Xu Lingkuan stepped forward and bowed respectfully to Eleventh Lady: “I only wanted to say a few words to Fourth Brother.” His tone was light and casual. He then smiled and took his leave: “Fourth Brother, I’ll be off then!”
Xu Lingyi gave a nod and watched Xu Lingkuan depart before turning and walking with Eleventh Lady into the inner chamber.
Eleventh Lady helped him change his clothes.
“The Empress Dowager’s illness has not yet improved. I’ve asked Little Five to let Fifth Sister-in-law know,” Xu Lingyi said in a low voice. “Ask her to go into the palace these next few days to visit — in some matters concerning the palace, she is likely even more familiar than the Grand Madam.”
Eleventh Lady recalled the expression on the Grand Madam’s face when she had spoken of the Empress Dowager’s illness, and said thoughtfully: “My lord, do you also suspect the Empress Dowager’s illness may be feigned?”
Xu Lingyi said nothing, tacitly confirming it.
Even if it were a feigned illness, what real consequences could it have beyond casting a faint ripple over the Crown Princess’s joyous occasion and making the Emperor slightly uncomfortable?
Eleventh Lady couldn’t quite work it out.
“Spring selections will begin soon,” Xu Lingyi reminded her quietly. “This round is to fill the Emperor’s inner palace.”
Eleventh Lady suddenly understood.
The Empress Dowager had attempted several times to send Yang family girls into the palace, only to be politely declined by the Emperor each time.
“Are you afraid the Empress Dowager is feigning illness to appear weak and coerce the Emperor?” she mused. “If that is truly the case, surely precautions have long been taken. Fifth Lady is after all a junior relation. I think it would be better to let the Grand Madam go and pay a visit.”
There was a hierarchy between them and the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager could entirely decide whether to receive them at all — whether to grant a brocade stool beside her for a comfortable chat, or to simply exchange a few perfunctory words from behind the pearl curtain at a distance. Given Fifth Lady’s standing, the Empress Dowager might not think much of her. And even if she were thoroughly familiar with the workings of the palace, what could she accomplish if she couldn’t even get close enough to the person?
Xu Lingyi understood what she left unsaid. He lowered his voice: “I do know a few people in Cining Palace. But these days, with the Empress Dowager unwell and in a foul temper, no one dares to move about freely. If Fifth Sister-in-law goes, she would naturally need to enquire after the Empress Dowager’s condition, and someone will speak to her in reply.”
So the problem was that information could not be passed out!
If that were the case, then whether Fifth Lady actually got to see the Empress Dowager made little difference.
Eleventh Lady gave a faint nod and retired for the night with Xu Lingyi.
The very next morning, Fifth Lady entered the palace. She returned at noon and came directly to Eleventh Lady’s quarters.
While Eleventh Lady sent someone to the outer courtyard to summon Xu Lingyi, she led Fifth Lady into the inner chamber and had her seated.
Fifth Lady, seeing Eleventh Lady’s manner, knew at once that she understood the purpose of her palace visit. She cast a glance at her, then let her gaze drift across the windowsill of the large kang by the window.
In a foot-tall purple crystal flower vase stood bright red hibiscus blossoms, vivid and lush as if April had never ended. Beside the vase, a glass fish tank the size of a washbasin held four or five rare jet-black goldfish, their broad skirt-like tails swaying leisurely.
She was quietly astonished.
These two objects alone were worth a thousand gold pieces.
The purple crystal flower vase in particular — she had only ever seen one of similar size, a yellow one, in the bedchamber of the late Emperor’s Empress Wu, in her early years.
She could not help but look around the room.
The kang table, tall cabinet, grand armchairs, and floor-length screen were all lacquered black. The draperies, kang covers, and cushions on the armchairs were all of slightly worn rattan-yellow brocade in the unending swastika pattern. Instead of the incense burners or lily blossoms typical of wealthy households, a wintersweet plant nearly as tall as a person had been placed in the corner. Its pale yellow petals were crystal-clear and translucent, while its deep brown branches twisted and coiled with a wildness that gave the room a rustic charm; a faint fragrance drifted about, filling one with a warmth and ease that made one wish to recline against the plump bolster on the kang and doze.
The wintersweet plant in Eleventh Lady’s room had been specially cultivated by Ji Ting’s wife on her request. Seeing Fifth Lady’s gaze linger on the wintersweet for a moment, Eleventh Lady used it as an opening to make polite conversation: “In the depths of winter, with doors and windows shut tight, burning incense becomes too stifling. So I had this wintersweet brought in from the flower house.”
