Madam Fang and Third Madam dared not be remiss, and saw the Grand Madam out respectfully.

Back in the room, the Grand Madam kept Shiyiniang to speak with her.

“When a family is in harmony, all things prosper; a good wife is half of a man’s fortune.” The old woman leaned languidly against the large kang’s ink-splattered bolster by the window. “Your Third Sister-in-law was also a clever and capable woman in her day — otherwise I would not have taken her as a daughter-in-law. But people change with the years, and sometimes change is good, and sometimes it’s better not to have changed at all.” Her expression became serious, and her gaze on Shiyiniang grew suddenly very sharp. “Your Third Sister-in-law has lost her way. But Madam Fang is a sensible one. For the peace and harmony of Third Branch, certain things cannot be left entirely to your Third Sister-in-law’s whims. As the wife of Marquis Yongping, you should keep this in mind.” She sat up straight. “Do you understand what I mean?”

Listening to the Grand Madam and thinking back over her actions, Shiyiniang understood some of it.

Third Madam was the kind of person who made a mountain out of every molehill, yet couldn’t see what truly mattered. Living alongside someone like her — if you were weaker, she would take advantage; if you were stronger, she grew jealous. Give way to her and she pushed further; don’t give way and she harbored resentment. There was no avoiding friction, one way or another.

While the Grand Madam was alive, Third Madam was a daughter-in-law and naturally had to answer to the Grand Madam. But once the Grand Madam was no longer here, as a sister-in-law, there would be no appropriate way to restrain her. So the Grand Madam intended to elevate Madam Fang — to let Madam Fang keep Third Madam in check. But since Third Madam was Madam Fang’s mother-in-law, she could not simply suppress Third Madam outright and make Madam Fang look down on her — that would violate the proper order of relations between senior and junior…

“I understand your meaning, Mother.” Shiyiniang said with a gentle smile. “I’ll handle this with the right measure.”

The Grand Madam gave a small nod, a look of satisfaction settling in her eyes. “Go and rest. I’m tired too.”

Shiyiniang curtsied and withdrew.

Back in her rooms, she had Qiuyu bring a packet of bird’s nest and a packet of notoginseng to send to Madam Fang, then coaxed Jin Ge’er to sleep alongside her for an afternoon nap. When she woke from her rest, Qiuyu came to report. “Eldest Young Mistress says many thanks to Madam for the medicines. She says she’ll come and thank you in person once Madam wakes from her nap.”

Shiyiniang smiled and nodded, and lifted Jin Ge’er onto the kang to play.

Qiuyu hesitated.

“What else is it?” Shiyiniang asked.

Qiuyu thought for a moment, then said, “When I went over just now, Third Madam was in her room carrying on — shouting and yelling, making a tremendous scene. All the maidservants and wives in the courtyard were trembling and not daring to breathe. When word came that I was there for Eldest Young Mistress, even the little maidservants were signaling to me with their eyes. Eldest Young Mistress came out of Third Madam’s room shortly afterward — her eyes were red, as though she had been crying. I could see things weren’t right, and came back without stopping to pay my respects to Third Madam.”

Shiyiniang’s brow furrowed slightly.

So Third Madam had vented her anger on Madam Fang after the Grand Madam had gone.

She really was being foolish.

The Grand Madam had given Madam Fang face — but she had equally given Third Madam face. To laugh and say warmly to Madam Fang, “Look how much the Grand Madam cares for you — once I’m gone, be sure to serve the Grand Madam well in my place” — something like that would have confused everyone’s understanding of the situation, and who would still dare say with certainty that the Grand Madam had been putting Third Madam in her place? But instead, she had acted like someone who’d posted a sign over buried silver, as good as announcing it themselves. Anyone in the household who wanted to watch the spectacle was going to get their fill.

Thinking this, she couldn’t help but sigh.

Qiuyu’s heart tightened.

The real reason she had told Shiyiniang about this was that Third Madam, being so particular about propriety, might afterward blame her for entering the courtyard without first paying her respects — and thinking back on it, Qiuyu was afraid of being called to account.

