Tenth Miss seemed entirely unaware of the effect she was having. She took the child by the hand. “I will bring him to pay his respects to Mother.”

At that moment she was the rightful mistress of the occasion. The Xu husband and wife followed close behind her, while everyone else crowded in after them into the inner chamber.

The First Madam was half-propped against the headboard. When she saw Tenth Miss enter, a flash of cold contempt crossed her eyes.

Tenth Miss gave no sign of having noticed.

She asked Luo First Madam for a kneeling cushion, then she and Wang Chengzu knelt side by side before the First Madam’s bed — one to the left, one to the right.

Wang Chengzu kowtowed three times to the First Madam, then rose to his feet.

But Tenth Miss remained prostrated at the bedside. In a low voice she said, “Mother, I have come today especially to see you.” Her voice was soft, yet it lingered like the smoke of incense, unhurried and unbroken. “Ever since you arranged my marriage into the Wang family, I have always longed to come back and see you. But I never had the opportunity. I truly believed it would remain a regret I would carry to my grave. Who could have foreseen — Wang Lang died, and I was left without a son. Not only will the Wang line face extinction, but after His Grace’s passing, the title will most likely be revoked. In order to preserve their ancestral estate, the Wang family has arranged for Wang Chengzu to be adopted under His Grace’s name.”

She raised her head and looked at the First Madam, breaking into a wide smile — her small white teeth gleaming bright.

“Mother, I must thank you. It was thanks to you telling Elder Brother about loyalty, filial piety, benevolence, and righteousness that Elder Brother, mindful of the bond between us as siblings, stepped forward to support me. It was thanks to you arranging Eleventh Sister’s marriage to Marquis Yongping that Marquis Yongping was willing to go about on my behalf and speak up for me everywhere. Not only has the Wang family adopted Wang Chengzu under my name — so that I may have a son to provide for me in my old age, be buried in the Wang family’s ancestral grounds after I die, enjoy the centennial incense offerings of Duke Maoguo’s household — I shall also live out my days enjoying the worldly glory and splendor befitting the birth mother of a duke.” As she spoke, she suddenly seized the First Madam’s hand — its blue veins standing out in sharp relief — and gripped it tight. “Now that His Grace has passed on, my son Wang Chengzu is set to inherit the title and become the new Duke Maoguo, and I am to become the Grand Madam of Duke Maoguo’s household. Mother — are you pleased for me?”

As she spoke these words, she lifted her face and smiled.

Her pupils were jet-black and unfathomably deep, yet at the same time blazing and bright — as though a tiny tongue of flame burned within, flickering between light and shadow, yet supple and unquenchable. Anyone who looked upon it felt a chill settle in their heart.

How Tenth Miss had come to be married to Wang Lang, and what scheme the First Madam had been hatching — everyone in that room, with the possible exception of Seventh Miss, had some degree of understanding. Her words, seemingly joyful yet laden with grievance and resentment, carried a meaning that everyone present — again with the likely exception of Seventh Miss — could hear plainly enough. Most of all the First Madam herself, who was at the very center of it all.

Her face flushed a deep, congested red. Her expression was one of shaking fury. The hand she pointed at Tenth Miss — thin as dry kindling — trembled without stop, and from her throat came a low, gargling sound.

The room held a scene of many faces: Luo Zhenxing, whose expression had darkened to a heavy gloom; Fourth Miss, whose face betrayed no change; Fifth Miss, utterly flustered and apprehensive; Seventh Miss, her eyes wide with bewilderment; Eleventh Miss, head bowed, eyes downcast; Xu Lingyi, deep in thought; and Wang Chengzu, bewildered by everything that was happening, stumbling about in a blind panic.

Luo First Madam and Luo Fourth Madam moved forward simultaneously — each taking one of Tenth Miss’s arms to support her from either side.

“Tenth Young Mistress has come such a long way,” Luo First Madam said. “Whatever you wish to say, let us sit down and speak of it calmly.”

With a sharp shake of her arm, Tenth Miss wrenched herself free from Luo Fourth Madam’s grasp and stood upright. She fixed her gaze steadily on Luo Zhenxing. “Elder Brother, was there a single word of disrespect in anything I said? Now that we siblings are able to lean upon one another, and my bitter days have finally given way to sweeter ones — in another family, news like this would bring nothing but joy and not come fast enough. How is it that Mother’s reaction is precisely the opposite? Not even a trace of gladness — only a heart full of fury and resentment. Could it be…” A flicker of disdain passed through her eyes, and she spoke each word with deliberate precision. “Could it be that she hoped for discord among us siblings — that every daughter married out of this house should stand utterly alone, with no one to turn to?”

“You are talking nonsense—” Luo Zhenxing began.

