The Second Madam came out of Zhen Jie’er’s courtyard, and wherever she looked, lanterns and colored decorations met her gaze.
The corners of her mouth curved up slightly, and she slowed her pace, making her way leisurely through the garden.
In the passageway along the flower wall, several young maids who had not yet come of age were hiding there, playing shuttlecock. The little maids wore red hair ties and green short jackets, giggling and laughing, utterly carefree.
The Second Madam could not help but pause and gaze at them, the smile on her face deepening.
A tall, slender maid came hurrying over, leading a younger maid with her. Catching sight of the Second Madam and Jiexiang, she quickly bent her knees in greeting.
The Second Madam found the taller maid’s face somewhat familiar, and noticing the solid gold double-peach hairpin she wore, recognized her as one of the mansion’s more distinguished maids. She gave a slight nod and asked, “Which room do you serve in?”
The maid replied respectfully, “In answer to the Second Madam, this servant is Xiangzhu, from the Second Young Master’s quarters.”
Tomorrow Xu Siyu would be escorting Zhen Jie’er to her wedding — so why was she not in the room helping to pack the trunks? What was she doing here?
The Second Madam was somewhat surprised. Her expression softened, and she asked gently, “Where are you going?”
Xiangzhu lowered her eyes and kept her hands at her sides. “In answer to the Second Madam, the Second Young Master sent me to ask Sister Zhuxiang, who serves the Fourth Madam, for a bottle of safflower oil to bring along. I heard that Sister Zhuxiang had accompanied the Fourth Madam to the First Young Miss’s place, so I came especially to find her.”
The Second Madam was taken aback. “What does the Second Young Master need safflower oil for?”
Xiangzhu replied quietly, “The Second Young Master said that quite a number of people are traveling with the party this time. He wants to bring along some agastache qi-rectifying pills, snow-relief balm, safflower oil, and the like. We’ve used up what we had in the room, so he wished to ask the Fourth Madam for a little.”
The Second Madam’s brow furrowed slightly. “Why did it only occur to Wenzhu at this critical moment before departure? What has she been busy with all these days?”
Xiangzhu, hearing the displeasure in her tone, quickly said, “Sister Wenzhu has spent these past days copying out the register of maids and matrons who will accompany the Second Young Master to Cangzhou for the wedding. It was only when they were checking the trunks just now that they realized!”
Her answer once again surprised the Second Madam. “Copying out the register of maids and matrons escorting the wedding party to Cangzhou? The clerks at the household office could easily handle that sort of thing — why is she not tending to the Second Young Master’s trunks and instead busying herself with this?”
Xiangzhu replied, “It was on the Second Young Master’s orders. He also told Sister Wenzhu not to mention it to anyone. He wants it all written down clearly — what each maid and matron is responsible for, which maid is assigned to which matron, and which matron is overseeing which maid. The Shao Family is a hundred-year-old clan. They will have people there to receive the bride, and we will have people there to escort her. If something were to come up and the person in charge could not answer a single question — knowing nothing but to keep running to the stewards — wouldn’t that be a laughingstock?”
The Second Madam listened and gave a slight nod, then instructed Jiexiang, “Take Xiangzhu over to the First Young Miss’s place. The Fourth Madam may have private words to share with the First Young Miss just now — it would be best not to disturb the Fourth Madam if it can be avoided.”
Jiexiang bent her knees in acknowledgment and left with Xiangzhu.
The Second Madam, seemingly deep in thought, went to the Grand Madam’s place accompanied by a young maid.
Jin Ge’er had already woken up and was sitting in the Grand Madam’s lap, eating flaky shortbread. Xu Sizhun and Xu Sijie were also present. One was eating shortbread just like Jin Ge’er, while the other was excitedly recounting his horseback riding outing with Xu Lingyi: “…I did exactly as my teacher taught me — I gripped the reins tightly, pressed my body against the horse’s back, and the horse gave a great leap and cleared it in one bound…”
The Grand Madam, who had been quite worried, let out a long breath. “You must never do anything like that again. You must listen properly to your teacher’s instructions. Only ride when he says you may ride. You nearly frightened your grandmother to death.”
Xu Sizhun laughed and leaned in close, tugging at the Grand Madam’s sleeve. “I wasn’t riding alone. There were seven or eight guards from the household escort right beside me!”
While they were still talking, Jin Ge’er had already called out loudly to the Second Madam — “Second Auntie!” — for he was sitting facing the doorway and had spotted her the moment she walked in.
The Second Madam smiled and nodded to Jin Ge’er. The Grand Madam then instructed Zhihong, “Everyone is here now — tell the kitchen to serve the meal.”
Zhihong smiled and withdrew.
