“He could pay it back in time. Only he borrowed sixty thousand taels from the Imperial Household Department when he first set up his own residence, and that has still not been fully repaid.” Xu Lingyi smiled. “He Chengbi won a great victory in Fujian, and the Emperor wants to seize the moment to strengthen the coastal defenses in southern Fujian. Last year the Yellow River flooded; this year Zhejiang has suffered a severe drought. The Emperor has many places to spend money. The Prince may have been able to let his old debts sit unpaid, but at a moment like this — where could he go to borrow?”
Eleventh Lady could not help but laugh. “Is the Prince of Yong borrowing openly or in secret?”
Borrowing openly meant crying poverty to the Emperor. Borrowing in secret — if Xu Lingyi produced that much silver at once, the Emperor might grow suspicious of the Xu household’s finances.
“Openly, of course,” Xu Lingyi said with a smile. “I will put in two hundred thousand, borrow two hundred thousand from the silver merchant house, and borrow another hundred thousand from family and friends — that will not be so very much to ask of any one source.”
Eleventh Lady felt a vague unease. “Such a large sum of silver — you give it all to the Prince of Yong to repay his debt, and the Emperor will not be tempted to ask you to donate more?”
“Let him ask.” Xu Lingyi gave a low laugh. “At worst, I sell off the estates at Daxing and the shops in Yanjing.”
“Is it really likely to come to that?” Eleventh Lady said, taken aback. “The shops in Yanjing are on East and West Main Street — once sold, even with money to spare, you could never buy them back.”
“I would welcome him pressing me to sell them,” Xu Lingyi said, unconcerned. “Old things gone, new things come. Trust me — we will not suffer for it.”
While they were talking, Jiang Shi had already arrived at Xu Sijie’s study.
“My husband, what has happened?” She sat on the edge of the bed and pressed the back of her hand to Xu Sizhun’s forehead. “Where do you feel unwell?”
“I am fine.” Xu Sizhun had not expected Jiang Shi herself to come, and sat up with a sheepish expression. “I had not seen Fifth Brother in a long while, so I came to talk — I did not expect to fall asleep.” He forced a small laugh.
“My husband has been helping Father-in-law manage the household affairs all this time — naturally he is tired.” Jiang Shi smiled and called to Baozhu: “Go and make a pot of ginseng tea for Fourth Young Master.”
“No need,” Xu Sizhun said quickly. “We are in Fifth Brother’s rooms.”
“So we are,” Jiang Shi said with a smile. “My husband, shall we go back then?”
Having no good reason to stay, Xu Sizhun followed Jiang Shi back to their rooms.
Jiang Shi went to steep the ginseng tea herself, then sat beside him with a smile, watching him drink.
“My husband, in a few days it will be the ninth day of the ninth month. How has the family usually spent it in years past?”
Xu Sizhun could hear that she had something in mind. “Do you have a plan?” His gaze dropped to her belly.
“In this state, I am naturally best off staying quietly at home. To do otherwise would only worry Grandmother and Mother — that would be quite a fault.” Jiang Shi said with a playful pout. “I was thinking — if there are no particular family customs on that day, perhaps we could be the hosts and invite Grandmother and Mother, along with Fifth Aunt, and Elder Brother and Elder Sister-in-law from Sixiang Hutong, all to come to Danbozhai to admire the chrysanthemums and eat crab. What do you think?”
Xu Sizhun hesitated.
He had just been reprimanded by his father, and to immediately host a lavish banquet would show not the least sign of remorse. If Father found out, he would only be angrier.
Jiang Shi saw this pass across his face.
But she had her own purpose in mind.
“Does my husband think it is not a good idea?” Jiang Shi smiled. “The Double Ninth is the finest occasion to invite one’s elders. And I also heard from Elder Sister-in-law that after the Double Ninth, Elder Brother will be going out again to collect accounts. This is a good chance for everyone to gather. Otherwise, we would have to wait until the New Year.”
