“Take a breath first,” Hupo urged. “Were we not told it was only a threatened miscarriage? How did it come to this — what actually happened?”

Lvyun nodded, steadied her breathing, and then said: “They say that the evening before last, she drank a bowl of chicken broth and began to feel unwell. Then she started to bleed. Fifth Madam was informed immediately and called in Imperial Physician Wu from the Imperial Medical Bureau. He said it was heat accumulation causing a blockage and prescribed the Ganlu Decoction. But after several doses of the medicine…” How Xiaolan had come to be with child — everyone had heard some version of the story. And now, just when Fifth Madam had given birth to a daughter, Xiaolan was gone. Lvyun dared not let her thoughts run further, but her voice had already trailed off. “A fully formed little young master…”

Shiyiniang’s eyes darkened. She said nothing for a long moment.

A hush fell over the room.

Hupo looked about and quickly said: “And Fifth Madam’s side — what is her position on the matter?”

“Nanny Shi is with the Dowager Marchioness discussing it right now,” Lvyun said. “According to Weiwei, Fifth Madam wishes to invite Master Jining of Ciyuan Temple to perform a proper memorial ceremony.”

In Buddhist teaching, all things move through the six realms of rebirth — a death by misfortune such as this would typically leave a lingering spirit, and rites of passage were required. But Xiaolan had been a concubine, and she had conceived during the period of the legitimate wife’s pregnancy. This made matters considerably more complicated.

“And what does the Dowager Marchioness intend?” Hupo asked.

“The Dowager Marchioness has said to first hold three days of rites at home with Master Jining, and then move to Ciyuan Temple for fourteen days of memorial services.”

Three days for the lesser laying-out, seven days for the greater laying-out. Which meant that once the three-day rites were done, Xiaolan and the child’s coffin would be carried to Ciyuan Temple.

The three of them fell into silence.

Hupo said: “Then what should we do?”

She was only a maidservant, yet she had been carrying Xu Lingkuan’s child. On the surface, proper courtesies were expected. But what form those courtesies should take had become a problem. In the past, Nanny Tao would have been the one to handle such things — pass it to her and it would be settled. But now that things between them had reached this point, going to consult Nanny Tao again… that would only invite trouble.

Shiyiniang felt the difficulty as well.

She thought for a moment, then said: “We may as well see what Third Household does. Whatever Third Household does, we will do the same.”

It was a solution born of necessity, nothing more.

If they went wrong, at least they would go wrong together.

Ever since word spread of Dongqing’s marriage to the Wan family, some had cause for joy and others for worry. Those who rejoiced saw a senior maidservant’s position open up; those who worried did not know whom Shiyiniang would appoint. But among the second-rank maids, Lvyun and Hongxiu had both without discussion begun putting in greater effort. In the end, when Dongqing fell ill, it was Lvyun who had taken her place. Lvyun was privately pleased, and had become even more diligent than before.

So the moment Shiyiniang spoke, Lvyun responded at once: “Madam, I will go to Qiuling’s quarters right now and find out.”

Shiyiniang gave a small nod, and Lvyun smiled, curtsied, and withdrew.

But in the main hall, she ran headlong into Hongxiu, who was pushing in through the curtains at a hurried pace.

Today was not even Hongxiu’s day on duty…

Thinking of Hongxiu’s indifferent reaction after learning it was Lvyun who had taken Dongqing’s place, Lvyun felt her heart tighten.

What was she here to talk to Madam about?

“Sister, what is the rush? Where are you off to?” Hongxiu said with a smile.

Lvyun replied, “Just idle here otherwise, so I came to see if there was anything I might help Madam with.”

Just yesterday she had heard Hongxiu say she had no time, and had gone to Hupo to beg Qiuyu to make her a pair of single shoes…

When people lived and worked together, it was best to simply note certain things in your heart and let them be.

Lvyun said simply, “Madam is speaking with Hupo — I have an errand to run and can’t stop to chat,” then walked out with a smile.

