Madam Qiao felt the world tilt and spin around her.

The idea of a match with the Luo family had been entirely her own scheme. It was she who had pounded her chest and sworn it could be done. It was she who had talked Lianfang into agreeing. And now it had come to this. How was she ever to answer to the Duke?

And besides, Lianfang was her niece. Her father had died young.

If word of this got out — how would she ever face anyone?

People nearby were shouting something urgently in her ear, but she could not make out a word. All she could think was how wonderful it would be to simply faint dead away. Then she would not have to worry, or be afraid.

Yet another voice rang out from somewhere deep inside her: *This is not your fault.*

Yes, going to the Xu household so freely had been improper — but she had never told Lianfang to go and stand in front of some accursed pavilion in the cold wind, and she had certainly never told her to disregard all propriety between men and women and go running into a private courtyard.

*This is not my fault.*

*It is absolutely not my fault.*

If blame was to be assigned, it lay entirely with her sister-in-law for failing to raise her daughter properly. What did that have to do with her?

She snapped upright and shouted, “Lianfang!”

“Aunt,” came the sound of Lianfang’s voice at her ear, thick with stifled sobs, “what — what’s wrong with you?”

She turned — and there was her niece’s face, so fair and tender it looked as though it might yield to the touch.

It was that face that had brought all this down upon them. Without that face to rely on, she would never have dared try such a thing.

The thought flashed through her, and she raised her hand, about to strike Qiao Lianfang across the cheek — when the Grand Matriarch’s voice sounded in her ear: “She’s come round, she’s come round. Don’t crowd her so — give her some air.”

Madam Qiao startled fully awake.

What use was any of this now? She needed to go back and think of a plan at once.

“How are you feeling?” The Grand Matriarch’s voice was warm and gentle. “Where does it hurt? Come, let’s go and sit inside the hall. The night air has grown cold — we mustn’t let you catch a chill.”

Fifth Madam had already come to support her right arm.

She took the offered help and rose, summoning a composed expression. “Grand Matriarch, I am quite all right. I grew a little tired and dozed off for a moment.” She gave a self-conscious smile. “It is growing late, and a good host should not be burdened by lingering guests. We shall take our leave.” She then called for Lianfang: “Let us go.”

Madam Huang and the others came forward to urge them to stay a little longer. “Your colour is still so pale — do sit a while before you go.”

“I’ll be perfectly well after lying down.” Madam Qiao would not be persuaded. Seeing that she had been visibly unwell moments ago, and with the Grand Matriarch’s own thoughts occupied elsewhere, everyone exchanged a few polite parting words. The Grand Matriarch called for Fifth Master Xu: “Go and see Madam Chengguo out.”

Fifth Master Xu respectfully answered, “Yes,” and escorted Madam Qiao and Miss Qiao from the premises.

With one party departing, the evening took on the feeling of breaking up.

Before long, Elder Madam Zheng also came to take her leave of the Grand Matriarch.

The Grand Matriarch herself walked her to the entrance of the reception hall, after which Fifth Master Xu took over and escorted her out the gate.

This was when Eleventh Miss grew anxious.

First Madam had still not returned.

She was just wondering whether to send someone to look for her when First Madam came in through the side gate of the reception hall with Luoqiao, composed and unhurried.

Eleventh Miss pretended not to have noticed her absence, keeping up a quiet exchange with the Gan family’s Third Miss. First Madam then summoned Fifth Miss, Tenth Miss, and her: “Let us take our leave as well — your elder sister-in-law is at home alone.”

*Us? Whom exactly did she mean?*

Tenth Miss followed Fifth Miss and Eleventh Miss in curtsying a reply.

First Madam smiled faintly, said nothing further, and led the three of them to bid farewell to the Grand Matriarch.

