Wen Yiniang’s words had a double meaning that deeply surprised Shiyiniang.
She did not speak of the Xu and Wen families, but of the Luo and Wen families. Shiyiniang thought back to the first time she had met Yuan Niang — when Yuan Niang had suggested sending Wu Xiaoquan to Yangzhou to call on the Wen family, and had said, “The Wen family will certainly receive him with great respect.” She also thought of the account reconciliation that day, and how Yuan Niang’s profits had largely accumulated over the last five or six years — though she had never lost money before, she had not earned at the scale she had since then. And then there was Lv Yonggui’s age — when he had come over as part of the dowry, he would have been barely ten or so, without any dependable allies. The Xu family had had troubles of their own and could only help so much. And then she thought of Yuan Niang’s attitude toward the Wen family. A notion was gradually forming in Shiyiniang’s mind — that Yuan Niang had made a considerable amount of money through the Wen family in recent years.
But her own thinking was different from Yuan Niang’s.
A gentleman loves wealth, but only takes it by proper means.
If she were to profit through the Wen family, how could she ever hold her head up before Wen Yiniang?
Shiyiniang sipped her tea with a composed smile. “I’ve truly been quite busy these days. I appreciate the Third Madam of the Wen family’s kind intentions — I’ll keep them in mind. Perhaps we’ll have a chance to meet another time.”
A clear and definitive refusal of Wen Yiniang.
Wen Yiniang’s complexion shifted slightly, and she forced a smile. “Sister, the Third Madam of the Wen family wishes to see you because she’s brought a gift all the way from Yangzhou…”
Shiyiniang smiled and called for Hupo. “Please show our guest out. I still need to pay my respects to the Grand Madam.”
Wen Yiniang’s face fell into visible awkwardness, yet she maintained her smile. “Sister, the Third Master of the Wen family brought rubies and lapis lazuli from the Western Seas — each as large as a pigeon’s egg, and several pairs of three-foot coral pieces…”
It reminded Shiyiniang of those exceptional salespeople — who never give up until the very last moment.
But she knew a truth that mattered more.
Accept a man’s food and your tongue is tied; accept his gifts and your hands are bound.
She rose and walked without a moment’s hesitation into the inner room.
Hupo acted as if she had seen nothing, and said pleasantly to Wen Yiniang, “Yiniang, it’s getting late — shall I have a young maid see you out?”
Wen Yiniang stood there and quietly watched Shiyiniang’s retreating figure, a slight furrow forming at the corner of her brow. She curtsied and withdrew.
Hupo saw her to the east corner gate before turning back.
Qiu Hong helped Wen Yiniang on the way back to her own rooms.
Along the way they encountered Xiuyuan — who was smiling brightly, standing at her own doorway whispering with old woman Lv. Seeing Wen Yiniang, she gave a distant nod and went on chattering with her.
Qiu Hong’s expression changed. “Yiniang, this Qiao Yiniang has really become too haughty…”
Wen Yiniang smiled indifferently. “She has every right to be haughty — I heard the Marquis spent last night at her rooms again.”
Qiu Hong could not help biting her lip. “Yiniang, now that the Third Master is in the capital, why not send him a few Yangzhou beauties…”
Wen Yiniang gave a rueful smile. “Rather than sending Yangzhou beauties, it would be more effective to talk some sense into Third Uncle and tell him to keep his nails from digging so deep. That would do more good.”
The two entered their own courtyard as they spoke. It was a three-room main hall with a side chamber, only one wing room to the east, a Taihu-stone rockery in the center, and a row of evergreen trees in the corner. The courtyard was very quiet — no young maid standing at the door to hold the curtain aside, only a single matron to answer the gate.
The matron’s face broke into a smile the moment she saw Wen Yiniang. “Yiniang is back!”
Wen Yiniang nodded with no expression and entered the west room of the main hall. Another maid, Dong Hong, was inside doing needlework and hurried over at the sound of movement.
