The Fourth Madam immediately let go of the matter of helping Tenth Sister, smiled, and changed the subject to talk with Shiyiniang about Fifth Yiniang.
“…Having had little dealings with her before, I’d heard that Fifth Yiniang didn’t engage much with people, and thought she was someone aloof by nature. Now that I’ve had more contact with her, I realize Fifth Yiniang is simply reserved by temperament — in fact, she treats people with great warmth and kindness.”
“Thank you for your kind words, Fourth Madam.” Shiyiniang replied in a gentle, measured tone. “If Yiniang’s manner could be called reserved, it is more that she tends toward softness. That she and Fourth Madam have found such a rapport is truly a rare affinity.”
The Fourth Madam nodded and smiled. “When you think about it, when people have misunderstandings, it often comes from having too little interaction. Sometimes it truly pays to spend more time together.”
“Indeed…”
The two talked and laughed, and before long arrived at the Duke of Chengguo’s estate.
Wang Lang’s body was still lying in the Shuntian Prefecture, so the Wang Family could not hold or begin the funeral rites. Though the place was not yet draped in white mourning silk, all the bright red curtains and furnishings had been replaced with deep blue, and the maidservants and servants had all changed into dark-colored clothing.
Luo Zhensheng and the others were received by the stewards and led to the main hall. The First Madam, Shiyiniang, and the Fourth Madam were escorted by one of the Wang Family’s head stewardesses to see the Old Madam Wang.
“…Please do not take offense, honored guests. Old Madam Wang collapsed when she heard the news. First Madam is also confined to bed with illness. As it happens, the Sixth Madam has returned to the capital to look in on her parents. Not being able to help but grieve for her parents and her sister-in-law, she has been helping to manage some of the household affairs. If anything has been less than perfectly attended to, we ask for your generous understanding.”
The head stewardess was around thirty, with a neat, proper appearance. She wore a plain dark blue cotton padded jacket and carried herself with quiet capability. From her manner of speech, she did not sound like a servant of the Wang Family. Shiyiniang looked her over for a moment.
When the head stewardess noticed Shiyiniang’s gaze, she did not look away, but smiled and dipped a curtsy toward her.
Shiyiniang found this somewhat curious — this head stewardess seemed to be treating her with particular warmth.
The First Madam had caught the undertone as well. Seeing the woman’s manner and bearing to be quite proper, she did not dare underestimate her, and said politely: “What is your honorable surname, if I may ask? From what you say, you appear to be in Jiang Furen’s service.”
“I dare not claim an honorable surname.” The stewardess answered with great deference. “My husband’s family name is Yuan, his given name Baozhu. Madam may simply call me Baozhu’s wife. As the Duke of Chengguo’s estate has had such a misfortune, Sixth Madam sent me here to lend a hand.”
So she was indeed one of Jiang Furen’s people. No wonder she carried herself with such a bearing.
The First Madam understood at once and said: “I see, so it is Nanny Yuan. When something like this suddenly befalls a household, it is a great shock to anyone. Since we are not outsiders, there is no need for such ceremony.” Nanny Yuan smiled graciously, bowed her head in agreement, and quietly accompanied them into the Old Madam Wang’s main courtyard.
Just as they reached the eaves, before the small maidservant could lift the curtain, a sharp laugh suddenly came from within.
“…First Honored Young Madam, those words of yours are truly unpleasant to hear. A daughter who has married out is like water poured out of the house. You come as an honored guest, and we receive you as such with the highest courtesy. But family matters are handled by your brothers. It is not for the First Honored Young Madam to start giving orders. The Wang Family is not without sons.”
The words were most impolite.
“Who gave you the right to speak here?” A shrill, high-pitched female voice snapped back. “Don’t you forget — this is the Duke of Chengguo’s estate. The Duke of Chengguo is my father.”
The one speaking was Jiang Furen Wang Lin.
The three women, turning the meaning of these words over in their minds, could not help but exchange glances with one another, standing rooted to the spot at the doorway.
It had not been expected that, while Wang Lang’s body was barely cold, the conflicts within the Wang Family were already surfacing.
