Xu Lingyi, however, seemed to understand, and said with a smile: “Have you another maidservant to send out of service?”
“Wei Zi and Yao Huang are both getting on in years.” The Dowager Marchioness nodded, and with a smile pushed the sheet of paper she had been writing toward Eleventh Miss: “I am thinking that if I take in two new young maidservants, I will name them Ge Jin and Yu Ban. What do you think?”
“Splendid!” said Eleventh Miss with a smile. “The house should be full of flowers and lively!”
The maidservants in the Dowager Marchioness’s service were mostly given the names of flowers.
Xu Sizhun took Xu Sijie by the hand and took their leave — it was not early, and they needed to go to their lessons.
The Dowager Marchioness personally saw them to the courtyard gate. Then a young manservant came to report that Official Ma Zuowen had arrived, and Xu Lingyi went to the outer courtyard. The Dowager Marchioness dismissed the attendants from the room and kept Eleventh Miss and Zhen Jie’er to talk.
“About Wei Zi and Yao Huang — I asked Steward Bai to keep an eye out. There are a few I have found satisfactory, and I would like us to think it over together.” The Dowager Marchioness described the candidates in general terms: “One girl’s father is a warehouse steward — careful and diligent. Another girl’s grandfather once served as a records manager in this household; he retired to the country last spring to be cared for in his old age. Not long ago the household happened to have a night-watch post that needed filling, and he came to petition me — Old Fourth arranged a position for his grandson, who now serves in the household. Then there is a girl whose ancestors were stewards here; nowadays the family has set up a modest shop outside, and they hope to marry one of their sons to one of our senior maidservants…” She described a few more, and finally asked Eleventh Miss: “Which do you think should be matched with which?” But her gaze rested on Zhen Jie’er, who stood to one side.
Zhen Jie’er was, after all, an unmarried young miss, and Eleventh Miss had thought it a little odd when the Dowager Marchioness broached this subject in front of her. By now she understood perfectly — the Dowager Marchioness was clearly using this as an occasion to instruct Zhen Jie’er in household management. She fell in with the Dowager Marchioness’s intent and smiled: “Wei Zi and Yao Huang are the ones who have served closest to you — you know their characters better than anyone, and no one is better suited to act as matchmaker for them than you!”
The Dowager Marchioness laughed at that.
“Wei Zi and Yao Huang both came into my rooms when they were only ten or so. The family with the shop outside is comfortable enough, but I cannot bear to send them out to suffer hardship so far away. I think Wei Zi should be matched with the family whose grandfather served as records manager here, and Yao Huang should be matched with the family of the current warehouse steward.”
Eleventh Miss understood the reasoning at once.
But the Dowager Marchioness went on to explain it carefully: “Last year the household let go of a number of the older stewards. Though the retirement stipends were not ungenerous, it is still not the same as being in service, where on top of the monthly stipend there are also the informal earnings. Some of them have found it difficult to make ends meet, and have found various ways to get their children into the household as servants. Since the official story was that they had been respectably retired, some of the more able-bodied ones were taken on. But this has caused a certain amount of resentment among those who were not. Wei Zi came into the household with her aunt, and this match will help settle those grievances. Moreover, if that young man ever decides he no longer wishes to serve in the household, she can leave with him and make a clean break. Yao Huang is different — she was born into the household, and by marrying her to the warehouse steward’s son, she will not have to leave home. And the newly elevated stewards, seeing that the Xu household is treating their people with such regard, will give their full dedication to their work.”
Those who had served the Dowager Marchioness were indeed a cut above ordinary maidservants. With this arrangement, not only would the discontented retired stewards be appeased, but the standing of the current stewards would also be raised.
Zhen Jie’er listened with an expression of quiet reflection.
The Dowager Marchioness gave a slight nod, visibly satisfied with her response. She then spoke with Eleventh Miss about the memorial offerings for Yuan Niang: “…Offering the three sacred meats and other sacrificial foods — everyone should go and light incense then.”
