Eleventh Miss understood perfectly. Without letting on, she found a moment to slip out of the main hall.

Luo Fourth Aunt was waiting under the eaves.

The two went to the water pavilion.

“What is it?” Eleventh Miss asked her softly.

Luo Fourth Aunt smiled: “I heard you mention before that the business arrangement between you and Fifth Aunt did not come to pass. I wanted to ask Eleventh Aunt — if an opportunity arose in the future, would you still go into business with Fifth Aunt?”

Eleventh Miss was not sure why she was asking this, but she restated her position with care: “The Marquis is currently at leisure with no official post. It would not be appropriate for me to be involved in such business dealings.”

Luo Fourth Aunt listened and smiled. “I was just asking.” Then she took Eleventh Miss by the arm to head back to the main room.

But that smile was somewhat strained.

Despite their limited acquaintance, Eleventh Miss had a sense that Luo Fourth Aunt was not the kind of person to make idle inquiries. She did not move. Instead, she took Luo Fourth Aunt’s hand and said openly: “As the saying goes, three cobblers put together are worth one Zhuge Liang. If there is something on Fourth Sister-in-law’s mind, why not speak it so we can think it through together?”

After hesitating for some time, Luo Fourth Aunt said in a low voice: “Fifth Aunt has invited Fourth Brother to go into business with her.”

Eleventh Miss’s brow furrowed slightly as she connected this to the earlier question.

“You know what Fourth Brother is like — it is rare that anyone shows him such regard. Without even consulting me, he made up his mind and demanded fifty taels from me for traveling expenses. His plan is to go to Xuantong with Fifth Aunt’s husband after Fifth Aunt’s full-month celebration. He has promised me a tenfold return — five thousand taels when he comes back.” Luo Fourth Aunt’s expression grew heavy. “Something about it did not sit right with me. I pressed him for details and he told me the deal involves you, with Fifth Aunt’s husband doing the legwork — using General Fan’s connections to exchange grain for salt licenses.” She glanced at Eleventh Miss. “But the last time I heard you speak of this, you said it was not something you could be involved in. I thought perhaps you had changed your mind, so I came to ask.”

So it had not died after all!

Thinking back on the extravagance of Fifth Sister’s infant ceremony, Eleventh Miss could not help suspecting that Qian Ming had already been using her name to work through Fan Weigang’s connections.

If that were truly the case, why had she not heard Xu Lingyi mention it? Was he avoiding the subject in front of her? Or was Qian Ming operating on a small enough scale that Xu Lingyi could tolerate it?

Anger rose quietly within her.

Even if Fifth Sister did not understand the gravity of what was involved — surely Qian Ming did?

Eleventh Miss could not speak ill of Qian Ming in front of Luo Fourth Aunt. She pressed down her displeasure and said with a smile: “No wonder — I was wondering why they brought in the cooks from Chunxi Tower for the infant ceremony as if no expense were too great. Turns out there has been no shortage of money!”

Luo Fourth Aunt, hearing that Eleventh Miss neither confirmed nor denied anything — and recalling her previous stance — felt a sinking certainty take hold in her heart, and her face flushed red with anger. She dropped all pretense and said: “You don’t know the half of it. After you left that day, Fifth Aunt pulled Eldest Sister-in-law aside for a long private talk. When Eldest Sister-in-law went home, she sent Nanny Hang with two hundred taels in banknotes to Fifth Aunt. I asked Xinglin about it, and she said Fifth Aunt told her the money she had was tied up in business dealings and she was temporarily short of funds, and needed to borrow some from Eldest Sister-in-law to be repaid by year’s end. At the time I was already puzzled — Fifth Aunt’s husband is a shrewd man; what kind of business deal would leave him with every last coin tied up? Later, Fifth Aunt summoned Fourth Brother and told him she wanted to go into business together. I grew suspicious, and had someone look into it. It turned out that fifty taels was exactly the cost of a return journey for two people to Xuantong Prefecture.” At this point she was trembling with fury. “When all is said and done, Fourth Brother is the most easily led astray of all your brothers, and he and she are from the same mother… I have not slept properly in days. In my dreams, I have been praying that I am just being overly suspicious.” Her eyes grew red.

Eleventh Miss was deeply shaken.

