That same day, Xu Lingyi did not return. At midday he had a personal manservant bring Eleventh a message: “I am well — do not worry.”

The next day, at the hour of si, the bells of every temple and Taoist monastery in Yanjing rang out together.

The Emperor had passed away.

Eleventh did not know what it was like in other households. In their own, only after the Grand Matriarch let out a long, slow breath did her eyes begin to grow moist.

“What does the Ministry of Rites say?”

“The funeral rites are to follow precedent,” Eleventh said softly. “They are currently deliberating on the mourning ceremonies.”

“Have everyone in the household change into plain mourning dress and remove their cosmetics,” said the Grand Matriarch, reclining against the great crimson ice-crackle brocade bolster, her voice carrying a trace of weariness. “Restrain the servants — no drinking or merrymaking, no laughter or idle play. Observe this for a full hundred days, then we shall speak.”

Second Madam sat in silence nearby, her expression faintly desolate.

Eleventh quietly assented, came out and instructed the household managers on the arrangements, when Third Madam came hurrying over wearing plain dress, two patches of black medicated plasters pasted to her temples.

“Is the Emperor truly gone?” She pulled Eleventh to speak privately in the side room off the main hall. “Is there any news from the palace?”

“Nothing has reached me,” Eleventh said. “The Marquis is still in the palace and has not returned.”

A faint smile touched Third Madam’s eyes and brows: “When the new Emperor ascends the throne, surely he’ll bestow generous rewards on his subjects?”

That would mean both Xu Siqin and Xu Sijian might receive hereditary noble ranks.

“The mourning ceremonies have not even been settled yet,” Eleventh replied tactfully. “Other matters will likely have to wait until after the state funeral before they can be discussed.”

“True enough!” Third Madam murmured. “It is still early to be speaking of these things.” Then she brightened, raising her voice: “Where is Mother? How is the old lady keeping?” She was already rising to her feet even as she asked. “I’ll go see her now.” She added: “Fourth sister-in-law, on the day of the funeral weeping, do remember to call for us — we are one family, after all. If we go together, warmly and united, the Empress Dowager and the Crown Prince will also feel honored.”

Eleventh murmured something vague in reply, had Hanzixiao accompany Third Madam to the Grand Matriarch’s quarters, then called Nanny Song and Hupo in and gave instructions regarding the national mourning observances.

Two days after the mourning notice: the Crown Prince was to wear coarse mourning dress for twenty-seven days, then plain dress thereafter. The princes and princesses were to wear the highest grade of mourning for three years, removing it after twenty-seven months. All civil officials were to wear plain dress and assemble at the Sishang Gate at dawn and dusk to weep and wail in mourning for three days, then change to coarse mourning and weep in the evening for three more days, then weep at dawn for ten additional days, removing mourning dress after twenty-seven days. External noble ladies were to wear plain dress on the fourth day and proceed to the Xihua Gate to weep and wail for three days, removing mourning dress after twenty-seven days. The households of officials were prohibited from music, sacrifices, and weddings for one hundred days. Commoner households were to wear plain dress for thirteen days, and were prohibited from music, sacrifices, and weddings for one month.

After all this came the new Emperor’s enthronement ceremonies, the rites of investiture for the Empress Dowager, and for the Empress, the completion of the mourning period, the funerary rites for the late Emperor… By the time Eleventh and Xu Lingyi were finally able to sit down and speak properly together, it was already mid-autumn.

Xu Lingyi had grown very thin.

“When the Emperor briefly came to himself, the first person he summoned was me…” He stared blankly up at the canopy of the bed, as though he had many things to say yet could not find the words.

Eleventh could only change the subject and speak of something cheerful: “Before, I had been worried the national mourning period would cancel or postpone the district examinations — but they were held as scheduled, and Jie Ge’er did not disappoint Teacher Chang. He passed and became a licentiate. What a pity we cannot celebrate properly for Jie Ge’er.”

Xu Lingyi knew that what Eleventh called a proper celebration would likely amount to gathering the family together for a meal.

He said nothing, but put his arm around her shoulders and said quietly: “When you have time, visit the Empress Dowager in the palace more often. Barely seven weeks had passed before the Empress Dowager insisted on moving to Cining Palace, and then sent for Abbess Jining to come to the palace and lecture on the sutras. The Emperor is very concerned.”

