Upon hearing that Chang’an and Chang Shun were to enter service in the household, Xu Lingyi teased Shiyi Niang with a smile: “Well done! That is killing three birds with one stone — you gave Jin Ge’er a lesson, gave the Wan family some distinction, and quietly got Chang Shun into the household all at once… But I suspect you will need to have a good talk with Jin Ge’er. He just paddled the boy, and now you are immediately placing that same boy at his side as an attendant — he may find it hard to swallow his pride!”

One had to admit, Xu Lingyi knew his son very well.

Upon hearing that Chang’an and Chang Shun were to serve as his attendants, Jin Ge’er could not collect himself for quite a while. After Binju, Chang’an, and Chang Shun had gone, he hovered at Shiyi Niang’s side for a long time, wanting her to change her mind, yet not daring to raise the subject.

Since these were people Jin Ge’er would be using, forcing them on him would be pointless — if he simply refused to let Chang’an near him, it would not only ruin Chang’an’s prospects but also waste all her efforts. So Shiyi Niang spent a good while gently reasoning with him about things like “correcting one’s mistakes” and “being magnanimous and broad-minded,” and as Jin Ge’er listened, he gradually brightened, feeling that overlooking the grudge and allowing Chang’an to serve beside him was exactly the “generosity of spirit” his father had spoken of, and he cheerfully agreed to Shiyi Niang’s arrangement.

Xu Lingyi burst out laughing: “Jin Ge’er really cannot stand losing face.” Then his expression grew serious. “I think that habit of his needs to be corrected.”

“He is still a child,” Shiyi Niang said with a smile, tidying her needlework in preparation for rest. “He only knows that doing this will displease his parents, and doing that will please them. What pleases them, he will bring himself to do willingly; what displeases them, he will only dare do in secret. He is far too young to understand all the grand reasoning behind it. We can only work on things one at a time. The most important thing is that we ourselves must not blow hot and cold, doing contradictory things that leave the child unable to read our intentions.”

“You make it sound rather like training a puppy,” Xu Lingyi said, laughing despite himself. He took the wicker basket from her hands and said softly: “And what are you making now? If it really must be done, there is always Siyu’s wife to help. Your health has only just recovered these past two years — do not go forgetting the lesson the moment the wound has healed!”

“I understand!” Shiyi Niang gave him a look with a slight smile and said no more. Inwardly she thought to herself: what, am I to hand your things to Siyu’s wife to make as well?

Xu Lingyi, however, was not thinking of that. He was still turning over the matter of Jin Ge’er in his mind.

Jin Ge’er already had many people waiting on him, and now with the addition of Chang’an and Chang Shun — particularly Chang Shun, who would likely require two more handmaids assigned specifically to attend to his daily needs — having them all live together with Jin Ge’er in the main room’s side alcove was no longer workable.

“Jie Ge has already moved out, has he not?” he mused aloud. “What if we have Jin Ge’er move into the side room that used to be Jie Ge’s? It is a proper side room after all, more spacious — and that way Huang Xiaomao and Liu Erwu could also move over, and they would not need to come and go from the outer courtyard every day. Even when the inner courtyard gates are locked at night, they could still be there to attend Jin Ge’er.”

That arrangement would certainly be better.

Jin Ge’er was growing up, and it was indeed no longer fitting for him to remain indefinitely in the side alcove — but Shiyi Niang felt reluctant to part with her son. Her face betrayed a flicker of hesitation.

Xu Lingyi saw it, and felt she was being overly sentimental about the matter. So he simply said: “Consider it settled. Tomorrow I will have Head Steward Bai arrange for people to go and give the side room a fresh coat of plaster and add whatever is needed. On the first day of the second month, Jin Ge’er moves in.” His tone was firm.

Shiyi Niang gritted her teeth and agreed.

The next day, after Xu Siyu and the others had paid their morning respects to Shiyi Niang and departed for the south of the city to eat, Shiyi Niang went to Lijing Pavilion while Head Steward Bai led the craftsmen to assess the western side room.

