“You, you…” Jin Ge’er pointed at Chang’an, so furious he could barely get the words out.

Everyone liked playing with him, and usually he found them tiresome and barely paid them any mind. When he was in a good mood and deigned to show them a little attention, they would all come scrambling eagerly to curry his favor. This time he had taken the initiative to find Chang’an to play, and Chang’an had actually made one excuse after another to put him off!

He had threatened to have Chang’an paddled, and yet Chang’an still refused to bow his head and beg for mercy.

Thinking about it, Jin Ge’er felt a pang of irritation.

Chang’an’s mother had once served his own mother, and his mother was quite fond of her — she often gave Binju gifts, and whenever Binju came to pay her respects, she was different from everyone else. While others came empty-handed, Binju always brought her children with her. Every year his mother would give Chang’an and Chang Shun a reward, and she even permitted them to play in the back garden. Now that he wanted to have Chang’an paddled, his mother would certainly be displeased when she heard about it. But if he did not follow through, the words had already left his mouth — and his father had told him that one must not speak carelessly, but once words are spoken, they must be carried out… And his mother had said the same. A person must keep their word; only then will others believe you and heed what you say in the future…

If he had known it would come to this, he never would have threatened to paddle Chang’an!

Jin Ge’er hesitated for a long moment, then gritted his teeth and said, “Give him ten paddles!”

He would just go and make it right with his mother afterward… Better that than going back on his word in front of everyone!

Huang Xiaomao and Liu Erwu exchanged a glance, then went off with loud clamoring to fetch the paddle.

The door curtain of the main room was swept aside with a whoosh, and the two boys turned back in surprised delight, only to see a charming, graceful young married woman walking out with a smile.

“Sixth Young Master!” She curtsied to Jin Ge’er. “Madam heard your voice but could not see you, and found it rather strange, so she specially sent this servant out to check.” As she spoke, she gave a surprised little “Oh!” and looked at Chang’an and Chang Shun. “You two — didn’t you go to play in the back garden? Why are you here?” She put on an expression of complete ignorance as to what had transpired, and quickly introduced Chang’an and Chang Shun to Jin Ge’er. “This is the eldest and second son of Wan Daxian, the head steward. You know Wan Daxian, don’t you? He is a second-tier steward of the accounting room. He is Madam’s personal attendant who followed Madam from Yuhang when she married into Yanjing. You certainly know their mother — she is Binju, who often comes to pay her respects to Madam. She too is one of Madam’s personal attendants, having served Madam since childhood as her senior handmaid. The match between Wan Daxian and Binju was even arranged by Madam herself…”

Hupo went on at length, and though her words might have seemed rambling, to Huang Xiaomao and Liu Erhu they sounded as melodious as the words of a bodhisattva. Both boys looked at her with eyes full of gratitude.

Jin Ge’er, however, found it somewhat tiresome.

He knew this woman — she had once been one of his mother’s handmaids and was among those who came to pay New Year’s respects after the Spring Festival. He had heard Nanny Song say that she was greatly favored by his mother, and that one of the two head nanny positions in his mother’s quarters was being kept for this woman called Hupo. When Qiuyu and Hongwen had spoken of her, he still remembered how Qiuyu’s eyes had flashed with a trace of wariness — she was clearly quite afraid of Hupo.

Every word she spoke was about Chang’an’s parents and how well-regarded they were — plainly she wanted him to show leniency and spare Chang’an this once.

But Chang’an would not bow his head. How was he supposed to spare him?

Since Hupo had already stepped out, his mother must have heard the commotion outside. Not wanting to worry Shiyi Niang, Jin Ge’er thought it over and simply cut Hupo off, asking Chang’an directly: “Will you play with me or not?”

Though Hupo had not been at the mansion for these past few years, she had always kept herself informed of what went on there. She knew that the Sixth Young Master was currently the most favored by both the Grand Madam and the Marquis, and that everyone in the household gave way to him by three parts, which had cultivated in him a temperament accustomed to getting his way without question. She had not expected that even after all she had said, the Sixth Young Master still intended to press the matter.

