Xu Siyu was neither overbearing nor submissive — his reply was soft in manner yet firm in substance. Even she herself might not have answered better than he had.

Shiyiniang gave him an approving look and smiled. “And what did Mister Fang the Tan Hua say?”

Xu Siyu looked away with a touch of embarrassment.

“Mister Fang the Tan Hua made me a deep bow and said that he had acted out of a moment of hot-headed anger, which was why he had spoken and behaved so inappropriately. Looking back on it now, he felt a measure of shame. But as Elder Sister-in-law’s family, seeing his younger sister grieved, he simply could not stand by and do nothing. And furthermore, the rumors about her bringing misfortune upon her husband were entirely the Huo Family’s groundless fabrications — the Huo Family had not even seen his younger sister’s birth chart.”

He relayed Fang Ji’s words.

“Young Master Huo died in the bloom of his youth. In her grief, Huo Madam — I don’t know who stirred up her suspicions — came to believe that her son’s death was connected to the betrothal discussions with my younger sister. Huo Madam blamed my sister, and so each time someone came to propose a match, she would come and interfere — even spreading rumors on multiple occasions. Eventually our grandmother herself called on the matriarch of the Huo clan in person, and only then did things quiet down somewhat. But as the saying goes, three people saying the same thing can make it seem true. My sister not only carried this undeserved reputation, but the Huo Family is one of the great clans of Huzhou — half the families in the city are connected to them by blood or marriage. No one wanted to strain relations with a relative, and our aunt could not bear to see my sister suffer, so the match was put off again and again and was greatly delayed.

“It was truly a thousand-li bond by a single thread of fate. My sister and her husband share such a destined connection. When your family came to propose the match, our uncle, fearing that my sister’s situation might bring harm to her husband, had his private secretary take both of their birth charts and seek out several eminent monks and a renowned astrologer of Shaanxi to examine them separately. All of them said it was a match made in heaven — only then did our family agree to the marriage. If you do not believe me, you may ask Third Madam. When my sister and her husband’s betrothal was being discussed, other families typically waited three days before returning the birth charts. Our family took five or six days before giving an answer.

“Only — such tender matters of the heart, it was not convenient to speak of them openly before my lord. If there has been any misunderstanding with the Dowager Matriarch or my lord, it is entirely because I did not explain clearly enough. I ask younger brother Siyu to convey my apologies on my behalf.”

He had not only found himself a graceful way down, but had also made clear all the circumstances surrounding the rumors of Fang Shi bringing misfortune upon her husband.

“Seeing that he spoke sincerely, and that Elder Brother did not wish to make a great matter of it, I said a few words along the lines of: ‘You are Elder Sister-in-law’s brother, and I am your younger sister’s husband’s brother — we should both work to mediate and bring them back to harmony. Since there has been a misunderstanding, it is only natural that it be cleared up before the elders.’ Then I invited him to come the day after tomorrow. He agreed at once. He also kept me for a meal and personally saw me to the door.”

So long as the day never came when a letter of divorce had been signed and stamped, or a deed of separation obtained from the Court of Justice, they were still family — and a family could not afford to tear apart all pretense.

Xu Siyu’s calm and steadiness in handling this affair gave Shiyiniang a wholly new sense of him.

“Thank you for your trouble,” she said with a smile. “Siyu has grown up.”

Xu Siyu flushed red.

He rose to his feet. “Mother, if there is nothing else, I will take my leave.”

Shiyiniang was also heading to the Dowager Matriarch’s rooms, and smiled with a nod. She asked him how his essay collecting was coming along, then had Autumn Rain see him to the door.

On the other side, Wen Yiniang, seeing Xu Siyu emerge, took the dowry list and stepped inside.

Shiyiniang carried Jin Ge’er and went with her to the Dowager Matriarch’s rooms.

She first reported to the Dowager Matriarch the details of Xu Siyu’s visit to the Fang Family.

