Nanny Liu Kun helped Wang Shi recline sideways on the bolstered couch upholstered with lined thin-padded brocade silk in lotus-pink, and tucked a gold-thread python-embroidered bolster pillow behind her back. Rulan followed a few steps and said urgently: “Mother, say something — I…”

Wang Shi waved a weary hand: “I understand your feelings completely. But…it is all useless. Her Grace Pingning Junzhu does not look upon our family.”

Rulan’s eyes went wide: “…How can that be? I thought the Junzhu was perfectly pleasant and amiable.”

Wang Shi gave a bitter smile. She fixed her eyes on Rulan’s unknowing face, and her expression grew suddenly grave: “Think carefully about what the Junzhu said to your Sixth younger sister today. It is time you start using your head — stop being willful and muddled.”

Rulan lowered her head and thought it through carefully. Gradually she understood. She murmured: “…Could it be…?” The realization washed over her at once in a wave of dejection.

Seeing Wang Shi’s ashen face, Nanny Liu Kun said with a pained expression: “Her Grace the Junzhu truly has a fine way about her — she used Sixth young miss as a pretext on purpose. Since that child still looks so young and childlike, she managed to make her point without offending anyone.”

“But…but…” Rulan went over and tugged at Wang Shi’s sleeve anxiously: “I — Yuan Ruo elder brother—”

Wang Shi impatiently threw off her daughter’s hand and said sharply: “What Yuan Ruo elder brother?! What relation is he to you?! From now on, address him as ‘Young Master’ properly! …No — actually, from now on, avoid seeing him altogether. Nanny Liu — from this point on, whenever Qi Heng is in this household, Fifth young miss is not to take one step outside of Wei Rui Retreat. Otherwise — house rules will be applied!”

Rulan had been pampered from childhood, and Wang Shi had never been this severe with her. She was instantly dumbfounded: “Mother — Mother — how can you…?”

Wang Shi sat bolt upright, her expression stern: “It is my own negligence. I thought you were still a child — a little more spoiling was harmless. I did not take note of how you are growing day by day. Yesterday when Qi Heng came to the house, I heard what you said and my own heart was moved, so I let you go on as you did — but look at yourself. What sort of dress and adornment is this? Is this how an eldest legitimate young miss carries herself? No better than a lowly girl scrambling for men’s attention! You are a disgrace to me. If you will not behave, I will slap you to death right here — better that than watching you go out and make a fool of yourself!”

Rulan had never been spoken to this way. She was frightened into tears. The words were so harsh that her legs gave way and she crumpled at Wang Shi’s feet, weeping without stopping. Through her sobs she managed: “…Why…are you scolding me like this…”

Wang Shi looked at her daughter’s form, which was increasingly taking the shape of a young woman, and knew she could not afford to be soft-hearted anymore. She said with measured calm: “Nanny Liu — wring a damp cloth for the young miss to wipe her face. …Rulan, stop crying. Come and sit properly. Listen to what Mother has to say.”

Rulan sniffled and leaned against her mother, and Wang Shi seemed to drift into memories of her own maternal home: “Over so many years, your mother has taken wrong step after wrong step — some from being schemed against by others, some from my own foolishness and lack of sense. Looking back now, the words your grandmother said to me were all words of pure gold. Alas — not a single one did I take to heart at the time. That is how that despicable woman in Lin Qi Pavilion came to be. You must listen to your mother from now on.”

Rulan stopped her tears and listened intently in a daze. Wang Shi paused, then continued: “…Marriage has always, since ancient times, been decided by the parents and arranged by a matchmaker. It has never been for a young miss to go managing herself. That sort of shameless behavior is for women of low status. You are a legitimate young miss — how could you conduct yourself that way? Marriage must be between families of equal standing. If someone does not want you — if they do not look upon our family — can you bring yourself to fawn and flatter your way to them?”

Rulan was proudest of heart and highest of spirit. Her face immediately went red: “Of course not!”

Wang Shi felt a measure of relief: “You are still young — live out these years of girlhood properly. When you marry one day, you will understand how comfortable life as a young miss truly was. With Mother here, you live as a young miss without a care. Is that not a good thing?”

