The next morning, after Eleventh Miss had finished attending to the household affairs, she wrote a letter to Madam Gan, entrusting her with helping Seventh Younger Sister find a physician as well.
Xu Lingyi had not yet returned.
Eleventh Miss went to the Elder Madam’s quarters.
The Elder Madam had just returned from the Buddhist hall. Seeing Eleventh Miss arrive, she smiled and said: “I’ve never seen anyone manage a household as leisurely as you—coming to sit with me every single day!”
Eleventh Miss smiled and said: “The managing matrons are all capable, so naturally I find myself with little to do!” She helped the Elder Madam settle onto the kang, then told her about the afternoon visit to the Lin household.
The Elder Madam paid no particular mind to it, only asking whether she would be back in time for the evening meal.
“I’ll be back for dinner,” Eleventh Miss replied with a smile. “It’s only to collect a painting.”
The Elder Madam nodded, and asked about the preparations for the banquet to receive Lady Jiang.
Eleventh Miss answered each question in turn, accompanied the Elder Madam through the midday meal, waited upon her as she settled in for her afternoon rest, and only then returned to her own rooms.
She instructed a young maidservant to go invite Wen Yiniang, and went to the dressing room herself to wash and freshen up. By the time she emerged, Wen Yiniang was already waiting inside.
She wore a white-and-silver-striped gauze jacket and a light-blue Hangzhou silk skirt, her hair neatly arranged behind her head in a round bun, properly set with a gilt single-drop hairpin. Seeing that Eleventh Miss had changed into an apricot-white gauze jacket with a peach-red Hangzhou silk skirt, her hair dressed in a tall coiffure adorned with a solid gold phoenix pin clasping pearls, Wen Yiniang relaxed. On ordinary days at home, Eleventh Miss dressed very plainly, and she had genuinely feared that Eleventh Miss might dress the same way for a social call to the Lin household. And so she had taken particular care with her own appearance, aiming only to stand by Eleventh Miss’s side without drawing unwanted notice.
To Eleventh Miss, Wen Yiniang simply seemed unusually understated today—even her signature dangling earrings had been replaced with small gilt-silver lantern ear studs.
Perhaps it was because it was her first visit to the Lin household?
Eleventh Miss mused on this. Better to conceal one’s brilliance than to stand out for reasons no one understands.
The two went to the Lin household.
First Mistress Lin was quite startled to see Wen Yiniang, but betrayed nothing and led Eleventh Miss smoothly to the main reception room for tea. Wen Yiniang lowered her head and kept her eyes down, standing behind Eleventh Miss with a deference comparable to that of Hupo herself.
First Mistress Lin had just exchanged a few words with Wen Yiniang when Shao Zhongran arrived.
Eleventh Miss and Wen Yiniang observed from behind the screen.
Seen up close, Shao Zhongran had that bright, warm openness unburdened by worldly hardship.
The entire Shao family had by now moved into their newly purchased residence. First Mistress Lin exchanged a few words with Shao Zhongran—asking whether they were comfortable in the new house and such—and then served tea.
After Shao Zhongran departed, she handed the painting to Eleventh Miss: “Will it do?”
Eleventh Miss smiled: “Let me take it home and have a look!”
First Mistress Lin asked no further questions, and chatted with Eleventh Miss about ordinary domestic matters for a while before Eleventh Miss took her leave.
“How was it?” she asked Wen Yiniang once they were in the carriage.
Wen Yiniang reflected for a moment. “Young Master Shao has a cultivated and courteous manner, and when he smiles there is something of a child’s spontaneous warmth about him. It doesn’t seem like something concealed or put on.”
In other words, she too found him to be genuine in nature.
“We cannot go out ourselves,” Eleventh Miss thought aloud. “And with General Li not at home, even if the Marquis were to arrange something, there would need to be a proper and aboveboard reason for it!”
Wen Yiniang knew she was referring to the matter of meeting Young Master Li, and found herself at a loss as well.
For a moment the two were silent.
After returning home, Wen Yiniang followed Eleventh Miss to the Water Pavilion.
Zhen Jie’er was there doing needlework with Binju for company. In the slanting afternoon light, she sat in quiet serenity, clear and bright as jade.
