Eleventh Miss was in fine spirits. She returned to her room, found the *Records of the Nine Regions of the Great Zhou*, and settled in against the large kang by the window to read.

Dongqing beckoned Hupo outside to speak privately.

Knowing that the betrothal was nine parts out of ten likely to come to nothing, and that Eleventh Miss had already declared her intention to enter a religious life, both were heartbroken and at a complete loss for words. They were standing there exchanging helpless glances when they saw Nanny Du from the Xu household’s senior madam come walking in, escorted by Nanny Xu and a group of maid-like attendants.

Both were stunned. Nanny Du had already spotted Hupo and Dongqing, and called out to them with a smile: “Why are you two standing out here? Where is Eleventh Miss?”

Hupo and Dongqing quickly stepped forward and paid their respects to Nanny Du, then smiled: “Our Young Miss is inside reading. We didn’t want to disturb her, so we came out to get some air.”

“Ah!” Nanny Du’s expression shifted slightly. With a smile, she said: “I have come on the senior madam’s behalf, bringing something for Eleventh Miss. I must trouble you to announce me.” Her manner was extremely courteous.

Neither of them dared be remiss with someone from the senior madam’s household. Dongqing went in personally to announce the visit; Hupo held the curtain and welcomed Nanny Du inside.

Nanny Du took in the room — the flower stands and long side tables adorned with orchids and green leaves, everything arranged with a refined and tasteful air — and gave an inward nod of approval. Then her gaze fell on Eleventh Miss: she was wearing a half-worn, plain stone-blue patterned jacket, her face bare of powder. Though her eyes were red and swollen, they shone with a singular clarity.

Nanny Du smiled and paid her respects, then said: “The senior madam says the fan was embroidered with great care and delicacy, and she is most pleased with it. The apricot trees at home happen to have borne fruit, and she has sent some along for Eleventh Miss to taste.” As she spoke, the little maid behind her handed over a small lacquered box.

Hupo accepted the box. Eleventh Miss expressed her gratitude for the senior madam’s kind thought, the two exchanged a few pleasantries, and then Nanny Du rose and took her leave.

Sending apricots…

Eleventh Miss found it puzzling. She had Hupo open the box.

Inside was a box of green apricots — no bigger than lotus seeds, and clearly not yet ripe. They were absolutely inedible.

Her expression shifted subtly. She immediately told Hupo: “Go quickly and find out what Nanny Du said to First Madam.”

Hupo heard this and understood something of the hidden meaning. She went at once to Shanhu.

Before long, she was back: “Young Miss, Nanny Du did not come alone. With her came Old Marquis Huang of the Yongchang Marquis’s estate. He came on the senior madam’s behalf to formally propose the betrothal. First Master has already agreed, and personally wrote out Young Miss’s birth date and horoscope for Old Marquis Huang to take to the Marquis Yongping’s estate.”

Eleventh Miss paused: “Could it be that what Fifth Brother-in-law said was false?”

“No.” Hupo shook her head gently. “The senior madam learned of this matter herself — and that is precisely why she sent Nanny Du to see First Madam. She said that the Xu family is not one to forget obligations and break their word. Now that a marriage agreement has been established between the two families, it is only right to honor it. First Madam is to put her mind at ease and simply prepare the dowry. The wedding will take place upon the Marquis’s return. First Madam was overjoyed, and is already discussing the trousseau preparations with First Young Mistress.”

Eleventh Miss drew in a sharp breath.

She had not failed to consider this before. The fact that the Emperor had blocked the Empress Dowager’s family from entering the palace suggested, on one hand, that the Emperor now possessed the power to do so. On the other hand, it quietly revealed the Emperor’s attitude toward allowing the Empress Dowager’s family to draw near the core of political power. She had thought that with Xu Lingyi away, the members of the Xu household might not have seen through this. She hadn’t expected that the senior madam would prove herself a true heroine among women — not only had she seen through it, but she had acted with swift decisiveness…

She had far underestimated the Xu family of Marquis Yongping’s estate.

Eleventh Miss’s expression gradually settled into something more grave and thoughtful.

Dongqing, however, was overjoyed: “Heaven’s mercy! The Marquis has not let our Young Miss down.”

What kind of thing is that to say?

Eleventh Miss couldn’t help frowning.

What the Xu family was unwilling to let down was the honor of their own family… But thinking that Dongqing meant well, she swallowed what had been about to come out.

