Whether it was that the accounts had been tallied to her satisfaction, or that Xu Siqin’s wedding date was drawing near, the Third Madam settled down and began devoting herself wholeheartedly to preparing for her son’s wedding.

Once the seventh month arrived, she sent Gan Laoquan’s wife to sound out Nanny Song: “…We were wondering whether the shop accounts have been entered into the steward’s office yet?” She was preparing to claim the three hundred taels of public funds.

Nanny Song had a young maid bring a bowl of iced fruit dew for Gan Laoquan’s wife and smiled: “These past few days the Marquis has been going over the accounts with the Fourth Young Master and the steward’s office bookkeeper. I’d say at most by mid-month, the accounts should be entered into the treasury.”

The fruit dew was fragrant and delightful. Gan Laoquan’s wife took it, sniffed it a few times, then took a small sip: “I haven’t had fruit dew this good in many years. It’s peppermint with licorice root and honeysuckle, isn’t it?”

“It was sent by the Second Madam.” Nanny Song smiled and nodded, then, realizing the fruit dew hadn’t been sent to the Sanfang lane household, added by way of belated explanation: “The Second Madam made it fresh. She brought some to the Grand Madam’s quarters, some here, and some to the Fifth Madam’s side. She said to let everyone try it, and if it was good, she’d make more. Madam also gifted us some. It’s been sitting with nothing special to use it for — you’re a rare guest, so I brought it out.”

If they were to establish a separate household, naturally it wouldn’t be as close and warm as before.

Gan Laoquan’s wife said with some envy: “Working in the mansion really is better. What trickles out from between the Madams’ fingers still beats anything outside.”

Nanny Song merely smiled and said nothing.

Gan Laoquan’s wife, enjoying the fact that Nanny Song’s room faced north from the south — pleasantly cool — was in no hurry to leave, and asked after Xu Sizhun: “So the Marquis has already started teaching the young heir about household affairs?”

“The Fourth Young Master is still young — the Marquis is simply bringing him along to see and learn.” Nanny Song smiled. “Right now, studies are what matter most.”

Just then, a young maid came running in: “Nanny, Madam is asking for you!”

Nanny Song quickly rose: “Sister Gan, please sit a moment — I’ll be right back.”

Gan Laoquan’s wife quickly said: “Go right ahead!”

Nanny Song also instructed the young maid to “attend properly and not be neglectful,” then followed the young maid to Eleventh Young Madam’s quarters.

Eleventh Young Madam was seated on the kang bed by the window, wearing a light lake-blue Hangzhou silk blouse, its sleeves folded back twice to reveal wrists white as frost and a vivid green jadeite bracelet, and holding a large scarlet-handled palace fan embroidered with peonies, fanning the sleeping Jin Ge’er through his afternoon nap.

“The Ghost Festival will soon be upon us,” she instructed Nanny Song. “Please make a trip to the Ciyuan Temple on my behalf.”

Every year at this time, the Xu family made a donation of lamp oil money and asked the Ciyuan Temple’s abbot to conduct a religious ceremony.

Nanny Song smiled and agreed, then took the authority token and left the inner courtyard, heading to the steward’s office to collect the lamp oil money.

Coming toward her was Xu Sizhun, accompanied by his page boy Wang Shu, walking in quick strides toward the inner courtyard.

Nanny Song pressed herself against the wall, stood respectfully, and called out “Fourth Young Master.”

Xu Sizhun saw her and brightened immediately, quickly saying: “Is Mother in her room?”

“Yes!” Nanny Song found his manner a little odd, but answered respectfully nonetheless: “Madam is coaxing the Sixth Young Master through his afternoon nap.”

Xu Sizhun nodded and darted off toward the main room.

“Mother!” Remembering that he had used the excuse of needing the privy to slip out, he dared not waste even a moment, and went straight to the point the moment he saw Eleventh Young Madam: “Are we releasing river lanterns this year? I made a very beautiful lotus lantern. Mother, please speak to Father — let’s all go to Biyi Lake to release river lanterns!”

Eleventh Young Madam saw that he had come running so hard his head was drenched in sweat. As she had a young maid wring out a cloth soaked in well water for him to wipe his face, she smiled and said: “Is there anything difficult about that? We’ll simply go release river lanterns!”

