Fourth Sister was a perceptive person. Seeing the situation, she smiled and said, “I’ll go check on your Fourth Brother-in-law and see if he’s gotten himself dead drunk again.” With that, she made to climb down from the kang.

Eleventh Sister would never allow Fourth Sister, who was with child, to excuse herself.

She smiled and said, “Fourth Sister, why don’t you rest here a while! If you’re worried about Fourth Brother-in-law, I’ll send Hupo to check on him.” Then she added, “Fifth Sister and I are going to see what all the fuss is about. We’ll be right back.”

Fourth Sister didn’t stand on ceremony with them. She smiled and nodded, watching them leave.

Fifth Sister brought Eleventh Sister to a deserted side room nearby.

“Do you know why our eldest brother didn’t come?” she asked, getting straight to the point.

Eleventh Sister thought of Luo Fourth Madam’s hesitant, half-spoken words, and of the fact that Luo Zhensheng was Fifth Sister’s own blood brother. She smiled and said, “I heard from Fourth Sister-in-law that Elder Brother had some business to attend to.”

Fifth Sister let out a cold laugh. “Let me tell you the truth! Elder Brother has gone to deal with the family’s assets in Fujian!”

Fujian!

Eleventh Sister’s heart stirred.

Fifth Sister continued, “When Father was still in his post, Mother had gone into partnership with someone to run a tea plantation. Later, when Father took mourning leave, the tea plantation’s business took a sharp decline, and the business partner wanted to dissolve the partnership. It wasn’t until you married into Marquis Yongping’s estate that things gradually began to pick up again. Now with Fujian in great turmoil, although the tea plantation has improved somewhat over the years, it still can’t compare to how it once was. Father began to entertain the idea of selling the plantation to the business partner. Otherwise, how could Twelfth Sister have had so much in her dowry when she married?”

Eleventh Sister was privately startled, but kept her reply vague. “Fujian is too far away. Selling the tea plantation is probably for the best.”

Fifth Sister’s eyes flickered slightly as she listened. “Do you know how many taels of silver the plantation sold for in total?”

Warning bells went off loudly in Eleventh Sister’s mind. She shook her head slightly. “No matter how much it sold for, it’s all part of the family’s assets. What does it have to do with us?”

“Are you dense!” Fifth Sister exclaimed in a low voice. “When Twelfth Sister got married, her dowry was five thousand taels of silver. How much was ours when we married? Didn’t Mother say back then that having to marry off three daughters in a row left her hands too tight? Now that the family has money, they should at least make it up to us a little!”

“Supplement our dowries?” Eleventh Sister stared at Fifth Sister in utter disbelief.

“Yes!” Fifth Sister said with complete conviction. “I’ve looked into it, and there are precedents for this. When a family comes into money, they give supplemental dowries to their married daughters.”

Eleventh Sister’s mind raced quickly.

If this were such a wonderful thing, why had she pulled her aside to talk about it? She was simply trying to use her name as leverage to negotiate terms with Luo Zhensheng later.

“I think it’s best if Fifth Sister speaks to Elder Brother herself about this matter,” she said carefully. “When I married, Mother did spend money on my dowry. Any of you going to ask would be fine, but if I were to go, that would be rather unreasonable.” Not wanting to say more, she opened the latticed partition door. “I wonder who’s holding the account books—they’re going to make quite a fortune today.” With that, without waiting for any reaction from Fifth Sister, she walked straight out the door.

—

The following day was the official wedding celebration. Xu Lingyi and Eleventh Sister left Jin Ge’er at home, while Xu Sizhun, Xu Sijie, and Zhen Jie’er all followed them to Bowstring Lane to attend the wedding banquet. Fourth Sister’s sons, Cheng Ge and Li Ge, had also come. Yu Cheng was a bit older, and Yu Li was two years older than Xu Sizhun. He quickly became fast friends with Xu Sizhun and Xu Sijie. When they returned from the wedding, Xu Sizhun was still thinking about Yu Li and wanted to visit Fourth Sister’s home.

“Once we’ve had the Laba porridge, New Year will be upon us,” Eleventh Sister advised. “If you go now, every household will be busy preparing for the New Year. Having guests would only add to their burdens. I think it’s better to wait until after New Year’s before going.”

