“How wonderful!” the Grand Matriarch said cheerfully. “Hubei and Hunan are the land of fish and rice, and Wuchang Prefecture is a crossroads of nine provinces — what a fine place indeed!”

Madam Xiang said modestly, “It is all thanks to His Majesty’s grace.”

The Grand Matriarch smiled.

Madam Xiang brought up the matter of selling the houses: “They are all ancestral properties — all told, there are about a dozen or so. Houses forty or fifty years old. The locations are good, but the buildings have fallen into disrepair over the years. Even if we wait until the end of the year, we would only fetch a hundred or so taels more.” As she spoke, she glanced with a smile toward the Second Madam. “I also came this time hoping to consult with my sister-in-law — which ones to keep, and which ones to sell.”

Her tone suggested she placed great importance on the Second Madam’s opinion. Yet the Second Madam was, after all, a daughter who had married out, and this was the Xiang family’s household affair. Discussing it openly in front of the Grand Matriarch felt somewhat improper.

Eleventh Miss raised her eyes toward the Second Madam.

She caught a flash of something sharp in the Second Madam’s eyes, which quickly disappeared, replaced by a faint smile. “I don’t really understand these things,” the Second Madam said. “If Sister-in-law is worried about not getting a good price, the steward the Marquis assigned me happens to be quite a sharp fellow. Why don’t I have him come by your house tomorrow? You can ask him about anything you’re uncertain about.” She then turned to her attendant Jiexiang: “Go and see whether Uncle and the Marquis have finished their conversation. It has been several years since the Grand Matriarch last saw Yijia — he really ought to come and pay his respects to her.” Her manner made it clear she wished to say no more on the subject.

Jiexiang went off at her bidding.

The Grand Matriarch, sensing the Second Madam’s displeasure, smiled and echoed her words: “Getting on in years, one just likes having company. I am very eager to see Yijia too. I remember the last time I saw him he was only this tall —” the Grand Matriarch raised her hand to show the height — “he must be a grown young man by now!”

Madam Xiang laughed. “He is taller than I am now!”

Just then a young maidservant announced: “Grand Matriarch, Second Young Master, Fourth Young Master, Fifth Young Master, and the First Young Miss have arrived!”

“Send them in!” The Grand Matriarch’s face broke into a wide smile. She turned to Madam Xiang: “A few of my grandchildren — do meet them!” Then she glanced at the Xiang family’s three young misses. “They just moved yesterday and took the day off from their teacher today to rest at home.”

Before she had finished speaking, Xu Siyu and the others filed in one after another.

Madam Xiang looked at Xu Siyu: “This must be Siyu — though we haven’t met in years, he still looks just as he did as a child.” Then she smiled at Zhun Ge’er: “And this one I last held in my arms!”

“Indeed!” said the Grand Matriarch, laughing. Eleventh Miss introduced the children to Madam Xiang.

Madam Xiang gave the children jade pendants as meeting gifts.

The children bowed and thanked her. Madam Xiang had the three Xiang misses come forward to exchange courtesies with Xu Siyu and the others, while the Xiang family’s eldest son came in to pay his respects to the Grand Matriarch.

For a time the room was filled with warm laughter and chatter. The adults caught up on the years they had spent apart, while the children each behaved in their own particular way.

The Xiang family’s First and Second Misses kept their eyes straight ahead, their manner composed and dignified. The Third Miss, however, let her gaze drift repeatedly toward Xu Siyu, who sat across from her. Xu Siyu sat perfectly still, his eyes fixed straight ahead, his posture as upright as a pine. Beside him, Zhen Jie’er and Zhun Ge listened attentively to the adults’ conversation. Across from them, the Xiang family’s eldest son kept stealing sideways glances at Zhen Jie’er. Only little Xu Sijie sat there in complete absorption, happily eating his sweets.

……

After lunch, Madam Xiang took her children to visit the Second Madam. Eleventh Miss attended to the Grand Matriarch until she lay down to rest, and was just about to return to her own courtyard when Hupo came over: “The nun from Jining has sent a few protective amulets for you. Finding you away from home, she wandered around the courtyard for a bit. She said that apricot trees should not be planted beside the water pavilion — willows should be planted instead. She also said the goldfish you keep should not be placed on the window ledge of the main heated platform, but rather in the southeastern corner of the main hall… I’ve heard that the Fifth Madam paid her a hundred taels for a religious ceremony. I didn’t dare say anything and told her I would have to wait for you to return before moving anything.”

