Only now did Eleventh Young Lady allow herself a moment’s ease, and went to call upon the Grand Madam of the Gan Family.

The moment they met, Grand Madam Gan asked after Jin Ge’er: “Jin Ge’er turns five months old on the tenth, does he not? Does he take after you or after the Marquis? I am a widow — and the child is still so small — I am afraid I cannot come to see him. I’ve asked Lanting to make him a few small garments to send over!” Her tone was quite calm.

Yet Eleventh Young Lady felt a pang of sadness hearing it, and smiled: “Between us, there is no need to stand on such formalities. Only the child is still too small, and with spring weather changing so quickly, the Grand Madam and the Marquis won’t allow him to be taken out for fear of his catching cold. Once he is a little bigger, I will bring him to visit you.”

Grand Madam Gan laughed warmly: “His parents dote on the youngest child. What — even our Marquis has not escaped that common fondness?”

Not wishing Xu Lingyi to be talked about as a father lacking dignity or strict in raising his son, Eleventh Young Lady smiled and replied: “It is mostly because the Marquis has so few children.” Then she shared some of Jin Ge’er’s little antics: “…I’m not sure who he takes after — he would rather spend his days in the back garden than be indoors, and it is not enough just to eat and sleep. The slightest displeasure and he throws a fit. I worry the wet nurse is indulging him, so most of the time I keep him by my side and look after him myself.”

“In households like ours, not lacking for food or clothing, the greatest fear is that the servants will spoil the children rotten,” Grand Madam Gan agreed wholeheartedly. “Then no matter how great the family fortune, it will all be squandered away.” She then asked about Xu Sizhun: “Last time when he came to bring me the potted trees, I heard he was to move to the outer courtyard. Has he settled in all right?”

“No more of Nanny Du’s nagging to put up with — he is absolutely delighted,” Eleventh Young Lady smiled. “As soon as he finishes his lessons and stops by my rooms to pay his respects, he dashes straight back to his own courtyard, directing the small maidservants to move this here and rearrange that there. When I came by, he even told me he wants to plant crabapple trees in the courtyard.”

Grand Madam Gan laughed: “Still a child’s heart!”

Eleventh Young Lady nodded: “He is a sincere and wholehearted sort of person…”

Just then, she noticed a small maidservant peering in and out from behind the door curtain.

Eleventh Young Lady paused mid-sentence. Grand Madam Gan followed her gaze and frowned slightly.

“Never mind her,” Grand Madam Gan said quietly. “That is one of Madam Gan’s maidservants.” Her tone carried a note of distinct impatience.

Eleventh Young Lady was rather puzzled. Grand Madam Gan was by nature gentle and mild-tempered, and rarely let such emotions show. She could not help but ask with concern: “Has something happened?”

Grand Madam Gan’s face reddened: “They say all the money in the outer household has been tied up in a business venture with the Gong Family, and are now looking to me to contribute some of my private savings to cover the shortfall.”

“How did things come to this?” Eleventh Young Lady’s brow furrowed as well.

“You have come all this way for a rare visit — let us not speak of such troublesome things.” Grand Madam Gan did not wish to say more. “When I moved out of the main rooms back then, she went through my trunks and boxes. And now she comes asking me for private savings — I would like to ask her in return: where exactly would my private savings have come from? When all is said and done, it comes down to wanting a share of the profits from the Xipu shop.”

“You and Madam Gan live under the same roof and see each other every day — it is not worth falling out with her over a matter of a few taels of silver,” said Eleventh Young Lady thoughtfully. “If you truly cannot put her off, tell her to come and see me. Say the shop’s affairs are managed by me. I will see whether she has the face for it.”

Grand Madam Gan was embarrassed, and took her hand: “Letting you be put in a difficult position on my account — I truly cannot feel at ease about it. I have already told her: the Xipu shop was originally started on the advice of my elder brother, and the reckoning of accounts and the distribution of profits are likewise to be decided by my elder brother. If she doesn’t believe me, she can go ask my sister-in-law.”

Grand Madam Gan’s elder brother was also a third-rank official at court, and with him to back her up, the Gan Family would not dare go too far.