Xu Sizhun and Xu Sijie, having heard the commotion, both came forward with cheerful smiles to greet the Second Madam.
As the Second Madam looked at Xu Sizhun — who still carried something of a childlike innocence in his manner — she could not quite explain why the image of Xu Siyu’s quiet, composed face came to her mind.
She smiled and said, “Tomorrow Steward Zhao will escort you and Zhen Jie’er out of Yanjing before returning, yes?”
Xu Sizhun nodded and grinned. “Second Auntie need not worry. I have Steward Zhao and the guards with me — they will keep me safe!”
It was the kind of answer she had heard countless times before, easy and untroubled. Yet when she thought of how Xu Siyu, only a few years older than Xu Sizhun, had already taken on the full weight of an elder brother’s responsibilities — while Xu Sizhun, before the Grand Madam, still behaved like a child seeking affection — the Second Madam’s gaze as it fell on Xu Sizhun took on a shade of gravity.
The auspicious hour chosen for Zhen Jie’er’s departure was set for the middle of the Hour of the Dragon.
At the start of the Hour of the Rabbit, Zhuxiang called both of them up to dress.
Zhen Jie’er thought of the things Eleventh Young Miss had haltingly explained to her the night before, and her face burned crimson with embarrassment. Then she recalled Eleventh Young Miss’s instructions on how to be “obedient” toward her parents-in-law, “attentive” toward her husband, and “harmonious” with her sisters-in-law after the wedding — and her expression sobered involuntarily as she bowed her head and turned the matter over carefully in her mind.
Eleventh Young Miss felt a weight lift from her shoulders.
That difficult task was finally behind her.
She had explained things as clearly as she could, yet Zhen Jie’er had only bowed her head in silence without saying a word — and when asked directly, she still said nothing. Eleventh Young Miss genuinely had no idea whether the girl had understood. Still, Shao Zhongran ought to have received some education in such matters himself, and given Zhen Jie’er’s gentle temperament, the two of them should manage without any embarrassing mishaps.
Nanrong’s wife had been waiting nearby for some time. Seeing them awake, she brought a comb set and helped Zhen Jie’er dress her hair and pin in her ornaments, wash her face, and change into her wedding clothes — keeping at it steadily until the start of the Hour of the Dragon. By that time, the Shao Family’s flower-adorned sedan chair had also arrived. Three rounds of wine had been drunk, and as the auspicious moment approached, Third Mistress Huang hurried to invite the splendidly dressed Eleventh Young Miss and Wen Yiniang to the main hall. The ceremonial attendants then escorted Zhen Jie’er out — her head draped in a bright red bridal veil, dressed in crimson wedding garments.
Xu Lingyi and Eleventh Young Miss were seated separately in the grand armchairs, with Wen Yiniang standing behind Eleventh Young Miss.
The bride came to bid farewell to her parents.
Shao Zhongran, cheerful and spirited by nature, wore a matching crimson suit. Far from looking mismatched as grooms sometimes did, he cut a dashing and gallant figure that drew admiring murmurs from all the women in the room. Even Xu Lingyi, whose expression had been rather somber throughout, visibly relaxed.
When Xu Lingyi had spoken the words “As you go to your husband’s household, let obedience be your guiding principle — never forget reverence and respect,” and Eleventh Young Miss had said, “Be respectful and vigilant in all things; do not disobey the commands of your parents-in-law,” and Wen Yiniang had added, “Heed your elders’ teachings faithfully, and bring no shame upon your father and mother” — strings of music rose into the air, and Third Mistress Huang guided Zhen Jie’er out through the doors.
Wen Yiniang dissolved into sobbing, clutching the maid Donghong for support.
With Zhen Jie’er seen off, Jin Ge’er’s birthday arrived.
Early that morning, Eleventh Young Miss made a mixed-ingredients noodle dish with her own hands and invited everyone in the household to share it — marking Jin Ge’er’s third birthday in this way. More than ten days later, the wedding escort party returned. Xu Siyu described the journey and the grandeur of Zhen Jie’er’s wedding ceremony to the Grand Madam and the others. Learning that they had traveled safely and that the wedding had gone smoothly, the Grand Madam gave a soft sigh. “Who knows when I’ll be able to see her again.” Before she could finish the thought, moisture had already gathered at the corners of her eyes.
Remembering how sorrowful the Grand Madam had been on the day of Zhen Jie’er’s wedding, Eleventh Young Miss quickly comforted her. “Cangzhou is only three or four days’ journey away. Whenever you miss Zhen Jie’er, just write and ask her to come and visit for a few days!”
The Grand Madam listened and gave the matter genuine thought for a moment, then turned to Eleventh Young Miss with a nod. “She has married well. After one month she may return to visit. I think when the time comes, let Zhun Ge’er go in person to escort her for her homecoming visit.” She spoke with great sincerity.