Binju listened and agreed wholeheartedly, nodding over and over: “Who says otherwise. The Marquis won’t be back until the fifth month — let’s just hope nothing goes wrong before then.” Then she asked Hupo: “Don’t you think so?”

Hupo seemed somewhat distracted. When she heard Binju’s question, she gave a vague “mm” and said vaguely: “If everyone else agrees, I have no objection!”

Binju was mildly displeased.

Ever since the time Hupo had gone to Tenth Miss’s room to show off, she had never been able to warm to Hupo again.

And Eleventh Miss, watching all this, felt a quiet stirring in her heart.

—

“…When I went, she was reading. The *Records of the Nine Regions of the Great Zhou*. The cover was so worn from handling it must be something she reads often. She was wearing a half-worn stone-blue jacket, and her eyes were red — it looked as though she’d been crying. But her composure appeared quite undisturbed.”

The senior madam gave a slight nod. “I hadn’t expected that one so young would be so steady and composed. I had been a little worried about her. Now I see my worry was unnecessary.”

“How could it be unnecessary!” Nanny Du smiled. “It shows how much you care for her. If she knew, her heart would be filled with gratitude.”

She continued: “When I arrived, the people of the Luo household all seemed to know what had happened. Once I explained my purpose, their faces all brightened with relief. I had been worried for Eleventh Miss too — but when I actually saw her, she was just the same as any other day. To say nothing of anything else — just that composure alone is more than enough to be a match for the Marquis.”

The senior madam gave an approving nod, a glimmer of satisfaction passing through her eyes. “That is well. I only hope that once she marries in, she will conduct herself with propriety as a wife, support her husband and educate their children, and flourish the Xu family line.” Then she asked: “What did the Luo family say?”

“First Madam said she would settle Tenth Miss’s betrothal within the next couple of days. She asks you not to worry — the marriage will proceed without a hitch.”

The senior madam was somewhat surprised. “Tenth Miss’s betrothal is already in order?”

Nanny Du smiled: “By the sound of it, someone has already been decided upon. But First Madam didn’t say much more, and I couldn’t very well pry.” She added: “Shall I send someone to look into it?”

“There’s no need.” The senior madam dismissed the thought with a slight shake of her head. “She has always liked to play her cards close to her chest. Best we keep our noses out of it.” Their conversation gradually turned to the arrangements for Xu Lingyi’s wedding. “The date is set so soon, but the proper forms must all be observed. Tell Third Master to have the small east courtyard off the main suite re-plastered and made ready for the bridal chamber. The furniture needn’t come from the Luo family — in such a rush, they won’t be able to find anything of quality. I believe I still have a set of rosewood furniture from my own dowry. Let them have that. At the right time, look things over yourself — see what flowers and plants the small courtyard still needs and get them in before summer arrives. I’ve heard that when the Luo family sent off Fifth Miss, she had four personal maids and two households of accompanying servants. With that as the standard, if Eleventh Miss comes with the same, it will likely not be enough. The people who served First Young Mistress — if she wishes to keep them, she may; if not, they can return to their original duties. Pick out some quick-witted maids for her, and a kitchen woman for the household…” She attended to every detail with thorough, unhurried care.

—

The Luo family sent word to invite Commander Wang. Hearing that the Luo family wished to move the wedding forward — and recalling the recent talk circulating about Marquis Yongping’s estate — he understood well enough what it was about. He smiled and settled with First Master on the twelfth of the fifth month for the betrothal ceremony and the twentieth of the fifth month for the wedding day.

First Madam was very pleased.

First Master felt vaguely guilty. “We’ve been a little unfair to Tenth Miss.”

First Madam pursed her lips without replying, and instead discussed the dowry arrangements for both daughters with First Master.

“For Tenth Miss, we’ll match what we gave Fifth Miss. For Eleventh Miss, I’d like to give a little more. The number of chests will be the same — twenty-four — but the quality of the items will be better, and the packing fuller… It won’t do to have her go to the Xu family and be unable to hold her head up.”

First Master had no patience for these domestic details, and only said: “You decide. Just don’t give people cause to gossip.”

“Rest assured, my lord,” First Madam replied with a smile. “No one will have anything to gossip about.”

But the very next day, when the Wang family’s steward accompanied Commander Wang to collect the betrothal gift register to be filed with the authorities, the steward muttered under his breath: “Only one courtyard and a hundred mu of land.”  His tone was one of unmistakable disdain.

