Within all reason, yet beyond all expectation.

Such a great commotion had erupted on this side — it was impossible the Grand Madam would not have heard of it. Yet for the Grand Madam to come with such a forceful manner and intervene directly in affairs within her own quarters still left Eleventh Lady somewhat surprised.

Everyone has a line they will not allow to be crossed. For Eleventh Lady, as a mother, Jin Ge’er was hers.

For any other matter, even if she were deeply reluctant, Eleventh Lady would yield before her elders. But when it concerned Jin Ge’er, she could not yield.

This child was far too perceptive. Not only did words of apology come readily to his lips, he also knew how to deploy his words with skill, deflecting the focus and leading others astray. If she were to yield now, it would give Jin Ge’er the mistaken impression that as long as he had his grandmother’s protection, no matter what wrong he committed, everything would come right in the end. That would be a deeply destructive understanding for his development going forward.

With that thought, she could not help but glance sideways toward Jin Ge’er.

Jin Ge’er — a moment ago so thoroughly deflated — now had a face flushed with agitated hope as he stared at the Grand Madam, like a man drowning in the open sea who had grabbed hold of a plank of wood.

Eleventh Lady had not a shred of hesitation left.

“Nanny Du,” she said with a calm expression and a gentle smile. “We are in the middle of speaking with Jin Ge’er. Would you kindly wait just a moment?” As she spoke, she gave Xu Lingyi a meaningful look, then stepped out into the rain and went to the Grand Madam’s side, taking her by the elbow. “Mother, in this wind and rain, if there is anything you need, you can simply send a maid with word. Why did you come yourself?” Her voice remained warm and melodious, her smile as cheerful as ever — yet the quiet, unwavering resolve at the corners of her eyes and brows could not be hidden from the Grand Madam, who had weathered her own storms of hardship and years.

When the little maidservant had told her that Eleventh Lady and Jin Ge’er had locked horns, the Grand Madam had been startled.

Eleventh Lady was gentle by nature, and though Jin Ge’er could be a little willful, he was sensible, filial, and knew how to read a room — how had these two ended up in a quarrel?

The Grand Madam had quickly changed her clothes and come straight to the main rooms with Nanny Du.

But just as she was leaving her own courtyard gate, a fierce wind rose and the rain began to fall. They had no choice but to turn back and fetch an umbrella.

Halfway there, they ran into the little maidservant who had been sent to find out the latest, who told her that Jin Ge’er had dug in his heels and was standing out in the courtyard in the downpour, and that Eleventh Lady refused to give even an inch, leaving Jin Ge’er to stand in the rain.

The Grand Madam heard this and grew greatly agitated, privately blaming Eleventh Lady for disciplining her son with no sense of time or place.

When she entered the courtyard and learned that Xu Lingyi had already come, the Grand Madam let out a breath of relief. But stepping inside the main courtyard, Jin Ge’er was not at all how she had imagined — dry and neat in fresh clothes, drinking steaming hot tea, being fussed over carefully by maids and matrons, running up with a bright “Grandmother!” to help support her the moment he saw her. Instead, he was soaked as a drowned rat, a picture of silent misery, standing alone beside the black lacquered standing pillar. And looking at Xu Lingyi, he and Eleventh Lady stood side by side with grave expressions, both gazing steadily at Jin Ge’er.

The Grand Madam was deeply displeased.

Two grown adults ganging up together against one small child — what was the meaning of that? Were they afraid they could not prevail over Jin Ge’er?

The words she spoke came straight from that displeasure.

And Eleventh Lady’s manner — on the surface respectful, yet in practice evasive and unresponsive — only added another layer to the Grand Madam’s dissatisfaction.

“What? Are you afraid my coming will interrupt your disciplining of the child?” The Grand Madam wore a broad smile, but her tone was not the least bit courteous.

Within this household, the ones Jin Ge’er could rely on as his strongholds were Xu Lingyi and the Grand Madam. Now that Xu Lingyi had come over to her side, there remained only the Grand Madam’s hurdle to clear. Only by persuading both of them would Jin Ge’er be forced to look squarely at his own situation and take her words seriously.

