“Plant the hundred grains far and wide, that they stand tall and grow full.” Xu Lingyi set down the brush in his hand and looked with satisfaction at the wildly flowing cursive script dancing across the xuan paper, then looked up smiling at Shiyiniang beside him. “The name ‘Ting’ — what do you think?”

Here, the character “ting” carried the meaning of standing upright and straight. Combined with the character “shuo” that followed, it also implied abundance and plenty.

“Lovely!” Shiyiniang gave a slight nod. “That’s a fine name!”

On the twenty-sixth of the ninth month, Jiang Shi had safely delivered a son.

Xu Lingyi was choosing a name for him.

Hearing this, Xu Lingyi took a fresh sheet of xuan paper and, in neat and proper clerical script, wrote the character “ting.” He called Denghua in: “Take this to the Fourth Young Master!”

Because Jiang Shi had given birth to the eldest legitimate grandson, everyone in the household, from the highest to the lowest, received a reward. Everyone was in high spirits!

Denghua said “Yes” with a smile and hurried off to Xu Sizhun’s quarters.

Xu Lingyi began to discuss plans with Shiyiniang. “Once Ting Ge’er’s third-day washing ceremony is done, I intend to go out for a journey.”

Shiyiniang was startled. “You’re not waiting for Ting Ge’er’s one-month ceremony?”

“I can’t wait that long!” Xu Lingyi said. “If I wait for his one-month ceremony, it will be too late.”

“Where does my lord intend to go?”

“From Xuantong, through to Jiayuguan.”

Jiayuguan was a strategically important military pass. The places Xu Lingyi visited on these excursions were invariably of this kind. Given Xu Lingyi’s history, it was entirely understandable that he would go back to these places where he had fought in his youth — places that had brought him glory — to relive the spirited days of those years.

“Please take care of yourself, my lord,” she reminded him. “Bring more guards and attendants. The region is very remote out there — if anything were to happen, it would be very difficult.”

“Nothing will go wrong.” Xu Lingyi smiled. “I’ll travel by post road and stay at post stations, just as I did last time.” He paused for a moment, then said, “I was thinking — this time I’d like to bring Jin Ge’er along with me.” He added, “Opportunities like this don’t come often. Let him go out and broaden his horizons.”

In ancient times, unlike the modern era with its well-developed transportation, going on a journey was exceedingly difficult. Some people went their entire lives without ever venturing beyond a ten-li radius of where they lived. Opportunities like this were indeed rare.

Shiyiniang of course agreed.

Xu Lingyi gave her instructions. “While we’re away, consult with Steward Bai and have the Qingyin Residence in the outer courtyard put in order. Whatever needs to be added, add it; whatever needs repairs, repair it. Once the New Year has passed, we can have his things moved in.”

That would mean Jin Ge’er was truly going out from under her wing and becoming independent.

Just thinking about it pained Shiyiniang.

She recalled that back when Xu Sijian had broken out in a rash, the Third Madam had kept him home for an extra year, and Shiyiniang had thought the Third Madam was being overly indulgent. Now that it was her turn, she finally understood the Third Madam’s feelings.

“I understand.”

Qingyin Residence was one of the larger courtyards in the outer wing — four gates deep, three bays wide. The west side passage on the western side of the estate was only some twenty paces away, making it very convenient to come and go.

That afternoon, Shiyiniang took Hupo with her to look over the courtyard.

The wooden lattice windows were in good shape, but the cleaning had been done carelessly, dust everywhere. With no one having lived there for a long time, the courtyard felt empty and even a little desolate.

“Shall we start by planting some flowers and trees?” Hupo suggested with a smile. “That way, come spring, the courtyard will be lively. The rooms will have life in them.”

“As if you need to worry about it being lively once he moves in!” Shiyiniang laughed. “Never mind anything else — just those birds and dogs of his alone, and I’m not sure the courtyard will be big enough.”

Hupo heard this and laughed behind her sleeve.

When the Old Madam found out, however, she frowned. “Leaving before Ting Ge’er’s one-month ceremony… And with the New Year just around the corner — why not wait until after New Year to go?”

The greatest pleasure for the Old Madam these days was going to visit her great-grandson, Ting Ge’er.

