“Qin Yiniang says that Zhun Ge has died? And that the Fourth Madam has miscarried?” The Grand Dowager glanced at Nanny Du.

Nanny Du stood to one side with a smile on her face, not a flicker of expression in her eyes or brow.

Lian Jiao nodded timidly, her eyes darting toward Eleventh Madam who stood nearby with downcast eyes: “Yi — Yiniang said so.”

“It seems Qin Yiniang has truly lost her senses.” The Grand Dowager sighed and had Lian Jiao withdraw, then asked Nanny Du: “Where is Zhun Ge’s older brother right now?”

Xu Siyu had rushed back from Le’an at noon the previous day; after paying his respects to the family elders, he had gone to Fallen-Leaf Mountain, and had only returned from there that afternoon. The Grand Dowager had summoned Lian Jiao for questioning.

Nanny Du smiled and said: “The Marquis is in the study speaking with the Second Young Master at this very moment!”

The Grand Dowager gave a nod, then turned to Eleventh Madam, who had been silent throughout, and said: “Father and son rarely have the chance to meet; it seems this conversation will not be finished any time soon. There is no need for us to wait.” She then instructed the little maids to set out the meal.

Eleventh Madam assented, and went with the Grand Dowager to the eastern side chamber, where they ate a simple meal; she then led Xu Sijie back to her own courtyard.

All along the way, Xu Sijie kept stealing cautious glances at Eleventh Madam’s expression.

Eleventh Madam smiled and asked him: “What is it?”

Xu Sijie hesitated a moment before saying: “Mother, are you unhappy?”

Eleventh Madam was a little surprised.

Seeing her silence, Xu Sijie felt more certain he had guessed correctly, and quickly said: “Mother, let me play the flute for you to hear! Whenever I play the flute, I feel very happy. You will be happy too.”

Eleventh Madam was deeply touched, and much of her earlier displeasure lifted.

She stroked Xu Sijie’s cheek and smiled: “Alright!”

Xu Sijie brightened and pulled Eleventh Madam’s hand to run ahead: “Then let’s hurry home!”

This gave Nan Yong’s wife such a fright she hastily stopped him: “Fifth Young Master, please be careful — please be careful. Madam is still carrying!”

Xu Sijie immediately released Eleventh Madam’s hand and asked in alarm: “Mother, Mother, did I pull you too hard?”

“It’s all right!” Since that morning when the nausea had inexplicably stopped, Eleventh Madam had been able to eat well and sleep well; her movements were not as nimble as before, but neither was she clumsy. Seeing Xu Sijie’s worry, she took his hand. “I’m fine!”

Xu Sijie was reassured, and hopped and skipped his way back to the room with Eleventh Madam, where he played several pieces on the flute for her.

Eleventh Madam was somewhat surprised.

Occupied with Xu Sizhun’s affairs these days, she had not listened carefully to Xu Sijie play the flute for some time — she had not realized he had learned several new pieces.

Eleventh Madam felt a little guilty and drew Xu Sijie into her arms: “Jie Ge’er has made such good progress!”

Xu Sijie was rather pleased with himself: “The teacher also said I was very good. Others take a month to learn something; I only need three or four days. He is also going to start teaching me the qin soon.” He spoke, then paused. “However, the teacher said this matter requires Father’s approval first.”

“Is it the matter of learning to play the qin?” Eleventh Madam did not quite understand — when Xu Sizhun and Xu Sijie had first studied the flute under the teacher, there had been no such formality.

“Yes!” Xu Sijie said. “The teacher asked me whether I would be willing to take him as my formal master to learn the qin. I said I was willing. He was very pleased and patted my head, saying he would discuss it with Father before deciding.”

Was this the formal kind of discipleship that emphasized lineage and transmission?

Eleventh Madam grew curious.

This Teacher Zhao seemed not only highly learned but also accomplished in many arts.

While they were talking, Xu Lingyi returned.