“Collecting accounts!” Xu Sizhun was genuinely surprised. The fact that Xu Siqin was helping Fang Shi manage her dowry properties was not something the couple had gone about advertising, but there are no secrets in the world, and Xu Sizhun had heard vague whispers of it — he had simply not imagined that Xu Siqin was actually going out to collect accounts in person.
Jiang Shi nodded, and said with feeling: “I always thought Elder Brother was a cheerful, easy-going sort of person. I would not have imagined he is also such a grounded and steady one. If it were someone else, who would go out in all weather to collect accounts themselves? They would simply send a trusted steward.”
She continued: “From what I gathered from Elder Sister-in-law, the reason Elder Brother goes out to collect accounts himself is mainly to use the opportunity to do a bit of trade along the way, to help make ends meet at home.”
“Surely not,” Xu Sizhun said, somewhat incredulous. “Third Uncle should have a fair amount of silver on hand.”
“Still water wears away the stone,” Jiang Shi said. “Third Uncle has been living separately from the main house for so many years now, and with no real post to his name, every expenditure draws down what he has. Funds are bound to get a little tight. But Third Uncle is after all from the Marquis Yongping household — all the social obligations through the four seasons, gifts and hospitality, are a major expense. Elder Sister-in-law has often had to dip into her own dowry to cover the shortfall. Elder Brother did not want to rely on Elder Sister-in-law’s marriage portion, so he thought about doing a little trade. Elder Sister-in-law said to him: trading also has its tricks and ways. Better first to help manage the dowry accounts, go here and there, get a feel for things, and once you have a clearer picture, then think about opening a shop. Elder Brother found this sensible, and began helping Elder Sister-in-law with the accounts. Sometimes when the records were murky, it meant going out to the estates to look in person, and naturally on the road he would fall into conversation with traders. One thing led to another, and Elder Brother started doing a few deals of his own on the side during the account-collecting trips — and all of them turned a profit. Gradually he found his footing. I hear he is thinking of opening a shop on East or West Main Street in Yanjing in a year or two.” She added with a smile: “And I hear from Elder Sister-in-law that in the past, whatever came up at home, Third Uncle had the final say. Now that Elder Brother has shouldered the responsibility of keeping the household going, whatever comes up, Third Uncle has to consult Elder Brother.”
Xu Sizhun’s eyes lit up as he listened.
Jiang Shi saw it, and was pleased in her heart. She spoke further of Jin Shi.
“My husband may not know — Third Elder Brother is quite the hollow shell.”
Xu Sizhun was startled. “Who told you that?”
“Third Sister-in-law herself.” Jiang Shi smiled. “She said Third Elder Brother’s salary would barely buy two days’ worth of rice. But Third Elder Brother’s colleagues are each one wealthier than the last, each one more lavish than the next. He could hardly stand apart and do things differently. And yet if he kept up with everyone, being only a small banner guard in the Imperial Guards, he had no pickings to speak of. If he wanted a transfer elsewhere, even with Father-in-law or Fourth Uncle putting in a word, the proper arrangements still had to be made — otherwise people would feel he was stingy, and from then on would wash their hands of him and never care to help him again. So Third Elder Brother gave up trying to ask anyone’s help, and instead worked on building goodwill with his superior on his own. Over the new year and festivals he spared no expense. For this purpose, Third Sister-in-law even sold one of her dowry properties.”
“How could she sell a dowry property?” Xu Sizhun said in astonishment. “Did Third Uncle and Elder Brother just let them go ahead like that?”
“I asked Third Sister-in-law the same thing,” Jiang Shi said. “Third Sister-in-law said: better to have good days than good possessions. Elder Brother and Elder Sister-in-law could see how hard life was for them, and looked out for them in every way — even when they went out to buy a box of face powder, they would buy a double portion for them too. How could they then go and ask Elder Sister-in-law for more money on top of that? So they went back to discuss it with Third Sister-in-law’s family. Lord Jin, when he heard the reason, agreed without a second word. He said: these matters have their order of priority. Third Elder Brother’s most pressing need right now is to find a way to get a position where he can be in charge of a district. A property once sold can always be bought again — but an opportunity like that, once missed, cannot be bought back for any price.”
