After taking their leave of Yuan Niang, they boarded once again the blue-curtained small carriage they had arrived in and traveled westward for about the time it takes an incense stick to burn. Then they turned left onto a narrow passage, and after emerging from it turned left again, coming to a stop before a wide-open gate.

Gray cylindrical tiles, clean bare walls, black lacquered double doors. Outside the doors stood an eight-character screen wall — carved on the left was the character for “fortune,” and carved on the right was the character for “longevity,” each figure as tall as a man. Before the entrance were five stone-blue steps, carved in a pattern of five bats surrounding a longevity peach. Two young maids who had not yet pinned up their hair were playing on the steps; when they saw the carriage pull up, one darted inside at once, while the other came forward to bow in greeting.

Zhun Ge called out to that maid: “Little Shao!”

It was clear he was quite familiar with everyone in the Grand Madam’s courtyard.

Little Shao answered with a grin. Nanny Xu reached into her sleeve and produced a few coins to reward the little maid. The maid offered her thanks, and then several maids dressed in official green sleeveless jackets came out, clustered around one maid wearing an ivory-yellow sleeveless jacket.

“Honored Madam, I am Weizi, who serves before the Grand Madam.” The maid in the ivory-yellow jacket bowed respectfully to the First Madam and the others, then smiled as she greeted Zhun Ge. “Young Master Zhun, have you come with your maternal grandmother to visit the Grand Madam?”

Zhun Ge smiled shyly.

Nanny Xu produced embroidered pouches and distributed gifts all around. Weizi and the others accepted their gifts graciously and with composure, and the party passed through the gate.

Straight ahead stood a rockery of jagged, fantastical stones, with covered walkways extending to either side.

Over the rockery, vines trailed and wound — some swaying like ribbons of jade, others coiling like green threads — while at its foot, plants and grasses grew lush, dotted here and there with small blossoms of yellow, red, and blue. Wild and rustic in spirit, yet altogether presenting a scene of spring warmth and blooming flowers.

Eleventh Miss was greatly surprised. Looking more carefully, she noticed that among the plants, faint traces of a dark-red grid pattern could be made out, like a chessboard of intersecting lines — rows of large square ceramic planters. The plants were not growing in the ground at all, but in individual square ceramic containers.

They must have been cultivated in a greenhouse and brought out here to be arranged.

Turning this over quietly in her mind, she kept a gentle smile on her face and followed the First Madam along the right-hand covered walkway to the inner hall.

The inner hall had three bays. In the center stood a four-panel rosewood screen with glass inlays depicting a crane-and-pine welcome scene. Going around the screen, covered walkways stretched to left and right, with a small three-bay hall in the center.

Yaohuan smiled and said to the assembled nannies, “The nannies have had a tiring journey — please come with me and have a cup of tea!”

In other words: those who were not important should not follow any further.

Nanny Xu exchanged a glance with Ziwei, Hupo, and the others and smiled. “We are much obliged to Miss Yaohuan.” She then led them through the side gate beside the small hall into the back side rooms, while Zhun Ge was carried by his wet nurse; the First Madam, Fifth Miss, Eleventh Miss, Wen Yiniang, and the two maids accompanying Zhun Ge all followed Weizi through the small hall to the main courtyard beyond.

The principal chamber had five bays, with black lacquered floor-to-ceiling columns, large glass windows, snow-white brocade curtains, and stone-blue Western floral wooden paneling at the sills. On both sides were parrots, thrushes, and other songbirds. In the center of the courtyard ran a cross-shaped pathway of blue flagstones; in the northwest corner stood two towering ancient trees, their canopies spreading like umbrellas over the rooftops. In the northeast corner stood a tree of human height, bare of leaves and flowers, its brown branches gnarled and twisted. In the southeast corner was a flower trellis covered in green vines, with stone tables and stone stools beneath, exuding an atmosphere of refined, antique simplicity.

Maids who had already received word stood waiting on the steps. As the group approached, some held back the door curtains while others announced within, “Young Master Zhun has accompanied the Honored Madam here.”

Once they entered the room, a large group of women dressed in reds and greens came in, clustered around a tall woman.

Zhun Ge had already cried out, “Grandmother!”

Eleventh Miss knew that this must be Yuan Niang’s mother-in-law, the Grand Madam of Marquis Yongping’s mansion, and looked her over carefully.

The Grand Madam appeared two or three years younger than the First Madam. She wore a stone-blue kesi gold brocade jacket with gourd-and-butterfly motifs, and a ginger-yellow patterned skirt. Her jet-black hair was gathered into a round chignon, adorned only at the temples with two sprigs of coral, turquoise, and amber bead flowers. Her complexion was fair, her figure slightly full, and on her smooth, round face were a pair of very gentle eyes.

