Qiu Hong and Dong Hong pretended not to hear. One smiled and said, “Yiniang, which shop managers should we send invitations to?” The other smiled and said, “We don’t really understand these matters — should we ask Nanny Song for a list to follow when buying things?” Wen Yiniang smiled and said, “There is no rush, no rush. Madam has said that in this union between the two families, the Xu family had only one condition: that the eldest young miss not be married until she turns sixteen. The Shao family agreed without a second thought. We still have several years ahead of us!” Thinking of this, her heart came alive, and she felt that life had suddenly become much more bearable. The very next day, she brought the written dowry list before Shiyiniang for her review: “Please have a look — is everything in order?”

Shiyiniang kept the list and said, “Let me also show it to the Grand Madam!”

Wen Yiniang smiled and chatted with Shiyiniang about having sent invitations to the managers of several shops, then drank half a cup of tea before rising and taking her leave.

Xu Lingyi came out from the inner chamber: “Why did you hand the task of purchasing goods over to Wen Yiniang? If you truly want to make use of her, just have her manage the accounts!”

“Let Wen Yiniang have a try at it — if she cannot manage, we can always reconsider.”

There was a distinction between inner and outer affairs; this was, after all, a matter of the inner quarters. Hearing Shiyiniang speak in this manner, Xu Lingyi said no more, and sat together with her in the main hall to speak of Zhen Jie’er’s affairs: “…The Shao family has invited Lord Lin as matchmaker. On our side, I was thinking of inviting the Earl of Zhongqin. What do you think?”

Both men were highly esteemed nobles of great standing.

“The Marquis has given the matter thorough consideration,” Shiyiniang said with a smile. A small maidservant came in: “Madam, Princess Fucheng’s household has sent an invitation to the eldest young miss. She says that the First Imperial Prince’s consort will be wed in the autumn and wishes to host a summer banquet while there is still time, inviting a few intimate friends to admire the lotus blossoms.”

In a few more days, people from the palace would be coming to instruct Fang Jie’er in the etiquette of the imperial court. Though this would not pose any great difficulty for Fang Jie’er, close relatives and friends would no longer have convenient access to her.

This would be one of the last gatherings she would enjoy as an unmarried young lady.

Shiyiniang nodded and agreed: “…If the eldest young miss would like to go, have Nanny Song accompany her at that time.”

The news of Zhen Jie’er’s betrothal was now known throughout the entire household. Zhen Jie’er, overcome with shyness, secluded herself in her room and refused to see anyone — even when Hui Jie’er had come to invite her a few days earlier, she had not gone. Thinking that once Fang Jie’er entered the palace and she herself was to be married to Cangzhou, there would likely be no opportunity for them to meet again in this lifetime, she overcame her shyness, reported to Shiyiniang, and went to Princess Fucheng’s estate accompanied by Nanny Song.

Xu Lingyi returned and said to Shiyiniang, “I called on the Earl of Zhongqin’s residence. The Earl has been bedridden for over a month. Madam Gan politely declined on the matter of acting as matchmaker.”

Shiyiniang had only glimpsed the Earl of Zhongqin from a distance on one occasion. He had appeared listless and wan, the very picture of a man whose constitution had been hollowed out by wine and carnal excess.

“There was no mention of this when Madam Gan last came to visit.” She furrowed her brow slightly. “Is the Earl all right?”

“Word has it that the weather being so hot, he drank two extra bowls of chilled mung bean water and suffered some stomach trouble as a result,” Xu Lingyi said. “Though his spirits are not particularly good, he spoke quite clearly. He should be fine.”

The situation in the Gan household was exceedingly complicated. The heir apparent and his wife had long been guarding against Madam Gan, and now that the Earl of Zhongqin had fallen ill, Madam Gan’s days would surely not be easy.

Shiyiniang felt some concern for Madam Gan.

“My lord, ought we to go together to call on the invalid?”

Since it was the Earl of Zhongqin who was ill, female family members would not ordinarily need to appear, but as the two households were related by kinship, she was not quite certain of the proper course.

“There is no need,” Xu Lingyi said. “I have already gone to pay my respects.” Thinking then of the fact that Shiyiniang was on close terms with Madam Gan, he added, “If you are worried, just send a nanny over to look in on her.”

So Shiyiniang sent Nanny Song with two vials of tortoise-and-deer celestial gelatin pills for Madam Gan.

