Madam Zhou smiled and said: “The one in the sapphire-blue robe is Wang Yuan, and the one in the honey-beige robe is Wang Ze.” She then asked: “What did you think?”

It was Wang Yuan, the Nineteenth Young Master, that Madam Zhou had introduced as the proposed match.

He was the principal candidate — it was understandable that he was somewhat reserved.

Eleventh Young Lady said with tactful restraint: “Both young gentlemen are outstanding in appearance.”

Meaning she was at least satisfied with what she had seen.

Madam Zhou smiled and casually mentioned Wang Ze: “…He is a clan nephew. His father has suffered from asthma since childhood — unable to lift or carry anything — and the family subsists entirely on the public stipend and his mother’s needlework income. Fortunately, from a young age he has been sensible and steady, carrying more than half the family’s burdens without complaint, and is also fond of helping out whenever neighbors and elderly relatives have needs — so everyone in the family, young and old, is fond of him. When Nineteenth came to Ci’an Temple, it was surely because my sister-in-law felt uneasy, and so specifically asked him to come along.”

Eleventh Young Lady was somewhat taken aback.

She had seen Wang Ze conduct himself with neither submissiveness nor arrogance, carrying himself with a certain candid dignity — she had not imagined his circumstances to be so difficult. That someone of his age should possess such bearing was truly rare.

“The Sixteenth Young Master is clearly a reliable person,” Eleventh Young Lady said approvingly. “No wonder he was asked to accompany.”

“It is a pity that his family’s misfortune has pulled him back,” Madam Zhou sighed. “This year he has stopped attending the clan school and has started learning to manage household affairs under the family steward.” She looked very regretful.

Eleventh Young Lady was a little startled.

She had seen Wang Ze’s fluent and capable responses and assumed he had long since gone out into the world.

Madam Zhou, seeing this, assumed Eleventh Young Lady was surprised that the Wang Family had not supported Wang Ze in continuing his studies. She quickly explained: “Although the Wang Family has many descendants, some of whom have risen through the examinations to hold positions governing large territories, it is still the first time we have encountered a case like the two brothers of the Sixteenth — both passing the licentiate examination at such a young age. Why would we not hope he could continue his studies and bring glory to our Wang Family!”

“The Sixteenth Young Master passed the licentiate examination?” Eleventh Young Lady exclaimed, cutting Madam Zhou off.

Madam Zhou smiled with a bitter expression and nodded: “He and his younger brother both passed last year!”

“Then…” Eleventh Young Lady knew even as she spoke that she had misspoken.

Every family had its own difficult sutra to recite.

If there were not some special reason, for someone as young as Wang Ze who had passed the licentiate examination — and both brothers at that — why would the Wang Family possibly not support his continued study?

She corrected herself: “The Marquis Zhennan Household is truly full of talented individuals!”

“But talent must actually be able to flourish!” Madam Zhou said. “For the sake of Sixteenth not continuing his studies, my elder brother personally went to their home. In front of my brother, he promised to contribute forty taels from his own monthly stipend each year to support both brothers’ studies. But the Sixteenth absolutely refused. He said he was the eldest son, and with his father ill, it was only right that he shoulder the responsibility of supporting both parents. He asked my elder brother to help find him a post in the household.”

Madam Zhou revealed a few traces of helplessness as she spoke.

“One cannot blame the child for developing such ideas. Each year the household’s public stipend is not even enough for my brother’s medicine, let alone the daily expenses of the household. On top of that, two children’s studies — brushes, ink, paper, inkstone, and the tutor’s fees — none of which could be spared a single coin. In the early years, my sister-in-law pawned some of her dowry, and her family lent some support, and life could still be gotten through somehow. But after her father passed away six years ago, her brother took charge of the family, and seeing my brother as someone beyond help, gradually stopped visiting. My sister-in-law, afraid of holding back the children’s futures, would sit embroidering through entire nights, and two years ago ruined her eyes — yet has kept on enduring in silence.”

Eleventh Young Lady fell into quiet reflection.

