Upon hearing this, Jin Ge’er ran to the Grand Madam’s side as though he had found a kindred spirit.

The Grand Madam pulled him into her arms. “This is Jin Ge’er’s heartfelt gesture. What matters most is the intention behind a gift. Otherwise, why would there be the saying, ‘A goose feather sent from a thousand miles away — the gift is light, but the sentiment is deep’? Our Jin Ge’er worked so hard to pick the tangerines, all so everyone could have a fresh taste — isn’t that right, Jin Ge’er?”

Jin Ge’er nodded repeatedly and nestled into the Grand Madam’s arms, his eyes curving into happy crescents as he laughed with great delight.

Just then, Xu Siyu arrived.

Seeing the large pile of tangerines on the table, he was quite surprised. “You picked so many tangerines!”

Jin Ge’er patted the plain cloth bag slung across his chest — it was a bright navy blue, embroidered with chrysanthemums — and boasted, “Mother made it for me, and it can hold lots of tangerines.”

Xu Siyu smiled and looked more closely at the bag on Jin Ge’er’s chest. The straps were short, so the opening of the bag sat right at his chest, making it look a little odd, but it was very convenient for picking tangerines.

Noticing Xu Siyu staring at him, Jin Ge’er’s eyes darted about. He ran to the table, grabbed a tangerine, and held it out to Xu Siyu. “Second Brother, have a tangerine!”

Xu Siyu smiled and took it.

Xu Lingyi asked him, “You didn’t go out today?”

Xu Siyu replied respectfully, “Everyone has been anxious about the posting of the results, and I had no heart to go out. I just stayed home and read a little.”

“Now that the examination is over, don’t dwell on it too much.” Xu Lingyi was clearly somewhat dissatisfied with Xu Siyu’s answer, and his tone carried a note of reprimand. “Just do what needs to be done. If you pass, don’t be arrogant — the road ahead is still long. If you don’t pass, don’t lose heart — there will be other chances. You’re still young, and in the days to come, there will be no telling how many life-and-death moments you’ll face. If you can’t keep your composure over a first examination, won’t you end up flustered and at a loss when it truly matters?”

Xu Siyu listened and stood up, responding solemnly, “It is I who lacks in learning and cultivation. I will certainly keep Father’s words in mind!”

The atmosphere in the room grew tense from the exchange between father and son.

Xu Sizhun and Xu Sijie, sitting there, also felt rather uncomfortable.

The Grand Madam watched and laughed. “All right, all right. It’s such a fine autumn day, and the children are all gathered together. Stop lecturing them. If you have something to say, call them to the study later and speak to them properly there.”

Xu Lingyi smiled and agreed.

Xu Sizhun and Xu Sijie both let out a quiet sigh of relief.

Jin Ge’er urged Xu Siyu, “Second Brother, eat the tangerine!”

Is he trying to come to my rescue?

Xu Siyu gave Jin Ge’er a grateful smile, then deftly peeled the tangerine and broke off a segment to offer to him.

Jin Ge’er shook his head. “For Brother!” His large, phoenix-shaped eyes blinked at him.

Food should first be offered to one’s elders. This was a matter of seniority even between brothers.

Xu Siyu paid no mind to this and smiled as he raised the tangerine segment to his mouth.

Eleventh Young Madam, Xu Sizhun, and Xu Sijie all called out at the same time — one called “Siyu Ge’er,” the others called “Second Brother” — “That tangerine is sour!”

Xu Siyu was startled.

He then saw a flash of vexation cross Jin Ge’er’s brow, as Jin Ge’er turned and shot Xu Sizhun and Xu Sijie a glare.

Being an exceptionally clever person, Xu Siyu’s mind turned quickly and he already had some idea of what was happening. Without saying a word, he smiled and placed the segment into his mouth, chewed a few times, and swallowed it.

“It’s not sweet, but it’s not sour either!” Xu Siyu looked at Xu Sijie with a puzzled expression.

Xu Sizhun and Xu Sijie were dumbfounded. Eleventh Young Madam was also quite surprised. Jin Ge’er first froze, then stepped forward, broke off a segment, and popped it into his mouth.

After just one chew, Jin Ge’er spat it out with a sharp sound. “So sour, so sour!” He stared wide-eyed at Xu Siyu. “Second Brother, you lied to me!” His face was full of indignation.

