When Eleventh Madam wished to learn something, she always found an effective way to do so — and she had been managing the Xu household’s inner and outer affairs for more than a decade, with capable people she could rely on throughout both quarters. Xu Sijin had gone in pursuit of Duoyan with three thousand Yulin cavalry, and upon learning of it, Gong Dongning had immediately dispatched his most trusted and capable lieutenant to lead every last cavalry soldier in the army after him. Along the way they found only the dead and wounded of the Yulin garrison and Tartar forces, along with scattered horses, but of Xu Sijin himself there was no trace.

“…It is said that after counting heads, the Sixth Young Master has no more than three hundred men left at most!” At this point, Hupo could not hold back any longer and burst into muffled, wretched sobs behind her hand.

Eleventh Madam’s vision went black. Amid the startled cries of the maidservants, she fainted.

She did not know how much time passed before she heard Xu Sijin calling to her. “Mother, Mother, why haven’t you gotten up yet — look what I’ve brought back for you!”

Xu Sijin stood at her bedside in military attire, smiling brightly, holding something in his hand, teasing her with it as one would tease a child.

So Xu Sijin was all right?

Joy surged in Eleventh Madam’s heart.

She was just about to ask him something when he turned away and began talking and laughing with a group of women gathered around him, their clothing a blur of red and green, their faces indistinct.

Eleventh Madam called out, “Xu Sijin.”

But Xu Sijin paid her no heed, laughing and chatting with those women, and as he spoke he walked toward the door, as if hurrying to meet someone.

He still hadn’t told her how he had escaped!

Panic rising in her, Eleventh Madam got up and cried out her son’s name.

Then a white gleam of light flared before her eyes.

She blinked them wide open.

The room was still and dark. On the small table by the bed sat a round tabletop palace lantern, its light gentle and crystalline, making the whole room feel all the more quietly serene.

That had been a dream.

Eleventh Madam’s eyes grew damp, and she felt tears spill from the corners.

She reached out of habit for the handkerchief she kept by her pillow.

But then, from somewhere in the room, a sound barely perceptible stirred — and a low, hoarse voice broke unexpectedly through the darkness. “You… you are awake?”

Eleventh Madam’s hand tightened on the handkerchief’s corner. Then she drew it out and dabbed at the corners of her eyes.

“Would you like something to eat?” Xu Lingyi gazed at her face, pale and almost transparent, and asked quietly.

Eleventh Madam kept her mouth firmly shut, unwilling to say a word.

Xu Lingyi was silent a moment, then said gently, “You are carrying a child now. Even if you will not take care of yourself, you must think of the little one. I have had the kitchen prepare some bird’s nest porridge — eat at least a little.” He raised his voice slightly and called for Lenxiang in a measured tone.

Eleventh Madam stared at Xu Lingyi.

His expression was calm, composed, and steady — as if nothing had happened. And yet, Xu Sijin’s accident had already been six or seven days ago. Six or seven days — what did that mean? It had already exceeded the best window for a rescue. He was a man, and he had once driven the Tartars into such flight that they had not dared set foot past Jiayuguan for more than a decade. Upon hearing news of Xu Sijin, he should have been devising ways to go and save their son at the very first moment — how could he still sit here so composed, urging her to eat bird’s nest porridge? At this thought, a sudden surge of fury rose in her heart, and she swung her hand and knocked the bowl he was handing her to the floor.

The sound of shattering porcelain rang out sharp and clear in the quiet of the night.

Xu Lingyi stared at Eleventh Madam in shock.

Lenxiang, nearby, was trembling.

Eleventh Madam sat up straight and looked directly at Xu Lingyi. “I want to go and find Xu Sijin. I cannot be like you — sitting here waiting for news.” Her voice was cold and distant.

Xu Lingyi’s face went deathly pale all at once.

His lips parted slightly, then pressed together into a firm line.

Eleventh Madam had already thrown back the covers and got out of bed.