Rulan, still thinking of Qi Heng, could not let it go: “But Yuan…Young Master Qi has been very kind to me. Might Her Grace the Junzhu change her mind?”

Wang Shi felt another surge of anger: “You foolish child without any judgment — a young man shows you a little courteous attention and you lose all sense of direction. Think carefully — was he not equally courteous and polite to all of you sisters? If anything, he was slightly warmer toward Minglan — but only because she is youngest and most childlike! Furthermore, the ones who decide on marriage are his parents. He may not even harbor any particular regard for you, and Administrator Qi and Her Grace the Junzhu have their own thoughts about finding a family of equal standing for their son. What reason would they have to choose you? If you keep having these wild thoughts, I will tell your Father this instant, and let you have another taste of the paddle!”

Rulan began crying again, stamping her feet: “Mother…Mother…”

Wang Shi’s heart was hardened this time. She pointed at Rulan and scolded: “Have you no shame? A young miss of good family — you have seen an outside young man a mere two times, and already you are this smitten and dreaming, utterly shameless and without any sense of propriety!”

Rulan was left stupefied by the scolding — too ashamed and aggrieved for words. She turned and bolted, weeping as she ran. Nanny Liu Kun moved to go after her, but Wang Shi stopped her. Instead, she called loudly after the departing figure through the curtain: “Let her cry! This shameless brat — if she cries herself awake and understands, then all is well. If she still cannot understand, I will still beat her! Beat her until she knows what propriety and decency mean! Go and ask around — is there any young miss in a proper household who takes it upon herself to inquire about her own marriage? A proper young miss from a good family has all of that decided by her elders — she would not say even a single word about it of her own accord, and even if she did let slip one remark, she would be ashamed for half a day! She could at least look at how her eldest elder sister conducts herself with dignity! What sin did I commit in some past life to produce such a thick-faced wretch? Better to beat her to death and be done with it!”

Rulan heard all of this from outside and wept all the more in utter misery. She ran straight to her room and buried her face in her pillow and quilts, crying as if the world were ending, and refused to come out.

Wang Shi sat where she was, her chest heaving with fury. Nanny Liu Kun came over to rub her back and soothe her: “Don’t let yourself get worked up — the young miss is still young after all. She has always been in competition with Fourth young miss. It may not be that she truly lacks understanding of proper behavior — most likely she saw what Fourth young miss was doing and, in the heat of rivalry, went along. It was nothing more than that.”

Wang Shi said with venom: “It is all that despicable woman’s fault! Corrupting my daughter!”

Nanny Liu Kun brought a cup of tea and waited on Wang Shi until she had drunk it, and when she saw the anger had eased somewhat, she ventured carefully: “And the Qi family…is it truly out of the question? What a fine family they are.”

Wang Shi shook her head: “As one mother to another, I understand the Junzhu’s thinking. She has only this one son — with such looks and such family standing, there is no shortage of families he could make a match with. Our Master may be very capable, but he is not of great aristocratic lineage — nor is he a close and trusted confidant of His Majesty. The Qi family is itself of ducal and marquis lineage. Why would they look twice at us?”

She pressed her lips together and continued: “Speaking a painful truth — today, if it were Hualan, I might still have fought for a chance. But with Rulan…” She sighed, then went on: “I am not saying anything damning about my own child — but in terms of appearance and accomplishment, how could she compare with Qi Heng? If even I, her own mother, think this — how much more so would the Junzhu? Let it go. Why court embarrassment? We may have nothing else, but what little pride we have, we still possess. For Rulan — find her a family of equal standing where she won’t be mistreated, and be done with it.”

Nanny Liu Kun laughed: “It seems you have come around — to be so clear-headed about it. The Master would certainly be pleased to hear this.”

Wang Shi sighed: “I ate bitter hardships for half my life before I came to see that the marriage my parents chose for me was truly a good one. A mother-in-law who causes no trouble, a husband who is ambitious and advancing — not enormously wealthy or powerful, but with enough food and clothing. If I had not been careless myself, that despicable woman would never have gotten in the door! When I think of my elder sister’s life now…alas. A narrow escape, really. I used to envy my sister for marrying into a better family than I had. And yet my sister, for all her cleverness, married into the Kang family and ended up like that — if it had been me… alas. Say no more.”

