Shiyiniang’s expression involuntarily turned solemn. “Wasn’t the Fifth Young Master with the Fourth Young Master? What happened?” Noticing that Xi’er was gasping for breath, she added, “Take your time and speak slowly.”

Xi’er nodded, but unable to steady her breathing, she spoke in a rush: “After the Fifth Young Master paid his respects to you, he went to the Danbo Study together with the Fourth Young Master. The Fifth Young Master wanted to practice his calligraphy, and the Fourth Young Master wanted to recite his texts. The Fourth Young Master gave up the study and recited his texts in the front hall instead. At noon, they ate together, then went to the inner chamber to rest. Same as usual — after the beds were made, the Fourth Young Master dismissed us servants, leaving only a small maidservant to stand guard at the door. Bitao and I went to Bitao’s side room to do needlework. When it was nearly the start of the shen hour, the Fourth and Fifth Young Masters had still not called for us to come help them dress. I found it strange, so I crept quietly over to the main room. Who would have thought I’d run into Elder Sister Gejin right at the door.”

“Gejin?” Shiyiniang was somewhat taken aback.

Gejin had been bestowed by the Grand Madam, and Xu Sizhun always treated her with great courtesy. Ordinary affairs were handled by Bitao and the others. Gejin shouldn’t have been needed for something as routine as helping Xu Sizhun rise and dress.

Xi’er nodded. “I exchanged greetings with Elder Sister Gejin. She said the Fourth and Fifth Young Masters had not yet risen, that she was going back to her own room to rest for a while, and told me to go check again in a bit. If the Fourth and Fifth Young Masters woke up, I was to send a small maidservant to fetch her. I didn’t dare be negligent and quickly agreed. I had just gone back to the side room and embroidered half a flower when a great commotion came from the direction of the main room. Worried about the Fifth Young Master, I immediately dropped my embroidery frame and ran out of the side room.” As she spoke, a look of fright crept into her eyes. “I saw Nanny Du standing guard at the chamber door. Several of Grand Madam’s attendants, including Yuban, were standing beneath the eaves. The small maidservant who had originally been guarding the door was kneeling in the courtyard, and from within the inner chamber came Grand Madam’s scolding voice.”

Shiyiniang involuntarily straightened her posture. She glanced at Zhuxiang, signaling her to keep watch at the outer door, then asked Xi’er in a low, urgent voice: “What did the Grand Madam say?”

“By the time I walked over, Yuban had already blocked me. I only managed to catch a few words.” Xi’er’s lips trembled, her voice unsteady. “‘You are sons of noble houses, not performers.’ She also said, ‘Your father went to such great lengths to find teachers to teach you to read and write — surely it wasn’t so you could engage in this sort of conduct.’ And, ‘I will tell your father about this’…”

“And then?” Shiyiniang asked. Only then did she notice that her own voice had gone somewhat hoarse.

“Afterward, Nanny Du signaled for us to go back to our rooms.” Xi’er said. “We did not dare linger and returned to the side room. Bitao and I pressed ourselves against the window lattice to look out. Before long, I saw Gejin and one of Grand Madam’s small maidservants carry in a brazier. Then Grand Madam walked out with a dark expression on her face.” Her voice had taken on a dry quality. “Bitao and I hurried to the inner chamber. The room smelled of smoke. The brazier that Gejin had carried in was sitting in the center of the room, full of ash. The Fifth Young Master was kneeling there, his face burning with shame, while the Fourth Young Master was trying to pull him to his feet. The Fifth Young Master refused to rise, saying it was all his fault for dragging the Fourth Young Master into this. He also said that if Grand Madam told the Marquis, the Marquis would surely punish the Fourth Young Master. As he spoke, his eyes grew red.

“The Fourth Young Master quickly comforted the Fifth Young Master, saying nothing would come of it. He also said that the fault was originally his, and that if the Marquis wished to mete out punishment, it was only right. The Fifth Young Master then clutched the Fourth Young Master’s sleeve, saying things like, ‘I have wronged you.’ The Fourth Young Master replied that it was he himself who had wronged the Fifth Young Master, that he should never have taken it upon himself to bring in the gongche score of *Cold Kiln Records*…”

“What did you say?” Shiyiniang’s body jolted. “The Fourth Young Master brought in the gongche score of *Cold Kiln Records*?”

