Upon hearing the Third Madam’s words, the old Madam gave a faint smile.

“Money aplenty and rice aplenty still cannot compare to a life of plenty. Surely we cannot hollow out the household just for Qin Ge’er’s wedding. Besides, Jian Ge’er will soon need a match arranged as well. As I see it, why not simply set up the new chamber at the Sanjing Hutong? That would save you a considerable expense. If you are worried the young bride is too inexperienced to manage the household, you could stay in the capital and guide her properly. As for the Third Master” — the old Madam paused — “Yi Yiniang has been gone nearly a year now. If that will not do, perhaps take a concubine to accompany him to his post. That girl in your service called Qiu Ling strikes me as quite suitable. Yes, let it be her.”

The Third Madam was first left speechless, then utterly aghast.

Every single thing the old Madam said struck straight at the most painful points.

“Mother!” The Third Madam quickly grasped the old Madam’s sleeve. “No matter how short of money we may be, the funds to properly wed our son are there. It is only that all household affairs rest with the Third Master, so I have been waiting for him to send money. I do understand the wisdom of living within one’s means — I would never hollow out the household for the sake of appearances.” As she spoke, her eyes slid back and forth. “The Fang family has had all the furniture commissioned, and the wedding boat is already on its way. If the new chamber is set up at the Sanjing Hutong… what becomes of all that furniture? If the Fang family’s escort retinue were to find out, would not our Marquis Yongping’s residence become known as people who tricked their daughter-in-law out of her dowry?”

The old Madam said nothing.

The Third Madam, seeing an opening, pressed on hurriedly: “Mother, I have had everything planned out. A child’s wedding is the most important occasion. The Third Master understands this and certainly would not fail to send money. It is only that Shanyang is rather far from here, and by the time he sends funds, there may not be enough time. I will first borrow a little from my maiden family, get this side of the house in order, and repay it once the Third Master’s money arrives.”

“Borrow money?” The old Madam raised her teacup and took a small sip, saying softly: “You have managed a household before. A son’s wedding cannot be sorted out simply by putting a few rooms in order. The banquet costs, the door-opening red envelopes, the tips for the dowry porters — one thing after another, and each one costs money.”

Though she clearly did not approve, she made no move to take on the burden herself or tell her not to go borrow from her maiden family.

The Third Madam grew frantic.

If the old Madam truly made up her mind to have Qin Ge’er’s wedding at the Sanjing Hutong, she would lose everything — face and standing alike. She also regretted having bought the Sanjing Hutong house to begin with — without it, she would not have been backed into this corner by the old Madam. But then again, without the Sanjing Hutong house, how could she have obtained over six thousand taels’ worth of furniture from the Fang family… her mind was a tangle, and all she could think of was how to talk the old Madam out of these ideas.

“I have calculated it out,” she said immediately. “The congratulatory gifts from all sides will come in at the time, and they will be more than enough to cover the wedding expenses. Borrowing a thousand or two thousand taels from my maiden family will be entirely sufficient!”

The old Madam listened and gave a slight nod. “Since you have it all worked out, I will say no more.” She then raised her teacup. “I am tired as well, and you have things to attend to — go and rest.”

The Third Madam did not dare linger and hurriedly rose and took her leave.

But the moment she stepped outside and the blazing white sun beat down upon her — only then did she realize she had come away the worse.

“How did I forget to bring up the communal household funds?” she muttered under her breath. “We are all living under one roof. By convention, there ought to be three hundred taels — when the Fifth Young Master married and when the Fourth Master remarried, the communal funds paid out both times. The old Madam did not say a single word about it — surely she does not mean to withhold these three hundred taels? Why should Qin Ge’er’s wedding alone not receive communal funds? That would mean I end up footing the entire bill myself.”

But the words had already left her mouth…

Her regret was beyond all measure.

She looked up and saw the upturned eaves rising above the green canopy of trees.

She paused mid-step and instructed those with her: “We are going to the Fourth Madam’s quarters.”