Although the dowry from the Eldest Madam had not been lavish, it had not been meager either. How, in barely two years, had it come to needing to borrow money? Had she misread the situation? Was Fifth Sister’s money actually being spent on day-to-day expenses, leaving Qian Ming to think of a scheme in Xuantong?

Thoughts crowded her mind. She said: “Fourth Sister-in-law, tell me more clearly. What exactly is going on?”

Having already said this much, Luo Fourth Aunt no longer wished to cover for Fifth Sister.

She said in a low voice: “You also know that Fifth Aunt gave birth early. It was not because she had a fall — it was because childbirth was imminent and they had run out of money at home. In a fit of anger she quarreled with Fifth Aunt’s husband. He called her ‘unreasonable,’ flung the curtain aside, and walked out and was gone for two days. Fifth Aunt, humiliated and furious, started screaming that she was going to throw herself in the river — and that is how the child came early.” She sighed softly. “Ziyuan could see that things were going very wrong, and secretly went to the Third Concubine for help. The Third Concubine, fearing that word would get out and make them a laughingstock, took out eighty taels she had saved up and had me bring it to Fifth Aunt… Otherwise I fear she would have had to start pawning things.”

“How did it come to this?” Eleventh Miss cried out involuntarily. “Fifth Sister is a sharp woman, and she was about to give birth — how could she have let Fifth Aunt’s husband carry on in such a way?”

“Exactly!” Luo Fourth Aunt said with a bitter smile. “Fifth Aunt’s husband entertains a great deal. If he dines at Chunxi Tower, the bill goes on account; if he buys at Duobao Pavilion, the shop boy delivers the goods… Surely when the stewards come to the house to settle accounts, Fifth Aunt cannot say there is no money? Or tell them to go find Fifth Aunt’s husband for payment? That would be the end of his standing. And then there are the social obligations with his fellow examination students — those are debts one would pawn the cooking pot to meet. One by one, item by item — even the strongest-willed woman could not have managed that.”

Eleventh Miss listened with a tangle of feelings too complex to put into words.

“At least Fifth Aunt’s difficulties are only temporary — Fifth Aunt’s husband is a licentiate after all. When he passes the metropolitan examinations and enters official service someday, things will be better,” Luo Fourth Aunt said, turning the matter around to comfort Eleventh Miss instead. “As for the business scheme — don’t trouble yourself about it, Eleventh Aunt. Now that I know your feelings on the matter, I will make sure Fourth Brother gives up the idea. And I will also try to talk some sense into Fifth Aunt.”

By now, she has even drawn in her own brother. Talking sense into her would likely be useless.

Eleventh Miss sighed inwardly. She was also worried about Luo Fourth Aunt and Luo Zhensheng getting into a quarrel over it. “As for Fourth Brother,” she said, “perhaps it is better for you not to say anything to him directly, Fourth Sister-in-law. Better for me to have a word with Eldest Brother and ask him to come forward and dissuade Fourth Brother. That way it will not put you in an awkward position.”

Luo Fourth Aunt was genuinely surprised.

That Eleventh Miss did not suggest having Luo Eldest Aunt speak to Luo Zhengxing, but instead resolved to speak to him herself — this clearly showed she was protecting Luo Fourth Aunt’s dignity. Thinking it through further, Luo Zhengxing and Luo Zhensheng were brothers after all; it would be more persuasive coming from him than from herself. Luo Fourth Aunt could not help feeling a surge of gratitude: “Then I will trouble Eleventh Aunt.”

“Between sisters-in-law there is no need for such ceremony.”

The two women returned to the main room with spirits somewhat subdued.

Early the next morning, as soon as Eleventh Miss had seen Zhen Jie’er off, she sent a message to Luo Zhengxing.

As on the previous occasion, Luo Zhengxing came during the noon recess.

Eleventh Miss had four dishes and a soup prepared for him. Then she explained why she had sent for him: “…I have thought it over every which way, and in the end the only person I can ask is Eldest Brother.”

Luo Zhengxing listened with a deep frown: “Do not worry. I will have a talk with Zichun.” He did not mention Luo Zhensheng by name.

Even so, once Qian Ming was dealt with, a man of Luo Zhensheng’s character would have the inclination but not the nerve to go through with such a venture on his own.

Eleventh Miss felt some relief, and personally refilled Luo Zhengxing’s teacup.