Xi’er nodded. “That is what I heard the Fourth Young Master say.”

“And then?” Shiyiniang’s complexion had darkened.

“The floor was cold, and we were afraid the Fifth Young Master’s knees would be harmed from kneeling so long. We helped the Fourth Young Master try to pull the Fifth Young Master up. At first he refused to budge. Bitao coaxed him with a few words — ‘Don’t let the Fourth Young Master worry on your account as well’ — and the Fifth Young Master suddenly changed his mind. Not only did he stand up, but he also said he wanted to go find Grand Madam, saying that since this matter had come about on his account, he could not allow the Fourth Young Master to suffer on his behalf. The Fourth Young Master quickly blocked him, saying Grand Madam was still in the heat of her anger and was naturally saying things out of temper. Once she calmed down, he would go to Grand Madam and apologize, and she wouldn’t pursue the matter further. The Fifth Young Master hesitated, and the Fourth Young Master said something to the effect of ‘Grandmother has always doted on me — when have you ever seen her truly scold me?’ At that, the Fifth Young Master’s expression gradually softened. Bitao and the others busied themselves fetching water for the Fourth and Fifth Young Masters to wash their hands and faces, and set about tidying up.

“The Fourth Young Master is the heir — but the Fifth Young Master is…” At this point, Xi’er’s voice paused slightly and dropped lower. “I was afraid the Fifth Young Master would end up bearing the brunt of things, so I left Moyu there to attend to them and came running to tell you, my lady.” As she spoke, she stole a glance at Shiyiniang’s expression.

Shiyiniang quietly sighed inwardly.

A gongche score was the musical notation for opera. With it, one could follow along and sing the arias.

If this had been any other matter, she would have shared Xi’er’s worry that Xu Sijie was being made to take the blame for Xu Sizhun. But where a gongche score was involved… even if Xu Sizhun had willingly obtained it for Xu Sijie, Xu Sijie was not without fault.

Jin Ge’er had been listening with his ears pricked from the moment Xi’er walked in, looking up several times as if to interject. But each time his gaze met his mother’s, he remembered what she had said earlier and forced himself to hold back. He quickly finished the three small chicks he was drawing, and without caring that the brush was still wet with ink, shoved it into the brush holder and flung himself into Shiyiniang’s arms. “Mother, Mother, what trouble did Fourth Elder Brother and Fifth Elder Brother get into?” He was brimming with curiosity.

Looking at her son, carefree and too young to know worry, Shiyiniang felt both exasperated and amused.

She smiled and tapped him gently on the forehead. “Finish your little chicks properly.”

Jin Ge’er immediately snatched up the paper and held it out for Shiyiniang to see. “Mother, I’m already done.”

Three little chicks were pecking at grain. Not only were their heads and bodies fully formed, but several dots of ink had also been scattered beneath their feet.

Jin Ge’er pointed at the dots at once. “Those are the grains of rice the chicks are eating.”

To have held himself back and finished the painting before speaking up…

And he was only five years old!

The corners of Shiyiniang’s eyes and brows were filled with a warm smile.

She pulled him into her arms. “Jin Ge’er is so impressive!”

Jin Ge’er wriggled free of her embrace, his smile a little smug. “Mother, let’s go see Fourth Elder Brother and Fifth Elder Brother! Otherwise they’ll get beaten with the switch by Father!”

Something had gone wrong, and it would have to be dealt with. She had already intended to go and find out what had happened.

Shiyiniang smiled and said, “All right,” then stepped down from the kang and slipped on her shoes.

Xi’er quickly stepped forward and crouched to help Shiyiniang put them on.

“Never mind!” Shiyiniang put on her own shoes, then brought Jin Ge’er with her to Danbo Study.

The atmosphere in the courtyard was oppressive. Xu Sizhun and Xu Sijie were visibly startled by Shiyiniang’s arrival, and when they caught sight of Xi’er behind her, a look of understanding came over their faces.

