The Sixth Young Miss of the Qiao family paused in surprise.

She had not expected that Second Madam would personally make flower tea, as she herself did…

Second Madam Xiang of the Xu family came from a family of scholarly distinction. Her father had been the top examination passer in the thirtieth year of the reign, and had served as a Hanlin Academy Scholar and Director of the Imperial Academy. She had been renowned from childhood for her virtue and refinement; the Xu family had sent matchmakers three times without success. It was only after Xiang’s father met the young Xu Ling’an — handsome, quick-witted, and bright — and with White Consort Dowager acting as guarantor, that he agreed to the match.

But Xiang Shi had been married into the family for only three years when Xu Ling’an died of illness.

“Second Madam — how is she faring?” Madam’s expression grew gently subdued as she asked.

The Madam Dowager’s composure gave way to quiet grief: “Since An’s passing, her heart has been shrouded in mourning — she rarely comes out to join people anymore.”

The Sixth Young Miss of the Qiao family’s face showed sympathy.

Lady Qiao’s gaze shifted, and she said with a smile: “Then you must encourage her to come out and move about more. She is an intelligent woman by nature — without someone to look after her, she is bound to grow melancholy with the seasons. Had Third Madam not brought out this cup of osmanthus tea, I would not have thought of it. Our family’s Sixth Sister also loves making such things. Why not take this opportunity to go and call on Second Madam — on one hand, to bring some liveliness to her quarters; on the other, to let her meet our Sixth Sister. I am sure they will be kindred spirits. With someone coming and going to keep her company, things will be better for her.”

The Madam Dowager was moved: “That is an excellent idea.” She rose immediately, not even finishing her tea. “Let us go and sit with her for a while.” She then called to a maid named Dongxiu beside her: “Go tell Second Madam that the honored relative has come, and that we will be coming to sit with her.”

Dongxiu went at once.

Third Madam then instructed a maid at her side named Jinrui: “Arrange for a few blue-curtained small oil carriages.”

The Madam Dowager waved her hand with a smile: “What a lovely fine day — let us walk. On the way back, we can have the carriages come to meet us.”

Third Madam assented. The group made their way back north toward the grand gate they had passed earlier.

The serving women at the gate hurried to welcome them, accompanying the Madam Dowager inside.

Directly ahead stood an artificial mountain of white Taihu stone, with several towering ancient trees planted beside it. Rounding the mountain, to the left was a large rise planted densely with green trees; to the right was a grove with winding hidden paths.

Third Madam supported the Madam Dowager and led them into the grove. They followed a small path paved with pebbles, and in less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, a sweep of lush green bamboo came into view. The path led straight to a small courtyard nestled within the bamboo grove.

Before the courtyard gate, seven or eight stone steps led up. A woman wearing a faded plain brocade jacket stood on the steps with Dongxiu and an unfamiliar maid, looking out.

Seeing them approach, Dongxiu and the unfamiliar maid helped the woman down the steps.

That woman must be Second Madam of the Xu family…

Eleventh Miss thought, and could not help but look the woman over attentively.

She appeared to be no more than twenty-five or twenty-six years old, her frame slender, her skin fair, her features delicate, her gaze tranquil and serene. She walked forward slowly, with an unhurried composure.

“Yizhen!” The Madam Dowager’s face broke into a warm smile.

“Mother!” Second Madam greeted the Madam Dowager with a bow. The Madam Dowager quickly drew her upright. Madam and Lady Qiao came forward to greet her in turn, and introductions were made with Madam Luo, Fifth Miss, Eleventh Miss, and the Sixth Young Miss of the Qiao family.

Second Madam was very gracious: “There is nothing particularly fine here, but please take these few strings of sandalwood beads as tokens to play with.” The unfamiliar maid produced several small lacquered red boxes and presented one to each person.

Everyone accepted and expressed their thanks. Second Madam steadied the Madam Dowager as she ascended the steps: “Take care, slowly. If there is ever anything, just send someone to call on me.”

Third Madam hurried over to support the other side as well.