But before he could finish, a cry of alarm rang out from Nanny Xu. “First Madam! First Madam — what is wrong with you?”

Luo Zhenxing spun around and fell to his knees on the bedstep.

The First Madam’s eyes were shut tight. Her entire body had gone limp, slumped sideways against the large bolster pillow — she had fainted.

“Mother — Mother—!” When the matter concerned his parents, even the composed Luo Zhenxing could not help but lose his head for a moment.

The room erupted into chaos.

First came Fifth Miss, Seventh Miss, Luo Third Madam, and Luo Fourth Madam, who all surged forward together — then Luo First Madam too let go of Eleventh Miss and rushed to join them. Tenth Miss and Wang Chengzu were jostled aside by the press of people — one ended up at the foot of the bed, the other at the head — and Wang Chengzu, in his fright, scrambled over to clutch the hem of Tenth Miss’s sleeve.

Tenth Miss gazed at the First Madam. Slowly, the corners of her mouth curved into an arc of deep, unrestrained satisfaction.

There was one other person gazing at the First Madam.

That was Eleventh Miss.

Her heart was a tangle of mingled feelings.

Though she had known that Tenth Miss would not have gathered them all here without purpose, she had not imagined Tenth Miss would go about it in quite this way.

When she thought about it, Tenth Miss had always carried a slight streak of foolishness. Consider how Tenth Miss had pushed her down to the ground that time — rather than bowing her head, admitting her wrong, or begging the First Madam’s forgiveness, she had crept to Eleventh Miss’s bedside in the dead of night and threatened her, saying: “If you dare to die, I will beat Fifth Yiniang along with you.” Then there was the matter of the First Madam forcing her to marry Wang Lang — rather than finding a way to break off the engagement or retreating into a convent together with First Yiniang and Second Yiniang, she had instead fixed her mind on how to take her own life. And now this — the Wang family already in decline, yet rather than thinking of how to mend her relations with her brothers and sisters of the Luo household, she had invited everyone together to air her own grievances and provoke the First Madam… It was precisely this streak of foolishness in her that left one feeling only heartache and a helpless sigh when one thought of it.

A moon-white handkerchief suddenly appeared before Eleventh Miss’s eyes, blocking her view.

She looked up and saw Xu Lingyi’s gaze — brimming with concern.

“Wipe your eyes,” he said in a low voice, pressing the handkerchief into her hand, then stepping forward to shield Eleventh Miss behind his own body.

Standing behind Xu Lingyi, Eleventh Miss dabbed the corners of her eyes — and only then did she realize that at some point Yu Yiqing, Qian Ming, and Zhu Anping had all crowded up to the doorway. Fourth Miss was giving instructions to Qian Ming: “Go quickly and fetch a physician!”

Qian Ming acknowledged the order.

“I will go with you!” said Zhu Anping.

Qian Ming nodded, and the two of them disappeared swiftly from Eleventh Miss’s sight.

Luo Zhenxing, now composing himself, called to Luo Zhensheng: “Go quickly and fetch a physician!” Then added, “Do not alarm Father yet.”

Fourth Miss stepped forward briskly. “Qian Ming and Zhu Anping have already gone for a physician.” Then, in a consulting tone, she said to Yu Yiqing, “Husband — do you think we ought to send someone to sit with Elder Uncle?”

“I will go,” said Yu Yiqing and Xu Lingyi simultaneously.

Fourth Miss looked toward Eleventh Miss.

“Then I must trouble Marquis,” said Eleventh Miss in a low voice.

Xu Lingyi gave her a small nod, then went with Yu Yiqing to the Elder Master’s study.

Luo Zhensheng then asked in a fluster, “And — and what should I do?”

Luo Zhenxing’s brow furrowed slightly. He glanced at Luo Zhenda, who also wore an expression of helpless confusion, and said, “You and Zhenda go and wait outside. I will call for you if anything is needed.”

Both men exhaled with relief and withdrew to the main hall.

Fourth Miss stepped forward to support Luo Fourth Madam. “You are with child.”

Eleventh Miss came back to herself. She drew a long, deep breath, stepped forward, and took Tenth Miss by the arm. “There are too many people in here. Come sit outside a while — let Mother have some air.” She glanced at Wang Chengzu, indicating he should come out with them.

He was young, after all — his face was drawn tight, the tips of his fingers white as he clutched the hem of Tenth Miss’s robe. But hearing the words, he gave a docile nod.

This time, Tenth Miss made no refusal. She followed Eleventh Miss out of the inner chamber.

Luo Zhensheng, seeing this, quickly had the young maids brew strong tea and bring it in.

