Looking at the vivid green jade ornament resting in Jin Ge’er’s small palm, Shiyiniang nearly shed tears.

All along, her greatest worry had been that with everyone spoiling the child so thoroughly, he would grow up overbearing and willful, indifferent and cold, knowing neither gratitude nor the meaning of magnanimity and forbearance. But now, seeing what had just happened, she understood that though her son was domineering and possessive, and had all manner of small faults, he had not lost the pure heart within him.

The worry she had carried in her heart dissolved like smoke, and she stepped forward with a warm, relieved feeling to put her arm around her son’s shoulders.

Jin Ge’er looked up at his mother, his lips curved in a smile — an indescribably happy and delighted expression.

Shiyiniang also looked down at her son with a smile.

A warmth flowed gently between mother and son.

And the Old Madam had long since had tears brimming at the corners of her eyes. She said softly, “Good child — Grandmother doesn’t want your things. Grandmother has something of her own to give your cousin.” Then she raised her voice and told Nanny Du, “Go and break off that lotus flower” — compared with her earlier casual indifference, her tone now was firm and resolute, like the strike of an axe.

Nanny Du’s eyes also grew a little moist. She smiled and answered “Yes,” and was lifting the stone ornamental arrangement to carry it out the door.

Fifth Lady grew anxious.

She glanced at her son standing there looking bewildered and helpless, and felt a surge of frustration.

Giving Xin Ge’er a fierce glare, she took two quick steps to catch up with Nanny Du and stopped her — the words hadn’t even left her lips before her face had already flushed deep enough to bleed: “Old Madam, it is I who have failed to raise my child properly, the child has lost all sense of proportion…” she said, then turned to look at Jin Ge’er. “It was all your cousin Xin’s fault — quickly put your things away.”

Shiyiniang, freed of her inner conflict, had already made up her mind.

She called out “Mother,” and said, “You needn’t go and break off that ornamental arrangement.” Then she turned to Fifth Lady: “And you needn’t glare at Xin Ge’er.” Then with a smile she said, “Jin Ge’er bit someone — that was Jin Ge’er’s fault, and Jin Ge’er must apologize to Xin Ge’er. But Xin Ge’er randomly picked up someone else’s belongings — that was Xin Ge’er’s fault, and Xin Ge’er must apologize to Jin Ge’er.” She smiled as she crouched down in front of Xin Ge’er and took his hand. “Xin Ge’er, does your aunt speak fairly?”

Xin Ge’er immediately nodded: “Jin Ge’er bit me!”

Shiyiniang smiled and beckoned to Jin Ge’er: “Come quickly and say you’re sorry to your cousin Xin!”

Jin Ge’er pressed his lips together, with some reluctance, and told Xin Ge’er, “I was wrong. I won’t bite you anymore.”

Shiyiniang smiled and looked toward Xin Ge’er.

Xin Ge’er lowered his head and said quietly: “I… I won’t take your things either!”

Shiyiniang put one arm around Jin Ge’er and one arm around Xin Ge’er: “You are both good children. Come — shake hands, and from now on no more quarreling, and certainly no fighting. Understood?”

Xin Ge’er promptly reached over to take Jin Ge’er’s hand.

Jin Ge’er hesitated a moment, and then shook hands with Xin Ge’er.

The Old Madam glanced at Nanny Du, signaling her to put the stone ornamental arrangement back.

Shiyiniang had already handled this matter cleanly and properly. If she continued insisting on breaking off the lotus flower, it would only serve to highlight Fifth Lady and Xin Ge’er’s breach of manners. Yet they were Shiyiniang’s own family, and their loss of face would be Shiyiniang’s loss of face. She would never embarrass Shiyiniang like that.

The Old Madam laughed and said, “Our Shiyiniang always knows what to do. She didn’t slight our guest in the least, and didn’t let our Jin Ge’er be wronged either.”

Though her words leaned slightly toward Jin Ge’er’s side, at least she let the matter rest without pressing further.

Fifth Lady let out a quiet breath of relief.

If the Old Madam had truly broken off the lotus flower and given it to Xin Ge’er, Fifth Lady herself would never have been able to hold her head up again.

Her son had always been well-behaved and sensible as a young child — she could not understand why, as he grew older, he became ever more disobedient, ever more mischievous. If the child grew up with no sense of boundaries, it would be hard to answer for when Qian Ming returned home. After all, Qian Ming had written several times asking her to come to Dengzhou, but she had been reluctant because she found life in Dengzhou too harsh and austere…

Thinking on this, she took Xin Ge’er’s hand, preparing to say a few polite words and then take her leave. But unexpectedly, Shiyiniang continued talking with Xin Ge’er.