Eleventh Lady’s mind turned swiftly.

“The Empress, the Marquis — both were raised by your own hand. When it comes to guiding children, there is no one more experienced than you. We are young and inexperienced, and we would be more than glad for your guidance — there is no interruption at all.” Her smile never wavered as she steered the Grand Madam onto the covered walkway nearby. “Only, this child Jin Ge’er — his temper has grown far too strong. Even my words have stopped meaning anything to him. You don’t know, but to manage this temper of his, I have lost count of how much effort I have spent.” She sighed, and then brought up the incident of Jin Ge’er pulling at the First Princess’s earring, then spoke of the matter a few days prior when the Crown Prince had summoned Jin Ge’er into the palace. “…From the moment he left through that gate, my heart never stopped worrying. One moment I thought — he has been so used to doing as he pleases at home, and I didn’t know whether he would behave himself properly before the Crown Prince. The next moment I thought — I’d heard that the First Princess has been spending a great deal of time lately playing chess with the Crown Princess. If Jin Ge’er were to go over and the two of them happened to meet, and the two of them were to fall into a quarrel like they did when they were small — the First Princess has always been a heavenly jewel with no one ever daring to cross her, and yet our Jin Ge’er is the sort who never admits defeat. If something were to come of that, what would become of our Jin Ge’er? Fortunately, that day the First Princess had gone with the Empress to visit the Dowager Consort, and only then was I able to set my heart at rest.”

The Grand Madam froze slightly, and could not help but pause her steps, looking Eleventh Lady over carefully.

Eleventh Lady stood quietly in place, allowing the Grand Madam to look. Her expression was steady and calm, with a frank sincerity that made no attempt to conceal itself.

For these past years, Xu Lingyi had always tried to keep Jin Ge’er from being summoned to the palace. The Grand Madam understood why — he did not want his son, while he still knew nothing of the world’s treacherous currents, to be swept blindly in without any bearings… The fact that Eleventh Lady was bringing this up now… She had lived with this daughter-in-law for quite a few years now, and knew well that she was not the sort to speak without cause. Yet to ask her to believe that Jin Ge’er had truly become this unruly to this degree…

The Grand Madam shook her head.

Still she could not quite bring herself to believe it.

In the silence, the group had arrived beneath the shelter of the eaves.

Nanny Du was quietly uneasy.

Fourth Madam’s manner made it perfectly clear she had no intention of allowing the Grand Madam to meddle in her household affairs. But the Grand Madam had already spoken, and she could not disregard it. Thinking this through, she looked toward Xu Lingyi.

Xu Lingyi stood there with his hands clasped behind his back. His gaze was deep and tranquil, his expression warm and composed — no different from any ordinary day. Not a thing could be read from him.

What… what was she to do now?

Nanny Du looked at Jin Ge’er’s soaked hem, and a thought struck her.

“Sixth Young Master!” she said with a smile, stepping forward to give Jin Ge’er a bow, then reached out in an affectionate, familiar way and took his hand. “Your clothes are all wet.” She pulled a handkerchief from her sleeve and tucked it into the back of Jin Ge’er’s collar. “Let Nanny Du put this between you to keep the wet from getting through — so you don’t catch a chill.”

First, stall for time and see how things developed.

Jin Ge’er’s attention was entirely fixed on the Grand Madam. He gave a vague “Mm” and let Nanny Du do as she pleased. The moment the Grand Madam reached the shelter of the eaves, he immediately let go of Nanny Du and ran over with great excitement: “Grandmother! Grandmother!”

Xu Lingyi stepped forward to pay his respects.

The Grand Madam laughed warmly and pulled her grandson into her arms.

What met her hands were wet clothes.

The hesitation and uncertainty she had felt moments before now leaned clearly in one direction.

“Punish, scold, by all means.” The Grand Madam’s mildly displeased gaze settled on Xu Lingyi, then moved from Xu Lingyi to Eleventh Lady. “But no one torments a child like this. In all the years when you were small, I never once did this. If something were to go wrong with him — I would like to see how you would answer for it!”

