Xu Lingyi and Shiyiniang did not return home until the hour of hai in the evening. The Grand Madam had not yet retired and summoned them to speak with her.

“How are matters progressing?”

“This morning, at the third quarter of the hour of si, he breathed his last. Before that, a messenger was sent by fast horse to the Taiyuan area to carry the news. By my reckoning, it should arrive within the next day or two. The Grand Dowager Wang has not been in good health since Wang Lang’s passing; Tenth Aunt is also someone unfamiliar with household affairs. At present, Zhensheng is there overseeing everything. The Ministry of Rites has already been notified of the death, and the Bureau of Astronomy and Divination has been asked to select an auspicious date. The body will lie in state for seven times seven — forty-nine days — with the formal mourning announcement and dispatch of obituary notices to take place three days hence. By tonight, the mourning tent, mourning clothes, and ceremonial gate arch will all have been put in order. I have left Steward Zhao there to assist.”

The Grand Madam, seeing that everything had been arranged in orderly fashion, gave a nod of approval and instructed Shiyiniang: “The two of you retire early. Tomorrow you must go over there again to help.”

The two of them bowed and withdrew.

Back in their rooms, Shiyiniang told a small maidservant to prepare a cup of loquat syrup for Xu Lingyi: “The weather is very dry — take care, my lord, not to strain your voice.”

Xu Lingyi took the teacup and drank a sip, then said: “Tomorrow I will go with Yiqing to the Ministry of Rites to get the matter of the child’s inheritance title settled as quickly as possible. You should go first thing in the morning to Chief Steward Bai’s place to draw out two thousand taels of silver in bank notes to take over to Zhensheng. From what Zhensheng said today, they apparently do not even have the full amount to buy mourning garments.”

Shiyiniang assented and attended to Xu Lingyi as he settled down for the night. The next morning she went with the bank notes to accompany Xu Lingyi to the Wang household.

Luo Zhensheng had spent the night at the Wang household. Luo Zhensheng, Zhu Anping, and the Seventh Miss had already arrived and were in the midst of conversation. Seeing the Xu couple, they all rose to their feet. Luo Zhensheng at once asked: “Have you eaten yet?”

“We have,” and the group exchanged their greetings. Yu Yiqing, Qian Ming, the Fourth Miss, and the Fifth Miss had all arrived. Knowing that Xu Lingyi and Yu Yiqing were going to the Ministry of Rites, Qian Ming said: “Let me come along to help run errands.” Upon hearing this, Zhu Anping said: “Then I will stay and help Elder Brother.”

“That would be good,” Luo Zhensheng also felt that the Wang household had no one capable of handling affairs, and with only Steward Zhao to rely on for help, any additional support would be welcome.

Everyone divided up their tasks. Shiyiniang hung back a few steps, waited until the others had left the reception hall, and passed the bank notes to Luo Zhensheng: “Elder Brother, use this for now — if it is not enough, just say so.”

Luo Zhensheng thought for a moment and accepted it: “The Seventh Miss also gave me two thousand taels. I will keep an account of all of this so that when their son-in-law and daughter come, I can present a reckoning.”

It was plain that there was truly no money to cover expenses.

Shiyiniang nodded and, together with the Fourth Miss, Fifth Miss, and Seventh Miss, went to call on the Grand Dowager Wang, then headed over to the Tenth Miss’s quarters.

The Fifth Miss sighed: “…Just a few days ago I bought a three-courtyard residence on Four Elephants Lane, thinking to have you all come over and make merry together — and then this had to happen. I will just have to wait until things have settled down.”

Shiyiniang was quite astonished.

Not long ago she had heard from the Fourth Madam-in-law that the Fifth Miss was borrowing money from the Eldest Madam-in-law of the Luo household; at the Seventh Young Brother’s washing ceremony there had been no mention of any of this — and yet in just these few days she had gone ahead and bought a residence?

She thought of the business the Fourth Madam-in-law had mentioned on a previous occasion.

What a pity that the washing ceremony was an affair of the women — Qian Ming would not have been expected to attend. Otherwise, she might have been able to deduce whether or not he was actually in Yanjing at the time…

The Fourth Miss, however, remained entirely unruffled and untroubled, smiling lightly: “When did Fifth Sister buy a residence? Not a whisper of it reached us beforehand.”

The Fifth Miss’s lips parted slightly, as if about to say something, but the Fourth Miss had already spoken before her: “Who is like you, then? You buy a house and make a commotion loud enough to disturb three neighbors and unsettle four.”

The Seventh Miss pouted and fell silent.

When she had bought her house, managers from both the Xu and Yu households had been no small help to her in looking out for a suitable property.

