The First Madam stepped hurriedly down from her carriage. Nanny Hang, who had come to receive her at the hanging-flower gate, saw her face — pale as paper, eyes swollen — and knew at once that Yuan Niang’s condition must be grave. She fell into step beside the First Madam as they walked toward the house, speaking quickly. “Two women servants came from the Loyal and Diligent Marquis’s household, saying they are inviting Fifth Miss, Tenth Miss, and Eleventh Miss to attend a spring viewing at the Loyal and Diligent Marquis’s household in five days’ time.”

The First Madam stopped abruptly. Nanny Hang nearly walked into her.

“The Gan Family of the Loyal and Diligent Marquis’s household?” The First Madam’s gaze sharpened. “A spring viewing?”

Nanny Hang nodded quickly. “It was sent by Seventh Miss of the Gan Family. The invitation was most earnest — the First Young Mistress has accepted the card.”

“Where is the First Young Mistress?” The First Madam’s voice was somewhat stern.

“In the main hall.” Nanny Hang quickly leaned forward with an eager smile. “The First Young Mistress spent a good while drafting the list of dowry items for each of the young misses, and was just waiting for your return to discuss what ought to be purchased.”

The First Madam gave a slight nod and walked briskly inside.

The First Young Mistress hurried forward to greet her. “Mother, how is Elder Sister…”

The First Madam’s tears welled up at the corners of her eyes once more. “A false alarm.” She did not wish to speak further of the matter.

“That is a relief.” The First Young Mistress said gratefully. “In my dowry I still have two century-old pieces of Polygonum root. Would you like them sent over to Elder Sister to replenish her health?”

The First Madam thought briefly and then, unexpectedly, said, “Very well. That kind of fine thing is something I cannot easily come by at short notice.”

The First Young Mistress then sent Nanny Hang to fetch them, and herself helped the First Madam sit down on the large kang by the window in the west side room, then took the tea from the maidservants and personally brought it to the First Madam.

The First Madam sipped the tea and asked, “Where is the First Master?”

The First Young Mistress smiled. “Pulled away by a classmate to drink — and even left word with the servants outside to keep the door open for him tonight.”

The First Madam’s face went to iron, and the teacup in her hands began to tremble with a faint rattle.

The First Young Mistress fell utterly silent, not daring to say a word more.

After a good while, the color in the First Madam’s face slowly eased.

“I hear the Seventh Miss of the Gan Family from the Loyal and Diligent Marquis’s household has sent an invitation to Fifth Miss and the others, wishing to invite them for a spring viewing?”

The First Young Mistress answered, “Yes.” She smiled. “Just waiting for you to come back and decide.”

“Let them go.” The First Madam’s expression was flat, and she suddenly changed the subject. “How are the dowry purchases coming along that I asked you to handle?”

The First Young Mistress drew a thick list from her sleeve. “I drafted this in my spare moments. Please look it over.”

The First Madam read it very carefully — but she had barely gotten through the first few lines when a young maidservant announced, “First Madam, the First Master has sent someone to ask whether you’ve returned. If you have, he wants to know how the Elder Young Mistress is doing.”

The First Madam’s expression softened at once. “Tell the First Master that all is well.”

The young maidservant went to deliver the message.

The First Madam handed the list back to the First Young Mistress. “You’ve thought of everything. Buy according to the list you’ve drawn up. If the money falls short, a bit more is fine. Get this matter done within the next day or two.”

Just the other day she was saying there was no rush, take it slow, and whatever you do, don’t overspend. Why now, all of a sudden…

Then, recalling the state in which her mother-in-law had returned, something inside her began to take shape.

The First Young Mistress smiled and answered, “Yes.”

The First Madam then instructed her, “I need Nanny Hang to help me with something.”

The First Young Mistress naturally complied. When Nanny Hang came back with the Polygonum root, she said with a smile, “Whatever you need, just tell her.”

The First Madam handed the Polygonum root to Nanny Xu. “Send this to the Elder Young Mistress.”

Nanny Xu went to carry out the errand.

The First Madam asked the First Young Mistress to bring the almanac. She flipped through it while instructing Nanny Hang, “Go to the household of Senior Supervising Censor Huang Ren of the Ministry of Justice, and tell them the betrothal date will be set on…” As she spoke, she turned to the ninth day of the third month. “…the third of the third month. The ninth will do.”