Binju brought her mother-in-law into the household to kowtow in gratitude to Shiyi Niang, and it was agreed that the two children would be sent to the household on the twentieth of the first month.

The Grand Madam heard about it as well.

Nanny Du said with a smile: “The allowance will be made up by the Fourth Madam herself. Chang’an will accompany the Sixth Young Master in his studies and martial training, and Chang Shun will stay in the rooms and learn the household rules from Hongwen.”

The Grand Madam was genuinely concerned about the matter, and instructed Nanny Du: “When the two children enter the household, remember to remind me — I want to see them for myself!”

Nanny Du smiled and said she would.

After seeing Xu Siyu off, the western side room was renewed to a bright freshness.

Shiyi Niang made a point of going to inspect it.

The green stone tiles had been repolished, and the floor gleamed like a mirror. The dark blue bed hangings had been replaced with cheerful pale yellow, and the black lacquered furniture swapped out for pear blossom wood — compared to before, the room had gained a lightness and lost some of its gravity.

She was very pleased.

She brought Jin Ge’er to see it.

When Jin Ge’er heard it was to be his very own room, and that from then on Huang Xiaomao, Liu Erwu, Chang’an, and Chang Shun would all be living there with him, he was immediately overjoyed and went running about the room, even wanting to call Shen Ge over: “…He can sleep here at night too. Fifth Aunt won’t be able to say my living quarters are too cramped anymore!”

Fifth Madam was not complaining that the alcove was too small — she was unhappy about her son always trailing after Jin Ge’er and never being home. But that was a different matter.

Shiyi Niang smiled and patted her son’s head.

Jin Ge’er hesitated and said: “Mother, I am not showing off to Seventh Brother — I just want him to play with me!”

Shiyi Niang smiled and pulled him into a hug.

An attendant came in: “Madam, the head steward of your account at Duobao Pavilion has delivered the brushes and ink you ordered!”

Jin Ge’er let out a whoop of delight, ran over, and hugged the yellow sandalwood box: “Mother, Mother, let us go to Seventh Brother’s place!”

He had not yet told Shen Ge about the interesting set of brushes and ink he had acquired, and it had been eating at him.

“All right!” Shiyi Niang agreed readily, and together with Jin Ge’er they went to deliver the gift to Shen Ge.

Fifth Madam looked pleasantly surprised and thanked Shiyi Niang. Shen Ge and Jin Ge’er meanwhile went off to a corner to put their heads together.

A few days later, Binju brought Chang’an and Chang Shun to the household.

Shiyi Niang made a point of accompanying Binju and the children to pay their respects to the Grand Madam.

The Grand Madam saw that both boys had bright and clear eyes, and was very satisfied. Putting her worries to rest, she allowed the two children to settle comfortably into the eastern side room of Jin Ge’er’s quarters.

Jin Ge’er was still a little awkward about Chang’an’s arrival, and Chang’an, having entered service, trusted his grandmother’s and parents’ judgment but felt rather low in spirits. Chang Shun, on the other hand, was exactly the opposite — he adored trotting at Jin Ge’er’s heels. Jin Ge’er therefore often gave Chang Shun little snacks, and Chang Shun in turn trotted after him all the more eagerly. This led Jin Ge’er to petition Xu Lingyi to let Chang Shun come along to the martial arts training hall as well: “…More people makes it more fun!”

Xu Lingyi naturally agreed, only instructing Master Pang: “He is still young — do not push him. Wait until he is a little older before having him train in earnest.”

Shen Ge heard about it and remarked with envy: “It is a pity that Eighth Brother wants for nothing — if he were like Chang Shun, it would be so much better.” His tone was one of genuine regret.

The handmaids heard this and could not stop laughing.

Fifth Madam heard it too and was furious, but then learned that Xu Lingyi also intended to have Huang Xiaomao, Liu Erwu, Chang’an, and the other attendants train under Master Pang. Fifth Madam could not help going to Xu Lingkuan with her misgivings: “Isn’t this a bit improper?”

