On her end, Shi’yiniang had also received the news.

“It’s just that the ranking is rather far back.” Xu Lingyi said with tactful restraint. “I hear that only three hundred and forty people were selected this time.”

Shi’yiniang suddenly thought of that widely circulated couplet — “Washing the feet of one’s concubine; granted the auxiliary presented scholar degree.” To lump a man’s concubine and an official who had obtained the auxiliary presented scholar degree in the same breath said everything about the awkwardness and helplessness of those with such a background when jostling for seniority in official circles. What made it worse was that it was nothing like a modern examination — one could not simply retake it if one performed poorly. A single sitting determined one’s fate for life.

“Perhaps Fifth Elder Brother-in-law will answer especially brilliantly in the palace examination?” she said hopefully.

But however brilliantly he answered, the possibility of entering the top two tiers was extremely slim.

Yet since the outcome had not yet been decided, why let such uncertain things trouble Shi’yiniang needlessly?

Xu Lingyi smiled and said: “That’s possible. In no more than a month, the palace examination results will be out. And since His Majesty’s questioning concerns court affairs, and Zi Chun has spent many years in the capital with considerable experience, perhaps he really might enter the top two tiers.”

Shi’yiniang knew that Xu Lingyi was saying this to comfort her, and smiled and nodded, then asked whether they should go to the residence on Sixiang Hutong to offer their congratulations.

“Send one of your trusted senior attendants,” Xu Lingyi said. “Once the full results are out, I’ll go in person to congratulate Zi Chun.”

Thinking that now that Qian Ming had passed the examinations there would be tips to give out, visits to pay to his examiners, and mutual banquets among fellow candidates and classmates, with money needed in many places, Shi’yiniang sent Nanny Song with a red envelope containing two hundred taels of silver.

Nanny Song returned and whispered to her: “Fifth Young Mistress flew into a terrible rage over Zhuotao breaking a teacup, and even said she would send for the middlewoman. Master Qian, finding it all too vexing, hid himself in the kitchen drinking in sullen misery!”

She was likely using it as a pretext to vent her frustrations over Qian Ming’s poor results.

Shi’yiniang couldn’t help but frown.

Fifth Young Mistress was increasingly unable to restrain herself.

Even if Qian Ming was ultimately granted the auxiliary presented scholar degree — could throwing such tantrums change the fact of the matter?

She paid all the more attention to the timing and results of the palace examination.

Just then, news came from the palace that Fang Jie’er had safely delivered a baby boy.

Zhou Furen was so overjoyed she didn’t know what to do with herself. Though the streets were already under curfew, she still rushed to Lotus Flower Lane to bring the news to Shi’yiniang in person.

“I have prayed to every god and Buddha every day, truly willing to forfeit ten years of my life,” she said, and as she spoke, tears fell. “The Crown Princess can at last be said to have her wish fulfilled. All of this is the Crown Prince’s achievement. Without him, how could the Crown Princess have conceived three times?”

Hearing her attribute all credit to the Crown Prince, Shi’yiniang couldn’t help but laugh, and she absentmindedly picked up the tumbler toy that Jin Ge’er had tossed onto the brick bed and placed it in the wicker basket beneath the low table.

Zhou Furen let out a sound of surprise: “Where is our Jin Ge’er? How come Jin Ge’er isn’t here?” Then she said: “Come to think of it, the Crown Princess was able to give birth to the Imperial Elder Grandson largely thanks to our Jin Ge’er!” She smiled cheerfully and instructed Qiuyu, who stood nearby: “Quickly, quickly, go and bring Jin Ge’er here — I have a big red envelope just for him!”

Shi’yiniang was rather flustered and quickly said: “This is entirely the Crown Princess’s own good fortune — what does it have to do with our Jin Ge’er?”

Zhou Furen paid her no attention, only urging Qiuyu to hurry and bring Jin Ge’er.

Qiuyu looked to Shi’yiniang for help.

Seeing that Zhou Furen was in such high spirits, and thinking it was simply a matter of joining in the celebration, Shi’yiniang gave Qiuyu a nod.

Qiuyu then cheerfully bent her knees in acknowledgement, saying “Yes,” and withdrew.

Only then did Zhou Furen lift her teacup and take a sip. She smiled and said: “I’m not like those Grand Academicians of the cabinet — taking credit when things go well and laying the blame on the Six Ministries when things go wrong. If not for our Jin Ge’er’s exceptional blessings and good fortune, how could he first have brought Shen Ge’er and then the Imperial Elder Grandson into the world…” While she was still speaking, Qiuyu came in carrying Jin Ge’er. Zhou Furen actually climbed down from the brick bed to welcome him, and at once took Jin Ge’er from Qiuyu’s arms.

