The house on Si’er Lane was set in order, Liu Yuanrui’s eldest son Liu Taiping and his family moved in and settled, and by the twenty-second of the twelfth month, Shiyiniang had Hupo go and inform Lanting: “The house is ready to move in at any time.”

The very next day was the Little New Year. Visitors calling on Elder Dou to pay their respects came in a steady stream, and as the daughter-in-law managing the household, Lanting was run off her feet. Even so, she found time to stop by Si’er Lane, gave Liu Taiping’s wife two hundred taels of silver to help set up the place with tables, chairs, pots, pans, and basic provisions, and on top of that gave her an extra two taels as a tip.

Liu Taiping now worked in the duty room at the Xu household, responsible for keeping the gate. He was as honest as ever, but because he was Shiyiniang’s dowry household attendant, no one dared look down on him — in fact, he had even been made a team leader with ten or so men under him. His wife was the true niece of Madam Li, the kitchen matron in the inner courtyard, and had once worked in the small private kitchen of the Second Madam in the Xu household’s inner wing. She was not only quick and clever, but also an excellent cook. Receiving the tip, she promptly put together a box of pastries for Lanting’s personal attendant: “Made these myself — please take them back for a taste.”

The attendant took them with a smile. She brought them back to share around, and everyone praised them endlessly — eating one piece and going back for a second. The attendant’s heart stirred, and she quickly arranged several of the remaining pieces on a dish and brought them to Lanting. “Do try some, my lady.”

Lanting had not yet had dinner. She bit into one with her tea. “These really are wonderful. Sweet and refreshing, with the taste of lotus seeds and also of mung bean paste. I don’t know quite what the filling is.” She ate two or three more pieces before she put them down.

“The wife of Liu Taiping from Si’er Lane made them.”

Lanting nodded slightly, said “I see,” and kept the remaining pastries.

Once the busy period was past the fifth of the month, she had her attendant send a calling card to the Xu household, saying she would come on the sixth to pay her respects to the Old Madam.

With Xu Lingyi away from home, the ancestral rites and New Year calls were all handled by Xu Sizhun. The younger generation were naturally directed to Jiang Shi’s quarters; callers like Madam Zhou and Madam Tang of the Tang Fourth Branch were received by Shiyiniang; and the more senior guests — Madam Huang, Madam Zheng, and the like — were invited to sit in the Old Madam’s room. But Madam Zhou and the others were themselves the senior women of their households, far too busy receiving their own New Year callers to come and add to the commotion at the Xu household — at best, they sent a capable matron over with a calling card to pay their New Year respects. Madam Huang and Madam Zheng were both advanced in age and could not bear too much noise and bustle. Even in ordinary times they exchanged visits with each other, and all the more so during the New Year season, when they went nowhere at all. Even when the collateral branches of the clan came to pay their New Year respects, whether the Old Madam received them still depended on whether she was feeling well. There was no one coming to the Old Madam’s side at all, and Shiyiniang found herself free. Jiang Shi’s side, on the other hand, was quite busy. The Old Madam had invited two female storytellers to perform. Xu Sijie, afraid his mother would be lonely, came every day early to keep Shiyiniang company, and on sunny days would lean against the painted railing outside the eaves and play his flute — making the passing maids and manservants’ wives stop and look more than once.

Shiyiniang could not help but smile to herself.

Was this not what one might call: at home a fine young man is coming of age!

Xu Sijie himself had no such self-awareness. He pulled Shiyiniang to stand on the steps at the entrance passage.

“Mother, what do you think of planting a few caladiums in that corner?” He pointed to two elegantly shaped Lake Tai stones piled up in the eastern corner of the wall. “As if they were growing right out of the rocks — no matter the season, it would always look charming.”

“Lovely idea!” Shiyiniang thought it a fine suggestion. “Come spring, have someone come plant a few.”

Xu Sijie smiled and said “Yes,” and a young maid came hurrying in: “My lady, the Fourth Young Madam has brought the wife of Hanlin Academician Jiang to visit!”

Shiyiniang smiled and nodded, and went to the courtyard gate to welcome Madam Jiang.

