If Zhuxiang had not been mistaken, the Third Madam had returned at this hour without going to pay her respects to the Old Madam, and Fang Shi had kept completely silent about it — something must certainly have happened.

Could it be related to the rumor about Fang Shi being a curse upon her husbands?

Eleventh Lady pondered this, and softly instructed Zhuxiang, “We can’t be certain whether the Third Madam has truly returned to Yanjing. And even if she has, conducting herself this way means she clearly does not wish for us to know. Let’s simply pretend we know nothing at all.”

“Please don’t worry, Madam,” Zhuxiang said quickly. “I understand.”

Zhuxiang was not only sharp-witted but also steady in her conduct — compared to Hupo, she lacked a certain openness but had a softer, more gentle quality. Like spring orchids and autumn chrysanthemums, each had its own virtue. Eleventh Lady had come to rely on her more and more, and often felt that she and Hupo were like her left and right arms — she could not do without either.

She thought of Hupo: “Is Ping’an a little better?”

Hupo had smoothly given birth to her firstborn son last year on the nineteenth day of the eighth month. Like Binju’s child, he was named Ping’an. He was already ten months old now. Before the new year, word came that he had taken a chill. Steward Bai had helped arrange for Imperial Physician Wu from the Imperial Medical Institute to examine him, and Eleventh Lady, only then learning of it, had Zhuxiang bring over some medicinal herbs and had personally visited once herself.

“Though he’s much better, there’s still some coughing,” Zhuxiang said with a smile. “Imperial Physician Wu said that as long as he is carefully looked after on days when the temperature fluctuates, he should make a full recovery once the child is past ten years old.”

Ping’an had whooping cough.

“Go and tell Hupo: if the child needs any medicinal herbs or a certain physician, she is to go directly to Steward Bai. I have already left instructions with him.”

Zhuxiang smiled and acknowledged with a “Yes,” then brought up another matter: “When I went to visit Hupo, Yanrong was also there, holding Hupo’s eldest daughter, Yu Jie’er.”

“Oh!” Eleventh Lady smiled. “She was there too.”

“She had wanted to come back here with me to kowtow to Madam, but Yu Jie’er was crying and fussing without stop, so she asked me to come back and kowtow on her behalf.” As she said this, she straightened up and was about to perform the kowtow for Eleventh Lady.

She must be afraid that coming into the household would cause trouble for her.

Eleventh Lady smiled and took her hand: “Your words alone are message enough. Knowing her good intentions is sufficient.”

Zhuxiang knew her ways and did not insist, then said, “Yanrong also said it is all thanks to Madam that Cao Anfu was promoted to junior steward.”

“Cao An has been diligent enough,” Eleventh Lady smiled. “Without me, he would have been promoted to junior steward sooner or later.”

The two were chatting away when Xu Lingyi’s voice came from outside: “Eleventh Lady, have you finished washing up?”

Eleventh Lady quickly called out in answer, changed into a sleeping jacket, and came out of the washroom. “What is it?”

Xu Lingyi was sitting on the edge of the bed holding Jin Ge’er, a thick book in hand.

“Come quickly,” he said, his expression a touch sheepish when he saw Eleventh Lady come out. “Jin Ge’er wants to hear the story of ‘Jingwei Fills the Sea’…” Before he could finish, Jin Ge’er, sitting in his arms, pursed his lips and stood up.

“Mama!” He stretched out both arms in a gesture asking to be held. “Mama, tell story” — his voice, by the last words, carried a few notes of tearful pleading.

Eleventh Lady quickly stepped forward and took him into her arms.

Only then did she notice that the book Xu Lingyi was holding was a copy of the Classic of Mountains and Seas.

She nearly broke out in a cold sweat.

The “Jingwei Fills the Sea” passage in classical Chinese was only a handful of sentences. One could only read it aloud as written; the other had grown up hearing it told in vernacular Chinese… No wonder father and son both felt aggrieved.

Eleventh Lady thought of a compromise.

She smiled and settled against the bedding with Jin Ge’er nestled in her arms, took the Classic of Mountains and Seas, and began to tell the story line by line — one sentence in classical Chinese, one sentence in vernacular.

