Luo Zhengkai and Luo Zhenyu were as sharp and lively as ever. Eleventh Miss smiled and greeted them, and then Fifth Miss arrived. After paying her respects, a young maid carried over small stools for the two of them to sit on. But the Third Madam rose as if to take her leave. “These past few days, I have relied entirely on Elder Brother and Elder Sister-in-law’s help.” Her eyes reddened. “I came specifically to thank Elder Sister-in-law.”

“We are family — there’s no need for such words between us.” The First Madam rose and took the Third Madam by the hand. “I would love to have you stay here a while to lift your spirits, but I also know that at a time like this, not even a mirage could keep you here. I won’t say anything polite. Go home and rest well. There is no hurdle in this world that cannot be overcome. In a few days, when your spirits are better, come again. I’ll invite Second Brother’s wife as well, and the three of us sisters-in-law can have a proper gathering.”

The Third Madam nodded again and again. “Elder Sister-in-law, then I’ll take the children and head back first.”

The Fifth Young Master and Sixth Young Master stepped forward to bid farewell to the First Madam.

The First Madam patted both of them on the head and smiled as she walked them to the door. “The children are tired too — let them rest a while. I am also a mother and I understand your ambitions for them. But haste won’t cook the glutinous rice dumplings — some things must come gradually.”

“Elder Sister-in-law is right.” The Third Madam’s face showed a trace of weariness. “Thank you for the reminder.”

Walking behind, Eleventh Miss found herself thinking back to the very first time she had seen the Third Madam.

Hair piled into a peony bun, adorned with large jade-leaf floral ornaments, wearing a rose-violet two-toned cut-silk jacket. The way she looked at people — gaze slightly averted, carrying the superiority of one who looks down from a height.

Now, none of that former brilliance remained.

Without a distinguished family name behind her, the old confidence was gone. The Third Madam was, after all, still somewhat inexperienced in the ways of the world.

Eleventh Miss stood behind the First Madam, watching the Third Madam depart with a calm smile, and then walked back with the First Madam to the main room.

Along the way, the First Madam asked Fifth Miss and Eleventh Miss, “What have you two been doing these past few days?”

Fifth Miss smiled. “Practicing my calligraphy. After seeing the plaques and inscriptions in Elder Sister’s garden, I realized what it means to find someone greater beyond the hills and beyond oneself. If I don’t settle down and practice, I’m afraid I’ll bring shame to Elder Sister.”

“The plaques in Marquis Yongping’s residence are either imperially bestowed or written by successive head scholars of the Hanlin Academy — it’s perfectly natural that you fall short. There’s no need to take it to heart.” The First Madam smiled, then looked toward Eleventh Miss.

Eleventh Miss quickly replied, “Your daughter has been doing needlework at home — I am preparing a spring robe in apricot yellow for Mu Ge, and a spring robe in lake blue for Zhun Ge.”

The First Madam nodded approvingly.

Luoqiao lifted the curtain ahead of the First Madam, but a young maid came running in to report, “First Madam, a nanny from Marquis Yongping’s residence has come to deliver an invitation.”

The First Madam turned on the spot. “Please show her in at once.”

The young maid acknowledged the order and withdrew. Before long, she returned with two nannies of around forty years of age.

Both nannies stepped forward briskly and paid their respects to the First Madam, who politely invited them to sit inside.

Everyone returned to their seats, and the maids served tea. One of the women — a matron with a small red mole at the corner of her mouth — handed over a red-lacquered box carved with a pattern of blooming peonies. “Our Dowager Madam says that in a few days it will be the Third Day of the Third Month, the Girls’ Festival. She invites the Madam, the Young Mistress, the Misses, and Mu Ge to come to our residence and enjoy the festivities together — her ladyship has engaged the Deyin Troupe to perform a private opera.”

Luoqiao beside her quickly took the box and extracted from it a red gold-speckled invitation card for the First Madam to see.

Since she already knew the contents, the First Madam merely glanced at it as a formality, then smiled and said, “May I trouble both nannies to convey my thanks to the Dowager Madam for remembering us. Tell her I shall certainly bring my daughter-in-law, my daughters, and my grandson that day to join in the festivities.”

“Then on behalf of the Dowager Madam, I thank you.” The nanny with the red mole at her lips rose and curtsied toward the First Madam, then exchanged a few pleasantries before rising and taking her leave.

