Upon hearing this, Eleventh Young Lady smiled and said: “Did the Grand Madam say which troupe she herself prefers?”

The Grand Madam had sent someone to consult her out of deference to her as the lady of the household; she in turn could not disregard the elder’s preferences.

Yuban’s eyes sparkled: “The Grand Madam said she has been wondering how Bai Xixiang sings!”

Eleventh Young Lady smiled and nodded, then went to see the Grand Madam.

“If not the Changsheng troupe then the De’yin troupe — what do you say to a change this year, inviting the Jiexiang Society to perform a private theatrical, for something fresh and different?”

The Grand Madam smiled and nodded, then spent the afternoon conferring with Eleventh Young Lady over details: should the shad be steamed or braised? Should the main hall be decorated with clove blossoms or crabapple? The two of them murmured together until the Third Month Third Day arrangements had all been settled.

That evening, news came from Third Master Xu Lingning’s household as well — Third Master had been reappointed to another term as the county magistrate of Shanyang.

The Grand Madam was greatly pleased, and Third Madam seized the moment to consult the Grand Madam: “…The chief secretary of the Ministry of Personnel’s Bureau of Appointments helped greatly in this matter. I would like to invite his wife to come for a cup of wine on the Third Month Third Day.”

A hush fell over the room.

The Grand Madam smiled and lifted her teacup for a slow sip. Unhurriedly, she said: “We are merely adding one extra pair of chopsticks. I fear it is the chief secretary’s wife who will be put in a difficult position — having to think about what to wear, what ornaments to use, what to bring as a gift… all of it would require considerable thought. If you truly wish to show your gratitude, I think ordering a banquet from the Chunxi restaurant and sending it over would be more practical.”

Third Madam’s face fell and she looked rather awkward.

Fifth Madam cast a sidelong glance at Third Madam with a half-smile, then leaned in to take the Grand Madam’s arm: “Mother, speak to the Fifth Master and tell him I want to go to the Dianchun Hall to watch the opera on the Third Month Third Day!”

By the old wisdom of raising children, a woman with child was to stay home and rest quietly.

The Grand Madam knew that Fifth Madam was helping Third Madam save face, and looking at her very slightly rounded abdomen, she smiled and tapped her forehead with one finger: “You just stay home and behave yourself.”

“Mother!” Fifth Madam shook the Grand Madam’s arm, wheedling and coaxing. “Come now, say yes!”

Xu Sijian and Xu Sizhun both suppressed smiles. Little Xin Jie’er ran over to clutch the Grand Madam’s other arm — unable to reach it, she grabbed hold of the Grand Madam’s sleeve instead, and mimicked her mother’s coquettish manner, saying in a soft, sweet voice: “Mother, say yes, say yes!”

The whole room burst into laughter.

The Grand Madam was even more tender and fond, and gave Fifth Madam’s cheek an affectionate pinch: “Look at you — still so undignified!”

Xu Sijie snickered with delight.

Xu Siqin, however, flushed all over his face in embarrassment at his mother’s antics, and hung his head.

When the Third Month Third Day arrived, Lady Huang and Young Madam Huang the Third were, as always, the first to arrive. Lady Huang sat with the Grand Madam, while Young Madam Huang drew Eleventh Young Lady aside for a word: “…The young lord got hold of a pair of red coral pieces a few days ago, very fine-looking and rare — he asked me to bring them today as a gift for you, so you can switch out the decorations in your room and have a bit of good fortune about the place.”

Coral was a precious thing in ancient times, and red coral was rarer still.

This must have been a specially sought-out gift of thanks for Xu Lingyi’s assistance during the Yang Family’s property confiscation.

Eleventh Young Lady expressed polite thanks and accepted it with a smile.

Lady Lin and Young Madam Lin the First arrived.

“When is your Zhen Jie’er getting married!” Young Madam Lin was in high spirits, her face glowing. “Our Hui Jie’er is already three months along!”

“Congratulations, congratulations!” Eleventh Young Lady and Young Madam Huang offered their felicitations.

Lady Lin exchanged amused looks with Lady Huang and the Grand Madam over their daughters-in-law: “Look at her — not an ounce of restraint.”

“If it were us, we would be just the same!” The Grand Madam laughed and called Young Madam Lin over to ask for all the details.

That evening, after the guests had been seen off and Eleventh Young Lady had attended the Grand Madam to her rest, the Grand Madam could not help but hesitate: “Perhaps it would be best to have Zhen Jie’er married off sooner?”