Xu Siyu cast a quick glance at Eleventh Young Madam.

She was covering her mouth with her hand, laughing silently, with no sign of displeasure.

His heart settled. He gave Jin Ge’er a sideways look and said unhurriedly, “When did I lie to you?” His expression was one of complete unconcern. “I didn’t find it sour at all…” As he spoke, he tossed another segment into his mouth. “It really isn’t sour,” he emphasized, not so much as a flicker crossing his brow, and then he held out the remaining tangerine to Jin Ge’er. “If you don’t believe me, try another piece.”

Jin Ge’er couldn’t help but hesitate.

“You little trickster!” the Grand Madam laughed, scolding Xu Siyu.

From the tone of her voice, Jin Ge’er immediately understood. He ran into the Grand Madam’s arms. “I knew Second Brother was tricking me — I’m not falling for it!” He looked at Xu Siyu with great satisfaction.

Xu Siyu pretended to sigh in helpless resignation. “It’s all Grandmother’s fault!”

Jin Ge’er pressed his lips together and laughed quietly to himself.

Everyone burst out laughing.

Only Xu Sijie quietly asked Xu Sizhun, “Was the tangerine really sour or not? How did Second Brother not even frown?”

“Second Brother was tricking Sixth Brother, of course!” Xu Sizhun said. “If you’re going to trick someone, you have to make it convincing.”

Xu Sijie nodded. “I was wondering — how could one tangerine have some sour segments and some that aren’t!” Then he added, “Won’t all of Second Brother’s teeth ache from the sourness?”

Xu Sizhun hesitated. “Maybe Second Brother isn’t bothered by sour things? Wang Yun isn’t bothered by spicy things!”

They thought they were speaking quietly, but without knowing it, the Grand Madam and the others had heard every word. The adults could barely contain their laughter, and even the maids and serving women in the room were secretly laughing along.

A cool autumn breeze carrying the evening fragrance of a hundred flowers drifted through Lingqiong Mountain Villa, scattering joy among the wooded paths and winding lanes, and all the flowers and grasses swayed along with it.

Eleventh Young Madam smiled as she gazed at the scene before her, her heart filled with warmth and peace.

But this pleasant mood did not last long.

The following day, the results of the provincial examination were announced.

Xu Siyu had failed.

The Grand Madam was stunned, but quickly regained her composure. “There are bound to be ups and downs in a person’s life. It is better to face them when one is young than when one is old, with little time left and no longer able to adapt.”

Eleventh Young Madam nodded, finding the Grand Madam’s words very sound.

“Siyu Ge’er is probably a little heartbroken,” she mused. “And his closest classmates happen to be in Le’an. What do you think — should we let him stay at the West Mountain Villa for a few days to clear his head?”

“Of course!” the Grand Madam said. “And you can take this chance to properly arrange his wedding.”

Eleventh Young Madam agreed and rose to head toward the outer courtyard.

As she passed through the decorative gate, she encountered one of Xu Lingyi’s young manservants.

“Fourth Madam, the Marquis asked me to come and inform you. The Marquis and Second Young Master have left the city to go mountain climbing, and will not be returning for dinner this evening.”

Eleventh Young Madam was quite surprised.

Xu Lingyi seldom showed such gentle consideration.

She smiled and dismissed the manservant, then turned around — and found herself face to face with Second Madam.

Second Madam looked somewhat startled to see her.

But Eleventh Young Madam smiled and asked, “Second Sister-in-law, were you going to look in on Siyu Ge’er? The Marquis and he have gone out of the city to climb a mountain.”

Second Madam could not fully conceal her surprise. She gave a slight nod and walked with Eleventh Young Madam back toward the inner courtyard.

It was the fourth day of the eighth month — the Mid-Autumn Festival was only two days away. The flower beds around the courtyard were being replanted with seasonally appropriate chrysanthemums and osmanthus, and serving women carrying pots of plants could be seen here and there. When they saw the two women approaching, each set down what she was doing, curtseyed, then bowed her head and stood against the wall with eyes lowered.

Second Madam suddenly stopped in her tracks.

She turned to face Eleventh Young Madam and said, in a measured tone, “Elder Grand Secretary Liu sat for the examination twice before passing as a provincial graduate. Elder Grand Secretary Liang did not sit for the provincial examination the following year, but instead passed in the year of Yinmao. As for Elder Grand Secretaries Chen and Dou, they studied for ten more years after passing the provincial examination before their names appeared on the final imperial examination list.”