Eleventh Miss considered: “When in Rome, do as the Romans do. It is impossible to ignore her entirely. But I cannot let her have her way so easily either. In the coming days, keep a close watch — don’t let us come face to face. But do not offend her either.”

Hupo acknowledged this.

Eleventh Miss simply settled down with the children in Zhun Ge’s room for a nap, then kept the Grand Matriarch company after she awoke, playing a round of leaf cards with her until the old lady laughed heartily.

Toward dusk, Nanny Du went to Shaohua Courtyard to invite the Second Madam and the Xiang family guests to come for the evening meal. The Grand Matriarch took the opportunity to invite Madam Xiang to bring the children the next day to dine at the Drooping Line Water Pavilion: “…Fourth Son’s household is rearranging their courtyard, so they have moved temporarily to the Drooping Line Water Pavilion for a while. I thought that side has been uninhabited for several years and I wanted to liven it up a little for them. Besides the family, there will also be the aunts-by-marriage from the Luo family. None of them are strangers. Come and join us.”

Madam Xiang’s expression turned thoughtful. Beside her, the Second Madam said: “Wuchang is thousands of li from here, and there is no knowing when you will next be able to visit. Sister-in-law, do bring Yijia and the others tomorrow for a lively gathering!”

Hearing her own sister-in-law speak up, Madam Xiang hesitated no longer. “I am grateful for the Grand Matriarch’s kind invitation,” she said with a smile. “Tomorrow I will bring the children and come to liven things up for you and Fourth Madam!” She nodded toward Eleventh Miss with a warm and friendly manner.

“We can hardly wait to have you — ‘liven things up’ is far too modest!” Eleventh Miss replied with polite warmth.

All the children, except Xu Siyu, brightened visibly.

After seeing the guests off, no sooner had she returned to the room than Xu Lingyi arrived.

Eleventh Miss helped him change his clothes. He spoke of Master Xiang: “…When Uncle Xiang was alive, he was upright and resolute, and kept himself above reproach. He looked down on both powerful nobles and the so-called pure stream officials alike, and made no small number of enemies. Master Xiang inherited none of his late father’s patronage, and in fact acquired a great deal of trouble because of him. And yet in just a short ten years, he managed to rise from the junior seventh-rank post of deputy county magistrate all the way to the full fourth-rank post of prefect. That is no small achievement.”

This was the first she had heard anything about Master Xiang’s father.

In Eleventh Miss’s mind, the image of a proudly aloof and fastidious old scholar began to take shape. She told Xu Lingyi about the Grand Matriarch’s invitation to have Madam Xiang bring the children to visit.

“They come so rarely — just give them a good reception,” Xu Lingyi said. “Second Sister-in-law has been alone for so many years; it has not been easy. We must always ensure that the Xiang family’s people feel at ease.”

From the few things Xu Lingyi had let slip over time, Eleventh Miss knew that he had been close to his late second eldest brother, Xu Ling’an, and that the Second Madam had helped the Grand Matriarch manage the household during the Xu family’s most difficult period. Whatever way she looked at it, Xu Lingyi’s wish to see the Second Madam live well was something she could understand.

“Rest assured, my lord. I know what to do,” said Eleventh Miss with a nod. She then recalled Madam Xiang’s somewhat ill-timed remarks and the sharp look that had flashed across the Second Madam’s eyes, and told Xu Lingyi about the Xiang family’s intention to sell their houses: “…You might want to discreetly make some inquiries. If the Xiang family truly is in some difficulty, perhaps you should look for an opportunity to lend a hand.”

“This is the first I have heard of it,” Xu Lingyi said, thinking it over. “The Xiang family is a line of officials going back generations, and Master Xiang’s career has been smooth these past years. By rights, there should be no financial difficulty to speak of.” Then he raised his head: “I will look into it.”

The couple exchanged a few more words before retiring for the night.

Early the next morning, Eleventh Miss dressed in a light tea-white short jacket and a crimson skirt embroidered with intertwining branches of lily and honeysuckle blossoms. She simply twisted her hair up into a knot and put on a pair of southern pearl flower hairpins, then went to the hanging flower gate to welcome Luo Eldest Aunt, Luo Fourth Aunt, Twelfth Miss, and Mao Ge to the water pavilion.

