Tenth Miss woke in the middle of the night. The only one keeping watch at her side was Silver Bottle.

Seeing her awake, Silver Bottle was overjoyed, and sent a junior maid to inform Eleventh Miss while she herself hurried to report to First Madam.

First Madam had already retired for the night. From behind the bed curtain, she said only “Understood,” and said nothing more.

Eleventh Miss had also retired, but upon hearing that Tenth Miss had woken, she asked Binju to pass word to the junior maid: “Drink more mung bean water — it helps clear the poison.”

Tenth Miss said nothing upon hearing this. She let Silver Bottle change her clothes, then fell into a deep sleep.

Eleventh Miss, however, could not sleep for most of the night.

She had originally thought that the bracelet Tenth Miss kept on her person was connected to the missing valuables from the old home in Yuhang. As it turned out, while the bracelet was indeed hollow, what it contained was arsenic. Whether the arsenic had been stored there too long, or whether it had been of poor quality to begin with, she did not know. In her haste, Tenth Miss had tipped half of it into her tea and spilled the other half on the floor… Not long after drinking it she had begun to tremble, her lips turning a livid purple. Nanny Xu, who had been keeping a careful eye on her, noticed the signs at once. Not wanting to cause a scene at the main courtyard and bring shame upon the Luo Family, and knowing that with things in this state she could not hide it from Eleventh Miss anyway, she had simply called Eleventh Miss in to help… With Eleventh Miss’s frantic effort to revive her, somehow — against all odds — Tenth Miss had been brought back.

Her own intentions had been good. But what awaited Tenth Miss now?

No one could say…

—

Early the next morning, Matchmaker Wang — an official of the Wang Family — arrived.

He began by roundly scolding Wang Lang, and then presented the eldest master with a banknote for three thousand taels of silver, saying it was compensation from the Maoguo Duke’s household to the Luo Family.

The eldest master declined to accept it, explained the matter of Tenth Miss’s attempted suicide, and insisted on breaking off the engagement: “…Truly, there is no fate between our two families!”

Wang Lang had indeed gone too far.

Matchmaker Wang was very embarrassed. He expressed a few polite words, then rose and took his leave.

“Are we to simply break off the engagement just like this?” First Madam could not help but grumble afterward. “Who will ever come to propose again after this?”

But the eldest master was genuinely glad to be rid of this match: “That Wang Lang is truly not a good husband material. And Tenth Miss would rather die than marry him. I think it best to let it go.”

First Madam gave a cold laugh: “That would be very convenient. In the future, whenever parents do the slightest thing not to their children’s liking, all the children can learn to make a scene of dying.”

The eldest master, somewhat vexed, turned and asked: “Then what do you think we should do?”

“Of course the Wang Family must come and apologize publicly and with great ceremony!” First Madam said, in a tone that brooked no argument. “And you had best not forget — we still have Fourth Young Master, Eleventh Miss, and Twelfth Miss with no marriages settled. We cannot let Tenth Miss’s affairs delay those others! Eleventh Miss in particular — the Xu Family will be coming to present the betrothal gifts soon. The Old Dowager’s intention is to set the date once the Marquis returns. But as things stand now… how are we to settle a wedding date with the Xu Family?”

First Madam’s every word was sound, and the eldest master fell silent.

First Madam then offered a plan: “Young Master Wang is getting married, and his elder sister must certainly be in Yanjing. I think she is the one who needs to be involved in this. Why don’t we take the indirect approach and write her a letter, saying our Tenth Miss is not worthy of Young Master Wang and that we have let down her kind intentions — then bring up how the Luo Family’s honor has been utterly destroyed, leaving us no path but to break off the engagement… A woman as clever and sharp as she is will certainly understand what we mean.”

The eldest master nodded his agreement.

First Madam personally took up her brush to write a letter to Madam Jiang.

But before the letter was even finished, the Old Marquis of Yongchanghou came calling.

The couple were both taken aback.

First Madam immediately complained: “Husband, did I not say this matter would affect Eleventh Miss? You see — the Xu Family has already sent someone so quickly.”

The eldest master went to the reception hall with mixed feelings of doubt.

But the Old Marquis turned out to have come to deliver a gift list: “These are the Xu Family’s betrothal gifts and betrothal money. Please take a look.”

The eldest master was mildly startled.

He had not expected that the Xu Family would be entirely unaffected by the recent incident.