Her cloak was removed. Wen Yiniang’s expression remained heavy as she reclined against the large bolster pillow.
Dong Hong saw her color was off and carefully changed her shoes, then brought a basin of hot water to help her wash her face.
Throughout the washing, Wen Yiniang seemed somewhere else. She asked Qiu Hong, “Is the Second Steward of the Wen family still waiting at the gatehouse?”
Qiu Hong put the cloak away and answered quietly, “He should still be waiting for Yiniang’s news.”
Wen Yiniang sat for a moment in a sort of daze, then instructed Dong Hong, “Go tell the Second Steward of the Wen family that Madam is attending on the Grand Madam today and has no time to spare. Have him return first and wait for my word.”
Dong Hong went off to carry out the order.
Qiu Hong brought up a cup of hot tea, and said quietly, “Yiniang, if Madam never changes her mind…”
“Stall for a few more days and see. Perhaps something will shift.”
Qiu Hong seemed to want to say more, but held back.
Wen Yiniang smiled. “You wretched girl — what is it you can’t say aloud?” Then she added, “Is it that your family needs to borrow money? Yiniang has nothing else in abundance, but money I have plenty of. How much do you need?” Though her voice carried a hint of wistfulness.
Qiu Hong reacted with a mix of reproach and feeling. “When did I ever say my family had trouble?” The corners of her eyes grew moist, and she pulled out a handkerchief to dab at them. “I just can’t bear seeing you exhaust yourself like this, working so hard for both sides and getting nothing from either.” She wiped her eyes. “Honestly, Yiniang, the money you have is enough to last you a lifetime. I think you’d be better off playing deaf and dumb and living in peace.”
“When has anyone in this world ever truly lived in peace?” Wen Yiniang said with a helpless smile. “You think I don’t want to? But I need the fortune that goes with it. Everything I am in this Xu household — every extra glance those madams, maids, and matrons give me — comes down to money. Without the Wen family, this money is dead — it just sits there, unable to move, and I’d burn through it in a few years of eating without earning. With the Wen family, this money is alive — it breeds more money, and then we have mountains of gold and silver to draw from. Am I to ignore the Wen family, refuse to rely on them, and go rely on the Marquis instead?”
Qiu Hong was left without an answer.
Since the year Yiniang had helped the family secure the Imperial Household’s textile procurement contract, the Marquis had grown distant from her. But compared to the Wen family, she still thought relying on the Marquis was the safer bet — after all, Yiniang was already a concubine of the Xu household.
She tried a different approach. “Zhen Jie’er will be married off in just a year or two. And she’s never been any closer to you than to a maid at your side…”
Wen Yiniang’s eyes went a little glazed.
There had been a time when Zhen Jie’er had been raised by her side. She had taught the girl the “Six-Six Rhyme” for the abacus, and the Grand Madam had happened to overhear. The Grand Madam had immediately kept Zhen Jie’er in her own rooms, and never allowed her to return. Zhen Jie’er had been only a year and a half old at the time.
Her voice dropped almost without her noticing. “I know. What does it matter? As long as she lives well — earns the Grand Madam’s favor and finds herself a good husband. What difference does it make whether she’s close to me or not? Besides, what dignity is there in being a man’s concubine? Better for each of us to go our own way and keep the peace.” A glisten appeared at the corner of her eye regardless.
In Wen family households, every child learned to recite the “Six-Six Rhyme” before they could barely talk. Though Zhen Jie’er was the Marquis’s eldest daughter, she would still need to eat her five grains and manage a household one day — and learning to do accounts would be twice the benefit for half the effort later in life. Even the Second Madam, who could calculate faster than old stewards who had spent decades in the accounts office, had used that very skill to command the respect of the household managers and keep them in line while the Marquis was away. She simply could not understand what was wrong with teaching Zhen Jie’er the rhyme. When it came down to it, it was nothing more than others finding her low-born — unfit to be counted as the mother of the Marquis of Yongping’s eldest daughter. And yet she had not come to the Xu family of her own will.