Nanny Yuan’s face flushed red. She immediately called out loudly: “Sixth Madam — the two honored Madam-daughters-in-law of the Luo Family, and the honored daughter-in-law and Marquis Yongping’s wife, have arrived.”
A silence fell inside for a moment, and then someone immediately lifted the curtain.
“Please come in quickly, please come in.”
Shiyiniang looked up — and it was none other than Jiang Furen herself who had lifted the curtain.
Her eyes were shot through with red, crow’s feet deeply etched, her face extremely haggard. She managed a strained smile.
The First Madam, the Fourth Madam, and Shiyiniang exchanged a glance, and then the First Madam said quietly, “Jiang Furen has gone to great trouble,” and led the Fourth Madam and Shiyiniang inside.
The Old Madam Wang’s main room was made up of five bays, each with its own side chamber. The central bay was a reception hall. It was now filled with people — some dressed in fine, ornate clothing, others quite plainly. The eldest among them appeared to be around sixty, the youngest around twenty. Every face wore a solemn expression, with cold, indifferent eyes. There was no way to tell who had just been arguing with Jiang Furen. The atmosphere in the room was oppressive.
At the sight of newcomers entering, some eyes showed wariness, while several of the women shrank their shoulders and drew inward, looking frightened.
Jiang Furen casually gestured toward the people in the room: “They’ve heard that Brother Lang has had an accident. They’ve come to pay their condolences.” Without any further introduction, she led their group straight toward the western inner chamber. “Mother is confined to bed with illness — my apologies to everyone.”
The three followed Jiang Furen into the inner chamber.
The inner chamber was entirely different from the outer room.
A faint scent of medicine hung in the air. Two maidservants of fifteen or sixteen years of age and one older woman of around fifty were attending carefully at the bedside, all three with reddened eyes and grief written on their faces.
When they saw Jiang Furen enter, they came forward to pay their respects, their manner very respectful.
Jiang Furen waved her hand gently and asked in a low voice: “Is Mother feeling any better?”
The older maidservant replied quietly: “She took her medicine and has just settled to rest.”
Jiang Furen’s expression turned apologetic.
The First Madam, without waiting for Jiang Furen to speak, said quietly: “In that case, we shall not disturb her. Please give our regards when Old Madam wakes.”
Jiang Furen thought for a moment and said: “Very well. Let me take you to see Tenth Miss. She too has had a terrible few days, when you think about it.” As she said this, the corners of her eyes grew moist.
Seeing Jiang Furen’s manner, the three women felt somewhat relieved. They followed Jiang Furen out of the inner chamber and toward Tenth Sister’s quarters.
—
Tenth Sister’s quarters were the complete opposite of Old Madam’s. Three main rooms, utterly silent and empty. A small maidservant of eight or nine stood listlessly at the door. When she saw Jiang Furen coming with visitors, she hurriedly curtsied and dashed inside to announce them.
By the time they drew close, Yinping had already lifted the curtain.
“Honored Young Madam, First Honored Madam-daughter-in-law, Fourth Honored Madam-daughter-in-law, Honored Lady-Consort.”
“Your First Madam…” Jiang Furen asked quietly.
Yinping’s eyes reddened, and she said softly: “She’s sitting by the window in a daze.”
Jiang Furen let out a long sigh, then turned to explain to the First Madam and the others: “Ever since she learned that Brother Lang had had an accident, my sister-in-law has often sat on the kang by the window lost in a daze. If she appears to lack decorum in any way, please, both honored Madam-daughters-in-law and honored Lady-Consort, do not take offense.”
Would Tenth Sister truly grieve for Wang Lang’s death?
Shiyiniang found herself puzzled.
But the First Madam said: “She is young, and to have met with something like this — of course her heart feels as if it is being cut. We are her family from home. How could there be any cause to take offense.”
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, they went into the inner chamber.
On the kang by the window in the inner chamber sat a painfully thin young woman. She wore a lake-blue brocade jacket and a moon-white skirt, sitting silently on the kang by the window, as still as a lifeless wooden figure.
Jinlian, her eyes so swollen they were like walnuts, attended at her side.
“First Madam, First Honored Young Madam, First Honored Madam-daughter-in-law, Fourth Honored Madam-daughter-in-law, and Honored Lady-Consort have come to see you!”
