“No need, no need.” Nanny Du’s cheerful voice drifted in from outside the reception hall. “Miss Qiao was just watching the lanterns and walked a little slowly. Here she is now!”

Following her voice, a young woman entered with an expressionless face.

Snow-white skin, delicate features — it was none other than Qiao Lianfang.

“Lianfang!” Madam Qiao’s expression soured. “The banquet is about to start — where did you run off to? Come sit with your sisters quickly!” Then, as though she had noticed something, her expression froze, her eyes filled with confusion, and a look of unease crossed her face. “Lianfang, why have you changed your…”

“Enough, enough.” The Grand Matriarch suddenly cut in with a smile, interrupting Madam Qiao’s words. “She’s here, that’s what matters. Madam Qiao, do try not to fuss so.” She then smiled warmly at Lianfang. “Come, sit beside me — that way your aunt won’t have a chance to nag you.”

Everyone froze.

No one had expected Qiao Lianfang to earn the Grand Matriarch’s favour.

Some faces showed envy, others jealousy, still others surprise or bewilderment — she had instantly become the centre of all attention. Even Qiao Lianfang herself had not expected it. Her expression revealed her shock, and she stared at the Grand Matriarch for a long moment without saying a word.

A flash of delight crossed Madam Qiao’s eyes. She gave Qiao Lianfang an eager push. “Go on — go keep the Grand Matriarch company!”

Stumbling slightly from the push, Lianfang let out a dazed “Oh” and made her way to the Grand Matriarch’s side.

In the bright lamplight, Eleventh Miss noticed that the hem of Qiao Lianfang’s skirt was slightly darker in colour than the rest of it.

She fell into thought.

Across the way, Third Madam had already collected herself. She quickly had an embroidered stool placed in the corner between the Grand Matriarch and Madam Huang, though she could not help stealing several glances at Qiao Lianfang.

Qiao Lianfang sat between the two women like a timid child.

The Grand Matriarch gave a satisfied nod and said with a smile, “Let the banquet begin! It’s getting late — everyone will be wanting to watch the fireworks soon.” She rose and lifted her wine cup. “We have so many honoured guests tonight. I shall drink the first cup.” With that, she raised it and drained it in one go.

The assembled madams all chimed in at once, raising their own cups in reply. The young married ladies followed suit with wine, while the unmarried misses lifted their tea cups and each took a symbolic sip. The Grand Matriarch picked up her chopsticks with a contented smile.

Everyone else raised their chopsticks, and the banquet began.

At the neighbouring table, Miss Tang was speaking to Miss Lin. “Where do you think Lianfang was just now?”

Eleventh Miss’s table could hear every word clearly.

Miss Lin smiled. “Did they not say she was watching the lanterns?”

Miss Tang gave a low, contemptuous laugh, eyes flickering with disdain. “Those big round red lanterns — what is there to see? Every household has a row of them hanging from their eaves.”

Miss Lin said nothing.

Miss Tang continued, “Then again, one can never be sure. Perhaps the Xu family’s lanterns truly are something special. At the very least, the Xu family’s covered walkway is unlike any other. Walking along it, one’s skirt hem could actually get wet.”

Eleventh Miss was rather taken aback.

This Miss Tang was remarkably observant — and quite perceptive at that.

Still, it was rather improper to gossip about Qiao Lianfang like this.

She softly cleared her throat, just about to steer the conversation elsewhere, when the Gan family’s Seventh Miss called out in a loud, bright voice: “Elder Cousin, Miss Tang says the shad fish is delicious and would like another plate!” This cut across Miss Tang mid-sentence.

Everyone turned toward them with amused smiles.

Miss Tang flushed a deep, furious purple and fixed her glare on the Gan family’s Seventh Miss. “You…”

The Gan family’s Seventh Miss giggled and winked at Eleventh Miss.

She must have found Miss Tang’s remarks too excessive, and so had deliberately interrupted.

Eleventh Miss felt her regard for the girl rise considerably, and could not help but smile.

“Blaming someone else for what you want yourself!” Miss Tang sneered. “Could it be that your household is too stingy…”

“If my younger sister wants to eat, she will ask the Xu family’s Grand Matriarch herself.” Before Miss Tang could finish, the Gan family’s Third Miss suddenly rose to her feet, angling her body as though to shield her sister, her manner projecting an unmistakable air of readiness to make a scene. “There’s no need to put it on your account.”

