“Invite only Qin Ge’er and his wife, and Jian Ge’er!” — that line was surely the crux of it.

Shiyiniang smiled and agreed, sending Nanny Song with the invitation.

When Nanny Song returned, she said, “Third Madam kept pressing me to ask who had suggested inviting the First Young Mistress. I said that since all the young masters and young ladies were going, naturally the eldest young master and the First Young Mistress would be included as well. Third Madam was still wanting to ask more questions, but Third Master had to go out and she needed to attend to him while he changed — and so she lifted her teacup.”

Just as she finished speaking, Zhuxiang came in: “The management office is asking how many people will be accompanying us to Yunjusi Temple. I have drafted a roster — Madam, please look it over.”

Seeing Shiyiniang occupied with something, Nanny Song quietly withdrew, but as she glanced up she noticed several young maidservants who had not yet put their hair up gathered in the center of the courtyard, whispering among themselves. Spotting her, they called out in a disorderly chorus “Nanny Song!” and scattered in all directions.

“What on earth are they up to?” She could not help but frown.

The young maidservant keeping watch at the door quickly smiled and said: “They heard that Madam is going to the temple, and a few of the playful ones are all hoping to be included in the party to attend her.”

Nanny Song nodded and looked up to see Jin Ge’er taking wide little strides over the high threshold, trotting toward the main room with a great bustling crowd of maidservants and older servants in his wake.

She quickly went to meet him.

“My little precious, please slow down.” Nanny Song scooped Jin Ge’er up. “What if you were to bump into something!”

Jin Ge’er grinned and wriggled his way back down to the ground.

Nanny Song followed close at his heels as he went into the main room.

Jin Ge’er had already flung himself into Shiyiniang’s arms. “Mama, mama, big brother — kicking ball.”

Xu Sijie was in the schoolroom.

Shiyiniang knew he was asking for Xu Sijie to play with him, and pretended not to understand. She set her concerns aside and asked him patiently: “What about big brother? If you want to kick ball, why not play with big brother?”

The maidservant Hong Wen nearby quickly tried to explain: “Fifth Young Master…” but was cut off by Shiyiniang waving her hand, signaling her not to say more.

Jin Ge’er grew anxious. “Big brother — kicking ball.”

Shiyiniang smiled and gently rubbed his head. “Then go and find big brother for kicking ball!”

Jin Ge’er’s face flushed crimson, and after quite some time he managed to produce the sentence: “Big brother won’t kick ball.”

Five words!

Shiyiniang could not suppress her smile.

She held her son close. “Big brother has gone to the schoolroom and won’t play kicking ball with you — is that right?”

Jin Ge’er nodded his head like a little pecking chick.

“Then wait until big brother has finished his lessons and he can play kicking ball with Jin Ge’er!” Shiyiniang settled him on the large heated bed by the window in the east room. “Shall Mama tell you a story?”

Jin Ge’er thought for a moment, then nestled into his mother’s arms.

Shiyiniang told her son to go and find his picture book while her mind turned over the thought that she would need to find a way to better train the people around Jin Ge’er. Otherwise, with everything served to him on a platter, with everyone straining to decipher his every half-uttered word, it would be a great obstacle to the shaping of his character…

For no clear reason, she suddenly thought of Yuan Niang.

In those early days, Xu Sizhun had been attended by even more people than Jin Ge’er, and Yuan Niang herself had been ill and lacking in energy — and yet even so, Xu Sizhun had not grown into the swaggering, unbridled ways of a spoiled young master. In raising her own son, she must have poured just as much care and effort into him as she herself was doing with Jin Ge’er…

Lost in this thought, she drifted into quiet contemplation.

On the sixteenth of the fifth month, just as a few pale rays of light began to show across the sky, the great gates of the Marquis Yongping manor creaked open with a long, slow groan. Under the escort of guards in blue silk garments riding bay horses, more than ten carriages rolled out one after another.

The residents of Lotus Flower Lane were of both high station and considerable wealth, and on ordinary days there was little traffic in and out. When the carriages turned onto West Main Street, they drew the lingering attention of passersby.

The sounds of the bustling crowd drifted intermittently into Shiyiniang’s ears.

Jin Ge’er pressed himself against the carriage window, his face plastered to the green gauze screen, peering outside.

“Mama, so many people, so many people!”