Nanny Liu Kun took away the empty teacup, returned, and continued rubbing Wang Shi’s back: “When the Master was only four or five years old, Sheng Lao was posted to the northwest as an inspector, and she was determined to go with him. She entrusted you to the care of his younger uncle’s family. One must say — the younger uncle and his wife were truly good people. They had no daughter of their own, and they were as close as brothers with Sheng Lao, so they raised you with ten times a thousand times the tenderness. But they were merchants, after all — how could their understanding of things compare with the Master’s and Sheng Lao’s? Eldest young miss — all of Hualan’s abilities came from following Sheng Lao. She was ten years old before she was reunited with her parents. You cannot blame her for it.”

Wang Shi said with a faraway look: “In this world, good and bad are hard to say. From childhood I always felt that in everything I was one step behind my elder sister. And when it came time to be given in marriage, her husband’s family standing was higher than mine too. I made quite a scene about it — I nearly earned myself a house punishment from Father. At the time, Mother said to me: the Sheng family is small and simple in its household — and since the mother-in-law is not a birth relation, she would not put on airs to torment her daughter-in-law. The husband is ambitious; with any support at all, good days lie ahead. I would only need to conduct myself properly as a wife. As for my brother-in-law — though his family was distinguished and his character was not without merit, he had no real backbone about him, a pampered second-generation son and nothing more. Mother never liked him. The match came about because the Kang family elder and Father were close friends. Looking back now — every word Mother said was sound as gold.”

Nanny Liu Kun laughed: “Being a daughter, only when you become a mother yourself do you come to know how right your own mother was — it seems this is truly and universally the case.”

Wang Shi at last managed a smile: “My elder sister and I actually quarreled once over her husband-to-be. And then she won him. When I think of it now — what a foolish thing to have done. When the time comes for me to choose Rulan’s husband, I will count myself fortunate if I have even half my mother’s discernment.”

Nanny Liu Kun laughed along with her. After a moment, Nanny Liu Kun suddenly thought of something and said: “Madam — what do you think Fourth young miss will go back and say to Lin Yiniang? Might Lin Yiniang try to petition the Master?”

Wang Shi broke into a peal of laughter: “I would be only too glad if she did! If she truly goes to the Master — then let her wait for a sound scolding!”

Wang Shi, on this occasion, displayed a rare gift for prophecy. That very evening, Sheng Hong left the yamen and went to rest in Lin Qi Pavilion.

“…What did you say?” Sheng Hong asked with a puzzled frown. “Molan wishes to continue attending Master Zhuang’s lessons?”

Lin Yiniang said in a coquettish tone: “I know the Master is avoiding the appearance of impropriety — and it doesn’t matter for Rulan and Minglan, they were never particularly fond of their books anyway. But Molan is different — she takes after the Master in temperament, and has been a person of culture and refinement since childhood. Now that she has truly begun to find pleasure in Master Zhuang’s lessons, why should they stop? I am asking the Master to put in a word for her — at the very most, a screen could be placed between them.”

Sheng Hong frowned: “That is not appropriate. Molan is not a boy, after all. What use is a belly full of poetry and books — is she to go and sit the examinations for the top scholar’s title? A girl who has studied for these several years has already had enough. From now on she ought to apply herself to needlework in the inner chambers. Minglan made a plain black sachet for me the other day — steady and dignified, very proper. Molan should take up needlework as well.”

Lin Yiniang ground her teeth internally at this, but forced herself to hold back. She walked gracefully to Sheng Hong’s side, began gently kneading his shoulders to loosen his muscles, leaned close to his ear and breathed softly, and said in a sweet and yielding voice: “Reading or not reading is a minor matter — Master, why not think to the longer term? Think about that Qi family’s young man. Think about our Molan…”

Sheng Hong spun around abruptly and looked at Lin Yiniang with disbelief. His body, which had just begun to feel warm and languid, went cold at once: “What does Qi Heng have to do with Molan?”