“Madam,” said Qiuyu quickly, “should I go back and apologize to Third Madam? At the time I was afraid going in would embarrass Eldest Young Mistress…”

“It’s fine,” Shiyiniang reassured her. “Under the circumstances, going in would indeed have been inappropriate.” She sent her away.

Third Madam’s fury is entirely directed at Madam Fang right now — she probably hasn’t the energy left to pick a quarrel with a maidservant over such a thing.

With this thought, she picked up Jin Ge’er and told Fangxi, “Let’s go and look in on Third Madam.”

“Third Sister-in-law has been back in Yanjing eight or nine months now, hasn’t she?” Shiyiniang sat on the large kang of the rest room, side by side with Third Madam, who still carried traces of anger on her face. Jin Ge’er was being watched over by Eldest Young Mistress and the maidservants as he played in the main hall. “Third Master has been alone in Shanyang all this time — it really does give one cause to worry.”

Third Madam’s expression perked up at once, and she said urgently, “It’s exactly that — I’m torn between two places, and I can’t sleep soundly at night.”

Shiyiniang smiled and nodded. “Fortunately, Eldest Young Mistress is quick and capable, otherwise Third Sister-in-law really couldn’t have felt at ease leaving.”

Third Madam stiffened slightly at this. “She’s still young,” she said. “She’ll need you aunts to look after her in the days ahead.” It came out a little strained.

“Third Sister-in-law, rest assured.” Shiyiniang smiled. “We all live under the same roof, and Fifth Sister-in-law and I have both been on the receiving end of Third Sister-in-law’s kindness over the years. For Third Sister-in-law’s sake, we won’t treat Eldest Young Mistress as an outsider.”

Third Madam’s expression eased considerably.

Taking the opportunity, Shiyiniang rose and made her excuses. “Third Sister-in-law will be going back to Shanyang in just a few days — I imagine you’ll be quite busy. I won’t intrude. Once Third Sister-in-law has set the date, I’ll come back and see you off.”

Third Madam gave a nod and saw Shiyiniang and Jin Ge’er to the door. Back in her room, she said only that she was worried about Third Master having no one to look after him, and set people to packing up her trunks. When Madam Fang came to pay her respects, Third Madam only told her to go back and rest quickly, and said not a single word about the household arrangements once she herself was gone.

This left Madam Fang feeling uneasy.

Her husband had said that although he was not yet old, he was nonetheless a married man. He couldn’t go on like Third Branch’s third son, following a tutor around without direction. If he wasn’t going to learn to manage practical affairs, he ought at least to invite a private tutor home to teach him to read and seek a proper scholarly distinction.

But for a new bride to say such a thing — how could she bring herself to? She could only approach it obliquely and ask Xu Siqin, “Now that Mother is going back to Shanyang, should we send Father a letter?”

If the father-in-law received the letter, he would certainly tell the husband what to do.

Her mother worried about her father and had always wanted to go back to Shanyang. Xu Siqin knew this. But there had been some whispers about the household lately, and he was afraid Madam Fang might misunderstand and think Third Madam’s return to Shanyang had something to do with her sprained hand. He said, “Father already knows. Father wrote a letter a few days ago asking when Mother would be coming back.”

Madam Fang heard this and felt there was more to it.

The Grand Madam had only said aloud that Third Madam should return to Shanyang in the last few days — so how had the father-in-law already been writing to ask when she was coming back? Had the father-in-law and mother-in-law arranged it between them beforehand?

She thought back to those several times she had accompanied her mother-in-law to pay respects to the Grand Madam, when everything her mother-in-law had said implied she was worried about the father-in-law being alone in Shanyang — and yet the Grand Madam had simply acted as though she hadn’t heard. And then her hand had barely been sprained before the Grand Madam’s position suddenly shifted… Had she been made the fool in all of this?

With that thought, she had no more heart to pursue the question.

Coming out of Xu Siqin’s study, a maidservant brought a bowl of chicken broth stewed with notoginseng. “Eldest Young Mistress, please drink it while it’s hot.”

Much of the swelling had already gone down.

She looked at the chicken broth and felt a stir in her heart. She went to Shiyiniang’s rooms.