“Nothing to speak of,” the Madam Dowager said, watching her footing carefully. “The honored relative has come to Yanjing — we have come to sit with you for a while, that is all.”

Those behind were each helped up the steps by their own maids.

Eleventh Miss noticed that the steps were fashioned from Taihu stone bearing water patterns, with small tufts of grass pushing up through the cracks between the stones. At the top of the steps, the lintel bore a placard in crabapple-shaped framing inscribed with the two characters “Shaohua.” Passing through the gate, bamboo flanked the path on both sides, and moss grew thick as a carpet. When the wind stirred, it made a soft whispering sound — there was an ancient stillness about it, like a secluded mountain valley.

Entering the door, the room was small — just three bays. Black-lacquered floor-to-ceiling posts, white stone flooring. In the central hall hung a painting of Guanyin holding a flower, with a couplet in purple-black gilded cloud-and-dragon-patterned paper: “Sweet dew from the vase eternally sprinkled afar, the willow branch in hand counting not the seasons.” The black-lacquered altar table held only a few citron fruits arranged on sweet-white porcelain plates. Before it stood a black-lacquered square table, with a black-lacquered grand teacher’s chair on either side.

Second Madam seated the Madam Dowager and Madam in the grand chairs. A young maid carried out a black-lacquered rose-pattern chair from the inner room for Lady Qiao, and another maid brought out small black-lacquered footstools for the others. In a moment, the small main hall was crowded with people.

The Madam Dowager then called the Sixth Young Miss of the Qiao family over and said to Second Madam: “When she heard you had made osmanthus tea, she wanted to come and meet the maker in person, so I brought her along.”

The Sixth Young Miss of the Qiao family stepped forward to greet Second Madam with a bow: “At home I wrapped tea leaves in gauze and placed them inside unopened lotus blossoms, but the fragrance always turned out rather faint. It does not have the mellow richness of your osmanthus tea.” She wore the expression of one eager to be taught.

The Madam Dowager fixed Second Madam with a bright, expectant gaze.

“So you want to make lotus flower tea!” Second Madam’s smile was gentle and faint. “It is best to choose white lotus blossoms — early morning, before they open. Then tie them loosely with hemp cord. The next morning, pick the flowers and dry the tea leaves in them. Repeat this three or four times. This way the tea flavor will not be overpowered, yet it will carry the fragrance of the lotus.”

“Oh!” The Sixth Young Miss of the Qiao family’s eyes went wide, and she covered her mouth in a soft exclamation of pure, unstudied wonder. “White lotus flowers specifically?”

Second Madam nodded: “The fragrance of white lotus blossoms is clearer and more delicate than that of red lotus.”

While the two were talking, maids had already brought in tea.

There was the subtle fragrance of plum blossom…

The Sixth Young Miss of the Qiao family was already radiating delight: “Madam has also scented tea leaves with plum blossoms?”

Second Madam smiled: “Any flower with fragrance will do…” She glanced out the window. “The garden has blossoms opening one after another all year round — whichever tea one wants to scent, it is very easy to do.” There was no trace of loneliness or desolation in her words — rather, an air of easy, unhurried contentment.

Eleventh Miss thought of the stone steps before her courtyard gate.

Quite steep — like climbing a hill. Most people would not come up that way.

The Sixth Young Miss of the Qiao family went on asking Second Madam about small techniques for making flower tea, preparing refreshments, and cooking porridge. Eleventh Miss thought some of her questions were somewhat exaggerated, some a little artificially coy, and some genuinely useful.

Second Madam’s expression was warm and courteous, yet carried a faint detachment. The Madam Dowager, watching on, had a glimmer of disappointment flash across her eyes.

Lady Qiao, seeing this, immediately proposed a stroll in the garden: “The winter jasmine beside Spring Yan Pavilion should be in bloom by now!”

Second Madam smiled and said: “They opened just yesterday!” She rose to accompany them.