Fifth Lady’s heart stirred as she listened.
With the herbalist woman’s help, Xin Jie’er’s illness had improved greatly. So when the herbalist woman said that the area around Lijing Pavilion was surrounded by flowering trees and that this was not good for Xin Jie’er, Fifth Lady had used the occasion of Eleventh Lady’s move as a pretext to return to her maternal home. The matter of changing rooms had thus been dropped. Xu Lingkuan had been displeased when he learned of it, but seeing Xin Jie’er improve day by day, he pretended not to notice and said nothing more. A few days ago, Xin Jie’er had fallen ill again, and the herbalist woman said it was because the incense burning in the room had become too overpowering…
“The fragrance of this wintersweet truly is lovely,” Fifth Lady said with a smile as she settled onto the large kang by the window. “Only, the herbalist woman said that our Xin Jie’er cannot tolerate floral fragrances — I shall need to ask about it.”
Only now did Eleventh Lady understand why Fifth Lady, having agreed so readily, had retreated to her maternal home at the very moment of the move…
Could this be considered a belated explanation?
Eleventh Lady smiled and followed her lead: “Then you must certainly ask about it. Xin Jie’er’s health comes first.” She then had the young maids bring out tea and refreshments.
Fifth Lady had only just lifted her teacup when Xu Lingyi returned.
She quickly rose and called out “Fourth Brother.”
Eleventh Lady withdrew from the room.
The two spoke in the inner chamber for roughly the time it takes to finish one cup of tea, after which Fifth Lady rose to take her leave.
Eleventh Lady smiled and walked Fifth Lady to the courtyard gate before turning back to the inner chamber.
Xu Lingyi was sitting cross-legged on the large kang by the window, his expression pensive.
Eleventh Lady quietly collected the teacups and brewed a fresh cup for Xu Lingyi.
Xu Lingyi raised the cup and took a sip, then sighed: “The Empress Dowager is truly ill.” He looked rather despondent.
Eleventh Lady sat down across from him and said hesitantly: “Then… what do you intend to do?”
People can sometimes refuse to bend the knee before might, yet rarely can they remain unmoved in the face of suffering. That was why the Grand Madam could remain indifferent when she believed the Empress Dowager’s illness to be feigned, while Xu Lingyi, on discovering it to be real, now wore such gravity on his face.
“Even if that moment comes, any concession made must be one worth making!” Xu Lingyi’s expression was cold and resolute.
These were matters beyond her proper concern.
Eleventh Lady quietly refilled Xu Lingyi’s cup.
From that day on, Xu Lingyi would sometimes go out to call on friends. Meanwhile, after finishing her work with the bridal shop, Eleventh Lady welcomed the return of Xu Siyu.
Xu Siyu’s appearance had not changed much, only he was a full head taller than when he had left home.
Catching sight of Qin Yiniang standing among the crowd, eyes wet with emotion as she gazed at him, Xu Siyu turned his face slightly away, lowered his eyes, and clasped his hands in a bow to Eleventh Lady.
Xu Sizhun had been released from studies on the seventh day of the twelfth month, but he had not been idle. Master Zhao, who was still working on his book compilation, had assigned him a great deal of coursework. Xu Sizhun had even gone to consult Second Lady about one assignment. Second Lady gave him no answer, but pointed to the study and told him to find it himself. He searched for three or four days before locating the source of that allusion. Overjoyed, he had his newly assigned page boy Chaming sneak out to the street to buy the braised pig’s head — Master Zhao’s favourite — and also called Xu Sijie over on the pretext of showing him some paintings. As it happened, Xu Sijie promptly turned around and told Eleventh Lady. Eleventh Lady thought this was a little secret among the children and pretended not to know. The result was that Xu Sijie ate the braised pig’s head and was perfectly lively afterwards, while Xu Sizhun had an upset stomach for two days. Chaming was consequently given ten strikes of the cane on the Grand Madam’s orders. Had Xu Sizhun not intervened to plead for him — and had Chaming not been recommended by Chief Steward Bai — he would likely have been dismissed on the spot.
Knowing that Xu Siyu was returning that afternoon, Xu Sizhun had come to Eleventh Lady’s room early in the morning. He borrowed Eleventh Lady’s character-recognition cards to teach Xu Sijie to read, and stayed for lunch in Eleventh Lady’s room.
When Xu Siyu bowed to Eleventh Lady, Xu Sizhun pulled Xu Sijie forward to bow to their elder brother.
Xu Sijie followed behind Xu Sizhun and mimicked the bow with great seriousness.
