When the old patriarch of the Luo family had served in Yanjing, he had acquired a four-courtyard residence in the Laojun Temple Lane of the Huanghua District in the city’s east. Later, when Second Master of the Luo family remained in the capital as an official in the central government, the house stayed with him and he went on living in it.

Later, when all three brothers returned to Yanjing together to register with the Ministry of Personnel, the house could no longer fit all of them.

Since Third Master’s wife had inherited a three-courtyard residence in the Qiantang Lane of Renshou District in Yanjing as part of her dowry, he and his family moved there.

This left First Master to squeeze in together with Second Master in the existing house.

Second Master and his wife would not only have to give up the main rooms and move with their daughter to the rear service quarters, but even Third Young Master Luo Zhenda and his wife and young son would have to vacate the outer courtyard for Luo Zhensheng and his wife to live in. It sounded complicated enough to even describe, let alone carry out in practice. And First Master, thinking of how his son had brought along his daughter-in-law, was also preparing for the Imperial Academy examinations — should he fail the examinations, staying five or six years was entirely possible, and it would not do to keep cramping into the same space as the Second Branch indefinitely. So he asked Second Master to help negotiate the purchase of a three-courtyard residence in the Bowstring Lane of Bao’da District.

And so First Madam, stepping down from her carriage and looking at the two girth-wide locust trees before the gate of the residence, wore an unfavourable expression.

“How much did this house cost?”

The residence in the Laojun Temple Lane of Huanghua District was communal family property, and every branch held a share. It was because Second Branch had been in the capital as officials that the house had been given over to them. Now that all branches had gathered in the capital, the Second Branch ought to have yielded the house up — so why was there still this matter of purchasing a new residence elsewhere? Did Second Branch imagine that the house was theirs?

Luo Zhensheng knew his mother’s thoughts well, and lowered his voice to urge her: “Mother, wealth is an external thing. As long as we live comfortably ourselves, that is what matters.”

First Madam looked at her son, and her expression cleared considerably: “Sons need not concern themselves with their parents’ estate. Xing’er, this is the manner of a true man standing upright beneath heaven. With a son like you, wealth truly is an external matter.”

Luo Zhensheng flushed slightly: “Your son is nowhere near as good as Mother says.”

First Madam smiled without reply, her expression as she looked at her son carrying a touch of quiet pride, and let him support her as she walked inside.

Luo Zhensheng’s wife, First Young Madam Gu Shi, was already waiting at the decorated gate with her son Mu Ge in her arms, along with Sixth Yiniang, maids, wives, and serving women all assembled to receive them.

Upon seeing First Madam, she quickly moved forward to welcome her. Mu Ge grew instantly excited, stretching both arms wide open and calling out in a loud voice: “Grandmother! Grandmother!”

First Madam could no longer contain the smile spreading to every corner of her face. She quickened her steps, reached out, and took Mu Ge into her arms: “Good Mu Ge — did you miss Grandmother?”

“I did!” Four-year-old Mu Ge answered in his milky, round-cheeked voice, hugged First Madam’s neck, and pressed his little cheek to her chin.

“What a good child.” First Madam patted her grandson’s back gently, face radiant with smiles.

Sixth Yiniang and the others came forward one by one to pay their respects to First Madam. First Madam, in fine spirits, acknowledged them all, then clutched Mu Ge close and made to stride inside.

First Young Madam quickly reached out to take Mu Ge: “Mother, you have been exhausted from the long journey — please let me hold Mu Ge.”

“I am hardly at the point where I cannot hold a child!” First Madam pulled Mu Ge even closer, looking as though she feared someone might snatch him from her arms.

First Young Madam extended her free hand to take First Madam’s arm: “Let your daughter-in-law help you walk in.” With that, the two walked shoulder to shoulder into the main courtyard.

Goldfish tanks, flower stands, stone tables and stools, great trees whose branches reached above the eaves, and paper New Year’s decorations still on the windows… Even in winter, the courtyard gave off a warm, homely feeling.