Lin Yiniang had not detected anything unusual in Sheng Hong’s manner, and went on: “I could see that that young Qi man is truly impressive-looking, and his family standing is equally fine. Today he was discussing poetry and essays with Molan, and they were very much in accord — perhaps we could…”

Sheng Hong leapt to his feet. With one swift motion he swept aside Lin Yiniang’s soft red hand and looked her up and down with a slow, deliberate gaze. Lin Yiniang felt a creeping unease all over under his scrutiny, and forced a smile: “What is the Master looking at?”

Sheng Hong gave a cold laugh: “Looking at where you get such nerve — the audacity to open your mouth about arranging a match for a son of a ducal and marquis house!”

Lin Yiniang clutched her own sleeve, her voice trembling: “What does the Master mean? Has this concubine said something wrong?”

Sheng Hong took a few steps away, waved off the maids standing to one side, and walked to the window. He shut the window lattice, turned back, and looked at Lin Yiniang, lowering his voice: “Qi Heng’s maternal grandfather is the Marquis of Xiangyang. In his time, the Marquis was injured defending the Emperor — lost a leg doing so. His Majesty thus bestowed the title of Pingning Junzhu upon his only daughter. Her Grace the Junzhu was raised in the palace from childhood and has always been greatly favored. Administrator Qi holds the rank of the junior fourth, and the salt distribution circuit he oversees is an enormously lucrative posting — one given only to trusted and powerful men of the Emperor’s inner circle. There is one further thing: the eldest branch of Duke Qi Guo’s household has only one sickly son, with no heir to this day. If things take a bad turn, it is not out of the question that the entire Duke’s household may one day pass to that Qi Heng!” Sheng Hong paused to take a breath, picked up his teacup, and took a sip. Then he continued: “Since the time of the noble dukes and marquises, the sons of these great houses have generally been either idle and mediocre or licentious and brutish. A hard-working and talented young man like Qi Heng is a rare specimen!”

Lin Yiniang listened with shining eyes and a heart on fire, barely able to contain the urge to recruit Qi Heng as a son-in-law on the spot. But then Sheng Hong’s tone shifted, and he turned to look at Lin Yiniang with an expression of utter bewilderment, his voice cutting: “Someone of Qi Heng’s talent and family standing — with parents of such lineage — which great noble family’s daughter could he not have? In the capital, the families lining up to propose matches to his household were practically wearing down the threshold. And it is to fall to me, a mere prefectural magistrate, to try my luck?”

Lin Yiniang was drenched as if by a bucket of ice water. Her heart went cold considerably, yet she still could not resign herself: “There may be many noble daughters in the capital, but how many are as exceptional as our Molan? She is beautiful, and accomplished in poetry and the full range of arts — why should she not have a chance?”

Sheng Hong gave a cold laugh: “You have completely lost your senses! When did a son of a proper ducal and marquis house ever take a concubine’s daughter as his principal wife? You dare to fantasize — at least have the intelligence to keep it within reason! If people heard you, they would split their sides laughing! Even if it were Rulan — a legitimate-born daughter — they might still not look twice. And you expect them to take a concubine’s daughter?!”

The words came fast and fierce, like a blade stripping away every last bit of Lin Yiniang’s polished surface, leaving only shabby wretchedness. Lin Yiniang could not help but begin to cry: “If the Master wants to say it, then say it — but why must every word be about legitimate birth and concubine birth, wounding people’s hearts? From the very beginning I said it — I was afraid that my being a yiniang would one day harm Molan’s future. And it has happened exactly as I feared!”

Sheng Hong made a sound of contempt through his nose: “Harm what? It is your own eyes that are too high and your heart still higher — your thinking is muddled, and you reach for what you cannot grasp. Overreaching also requires a basis for doing so! What is Molan’s background — and what is theirs? Have you not thought it through properly before indulging in these daydreams? Why not simply say that Molan should become the Empress while you’re at it? Truly — what delusional fantasies!”

In Lin Yiniang’s heart it was as if a knife were twisting. She thought it over, and then collapsed against Sheng Hong, soft and yielding as silk: “Master — this is not entirely for my sake and Molan’s. Think of how fine the Qi family’s standing is. If we could forge a marriage connection with them, the Master’s official career would certainly proceed without a hitch, and the Sheng family would benefit enormously as well. Master might as well try and see…” Her voice was low and gentle, soft and beguiling.