“Jin Ge’er,” she called out, and pressed a resounding kiss to Jin Ge’er’s cheek. “You really are blessed with good fortune. Do you know that you’ve become an uncle?”

Jin Ge’er had never been shy around strangers to begin with, and seeing that someone liked him, he broke into a fit of giggles.

Zhou Furen liked him all the more and sat him on the brick bed, then truly produced from her sleeve a large red embroidered sachet — red background embroidered with a pattern of the God of Longevity leading a plum-blossom-spotted deer — and pressed it into Jin Ge’er’s hands. “Here, this is the red envelope from Auntie, keep it for yourself to spend slowly.”

“Elder Sister, you’re too kind.” When one is happy, one distributes silver to bring everyone around a share of the joy — Shi’yiniang understood Zhou Furen’s feelings well and smiled, thanking her on Jin Ge’er’s behalf. Jin Ge’er had already moved to one side and was untying the sachet, from which he drew out a string of small gold ingots threaded on a red cord — eight of them, each about the size of a peanut.

He was greatly delighted and held them up with little sounds of wonder for Shi’yiniang to see.

Though the items were precious, they were nothing unusual.

Shi’yiniang smiled and tied the string to Jin Ge’er’s waist sash.

Jin Ge’er sat on the brick bed playing with the gold ingots, not once lifting his head.

Zhou Furen saw how pleased he was and felt pleased in turn, and drew him into her arms and kissed him several more times: “No wonder our Grand Madam thinks of him every moment she doesn’t see him — even I would want to take him home with me.”

Shi’yiniang smiled and spoke with Zhou Furen about the three-day bathing ceremony: “…We’ll go together when the time comes!”

Zhou Furen nodded repeatedly: “Yes, we’ll go together.” Seeing that Jin Ge’er was wriggling in her arms trying to crawl back onto the brick bed, she let go. Jin Ge’er, half-crawling and half-toddling, burrowed into Shi’yiniang’s embrace. Zhou Furen stroked Jin Ge’er’s black hair. “And we must bring our Jin Ge’er along too.”

Entering the palace…

Shi’yiniang broke into an anxious sweat and said: “He’s at the age where he’s getting into everything. I think it’s better he doesn’t go — in case he bumps or breaks something in the palace, it wouldn’t be good!”

“He must come — how can he not come!” Zhou Furen insisted. “When the time comes I’ll personally watch over him and absolutely won’t let him damage anything in the palace.”

It was her son she was afraid of getting hurt.

Shi’yiniang gave a vague, noncommittal reply. On the day itself, however, she left Jin Ge’er in Xu Lingyi’s care. Zhou Furen complained a few times and was about to send someone to fetch Jin Ge’er before they all entered the palace, but Shi’yiniang could only use the excuse of “if we don’t enter now we’ll be late” to dismiss the idea. Who would have thought that once they were inside the palace, Fang Jie’er also asked after him — and when Shi’yiniang said she was afraid Jin Ge’er would break something in the palace, Fang Jie’er laughed so hard she had to cover her sleeve: “Are those things more precious than our Jin Ge’er?” She then instructed a eunuch to go to Lotus Flower Lane to fetch Jin Ge’er.

The Elder Princess, hearing this, called out from the side: “Don’t bring Jin Ge’er into the palace — he hurt my ear.”

All the women in the room wearing grand crimson ceremonial robes and nine-cluster ornamental hairpins exchanged glances with one another, then one by one bowed their heads to drink their tea.

The room then filled with the Empress’s gentle, soft voice: “Jin Ge’er is still little — he means no harm. You are the elder sister, and you must be more patient with him…”

Shi’yiniang felt a secret surge of relief and gave Fang Jie’er a meaningful look.

Fang Jie’er understood and gave Zhou Furen a meaningful look.

The moment the Empress finished speaking, Zhou Furen immediately smiled and said: “What auspicious hour did the Imperial Astronomical Bureau designate? Should we begin bathing the Imperial Elder Grandson?”

Princess Changning immediately picked up the cue and instructed a palace maid: “Go quickly and check the time!”

The palace maid bent her knees in acknowledgement, said “Yes,” and walked out briskly.

