The next morning after paying respects, the Grand Madam kept Seventh Miss behind to speak with her.

Seventh Miss was understanding and considerate, her words tactful and pleasant. These past years, whenever something came up, the Grand Madam consciously or unconsciously always wanted to find Seventh Miss to chat with, to pour out what was in her heart.

“Your father has taken the notion to cultivate ties with the Li family.” She told Seventh Miss the matter from beginning to end. “He’s thinking of using our marriage alliance with the Li family to also draw them into this business venture… it’s truly meant to elevate Li Wenqing.”

Seventh Miss naturally understood the Grand Madam’s words.

For a mere provincial administration commissioner to establish connections with families like the Qin and Xu was no easy feat.

The Grand Master intended to promote Minister Li.

Speaking of which, there was a popular saying: “Sins in past life, county magistrate this life; evils in past life, county magistrate adjacent to capital; overflowing with evil, adjacent to provincial capital.” The Grand Master’s full ceremonial entourage was in Suzhou. All these years, rather than saying Li Wenqing was Jiangsu Provincial Administration Commissioner, it was more accurate to say he was the Governor-General’s concubine.

It was hard on him working diligently and conscientiously, playing this concubine role with such relish, at all times standing behind the Grand Master as his most loyal subordinate.

That the Grand Master wanted to promote such a capable official, such one of his own people, was within reason.

But forming a marriage alliance with the Li family naturally meant selecting from the Yang family’s current three daughters.

Fifth Miss’s birth was noble—to match her, they could only match with the Li family’s heir, Eldest Young Master. This was obviously impossible—Eldest Young Master’s child could already speak this year.

That left Sixth Miss and herself.

Seventh Miss unexpectedly recalled the discussion among several sisters years ago at Xiao Xiangxue.

She suddenly became somewhat flustered.

She herself was thirteen this year. In Great Qin, for thirteen-year-old daughters, people came to propose marriage.

It was just that with Fifth Miss having reached the hairpin ceremony yet still not settled with a family, Seventh Miss always felt marriage was still some distance away from herself.

Yet unexpectedly with the Grand Madam’s words today, her own marriage seemed about to be settled…

She couldn’t help but blurt out, “But, but this daughter doesn’t want…”

The Grand Madam was quite surprised.

Seeing Seventh Miss’s face flushed red, stammering, she didn’t immediately understand.

“Don’t want what?”

Seventh Miss hemmed and hawed, “The Li family situation is complicated, many concubine mothers, many brothers…”

Involuntarily, her face showed clear unwillingness.

In her mind, she couldn’t help thinking of Gui Hanchun.

Though Seventh Miss wasn’t very familiar with that young man.

The Northwest was even more a place of sorrow she never wanted to return to in this life or the next…

But truly having to choose between Li Eleventh Young Master and Gui Second Young Master, naturally she leaned more toward Gui Second Young Master.

Only then did the Grand Madam understand.

She couldn’t help but laugh heartily.

“I forgot to tell you!”

Only then did she tell Seventh Miss from beginning to end about how Madam Li had switched the subject of the marriage proposal.

Only then did Seventh Miss breathe a great sigh of relief.

She couldn’t help but despise Madam Li’s snobbery. “Madam Li as a person is truly meaningless.”

The Grand Madam felt she’d found a kindred spirit, slapping her thigh. “Isn’t that so? Her conduct doesn’t show a trace of the bearing of great families and noble clans.”

In great households, no matter how fiercely they fought privately, they had to maintain the face of keeping promises worth a thousand gold pieces externally. Words spoken, water spilled—one absolutely could not go back on one’s word.

Speaking with Seventh Miss was precisely this good—every sentence seemed to speak to the Grand Madam’s heart.

The Grand Madam increasingly enjoyed speaking with Seventh Miss.

“What I was thinking,” discussing with Seventh Miss, she spoke even more than when discussing with the Grand Master. “Your Sixth Sister is concubine-born, and this Seventh Concubine’s birth is lowly.”

Seventh Concubine was born a dancing girl—strictly speaking, her birth was a grade lower than a good family concubine.

