Seeing that the outer robe fit Fang Jie’er perfectly, Hui Jie’er covered her mouth with a laugh. “You memorized it all clearly, I trust?”
“Of course I did,” Fang Jie’er replied with complete confidence. “The third clasp is moon-white interwoven with bean-green thread. The fifth clasp has four colors — red, yellow, green, and gold. The twelfth clasp is crimson, jade-green, and pale yellow. The fourteenth clasp uses only black and deep gold…”
Zhen Jie’er stared at them, thoroughly astonished. “The two of you — you really are meticulous to the last detail!”
Fang Jie’er looked pleased with herself. “If I’m having one made to match, naturally it has to be identical.” Then she let out a sudden exclamation and asked Hui Jie’er, “Did you run into Fourth Auntie on your way in? She’s wearing an apricot-colored front-fastening short jacket today, with a deep purple gauze skirt. Deep purple!”
“I saw her!” Hui Jie’er said. “When we came in, Fourth Auntie was just coming out. She had a large peony hair ornament in deep gold set with a red ruby — it blazed and shimmered brilliantly. A rare thing to see.”
But when Fifth Sister saw the large ruby ornament on Shiyiniang’s head, her smile simply refused to come together.
Shiyiniang noticed Fifth Sister staring fixedly at her jewelry and quietly regretted not having changed into different clothes before coming. She pretended not to notice and looked around at Fifth Sister’s living quarters.
It was her first visit here.
Fifth Sister was renting a two-courtyard residence — white walls, grey tiles, blue-brick black gate, all clean and tidy in appearance. The furnishings inside were uniformly black lacquered, with blue-and-white porcelain flower vases, deep sapphire brocade bed curtains, and calligraphy and paintings on the walls ranging from slender and upright to bold and weighty — all of distinguished quality. Everything conveyed the air of a comfortable, cultured household of refined scholarly taste.
The First Young Madam Luo assumed Fifth Sister was simply tired, and helped adjust her pillow. “The third-day ceremony is done. There’s no one else here. Do rest.”
Fifth Sister pressed her lips together and lay down with a weary air.
The First Young Madam Luo then turned to the wet nurse holding the plump, fair little infant and made conversation. “Has a name been chosen yet?”
“Not yet,” Fifth Sister explained. “The baby came early — we were caught somewhat unprepared.”
Because they had been looking forward to it, they would have chosen a name long before the birth — like Xu Lingkuan, who had written out a hundred names, boy and girl alike, before Xin Jie’er arrived, and was always asking people which name sounded better…
Though the thought puzzled her, Shiyiniang felt that every family’s circumstances were different, and that it was not her place to say more. She smiled and looked over the infant. “He does look more like Fifth Brother-in-law.”
The Fourth Young Madam Luo beside her nodded. “I think so too — he looks like Fifth Son-in-law.”
Ziwan came in to call them to the hall. “The food has all been set out.”
Everyone exchanged a few cheerful words with Fifth Sister and then went to the hall, where they took their seats according to rank.
The Qian family had very few relatives in the city. Apart from the female relatives on the child’s maternal side, there were only the wives of a few close friends of the husband’s, whose clothes and appearance were all quite ordinary. Upon seeing the First Young Madam Luo and the others, some looked uncertain and timid; others were composed and dignified; and some came over to greet Shiyiniang and the others. The midwife presiding over the ceremony sang the praises of Qian Ming’s good fortune in having married Fifth Sister, and the First Young Madam Luo and the others all tossed eight-fen silver ingots into the bathing basin.
The First Young Madam Luo responded graciously, and it was only when the maidservants began serving the dishes that the commotion quieted.
Though the guest list was modest, the banquet was held to a high standard — the cooking had been outsourced to the chef from Chunxi Restaurant. Ten small dishes and ten main courses, with a Buddha Jumps Over the Wall served last. Shiyiniang ate shark’s fin and abalone.
So did the First Young Madam Luo.
She leaned close and murmured to Shiyiniang, “This banquet must not have come cheaply.”
Shiyiniang also found it rather extravagant.
The First Young Madam Luo then asked her, “I heard that someone wanted to go into business with you last time. Did anything come of it?”
“No,” Shiyiniang said. “There are some businesses it’s not convenient for me to be directly involved in.”
The Fourth Young Madam Luo, sitting beside them, listened with a thoughtful expression and glanced at the hair-thin strands of shark’s fin in the small gold-lacquered dish.
