Yuan Baozhu’s wife wore a jacket of oil-green Luzhou silk, her hair combed neatly and adorned with two large crimson roses — altogether bright and capable in appearance.

She curtsied to Shi’er Niang and said with a smile, “A year has passed and Madam’s complexion is as fine as ever.” She then took from the hands of the mother beside her a madder-red silk-wrapped bundle. “These are shoes and stockings our Ninth Miss made for Madam and the Sixth Young Master. The needlework is clumsy — please do not take offense.”

Ever since Xu Sizhun’s betrothal to the Jiang family’s Ninth Miss had been settled, this Yuan Baozhu’s wife — who had once accompanied Wang Lang’s sister Wang Lin on a bereavement journey — had come to Yanjing every year with the Jiang family’s New Year gifts to pay her respects to Shi’er Niang.

“Please thank your Ninth Miss for her trouble,” Shi’er Niang said with a smile, gesturing for Qiu Yu to take the bundle, while instructing a little maid to bring stools for the two mothers, and to serve them tea.

Yuan Baozhu’s wife perched on the edge of a stool, thanked her with a smile, and raised the cup to take a sip sideways.

“Is your household’s master and mistress keeping well?” Shi’er Niang asked.

“Thanks to Madam’s good wishes, our master and mistress are both in fine health,” Yuan Baozhu’s wife replied respectfully. “On the ninth day of the ninth month, Mistress took the Ninth Miss to the Great Blessing Temple to pray before the Goddess of Mercy…”

Just as she was speaking, a little maid came in to announce: “Madam, Master Jian has arrived.”

Every year at this time, Master Jian would bring the year’s account books from the bridal shop for Shi’er Niang to review.

Shi’er Niang smiled and asked the little maid to invite Master Jian in.

Yuan Baozhu’s wife quickly rose to take her leave.

Master Jian entered, carrying a sapphire-blue silk-wrapped bundle.

She and Shi’er Niang took their respective seats, accepted the tea brought by the little maid, and Qiu Yu, with characteristic attentiveness, led the other attendants out of the room.

Master Jian untied the silk bundle and pushed it toward Shi’er Niang. “These are this year’s account books.”

Shi’er Niang saw that there were ten or so more volumes than the previous year, and smiled. “It looks as though this year’s business has done even better than last year’s.”

The bridal shop’s business now ran in two streams: one centered on commissioned rank badges and official robes, the other on bridal canopies and hangings. Because rank badges and official robes were matters of considerable importance, Master Jian personally oversaw them with a team of skilled embroiderers, while entrusting the bridal canopies and furnishings to Qiu Ju. Over the past several years, with steady, careful management, the business had grown increasingly prosperous — not only earning a modest reputation in Yanjing, but drawing customers from as far as the Jiangnan region to commission official robes.

Master Jian smiled and nodded. “At this rate, in another two or three years, we will be able to buy a shop on East Main Street.” She paused slightly, then said, “Madam, there is a matter I wish to discuss with you.” Her expression grew somewhat grave.

Shi’er Niang looked at her attentively. “Speak plainly. We are teacher and disciple — what matter is there between us that cannot be discussed?”

“There is something I am not sure whether you have heard of,” Master Jian said carefully. “I was told by the proprietor next door that Madam Gan the Elder recently sublet another shop. Our business has been gaining a name for itself, and will only continue to grow. Most people who mention us refer to us as ‘the bridal shop on East Main Street.’ If we were to move, those customers who have come from afar would not know where to find us — and worse, if someone were to open a bridal shop in our old premises, it would not only be a matter of losing business. If customers mistook it for our shop and spent their money without getting what they hoped for, our reputation could be damaged. I wonder whether we ought to look into whether there are any shops nearby available for purchase — using the shop’s own funds to buy one outright, so we have a permanent home.”

Shi’er Niang’s brow furrowed slightly. “Madam Gan the Elder has sublet another shop.”

Master Jian let out a soft sigh.

Shi’er Niang was quiet for a moment, then said, “Your idea is a good one. Why don’t you make inquiries first. If the funds fall short, I will advance what is needed and you can repay me in time. As for Madam Gan — I will speak to her myself.”