Sheng Hong’s heart stirred at this — and he said to Lin Yiniang: “Try and see? You mean for me to go and formally propose the match?”

Lin Yiniang, seeing his reaction, gave a languid, flirtatious nod.

Sheng Hong took a deep breath, steadied himself, and then said in cold fury: “Let me tell you plainly today: it was Her Grace the Junzhu herself who raised the matter of propriety between men and women — it was her hint, that the girls of this household should no longer attend class with the boys! Her meaning could not have been more obvious — she does not want her son associated with the girls of our family! And further — even if Her Grace were to change her mind one day, it would in any case never be a concubine’s daughter who would be considered! A concubine’s daughter as the principal wife?!”

Lin Yiniang had not anticipated this, and startled: “Her Grace the Junzhu herself…? How could this be…?”

Sheng Hong turned the consequences over in his mind, and the more he thought, the more alarmed he became. He shoved Lin Yiniang’s hand — which was still clutching his sleeve — and sent her stumbling to the ground, then scolded: “You told me to try and see? If I were to go and put forward a proposal only to be refused — how would I face Administrator Qi from that day forward? You ignorant woman — truly beyond all stupidity. You think only of your own small calculations, not once giving thought to the rest of the family. If I had listened to your foolish words and ruined my career — what then?!”

Lin Yiniang knew she had said the wrong thing. She was frightened pale, and with her neck craning up, her voice went hoarse: “Master — Molan has been exceptional since she was small. Her looks are extraordinary, and she understands poetry and speaks with propriety. I only ever wanted her future marriage to not be a humiliation! Master — she is your own flesh and blood too. You cannot simply not care about her!”

Sheng Hong saw that this woman was still clinging and entangling herself to no end. He struck her hand away with a clap and said: “As long as you are not greedy, and do not reach beyond your station, I will keep Molan’s marriage prospects in mind — I will never allow her to be wronged! Enough — I am going right now to have the empty west courtyard in Wei Rui Retreat cleared out. Tomorrow Molan is to move there and live alongside Rulan. From now on, all her arrangements will follow the standards set by the Old Grandmother for her rank. This is to spare her from staying in Lin Qi Pavilion and being corrupted by you. Those ways of yours — are you planning to have Molan end up as a concubine too?!”

Lin Yiniang heard this. A surge of air rose and would not pass, and she nearly fainted away on the spot. She wrapped herself around Sheng Hong’s legs and pleaded desperately. Sheng Hong thought of his children’s futures and steeled his heart. He kicked her off with one foot and strode out in large steps.

Lin Yiniang was still crumpled on the floor. Molan, who had been hiding behind the curtain in the side room, pushed it aside and came out — her face also streaked with tears. She went and gently helped Lin Yiniang up, and mother and daughter faced each other in tearful silence. After a long while, Lin Yiniang took her daughter’s hand and said: “Child — don’t listen to your father. He is a man — what does he understand about the twists and turns of the inner household? In terms of birth, you can never surpass Rulan — that is true. But in appearance, in talent — in what way are you not ten times, a hundred times better than her? You have the same father. Why should you have to spend your life beneath her? If you don’t fight and strive for yourself, who is going to hand you the better things? Would you truly be willing to spend your whole life ranked below Rulan?”

Molan’s eyes were blurred with tears: “But…but…if Father finds out, he will certainly not let it go lightly…”

“Foolish child — you must do it cleverly. Find some pretext, some justification — your father won’t suspect a thing. My good child, your poetry is fine, your looks are fine, and with time — there is no need to worry that the young Qi man will not have you in his heart. …Child, don’t cry. Moving into Wei Rui Retreat has its advantages too. Keep a cold eye on what Rulan has. Whatever she has that you lack — go and ask Grandmother for the same. If they won’t give it… hmph. I’ll make sure she can’t swallow what she’s bitten off. Isn’t Grandmother always saying that all the girls before marriage are equally honored?”

Lin Yiniang’s delicate and fragile features had taken on an entirely determined and fierce expression.