Hupo was taken aback. “I have no idea!”

She had never once thought about that question.

Eleventh Miss’s eyes lit up.

At last, a glimmer of hope!

“The people for the household can be brought from the old home in Yuhang, but the coachman is absolutely someone who cannot be brought from home.” She smiled as she spoke to Hupo. “Tomorrow, take two taels of silver and ask the coachman to help buy some famous Yanjing snacks and bring them back. Use that opportunity to ask him whether he knows of the Jiang Family in Leping.”

Hupo hesitated. “A coachman — how would he know anything about the Jiang Family of Leping?”

“You grew up in the inner courtyard, so there are some things you don’t know.” Eleventh Miss smiled. “When it comes to being well-informed, no one can beat porters, sedan-chair bearers, and errand carriers. They travel from village to village, know many people, have seen many things — not a single whisper of wind or rustle of grass in Yanjing escapes their eyes and ears. Just go ahead and ask. You can even inquire about that matter of Young Master Wang beating someone to death.” At this, her brow furrowed slightly. “Since even the Xu Family’s maids know about it, these men certainly can’t be ignorant of it.” Her voice gradually dropped. “If we’re lucky, there might even be rumors about why Young Master Wang has never taken a wife!”

Hupo nodded and went off to carry out the task.

Dongqing, however, was deeply disheartened. “Miss, that Young Master Wang — regardless of the reason, he beat someone to death. He is no good man no matter how you look at it. You’d best abandon that notion altogether!”

“I know.” Eleventh Miss smiled bitterly. “People always harbor a kind of wishful thinking. They feel there is still a future, that something better still lies ahead — and so they hesitate, waver, and linger. But when there is no future left at all, one can only attend to what is right in front of them.”

Dongqing was thoroughly puzzled. “Miss, what do you mean by…”

“It’s nothing, nothing.” Eleventh Miss waved her hand. “Let’s sleep early. We’ve been out all day — I’m truly exhausted!”

……

The following day, at the beginning of the si hour, Fifth Miss and Eleventh Miss went to pay their respects to the First Madam. The First Madam had already risen. Trunks and chests were strewn haphazardly about the room. The First Madam sat on the luohan daybed, listening as the First Young Mistress and Nanny Xu checked items in the trunks against the ledger. The Sixth Yiniang stood meekly to one side, attending to them with eyes downcast.

Seeing them enter, the First Madam merely lifted her eyelids. “You’re here.”

Fifth Miss and Eleventh Miss quickly stepped forward and greeted the First Madam and the First Young Mistress.

“I’m busy here. You two go rest.” The First Madam’s tone was flat.

Everyone knew that Elder Dou had now retired from office, while all three masters of the Luo Family remained idle at home — each one living on edge. Who would dare say more than necessary before the First Madam?

The two curtsied and withdrew.

Fifth Miss asked Dujuan, who was seeing them out. “What is all this for?”

Dujuan said quietly, “Gifts!”

Fifth Miss’s eyes brightened. “For the Marquis’s household?”

Dujuan shook her head. “I don’t know.”

Fifth Miss’s eyes dimmed, and she looked rather disappointed. She sent Ziwei to loiter around Luoqiao, but that Luoqiao, having Lianqiao’s example before her, kept her lips very tightly sealed. No matter how much one pried, nothing could be gotten out of her. All that could be seen was that both the First Master and the First Madam were very busy — the First Master went out early and returned late each day, while the First Madam frequently had the First Young Mistress help her take inventory of the trunks and chests.

During this time, the First Madam had made two trips to Marquis Yongping’s residence. She left Fifth Miss and Eleventh Miss at home, taking only Nanny Xu with her — going out after the midday rest and returning before dinner, just as one would on an ordinary visit to relatives, sometimes bringing a few boxes of pastries, sometimes a few bolts of cloth.

This drew Eleventh Miss’s close attention — who could say what the First Madam’s purpose in going there was?

She would sometimes set down her needlework and sit lost in thought.