Xu Sizhun grabbed the cloth from the young maid’s hand and gave his face a hasty wipe, then said: “Mother, Father says that on the day of the Ghost Festival, he wants to take me to the White Cloud Temple to attend the Daoist ceremony!”

“Don’t you want to go?” Eleventh Young Madam smiled. “I heard your father say that Wang Yun, the son of the Wang household, will also be going that day. Don’t you get on very well with him? You could go together!”

Xu Sizhun looked a little downcast when he heard this: “But I want to release river lanterns with Fifth Brother!”

He just wants to show off the lantern he made, Eleventh Young Madam thought to herself.

She pressed her lips together in a smile and said: “Then we’ll wait until you return before releasing the river lanterns!”

Xu Sizhun brightened at once, and went skipping back to the steward’s office in high spirits.

Nanny Song had already collected the silver and returned. She said quietly to Eleventh Young Madam: “…Chief Steward Wan asked me to pass along a word. When the Marquis and the various managers were going through accounts, the Fourth Young Master sat to one side yawning. The head manager for the fur trade business in Baoding, Manager Tao, is an extremely arrogant man, and right then and there he had the maid serving tea and refreshments attend the Fourth Young Master back to his room to sleep. The Marquis only said at the time that the Fourth Young Master was young and didn’t know any better. But his complexion had gone iron-grey.”

Eleventh Young Madam felt a helplessness come over her as well.

She had never quite been able to understand Xu Sizhun — it seemed as though he never applied himself fully to anything he did.

“I understand!” Eleventh Young Madam dismissed Nanny Song, and then Third Young Madam Huang arrived.

She was drinking iced mung bean soup, sighed comfortably, and said: “Good — this marriage is finally settled. The Third Madam invited the Loyal and Diligent Earl as the matchmaker, while the other side asked Commandant Wei of the Five City Infantry Command. I only need to go along on the wedding day to escort the bride home.”

“You’ve worked hard, Elder Sister!” With the matter now resolved, Eleventh Young Madam felt a weight lift from her heart as well.

By the nineteenth of the eighth month, when the Jin Family’s dowry was delivered to the Sanfang lane residence, everyone was quietly astonished.

Though the trousseau numbered only sixty-four palanquins, it had been prepared with extraordinary care — the clothing chests were packed so tightly not even two hands could be forced between the contents.

The Third Madam felt thoroughly gratified. When speaking to others, her chin tilted imperceptibly upward: “…The Jin Family in-laws said that with an elder sister-in-law ahead of her, one must consider the sister-in-law’s dignity no matter what. So they pressed what had originally been planned as a hundred and twenty-four palankeen loads of dowry into sixty-four. I must say, this in-law family of mine is really a solid and substantial lot.”

Everyone came forward to congratulate the Third Madam.

The Third Madam’s face seemed to carry a faint, luminous glow.

Fang Shi’s wet nurse was so angry she gnashed her teeth: “Madam has gone too far in not giving First Young Madam face. Using the Jin Family to humiliate us. However many things she has, is it as much as our First Young Madam’s dowry?”

Fang Shi waved at her with a cool expression: “There will be far more of this to come. Remember what I say — all of you. Whenever you encounter Third Young Madam in the future, you must be perfectly respectful, treating her exactly as you treat me. Otherwise, don’t blame me for showing no mercy.”

The wet nurse knew Fang Shi always meant what she said. Her expression sobered, and she answered respectfully.

The Fifth Madam, on the other hand, was stifling a yawn and asked Eleventh Young Madam: “Are you staying the night here? I’d like to go back early — I need to be a blessing-woman tomorrow!”

There were many people here and the affairs were many and trifling. She had not brought Jin Ge’er along.

“With Nanny Song and the others helping to keep an eye on things, and all those capable people from the accounts office—” Eleventh Young Madam smiled and had Zhuxiang put away the authority token. “I’m missing Jin Ge’er in my heart. I’m planning to head back and look in on him!”

“Then let’s go together!” The Fifth Madam gave another yawn. “Madam Lin and the others aren’t coming until the main day tomorrow — no guests to entertain. There’s nothing to stay for!”

Eleventh Young Madam smiled and nodded, and the two of them went together to take their leave of the Third Madam.

