The First Madam’s outburst set off the others. Thinking of Yuanniang — so young, in the very prime of her life, and yet about to be gone — they were all overcome by a sense of how unpredictable this world is, and they began to weep along with her.

Or perhaps it was the bond between mother and child — Zhun Ge instinctively sensed the fear and burst into tears himself.

The wet nurse quickly tried to comfort him, and a woman stepped forward to wipe the tears from his face.

Zhun Ge batted her hand away and burrowed into his mother’s embrace.

The woman’s expression grew awkward, and she murmured something as she retreated to the corner.

The wet nurse said: “Zhun Ge, Qin Yiniang wants to wipe your face for you!”

At these words, the First Madam snapped her head up and looked toward the woman.

She saw a woman of about thirty, of medium build, wearing a plain dingxiang-colored damask upper robe, with a face like a silver platter and eyes like apricots — fair and clean, pleasant to look upon.

Thinking of her daughter’s pallid and haggard face, and now looking at this Yiniang who had borne the eldest illegitimate son, so plump and glowing, the First Madam felt an even deeper sorrow and cried even harder.

Zhun Ge was frightened and buried himself in his mother’s arms, peeking out at his maternal grandmother.

Yuanniang listened, and her tears slid silently onto the pillow.

“First Madam of the Luo family, please don’t cry!” A warm voice urged comfort. “The Fourth Lady has always been strong-spirited. Over the years, she has weathered so many dangers and come through them all — I believe this time she will also turn misfortune to fortune.”

The First Madam looked up. It was the inner attendant.

He gave the First Madam a slight smile, then turned to console the Grand Dowager: “When you weep like this, you frighten Zhun Ge as well. Even if you cannot think of the adults, you must at least consider the child.” At this, the First Madam’s face flushed and she pressed her hand over her mouth, forcing herself to hold back her tears.

The Grand Dowager also steadied herself: “Eunuch Lei is right.”

Those outside, hearing this, gradually quieted their crying.

The one addressed as Eunuch Lei took the opportunity to take his leave: “…It is getting late, and I must return to deliver word to Her Majesty the Empress.”

The Grand Dowager personally saw Eunuch Lei off to the door, but he stopped on the threshold: “How could I dare trouble you!” He insisted she go no further.

The Fifth Lady then volunteered to see the guest off on the Grand Dowager’s behalf.

“That would be wonderful,” said Eunuch Lei with a smile. “It has been quite some time since I’ve seen the Countess of Danyang.”

The Grand Dowager, seeing this, exchanged a few pleasantries with Eunuch Lei before letting the Fifth Lady go in her place to see him off.

Once Eunuch Lei had departed, the group surrounded the Grand Dowager and returned to the room.

They had barely stepped inside when a young maid announced: “The Second Lady has come!”

Everyone turned, and saw the Second Lady walking in quickly, dressed in a plain-colored gown, her eyes red and swollen as though she had been crying.

“Mother, how is Fourth Sister-in-law?” she asked. “I only just received word…”

The Grand Dowager dabbed at the corners of her eyes: “I had not intended to disturb you…”

The Second Lady quickly said: “I know Mother was worried about upsetting me. But I was worried about Fourth Sister-in-law, and afraid you were heartbroken as well… Are you all right?”

“Good child,” said the Grand Dowager, taking the Second Lady’s hands. “I am all right, I am all right.”

The Second Lady then helped the Grand Dowager back inside.

Everyone moved toward the inner chamber and found Zhun Ge lying against Yuanniang’s chest. Yuanniang’s gaunt, bony hand rested with effort on her son’s head, and she was murmuring something softly to him.

The sight pained them all.

“Fourth Sister-in-law,” the Second Lady said, somewhat choked up, stepping forward to greet Yuanniang.

“Second Sister-in-law has come!” Yuanniang’s gaze shifted slightly, but found no focus, and she turned her head with an expression of intent listening.

The Second Lady’s tears fell without restraint.

Maids then brought over brocade stools.

The Grand Dowager, the First Madam, the Second Lady, the Third Lady, and the others sat arranged around Yuanniang, while the rest gathered standing nearby.

Yuanniang softly instructed Zhun Ge: “Go play with Zhen Jie’er… Mama wishes to speak with your grandmother and maternal grandmother.”

Zhun Ge, seeing his mother speaking just as she always had, obediently went with the wet nurse.