Eleventh Miss was quite surprised.

She had not expected the prim and proper Gan family’s Third Miss — who always carried herself as gravely as an old scholar — to so boldly “frame” Miss Tang to defend her sister, let alone stand up and speak out on her behalf.

“You!” Miss Tang shook with anger and made to rise and argue with the Gan family’s Third Miss, but was pulled back by Miss Lin.

“Cao’e!” Madam Gan called out to the Gan family’s Third Miss with a somewhat helpless look. “Sit down at once. What sort of behaviour is this!”

Eleventh Miss found herself at a loss.

One named Cao’e, the other named Lanting — both names taken from famous calligraphic masterworks. She wondered who had chosen such names for them.

Madam Huang pressed a hand to her forehead and laughed. “Cao’e, you mustn’t indulge Lanting in everything — look at how wilful she’s becoming. Sit down now. It’s hardly anything precious — just have someone bring Miss Tang another plate of shad fish!”

Only then did the Gan family’s Third Miss sit back down with a huff.

Miss Tang swept a razor-sharp gaze over the Gan family’s Third Miss, then turned her back entirely on the Gan sisters and lowered her voice to speak only with Miss Lin.

The Gan family’s Third Miss shot her younger sister a fierce glare and muttered through gritted teeth: “Lanting, if you carry on like this, I’ll tell Grandmother when we get home!” She looked genuinely incensed.

Hearing that, the Gan family’s Seventh Miss turned to Tenth Miss with a resigned sigh. “They’re all the same — the moment they can’t manage you, it’s straight off to tell the adults!”

Tenth Miss covered her mouth and laughed, her gaze drifting over to Eleventh Miss.

Eleventh Miss sat with perfect propriety, affecting not to have heard a word.

“You two sisters are truly something!” the Gan family’s Seventh Miss said, glancing between Tenth Miss and Eleventh Miss. “I shall come and find you both to play with in the future!” — which earned her a stern glare from the Gan family’s Third Miss.

For a young lady of good family, outings were rare. But if she did manage to get out, she was well worth receiving with great courtesy. Whether it was the older sister — a little staid in her ways — or the younger, sharp and quick-witted, neither lacked good judgement when it mattered. Both were the sort worth befriending.

Eleventh Miss smiled and gave a nod.

Then she thought of her own three sisters, and her expression dimmed involuntarily.

Tenth Miss, thoroughly delighted, nodded repeatedly. “Yes! I’ll be waiting for you.”

The Gan family’s Seventh Miss straightened up at once and set about eating with earnest attention — presenting, quite despite herself, a perfectly graceful and dignified picture of a well-bred young lady.

At the table of the young married ladies and unmarried misses, only the soft clink of porcelain could be heard. Over at the madams’ table, however, the atmosphere was far more lively — one pressing another to take a sip of wine, another urging someone to taste a dish.

Qiao Lianfang sat beside the Grand Matriarch the whole time, painfully aware of the eyes on her from all directions, and growing more and more ill at ease.

When the meal was over, everyone moved to the western side to take tea. The Grand Matriarch kept Qiao Lianfang at her side as before.

Servants had removed the window lattices and door panels, and the young manservants set about arranging fireworks of every shape and size on the open terrace before the reception hall and hanging them from the trees.

Fifth Master Xu, his face freshly washed, came over leading four or five manservants.

He bowed cheerfully to the assembled madams, then called out “Light them up!” Behind him, the manservants crouched down with long incense sticks and touched the fuses to flame.

Amid a succession of hissing, crackling trails — some long, some short — sparks of red, yellow, blue, white, green, and purple burst forth one after another, transforming the terrace before the reception hall into a dazzling world of fire and light.

“How beautiful!” Tenth Miss murmured, gazing at the riot of colour, her voice soft with wonder. The brilliant hues played across her lovely face, as vivid as a flower in full bloom.

The Gan family’s Third Miss, however, offered her handkerchief to her sister. “Here — hold it over your nose and mouth. Mind the smoke doesn’t get into your throat.”

The Gan family’s Seventh Miss quickly produced her own and kindly reminded Tenth Miss and Eleventh Miss: “Fireworks smell of saltpetre — it’s not good to breathe it in.”

Eleventh Miss nodded and, following the Gan family’s Seventh Miss’s example, drew out her own handkerchief and held it half over her nose.