Jiang Shi glanced at Xu Sizhun with a long, meaningful look. “You see — when it is a matter of serious purpose, whether it is selling fields or selling land, not a single elder in the family fails to give their full support.”
“Is that so?” His wife’s words had shaken him. He held his cup of ginseng tea without drinking, somewhat absent.
“Of course it is.” Jiang Shi smiled. “Look at Fifth Brother. Since he wants to pursue the path of officialdom, the family already had a resident tutor, and Father-in-law went to the special trouble of asking Great Uncle to introduce Master Chang. Then look at Sixth Brother — he wants to learn martial arts, and Great Brother-in-law searched everywhere for a teacher, even making a special trip to Yanjing. And Seventh Brother — Old Marquis Sun sent two teachers one after another. Think of how much effort all that required. And yet whether it was Father-in-law or Old Marquis Sun, not one of them found it any trouble — all because it concerns Fifth Brother’s and Sixth Brother’s futures. So one must always keep clear what is important and what is not.”
Xu Sizhun said nothing.
Jiang Shi knew that today’s words could go no further than this. To press on would only breed resentment in Xu Sizhun.
She smiled and rose, adding the final note to the day’s conversation: “My husband should rest after his ginseng tea. I am nearly at my term — I am still counting on my husband to be at my side and help me through it.”
“Of course,” Xu Sizhun said, coming back to himself. “When the time comes, I will be right there with you.”
Jiang Shi smiled and removed the large bolster pillow from behind him, replacing it with a small square one, and helped him settle back to rest.
Xu Sizhun had no desire to sleep, but did not wish to dampen his wife’s kindness, and lay alone in the silent inner chamber, turning it all over in his mind — Xu Siqin’s situation, and Xu Sijian’s.
In the outer hall, Nanny Yuan Baozhu, her eyes full of deep concern, hurried to meet Jiang Shi as she emerged. “How did it go? Was Fourth Young Master angry?”
“I said what needed to be said.” Jiang Shi was not confident of the outcome herself. “It is up to Fourth Young Master now, and how he takes it to heart.”
“Fourth Young Master is a clever man,” Nanny Yuan Baozhu said, quickly offering reassurance. “He is sure to understand your well-meaning.”
“I have only done what a wife ought to do,” Jiang Shi said, even as she silently prayed in her heart that Xu Sizhun would understand her intentions.
Seeing her expression, Nanny Yuan Baozhu called out hesitantly: “Fourth Young Mistress — should we perhaps send a word to the Madam’s side…?”
This way, even if Fourth Young Master continued to go his own way, the blame on their young mistress would be somewhat lessened.
“What a thoughtful thing of you to say, Nanny,” Jiang Shi said at once. “Please make arrangements to pass the word along. Madam is likely already worried about it too.”
“That Fang Shi really does know how to say the right thing,” Eleventh Lady said with a laugh, asking Hupo, who had come to report: “And Jian Ge’er’s wife really sold a dowry property? How did I never hear about this?”
“She did sell it,” Hupo said with a smile, “but she found the location unsuitable, so she sold it and exchanged it for a smaller one in a better part of the city.”
Eleventh Lady laughed, and turned to Xu Lingyi. “A virtuous wife is a treasure. My lord should be at ease now.”
And Xu Lingyi did, in truth, breathe somewhat easier.
He thought for a moment. “I have something I want to discuss with you.”
Eleventh Lady gave him her full attention.
“What do you think of pairing Ying Niang with Sijie?”
Eleventh Lady was taken aback.
In her mind, they were cousin and cousin.
“That child has been delightful from the time she was small,” Xu Lingyi said, reflecting. “But Siyu is a few years too old, and Jin Ge’er a few years too young. Only Sijie is close in age. She is like you — fond of flowers and plants. And you are her aunt. If she were to marry into this household, our family would treat her well no matter what, and you would have a companion. What do you think?”