Once the eleventh month arrived, the cold wind cut like a blade, and every breath turned to white vapor. Minglan had fallen into her lazy habits again, pressing herself against the warm kang and refusing to budge — until Cuiping came to summon her to the Shou’an Hall. Minglan let out a muffled groan of protest. Danju coaxed her off the kang and helped her into a thick, full-fur outer jacket, and only then did Minglan’s shivering subside. Arriving at the Shou’an Hall, she found the Old Madam sitting upright on the kang with a heavy python-patterned gold coin blanket draped over her knees, holding a sheet of paper in her hand, her expression somewhat dazed.
Minglan immediately tucked away her languid manner and stepped forward. She took a cup of warm ginseng tea from the hand of Cuimei standing nearby and quietly set it on the kang table, saying softly: “Grandmother, what is the matter?”
The Old Madam came back to herself then. There was a hint of bewilderment in her eyes. She handed over the paper in her hand: “First thing this morning, the He family sent this over. Have a look for yourself.”
Minglan pressed herself as close to the warm kang edge as she could and unfolded the letter, reading it carefully.
The letter was written by the He Old Madam, and it seemed to have been written in some haste. First she explained that the Cao family could no longer remain in the capital and would shortly be departing to return to their ancestral home. Then she wrote that Cao Jinxiu had attempted to end her own life, but had been rescued and afterward told the truth: during her time as a concubine in Liangzhou, she had been forced to drink red-flower decoctions by the first wife of that household, and as a result could no longer bear children. She had said nothing to her family all this time, not wishing to cause them grief.
Now the He Old Madam intended to go and investigate the matter personally and would come that afternoon to explain things in full.
Minglan set the letter down slowly, her mind turning quickly. The Old Madam had gently reclined against the bolster pillow at the kang’s head, cradling a celadon porcelain longevity-peach double-phoenix hand warmer: “Minglan, my child — what do you make of all this?”
Minglan sat down beside the Old Madam and chose her words with care: “The other details matter less. There are only two points that count: first, that the Cao family is leaving the capital; second, that Cousin Cao most likely cannot bear children.”
The Old Madam closed her eyes and nodded slowly: “Precisely. That being the case, the situation has shifted again.”
Cao Jinxiu being unable to bear children meant she would find it very difficult to marry into a suitable household. A widower with children trailing after him might still be a possibility, but for a woman of standing to remarry in a respectable family — that was only feasible if she had returned home as a widow. Given the Cao family’s present circumstances, where would they find a decent widower? And so it was really only the He family that could take care of her.
But if she were a concubine who could not produce an heir, what threat could she truly pose to the first wife? Moreover, with the Cao family returning to their home district, such a concubine would be little more than an ornament.
Both grandmother and granddaughter arrived at the same realization simultaneously and could not help but feel a stirring in their hearts.
The Old Madam set down the hand warmer and gently lifted the ginseng tea, using the cup lid to stir the ginseng slices: “This time… we must not yield easily. Whatever the He family says, let us hold off for now.” Minglan nodded slowly.
After lunch, the two rested briefly. At just past the second quarter of the afternoon hour, the He Old Madam arrived in haste — she had apparently been rushing and could not stop drinking the warm tea they offered her. The Old Madam was anxious inside but gave nothing away on her face. Minglan retreated to the inner room as usual, listening carefully through the curtain.
After a few pleasantries, the Old Madam said: “Catch your breath before you speak. Who is chasing you from behind?”
The He Old Madam glared back: “Who else? That little nemesis of mine, my own grandson! This time, for the sake of your precious granddaughter, he has offended his own mother, his aunt, and every relative — he has been merciless about it!”
“Stop speaking in riddles and get on with it.” She had just said she would not press, and now here she was pressing.