His expression was somewhat grave. Seeing Xu Sijie leaning against Eleventh Madam and speaking, it softened considerably. Noticing also that Xu Sijie had a flute in his hand, he assumed the boy had just been practicing and admonished him gently on “not playing so late in the future” and such matters, then had Nan Yong’s wife take him to rest.

After Xu Lingyi had washed and tidied himself, husband and wife settled against the headboard to talk.

“Has the Marquis already gone to pay his respects to your mother?”

“He has!”

That meant he already knew the situation with Qin Yiniang. Some things need not be said.

Eleventh Madam considered for a moment, then said: “What did Zhun Ge’s older brother have to say?”

Xu Lingyi was silent a moment before saying quietly: “He came straight to the point and asked me whether Qin Shi had used sorcery to curse Zhun Ge.”

This child — once merely very clever, he was now sharp.

“And what did the Marquis say?”

“Since he had already guessed, I did not hide it from him.” Xu Lingyi said. “He sat in silence with his head bowed for a while, then asked me how the matter had been explained to the outside world. Seeing that his mind was clear, I picked out the essential points and told him. He listened, then knelt down and kowtowed three times to me, asking my permission to go to Fallen-Leaf Mountain to tend to Qin Yiniang in her final days.” He spoke with a long, mournful sigh. “The way he speaks and conducts himself — steady and restrained as a grown man.”

How could Xu Lingyi not feel mournful, when compared to Xu Sizhun, who was still like a child?

For his part, Xu Siyu felt that his collar was soaked through entirely.

For the first time, he had taken the initiative to speak with his father. And for the first time, his father’s gaze held not merely gratified approval, but genuine admiration.

He let himself fall back onto the bed.

Wen Zhu quietly stepped forward to help Xu Siyu remove his shoes, and seeing Xu Siyu lying with his eyes closed, his face marked with exhaustion, she hesitated a moment before gently draping a thin coverlet over him.

Xu Siyu spoke suddenly: “Go and pack up. I leave early tomorrow morning for Fallen-Leaf Mountain.” Then he added: “Have Lian Jiao come with me.”

Lian Jiao knew too much; her life was surely forfeit. Better it be just her than to drag anyone else in.

Wen Zhu was briefly startled, murmured a quiet “yes,” then said with concern: “Second Young Master, have you eaten dinner? Yesterday I asked the kitchen for some newly milled wheat flour — why don’t I make you a bowl of flatbread noodles…”

“There is no need.” Xu Siyu cut Wen Zhu short. “I ate in the outer courtyard with Father.”

No sooner had he finished speaking than Qin Xiang came in: “Second Young Master, the First Young Miss is here!”

At this hour?

Xu Siyu sat up in surprise, had Qin Xiang invite Zhen Jie’er to wait in the hall, and was dressed and groomed by Wen Zhu before going to see her.

A few months had passed since they last met, and Zhen Jie’er looked even more fair-complexioned.

“Hearing that Second Brother had returned,” Zhen Jie’er said with a light smile, “I brought a few dark-striped Panggezhuang watermelons to help Second Brother cool off from the summer heat.”

Xu Siyu smiled and thanked her, asking Wen Zhu to draw well water to chill the melons: “Elder Sister need not rush off either — I offer these flowers borrowed from someone else’s garden and invite you to eat watermelon.”

“Very well!” Zhen Jie’er agreed readily and asked after Qin Yiniang: “…Is she well?”

“She is all right!” Beyond that single answer, Xu Siyu did not know what else to say.

“That is good!” Zhen Jie’er nodded with a smile and began talking with Xu Siyu about life in Le’an: “…Have you met the Ninth Miss of the Jiang family? She should have grown taller by now, should she not? Is she studying with Teacher Jiang, or learning needlework with the Jiang family’s aunt?” Many questions.

Xu Siyu answered her in kind: “I have seen her a few times when calling on Teacher Jiang with questions about my studies. As I did not look closely, I cannot say whether she has grown taller. She is not studying with Teacher Jiang — she studies with the teacher’s wife.” As he said this, he recalled something and gave a faint smile. “Once, the teacher’s wife specially called me over and asked whether Mother’s needlework was very fine. She also said that when she was in Yanjing, she had often heard people speak of Mother’s needlework, which they declared was the finest in Yanjing.”