Hongxiu let out a breath.

Just because Lvyun had taken Dongqing’s place did not mean there was no longer an opening for herself — Binju was not young either, and within the next year or two she would likely be let out to marry. Whereas Hongxiu was only fifteen this year — one year younger than Lvyun.

When she thought about it, the fault before had been entirely her own. She had thought of herself as someone who had served the First Young Madam of the Luo family, and had not been as attentive in front of Shiyiniang as Lvyun. Now that she knew Shiyiniang was not someone who valued such distinctions, she ought to change. Otherwise, even when Binju was released, there might be no opening for her. Was she to remain a second-rank maid for the rest of her life?

With that thought, she straightened her collar and respectfully announced: “Madam, this servant is Hongxiu. I have something important to report.”

“Come in,” came Shiyiniang’s voice, unhurried as ever, with a faint undercurrent of weariness, as though she could not quite summon the energy.

Hongxiu found this curious.

Madam had seemed a little lackluster ever since her illness. Could it be that the illness had not fully passed, and she was keeping up appearances on account of her mother-in-law, her sisters-in-law, and the need to care for the Marquis and the children?

The thought flashed past. Hongxiu was already lowering her eyes respectfully as she came before Shiyiniang.

She sank into a curtsy, bowing with both hands low, and said quietly: “Madam, the maid Zhurui, who attends Concubine Qiao, just now asked me when the Marquis would be returning to the household. I did not dare say.”

Xu Lingyi had been out early and back late these past two days on account of the Wang family’s affairs, and Shiyiniang had not had the chance to recommend Liu Taiping and Chang Xuezhi to him yet.

What was this Qiao Lianfang up to now?

She had sent her maid quite openly to say she wished to see Xu Lingyi. Was Shiyiniang supposed to block her?

Shiyiniang was faintly displeased, though she let nothing show. She acknowledged Hongxiu’s behavior with praise: “You did well. Certain things should be said when they must be said. Others, it is better to leave unsaid.”

A look of pleasure rose to Hongxiu’s face. She saw that Hupo was standing nearby and guessed there was more to be discussed — she curtsied and withdrew immediately.

Hupo smiled. “They are all rather sharper than they used to be!”

Shiyiniang listened and gave a small smile, then asked Hupo about her personal savings: “How much do I have left?”

Hupo ran through the accounts for her. Shiyiniang waved a hand: “Just tell me the balance.”

“Aside from the bag of gold beans the Dowager Marchioness gave you, there are three hundred and twenty-four taels and eight qian remaining.”

Shiyiniang was quiet for a moment, then said: “Take out three hundred taels and give it to Dongqing. I have already spoken with Chief Steward Bai — ten days from now, she will be sent back to Yu County.” Her tone carried a trace of hesitation.

Hupo was privately startled. “Madam, three hundred taels? That leaves us with…”

“It is nearly the end of the month, and the monthly allowances are about to be distributed,” Shiyiniang said with a small smile. “It will be fine.”

Hupo still looked uncertain. Shiyiniang was already on her feet. “You go and tell her. I am going to look in on Binju.”

Hupo could say nothing more, and accompanied Shiyiniang to the rear rooms.

—

Lanshu, who shared the room with Binju, quietly poured tea for Shiyiniang, and had just stepped aside when Binju came in.

“Madam, if there is anything you need, you need only have one of the younger maids call for me. There was no need to come in person.”

She stepped forward and curtsied respectfully.

Shiyiniang glanced at Lanshu. “You may go for now. I would like a word with Binju.” Her smile was gentle and her tone warm.

Lanshu let out a quiet breath and withdrew with a curtsy.

Binju, seeing they were alone, immediately said: “Madam, Dongqing has been very quiet these past few days…”

Shiyiniang pointed to the small stool beside the kang. “Sit down.” Her words cut gently across Binju’s.

Binju sat.

