Shiyiniang paid her no mind and turned her attention to Madam Gan at her side — the wife of the Heir Apparent of Marquis Zhennan was speaking with her.

“You mentioned last time that you had a tightness in your chest — has it improved?” The wife of the Heir Apparent of Marquis Zhennan was a slight, thin woman of about forty, her face carrying the pallor of chronic illness. When she looked at people, her gaze was sharp and penetrating; frail and slender as she appeared, she carried more presence than Madam Gan. “Not long ago I had some chest tightness as well. I had Physician Zhou prepare two hundred pills of Heart-Clearing Pellets. I found them helpful after taking them. If you’re still feeling unwell, I’ll have someone send some over when I return home — try them and see.”

Her voice was low and measured, her speech unhurried. The words she spoke were neither intimate nor effusive, yet somehow they carried a steadying, grounding quality when heard.

Shiyiniang sensed that she and Madam Gan must share an unusually close bond.

And indeed — a trace of bitterness flickered in Madam Gan’s eyes as she said, “Mine is a heart ailment. It makes no difference whether I take medicine or not.” She spoke of her private troubles with remarkable candor.

Shiyiniang was somewhat taken aback.

She had not expected Madam Gan to be this open with her. But this also confirmed what she had already suspected.

At that, the wife of the Heir Apparent of Marquis Zhennan glanced briefly at Shiyiniang.

Seeing this, Madam Gan introduced Shiyiniang to her: “Shiyiniang is gentle and considerate — we have always gotten along well.” Then, turning to Shiyiniang, she introduced the wife of the Heir Apparent: “When I first came to Yanjing and knew no one, it was Elder Sister Wang who guided me.”

Although this was Shiyiniang’s first meeting with Madam Wang, since Madam Gan treated her with such sincerity, she would return the sincerity in kind.

Shiyiniang curtsied respectfully to the wife of the Heir Apparent of Marquis Zhennan.

Madam Wang returned the courtesy with a smile and said, “So that explains why you suddenly volunteered yourself as someone’s Attendant!” Her manner toward Shiyiniang was somewhat reserved.

Madam Gan laughed, “I heard from the Grand Matriarch that she hadn’t yet found a suitable person, so I put myself forward.”

So it was Madam Gan who had taken the initiative — Shiyiniang had assumed the Grand Matriarch had been the one to ask.

A flicker of gratitude passed through Shiyiniang’s eyes.

Madam Wang, upon hearing this, smiled and glanced around: “How is it I don’t see my young sister-in-law?” Then she gave a small sound of surprise and said, “Ah, there she is — speaking with Lin First Young Madam.” She then smiled apologetically at Shiyiniang. “I’ll go say hello.”

Shiyiniang smiled and nodded, and Madam Wang went over toward Madam Zhou.

Madam Gan then leaned close and said quietly, “She and your elder sister were also very good friends. It’s her young sister-in-law, Madam Zhou, who wasn’t particularly close to your sister.”

Shiyiniang was somewhat surprised.

Everyone seemed to avoid mentioning her elder sister Yuanniang, whether consciously or not. This was not only the first time she had heard someone speak of Yuanniang so candidly in her presence, but also the first time she had learned of someone who had been close to her.

She found herself looking over at the wife of the Heir Apparent of Marquis Zhennan, when the voice of Princess Fucheng reached her: “Wife of the Fourth of the Xu household — come here, let me have a look at you!”

Shiyiniang quickly composed herself and went over to Princess Fucheng with a smile.

Princess Fucheng took her hand and looked her up and down, then said, “Did you make this outfit yourself as well?”

Shiyiniang had not expected Princess Fucheng to ask this.

From her tone, it seemed as though word had already spread that she was quite skilled at making clothes.

She set aside her inner puzzlement and replied respectfully: “In response to the Princess — the needlework mistresses in the household are most skilled. I simply tried my hand at a few garments.”

Princess Fucheng laughed at this and said, “No need for such modesty. Our Fang Jie’er speaks of you with nothing but praise.”