His eyes shone with excitement.

Shiyiniang laughed merrily and pressed herself beside her son at the window, looking out and listening to his childish chatter.

Once they left the city, the crowds gradually thinned, and the nature of the people around them began to shift as well — West Main Street was full of Yanjing city folk, most of them dressed in fine, elaborate clothing with attendants at their sides, while beneath the rows of dazzling shop signs, the servant boys calling out to passersby were themselves smart and presentable. Now, looking about, one could see either those carrying chickens and ducks into the city to sell, or travelers with packs on their backs who had come from distant places, dusty and weary, or merchants driving carts heaped with goods. Jin Ge’er’s eyes grew even wider.

“Mama, chicken, chicken!” He pointed at a person dressed in the style of a peasant farmer and cried out.

Shiyiniang laughed and kissed her son’s cheek. “Jin Ge’er is so clever — that is indeed a chicken!”

He had only ever seen them in picture books.

Before Shiyiniang’s words had even faded, Jin Ge’er jumped up again. “Mama, cow, cow, cow!”

“Yes!” she laughed. “The one with the horns — that is a cow.”

Jin Ge’er spent the whole journey naming everything he saw. By the time they arrived at the mountain gate of Yunjusi Temple and stepped down from the carriage, his excitement had still not settled.

He trotted on his small legs over to Grand Madam, who was in the midst of exchanging greetings with the abbot. “Grandmother, grandmother, I saw chickens — and white chickens, and cows, and also horses…”

He could not yet tell apart chickens, ducks, and geese, and called the geese “white chickens.”

Grand Madam laughed merrily.

The abbot was a monk of about fifty, of medium build — like all men of that age, he had grown a little round, though not to the point of losing his shape — with bright, piercing eyes that bespoke a sharp and able mind.

He at once bent down and smiled warmly at Jin Ge’er. “This must be the sixth young master of your esteemed household! A broad and full forehead, a well-defined and square jaw — truly a person of blessed fortune!”

“The Reverend flatters him,” Grand Madam said modestly, though the smile she could not suppress gave away her true feelings. She told Jin Ge’er, “Quickly now — greet Master Zheng He.”

Jin Ge’er called out in a loud voice: “Master Zheng He!”

This so delighted the monk Zheng He that his beard bobbed up and down, and he praised the child as having “dignified composure, an open and forthright manner, and the makings of a great commander in the future,” and the like.

Grand Madam smiled warmly, took Jin Ge’er by the hand, and passed through the mountain gate. Together with her daughters-in-law, grandsons, and granddaughters, she paid her respects at the Hall of the Great Hero, then accompanied Master Zheng He to the adjacent side room to rest.

Jin Ge’er was still very young, and having been running about through all of this, he grew tired and fell asleep cradled in Nanny Gu’s arms.

Xu Siqin then led Xu Sijian, Xu Sizhun, and Xu Sijie, with Master Zheng He accompanying them, to the cave of the sutra repository.

Fifth Madam wanted to go to the lotus release pond, and Fang Shi and Zhen Jie’er both revealed a hint of eager interest at the suggestion.

Jin Ge’er had so rarely had the chance to go out, and Shiyiniang wanted to accompany her son in exploring the grounds when he awoke.

“In that case, why not leave Shen Ge’er with me?” she said with a smile. “You take Zhen Jie’er and go.”

Grand Madam, who had been reclining with Second Madam kneading her legs, heard this and instructed Second Madam with a smile: “You go as well! It is a rare occasion to be out — go for a walk, clear your mind.”

“If Fourth Sister-in-law is staying to look after the children, and I leave as well, who will be here to attend to you?” Second Madam said with a smile.

“Listen to Second Madam.” Nanny Du said with a teasing aside. “Even if my years have added up on me, when it comes to attending to someone, Second Madam may not be as careful and thorough as I am.”

Grand Madam laughed and called out to Fifth Madam: “Take your Second Sister-in-law along with you.”

Fifth Madam hooked her arm through Second Madam’s. “If you don’t go, none of the rest of us will be able to go either!”

Second Madam had no choice but to set down her beautiful massage hammer, smile, and go out with Fifth Madam, Fang Shi, Zhen Jie’er, and Xin Jie’er.

