Luo Shiyiniang’s heart softened. She asked: “What time will you be back?”

Seventh Young Madam, seeing her tone relent, was overjoyed and quickly replied: “We will absolutely be back before midnight.”

“You only need me to be at Fifth Sister-in-Law’s to keep watch?”

Seventh Young Madam nodded repeatedly: “There is Nanny Shi, and the wet nurse as well. With you there keeping an eye on things, Danyang will feel at ease.”

Luo Shiyiniang gave her consent.

Seventh Young Madam smiled and took her hand: “I will bring you back some sesame crisp pastries from Old Widow Ma’s stall!”

“Just don’t go getting into mischief,” Luo Shiyiniang laughed. “I won’t count on the sesame pastries.”

“Am I the sort of person who gets into mischief?” Seventh Young Madam said, unconcerned.

Luo Shiyiniang burst out laughing.

When Xu Lingyi heard about this, he frowned: “Will Lingkuan and Zhu Anping be going along as well?”

“Yes,” Luo Shiyiniang replied. “Otherwise I would not have agreed.”

Xu Lingyi said nothing.

The Grand Dowager, upon hearing that the two of them wished to attend the Ghost Festival Lantern Gathering and go to release river lanterns, was a little hesitant. When she heard that Luo Shiyiniang had agreed to help watch over Xin Jie’er, she finally gave her blessing.

Who could have foreseen that a few days later, Xu Sizhun would announce: “Teacher says that for the Ghost Festival, we are going to release river lanterns too.”

The Grand Dowager was alarmed: “Absolutely not. The fifteenth of the seventh month — the ghost gates are open. The yin energy is at its heaviest.”

Xu Sizhun heard this and giggled: “Teacher says we will release them right here in our own back garden, in the Jade Ripple River. We will go back inside once it gets dark. We are making the lanterns ourselves.”

The Grand Dowager’s anxiety finally settled.

After that, Xu Sizhun and Xu Sijie threw themselves into making flower lanterns. Seeing them at it, Zhen Jie’er’s own hands itched with eagerness. She said she was helping her brothers, but ended up making a lotus flower lantern and giving it to Luo Shiyiniang: “Mother, does it look nice?”

The base was carved from wood and lacquered a vivid vermilion. The lotus petals were fashioned from gauze, with tiny glass beads sewn onto them. When a candle was lit, those little glass beads would shimmer and glow like morning dew — it would surely look beautiful. Only she could not quite tell whether it would actually float.

“It looks beautiful!” Luo Shiyiniang said with a smile, and had it placed on the windowsill of the west side room’s inner chamber. She asked Zhen Jie’er to make another one — “…I would like to send one to Gan Grand Dowager as well.”

It was the highest form of praise.

Zhen Jie’er was thrilled and enthusiastically made two more. When Xu Sizhun heard about it, he contributed a rabbit lantern; Xu Sijie contributed an octagonal lantern.

Luo Shiyiniang accepted them all graciously and sent them to Gan Grand Dowager’s residence.

Gan Grand Dowager placed Zhen Jie’er’s lotus lantern on the altar table in the main hall, hung Xu Sizhun’s rabbit lantern in the east side room, and set Xu Sijie’s octagonal lantern in the inner chamber. A few days later, she had her nanny send over lotus seed cakes, hibiscus pastries, and rose sweets she had made herself, as gifts in return to all three children.

Their enthusiasm grew all the more intense. They recruited the household’s junior maids and rough-work nannies alike to join in making river lanterns. Even Seventh Young Madam and Fifth Young Madam were swept up in the excitement. Xu Sizhun had taken on the role of general commander — chest puffed up, ordering this one to paste colored paper, ordering that one to sand down the lantern frames — busy from morning to night, yet brimming with more energy than at any other time.

The whole household was a hive of joyful activity, even livelier than the New Year celebration.

The Grand Dowager simply said: “In that case, let us release our flower lanterns that evening in the Jade Ripple River. We can see whose lantern is the most beautiful. I will put up twenty taels of silver as the prize.”

Seventh Young Madam and Fifth Young Madam heard this and shrank back, afraid the Grand Dowager would keep them home.

Luo Shiyiniang watched in amusement and rallied behind the Grand Dowager: “Then I will add ten taels.”

Seventh Young Madam and Fifth Young Madam exchanged a glance, then quickly said with a laugh: “We are not at home, but we cannot dampen your spirits — we will add ten taels as well.”