The Third Madam was playing mahjong with the Jin Family relatives, talking about the Jin Family’s dowry all the while: “…In Daxing they have two tenant farms of three hundred acres each, plus a shop front on East Main Street — enough to never want for food and clothing in this lifetime.” Hearing that the two women wanted to return to the Lotus Flower Lane residence, she had Xing Jiao take her hand of tiles and escorted both of them to the door: “My place here may be small, but I have managed to keep it tidy and presentable after living in the mansion for over twenty years. Bring Jin Ge’er and Shen Ge’er any time.” There was a faint note of reproach that they hadn’t brought the children.

“We’ll bring them first thing tomorrow morning.” The Fifth Madam responded with a smile, and boarded the carriage with Eleventh Young Madam.

“It’s fortunate that Third Sister-in-law and her family moved out. Otherwise, our mansion would really have been lively.” She curled her lip slightly. “Did you notice this morning when they were decorating the bridal hall? Third Sister-in-law said to use gold-splashed scarlet paper, but First Young Madam said gold-printed scarlet paper. For this trivial matter, the Third Master actually came forward to mediate — though he deferred to Third Sister-in-law on the scarlet gold-splashed paper, when it came to setting out the fresh fruit offering, he deferred to First Young Madam and used the blue-and-white porcelain footed dishes…” At this she covered her mouth and laughed. “In my view, the Third Master hears the left side and finds the left right, hears the right side and finds the right right — no reliable position at all. Still, Third Sister-in-law and the Third Master are, after all, the wife of his youth. Yet our First Young Madam can hold her own in front of her father-in-law — however I look at it, I find this First Young Madam of ours conducts herself quite out of the ordinary.”

Eleventh Young Madam had at first worried that if the Third Master and Third Madam were idling at home, Third Madam would use the authority of a mother-in-law to press down on Fang Shi, making Fang Shi’s days difficult. Looking at it now, Fang Shi was also a remarkably clever and capable person.

“It’s also because each of them has their own reasoning.” She smiled. “I actually think this First Young Madam of ours is quite good — a clear-headed person!”

The Fifth Madam thought of how Fang Shi had faithfully sent a rare antique book as a gift for Shen Ge’er’s first birthday celebration, and laughed: “Yes, I think so too!”

The two of them chatted on, exchanging a smile.

The bride stepped over the money-and-grain basin, bowed to heaven and earth, sat through the curtained vigil — and the following day held the ceremony of meeting the family.

Likely having learned from the previous occasion, the Third Madam this time was dressed with great modesty. Among the greeting gifts she gave Jin Shi, she left out the phoenix hairpin and added instead a solid gold necklet. Eleventh Young Madam and the Fifth Madam matched what they had given Fang Shi as greeting and gratuity gifts for Jin Shi. The three young madams from the Nanjing side did not come in person; they only sent their stewards and capable senior matrons with monetary gifts and greeting presents. Several of the Gan Family relatives who had come the evening before used various pretexts to take their leave as soon as the new bride entered. Compared to the occasion of Xu Siqin’s wedding, it was inevitably somewhat less grand.

The newly arrived Jin Shi knew nothing of all this. She only felt that the Xu family was indeed as prosperous as her mother had said, and the two aunts-in-law’s greeting gifts were exceedingly generous, which showed they were very pleased with her.

After the ceremony of presenting shoes and socks, Jin Shi did not even stop for the midday meal. Accompanied by the Fifth Madam, she was led by the Third Madam to Lotus Flower Lane to kowtow to the Grand Madam.

The Grand Madam was greatly pleased with Jin Shi, who still had the look of a child about her, with a pair of clear, bright eyes. She took her hand and spoke with her at length. By the time Jin Shi returned to the Sanfang lane residence, her face was still full of excitement.

The Third Madam, looking at this daughter-in-law who was still thoroughly childlike, was very satisfied as well.

Children are easy to manage — in time she will say whatever I say.

After Xu Sijian brought Jin Shi back from the return visit to her family home, Jin Shi began paying her morning and evening respects, taking up her duties as a daughter-in-law of the Xu family. Meanwhile, in the Lotus Flower Lane household, everyone was waiting with some anxiety for the results of Shao Zhongran’s military examination.

—