Nanny Du kneaded Grand Madam’s legs while Shiyiniang fanned both Jin Ge’er and Shen Ge’er as they lay side by side sleeping on the heated bed.

A young novice monk came running in, panting. “Grand Madam, the wife of Commissioner Jin of the East City Military Inspectorate has come to the temple to fulfill a vow. She has heard that you are here and wishes to come and pay her respects.”

Grand Madam gave a soft “oh” and said: “Please invite Lady Jin in.” She then said to Shiyiniang: “This Commissioner Jin — his ancestors once held the rank of military officer. Through hereditary privilege he entered the West Mountain Camp and later followed Old Fourth on the campaign into Miao territory, where he rendered distinguished service. Upon returning, he found his way into the Five City Military Inspectorate. He is only a seventh-rank official now, but he oversees the weights, measures, and scales of East Main Street. The man himself is loyal and dependable — and after several years, the family has grown increasingly prosperous.”

Even so — given Grand Madam’s position and standing, and given that the Jin Family owed the Xu household no particular debt of gratitude, was it not somewhat extraordinary for Grand Madam to be so thoroughly informed about them? What was more, today Grand Madam had brought the younger generation here to the temple to offer incense — Xu Lingyi had been anxious about any possible mishap, and had sent people to Yunjusi Temple to make preparations as early as the tenth day, ensuring that even the drinking water was tasted by the Xu household servants before it went to the kitchen. How much more would they take precautions against an outsider coming to the temple to pay their respects? And yet here was Lady Jin arriving with her daughter — at rather a convenient coincidence?

When Lady Jin came in, Shiyiniang studied the young Miss Jin with careful attention.

Miss Jin looked to be around twelve or thirteen years of age — her skin was fair and smooth as porcelain, her face was round and rosy-cheeked, and when she smiled her eyes curved into crescents. When others were speaking she would open her eyes wide and listen with an expression of genuine attentiveness. She had the kind of warm, approachable loveliness of a younger sister, which drew immediate goodwill from anyone who saw her.

While Grand Madam was speaking with Lady Jin, Jin Ge’er and Shen Ge’er both woke up. Jin Ge’er rubbed his bleary eyes and called for “mama,” while Shen Ge’er rolled over and sat straight up, pulling back his head and wailing at the top of his voice.

Miss Jin gave a startled jump, looking at the two children with an expression of complete helplessness.

It was clear she had never encountered anything like this before.

Lady Jin quickly explained to Grand Madam: “She is the youngest in the family…”

Grand Madam smiled with gentle understanding. “It is not as though they are from some humble household — the eldest looking after the youngest.”

Hearing this, Lady Jin finally breathed easier.

Shiyiniang could not help turning it over in her mind.

Could it be that Grand Madam had taken a liking to this Miss Jin?

Lady Jin and Miss Jin sat for a little while before rising to take their leave.

Shen Ge’er was carried off by his wet nurse to be fed, and Shiyiniang gave Jin Ge’er water to drink.

Grand Madam then asked Shiyiniang: “What do you think of this Miss Jin?”

It was plain to see that Miss Jin had grown up in a happy family — otherwise she would never have had that bright and carefree smile.

Shiyiniang thought her quite lovely.

Grand Madam heard this and gave a slight nod, without further mention of Miss Jin.

After eating a vegetarian meal at the temple, Grand Madam rested in the side room accompanied by Second Madam. Xu Siqin and the others went to view the memorial pagoda, while Shiyiniang took Jin Ge’er to wander through the temple grounds. Fifth Madam and the others, seeing this, joined Shiyiniang and strolled together through the temple.

The faces of the temple deities were fierce and fearsome, and Shiyiniang, not wanting to give Jin Ge’er a fright, kept him to the outer grounds of the halls.

Outside the halls were spacious raised terraces and long corridors. The corridors were carved with bas-relief scenes depicting various Buddhist scripture stories. Flanking the steps above and below stood stone sculptures of auspicious creatures — cranes, tortoises, and the like. Jin Ge’er and Xin Jie’er ran everywhere, touching this and patting that, their delight boundless.

When they returned home and Shiyiniang recounted it all to Xu Lingyi, the children chattered on and on until past midnight before they finally fell asleep.

Only then did Xu Lingyi have the chance to ask his wife, who had been watching their son talk with a quietly smiling gaze: “Has something happened?”