“Finest in Yanjing?” Zhen Jie’er smiled. “I have never heard it said so before.”

“I have never heard it either.” Xu Siyu also found it a bit amusing, and a trace of mirth entered his eyes. “I told her straightaway it was exaggerated. The teacher’s wife seemed rather concerned and had the most renowned embroidery artisan in Le’an come to the house to instruct the Ninth Miss in needlework.”

Wen Zhu brought the watermelon.

Brother and sister ate two slices of watermelon and spoke for a while of Xu Siyu’s life in Le’an. Seeing that the hour was growing late, Zhen Jie’er rose to take her leave.

Xu Siyu saw Zhen Jie’er to the door.

Throughout her visit, Zhen Jie’er had not once touched on her true purpose in coming, as though she really had come for nothing more than to deliver two watermelons.

He could not help but feel quietly puzzled.

Returning to the room, he saw Wen Zhu and Qin Xiang busy packing up the trunks — fortunately they had only just returned, and the things in the trunks had not all been unpacked yet; a little rearranging would suffice.

It always seemed to be like this when he came back. Never in any hurry to sort out the trunks, always feeling as if in a few days he would be returning to Le’an and would have to pack everything up again.

For no clear reason, Xu Siyu found his spirits had lifted a fair amount.

Then he gave a start.

Why did he feel them lift “a fair amount”…

Xu Siyu thought back to just now — he had always been the one talking at great length, while Zhen Jie’er had spent most of the time listening quietly.

Had Zhen Jie’er come simply to offer him some comfort?

Then how much had Zhen Jie’er come to know?

Xu Siyu stood there in a daze.

The next day, Xu Siyu went to Fallen-Leaf Mountain.

Nanny Yang could not help but say: “Having a son is truly a blessing. Even when you fall ill, there is someone to tend to you!”

Yang Shi gazed at the embroidered panel that only needed two more child figures to be complete and smiled faintly.

When the seventh month arrives, this embroidery will be ready to be sent off!

Qiao Lian Fang, upon hearing this, merely gave a small nod. She consulted with Xiu Yuan: “Perhaps I should go and plead with Steward Bai again. Nanny Du may not recognize those young manservants, but surely Steward Bai would!”

The man was not failing to recognize them — he simply had no wish to involve himself in this matter!

Xiu Yuan said tactfully: “I have heard that Madam’s house in Gold Fish Lane will soon be completed, and Steward Bai is quite occupied just now. I do not think he will have time for this. I think it would be best to let it go.” She then mentioned something to Qiao Lian Fang: “As we see it, should we not send some congratulatory gift?”

“She is not moving into a new home — there is nothing to congratulate.” Qiao Lian Fang immediately vetoed this. “She has Wen Yiniang to fuss over her. We need not bother.” As she said this, an idea struck her. “Or perhaps we should speak to Wen Yiniang! The Wen family has many stewards. Surely they can find a suitable one?” With that, she went to Wen Yiniang.

Wen Yiniang was at that very moment turning over the matter of Qin Yiniang in her mind.

It had already been more than a month; the Second Young Master had returned too. Qin Yiniang could not have many days left…

Hearing that Qiao Yiniang had come to see her, she gathered her thoughts and went to the main hall.

Once she understood Qiao Lian Fang’s purpose, Wen Yiniang was placed in a difficult position.

In years past, this would have counted for nothing — she would have helped Qiao Yiniang as a matter of course and made a friend in the bargain. But in recent years, the Wen family resented her for not lending her aid, and even her commercial firm in Jinan had suffered no small amount of disruption… Yet if she refused Qiao Lian Fang outright, Qiao Lian Fang would certainly think she was unwilling to help.

She could only smile and say: “Let me ask around in a couple of days! Whether it is possible or not, I will give Qiao Yiniang a reply within two or three days.”

Qiao Yiniang smiled and thanked her and left.

Two days later, word came from Fallen-Leaf Mountain that Qin Yiniang had died of illness.

* * *