“Getting Li Eleventh Young Master as son-in-law can’t be said to shortchange her. A proper legitimate son of Jiangsu Provincial Administration Commissioner, uncle Supervisor Ouyang has gradually risen these years with signs of prospering official career, and he himself is accomplished—at such a young age already passed the juren examination. In the future with maternal relatives helping, he may turn out more accomplished than Eldest Young Master and Third Young Master—who knows.”

The Grand Madam’s words were also reasonable.

Seventh Miss thought of Sixth Miss’s comments about Eleventh Young Master and involuntarily nodded.

The Grand Madam became happy.

“By rights, both being concubine daughters from side chambers, I can’t show favoritism. However, Little Six has been obedient and well-behaved since childhood, never causing me trouble. Even your Third Sister and Fourth Sister each had fifty thousand taels of dowry—and that was marrying into such families. I was thinking, when the time comes I’ll give Little Six an additional thirty thousand taels, making an eighty-thousand-tael dowry—the dowries of First Madam and Second Madam Li combined don’t amount to that much! Going to the Li family, she won’t suffer much grievance. In a few years when Li Eleventh Young Master passes the jinshi examination and is posted out as an official, what does that mess of accounts at home have to do with their young couple?”

This blueprint the Grand Madam painted was indeed quite attractive.

Seventh Miss also felt that put this way, Li Eleventh Young Master was truly a rare excellent son-in-law.

“It’s just, when Eldest Sister married out…” she gently reminded the Grand Madam.

Her cool voice was like a clear spring over stones.

The sweltering heat that hadn’t receded in September diminished by three parts under such a voice.

“When your eldest sister married out, I did want to give more.” The Grand Madam sighed. “Her husband’s family only had that much estate—giving more would be improper… They’re managing and developing well now. We all know your eldest sister’s temperament—she won’t fuss over these things.”

First Miss indeed hadn’t said a word about Third Miss and Fourth Miss’s dowries.

Speaking of which, though the twenty-first year of Zhaomin imperial examination didn’t include Feng Jin’s name, Eldest Brother-in-law smoothly passed the jinshi examination. Though in the third tier, after some maneuvering and with the Grand Master’s face to smooth things, ultimately the Qin family came forward to arrange for him the position of County Magistrate of Putian.

This official position was probably worth more than the extra dowry portion First Miss should have received.

For the Li family, money could be earned, but official positions had nowhere to be bought.

Seventh Miss merely mentioned First Miss to remind the Grand Madam not to forget this married-out daughter.

Seeing the Grand Madam’s reasoning was sound, she no longer insisted.

“Mother’s consideration is ultimately more thorough than Little Seven’s.” She even smiled and flattered the Grand Madam with a few words.

The Grand Madam also smiled. “This maritime commerce matter isn’t urgent. I was thinking, your Xu family cousin will in any case be spending New Year in Suzhou this year. When the time comes, once your Fifth Sister’s marriage is settled, we’ll hint marriage intentions to the Li family. By this time next year when the betrothal is arranged, we’ll also have invested… with everything handled properly, we can discuss your marriage!”

Seventh Miss’s heart seemed to skip a beat.

Xu Fengjia was coming to Suzhou?

What for!

The Grand Madam didn’t notice her shocked expression.

Originally, for young ladies like Seventh Miss, when marriage was mentioned, which one wasn’t both startled, delighted, and shy?

She continued chattering on her own. “These years it’s not that no families have come proposing. Besides the Gui family, several other relatives and friends all think highly of you. Rest assured, when the time comes Mother will definitely arrange an excellent match for you…”

Only then did Seventh Miss return to her senses.

According to Great Qin’s rules, she had no choice but to rise and make as if to withdraw. “Mother is teasing Little Seven—Little Seven won’t speak of it!”

The Grand Madam clapped her hands laughing, watching Seventh Miss turn and flee from the east side room.

She sighed to Lidong, “No matter how mature she acts, when it comes to marriage matters, she’s still just like ordinary young ladies!”

