Xu Siyu replied respectfully: “Father-in-law wrote to my teacher, asking when I planned to set out. He said that if I could arrive in Yanjing early, I should go and call on his good friend, Master Wuyue. Teacher heard this and asked me to return ahead of schedule.”

“Master Wuyue?” Xu Lingyi mused. “Who is he?”

“His surname is Hong. He is a school instructor in Yongqing County. Though he holds only the status of a provincial graduate, he is a close friend of both the Prefect of Shuntian and Vice Minister of Rites, Lord Wang Zixin.” Xu Siyu paused at that point.

Xu Lingyi asked no further, and nodded. “Indeed, this is not the sort of matter that should be committed to writing.” He then changed the subject. “Where are you lodging? Have you had dinner? Why not move over here — it would be more convenient.”

They had taken an entire courtyard, with guards, manservants, maids, and matrons — there was still an empty side room to the west, which was not only spacious and convenient, but also secure.

“Please eat without me — I’ve already dined.” Xu Siyu smiled, and sent a small maid to tell Mozhu to bring his luggage over.

Eleventh Lady exchanged a few pleasantries with Xu Siyu — “Ying Ying is so charming now, she can already walk on her own” — and by the time the luggage arrived, Xu Siyu saw it was getting late and took his leave.

“Is there something unusual about this Master Wuyue business that I’m not understanding?” Eleventh Lady asked Xu Lingyi in a low voice.

Xu Lingyi said nothing.

Eleventh Lady assumed he didn’t want to answer.

But that night, as they lay in the same bed, he murmured: “In literature there is no absolute first place; in martial matters, there is no undisputed second. An examiner’s preferences directly shape the outcome of the provincial examination. Lord Xiang’s intention in sending Siyu to visit Master Wuyue is most likely to learn the chief examiner’s tastes through him. This sort of thing can only be understood — it cannot be spoken aloud.”

Eleventh Lady gave a soft nod. “I seem to recall that Lord Wang Zixin was the matchmaker for Zhun Ge’er’s wife…”

And Jiang Song had also come up through the civil examinations — he had likely understood Lord Xiang’s meaning the moment it was spoken.

“It’s much like how, if you want to serve steadily as a general, you can’t afford to neglect the powerful old military families. In the imperial examinations, those who receive guidance from their elders have more opportunities than most.” Xu Lingyi smiled, leaned over, and blew out the lamp. “We still have a full day’s carriage ride tomorrow — get some more rest and save your energy.”

Eleventh Lady murmured in assent and closed her eyes.

But after sleeping all afternoon, sleep was nowhere to be found. She counted little lambs in her mind, while her thoughts drifted to Jin Ge’er, now newly parted from them. It was his first time away from his father — would he be frightened? What was he doing at this very moment? Was he already fast asleep, or was he, like her, thinking of the loved ones he’d left further and further behind?

The more she thought, the more wakeful she became.

Beside her came long, steady breaths.

Eleventh Lady gently turned over.

Xu Lingyi stirred awake.

“Thinking of Jin Ge’er?”

Eleventh Lady was startled. “The Marquis isn’t asleep either?”

Xu Lingyi said nothing, and after a long silence finally spoke: “Tonight they should have moored at Zhangjiawan. By tomorrow they’ll reach Tianjin.”

In the dark, Eleventh Lady smiled softly and reached for Xu Lingyi’s hand.

—

The next day, the brothers met and caught up at length. Then Eleventh Lady rode in the carriage while Xu Lingyi rode on horseback with his son, and together they returned to Hehua Li.

The Grand Madam had been out of sorts since Jin Ge’er’s departure, but at this news she couldn’t help letting a smile show. That same evening at the Grand Madam’s quarters, three tables were laid, and they ate a warm and lively meal together.

Relatives exchanged courtesies, friends gathered for reunions, and the Xu brothers even shared a private drink between themselves. By the time Xu Siyu went to call on Master Wuyue, seven or eight days had already passed.

Eleventh Lady received a letter from Jin Ge’er.