The Old Marquis of Yongchanghou then consulted with the eldest master: “The Old Dowager’s thought is that since Tenth Miss’s marriage cannot be settled for the time being, perhaps Eleventh Miss’s wedding ought to be handled first. One can always harvest the wheat before the barley.”

Compared to the Wang Family, the Xu Family had conducted itself with great courtesy and propriety toward the Luo Family. The eldest master naturally agreed readily, and fixed the twenty-sixth day as the date for the formal betrothal.

When he returned and told First Madam, she too was rather surprised.

The eldest master could not help but sigh: “The Xu Family is truly reasonable and considerate.”

And so First Madam set aside the matter of Tenth Miss for the time being and devoted herself entirely to preparing for Eleventh Miss’s betrothal.

Yet the very next day, Madam Jiang arrived in person, accompanied by her younger brother Wang Lang, to apologize.

The eldest master was so furious he called out repeatedly that he would not receive them. First Madam could not help but urge him: “Do not make an enemy where you need not. Wang Lang is young, and what young person hasn’t had a temper. If we refuse outright, what becomes of Tenth Miss in the future?” She spoke for a great while before the eldest master’s expression softened slightly.

First Madam then went to meet Madam Jiang and Wang Lang.

Madam Jiang was thoroughly humble and deferential, and every word out of her mouth was an apology: “…The fault in this matter lies entirely with us. We will bring three thousand taels of silver to compensate for all your expenses that day. My younger brother knows he was wrong, and has come especially to beg your pardon.” As she spoke, she shot a glance at Wang Lang.

Wang Lang sat there drinking his tea, wearing the expression of a man who had seen nothing.

Having no other recourse, Madam Jiang continued to speak well of her brother without pause: “Whatever his faults, he is still your son-in-law. There is a saying: a son-in-law is half a son. You must give him some measure of face, so that he can hold his head up before his brothers-in-law and co-brothers-in-law in the future.”

So that was it.

First Madam thought, with a cold inward laugh.

The fear of not being able to face the brothers-in-law is the smaller matter — the real desire is to become a co-brother-in-law of Marquis Yongping.

But if this were her own daughter, she would have seized on this chance to break off the engagement no matter what. The trouble was that Tenth Miss was not her own… Thinking of the way Tenth Miss had sat up after saving herself and said not a word, only buried her head and eaten and drunk heartily, First Madam felt a vague unease — a feeling that something else would still happen.

Better to have her married off quickly, and stop having to look at her every day and be annoyed.

First Madam’s expression eased slightly.

Madam Jiang was extremely perceptive. She immediately produced a red lacquered box with gold-painted designs: “Here is a banknote for five thousand taels in full. The other two thousand taels are to cover all your expenses in marrying off Tenth Miss — the Wang Family will bear them entirely.”

First Madam laughed despite herself: “The way Madam Jiang speaks, it sounds as though I cannot afford these expenses myself…”

Madam Jiang quickly said: “That is not the meaning at all, not at all. It is entirely our way of expressing our regret…” With much coaxing and persuasion, First Madam finally let Nanny Xu accept the box. Madam Jiang took the opportunity to suggest the twenty-fourth day of the fifth month to come and fetch the bride.

First Madam hesitated: “The twenty-sixth is the date for the Xu Family to present the betrothal gifts — that was agreed upon long ago. I only worry it might seem discourteous to Young Master Wang.”

If the wedding was on the twenty-fourth, then the twenty-sixth would be the date of the three-day return visit.

But Madam Jiang, upon hearing this, immediately said: “Then the twenty-fourth it is. When all is said and done, it was we who caused the delay in the auspicious date.” She glanced at her brother. “We and the Xu Family are old acquaintances — it will be a fine chance to look in on the occasion.”

First Madam could not help but glance at Wang Lang — ever since he had entered the room, he had not said a single word.

Wang Lang, feeling First Madam’s gaze on him, gave her a sideways look, his manner utterly haughty.

First Madam was displeased. She thought of Qian Ming…

No wonder he had pulled those antics and turned to leave on the wedding day! But then again, it was not for the sake of a good son-in-law that she had agreed to this match in the first place. With that thought, First Madam gave a slight smile and immediately agreed to Madam Jiang’s request.

Madam Jiang thanked her again and again, exchanged a few pleasantries, then rose and departed with Wang Lang.

When the eldest master heard First Madam’s account afterward, he could only sigh: “So be it. Once she is married, things will settle down.”

