Madam without preamble: “Serve the meal.” She then walked directly toward the eastern side chamber.

Third Madam curtsied in acknowledgment, called the maids to set the table, and the others followed the Grand Dowager into the eastern side chamber and took their seats in order.

Xu Lingyi then gave Eleventh Miss a look that said: *all is well*.

—

After supper, everyone gathered around the Grand Dowager as usual and moved to the western side chamber.

This time, the Grand Dowager took her seat on the large kang bed by the window, while Xu Lingyi stood to her left.

Third Master and Third Madam exchanged a knowing glance, then wordlessly positioned themselves to the Grand Dowager’s right.

Fifth Madam caught this, smiled faintly, and tugged at Xu Lingkuan’s sleeve, taking up a position beside Eleventh Miss, who stood behind Xu Lingyi.

Xu Lingkuan hesitated for a moment, then moved to stand beside Xu Lingyi.

The children looked at one another uncertainly.

Xu Siqin and Xu Sijian pressed close to their mother; Xu Siyu took Zhun Ge’er by the hand and moved to stand beside Xu Lingkuan.

The maids who came in to serve tea moved with such timid caution that they set down the teacups as quietly as possible before retreating.

The Grand Dowager lifted her teacup and sipped slowly.

The room was so still one could have heard a pin drop.

After quite a while, she set down her teacup and swept her gaze over the sons, daughters-in-law, and grandchildren standing around her. Then she spoke unhurriedly: “A few days ago, the Marquis had a dream. He dreamed of Concubine Tong. She said she was alone and desolate now, with no incense or candles offered to her, drifting without being able to pass on and be reborn — truly pitiable. She asked the Marquis, in remembrance of the fact that she had served him since childhood, to raise a child under her name to offer incense and candles, so that she might be reborn. The Marquis awoke with a troubled heart. The very next day he went to a charity home, intending to bring back a child to raise under Concubine Tong’s name. And as fate would have it — there was a child with the very same phoenix eyes found in our Xu family. The Marquis thought of the dream Concubine Tong had sent, and felt it was truly Heaven’s will.” She glanced at Eleventh Miss. “He then consulted Eleventh Miss, and also consulted the Luo family and myself, and we decided to bring the child back and raise him under Concubine Tong’s name, so as to fulfill…”

Before the Grand Dowager could finish, Xu Lingkuan suddenly stepped forward: “Mother…”

Everyone’s gaze fell on him involuntarily.

“This matter…”

He had barely gotten three words out when — *crack* — the Grand Dowager slapped her palm down on the low kang table, cutting him off.

“Lingkuan.” Xu Lingyi’s face was grim, his gaze upon Xu Lingkuan cold as frost and ice. “Mother is speaking. What business does a son have interrupting? Stand to one side and listen properly.”

Xu Lingkuan’s face turned white as a sheet. He shrank back for a moment, then quickly steadied himself under Xu Lingyi’s gaze and stood upright, looking back at his older brother with resolute eyes.

Eleventh Miss recalled Xu Lingkuan’s demeanor when they had first arrived, and then looked at him now — her heart sank with a sudden sense of foreboding. Only a person with firm conviction in their heart would advance undaunted into difficulty.

Surely he wasn’t thinking of revealing the truth and bearing everything alone?

Evidently, the Grand Dowager had the same thought as Eleventh Miss.

Before Xu Lingkuan could even open his mouth, she raised her voice in a sharp reprimand: “Xu Lingkuan! I have indulged you. And here you are — knowing no bounds. You dare to interrupt while I am speaking with your brothers about serious matters. Have you forgotten yourself because your father is no longer here, and now you no longer regard me — your own mother — with any respect!”

The Grand Dowager was directly accusing Xu Lingkuan of filial impiety.

These were very grave words indeed.

Xu Lingkuan’s expression changed drastically. Like a jade mountain crumbling, like a pillar of gold toppling, he fell to his knees: “Your son would not dare…”

—