Shiyiniang was talking with Fifth Madam.

“Zhu Anping really knelt down in front of Madam Yu and begged Seventh Sister’s pardon?” Fifth Madam leaned forward eagerly, her eyes bright and glittering, looking every bit as though she were watching an exciting scene unfold.

Shiyiniang couldn’t decide whether to laugh or shake her head.

She thought Fifth Madam was being rather childlike.

“He didn’t actually kneel.” She smiled. “Fourth Brother-in-law was right there, and he stepped in to pull Seventh Brother-in-law to his feet before it came to that.”

“There, you see — Seventh Sister quarreling with Zhu Anping that way is no good.” Fifth Madam was a little smug. “And what did Seventh Sister say?” She added, “I told her to cry a good long cry, and then go back to Zhu Anping looking sad and wronged. Did she actually cry?”

Shiyiniang couldn’t help laughing. “She cried — and not just a little. She cried and cried. And Zhu Anping shed a few tears as well. He decided to linger in Yanjing a few more days and take Seventh Sister out and about, sightseeing and walking, to help her clear her head. He said it weighed on him that he hadn’t been able to come to Jin Ge’er’s first-year celebration, and that this time he would stay for Zhen Jie’er’s coming-of-age ceremony before leaving. The two of them have now gone to Ciyuan Temple to burn incense and pray. Fourth Sister was afraid we’d worry, so she specially sent her personal nanny to bring us word.”

Fifth Madam pursed her lips. “I knew it. She makes up with Zhu Anping and forgets all about me.”

Shiyiniang burst out laughing. “She hasn’t forgotten, she hasn’t.” She rose and took a carved red lacquer box from the tall cabinet nearby. “This is from Seventh Sister for you. She also says — with Zhu Anping there, it’s not convenient for her to come and see you, but she’ll sit and have a proper talk with you at Zhen Jie’er’s coming-of-age ceremony in a few days.”

“That’s more like it.” A smile came into Fifth Madam’s eyes. “You tell her — don’t feel so guilty. We were perfectly good friends before all this. If things fell apart between us because of this, Zhu Anping might well start wondering. She should go on behaving exactly as she always has.” Then she sighed, “What kind of temperament does she have, that she can’t even best a concubine elevated to principal wife?” While she talked, she had already opened the box. Inside was a pair of solid gold hairpins with kingfisher feather inlay, set with emerald-green tourmaline stones, in the style of “Danyang Facing the Sun.” “Oh, these are beautiful.” She took them out and examined them carefully, then laughed behind her sleeve. “If Zhu Anping knew I was the one giving Seventh Sister ideas, I wonder if he’d lose so much sleep over it that he couldn’t rest at night?”

“Don’t worry,” Shiyiniang said with resigned amusement. “Fourth Sister says that this time Seventh Sister was able to come around, and it’s all thanks to you for helping smooth things over. From the way Seventh Brother-in-law spoke, it seems he’ll be coming in person to thank you in the next day or two.”

Fifth Madam smiled until her eyes curved into crescent moons.

A little maidservant came to report that Madam Fang had arrived.

“What’s she doing here instead of helping her mother-in-law pack trunks?” Fifth Madam said with a smile.

“We’ll find out when she comes in.” Shiyiniang told the little maidservant, “Please invite Eldest Young Mistress in at once.”

Seeing Shiyiniang and Fifth Madam together, and the easy, cheerful atmosphere between them, Madam Fang was a little surprised.

She smiled and gave both aunts a curtsy, then sat on the armchair beside the kang to talk.

“I have the two aunts to thank for the medicines you both sent over.” She spoke warmly. “With my mother-in-law preparing to return to Shanyang, there’s been a great deal to manage in the household — I’ve been unable to come and thank you properly until now. And here I find Fifth Aunt is also here.”

“I’m just here for a visit.” Fifth Madam glanced at Shiyiniang, picked up the lacquer box, and rose. “You two talk — I’ll head back.”

Madam Fang quickly asked her to stay. “I only came to say a word of thanks to Fourth Aunt — with Fifth Aunt here, I can keep you both company.”