The conversation gradually turned to the marriage between Grand Madam Gan’s niece and Fourth Madam’s son, and the atmosphere slowly brightened again. Eleventh Young Lady stayed for the midday meal before returning.

That afternoon, Lanting arrived.

She held Jin Ge’er for a while before sitting down with Eleventh Young Lady in the reception area.

“What strength he has!” She smiled, lifting her teacup. “I remember our Tong Ge’er at this age had only just learned to stand — nothing like Jin Ge’er, jumping about like that.”

Eleventh Young Lady had Zhuxiang put away the small garments Lanting had brought, and smiled: “His bearing while in the womb was poor, and I feared he might be weak and frail — yet he turned out to eat and sleep well, and has grown up sturdy enough.” Then she said: “What a coincidence — I had only just been to visit Grand Madam Gan this morning, and here you come this afternoon. Had you come in the morning, I would not have been home!”

Lanting laughed: “I had originally planned to come in the morning, but then received a letter from Third Sister asking me to send some things over for her. I needed someone to get them to Fujian quickly… otherwise I would have come in the morning!”

Eleventh Young Lady gave a soft “Oh” and said: “Cao’e sent word? How is she getting on?”

“She is with child,” said Lanting, with a bitter smile. “Using her poor bearing as an excuse, she has moved out to a farm estate. Hence her asking me to send over some choice ginseng and bird’s nest to supplement her health.”

The principal wife retreating to an estate…

Eleventh Young Lady could only say: “Better to keep one’s eyes from what they cannot bear to see. Spending some time at the estate is probably for the best.”

Lanting smiled with a tinge of bitterness, sat for a while, and then rose to take her leave.

Eleventh Young Lady saw her out the door, and Lady Zhou arrived.

“What has happened!” Eleventh Young Lady was greatly startled.

Lady Zhou was dressed in her full formal attire of rank, which clearly meant she had come from the palace. Yet her face was ashen, and she bore the look of someone who had suffered a shattering blow.

She shook her head and stepped past Eleventh Young Lady, going directly into the inner chamber, where she threw herself against the large bed by the window and began to weep.

Eleventh Young Lady quickly dismissed the attendants, took a handkerchief, and wiped Lady Zhou’s tears: “What on earth has happened?”

These days, what with a Grand Secretary about to meet his end after the autumn assizes, and this one rising in office while that one was demoted, everyone’s heart was a little unsettled, and people were more easily frightened than usual.

Lady Zhou paid Eleventh Young Lady no heed, and wept softly for a long while before lifting her head: “Fang Jie’er has given birth — another daughter!” With that, she buried herself against the large bolster pillows and wept again.

Eleventh Young Lady was silent.

This was the most helpless of all situations.

She sat beside her without speaking for a while.

Lady Zhou cried a good long cry, and at last sat up, sniffling: “And I still have to go back and put on a face of happiness…”

But the Princess Consort’s household had many eyes and ears — sisters-in-law and in-laws of every kind — and if she were seen, there would inevitably be gossip spread around.

She had Zhuxiang bring in water, and herself wrung out a cloth to wipe Lady Zhou’s face: “I rarely go out, so Sister may always come to me.” A gentle way of saying she would not breathe a word of it.

But Lady Zhou did not stand on ceremony with her, and pressed the cloth from her hand, wiping her own face: “If I were treating you as an outsider, I would not have come.” Then, thinking of Fang Jie’er, she said: “People say that even the most exalted person must face their trials. Our Fang Jie’er, from birth until now — when she was small, she had the Princess’s special affection and was treated differently from the other granddaughters, even better than the grandsons. As she grew up, she was clever and bright, lively and filial; and later she married the eldest imperial son and became the Crown Princess… Yet precisely in the matter of bearing children, which is of greatest importance to a woman, she has fallen upon hard times. You tell me — is this not riches running ahead of the rest?”

Meaning that all the good fortune came first, leaving only hardship behind.

A good life was one where hardship came first and sweetness followed.

Eleventh Young Lady could only offer comfort: “After great adversity must come great blessings. Sister, think of it as Heaven seeing that Fang Jie’er has had all things go smoothly, and sending her a few days of difficulty so she learns what hardship in this world is like.”

