Eleventh naturally did not take this as the truth.

She laughed with her arms still around him.

A moment later she struggled up: “Allow me to help you change, my lord.”

Xu Lingyi did not move, but held her half-pinned beneath him, his eyes lucid and bright as he looked at her, and called out to those beyond the canopy: “Who came from the palace?”

“It is said he came from the Qianqing Palace,” Zhuxiang replied respectfully. “He comes bearing a special imperial order to see the Marquis.”

“I understand.” He gave his full attention to her, gently stroking her forehead. “Tell Steward Zhao to accompany the attendant to the warm side chamber off the main hall for tea.”

Zhuxiang acknowledged the instruction and withdrew.

Xu Lingyi pressed kisses to her temple, and showed every appearance of having no intention of rising.

Eleventh hesitated: “My lord — do you already know why His Majesty is summoning you?”

Xu Lingyi’s hand lingered lovingly over her slight yet shapely curves: “As a Marquis idling at home, I have little business with the court’s affairs. Since it is not Her Majesty the Empress who requires something of me, it is best to stay well clear of all that.” He lowered his lips to the vivid color at her chest and savored it with lingering attention.

Eleventh drew in a sharp breath of cold air.

She had none of his composure — knowing perfectly well that someone was waiting outside, he could still…

“My lord!” Eleventh pushed him. “You should go and take a look.” Before the words had quite left her mouth, Zhuxiang’s voice came from outside: “My lord, Steward Zhao requests an audience!”

Eleventh went completely rigid.

Xu Lingyi could not help but sigh softly. He knew the moment had passed entirely.

A private regret rose in his heart. It was rare for Eleventh to be in such a mood… It truly was killing the atmosphere.

He turned and sat up against the headboard, calling out: “What is it?”

Although he spoke from behind the door curtain, Steward Zhao’s voice was not loud, yet it carried clearly into the bed canopy. He spoke in brief, precise terms: “Before the imperial attendant came to deliver the summons, Grand Secretary Chen and Minister Wang were both at the Qianqing Palace. After Grand Secretary Chen and Minister Wang left the palace, His Majesty immediately sent the attendant to deliver the verbal order. Earlier, an urgent memorial arrived for the Grand Secretariat by eight-hundred-li relay from Fujian. The exact contents are not yet known. There should be word by the third watch.”

“What movements has the Qu household made?”

“The Fourth Young Master and Sixth Young Master of the Qu household are still at an impasse. The legitimate Seventh Young Master and the concubine-born Fifth Young Master and Eighth Young Master stand with the Fourth Young Master; the Second Young Master, the Third Young Master — who is the father of Consort Qu — and the Ninth Young Master stand with the Sixth Young Master.”

Xu Lingyi’s expression showed satisfaction. He answered, “Understood.”

Steward Zhao withdrew.

“My lord, you should go and have a look!” Eleventh sat up as well, pulling the covers around herself. “The court is in a time of great turmoil these days. His Majesty may truly have something urgent to discuss with you.”

Although it was said that the inner court attendants faced many formalities in leaving the palace and would take some time, making it permissible to arrive a little late without the Emperor holding it against anyone — there was still an attendant here who had come to deliver the summons. If some idle remark got out, Xu Lingyi would inevitably acquire a reputation for arrogance, and the shadow of having shown contempt for imperial will would hang over him.

There was no need to sacrifice the greater for the lesser.

Without waiting for Xu Lingyi to speak, she threw on her jacket and climbed down from the bed, calling for Zhuxiang: “Have the young maids bring water in to attend the Marquis in changing his clothes!”

Zhuxiang responded with light, quick steps, a note of cheerful warmth in her voice.

She too had feared that Xu Lingyi would linger too long in this warm and tender setting, and that Eleventh would bear the name of an unvirtuous wife.

Xu Lingyi, seeing Eleventh’s solemn manner, laughed and gave her nose a gentle pinch: “It seems that becoming a treacherous minister is not so easy for me after all.”

Eleventh pressed her lips together with a smile: “Because a treacherous minister fares rather better while he is still alive.”

