Second Yiniang silently took the paper drafts, studied them carefully one by one, then drew one out and handed it to Madam Senior Mistress. “This one is the finest.”

Madam Senior Mistress looked at it and paused. “Is the one with the large character ‘longevity’ in the center not good?”

Second Yiniang said evenly, “Fifth Miss is still young after all, and her brushwork lacks sufficient force. When she writes in delicate ornamental regular script, one does not notice it so much — but writing the large bold characters for a framed piece, the strokes come across as somewhat too graceful and feminine.”

Fifth Miss’s face went red, then white, then red again.

These were the very words her calligraphy tutor had once said to her.

She had not accepted it, and in private had sought out model inscriptions to practice her large characters…

Madam Senior Mistress sighed and passed the design Second Yiniang had selected to Fifth Miss. “Use this one, then.”

Taking advantage of the moment it was handed across, Eleventh Miss caught a glimpse of the design — it was the circular pattern of one hundred longevity characters.

“Older people all love the idea of perfect wholeness and fulfillment… Let it be this one, then.” There was a trace of weariness in Madam Senior Mistress’s tone. “Fifth Miss, write it out as soon as possible so that Eleventh Miss can begin the embroidery.”

Fifth Miss did not dare voice any objection. She received the design and curtseyed in assent.

Second Yiniang suddenly turned her gaze to Eleventh Miss. “So you will be embroidering the Hundred Longevity Pattern during this time?”

Eleventh Miss replied respectfully, “Yes.”

Second Yiniang gave a slight nod and asked no more. It was Madam Senior Mistress who was left curious.

“We had originally hoped to ask Eleventh Miss to help knot several braided cords,” First Yiniang explained with a smile, “but it seems Eleventh Miss will have no time for that.”

Eleventh Miss smiled and glanced over at Madam Senior Mistress, as if gauging her reaction. Seeing no sign of displeasure, she then smiled and said, “Fifth Elder Sister’s calligraphy will take two days. What sort of cords do you need? If it is not too many, I may still be able to help.”

The implication being that if the work was not too great, she could still manage it.

“I have made two cloaks for Muge,” First Yiniang said with a smile, “and wanted to ask Eleventh Miss to knot two Five Bats cords for them.”

Knotting a pattern of five bats from a single length of cord was one of Master Jian’s signature techniques, which she had later taught to Eleventh Miss.

Bats were a homophone for “fortune,” and five bats together symbolized the five blessings: longevity, prosperity, health of body and mind, virtue, and a peaceful death. To knot five bats from a single cord — there was no more auspicious object in the world than this.

Three-year-old Muge was First Young Master’s eldest son, and the very apple of Madam Senior Mistress’s eye.

The expression on Madam Senior Mistress’s face softened considerably. “I wonder whether those maids and matrons have been taking proper care of him.”

Three years ago, Old Master Luo had passed away, and the three Luo brothers had resigned from their official posts to return home and observe the mourning period. The three years were now up on the twenty-fourth day of the tenth month of this year, and all three brothers needed to return to the Ministry of Personnel to report for duty. Second Master and Third Master had brought their families along. Madam Senior Mistress, feeling that household matters could not be left unattended, had arranged for her son and daughter-in-law to take the grandson and Lu Yiniang with them to accompany First Master to Yanjing. This served two purposes: to provide First Master with someone to rely on at his side, and to let the son bring his family to visit his elder sister and brother-in-law, so as to leverage the influence of Marquis Yongping and secure a place for him to study at the Imperial Academy in Yanjing, the better to sit for next year’s Metropolitan Examination. Two years prior, when the new Emperor had ascended the throne and proclaimed a special examination, Luo Zhensheng had been in mourning and had been unable to participate.

“Muge has First Young Mistress at his side,” Wu Xiaoquan’s wife smiled. “You may set your heart at ease.”

And since Eleventh Miss now understood the purpose of the cord, she naturally expressed her willingness at once. “I dare not promise anything else, but I do have time enough to knot two cords.”

“Wonderful indeed.” First Yiniang smiled. “At my place, Cai Xiu Fang has all the five-colored silk threads prepared and ready…”  She looked almost impatient to start.

“Then go and help Yiniang knot the cords,” Madam Senior Mistress said, smiling as she instructed Eleventh Miss. “I have Wu Xiaoquan’s wife here to keep me company for a while. That will be quite enough.”