“Xin Ge’er is such a good boy!” she said with a smile. “Aunt will give you a little reward.” She then told Zhuxiang, “Go and bring the Hetian jade Buddha’s hand from the display on my desk for the young master.” She had originally thought of letting Xin Ge’er choose something himself, but remembering that Xin Ge’er had insisted on having Jin Ge’er’s lotus leaf ornament, she chose a jade piece similar to Jin Ge’er’s to give him.

Xin Ge’er smiled and nodded.

Shiyiniang smiled and tousled his hair, then said to Jin Ge’er, “Today Jin Ge’er was not only generous, but also knew to show filial care for Grandmother. Mother is very happy, and will give you a reward as well.”

Jin Ge’er heard this and broke into a smile.

His eyes curved into crescents, sweeping away all the unhappiness of a moment before.

Considering that she was always restraining her son — don’t do this, don’t do that — Shiyiniang smiled and said, “You decide. What would you like?”

Jin Ge’er immediately called out loudly: “I want to go pick tangerines!”

The previous year, at the Double Ninth Festival, Shiyiniang had taken Jin Ge’er mountain-climbing at Lingqiong Villa to mark the occasion. Jin Ge’er had spotted some golden tangerines growing near Lingqiong Villa, and had clamored to go and pick them. Shiyiniang had seen that the tangerine trees grew on a sheer cliff face, too dangerous, and feared that the attendant boys might go out on a limb to please Jin Ge’er and have an accident, so she had not only refused, but had specifically given instructions that no one was to pick those tangerines. Jin Ge’er had been gloomy about it for several days, until the chestnuts in the back garden ripened and Shiyiniang took him to knock chestnuts from the trees, and only then did he put those tangerines out of his mind. At this year’s Double Ninth Festival, fearing that Jin Ge’er would clamor to pick tangerines again, Shiyiniang had not taken him up the mountain, but had instead spent a good half day out on the water with him in a boat.

She hadn’t expected him to still remember!

Shiyiniang felt caught between laughter and tears.

But she had already spoken, and naturally could not break her word to Jin Ge’er.

“All right — in a couple of days I’ll have someone take you to pick tangerines!”

Jin Ge’er was overjoyed at once, flinging aside all the earlier anger and unhappiness, and he ran over to the Old Madam: “Grandmother! Grandmother! When I pick tangerines, I’ll offer them at the altar for the Bodhisattva!”

Every month on the first day, the Old Madam would bring her daughters-in-law and grandchildren to the Buddhist hall to burn incense for the Bodhisattva.

“Oh my!” The Old Madam beamed, pulling Jin Ge’er into a warm embrace. “Our Jin Ge’er is truly filial!”

Jin Ge’er pressed his lips together in a smile, and looked up to see the Second Madam standing nearby. He quickly added: “Second Aunt, I’ll offer some for you to give the Bodhisattva too!”

Since this was Shiyiniang’s family matter, the Second Madam had been watching with hands folded the whole time. Though she herself did not worship the Bodhisattva, she could not bear to dampen Jin Ge’er’s good intentions. With a smile, she said: “Very well — Second Aunt will be waiting for your tangerines.”

Shiyiniang felt a headache coming on.

This child — the tangerines were nowhere to be found yet, and already he was making promises left and right to everyone.

More worrying still was the question of who to send with Jin Ge’er to pick them.

That place was not somewhere just anyone could go!

While she was pondering this, Zhuxiang came in, slightly out of breath.

She had brought a jade Buddha’s hand of roughly the same size as Jin Ge’er’s lotus leaf dewdrop ornament.

Shiyiniang handed it to Xin Ge’er: “Do you like it?”

Xin Ge’er immediately took it in his hands, tried prying the leaves of the Buddha’s hand apart, and then said, “I like it!” Then he ran to Fifth Lady’s side with a grin: “Mother, Mother, look — Aunt gave it to me!”

Fifth Lady looked at Shiyiniang with an embarrassed expression.

She gave her son a gentle push on the back: “Quickly thank your aunt!”

Xin Ge’er thanked Shiyiniang loudly.

Shiyiniang smiled and said, “So long as Xin Ge’er likes it.”