Xu Siyu and Zhun Ge had gone to the academy. Zhen Jie’er had Xu Sijie with her, waiting at the water pavilion. The gathering was full of laughter and warmth as the women greeted one another.

Eleventh Miss took her two sisters-in-law on a tour of her temporary residence.

In the three main rooms behind the water pavilion, the western side served as the inner chamber and the eastern as a storeroom. Xu Lingyi’s study was set in the lean-to at the back of the house. When the latticed windows of the pavilion were opened, the mountain views and lake scenery of the Biyi River came instantly into sight.

“What a perfect place to spend the summer!” Luo Eldest Aunt said, nodding repeatedly with admiration.

Fifth Madam came over.

“I have a great deal on my hands just now, and I am observing abstinence from meat,” she said with a smile, greeting the Luo family women. Then she pulled Eleventh Miss aside and said in a low voice, “Please forgive me for not staying.”

Eleventh Miss knew the Jining nun had been conducting a religious ceremony at Fifth Madam’s residence these past few days, and nodded with understanding: “Your affairs over there are important. It is only a pity that without you and your husband, we will have much less merriment.”

“I will come and liven things up for Fourth Sister-in-law once all this is over.” After exchanging a few more courteous words, Fifth Madam left behind two small jars of the palace tribute wine Gold Plate Dew, said her farewells to the Luo family women, and returned to her courtyard accompanied by her maids and matrons.

The Second Madam came over supporting the Grand Matriarch.

Seeing the wine Fifth Madam had left behind, the Grand Matriarch gave a small nod of approval. She drew Luo Eldest Aunt and Luo Fourth Aunt into conversation while Twelfth Miss and Zhen Jie’er took Mao Ge and Sijie to play in the pavilion by the gazebo.

Madam Xiang arrived with her daughters.

“While we are in Yanjing these few days, my husband has taken Yijia to call on some old acquaintances and have them look over his studies along the way,” she explained her son’s absence.

“That is just like these fathers — all of them wish their sons could leap straight to the top in a single bound!” the Grand Matriarch laughed. “Our own Siyu and Zhun Ge also had to go to the academy today.” She then asked about Xiang Yijia: “Is he planning to sit the examinations next year?”

Xiang Yijia had passed his licentiate examinations the previous autumn.

“Our master is having him give it a try,” Madam Xiang said modestly, though a faint gleam of pride showed in her expression despite herself.

“He really must make those calls,” the Grand Matriarch said with a smile. “With guidance from Master Xiang’s old friends, the boy will at least have some sense of direction instead of floundering in the dark.”

“That is exactly the reasoning, Grand Matriarch,” said Madam Xiang. As she and the Grand Matriarch chatted on, the Second Madam and Luo Eldest Aunt and Fourth Aunt sat to one side in attendance. Across the room, the young misses had already fallen into easy conversation, exchanging pleasantries with a modest reserve.

Eleventh Miss could not help giving a small nod of approval as she quietly kept an eye on the tea and refreshments.

At noon, when Xu Siyu and Zhun Ge returned from the academy, two tables were set in the main hall of the water pavilion.

After a cheerful meal, Nanny Song attended to Xu Siyu, Zhun Ge, and Sijie as they went to rest at Lijing Pavilion. Jiexiang attended to Zhen Jie’er, Twelfth Miss, and the three Xiang misses as they went to rest at Shaohua Courtyard. The adults moved to the main hall at the rear of the water pavilion for a round of cards.

Luo Fourth Aunt declined a seat at the table, ceding her place to the Second Madam: “You and your sister-in-law rarely get to see each other. It is not like us — we come by all the time.” She then took a seat beside the Grand Matriarch. “Let me help the Grand Matriarch look at her hand.”

The Grand Matriarch was delighted by her manner of speaking. She took her hand: “Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful! You help me look at my cards, and between us we will beat the other three.”

Everyone laughed, and they settled into their seats.

At one point a maid came in carrying a platter of assorted fruit.

Luo Fourth Aunt rose to take the platter from the maid and set it beside the Grand Matriarch, then asked the maid to show her to the washroom — but not before casting a meaningful glance at Eleventh Miss.

—