After exchanging New Year greetings, Madam Jiang walked side by side with Shiyiniang into the main room.

“I should have come to see you before the New Year,” said Madam Jiang. “But by chance there was a small matter at home, and by the time I’d finished, the Little New Year had already passed. So here I am, the fourth day of the month, come to wish you a Happy New Year.”

“You are too kind,” Shiyiniang replied, inviting Madam Jiang to sit on the large kang beside the window. “It should have been me going to wish you a Happy New Year. But with my lord away from home, it is inconvenient for me to go about. I have stayed home throughout the New Year. Please do forgive me.”

The two of them exchanged pleasantries for a good while, and Madam Jiang rose to take her leave. “It’s the New Year season and everyone is so busy. When the New Year is over, I’ll come by one of these days and we can have a proper heart-to-heart talk.” She added with a smile, “I have long heard that the greenhouse at Marquis Yongping’s estate has flowers blooming year-round in every season. When the time comes, I must ask you to take me to see this greenhouse.”

“I’m afraid I’ll barely be able to get you to come even if I do invite you!” Shiyiniang urged her to stay. “Won’t you at least stay for dinner before going? Otherwise, what will our Fourth Young Madam think!”

“You have so many guests. I’ll come to trouble you another day.” Jiang Shi insisted on leaving.

Jiang Shi took Madam Jiang’s arm. “Auntie, please do stay and have dinner before you go.” She pressed her quite sincerely.

Madam Jiang hesitated slightly.

Wang Shu came walking over at a quick pace.

“My lady, Fourth Madam, Madam Jiang!” He cupped his hands and bowed. “The Fourth Young Master has sent me with a question for the Fourth Young Madam!”

Jiang Shi stepped forward. “What is it?”

Wang Shu glanced at Shiyiniang and Madam Jiang, then dropped his voice considerably. “The Fourth Young Master asks the Fourth Young Madam — where did she put away that pair of cricket gourds he bought last summer? Young Master Wang Yun has come to pay his New Year respects, and the Fourth Young Master wants to have that pair of gourds found and sent to Young Master Wang as a gift.”

“I had Baozhu put them away — they’re right up on the top of the multi-shelf cabinet in the study. Easy enough to find.” Jiang Shi said evenly. “Is it Young Master Wang who asked the Fourth Young Master for those gourds? Or is it the Fourth Young Master who wants to give those gourds to Young Master Wang?”

“Young Master Wang said that a few days ago, he was matching crickets against a Young Master Li, and ended up losing on account of his container. The Fourth Young Master then said that he’d gotten a pair of gourds over the summer that look pretty good, and wants to have them brought out for Young Master Wang to take a look at. If Young Master Wang likes them, they’re his.”

Jiang Shi asked no more, and told Baozhu to go find the gourds for Xu Sizhun.

Madam Jiang smiled and said “I seem to have overstayed,” and stayed to have dinner with Shiyiniang.

Jiang Shi saw Madam Jiang to the gate of the inner courtyard, and the two of them lingered in conversation for a long while. When Madam Jiang’s carriage finally disappeared from sight, Jiang Shi stood for a moment, and then turned back toward the inner courtyard.

Qiuyu came over with a smile. “Fourth Young Madam, my lady has asked you to come and sit with her.”

Jiang Shi was somewhat taken aback.

What could her mother-in-law want with her at this hour?

She straightened her collar, and followed Qiuyu to the main room.

The maids who usually stood at attention under the eaves were nowhere to be seen. The crimson lanterns hung in silence from the eaves, and the courtyard was so quiet one could have heard a pin drop.

Her heartstrings tightened involuntarily, and she became careful and measured in her every movement.

“Come,” said Shiyiniang with a smile, pointing to the armchair in front of the kang, “sit down and talk.”

Jiang Shi replied “Yes” and sat up straight in the armchair, her eyes scanning her surroundings from the corners.

Only Hupo was in the room serving, but after pouring Jiang Shi’s tea, Hupo slipped away softly. Only the two of them remained.

Jiang Shi drew a deep breath, and her heart gradually grew calmer.