“What is improper about it?” Xu Lingkuan said with a laugh. “If they are to practice martial arts, they need partners to practice with. Otherwise, what use is fancy footwork with no one to spar against!”

Fifth Madam could find no answer to that, and after a few days she secretly went to see what the children were up to.

Master Pang lived in Xiumu Courtyard, not far from Shuangfu Courtyard.

Xiumu Courtyard had originally been a training ground. To give the children a place to practice martial arts, Xu Lingyi had specially built a small three-bay tiled house beside it to house Master Pang, and had assigned attendants to serve him.

Fifth Madam steadied herself on her handmaid’s shoulder, stood on the green stone bench by the garden wall, and peered through the decorative lattice into the courtyard.

Jin Ge’er, Shen Ge, Huang Xiaomao, Liu Erwu, and Chang’an — five of them in a row — were holding horse stances in the center of the courtyard. In the chill of early spring, all the boys had beads of sweat on their foreheads.

Master Pang was about forty years old, tall and powerfully built with a square face. He sat in a great chair under the eaves with an impassive expression, his manner very imposing. He shouted a reprimand at Chang Shun, who was weaving between the boys: “You stay put. If you don’t, you’ll be holding a horse stance alongside them.”

Chang Shun, upon hearing this, immediately imitated Jin Ge’er’s posture and dropped into a horse stance. But within just a few breaths, he plopped himself down on the ground and called out: “Sixth Young Master, Big Brother…”

Chang’an turned his head back with some concern, just about to say a few words to comfort his little brother, when he saw Master Pang stride over with great steps, pick Chang Shun up by the scruff of the neck as if lifting a little chick, carry him to the side of the great chair, and then brandish the ruler from the tea table through the air several times, the rod cutting through it with sharp snapping sounds, before sitting back down with a cold and severe expression.

Chang Shun stood obediently behind Master Pang’s chair and did not dare move another inch.

Fifth Madam watched with a slight frown, then looked over to see her own son plop himself down on the ground.

Fifth Madam’s face went dark, and she let out a low cry.

She felt those sharp eyes of Master Pang’s shoot toward her like arrows, only to vanish into thin air as Master Pang snapped his head back.

Fifth Madam’s heart gave a jolt. Just as she was trying to get a clearer look, Shen Ge was already groaning aloud: “Master Pang, I — I cannot go on — I need to rest!” He was gasping, his words barely coherent.

But before Master Pang could even speak, Fifth Madam saw Jin Ge’er also drop to the ground: “Master Pang, I — I need to rest too!”

Master Pang’s brow locked into a deep scowl.

He glanced at Chang’an, who was still in his horse stance, legs trembling but holding firm, thought for a moment, and said in a low voice: “Sixth Young Master, Seventh Young Master — it has not yet been one incense stick’s time!”

The two boys got to their feet with pained expressions and sank back down into their stances.

Master Pang went over with his ruler, lightly tapping the two boys’ bodies until their stances met his standard, then turned and sat back down in the great chair.

Fifth Madam watched with a rising sense of indignation.

Shen Ge had only come along to play — was there any need for such strictness?

She turned on light feet and headed back toward the inner courtyard, and came face to face with Shiyi Niang.

“Where is Fourth Sister-in-law going?” Thinking of her son still holding his stance out there, Fifth Madam’s smile was a little strained — she needed to find Xu Lingkuan quickly and get her son taken home!

“I am going to check on Jin Ge’er!” Shiyi Niang said with a smile. “It is his first day of lessons — I wonder if he is being mischievous?”

Fifth Madam, upon hearing this, quickly aired her grievance: “That Master Pang is really too rough — he actually hits the children with his ruler!”

Shiyi Niang was alarmed and hurried over to see.

She found all the boys sprawled on the ground while Master Pang crouched beside them, saying: “Rest for a while — after one more incense stick has burned, we hold the horse stance again.”

The boys let out a collective groan of misery — yet not one of them cried or made a fuss.

Shiyi Niang smiled and returned to the main room.

—