“Siyu grows more and more sensible with every passing day.” The Dowager Matriarch’s tone carried a trace of wistfulness as she said this. But the wistfulness was brief — the Dowager Matriarch, as was her way, was unwilling to dwell on it further, and immediately shifted the topic to Shiyiniang’s meeting the following day with Fang Ji. “This Fang Ji can be arrogant or deferential as the occasion calls for — he is clearly not a simple figure. With the Fang Family now in a position where they can advance or retreat, you will need to be fully on your guard when you meet him tomorrow…”

When Shiyiniang had heard Fang Ji open by calling for a separation, and had further learned that he had charged into the Ministry of Rites with those gathered scholars, she had taken him to be the sort of person who acted purely on the hot-blooded impetuosity of a bookish young man — rash and headstrong. But hearing Xu Siyu’s account now, she saw that whether it was Fang Ji’s earlier posturing before Xu Lingyi, or his reflective remarks before Xu Siyu afterward, both had been means of washing away the stigma of Fang Shi’s reputation for bringing misfortune upon her husband. He was clearly a man who knew when to advance and when to fall back.

Reason fears the unreasonable; the unreasonable fears the reckless. Since the Fang Family had a purpose in mind, and Fang Ji conducted himself with measure, this matter was manageable.

Shiyiniang smiled. “If I find I cannot manage, it is not too late to ask Mother to step in. He is a junior, after all, and while I am the household’s principal wife, above me there are still my lord and the Dowager Matriarch.”

The Dowager Matriarch, knowing her to be steady and reliable in her conduct, gave a small nod. Smiling warmly, she took Jin Ge’er — who had been playing alone on the kang — in her arms, and called the little maid to summon Wen Yiniang. The morning passed quickly, as she sat listening to Wen Yiniang read through Zhen Jie’er’s dowry list, occasionally looking up to ask a pointed question.

Xu Lingyi came for the midday meal.

This was a relatively rare occurrence.

The Dowager Matriarch was very pleased and had extra dishes added. Wen Yiniang followed at Nanny Du’s side, standing nearby to set out the chopsticks and serve the broth.

Jin Ge’er scattered food all over the table.

The Dowager Matriarch fussed: “He is so small — how can you let him eat by himself!” Then she called for Yupan: “Bring water so that Sixth Young Master can wash his hands and face.” She instructed Nanny Du: “Bring my ginkgo-leaf silver spoon. I will feed Jin Ge’er myself.” Then she said brightly to Jin Ge’er: “We will use the pretty spoon to eat our meal and have a good big helping!”

Xu Lingyi sat beside her, smiling along.

Shiyiniang felt she was breaking out in a sweat from head to toe.

Jin Ge’er, however, was holding a fir-wood spoon in his little fist and nodding vigorously at the Dowager Matriarch — which delighted her to no end.

When Nanny Du brought the silver spoon, the Dowager Matriarch tried to feed him, but he snatched it away and tried to feed himself. After two bites, apparently unaccustomed to it, he threw the silver spoon aside, picked up his own wooden one, and scattered rice all over again.

The Dowager Matriarch said in wonder: “How strange — what came over him? He does not want my things!”

The silver spoon was quite beautiful — a round bowl with a long, slender handle topped with a ginkgo leaf design.

Nanny Du smiled and said: “Sixth Young Master likes bright, eye-catching things.” Meaning the silver spoon was not showy enough.

“Now that cannot be right,” the Dowager Matriarch laughed. “For eating, of course silver is the finest.” But she still had Nanny Du fetch a red-gold double-longevity spoon, and in the end the food never got fed — the spoon was seized in Jin Ge’er’s small fist and would not be let go.

“You had better not be the sort who is bold only at home!” the Dowager Matriarch laughed until she was rocking back and forth. “In a few months your eldest sister is getting married — remember to ask your eldest brother-in-law for plenty of red envelopes!”

“Our eldest son-in-law is a very thoughtful man,” Nanny Du smiled. “I doubt you even need to say it — the red envelopes are likely already prepared!”

Everyone talked and laughed together, and moved to the western side chamber for tea.

Xu Lingyi took advantage of the cheerful mood to bring up Third Master’s situation: “…I said, the body is one’s foundation. If one’s health gives out, no position can be held steady, and no amount of money earned is of any use. I told him he might as well resign and come home. When all is said and done, he did serve as an official, and his three-year review even received a rating of ‘good’ — that is certainly an account to give to his ancestors.”