The First Madam gazed at the tender young shoots just beginning to bud on the branches outside, and directed Fifth Miss and Eleventh Miss: “It is time to change into spring clothing.”

Both answered “Yes” in unison, sat with the First Madam for a short while longer, then rose and returned each to her own room.

……

When the Third Day of the Third Month arrived, Eleventh Miss wound her jet-black hair into a bun at the nape of her neck, fastened it with a coral and turquoise bead ornament, and dressed in a sky-blue jacket with a moon-white embroidered hem skirt. With the confidence of youth, she applied only a touch of jasmine blossom honey to her face and went to the First Madam’s room with a fresh, unadorned complexion.

Fifth Miss had arrived before her.

She wore a silver-red jacket, her hair styled in a drooping horse bun adorned with three solid-gold combs set with gemstones of various colors, gold lantern-shaped pendants hanging from her ears, her brows shaped and eyes shaded, a faint dusting of powder giving her a brilliance three shades more vivid than usual.

The First Madam looked at both of them with evident satisfaction and gave several reminders — “Greet people warmly when you see them,” “There will be performers in the inner courtyard, so don’t wander about — be careful not to encounter those you shouldn’t” — and so on. When the First Young Mistress arrived leading Mu Ge, dressed in a deep-red silk robe, the whole family set off in their carriages for the Xu residence.

At the decorative inner gate of the Xu residence, they encountered an elegantly dressed elderly woman with a full head of silver hair.

The old woman greeted them warmly. “You must be relatives of the Dowager Madam of the Xu Family?”

Although she didn’t recognize the woman, seeing her surrounded by a retinue of some twenty maids and matrons dressed in gold and silver, the First Madam did not dare be careless. She stepped forward promptly to bow in greeting and said, “I am Luo née Xu.”

The old woman smiled and gave a slight nod. Beside her, someone introduced her to the First Madam. “This is the Dowager Matriarch of Dingguo Duke’s residence.”

Ah — so these were the Zheng Family, who had divided the Long Princess’s courtyard and lived in the section in front of the Xu residence.

The First Madam smiled quickly. “So it is the Dowager Matriarch — forgive me for not recognizing you sooner.” She then introduced the First Young Mistress of Luo, Fifth Miss, Eleventh Miss, and Mu Ge to Dowager Matriarch Zheng.

Everyone stepped forward to pay their respects to Dowager Matriarch Zheng.

Just as the jingle of pendants and ornaments filled the air, the rumble of carriage wheels could be heard approaching.

Everyone turned toward the sound.

It was a black-lacquered flat-top carriage, just like the Luo Family’s own.

The carriage came to a stop. A woman jumped down, set a footstool at the carriage step, then extended her arm respectfully toward the inside of the carriage. “Miss, we have arrived.”

A pair of slender, pale, elegant fingers parted the stone-blue carriage curtain and rested lightly on the matron’s arm, clad in its official-green jacket. Then the curtain lifted, and a graceful figure in crimson descended slowly from the carriage.

Everyone present drew a sharp breath.

“Whose daughter is this — she is truly beautiful!” Dowager Matriarch Zheng could not conceal her admiration.

Yet the First Madam’s face, in that very instant, turned white as a sheet of paper.

The crimson figure glided slowly toward the First Madam and, at a distance of five steps, dipped gracefully into a curtsy. “Mother, your daughter Tenth Miss pays her respects.”

In that moment, every pair of eyes fell upon the First Madam.

The corners of the First Madam’s mouth curved upward, and the color returned to her face little by little. “Tenth Miss…”

“It is indeed your daughter.” Tenth Miss tilted her head to look at the First Madam, her beautiful eyes sparkling with a jewel-like brilliance. “The carriage Mother arranged for me traveled slowly — that is why I have only just arrived.”

“You are here now, and that is what matters.” Dowager Matriarch Zheng smiled warmly, looking Tenth Miss over, and said to the First Madam, “Your daughters — each one more beautiful than the last.”

The First Madam’s face flushed pink. “Indeed — my daughters are each more beautiful than the last.”

Tenth Miss had already stepped forward to pay her respects to Dowager Matriarch Zheng.

The Dowager Matriarch personally stepped forward and took Tenth Miss by the hand. “Rise, rise. A flower bud of a girl like this — what if you scraped yourself kneeling down? Do get up!”