The unspoken meaning in the Grand Madam’s words was plain to all who heard it.

Jin Ge’er nestled contentedly beside the Grand Madam, his jet-dark eyes darting from one face to another with a look of undisguised triumph.

Eleventh Lady could not help but feel a bitter, wry smile rise within her.

Xu Lingyi was the head of the household — the Grand Madam did not address him, yet turned directly to her. It was clear enough that, through Nanny Du’s movements, she had already come to understand where Xu Lingyi stood on this matter, and was offering Eleventh Lady a way out of the situation — a graceful means by which to let the matter dissolve.

She could recognize the Grand Madam’s kind intention, and yet she had no way to simply go along with it. But to openly contradict the Grand Madam in front of so many people would also be inappropriate.

“Mother is right.” She replied with respectful composure. “Only, the rain came so suddenly, we were caught off guard for a moment. Fortunately it is summer, and Jin Ge’er has always had a sturdy constitution — otherwise, I am afraid it truly could have turned into a serious mistake.” Then she added, “The rain is coming down so heavily. Please be careful not to get wet yourself. Why don’t you come inside and sit for a while, and have some hot tea?”

Not a word about changing clothes.

The tactful meaning beneath her words was one everyone present had grasped.

The Grand Madam’s brow furrowed slightly.

Of course a child should be disciplined — but one could not let his health suffer for it.

Eleventh Lady was a sensible woman; she ought to understand that this was meant as a kindness.

The atmosphere grew faintly tense.

Jin Ge’er, who had been watching the Grand Madam’s expression with great attention, immediately felt uneasy.

“Grandmother!” he tugged gently at the Grand Madam’s sleeve, his voice going a little small and thin, sounding somewhat timid.

The Grand Madam looked down to see Jin Ge’er looking up at her with his lips pressed flat, those large phoenix-shaped eyes brimming and shimmering with tears, the very picture of the most pitiful thing in the world.

The old woman’s heart softened.

Never mind — if Eleventh Lady would not relent, there was still Xu Lingyi.

With that thought, she looked with quiet deliberation toward Xu Lingyi.

She wanted him to say a word, he supposed.

Xu Lingyi said nothing.

Never mind that he himself agreed with Eleventh Lady — even if he did not, in a situation like this, if he were to side against Eleventh Lady, what standing would she have left before Jin Ge’er?

Sometimes, saying nothing is also a position.

The Grand Madam’s expression darkened.

One was offering tea and refreshments; the other was standing there saying nothing at all. The two of them were clearly working in concert — one playing the gentle face, one playing the firm face — working as one to drive her away!

The Grand Madam was both distressed and agitated.

However you two raise your child is your business, I will not interfere — but to mistreat the child this way, that she could not ignore.

“Jin Ge’er!” The Grand Madam reached for Jin Ge’er’s hand. “Come with Grandmother to change your clothes.” Her manner became very resolute.

Jin Ge’er was overjoyed, his small face blooming into a wide smile.

“Yes!” He called out loudly and gripped the Grand Madam’s hand tight.

“Mother!” The Grand Madam was about to take Jin Ge’er away — no matter how they tried to stop her, it would be wrong. Yet Eleventh Lady still stepped in front of the Grand Madam.

“What?” The Grand Madam raised her long brows. “Do you mean to block me?”

Before the last word had left her lips, the surroundings had already gone perfectly still.

Nanny Du and the others’ faces went slightly pale, and all quietly edged back a few steps, trying to put as much distance as possible between themselves and the Grand Madam and Eleventh Lady.

Xu Lingyi also grew anxious.

He understood Eleventh Lady’s intent — but to directly block Mother like this…

“Eleventh Lady!” In a flash, his voice rang out in a sharp reprimand: “What are you doing? Won’t you apologize to Mother at once?”

On the surface it was a scolding — beneath it, he was handing Eleventh Lady a ladder to step down gracefully.

Don’t play those tricks in front of me.

The Grand Madam cast her son a cold sidelong glance, then shifted her gaze back to Eleventh Lady — and in that instant, her eyes turned sharp as a blade.

—