“When are you planning to hold your housewarming celebration?” The Fourth Miss having put her in her place, she turned to the Fifth Miss with a warm smile. “Is there anything you are still in need of? The large and heavy pieces I dare not offer, but for the smaller articles, your Fourth Sister can certainly manage.” She put particular stress on the words “Fourth Sister.”

The Seventh Miss had originally wanted to ask the Fifth Miss what she was short of and offer to make it up. But now, hearing the Fourth Miss speak in this way, she found she could not very well say the same thing herself — she could hardly be seen giving gifts that would outdo those of her own elder sister.

The Fifth Miss had initially meant to ask the Seventh Miss for a seven-panel folding screen or a set of black lacquered furniture, but after the Fourth Miss said what she said, she could only swallow the words. A flicker of irritation crossed her brow, and she smiled: “I am not short of anything, really. I know that Fourth Brother-in-law is a celebrated man of letters in our time. When the time comes, please ask Fourth Brother-in-law to write a few couplets for the doorposts. That would be worth more to me than any object.”

Shiyiniang, watching all of this from the side with perfect clarity, immediately smiled and said: “Our Marquis is a plain and unpolished sort — I shall simply send a complete set of writing implements from Duobao Pavilion.”

The Seventh Miss, seeing that both had chosen gifts that were refined but not extravagant, smiled and said: “Then I will send one of Li’s reclining chairs.”

Shiyiniang then noticed the Fourth Miss breathe a quiet sigh of relief.

She gave a faint inward smile, then heard the Fifth Miss say with a laugh: “You are all far too kind, Fourth Sister and my two younger sisters — now I simply must hold a housewarming.”

Everyone chatted on and entered the Tenth Miss’s rooms.

The Tenth Miss had already put on her mourning garments. Her face was gaunt to the point that only a pair of large eyes remained, swollen like peaches — it was plain she had been weeping. Everyone was rather taken aback.

She gave the assembled group a nod of acknowledgment, and had Silver Bottle pour tea for everyone.

The Fourth Miss, on behalf of the household’s sisters, asked after the Tenth Miss’s wellbeing. The Tenth Miss answered each query in turn; though her words were sparse, her thinking was clear and coherent. She pointedly did not glance once in Shiyiniang’s direction, nor answer anything Shiyiniang addressed to her — leaving Shiyiniang rather awkward. She simply stopped trying to say anything herself, letting the Fourth Miss carry the conversation.

Before long, the Eldest Madam-in-law of the Luo household arrived.

“Young misses, please forgive me,” she said, sweeping the room with a bow as she entered. “These past days I have been helping Father and Mother pack their things. They have set the twelfth of next month to set out for Yuhang.”

The Tenth Miss was startled: “When was this decided? Why did I not know?” Her voice grew gradually sharper.

The Fourth Miss and the Seventh Miss said nothing. The Fourth Miss and Seventh Miss were from the second branch of the family and had no knowledge of this; the Fifth Miss simply did not want to cause trouble.

The Luo Eldest Madam-in-law, seeing the Tenth Miss challenge her before the second branch’s young misses, felt uncomfortable. Thinking that the Tenth Miss had not attended the Seventh Young Master’s washing ceremony, she replied evenly: “It was decided on the day of the Seventh Young Brother’s washing ceremony.”

The Tenth Miss said nothing further and fell into a reverie.

She had always had her peculiarities; everyone was used to them and no one went to comfort her. The Fourth Miss and several others stepped forward and paid their respects to the Eldest Madam-in-law, asking after the Fourth Madam-in-law.

On the third day, the various households sent their offerings of the three sacrificial animals. All of Wang’s sons-in-law and married daughters had rushed to arrive. Wang Lin had been weeping without cease from the moment she received the news, and came in through the door supported on both sides; Jiang Gui, however, greeted Xu Lingyi first before going to pay his respects at the spirit tablet of his father-in-law. Seeing that Wang Lang’s adopted son’s birth father kept hovering and circling about, and that the Wang household had no one capable of managing affairs, they once again entrusted the funeral proceedings to Luo Zhensheng and Zhu Anping, while Jiang Gui joined Xu Lingyi and Yu Yiqing in making trips to the Ministry of Rites; Qian Ming helped run errands back and forth. Shiyiniang and the others rose early each day and returned only when darkness fell. The first seven days of mourning finally passed; prayers and Buddhist rites were conducted, and everyone was at last able to rest. They gathered together to tally the accounts.