A quiet “yes” came in response.

The Third Madam’s gaze slid to one side and caught sight of a gentle, compliant face.

Qiu Ling…

She pressed her lips together, then turned and made her way to the main chamber.

“Borrow money for Qin Ge’er’s wedding?” Shiyiniang looked at the Third Madam in some surprise.

The Third Madam nodded, leaning forward with her elbow propped on the couch table. “Fourth Sister-in-law, you are not an outsider, so I need not be ashamed to speak openly before you. All these years, the two of us have been getting by on our monthly stipend alone. These last few years, since the Third Master took an official posting away, we have had a little more breathing room. Then came the engagement with the Fang family, and the dowry alone fills two boats. For Qin Ge’er’s sake, I cannot be too shabby on my end. So I have been stretching myself as the eldest son’s mother, dipping into the personal savings I have quietly kept for years — and it still is not enough. I am now planning to borrow some from my maiden family to whitewash the new chamber here…”

Not a single word about the property received at the time of the family division.

Shiyiniang could not help but feel relieved that she was no longer the one managing this household.

“This matter ought to be discussed with Mother,” she said with a smile. “As things now stand in the household…”

Before she could finish, the Third Madam cut in: “I know. Only it is a little awkward to bring up with Mother directly — I have not accomplished much of note all these years, and now that my eldest son is being wed, to come saying I have no money — I would likely be scolded before any money is forthcoming. I had it in mind to borrow a little from Fourth Sister-in-law. The moment the congratulatory gifts come in, I will repay it at once.”

“Qin Ge’er’s wedding is a major occasion,” Shiyiniang said. “At present I am not managing the household, and the Happiness Workshop will not distribute year-end dividends until the end of the year. How much were you thinking of borrowing?”

If the amount were too large, it might alarm Xu Lingyi, and the old Madam would certainly be informed as well.

The Third Madam considered. “The lacquerwork would come to around a hundred taels or so, the whitewashing another hundred or so, and then there are the bed-hangings, the labor costs… I think two hundred taels at minimum.”

Shiyiniang breathed a quiet sigh of relief. She smiled. “Third Sister-in-law seems to have set her eyes on exactly what is in my money box — just a few days ago the Marquis gave me two hundred taels for the Mid-Autumn Festival. Please take it first.” She had Zhuxiang go and open the trunk. “Remember to bring your brush, ink, paper, and inkstone — Third Sister-in-law will need to write me a receipt!”

“A receipt!” The Third Madam stared at Shiyiniang in stunned disbelief, thoroughly exasperated.

Had she known it would come to this, she ought to have gone to the Second Madam instead. The Second Madam was always generous and open-handed… With it written in black and white, this money would have to be repaid! After going around in so many circles, would she not have exhausted herself for nothing?

“I think a receipt is quite unnecessary!” The Third Madam’s gaze shifted about. “Surely you do not distrust me!”

She did not trust her — not in the slightest.

Shiyiniang smiled, and Zhuxiang brought out the bank note along with the brush, ink, paper, and inkstone.

She spread the paper out before the Third Madam.

“It is not that I distrust Third Sister-in-law. As the saying goes, even close brothers keep clear accounts. When there are no entanglements of interest between people, the warmer they remain. I am not pressing Third Sister-in-law to repay on any particular schedule — only having something written down gives me an accounting to show the Marquis.”

“Then never mind!” the Third Madam said. “If your money still requires an accounting for the Marquis, I would not want to put you in an awkward position. I will simply go to my maiden family and borrow from them.”

“A wife wins honor for her maiden family, and at her husband’s home she ought to uphold her own family’s name. Rather than going to your maiden family to borrow silver, Third Sister-in-law, would it not be better for us sisters-in-law to help each other?” Shiyiniang smiled. “Or is Third Sister-in-law afraid that I might someday come to borrow from her? Besides, I have no urgent need for this money — whenever Third Sister-in-law is able to repay it suits me equally well.”