Both the First Young Mistress and Nanny Hang were astonished.

Wasn’t this much too hasty? There were fewer than nine days left before the Metropolitan Examination.

If the First Young Mistress had had any doubts before, she had none now.

She did not dare ask further, and smiled. “Then I’ll need to make some preparations.”

On the day of the betrothal, the woman’s family was expected to host a proper feast for the guests from the man’s side.

Nanny Hang gave the First Madam a congratulatory curtsy and went off with a smile.

The First Madam showed no look of joy; there was instead a faint weariness to her expression. “We’ve only just moved in, and everything is still new. At the time, we can hang two large red lanterns at the gate and be done with it. As for the feast — everything is available for purchase in Yanjing. Just buy the finest and have the kitchen women prepare it. It’s not as though they don’t know how.”

The First Young Mistress nodded with a smile. “I’ll go make the arrangements at once.”

The First Madam gave an “mm,” and added, “First thing tomorrow morning, go to Madame Wang’s home and invite her to be our family’s matchmaker. Be sincere about it — it would be best to bring her here.”

The First Young Mistress agreed, and the First Madam then called Shanhu, Feicui, and the others in to help her change her clothes. The First Young Mistress discreetly withdrew.

By that evening, everyone knew that the First Madam had betrothed Fifth Miss to young Master Qian.

Fifth Miss’s face drained to white.

Ziwei and Ziyuan stood to one side, not daring to make a sound.

When Eleventh Miss heard, she could not help but sigh inwardly.

By the look of things, this young master of Duke Maoguo’s household had some considerable problem.

Dongqing was attending to her foot bath and chatted with her as she worked. “I heard the First Young Mistress had all the dowry items bought and brought back — they’re piled up covering half the room.”

Eleventh Miss smiled. “Even a room piled to the ceiling is no match for a few thin banknotes.”

“That’s true enough.” Dongqing smiled, dried her feet with a fresh towel, then took the silk stockings and slipped them on for her. “What do you think — if young Master Qian tops the examination list, won’t our family have a son-in-law who’s a Presented Scholar?”

In the Great Zhou, the provincial examinations were held every October, with the Metropolitan Examinations in mid-March of the following year and the Palace Examination on the first day of the fourth month.

Just then Hupo came in carrying clothes and, overhearing this, laughed. “So many people are sitting the Metropolitan Examination this year!”

Dongqing nodded. “Our eldest young master, the Fourth Young Master of the Second Branch, and young Master Qian — if they all pass, our family will have produced three Presented Scholars from one household.”

Hupo covered her mouth with a laugh. “Our family produced three Presented Scholars long ago. If you say father and son Presented Scholars — that’s not quite right either. Maternal uncle and nephew Presented Scholars? That’s not right either. Oh — our family has so many Presented Scholars!”

Everyone burst into laughter.

…

Meanwhile, the First Master frowned at the news. “Isn’t this too hasty? Who announces a betrothal at a time like this? Better to wait until the fifth month.”

“Even you have your muddled moments.” The First Madam smiled. “Once the fifth month comes and the new Presented Scholars emerge, who’s to say we’d even be able to secure this match?”

The First Master was unconvinced. “If that Qian fellow has such a short view of things, the match is better left aside.”

“Look at you. Which matters more — your pride, or your daughter’s future?” The First Madam chided him. “This is for me to decide.” Then she added, “I have something to discuss with you.” She smiled. “As you know, the Qian family is not well off. I worry that Fifth Miss will suffer hardship once she is there. I’m thinking of giving her one thousand taels of silver as bottom-of-the-chest money — what do you think?”

Seeing the First Madam being so generous, the First Master was naturally very pleased and nodded repeatedly. “Good, good, good.”

…

On the day of the ninth, Madam Huang came early in the morning, bringing silver ingots, a gold ruyi hairpin, and eight varieties of fruit and tea. She sat down, had a cup of tea, and then Madame Wang — the Luo family’s matchmaker — arrived fashionably late.

The two exchanged the gold-lettered, fully red betrothal cards bearing the details of Fifth Miss and young Master Qian. Madam Huang presented the items she had brought to the Luo family’s people, and with the First Young Mistress accompanying her, sat down in the inner quarters for wine.