Yinping stepped forward and announced carefully.
The figure on the kang turned.
Her face was gaunt and pallid, her nose sharp and thin, and her eyes — dark-ringed and startlingly large — had a raw, unsettling quality.
Shiyiniang was briefly struck motionless.
This — was Tenth Sister? That Tenth Sister who was as proud as a peacock and as dazzling as a summer flower in full bloom?
“Tenth Honored Young Madam…” the First Madam’s voice caught in her throat.
But Tenth Sister swept a vacant gaze over them, then turned her head back toward the window, her eyes fixed on something outside — as though there were some rarely seen sight beyond the glass that held her captivated.
“First Honored Madam-daughter-in-law,” Jinlian came forward and curtseyed to them. “First Madam has not been herself these past two days.” She quickly brought over brocade stools. “First Honored Madam-daughter-in-law, Fourth Honored Madam-daughter-in-law, Honored Lady-Consort, First Madam — please be seated.”
The four sat down, and Yinping and Jinlian brought over tea.
The First Madam then asked Yinping and Jinlian about Tenth Sister’s daily routine.
“…She still eats three meals a day, but less than usual. She has grown even more reluctant to speak. Often she sits alone like this for an entire day.”
As long as she can eat, it is not the worst.
Shiyiniang quietly let out a small sigh.
For a moment, everyone sat without words, quietly drinking their tea.
Jiang Furen gave a bitter smile. “I must have made the two honored Madam-daughters-in-law and the honored Lady-Consort witness an embarrassing scene. This family has brought misfortune upon itself. My Brother Lang is not yet laid to rest, and already those who want a share of the spoils cannot sit still.” She carried herself as if she had much she wished to say.
The First Madam was genuinely concerned about Tenth Sister. Seeing that Jiang Furen had given them an opening, she didn’t hold back and asked directly: “And who are those people? What have they been saying?”
Seeing that the Luo Family’s people had taken up the thread, Jiang Furen let out a breath of relief.
“My great-great-grandfather’s generation was already down to a single heir. By Brother Lang’s generation, even the most distant branches are outside the fifth degree of mourning. In ordinary times they were never short of Father’s charity. Yet now that Brother Lang is gone, not a single one has the slightest concern for who the perpetrator was, or whether Brother Lang died unjustly. All they know is to scramble over each other, each declaring their own branch to be the closest kin, clamouring for Father to choose from among them for an adopted heir, and urging the礼部 be petitioned at once for imperial approval.” Her eyes sharpened like arrows. “Who was arrested by the Shuntian Prefecture? Ren Kun’s personal manservant. He is a lowly commoner — how could he have had the audacity to kill the heir of the Duke of Chengguo’s estate? Either Ren Kun directed him to do it, or he is taking the blame for Ren Kun. Either way, the true culprit is Ren Kun, and I cannot allow him to go unpunished.”
She said it through gritted teeth. “Those people are blinded by greed. They say the Shuntian Prefecture has already closed the case, and all that remains is the autumn execution — what is there to investigate? That I am making trouble out of nothing, simply because I fear that whoever is adopted as the new heir to the Duke of Chengguo’s estate will not be from my own brother’s line, and I will lose the benefits that come from my maternal family…”
As her words reached this point, her eyes reddened. “And Father, for his part, is easily swayed by others. Listening to their urgings, and afraid that the Wang Family will lose its title for lack of an heir, he has agreed to select an adopted son from among those branches. Were it not for those branches having their own rivalries and agendas, the petition to the Ministry of Rites for succession approval would likely have been submitted already.”
She looked toward Shiyiniang and began to wipe her tears. “To think that my poor sister-in-law must suffer such torment…”
Shiyiniang, however, detected something beneath the surface.
She glanced over at the First Madam and the Fourth Madam.
The First Madam was dabbing her eyes alongside Jiang Furen.
The Fourth Madam, however, was looking toward her.
Their gazes met briefly in the air.
The Fourth Madam gave Shiyiniang a subtle nod, and said softly to Jiang Furen: “From what First Honored Young Madam is saying, the Duke intends to adopt a son from one of the collateral branches?”
—