Lidong smiled in agreement with the Grand Madam.

Yet her face clearly also revealed concerns of her own.

Seeing this, the Grand Madam found it even more amusing: this twelfth month, by custom they would release a batch of servant girls to be married off.

“It’s clearly autumn, yet why does the household seem filled with spring stirrings!” She teased Lidong with a smile.

Lidong’s face also flushed red in an instant, stamping her foot as she ran from the east side room.

The Grand Madam’s hearty laughter rang from the east side room.

#

Seventh Miss had just come around from the main courtyard into Baifang Garden when she encountered Shuxia head-on.

“Where is Twelfth Concubine going?” She simply stopped, asking Shuxia with a smile.

Shuxia also hastily arranged her face into smiles. “Seventh Miss.”

Both sides exchanged greetings, standing hand in hand by the roadside talking.

These past years, Shuxia had been helping manage household affairs under the Grand Madam, increasingly developing the shrewdness of a steward concubine.

Both coming and going from the main courtyard, naturally Shuxia had also grown familiar with Seventh Miss.

Speaking of it, Shuxia was only five or six years older than Seventh Miss, precisely First Miss’s age. If not for status differences, their interactions seemed more like sisters.

“Recently we’re renovating the Yurong Pavilion area.” Shuxia chatted with Seventh Miss about family matters. “Madam said to have Chuiyang Studio outside the small west wing gate tidied up, preparing to receive guests.”

These past years, the Grand Madam had initiated quite a few projects in the residence.

Renovating the east wing where Yurong Pavilion was located was simply having money with nowhere to spend it—in Seventh Miss’s view, Yurong Pavilion had no need for renovation whatsoever.

However, since it was the Grand Madam’s intention, she couldn’t say much.

In any case, the Yang family foundation was thick—no matter how much they spent, it wouldn’t hurt their vitality.

“Chuiyang Studio? Why did Mother suddenly think of that place?” Seventh Miss couldn’t help but be surprised.

Chuiyang Studio was originally also a courtyard for receiving guests, but the two weeping willows in the courtyard had been half-dead for many years, not pleasing to the eye. The Grand Master found them unsightly, so gradually it fell into disuse.

Now suddenly tidying it up.

Preparing to entertain Xu Fengjia, perhaps…

“Seventh Miss doesn’t know—starting just a couple years ago, somehow those two weeping willows grew healthy again. Everyone says the residence’s auspicious energy has flourished.” Shuxia’s eyes showed traces of joy.

Ancient people were most superstitious about these mysterious signs and omens of fortune and misfortune.

When trees and plants in the residence grew vigorously, verdant and moist, it indicated the master’s luck was at its peak.

Seventh Miss lowered her eyes and casually agreed with a few words.

Shuxia didn’t detect Seventh Miss’s concerns.

After a few more words, she mysteriously revealed insider information to Seventh Miss. “I heard it’s to entertain young master cousin… that’s Duke Pingguo’s heir, Young Master Xu!”

Mentioning Xu Fengjia, Shuxia’s expression took on a trace of suggestiveness, a trace of teasing, smiling at Seventh Miss as if the two shared a common secret.

Seventh Miss thought of Xu Fengjia’s left-handed saber technique.

For a moment, her heart truly felt restless and irritated.

Casually exchanging a few more pleasantries with Shuxia, they parted. “Still need to go back and do the homework Teacher assigned…”

These past years, the daughters no longer took cultural courses, but afternoon embroidery lessons had never been dropped.

Even Seventh Miss, the most negligent, could now embroider flowers with proper form and style.

The two parted near the garden gate.

Seventh Miss crossed the stream via the small bamboo bridge in front of Huansha Wu, following the fine scattered bluestone path, passing the renamed Qinghong Pavilion now called “Answering Spring Breeze,” turning several corners, circling around Yuelai Hall, speaking a few words with Guyu, then turning around the Taihu rock screen, twisting left and right through several Taihu rock barriers—her view suddenly brightened: Yuyu Pavilion had arrived.