Though there were a few passages he did not quite follow, the story was largely the familiar tale he knew, and Jin Ge’er quieted at once. Not until Eleventh Lady had told it through a sixth time did he slowly close his eyes and drift off to sleep.

Xu Lingyi watched with some embarrassment: “Is this how you get Jin Ge’er to sleep every night?”

Afraid of waking the child who had just fallen asleep, Eleventh Lady nodded and gently patted Jin Ge’er before carefully settling him onto the bed.

“I tell Jin Ge’er stories in everyday language!” she said with a smile. “Back when he wasn’t speaking no matter what, I just kept talking to him, hoping he might pick up a word or two.”

Xu Lingyi said nothing, watching Eleventh Lady as he softly stroked the top of Jin Ge’er’s head.

Eleventh Lady then discussed something with Xu Lingyi: “I was thinking of turning some content from the Elementary Learning into illustrated picture books to teach Jin Ge’er to recognize characters. What does the Marquis think?”

“That’s a fine idea,” Xu Lingyi said with a smile. “I’ve seen that Teacher Zhao uses a similar approach when teaching Jie Ge’er his foundational lessons — it seems to work quite well.”

Eleventh Lady found this very interesting.

The next morning, when she went early to pay her respects to the Old Madam, she only encountered Fang Shi — but not Xu Siqin. Since Xu Siqin and Xu Sijian had moved to Sanwell Alley, both boys and Fang Shi had come without fail, rain or shine, to pay their respects to the Old Madam.

“Why haven’t Qin Ge’er and Jian Ge’er come today?” Eleventh Lady smiled as she asked.

“A small matter came up and delayed things,” Fang Shi said with a smile. “They usually come at this time, so afraid Grandmother might worry, they let me come ahead. My husband and brother-in-law should be here very shortly.” Then she exchanged a few pleasantries with the Old Madam and rose to take her leave.

A short while later, Xu Siqin and Xu Sijian indeed arrived, offering the same explanation Fang Shi had given.

Eleventh Lady smiled to herself, and walked back to her room with Xu Sijie.

Along the way, she asked about Teacher Zhao’s picture cards.

“…One sentence per small card with a picture drawn for it, and sometimes Teacher Zhao puts all the cards into a small black box — whoever draws a card must recite that sentence. It’s quite fun.” Then he said, “Oh” and added: “Mother, are you going to start teaching Jin Ge’er his lessons?” He looked at Jin Ge’er, who was walking ahead of them with the maidservant Ah Jin, and his eyes went a little wide. “If you’d like, once Teacher Zhao is back, I can ask him on your behalf for a set.” He made this offer with great generosity.

Eleventh Lady was amused by this small child putting on a grown-up air, and said, “I thought I’d try teaching Jin Ge’er a few characters so that when he starts school, he won’t struggle.” Then, very curious about what Teacher Zhao had drawn, she added, “Does Teacher Zhao have more than one set of these picture books?”

Xu Sijie said, “Fourth Brother has one set, I have one set, and I found another set in Teacher’s study!”

“Then help me ask Teacher Zhao for a set!” Eleventh Lady smiled. Going back to her room, she called for Qiuju to bring in some fine tracing paper. “Let’s draw some patterns.” She picked up a brush and began to draw on the paper. “I’ll draw a few panels of aquatic grass designs for the embroidery shop — they can embroider it around the edge of handkerchiefs, leaving the center blank. Simple, elegant, and uncluttered.”

Xu Sijie watched Eleventh Lady’s brushwork flow like drifting clouds, his eyes growing even wider: “Mother, you’re truly remarkable. It looks exactly like how Teacher Zhao draws.”

“How could it possibly be exactly the same!” Eleventh Lady laughed, handing the brush to Xu Sijie. “Try copying this one. Can you do it?”

Xu Sijie accepted with a respectful acknowledgment and began to copy her work.

Though his brushwork was a little halting, for his age, it was already quite impressive.

Eleventh Lady praised him without pause: “Back when I was learning to draw outlines under my teacher, it took me the better part of a year before I was considered proficient.”

