But Shiyiniang’s attention was drawn to an unfamiliar woman following behind Third Lady.

She wore a peach-red brocade short jacket and a moon-white gauze skirt. Her hair was dressed in a high coiffure, adorned with a solid gold swaying ornament. She appeared to be around twenty-seven or twenty-eight years of age, of medium build, with fair skin and features that were reasonably delicate. Yet the way she looked at people — her gaze darting and evasive — gave her an air of meekness that made her seem rather small-spirited.

Wen Yiniang lowered her voice at once: “That is Yi Yiniang of the Third Household.”

The Yi Yiniang who was close with Qin Yiniang?

Shiyiniang took another glance, then stepped forward to greet Third Master and Third Lady, and sent Binju to invite Xu Lingyi out. She curtsied to pay her respects to Third Master and Third Lady — yet from the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of Xu Siyu.

He was staring blankly at Zhun Ge and Xu Sijie, who stood side by side, hand in hand.

Xu Siqin, who was nearby, noticed Shiyiniang looking over and quickly tugged at Xu Siyu’s sleeve, murmuring: “Your mother is watching you.”

Xu Siyu gave a start — but rather than glancing toward Shiyiniang, he looked straight ahead and let a warm, amiable smile rise to his face.

Anyone who did not know better and saw him at first glance would assume he had been smiling pleasantly at Zhun Ge and Xu Sijie the whole time.

Shiyiniang inwardly sighed.

On the other side, Third Master and Third Lady had already returned the greeting and called Xu Siqin and Xu Sijian over to pay their respects to Shiyiniang. Xu Siyu joined his two brothers and came forward to bow to her as well.

He had only just risen when Xu Lingyi emerged from the east side room.

Naturally, another round of exchanged courtesies followed.

Then Xu Lingkuan came in, supporting Fifth Lady on his arm.

“Fourth Elder Brother!” he called out to Xu Lingyi with great cheer, even more effusively warm than usual.

Xu Lingyi smiled and nodded at him, his usual air of gravity somewhat softened: “You’re here!”

Xu Lingkuan nodded and, releasing Fifth Lady, stepped forward to bow to Xu Lingyi.

Fifth Lady had not expected her husband to let go of her so abruptly. Caught off guard, she laughed and chided him affectionately: “Fifth Master really is something — the moment he sees Milord, he forgets about everything else, and leaves this concubine nearly losing her footing…”

Before her words were even finished, Xu Lingkuan had already rushed back over: “Are you all right?”

Third Lady at the side laughed at this, and Xu Lingyi shook his head with a smile. Fifth Lady’s face turned quite red, which set Third Master laughing as well.

Right in the midst of the lively commotion, Nanny Du came out supporting the Dowager Marchioness.

Nanny Du wore a bright red jacket embroidered all over with gold, and had, in a rare departure from her usual habit, pinned a pair of red velvet flowers the size of a thumbnail to her hair, lending her a festive and spirited appearance.

The Dowager Marchioness herself wore a pale lilac brocade short jacket with a crane motif, pinned with a red gemstone ornament in a tied-knot design — considerably more resplendent than her everyday attire.

“Grandmother! Grandmother!” Zhun Ge came running over.

The Dowager Marchioness laughed warmly, patted his head, and took his hand.

Left on his own, Xu Sijie stood beside a black lacquered floor pillar. He blinked and looked at Zhun Ge nestled at the Dowager Marchioness’s side, then at Shiyiniang, who was smiling and speaking with Third Lady, and slowly lowered his gaze.

Xu Siyu, who had been observing everything, let a trace of cold contempt flash through his eyes. The Dowager Marchioness’s gentle voice had already risen in the room: “Is everyone here?”

“Everyone is here,” Third Lady answered with a smile, stepping forward.

“Very well.” The Dowager Marchioness looked toward Xu Lingyi. “Let us all go to the ancestral hall together.”

Xu Lingyi answered respectfully in the affirmative. Everyone settled into the small blue-curtained oil carts and made their way to the ancestral hall situated on the eastern side of the Xu Estate.

The Xu Clan Ancestral Hall comprised five bays. A stone paved pathway ran through the center, with old pine and cypress growing on either side, and in the middle stood a great green bronze tripod three feet square.

