The smile on Wen Yiniang’s face faded further, replaced by an expression of real gravity.

This Eleventh Miss — so young, and yet those first two times she had looked so meek and mild and perfectly manageable. She had not expected her to be such a difficult opponent.

At that thought, an impulse to yield took hold of her.

Yuan Niang would not, without reason, have drawn along a sister she had met only a handful of times to talk here. Nanny Tao would not, without reason, have stood guard at the door, permitting entry but not exit… And there was the Marquis. The young manservant had said he had returned home long ago. Yet the main room had been set to fumigate with realgar powder on Yuan Niang’s orders. Zhun Ge had been taken to the Dowager Madam’s rooms early to keep Zhen Jie’er company. The maidservants and women servants had all been sent away. Qin Yiniang’s rooms had no one. As for Banyue Pan, the two Gan Family young ladies and one Luo Family young lady were flying kites along that passageway. The Marquis could not have gone there even if he had wanted to.

In a household this vast, she had not been able to locate the Marquis.

She had thought it through carefully — this small courtyard beside Dian Chun Hall had once been the Marquis’s study… which was why she had followed him here.

And yet now here was Eleventh Miss, bold as brass, standing in her way. Could it be that the Marquis and Yuan Niang were in there together?

If that were the case, what was there that couldn’t simply be said outright? Why would they go to the trouble of blocking her?

The more she thought about it, the more uneasy she grew.

No one could guarantee they had never done something to fall out of the Marquis’s favor… The Marquis always showed great respect to Yuan Niang, leaving all matters of the inner household entirely in her hands. Yuan Niang appeared gentle-natured, but when her temper rose, she showed no mercy. Better to wait and find the Marquis this evening… Whatever the matter, it could then be made into a large thing becoming small, and a small thing becoming nothing at all…

Her mind made up, Wen Yiniang’s face immediately took on a warm, welcoming smile. “Look at me, losing my head because I care so much. I worried for nothing — why would I not trust my dear young lady…”

Which was to say, her previous words and conduct had all been out of concern for Yuan Niang!

Whether it was true or not, Eleventh Miss had no interest in quarreling over words. All she needed was to keep Wen Yiniang outside the door.

Seeing that Wen Yiniang was no longer pressing, Eleventh Miss decided to say a few pleasant things to her.

But before she could open her mouth, Nanny Tao’s voice came from the direction of the courtyard gate: “The Dowager Madam has arrived!”

Both women turned instinctively to look toward the passageway.

There was the Dowager Madam, with Fifth Madam and Nanny Tao on her right and left, coming around the side of the rock garden.

Catching sight of Eleventh Miss and Wen Yiniang standing at the entrance to the main room, the Dowager Madam’s face showed a flicker of surprise.

Both women stepped forward quickly to pay their respects.

“Rise, rise!” The Dowager Madam smiled at them warmly. “Why are you standing out here?”

Wen Yiniang looked toward Eleventh Miss, with an air of “I know nothing — you’ll have to ask Eleventh Miss.”

Eleventh Miss’s gaze was full of worry. “In reply to the Dowager Madam: Elder Sister suddenly felt unwell and wished for a moment of quiet on her own. Seeing that her color was poor, we were unsure what to do and were alarmed, and so sent for the Dowager Madam.”

The Dowager Madam nodded and said with a smile, “In that case, Danyang, wait here for me. I shall go in and see her.”

Fifth Madam bent her knees in assent. Eleventh Miss stepped forward and knocked softly at the door, announcing in a low voice: “Elder Sister, the Dowager Madam has come.” Then she gave the half-panel a gentle push.

The Dowager Madam gave Eleventh Miss a long, searching look before stepping inside and pulling the door shut behind her.

There truly is not a foolish person in this household.

Only now did Eleventh Miss let out a breath of relief.

She turned — and found Fifth Madam watching her with a smile that was not quite a smile.

A sharp-minded person needed only one look to know something was amiss. But without proof, an oddity would remain forever just an oddity.

Eleventh Miss smiled composedly. “Fifth Madam, how far along is the opera now? Has Zhao Wuniang found Cai Bojie yet?”