Xu Siyu, hearing this, smiled. “I will be returning to Le’an very soon. Why not let Elder Brother make the trip to escort Elder Sister back for her homecoming visit? Teacher Jiang wants me to sit for the county examinations next year. He also said I have fallen behind considerably in my studies and that I should stay in Le’an for the New Year!”
“That absolutely will not do!” the Grand Madam objected immediately. “What sense does it make to spend the New Year away from home?”
The fact was that Xu Siyu was not like Xu Sizhun. Xu Siyu could not afford the luxury of time — without passing the county examinations, he would have no degree to his name, and without a degree, both his prospects and his marriage prospects would become serious problems. That was the matter that truly needed to be resolved. Getting tangled up over things that had little real bearing on it served no purpose.
The Second Madam offered no opinion of her own, only smiled quietly from where she stood. The Fifth Madam had no choice but to say what she did not entirely mean, smiling and coaxing the Grand Madam, “Zhun Ge’er’s future is what matters most. And it is all for the sake of bringing honor to the Xu Family’s name!”
The Grand Madam heard this and did not press further, though her heart remained unsettled. She kept Eleventh Young Miss behind to speak privately with her. “Talk to the Fourth Master — urge him that no matter what, he must not let Zhun Ge’er spend the New Year away from home.”
Eleventh Young Miss also gently reasoned with the Grand Madam. “Zhun Ge’er is not young anymore. Even his younger brother Jian Ge’er has already taken a wife — his own marriage cannot simply be left hanging like this indefinitely.” She continued, “The Marquis has his heart set on securing Zhun Ge’er’s future. The sooner he earns his degree, the sooner he can settle down and start a family — and the sooner you will have great-grandchildren in your arms!”
The Grand Madam sighed and consented to Xu Siyu returning to Le’an. Yet thinking that it was already the start of winter, and pitying Xu Siyu for enduring wind and rough conditions along the road, and for being unable to reunite with the family at New Year, she quietly called Xu Siyu to her in private and pressed a banknote of one hundred taels of silver into his hands. “…If there is something you want to eat, or something you need to wear, or if it is brushes, ink, paper, or inkstone — spend it however you need, on big things and small alike.”
Xu Siyu thanked the Grand Madam for her gift. The moment he stepped out the door, he encountered Jiexiang. “The Second Madam requests Second Young Master’s presence — she says she has something to give you.”
Xu Siyu went at once to see the Second Madam.
What the Second Madam gave Xu Siyu was several sets of palace examination papers from the previous dynasty. “Though it may be somewhat early, you can look at the style and structure of these papers. Viewing things from above and afar always yields unexpected rewards.”
For Xu Siyu, this was worth more than money.
He put them away with great care.
When he returned, he found a parcel of winter clothes sent by Eleventh Young Miss.
“The Fourth Madam says that only through enduring bitter hardship does one rise above others. She asks that you study with peace of mind in Le’an and strive to pass the county examinations smoothly next year.”
Xu Siyu went to pay his respects to Eleventh Young Miss and thank her, then chose the twenty-fourth day of the tenth month as an auspicious date for his departure to Le’an.
By the eleventh month, the Grand Madam dispatched Xu Siqin to escort Zhen Jie’er back for her homecoming visit.
There was now a quiet allure to Zhen Jie’er that had not been there before, mingled in with her former gentle reserve.
The Grand Madam felt relieved just looking at her and began asking carefully about how life had been since the wedding.
Learning that Shao Madam treated Zhen Jie’er very well — that from the moment she arrived, Zhen Jie’er had been entrusted with managing the household affairs; that the Shao Family’s principal daughter-in-law held her in great esteem and made a point of consulting her whenever there were celebrations or mourning rites in the family; that Hui Jie’er and her husband had also brought their daughter to visit — the Grand Madam gave a gentle nod of satisfaction.
The Ouyang Family and Shao Zhongyu had exchanged betrothal documents at the end of the tenth month. Though the Grand Madam was not worried about the Shao Family’s attitude, she was concerned that Shao Madam might use the Ouyang girl to put Zhen Jie’er at a disadvantage — having both parties would at least give each side something to hold against the other.
“So you must serve your mother-in-law with the utmost filial devotion.”
Zhen Jie’er nodded repeatedly. “Grandmother, please set your mind at ease — I will never bring shame upon the Xu Family.”
A measure of satisfaction deepened in the Grand Madam’s smile. But Zhen Jie’er’s gaze had drifted to Eleventh Young Miss’s face — and at that, Eleventh Young Miss’s heart gave a sudden skip.
—