The Grand Matriarch exchanged pleasantries with her, then — just as she had done for Elder Madam Zheng — escorted First Madam to the entrance of the reception hall, saw her into the small oil-cloth curtained carriage the Xu family had provided, and then Fifth Master Xu accompanied them to the Hanging Flower Gate, where they transferred to their own carriage. There, Fifth Master Xu thoughtfully pressed into First Madam’s hand a visiting card from Marquis Yongping. “If you happen to encounter the soldiers of the Five-City Constabulary, just show them this. My fourth brother still commands enough respect to smooth the way.”

The self-deprecating air of a son-in-law anxious not to disappoint his mother-in-law made Eleventh Miss’s lips twitch upward despite herself.

The curfew hour had already passed, and First Madam had indeed been worried about this — Fifth Master Xu’s gesture was nothing short of a gift in a time of need. She beamed with gratitude, thanked Fifth Master Xu warmly, exchanged a few more pleasantries, and then at last set off for home on Bowstring Lane.

At the Hanging Flower Gate, First Madam-in-law was waiting with Nanny Hang.

As she helped her mother-in-law down from the carriage, she said with a smile, “This afternoon while you were out, Madam Wang came to call on you. When she heard you had gone to Marquis Yongping’s estate, she left her card and sat only a short while before leaving.”

Wang? Could it be someone from the Maoguo Ducal family?

Still on edge from recent events, Eleventh Miss strained her ears to listen — and nearly missed her footing on the carriage step. Fortunately, Dongqing was quick-eyed and steadied her in time.

“Which Madam Wang?” First Madam asked, equally puzzled.

“She said she had a chance encounter with you in Tianjin,” First Madam-in-law replied with a smile. “Her husband is from the Wang family of Zhennnan Marquisate.”

*Ah — the one who nearly came to blows over the berth on the boat.*

The realisation dawned on First Madam at once. “So it was her! And what did she want?” she asked, walking inside as she spoke.

Eleventh Miss let out a long, quiet breath.

First Madam-in-law kept half a step behind First Madam, supporting her right arm, and followed her through the Hanging Flower Gate. “She said Lord Wang has been posted as the Fujian Administration Commissioner, and they will be setting off in a few days. She came especially to see whether the master or mistress had anything they wished to send or any messages to pass on.” Her voice dropped very low.

First Madam’s steps faltered for a moment before she walked on. “I understand. People drift apart when the ties are gone. There is nothing worth sending.”

First Madam-in-law gave a respectful nod.

“And Muge?” First Madam asked. “Has he gone to sleep?”

“He has.”

“And Xingge?”

“He’s in the study, reading.”

“Is the master at home?” First Madam asked further.

First Madam-in-law smiled. “Father went out early this morning and only just returned. When he heard you had brought Tenth Miss back with you, he was very pleased. He’s waiting in the main hall.”

*What a capable sister-in-law she truly was.*

Eleventh Miss smiled to herself.

The maidservants had already lifted the curtain to usher First Madam and First Madam-in-law inside. The three of them filed in after them.

Master saw his three daughters and was very glad. He asked how the visit to Marquis Yongping’s estate had gone, then turned to First Madam-in-law: “Has the room for Tenth Miss been properly prepared?”

Tenth Miss said quickly, “I can just share a room with Eleventh Sister — it’s perfectly fine.”

Master laughed. “There is no shortage of rooms in this house. Why should you squeeze together? And there are maids and matrons to think of as well — you couldn’t fit them all even if you tried.”

A small silence settled over the room.

When they had returned, no one had mentioned anything about Tenth Miss’s attendants. Tenth Miss had followed First Madam back with not so much as a single trunk… Where were her maids and matrons supposed to come from?

Eleventh Miss glanced at First Madam.

First Madam’s expression remained perfectly composed.

First Madam-in-law already said with a smile, “Tenth Sister came in rather a hurry this time and didn’t bring many people with her. She and Eleventh Sister are close, I know, but it wouldn’t do for them to crowd together like that. I’ve settled Tenth Sister in the eastern side room and assigned her two maids to attend her. Father, does that arrangement suit you?”

