Shiyiniang knew nothing of what had just transpired in Fifth Madam’s quarters. She was discussing matters with Hupo.

“…Dongqing’s position can be temporarily filled by Lvyun. Lvyun’s position can be filled by Yanrong. This will also help reassure the people who came over from Elder Sister’s household — let them all know that the work here is judged not by where you came from, but by your loyalty.”

Hupo nodded and noted Shiyiniang’s arrangements in her ledger.

“What about Nanny Tao?” she asked hesitantly.

“What does any of this have to do with Nanny Tao?” Shiyiniang’s tone was unruffled. “Why do I not see any of you coming forward to offer yourselves? Nanny Tao was nothing more than an excuse Dongqing gave herself.” She trailed off as she reached the end.

The room went quiet.

Hupo quickly picked up the thread: “I have already seen to everything you asked, Madam. When would you like her sent out of the household?”

That very morning, Shiyiniang had instructed Hupo to quietly spread word that Dongqing was ill.

“Three days from now,” she said, pressing her lips together. “The sooner the better.” She gave further instructions: “Dongqing will recuperate at the house on Goldfish Lane. Wan Yizong’s family will naturally send someone to look in on her, out of both courtesy and obligation. You will need to have a word with Liu Yuanrui’s wife beforehand…” As she spoke, she glanced at Hupo.

Hupo understood at once: “I will see to it first thing tomorrow morning.”

Shiyiniang nodded. “That Liu Yuanrui’s wife is a sharp-minded woman. When you see her, in passing, mention that the household is looking to take on some young servants. I have the intention — and if she brings it up herself, all the better.”

Hupo smiled. “You can count on me, Madam.”

“How has Binju been these past few days?” Since the day Binju had asked to be the one to keep watch over Dongqing, Shiyiniang had not seen her for several days now.

Hupo’s smile carried a trace of sadness. “She eats very little. In just a few days, she has noticeably thinned. We have tried to reason with her. She nods and agrees, and then goes right back to how she was.”

“I will go and see her tomorrow,” Shiyiniang said with a quiet sigh. She was about to continue discussing the younger maids with Hupo when Xu Lingyi returned.

She had no choice but to go and greet him.

“My lord is back.” Shiyiniang curtsied. “Have you eaten? Shall I add something?”

Xu Lingyi looked at her, the faintest trace of a smile rising in his eyes.

He never ate late-night meals. Shiyiniang knew this. It was precisely why she had never asked. Yet now, all of a sudden, she was stumbling over her words… He thought of that feeble excuse she had given — “I am sick” — from two nights ago.

Could it be nerves?

Xu Lingyi gave nothing away, and made no mention of it. “No need. I have been out running about all day and am covered in dust. Ask Chunmo to come and help me change.”

Hupo went at once to call Chunmo in. Shiyiniang led Hongxiu to warm the bedding with a warming stone.

When Xu Lingyi came out, he found her arranging the pillows.

Deep blue ground, embroidered with pink lotuses growing on a single stem.

For the first time, he found himself thinking that these two colors together were remarkably striking — beautiful.

Xu Lingyi sat on the edge of the bed and began to take off his shoes.

“I ran into Jiang Bai at the Wang family’s residence today,” he said casually. “From what Jiang Bai said, Jiang Gui has a rather easy-going disposition. Everything in the household, inside and out, is managed by Jiang Wang Shi. The Jiang family think very highly of her for it.”

Xu Lingyi would not go to see Jiang Bai for no reason, nor would he bring this up to her without cause.

Shiyiniang listened carefully and thought over what lay beneath his words.

“As time went on, Jiang Wang Shi naturally began to develop a certain temper. With no progress on the case at Shuntian Prefecture, she went so far as to threaten to present a direct petition to the Emperor. Jiang Bai felt things had gotten out of hand and would like me to act as a mediator. He hopes I might persuade Princess Changning to put in a word with the Emperor — sparing the Wang family line from extinction. As for settling Jiang Wang Shi, the Jiang family will see to that themselves.” Xu Lingyi lifted the covers and lay down. “I think this gives Wang Family a better chance of inheriting the title, and is more beneficial to them all around. It is not a bad approach.”

“My lord should decide as he sees fit,” said Shiyiniang. Thinking of what she had seen and heard that morning at the Wang residence, she felt the sooner this matter was resolved, the better for the Wang family’s affairs. She moved a horn palace lantern to the small stool beside the bed as he preferred it, then let down the canopy and got into bed.

Xu Lingyi lifted the covers and drew Shiyiniang into his arms. “It is just that for Tenth Aunt, we must have a clear plan. What manner of people exist among the Wang family’s collateral lines, and what their characters are, must all be investigated — otherwise we risk inviting a wolf into the fold.”

Shiyiniang felt that he was holding her rather tightly.

Could it mean that tonight…

The very thought was a little mortifying.

They were, after all, nothing more than intimately familiar strangers.

The thought vanished as quickly as it came. She shifted in his arms a few times.

Xu Lingyi took no notice.

After these past two nights, he was increasingly certain.

Shiyiniang was a rather particular person. When he held her while they slept, she would shift about endlessly until she had found a position she found comfortable.

He loosened his hold slightly.

Shiyiniang’s tension eased.

That must simply have been too firm a grip.

“Is my lord thinking of asking me to go and inquire after Tenth Sister’s wishes?” she asked. But in her heart she was hesitating over whether to tell Xu Lingyi about the strained relations between herself and Tenth Sister — she feared that rather than helping, her going might only make things worse. Tenth Sister, for the sake of opposition itself, might very well choose a course against her own interests.

