The Xu family was hardly short of beautiful women. Second Madam, Fifth Madam, even Jiang Shi and Fang Shi — all of them were rare beauties. Yet Jin Ge’er singled out Fifth Concubine as the most beautiful. Was this, perhaps, the pull of blood?

Lady Shiyi smiled and drew Jin Ge’er into her arms. On the morning of the third day of the New Year, she dressed him in a deep crimson silk robe, and she and Xu Lingyi set out early, bringing along Xu Sizhun and his wife, Xu Sijie, Xiang Shi, and the others to make their way to Bowstring Lane.

Great red couplets hung at the gate. Red lanterns swayed under the eaves. Even the old plum tree in the corner of the courtyard had a large red cord tied around its trunk.

Everyone exchanged New Year greetings, the children calling out to uncles and aunts, the adults responding with warm smiles, handing out red envelopes while the children received them with delight — a scene of warmth and festivity. Only Xu Sizhun kept waving off the envelopes with a smile: “No need to give me one. I’m married now — I count as an adult. I’m the one who should be giving red envelopes to the younger ones.” With that, he had Jiang Shi hand out red envelopes to Ying Niang and the others.

Luo First Madam, dressed in a deep red robe woven all over with gold, not only smiled as she pressed a red envelope into Xu Sizhun’s hand anyway — she also gave one to Xiang Shi: “When you’re at your uncle’s house, everyone is a child.”

Luo Fourth Madam stepped in to stop Jiang Shi: “What do you think you’re doing? Put that away. This is your very first New Year with our family!” She brought out the red envelope she had prepared for Jiang Shi and gave it to her.

By tradition, a new bride in her first year visits relatives to pay her New Year respects, and the relatives give the newlyweds red envelopes in return.

Seeing that both aunts were insistent, Jiang Shi did not want to dampen the mood. She thanked them graciously and accepted the envelopes.

The families of Twelfth Miss and Fifth Miss arrived one after the other.

Everyone exchanged New Year greetings, talking and laughing — a lively and joyous atmosphere. It was only when a bitter gust of wind swept through the courtyard that the group finally retreated indoors to the main hall.

Sixth Concubine and Fifth Concubine were directing the little maids in setting out the sweets and refreshments.

Sixth Concubine wore a rose-red brocade half-coat embroidered with ten different patterns, looking bright and spirited. Fifth Concubine wore a plain light green embroidered half-coat. Against her snow-white complexion, her dark hair and gentle eyes made her look no older than a woman in her early thirties — not at all like someone who had a daughter as grown as Lady Shiyi.

Jin Ge’er immediately dashed over: “Maternal Grandmother, Maternal Grandmother!”

A warm smile spread from the depths of Fifth Concubine’s eyes all the way to the corners and edges of her face.

“Sixth Young Master!” She drew Jin Ge’er close with affection. “The wind has picked up from the north today. Are you cold?” She reached out and felt his hands.

“Not cold at all.” Her soft, gentle voice made Jin Ge’er speak a touch more quietly than usual. “Look, I’m wearing a fur coat.” He lifted the hem to show Fifth Concubine. “It’s made of squirrel fur.”

Fifth Concubine quickly pulled the hem back down. “Careful you don’t catch a chill.”

Jin Ge’er obeyed at once and nodded repeatedly.

Fifth Concubine’s smile faded as she rose to curtsy formally to Xu Lingyi: “My lord.” Her gaze then settled on Lady Shiyi. “Eleventh Young Mistress.”

“Concubine Mother!” Lady Shiyi returned the courtesy with a bow.

Xu Lingyi stepped slightly to the side, deflecting Fifth Concubine’s curtsy: “It’s been quite some time. Are you keeping well?”

“Thanks to my lord’s blessings,” Fifth Concubine said respectfully. “Everything is well.”

Xu Sizhun and the others stepped forward to offer their New Year greetings to Fifth Concubine. Fifth Concubine gave them each a red envelope. Wang Ze, Twelfth Miss, and the children went over to greet Sixth Concubine, who had also prepared red envelopes for the younger generation.

Fifth Miss’s expression was not quite right as she looked at Luo Zhensheng, who didn’t dare meet her eyes and quickly looked down.

