After seeing Shiniang off, Shiyiniang fell into a prolonged low mood.

She thought of the days when everyone had been crowded together at Lvyun Tower, of the nervous, uncertain heart she had carried on the journey to the capital, of the stunning encounter at Xu Mansion’s ceremonial gate on a Third Day of the Third Month, of the time they had first heard the “Ballad of the Pipa” together… All of it seemed to recede further and further from her with Shiniang’s passing.

Shiyiniang’s mood cast a shadow over everyone around her. Jin Ge’er would often look up from his calligraphy practice and fix his bright, glistening eyes on his mother. Whenever he saw her sitting with needlework in hand, staring into nothing, a worry incompatible with his young age would surface on his childish face, and he would go about his tasks with even more careful, quiet hands and feet. Once, he even said to Chang’an: “Tenth Aunt is gone, and Mother is very sad — let us not disturb her.”

Jin Ge’er had initially paid little attention to Chang’an, but as they trained together in martial arts at Shuangfu Courtyard, Chang’an’s earnestness and tenacity proved a great advantage in the kind of diligent, repetitive practice that martial arts required. Of all the children, only Chang’an’s progress could match Jin Ge’er’s. The way Jin Ge’er looked at Chang’an gradually changed. He began to greet Chang’an first, and sometimes even made small talk with him.

Chang’an felt this was not something he was in a position to comment on. He said nothing, and only smiled at Jin Ge’er.

Jin Ge’er found him too sullen, and took a cloth ball to play with Chang Shun.

Chang Shun toddled about on his little short legs, kicking the ball wildly in every direction — one moment it tumbled onto the covered walkway, the next it landed in the flower bed, the next it rolled behind a water vat. Two little maids chased after it, dripping with sweat, while he giggled and laughed, growing more and more delighted, scheming up ways to kick the ball into the most obscure corners — every inch of him still wrapped in the carefree innocence of childhood.

Jin Ge’er played with him for a while, then glanced up at Chang’an, who stood under a tree nearby conscientiously swinging his arms just as Master Pang had instructed. Feeling somewhat unenthused, he ruffled Chang Shun’s head with a somewhat sheepish air: “Play by yourself.” Then he went and sat on a beauty’s recliner nearby.

A’jin quickly brought over a cup of warm water: “Would Young Master like to change his clothes?”

“No need,” Jin Ge’er said, draining the teacup in one go. “Has Mother not come back yet?”

Marchioness Yongchang’s elderly grandmother had fallen ill, and Shiyiniang had accompanied the Dowager Marchioness to pay a visit.

“Not yet!” A’jin smiled. “Shall I send someone to keep watch at the ceremonial gate — as soon as the Marchioness returns, we will know at once?”

“Never mind,” Jin Ge’er said, sprawled across the beauty’s recliner, swinging his two legs idly. “I will just wait here for Mother to come back.”

A’jin smiled and answered “yes,” then said: “Shall I wash some plums and apricots?”

“Better not,” Jin Ge’er said, looking lazy and drowsy in the warm spring sun. “Last time, Chang Shun ate a whole dish by himself and ended up with a stomachache in the evening — and none of us got a good night’s sleep.”

Just then, Xu Lingyi walked in.

“Why are you lying about like this?” he asked, puzzled. “Where is your mother?”

“Father!” Jin Ge’er leaped down from the recliner and gave Xu Lingyi a bow.

Chang’an and Chang Shun, seeing him, also hurried over and bowed respectfully.

“Mother has not come back yet,” Jin Ge’er said, then, in a very grown-up manner: “Father, have you eaten your midday meal?”

Xu Lingyi listened and smiled. “I have.” He found his son’s manner rather amusing and asked in turn: “And you?”

“I have as well,” Jin Ge’er said. “I even had my afternoon nap.” He looked rather self-satisfied.

“And have you finished your lessons?” Xu Lingyi asked him with a smile.

“I have!” Jin Ge’er tilted his head and looked at his father. “Not only did I finish my lessons, I also read ahead in the books Mother asked me to start, practiced my horse stance, and played a game of kickball with Chang Shun…” He had clearly run out of things to do.