The Third Madam listened, her gaze shifting.

How fortunate that she had gone out with the Third Master and seen something of the world — otherwise she would be just like Shiyiniang, thinking that keeping money in hand had no particular purpose, and that money lent out would always be returned, and so one gained a favor into the bargain. She would not understand that money can generate money — lend it to those who are urgently in need, collect interest, and after a few years there are several hundred taels more.

Thinking this, she could not help feeling some hesitation — but just at that moment, Zhuxiang placed the already-inked brush into her hand…

Borrowing it first to put to use would also be perfectly fine!

The Third Madam took the brush and wrote out a receipt.

Shiyiniang glanced at it swiftly, then had Zhuxiang put it away.

Qiuyu, going on Shiyiniang’s orders to deliver some fine cloth to the near-term Hupo, brought up the matter of the household in passing, and could not help mentioning the Third Madam’s borrowing: “…Since a receipt has already been written, it would be better to have the Third Madam specify a repayment date as well. Otherwise, this money is likely to be like a meat bun thrown at a dog — gone with nothing to show for it.”

Hupo steadied herself and stood up, rummaged in a trunk, took out an orange and passed it to Qiuyu. “Madam never intended to have it repaid. This was simply to prevent her from coming to borrow money from Madam again in future.”

Qiuyu thought it over and agreed.

With the old debt still outstanding, she could hardly come borrowing again!

Only two hundred taels… was rather a large sum… but then Madam always had easy access to funds… at Mid-Autumn, the Marquis had given Madam a thousand taels… so this was no great thing…

Thinking it through this way, she realized she had been the petty one.

Smiling, she put the matter from her mind and cheerfully accepted the half-yellowed orange. “Did Madam give you this? The palace sent a whole basket to Madam two days ago!”

It was not yet orange season.

“No!” Hupo smiled — a rare shyness in that smile. “Your brother-in-law had someone bring it.”

Qiuyu looked at the orange in her hand and could not help covering her mouth to laugh. “Good Sister, you have taken it out and shared it with me — if Brother-in-law finds out, will he not come settle accounts with me?”

Hupo’s face flushed red. “You have something to eat and you still cannot keep that mouth quiet!”

Qiuyu laughed all the harder.

She went back and told Shiyiniang.

Shiyiniang laughed too.

That evening she told Xu Lingyi.

Xu Lingyi looked at the delighted Shiyiniang and could not help teasing: “It was only an orange — rare enough, perhaps, but there is no need to be this pleased about it!”

He knew perfectly well what she meant, yet he simply had to spar with her a little before he felt satisfied.

Shiyiniang shot him a sidelong glance and turned to walk into the bathroom.

Xu Lingyi laughed.

He called through the lattice screen of the bathroom to speak with her.

“Tomorrow Elder Dou has invited me to go hiking. I plan to bring Zhun Ge’er along. Please look over his outfit tomorrow.”

Elder Dou was a newly elevated cabinet elder, appointed in the aftermath of the “Case of Yang Shi’s Unlawful Profiteering.” He was said to have just passed forty, upright and resolute in character, a man who dared to speak plainly and dared to remonstrate.

Shiyiniang could not help a light laugh: “He has barely taken office and already he is inviting you hiking?”

Xu Lingyi laughed: “How else do you suppose he made it to cabinet elder!”

Indeed!

“Who will be going tomorrow?” Shiyiniang asked. “Is it suitable to bring Zhun Ge’er along?”

“It is only a hike, nothing particularly formal. There will be a crowd of servants and attendants. Think of it as taking him out for some fresh air.”

Xu Sijie, upon hearing this, was thoroughly envious.

Xu Sizhun tugged at Shiyiniang’s sleeve. “Mother, please say a word to Father — let Fifth Brother come with me! Fifth Brother has even stronger legs than I do; he would not slow anyone down!”

That was not the issue.

The issue was that the Marquis Yongping was appearing at a social occasion together with the heir apparent of Yongping.

—