Princess Changning then spoke about the three-day bathing ceremony for Ren Kun: “…In the dead of winter, it pained me just to watch. It is truly our Imperial Elder Grandson who is blessed — to be born in warm, flower-blooming April…”

Everyone talked and laughed, smoothing over the awkwardness of the earlier moment, and once again the air was filled with celebration.

Shi’yiniang sensed that someone had been staring at her for quite a long while without looking away.

She gave nothing away, and with the corner of her eye quickly stole a glance.

It was Jiang Jinkui, who stood beside Princess Changning.

Her expression was even more listless than before, and she shrank behind Princess Changning, appearing even more meek and deferential than the palace maids standing nearby.

Shi’yiniang was somewhat surprised.

She recalled how Jiang Jinkui had once proactively greeted her, and thought of the means by which Ren Kun had killed Wang Lang. In the end she decided to pretend she hadn’t noticed, and with a smile listened to the inner and outer titled ladies gathered in the room speak.

A palace maid came running in and spoke a few low words to Fang Jie’er.

Fang Jie’er’s gaze fell on Shi’yiniang, then she gave a gentle shake of her head, replied a few words to the palace maid, who bowed and withdrew.

The Empress glanced at Shi’yiniang with a slight, measured look.

Not knowing what had transpired, Shi’yiniang felt uneasy and looked toward Zhou Furen.

Zhou Furen gave her a slight nod, signaling that she would handle the matter.

Shi’yiniang dared not be careless about it. Though the scene of the three-day bathing ceremony that followed was lively, she stayed close to the Grand Madam and followed the proper protocols to the letter, striving to keep the lowest of profiles. After what felt like an eternity, she finally endured until the eunuchs came to invite everyone to the side hall to eat the longevity noodles prepared for the Imperial Elder Grandson’s birth celebration. She noticed that Zhou Furen was still seated and hadn’t moved — even after the others had filed out of the warm chamber, she had still not come out — and only then did her heart settle somewhat. She supported the Grand Madam and proceeded to the side hall.

By the time everyone was seated, Zhou Furen walked in and gave Shi’yiniang a wink.

Shi’yiniang gave an almost imperceptible nod.

After eating the longevity noodles, everyone went to bid farewell to Fang Jie’er.

As Shi’yiniang walked along, she found herself walking side by side with Zhou Furen.

“It’s nothing,” Zhou Furen said in a low voice. “The Crown Prince sent someone to ask whether Jin Ge’er had come — he wanted someone to bring Jin Ge’er over for a look.” She then complained: “I told you to bring Jin Ge’er into the palace, and you just wouldn’t listen. You’ve missed an opportunity to meet the Crown Prince.”

“Who could have known such an opportunity would arise?” Shi’yiniang could only respond with an apologetic smile. “By now it’s too late for regrets.”

Just then, someone was calling Shi’yiniang’s name in a low voice: “Marchioness Yongping!”

Shi’yiniang turned around in mild surprise.

Jiang Jinkui stood beside one of the great crimson floor-to-ceiling pillars as wide as two arms could encircle, gazing at her timidly.

Shi’yiniang couldn’t help searching the crowd for Princess Changning.

She caught sight of Princess Changning walking beside the Empress, fully absorbed in listening to what the Empress was saying.

What did Jiang Jinkui want with her?

“Madam Ren!” Shi’yiniang inwardly muttered, then somewhat hesitantly exchanged a greeting with her.

“I — I have something important to tell you.” She kept glancing left and right, as if afraid of being noticed.

Zhou Furen, hearing this, gave Shi’yiniang a smile and quickly caught up with Princess Yong’an ahead.

Shi’yiniang had no choice but to stop and smile: “What is it, Madam Ren?”

Jiang Jinkui bit her lip and said in a low voice: “Your household’s Fang Shi — she brings misfortune to her husbands!”

Shi’yiniang couldn’t conceal her startlement, and she studied Jiang Jinkui carefully.

Jiang Jinkui’s gaze held only urgency, and her expression only anxiety.

“It’s true, I’m not deceiving you.” Seeing Shi’yiniang’s gaze, sharp as a blade, bearing down on her, she shrank back involuntarily and murmured: “Our family and theirs are related by marriage. You’re also from Jiangnan, and Yuhang is not far from Huzhou. If you don’t believe me, you can send someone to Huzhou to ask. Her first betrothed was from a family surnamed Hu — a prominent Ninghai clan, and a maternal nephew of Old Madam Fang. The family she was later engaged to was surnamed Huo, from Huzhou. Both young men died young. Be careful — you don’t want to bring their ill fortune down on yourself.” Her tone was entirely sincere.

—