“Mother, you called for me — is there something you wish to tell me?”

“Nothing in particular.” Shiyiniang smiled, and casually took an orange from the blue-and-white porcelain tall-footed fruit dish on the kang table and began to peel it. “It’s just that something crossed my mind, and I wanted to ask you about it.”

Jiang Shi quickly said, “Please, Mother, go ahead and ask.”

Shiyiniang said nothing, lowering her head and peeling the orange with her full attention.

The room grew unnaturally still.

Jiang Shi could hear her own rapid and heavy breathing.

She quickly composed herself and steadied her breath.

After quite some time, Shiyiniang at last finished peeling the orange.

She then carefully removed the white fibers from the orange, and only then looked up with a smile and held the orange out to Jiang Shi. “Try it — it’s a tribute variety from Fujian.”

Jiang Shi leaned forward slightly and took it, feeling somewhat at a loss — eating it seemed inappropriate, given how clearly her mother-in-law had something important to say, and it felt disrespectful to eat so casually in front of her. But not eating it also seemed wrong, since her mother-in-law had peeled it with her own hands — if her mother-in-law took it the wrong way, she might think she was too fastidious.

For a moment she couldn’t decide what to do.

Shiyiniang had already taken up a handkerchief and wiped her hands — clearly with no intention of peeling another orange.

Should she offer half to her mother-in-law?

As Jiang Shi was pondering this, she saw Shiyiniang lift her tea bowl and take a gentle sip, then say with a smile, “I heard Zhun Ge’er mention last time that you suggested I send word to the Crown Princess about the two thousand taels of silver we sent to Prince Yong’s consort…”

How could she possibly give orders to her mother-in-law!

Jiang Shi’s heart sank. She quickly said, “Mother-in-law, I only thought — a hand has both palm and back, and both are flesh. Prince Yong’s household needed cash in a hurry for the garden construction, and though our means are modest, since we knew of it, we should do what little we can. It is like how, some time ago, when the Grand Princess was making offerings at the Temple of the Pox Goddess, you and Madam Zhou went specially to Ciyuan Temple to pray for the Grand Princess. My only wish was that neither the Crown Princess nor Prince Yong’s consort should misunderstand.”

“You don’t need to be nervous.” Shiyiniang smiled. “I only asked because, from the way you speak, it seems as though you have read a good deal of history and classical texts. So I wanted to ask.”

“Ours is a family that runs an academy,” Jiang Shi said carefully, “so I have heard a great deal over the years and picked up something of an impression. I have never formally studied.”

“I was only speaking as the thought came to me.” Shiyiniang said. “Yesterday, on my way back from Bowstring Lane, I heard your Twelfth Aunt say that the daughter of her uncle — the one who served as Provincial Administration Commissioner in Fujian and is now Prefectural Court President — married the eldest son of the Prefect of Jian’ning. When the great unrest in Fujian broke out, the Prefect of Jian’ning was also implicated, and the entire family was exiled to Yongchang in Yunnan. Though the Court President Wang holds the esteemed post of Prefectural Court President, he had no means of rescuing his daughter and grandchildren from their predicament.” As she spoke, the smile gradually faded from her face. “At every festive occasion, the longing redoubles. Your Twelfth Aunt’s uncle’s wife thinks of her daughter so far away in Yunnan and is heartbroken, weeping without end, and no amount of comfort can stop her. Those who watch are moved to tears as well. The whole household is veiled in sorrow and gloom — they couldn’t even pass the New Year properly.” She gave a quiet sigh. “To think — back in the day, when your Twelfth Aunt’s mother-in-law was gravely ill and I went to pay her a visit, that family’s young lady was still a small girl who had come along with her mother to see the patient. I heard her speak then — she was not only accomplished in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, but also fond of reading history and classical texts. Her bearing was naturally gracious, with a quiet confidence and refined poise — a person of real distinction, like a bright pearl, like the morning dew. And yet to have come to such a fate. Hearing it, I grieved for her for a good while…”

Shiyiniang’s words seemed somewhat disjointed. But Jiang Shi, sharp as she was, heard them with perfect clarity.

—