Fifth Young Madam immediately followed: “I will also add ten taels.”

The Grand Dowager could see perfectly well through their nervousness — the whole point of a festival was to enjoy oneself. She chuckled and told Luo Shiyiniang: “Remember to collect their silver.”

Luo Shiyiniang laughed and assented. Seventh Young Madam and Fifth Young Madam hurried to have their chests opened and the silver brought out, handing it to Luo Shiyiniang in the Grand Dowager’s presence.

And so in total there were fifty taels.

Luo Shiyiniang proposed: “Why not award a First Place, Second Place, and Third Place — and then a few honorable mentions?”

“Excellent!” the Grand Dowager was very much in favor. “That way everyone has something to aim for.”

When Xu Sizhun heard about this, he and Xu Sijie went to find the Grand Dowager: “Are we included as well?”

“You are the young masters of the household — how could you compete with the servants for prizes?” the Grand Dowager said with a laugh. “However, if your lanterns are judged to rank with First, Second, or Third Place, I will award you the equivalent amount.”

Xu Sizhun cheered at this and instructed Xu Sijie: “You do whatever I tell you to do. When we win the prize, I will split it half and half with you.”

Xu Sijie nodded his head vigorously: “Whatever Brother says, I will do!”

Xu Sizhun, satisfied, pulled Xu Sijie away, called his and Xu Sijie’s personal page boys over, barred the nannies and maids from following, shut the door, and set to making lanterns in secrecy. Worried that Luo Shiyiniang might question what they were making, he would not let Xu Sijie tell her either — so that whenever Xu Sijie saw Luo Shiyiniang, he would cover his little mouth with both hands: “Mother, Brother said I mustn’t tell you. But it is not never telling you — once the Ghost Festival is over, I will tell you.”

Luo Shiyiniang laughed heartily and scooped him up to shower him with kisses: “Mother is counting on you and Brother to win First Place!”

Xu Sijie giggled: “I will give all the prize money to Mother.”

“Wonderful!” Luo Shiyiniang said with a laugh. “Mother will keep it safe for you, and save it up to get you a wife when you are grown.”

Xu Sijie went off to find Xu Sizhun in high spirits.

In the end, Luo Shiyiniang never did get to see with her own eyes the lanterns the two brothers had made.

On the day of the Ghost Festival, she stayed by Xin Jie’er’s side.

There was a folk belief that young children’s life force was weak, making them most susceptible to being possessed by malicious spirits. Thus when the ghost gates were open, children were not only forbidden from going out at night, but also required to have an adult present to watch over and protect them.

Though there was no basis for this, Luo Shiyiniang had been entrusted with a responsibility, and so she dutifully stayed in Fifth Young Madam’s rooms with Nanny Shi, keeping Xin Jie’er company and entertaining her.

Fortunately, not long after dark, Hupo came to report: “Fourth Young Master and Fifth Young Master made a tiger river lantern. Everyone agreed that it was the best. The Grand Dowager awarded them twenty taels of silver.”

Of course the household servants would judge them as best.

Luo Shiyiniang smiled and told Hupo: “Tell Fifth Young Master to rest early — don’t let all the excitement keep him from sleeping.”

Hupo assented and went back.

Perhaps because Fifth Young Madam was nowhere to be seen, when bedtime came, Xin Jie’er grew fretful. The wet nurse could not settle her, and Luo Shiyiniang tried holding her and walking slowly about the room — and with that, Xin Jie’er finally calmed down. But as soon as she set her down on the bed and her breathing grew even, the baby would startle awake and begin crying again. In the end, Luo Shiyiniang simply kept holding her.

Nanny Shi could see how this looked and tried to relieve Luo Shiyiniang for a moment, but the instant Xin Jie’er was transferred to her arms, the baby woke again.

“Let me take her,” Luo Shiyiniang said, herself rather puzzled by why Xin Jie’er would settle for no one but her.

Nanny Shi was equally perplexed.

Truth be told, Luo Shiyiniang did not often have occasion to hold Xin Jie’er.

“A family is a family for good reason,” Nanny Shi said, trying to set Luo Shiyiniang’s mind at ease. “Our little Xin Jie’er knows she wants her aunt to hold her.”

Well — at any rate, they would be back by midnight.

Luo Shiyiniang had never cared for a baby before. Her arms felt as heavy as if they had been filled with water, but still she held on as best she could.