Xu Lingyi led the men into the ancestral hall first to present the ritual offerings, burn silk, and pour libations. Then the Dowager Marchioness led Shiyiniang, Third Lady, and Fifth Lady in laying out sacrificial offerings before the portraits of their ancestors.

The Yiniang, maidservants, and matrons all stood silently outside the ceremonial gate of the ancestral hall, waiting.

When the ancestral rites were complete and they emerged, the sky had already grown dark.

Great red lanterns hung on all sides, casting a crimson glow across the snow’s white expanse. The crack and pop of firecrackers rang out at intervals, and the atmosphere of the new year rushed forward to meet them.

Smiles spread across every face. They settled once more into the small blue-curtained oil carts and returned to the Dowager Marchioness’s quarters.

In the center of the main hall, the Dowager Marchioness seated herself in the master’s chair, which was spread with a richly embroidered red cushion. First, Xu Lingyi led Xu Lingning and Xu Lingkuan forward to pay their respects to her. Then Xu Siqin led Xu Siyu, Xu Sijian, Zhun Ge, and Xu Sijie in paying their respects. After them, Shiyiniang led Third Lady and Fifth Lady forward. Then each household’s Yiniang came forward in turn, followed by the senior matrons and maidservants of standing.

Nanny Du called out the proceedings at the side, while Wei Zi and Yao Huang were responsible for dispensing the gifts.

The silver ingots in the wicker baskets clinked and chimed as the maidservants and matrons called out their thanks, and the atmosphere in the room grew immediately festive and animated.

Firecrackers were then set off, and the family banquet was laid out in the east side room, the main hall, and the connecting passage, arranged by gender, seniority, and rank. Everyone drank Jinhua wine and ate auspicious fruits and lucky cakes, making merry all the way until the first part of the hai hour. The banquet was cleared and tea was brought in. Then Xu Lingkuan led Xu Siqin, Xu Siyu, Xu Sijian, Zhun Ge, and a group of young manservants out to set off fireworks and firecrackers. The maidservants and matrons crowded under the eaves to watch.

Xu Sijie was kept inside, where Binju fed him a lotus seed and lily bulb porridge.

A senior maidservant from Zhun Ge’s room, watching, could not help but caution: “Don’t feed him too much. Be careful he wets the bed tonight.”

Binju looked up with a smile: “Fifth Young Master is very well-behaved — he gets up on his own in the middle of the night.”

The Dowager Marchioness, seated nearby, caught this and asked: “How old is he?”

Binju quickly composed herself and answered respectfully: “He is said to be turning four on the third day of the third month.”

The Dowager Marchioness said nothing more, but turned and instructed Fifth Lady: “You are with child — go and rest early.”

Fifth Lady was indeed somewhat tired, so she took her leave of Shiyiniang and the others and was escorted back to her room by her maidservants and matrons.

The Dowager Marchioness then rose to change her clothes. Nanny Du followed to attend to her.

“A child of hardship matures early. Zhun Ge at that age — you could not take your eyes off him for a moment.”

The words came out of nowhere and were somewhat perplexing, but Nanny Du, who had served the Dowager Marchioness for several decades, understood at once that she was speaking of Xu Sijie. As she took out the cleansing paste for the Dowager Marchioness to wash her hands, she said: “Our Zhun Ge is a precious little treasure. Do you still remember? That year when he was drinking rice porridge, the kitchen staff added a handful of green rice in the middle of summer. Everyone said it was delicious. Only Zhun Ge said the rice was too coarse and he could not swallow it.”

The Dowager Marchioness laughed: “He cannot endure even the slightest bit of hardship.”

“Exactly.” Nanny Du chatted and laughed with the Dowager Marchioness as they made their way back to the east side room, arriving just as the midnight firecrackers of every household rang out from all directions — a continuous rumble that lasted a full half-hour before finally dying down.

Xu Lingyi came to ask the Dowager Marchioness to retire for the night: “…Tomorrow morning we must enter the palace to offer New Year’s greetings.”

The Dowager Marchioness was, after all, getting on in years. She gave Third Lady a few words of instruction about “watching for fire” and the like, then extended her hand for Shiyiniang to support as she went into the inner room.

Shiyiniang and Nanny Du together helped the Dowager Marchioness remove her hairpins and ornaments, wash her face and hands, and change into her night garments before she got into bed. Shiyiniang was just about to withdraw when the Dowager Marchioness reached out and seized her hand, then felt beneath her pillow and drew out a small sachet to pass to her.