Adding together the Ministry of Rites’ stipend of a thousand taels and the condolence gifts from those who had paid their respects, there was barely enough to cover expenses — let alone repay the silver owed to the Xu and Zhu households. Fortunately, Zhu Anping was a generous soul; this outcome had been well within Xu Lingyi’s expectations from the very beginning, and he had never counted on the silver being returned. No one made any fuss about it. Jiang Gui felt very much at fault, and promised he would repay the amount. Xu Lingyi and Zhu Anping both declined. In the end, Jiang Gui still brought two thousand taels of silver — but that is a matter for later.

Shiyiniang and Xu Lingyi both spent a full day of proper rest at home, waiting on news from the Ministry of Rites. Then the Eldest Madam-in-law of the Luo household came by: “…The Tenth Miss would like to invite you all back to Bowstring Lane for a gathering.”

“At this time?” Shiyiniang was surprised. “The first seven days of the Duke’s mourning have only just passed.”

The Eldest Madam-in-law nodded: “That is exactly why she has chosen Bowstring Lane — she says everyone has been a great help, and she wishes to bring the children along and give each of the uncles and aunts by marriage a proper bow of thanks. Moreover, Father and Mother are returning to Yuhang, so she wants to bring the children to meet their maternal grandfather and grandmother.”

Since Wang Chengzu had been adopted into Wang Lang’s line, that child had never been to Bowstring Lane and had not yet visited the Xu household either.

Shiyiniang felt that the Tenth Miss’s actions were very peculiar.

“Am I also invited?”

“You are,” the Eldest Madam-in-law replied. She was well aware of the estrangement between the Tenth Miss and Shiyiniang. “I even asked specifically, and she said to invite the Marquis and Marchioness too. She said the one she is most grateful to is the Marquis himself — that without the Marquis, never mind being named heir, she might well have had no place to stand at all. Others may decline, but the two of you cannot fail to come.”

This truly did sound like the Tenth Miss — even her invitations managed to give offense.

Having been addressed in those terms, Shiyiniang smiled and agreed. Once the Eldest Madam-in-law had left, she showed the invitation to Xu Lingyi. Xu Lingyi had no suspicion of anything: “It is, after all, a matter of mourning. Since she wishes to receive guests, Bowstring Lane is the more suitable place.”

Perhaps she was reading too much into it.

Shiyiniang reassured herself. The next day she had Hupo prepare eight varieties of gift boxes along with several bolts of silk, and went with Xu Lingyi to Bowstring Lane.

Yu Yiqing, Qian Ming, Zhu Anping, and the third son of the Luo household, Luo Zhenda, had all arrived and were conversing in the side reception hall by the main gate. Everyone exchanged greetings. Luo Zhenda accompanied Xu Lingyi and Shiyiniang to pay their respects to Elder Master and the Eldest Madam.

The Fourth Miss, Fifth Miss, Seventh Miss, the Third Madam-in-law, and the Fourth Madam-in-law were all seated in conversation around the round table in the middle of the main hall. When they saw the Xu couple enter, everyone rose to their feet. The Fifth Miss even smiled and said: “How convenient — all our principals have finally arrived, yet the one who sent the invitations is nowhere to be seen.”

Only then did Shiyiniang realize the Tenth Miss had not yet come.

She smiled and called out “Fifth Sister,” exchanged courtesies with everyone, and was just about to step into the inner chamber to pay her respects to the Eldest Madam, when a small maidservant came in to announce: “Tenth Miss has arrived!”

Everyone turned toward the doorway.

The Tenth Miss walked slowly in, dressed in a jet-black Hangzhou silk full-sleeved jacket, leading a boy of about seven years by the hand.

Her hair was arranged in a tall coiled bun; her gaze was composed and still, her posture upright and straight, her head held slightly aloft — the picture of dignified solemnity.

“Tenth Miss!” The Eldest Madam-in-law immediately stepped forward to welcome her with a smile.

The Tenth Miss gave a slight nod and greeted everyone in turn. Her voice was a little faint, and she seemed somewhat lacking in breath — yet she moved with propriety in every direction, composed and gracious, as she introduced the boy: “This is Chengzu.”

Wang Chengzu was bright-eyed and rosy-lipped, delicate and handsome in his features, with a pair of exceptionally quick and lively eyes — clearly an intelligent child at a glance.

He greeted everyone with respectful courtesy. When he came before Xu Lingyi, his bearing became noticeably more careful and deferential; when he came before Shiyiniang, he was rather more lively, tilting his head to one side and asking: “Are you my Eleventh Aunt?”

A subtle feeling stirred in Shiyiniang’s heart, but she let nothing show on her face. She replied with a grave nod and said nothing more.

A shadow of disappointment passed through Wang Chengzu’s eyes.

Shiyiniang saw it, and gave a quiet, inward sigh.

This child — she rather feared he would not be a simple one to deal with either.