Yuanniang then closed her eyes in great weariness.

The Grand Dowager was startled. The Second Lady quickly stepped forward to feel Yuanniang’s pulse.

But Yuanniang suddenly opened her eyes: “I am tired. I wish to sleep a while.”

Hearing her say this, no one wished to disturb her further. They drifted out of the inner chamber in small groups, leaving only the First Madam and the Grand Dowager inside to keep watch.

The Second Lady then asked Yaohuan with some concern: “What has the Grand Dowager eaten today? Does the household have any goat’s milk? Please bring a bowl for both the Grand Dowager and the First Madam — it will help them restore their strength.”

Yaohuan was just about to reply when a manservant came in to announce: “The Marquis has arrived!”

Everyone turned around and saw Xu Lingyi stride in wearing his scarlet third-rank official robe, with the Third Lady, Fifth Lady, and others following behind him.

His expression was grave: “How is Yuanniang?” he asked, and had already stepped swiftly toward her bedside as he spoke.

One glance, and Xu Lingyi’s expression changed drastically.

He had seen countless men on the brink of death on the battlefield…

He stood in silence at the bedside for a long while before quietly asking the Grand Dowager: “Has she given any instructions?”

The moment his words fell, the room went absolutely still.

The Grand Dowager sighed softly: “Yuanniang wishes her eleventh younger sister to help care for Zhun Ge.”

Xu Lingyi turned and looked at the roomful of people with a solemn expression, and said simply: “I understand.”

The First Madam then saw Qiao Yiniang’s body tremble slightly.

She could not help but feel a surge of quiet satisfaction.

That night, the First Madam stayed over at the Xu family’s estate. The next morning, before dawn had broken, a steward from the Xu family came knocking at the Luo family’s gate.

“The Lady has passed on!”

Though they had been prepared, when those words truly sounded in the First Young Mistress’s ears, she still felt a wave of shock.

Her husband was still in the examination hall and had not yet returned. The Fourth Young Master Luo Zhensheng was one who could neither shoulder burdens nor handle affairs. And the First Master looked as though he had aged ten years in an instant, sitting there in a daze without a word… there was not a single person in charge.

The First Young Mistress had no choice but to step forward and ask the steward: “At what hour did the Lady pass? Was her passing peaceful?”

The steward replied quickly: “She passed at the third watch of the morning, the hour of Yin. The Marquis, the Second Young Master, the Fourth Young Master, and the First Young Miss were all present at her side. She passed peacefully.”

The First Master’s eyes glistened with moisture at the corners.

The First Young Mistress sighed and called for Wu Xiaoquan to accompany the steward to breakfast: “…I will give instructions here and then follow you presently.”

The steward acknowledged and went off with Wu Xiaoquan.

The First Master then covered his face and wept.

The First Young Mistress was startled. But as his daughter-in-law, there were things she could not say. She quickly sent for the Sixth Yiniang: “…The First Young Miss has passed on. Please stay home and look after Father. I will go with the Fourth Young Master and the three Misses to pay our condolences.”

The Sixth Yiniang shed a few tears at the news, then went over to support the First Master: “You must contain your grief… The First Madam is already heartbroken enough. If something were to happen to you on top of all this, what would become of this household?”

She continued to console him as she helped him back to his room.

The First Young Mistress returned to her room and changed into a plain white upper robe. She instructed Nanny Hang to quickly inform the three Misses, and also sent people to notify the Second Master’s household and the Third Master’s household of the bereavement.

When Fifth Miss heard, she grabbed Xinglin, who had come to tell her, and asked: “Did Elder Sister leave any words?”

Xinglin had no idea, and answered off the mark: “I heard that when the First Young Miss passed, the Marquis and several of the young masters and young misses were present.”

Fifth Miss was somewhat disappointed. And somewhat worried.

If no one from the Luo family were to take Yuanniang’s place in that household, then Young Master Qian’s future career would lose a strong and capable supporter…

And when Tenth Miss heard that Yuanniang had died, she gave a cold laugh right in front of the maid who had come to tell her: “She went rather quickly!”

The maid responded with vague murmurs, not knowing what to say.

But Eleventh Miss stood in a daze for a long while.

She thought of Yuanniang’s gentle smile at their first meeting, and the self-mocking tone Yuanniang had used in that small courtyard… It all felt familiar, yet so strangely distant…

For some reason, tears gathered at the corners of Eleventh Miss’s eyes.

