Qiuhong lowered her voice: “The eldest young miss’s parrot, they say, can talk!”
“Pfft!” Wen Yiniang laughed. “What kind of parrot can’t talk?”
“But this one can recite poetry!”
“Recite poetry?”
Wen Yiniang was taken aback.
“Yes, recite poetry.” Qiuhong nodded. “Little Li said that a few days ago the parrot was reciting ‘Spring sleep, unaware of dawn’s breaking; everywhere, the sound of birds calling,’ and these past few days it’s been saying ‘The waters of Peach Blossom Pool run a thousand feet deep, yet not so deep as Wang Lun’s feeling when he saw me off.'”
Wen Yiniang stood frozen.
Qiuhong said: “When the parrot first arrived, it was also reciting ‘Two orioles singing in the green willows; a line of white egrets rising into the blue sky!'”
Wen Yiniang wiped at the perspiration on her forehead: “Does — does the lady of the house know?”
“She knows!” Qiuhong said brightly. “The lady said, why does this parrot only speak in the Cangzhou dialect? And told the eldest young miss to teach it to speak in the Yanjing dialect. That made the eldest young miss blush scarlet. She didn’t feed the parrot for several days!”
“As long as the lady knows. As long as the lady knows.” Wen Yiniang breathed a sigh of relief.
And at that very moment, the Grand Madam was nodding with quiet approval as she observed Xu Siyu’s composed and proper bearing.
“Have you been to see your father yet?”
“I have.” Xu Siyu stood before the Grand Madam with upright posture, his voice gentle.
The Grand Madam asked him about his time in Le’an.
Xu Siyu answered each question in turn. His voice was neither too loud nor too soft, his pace neither hurried nor slow — he had the quiet, self-possessed ease characteristic of young men from distinguished families.
The Grand Madam nodded again.
Xu Siyu then had Wenzhu bring in a boxwood walking stick: “Your grandson made this in his leisure time at Le’an.”
Nanny Du stepped forward and took it, passing it to the Grand Madam.
The Grand Madam ran her hands over the walking stick, her face filled with warm delight, and instructed Weizi to set out the meal.
Xu Siyu expressed his thanks, then turned and asked after the Grand Madam’s health.
The Grand Madam chatted pleasantly with him, and when a young maid came to report that the meal was ready, Xu Siyu stepped forward and supported the Grand Madam as she made her way to the eastern side chamber.
Eleventh Lady let out a long, quiet sigh in her heart.
In just a few short months, Xu Siyu’s smile had grown more restrained, his manner with others more gracious. He was still only a twelve-year-old boy, yet he already carried the settled, measured air of an adult — more like a long-absent visitor come to call than a child returning home.
But Xu Lingyi was very satisfied with Xu Siyu’s state: “Sending him out was the right decision. He’s matured considerably after this trip.”
Men and women rarely see things from the same angle.
Eleventh Lady made no comment.
Xu Lingyi asked about Xu Siyu’s movements: “Has he gone to see Qin Yiniang?”
“He has,” Eleventh Lady said. “Had a cup of tea, spoke for a while, then went to Second Lady’s quarters.”
Xu Lingyi gave a slight nod of approval. The following day, when Xu Siyu came to pay his morning respects, Xu Lingyi reminded him: “Master Jiang’s letter says he has set you some coursework that will serve you well in the children’s examinations. Though it is the New Year season, do not neglect your studies. Do not let Master Jiang’s expectations go to waste.”
Xu Siyu gave a respectful reply of “Yes” and returned to his room to study with the door shut. Throughout the New Year, aside from his morning and evening visits to the Grand Madam and Eleventh Lady, he did not step outside his courtyard gate.
Eleventh Lady, being in a period of mourning, spent the New Year at home with Xu Sijie, teaching him to recognize characters, skipping rope, or playing cat’s cradle. Occasionally she would go to the kitchen to make some sweet treats for Xu Sijie, who was so delighted that he practically bounced with every step he took.
Xu Sizhun was taken along by Xu Lingyi to receive visiting guests. At first he was tremendously excited, and when he came to pay his evening respects to Eleventh Lady, he would speak animatedly about the people he had met, the conversations he had had, and whatever had been particularly amusing. But after just a few days he began to feel worn out. By the first month of the New Year, he simply took to coming to Eleventh Lady’s room for lunch and an afternoon nap, then lingered and dawdled without wanting to leave, saying he wanted to teach Xu Sijie to read characters.