Fifth Lady promptly rose and made her farewells.

After this little episode, Shiyiniang said a few polite things and then walked Fifth Lady and Xin Ge’er to the door.

As she turned back, she ran into Yuban, who was walking toward her accompanied by two young maidservants.

“Fourth Madam,” Yuban said with a smile, curtseying to Shiyiniang, “the Old Madam says you have a pile of matters to attend to. She has asked this servant to bring the Sixth Young Master over. You may devote yourself to your affairs, and the Old Madam will have some company on her side.”

Shiyiniang was well aware that the Old Madam adored Jin Ge’er, and thought nothing of it. She smiled, reminded Hongwen and A Jin of a few things, and then entrusted Jin Ge’er to Yuban.

Returning to the main hall, she found the wife of the eldest Lin son had come to offer congratulations for Xu Siyu’s wedding.

“Congratulations — you are about to become a mother-in-law!”

Shiyiniang could not help but break into a sweat: “Congratulations to you as well.”

Just two days ago, the eldest Lin son had become engaged.

The two of them sat down with proper regard for seniority, exchanged a few words, and then the Fourth Lady of the Tang family arrived.

A round of warm greetings, and then Third Lady Huang came, bringing with her the betrothal gift list from the Xiang family. Since there were outsiders present, she stayed until both the wife of the eldest Lin son and Fourth Lady Tang had taken their leave. Shiyiniang then spent some time going through the betrothal gift list. By the time she had seen Third Lady Huang out, the lamps were already being lit.

Shiyiniang quickly asked, “Is the Marquis coming home for dinner?”

These past few days there had been many visitors in the outer courtyard as well.

“The Marquis has not sent word,” said Zhuxiang — and then saw Xu Lingyi walking through the door. She promptly told the young maidservant to lay out the meal and attended to Xu Lingyi as he washed up and changed.

Shiyiniang sat on the large kang by the window in the inner room and spoke with Xu Lingyi: “…The Xiang family’s dowry comes to seven or eight thousand taels. There is not much in the way of vessels and furnishings — mostly fine farmland of the best quality. It looks to be a very good annual income.”

Xu Lingyi made a sound of acknowledgment, finished washing up, and walked out: “Official Xiang has always been practical-minded — this arrangement is no surprise.” As he spoke, he noticed the dinner table had been set but there was no sign of his son, and couldn’t help saying, “Where is Jin Ge’er?”

“Mother kept him over there to play.” Shiyiniang took the bowl of rice a young maidservant had served and placed it before Xu Lingyi. “She said to come and fetch him when we go to pay our evening respects.”

Xu Lingyi sat down and brought up their son: “I was thinking — let’s have Jin Ge’er start his schooling next year. What do you think?”

Most children began their studies at six or seven years old, though some started two years earlier or two years later, depending on the child.

Next year, Jin Ge’er would be five in Western years — six in Chinese reckoning. Not yet the age for primary school.

“Isn’t that a bit too soon?” said Shiyiniang, gesturing to a young maidservant to ladle her a bowl of soup.

“Jin Ge’er is clever — let him start earlier,” said Xu Lingyi with a smile. “His constitution is sturdy and he has plenty of energy. We’ll find him a teacher specifically for martial arts training as well. Any later and his bones will have stiffened — there will be nothing of real substance left to learn!”

Shiyiniang laughed despite herself: “Does the Marquis want Jin Ge’er to learn martial arts, or to study books?”

“Both!” said Xu Lingyi. “To ride out and strike down the wild northern foe, to dismount and write flowing calligraphy.” There was a faint undercurrent of longing in his voice.

Shiyiniang thought of the image of Jin Ge’er playing in the mud, and could not picture him excelling in both scholarship and martial arts. She couldn’t help laughing: “And what if he doesn’t like it?”

“A boy — you can’t let him do only as he pleases,” said Xu Lingyi with confidence. Thinking of how Shiyiniang was always hugging and kissing their son, he added, “And you mustn’t indulge him either.” Then he thought for a moment. “Let’s settle it this way — he starts schooling next year.” His manner brooked no refusal from Shiyiniang.

Shiyiniang had actually been the one worried about Xu Lingyi spoiling the child.

Since he had made up his mind, she would naturally support him.

“Then let’s do as the Marquis says!” Shiyiniang smiled and drank a sip of soup.

The two of them finished their meal in quiet contentment and then went to pay their evening respects to the Old Madam.

—