There were rumors that the Emperor had died of excessive sexual exertion. The imperial consort said to have been waiting upon him that night was Noble Consort Song, birth mother of the eighth prince.

Eleventh felt that since the man had passed on, there was no point in continuing to discuss such things, and so had never asked Xu Lingyi to confirm or deny the rumor.

The next day she submitted her name card. By that afternoon, the Inner Household had sent word back that she was to enter the palace the very next morning.

Cining Palace was steeped in solemn stillness. The Empress who had become Empress Dowager seemed to have aged ten years at once.

She spoke gently to Eleventh in a soft voice: “I have already spoken to the Emperor — once these busy days have passed, Jin Ge’er will be recalled. If there is no suitable post that meets with your approval, I will speak to the Emperor again.” She added: “I recall that the third son of your husband’s Fourth Brother was raised by you — what is he doing now? If there is nothing keeping him busy, have him come and serve in the Imperial Guard.”

Eleventh quickly thanked the Empress Dowager, and said gently: “Though Guizhou is remote, knowing that Your Majesty has always kept him in your thoughts, he goes without feeling desolate — in fact, he finds it rather agreeable there. Every time he writes home he tells this subject wife of all manner of new and interesting things, and not only he, but this subject wife herself has learned a great deal from hearing about them. Jie Ge’er passed the district examination and became a licentiate this past eighth month. Fifth Uncle is in the Imperial Guard, and Jian Ge’er from Third Elder Brother’s household went out from the Imperial Guard — all of these were decisions made by the Marquis. Jie Ge’er’s affairs will likely still need to be decided by the Marquis.”

The Empress Dowager was most pleased by Eleventh’s habit of never acting unilaterally.

She gave a slight nod of assent.

Eleventh asked about what scriptures Abbess Jining had been lecturing on these recent days, and then recounted to the Empress Dowager the story of her very first meeting with Jining — when Jining had advised her to redecorate her rooms. The atmosphere was relaxed and unhurried, yet never lacking in decorum. The Empress Dowager’s face gradually warmed with a faint smile.

A palace maid came in: “Empress Dowager, the Abbess of Dajue Temple has arrived!”

Eleventh rose to take her leave.

But the Empress Dowager said: “She has seen that I invited Jining into the palace to lecture on Buddhism, and has been submitting her name card to see me every day. I had grown tired of it and mentioned a date carelessly — only to find it coincides with your visit. Come with me to receive her, and then afterward we shall have the midday meal together and continue our conversation.” She extended her hand to indicate that Eleventh should help support her as they went to the side hall.

Eleventh murmured “yes” and supported the Empress Dowager to the side hall.

The Abbess of Dajue Temple was a woman of more than fifty, of middling height, her back straight as a rod, her gaze sharp and penetrating — an air of authority about her that suited her station perfectly. The nun following behind her was in the very bloom of youth: though clad in grey habit, her bright eyes and gleaming white teeth could not be concealed. Those who looked at her could not help feeling a quiet pang — such a beautiful woman, and yet she had entered religious life.

Eleventh, however, could only smile bitterly at the sight.

This world was indeed very small.

She had not expected to encounter Yang Shi here in Cining Palace.

Yang Shi had evidently known already that Eleventh would be accompanying the Empress Dowager — she showed no surprise at her appearance.

She smiled and gave Eleventh a slight nod, her expression carrying a touch of the warmth of meeting a familiar face far from home.

The Abbess of Dajue Temple was in the midst of presenting her to the Empress Dowager: “…This is my innermost disciple. Her dharma name is Jingjing. She can read and write, and has mastered the Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch. I have already designated her to carry on my legacy. I have therefore brought her today to pay her respects to the Empress Dowager.”

Under ordinary circumstances this might have seemed somewhat presumptuous. But the Abbess of Dajue Temple was presenting her designated successor in person to the Empress Dowager, and Dajue Temple was a royal Buddhist monastery — this was, by any measure, proper and fitting.

Yang Shi immediately stepped forward to bow to the Empress Dowager, her bearing composed and gracious, and instantly won the Empress Dowager’s favor: “Where are you from? When did you enter Dajue Temple? When did you take your vows?”