Xu Lingyi looked at him and felt something stir in his heart. “Well then — would you like to go riding with Father?”

“Yes, yes!” Jin Ge’er leaped up in delight, his whole face brightening. “I want to go riding with Father!”

“Very well then,” Xu Lingyi said, pleased to feel his own spirits lift a little. “Go and change into a short jacket — we will go riding.”

Jin Ge’er went bounding back to his room.

By the time Shiyiniang returned, Jin Ge’er had just finished his bath, and was sitting on a brocade stool, looking rosily flush and high-spirited while Hongyun and A’jin helped dry his damp hair. He was telling them: “…When you are up on the horse, you can see very far. All the servants and grooms are below your feet. Stretch out your hand and you can pluck the leaves from the treetops… When the horse runs, you go up and down — it is rather uncomfortable, but the wind comes rushing at your face, your clothes flutter and snap, and the trees and the buildings — whoosh — are all left far behind. It is so much fun!” Hearing movement, he turned to look. Seeing it was Shiyiniang, he immediately flung himself at her. “Mother, Mother, Father took me riding this afternoon!” He was very excited. “Fourth Elder Brother and Fifth Elder Brother were there too. Fourth Elder Brother even praised me for being brave!”

Shiyiniang was quite surprised.

Had it not been said that riding lessons would begin after he turned ten?

She looked up.

Xu Lingyi was coming out from the inner chamber.

“This afternoon happened to be a good time to take Zhun Ge’er and Sijie to the riding grounds,” he said with a smile, “and seeing Jin Ge’er at home alone, I brought him along.” Then he asked: “How is Madam Huang? You all came back so late — is she gravely ill?”

“Only a common cold.” Shiyiniang replied. “Mother and Madam Huang were glad to have time together and spoke at length in confidence. That is why we returned late.” Then she said with some concern: “Riding can be dangerous — Jin Ge’er is still so young…”

She had once seen a child thrown and injured while riding.

“Have no fear,” Xu Lingyi said. He felt Shiyiniang was too anxious over Jin Ge’er. “The horses they rode are all well-trained, docile mares, and there was a skilled riding instructor at their side. At first they were only made to sit on the horse’s back while the instructor led it around in a few circles, or were taken along at a gentle trot. Nothing untoward will happen.”

“Still, better to be careful,” Shiyiniang said, feeling Xu Lingyi was taking the matter too lightly. “Jin Ge’er is still young — I doubt he even has the strength to pull the reins, let alone manage a horse. I think it would be better to let him start learning to ride after he turns ten.”

Xu Lingyi had never intended for Jin Ge’er to begin riding lessons this early — he had simply thought that boys enjoy horses and wanted to take him along for the fun of it. He made a sound of assent, and moved on to tell Shiyiniang of Second Master Luo and Third Master Luo: “By the count of the days, they should be arriving in the capital within the next day or two. You should also make some preparations — when the time comes, we will take the children to pay our respects to both uncles.”

Shiyiniang nodded and said quietly: “The matter of both uncles’ placements… has anything been settled?”

Though Luo Zhensheng was handling the specific arrangements, Xu Lingyi had been making no small number of visits to Grand Secretary Chen — who concurrently held the position of Minister of Personnel.

“We shall see when the time comes,” he said, somewhat evasively. “The Ministry of Personnel’s official determinations will be the deciding factor.”

Xu Lingyi was not one to make promises lightly, and when he did speak, his words carried solid weight. He would not give his word unless he was fully confident in the outcome.

Shiyiniang pursed her lips and smiled. She sensed the ignored Jin Ge’er beginning to grow displeased, and felt him tug at her sleeve: “Mother, Mother, this afternoon I even had a race with Fifth Elder Brother to see whose horse ran faster!”

“Oh?” Shiyiniang cast a sidelong glance at Xu Lingyi. “Were you not just saying they were only going to sit on the horses and go around in a few circles? How did a race come into it?”

Xu Lingyi looked at Shiyiniang with a smile.

Jin Ge’er’s face went a little red, and he said haltingly: “We sat behind the instructor and watched whose horse ran faster.”