“What does it say? What does it say? Read it to me!” The Grand Madam’s eyesight was poor; before Nanny Du had even opened the box containing her spectacles, she was already urging Eleventh Lady to read it aloud.

“Respectfully written to Grandmother: Uncle and I have now reached Cangzhou, where Eldest Brother-in-law has come to greet us along with Eldest Sister and her two nephews. An Jing is lively and adorable; An Xu is clever and quick-witted. When I last saw them, one was still charmingly innocent, and the other couldn’t yet speak…”

He had also written an identical letter to Xu Lingyi and Eleventh Lady, only changing the opening to “Respectfully written to Father and Mother.”

“Oh, skip to the important parts!” the Grand Madam interrupted Eleventh Lady.

Eleventh Lady smiled and summarized Jin Ge’er’s letter: “He says he met Zhen Jie’er and her husband, called on the Shao Family and met Elder Master Shao, and that his brother-in-law took him to the most famous martial arts school in Cangzhou. They stayed in Cangzhou for two days and have now set out for Dezhou.”

The Grand Madam exhaled a long breath of relief: “Good, that’s good.” She fell into a thoughtful expression.

Eleventh Lady didn’t know what she meant and waited quietly.

After quite a while, the Grand Madam suddenly exclaimed: “I remember now, I remember!” She called out loudly for Nanny Du. “Don’t you have a niece who married into Dezhou — married to a sub-prefecture official?” Her excitement was clear.

“Your memory serves you well, Grand Madam,” Nanny Du said with a smile. “It was only through the Marquis’s grace that her husband came to hold such a fine post. At New Year’s, she came to kowtow to you and the Madam — since the courtyard was crowded with visitors, she paid her respects alongside her mother in the outer yard…”

“That’s not what I’m saying!” the Grand Madam said with a hint of impatience. “I mean — write him a letter, on my behalf, telling him to board the vessel and look in on Jin Ge’er. He’s been on that boat for so long — I don’t know if he’s grown thin, if he’s eating well…”

Nanny Du smiled and agreed.

Eleventh Lady quickly stopped her, and said to the Grand Madam with a smile: “Mother, this letter is from three days ago. By the time it’s delivered, Jin Ge’er will likely have already left Dezhou.”

The Grand Madam’s spirits visibly deflated.

Nanny Du quickly said: “Never mind, never mind. I’ll write a letter and send someone ahead — once he knows the Sixth Young Master is passing through Dezhou, he’ll surely come aboard to pay his respects.”

The Grand Madam perked up again: “Go write it quickly. I’ll have the steward’s office send it for you.”

Nanny Du went to do so.

The Grand Madam asked after Xu Siyu: “He said he was going to study composition with some teacher — has he gone? Did the teacher accept him?” As she spoke, she pulled a small box carved with red lacquer begonia flowers from the drawer of the low table beside the kang and tucked the letter inside.

“He has!” Eleventh Lady smiled. “The teacher, hearing that it was Lord Xiang who recommended him and that he was a student of Master Jiang, received him very cordially and kept Siyu at his home that very evening. Mozhu and the others hadn’t expected it at all and scrambled to get bedding and luggage sorted, while a manservant was sent back to fetch more clothes. Siyu’s wife has only just seen them off.”

“We should send a proper thank-you gift to Master Wuyue,” the Grand Madam said.

“I asked Chang Xuezhi — that is, the youngest son of Chang Jiuhe who looks after my estate, now a junior steward at the household office — he went to Yongqing County together with Siyu’s manservant, and brought along a painting by the Song dynasty master Li Di, *Snow Trees and Cold Birds*,” Eleventh Lady said with a smile.

The Grand Madam nodded approvingly.

The Second Madam arrived: “I heard Siyu is lodging in Yongqing?”

Eleventh Lady described the situation.

“Since this Master Wuyue is a provincial graduate who failed repeatedly in the higher examinations and now serves as a school instructor, I think it would be better to send some famous calligraphy and paintings from previous dynasties as a courtesy gift,” the Second Madam said. “It would convey a certain refinement and class.”