Xu Lingyi could see that her tone was not especially eager. Thinking back to that single crystalline tear hanging from her lash two nights ago… he felt a faint, quiet pity for Shiyiniang stir within him.

Her own family had treated her so, and yet here she was, still working on their behalf. Even the most generous-hearted person would feel discomfort at times.

Why put her in an awkward position?

“You have had a great deal on your plate lately,” he said, his voice softening almost without his notice. “I was thinking — could we perhaps have Da’nainai go and see to this?” He changed course on the spot, and even offered her a reason not to go herself. “With an intermediary, Tenth Aunt can speak her mind freely — whatever she wants, whatever she is thinking. In your current situation, she may not feel comfortable saying so to you directly. If we cannot read her feelings clearly, we may actually end up doing more harm than good.”

Shiyiniang agreed immediately. “As my lord wishes!”

Seeing how quickly she had agreed, Xu Lingyi felt even more certain he had read the situation correctly.

With this matter — which had been weighing on his mind — now resolved, his mood lightened.

The warmth and softness in his arms brought back the memory of the night before.

“Moyan…” He gently drew her earlobe between his lips, his hand beginning to roam past her collar.

Not again…

“I… I’m tired!” Shiyiniang’s voice came out with a small stumble, her face as flushed as if she had been touched up with rouge.

It had much the same quality as “I am sick.”

Xu Lingyi laughed quietly near her ear. “Tired where? Shall I take a look?”

And Shiyiniang found herself thinking back to two nights ago.

She had been exhausted from the ordeal with Dongqing and had not had the energy to resist.

So this time, she grabbed blindly for the corner of the quilt, trying to wrap herself in it like a cocoon. Xu Lingyi paid this no mind whatsoever. He simply pressed the other half of the quilt down and kissed her… And then, once again, he became Xu Lingyi rather than the Marquis, as he indulged himself to the fullest of a pleasure both tormentingly sharp and deeply satisfying.

Afterward, he helped the curled-up figure of her wipe herself clean.

And suddenly he felt a small twinge of confusion.

How had he come to lower himself so, all for one fleeting moment of pleasure?

—

The next morning, when Shiyiniang returned from paying her respects to the Dowager Marchioness, Liu Yuanrui’s wife was already there waiting.

Shiyiniang had a small stool brought out for her to sit on.

“I was down with a chill a few days ago, and Dongqing was attending me. Unfortunately she seems to have caught it as well. I recovered, but she has only gotten worse. The courtyard also houses a young miss, a young master, and a pregnant concubine — we really cannot have her staying on. I have been thinking that if she is no better in the next day or two, I will send her to your place to recover for a while…” She lifted her teacup and took a small sip.

Liu Yuanrui’s wife was taken aback.

Dongqing and Wan Daxian had looked to be nearly at the point of setting a wedding date — how had she suddenly fallen ill?

She dared not ask.

She knew that in the inner quarters, things twisted and turned in ways no one could follow. Who knew what could be said and what could not?

With this in mind, she adopted a respectful expression and showed every appearance of deferring entirely to Shiyiniang’s wishes.

Shiyiniang nodded to herself inwardly.

Good — knowing to follow the mistress’s cue meant saving everyone the trouble of unnecessary back-and-forth.

“I know that you have your own household and family, and I cannot have Dongqing disrupting your peace on my account,” she said. “Just prepare a clean room for her. Binju will come and stay a while to look after her.”

Liu Yuanrui’s wife saw that everything had been said. She rose and answered respectfully: “Madam, please do not worry. I will take good care of Dongqing according to your wishes.”

Shiyiniang nodded, and the satisfaction in her eyes was evident.

Liu Yuanrui’s wife saw this and gave a small laugh, then said, “Madam, I heard that the courtyard is looking to take on some young servants…”

“That is indeed the case,” Shiyiniang said readily, tossing her the opening. “Do you have someone to recommend?”

“This is how it is,” said Liu Yuanrui’s wife with a smile. “My eldest boy has just turned twelve. He takes after his father — very honest. He puts great effort into everything he does. Madam, do you think… might he be given a chance to try?”

“Certainly,” Shiyiniang replied readily. Then she added, with a note of recollection, “If I remember correctly, there are several other children of the right age in your area as well. Bring them along when you come so I can look them over.”

Liu Yuanrui’s wife was overjoyed and curtsied her thanks. The very next afternoon, she brought along her son Liu Taiping; Chang Jiuhe’s second son, Chang Xuezhi; Chang Jiuhe’s eldest daughter, Xiu’er; and Wan Yizong’s eldest daughter, Sixi.

“Jiang Bingcheng’s eldest son would be ten this year as well. But Jiang Bingcheng had his son taken on as an apprentice at a silk and satin shop, so I did not think to mention it.”

This was the first Shiyiniang had heard of this.

An idea suddenly came to her.

Why not simply let that Jiang Bingcheng be left where he was, and then gradually reduce the allowances for that wing of the household. Yanjing was a prosperous city, full of opportunity. A man of his temperament could never be content with poverty for long. When the time came, even without being asked to leave, he would find his own way out. She also noticed that Liu Taiping was steady, Xiu’er was lively, Chang Xuezhi was sharp-witted, and Sixi was composed — all of them promising. She was pleased and told Hupo to note their names, then instructed Lvyun to see Liu Yuanrui’s wife and the children out of the household.

Before long, Lvyun came hurrying back in. “Madam, something has happened in Fifth Madam’s quarters.”

Shiyiniang’s heart lurched.

Lvyun already continued: “Fifth Master’s concubine Xiaolan has died!”

Shiyiniang and Hupo looked at each other in stunned silence.

—