Most of Qian Ming’s friends’ wives praised the spread generously, calling it a lavish display on the Qian family’s part.
After the meal, some went with the Luo family’s female relatives to the inner room for tea, while others made their excuses and departed early.
Shiyiniang sat for a short while, then took her leave of Fifth Sister. “…I still have guests at home. I’ll come to see you and the baby in a few days.”
Fifth Sister then explained to those nearby, “The Yongping Marquis household is currently hosting a spring banquet, with guests from the Loyal and Diligent Earl’s family, the Zhongshan Marquis’s family, and the daughter-in-law of Princess Fucheng. She made time to slip away and come.”
The midwife said with a fawning smile, “Oh my, what a devoted niece, making such a trip for her nephew!”
But there were two maternal aunts present in the room… Shiyiniang felt the midwife was not terribly adept at speech. She smiled, said a few parting words to Fifth Sister about taking care of herself, and was personally seen off to the door by Qian Ming.
Returning to Lotus Lane, the opera had just ended. Shiyiniang hurried over to pay her respects to the assembled ladies. Everyone asked about the baby’s third-day ceremony.
“…Perfectly formed. He slept right through the firecrackers without even stirring — sound as could be.”
“Now that’s a blessed child!”
They also mentioned that Xin Jie’er had not been seen these past two days. “She really chose the right household to be born into — she knew we needed a little girl at Yongping Marquis’s estate!”
The Fifth Madam smiled quietly and assisted the Grand Dowager toward the main hall.
The food and drink had already been laid out. Madam Zhou pulled Shiyiniang aside and announced she intended to make her drink a penalty cup.
The Grand Dowager, worried Shiyiniang might not be able to handle it, pointed at Madam Zhou and laughed, “Is that any way for an elder sister to behave — have you no sense of proportion?”
Shiyiniang used the Grand Dowager’s remark to deflect and counter with grace, while Madam Zhou herself feared pushing her too hard — so for all the loud talk, she never pressed in earnest. The two went back and forth, and in the end it was the Fourth Madam of the Tang family whose face turned red. This drew a laughing rebuke from Madam Tang at Madam Zhou: “You only bully those who won’t fight back.” The whole table erupted in laughter. After everyone had drunk and dined their fill, the gathering broke up in high spirits.
The Fifth Madam, with the baby on her mind, went first to the Second Madam’s quarters.
Hupo stayed behind to see to the clearing up, while Shiyiniang supported the Grand Dowager back to her room.
Along the way, the Grand Dowager smiled and said, “Everyone agreed this year’s spring banquet was the finest in years!”
Shiyiniang smiled modestly. “That is entirely due to Fifth Elder Brother and Fifth Sister-in-law’s great reputation — they were the ones who managed to invite all three great opera troupes of the dynasty. Without that, none of today’s splendor would have been possible.”
The Grand Dowager smiled and nodded, and the two went inside. She asked about Fifth Sister. “…How did she come to deliver early?”
“She took a tumble by accident, so they say,” Shiyiniang said, taking the hot tea from the maidservant and presenting it to the Grand Dowager. “But fortunately, both mother and child are safe — nothing to worry about.”
The Grand Dowager took the tea bowl and sipped, then smiled. “You’ve had a long day as well — go and rest early. Yao Huang will see to things here.” The look she gave Shiyiniang was gentle and kind, and her manner was firm.
Shiyiniang understood it was well-intentioned. She smiled, curtsied in acknowledgment, and waited until Wei Zi and Yao Huang helped the Grand Dowager into the washroom before making her own way back.
Yan Rong met her at the door. “All is quiet at home.”
Shiyiniang nodded and went into the inner chamber.
Xu Lingyi was already in bed, reclining against the headboard with a book. Seeing the faint flush on her face, he remarked, “You’ve been drinking?”
“I had a little with Elder Sister Zhou and the others.”
Xu Lingyi laughed. “Around me, you claim you can’t drink.”
“This concubine simply lacks the capacity to keep up with the Marquis.”
The two exchanged a few more light-hearted words, then Shiyiniang went to wash up and retire.
She woke in the middle of the night, parched with thirst.
On the small stool by the bedside sat a cup of cool water.
Shiyiniang took the tea bowl in her hands and remained still for a long, quiet moment.
The next morning came earlier than the days before, and there was more to see to. The vessels that had been brought out needed to be returned to the storeroom; the accounts from the past several days needed to be tallied; and preparations for the move needed to begin. It was nearly noon before she had a moment to breathe. She had just sat down to sip a cup of tea when she looked up and noticed that Xiao Li — the maidservant who attended Zhen Jie’er — was talking to Lvyun.