The He Old Madam set down her teacup, composed herself, and facing the Old Madam directly, said slowly: “I have always pitied my daughter-in-law for being widowed in the bloom of youth. She is frail and unwell, and these years I have not been too strict with her — even when the Cao family caused all that trouble, I did not force her hand, thinking only to let the matter fade gradually. But then, who knew — my filial grandson threw everything aside! The day he returned from your household, he went privately to find his grandfather in the study. My old husband cares nothing for the inner household and usually won’t be bothered with such matters — yet this time, Hong’er laid out the whole affair from beginning to end, and even begged his grandfather to petition the authorities to expel the Cao family from the capital!”
Even the Old Madam, who had seen much in her years, was greatly startled and stood dumbfounded for some time before she could compose herself: “How could that be… Hong’er has always been such a devoted child! How could he go behind his own mother’s back…”
The He Old Madam’s mouth had gone dry. She drank another large mouthful of tea before continuing: “And that is not all! A few days ago, after the authorities investigated and verified the matter, they issued a formal notice ordering the Cao family to return to their home district within the month — failing which, their crime would be compounded! The Cao family’s aunt came weeping to beg for mercy, but the official notice had already been issued — what could our household do? My daughter-in-law refused to eat or drink for several days and eventually went to plead with my old husband. He had already held his tongue for my sake and Hong’er’s. But seeing that his daughter-in-law still showed no remorse, he pointed his finger at her nose and gave her a thorough tongue-lashing, saying outright: ‘You are a member of the He household — you do not carry the Cao name! The Cao family has engaged in corruption and lawbreaking, and they deserve what they have gotten. We helped them out of kinship, and they repaid us by walking all over us, stirring up trouble in the He household day after day. Such ungrateful creatures should have been driven out long ago! If you truly care so much for the Cao family, I will write you a letter of repudiation and you can go live with them.’ At those words, my daughter-in-law fainted on the spot, and after she came to, she did not dare utter another word!”
In the inner room, Minglan sat with her eyes lowered, looking at her own hands. Well then — she knew she ought to be concerned for He Furen’s wellbeing, but she could not help feeling a rush of satisfaction. Every time she saw He Furen’s tearful, soft-hearted, all-forgiving expression, she felt a wave of irritation.
The Old Madam felt much the same way inside, but she could hardly cheer aloud. She offered a few gentle words of comfort and expressed some concern for He Furen’s health.
The He Old Madam set down her teacup and sighed: “Fortunately my daughter-in-law knows nothing of this — had she known that it was Hong’er himself who arranged for the Cao family to be driven out, something truly terrible might have come of it. In the days that followed, the Cao family was in a flurry of packing and came over periodically to wail about their poverty. I could see we were sending off a plague, so I gave them some silver to help them buy farmland. But then yesterday, another hitch!”
The He Old Madam felt her head ache just thinking about it, but she was genuinely fond of her own grandson, so she poured it all out in one breath: “The Cao family, knowing they were leaving, came pestering us day after day to bring the young lady in as a concubine. Hong’er refused, and seeing my daughter-in-law half-dead with illness, I came up with a plan — I sent them both, mother and son, to rest at our estate outside the city for a few days before returning. The Cao family could not find them and had no recourse. Yesterday, the Cao family came hammering at the gate all of a sudden, saying their young lady had tried to kill herself. After she was cut down from the beam, she told the truth — that she could no longer bear children, and that if Hong’er would not take pity on her, she had only death left. I was alarmed. I sent word to Hong’er at once and went to the Cao household myself to check the young lady’s pulse…”
“And?” The Old Madam’s voice tightened with tension.
The He Old Madam shook her head. Her expression carried a trace of pity, but her tone was resolute: “I examined her very carefully. She truly cannot bear children. They say that during the year she spent as a concubine, the first wife gave her red-flower decoctions constantly — the medicinal effect was fierce and vicious — and during that time she also suffered a miscarriage. All together, it destroyed her body entirely.”
Minglan had always trusted both the He Old Madam’s medical skill and her character. As a wave of relief passed through her, a feeling that was difficult to put into words arose in its place — something sour, something sad. She grieved a little, and sighed a little. Only now did she truly understand the deep despair she had seen in Cao Jinxiu’s eyes.