Looking further in, a man in a sapphire-blue robe with round floral patterns, belted at the waist, stood with his hands clasped behind his back beneath the eaves of the main hall.

He had jet-black hair, fair skin, bright eyes, and an upright bearing. Seen from a distance, he had the imposing, distinguished manner of a man of about thirty-seven or eight — remarkably handsome.

Upon seeing First Madam, he gave a slight nod and greeted her with a smile: “You have arrived!”

First Madam’s gaze sharpened for a moment. She passed Mu Ge to First Young Madam, walked slowly to the foot of the steps, dipped into a curtsy before the man, and called out: “My Lord.”

This man was none other than First Master of the Luo family — Luo Huazhong.

Shiyiniang still remembered the shock she had felt the first time she laid eyes on him — she had expected to see a feeble, shabby-looking old man. Instead, she found a man of exceptional bearing and presence.

First Master asked his wife politely: “Was the journey safe?”

First Madam dipped into a proper curtsy and answered respectfully: “With the son-in-law’s name card to smooth the way, there were no mishaps along the road.”

First Master gave a light “mm” in response, as though not particularly inclined to discuss the matter further, and let his gaze fall on Fifth Miss and Shiyiniang behind First Madam.

Both quickly came forward to pay their respects to First Master.

First Master looked at them with a flicker of surprise: “Hard to believe — in the blink of an eye, both of you have grown this tall!”

That single remark was enough for Shiyiniang to put him squarely in the category of irresponsible libertines.

First Madam’s gaze turned cold at that. Nanny Xu caught it and cried out inwardly: trouble! She immediately stepped forward and dipped a curtsy to First Master: “First Master, how have you been!” — drawing his attention onto herself.

First Master gave Nanny Xu a small nod and said to First Madam: “Everyone is tired — let us all go inside and rest.” With that, he turned and went into the hall.

Everyone followed him inside.

Once they were all seated by order of rank and precedence, Shiyiniang finally had a chance to take in the furnishings of the room.

Black lacquer furniture, green-official-coloured hangings, bright yellow winter jasmine on the tea table, lush green fortune trees in the corner, a ceramic screen with the Eight Immortals crossing the sea on the wall — every element lending the room a vibrant, lively spirit.

Several junior maids moved lightly and quietly to serve tea.

First Master suddenly asked: “Why has Shiniang not come?”

The air in the room stiffened.

First Madam smiled, her manner composed and unhurried: “Her asthma has acted up again, so I did not bring her along!”

First Master frowned slightly: “Was it not agreed she would come? Why has it acted up again?”

“It has been on and off for the past few years,” First Madam’s expression remained calm and natural. “I have been thinking about finding her a better physician on this trip to Yanjing. It cannot go on like this. After all, she is already fifteen this year — we should be starting to look for a match. If word gets out about her condition, complications may arise.”

First Master nodded and let the matter of Shiniang go, turning to Fifth Miss instead: “How is your calligraphy coming along?”

Fifth Miss rose and answered respectfully: “Father, Mother has been guiding my practice all along.”

First Master glanced at First Madam and smiled: “Your mother studied alongside your maternal grandfather from a young age — her hand in the Yan style is even better than mine. That she would guide your practice is a blessing you must know how to cherish.”

Fifth Miss murmured her assent.

A faint smile passed across First Madam’s face.

First Master turned to Shiyiniang: “Are you still sitting at home every day doing embroidery?”

Shiyiniang rose just as Fifth Miss had done and answered respectfully: “Yes.”

“What is wrong with your complexion? Seasickness?”  First Master studied Shiyiniang.

Shiyiniang nodded: “Yes!”

“Seasickness is nothing — you will feel better once you are on land!” First Master broke into a smile. “In that case, make me a pair of shoes someday. Let me see how your needlework has come along.”

Shiyiniang gave a solemn “yes” in reply.

First Master shook his head as he looked at her, smiling: “Such a young girl — I wonder who she takes after? So stiff and proper, so terribly reserved!”

Shiyiniang’s face went crimson and she stood there speechless and faltering.

