Hearing this, Wen Yiniang was deeply alarmed in her heart.

Eleventh Miss had always been clear about gratitude and grievance, and Yang Shi had only just entered the household, having given Eleventh Miss no disrespect as yet… She had never thought of things in this way.

And now, hearing Qiao Lianfang say it, and then thinking again of Yang Shi’s origins… Could it truly be that Eleventh Miss had handed Yang Shi over to her with this intention?

The moment the idea took root, her heart was thrown into turmoil and she could find no rest.

“What Little Sister says is not without reason,” Wen Yiniang dissembled for Qiao Lianfang. “No matter how strict the rules in our household, they cannot be stricter than those of the palace. It seems I have not properly understood the Madam’s intentions.”

Qiao Yiniang, seeing that she had a somewhat insincere look about her, pressed her lips together with a smile, finished a cup of tea, and rose to take her leave.

Wen Yiniang was very troubled and asked Qiu Hong: “Could it truly be that the Madam wishes to use my hand to make things difficult for Yang Shi?” There was still some hesitation in her tone.

“Surely not!” Qiu Hong said with uncertainty. “If the Madam truly wanted to use someone’s hand to make things difficult for Yang Shi, why would she put her in your charge? It would have made much more sense to put her in Qiao Yiniang’s charge. The one who is most on her guard against Yang Yiniang right now is not us — it is Qiao Yiniang.”

A single sentence like a ray of light cutting through the darkness.

“Yes, yes indeed,” said Wen Yiniang, wiping her forehead. “I almost let Qiao Yiniang’s words take hold of me.” She smiled and pinched Qiu Hong’s cheek affectionately: “You finally showed some sense just now!”

Qiu Hong rubbed her cheek and grumbled: “Yiniang, be gentler. And what do you mean ‘finally’ — when have I ever been without sense? It is you, Yiniang, who have been jumpy and suspicious these past few days…”

Wen Yiniang’s expression went still, and she said nothing for a long while.

Qiu Hong thought she had spoken too harshly. Seeing this, she called out anxiously: “Yiniang.”

Wen Yiniang came back to herself, her face now entirely relaxed and smiling. She pinched Qiu Hong’s cheek again and said: “Qiu Hong, you are right. Even if that day were to come, I would be speaking the truth, not talking nonsense — what is there to worry about?” All the worry and anxiety of these past few days lifted at once. She told Qiu Hong: “Go and fetch a bolt of that large-ring cotton from Wuzhen — we will take it to the Madam and let her look at it.”

Qiu Hong smiled and curtsied in agreement, and was just about to withdraw when a young maidservant came in: “Yiniang — Qin Yiniang has come.”

“What — a grand gathering of heroes?” Wen Yiniang laughed sardonically, and told the maidservant to show Qin Yiniang in. She herself came down from the heated platform and went through to the hall to receive her.

Qin Yiniang’s brow was tightly knitted, and the fine lines at the corners of her eyes were more pronounced, making her look somewhat worn.

“…I have brought ten gold ingots — the savings of many years. I want them sent to the Second Young Master. He is in the countryside at Le’an, short of comforts and far away — having some private funds on hand will make it easier to smooth things over with people. Would you exchange them into silver notes for me?” said Qin Yiniang.

In the past, Wen Yiniang had often helped the women of the household convert gold and silver into bank notes, but never in such a large single amount as this.

Wen Yiniang was rather taken aback, but still smiled and agreed.

Qin Yiniang thanked her again and again, and rose to take her leave.

At the gate of her own courtyard, she looked up and caught sight of the covered passageway leading to the back annex courtyard of the main rooms. Her steps slowed. She stood where she was for a moment in thought, then told Cui’er: “Let us go and visit Yi Yiniang. And have our midday meal there while we are at it — Third Master and Third Madam are not at home, so she has the kitchen to herself and can use the private stove however she likes. She can order whatever she wants to eat!” She spoke with a broad smile already spreading across her face.

Cui’er, seeing that Qin Yiniang’s spirits had finally lifted, smiled in agreement and accompanied her to the rooms of Yi Yiniang, who had stayed behind in Third Master’s household.

—

Jining saw that the midday meal hour was approaching and rose to take her leave.