Perhaps she had slept too long, or moved too suddenly, or perhaps carrying a child had weakened her body — she felt as though her head were floating and her feet had no ground beneath them, her vision swimming with golden sparks. She staggered, quickly grabbing the carved headboard for support.

“Are you all right?” Xu Lingyi’s expression tightened at once. He supported her with one arm around her waist and the other holding her elbow, drawing her half into his embrace. “Where does it hurt? Physician Liu has already been. He said when you gave birth to Xu Sijin, it taxed your constitution greatly — and these past years, though you worked to restore your vitality and slowly brought your health back, you are pregnant again now. You absolutely cannot afford to be careless in the slightest…” As he spoke, he guided her gently to sit on the edge of the bed.

What did it mean to be careless? What did it mean to be careful?

She could not even protect her own child — what did carefulness matter?

Eleventh Madam opened her mouth to argue back, but instead her stomach lurched and heaved, and she was overcome by nausea.

A look of alarm crossed Xu Lingyi’s face.

It was already past three months — to start retching now… Physician Liu had also said that while this pregnancy was not as uncomfortable as the last, she was getting older, and she must rest well, above all avoiding agitation and anger… Could something be wrong?

As the thought crossed his mind, he could not help but gently stroke her back, hoping to ease some of the discomfort.

But Eleventh Madam’s heaving only grew worse, until at last even water came up.

Xu Lingyi was alarmed. Not caring about the broken porcelain bowl on the floor, he quickly told Lenxiang to go and fetch Wan San’s wife, and instructed Hupo, who had come in at the sound, “Light a stick of sleep incense.”

Hupo hurried off to comply. Eleventh Madam pressed her hand to her aching chest. “I want to go and find Xu Sijin.” What she thought was a loud declaration came out barely louder than the buzzing of a gnat.

“I have already sent people to find him.” Xu Lingyi, knowing she valued cleanliness, looked at the spilled mess by the bedside, and lifted her bodily to the large kang by the window. “The moment there is news I will tell you.” He did not dare say “don’t worry.”

“You are lying to me.” Eleventh Madam felt completely without strength. The lamplight was painfully bright, and she raised a hand to cover her eyes. “If I were not carrying a child, perhaps I would never have been told about Xu Sijin at all…”

Xu Lingyi took the thin blanket Nanny Song handed him and draped it over Eleventh Madam. Seeing Hupo come in with an incense burner holding three burning sticks of sleep incense, he let out a quiet breath and said softly, “The fault lies entirely with me. You are weak right now — rest for a while first, and when you wake, we will talk properly, you and I. All right?”

The dizziness had passed, but Eleventh Madam was anxious and restless — she wanted none of it. She pushed herself up to sit and asked Hupo, “What hour is it?”

Hupo ran to look at the Western clock. “It is the hour of the Tiger!”

“Then it will be light soon.” Eleventh Madam murmured. Xu Lingyi wrapped an arm around her shoulder. “Whatever you wish to say, you can say it lying down.”

Eleventh Madam moved his hand aside and said to Hupo, “Go and tell the stable to have a carriage prepared for me. Then pack up some clothing, bring some dry provisions, and let Wan Daxian know — ask him to accompany me to Yulin.”

Hupo, with tears brimming in her eyes, pretended not to see the look Xu Lingyi gave her, and answered in a choked voice, “Yes,” then went quickly out.

Xu Lingyi let out a quiet, sorrowful sigh in his heart. “Do not rush. I will go with you.” With that, he took her right hand and began pressing the Shenmen acupoint with slow, circular strokes.

Eleventh Madam frowned deeply. “That hurts!”

“It will ease in a moment.” Xu Lingyi kissed her at the temple. “The Shenmen point treats restlessness and palpitation. Pressing it is good for your body.”

And it also promotes sleep.

What to say and what not to say in any given moment — Xu Lingyi had always gauged this with precision.

If she was to go in search of Xu Sijin, her body was of the utmost importance.