“Eleventh Lady has already had someone bring them over,” the Grand Madam said with a smile, patting the seat cushion beside her and gesturing for her to sit. “Jin Ge’er wrote me a letter.” She produced it. “Have a look.”

Like a child who’d received a prized sweet — not only pleased, but a touch boastful about it.

The Second Madam looked mildly surprised and accepted the letter with a smile.

The Grand Madam leaned over. “Read it aloud!”

The Second Madam read it through with a smile.

The Grand Madam looked as satisfied as if she’d eaten a divine fruit: “Where do you think he is by now?” She put the letter back into the box.

“He should be around Linqing by now,” the Second Madam reflected. “Though it’s hard to say. If he didn’t linger in Linqing, he may have already reached Liaocheng.”

The Grand Madam trusted the Second Madam’s judgment entirely, and every day the two of them would discuss where Jin Ge’er might have reached, then wait eagerly for his next letter.

Seeing this, Eleventh Lady instructed the courier on his return: “…write to the Grand Madam every time you reach a new place.”

What had begun as letters sent only at major stops like Linqing and Liaocheng gradually became letters sent from every mooring point. Whatever else could be said, the letters were getting better and better. The courier returned with a smile: “…the Uncle urges the Sixth Young Master to write a letter every day. He also must practice three pages of calligraphy and read one page of text.”

This was an unexpected benefit no one had anticipated.

The Grand Madam laughed heartily: “Our Uncle, you know, is a Shuji Shi.”

Everyone sitting nearby laughed along with her.

The Grand Madam began to speak of Luo Zhensheng: “…truly thoughtful. At every stop, he takes Jin Ge’er out to see the sights. Jin Ge’er mentioned last time that Uncle is going to take him to Qufu to pay respects at the Confucian Temple — not just anyone can go to a place like that.” The Grand Madam looked worried. “I wonder if he managed to go.”

“Wait a few more days,” the Second Madam said with a comforting smile. “Whether he goes or not, Jin Ge’er will write and tell you.”

“That’s true!” The Grand Madam smiled at that. “He told me about having his sachet stolen by a pickpocket at the Guangyue Tower when he was out with his uncle. He’d certainly tell me about something as momentous as paying respects at the Confucian Temple.”

—

Time slipped by and the end of the seventh month arrived. Everyone’s attention turned to Xu Siyu, who was about to sit for the examinations.

The Grand Madam and the Second Madam went to offer incense at Xiangguo Temple, Baiyun Temple, Ciyuan Temple, and the Wenchang Pavilion. Eleventh Lady and Xiang Shi prepared the clothing, brushes and ink, baskets, examination curtains, and other things Xu Siyu would need for the examination hall. On the first day of the eighth month, Xu Siqin and his brother arrived early in the morning and saw Xu Siyu off to the examination grounds together with Xu Sizhun and Xu Sijie. Along the way they ran into Fang Ji, and the group went off together in cheerful conversation. Once all three sessions were complete, Xu Sijie immediately went to Xu Siyu to seek instruction in his studies.

“Master Zhao gave you your initial schooling, and Master Chang has guided your academic career. How would I dare show off before such masters?” Xu Siyu laughed. “However, if you want to know what to watch out for when sitting the examinations, I have quite a bit to say.”

“Then please tell me, Second Brother.” This was something Xu Sijie would face in time, and he was naturally very attentive.

Xu Siyu had left home while young, and his relationship with Xu Sizhun and Xu Sijie was not particularly close. Having been away perhaps made him more keenly aware of how much family mattered; for the opportunity to draw closer to his brothers, Xu Siyu was genuinely grateful, and he candidly shared all the lessons he had learned — his successes and failures — across his previous examination sittings with Xu Sijie.

Xu Sijie was deeply impressed by Xu Siyu.

When Xu Sijie had sat for the prefectural examination, Master Chang had briefed him on every detail. But when Xu Siyu sat for the same exam, Master Jiang had not said a single extra word to him — and yet Xu Siyu had still passed and obtained the status of a licentiate.

Even so, their exchange did not last long — in the middle of the eighth month, the county examination results came out, and Xu Siyu had placed fourth.

—