“They are singing the fifth act, *The Reunion*,” Fifth Madam smiled. “Cai Bojie was pining for Zhao Wuniang too — he was playing his qin in his study to ease his longing, and Madam Niu overheard him, learned the truth, and told her father…”

“Oh my!” Eleventh Miss exclaimed, stepping forward to take Fifth Madam’s arm. “When Prime Minister Niu found out, would he send people to seize Zhao Wuniang and force her to separate from Master Cai?”

“At first Prime Minister Niu was furious,” Fifth Madam said, “but then Madam Niu persuaded him, and he sent people to bring Master Cai’s parents and his wife together to the capital to enjoy a good life.”

“That’s a relief!” Eleventh Miss linked her arm through Fifth Madam’s and walked on with her. “The melodies are not entirely clear to me. If only there were a small booklet with all the lyrics printed in it, that would be wonderful!”

Fifth Madam gave a start of pleasant surprise. “What a good idea. I’ll tell my husband — he will be delighted.” As she spoke, her face broke into a smile, and there was something in it unmistakably genuine.

Eleventh Miss thought of the half-painted opera-face…

She resolved to keep the conversation turning on this topic.

“I have heard that there are opera troupes in Yanjing that perform the Kunshan style and the Yuhang style. Is that true?”

“Yes, indeed!” Fifth Madam said with a smile. “The most famous Kunshan-style troupe in Yanjing is the ‘Changsheng Ban,’ and the most famous Yuhang-style troupe is the ‘Jiexiang She.'” Here she let out a sound of wonder. “Come to think of it, the Yuhang style originally came from your hometown, and yet you seem to know nothing about it?” She looked genuinely puzzled.

Eleventh Miss smiled. “I traveled with my father when he was posted to Fujian, and only returned to Yuhang when my grandfather passed away, to observe mourning. It was only when I came to visit here and attended the private performance that I heard anything at all. I was just looking for someone who might know more.”

Fifth Madam nodded, reassured. “My husband is also acquainted with Geng Changsheng, the head of the Changsheng Ban, and Bai Xixiang, the founder of the Jiexiang She.” She smiled. “Why don’t we invite all three troupes for a private performance someday?”

The idea delighted her so much that she immediately warmed to it. “Let me see… what occasions are left in the third month… the Qingming Festival won’t do, everyone must go to tend the family graves… Then there is the eighth day of the fourth month, the Bathing Buddha Festival. That won’t do either — Mother will want to go worship the Medicine King… ” She pondered. “Then there is only the twenty-fourth of the fourth month — Mother’s birthday!” Her eyes lit up. “By then, the Marquis certainly cannot say anything against it. We shall invite all three major troupes, and what a lively affair that will be!”

The two of them continued talking as they walked back into the covered passageway. Wen Yiniang stood on the steps, hesitating for a long moment as she stared at the closed door. Finally, she pressed her lips together and hurried after them.

Inside the passageway, Nanny Tao had already set out seats.

Fifth Madam and Eleventh Miss sat down on either side, maidservants brought tea, and Fifth Madam was still in high spirits over her plan: “…Geng Changsheng does best with the ‘Sending Away a Child’ scene from *The Story of Huansha*; Bai Xixiang does best with the ‘Rear Garden’ scene from *The Story of the Pearl*;” the more she spoke, the more animated she became. “But the Yuhang style also has a version of *The Story of the Pipa*, and when the time comes, we can have Geng Changsheng perform that one as well…”

Eleventh Miss kept pace with her conversation. But inwardly, her thoughts were in turmoil.

Had Yuan Niang brought her here to catch someone in the act — on a sudden impulse, or had she planned it in advance?

Did the First Madam know about any of this?

Could it be understood that Yuan Niang and the First Madam had already decided Fifth Miss would be the one to marry into this family — Tenth Miss was certainly out of the question — and that she herself, having appeared before Xu Lingyi in such circumstances, would naturally be someone no man with any pride would look upon favorably? What Yuan Niang needed was someone Xu Lingyi could regard without displeasure. A woman he already resented would be of no use to Zhun Ge — she might even harm him…

Beside them, Wen Yiniang was also deeply unsettled.

She had no idea what had happened, yet the Dowager Madam herself had been summoned…

She reviewed everything she had done over this recent period and could find nothing she felt she had done amiss.

What on earth had happened?

While she was still turning it over in her mind, the Dowager Madam’s voice suddenly came: “Danyang, come here a moment!”

Fifth Madam, Wen Yiniang, and Nanny Tao all went over at a quick trot. Eleventh Miss walked slowly behind them.