Eleventh Lady had already felt it was somewhat inappropriate for Xu Sizhun, at so young an age, to be performing the duties of a grown man, and she had kept him back several times. And Xu Lingyi, observing how Xu Sizhun was full of energy at Eleventh Lady’s and drooped like a frost-bitten aubergine whenever he was out with himself, could hardly fail to understand the situation. He said a few words to Eleventh Lady about “an overly indulgent mother spoiling her son,” but let Xu Sizhun do as he wished. And Xu Sizhun played to his heart’s content — arriving early each morning, leaving only when the lamps were lit at night, either skipping rope with Xu Sijie or setting off fireworks in the rear courtyard with him. He also asked Eleventh Lady to make him braised abalone with cartilage to eat, and when the mood was high, simply slept over at Xu Sijie’s room.
The Grand Madam, seeing him return from Eleventh Lady’s each time with rosy cheeks and a cheerful smile, simply turned a blind eye.
Qin Yiniang watched this and grumbled quietly to Eleventh Lady: “The New Year season is here, and Second Young Master confined like this to his studies day after day — how can he bear it? He should rest a while and go visiting relatives and friends as well!”
Ever since Xu Lingyi had lost his temper at her over complaining that Xu Siyu had no one to attend to him properly, Qin Yiniang had no longer dared to raise the matter in front of Xu Lingyi, and had transferred her murmurings to Eleventh Lady instead.
Eleventh Lady simply let it pass. But as time went on, she could no longer endure hearing it said once every single day. She replied: “Second Young Master’s diligent study is for the sake of a brilliant future and bringing glory to the family. If Qin Yiniang does not wish to encourage him, that is her own affair — but how can she speak such words? Does she not risk holding Second Young Master back? Furthermore, this is the Marquis’s own instruction. Surely you are not asking Second Young Master to defy his father?”
Qin Yiniang could not bear the weight of such a reproach and promptly knelt, kowtowing: “I am an unlettered woman who knows nothing of such great principles. I beg the lady to pardon my ignorance.”
If she truly knew nothing of great principles, why would she be frightened enough to kneel and beg for forgiveness?
Eleventh Lady had no desire to argue with her further. She had Lvyun help her up, and said: “After the Lantern Festival, the weather will gradually warm. These past few days I have been busy with the New Year arrangements and with matters at the bridal shop, so the children’s clothing and shoes have been somewhat neglected. I noticed that the few pairs of shoes Qin Yiniang made for me recently were quite well done — I would ask you to make a dozen or so pairs of shoes and stockings for Jie Ge. On the second day of the second month, when the dragon raises its head, he can wear them to walk the fields in celebration of spring.”
She had specified both the quantity of the shoes and the deadline. With that, Qin Yiniang would have no time to sit around and trouble herself with idle thoughts.
A flicker of surprise crossed Qin Yiniang’s face, and she immediately bowed her head and acquiesced: “Yes.”
Eleventh Lady raised her teacup.
All three Yiniangs withdrew.
Qin Yiniang took Wen Yiniang’s hand: “Even though these are for a child, the soles still need to be stitched, and the uppers embroidered — it’s no different from making shoes for an adult. To produce a dozen pairs of shoes and stockings in barely a month’s time — how on earth is that possible? I know your Yuer has nimble fingers with needlework. Would you help me make a few pairs? I would be truly grateful.” She gave a respectful bow.
Wen Yiniang had absolutely no desire to get involved in this matter.
She put on an expression of great difficulty: “Eldest Sister, you don’t know — the lady handed me the eldest young miss’s shoes and spring wardrobe before the New Year. My needlework has never been particularly fine, and I have been fretting that I won’t be able to deliver on time. I was just about to ask to borrow your Cui’er to help. I had no idea the lady would give you Fifth Young Master’s shoes and stockings…”
Qin Yiniang’s face fell visibly in disappointment. Her eyes drifted involuntarily toward Qiao Lianfang.
But Qiao Lianfang had already steered her maids down the passageway beside the side room and disappeared.