On the twenty-fourth, the Luo Family invited only the Second and Third Households, and had a simple meal together. The Wang Family came to fetch the bride. The Luo Family set off two strings of firecrackers at the front gate, and then let the sedan chair go.

Watching the sedan chair recede into the distance, Sixth Yiniang could not help but sigh: “When the master took me in, the sedan chair was even made to circle two extra streets.”

The implication being that the ceremony for marrying off Tenth Miss was even less grand than that of receiving a concubine.

Fourth Miss and Fifth Miss said nothing, but both their eyes dimmed.

—

The twenty-sixth day of the fifth month was both the day of Tenth Miss’s three-day return visit and the day the Xu Family was to present the betrothal gifts.

The Luo Family once again invited Imperial Academy Scholar Jin to serve as Eleventh Miss’s guarantor.

Just as dawn broke, the Luo Family’s main gate was thrown wide open, hung with lanterns and festive decorations.

Wang Lang and the Xu Family’s party arrived one after the other.

First Madam arranged for Wang Lang and his wife to be settled at Luo Zhensheng’s residence, with Luo Zhensheng and his wife keeping them company. Everyone else went to receive the Xu Family’s procession.

The Xu Family’s betrothal gifts filled thirty-six carrying trays — somewhat modest for a family of the Xu Family’s standing — but at the head of the procession was a pair of jade ruyi scepters gifted by the Empress Dowager, and on the second tray were three figurines representing Longevity, Prosperity, and Good Fortune gifted by the Empress… These two items alone were beyond the reach of any other family.

First Madam was very pleased: “When we welcomed First Miss as a bride, there were sixty-four carrying trays…”

Nanny Xu nodded again and again: “The Marquis still shows respect for First Madam as his proper wife.”

The person who had come to deliver the betrothal gifts was the Xu Family’s Third Master, Xu Lingning. He was by nature a careful and considerate man, very courteous to everyone. Scholar Jin and the Old Marquis of Yongchanghou were already acquainted, Yu Yiqing was amiable by disposition, and Qian Ming was the kind who was always eager to make connections — a few exchanges and the atmosphere became very warm and easy.

The eldest master was visibly pleased.

When it came time to eat, Luo Zhensheng brought Wang Lang over.

Xu Lingning was not surprised to see Wang Lang, and greeted him with a smile.

But Wang Lang, seeing Xu Lingning, gave a slight start: “Why hasn’t the Fifth Master come?”

Xu Lingning smiled: “Ah, this is the lower half of the month — Fifth Brother has gone to his father-in-law’s household at Dingnánhou.”

Luo Zhensheng quickly invited everyone to take their seats.

Xu Lingning was gracious and deferential, insisting that the others be seated first. Wang Lang, however, was not the least bit modest, and sat himself down at the head of the table without ceremony.

Luo Zhensheng quietly explained to Scholar Jin, the Old Marquis of Yongchanghou, and Xu Lingning: “…Today is the day Tenth Sister’s husband and Tenth Sister make their three-day return visit.”

Rather than looking put out, Xu Lingning reassured Luo Zhensheng with a smile: “The Wang Family and our family are acquainted. This is simply Young Master Wang’s manner. Please do not be troubled.” Then, respectfully, he invited Scholar Jin and the Old Marquis to be seated first.

The Old Marquis — presumably familiar with Wang Lang’s temperament — said nothing, and took his seat below Wang Lang. Scholar Jin said even less.

Luo Zhensheng breathed a quiet sigh of relief.

Yu Yiqing found himself liking this brother-in-law even less.

But Qian Ming privately admired Xu Lingning for bearing himself with the ease of a distinguished family.

In the rear courtyard, the Elder Young Madam had set out a banquet for Tenth Miss.

Tenth Miss, dressed in a red jacket with an all-over gold pattern of water plants, sat without any of the joy of a new bride on her face. She helped herself to a bowl of rice, then declared “I’m full,” set down the bowl, called Silver Bottle to bring her book, and settled herself on the kang by the window to read.

Fourth Miss, Fifth Miss, and the Elder Young Madam exchanged helpless glances. They could only quietly ask Silver Bottle aside: “Is Tenth Miss… all right?”

Silver Bottle smiled: “The Duke and Madam are very fond of Tenth Miss.”

To have won the affection of one’s parents-in-law — that alone was half the battle won.

Everyone finally felt a little reassured.

—