Tenth Miss, though, turned toward the blooming display of light and smiled softly. “Even the smell of saltpetre isn’t so bad… I only fear that later, if I wished to smell it again, there would be no chance.”

Eleventh Miss felt something stir in her chest.

Then a manservant came by, scattering about armfuls of larger fireworks and lighting them while the first display still blazed. The deep, heavy booms rose one after another, and the rockets shot up into the dark sky. From inside the hall, the eaves cut off the view — only the upper half of each bursting bloom was visible.

“We can’t see properly,” Madam Huang declared, and simply rose and walked out to stand beneath the eaves of the reception hall.

The Grand Matriarch chuckled and rose as well, inviting everyone: “Shall we go and have a proper look?”

Everyone agreed readily.

The Grand Matriarch took Qiao Lianfang’s hand. “Come, keep me company while we watch the fireworks.” Her manner was warm and affectionate.

Qiao Lianfang murmured a quiet “Yes” and followed the Grand Matriarch obediently out beneath the eaves.

The Gan family’s Seventh Miss tugged at Tenth Miss’s sleeve. “Let’s go too!”

Tenth Miss nodded eagerly, and the two of them headed out with a light skip in their step.

The Gan family’s Third Miss watched her younger sister’s retreating figure and let out a helpless sigh, then invited Eleventh Miss: “Shall we go and watch too?”

“Of course!” Eleventh Miss smiled and rose alongside her — and at that moment, she caught sight of Miss Lin and Miss Tang walking past arm in arm, with a rather strained-looking Fifth Miss trailing behind them.

Noticing Eleventh Miss and the Gan family’s Third Miss, Fifth Miss greeted them warmly: “Are you heading out to watch the fireworks too? Let’s all go together!” And with that, she drew up close beside them.

Eleventh Miss inwardly let out a quiet sigh.

Some circles were not so easy to enter.

Third Madam had already seen to placing grand chairs beneath the eaves, and the madams seated themselves casually, while the others stood gathered around them — some gazing up at the fireworks above, others clustering in small groups to exchange murmured words.

A small maidservant then came and whispered something in Madam Qiao’s ear.

Madam Qiao’s expression shifted to one of surprise. She glanced over at Qiao Lianfang, still standing beside the Grand Matriarch, hesitated for a moment, then leaned to exchange a few low words with Madam Lin beside her. She then rose and followed the little maidservant back into the reception hall.

Eleventh Miss stood at the eastern end of the eaves, appearing to watch the fireworks while keeping careful, quiet watch over everything around her.

When she saw Madam Qiao enter the reception hall, her gaze immediately followed her.

Madam Qiao slipped away from her personal maidservant and crept quietly after the little servant girl toward the east.

To the east lay the small courtyard.

When Qiao Lianfang had appeared in the Dianzhuntang Hall, the performance of *Ballad of the Pipa* had been drawing to its climax, drawing everyone’s attention. Then the Grand Matriarch had appeared and kept her at her side ever since — so Madam Qiao had not once had the chance to exchange a single word with Qiao Lianfang.

And now, First Madam had sent someone to summon Madam Qiao.

Just what had the Grand Matriarch, the Marquis, and First Madam been discussing alone in that room?

A growing unease settled in Eleventh Miss’s chest.

She turned her head — and found the Grand Matriarch already looking back, her gaze following Madam Qiao’s retreating figure.

In the midst of the glittering courtyard, her eyes were as dark as the dead of night.

Was it resignation? Or disappointment?

Eleventh Miss could not decide.

She looked toward First Madam.

First Madam was watching the fireworks with a look of serene pleasure, saying to Madam Gan at her side, “There is nothing like fireworks shooting up into the sky.”

Madam Gan, entirely unaware of the undercurrents around her, smiled and replied, “You will still be in Yanjing for a while, I expect? The sixth month brings the Imperial Birthday celebrations. Every year they set off cannons and fireworks — they shoot straight up into the heavens, and the whole city can see them. Truly a spectacle rarely seen in this world.”

First Madam nodded. “There is nothing pressing at home. I plan to stay in Yanjing a while longer — let the girls broaden their horizons, so they don’t go through life flinching at every little thing.”

Madam Gan agreed heartily: “Girls who get out and see the world carry themselves with so much more poise!”

“Exactly…”

The two of them chatted on with every appearance of perfect enjoyment.

—