Wen Yiniang’s gaze shifted, and she drew Qin Yiniang aside, lowering her voice: “How about this — we each put in a little money and have the sewing women help us?”
Qin Yiniang’s eyes lit up for a moment, then dimmed again: “Would that be quite right? If the lady found out, would she not think I was being disrespectful to her?”
“You have a point,” Wen Yiniang laughed. “I think Eldest Sister might as well work on it herself while also quietly finding some help. We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.”
Qin Yiniang had no better solution. With a somewhat deflated spirit, she gave a nod and returned to her room with her young maid.
No sooner had she sat down than Cui’er returned.
She still carried a large red lacquerware food box with gilded designs.
Qin Yiniang looked up, her spirits lifting: “Well? How did it go?”
A flash of resignation crossed Cui’er’s eyes, though her face broke into a smile: “Second Young Master says the pigeon congee with cream topping that Yiniang made was very good. But he is currently focused on his studies and has no time for such little snacks, so Yiniang need not send anything more. He will let you know once he has sat the children’s examination.”
Qin Yiniang listened and exhaled with relief, her face brightening: “Tell him I will do as he says. Tell him not to worry. Even if he doesn’t pass, I will speak to the Marquis and see about using the privilege of hereditary rank — it comes to the same thing.”
Cui’er acknowledged her words and handed the food box to the young maid standing nearby.
Qin Yiniang had already opened the small chest and taken out the key to her storage trunk, beckoning Cui’er with a wave: “Go open my trunk and find that bolt of jade-white fabric — the lady has asked me to make stockings for Fifth Young Master.”
Cui’er was startled: “But that is a tribute-grade fabric. It was a gift from the Marquis to you, and you have always been reluctant to use it. Fifth Young Master is only five years old — wouldn’t this be too extravagant? Better to keep it and make stockings for Second Young Master!”
“Since this is the lady’s instruction,” Qin Yiniang said, a flicker of cold mockery appearing on her smooth, full face — somewhat incongruous with her usual expression — “naturally one must use the finest materials. Besides, our Fifth Young Master is now being raised at the lady’s side. The Marquis, seeing that, can only be pleased!”
Even so, Fifth Young Master was recorded under Tong Yiniang’s name, a child whose birth mother was unknown — a person of the most lowly origins. Elevating him like this, what if the lady one day had a child of her own? Would Fifth Young Master not end up in the same awkward position as Second Young Master — neither here nor there? But Cui’er saw that Qin Yiniang had already lowered her head and was searching through the sewing basket for tracing paper to draw the shoe pattern, and thought it better to say nothing more. She gave a quiet “yes” and went to open the trunk with the key.
It took two days of work to finish a pair of shoes and stockings and bring them over — and they fit Xu Sijie perfectly.
“Qin Yiniang’s needlework is truly fine,” Eleventh Lady said with a smile, watching Xu Sijie walk back and forth on the kang in his new shoes and stockings, praising Qin Yiniang in front of Xu Lingyi. “From now on, let us ask Qin Yiniang to take care of Jie Ge’s shoes and stockings.”
“You are too kind to say so, my lady.” Qin Yiniang kept her gaze lowered, though the corner of her eye watched Xu Lingyi. “As long as Fifth Young Master wears them happily!”
Xu Lingyi was watching Xu Sijie — who was proudly lifting his foot to show off his new shoes and stockings to Xu Sizhun — with a quiet smile.
Qin Yiniang felt a chill in her heart.
She still remembered when Xu Siyu was small, and she had used a similarly tribute-grade deep crimson brocade to make him a pair of stockings, and the Marquis had frowned at the sight of them. He had even instructed her never to do such a thing again. How was it that when it came to Xu Sijie, he said nothing at all?
Lost in thought, Qin Yiniang heard Eleventh Lady’s gentle voice: “Only, for a small child, silk stockings tend to be slippery underfoot. Qin Yiniang, please use fine cotton cloth for Jie Ge’s stockings going forward.”
She came back to herself, was just about to quietly agree, when she heard Xu Lingyi instruct a young maid to pass word to Linbo: “…Tell him to speak to Chief Steward Bai. If I recall correctly, the palace sent over several bolts of Jiading diagonal-weave fabric before the New Year — woven in a wave-and-lattice pattern, quite fine. Have some brought in to make stockings for Jie Ge.”
—