The Dowager Matriarch’s expression passed from shock to bewilderment, and from bewilderment to stillness.

The old lady lifted her teacup and took several quiet sips, then set it down gently and said in a quiet voice, “I understand,” before adding, “I am tired as well — everyone go and rest,” and allowing Nanny Du to support her as she rose and went to the inner room.

Xu Lingyi felt a pang of unease and returned to tell Shiyiniang: “When you go over this afternoon, take Jin Ge’er with you.”

Shiyiniang also sensed there was something unsaid in the Dowager Matriarch’s words. When she went to discuss Zhen Jie’er’s wedding arrangements, she brought Jin Ge’er as instructed.

The cloud of stillness that had hung over the Dowager Matriarch at midday — like the calm before a storm — was nowhere to be seen. The old lady had returned to her usual cheerful, bright self. She sat smiling and playing with Jin Ge’er, and did not mention Third Master’s affairs at all.

—

When Fang Ji came to see Shiyiniang, he had clearly come fully prepared.

The moment he opened his mouth, it was to congratulate Third Master on leaving official service: “…Though of course it was the Emperor’s great grace, after three years Third Master’s review still received an ‘excellent’ rating — precisely the moment to make great strides — and yet he resigned just like that. We younger generation truly cannot help but admire him!”

He was subtly pointing out that it was the Fang Family who had helped Third Master earn that excellent review rating in the first place.

Shiyiniang was not to be outdone. With a serene smile, she said: “Speaking of leaving official service — I heard our eldest young mistress-in-law mention that her father-in-law had long harbored a wish to be free of the burdens of official paperwork, but had persevered under the weight of family obligations. He had always hoped that her elder brother would soon pass the examinations, so that her father-in-law might lay down that burden. Who could have known that just before the examination was to take place, word arrived about her elder brother’s charge into the Ministry of Rites. We were all quite anxious on his behalf at the time. Especially our second young master — my lord has always been strict with him and never permitted him to use the family’s influence to bully others. Yet he spent the whole night running about on her elder brother’s behalf. Fortunately, her elder brother came through unscathed, and now, young as he is, he has passed as Tan Hua — a brilliant future lies ahead. Her father-in-law can retire from official life and enjoy some days of leisure, and that is all to the good.” Then she added, “Now that her elder brother will be serving at the Hanlin Academy, and we are all in Yanjing together, there will certainly be many more opportunities for us to meet.”

The Xu Family may have been able to help, but Xu Siyu’s alertness and tireless exertions on that night could not be overlooked.

Fang Ji could not help but smile wryly.

Shiyiniang was warning him plainly: the Fang Family had only him in official service; Xu Lingyi might not be able to help him, but he could certainly trip him up at the Ministry of Rites.

If this topic continued, he would only be pushed further into a corner.

He had no choice but to say, “Your second young master and I struck an immediate rapport,” and steer the conversation elsewhere. “I wonder what it is that Fourth Madam has summoned me here to discuss?” He was trying to regain the upper hand.

Fang Ji had not raised the matter himself, and Shiyiniang had no wish to back anyone into a corner.

She smiled and said: “I had heard that her elder brother had opened by demanding a separation. I took him for an impulsive and rash sort of person, and so felt some concern. But now, having heard what her elder brother said to our second young master, I see that he had good intentions all along. As her elder brother has said, between a husband and wife, so much of it is tender and private feeling — you as an elder brother would feel awkward speaking of it openly before my lord, and I, as an aunt by marriage, would likewise feel awkward saying too much to you. Now that her elder brother has given our second young master his word — that the Fang Family’s elders will come forward to set the matter straight — I can set my mind at ease.

“Only, I wish to add one more thing.

“If the eldest young mistress-in-law has any grievances, she should think more on her mother-in-law’s good intentions, consider things from another’s point of view, and be patient. That is the proper conduct of a daughter-in-law. How is it right to call for her brother every time there is the slightest displeasure?” With a teasing smile, she added: “Fortunately, her elder brother happens to be in Yanjing. If he were not, would she have had to send someone all the way back to Huzhou to fetch him?”

—