Jie Xiang looked at the Second Madam without comprehension.

The Second Madam said lightly: “Think about it — you cannot pull up a radish without bringing along some earth. If the Marquis had no faith in the Fourth Madam, he would do exactly as he did in the past: not only refrain from investigating, but help conceal matters, and find ways to smooth the affair over as quickly as possible.” She assumed a pensive expression. “The Marquis, for all his outwardly gentle manner, is a proud man at his core. Knowing full well that the figure had gone into the main rooms, he not only intends to investigate, he has even brought Fifth Brother in as an aide and is conducting a thorough and open inquiry — and the very first place searched was the main rooms where the Fourth Madam resides. I dare not claim much, but at the very least, he believes the Fourth Madam has absolutely nothing to do with this affair. Otherwise, he would not have entrusted her to the Grand Madam at a time like this… As for whom our Fourth Master trusts most, it may well be the Grand Madam.” A sudden smile came to her face. “Let us hope that our Marquis has not misjudged this time. Otherwise, with matters having become this public, there will be no way to put them right.” A few hints of wry amusement glinted in her eyes.

Jie Xiang, thinking back to the events of those years, fell into silence.

The room grew quiet, and the sound of the wind through the bamboo came pressing in from all sides, crashing down in waves without end.

Nanny Du stood before the Grand Madam. The sound of wind and rain against the branches made even an old attendant of many years feel a quiet dread in her bones.

“He has fallen asleep,” the Grand Madam said, glancing down at Xu Sizhun.

“Yes,” Nanny Du answered, her reply carrying somewhat more careful restraint than usual. “Hupo says the Fourth Madam was exhausted — as soon as she learned the Fourth Young Master was out of danger, she nodded off while lying on the chaise longue. I saw she was sleeping quite soundly and did not have her roused.”

A gleam of sharp light flashed in the Grand Madam’s eyes. She stood: “Come, let us go and see.”

Nanny Du did not dare breathe a sound, and followed the Grand Madam to the eastern alcove.

By the light of a small lamp, the whole room lay in still and quiet, and the Eleventh Young Lady’s sleeping face was serene and at peace.

The Grand Madam stood at the edge of the couch and gazed at her for a long while, then withdrew as silently as she had come.

Hupo let out a quiet breath.

The Grand Madam paused in the main hall.

“Go over to the main rooms and see how the investigation is proceeding.”

The Grand Madam’s expression was grave.

Nanny Du answered quietly and hurried out of the main hall.

The Grand Madam stood alone for a long time, then slowly returned to her inner chamber.

Xu Sizhun slept very peacefully. The Grand Madam settled herself softly beside him, tucked the corner of his blanket in for him, then closed her eyes and leaned against the headrest bolster.

The lamp flame flickered, crackling and sputtering.

Nanny Du crept back in.

“Grand Madam,” she said, unable to fully conceal the worry in her voice, “the Fifth Master found a mask hidden behind the room where Yan Rong lives.”

The Grand Madam’s eyes snapped open. In the dim room, they glittered with an edge as keen as a blade.

“What did the Marquis say?”

Nanny Du paused, then said quietly: “The Marquis ordered the investigation to continue.”

The Grand Madam slowly closed her eyes again.

To continue the investigation — was it because he was confident the inquiry would not implicate the Eleventh Young Lady? Or was it because he was weary of this kind of incident happening again and again?

The self-striking clock on the wall chimed nine times.

Nanny Du stood in hesitation for some time: “Grand Madam, this matter is not something that can be resolved in a short while. In my view, you ought to rest a little. Once the Fourth Young Master wakes in the morning, you will still need to personally guide us in helping him recover from the shock.”

The Grand Madam gave a gentle shake of her head: “I will wait right here.” Her manner was resolute.

Nanny Du did not dare say more, and draped a light blanket over the Grand Madam’s shoulders.

The Grand Madam spoke in a quiet, distant voice: “Tell me — does this matter have anything to do with Eleventh Young Lady or not?” The words were filled with doubt.

All the hairs on Nanny Du’s body stood on end.

“The Fourth Madam is an intelligent woman,” she said carefully. “She ought not do something like this.”

She spoke only of intelligence — not of virtue and integrity.