First Master heard it clearly. Furious, his face went purple-red. “We do not have only one daughter in this family. We will not shortchange any of them, and we will not elevate one at the expense of the others’ dignity. If you find it unsatisfactory, then return our daughter’s horoscope to us.”

The Wang family’s people had not expected First Master to be so unyielding, and for a moment they were all quite flustered.

Commander Wang’s expression was also very poor. He fixed the steward with a hard stare and said coldly: “Am I the matchmaker, or are you?” Then he added by way of explanation: “The Luo family’s land is near Hangzhou Prefecture — not anywhere near Baoding Prefecture. Some people clearly don’t know what they’re talking about.” With that, he managed to suppress the offending steward.

When Eleventh Miss heard this, she couldn’t help feeling a quiet despondency.

Land near Hangzhou Prefecture was a place of dense population and scarce cultivated land — two or three dozen mu was already considered comfortable. Unlike the north, where holdings of a thousand mu were commonplace. Looking at this Wang family — not only lacking in experience, but lacking in grace as well… quite unlike Qian Ming, who had understood at a glance precisely what the Luo family was giving. By comparison, he did have his merits.

Eleventh Miss couldn’t help thinking this with a touch of bittersweet humor.

As for her own troubles, there were plenty enough.

Judging by the current situation, the wedding might still encounter some complications. But since the Xu family had dared to act as they had, they must have had some confidence in the outcome.

Thinking of the senior madam… Eleventh Miss had the dim sense that she would, in the end, most certainly marry into the Xu family.

She never went through life clutching at vain hopes. She had no choice but to think ahead about the people in her household.

When Fifth Miss married, she had taken along all the maids who served her daily, plus two households of accompanying servants. In the past couple of days, First Young Mistress had purchased two maids and two households of people — said to be intended for Tenth Miss. By that measure, she herself would also only be able to bring four maids and two households of accompanying servants… however things stood, the Luo family would want to be seen as even-handed.

Which ones to bring — that was still an open question.

Eleventh Miss made a point of asking Hupo: “…What do you think we ought to do?”

A look of quiet deliberateness crossed Hupo’s face.

She knew this was a crossroads — and the reward for all the diligent, wholehearted service she had put in over this past year and more.

True, she had been assigned here by First Madam, and when Eleventh Miss went to the Xu family she would certainly be taken along. But what then? First Madam would hardly fall out with Eleventh Miss over a single maidservant. And she had been watching Eleventh Miss closely all this while, and had come to see that she was not simply what people called gentle and virtuous — her gentleness carried within it a distant reserve and a measured propriety; her virtue carried within it a quiet restraint and a patient endurance. And what struck Hupo most deeply of all was that Eleventh Miss never complained.

No matter how unjust the treatment she received, nor how cutting the rumors she overheard, she remained as still as water — never agitated, never in a hurry… And to think, Eleventh Miss was still only a girl of thirteen or fourteen.

Every time that thought came to her, Hupo felt a faint, creeping unease.

If Eleventh Miss were ever truly roused to anger, what would that look like?

The thought passed as quickly as it came. Without a moment’s hesitation, she said: “Dongqing Sister is already twenty this year. The household has many demands, and First Madam hasn’t had a moment to think of it — but once you leave, she’ll likely be matched off to some manservant at random. Dongqing Sister is definitely someone to take.” Hupo laid out everything she had been able to think of with candid openness. “Binju serves Young Miss with great devotion. Zhuxiang doesn’t say much, but she was introduced by one of the Yiniangtos — I’ve watched them both and they seem quite good. As for Qiuju — she is sharp enough, but she’s a family-born servant… When we go to the Xu family, there will be things she may not be able to find out for us.”

What she meant was: Dongqing, Binju, and Zhuxiang were all genuinely loyal. Qiuju — while her parents both still served in the Luo household and she had been useful for gathering news — would lose that advantage entirely once they moved to the Xu family. If someone had to be left behind from the group of five, it should be Qiuju.

It was a perceptive assessment.

Though one of Eleventh Miss’s more important reasons for leaving Qiuju behind was that she had no wish to put her in an awkward position. After all, no one could know what awaited her once she arrived at the Xu family. In particular, no one could know what demands First Madam might eventually make of her. If it only came to protecting Zhun Ge’s wellbeing, then that was something she ought to do regardless — and there was nothing more to say. But she feared there might be other intentions lurking beneath First Madam’s surface…