Tenth Miss settled into a nearby grand master’s chair. Wang Chengzu stood close beside her. Across the room, Fourth Miss had seated Luo Fourth Madam in the chair facing Tenth Miss — followed by Luo Third Madam, Seventh Miss, and Fifth Miss, who arranged themselves alongside Luo Fourth Madam, like two armies drawn up in opposition, cleanly separated.

Eleventh Miss could not help but smile bitterly.

If the First Madam recovered, all might yet be well. But should the worst befall her, the charge of having driven one’s mother to her death would be pinned squarely on Tenth Miss. Though everyone present was a Luo family relation and would take care not to give outsiders anything to seize upon, in their dealings with Tenth Miss henceforth… they would most likely keep a courteous and respectful distance.

And so they all sat quietly, waiting. After roughly the time it takes two sticks of incense to burn, a young maid came running in: “Fifth Young Master-in-law has brought a physician!”

The ladies all withdrew to the east room.

Fourth Miss sat on the large kang beside the east window, watching as Zhu Anping escorted the physician out of the main chamber. Only then did she rise. “Let me go and see!”

Eleventh Miss nodded, and together they went into the inner chamber.

The First Madam lay flat on the bed. Luo Zhenxing sat in a daze at the bedside. Nanny Xu and Luo First Madam stood in silence behind Luo Zhenxing; Nanny Xu kept dabbing at the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief.

“How is she?” Fourth Miss asked Luo First Madam softly.

Luo First Madam came to meet them, shook her head slowly, and said in a low voice, “They say to try one dose of medicine first and see.”

One dose at a time — that meant the condition was grave indeed.

Fourth Miss and Eleventh Miss wore solemn expressions, neither of them speaking.

Luo First Madam let out a long breath and rallied her spirits. “Let everyone go and sit in the main hall. The hour is not early. I will have the servants set out dinner. This with Mother is not a matter that will be resolved in a moment — let everyone eat first, then we shall see.” As she spoke, she glanced at Luo Zhenxing.

Luo Zhenxing gave a blank nod. “Let us eat first, then see.”

Fourth Miss and Eleventh Miss both sighed softly, then followed Luo First Madam out to the main hall. One table was set in the room where Luo Zhenxing lodged, and another in the east room.

At the meal, Tenth Miss sat alone on one side, while all the others crowded together on the remaining three. Wang Chengzu’s expression grew increasingly uneasy.

After dinner, Yu Yiqing then conveyed the news of the First Madam’s condition to the Elder Master — though he omitted the reason for it.

The First Madam had been ill for so long that everyone had grown accustomed to her fluctuating condition. The Elder Master did not ask many questions. He went in to look in on the First Madam and still offered reassurances to everyone: “It’s nothing, nothing. A few doses of medicine and she will be well.”

The Elder Master said this while Luo Zhenxing was in the middle of trying to feed the First Madam her medicine.

But the First Madam’s teeth were clenched tight — there was no prying them open no matter what.

Luo First Madam had once served the grandmother in her final days. She came out and exchanged a meaningful look with Fourth Miss and Eleventh Miss. “I fear things are not looking well. Fourth Young Mistress is herself unwell — why not go back and rest a while first? We will leave Eleventh Young Mistress here to attend to the sickbed. If anything happens, we will send word to you in time.”

“I need only that my three daily doses of medicine not be interrupted,” Fourth Miss said thoughtfully. “Let me go back and make arrangements, then return.”

Luo First Madam nodded, then turned to consult with Yu Yiqing, Luo Zhenda, Zhu Anping, and Luo Third Madam. It was arranged for Yu Yiqing, Luo Third Madam, and Zhu Anping to remain, while Luo Zhenda and Seventh Miss were sent home with her.

Eleventh Miss then consulted with Xu Lingyi, Qian Ming, and Fifth Miss.

Qian Ming and Fifth Miss both looked to Xu Lingyi.

“Let us all stay,” Xu Lingyi said, after a moment’s consideration.

Hearing this, Qian Ming immediately said, “Then we will all stay as well!”

“Fifth Sister should go home,” said Eleventh Miss. “There is still young Xin at home to consider.”

Water flows downward; the older generation dotes on the younger. “I’ll go back,” said Fifth Miss, glancing at Qian Ming. “I will come again first thing tomorrow morning.”

Xu Lingyi gave a nod of assent.

Eleventh Miss instructed Hupo to return and report the situation to the Grand Madam, and to bring fresh clothes for herself and Xu Lingyi.

Xu Lingyi and Qian Ming went to the Elder Master’s quarters. Eleventh Miss turned and made her way to the inner chamber.

As she lifted the curtain, she suddenly thought of Tenth Miss.

She paused to consider for a moment, then went to the east room.

Tenth Miss rose to her feet — her posture perfectly upright, her face wearing a cold, calm smile. “She hasn’t died yet?” But there was a flash of bewilderment in her eyes.

* * *