Tenth Miss rose with natural ease, took the Dowager Matriarch’s arm, and said with a smile, “Madam, allow me to support you inside.”

“I’m afraid your mother might be jealous.” Dowager Matriarch Zheng said teasingly.

The First Madam smiled faintly. “My daughter winning the Dowager Matriarch’s favor — I could only be delighted, not jealous.”

Tenth Miss covered her mouth and laughed, her jet-black eyes dancing with a sparkle that was impossible to describe — mischievous and utterly charming.

“Tenth Miss!” Fifth Miss, her complexion darkening, darted forward from behind the First Madam, intending to block Tenth Miss, but was seized by the First Young Mistress of Luo. “The Dowager Matriarch has Tenth Miss by her side — that is quite enough!” The fingers gripping Fifth Miss’s hand had gone white at the knuckles.

Eleventh Miss stepped back two paces and positioned herself behind the First Young Mistress of Luo.

The atmosphere turned suddenly strange.

Dowager Matriarch Zheng’s gaze swept the scene. She smiled and said, “It is growing late — we had best go in, so as not to keep our host waiting.” With that, she went straight up the steps of the decorative gate, paying no further attention to Tenth Miss.

Tenth Miss cast a bewitching sideways glance at the First Madam, smiled faintly, and with a light lift of her skirt followed Dowager Matriarch Zheng up the steps to the gate.

The First Madam looked long and intently at Fifth Miss.

Fifth Miss’s face had already gone ashen. “Mother, it wasn’t Fourth Brother…”

The First Madam’s smile was somewhat strained. She directed the First Young Mistress of Luo, “Today is busy and crowded — Mu Ge is young and cannot withstand such commotion. You had best take Mu Ge home first.”

The First Young Mistress of Luo’s expression was grave. She answered “Yes,” and, ignoring Mu Ge’s cries of “I want to play with Zhun Ge,” led her son back to the carriage. “Return to Gongxian Hutong.”

Watching the carriage rumble and turn southward along the stone-paved main road and out of the Xu residence, the First Madam’s smile returned to its warm and amiable composure. She directed Fifth Miss and Eleventh Miss, “Let us go in as well. We must not keep people waiting.”

Both answered “Yes” with a certain trepidation and followed the First Madam through the decorative gate.

Beyond the gate, a small blue-curtained carriage still waited for them, but there was no longer any sign of Dowager Matriarch Zheng or Tenth Miss.

Someone came forward smiling to explain, “Dowager Matriarch Zheng and your residence’s Tenth Miss each took an oil-carriage and have gone ahead to the flower hall.”

The First Madam smiled and led Fifth Miss and Eleventh Miss onto the blue-curtained oil-carriage to the flower hall.

……

Tenth Miss had not followed Dowager Matriarch into the flower hall after all. Instead, she stood smiling beneath the verandah in front of the hall, chatting with a woman dressed in a ten-pattern brocade jacket in bright red. Seeing the First Madam arrive, she smiled and said to the woman, “Mother is here.”

The woman turned her face.

Willowy brows, almond eyes — it was the Third Mistress of the Xu Family.

“I was just about to come and welcome you. And then I met your residence’s Tenth Miss, who said she had gotten out of the carriage and hadn’t seen you, and was anxiously looking for you…” The Third Mistress came forward smiling to greet them. “Oh, but where is the First Young Mistress?”

“Today is warm — I had her take Mu Ge home first.” The First Madam smiled broadly. “How kind of the Third Mistress to be concerned.”

“What a pity!” The Third Mistress smiled. “Today the head of the Deyin Troupe, Zhou Dehui, is performing in person.” She looked over at Tenth Miss. “First Madam, were you hiding her away like a treasure? Such a beautiful daughter, and you wouldn’t let me meet her — surely you weren’t afraid we’d take her away?”

Tenth Miss gazed at the First Madam and laughed.

The First Madam pressed her lips together with a smile.

Neither said a word, and the moment grew somewhat strange.

A flicker of puzzlement passed through the Third Mistress’s eyes.

Just then, a burst of laughter carried over from the direction of the flower hall.

The Third Mistress could not afford to dwell on it further. She took the First Madam by the arm. “Do go in quickly — you are the only one we’ve been waiting for!”

—