Eleventh Miss told Hupo to see her out. Then a young manservant came running in to report: “Madam, the Marquis says he will take his midday meal in the outer courtyard and will not be returning.”

She nodded, and went to have her meal with the Dowager Marchioness.

On the way back, Hupo said quietly: “Reverend Jining did not go anywhere else at all — she went directly out of the household and back to the temple. And Yang Yiniang did not leave her rooms either. She has been inside working on her embroidery the whole time.”

Good.

Eleventh Miss gave a slight nod.

She had barely changed her clothes and lain down to take a midday nap when Xu Lingyi came back.

When Official Ma came on a visit, if it was not something important, he generally came and went quickly; if he had the afternoon off from his duties, he would usually linger for the afternoon. It was unusual for him to arrive in the morning and leave after the midday meal like this.

Eleventh Miss helped him change his outer garments and asked with some curiosity: “Why did Official Ma leave so early today?”

Xu Lingyi smiled: “He has been appointed as a provincial adviser in Guangdong and is about to set out. He came specially to bid me farewell — he still has other calls to make this afternoon.”

Eleventh Miss heard this with some surprise.

For someone who had served as the Emperor’s secretary to be sent down to the provinces — sometimes it was a form of practical training, and sometimes it was a form of thinly veiled exile. But seeing Xu Lingyi’s manner, it did not seem to be bad news. She smiled: “So it seems Official Ma is going to become a regional authority?”

“It is not that simple.” Xu Lingyi sat down on the bed. “The Emperor wants him to go and inspect the Maritime Trade Bureau in Guangdong. If he does well, a Governor’s post is a certainty — but if he does not, he may be stuck there in Guangdong with no way back.” Then he changed the subject and asked Eleventh Miss: “Were you about to take a midday nap?”

Eleventh Miss nodded.

Xu Lingyi smiled and kicked off his shoes: “Just in time — I need a rest too.”

Eleventh Miss helped him settle, and turned to go rest on the heated platform herself, only to find herself caught from behind and pulled into Xu Lingyi’s embrace: “Come and keep me company.”

All the attending maidservants in the room rustled and withdrew at once.

Eleventh Miss’s face went red: “My lord, please stop making trouble!”

“How am I making trouble?” He blew softly in her ear. “The husband leads and the wife follows — is my wife not even willing to attend me while I sleep?”

Hearing the faintly teasing tone in his voice, Eleventh Miss knew he was trying to tease her, and decided to play along: “Since that is the case, your concubine will attend at your side.” And she gave a small struggle.

Who knew she would instantly slip free of Xu Lingyi’s hold.

She gave a small blink of surprise. He was already sprawled in easy comfort, one leg crossed over the other: “Rub my legs for me.”

Eleventh Miss found this rather funny, and helped him rub his legs.

Xu Lingyi then spent the time first complaining of backache, then of pain in his shoulders, sending Eleventh Miss dashing about to attend to him.

At first she had the patience to keep going back and forth with him, but Xu Lingyi’s body was solid and well built, her strength was slight, and after a few rounds she was panting with exertion. Xu Lingyi saw this, promptly sat up and pushed her down onto the bed: “Here — let me rub yours too!” But his hands were powerful, and after only a few light presses of his fingers, she was crying out in pain, and he burst into loud laughter. Then it gradually turned into caressing…

“My lord!” Eleventh Miss was mortified and indignant.

“I know, I know.” Xu Lingyi most loved these playful moments with her. He lowered his voice: “I have calculated — Second Uncle and Third Uncle should be back in the capital in the next day or two to report on their duties. You should go to Laojun Hall and Qiantang Lane one of these days and find out what the two Uncles are thinking — that way I will have some sense of what to expect.”

Eleventh Miss had forgotten about this matter.

The Second and Third Masters had been posted to the provinces for three years, and by rights they were due to return to the capital to report on their duties and receive new appointments from the Ministry of Personnel.

“I will send someone this very afternoon to look into it.” She felt a touch of embarrassment. “And then I will let the Marquis know.”