Seeing Eleventh Miss and Wen Yiniang enter one after the other, Zhen Jie’er paused in brief surprise before stepping forward to offer her greeting.
Eleventh Miss asked Binju: “Has the Marquis returned yet?”
“Not yet!” Binju replied respectfully.
Eleventh Miss asked a few questions about Zhen Jie’er’s daily routine, then headed to the main room.
Wen Yiniang followed. Noticing that Eleventh Miss’s expression had grown somewhat grave, the words of reassurance escaped her lips almost as if against her will: “Madam, please don’t worry. The Marquis has had nights away from home before—it is often because of something urgent at court…” Before she had finished, both their faces had taken on a look of startlement.
“Is that so?” Eleventh Miss replied offhandedly, then—fearing Wen Yiniang might say something similar again—continued: “As for Young Master Li, we can only wait until the Marquis returns—the Li family has been waiting for word from our side, and if we act rashly, there may be misunderstandings. Since the Marquis is not at home, Wen Yiniang, you may return for now!”
A glimmer of discomfort had flashed in Wen Yiniang’s eyes just moments before, but by the time Eleventh Miss finished speaking, she had already composed herself. Smiling, she curtsied to Eleventh Miss and withdrew.
That evening, Xu Lingyi suddenly returned.
Eleventh Miss was a little surprised.
Xu Lingyi noticed clearly, yet said nothing to explain himself.
Eleventh Miss told him about the day’s events.
Xu Lingyi was greatly startled upon hearing this, and then asked: “What did Wen Yiniang say?”
Eleventh Miss relayed Wen Yiniang’s words to him.
Xu Lingyi was actually silent for a good long while before speaking.
Eleventh Miss raised the matter of arranging for him to meet Li Ji.
“I’ll try,” he agreed, after some hesitation.
The following afternoon, while Eleventh Miss was working with Nanny Li, who managed the kitchen, to finalize the banquet menu, Linbo came running in: “Madam, the Marquis invites you and Wen Yiniang to come speak with him in the outer study.”
Eleventh Miss was quietly astonished. She called a young maidservant to summon Wen Yiniang, and the two of them met at Biyi Lock before going together to the outer study.
The folding screen doors of the outer study’s reception hall stood wide open; from the moment one entered the courtyard gate, the hall within was clearly visible.
Xu Lingyi sat in the central master’s chair. Before him stood a young man dressed in a plain blue jacket.
He was roughly the same height as Zhen Jie’er, with the slender build typical of youth.
This young man must be Li Ji.
Eleventh Miss hesitated.
Were they simply to walk in like this?
The thought had barely formed when she saw Linbo take three quick strides forward, bow with clasped hands and say: “My lord, Madam has arrived!”
Xu Lingyi rose. Eleventh Miss saw the young man in the blue jacket turn sideways and step back a few paces, his head slightly bowed, standing in respectful deference beside the black lacquered floor-to-ceiling column.
Seeing this, Eleventh Miss walked in. From the corner of her eye she kept her attention on Li Ji. Before Xu Lingyi could speak, she said: “I did not know the Marquis had a guest—please forgive the intrusion. I come only because there is an urgent matter requiring the Marquis’s decision.” With that, she presented the menu that Nanny Li had just drafted.
After all, she could hardly claim she had been summoned by Xu Lingyi himself.
Xu Lingyi took the menu and introduced Li Ji to Eleventh Miss: “The second son of General Li—Li Ji!”
He bowed to Eleventh Miss with unhurried composure, graceful and at ease.
“Young Master Li!” Eleventh Miss greeted him with a smile, her gaze making a circuit of his face.
Fair-skinned, with well-shaped brows and a fine nose—in terms of features, he was no less handsome than Shao Zhongran. Yet the two had entirely different qualities about them. Shao Zhongran’s character still showed its natural edges, while Li Ji, young as he was, already appeared remarkably contained—with less of the individual’s distinctive traits on display. For this reason he did not stand out the way Shao Zhongran did.
He bowed and acknowledged her.
Xu Lingyi and Eleventh Miss withdrew to the east wing room. Wen Yiniang, keeping properly to her station as a concubine, stood quietly at the threshold.
Eleventh Miss leaned close to ask Xu Lingyi—who was diligently studying the menu—in a low voice: “How did you manage to summon Young Master Li? What excuse did you use?”