The Grand Madam turned her head and looked toward Xu Sizhun.

“This child — he truly is one of thin fortune.” A sigh, with a note of pity threaded through it.

Nanny Du could not fathom the Grand Madam’s meaning, and said gently: “With the Grand Madam watching over him, how could the Fourth Young Master be of thin fortune? Please set your heart at ease. Did not Elder Daoist Changchun say as much — the Fourth Young Master has ‘three calamities,’ and this one fits just right as an unwarranted disaster. Once the Fourth Young Master passes through this trial, all will go smoothly afterward…”

The Grand Madam was not listening closely. Before Nanny Du had finished speaking, she suddenly said: “If this matter truly does have something to do with Eleventh Young Lady — do I turn a blind eye? Or do I… step in and deal with it?”

The Grand Madam had sailed smoothly through her earlier years and carried a great deal of spirit. Later — what with Second Master’s illness and death, the late Marquis being implicated and demoted, the Marquis being sent far away to the countryside — a whole series of troubles had befallen the family, and the Grand Madam had gradually reined in her temper. Yet after all, it was a disposition cultivated from girlhood. Otherwise, in those earlier days she would never have fought with all her might alongside Yuan Niang to seek out physicians and remedies everywhere — until she had wrested the Fourth Young Master into the world through sheer force of will alone. When it came down to it, this was the Grand Madam refusing to accept defeat, refusing to believe she could have no legitimate grandson. Now that she was older, the saying about the aged becoming childlike had come to apply — her temper had grown all the less restrained. Others might not be aware of the Grand Madam’s change, but Nanny Du understood it clearly in her heart.

If the Grand Madam had made up her mind to step in, she would have sent Nanny Du to ask long ago — there would have been no need for this hesitation. Clearly, she was afraid this matter might involve the Eleventh Young Lady, and had begun to entertain thoughts of smoothing things over. Yet thinking of Xu Sizhun, who had grown up by her side from the very beginning without his birth mother, she could not help but feel a pang of guilt, and for the moment could not make up her mind.

If the Grand Madam had arrived at a firm decision, matters would have been easier to address. If she had not, and given the gravity of what was at stake, Nanny Du did not dare involve herself in it.

“It likely is not the case,” she said noncommittally. “The Marquis and the Fifth Master have already gone to investigate — there should be news by morning.”

The Grand Madam did not require an answer from Nanny Du. Whether to manage this or leave it be — it was a difficult decision either way, and she merely wished to fortify her own resolve in saying it aloud.

“Regardless of whether she had any hand in it.” The Grand Madam murmured to herself. “That steadiness alone — that is sufficient to shoulder the running of this household… I am old, and Yizhen is after all only a sister-in-law… without proper authority, things easily fall into disorder… ” The old woman spoke, her gaze coming to rest again on Xu Sizhun’s sleeping face. “…But what about this child… can I truly just leave him to fend for himself… ” At this point, two drops of tears fell from the corners of her eyes. “What is fated to be, will be; what is not fated, cannot be forced. In this matter, the fault was originally mine…”

With something weighing on her heart, the Eleventh Young Lady did not sleep soundly.

After a brief rest of two hours, she roused herself.

Turning her head, she saw Hupo sitting blankly beside the couch.

“What is the hour now?” the Eleventh Young Lady asked softly.

Hupo startled, steadied herself, and went to look at the floor clock: “It is the hour of the Pig, third quarter past.” She then turned and poured a cup of warm boiled water for the Eleventh Young Lady.

The Eleventh Young Lady drank the water and asked languidly: “Has any news come from that side?”

Hupo hesitated for a moment, then said in a low voice: “I heard from Yu Ban that the Fifth Master found a mask behind Yan Rong’s side room.”

The Eleventh Young Lady’s expression grew sober, and she sat up: “What did the Marquis say?”

“The Marquis,” Hupo said haltingly, “the Marquis ordered the investigation to continue.”

The Eleventh Young Lady stared for a moment, and after a long while, she gently leaned back against the arm of the chaise — and at the corners of her eyes and brows, something that could not seem to be contained, to everyone’s surprise, became a faint, quiet smile.

Hupo found this strange.