“Going to Jiayuguan in winter is what makes it worthwhile,” Xu Lingyi said with a smile. “Wait until spring, and there’s no interest in it at all.”

Seeing her son was set on it, the Old Madam said no more.

But on the Fifth Madam’s side, things became quite animated.

“I want to go too. I want to go too.” Shen Ge’er kept circling around his mother. “Jin Ge’er has gone along with Father several times already, and I still haven’t gone once.”

The Fifth Madam was busy these days arranging a marriage for Xin Jie’er, and had not even had time to hold Cheng Ge’er in her arms to teach him characters for quite some days.

“Nanny Shi, take the Seventh Young Master outside.” She was already in a state of frantic confusion.

Xu Lingkuan felt their daughter was still too young, while the Fifth Madam feared there would be a delay in finding a match. The two of them already had some differences over this matter. The families who had come to propose were not one of them entirely satisfactory — either the household’s wealth was insufficient, or the mother-in-law was too young, or the young man’s appearance left something to be desired… She was thinking about whether to ask Shiyiniang to help make inquiries too — the more people looking, the more options there would be.

Shen Ge’er wrapped himself around a table leg and refused to budge. “I want to go, I want to go… If you won’t let me, I’ll tell Grandfather!”

The Fifth Madam’s head throbbed. “Your Fourth Uncle is going to Jiayuguan, not to Jiangnan. It’s nothing but sandstorms out there, and plenty of people from foreign tribes. Be careful you don’t get snatched and sold.”

Shen Ge’er was unmoved. “If Jin Ge’er can go, so can I.”

“Your Fourth Uncle already has his hands full bringing Jin Ge’er along — there’s no way he can manage one more.”

“Then I’ll just bring Grandfather’s household guards with me, won’t that do?”

While mother and son were in the middle of this heated argument, Xu Lingkuan came home.

“So Fourth Brother is going to Jiayuguan!” He was extremely excited — even more excited, it seemed, than Shen Ge’er. “I always wanted to go back then, but Mother wouldn’t let me, so I never made it.” He scooped up Shen Ge’er. “Come on, let’s go talk to your Fourth Uncle. We’ll all go together!”

Shen Ge’er shouted with delight and jumped.

The Fifth Madam simply let them be — if her husband was going along, what was there to worry about?

The Old Madam personally chose an auspicious day, and the two brothers set out from Yanjing with Jin Ge’er and Shen Ge’er.

Xu Sizhun took charge of the miscellaneous affairs in the outer courtyard. Shiyiniang was busy furnishing Jin Ge’er’s rooms, attending the banquets for the Emperor’s birthday celebration, sending New Year gifts, and stocking up on New Year goods. The Fifth Madam was busy finding a suitable family for Xin Jie’er. The Old Madam went happily each day to see Ting Ge’er, and sometimes kept Ying Ying, who had come to pay her respects, to play with her for half a day. The days slipped by quickly, and before long it was the twelfth month.

Xu Lingkuan and Shen Ge’er returned — but there was no sign of Xu Lingyi or Jin Ge’er.

“Commander Fan Weigang kept Fourth Brother behind in Xuantong,” Xu Lingkuan said with some awkwardness. “I still have official duties, so I brought Shen Ge’er back first.”

“They’re not coming home for the New Year?” Shiyiniang was quite surprised.

“It looks like they won’t make it back.” Xu Lingkuan gave Shiyiniang an apologetic smile.

“That Old Fourth — Ting Ge’er’s one-month ceremony, his hundredth day ceremony, both missed, and now spending the New Year away from home as well.” The Old Madam was somewhat displeased. “Why didn’t you talk your Fourth Brother out of it?”

“I tried!” Xu Lingkuan cried out his innocence. “Do you think Fourth Brother ever listens to me?”

The Old Madam said no more, and called Xu Sizhun in. “The household affairs are entirely in your hands now.” She thought for a moment. “If anything is unclear, ask your mother.”