Xu Sijie was very pleased to hear this, and suggested, “Drawing only green aquatic grass patterns doesn’t look very interesting. Why don’t we add some wisteria trailing among the grass? That would make it more colorful.”

Eleventh Lady thought for a moment and smiled: “Everyone has different tastes. Why don’t we come up with several different flowers to embroider on them!”

“What about honeysuckle? Or little chrysanthemums?”

The two chatted and laughed together, and by the time evening came, they had already drawn seven or eight embroidery patterns.

When she went to pay her respects to the Old Madam, Fang Shi came without fail, steadfast as ever. But Xu Siqin and Xu Sijian both excused themselves, citing social engagements that prevented them from coming.

The Old Madam’s brow furrowed slightly at this: “Boys that young are at the age when they should be shutting themselves in to study. What kind of engagements are so important they cannot be missed?”

Fang Shi replied with a gentle smile: “I didn’t ask. I’ll send someone to inquire when I go back and report to Grandmother.”

Perhaps it was truly that closeness skips a generation. The Old Madam doted greatly on Xin Jie’er, Jin Ge’er, and others; and she was also very protective of Fang Shi.

“Don’t you bother asking!” the Old Madam laughed. “Lest he think you’ve come to me to tattle. I’ll ask him myself in a few days.”

Fang Shi quickly dropped into a curtsy to thank the Old Madam.

The Old Madam turned to look at Eleventh Lady with a sigh: “Here’s another one as honest as you. If it were Dan Yang, she’d have already thrown herself into my arms, crying and laughing at once.”

“Fifth Sister-in-law wears her heart on her sleeve. I am no match for her in that regard,” Eleventh Lady deflected politely.

Fang Shi stood to the side, smiling along.

In the days that followed, Xu Siqin and his brother and Fang Shi continued to come separately to pay their respects to the Old Madam. To say nothing of Eleventh Lady — even the Old Madam grew suspicious at the sight of it.

She asked Eleventh Lady, “Could it be the young couple has had a quarrel? If so, you, as their aunt, really ought to go have a look and offer some counsel.”

Eleventh Lady felt as though she had been handed a hot coal — yet as the mistress managing the household of Marquis Yongping’s residence, she had no grounds to refuse.

She smiled her assent, and was just about to instruct Nanny Song to have the carriage readied when Xu Siyu came to request an audience.

“Grandmother, Mother,” he greeted them with a bow, the corners of his eyes and brows barely concealing a look of quiet pride, “Fang family’s uncle — that is, Young Master Fang — has placed third and been named the Tanhua.”

The Old Madam was delighted: “This is wonderful news.” She then said to Xu Siyu, “Go tell your father as well — let him share in the joy.”

Xu Siyu promptly said, “Father was the one who told me.”

Since Xu Lingyi already knew, Qian Ming’s side would certainly have the results.

Eleventh Lady sent Qiuju to inquire.

Qiuju returned: “Three hundred and ninth place. Awarded the rank of associate Presented Scholar.”

In the end, no miracle had come to turn the tide.

For Fang Ji’s side, the Xu family ordered a boxwood stationery set from the Abundant Treasures Pavilion to send over. For Qian Ming’s side, Xu Lingyi went in person.

“He asked me to arrange a post for him as a county deputy,” Xu Lingyi said with a wry smile when he returned. “He said he’d rather go to a county and serve as deputy, accumulate real achievements, and work his way up to county magistrate to govern a territory, than sit in the Ministry of Works as a department head or draft imperial edicts in the Bureau of Transmission.”

“What does the Marquis think?”

“I think that’s reasonable enough,” Xu Lingyi said thoughtfully. “Zhensheng is about to complete his graduate posting. I’d like to keep him in one of the Six Ministries.”

If Qian Ming were also placed in the Six Ministries, it would indeed draw too much attention.

“Did Elder Brother agree?”

“Father-in-law agreed,” Xu Lingyi said, answering a different question. “In this matter, I am also acting on Father-in-law’s instructions.”

Eleventh Lady smiled quietly.

A little maidservant came running in: “The newly laureated Tanhua has arrived!”

Xu Lingyi smiled and went to the reception hall in the outer courtyard.

—