Master was well satisfied. He gave a slight nod and dropped the matter of Tenth Miss. In a gentle tone, he said to his daughters, “Even visiting as guests, it is no small thing — it tires a person out all the same. It’s getting late. All of you go and rest.” He then said to First Madam-in-law, “You’ve worked hard too. Between looking after the little ones and waiting on your elders, you must go and rest early.”

Receiving her father-in-law’s praise, even First Madam-in-law could not entirely suppress a flicker of quiet joy. She curtsied and, with Fifth Miss and the others, filed out in a row.

Master then asked after First Madam Yuan: “Is she… any better?”

First Madam sighed. “If she can go on like this, that in itself is something to be grateful for.”

Master’s expression darkened.

First Madam hesitated for a moment, then said carefully, “Would you… perhaps speak to the Marquis? Given how gravely ill First Madam Yuan is, surely he could not…”

Before she could finish, Master let out a cold, sharp scoff. “You know yourself how ill she is. How could I use that as a bargaining chip. Never say such a thing to me again.”

First Madam’s face went through several shades, and only after a long moment did she say quietly, “I understand.”

—

At that very hour, the residence of the Grand Matriarch of the Marquis of Yongping’s estate blazed with light. Though it was past midnight, the maidservants beneath the eaves stood in neat, silent rows with perfect composure.

Weizi carefully set the pale celadon tea cup from the fine old kiln on the black lacquer inlaid炕 table by the window, then tiptoed back out — pausing at the threshold to softly close the black lacquer glass-panelled partition screen behind her.

Only the Grand Matriarch and her son remained in the room.

With no one else present, the Grand Matriarch spoke without restraint. “When all is said and done, you were not without fault in this matter yourself. If you had had a little too much at Chunxi Restaurant at noon, all the more reason to be careful with your words and conduct. You knew full well there were lady guests in the house — why choose to rest in the small courtyard beside the Dianzhuntang Hall? And without even a personal manservant at your side…” She saw that her son’s face had gone dark as iron, and smiled. “Don’t make that face whenever something goes wrong. Sometimes you need to reflect on yourself.”

Xu Lingyi said nothing, his expression blank, and raised his tea cup for a sip. Then he set the cup down with a sharp clank on the炕 table. “All this ridiculous nonsense…”

“There’s no need to take it out on that either,” the Grand Matriarch cut him off. “Tell me — just what happened?”

“It has already come to this. What is there to say?” Xu Lingyi’s expression was stony. “I will handle this matter.”

“Handle it?” The Grand Matriarch regarded her son with a smile. “Then tell me — how exactly do you intend to handle it?”

“Leave this to me,” Xu Lingyi said, a trace of impatience in his voice. “All I can say is that the Xu family will not be disgraced.”

“Not disgraced?” The Grand Matriarch’s smile slowly faded. “The way things stand already is *not* disgraced? A perfectly respectable young woman — an unmarried daughter of a ducal house — comes to our home to watch an opera, and leaves having to submit herself as a concubine. That is *not* disgraceful? What do you think people will say? That the Qiao family has lost their minds and can’t find their daughter a proper husband, so they’ve decided to hand her over to the Xu family as a mistress? Or that the Marquis of Yongping, bloated with power and steeped in depravity, is capable of any violation of propriety and decorum?” By the time she finished, her words carried the edge of undisguised contempt.

“Mother, there is no need to needle me with such talk.” Xu Lingyi rose abruptly to his feet. “When the late Emperor died, His Majesty secretly sent Wang Li to summon Duke Chengguo to the capital to render his loyalty, but the Duke hedged and delayed. Although no disaster resulted, it left a bitter impression. His Majesty, magnanimous as he is, chose not to pursue the matter — yet the Duke has been consumed by guilt and suspicion ever since. Now that I am taking in a Qiao woman, people will only say that the Qiao family is attaching itself to the powerful. Why should any of it be traced back to me?” His mouth curved into a cold smile. “This is also a useful opportunity to see exactly what is being said out there.”

—