Just then a maid came in carrying tea. Seventh Young Miss immediately took the cup: “Grand Matriarch — your tea!”

“Good, good, good,” the Grand Matriarch said, laughing warmly as she accepted the tea.

“While I was in Gaoqing, there was nothing else on my mind,” Seventh Young Miss said cheerfully to the Grand Matriarch. “I only kept thinking of Eleventh Sister’s coming-of-age ceremony…”

The corners of Shiyiniang’s mouth curved upward slightly where she sat nearby.

What Seventh Young Miss said was not entirely flattery toward the Grand Matriarch. She did genuinely remember her coming-of-age ceremony, and had sent a solid gold hair ornament set weighing nearly ninety qian as a congratulatory gift. Shiyiniang had been quite startled at the time. Seventh Young Miss had given her a look and said in mock reproach: “As if you didn’t know. I just never knew what to give you — you’re married now, after all, and we’re sisters so we can speak freely, but you still have a mother-in-law and sisters-in-law, and I didn’t want to put you in an awkward position. I kept thinking of buying some painting or calligraphy from a previous dynasty to give you, but then…” She gave a couple of pointed “hm-hmm” sounds and said, “I could see the Marquis isn’t someone to be easily dealt with. So I simply sent along this gold hair ornament set that the Zhu family originally gave as betrothal gifts for me. If things ever become difficult for you in the future, you can melt it down and use it directly. Not like jade objects or antiques — those you’d have to pawn first before you could spend the money.”

Shiyiniang, hearing her call Xu Lingyi someone who wasn’t easy to deal with, felt a little awkward. Yet seeing how guileless Seventh Young Miss was about it, she couldn’t help teasing: “Married life really does change a person. You even know now that melting down jewelry is more convenient than pawning antiques.”

Seventh Young Miss curled her lip: “You don’t know — Zhu Anping runs pawnshops…” She seemed to catch herself and went on, “…and lends money to officials. He’s really not a decent sort at all…” Yet as she said it, her voice gradually trailed off, and no expression of contempt appeared on her face.

Thinking on this, Shiyiniang’s smile deepened.

To dominate an entire region and be called something akin to Lord Mengchang — Zhu Anping was naturally no simple, refined figure.

The only question was what had caused the two of them to quarrel. From Seventh Young Miss’s manner, it seemed as though running off to make her husband search for her wasn’t the first time this had happened. This was no good habit at all. She had tried several times to probe Seventh Young Miss, but each time the latter deflected to other topics and refused to tell her the truth. With the pressing need to come pay respects to the Grand Matriarch as well, she had no choice but to send Hupo to find out from Mu Fu…

Deep in these thoughts, she heard Seventh Young Miss say softly to the Grand Matriarch: “It is only that now I am also managing the household, and truly could not get away easily. My mother-in-law, out of concern for how far I have married from home, insisted I must come back for a visit. I wanted to, thinking of Eleventh Sister — but I could not bring myself to leave the household affairs. I kept wavering and putting it off until today.”

The Grand Matriarch nodded as she listened.

“My mother-in-law grants me face; I cannot be arrogant about it either. I shall stay in Yanjing a few days and then return to Gaoqing.” Seventh Young Miss glanced over at Shiyiniang as she said this. “I hope to spend a few days with Eleventh Sister before going back home to visit family.”

Shiyiniang broke into a private sweat.

The first part had been well handled, but the ending gave her away — the pretense of wanting to spend a few days with her was too clumsy. It would have been far better to say that since she had lent her horses to Xu Lingyi and been brought here by him, and since his invitation had been so warm she could hardly refuse, she would stay a few days at the Xu residence before returning to her own family.

Still, Shiyiniang had no intention of making excuses on Seventh Young Miss’s behalf.

Whatever had happened between husband and wife, it would be best for them to find a way to communicate. Running off to hide in Yanjing like this would only make those who truly cared about her worry unnecessarily.

To her surprise, the Grand Matriarch was pleased to hear it and said with a smile: “Then stay a few more days. Let Shiyiniang take you around to see the sights.” She also instructed Shiyiniang: “Have Liufang Lodge tidied up for Seventh Young Miss to stay in — it’s quiet there.”