Midnight came and went, but Fifth Young Madam and Seventh Young Madam had not returned.

Nanny Shi began to grow uneasy.

Luo Shiyiniang understood.

When you were deep in the pleasure of the moment, who would think to watch the time?

“It is all right — being a little late is a common enough thing,” she said, comforting Nanny Shi.

A junior maid came rushing in in a panic: “Fourth Young Madam, the Marquis has come!”

Xu Lingyi had come?

What had brought him here?

Nanny Shi quickly lifted the door curtain.

“Old Fifth still hasn’t come back?”

Xu Lingyi paid no attention to the half-kneeling Nanny Shi and the others, and walked over to stroke Xin Jie’er’s jet-black hair.

Xin Jie’er immediately woke up.

She looked back at Xu Lingyi — and before Luo Shiyiniang could say a word, burst into a howl of crying.

She was missing her mother, it seemed.

Luo Shiyiniang had no chance to speak to Xu Lingyi, occupied as she was gently patting Xin Jie’er’s back to soothe her.

Xin Jie’er pressed her face against her shoulder and drifted back to sleep, her breathing growing even.

Luo Shiyiniang sat down at the edge of the daybed with her, and said quietly: “They have probably been delayed.”

Xu Lingyi frowned slightly: “Where is the wet nurse?” His voice was pitched lower than usual.

“I have no idea why, but she will only have me,” Luo Shiyiniang said, gesturing to him to stop speaking.

Xu Lingyi’s brows drew together.

“The Marquis should go and rest,” she said. He was making everyone uncomfortable being there. “I will be along shortly.”

The Marquis thought for a moment and said: “I will stay in Old Fifth’s study and read for a while. The roads are not quiet in the middle of the night.”

Though the covered walkways would have their great red lanterns burning through the night, today was the Ghost Festival, and Luo Shiyiniang herself felt a slight unease in her heart.

“Then we will trouble the Marquis.”

Nanny Shi hurried to show Xu Lingyi to Xu Lingkuan’s small study, and arranged for a maid to attend to him with tea and refreshments.

At the first quarter of the hour of the Ox, the four of them came back smiling and laughing.

Upon seeing Xu Lingyi, the smiles froze on their faces.

Xu Lingkuan and Zhu Anping spoke simultaneously — one said “The roads were full of people,” the other said “Lost track of the time” — both with expressions of sheepishness. Fifth Young Madam and Seventh Young Madam retreated to hide behind their respective husbands.

What was done was done, and besides, Zhu Anping and his wife were present.

Xu Lingyi had little he could reasonably say.

He said evenly, “You are back — that is what matters,” then turned to Fifth Young Madam: “Go and look in on Xin Jie’er quickly. She has been a little unsettled in her sleep.”

Fifth Young Madam, hearing this, hurried inside. She saw Luo Shiyiniang holding Xin Jie’er, and a flicker of unease crossed her face. She said “Thank you so much, Fourth Sister-in-Law” as she reached out to take the baby.

Xin Jie’er half-opened her eyes, saw that it was her mother, gave a little pout, and let out a few soft cries before settling back to sleep in Fifth Young Madam’s arms.

Luo Shiyiniang let out a breath of relief.

She had at last delivered the child safely back to Fifth Young Madam.

She flexed her heavy, aching arm and was just about to exchange a few words with Fifth Young Madam when she heard Seventh Young Madam muttering indignantly under her breath, “…It’s not as though I said anything… I haven’t even settled accounts with him over what happened last time, and he has the nerve to pull a long face at me…” as she was pulled inside by Zhu Anping. Close behind them came Xu Lingkuan, sweating from head to toe.

Luo Shiyiniang and Fifth Young Madam looked at each other in bewilderment.

“Nothing to worry about, nothing to worry about,” Xu Lingkuan hastily explained to his sister-in-law and wife, who both wore expressions of surprise. “A small misunderstanding, just a small misunderstanding.”

Luo Shiyiniang glanced at Zhu Anping, who looked thoroughly mortified, and said with an easy smile, taking the natural way out: “In that case, I will take my leave. It is late — everyone should retire early.”

Xu Lingkuan nodded quickly: “Do take care, Fourth Sister-in-Law.”

Luo Shiyiniang stepped out the door and saw Xu Lingyi, hands clasped behind his back, standing beneath a tree in the darkness.

Moonlight fell across his face — half illuminated, half in shadow — making his features appear sharper than ever, with a touch of cold austerity.

—