Xu Sizhun reluctantly nodded his agreement.

A little maidservant came in to report: “The person dispatched to Fallen Leaf Mountain has returned with word that the Second Young Master plans to return to the estate on the morning of the twenty-fourth.”

With New Year approaching, Eleventh Sister had sent someone to bring Xu Siyu back.

Eleventh Sister then instructed Hupo to look in on the courtyard where Xu Siyu resided: “Tell them to start the underfloor heating in time for his return, have everything prepared, and add what needs adding and replace what needs replacing.”

Hupo smiled and acknowledged the order. Just then, Imperial Physician Liu arrived.

“Madam’s health has recovered very well,” he said, stepping back hurriedly to stand outside the bed curtains after completing the acupuncture. “This official need only come to administer acupuncture for Madam once every ten days or half a month from now on.”

Xu Lingyi, however, wanted a precise answer: “Is it ten days or half a month exactly?” He then laughed at himself first. “Even if I choose ten days, I’ll be wrong, and if I choose half a month, I’ll still be wrong!”

Eleventh Sister recalled what Imperial Physician Liu had said at her very first consultation—”It would be best to rest for seven or eight days; if you can manage ten days to half a month, even better; at the very least, you should rest four or five days”—and burst out laughing.

Xu Lingyi turned and shot a glare at her through the curtains as she was dressing inside.

Eleventh Sister quickly lowered her head.

Imperial Physician Liu felt rather awkward. “From now on, Madam should focus primarily on herbal tonics and acupuncture. There is no need to be so particular about these intervals.”

After Xu Lingyi saw Imperial Physician Liu out and returned, half of the bed curtains had yet to be rolled up. Eleventh Sister lay wrapped in her quilt, her fair and delicate face carrying a faint rosy flush, her expression tranquil, like a sleeping lotus.

“Getting bolder and bolder, aren’t you!” he murmured, gently stroking her forehead.

Disturbed in her sleep, Eleventh Sister gave a soft murmur, furrowed her brow, and turned her face slightly to the side, as if trying to avoid his hand.

Xu Lingyi withdrew his hand and helped tuck the quilt more snugly around her. Yet he couldn’t bring himself to leave right away. He sat quietly for a while, then leaned down and pressed a light kiss to her still-colorless lips, before finally rising and heading to the outer courtyard.

Eleventh Sister opened her eyes, gazing somewhat vacantly at the mirror-like polished blue-grey stone bricks, lost in a daze.

Soon it was the end of the month. The steward matrons, maidservants, and serving women were all busy sweeping away the old dust, pasting door charms, and arranging the seasonal decorations. Eleventh Sister was occupied with preparing garments for the New Year festivities—New Year’s Eve required the family reunion dinner, the first day of the first month required a palace visit to offer New Year’s greetings, and from the fifth through the fifteenth she would need to accompany Xu Lingyi on visits to various households…

Zhen Jie’er sat on the large kang by the window, holding Jin Ge’er in her arms, occasionally remarking, “This red outfit looks lovely,” or “I think she should wear purple—purple looks dignified.”

Eleventh Sister felt only weariness. “I used to look forward to New Year because of the red envelopes. I’d wrap them in a handkerchief and tuck them away in a chest, and somehow my heart would feel a little more settled.” As she said this, she herself paused in surprise.

These past days, her memories of Yuhang had been growing clearer and clearer, while memories of her previous life seemed to be growing dimmer and dimmer.

Would there come a day when they would fade into nothing more than a hazy shadow?

Zhen Jie’er gave a light laugh at her words. “No wonder Mother and Wen Yiniang get along so well. Yiniang has said the same sort of thing before—that sleeping with banknotes tucked under the pillow makes for a more restful night’s sleep.”

Eleventh Sister did not discourage Zhen Jie’er from spending time with Wen Yiniang, and gradually the two had come to exchange a word or two with each other.

Hearing this, she quickly composed herself and took Jin Ge’er from Zhen Jie’er’s arms. Seeing her son gazing up at her with his large, jet-black eyes blinking steadily, she smiled, kissed him once, and said, “Why aren’t you asleep yet? Were you trying to eavesdrop on Mother and your sister?” Before her words had even faded, she saw Jin Ge’er break into a tiny smile.

“Zhen Jie’er, look, look!” Eleventh Sister was thrilled. “He smiled! He actually smiled!”