The Old Madam, too, was silent for a long while without speaking. The He Old Madam sighed and went on: “The Cao family’s aunt only then learned the true state of her own daughter and fainted weeping on the spot. Shortly afterward Hong’er arrived, and upon learning of the matter, stood silently beside me for a long, long time — then at last agreed to let the young lady of the Cao family enter his household.”
This time the Old Madam was not angry. She sounded softened and helpless, like damp gunpowder: “…There was nothing else to be done. Poor Hong’er.” The He Old Madam cut in: “The matter is still not finished!”
The Old Madam was puzzled.
The He Old Madam reached for the tea that had already grown cold, intending to drink it — the Old Madam snatched it away at once and called for a servant girl to bring fresh warm tea. The He Old Madam picked up the new cup, moistened her lips, and said: “Hong’er told them he was willing to provide for his cousin and ensure she would never go hungry or cold for the rest of her days — but on one condition. From this point forward, he would help in a pinch when truly needed, but the Cao family would no longer be counted as proper relations. The Cao family’s aunt was furious and slapped Hong’er across the face on the spot!”
The Old Madam’s eyes brightened at once. She sat upright, her brows smoothing out: “Hong’er truly had the nerve to say that!”
What He Hong meant was essentially that he did not want his future wife to be burdened by a difficult aunt-by-marriage. Otherwise, managing matters between wife and concubine, as well as running the household, would be troublesome for everyone. But in the ears of the He Old Madam, those words carried a different meaning.
The He Old Madam spoke gravely: “Those words sound heartless, but I think them sound. A concubine who cannot bear children will certainly keep her heart fixed on her own family. When the Cao family comes around claiming kinship and pestering us for money day after day, will the He household ever have a peaceful day? Regardless of whom Hong’er eventually takes as his wife, this matter must be made plain from the start. We cannot let one moment of pity plant a source of trouble inside the household. I am having Hong’er set everything down in writing, black on white, from beginning to end — the Cao family signs and seals it, and only then does the young lady enter the He mansion!”
After this long speech was finished, both grandmother and granddaughter inside and outside fell to pondering in silence. Once that written agreement was drawn up, there would be little room left for worry. The trouble the Cao family posed was, in truth, not so difficult to resolve.
The He Old Madam could see the Old Madam clearly softening, and did not press for an answer. They chatted for a little while longer before she rose to take her leave. Minglan lifted the curtain and slowly emerged from the inner room. She settled herself beside her grandmother’s kang, and for a time the two sat facing each other without a word. After a long while, the Old Madam finally sighed: “Hong’er…” and could not finish. Then she turned to Minglan: “Minglan, my child — what do you say?”
“…Your granddaughter does not know. What does Grandmother say?” Minglan held onto the Old Madam’s arm.
The Old Madam gazed at Minglan’s bright and lovely face, feeling that no family’s son could be worthy of her own granddaughter. She deliberated at length before saying cautiously: “This is already the best we could have hoped for.”
A flood of images passed through Minglan’s mind in an instant: the corners of Hualan’s eyes, heavy with quiet suffering; Molan’s false smiles and pretended cheerfulness; the look of relief on Hai Shi’s face every time she drank the medicinal decoction after a night of conjugal duties; Wang Shi’s years of constant scheming; and the open and hidden rivalries among all the brothers and sisters… Then, slowly, she nodded.
The He family’s virtues lay not in great wealth or prominence, but in the balance and harmony of all their circumstances taken together. No matter how prestigious and wealthy a household might be, if it had a demanding mother-in-law above, difficult sisters-in-law on all sides, and a husband who could not be relied upon, even the Jade Emperor’s Heavenly Palace would be no place to live well. But the He family…
From years of observation, it was clear that He Furen had a gentle temperament and was easy to get along with, and her failing health left her essentially without the strength to cause trouble — a new bride would be able to take charge of the household the moment she stepped through the door. The He family’s first and second branches were in better circumstances and would not come to make trouble. He Hong had substantial family property and the ability to earn generous income through his own efforts; he was not flirtatious, he was responsible, he was tender-hearted, and he had shown himself plainly to be on Minglan’s side. Once He Laozi retired from his post and left the capital, it would be almost like having their own household entirely — she could close the courtyard gates and conduct her own small life, a new mistress making her own decisions.