The remark seemed to come out of nowhere, but Eleventh Young Madam understood her meaning perfectly.

She is trying to comfort me — telling me not to be too troubled by Xu Siyu’s failure.

And yet even words like these, coming from her lips, still felt somewhat… stiff.

Eleventh Young Madam suppressed her amusement and nodded. “Thank you for your concern, Second Sister-in-law. My own brothers at home also had their share of setbacks in the imperial examinations.”

Second Madam gave a slight incline of her head, and the two parted ways.

Eleventh Young Madam watched her retreating figure and couldn’t help shaking her head with a smile before turning back toward the main room.

Zhuxiang was waiting for her in the inner chamber.

“Madam, this morning Young Master Dou sent a calling card to Fourth Young Master, inviting Fourth Young Master to come to his residence on the tenth to admire chrysanthemums. Fourth Young Master declined, saying he was busy with his studies.”

Ever since the day Xu Sizhun mentioned that Dou Jing had gone with Elder Dou to West Mountain, Eleventh Young Madam had asked Zhuxiang to keep watch on Young Master Dou’s whereabouts.

The Emperor had not yet returned to Yanjing, yet Dou Jing’s invitation had already arrived…

“Has Young Master Dou returned to Yanjing early?”

Zhuxiang lowered her voice. “I’ve already asked Steward Zhao of the household affairs office to make discreet inquiries.”

Eleventh Young Madam gave a quiet sound of acknowledgment and went to the reception hall.

Several serving women who had been talking quietly among themselves immediately gathered their composure, clasped their hands, and stood.

Eleventh Young Madam took a seat on the arhat bed in the main hall.

A young maid silently brought tea.

Eleventh Young Madam raised the cup and took a small sip.

Only then did Nanny Li, who oversaw the kitchen and stood at the lower end of the hall, respectfully say, “I’ve gone carefully through the list given by the household affairs office. Each meal will have approximately eighty tables, and on the main day of the ceremony, there will likely be around a hundred and twenty tables…”

Eleventh Young Madam listened attentively, her thoughts dwelling on Xu Siyu’s wedding.

As she came out of the reception hall, Zhuxiang came with a report. “Elder Dou brought his eldest son with him. Young Master Dou Jing did not go to West Mountain.”

Upon hearing this, Eleventh Young Madam fell silent for a long while, then went to find Xu Sizhun.

Xu Sizhun was not in his own room — he was over at Xu Sijie’s.

The two brothers were in the workshop making river lanterns.

Xu Sizhun sat at the small square table in the workshop, chin resting in his hand. “I think it would be better to make a Guanyin Bodhisattva. Grandmother has one enshrined in her prayer room. The only worry is that if the wind picks up on the fifteenth, it might capsize.”

Xu Sijie sat on a small stool by the square table, inspecting the split bamboo strips he had shaved. “That’s easy enough. We just add a necklace of jade beads around Guanyin’s neck. That way, the Bodhisattva’s body will weigh the same as the lotus base, and even if the wind rises, it won’t matter.”

“Of course!” Xu Sizhun said. “Why didn’t I think of that?” He moved over to the small stool beside Xu Sijie. “Then I’ll draw the jade necklace, and you try making one…”

Eleventh Young Madam quietly stepped out of Xu Sijie’s courtyard and said in a low voice to Xi’er, “Let them play. Don’t mention that I came.”

Xi’er curtseyed with a slightly puzzled air and said, “Yes, Madam,” then saw her to the door.

After the birthday noodles were served for Xu Lingyi, many of his former subordinates, upon hearing that the eldest son of the Xu household was getting married, either came in person to offer their congratulations or sent trusted aides to deliver monetary gifts and presents. The front of the Xu residence was a constant stream of carriages and visitors, and the entire household was run off its feet.

“Not holding a grand celebration is no longer an option,” Xu Lingyi said, looking rather pained. “We can’t accept gifts from some while turning others away — that would leave everyone feeling aggrieved.”

“Then let us hold a grand celebration!” Eleventh Young Madam said with a smile, giving Xu Lingyi a gentle nudge. “That day — what did the Marquis say to Siyu Ge’er? When Siyu Ge’er came back, he was glowing with energy. I thought he looked even more spirited than he had before sitting the provincial examination.”

—