“The earliest would be the end of this year, the latest the beginning of next spring.” Eleventh Young Lady smiled. “Once Hui Jie’er is settled in Cangzhou and familiar with the place, Zhen Jie’er can go, and will have someone already there to show her the way — would that not be better?”

The Grand Madam nodded and smiled: “Perhaps it is my old age making me impatient to see the grandchildren all together and settled.” This left Eleventh Young Lady with a fright in her heart.

“Mother must not think like that,” she said, helping the Grand Madam change into her sleeping robe. “Our Jin Ge’er’s future bride is still waiting for your red envelope!”

The Grand Madam laughed warmly: “Have no worry, have no worry. I have had it ready long since — your Jin Ge’er will not go without.” Then she brought up Lady Qiao: “…It has been two years since she last came to the Third Month Third Day spring banquet. At that time, Duke Chengguo was serving as the General of Xuantong, and the Fourth Master had just returned home from mourning. I wonder what has kept her away this time.”

“There are likely many household matters to attend to,” said Eleventh Young Lady, who had heard from Xu Lingyi about these matters. “They took out more than two hundred thousand taels to lend at usurious interest alongside the Yang Family. Now the Yang Family’s account ledgers have been burned by the Emperor’s order outside the Meridian Gate — not only has the Qiao Family lost everything they put in, but some of that money was borrowed, and the creditors heard the news and swarmed the Qiao household demanding repayment. The Qiao Family had no money to repay them, and one creditor even marched into the main hall and carried off an ancient bronze tripod that had been passed down through the family — if the magistrate of Shuntian Prefecture hadn’t arrived quickly, even that three-chi-long and two-chi-wide purple sandalwood incense table nearly got hauled off as well. Duke Chengguo has been managing all of this for days now, and Lady Qiao is hardly in the mood to come to our household to drink wine and watch opera.”

Because a large portion of the Yang Family’s usurious loans had been made to officials of the Six Ministries, the officials of the Court of Judicial Review had grown somewhat reluctant to press ahead with interrogations after the Marquis of Jianning and Viscount Shouchang were detained. His Majesty had simply ordered a notice posted and set a date to have the entire account ledger burned outside the Meridian Gate.

The Grand Madam had heard something of this, but not in such detail. She listened and let out a sigh: “When an army collapses, it is like a mountain crumbling — the same holds true for managing a household and its affairs. I see that the Qiao Family will take a severe blow to its vitality from all this. And with no outstanding talent among their descendants…” She paused, lost in reminiscence. “I recall that Duke Chengguo had a concubine-born younger brother, about the same age as the Fourth Master. When they were young — I cannot remember what provoked it — he had some dispute with the Fourth Master, and rallied a few companions to set a trap for him. The Fourth Master actually fell into it and had to pay five taels of silver before the matter was settled. He was a sharp and clever young man. What a pity that old Lady Qiao later had someone lure him into the company of the pleasure quarters, and he was eventually expelled from the family on account of his infatuation with a theater performer. Had he been properly guided and sent off to train in the army, he might have been of use by now.”

This matter was rather complicated, and Eleventh Young Lady could not say much about it.

“Indeed,” she replied, offering a few words in response, then turned the conversation to the matter of Xu Sizhun: “I wonder how Danbo Study has been put in order? I must go have a look tomorrow.”

“You need not worry about that.” The Grand Madam smiled. “I have Nanny Du keeping watch over it — if anything is amiss, she will let me know.” She then asked about Yang Yiniang: “Have the incense and lamp offerings for the Dajue Temple been prepared?”

Regarding the matter of sending Yang Yiniang to the Dajue Temple, Eleventh Young Lady had said little and Xu Lingyi had asked little. Upon hearing one brief mention from Eleventh Young Lady, he had simply instructed Steward Bai to see to the arrangements.

However, as a matter of custom, when sending someone to a temple, a sum for incense and oil was to be provided.

“The incense and oil offering has already been sent over. It was agreed at thirty taels per year, to be paid in three installments — one at the Dragon Boat Festival, one at the Mid-Autumn Festival, and one at the New Year. Since there will be someone from the household going, it is only right and proper, in both reason and sentiment, to pay Yang Yiniang a visit now and then.”

The Grand Madam gave a slight nod and let Eleventh Young Lady help her lie down to rest.

Eleventh Young Lady returned to her rooms.

Zhuxiang brought out the pair of coral pieces sent by Young Madam Huang the Third for her inspection.

They were a pale rosy pink, nearly a foot in height, and in the lamplight their crystalline surfaces glimmered and shone with a breathtaking beauty.

The maidservants each exclaimed in admiration. Qiuyu, still young, even reached out with great care to touch one: “Madam, I heard that this thing is made from the Dragon King of the Sea’s horns transformed into stone, and can ward off misfortune and evil — is that really true?”