That way, even if the Zhongqin Earl were to press Madam Gan the Elder into subletting again, the shop’s business would remain unaffected; and though Madam Gan the Elder’s share of the profits from the bridal shop could not keep her in luxury, it would at least ensure she was clothed and fed.

Master Jian nodded. Seeing the serious look on Shi’er Niang’s face and feeling the atmosphere grow a little heavy, she smiled and shifted the subject: “I hear Hupo is coming back to serve after the New Year — how are things coming along for Zhu Xiang’s marriage?”

At the mention of this, Shi’er Niang felt the weight of it. “I’ve looked and looked, and there’s just no one suitable.”

Master Jian laughed. “In my view, you would be uneasy no matter who Zhu Xiang married. The family Nanny Song proposed last time was perfectly fine — both parents are managing stewards on a country estate, the young man travels with a senior steward from Shanxi, he is literate, good-looking, and of a suitable age. Yet you said he was too clever and lacked steadiness. If you were to find someone truly earnest and unassuming, I expect you’d say he was too plain and lacked sharpness.” She gently urged, “Zhu Xiang is no longer young. If she waits any longer, she’ll be an old maid. Look at our Qiu Ju — is she not doing very well?”

Qiu Ju had also delayed and delayed, until she too had become an old maid. Eventually, the owner of a silversmith shop on the same street introduced a young man who worked in the shop: his father had died early, his family was poor, he had four brothers and was the youngest, and he was willing to marry into Master Jian’s household. Master Jian had initially disliked his looks and secretly had Qiu Ju go and take a look. Qiu Ju said nothing, and Master Jian reluctantly agreed. As it turned out, after marrying into the family, the young man took on every heavy task and every matter that required a public face, and the household gradually took on a more comfortable shape. Master Jian grew fonder of him with every passing day, more and more satisfied. Last autumn, Qiu Ju had given birth to twins — a boy and a girl — and both children had taken the surname “Jian.” Master Jian was overjoyed.

Shi’er Niang knew perfectly well that she was being unreasonably particular, but when she thought of all the people who had come with her from Yuhang now going their separate ways, she simply wanted to keep Zhu Xiang a little longer.

“We’ll see when the time comes,” she murmured. “The New Year is nearly here — surely it’s not the moment to be marrying her off.”

Knowing that Shi’er Niang had not yet made peace with herself on this, Master Jian smiled, took a sip of tea, said a few words about Qiu Ju’s twins, and then rose to take her leave.

Zhu Xiang, seeing Master Jian come out, walked her to the gate, then went to see Shi’er Niang.

“Same as every year,” she said quietly. “Yuan Baozhu’s wife went first to see Nanny Song, then Nanny Du, and also paid visits with gift boxes to Nanny Shi on the Fifth Madam’s side and to Steward Zhao’s wife.” She added with a trace of sheepishness, “We also gave a red envelope.”

Shi’er Niang smiled teasingly. “Did the amount go up this year?”

“Not at all!” Zhu Xiang laughed. “Still four fen worth of silver nuggets.”

“Small as it is, going around the whole household — it must add up to a tidy sum.” Shi’er Niang smiled briefly, then put the matter out of her mind. “Where is Jin Ge’er? I haven’t seen him all afternoon.”

“He and the Seventh Young Master are feeding the birds,” Zhu Xiang said with a smile. “Sui Feng, Huang Xiaomao, and Liu Erwu are all nearby attending to them.”

Shi’er Niang gave a quiet “mm,” and turned to discuss the New Year arrangements with Zhu Xiang. At the evening meal, she relayed Zhen Jie’er’s message to Xu Lingyi.

Xu Lingyi was somewhat surprised. “I have already found an instructor for Jin Ge’er,” he said. But thinking of the kind intentions behind the gesture from his son-in-law and daughter, he added, “Then let Master Pang come as well. If things do not work out here, he can always take a post at the Imperial Guard.”

Shi’er Niang had Zhu Xiang send word to Xiulan. After the New Year, Shao Zhongran personally accompanied Master Pang to Yanjing.

Xu Lingyi hosted a banquet in the reception hall to welcome his son-in-law, and also tested Master Pang’s martial skills. Returning home, he said to Shi’er Niang, “He is indeed accomplished in both horsemanship and archery. The way he carried himself, it seemed as though he had not even exerted his full strength. Only in military strategy he is less than fluent… but then, Jin Ge’er is not going to be relying on brute force in the future.” He did not seem entirely satisfied.