The moment Fifth Miss returned to Yanjing, she had given Luo Zhensheng a thorough scolding: “You’re the one who manages the household affairs, aren’t you? How did it end up that Sixth Concubine got to come, but Third Concubine was left behind at home?”

Things were different now from the old days. Third Concubine could not compare to Fifth Concubine — but was she not even a match for a Sixth Concubine who hadn’t borne any sons?

“Third Concubine insisted on staying herself, to take care of Father,” Luo Zhensheng murmured in explanation. Fifth Miss would not believe a word of it and berated him roundly: “What exactly have you been doing in Yuhang? I worked so hard to arrange with First Brother for you to go to your brother-in-law’s post as an accounts secretary — and you turn it down? I thought, since the Luo family is large and Third Concubine is in the household, even if you could carve out some standing in the family, that would be something. But to my surprise, you’re completely without ability…”

In truth, Luo Zhensheng had wanted to go.

But Luo Fourth Madam had not wanted her husband to go.

*The family wasn’t struggling to get by — why follow him all the way to some remote posting just to live off her brother-in-law’s goodwill!*

Seeing her husband being scolded, Luo Fourth Madam had interjected a word in his defense, only to be snapped at several times by Fifth Miss.

Looking at the scene before her now, Fifth Miss was probably thinking of Third Concubine again.

Luo Fourth Madam thought this over and decided to act as though she hadn’t noticed anything. She smiled and took Xiang Shi by the arm: “You must be close to your time now, yes? How are you feeling?”

“Mother especially assigned a very experienced nanny to look after me,” Xiang Shi said. She had a good impression of this straightforward Fourth Aunt-in-law and made light of her own situation: “Every day it’s eat, then sleep — sleep, then eat. My face has gotten as round as a wheel cake.”

Luo Fourth Madam laughed. “Once the baby is born, it’ll all be fine.”

Luo First Madam noticed everyone — men and women alike — still standing about the main hall and quickly invited them all to sit. The men settled in the main hall, the women took the children to the sitting room in the east side chamber. The men discussed affairs of the court, the women chatted about family news, and the children laughed and played together — the atmosphere was thoroughly lively.

Sixth Concubine watched it all and felt a quiet, contented happiness. She busied herself along with the maids, making sure everyone’s tea was kept fresh. Fifth Concubine, however, slipped quietly back to her own room when no one was paying attention. At first everyone assumed she had gone to see to something and didn’t pay much mind. But after quite a long time with no sign of her, Jin Ge’er looked around and let out a puzzled sound: “Where is Maternal Grandmother? She’s disappeared.”

Lady Shiyi had noticed long ago, but had said nothing.

*Asking Fifth Concubine to entertain like this — she must find it terribly uncomfortable.*

“Maternal Grandmother was tired and went to rest in her room,” Lady Shiyi said gently. “Go play with your brothers.”

Jin Ge’er said “Oh” and obediently ran off to join Xu Sijie.

Throughout the conversation, Lady Shiyi kept a quiet eye on Luo Zhenhong.

When Jin Ge’er had gone looking for Fifth Concubine, Luo Zhenhong had lifted his head and glanced around, as though searching for her. But when he heard that Fifth Concubine had gone to her room to rest, the tension in his expression visibly eased, and he went back to chatting easily with Luo Jiageng beside him.

At the midday meal, Luo First Madam warmly toasted everyone in turn. For reasons no one quite understood, Fifth Miss suddenly inserted herself and began pressing Luo First Madam to drink cup after cup. By the time they rose from the table, Luo First Madam was well past her limit, and her steps were unsteady as she walked. Luo Zhenhong and Luo Jiamu, who had been drinking with Xu Lingyi and Wang Ze in the main hall, heard the commotion and hurried in — one to support Luo First Madam, the other to instruct the maids to go quickly and brew a strong pot of tea. It was Luo Jiageng and Luo Jiakang who were slower to react and came to their senses only a beat later.

Lady Shiyi watched and gave a quiet sigh. During the time that Jin Ge’er was taking his afternoon rest, she went to Fifth Concubine’s room.

The door was ajar — a single push opened it.

“Did Fifth Concubine know I was coming?” Lady Shiyi smiled and took the warm cup of tea from Fifth Concubine’s hands.

Fifth Concubine simply looked at her and smiled, her gaze soft and gentle.