“With you there, I have nothing to worry about regarding Dongqing,” said Shiyiniang. She passed her the cup of tea that Lanshu had just poured, and said: “Hupo tells me you have been eating very little. You have visibly thinned in just a few days. So I came to see you myself.”

At those words, Binju’s tears fell all at once.

Shiyiniang’s own eyes reddened. “My thoughts are already in such a tangle these days — please do not give me anything more to worry about,” she said. And as she spoke, the tears she had held back that day because of Xu Lingyi’s presence now fell freely, with no need to restrain them.

Binju, thinking of the warmth they had shared before, and seeing how things had now fallen apart, wept along with her.

Hupo stood beneath the window. Hearing no sounds from inside, she had Lanshu bring in cold water to press against Shiyiniang’s eyes.

Perhaps because she had cried herself out, Binju looked somewhat more herself than she had in recent days.

Shiyiniang gave her instructions: “Family matters at home, Hupo will see to. And Liu Yuanrui’s wife is a capable woman. Take this time when you go over there to properly rest and recover. Come the Double Third Festival, I will bring you home.”

Binju pressed the cold cloth to her eyes. “Listen to what Madam says. How could I be so delicate? I will come back as soon as I have seen Dongqing off.”

The two were still talking when a young maid came running in: “Madam, the Marquis has returned!”

Shiyiniang could not stay longer. She gave a few more instructions, then returned with Hupo to the main room.

On the way, she asked Hupo: “What did Dongqing say?”

“Not a word.” Hupo thought of Dongqing taking the three hundred tael bank note and bursting into loud sobs. “She wept terribly.”

Shiyiniang’s steps slowed for just a moment, then she quickened her pace and entered the inner room.

Xu Lingyi had already changed his clothes. He was seated on the large kang by the window of the inner room. Hongxiu was bending down to serve him tea and was saying: “…she has been keeping up appearances through it all, and then Dongqing fell ill on top of everything…” She heard a sound and turned her head, and seeing it was Shiyiniang, she smiled sweetly and called out, “Madam, you are back! The Marquis was just asking after you!” Then she withdrew to one side, quiet as could be.

Shiyiniang found the scene puzzling — she could not make out what Hongxiu was playing at — and stepped forward in some perplexity to greet Xu Lingyi. “My lord is back!”

Rather than giving the customary brief nod as he usually did, Xu Lingyi studied her carefully for a moment.

He could see that her brow did carry a trace of unhappiness. Recalling what Hongxiu had just said about her “keeping up appearances through it all,” he patted the kang cushion beside him. “Come and sit down.”

Seeing that he had returned earlier than usual, and that his manner was a little out of the ordinary, she glanced around at the maids in the room. Though somewhat awkward about it, she made herself sit down beside him.

Hupo, reading the room at once, shot a look at the other maids and led them out of the inner room, one after another.

With the room empty, Shiyiniang’s bearing relaxed considerably. “Is there something my lord wished to say to me?”

Xu Lingyi watched this and found it quietly amusing — he had not expected Shiyiniang to be quite so thin-skinned.

He spoke with composure: “I put the Jiang family’s wishes to Princess Changning today. She agreed it would be the better approach. As for Jiang Furen, Jiang Bai has written to Jiang Gui, and Jiang Gui will come to Yanjing in person if it proves necessary. Once Da’nainai’s matter on that side is settled, Princess Changning will go and speak to the Emperor. I will also have a word with the Ministry of Rites on my end. It should go through without any difficulty. You can put your mind at ease.”

With the Wang family’s affairs settled, she should be able to rest more easily.

So that was what this was about.

Shiyiniang thanked him: “That all of this could be resolved is entirely owing to my lord’s efforts.” Then she added: “Since we will be going through the Ministry of Rites, my lord may be distinguished, but courtesy costs nothing. If there is anything in the way of gifts that should be prepared, please let me know, and I can see to the arrangements.”

“These small matters will be handled by Steward Zhao. You need not concern yourself.”