Luo Zhengxing then brought up Luo Yuanniang’s business holdings: “Even if you had not sent for me, I was hoping to find you. Lu Yonggui came to me the other day and said that he has heard the court is considering lifting the maritime trade ban. Many of the large merchants have already gone south and opened branch establishments in the Quanzhou and Guangzhou areas. He wanted to ask your thoughts — should we also make a trip south?”

Eleventh Miss was somewhat surprised. Just two days ago she had only heard that Wang Jiubao had submitted his ten-thousand-word memorial — how could merchants already be heading south?

“I do not know much about such matters,” she said carefully. “Shall I ask the Marquis’s opinion?”

Luo Zhengxing thought it over. “Since you have not heard any specific news, I will go and ask the Marquis myself.”

Eleventh Miss thought this the better arrangement. She called Hupo in: “Tell the Marquis that Eldest Brother-in-law has come, and ask him to return.”

Hupo went off to do so.

Eleventh Miss asked about the matter of engaging a tutor: “…Has there been any news?”

Luo Zhengxing said: “I was afraid I would not be able to invite him myself, so I specifically sent Nanny Hang’s son to call on Elder Statesman Liu and asked him to write a letter to Teacher Zhao’s paternal uncle on my behalf.” He then asked about Zhun Ge: “How is he getting on these days?”

“He used to get up every morning, finish breakfast, and go off to the academy in high spirits. Now he drags his feet getting out of bed and dawdles over breakfast,” Eleventh Miss said helplessly. “It is plain to see he does not want to go to school.”

Luo Zhengxing felt a quiet pang of alarm and began talking about his own experiences learning to read as a boy.

The time for afternoon sessions was drawing near, and still Hupo had not come back. Eleventh Miss grew puzzled: “Even if she had walked all the way to West Main Street, she should be back by now!”

She was just about to send Nanny Song to go and look when Hupo returned: “Madam, Eldest Brother-in-law — the Marquis is at Shaohua Courtyard speaking with the Second Madam. He asks that Eldest Brother-in-law wait a moment.”

Eleventh Miss was startled.

Why had Xu Lingyi suddenly gone to Shaohua Courtyard?

Luo Zhengxing, however, could not wait: “Then I will come again another day.” He rose to take his leave.

Eleventh Miss saw her brother out, suppressing the confusion in her heart. She turned and asked Hupo: “Was the Grand Matriarch also at Shaohua Courtyard?”

“The Grand Matriarch was not there,” Hupo said. “I heard from Linbo that at noon, the head steward Zhao came to report to the Marquis, and after hearing what he had to say, the Marquis went to Shaohua Courtyard.”

Could it be that the Xiang family truly had run into some difficulty?

She was still turning this over in her mind when she saw Xu Lingyi come striding over.

“Has Zhengxing gone?” he said. “Left already?” And then he added in mild reproach: “Why didn’t you ask him to wait a little?”

“Eldest Brother had to be at his afternoon sessions,” Eleventh Miss said with a smile. “He said he will come another day.”

Xu Lingyi nodded, and the two went into the inner room.

“What did Zhengxing want to see me about?”

Eleventh Miss relayed Lu Yonggui’s thoughts on the matter.

Xu Lingyi considered: “Let us wait and watch a little longer.”

Eleventh Miss asked about his visit to the Second Madam: “…Was there something the matter with the Xiang family?”

“After you mentioned it, I had someone look into it,” Xu Lingyi said, settling onto the heated platform by the window. “The Xiang family has no financial difficulties at all — in fact, they have been doing better each year. It is only that when the late Master Xiang was alive, he paid little attention to such worldly concerns, and those old properties were never properly maintained. By the time they passed to Master Xiang’s hands, they had all fallen into disrepair. The cost of repairing them would be nearly as much as building new ones from scratch. Madam Xiang’s intention is to sell a few and keep a few, using the proceeds from the sale to renovate those that are kept. That way they would not need to come up with a large sum all at once, and would also have fewer properties to manage. Since these are ancestral homes, Master Xiang had Madam Xiang come and consult Second Sister-in-law — to see if any held particular sentimental value and should be kept.”

“What did Second Sister-in-law say?” Eleventh Miss had not expected the reality to be so entirely different from what she had imagined.

—