She did not know if she was grieving for herself, or for Yuanniang… or perhaps, for both of them.

By the time Eleventh Miss joined Fifth Miss and Tenth Miss at the First Young Mistress’s room, Nanny Hang had only just bought the paper money and candles, and the First Young Mistress was still waiting for the Second Branch and the Third Branch to arrive. Seeing them come, she quickly asked: “Have you eaten breakfast?”

Everyone shook their heads.

The First Young Mistress immediately instructed the kitchen to make some steamed buns and flatbread: “…As soon as Second Aunt and Third Aunt arrive we’ll set off. Eat what you can; you can take the rest to eat in the carriage.”

Eleventh Miss observed that the First Young Mistress was barely past twenty, yet she handled everything in an orderly and unhurried manner. She was inwardly deeply impressed.

They had eaten about half when a young maid came running in: “Second Madam and Third Madam have arrived!”

From the Second Branch came the Second Madam, the Third Young Mistress, and Seventh Miss. From the Third Branch came only the Third Madam. When they met, there was no shortage of sighing and lamenting, and tearful grief.

The Second Madam then urged: “The hour is not early. We should all make haste. To be late would invite gossip — it would not be proper.”

Everyone boarded their respective carriages and set off in a great procession toward Lotus Flower Lane.

Along the way, through the curtain that Tenth Miss had lifted, Eleventh Miss saw two or three groups of people keeping a steady, unhurried pace behind her own carriage. At first she found it strange, and then after a moment she understood.

They were all heading in the same direction…

Once the carriages passed Taihu Lake, all was a vast expanse of white.

When they arrived at Marquis Yongping’s residence, the gates stood wide open from the main entrance all the way through to the inner courtyard. Mourning canopies and memorial archways had already been erected. Stewards and manservants all wore white mourning coats; some stood by a makeshift account room to one side, while others came and went busily.

When they saw the Luo family’s carriage, a steward came forward immediately, and a matron designated to receive female guests was summoned to lead them to the inner courtyard.

Before Eleventh Miss had even entered the courtyard, she could already hear Zhun Ge’s cries.

As she entered, his weeping grew louder still, mingled with the low sobbing of women.

“You’ve come!” The one who greeted them was the pale and haggard Third Lady.

The First Young Mistress gave a slight nod and introduced the Third Lady to those from the Second and Third Branches.

Everyone exchanged bows, and the Third Lady’s eyes were already brimming with tears: “Please, come in and pay your respects!”

The First Young Mistress acknowledged this and went with the Third Lady into the inner chamber.

Yuanniang lay on a luohan daybed, wearing the nine-blossom hairpin of a first-rank lady, dressed in a great red pheasant robe. Her expression was peaceful and serene, as though she were merely asleep.

Above her head, a lamp oil wick burned. At her feet, four or five unfamiliar women sat gathered, weeping quietly. Zhun Ge, Zhen Jie’er, and a boy of about ten all stood at Yuanniang’s side dressed in mourning clothes. Zhen Jie’er and the boy both stood with bowed heads, wiping their eyes. Only Zhun Ge stood there with his mouth wide open, wailing.

The sight of it made Eleventh Miss’s tears surge forward all at once.

The First Young Mistress and the others, seeing this, began to weep as well.

For a moment, the room was filled with the sound of grief.

Then someone said: “Zhun Ge, your Eleventh Aunt has come.”

At these words, Zhun Ge cried even harder. Between sobs he choked out: “I want my Mama. I don’t want Eleventh Aunt.”

Everyone’s gaze turned toward Eleventh Miss.

Some exchanged glances; some wore thoughtful expressions; some looked utterly astonished… The atmosphere became somewhat strange.

Eleventh Miss was deeply shaken. But at the same time, she did not conceal her own emotions — she wanted to use her visible surprise to show everyone around her that she was genuinely bewildered. Inwardly, though, she couldn’t help but puzzle over it: how did Zhun Ge come to say something like that…

Fortunately, the Third Lady was very quick-witted. Seeing the atmosphere turn awkward, she immediately called the matron for receiving guests to escort the party to the First Madam’s location: “…She is resting in Lijing Pavilion at the moment. No doubt all the ladies and the young misses are greatly concerned about her.”

The First Young Mistress was indeed thinking of the First Madam.

After giving thanks, they all followed the matron to Lijing Pavilion.

—