She quickly shot Chang’an a meaningful look, urging him to simply agree and be done with it. But Chang’an had been raised by Wan Yizong to be a man whose word was his bond, and though he knew perfectly well that one bow of the head would end the whole ordeal, the memory of his grandfather’s admonishment kept the words of apology stuck firmly in his throat.

Seeing his distress, Hupo could only smile and say, “Chang’an, Chang Shun — have you paid your respects to the Sixth Young Master yet? Hurry up and kowtow to the Sixth Young Master!”

Chang’an might be stubborn, but he was no fool. He understood that Hupo was giving him a way out, and quickly knelt down, kowtowed to Jin Ge’er, called out “Sixth Young Master,” then gave Chang Shun a gentle nudge on the back, urging him to do the same.

Hupo then lifted the curtain with a smile, addressing Jin Ge’er warmly: “This servant will accompany you in to see Madam!”

Jin Ge’er, though still somewhat put out, never went against his mother’s wishes. He cast a sidelong glance at Chang’an and walked inside.

Hupo let out a quiet breath of relief and hurried after him.

“What happened?” Shiyi Niang, who had already turned and settled herself on the kang, asked Jin Ge’er with a smile. “I could hear your voice from inside the inner chamber!”

Jin Ge’er’s face still carried a trace of displeasure as he recounted the incident to his mother: “…I have already given the order — Chang’an is to receive ten paddles!”

He held his fists clenched tight, his whole manner that of someone standing firmly by his principles.

Shiyi Niang had not expected her son, young as he was, to already have such an intricate inner world. Was this a success of their parenting, she wondered, or a failure?

She felt torn between laughter and exasperation. But seeing the expectant look in her son’s eyes as he watched her, she knew she could not stand in his way.

“Since the words have already left your mouth, then let Chang’an receive ten paddles,” Shiyi Niang said, giving Hupo a small nod. “I still have something to say to you — let Steward Qing’s wife go outside to watch over things.”

She had not said the Young Master was in the wrong, and she was keeping him inside.

Hupo instantly understood Shiyi Niang’s intention.

She smiled, curtsied, and withdrew.

Jin Ge’er’s small face instantly blazed like summer sunshine, radiant and dazzling.

“Mother!” He tugged at his mother’s sleeve, glancing at Binju who stood inside biting her lip on the verge of tears, then looked once more out the window at Chang’an being held down over the bench by Huang Xiaomao. After a brief pause, he said, “Chang’an was in the wrong… I’ll have a physician called for him afterward!”

Binju quickly curtsied: “Thank you, Sixth Young Master. He has always been this stubborn — please don’t let him trouble your health, Sixth Young Master, or Madam will worry!”

Jin Ge’er gave a nod.

Shiyi Niang then said to Binju: “Go and see to Chang’an as well.”

Binju murmured her assent, and with somewhat flustered steps, she left the inner chamber.

Wanting to speak privately with Jin Ge’er about the matter, Shiyi Niang dismissed the servants attending the room: “…When the paddling is done, have the mother and sons come in to see me.”

The handmaids acknowledged and departed.

Seeing the room was now empty, Jin Ge’er quickly said: “Mother, it was my fault — I should not have had your person paddled!” He hung his head, shoulders drooping, his face full of remorse.

“You regret it now?” Shiyi Niang put on a stern expression and scolded him.

“Yes!” Jin Ge’er nodded repeatedly.