These kinds of stories existed in every era…

And having started on these family details, Madam Zhou found she could not stop: “What he said was not just empty words either. First — he is the eldest son and the one who holds the household together. With a licentiate’s degree to his name, people coming and going would not dare look down on him. Second — his younger brother is only thirteen this year. Rather than the two of them both going hungry in turn, it is better for him to go out and work — not only saving a substantial sum in expenses, but also fully supporting his younger brother in pursuing his studies and passing the examinations.”

There was most likely yet another more important reason.

The step from a candidate scholar to a licentiate is relatively easy compared to the distance from licentiate to the imperial examination degree — which cannot be accomplished in three or five years. The Wang Family might support him for three or five years, but could they support him for ten or twenty? Moreover, as the brothers grew older, there would be marriages to arrange, families to provide for, and parents to support. Forty taels would be merely a drop in the bucket — far from enough. Yet if Madam Zhou’s elder brother were to give more, what would the other relatives think? Might it lead to demands for equal treatment? Might it cause offense among other kin?

Eleventh Young Lady gave a slight nod: “The Sixteenth Young Master is indeed a person of clear understanding.”

Madam Zhou, seeing that she understood, visibly relaxed.

After all, no one wishes to have a reputation for being harsh toward their own clan.

She thought of some things she had heard when she last went back to her family home.

“It is only a pity his maternal uncle is so shortsighted,” Madam Zhou said, a slight frown crossing her brow. “When his maternal grandfather was alive, seeing the Sixteenth was clever and filial, he wished to strengthen their family tie and betrothed his granddaughter to him. Later, when the two families drifted apart, this matter was no longer spoken of. Last year when both brothers passed the licentiate examination together, the maternal uncle brought the matter up again. At the time, one of my aunts was helping arrange a match for the Sixteenth — both families had met, a matchmaker had been engaged, and they were simply waiting to exchange the birth characters for the preliminary betrothal. Then the maternal uncle came day after day to press the matter, and my sister-in-law was still thinking of the support her family had given in earlier years — naturally the match fell apart.” She said this with visible contempt. “This past spring, the Sixteenth accepted the post in the household. My sister-in-law wept several times, and thinking that since his studies were not to be, the child could at least not be wronged in marriage — she scraped together about a hundred taels, engaged a matchmaker, and went to the maternal uncle to propose formally. The result was that the maternal uncle completely changed his tune, refused to acknowledge any such arrangement had been made, and claimed his daughter had long since been promised to someone else. My sister-in-law was so furious she took to her bed for days. She even didn’t attend the nephew’s wedding two days ago.”

Such was reality…

Eleventh Young Lady could not help asking: “What does the Sixteenth Young Master’s maternal uncle do?”

“He lives off a few acres of land left by his ancestors,” Madam Zhou said casually. “In Gu’an Prefecture he is considered among the foremost households. He seems to think that because he has a relative by marriage who holds a position as Commander in the Five Districts Military Command, he himself has become some kind of lord of a great territory.”

Eleventh Young Lady heard these self-contradictory words and could not help laughing.

Madam Zhou knew she had been venting her frustration, and laughed along for a moment. Then she called a young maidservant to bring a table of vegetarian dishes: “…It has been some time since I came to Ci’an Temple for the vegetarian food.” The subject then turned back to Wang Ze: “What a fine young man to be put through all this for nothing — his family is from a branch line, and with a licentiate’s degree he was well-positioned for a match. Now that he is not studying anymore, those with some means will think the family background too thin. If one looks to a modest household, the Sixteenth at least has a degree to his name — it would be too great a waste.”

Eleventh Young Lady nodded, thinking of Twelfth Young Lady, whom she had long kept in mind… she was in much the same situation. Old Master Luo was currently without office, and Sixth Yiniang was of bondservant origin. Families of means would look down on her for being from a concubine’s line. Families without means — the Luo Family would likely refuse out of concern for face.

In a flash of lightning and fire, she found herself leaning forward slightly, inclining her head a little, and softly saying: “Zhou Elder Sister, I wonder — how old is the Sixteenth Young Master this year?”