When Nanny Song returned, she sighed with feeling: “…The young heir is tending to the Earl at his bedside, and Madam Gan has not been able to see the Earl for some days now. When I arrived, I happened to run into the personal nanny of the heir’s wife, who had come to Madam Gan asking for incense and candles. She said that with the Earl bedridden these past days, lamps are kept burning in his rooms night and day and the incense and candles are running short. The tone of it — I thought it rather presumptuous. When she saw that you had sent something for her, Madam Gan was deeply moved; her eyes grew wet right then and there. She also asked after your health, and whether you had moved back. She said that once the Earl is a little better, she will come to thank you in person!”

Shiyiniang fell silent.

And the Earl of Zhongqin was not even dead yet. If he were to die…

Nanny Song, seeing that Shiyiniang’s expression had changed, suddenly realized her words had been ill-chosen. She gave an embarrassed smile and drew from her bodice a red lacquer gold-painted box, barely an inch tall and three inches wide, fitted with a small copper lock: “Madam, this is from Madam Gan. She asked me to give it to you for safekeeping — says it contains a few personal effects of hers.”

Shiyiniang was startled.

Could it be that Madam Gan had already sensed what was coming and was making provision for the future?

She accepted the box without betraying her thoughts.

Nanny Song, having grown up from childhood in a noble household, had heard even if she had not witnessed such things herself. She added meaningfully: “When Madam Gan gave it to me, there was not a single other person present.”

Shiyiniang nodded, and Nanny Song withdrew.

She climbed onto the bed, pushed aside the carved panel at the headboard — carved with a design of magpies perched on plum branches — and carefully tucked the box behind it.

Xu Lingyi then invited Zhou Shizheng, the third son of Princess Fucheng and the father of Fang Jie’er, to serve as matchmaker, and on the twenty-second day of the sixth month, the minor betrothal gifts were presented.

After that, the weather grew hotter and hotter. The air was filled on all sides with the ceaseless chirping of cicadas. Chilled mung bean soup, lotus seed soup, and sour plum soup were served without fail each day. Ice was brought in to cool the rooms of the Grand Madam, Shiyiniang, the Fifth Madam, and the Second Madam. Zhun Ge followed the Grand Madam and enjoyed the shady coolness of Lijing Pavilion, with its dense woodland. Shiyiniang felt pity for Jie Ge and, whenever she was free, invited him to her chambers to play, telling him stories from the Three-Character Classic. Over the course of half a month, he had several stories off by heart and could recite them fluently — giving Shiyiniang no small sense of accomplishment. She had someone find sheets of copper-plated paper and set about making a set of flash cards for Xu Sijie.

Just as the seventh month’s mid-point festival drew near, a letter arrived from Xu Siyu reporting that he was safe and well.

“…The teacher is rigorous and exacting in his scholarship; the teacher’s wife is warm and kind…During leisure hours, I go mountain climbing in the hills behind the academy with my fellow students. Your child is in good health. Please do not worry, Father, Grandmother, and Mother.”

“As long as he is well, as long as he is well!” The Grand Madam listened and nodded repeatedly. Then a small maidservant came running in: “Madam, the dispatch office says that the Earl of Zhongqin has passed away.”

Shiyiniang felt a jolt in her chest and involuntarily pressed her hand to it. The Grand Madam had already addressed the small maidservant in a sharp voice: “Are you certain of what you heard?”

The maidservant’s face turned white with fright: “Steward Zhao said so himself!”

The Grand Madam was silent for a long while.

For a time, the room was so still one could have heard a pin drop.

“This summer’s heat has been rather severe,” the Grand Madam murmured softly to herself, her lips barely moving. “One cannot blame him for not being able to hold on.”

Only then did Shiyiniang collect herself. Thinking that the Earl of Zhongqin was younger than the Grand Madam, she felt inwardly grateful for the Grand Madam’s robust constitution. She asked the small maidservant: “Did Steward Zhao say when we would go to pay our respects?”

The offerings of three sacrificial animals for the condolence visit were to be prepared by the dispatch office.

The maidservant answered tremblingly: “He said we would go first thing tomorrow morning to pay our respects!”

The Grand Madam then instructed Shiyiniang: “You and Danyang shall go tomorrow.”

Since the Earl of Zhongqin was younger than the Grand Madam, the Grand Madam was not obliged to attend the condolence rites herself.

Shiyiniang assented, went to inform the Fifth Madam, then returned to her own inner chamber and dismissed those attending on her. She quietly retrieved the red lacquer gold-painted box that Madam Gan had left in her keeping, and turned it over and over in her hands for some time before quietly putting it back.

The following day, those from the Xu household changed into plain, understated clothes and went to pay their respects to the Earl of Zhongqin.

The mourning tent receiving female guests was being attended by the eldest daughter-in-law of the Gan family, who was greeting and thanking visitors on behalf of the bereaved. Her face bore no expression of grief.