“All right,” First Madam stepped in to rescue the situation. “The children have not seen you in so long, and you immediately find something to criticise about every one of them. Who could possibly feel at ease!”

First Master smiled and seemed about to say more, when a junior maid came in to announce: “First Master, First Madam, First Young Master, First Young Madam — a messenger from First Young Mistress has come to pay respects to First Master and First Madam!”

Everyone in the room was briefly taken aback.

First Madam had barely arrived before a messenger from First Young Mistress had come on her heels… had First Young Master sent someone to let his elder sister know in advance?

All eyes fell on Luo Zhensheng.

Luo Zhensheng was equally surprised, and said to First Madam: “Mother, I sent no one to inform Elder Sister.”

First Madam looked at First Master.

First Master also shook his head: “I estimated you would still need four or five days to arrive…”

Then it must be someone who had been watching this side of things all along!

First Madam’s expression grew faintly stern. She quickly instructed Nanny Xu: “Go, go quickly and welcome them in!”

Nanny Xu went to carry out the order. Whether it was First Master, First Madam, First Young Master, or First Young Madam — the face of each carried a look of gravity. Not a trace of the joy one would expect at a family reunion. And so an undercurrent of unease began to spread quietly through the room.

Children are the most perceptive. Mu Ge, held in his mother’s arms, looked from First Master to First Madam and back again, his expression turning timid and apprehensive.

Fifth Miss, watching, smiled gently: “Mother, Elder Sister truly has a filial heart… she has been thinking of nothing but waiting for you to arrive!”

First Madam’s lips curved upward: “She has been this way since she was small — always clinging to me.”

“I wonder what Elder Sister looks like now!” Fifth Miss kept up her cheerful chatter with First Madam. “To tell the truth, when Elder Sister was married off I was still quite young…”

Her words were not yet finished when Nanny Xu had already ushered in a woman dressed in a lilac polychrome brocade short over-robe.

The woman appeared to be no more than thirty-five or six. Her jet-black hair was neatly combed into a round bun, exposing a smooth, clear forehead. Her bearing was dignified, with an undercurrent of capable efficiency.

Fifth Miss quickly stopped speaking.

The woman had already knelt to the ground and bowed her head to the floor: “First Madam… this servant Tao Shi has come to pay her respects to First Master and First Madam.”

First Madam let out a soft, startled “ah” and sat up straighter, her expression carrying several parts of genuine agitation: “Why, it is Nanny Tao!”

“It is indeed this servant!” Nanny Tao rose, then knelt again and pressed her forehead to the floor three times in rapid succession before First Master and First Madam, saying as she did so: “This servant kowtows on behalf of the young mistress to First Master and First Madam.”

At this, First Madam actually rose from her seat and stepped forward in person to take Nanny Tao by the hands and raise her up: “How is my Yuan’niang?”

Before the words were even out of her mouth, her eyes had already brimmed over with tears.

“Fine, fine, fine.” Nanny Tao’s eyes were also wet with tears. She clasped tightly the hands that First Madam had extended to her. “The young mistress is well in every way! It is only that so many years have passed without seeing First Madam — she has missed you terribly.”

At those words, First Madam’s tears fell in streams like rain, which made Nanny Tao quickly beg pardon: “This servant has misspoken and made First Madam sad.”

Nanny Xu urged gently from the side: “This is the greatest of joyful occasions — how has First Madam come to tears?”

First Young Madam further handed Mu Ge to the wet nurse beside her, drew out her handkerchief, and personally dabbed at First Madam’s face: “Joy expressed in tears — joy expressed in tears — you are happy, but you must not frighten us like this.”

Fifth Miss, Shiyiniang, and Sixth Yiniang also stepped forward to urge: “First Madam, please don’t cry!”

First Madam, somewhat abashed, took First Young Madam’s handkerchief and dried her own eyes, then smiled: “I am getting old — I have become prone to weeping at sentimental things.”

Everyone broke into smiles.

Nanny Tao then said with a smile: “I was entrusted by the young mistress to invite First Madam to come for a visit at the residence tomorrow afternoon. I hope the timing is convenient? If not, we can change the day?”