Madam Zhou paused slightly: “He is sixteen years old this year.”

“And what became of the Sixteenth Young Master’s betrothal to his cousin in the end?”

Madam Zhou already had a sense of what was coming: “It naturally came to nothing. Otherwise, why would I say his family’s troubles had held him back?”

Eleventh Young Lady considered for a moment and said: “I have a younger sister — Zhou Elder Sister has met her — she was among those playing at the Fragrance Flowing Pavilion on the third of the third month with Fang Jie’er and the others. Eleven years old this year, and she has also reached the age for marriage discussions. The Sixteenth Young Master comes from a distinguished family, is of fine bearing, and well-read in the classics. I wonder if there might be such a fortunate connection…”

Madam Zhou already understood completely.

Her mind worked rapidly.

That Twelfth Young Lady was absolutely faultless in appearance. Though Old Master Luo was now retired from office and she was from a concubine’s line, the Luo Second Uncle was serving as an Associate Administrator in Shandong, the Third Uncle as Education Intendant in Sichuan, Eleventh Young Lady had become the wife of the Yongping Marquis, Tenth Young Lady had married into the Maoguo Ducal Household, Elder Luo was a Shuji Shi academician, and there was also a great-niece who had married an academician achieving the third-place in the imperial examinations…

Already a glimmer of excitement was showing in Madam Zhou’s eyes. Without waiting for Eleventh Young Lady to finish speaking, she smiled and said: “The Luo Family is a household of scholars and officials for generations. The Twelfth Young Lady is outstanding in appearance and virtuous in character — if she should take a liking to our Sixteenth, that would be the fortune he earned through cultivation in a past life.”

Both women had made their intentions clear, and they could not help exchanging a glance and smiling at each other.

Madam Zhou then said: “I will go back to my family’s home in the next few days.”

This matter also required consulting with Luo Zhensheng.

Eleventh Young Lady smiled and nodded: “On my eldest sister-in-law’s side, I also need to go and let her know.”

“And the matter of the Nineteenth…”

Eleventh Young Lady flushed slightly: “This matter, beyond speaking with the Marquis, the Grand Matriarch…”

Madam Zhou understood as well — Wang Ze and Wang Yuan were different cases, just as Twelfth Young Lady could not be compared to Zhen Jie’er. She said briskly: “Then we handle them one at a time!”

Eleventh Young Lady quickly said with a smile: “Then I must trouble Zhou Elder Sister!”

“No talk of trouble,” Madam Zhou smiled. “Just remember to make me a pair of matchmaker’s shoes with your own hands when the time comes. I hear from our Fang Jie’er that you once made Zhen Jie’er a pair of bright red sleeping shoes with parrots carrying peaches — they were absolutely beautiful.”

“As long as Zhou Elder Sister considers them worthy!”

Eleventh Young Lady and Madam Zhou chatted and laughed. The vegetarian dishes arrived.

The two ate, then each returned to their respective households.

The Grand Matriarch took Eleventh Young Lady’s hand and asked: “How was it? Was the Young Master Wang to your satisfaction?”

Eleventh Young Lady told the Grand Matriarch about what had happened.

The Grand Matriarch listened and nodded: “Then send someone to ask around at Scholar Han’s residence — what is Young Master Wang’s scholarship actually like?”

A thought flashed through Eleventh Young Lady’s mind — she recalled that Ziwei, who had been by Fifth Young Lady’s side, seemed to have been given as a concubine to a Hanlin academician surnamed Han!

She reflected for a moment: “We can go find out right away once the Marquis is back.”

The Grand Matriarch, hearing her mention her son, grew slightly worried: “He has been gone three or four days without sending word back home…”

It would not be so soon as that!

Eleventh Young Lady quickly smiled and changed the subject: “Can you guess what Madam Zhou and I talked about at Ci’an Temple today?”

The Grand Matriarch saw her bright eyes sparkling with a rare playful look she seldom showed, and played along with a purposeful intake of breath, teasing: “Hmm, there is a smell of wine on you… and you came back so late… Could it be the two of you were together talking ill of your mothers-in-law?”