She smiled at Zhun Ge, then stepped forward and sank into a proper curtsy before the First Madam. “My Lady, it was most remiss of me to ask you to make the journey here.”

At the moment the Grand Madam bent, the First Madam also dipped into a curtsy in return. “For you to say such a thing would put me to shame, Elder Sister.” She then introduced Fifth Miss and Eleventh Miss to the Grand Madam. “These are two unaccomplished daughters of mine. The elder is Fifth Miss, the younger is Eleventh Miss.”

Fifth Miss and Eleventh Miss quickly stepped forward to bow to the Grand Madam.

The First Madam smiled, looking the two of them over carefully. “Like bright pearls and morning dew — truly two lovely daughters.”

“The Grand Madam flatters them,” the First Madam said humbly.

The Grand Madam then introduced to the First Madam a woman of about forty, dressed in deep lotus-colored satin embroidered with cloud-and-crane patterns. “This is Madam Qiao of Duke Chengguo’s household.”

The two exchanged greetings.

The Grand Madam then pointed to a bright-eyed, white-toothed young girl beside Madam Qiao. “This is the Sixth Miss of Duke Chengguo’s household.”

The First Madam nodded kindly toward the girl and addressed her politely as “Miss Qiao.”

Miss Qiao bowed to the First Madam, then exchanged greetings with Fifth Miss and Eleventh Miss.

Madam Qiao then gestured toward Wen Yiniang and asked, “This lady is…?”

The Grand Madam smiled. “She is the Marquis’s concubine.”

Wen Yiniang quickly stepped forward to bow to Madam Qiao. Madam Qiao nodded with a smile, rewarded her with an embroidered pouch, and said, “The Marquis truly is blessed. Look at Yiniang — petite and delicate, truly a most endearing sight!”

The Grand Madam smiled and invited the First Madam and Madam Qiao into the western side room, where they spent their everyday hours. The Grand Madam and the First Madam took the places of honor and guest on the heated kang by the window. Small maids brought a grand master’s chair and placed it below the Grand Madam’s seat for Madam Qiao, then brought embroidered stools for Miss Qiao, Fifth Miss, Eleventh Miss, and Wen Yiniang.

Zhun Ge paid his respects to the Grand Madam and Madam Qiao. Madam Qiao cradled Zhun Ge and turned him this way and that, praised him at length, gave him an embroidered pouch, and then — not stopping there — handed Zhun Ge to Miss Qiao and had her carry the child over to the Grand Madam.

Whether it was because the embroidered pouch Madam Qiao had given him was entertaining enough to capture his attention, or because he was about to be returned to his own grandmother’s arms, Zhun Ge had still been squirming while in Madam Qiao’s hold, yet once Miss Qiao took him in her arms, he did not stir at all.

Madam Qiao smiled and said, “It seems Zhun Ge and our Sixth Sister have quite an affinity.”

The Grand Madam said nothing, only smiled and stroked Zhun Ge’s head. She instructed Weizi, “Take Zhun Ge to the warm room to play.”

Weizi answered and carried Zhun Ge away. Wen Yiniang smiled and rose. “Grand Madam, allow me to go and keep Zhun Ge company!”

The Grand Madam looked at her with a smile and said, “Then do take care — don’t let the child bump or scrape himself.”

Beside them, Madam Qiao suddenly interjected, “Why not, Sixth Sister, you go along and keep Zhun Ge company, too?” She turned to the Grand Madam. “Our Sixth Sister simply adores children — the young nephews and nieces at home all clamor and fuss for her attention.”

Miss Qiao’s face flushed slightly, and she protested in a soft, pretty pout, “Auntie… you really are something…”

The Grand Madam gave a small smile. “Miss Qiao is a guest — how could I put her to work?”

“You are her elder — she is the junior. You may direct her however you please. ‘Putting her to work’ hardly comes into it!” Madam Qiao looked entirely set on having Miss Qiao accompany Zhun Ge to the warm room.

The Grand Madam then said, smiling, “In that case, perhaps Miss Qiao might do me the favor of keeping our two young misses company? Those of us who are older can talk amongst ourselves, and the young people need not be bored listening to us!”

Miss Qiao immediately rose obediently, answered “Yes,” moved her embroidered stool over, and sat together with Fifth Miss and Eleventh Miss. The Grand Madam then fell into conversation with the First Madam about the journey — when they had set out from Yuhang, what point they had reached on which day, and when they had arrived at Tongzhou.