“There is no great rush.” Xu Lingyi glanced down at Eleventh Miss, then followed where his gaze led and found that her inner garments had fallen quite open. Just as she was about to close them up, he felt a small sharp sensation at her breast — he had already taken her into his mouth…

In truth Xu Lingyi did not take things any further, but he left her with no peaceful midday nap to speak of. It was, moreover, the height of the springtime drowsiness, and that very afternoon the Dowager Marchioness sent for her to discuss contributing to Lin Mingyuan’s trousseau gifts. While Xu Lingyi enjoyed a proper long sleep, Eleventh Miss had to splash cold water on her face just to feel properly awake. That evening she lay with her back turned to him and refused to acknowledge him, until Xu Lingyi swore a solemn promise that he would never cause such disruption at midday again, and only then did her tightly set little face gradually ease. Xu Lingyi wrapped his arms around her and laughed heartily, feeling that this life was passing both swiftly and pleasantly.

—

By the seventeenth day of the third month, in addition to reserving the examination banquet at Chunxi Pavilion, they sent Qian Ming the customary congratulatory gifts of ink, brushes, paper, and inkstone.

After Qian Ming had come out of the examination, the Second and Third Masters of the Luo family arrived in the capital one after the other. The several households were naturally obliged to gather together. Since Eleventh Miss was still in mourning, she arranged a separate day to pay her calls at Laojun Hall and Qiantang Lane.

Second Madam of the Luo family had become considerably more well-rounded than before, and when she saw Eleventh Miss her warmth was absolute — she pressed box after box of jujubes and donkey-hide gelatin upon her to take home: “…Thank goodness Seventh Lady met the Marquis. You have always been a sensible girl. Otherwise, there would have been no way to give the Zhu family a proper account of things.”

“It is Seventh Sister-in-law who is good,” Eleventh Miss said politely. “And Second Aunt chose well for her. Seventh Sister is a fortunate woman.”

Second Madam’s expression turned faintly shadowed: “If only there were a child, that would make it perfect in every way.”

Eleventh Miss paused for a moment: “Still no sign yet?”

Second Madam shook her head.

Eleventh Miss thought of Second Madam’s words about “perfect in every way”… Was there really any such thing as perfect in this world? She, too, fell briefly silent.

Third Madam of the Luo family, Madam Ding, saw this and quickly smiled and had someone bring in several large kites: “…Brought back from Weifang. Take them home for the children to play with, Eleventh Young Madam!”

Eleventh Miss looked at them and could not help a quiet pang of feeling.

They had clearly come because of the children, and yet Third Madam Ding brought out kites to speak of. The two sons-in-law of the second branch were both sharp and capable men — only their own son Luo Zhenda was the weaker of the lot. And Madam Ding was not as clever as First Madam and Fourth Madam of the Luo household…

Thinking this, she smiled and accepted the kites, and said a few admiring words about the fine workmanship.

Second Madam had been thinking of what Fourth Lady — her daughter — had reminded her: “…Now that Eleventh Sister is the Madam of Marquis Yongping’s estate, you must not treat her the same as the old Eleventh Miss of before. You must watch your words. Yiqing’s seniority is still shallow, and when the time comes, Father’s advancement will likely still depend on the Marquis’s help.”

Though a few doubts still lingered in her heart, seeing the water-jade pin in Eleventh Miss’s hair, the fashionable pale blue lotus-patterned jacket she wore, her glowing complexion, and her tranquil bearing — with no trace any longer of the caution and wariness of before — she knew her daughter’s words were not unfounded. And so she set aside the matter of Seventh Lady for the time being and devoted herself wholeheartedly to pleasant conversation with Eleventh Miss.

Eleventh Miss took the opportunity to state her purpose tactfully.

Second Madam was overjoyed: “Let me consult the Master’s wishes first and then give Eleventh Young Madam a reply.” Her manner grew somewhat more respectful still.

Eleventh Miss thought of the past and could not help a flicker of feeling, and then went on to Qiantang Lane.

Third Madam of the Luo family had, ever since her father had retired from office and the family had experienced the warmth and coldness of human relations, gradually mellowed in her dealings with others. Seeing Eleventh Miss, she was genuinely glad, taking her hand and walking her inside while instructing a matron: “…Put up a jar each of pickled vegetables to send home with Eleventh Young Madam.”

Eleventh Miss thanked her with a smile, and the moment she and Third Madam sat down she asked after Luo Zhenkai and Luo Zhengyu.

—