So it was because of Fang Jie’er…

Shiyiniang smiled sweetly and said, “It simply happened to suit Fang Jie’er’s taste.”

“It’s no small thing to suit our Fang Jie’er’s taste,” Princess Fucheng said with a laugh. “I hear you’re also teaching Hui Jie’er needlework? Do come and offer some guidance to our Fang Jie’er one of these days — give the needlework mistresses in our household something to learn from as well. It would save those teachers from the Imperial Needlework Bureau from traipsing in and out of our house all day long, making my eyes dizzy.”

This was high praise indeed.

Shiyiniang quickly said, “The Princess flatters me far too much!”

The Grand Matriarch was also modest: “She simply has a nimble mind. When it comes to embroidery skill, the mistresses from the Imperial Needlework Bureau are naturally the superior ones.”

To continue praising Shiyiniang at this point would risk implying a slight toward the Imperial Needlework Bureau.

Princess Fucheng gave a few warm laughs.

Beside them, Nanny Du, seeing this, hurried to have the maids begin serving the dishes.

After the meal, Princess Fucheng rose to take her leave, with Madam Zhou accompanying her.

Madam Huang, Madam Tang, and Old Madam Zheng also departed one after another. Lin First Young Madam, however, did not leave with Madam Lin — she stayed until the very last.

Seeing this, Shiyiniang stepped out of the flower hall and took the passageway between Dian Chun Hall and the garden to see Lin First Young Madam to the gate.

Lin First Young Madam strolled unhurriedly alongside her.

“I asked Hui Jie’er about it. She said that during those few days, Zhongran had been practicing painting jade hairpin flowers in the back garden. When she went there, Zhongran happened to be in the pavilion in the back garden practicing his painting. Hui Jie’er mentioned that she wanted to paint a picture of jade hairpin flowers to use as a fan face for a folding fan, but had never been able to get it right. Zhongran then selected one of his older pieces and gave it to her. As for anything else — Hui Jie’er didn’t mention it, and he didn’t ask.”

Shiyiniang had not expected Lin First Young Madam to still be dwelling on this matter.

She had assumed the conversation was closed once the words had been spoken.

“Hui Jie’er only did what the moment called for,” Shiyiniang said, pretending not to understand the deeper implication. “Zhen Jie’er didn’t take it to heart either. Since neither of the girls has said anything, perhaps we should let it rest.”

But Lin First Young Madam would not let it go and pressed on: “I also asked my younger brother about it afterward. At the time, was Zhongran the one who came back on his own initiative, or had he been sent for? My younger brother said that he had sent for him — he had no idea there were guests at home.”

Shiyiniang thought of that one lingering, wistful glance.

Shao Zhongran had come back to see Lin First Young Madam — the household servants would certainly have told him what guests were visiting.

If Shao Zhongran truly knew nothing of Zhen Jie’er, she simply could not believe it no matter what!

Shiyiniang thought it over and decided to be direct: “With the matter of the marriage proposal coming first, and then the fan painting incident, I read too much into things. Looking back on it now, it seems I was overthinking.”

“Never mind you — even I was shaking with fury when I first heard about it,” Lin First Young Madam said with a laugh. “I regretted ever having mentioned this match to you. Once I found out it was a misunderstanding, I was anxious to come explain it to you.” She sighed softly. “Since we’re not strangers, I’ll speak plainly with you. By any other measure, our Zhongran falls short of nothing. I won’t even bring up the fact that our Shao Family has been a prominent clan in Cangzhou for generations — just in terms of his character, learning, and appearance, I say without boasting, there are few who could compare. Moreover, his grandfather once served as Deputy General of Guangxi, and the family has some means. The one drawback is that he is the eldest son, and must remain in Cangzhou to manage the family affairs. On that single point alone, no matter how fine he may be in every other respect, I suspect the Grand Matriarch would not agree. So when my younger brother came to me about it, I was not particularly keen myself. But my younger brother begged me repeatedly, and Zhongran — when he found out — just stood there with a flushed face and bowed head, saying nothing. It was only then that I came to sound out your feelings.”

She stopped walking and looked at Shiyiniang earnestly.