“Thank you, Grand Matriarch!” Seventh Young Miss smiled and curtsied to the Grand Matriarch, then stole a glance at Shiyiniang, her eyes shining with barely concealed delight.

Shiyiniang shook her head in amusement and called Nanny Song to go settle Seventh Young Miss’s belongings and arrange for additional staff to attend at Liufang Lodge.

The Grand Matriarch told a young maid to call for the evening meal.

Seventh Young Miss sat close beside the Grand Matriarch, and spent the Dragon Boat Festival with the Xu household.

After dinner the Grand Matriarch took her tea: “It is getting late, and Seventh Young Miss has traveled all the way from Shandong — the journey must have been tiring. Let us all retire.” She then said to Seventh Young Miss, “I won’t keep you tonight — come have breakfast with me early tomorrow morning.”

Seventh Young Miss replied respectfully with a “yes.” Second Madam and Zhen Jie’er went one way; Xu Lingkuan with Fifth Madam and Xin Jie’er went another; Xu Lingyi, Shiyiniang, Seventh Young Miss, Xu Siyu, and Xu Sijie went together — and they all dispersed.

Shiyiniang was to accompany Seventh Young Miss to Liuxiang Lodge, but Seventh Young Miss linked arms with her: “I brought many things with me — they’ll take a while to sort out. We haven’t seen each other in so long, let’s talk a while together. Otherwise I’ll be all alone in Liufang Lodge with nothing to do.”

Xu Lingyi heard this and said: “I’ve been away from home for some days — there’s quite a stack of things to attend to. I’ll go to Banyue Pavilion.”

Shiyiniang also wanted to hear how Seventh Young Miss had been getting on, and sent Xu Lingyi off with a smile.

“Finally, he’s gone.” Seventh Young Miss let out a sigh of relief, taking Shiyiniang by the arm. “We were on the road going along perfectly well, when a group of rough-looking men in coarse worn clothing, unkempt and unwashed, suddenly surrounded us… I thought my canopied carriage had drawn unwanted attention and we’d run into bandits. I was quite frightened at the time.” Her manner was clearly disapproving. It was evident she had no great liking for Xu Lingyi.

“Rough worn clothing, unkempt and unwashed?” Shiyiniang found the details strange. Xu Lingyi had gone to Zhangqiu to purchase land — not to commit any robbery. The thought flashed through her mind, and her bewilderment deepened.

Seventh Young Miss, however, seemed in no mood to dwell on it, and began asking after the family.

When she heard that Fourth Young Miss was ill, her eyes reddened: “No one told me any of this.” She also said, “Take me to see Fourth Sister tomorrow.” With no worry at all about people knowing she had come back to Yanjing.

This was one of the things Shiyiniang admired about Seventh Young Miss.

For all her impulsiveness, she was good at heart.

Shiyiniang smiled and nodded: “We’ll go see Fourth Sister first thing tomorrow morning!”

Seventh Young Miss nodded.

The two of them entered the Dangling-Line Water Pavilion and reclined on the large daybed by the window in the inner room.

A young maid came in carrying a tall-footed blue-and-white porcelain dish of fruit.

The pears were too coarse-grained, the plums too sour, the cherries too sweet — nothing suited her palate.

Shiyiniang watched Seventh Young Miss complain endlessly about each piece of fruit with a distracted air, and said with an amused smile: “Rest easy. With a carriage as conspicuous as that one, your husband will certainly be able to track you here.”

Seventh Young Miss’s eyes brightened, then she turned and gave Shiyiniang a look: “Yanjing is so vast — if he wants to come, let him come. I am not going back with him in any case!”

Shiyiniang laughed.

Nanny Song came in to report that Liufang Lodge had been put in order.

Seventh Young Miss hesitated, lost in thought for a long moment, then said: “Let me stay here tonight. I have so much I want to talk to you about.” She looked at Shiyiniang with a plea in her eyes.

Shiyiniang looked hesitant.

Her chief reluctance was the thought of sharing a bed with Seventh Young Miss. Last time, she had managed — after much coaxing — to talk her into separate quilts, only to be poked awake twice in the night. Her sleeping habits were truly something to be marveled at.