During the visit, mention was made of young Master Qian’s lodgings. “…He has rented a two-room back house near the Imperial Academy — and at the moment there is no suitable place to be found. The wedding date will have to wait until after the fifth month. That way, the examinations will be done and it will be a double celebration.”

The First Madam calculated to herself: if young Master Qian did indeed pass the Presented Scholar examinations, he would then have to sit for the Academy of Letters examinations; if he passed those too, he would remain in Yanjing for another three years. If he failed, he would in any case have to wait in Yanjing for a posting. If things went quickly, he might secure a position by July or August; if slowly, perhaps not until spring of the following year.

She tallied it all in her mind and smiled. “The fifth month is still a bit rushed. Why not wait until the ninth month and see if there is an auspicious day.”

For a great household to arrange a marriage, a year and a half was common, four or five years not unusual. Receiving this kind of answer from the Luo family was more than satisfying enough. Madam Huang smiled quickly in agreement.

Fifth Miss’s marriage was thus settled.

The following day, the First Young Mistress divided the fruit and tea that young Master Qian had sent into two portions and had them delivered, one each, to the Second Master and the Third Master.

The Second Madam and Third Madam, upon hearing the news, both came in person to offer their congratulations.

Fifth Miss hid in her room and would not come out.

Tenth Miss and Eleventh Miss came out to pay their respects to the assembled elders.

Everyone talked and laughed their way to Fifth Miss’s room. Fifth Miss stood there shyly, saying nothing. Eleventh Miss, however, found her thoughts returning to the sound of shattering porcelain she had heard the previous night.

The Second Madam took Fifth Miss’s hand and smiled. “Our Fifth Miss is blessed — her very first marriage, and she’s marrying a successful examination candidate. She’ll surely earn herself a phoenix crown and embroidered cape in the days to come.”

The Third Madam smiled too. “This is the First Sister-in-law’s good fortune as well.”

The First Madam laughed warmly. Seeing that Fifth Miss’s face had turned so crimson it looked ready to drip blood, she laughed and invited everyone into her own room.

Everyone sat down to tea and conversation. After lunch, they began playing mahjong and chatting idly. Seventh Miss and Eleventh Miss remained nearby watching the game; Tenth Miss sat to one side cracking melon seeds.

After a few rounds, Seventh Miss grew restless. She caught Eleventh Miss’s eye, then said to the Second Madam, “Mother, we’d like to go and see Fifth Sister.”

The Second Madam was in the middle of working toward a grand complete set. She waved her hand without looking up. “Go, go — as long as you’re not in here making noise.”

Seventh Miss laughed and agreed, then took Eleventh Miss by the hand and tilted her chin toward Tenth Miss.

She was asking whether Tenth Miss wanted to come.

In the past, Tenth Miss would have ignored this entirely. This time, however, she set down the melon seeds in her hand. “Mother, we’d like to go see Fifth Sister too.”

The First Madam looked up at her briefly, and seeing that Seventh Miss had Eleventh Miss on her arm, nodded.

The three of them rose to leave. Fifth Young Master and Sixth Young Master, who had been sitting nearby growing restless, immediately jumped up and followed. “Mother, we want to see Fifth Sister too.” And with that, they dashed ahead of the girls, drawing a burst of laughter from Seventh Sister.

The Third Madam quickly instructed the maidservant beside her, “Go along quickly after them.”

The whole group descended on Fifth Miss’s room.

Fifth Miss was sitting cross-legged on the kang by the window, doing needlework.

At the sight of her, Seventh Miss immediately covered her mouth to laugh. Fifth Miss looked up, her face set, without a trace of happiness. This made Seventh Miss feel rather awkward. “Fifth Sister, the adults are all playing mahjong — we came to your room for a rest.”

Fifth Miss forced a small smile and called Ziwei to bring them tea.

Seventh Miss and Eleventh Miss sat down. Fifth Young Master and Sixth Young Master, however, darted around the room in every direction.

Sui’er followed behind them — one moment calling out “Be careful not to knock Fifth Miss’s brush holder off the table,” the next “Be careful not to bump into Fifth Miss’s flower stand” — until Fifth Young Master’s temper finally snapped. He raised a foot and kicked Sui’er hard in the chest. “You filthy creature — who are you talking about?”

—