Xu Lingyi’s eyes remained on the menu as he answered: “General Li wrote me a letter asking for my views on the current state of court affairs, and Young Master Li came in person to deliver it.”
Eleventh Miss asked pointedly: “Does General Li often write to ask your views on court affairs?”
“Not particularly,” Xu Lingyi replied with equal pointedness. “But sometimes, one must resort to unorthodox measures.” He then turned to discussing the menu: “Jiangxi cuisine tends to be rich and oily, with a heavy, mellow flavor, and favors hot peppers. It is rather remarkable that you managed to find the ingredients for the stone chicken dish.”
Eleventh Miss recognized this was not the moment for such a discussion, and followed his lead in changing the subject: “I’m not sure whether the taste will be authentic enough when the time comes. We can only do our best.”
Xu Lingyi nodded: “Then let’s proceed with this for now.”
Eleventh Miss curtsied and withdrew with Wen Yiniang.
“Madam, Young Master Li…” As soon as they reached the hanging flower gate, Wen Yiniang began hesitantly. “From beginning to end, Young Master Li did not glance once at you or the Marquis, and he stood there without moving at all.”
Ordinarily, out of natural curiosity, a person would take an extra look at any unfamiliar thing that suddenly appeared nearby.
“This Young Master Li—though only sixteen—must be extraordinarily capable of restraint.” Wen Yiniang’s voice carried a faint thread of worry.
“Do you find that undesirable?”
A flicker of puzzlement crossed Wen Yiniang’s eyes. “I cannot quite say… it just feels a little too composed.”
To carry something to excess is as bad as falling short of it.
Eleventh Miss felt the same.
Wen Yiniang asked further: “Madam, is the Marquis satisfied with Young Master Li?”
“All of that can be worked out,” Eleventh Miss said, after a long silence. “There is always something to find fault with if one is determined to persuade the Marquis. The real question is whether doing so is right.” Her voice had gone somewhat low and rough.
Wen Yiniang pressed her lips tightly together. They walked on until they reached Biyi Lock.
One heading east, back to the Trailing Vines Water Pavilion; the other heading west, back to Nong Xiang Courtyard.
Wen Yiniang did not curtsy to Eleventh Miss. Instead, she came to a stop.
“Madam, I think you should make thorough inquiries into Young Master Shao’s background. If that does not work out, it would be better to search slowly for someone suitable for First Young Miss.”
Her meaning: Young Master Li would not do.
Eleventh Miss was somewhat surprised by Wen Yiniang’s decisiveness on this point.
Wen Yiniang had already said quietly: “Sometimes, a man who is a little foolish—that is a woman’s blessing for a lifetime.”
Was this spoken from her own hard-won experience?
Eleventh Miss stood on Biyi Lock for a long time without speaking.
Later, Xu Lingyi asked her: “Well? That Li boy isn’t bad, is he?”
“Has the Marquis made up his mind?” Eleventh Miss asked in return.
Xu Lingyi paused, clearly not expecting her to deflect the question.
“I feel the Li family is too eager, and Young Master Li too composed,” Eleventh Miss said plainly. “If they are like this in the matter of marriage, they are probably like this in other matters as well.”
Xu Lingyi heard this and frowned slightly, but the next day he sent men to make inquiries about Shao Zhongran.
Eleventh Miss paid it no particular mind. She was busy opening the storerooms to bring out dishes and vessels, dispatching matrons to confirm with the Jiang household what hour Lady Jiang and Miss Jiang the Ninth would arrive. She also asked leave from Teacher Zhao for one day, and said in front of Zhun Ge only that a relative from afar was coming. On the sixteenth, the whole household smiled warmly as they welcomed Madam Jiang, Lady Jiang, and Miss Jiang the Ninth.
Lady Jiang was of middling height and appeared to be around twenty-seven or twenty-eight years of age. Her complexion was fair, with phoenix-tail eyes and a fine nose; her expression was somewhat severe when she was not speaking, but when she did speak, a small dimple appeared on her right cheek that softened her features and gave her a faint playful charm.
Miss Jiang the Ninth’s features very much resembled her mother’s, though at her young age her expression still carried the innocence of childhood, and she was altogether delightful.
* * *