“Even Sun Bin could not lift a chicken!” Shi’er Niang regarded martial arts instructors much as one would a physical education teacher — as long as they could build strength and keep the body healthy, that was sufficient. Zhao Kuo had read any number of military treatises, and still suffered a crushing defeat the moment he took the field. Warfare required a certain natural aptitude. “After all, this is a kindness from our son-in-law. If he can serve the purpose, let us make use of him.”

Xu Lingyi considered it, and said, “Until he has finished reading the ‘Elementary Learning,’ even spreading ‘The Art of War’ open before him would mean nothing. Learning horsemanship and archery first is perfectly fine.” He arranged for Master Pang to stay at the residence, and also agreed with Teacher Zhao that on the second day of the second month — when the dragon raises its head — Jin Ge’er would be sent to the Twin Lotus Academy.

Upon hearing that he would be going to the outer courtyard, Jin Ge’er was overjoyed, and asked Shi’er Niang every day when the second day of the second month would arrive. The Grand Madam watched with great amusement, and pulling Jin Ge’er into her arms said, “Now this is the proper spirit for a scholar!”

Shen Ge’er clamored to go as well.

The Grand Madam rewarded Jin Ge’er with a box of sweet pastries. “This time next year you may go too, and keep your brother company.”

Shen Ge’er tugged at Shi’er Niang’s sleeve. “Fourth Aunt, make me a book bag too!”

Shi’er Niang had stitched Jin Ge’er a patchwork book bag from leftover fabric scraps, and Jin Ge’er had loaded a copy of the “Elementary Learning” inside it, even carrying it over to show off in front of Shen Ge’er.

“Of course!” Shi’er Niang laughed. “What style does Shen Ge’er like? When the time comes, I’ll make you one.”

“One like Sixth Brother’s,” Shen Ge’er said at once. “But even more beautiful than his.”

Perhaps because he was the youngest, Cheng Ge’er was already three years old and the Fifth Madam still carried him wherever she went.

Seeing her son asking things of Shi’er Niang, the Fifth Madam — who was wiping the mouth of Cheng Ge’er as he sat in her lap eating cake — said with mock reproach, “This child — why does he want everything he sees?”

“Children are all like that,” the Grand Madam smiled. “The Fourth Young Master was just the same when he was small. The Fifth Young Master was quite obedient as a child, though — he used to sit beside me whenever I was ill, stroking my hand and asking whether I felt even a little better. I thought then: what a pity this child is not a daughter.”

Xu Lingkuan was rather embarrassed by this, gave an awkward little cough, and said, “Fourth Brother, I hear that our son-in-law recommended a formidable martial arts instructor for Jin Ge’er. Why not let our Shen Ge’er train alongside him?”

“Martial training is arduous,” said Xu Lingyi — he himself was the only one in the household who had persisted through it. “Shen Ge’er is still too young. Let us wait until he is a little older.”

The Fifth Madam agreed, “Indeed, Shen Ge’er is a whole year younger than Jin Ge’er!”

Shen Ge’er ran over to fuss at the Fifth Madam: “I want to go! I want to go too. I want to train with Sixth Brother!”

The Fifth Madam’s face grew stern. “We will discuss it tomorrow.”

Shen Ge’er refused to let it go.

The Fifth Madam scolded him, and the noise startled Cheng Ge’er into crying. The Fifth Madam quickly gathered Cheng Ge’er up and walked him around the room, patting and soothing him.

Shen Ge’er stood watching with tears welling in his eyes.

The Grand Madam felt a pang of tenderness at the sight, and quickly drew Shen Ge’er over, embracing the child and gently persuading the Fifth Madam: “Just let Shen Ge’er go along. He can stand to one side and watch for now, and when he is older, he can formally begin his martial training.”

Shen Ge’er nodded vigorously.

Jin Ge’er spoke up on his seventh brother’s behalf: “Fifth Aunt, please let Seventh Brother come! I’ll give you my San San to play with!”

San San was his dog.

Everyone burst out laughing.

The Fifth Madam could no longer hold her ground, and instructed Shen Ge’er, “Mind that you do not misbehave — or you will not be permitted to continue martial training.”

Shen Ge’er cheered, and threw his arms around Jin Ge’er.

—