Eleventh Miss had also come to discuss this matter with the Dowager Marchioness, and since the Dowager Marchioness had already settled on a plan, she assented. She then sent Lvyun to inform the manager of the outer courtyard to have the sacrificial offerings for Yuan Niang’s memorial prepared.
She stayed to chat for a while with Fifth Madam, who had come to pay her respects to the Dowager Marchioness, and was about to take her leave when Lvyun came back with a report: “…The Fifth Miss of the Weiyuan Marquis household has set the sixth day of the fourth month as the date of her wedding. Steward Zhao asked me to bring the invitation cards for the Dowager Marchioness, the Fourth Madam, and the Fifth Madam.”
“Oh!” said Fifth Madam with a delighted laugh. “Ming Yuan’s wedding day has finally been set!”
“If she had gone any longer without setting a date, what would become of Hui Jie’er?” The Dowager Marchioness laughed too, and they talked for a while about the recent betrothals and weddings in Yanjing, and fell to discussing what gifts to send, and in particular asked about the one-year birthday celebration for Fifth Lady’s son, Xin Ge: “…If I am not mistaken, it should be in just a few days?”
“Your memory is remarkable!” said Eleventh Miss with a smile. “It is the second day of the fourth month.”
“Remind me when the time comes.”
Eleventh Miss smiled and agreed. She accompanied the Dowager Marchioness to the Buddha hall for her devotions, and then everyone dispersed.
She returned to the main hall and saw to a few household matters, and then Master Jian arrived.
Since the Happiness Shop had opened, both Master Jian and Qiuju had moved to live at the shop, and Liu Yuanrui and his wife had also gone to help — he driving the carriage, she cooking and serving as a go-between among Eleventh Miss, Madam Gan, and Master Jian.
Hearing that Prince Shun had introduced a piece of business, Master Jian said at once: “Does the Marquis know about this? Will it put you in a difficult position?”
“It will not.” Eleventh Miss described the situation in general terms. “…Prince Shun has given us the opportunity — we must also be capable of seizing it.”
Only then did Master Jian allow herself a pleased smile: “Do not worry. Among all the senior officials who have come from Jiangnan, who knows how many there have been — those Yanjing embroiderers very likely have not done as much rank-badge work as our Jiangnan embroiderers.”
Eleventh Miss’s mind was set at ease. She and Master Jian worked through a few more details, and Master Jian rose to take her leave, dispatching the chief manager to call on Prince Shun at the Imperial Household Bureau.
The next day he returned with a report: “The quantity is not large, and the price offered is reasonable — the manager agreed to it on the spot.”
Eleventh Miss could not help feeling pleased. She took out several floral pattern sketches she had drawn in her spare time and showed them to Master Jian, who found that, though drawn with few strokes, each one was remarkably lifelike, and became greatly interested. The two of them spent most of the afternoon discussing colour choices and thread techniques.
—
Meanwhile, Wen Yiniang was pacing back and forth in her rooms, staring with some unease at a pair of white sacred lotus flower socks sitting on the low table.
Qiu Hong watched her and could not help urging: “Yiniang, there is no need to worry. Keeping an eye on Yang Yiniang is a task entrusted to you by the Madam. If Yang Yiniang has made you a pair of socks out of gratitude, that is only natural. Our Madam is a reasonable and understanding person — surely she would not hold that against you. If you are truly worried about the Madam misunderstanding, then…” she paused briefly, “that large-ring cotton from Wuzhen that you had ordered for the First Young Miss has just arrived, has it not? You could use that as a pretext to go see the Madam and mention in passing that Yang Yiniang made you a pair of socks.”