Xu Lingyi laughed heartily, then smoothed back the strand of hair that had fallen against her cheek. He thought of a moment ago, when it had lain scattered across his chest — a vivid and intoxicating image — and his heart stirred. He cupped her face and pressed his lips to her cheek, murmuring low: “Wait for me to return.”

Eleventh’s face turned suddenly, blazingly red.

* * *

The night-watch matron saw that it was Wen Yiniang at the door and immediately put on a smile: “Yiniang, what brings you at this hour?” She also glanced curiously at Yang Yiniang, who stood behind Wen Yiniang.

“Has the Madam retired?” Wen Yiniang asked without much expectation.

Mountains and rivers may shift — who could say but that Yang Yiniang might not rise to prominence one day. Making this trip was, at the very least, giving Yang Yiniang an answer.

“What luck you are in, Yiniang!” the matron said, and a note of fawning slipped into her smile. “Someone came from the palace to summon the Marquis to court. The Madam has just seen the Marquis off — at this moment, she is in all likelihood not yet asleep!”

Wen Yiniang and Yang Yiniang both changed expression, and could not help but exchange a glance.

A midnight summons to court — was this an omen of good fortune or ill?

Wen Yiniang quickly said: “Please be so good as to announce us.” She then slipped a few pieces of broken silver into the matron’s hand.

The matron thought to herself that Wen Yiniang was the most respected concubine in Eleventh’s eyes… She smoothly slipped the silver up her sleeve and smiled: “Yes, do wait a moment — I’ll go and speak to Zhuxiang at once.”

“Much obliged, Nanny.” Wen Yiniang replied courteously. She and Yang Yiniang entered the connecting passage and found a spot out of the wind to stand.

“Elder Sister Wen, do you think — what matter would the Emperor have summoning the Marquis at this hour?” Yang Yiniang’s expression was somewhat unsettled.

She had originally been worried that Xu Lingyi might be spending the night in Eleventh’s room and there would be some difficulty getting through. But who could have imagined that Xu Lingyi would actually be summoned to court… Was this, perhaps, heaven’s will? The only question was whether Xu Lingyi had told Eleventh about her visit to Half-Moon Pond… But even if he had told her, it did not matter much. Knowing Xu Lingyi’s nature, he would never recount each and every detail… The only fear was not being able to see anyone, not even having an opportunity…

Wen Yiniang assumed she was anxious on Xu Lingyi’s behalf and paid it no particular mind, sighing: “I don’t know either.” Something distant and uncertain passed across her expression.

Since Eleventh had spoken plainly with her about certain things, many of the beliefs rooted so deeply in her heart for so many years had been entirely overturned, and she had suddenly felt adrift about herself. She no longer dared to pass judgment on any of this. She only prayed that nothing would happen to Xu Lingyi — for otherwise, how would this whole great household get through the days ahead…

On the other side, Zhuxiang received the matron’s announcement: “Wen Yiniang has brought Yang Yiniang to see the Madam?”

The matron nodded with an obsequious smile, calculating the broken silver she’d received and saying: “The girl, I said the Madam had retired — but Wen Yiniang insisted I come and tell you regardless!”

Zhuxiang instructed a young maid standing nearby: “I’ll go and have a look — if the Madam asks, tell her I’ll be back at once.” Then she went with the matron to the connecting passage.

When Wen Yiniang saw Zhuxiang, she moved to meet her with a smile: “Yang Yiniang has something rather urgent and would like to see the Madam. I’ve come along with her to look in…”

She is afraid of being sent to the temple by the Marquis, and wants to come while the news hasn’t yet spread — to plead with the Madam overnight, in the hope that she can change his mind. And for something like that, she would certainly be embarrassed to say it plainly in front of everyone.

Zhuxiang looked at Yang Yiniang with a bright smile: “The Madam has just gone to sleep. Why not let me pass a word to Yang Yiniang for you?” — a courteous way of declining Yang Yiniang.

Yang Yiniang silently cursed Zhuxiang for being meddlesome. Yet she could not get past this obstacle.