Entering the courtyard, she saw the Dowager Madam standing at the center of the yard, smiling serenely, issuing instructions to Fifth Madam: “…Your Fourth Sister-in-law is unwell. Go and call the people who wait upon me, and send for the imperial physicians as well.” Then she looked at Wen Yiniang. “Yuan Niang will rest here for the night. Go to my rooms and keep an eye on the children.” To Nanny Tao and the others: “Send a few of them to go with Wen Yiniang, and keep a few of the regular attendants here to look after things.” Then finally she asked, “Where is the Eleventh Miss of the Luo Family?”

A touch of bitterness rose in Eleventh Miss’s heart.

The even-tempered Dowager Madam had, without so much as a change of expression, managed to extricate her son from this situation. Every arrangement was sensible and appropriate. She herself was a party to it, and naturally the Dowager Madam would not leave her without some attention… She only wondered what would be done about her.

But she let nothing of this show on her face, and called out with a bright smile, “Dowager Madam.”

“They all have things to attend to.” The Dowager Madam smiled at her. “Will you come and give me an arm?”

There was no point in further deliberation. The only thing left was to meet whatever came next.

Eleventh Miss bent her knees in assent and stepped forward to take the Dowager Madam’s arm without any hesitation.

The Dowager Madam looked around at everyone. “You may all disperse now!”

The others acknowledged her and went their separate ways. The courtyard was left with only the Dowager Madam and Eleventh Miss.

The Dowager Madam smiled and asked her: “How old are you now?”

“In reply to the Dowager Madam,” Eleventh Miss said with a smile, “I am thirteen this year.”

The Dowager Madam nodded. “I hear your needlework is very fine. What books have you read?”

“I learned a few characters with a teacher,” Eleventh Miss said. “I have read one volume of the *Admonitions for Women* and half of the *Biographies of Exemplary Women*.”

The Dowager Madam smiled. “My dear young lady, you needn’t stand on ceremony with me. I believe your Fifth Sister is off to look at the *Chunhua Cabinet Rubbing* copy belonging to the Second Prince’s household!”

Eleventh Miss smiled. “My Fifth Sister has a gift for that. Unlike me — I merely went through the motions with my teacher.”

The Dowager Madam laughed. “I suspect you are being far too modest…”

The two of them spoke entirely of ordinary household matters, and Eleventh Miss could not begin to discern what the Dowager Madam intended.

Before long, Fifth Madam returned with Nanny Du, Wei Zi, and Yao Huang.

The four of them paid their respects to the Dowager Madam, who then said with a smile, “I’ve kept our dear young lady here chatting with me for a while and quite neglected her opera-watching.” She glanced at Fifth Madam. “Walk back to Dian Chun Hall together with our young lady. Go and watch the rest of the opera properly.”

Eleventh Miss felt a chill settle in her heart.

Not a single word spoken to her. Was it because there was nothing she needed to be told — she had no standing to be addressed — or because there was no need to say anything at all? The former meant she was utterly without any voice in the matter; the latter suggested a kind of complete trust… but based on only these few brief encounters, trust did not seem likely. Yet regardless of which it was, there was no room to think further. Fifth Madam was already smiling and curtsying in acknowledgment, and had linked her arm through Eleventh Miss’s. “Don’t worry about Fourth Sister-in-law — Mother is here.”

What more could Eleventh Miss say.

She smiled and took her leave of the Dowager Madam, and went with Fifth Madam back to Dian Chun Hall.

On stage, Cai Bojie and Zhao Wuniang faced each other in tears.

Some in the audience were utterly absorbed, oblivious to all else around them. Some were moved to real feeling, dabbing at the corners of their eyes with handkerchiefs. Others were occupied with the people around them, and when they saw the two women slip back in quietly, their expressions showed surprise.

Eleventh Miss settled herself at the First Madam’s side. The First Madam leaned over at once and asked quietly: “Why have you come back? What happened?”

Eleventh Miss could not be certain how much the First Madam knew, but the First Madam was Yuan Niang’s own mother. Some things were not hers to say.

She said with a smile, “Elder Sister had something she wished to say to the Dowager Madam, and asked me and Fifth Madam to come back first to listen to the opera.”

The First Madam nodded slowly, a trace of a smile coming into her face.

—