Fortunately, news came back from Hupo’s side: “…Young Master Wang had come out of the lane at Cuihua Hutong early in the morning, and an old vegetable peddler happened to be crossing his path. For some reason, Young Master Wang flew into a rage and struck that old peddler down… Afterward, the Fifth Young Master of the Xu Family stepped in, offered a thousand taels of silver as compensation, and since no one pressed charges, the matter was simply dropped.” As she spoke, a look of hesitation crossed her face. “I told the coachman that I was originally from Yanjing. When the Old Master passed away, the Second Madam brought me back to Yuhang, and I was later given to Miss as a gift. I’ve been in Yuhang for these past few years. I had an older sister who used to serve at the Mao Duchy…”

That was quite a clever cover story!

Eleventh Miss looked at Hupo with a measure of approval.

“But who would have thought — the moment the coachman heard that, he urged me at once: you’d best find a way to go check on her at the Mao Duchy right away! Just last month, two maids there were gone — one was said to have died of illness, one was said to have slipped and fallen into a well. You’ve been away from the capital for three or four years — who knows whether your sister is dead or alive?”

Eleventh Miss could not conceal her shock.

Hupo’s forehead was beaded with fine perspiration. “Miss, should I slip away to the Mao Duchy? I’ll say I’m going to look for my sister. The coachman also said that if I want to go, I should change my clothes, and he’ll borrow a friend’s carriage — it’ll take only an hour, and with the inner courtyard matters arranged properly, no one would be the wiser.”

“Absolutely not.” Eleventh Miss refused without hesitation. “His idea is indeed a good one — but if he were to take you somewhere else entirely, that too would be done without anyone being the wiser.”

Hupo seemed about to say something, then stopped herself.

Eleventh Miss’s expression turned grave, and she said firmly, “This matter ends here. Not another word about going to the Mao Duchy to gather information.”

Hupo had no choice but to comply.

Seeing that Hupo still looked somewhat reluctant, Eleventh Miss repeated her caution several more times with words to the effect of “slow and steady wins the race,” then asked about the Jiang Family’s affairs. “…Were you able to find out anything?”

Hupo quickly replied, “The Jiang Family has a five-courtyard residence at Shishi Hutong. It is presently occupied by Hanlin Scholar Jiang and several members of the Jiang Family who have come to study at the Imperial Academy. Their family is known for its strict conduct and treating others with great courtesy. That Xiao Liuzi said that a coachman friend of his was once passing through Shishi Hutong when someone suddenly stepped out from the hutong entrance and startled his horses; he yanked the reins sharply and sent the man falling straight onto the ground. His friend noticed that though the person was dressed very plainly, he had bright white teeth, rosy lips, and hands that were fairer and more delicate than any woman’s — clearly someone from a well-to-do family. His friend was frightened and rushed forward to apologize. But the young master not only bore no grudge, he even gave his friend a tael of silver to settle his nerves. His friend didn’t dare accept it. The young master pressed it on him and walked away. His friend was worried it might be a trap, so he made inquiries and found out it was a young master from the Jiang Family. Someone told him: since it’s a gift from a Jiang Family young master, go ahead and take it — they are not the sort of family that bullies people by trading on their status. Only then did he happily accept it, and he went around telling all his relatives and friends.”

So that was why the Jiang Family had no wish to get involved in Wang Lang’s affairs?

Eleventh Miss turned it over in her mind and asked Hupo, “Who is Xiao Liuzi? And since when do you know about traps like that?”

Hupo’s face flushed slightly and she replied with some unease, “The coachman our family hired is called Xiao Liuzi. That trap — he’s the one who told me about it. He said it’s a scheme used to lure greedy people into being swindled out of a great deal.”

Eleventh Miss smiled, then thought again about the utterly contrasting ways the Wang and Jiang families conducted themselves, and the smile faded from her face.

How had those two families ever come to be joined by marriage?

The thought flashed through her mind, and she found herself sinking into reflection.