“That is not what I am worried about!” Wen Yiniang stopped pacing and said: “The Marquis has not gone to Yang Yiniang’s rooms, and has spent three nights in a row with the Madam. If I cannot see what the Marquis intends by this, then I am a block of elm wood indeed. The Madam is very much at the height of her favour right now — never mind that Yang Yiniang only gave me a pair of socks, she could give me silver hairpins and gold brooches and the Madam probably would not give it a second thought.” She spoke with a hesitant expression, and after a long pause lowered her voice: “It is Qin Yiniang I am worried about.”
“Qin Yiniang!” Qiu Hong said in surprise, and then her expression changed to one of sudden understanding. “You mean — the business about Qin Yiniang summoning Reverend Jining to the household?” She thought for a moment and laughed: “Reverend Jining is not a foolish woman. Though it was Qin Yiniang who summoned her, she went first to see the Madam, and even presented the Madam with a consecrated blue-and-white porcelain flower vase — she went through the proper channels. Even if the Marquis were displeased, for the Madam’s sake he would likely say nothing.” Then she asked with some puzzlement: “But Yiniang — why have you suddenly started worrying about Qin Yiniang? All these years, you have always shown her the greatest respect, yet when it has come to the crux of things, she has put on a warm front toward you while staying completely silent when it mattered. Now that you have finally made common cause with the Madam, we may not need to harm her, but there is certainly no reason to do anything that might displease the Madam on her account. I think you would be better off keeping out of Qin Yiniang’s affairs — she has the Second Young Master; she is secure enough.”
Wen Yiniang listened and sat down on the heated platform: “That is precisely why I am worried — because she has the Second Young Master.”
Qiu Hong looked puzzled: “We are not going to compete with her for anything. What reason does she have to be at odds with us?”
Wen Yiniang’s lips parted slightly, and she was still hesitating when a young maidservant came in: “Yiniang — Qiao Yiniang is here.”
“What does she want?” Wen Yiniang said, quite perplexed, and muttered quietly: “She never comes to visit, and now she shows up out of nowhere — nothing good will come of this.” But she still told the maidservant: “Show her in.” And she herself went down from the heated platform and walked through to the hall to receive her.
Qin Yiniang’s brow was furrowed, and the fine lines at the corners of her eyes were more apparent, making her look somewhat haggard.
“…I keep feeling that things have been going poorly for me since the New Year two years ago, Reverend — can you consult the bodhisattva for me and find out just what is the matter?” Qin Yiniang leaned slightly forward and spoke in a low voice to Reverend Jining, who sat across from her. “Is there any way to break the spell of misfortune over me?”
Jining calculated inwardly.
Two years ago at the New Year — that would be after Eleventh Miss had entered the household. Then, taking into account that the Xu household’s Second Young Master had gone to Le’an township in the countryside the previous summer, she understood at once.
The struggle between wife and concubines had always been ruthless. One misstep and it would be she who bore the consequences. Besides, Ci Yuan Temple’s position today had not been built on the incense money of any single concubine. She had always known what she would and would not do — without that, she could never have established herself in Yanjing.
“Let me cast a divination chart for you,” Jining said with a smile, “and see what fortune you are running these next few years. If your luck is not running strongly, I will perform a few ceremonies for you!”
Qin Yiniang quickly asked: “How much would that cost?” Then she added with a smile: “Though I am only a yiniang, the Marquis has always been fond of our Second Young Master, and has been generous with cloth, silks, paintings, and curios as gifts” — saying this, she smoothed the lapel of her willow-green cloud-brocade jacket — “otherwise, how could I be wearing tribute fabric made in the official Jiangnan weaving sheds?”
Jining smiled: “You and I are not strangers, and you honour the bodhisattva every year. There is no need to bring money into it. I will simply accept whatever incense offerings you see fit.”
Qin Yiniang recalled that last time Jining had also said there was no need to mention money, and then had taken thirty taels of silver from her. She smiled: “Then how much incense money should I give?” Her voice was slightly more taut than usual.
Jining heard this and laughed inwardly, though her face wore an expression of easy generosity: “Five taels of silver will be plenty!”
Qin Yiniang’s face went immediately ashen.
—