Not long after, Xu Lingkuan and his wife arrived.

Xu Lingkuan’s expression showed unmistakable traces of dejection. The Grand Matriarch immediately pressed him to know what had happened. Xu Lingkuan quickly smiled and said, “Nothing, nothing,” and somehow managed to deflect the Grand Matriarch’s concern.

Fifth Young Madam, however, gave Eleventh Young Lady a look that was somewhere between a smile and something else entirely.

Eleventh Young Lady only smiled faintly.

There were things she wished had not come to pass, but having come to pass, she would not shy away from them.

Everyone exchanged greetings, chatted with laughter for a while, and then sat down to eat — men at one table, women at another, elders and young ones at separate seatings — a warm and lively meal.

Upon returning to her own courtyard, Eleventh Young Lady and Xu Lingyi had only just taken their seats when the three Yiniangs came to pay their evening respects.

Eleventh Young Lady had the small maidservants invite them in.

After paying their respects, Qin Yiniang and Qiao Lianfang stood somewhat silently off to the side, while Wen Yiniang immediately greeted Xu Lingyi with warm familiarity: “I heard the Marquis came back early today?”

Xu Lingyi gave a noncommittal sound in reply, lifted his teacup and took a sip, his manner indifferent.

Wen Yiniang seemed undisturbed, and turned to chat cheerfully with Eleventh Young Lady: “I thought to come and visit you this afternoon, but you had gone to the Grand Matriarch’s quarters. I heard you did not fare too well at mahjong. Why don’t we few sisters practice together first? With mahjong, it really is just a matter of practice — the more you play, the better you get. I wonder whether you are free tomorrow afternoon? I have an old set of bamboo mahjong tiles that sit very nicely in the hand. I’ll bring them for you to see. If you like them, you’re welcome to keep them…”

Eleventh Young Lady listened to all this with a smile.

Qin Yiniang watched Wen Yiniang with an expression of amusement. Qiao Lianfang stood with her head bowed and hands at her sides.

A small maidservant came to report that Xu Lingkuan had arrived.

Eleventh Young Lady was quite surprised.

A response so quickly…

The three Yiniangs quickly stepped aside into the eastern room to withdraw.

Eleventh Young Lady rose and had the maidservant bring tea and refreshments for Xu Lingkuan.

Xu Lingkuan said politely, “Sister-in-Law, please don’t trouble yourself. I’ll just say a quick word to Fourth Elder Brother and be gone.”

Eleventh Young Lady smiled and withdrew to the eastern room.

Wen Yiniang immediately welcomed Eleventh Young Lady to the large kang, murmuring all the while: “…What brings the Fifth Lord at this hour? I wonder what’s happened? Though actually…” she smiled, “the Fifth Lord is always so open and straightforward. If he does have anything on his mind, it’s probably not his own affair. He’s most likely come to ask the Marquis a favor on someone else’s behalf.”

Eleventh Young Lady only listened with a smile. She did not expect Qiao Lianfang to suddenly say, “You talk so much!”

Wen Yiniang’s face flushed faintly, and a flicker of irritation crossed her eyes.

Qin Yiniang quickly smiled and said, “Wen Elder Sister is a warm-hearted person. Qiao Younger Sister will understand once she’s spent more time with her.” She then picked up where Wen Yiniang had left off: “Sister-in-Law’s words make sense. If the Fifth Lord has come, it’s most likely to ask the Marquis a favor on someone else’s behalf.” Then she asked Eleventh Young Lady, “Madam, I heard from Wen Elder Sister that Dongqing will be going over to your Jinyu Lane house in the next day or two to settle the accompanying staff there. You’ll be short-handed on your side — shall I come and take a turn at the night watch?”

This was the first time Qin Yiniang had spoken directly to Eleventh Young Lady.

Her words were prettily put, and her tone was agreeably gentle. Only, she was not quite accustomed to this manner of conduct.

She said with a smile, “You have served the Marquis for so long — how could I have you doing night watch duty? Besides, I still have Hupo and the others. And if it comes to it, there is still Nanny Tao.”

Qin Yiniang promptly said, “However long I may have served the Marquis, the proper hierarchy of seniority must still be observed. To serve Madam is my place and my duty. If Madam has need of me, simply command me.”

Her expression was sincere.

If it was not genuine, then she was a consummate actress.

Eleventh Young Lady hoped she was genuine.