Lady Shiyi thought for a moment, then gently and tactfully told Fifth Concubine about Luo Zhenhong supporting Luo First Madam.

“Seventh Young Master was raised by First Madam — she is like a mother to him. Treating his eldest sister-in-law as he would his own mother is only right and proper.” Fifth Concubine gave a small wave of her hand, signaling her not to say such things again. “He is before my eyes, and I can see him day and night — that is already more than enough.” Her gaze toward Lady Shiyi grew softer still. “I know you are concerned for me. You need not be. First Madam treats me well for your sake, and she will not slight me.” She let out a long, quiet sigh, then said with deep feeling, “I never imagined that the Grand Madam would speak with me so kindly and naturally in front of all those people, or that during the New Year she would send Nanny Du with so many lengths of fabric and medicinal herbs.” Her expression grew earnest as she looked at Lady Shiyi. “The Grand Madam holds you in such high regard — you must repay her well by being filial and serving the Marquis faithfully.”

*A person’s face reflects their heart.* Could it be that because she always thought of others’ kindnesses, and treated the people around her with goodness, she had grown more beautiful with middle age than she ever was in her youth?

Lady Shiyi looked at her calm, graceful face and said quickly: “Please don’t worry. I will take good care of the Grand Madam and serve the Marquis well.”

Even she had not anticipated what had happened that day.

The Grand Madam had not only greeted Fifth Concubine warmly, she had gone on talking with her about family matters on her own initiative. Let alone Lady Shiyi herself — even Luo First Madam and Luo Fourth Madam had both been stunned into silence for quite some time afterward. When Lady Shiyi had come to bring the New Year gifts, she had sensed unmistakably that the maids and servants throughout the household in Bowstring Lane had come to treat Fifth Concubine with a quiet, underlying deference.

Fifth Concubine then asked after Lady Shiyi and Xu Lingyi’s life together. “…Before, there was Fourth Young Master to consider. Now that Fourth Young Master has started his own family, you should think about giving Jin Ge’er a younger brother. A house full of children is a lively house!”

“I don’t know why, but it just hasn’t happened,” Lady Shiyi said ruefully. “I’ve had the imperial physicians examine me, and they all say there’s nothing wrong. I’ve also considered taking medicine, but the Marquis says that all medicine has some measure of toxicity — in these matters, it’s better to let nature take its course. He won’t allow me to seek treatment.”

Since that was the Marquis’s wish, Fifth Concubine did not feel it was her place to say more.

She smoothed Lady Shiyi’s hair — which wasn’t out of place at all — and said gently: “First Young Master and Young Miss Zhou’s wedding date has been set for the third month. First Madam says that after the Lantern Festival, we’ll set out for Yuhang.” She looked at Lady Shiyi with a steady, intent gaze, as though trying to fix her image in her heart. “You must take good care of yourself going forward… This visit to Yanjing — seeing how well you are — I am already very content…” The corners of her eyes grew red. “You need not worry about me, nor about Seventh Young Master…”

They were going back so soon?

Lady Shiyi instinctively tightened her grip on Fifth Concubine’s arm.

This meeting between them had been ten years in the waiting. When would the next one come?

After Fifth Concubine returned to Yuhang, Lady Shiyi found herself busy again.

First Jiang Shi became pregnant, and then Xiang Shi gave birth to a daughter on the fourth day of the second month.

The saying that grandparents dote on grandchildren more than on their own children proved entirely true.

Xu Lingyi was thoroughly delighted by the arrival of this eldest granddaughter. He sat in the study and wrote out nearly twenty names for Lady Shiyi to look over. “Which one do you think is best?”

Lady Shiyi glanced through them and found every single one to be some variation of “virtuous,” “graceful,” “serene,” or “tranquil” — not a single one with any real character to it.

She thought of that tiny, jade-carved baby and said with a smile: “I think ‘Ying Ying’ suits her. *A fine pearl of an inch, though surrounded by a hundred fathoms of white water, cannot have its luster hidden.*”

“That name is wonderful!” Xu Lingyi nodded in approval. “Ying Ying it is.” But even as the words left his mouth, a shadow crossed his eyes.

He had always longed for a daughter.

Lady Shiyi understood what he was feeling. She stepped forward and took his hand.

—