“You must learn to rein in your temper,” Shiyi Niang said patiently. “Life can never go one’s way at every turn. I sometimes look at the little handmaids when they are clumsy and feel like giving them a piece of my mind — yet some people are clever, and some are not. They come to our household to do work. If they cannot do it well, you simply replace them with someone who can. If there is no one to replace them, then let the clever ones do the clever tasks and the less clever ones do the simpler tasks. Surely one cannot be scolded simply for being born with a certain nature. Moreover, Chang’an did nothing wrong. He only came along with his mother to pay his respects to me — he is not your personal attendant. Why should he be obliged to play a game of cuju with you? Even among those who are your attendants — Suifeng tends to the birds and animals you keep, while Huang Xiaomao and Wang Erwu are assigned specifically to accompany you in play. Surely you cannot expect Suifeng to abandon the care of your birds and animals and spend his days playing alongside Huang Xiaomao and Wang Erwu? Chang’an should not have been paddled in the first place. Now I have had him paddled for your sake, which is only adding error upon error. Yet it could only be done this way, to preserve your dignity…” She let out a long sigh. “Chang’an has been wronged.”

Jin Ge’er listened, an uneasy look spreading across his face: “Mother… then, what should be done?”

Shiyi Niang turned the question back on him: “What do you think should be done?” She adopted an expression of seeming uncertainty.

Jin Ge’er had no choice but to think carefully about it himself.

“Give Chang’an some silver?” he said hesitantly. “Or… give him something as a gift?”

Shiyi Niang sighed inwardly.

It truly was a case of learning by example.

Whether it was herself or Xu Lingyi, whenever something needed settling they always sent someone away with silver. Of course, when something happened, the first thing the child thought of was to offer money. But that was how this world worked. For servants of a different station, the only way to express an apology or affection was through silver, or through gentle and kind words.

“Those are secondary matters,” Shiyi Niang said gently. “What you must truly learn is to think three times before you act. Did your father not tell you just the other day…”

She spoke with her son in quiet tones in the inner chamber. Meanwhile, outside, Binju watched Wang Erwu’s paddle falling lightly upon her son’s backside, and asked Hupo quietly: “Like this… is this all right?”

“Oh, you!” Hupo said helplessly. “If Madam truly meant to paddle Chang’an, she would have handed him over to Head Steward Bai long ago. Why would she leave it to us women and children to do it?”

“I — I just have a head full of worry,” Binju said, her face flushing slightly.

Chang’an, who had just finished receiving his strokes, sprang to his feet and hurried over to reassure his mother: “Mother, I’m fine — it didn’t hurt at all!”

“That is only because Madam showed mercy!” Binju said with a stern face, scolding her son. “When the Sixth Young Master asked you to accompany him in play, it was a mark of his regard for you. You should simply have played with him. How dare you speak so defiantly to the Sixth Young Master. When we get home, I am telling your grandfather and your father, and we’ll see how they deal with you…”

Chang’an listened to his mother’s lecturing with a bewildered expression.

Fortunately, Qiuyu came out to break the tension: “Binju, Madam is asking you and Chang’an and Chang Shun to come in!”

Binju quickly straightened her son’s collar and smoothed his slightly disheveled hair, then led her sons into the inner chamber.

Jin Ge’er rewarded Chang’an with two taels of silver.

Chang’an, not quite understanding why, accepted the silver at his mother’s prompting.

“There are things one should do, and things one should not do,” Shiyi Niang said with a smile, looking at Chang’an. “Would you like to enter the household as Jin Ge’er’s personal attendant?”

Chang’an did not know what to say.

Everyone in his family served in the Xu household. His grandfather had also said that when he reached fourteen or fifteen, he too would come to serve here. But he had not yet come of age, and there was still Chang Shun to look after…

He turned to look at Binju.

Binju was both startled and delighted. She immediately knelt before Shiyi Niang: “Thank you, Madam!” From the corner of her eye she saw her son still standing there in a daze, and quickly tugged at his sleeve to urge him to kneel as well. “Hurry up and thank Madam and the Sixth Young Master!”

Chang’an quickly knelt down, and before he could even open his mouth to give his thanks, he heard Shiyi Niang ask: “Chang Shun, would you be willing to enter the household together with your elder brother?”

Chang Shun, his eyes fixed on the eight-treasure cloisonné enamel candy dish on Shiyi Niang’s kang table, immediately answered in a loud, unhesitating voice: “Willing!”

—