Shiyiniang dismissed the servants attending the room and came straight to the point, asking Xu Sizhun and Xu Sijie: “Why did Grandmother lose her temper so badly?”

Xu Sizhun, recalling how his mother always stood up for him, felt a wave of relief wash over him at the sight of her. Xu Sijie, however, mindful that Shiyiniang disapproved of his interest in opera, felt his nerves draw even tighter. The latter dropped his head; the former quickly spoke up: “These past few days I could see that Fifth Brother had been shut in studying hard, and had even stopped playing his flute. Knowing how much he enjoys opera, it so happened that when I visited Wang Yun’s home the other day, I saw one of his cousins from the concubine-born line returning the gongche score of *Cold Kiln Records*. He said he was particularly fond of listening to opera and had borrowed it specially to copy out a version. I thought of Fifth Brother and took the opportunity to borrow it, intending to copy out a version during these free days.” His voice gradually dropped. “Then Grandmother found out… She said we were idle and good-for-nothing, and burned the score…” He finished with an awkward expression.

He was probably embarrassed about having to explain to Wang Yun why the item had been destroyed.

Shiyiniang’s expression turned cool. “So by that reasoning, the score should not have been burned!”

“No, that’s not it!” Xu Sizhun said quickly. “The fault is entirely mine. I should never have borrowed the gongche score from Wang Yun.” He admitted his mistake in words, but his expression remained somewhat blank — he looked genuinely at a loss.

Shiyiniang could understand this reaction.

Had Xu Sijie not been involved, the one copying the gongche score would have been Xu Sizhun alone, and others would only have seen it as a mark of refined and cultured taste — including Xu Sizhun himself.

Though bound by filial obligation to admit his fault, he genuinely did not understand what he had done wrong.

Xu Sijie, however, had already flushed crimson with shame. He spoke hastily: “Mother, it was my fault. I should never have said to Fourth Elder Brother that it would be wonderful if there were a gongche score to be had…”

“How remarkable, that even making a mistake is something worth competing over,” Shiyiniang said, her expression cool and her tone stern. “Both of you are vying to take the blame!”

Xu Sizhun and Xu Sijie both straightened up with visible unease.

“Your Grandmother was right.” Shiyiniang’s tone sharpened further. “Your father went through no end of trouble to find you a good teacher. And what do you two do? Not only do you fail to treasure the opportunity, you let your minds wander off to things like this — and because we have no such thing at home, you go and find ways to borrow it from Wang Yun. No wonder your Grandmother was angry enough to burn the score. If it had been me, I would have dragged you both off to kneel before the ancestral shrine long before now!”

Xu Sizhun and Xu Sijie both hung their heads.

“Everyone enjoys opera.” Shiyiniang’s tone softened slightly. “To know a verse or two is itself a mark of elegance and refinement. But this is not something suited to your years. You must understand — you are like young saplings still growing. Study is your trunk; poetry, music, and song are the branches and leaves. If the trunk has not yet grown straight and strong, how can the branches and leaves ever flourish? If you have not laid a firm foundation in your studies, how can you ever grasp the true depth and flavor of opera? No matter how much you love it, your appreciation will remain on the surface — you will be nothing more than a man who affects cultivation without possessing it.”

Seeing that Shiyiniang was not as rigid in her stance as the Grand Madam had been, the two boys visibly relaxed.

“Were the two of you not just copying out the gongche score?” Shiyiniang asked Xu Sijie. “How far did you get?”

Xu Sijie was taken aback, but not understanding her purpose, answered obediently all the same: “Two pages.”

“Why only two pages?” Shiyiniang pressed. “Did the two of you not forgo your afternoon rest? With more than an hour’s time, how did you only manage two pages?”

“There were characters we couldn’t make out, so we looked them up in the *Shuowen Jiezi*…” As Xu Sijie spoke, both he and Xu Sizhun exchanged a look of dawning comprehension.

Shiyiniang seized on the moment: “You set about copying a gongche score before you’d even mastered all the characters in it. Only you two could be so oblivious to your own limitations!”

Both boys flushed with embarrassment.

—