At that thought, she closed her eyes.
A single crystalline tear slid down her pale cheek.
—
Shiyiniang watched Hupo return and breathed a sigh of relief. “Has Wen Yiniang finally been seen out?”
Hupo covered her mouth laughing. “Your stance just now was quite firm.”
“Someone like Wen Yiniang — the moment you show the slightest hesitation, she’ll take that as an opening and come storming right into the inner room. Could I really call for the rough-handed matrons to drag her out?”
Hupo laughed quietly.
“Oh, that’s right — has word been sent to Wan Daxian yet?”
“It has,” Hupo replied with a smile. “And that thing you called a ‘magic cube’ — I passed the diagram on to Chief Steward Bai as well.”
Shiyiniang smiled. “When I was little I never managed to get all six sides to match.” She blinked. “This time I’ll make others struggle with it too.”
Seeing her in good spirits, Hupo brightened as well. She helped her change into fresh clothes, and along with Lvyun, accompanied Shiyiniang to the Grand Madam’s rooms.
Weizi then caught Hupo’s eye meaningfully.
Hupo gave a subtle nod, saw Shiyiniang into the room, and slipped off to the nearby side chamber — maids of their standing were not to follow in and attend on the Grand Madam without cause.
Qiuling, who served the Third Madam, was also there. Hupo greeted her warmly with a cheery “Sister Qiuling!” Qiuling smiled and nodded back, but she lacked her usual ease and appeared to be weighed down by something.
Hupo, her mind on what Weizi had wanted with her, gave Qiuling a brief, vague exchange, then slipped off to the covered walkway where the birdcages were hung and played at feeding the birds with a young maid.
Before long, Weizi came out smiling. “What are you doing here? The weather is so cold — be careful not to freeze. It’s nearly the New Year. If you fall ill and get sent away to the side residence to recover, your Madam would have her hands full.”
Hupo linked her arm through Weizi’s and laughed cheerfully. “Sister Weizi, you’re so thoughtful — no wonder the Grand Madam can’t do without you for even a moment.”
The two made their way to the side chamber as they spoke.
Weizi lowered her voice. “The Second Madam had her own steward send over a young manservant called Xiao Luzi. She said he was one of her personal household attendants — he seemed sharp and could read a few characters. Too good to keep stuck in her rooms, she felt. She asked the Marquis to find a suitable position for him. The Marquis had him assigned to the Second Young Master’s rooms, to serve as his personal attendant. The letter is still with Chief Steward Bai.”
Hupo was inwardly startled, though she dared not let a trace of it show — lest Weizi think Shiyiniang could not tolerate the Second Young Master. Nor could she fail to thank her for the good intention. She simply smiled and said, “Thank you so much, Sister Weizi. I’ll tell our Madam the moment I’m back.”
A few more words, and the two had reached the door of the side chamber. Hupo went inside while Weizi took a cup of hot tea from a young maid and returned to the main room.
Inside, the Fourth Madam was speaking with the Grand Madam. “… I have nothing particularly pressing — I do nothing but eat and sleep all day. It would be my pleasure to help Third Sister-in-law. Only I’m slow-witted, and if I do anything wrong, I hope Third Sister-in-law will not hesitate to correct me.” As she spoke, she rose and gave a curtsy toward the Third Madam.
The Third Madam beamed and took the Fourth Madam’s hands to raise her up. “I am more than ten years your elder — you may call me sister-in-law, but I regard you as a niece. Don’t worry, I’ll teach you everything carefully. Nothing will go wrong.”
The Fourth Madam smiled and expressed her thanks to the Third Madam.
Weizi took advantage of the moment to bring in fresh tea.
But in her heart she puzzled: what had come over the Third Madam? Since when did she want the Fourth Madam to help manage the household? Had she not always been most displeased when anyone interfered in what she oversaw?
—