A faint shimmer appeared at the corner of her eye, and her voice took on a note of tearful suppression: “My family has had a little trouble, and I would like to ask the Madam to put in a word with the Marquis on our behalf…”

The Marquis is sending her to a temple, and now she thinks of the Madam. Where was she before?

Zhuxiang smiled gently: “The night is not yet far from dawn — perhaps two or three hours at most. Besides, the Marquis is not at home. Even if it is passed on to the stewards to handle, one must still wait for daylight. I think, Concubine, it would be best to come back a little later.”

Wen Yiniang, who had made her way to where she was today partly because Eleventh had given her dignity, but also partly because of her own sharp powers of observation and her way with people — heard this and let her gaze shift slightly, smiling as she helped Zhuxiang persuade Yang Yiniang: “What Zhuxiang says is right. It’s almost dawn anyway, and the Madam has just retired, and the Marquis is not at home…”

Wen Yiniang’s words were not yet finished when a young maid came running over, quite out of breath: “Zhuxiang, the Madam says — please ask Wen Yiniang and Yang Yiniang to come in and see her.”

Zhuxiang was startled.

Yang Yiniang was clearly here with bad intentions — why had the Madam agreed to see her?

Her heart grew a little anxious, but in this situation she could not very well show it. She could only smile and invite both women: “Please, both of you, follow me.”

Wen Yiniang thought that everything she could do had been done, and it was best not to involve herself in what remained. But the Madam had asked her to come as well — to say such a thing now would be quite out of place. She quickly followed.

Yang Yiniang’s heart leapt with joy.

As long as Eleventh was willing to see her, that was all she needed…

* * *

The main room blazed with lamplight. Eleventh reclined against an embroidered ink-splash bolster pillow on the large heated platform by the window, her manner somewhat languid.

She took up her tea and sipped: “What brings Yang Yiniang to see me?”

She had not, as she usually would, had the young maids bring tea, snacks, and small stools to invite them to sit.

Wen Yiniang could not help but observe Eleventh carefully.

Skin suffused with a rosy whiteness, gaze warm and tranquil, her manner quiet and composed — she looked to be in excellent color.

Her heart settled somewhat.

Yang Yiniang had already knelt before Eleventh.

“Madam!” She was flush with shame and remorse. “This servant has done wrong. I repent of it deeply, though it is already too late. I beg the Madam to look upon my moment of foolishness and save this servant’s life.” As she spoke, tears fell, and her forehead struck the ground with a loud, hollow sound.

What an unusual opening.

Eleventh could understand — even forgive — that she had gone to find Xu Lingyi privately, feeling powerless in the face of her family’s trouble. But she could not excuse it. Moreover, the result of going to find Xu Lingyi was not that she had resolved her family’s difficulties — she had instead sent herself into a temple. If Xu Lingyi had wanted to distance himself from the Yang household after its fall, he could have sent Yang Yiniang to a temple long ago. Why wait until now? Something must have happened between them — something that even without Xu Lingyi saying a word, she could imagine well enough…

If Xu Lingyi had been a little less resolute, a little less experienced, a little younger — what the outcome might have been, no one could say for certain. And knowing that after Xu Lingyi had made the decision to send her to a temple, knowing that he and she herself had crossed paths — Yang Yiniang had still devised every possible means to see her, and come in with her head low and her eyes meek, falling to her knees as soon as she entered the door to acknowledge her error…

Setting aside all questions of position — just for that sheer nerve, it was rare.

Eleventh gazed at the half-lowered canopy.

The warmth of Xu Lingyi’s arms seemed still to linger around her, not yet dissipated.

All at once, she very much wanted to hear what Yang Yiniang would say.

She could not help but sit up straighter, some of the casual, unconcerned ease fading from her brow.

“What wrong has Yang Yiniang done?” she asked with a composed smile. “That she must weep and plead like this for my forgiveness?”

Yang Yiniang was briefly taken aback.

Although Eleventh’s tone was as gentle as ever, the words she had spoken were blunt enough to sting.

The people in the room exchanged glances with one another.

When had the Madam ever been so blunt as to leave someone without any face to hide behind?