Shiyiniang and the Fifth Madam offered incense, and Shiyiniang immediately asked the Gan eldest daughter-in-law: “Why is Madam Gan not to be seen?”

The Fifth Madam quietly tugged at her sleeve.

Shiyiniang acted as though she had not noticed, and kept her gaze steady on the Gan eldest daughter-in-law.

A flash of astonishment crossed the latter’s eyes. After a moment, she said: “With the passing of the Earl, the dowager consort was overcome with grief and has taken ill.”

“Ill!” Shiyiniang feigned surprise. “I had not expected that Madam Gan would fall ill. May I trouble the eldest daughter-in-law to have someone accompany me to look in on her?”

The Gan eldest daughter-in-law hesitated briefly, then instructed a woman who appeared to be a senior nanny at her side: “You accompany the Marchioness of Yongping.”

The Fifth Madam’s brow was knitted in a deep frown.

Shiyiniang followed the nanny to Madam Gan’s quarters.

Madam Gan had been moved to the western side chambers behind the main hall. Seeing Shiyiniang, she showed no surprise. She struggled to sit up and instructed the small maidservant at her side to bring over an embroidered stool and pour tea for Shiyiniang.

Yan Rong, quick and alert, helped the small maidservant with the tasks, making the nanny standing at the bedside visibly uncomfortable.

Shiyiniang looked at Madam Gan — pale-faced and haggard — and lowered her head with a quiet sigh, then tucked the bedding more snugly about her.

“I am fine,” Madam Gan said to her in a gentle voice. “My elder sister-in-law came to see me just a few days ago. After the first seven days of mourning are over, my elder brother will come as well.”

Shiyiniang let out a quiet breath of relief.

Madam Gan’s elder brother was the Chief Minister of Transmission, a senior official of the third rank. With him willing to speak up on her behalf and in a perfectly rightful manner, the heir apparent would not dare be careless.

“That is a relief then,” Shiyiniang said, her words carrying a double meaning. “Once things have settled down on your end, I will invite you to share a box of pastries with me.”

Madam Gan gave a slight nod.

Shiyiniang cast a glance at the nanny who had been straining her ears to listen, then rose and took her leave.

Halfway back, she encountered Lotus Leaf, the maidservant at the Fifth Madam’s side.

“Madam!” The tension between her brows eased slightly. “The Fifth Madam is waiting for you in the side reception hall behind the main hall!”

It appeared the Fifth Madam had instructed Lotus Leaf to come and find her.

Shiyiniang felt a warmth in her heart. She followed Lotus Leaf to the side reception hall.

The Fifth Madam was there, speaking in a hushed voice with gentle reproach: “Everyone is watching the Gan family’s spectacle — what business did you have getting involved?”

“Madam Gan was, after all, the honored guest who presided over my coming-of-age ceremony,” Shiyiniang said. “Both sentiment and propriety required that I go to see her.”

When words and temperaments do not meet, even one more sentence is too many. The Fifth Madam shot her a glare, turned her head, and settled herself into the grand master’s chair to one side.

Shiyiniang gave a faint smile.

And then, just as the Fifth Madam had said, the people of Yanjing spent the entire summer watching the goings-on at the Earl of Zhongqin’s estate. First came the matter of Madam Gan: her family of birth quarreled fiercely with the Gan household, and in the end, the Gan family was forced to concede, returning the dowry of Madam Gan’s trousseau to her management and constructing a separate courtyard for her in the rear garden to house her in widowhood. Then came the brothers of the Gan family, who took their dispute over the division of the family estate all the way from the Shuntian Prefecture magistrate to the Court of Judicial Review. Everything was dragged into the open — who among them kept a male entertainer, who among them kept a stage performer as a kept companion. None of it was spared.

In distant Fujian, the Jiang family heard the news and sent two senior nanny managers to Yanjing. They said they feared that the third young miss of the Gan family might be overcome with grief, and that the maids at her side might not know how to attend to her properly — they had come to wait upon her for a period of time.

The people of Yanjing gossiped endlessly. All said that the third young miss of the Gan family had an unlucky birth character. The mourning period of her husband’s household had not yet passed before she encountered the mourning period of her own family, and now she was further burdened by the troubles of her brothers, causing her future in-laws to regard her with contempt…

In truth, one more thing had occurred during this period — only that compared with the affairs of the Earl of Zhongqin’s estate, the citizens of Yanjing found it insufficiently scandalous and it did not arouse enough interest.

In mid-August, the former military commander of Shanxi was reassigned as the military commander of Fujian.

* * *