“Afterward, from the way you spoke, I could tell you weren’t particularly willing. And I thought of Hui Jie’er’s heartache at marrying far from home — so when I returned, I told them that your family had plainly refused the match. My younger brother wanted me to go back and try once more. But when Zhongran heard, he told me to let the matter drop. I assumed he was too proud to feel comfortable after being rejected. So I didn’t ask further. Then when you mentioned the fan painting…” Lin First Young Madam looked a little sheepish. “I thought those two foolish boys had lost their heads and were using Hui Jie’er to pass something along in private. So I kept pressing my younger brother with a stern face — why had he asked me to act as matchmaker for Zhongran? Did Zhongran’s father know about all this? My younger brother then said that a letter had been sent home asking, and Zhongran’s father had replied asking me to handle it as I saw fit. As for why they had their eye on Zhen Jie’er…” She paused. “I had to invoke our late father before my younger brother finally told me: it was because they had once caught a glimpse of Zhen Jie’er!” She spoke while watching Shiyiniang’s expression with careful attention.

Shiyiniang deliberately let a trace of surprise show on her face.

Lin First Young Madam thought back to today’s coming-of-age ceremony. She had originally intended to find a moment to speak to Shiyiniang and the Grand Matriarch together — but having observed today’s scene, she immediately changed her mind. She felt that if this match could secure Shiyiniang’s approval, the chances of success would be far greater.

“I was far too careless in all this.” Lin First Young Madam’s cheeks colored slightly. “My younger brother is only five or six years older than Zhongran, and since Zhongran is my nephew, I’ve always thought of them both as children — which led me to be a little indulgent with them. I never gave it much thought when they would wander into the back garden now and then.

“And it would seem they were simply fated to meet.

“My younger brother told me that one day, he and Zhongran were about to take a stroll in the garden when they spotted Hui Jie’er and some young misses playing in the pavilion nearby. The girls were laughing and chatting — some picking flowers in the garden, some flying kites, some sitting in the pavilion talking idly — and there was one young miss in a moon-white dress directing a maid to brew tea for them all. Right then and there, Zhongran said to my younger brother, rather improperly, that this young miss was exceptionally virtuous and demure. That was the moment my younger brother first got the idea.”

Lin First Young Madam sighed with feeling. “Zhongran could see that my younger brother had told me everything frankly. He then told me the truth himself. He had thought — our two families are on good terms, and he considers himself a man of upright character — that if I were the one to propose the match, your family would most likely agree. Then, when he heard it had been refused, he was disappointed at heart, but on reflection, he understood: your family perhaps felt he had no achievements to his name and wasn’t an ideal son-in-law, or perhaps you were protective of your daughter and unwilling to send her far away… If he had me press the matter again, your family would find it strange. And if word got out that he had once glimpsed Zhen Jie’er, it would only harm her reputation. So when I said your family didn’t agree, he said nothing more… I thought — he was willing to think of Zhen Jie’er’s reputation in all this — that showed a man of real feeling. And then this whole unlikely, tangled affair came about on top of everything. I thought it was fate. And so I have come to raise the matter with you again.”

Shiyiniang, however, caught something in these words, and said thoughtfully: “Does Young Master Shao know that Zhen Jie’er is concubine-born?”

Lin First Young Madam replied with some embarrassment: “Zhen Jie’er’s background — it was my younger brother who looked into it!”

So — before the fan painting incident, Shao Zhongran had already known the match was off. That was why he had gazed toward the main chamber with that one lingering, wistful look!

Shiyiniang could not help but say, “This is not something I can decide on my own — perhaps we should wait until the Marquis returns to discuss it?” Her tone eased, carrying a note of consultation.

Lin First Young Madam felt reassured to hear this.

If it could be discussed, there was still room to maneuver.

She smiled, “Then let us wait for the Marquis to return and speak again!”

Shiyiniang smiled and nodded, accompanying Lin First Young Madam to the inner decorative gate.

A young maid came rushing in. Seeing Shiyiniang, she quickly dropped into a half-curtsy: “Madam — the Marquis has returned!”

—