Yang Shi’s lips parted slightly, but the Abbess had already stepped smoothly forward with a smile: “She is from Daxing. She has always been of delicate constitution, and her family placed her under the protection of Guanyin Bodhisattva from childhood. She also read the scriptures from a young age, and when she grew up she entered Dajue Temple. She has been tonsured for more than ten years now.” The account was kept deliberately vague — clearly the Abbess did not wish the Empress Dowager to know Yang Shi’s true origins. The Empress Dowager appeared not to remember, and hearing she had been tonsured for over ten years, asked Yang Shi with some curiosity: “How old are you?”

Yang Shi replied respectfully: “This humble nun is thirty-one this year.”

The Empress Dowager looked Yang Shi up and down at that and turned to Eleventh: “To think that Reverend Jingjing has preserved her appearance so well!”

Yang Shi replied with humility: “Your Majesty flatters this humble nun. I have merely found contentment in my station, and have shed myself of anger, grief, and enmity.” As she said this, the corner of her eye glanced at Eleventh with a touch of flattery: “Is the lady beside the Empress Dowager the Marchioness of Yongping? To this humble nun’s eyes, the Marchioness looks no more than seventeen or eighteen — yet I have heard that the youngest son of Marquis Yongping is already fourteen years old. If we are to speak of preserved appearances, it is the Marchioness of Yongping who is truly the one with the gift!”

Seventeen or eighteen?

In her younger years Eleventh had already been known for her composed and steady bearing. Now, even more so, her every gesture and movement was free of error, carrying a quiet ease — she was hardly the picture of a young and spirited girl. It was remarkable that Yang Shi could bring herself to say such a thing.

Eleventh smiled faintly: “Reverend Jingjing flatters me.”

The Empress Dowager was clearly delighted to hear these words. She took Eleventh’s hand: “Many ladies have said in my presence that Marchioness Yongping is lovely in appearance.” The Empress Dowager, who had originally agreed to receive the Abbess of Dajue Temple and Yang Shi only out of a sense of obligation, now found herself drawn into conversation — and they talked at great length. In the end, she bestowed five thousand taels of silver for incense oil and five hundred catties of agarwood on Dajue Temple before signaling the end of the audience.

After the midday meal, Abbess Jining arrived.

They naturally exchanged pleasantries for some time, and when Eleventh took her leave, Jining herself accompanied her all the way to the gate of Cining Palace.

Eleventh smiled and told Jining about the Empress Dowager’s bestowal on Dajue Temple.

Jining gave a faint smile and pressed her palms together toward Eleventh: “This humble nun thanks the benefactress. I shall pray for blessings upon Marquis Yongping and the Regional Military Commissioner.”

Eleventh, seeing she had understood her meaning, returned home smiling, and relayed what the Empress Dowager had said about recalling Xu Sijin and rewarding Xu Sijie. Xu Lingyi heard this and laughed: “This matter I will see to.” As he said this, however, a shadow of hesitation crossed his face.

Since the late Emperor’s passing, the new Emperor had not conferred on Xu Lingyi any specific official appointment, yet Xu Lingyi held the title of Junior Tutor to the Crown Prince and had begun attending court every day.

“What is it the Marquis wishes to say?” Eleventh smiled.

“Silent.” Xu Lingyi took her hand. “The Emperor has indicated his wish for me to take charge of the Five Military Commissions and concurrently serve as Vice Minister of War. I have declined…” He said this and looked at her with a trace of apologetic color in his expression.

Serving as an official, earning money — in the end it was all about realizing one’s own worth or improving the quality of one’s life. Xu Lingyi had long since realized his worth in the eyes of others. In the years when he held no office, the quality of their lives had not diminished as a result. For him, whether he held office or not likely made little difference any longer.

He was probably worried about her face not being able to bear it.

And she felt that Xu Lingyi, in making this decision, had certainly done so after thorough and careful deliberation.

“Declined, then it’s declined — think nothing of it. As it happens, Teacher Jian has been saying she wants to expand the embroidery shop further — she wants to take on the thread-making trade as well. Nine out of ten embroidery threads in the empire come out of Huzhou. When the Marquis has a free moment, you can help us think things through and find a way to make contact with the Prefect of Huzhou…” Eleventh pressed her lips into a smile.