When selecting Yuyu Pavilion, it was precisely for its tranquility. Outside the courtyard, over twenty pear trees were planted, also counting as a small grove.

In the garden’s four corners, the northeast corner was Changqing House where concubines lived—for daughters to live there seemed too plain. The southwest corner was the Wanhua Liuluo pond, the northwest corner’s Qilixiang was Third Miss and Fourth Miss’s former residence.

Only the southeast corner’s Yuyu Pavilion was both secluded and close to Huansha Wu and Yuelai Hall—winding a few steps brought human presence. The southeast corner also had a small gate leading to Yijin Lane, convenient for servants’ comings and goings.

This was a small single-entry courtyard—merely three main hall rooms in the center, small and delicate. A row of south-facing rooms housed several maids and matrons, plus a two-section east wing—no other buildings.

Fifth Miss came several times and found it too small. “Everything else is good. I wanted to choose it too back then, but it’s too small—not enough room for all my things.”

Seventh Miss only smiled. “If everything were complete, it wouldn’t have fallen to me, right? Fifth Sister would have claimed it first.”

Fifth Miss made as if to tear Seventh Miss’s mouth.

She also penalized her: “Go to Sister-in-law Cao and order an excellent banquet on credit to treat Sixth Sister and me to wine!”

Since Third Miss and Fourth Miss married out and the concubines moved away, with Seventh Miss and Ninth Brother entering Baifang Garden, the siblings were like the young masters and misses in *Tale of Gold and Jade Children*, frequently hosting each other. Though they didn’t compose poetry, they played shuanglu and swung on swings. Though fewer in number, they excelled in mutual harmony.

After entering the garden, the Grand Madam’s control wasn’t so strict. Fifth Miss often rested at Yuyu Pavilion, and likewise Seventh Miss in winter often went to Xiao Xiangxue to admire plum blossoms… These past years, Seventh Miss had truly lived some comfortable days.

Just turning around the Taihu rock barrier, she saw several maids shuttling back and forth through the pear grove, all holding various vessels filled with white pears.

Seventh Miss’s eyes immediately brightened.

“Wasn’t it said to harvest in another half month?” She quickened her pace, calling out loudly.

Lixia happened to be carrying a basket of large white pears out of the grove. Hearing Seventh Miss speak, she smiled. “Some pears were already falling. Zhongyuan was greedy, washed one and ate it raw, said it was crisp and sweet. If we don’t harvest soon, they’ll turn soft instead.”

Seventh Miss hastily directed, “Don’t harvest them all. Mother’s teeth aren’t good—she loves eating soft pears. Leave a few on each tree to harvest in half a month.”

Bailu smiled brightly in the grove, agreeing.

Seventh Miss couldn’t sit still. Entering the house to remove her skirt, she was about to run out. “I’ll also pick a few for fun!”

She joined the maids harvesting pears for half a day, obtaining several large baskets of sweet, crisp large white pears.

“This year the pears are quite abundant. It seems these pear trees also have lean and abundant years.” While eating, Seventh Miss still discussed with Lixia. “After the meal, select the best ones and send them around everywhere. Ninth Brother loves eating large white pears—send more to him. We’ll just keep enough for ourselves, ten-some jin is plenty to eat.”

After lunch and napping, upon waking she saw a small painted cup had appeared in the room.

While Lixia poured water for Seventh Miss to wash her face, she explained: “This servant sent large white pears to Xiao Xiangxue, just catching Sixth Miss waking from her nap. She gave this, saying it’s rouge cream she carefully selected—she herself only got half a cup and sent it all to Seventh Miss.”

Seventh Miss’s expression shifted. “Oh?”

“Sixth Miss also said thank you to Seventh Miss for being considerate of her.” Lixia’s voice gradually softened. “Knowing Seventh Concubine has been ill these past months and has many places needing money…”

Seventh Miss smiled. “Between sisters, why be so formal?”

Lixia cheerfully agreed. “This servant said the same to Sixth Miss—between sisters, we should support each other. Speaking a few more words when convenient hardly counts as a favor…”