With such a grave matter at hand, Madam showed no urgency to think of a plan, and instead looked for all the world as though nothing had happened.

The Eleventh Young Lady had already instructed her: “Go and see if there is anything to eat — I am a little hungry.”

Hupo was struck dumb.

“If I don’t eat my fill,” the Eleventh Young Lady said, “how will I get any work done later!” She laughed lightly: “Go quickly.” Her manner and bearing carried a rare liveliness and cheer, without a trace of worry.

Hupo, entirely baffled, told the young maidservant at the door to go and inquire. The young maidservant did not dare be negligent, and hurried to inform Nanny Du.

Nanny Du was left dumbfounded: “She’s hungry?”

The matter of the mask found behind Yan Rong’s room — Nanny Du had let it slip to the Eleventh Young Lady precisely on the Grand Madam’s instructions.

She could not help but look toward the Grand Madam.

The Grand Madam gave a slight nod, and with a glance toward Xu Sizhun’s sleeping face, a look of quiet resolve gradually set into her brows and eyes: “See what she would like to eat, and have the small kitchen prepare it for her.”

Nanny Du went to comply.

“There is no need to go to all that trouble,” the Eleventh Young Lady said with a smile. “Whatever the small kitchen has prepared for the Grand Madam will do — just bring some over for me to fill my stomach.” She also asked: “Has the Grand Madam retired for the night? How is Zhun’er?”

“The Fourth Young Master has taken his medicine and is sleeping,” Nanny Du said, thinking of the Grand Madam’s instructions, and smiled in reply. “The Grand Madam has also nodded off, resting beside the Fourth Young Master.” She then thought that at this hour, starting a fire to cook would take time — and the small kitchen today had prepared wolfberry, lotus seed and ginseng black chicken soup, as well as yam cakes for the Grand Madam, all nourishing and easy to digest. So she had a young maidservant bring some over.

The Eleventh Young Lady moved to the large platform bed beside the window to sit. She had barely drunk a few spoonfuls of the chicken soup when a commotion sounded from outside.

Hupo was just about to go out to look when Xu Lingyi lifted the curtain and entered.

The two looked at each other, both rather surprised.

One had been thinking: given that an unexpected turn of events had occurred, the investigation would surely take some time — he had not expected to see her back so soon; the other had been thinking: when he had left, she was alone here sheltering in the eastern alcove — though Imperial Physician Liu had said nothing was wrong, he had still been somewhat uneasy at heart — never had he expected to find her sitting there perfectly at ease, eating and drinking with relish.

“Is the Marquis hungry?” the Eleventh Young Lady responded first. “Would you like some as well? Chicken broth is just the thing for someone who has been up through the night!”

“Oh!” After a brief moment of bewilderment, Xu Lingyi quickly returned to his usual composure. “You eat — I’m not hungry.” As he spoke, his gaze fell on her abdomen.

The Eleventh Young Lady quickly said: “Marquis, please set your mind at ease — Imperial Physician Liu said there is nothing the matter. I also feel quite well.” She then recounted to him what had happened after his departure.

Xu Lingyi heard that she had even managed to sleep a little, and a flicker of amusement passed through his eyes. He sat down on the platform bed across from her: “Good then!”

Sitting closer now, the Eleventh Young Lady noticed there were still a few traces of water mist in his hair. She instructed Hupo: “Bring some hot water for the Marquis to wipe his face.”

Hupo went to do so.

The Eleventh Young Lady saw that Xu Lingyi made no move to leave, and knowing he intended to stay for a while, waited until the young maidservant had brought in tea, then asked Xu Lingyi: “Have you seen Zhun’er yet?”

“I have.” Xu Lingyi drank a mouthful of tea, then let out a long, slow breath. The worry in the space between his brows was deep. “We’ll have to see what happens when he wakes tomorrow.”

His meaning was plain: Xu Sizhun’s condition remained uncertain.

The Eleventh Young Lady was silent.

Hupo brought the water in.

Xu Lingyi wiped his face and settled back into his seat. Seeing that the Eleventh Young Lady’s chopsticks had been set to one side untouched, he pointed to the snow-white yam cakes shaped like begonia blossoms: “Eat, quickly — if they go cold, they will sit heavy on the stomach.”