The meaning in those words was clear enough. The two yiniangs, Fifth Miss, and Eleventh Miss all rose and withdrew.

First Yiniang took Eleventh Miss’s hand. “Come, let us go to my room — I will have Cai Xia make you some rose and lotus paste cakes to eat.” She paused, then smiled at Fifth Miss. “Fifth Miss, why not come and sit in my room for a while as well?”

Noting how half-hearted First Yiniang’s invitation sounded, Fifth Miss felt a surge of displeasure. And thinking that these two yiniangs were now simply filling their days waiting for death, she could not even muster the will to socialize.

“No need.” Her expression was cool. “I dare not be careless about what Madam Senior Mistress has entrusted to me.”

First Yiniang was about to say something more when Second Yiniang had already taken hold of First Yiniang and Eleventh Miss and steered them in the direction of their quarters. “In that case, we will not detain you. Fifth Miss, please go and attend to your duties.”

Eleventh Miss, being led along by Second Yiniang, turned back and called out a “Goodbye, Elder Sister,” then hurried away with Second Yiniang.

Fifth Miss watched the backs of the three departing figures and curled her lip. She turned and went back to Jiao Garden.

First Yiniang could not help but grumble, “There was no need for that. She is a pitiable creature too.”

Second Yiniang gave a cold “hmph.” “Who in this household is not pitiable? It is only that you are pitiable, and there are those even more pitiable than you. Besides, we have come to this state already — all that lies ahead is death. What is there left to fear?”

First Yiniang caught a glimpse of Eleventh Miss standing awkwardly nearby and swallowed the rest of what she had been about to say. She simply smiled and beckoned to Eleventh Miss. “Come sit. I will go fetch the thread.”

The two yiniangs lived in neighboring rooms, but aside from her religious devotions, First Yiniang also enjoyed spending her days doing needlework for the children of the Luo household. Eleventh Miss’s slight acquaintance with the two yiniangs had come about because First Yiniang had heard from the household women and servants that Eleventh Miss was skilled with a needle, a prized student of Master Jian, and had then conceived the idea of asking Eleventh Miss to help embroider a sutra. As they came to know each other better, First Yiniang also discovered that Eleventh Miss had a gentle temperament — though she spoke little, she carried herself with composure and treated others with warmth and generosity. The two got on well, and First Yiniang had since often invited her to sit in her room or would herself go over to Eleventh Miss’s quarters, where they would chat idly and do needlework together. As for Second Yiniang, apart from her devotions, she had no interest in anything at all. On the few occasions they had encountered each other by chance, Eleventh Miss had greeted her respectfully, only for Second Yiniang to respond with a stern nod and nothing more.

Today’s circumstances, however, were decidedly strange.

First Yiniang had gone to fetch the thread, and yet Second Yiniang — rather than returning to her own room as she ordinarily would — turned instead to instruct First Yiniang’s maid, Cai Xia, “Your Yiniang said she would prepare rose and lotus paste cakes to receive Eleventh Miss. Why have you not gone to see to it?”

Second Yiniang had long been known for her severe manner, and Cai Xia murmured a hasty assent and took her leave.

Second Yiniang then turned on her own maid with a sharp scolding. “What are you standing there gawking for? A guest has arrived and you do not even know to steep fresh tea — what use are you?”

The words left Cai Yun’s face burning red. She curtseyed to Eleventh Miss and hurried off to change the tea.

Eleventh Miss quickly picked up her teacup and took a sip. “This tea is excellent. Is it a fine West Lake Dragon Well?”

A rare shadow of a smile flickered across Second Yiniang’s face. “You have a discerning palate. It is indeed a superior West Lake Dragon Well. However, I also have a Yu Xi Tieguanyin here that was sent from Fujian. Do try it.”

Eleventh Miss was quietly astonished.

Her present father — that is to say, First Master of the Luo household, Luo Hua Zhong — had served three consecutive terms as Provincial Administration Commissioner in Fujian without being transferred elsewhere, which he regarded as the great regret of his life. Yet precisely because of this, he had put down deep roots in Fujian, and even now that he was at home observing mourning, former subordinates who owed him favors continued to send him Fujian specialties. This Yu Xi Tieguanyin was one such gift.