Xu Sizhun respectfully replied “Yes,” feeling the weight of his responsibility, and became so anxious not to make a mistake that he came to Shiyiniang with questions over every small detail, afraid of taking a wrong step. Shiyiniang, however, was preoccupied with Prince Yong’s side of things. She took advantage of Xu Sizhun’s next visit to consult her, and called Steward Bai in as well. “The New Year is almost here — did my lord leave any particular instructions before he went?”

“He didn’t!” Steward Bai had also been worrying about this. “Everything else is straightforward enough, but we’re not sure what to send Prince Yong’s household for their New Year gifts.”

Shiyiniang’s gaze fell on Xu Sizhun.

Xu Sizhun knew about the matter of Prince Yong’s loan. After a moment’s thought, he said, “Why not quietly send some bank notes?”

Shiyiniang gave a slight nod. She asked Steward Bai, “Please prepare two thousand taels of silver in bank notes for me.”

Steward Bai understood, and said “I’ll go and prepare them at once.”

Shiyiniang said discreetly to Xu Sizhun, “When I go to deliver the New Year gifts to Prince Yong’s household, I will bring them to the consort.”

Xu Sizhun nodded. That evening, he went home and quietly told Jiang Shi.

The child had been handed over to the wet nurse. Jiang Shi had recovered most of her figure since the birth. Hearing this, she felt a little uneasy. “Since Father gave no instructions when he left, if we do this — could it look like we’re becoming too closely aligned with Prince Yong’s household? What if we end up being implicated by him?”

“That, that shouldn’t happen, should it?” Xu Sizhun had never thought about it in this way. He felt that since they were all family, it was natural to look after one another. And besides, the household was not short of that small amount of money, and it was Mother who had decided to send the gift. He had never felt there was anything improper about it. Yet thinking back to how, not so long ago, it was Jiang Shi’s urging that had helped him obtain his father’s forgiveness so quickly, he felt his wife’s words carried some weight. He began to hesitate.

Jiang Shi had only been thinking aloud, but seeing that Xu Sizhun seemed uncertain, she began to think more carefully herself.

If Prince Yong quietly stayed in his place as a prince, then once the Crown Prince ascended the throne, Prince Yong would naturally be the most honored and prestigious figure. Cultivating a good relationship with him would have nothing but benefits. But if Prince Yong harbored certain ambitions…

And besides, sending silver to Prince Yong’s household was something Father had left no particular instructions about.

The mere thought of it made Jiang Shi feel frightened. “Don’t rush. Let me write a letter to Father and see what he says.” She suggested a way forward to Xu Sizhun.

Xu Sizhun nodded.

A few days later, Uncle Jiang’s wife came over on the pretext of visiting the baby, and sent a maidservant to speak privately inside the inner room.

“Your father and your uncle are of one mind on this. They want you to stay well clear of the one in the palace and the one outside the palace alike. His Majesty is in the prime of his reign, and his years are long ahead of him. Doing anything at this juncture is clearly not wise.”

Jiang Shi relayed these words to Xu Sizhun and asked him to pass them on to Shiyiniang: “Mother is in the inner courtyard, and Father is not at home. Affairs of the court can change in an instant — it’s better to be cautious.”

“My lord and Prince Yong are uncle and nephew. When this matter arose, rather than asking for help, it came to us unsolicited. Father still found a way to settle the debt. Now that the New Year is approaching, we cannot avoid paying a visit. We can’t spare a great deal of money, but these one or two thousand taels can be found from anywhere in the household. Even if His Majesty were to hear of it, I imagine he would say nothing.”

Xu Sizhun thought it over and agreed. He went back and told Jiang Shi.

Jiang Shi smiled wryly. “As for the Crown Prince’s side — should we not make a visit there as well? I’ve heard that the Crown Princess and Mother are on very close personal terms. Now that this situation has arisen, should we not at least inform the Crown Princess?”

Xu Sizhun gently brought this up with Shiyiniang.

Shiyiniang smiled. “I have already visited the Crown Princess.”

Later, in private, she said to Hupo, “The Jiang Family has put a great deal of thought and effort into Jiang Shi.”

Hupo did not dare to comment on this, and instead mentioned the letter from Yuhang. “The eldest young miss of the family will set out after the Lantern Festival, so she should arrive by the end of the second month. Where do you think she should stay when she arrives?”

—