The people who served Zhen Jie’er had never come to seek her out of their own accord.
Shiyiniang told a maidservant to call Xiao Li in.
“What is it?”
Xiao Li curtsied to Shiyiniang. “The eldest young lady says, if the Madam is not too busy, she’d like me to bring back an answer.”
Though she still had the business of the trunk inventory with Hupo to see to, by comparison, Zhen Jie’er’s matter was more pressing. She instructed Xiao Li: “Go ask the eldest young lady to come over.”
Xiao Li answered cheerfully and went to escort Zhen Jie’er over.
Shiyiniang invited Zhen Jie’er to sit across from her. “What is it?”
Zhen Jie’er smiled. “A few days ago, Hui Jie’er mentioned wanting to host a spring banquet at home on the ninth…” She glanced at Shiyiniang.
She’s making progress compared to before.
Shiyiniang smiled. “And what do you think?”
Seeing that Shiyiniang’s expression was warm and gentle, Zhen Jie’er took courage. “I’d like to embroider a handkerchief to give her. And then pick some flowers from the garden to bring along for Fang Jie’er and the others to enjoy.”
Shiyiniang offered her a suggestion. “Good things come in pairs. Why not give her the handkerchief along with that fan sleeve you embroidered the other day? Send them both together.”
Encouraged, Zhen Jie’er broke into a genuine, open smile. She began to share what was truly on her mind. “…The Lin family aunt wants to marry Hui Jie’er off to Cangzhou. I don’t know whether we’ll ever get to see each other again. I’d like to embroider some trousseau pieces for her.”
Shiyiniang was somewhat taken aback.
Before the new year, the Lin family Madam had still been asking about the Fifth Young Master of Elder Grand Secretary Chen’s household. How was it that in the span of just one year, the winds had shifted so completely?
“Who told you this?” she asked with a smile, happy to exchange gossip with Zhen Jie’er.
Zhen Jie’er said quietly, “Hui Jie’er mentioned it herself.” Then she went on, “I also heard from Fang Jie’er that the Lin family’s matriarch had set her heart on the Fifth Young Master of the Chen household. But the Lin family aunt heard that the Chen family ran a strict household, and worried Hui Jie’er would suffer there — yet she didn’t dare openly override the matriarch. So she pushed Hui Jie’er to learn needlework with her mother on one hand, and on the other, quietly sent word back to Cangzhou. Hui Jie’er’s eldest maternal aunt there has already selected the eldest legitimate grandson of the Deng family of Cangzhou for Hui Jie’er, and has also arranged a match for the Lin family’s Fifth Aunt. The people who came from Cangzhou this time are not here for any military examination at all — they came to look the girl over.”
This was the first Shiyiniang had heard any of this. Thinking carefully about Lin Da Nainai’s temperament, she found it more than a little plausible.
She smiled. “Really?”
Zhen Jie’er nodded eagerly. “Really. Fang Jie’er found out when she went home and made inquiries!”
“Fang Jie’er is quite formidable.”
Zhen Jie’er nodded. “And very clever.” She then told Shiyiniang the story of how Fang Jie’er had coaxed the information out of Hui Jie’er, and seeing that Shiyiniang was listening attentively, patient and warm, she plucked up her courage and told her about Fang Jie’er borrowing the little jacket too. “…I know I shouldn’t have. But we’d only just met, and I was afraid she’d be upset…”
Shiyiniang understood that feeling very well.
When you have only just made a friend and you want so much to get along, you are willing to give things away, and it feels like no sacrifice at all.
“It’s nothing, truly,” she said reassuringly. “Only, the jacket is of such poor quality — I worried she might not think much of it when she saw it.”
The worry Zhen Jie’er had been carrying in her heart for the past two days dissolved the moment she saw that Shiyiniang bore no reproach. She smiled with relief, more brightly than before, and began to chat freely. “She loves it. The very same evening she called in the ladies from the Garment Bureau to cut the fabric, and she wrote down what color threads were used for every single clasp…”
She chattered on like a cheerful little bird, telling Shiyiniang about things that were terribly important to her but would have seemed like trifles to anyone else, her smile blazing warm and bright as a summer’s day.
Shiyiniang listened with a fond gaze all the while — until Zhen Jie’er happened to catch the flash of barely concealed anxiety on Hupo’s face, and suddenly came back to herself with a start.
—