Qin Yiniang was born a bondswoman — her very life was not her own to direct; Wen Yiniang, with all her vivacious, flamboyant manner, was after all no more than a sacrifice offered up by her family in an attempt to attach themselves to a wealthy household — the moment her own interests clashed with the Wen Family’s, the Wen Family might not spare her a thought. Then there was Qiao Lianfang — falling into Yuanniang’s trap was partly her own fault, yet without Madam Qiao fanning the flames, she might never have found herself in this situation. And that included herself as well — if there had been a better choice, she might not have married into the Xu household.

Since they each had their own circumstances that left them little choice, why should women make it harder for one another?

So she hoped Qin Yiniang was genuine — genuinely willing to stay within her station and not overstep. Well, a small overstepping here and there was of no great consequence; the water that is too pure has no fish, and who has not a little selfishness… Only, she must not cross the line she herself drew. There were people she wished to protect. There was a life she wished to have.

On the other side of the wall, Xu Lingkuan was in discussion with his brother: “…We thought it over and over — the Villa at the foot of Falling Leaf Mountain would be best. It’s quiet, the scenery is lovely, and it won’t disturb either set of parents.”

“That absolutely won’t do,” Xu Lingyi said immediately. “That place is far too remote. This way — stay here at home for the next couple of days. Tomorrow there’s the grand morning court audience; I’ll speak to the old Marquis then and hear his opinion. As for the Ox-year people in the household, those who need to observe the avoidance should still do so for now, and the two of you should also stop moving back and forth.”

Xu Lingkuan answered in acknowledgment and rose to take his leave.

Xu Lingyi saw his younger brother to the door, then came back and gave Eleventh Young Lady an instruction: “We have a catty of blood swallow’s nest somewhere in the house, do we not? Tomorrow morning, first thing, send some to Mother and some to Fifth Young Madam. Fifth Young Madam is with child; you’re the elder sister-in-law — you ought to go and see her more often.”

Eleventh Young Lady murmured a respectful “yes,” while thinking privately: given the way he goes about things — first the slap and then the sweet — this Danyang County Princess will not necessarily feel grateful.

At that very moment, Fifth Young Madam was talking with her wet nurse, Nanny Shi: “…All the Ox-year people are to avoid contact — just in Mother’s quarters alone there are five or six small maidservants. Are they going to buy a few extra maidservants at short notice just for this? And even if they did, the nannies would still need time to train them up — no one new is going to be of use straightaway. The whole thing is just making a great unnecessary fuss. Back when she used the shad fish incident to try and deal with Fourth Branch, I never breathed a word of protest — I gave her full face. And she took that as a sign that I was afraid of her. What I’m doing now is simply making Third Branch see what’s what. I had planned to speak to the Grand Matriarch in a few days and move to Fangsheng Lane beside Ciyuan Temple — it’s neither too near nor too far from the temple, so the Venerable Master Jining can come and look in on me if anything arises. But with Eleventh Young Lady pushing me like this, I can’t help feeling put out!”

Nanny Shi carefully settled Fifth Young Madam’s legs up onto the chaise longue and said with a smile, “You’re overthinking things. The Marquis is not that sort of man!”

At these words, Fifth Young Madam suddenly burst out laughing: “Little Fifth can’t bear to hear me so much as sigh and groan in front of him.” Her face flushed bright as a patch of rosy clouds.

“That’s because the Fifth Lord truly cares for you.” Nanny Shi smiled, thinking of the old Marquis’s repeated admonitions not to let her get into conflict with the Marquis. She tucked a thin quilt gently over Fifth Young Madam’s legs. “You can make small demands and sulk a little now and then — no harm in that. But you must not let the Fifth Lord and the Marquis come to any conflict. And the Marquis is the sort of man who commands respect even from the old Marquis himself. With the Marquis standing behind you, you too can enjoy the shade of a great tree. You know what they say — in battle, father and son stand together; in a fight, it is your own brothers at your side. For this household to be good, the brothers must be in harmony, and the sisters-in-law in good accord…”

“I know, I know,” Fifth Young Madam said in a playful pout. “Otherwise, why would I just let Little Fifth go and answer the Marquis so quietly without a word from me? You go on saying the same things every day — surely you’re not tired of it, but I’m tired of hearing it.”

Nanny Shi gave two quiet chuckles and said no more, her eyes resting on Fifth Young Madam with an expression full of tenderness.