Eleventh Madam did not refuse.

After a brief sting of pain, her head grew heavy and clouded, and she quickly drifted off to sleep — the last coherent thought she had before sleeping was a sinking realization that she had forgotten to tell Hupo to take away that sleep incense…

Over the next several days, she lingered in a haze between sleeping and waking. At times she felt unbearably thirsty, and someone would feed her something slightly cool — it would spread through her throat and chest like spring water flooding a parched field, bringing relief. The familiar scent that accompanied it told her the one feeding her was Xu Lingyi. She wanted to open her eyes and look, but her eyelids were heavy as lead and would not obey. At other times she would hear a low murmur of voices, somewhere in the sound the thread of Xu Lingyi’s voice, and she would strain to make out the words — catching only fragments such as “uncle” and “it was my negligence,” and nothing more.

Every time she surfaced to a clearer state, the sweet fragrance of sleep incense lingered at the tip of her nose.

It was Xu Lingyi who had arranged it — to keep her from going to find Xu Sijin.

Eleventh Madam heard herself making small, muffled sounds of weeping.

Xu Lingyi would hold her, speaking low and constant near her ear, his voice gentle and quiet as a lullaby, his hand stroking her back — and she would drift once more into a deep, heavy sleep.

In a vague and hazy state, someone pressed a damp cloth to her face — unlike the warmth that invited sleep, this one was cool.

Her mind sharpened.

Then came Hupo’s voice, startled and overjoyed. “Madam! Madam! Wake up quickly — the Sixth Young Master has been found! The Sixth Young Master has been found!”

Eleventh Madam forced her eyes open with all the effort she had.

Hupo’s tear-streaked face filled her vision.

“Madam, it is true — the Sixth Young Master has been found… and Duoyan has been captured. Lieutenant Commander Li personally escorted the Sixth Young Master back to Datong… First thing this morning, the Emperor issued a decree saying the Sixth Young Master found Duoyan and has achieved a first-rank merit. He has been enfeoffed as Viscount Wujin. In a few days the Sixth Young Master will return to Yanjing together with the Marquis of Xining — oh, that is Commander Gong — and there is to be a prisoner presentation at the Meridian Gate!”

Was it real?

Eleventh Madam wanted to ask Hupo, but her throat was dry as dust and no words would come. She looked around — Ying Niang, Nanny Song, Lenxiang, Hanxiao, and even Qiuju and Yanrong, who had long since left the household, were all there, eyes glistening, surrounding her in a circle, their faces wreathed in smiles. But Xu Lingyi was nowhere to be seen.

Hupo knew her heart best, and said with a smile, “Prince Yong and Prince Shun have both come. My lord is with them in the reception hall. As for the Sixth Young Master’s news — by now it has probably spread throughout all of Yanjing. Prince Yong and Prince Shun have come to drink a celebratory cup.”

“Mother, it is true!” Ying Niang, seeing the confusion in Eleventh Madam’s eyes, nodded in confirmation. “Fourth Sister-in-law has been attending at your bedside these past few days as well. It was Father who had the kitchen prepare the food and wine, so Fourth Sister-in-law stepped away…”

So Xu Sijin was truly all right.

From disappearing without a trace to returning safely — with a great achievement besides. The reversal was too great.

Tears streamed freely down Eleventh Madam’s face.

Everyone who saw it wept as well.

From outside the window came Xu Sijie’s anxious voice. “Ying Niang, what has happened? What has happened?”

“Nothing, nothing — Mother has woken up. Everyone is happy, that is all,” Ying Niang answered quickly. She turned to see Eleventh Madam watching her and hastened to explain, “You have been unconscious these past few days. Father has been at your side caring for you the whole time. Fourth Elder Brother and my husband have been keeping watch outside the room…”

Before she had finished speaking, a young maidservant came running in. “Madam, Fifth Young Madam, the Princess of Jiangdu has arrived!”