The Madam Dowager took Second Madam’s arm and they left Shaohua Courtyard, passed through the small paths in the grove, and came out onto a wide bluestone-paved pathway. Heading north, they were met by a river that wound like a curling dragon, with a sluice-gate pavilion called Biyi spanning it. Crossing the pavilion, they followed a winding bluestone path running east to west — clear rippling water on one side, steep wooded hillside on the other, and a gentle breeze in their faces that stirred brightness from the very depths of one’s heart.

Eleventh Miss’s footsteps grew slower and slower, and she gradually fell behind the group.

A maid came to ask: “Honored guest, are you tired? Would you like to rest a moment to the side?”

Eleventh Miss hastily said: “Not at all, not at all.” But her steps grew ever slower.

Dongqing and Hupo watched anxiously from beside her, wanting to step forward and support her, but she refused: “…We do not want Mother asking questions.”

The maid listened and followed at Eleventh Miss’s side with downcast eyes, neither urging her forward nor speaking.

She seems to be from Third Madam’s household… yet she is a warm-hearted one…

Eleventh Miss thought to herself, then cast a glance at Hupo while smiling to the maid: “What shall I call you, Sister?”

The maid smiled: “I am called Qiuling.”

Hupo gave a small sound of recognition: “I have a sister who shares the same character ‘Qiu’ as you…”

Qiuling smiled with her lips pressed together. Eleventh Miss had already walked on ahead with Dongqing.

Hupo and Qiuling began a quiet, murmured conversation: “This garden is truly beautiful! I hear that the neighboring residences are those of Duke Ding Guo and Marquis Wei Bei?”

Qiuling nodded and smiled: “The Zheng Family of Duke Ding Guo lives in front of us, and the Lin Family of Marquis Wei Bei lives to our west.”

Hupo looked on with unconcealed envy: “Then every family coming and going must be one of distinguished noble lineage?”

Qiuling nodded with a smile.

“And do they also visit one another back and forth, the way we do?” Hupo asked curiously.

“Of course,” Qiuling smiled. “The eldest daughter-in-law of the Lin family and our Fourth Madam are the closest of friends. She comes to see Fourth Madam every few days.”

Hupo’s gaze shifted slightly: “Does the Wang family of Duke Maoguo also come by often?”

Eleventh Miss’s lips curved into a faint smile. She led Dongqing forward and caught up with Fifth Miss.

Behind her, Qiuling had already paused in surprise: “How do you come to ask after that family!”

Hupo quickly explained: “I heard people talking about the noble families of Yanjing. Duke Maoguo’s household was mentioned alongside yours…”

“How could their family be compared with ours?” Without waiting for Hupo to finish, Qiuling’s expression showed undisguised contempt. “Our family, though also living off the luster of our ancestors, still had our late Marquis who rose to serve as Vice Minister of Rites. And their Duke? After much effort, through the help of his in-laws he secured a position as a registrar at the Imperial Pastures Office — and could not even keep count of the number of foals in his care, and was stripped of the post…”

Hupo’s expression showed surprise: “He got a position through his in-laws? Who are Duke Maoguo’s in-laws?”

“The late Grand Academician of the Hall of Literary Profundity, Jiang Jie,” Qiuling replied with a smile.

“Jiang Jie?” Hupo’s gaze flickered. “I have never heard of him.”

“Of course you have not,” Qiuling covered her mouth and laughed. “Lord Jiang passed away more than ten years ago.”

Hupo gave an embarrassed smile: “Sister, please tell me more… I used to only do needlework at home and never heard of such things.” Her expression turned admiring. “Sister knows so much!”

Qiuling smiled: “I only know a little myself — it is because our Madam likes to ask the Master about such things.”

Hupo stepped forward and took Qiuling’s arm: “Dear Sister, please tell me about it. I’ll go back and share it with our Young Miss, so she can hear it too.”

Qiuling only smiled.

“Dear Sister…” Hupo pleaded.

“This is not really any great secret.” Qiuling smiled. “Have you heard of the Jiang family of Le’an?”

Hupo shook her head.

“Their family has produced two imperial tutors…” Qiuling’s voice gradually grew quieter, and their footsteps slowed.

The two stood beneath a large tree and began to speak in detail.

—