Fifth Young Madam then tugged at Nanny Shi’s sleeve: “Tell me — when Third Branch finds out we’re moving, do you think she’ll be so put out she’ll jump up and down?”

Since Fifth Young Madam had taken the advice, now was naturally the time to follow her lead.

Nanny Shi immediately smiled: “Of course she will. When you think about it, this move of yours is quite a check against her, too. You should know that White Manager in the outer courtyard is also an Ox-year person. And so is Steward Zhao at the reporting office. Both of them are people the Marquis relies on. If she tries to use your situation as an excuse to make trouble for those two, she’ll end up dragging you into it as well. But our County Princess is far too clever for that — she’s not paying her little scheme any mind at all, and is moving to Fangsheng Lane plain and dignified. Besides, that is your own dowry property — everything inside and out is all our own people. You wake up whenever you please, you sleep whenever you please. The Fifth Lord can only be glad — there’s nothing to reproach.”

Fifth Young Madam nodded, smiling: “Let her busy herself with whatever she likes. If she wants to talk openly about dividing the household — if she said it plainly, would Mother even stop her?”

Nanny Shi only smiled. Not a word came out.

No money — what’s there to divide?

—

Eleventh Young Lady finished making up the bed in her usual manner and turned around to find Xu Lingyi standing in the doorway of the inner room watching her.

“Shall I brew the Marquis a cup of tea?” Eleventh Young Lady asked with a smile.

“No need.” Xu Lingyi walked over in long strides. “Where are your maidservants?”

He had seen her making up the bed herself — that must be what puzzled him.

It certainly was not that Hupo and the others had failed to help — Eleventh Young Lady must have turned them away. Facing the still-unfamiliar Xu Lingyi, having something to do kept the mind from wandering and helped steady the nerves.

“It’s only a small thing!” she said with a smile. “Just a habit of mine.”

Xu Lingyi gave a small nod, slipped off his shoes, and got into bed: “Sleep early. Tomorrow there is the grand morning court audience.”

Since learning that Xu Lingyi had grand court mornings, she had been mentally preparing herself to rise at the second watch every day.

She blew out the lamp and got into bed. Xu Lingyi suddenly asked her, “The maidservants at your side — they’ve been with you since you were little, have they not?”

Because Dongqing and Binju were both a few years older than her?

Eleventh Young Lady made sure to seize every topic that seemed to pique his interest: “When I was small I followed my father to his post in Fujian. When we returned, my wet nurse couldn’t bear to leave her hometown. Hupo, Dongqing, and Binju were given to me by my mother after we returned to Yuhang. Zhuxiang was given to me by my Yiniang.”

Xu Lingyi made no sound.

Eleventh Young Lady continued: “My Yiniang used to be a bondsmaid in my mother’s service. When I was little, I thought she was like a fairy. It’s a pity she couldn’t come with me when I married.”

Xu Lingyi still gave no response.

But she could hear the sound of steady, even breathing.

Asleep already.

Eleventh Young Lady thought of the look on Fifth Yiniang’s face — a smile that still held a shadow of melancholy within it.

She gazed up at the bed canopy, and said quietly, “…I wonder how she is getting on in Yuhang.”

First Madam was about to return. Now that she herself had married into the Marquis of Yongping’s household and become the Marquis’s wife, perhaps First Madam, for Zhun Ge’er’s sake, would give her a measure of dignity. She would keep Fifth Yiniang somewhat better off than before.

“If you miss her, just have your father-in-law bring her to serve at your mother-in-law’s side.” In the darkness, Xu Lingyi’s low, deep voice reached her from across the room, unhurried and distant as the toll of a morning bell. “No need to be always thinking of it like this.”

Eleventh Young Lady turned over and lay on her side, her arm tucked beneath her head, watching the person beside her.

The fifteenth night’s moon is the fullest, but the sixteenth is just as bright — and so was the fourteenth. Its light filtered through the bed curtains, soft enough to trace Xu Lingyi’s outline.

His shoulders were broad; his frame, sturdy and long. She remembered that when they stood together, she only came up to his shoulder.

“Do I talk too much?” she asked with a smile.

Eleventh Young Lady waited a good while before she heard Xu Lingyi’s answer: “Not particularly.”

“Compared to the Marquis, I do talk rather a lot,” Eleventh Young Lady said, unable to suppress a smile.

Gazing at her cheerful, smiling face, there in the half-light filtered through the bed curtains, the pupils of Xu Lingyi’s eyes shone brightly.

—