“Is that so?” Shiyiniang smiled and pulled her son into her arms. “Then you had better hurry and finish drying that hair — you do not want to catch cold.” She went into the inner chamber as she spoke.

Xu Lingyi followed her in, and taking advantage of the moment, pinched the graceful curve of her waist: “Would I deceive you?” — causing Shiyiniang to let out a low, startled cry.

“Mother!” Jin Ge’er immediately wrapped his arms around her neck in alarm. “What happened?”

“Nothing at all,” Shiyiniang said, struggling to keep a straight face. “I was bitten by a bedbug.”

Jin Ge’er looked even more baffled: “A bedbug? Don’t bedbugs only release a foul smell? How can they bite too?”

Shiyiniang could not hold back her laughter, and glanced sideways at Xu Lingyi.

Xu Lingyi watched the two of them with a smile, a trace of helplessness showing in the depths of his eyes.

Shiyiniang burst out laughing.

The gloom that had settled over her for so long lifted in an instant, and her heart became clear as an open sky.

Second Master Luo had always been a capital official, and after going to Shandong, had not been a major regional authority there either. He found it to be much the same as being in Yanjing — constrained on all sides, with little profit to be had, while still having to make trips to the countryside to press for tax and grain collection, more arduous than before. He wished to return to the Six Ministries, and in the end secured a position as Communications Commissioner. Though it remained a position of prestige rather than power, the work consisted only of reviewing memorials each day, and the colleagues one dealt with were all officials of the Six Ministries — which had an air of dignity about it. For Second Master Luo, who had long grown weary of hands-on administrative affairs, he found this privately quite satisfactory. Third Master Luo was different. For one thing, he was still young; for another, his two sons were still small, and if he could secure a posting at the third rank or above, one of his sons would be eligible for a hereditary appointment. Xu Lingyi had expended considerable effort, and in the end secured for him a vacancy as Prefect of Jinan.

Everyone was greatly pleased.

After a brief reunion in Yanjing, Third Master Luo and his family departed for their new post. Second Master Luo and Second Madam Luo settled in at Laojun Hall. When the Dowager Marchioness’s birthday had passed, Second Madam Luo invited Fourth Aunt to accompany her and asked Shiyiniang to come for drinks and opera at their home.

Shiyiniang brought the children along.

Fourth Aunt asked after Xu Sizhun: “…Will he be sitting the provincial examination this year?”

“He will,” Shiyiniang said with a smile. “He wrote a letter home at New Year’s. He will be in Yanjing by the sixth month — I am already preparing for his return.”

Fourth Aunt nodded and said no more.

But Second Madam Luo’s gaze settled on Xu Sijie, who had been keeping close to Shiyiniang’s side throughout: “Sijie must be twelve years old this year, is that right? Is he planning to try the examinations this year?”

Xu Sijie’s face immediately turned bright red.

“The child would like to try,” Shiyiniang said — she had no wish to put Xu Sijie on the spot — and smiled, deflecting for him. “But I feel he is still young, and there is no need to rush. Better to study diligently for another year or two first.” Then she added: “This year Xu Siyu will be sitting the provincial examination, next year Xu Sizhun will be at the age for betrothal negotiations, and if another one gets tangled in the middle, I truly would not be able to keep up with them all.”

Second Madam Luo’s lips moved, and she seemed on the verge of saying something further, but Fourth Aunt gave a light “cough,” and said: “Eleven Sister, have you received a letter from Seventh Sister? She is with child again.”

“I have received Seventh Sister’s letter.” Shiyiniang looked at Fourth Aunt with a smile and asked Second Madam Luo: “She is well, I hope?”

“Well, well, very well,” Second Madam Luo said, unable to conceal her joy when it came to this daughter who had finally found happiness after so much suffering. “Her mother-in-law now treats her like a treasure, and can only hope she will have many more children, to grow the Zhu Family’s branches and spread their leaves.” And with that she launched into a flowing, unstoppable account of Seventh Aunt’s news, and never again raised the subject of Xu Sijie.

Shiyiniang sat there with a gentle smile, listening quietly, and let out a quiet inward sigh of relief.

—