Eleventh Young Lady naturally did not believe this, but she would not dismiss it either. She smiled: “It may well be.”

Zhuxiang, though steady and composed, was after all only a girl of fifteen or sixteen, and was a little excited at that moment as well, smiling as she said: “When I was small, I saw someone place one on the incense table in their ancestral hall. It must be true!”

Just then, Xu Lingyi came in.

“Oh? Who sent these?”

“Young Madam Huang the Third sent them!” Eleventh Young Lady smiled and rose to help him change his clothes.

Xu Lingyi looked them over: “Both are the same height and shape — quite rare indeed.” Then he said: “Place one on your windowsill alongside the goldfish, it will make a nice display. Put the other one at Jin Ge’er’s bedside.”

It would seem he too believed in coral’s power to ward off misfortune.

Eleventh Young Lady smiled her assent. On the eighth day of the fourth month, the Buddha’s birthday, she sent over an ivory carving of the Five Hundred Luohan, which served as her return gift to Young Madam Huang the Third — but that is a matter for later.

The next day, she went to Danbo Study.

Ge Jin had already moved in, and accompanied Eleventh Young Lady on a tour of the study.

Though it was called a “study,” it was in fact a courtyard of three rooms across and three rows deep. Fragrant cedar trees thick enough to wrap one’s arms around stood flanking the stone steps. The walls had been freshly whitewashed, the furniture given new lacquer; the curtains and cushions were all new, while the vases and tea sets were antiques — conveying an austere naturalness, comfortable and refined, well-suited to Xu Sizhun’s status.

Eleventh Young Lady was very pleased. She spent a few days settling Xu Sizhun in, and by then, the Emperor’s ruling on the Yang Family had been handed down.

“Confiscation of assets and exile to Lingnan?”

Xu Lingyi nodded: “His Majesty has at last shown some regard for the old ties, and spared the Yang Family’s lives.”

“And the two Grand Secretaries?”

“Most likely they will not survive,” Xu Lingyi said quietly, “but the families must not be implicated.”

Eleventh Young Lady let out a soft sigh.

That evening, upon hearing the news, Yang Mama came to request an audience.

“Madam, I wish to accompany Yang Yiniang to the Dajue Temple in her devotions — I beg the Madam’s gracious permission.” With that, she began to kowtow.

It was understandable that she had come to her directly.

With the Yang Family in such a state, she had nowhere to return to. She would simply be one more mouth to feed.

Eleventh Young Lady had someone help her up: “When Yang Yiniang takes her vows, she becomes a person of the outside world. It would not be entirely appropriate for you to accompany her, Mama. If you do not mind, I can arrange a position for you as a caretaker at one of the household’s farm estates — what do you think?”

Yang Mama was somewhat disappointed upon hearing this, but Eleventh Young Lady’s words were not without reason. She expressed her grateful thanks to Eleventh Young Lady. On the evening of the eighth, together with the attending matrons Eleventh Young Lady had assigned to watch over Yang Yiniang, she helped Yang Yiniang pack her belongings.

Zhuxiang came in with a grave expression and spoke quietly into Eleventh Young Lady’s ear: “Since she was carried back to her room, she has not cried or made any fuss. Her things are all packed and ready. Just now she even had Yang Mama take down the four hanging panels on the inner wall, saying she was very fond of them and wished to bring them to the temple.”

Only someone with an exceptionally strong will could remain calm and methodical under such circumstances — no wonder Zhuxiang was somewhat troubled.

Eleventh Young Lady’s aim was to have her leave the Xu household.

She heard this and said quietly: “She has little else in her room as it is. Let her take what she pleases. As for the rest… I have already arranged with the steward and the Dajue Temple — thirty taels of incense and oil money a year, to be paid in three installments: at the Dragon Boat Festival, at Mid-Autumn, and at the New Year. Since there will be someone from the household calling, it is proper that we pay Yang Yiniang a visit.”

Zhuxiang understood. After Yang Yiniang departed, she tallied the items Yang Yiniang had taken, added a note beside them in the accounts, and sent a few rough-duty matrons to give the small courtyard a thorough sweeping — then locked the courtyard gate with a brass padlock.

Yang Mama, together with the rough-duty matrons from the Xu household, escorted Yang Yiniang to the Dajue Temple. That same evening, she returned and kowtowed to Eleventh Young Lady, then bundled up her belongings and went with the Xu household’s steward to a farm estate belonging to the Xu Family in Shaanxi, where she became the caretaker of the property.

* * *