No need to read her mother-in-law’s expressions, no need to manage complex relations with relatives from every direction, economic independence, freedom to conduct her own life — where else would such good fortune be found! And having accepted this Cao Jinxiu, who could bear no children, He Furen would likely not dare say a word to Minglan thereafter. Speaking more bluntly still — He Furen did not have many days left to live.
With all these advantages before her, the existence of Cao Jinxiu seemed to amount to very little. Perhaps… in the future, when He Hong went out to earn his keep, she could invite that melancholy Cao Jinxiu to join her in a game of cards? Maybe winning a hand or two could help her forget past unhappiness. Amen!
…
On several occasions, Minglan had wondered if she and Rulan were fated to be opposites — every time she was in good spirits, Rulan would invariably have bad luck.
That day, thinking that in a few more days the weather would grow even colder and a thick layer of ice would form on the pond’s surface, Minglan stopped by to pay her respects to the Old Madam and Wang Shi, then took her fishing rod and basket, with the sturdy and capable Xiaotao at her side, and went off to the little pond. Perhaps because of the cold, the fish beneath the surface were sluggish and dull. Minglan caught seven or eight fat fish without any difficulty. Before leaving the pond’s edge, she smiled at her own reflection in the water and said: “Enjoy your winter holidays well. Come spring, I shall come again to play with you.”
She handed the fish over to the kitchen, specified that one particularly large fish be made into clay-pot douban fish, two especially lively ones be prepared as tomato fish fillet, the rest all be filleted and roasted into fragrant scallion and pepper-salted fish jerky, and the fish heads be simmered into ginger fish soup. Xiaotao cheerfully pressed ten large copper coins into Nanny An’s hands, calling out her thanks for the trouble. The Nanny laughed and demurred at length before accepting, then patted her own chest and pledged the highest quality of cooking.
Just then, Xiao Xijuan from Rulan’s rooms came running in. In such bitter cold, she was running so hard she had worked up a full head of sweat. The moment she caught sight of Minglan, she urgently asked Minglan to come to the Taoran Pavilion at once.
At that moment Nanny An was about to gut the fish, and Minglan had been hoping to see whether there was fish fat and fish roe inside. Hearing this, she frowned and said: “Why have you come here? Did Fifth Elder Sister want to do embroidery again? Go back and tell her I’m making her a fish soup — fish improves eyesight, so after the fish it would be even better to embroider!”
Xiao Xijuan looked as if she was nearly on the verge of tears, insisting that it was not that, but unable to say what it actually was. Minglan could see something was wrong and followed her out. Even so, Minglan first returned to her own room, washed away the fishy smell with scented soap, and changed into a clean set of clothes before going to the Taoran Pavilion.
She lifted the heavy quilted door curtain and entered to find the room empty of every single serving girl — only Rulan alone, face down on the table, weeping. She had already cried herself out by now and was hiccupping into a handkerchief. The moment she saw Minglan come in, she flung herself forward and seized Minglan’s hand, weeping loudly. Minglan was startled. She sat Rulan down beside the kang table first, then quickly asked: “Fifth Elder Sister, what has happened? What could cause such crying as this? Tell your younger sister slowly… Xiao Xijuan, quickly bring your mistress a basin of warm water to wash her face!”
Xiao Xijuan was somewhat relieved and went out to do as told. Rulan dabbed at her reddened nose and began to speak between sobs — it turned out that Hualan had suddenly come to the Sheng Mansion earlier, had spoken with the Old Madam and Wang Shi, and had summoned Rulan as well. Hualan’s first words had been to propose matching Rulan to Gu Tingye!
That table uncle who had pledged to marry only a first wife’s daughter might very possibly become her own elder brother-in-law?! Minglan’s mouth fell open. You’d never know until you look — ancient times are truly wondrous. No matter how fertile her imagination, she could not keep up with the twists of this world.
…