“This is for you,” she said, smiling warmly at Shiyiniang. “New Year’s gift money.”

Shiyiniang was mildly surprised, and a little flustered: “I am already grown — how could I accept New Year’s gift money from you…”

Before she had finished speaking, the Dowager Marchioness had already pressed the sachet into her hands: “You have not yet had your coming-of-age ceremony — you are still a child. Be good. Take it. This is my gift to you.”

Seeing the sincerity with which the Dowager Marchioness gave it, Shiyiniang accepted it with a smile.

The sachet was rather heavy. She expressed her thanks and tucked it into her front.

The Dowager Marchioness nodded with a smile full of contentment, patted her hand, and said: “I remember — your birthday is the fifth day of the fifth month, is it not?”

“Mother has a remarkable memory,” Shiyiniang said with a smile. “I was born at the zi hour on the fifth day of the fifth month.”

“Mm.” The Dowager Marchioness nodded with a smile. “We must celebrate it properly…”

Shiyiniang paid it little mind.

This year on the fifth day of the fifth month she would turn fifteen — the age for the coming-of-age ceremony that marked a young woman’s entry into adulthood — and naturally it would be observed with more ceremony than an ordinary birthday.

She simply smiled, helped the Dowager Marchioness settle in for the night, and then returned to the main hall.

Zhun Ge’er was still outside with Xu Lingkuan setting off fireworks. Xu Sijie, however, had already fallen asleep in Binju’s arms. When Third Lady saw Shiyiniang come out, she rubbed her eyes: “Mother has retired for the night?”

“Yes.” Shiyiniang nodded.

Third Lady glanced toward Third Master: “Shall we be on our way then?”

Third Master looked toward Xu Lingyi.

Xu Lingyi considered for a moment: “Very well — let us leave this to Fifth Brother.”

Third Master hesitated: “Should I not stay behind?” His expression made plain he was not fully confident in Xu Lingkuan.

“Leave it to him,” Xu Lingyi said with a smile. “We should rest as well.”

Third Master, seeing that Xu Lingyi had spoken, could not well argue against it. With some lingering concern, he watched as Xu Lingyi called Xu Lingkuan inside and gave him his instructions.

Xu Lingkuan, however, was all excitement: “Go ahead and rest, all of you! I guarantee every one of my nephews comes through safe and sound.”

Xu Lingyi smiled and clapped him on the shoulder, then departed with Shiyiniang and the sleeping Xu Sijie.

Third Master and Third Lady exchanged a helpless look, called Qiu Ling to keep watch over Xu Siqin and his brothers, and at last returned to their own rooms.

…

When Shiyiniang finished washing up and came out, she found Xu Lingyi reclining on the bed, turning the sachet she had left on the pillow over in his hands.

“Mother gave it to me,” she said with a smile. “She called it New Year’s gift money.” She had not yet had a chance to look inside.

Xu Lingyi smiled slightly, set the sachet back on the pillow, and then drew out a small red lacquered carved box from beneath the pillow and held it out to her: “Here.”

Shiyiniang was taken aback.

When had he hidden a box beneath the pillow… Even when the bed had been made earlier, no one had noticed it…

And Xu Lingyi, seeing that Shiyiniang’s face did not light up with the delight he had imagined, felt a sudden flush of awkwardness. He managed a somewhat forced smile, then tossed the box onto the coverlet with deliberate casualness: “It is the New Year, after all.”

He had, in the end, been kind enough to bring her a gift.

Shiyiniang quickly picked up the box and smiled brightly: “Is this a New Year’s gift for me?”

Xu Lingyi gave an indifferent “mm” and turned over to sleep.

Shiyiniang smiled and opened the box.

In the dim glow of the lamplight, a dazzling brilliance made her narrow her eyes, and it was some time before she could make out what lay inside.

Beneath a layer of crow-black silk velvet, twelve pigeon-egg-sized rubies were arranged in a row.

“Milord…” Shiyiniang felt a faint unease stir within her. “This…”

The gift was too precious.

She could think of no reason she ought to accept it.

Xu Lingyi, his back to Shiyiniang, sensed her apprehension — and for some reason he could not quite name, a quiet and faint pleasure rose within him. Yet the words that came out of his mouth carried a tone of airy unconcern: “Go to sleep. We have to rise early tomorrow…”

—