It was said to be keeping Fifth Miss and Eleventh Miss company, but with the elders in the midst of conversation, no one dared to interrupt, let alone whisper amongst themselves. Miss Qiao, too, did no more than sit close to Fifth Miss and Eleventh Miss.

Then a maid came in to report, “Grand Madam, Linbo — the Marquis’s attendant — has come to say that the Emperor has detained the Marquis for a conversation. It seems he will return quite late today. He sends word to inform the Honored Madam and says he will call on the household in person tomorrow when he has a free moment.”

“That child — I never know what keeps him so busy!” The Grand Madam sighed at this and turned to the First Madam. “Please do not take offense, my Lady.”

The First Madam was about to reply when Madam Qiao had already stepped in with a smile. “The Marquis is a pillar of the realm — of course affairs of state must come first. The Honored Madam would surely not take offense.”

Hearing this, the Grand Madam gave the First Madam an apologetic smile. “Duke Chengguo’s household and ours are families of longstanding friendship.” She seemed to be offering the First Madam an explanation for Madam Qiao’s enthusiasm.

“Indeed,” Madam Qiao replied with a laugh. “When our Duke first entered the Imperial Guard’s Tiger Might Battalion, the late Marquis was the commanding officer and our Duke was a battalion guard, following the late Marquis about every single day. In those days, we weren’t yet married, and he never went home — he came every day here to eat at Elder Sister’s table…” She laughed heartily. “After we married, he was always saying that the smoked venison at Elder Sister’s household was the finest in the world. He even once sent a man to ask Elder Sister for a piece to bring back. Does Elder Sister still remember?”

“I remember,” the Grand Madam replied with a faint smile, without a trace of the warmth that Madam Qiao was displaying.

Madam Qiao let out a quiet sigh. “Later, the late Marquis passed away, and our Duke was posted to the northwest. Elder Sister closed her doors to visitors, and we came less and less…”

The First Madam, listening, caught a hint of something beneath the surface.

If they were truly families of longstanding friendship, why had they drifted apart simply because the Duke had been posted to the northwest? Moreover, before the late Marquis’s death, Xu Ling’an — the eldest son on whom the Xu family had pinned all their hopes — had died of illness. The grief of losing his heir had laid the Grand Madam low as well. His widow, Madam Xiang He, had taken over the household management without warning; Xu family’s Third Mistress, Madam Gan, had never involved herself in household matters and was also heavily pregnant at the time, of no use whatsoever even in attending to her mother-in-law’s sick bed — so much so that the Grand Madam’s maternal cousin had been specially invited to the household to keep her company for the better part of a year.

Thinking on all of this, she glanced at the Grand Madam.

The Grand Madam sensed the First Madam’s gaze and turned to give her a helpless, resigned smile.

The First Madam suddenly understood.

There had been another matter that year.

The “Sorcery Case” of the forty-sixth year of Jianwu had drawn in several of the adult imperial princes. After the Empress and the Crown Prince died by poisoned wine, the late Emperor had gone on without ever installing a new Empress or Crown Prince. That year, someone had submitted a memorial recommending that the tenth imperial prince, born of Noble Consort Ye, be named heir apparent. The Emperor had been furious and commanded the Grand Secretary Li Qing to investigate the matter thoroughly — it was only afterward that everyone learned Li Qing had connections with the ninth imperial prince and had used the investigation as an opportunity to strike at the other princes. But at the time, the “Sorcery Case” dragged on for five years, ensnaring countless officials. The Xu family, as the in-laws of the seventh imperial prince, was swept up in it as well. Had it not been for her own father-in-law’s protection, and the death of the late Marquis in the midst of it all, the matter might not have resolved itself so simply.

She herself had been in Yuhang at the time, tending to her ailing mother-in-law, unable to come to Yanjing. News barely reached her, and she had been sick with worry — she had even reproached her father-in-law for marrying her daughter into the Xu family…

If the Qiao family had distanced themselves from the Xu family during that period, it meant that the Qiao family had been backing other princes at the time!

The First Madam could not help giving a cold, inward smile.

So now, having backed the wrong side, they come rushing to ingratiate themselves. Had they never heard it said that “it is easy to add flowers to embroidery, but rare to offer charcoal in the snow”?

Eleventh Miss, too, had sensed something beneath the surface.

This Madam Qiao — though she appeared poised and composed, her words and manner showed a great deal of flattery toward the Grand Madam. Could it be that she wanted something?

Her thoughts stirred, and her gaze fell, almost involuntarily, upon Miss Qiao.

—