Seventh Young Miss, seeing her expression, shot her a pointed look: “He has plenty of concubines, doesn’t he? Just let him sleep in one of their rooms. People will even say you’re admirably magnanimous and broad-minded. A benefit to everyone, really.” Her tone carried a distinct sourness.

Nanny Song, listening to this, couldn’t help but click her tongue and mutter under her breath: “The Marquis has just returned — how can he possibly go sleep in a concubine’s room?”

Seventh Young Miss gave a cold sniff and said: “Who knows — perhaps that’s exactly what our Marquis would want.” Then she added, somewhat indignantly: “You — why do you have so many opinions? If I tell you to go report to the Madam, then go report. That’s all.”

Nanny Song’s expression shifted, and she looked toward Shiyiniang.

Seeing how Seventh Young Miss was seething with anger toward concubines and secondary wives, Shiyiniang caught Nanny Song’s eye: “Go and let the Marquis know.”

Nanny Song withdrew, somewhat unwillingly.

Shiyiniang had the maids attend to Seventh Young Miss’s washing: “I rise every day at the fourth watch — you must get to sleep early.”

A mistress of the household typically rose at this hour. Seventh Young Miss nodded and went to the washroom.

Hupo slipped in.

Shiyiniang asked at once: “What did you find out?”

“They say the Seventh Master-in-law took a maid named Xiangyu into his bed. Seventh Young Miss was furious and ran away. And she’s worried that Second Madam will scold her. Not knowing what else to do, she happened to run into the Marquis and came along with him to Yanjing.”

Shiyiniang frowned deeply.

Hupo saw this and said softly: “Mu Fu also mentioned that in the past, the Seventh Master-in-law had not only kept personal maids as bedmates, but had also kept a singer outside the household. He later gave them all up when he wanted to marry Seventh Young Miss. Among them was a distant niece from the Zhu Old Madam’s maternal family. Afterward, when Seventh Young Miss had no news of a child after marrying in, the Zhu Old Madam started muttering about taking a concubine for the master. Second Madam heard about this and personally trained two pretty young maids to send to Seventh Young Miss. But the Seventh Master-in-law not only turned down the Zhu Old Madam’s suggestion for a concubine, he also sent Second Madam’s two maids back. Seventh Young Miss was just beginning to feel pleased about this, when the Xiangyu incident happened. Seventh Young Miss felt she could no longer show her face, so she ran off. The coming-of-age gift she had originally prepared for you was not brought along.”

Had she truly gone and purchased a painting from a previous dynasty?

Shiyiniang couldn’t help asking: “What was the gift?”

“Two paintings from a previous dynasty, purchased for over three thousand taels of silver.”

Shiyiniang was mortified.

Seventh Young Miss came out from washing.

Shiyiniang hurried to have the bed made up.

Seventh Young Miss muttered: “Why can’t we share one quilt — it would be so much easier to talk.”

What did sharing a quilt have to do with talking?

Shiyiniang said with a laugh: “I’m not used to it.”

“You said that before too — but after you married, surely you and the Marquis don’t each sleep under your own separate quilts?”

Shiyiniang was thoroughly mortified. She gave a cough: “I’m going to wash up!” And made a hasty retreat.

Seventh Young Miss called after her, genuinely puzzled: “What’s there to be embarrassed about — we’re both married now, and we’re sisters…”

……

By the time Shiyiniang came out of the washroom, Seventh Young Miss was already in bed.

She lay on her back, eyes wide open, gazing up at the canopy with a pensive expression on her face.

At the sound of movement, Seventh Young Miss turned her head, a look of sadness in her eyes.

Shiyiniang went over and sat down on the edge of the bed: “What are you thinking about?”

“Mother says it’s my fault too,” she said. A glimmer of moisture showed at the corners of her eyes, clear and bright as dewdrops in the lamplight. “But I haven’t done anything wrong — why is it my fault… ” She turned her face away. “Does the fault always lie with the woman when there’s no child? The family next door divorced their wife, married another, and still had no son or daughter between them. Then the first wife remarried and gave birth to twin boys… Why should it always be blamed on me!”

This was a societal problem.

Many years later, such beliefs would still persist in some remote regions.

—