Of course, a man like Luo Hua Zhong, who had risen to the position of a regional governor, carried considerable weight both at court and in the Emperor’s estimation. Barring involvement in treason, he would sooner or later return to official service. And he was also related by marriage to Marquis Yongping. Those people would not be careless about him.

In an instant, her thoughts were thrown into turmoil.

She felt as though something was brushing past the edges of her mind, but when she reached out to grasp it, it slipped away.

Eleventh Miss could not help but lift her gaze toward Second Yiniang — and then she suddenly noticed that Second Yiniang possessed a pair of eyes as clear and bright as water, rippling with a light that could bewitch the soul.

When a perfectly ordinary person suddenly reveals a quality entirely unlike their usual manner, Eleventh Miss was at once on guard, her mind turning over the events of the day.

Though First Yiniang loved to sew for the children of the household, that generosity did not extend to First Young Master — for in the Luo household, he was no ordinary child. And yet she wanted her to knot the Five Bats cord, a style that only Master Jian and she herself knew how to make…

“Hold a jade pendant before your eyes and move it slowly from side to side, keeping your gaze fixed on it as it sways. Do this for long enough, and you too can cultivate such eyes.” Second Yiniang suddenly smiled at her, the enchanting light in her eyes deepening. “If you begin practicing from today, it is not yet too late.”

Eleventh Miss feigned ignorance, letting bewilderment spread across her face.

Second Yiniang suddenly began to laugh. “Qing Tong was such an honest, simple soul — to think she gave birth to a daughter like you. How very interesting.”

Qing Tong was Lv Yiniang’s given name.

“I do not understand what Second Yiniang is saying,” Eleventh Miss replied, her expression perfectly composed.

“It does not matter whether you understand or not — so long as you are not deaf.” Second Yiniang’s manner was entirely serene. She seemed not only unbothered by Eleventh Miss’s feigned ignorance, but even a little appreciative. “If we count the days, First Master and First Young Master should have arrived in Yanjing by now. Yet for some reason no one can explain, both First Master and First Young Master have separately sent their most trusted attendants back to deliver letters to Madam Senior Mistress, one after the other. Upon receiving First Master’s letter, Madam Senior Mistress had someone summon you to work on the folding screen. After receiving First Young Master’s letter, she dispatched Nanny Xu to Ci’an Temple to deliver lamp oil donations, then bestowed that pretty maid Hupo upon you, and suddenly called me and First Yiniang to ask about the arrangements for printing one thousand copies of the Lotus Sutra… Do you not find any of that strange?”

First Yiniang’s room was right next door. How long could it possibly take to fetch a length of thread?

Eleventh Miss was already nine parts certain that the two yiniangs had dug a pit and were waiting for her to fall in.

One wife and six concubines, with a whole host of half-siblings locked in rivalry — not even a ghost would believe that this household was as harmonious on the inside as it appeared on the surface, with elder brothers devoted to younger and younger brothers respectful of elder.

But whatever the true nature of things, Eleventh Miss had no intention of entangling herself in it — she was neither willing nor capable of doing so.

“Madam Senior Mistress has long been devoted to Buddhism,” she said, smiling at Second Yiniang. “Sending Nanny Xu to Ci’an Temple to deliver lamp oil donations and asking Yiniang about printing the Lotus Sutra — that seems perfectly ordinary to me. As for the gift of a maid — in truth, Dongqing and Binju in my room were also given to me by Madam Senior Mistress, and they are both steadfastly loyal and kindhearted. I truly do not know where Yiniang finds anything strange.”

“Indeed, there is nothing strange about it at all.” Under Eleventh Miss’s steady gaze, Second Yiniang broke into a pleased smile. “I was merely making conversation. Some people can hear what is being said, and some cannot.”

Eleventh Miss smiled but said nothing, lowered her head, blew the floating leaves aside from her teacup, and took a gentle sip.

The room fell into silence.

“That Cai Xia tucked the thread under my pillow and gave me quite a search.” Before long, First Yiniang came out with a smile. “Sorry to have kept you waiting!”

“Not at all!” Eleventh Miss smiled serenely. “Second Yiniang was keeping me company.”

First Yiniang smiled and nodded, then placed the silk threads in Eleventh Miss’s hands. “Have a look — will this thread do?”

—