Zhen Jie’er quickly leaned in to look. But Jin Ge’er’s smile had already vanished. He was busy bending his little arms on his own, trying with great effort to stuff his soft white little fist into his mouth.

Even so, Eleventh Sister found her son absolutely adorable.

She patted his head, helped him put on the little cap fashioned from a knotted handkerchief, and said with a smile, “Yesterday I laid him on the kang to help him dress, and he was already straining to lift his head and sit up. When I didn’t pick him up right away, he burst into loud crying—he couldn’t stand to wait even a moment. What a temper he has!”

“Sixth Brother doesn’t like lying down,” Zhen Jie’er nodded. “He likes being held upright so he can look around.”

Eleventh Sister had noticed this too. “Don’t they say that babies can’t hold their heads up until after a hundred days? Why is he doing it so early?”

“Should we ask Nanny Tian?” Zhen Jie’er, not knowing the answer either, offered the suggestion.

Eleventh Sister nodded and was just about to call a little maidservant to summon Nanny Tian when, from beyond the curtain, a little maidservant announced: “Madam, the Second Young Master has returned!”

It was barely past midday. She had expected Xu Siyu to arrive in the afternoon or at dusk.

“Please bring him in!” Eleventh Sister called out with a smile. Zhen Jie’er had already stepped down from the kang.

Xu Siyu walked in wearing a plain lake-green Hangzhou silk brocade robe.

Compared to half a year ago, he had not grown taller, but his frame had filled out somewhat, and he now carried himself with a rather handsome and distinguished air.

“Mother,” he greeted Eleventh Sister with a composed and respectful bow, smiled and called out “Elder Sister,” then let his gaze fall upon Jin Ge’er in Eleventh Sister’s arms.

“You were given a smiling little bodhisattva, yet you’ve never laid eyes on him,” Eleventh Sister said warmly, cradling Jin Ge’er in the crook of her arm for Xu Siyu to see. “This is your Sixth Brother.”

Xu Siyu smiled and looked Jin Ge’er over. “Sixth Brother has the same double-phoenix eyes as Fifth Brother.”

He did not say they looked like his own eyes, nor did he take a step forward.

Jin Ge’er’s features had grown more defined, and the shape of his eyes was becoming clearer.

Knowing that Xu Siyu was a thoughtful boy prone to keeping things to himself, Eleventh Sister did not press him. She smiled down at her son. “Looking at these eyes, I think they also resemble Sijie a little.” No sooner had she spoken than Xu Sizhun and Xu Sijie arrived.

Master Zhao had closed the school after the Laba Festival and gone back to his hometown, giving Xu Sizhun and Xu Sijie a holiday. Every morning, after the two of them had practiced their calligraphy in Xu Sijie’s room, they would come to Eleventh Sister’s room to see Jin Ge’er. If Jin Ge’er was asleep, they would come again after their afternoon nap.

Seeing Xu Siyu, the two brothers quickly clasped their hands in greeting, their lively expressions somewhat subdued.

Xu Siyu returned the greeting and asked them warmly, “I hear Master Zhao has gone back to his hometown. He left you quite a bit of homework, I’m told?”

Xu Sizhun replied with a “Yes”: “Master Zhao said the school will reopen after the Lantern Festival. He’ll check the homework at that time. Anyone who hasn’t finished will have to plant ten trees in the garden.” At this, he couldn’t help feeling a small flush of pride. “Fifth Brother and I have almost finished ours—only a hundred pages of calligraphy left to write.”

Xu Sijie standing beside him nodded repeatedly, as if to verify that what Xu Sizhun said was true.

Xu Siyu gave a faint smile.

Xu Sijie then trotted over to Eleventh Sister’s side.

“Mother, Mother, Fourth Brother and I brought Sixth Brother something wonderful,” he said, and tugged at Jin Ge’er’s chubby little hand.

Xu Siyu watched, a flicker of surprise crossing his eyes.

Xu Sizhun pulled a pecking-chicken toy from his sleeve, saying “Sixth Brother, look what this is!” as he demonstrated the toy.

Jin Ge’er was immediately captivated by the “peck, peck, peck” sound of the little chicken pecking at its grain. He let out an “Ah!” toward Xu Sizhun.

—