A marriage alliance should be built on equal standing, mutual benefit, and shared values…

Why would the Luo Family seek a marriage alliance with the Wang Family?

If it were to secure a good future for the younger daughters born of concubines, then even from the few scattered details she had managed to piece together, it was evident that Wang Lang was no good man. And if it were for the sake of power and influence, even the Xu Family’s maids knew the Mao Duchy had fallen on hard times — Yuan Niang could not possibly be unaware of that. In that case, it would have made far more sense to marry into a household as a second wife to some official of real authority, a man whose first wife had died.

Moreover, reasoning from the usual course of things, Luo Yuan Niang at this point should have been devoting her every effort to securing the greatest possible benefit for Zhun Ge in the event of her own death. How could she have had energy left over to arrange a marriage for younger half-sisters she had not seen in over a decade?

At that thought, Eleventh Miss was suddenly struck.

That was right — at this juncture, everything Luo Yuan Niang thought, considered, and did ought to be for Zhun Ge’s sake. So then, what advantage could this marriage alliance possibly offer Zhun Ge?

The Luo Family, the Wang Family, the Xu Family, the Jiang Family — they spun through Eleventh Miss’s mind like a revolving lantern, one after another without pause.

She asked herself: if she were Luo Yuan Niang, what would she do?

Once the thought arose, she could not stop it from running on.

Internally, find a second wife whom the Luo Family could hold influence over, to ensure Zhun Ge would grow up safely. Externally, seek powerful support, and secure Zhun Ge’s position as the heir apparent at the earliest opportunity. After all, Zhun Ge was the legitimate son born of Xu Lingyi’s first wife, of more noble standing than any son born of a second wife — and the primary heir to the title.

By now, Yuan Niang had already formed her plan for the internal arrangement. As for the external…

Eleventh Miss could not help pressing a hand to her forehead.

The Jiang Family… a gentry clan that maintained its integrity, kept a low profile, and had earned a reputation for virtue… No need for them to shield or protect anyone — she merely needed them, at a critical moment, to step forward and speak a word of justice on Zhun Ge’s behalf. Yet at the same time, they were a politically influential family. A family of that caliber would weigh every word and action carefully… What could bind such a family to Zhun Ge’s cause?

The best way, of course, would be — a marriage alliance!

As it happened, the Mao Duke had a daughter who had married into the Jiang Family, and a son in need of a wife…

She gave a rueful smile. “Does the Jiang Family have any daughters? How many daughters do they have?” Without waiting for Hupo to answer, she murmured to herself, “Of course they have daughters. Otherwise, why go to all this trouble…”

Hupo quickly offered, “Should I go ask Xiao Liuzi again?”

Eleventh Miss shook her head. “Once was enough — don’t go making any more inquiries.” She gestured toward the east wing. “We don’t want to arouse anyone’s suspicion.”

Hupo nodded at once. “Understood.”

Eleventh Miss gave a small nod and smiled. “Go and rest.”

She needed to think this through carefully — what was the right course of action here?

Hupo withdrew, and coming the other way, ran headlong into Feiui.

“Sister, what brings you over?” She smiled and beckoned Feicui toward her own room in the west wing.

Feicui smiled and shook her head. “I’ve come to fetch Eleventh Miss — the Third Madam has arrived, with Fifth Young Master and Sixth Young Master, and they are all in the First Madam’s room having tea. The First Madam has sent me to let Fifth Miss and Eleventh Miss know, so they can come pay their respects.”

Hupo smiled and nodded. After Feicui went to pass the message to Fifth Miss, she accompanied her to Eleventh Miss’s room.

Learning the reason for Feicui’s visit, Eleventh Miss tidied herself and set off with Hupo, following Feicui to the First Madam’s quarters.

Compared to her appearance in Yuhang, the twenty-seven-year-old Third Madam had visibly grown more haggard.

After Eleventh Miss had paid her respects, the Fifth Young Master and Sixth Young Master, who had been standing to one side, smiled and called out, “Eleventh Sister.”

—