“The Young Heir has grown taller!” Xu Siyu said politely, exchanging a courtesy bow with Xu Sizhun.
The unfamiliar address, the unfamiliar tone — both made Xu Sizhun pause for just a moment.
But Xu Siyu had already reached over to ruffle Xu Sijie’s hair: “Fifth Brother!”
He greeted Xu Sijie with a smile.
That was something Eleventh Lady always did — in the Xu household, only Eleventh Lady would do this, would dare to ruffle his hair in this way.
Little Xu Sijie did not understand why this brother who seemed faintly familiar yet largely a stranger was imitating his mother’s habit of touching his head. On instinct, he turned his head aside to avoid Xu Siyu’s hand, then clutched Xu Sizhun’s hand tightly, his eyes — phoenix-shaped eyes identical to Xu Siyu’s — wide open, watching him with a hint of wariness.
Xu Siyu’s hand paused awkwardly in mid-air. His gaze fell on Xu Sijie’s hand gripping Xu Sizhun’s, and a flash of bitterness crossed his eyes.
Eleventh Lady watched quietly and sighed inwardly.
In the past, Xu Siyu had been close to Xu Siqin and Xu Sijian, while his relationship with Xu Sizhun and Xu Sijie had been rather lukewarm. Later, when she had arranged for Xu Sijie to live in Lijing Pavilion, part of her intention had been for him to grow closer to Xu Sijie. But Xu Siyu lived in the outer courtyard and Xu Sijie in the inner — he rarely set foot through the inner courtyard gate. It was no wonder Xu Sijie felt like a stranger to him.
Just as she was about to say something to ease the awkwardness for Xu Siyu, Zhen Jie’er had already stepped forward with a bright smile, giving Xu Siyu a bow: “Second Elder Brother!”
Eleventh Lady saw Xu Siyu withdraw his hand, and a genuine, joyful smile bloomed at the corners of his mouth.
“Zhen Jie’er!” He called his sister’s name warmly, his face lighting up with it.
Zhen Jie’er pressed her lips together in a smile.
Xu Siyu’s bearing lightened noticeably.
He greeted Qin Yiniang, Wen Yiniang, and Qiao Yiniang with courteous propriety.
“Second Young Master!” Qin Yiniang’s lips parted slightly, her expression deeply moved, yet she could only murmur without finding proper words.
Wen Yiniang, her face all smiles, covered her mouth as she laughed: “It’s been quite some time since we’ve seen Second Young Master — he’s become even more composed than before. How true it is that ‘reading ten thousand books cannot compare to travelling ten thousand li.’ One really must go out and broaden one’s horizons…” Her words went on and on, as they always did, so much so that Xu Siyu stood with head slightly bowed and a quiet smile, listening for a long while before she finally finished.
Qiao Lianfang’s reaction was far more straightforward.
She gave Xu Siyu a slight nod and stepped to the side.
Eleventh Lady then smiled and invited Xu Siyu along: “Let us go pay our respects to Grandmother! She has been mentioning you since first thing this morning!”
Xu Siyu replied respectfully, “Yes,” and, surrounded by a cluster of maids, pages, and serving women, went together with Xu Sizhun, Xu Sijie, and Zhen Jie’er to the Grand Madam’s quarters.
Qin Yiniang stood gazing at Xu Siyu’s retreating figure, repeatedly dabbing at the corners of her eyes with her handkerchief: “Second Young Master has grown so thin!”
Yet his complexion was rosy and his spirits were high.
Qiao Lianfang listened with undisguised disdain, gave a contemptuous curl of her lips, and headed back to her room with her maids.
Wen Yiniang, ever the one to smooth things over, said gently: “The Second Young Master’s return is a cause for great joy. Eldest Sister, please don’t cry. The lady of the house has taken Second Young Master to pay his respects to the Grand Madam — they’ll come to see you once that’s done. That place Anle is far away, and its customs and ways are quite different from ours. I think Eldest Sister had better return to your room and have something prepared — the foods Second Young Master has always loved. When Second Young Master comes to see you, you can let him have a taste of home.”
“You’re right, I wasn’t thinking clearly.” Qin Yiniang quickly dried her tears, thanked Wen Yiniang with a grateful curtsy, and hurried off with her maids.
Wen Yiniang looked at the courtyard, which had just been so full of life and was now empty and quiet, and shook her head with a smile. She walked slowly back toward her own courtyard with Qiuhong.
“You were saying just now that the parrot the eldest son-in-law gave to the eldest young miss is suspicious — what exactly is suspicious about it?”
—