Lady Zhou slowly nodded: “That is the only way to think of it.” Then she took Eleventh Young Lady’s hand. “When the Princess’s washing ceremony is held, Sister, should you see the Empress, do say a few good words for our Fang Jie’er.” And with that, fresh tears fell. “I do not even know whether there will be a washing ceremony. When His Majesty heard another Princess had been born, he only said ‘Noted,’ nothing like the last time, when he immediately bestowed a name…”

“What a thing to say, Sister — dragons and phoenixes are the imperial family’s grandchildren. How could there not be a washing ceremony?” Eleventh Young Lady handed her a cup of hot tea. “The first time was the eldest imperial granddaughter — naturally it was different. Never mind a Princess, even a Prince would not have a name bestowed the moment he was born. Sister must steady herself first — otherwise Fang Jie’er will begin to panic as well. Once a person panics, mistakes easily follow. And once a mistake is made, it is not so easy to correct it.”

Lady Zhou nodded again and again.

Eleventh Young Lady counseled her for a long while, then asked after Fang Jie’er’s condition. Learning that both mother and child were safe, she felt relieved. Having spoken all this through with Eleventh Young Lady, Lady Zhou’s spirits gradually calmed as well. Knowing that the news of Fang Jie’er’s giving birth to a Princess could not be avoided, she drew a long breath, freshened and tidied herself anew, went to pay her respects to the Grand Madam, and returned to the Princess Consort’s household.

The Grand Madam could not help but sigh: “Even if the Empress can wait, those court officials likely cannot.”

“With the Empress watching over things, the situation will be somewhat better.”

The Grand Madam said nothing.

That evening, Eleventh Young Lady spoke of this matter with Xu Lingyi.

Xu Lingyi’s expression grew somewhat grave.

Eleventh Young Lady jested: “You would not also be one of those who look down on daughters, would you? I rather think daughters are quite fine. I am even planning to give birth to a daughter myself!”

Xu Lingyi’s expression lightened somewhat, and he bit her ear: “Are you truly planning to give me a daughter?” His tone was extremely suggestive.

Eleventh Young Lady thought of how these recent days he had been utterly unrestrainable, growing bolder by the day, and pushed him away with a reddened face: “I am speaking to you seriously!” She could not help shooting him a glance.

Yet in his eyes it only looked more bewitching — and he wrapped her in his arms, one hand sliding into the front of her robe.

Eleventh Young Lady gasped and yielded to him.

Yet he only lingered for a while, then helped her straighten her robe.

Eleventh Young Lady bit her lip, her eyes growing a little damp. She pulled the covers around herself, turned over, and closed her eyes to sleep alone.

“Fool,” said Xu Lingyi, and gathered her in his arms again. “Imperial Physician Liu said you need a few years to recuperate. Wait a few years and then give me a daughter.”

Her monthly cycle had only just passed.

Eleventh Young Lady buried her face in his chest; her slender, graceful legs, however, twined themselves around him.

Xu Lingyi laughed aloud: “Good, good, good — is it not enough that I admit it is all my fault?” His voice gradually dropped lower, his eyes brimming with indulgent warmth, while his body betrayed his words and made its own choice.

Eleventh Young Lady pressed her lips together in a smile, and her hand began to inch its way downward.

Playing with fire — and getting burned for it!

Xu Lingyi laughed inwardly without a sound.

Eleventh Young Lady was growing bolder by the day.

But then again, he had brought this on himself.

And he was glad of it in his heart…

But it was not the right moment.

He laughed and caught her hand: “This time, the Zhou Family is in for a difficult stretch!”

Eleventh Young Lady started.

Xu Lingyi composed himself and said seriously: “The Crown Prince is the nation’s chosen heir, the hope of the altars. He must not only bring peace and stability to the realm, but also maintain the ancestral sacrifices. Three years since the Crown Princess entered the household, and she has given birth to two daughters in succession. His Majesty may say nothing outwardly, but in his heart he must be somewhat displeased. If the Zhou Family, as the wife’s family, urges the Crown Prince to take additional consorts in order to sire a son, they will be in trouble. But if they say nothing and look the other way, His Majesty will be reminded of it sooner or later and feel that the Zhou Family lacks the bearing of a great family — he will grow displeased with the Crown Princess as well… It is a dilemma with no good way out.”

* * *