It was said that daughters were a mother’s warm little padded jacket close to her heart — Hualan knew perfectly well what Wang Shi was thinking, and so she made careful inquiries about how things were going for Molan at the Yongchang Marquis’s household. Without any embellishment on her part, the unfolding events were already as dramatic and full of twists as a foreign drama.
Molan’s days at the Yongchang Marquis’s household were indeed not easy. On their wedding night, that Chun Ke Yiniang cried out with stomach pains and had her personal maidservant barge into the bridal chamber to find Liang Han. Had this happened to Rulan, she would probably have thrown the girl out on the spot. To Molan’s credit, she held herself in check — she restrained Liang Han from running out, gently persuaded him that “from now on we are all one family, and men are not suited to seeing to women’s ailments,” then personally went herself to see to Chun Ke, asking after her with all warmth and care. She summoned a physician, brewed the medicine, and stood guard at the door herself, staying awake through the whole night without a wink of sleep. Even the most critical of Madam Liang’s senior daughters-in-law could find nothing to say.
Wang Shi’s face went iron-grey, and she brought a heavy palm down on the lacquered rattan tea table, making the teacups clink and rattle — back in the day, Lin Yiniang had always used the trick of feigning illness to summon Sheng Hong away from her quarters, and it was obvious Molan had long prepared herself for this.
Hai Shi hurried to present her mother-in-law with a fresh cup of tea. Rulan was rapt with attention and kept urging Hualan to go on.
On the wedding night, Chun Ke would not let the matter rest. On the second night, she developed stomach pains again and once more sent people to fetch Liang Han. Molan steeled herself in patience and gave not the slightest sign of displeasure. Instead she turned around and comforted Liang Han — “A woman carrying a child has a hard time of it; it is not surprising she should be visited by misfortunes” — and once again went personally to tend to Chun Ke, attending to her with the same care through the night, and even pleading on Chun Ke’s behalf to Madam Liang, where she successfully petitioned for several fine mountain ginseng roots, until she herself was left looking utterly haggard and drawn.
A new bride had been stopped by a concubine from consummating the marriage for two nights running. And so the entire Yongchang Marquis household began talking about Chun Ke’s impropriety. The rumors traveled all the way to the ears of the Marquis himself. The Marquis was furious, summoned the wife of his eldest son and gave her a dressing-down, while Madam Liang also remarked pointedly, in so many words, that the woman’s mother’s family had no manners — to have raised such an ill-bred girl who, barely through the door, dared already to compete with the rightful wife for favor!
A beautiful woman placed at his lips for two whole nights without being able to do anything about it — even Liang Han now harbored a certain resentment toward Chun Ke.
On the third night Chun Ke had stomach pains again and sent her maidservant to fetch Liang Han. By this point public opinion had already turned toward Molan, and Chun Ke suffered a terrible reversal of fortune. According to reliable word, an enraged Liang Han, still in his undergarments, came charging out and kicked that maidservant more than ten times on the spot, dismissing her immediately on the grounds that she had been attending to Chun Ke. He also severely punished the maids and matrons looking after Chun Ke.
“If you are unwell, call a physician. If you want a man, just say so outright. What is the meaning of keeping your master cooped up day in and day out! Is our master your women’s personal physician?! Such low, shameless tricks!” The Marquis household’s head matrons said this loudly and on purpose. Molan, meanwhile, put on another display of virtue and continued to speak in Chun Ke’s defense.
After this, Liang Han felt both guilty toward Molan and tender toward her, which was how things stood by the time of the customary return visit after the wedding.
Though Rulan had no love for Molan, hearing all this she still clicked her tongue in disbelief: “This cousin of his — ah, no, this Chun Ke Yiniang — she really went too far! Did the Yongchang Marchioness not set any rules for her?!”
Hualan took a sip of her well-chilled sour plum tea, extended one finger, and tapped Rulan on the forehead, saying airily: “Foolish little sister! After all I’ve said, can you still not tell? The eldest son by the concubine is now doing well for himself — rumor has it the Marquis is even considering naming him as heir — and so his wife also has standing. Madam Liang, to avoid any suggestion of favoritism, cannot readily move against that particular concubine herself.”
Rulan seemed to half understand. Minglan gave a soft “ah,” and grasped it — if Madam Liang were to deal with Chun Ke herself, it would inevitably attract talk of rivalry between principal and concubine. But if Molan did the dealing, it would become simply an internal domestic matter between wife and concubine.
Wang Shi gave a long sigh — her feelings were complicated. She had no wish for Molan to rise and flourish, but standing in the position of a principal wife, she could not help admiring Molan’s strategy and cunning. If she herself had possessed such ability and calculation back then, it would never have been Lin Yiniang’s turn to be the center of attention.
Minglan looked at Wang Shi’s slightly downcast expression, then turned and asked: “Elder Sister, how does Fourth Elder Sister get on with the other members of the Marquis’s household — her parents-in-law and sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law and young aunts?”
Hualan reached out and flicked Minglan’s nose, laughing: “Still Sixth Sister who is the perceptive one — asking right to the point.”
Madam Liang was distant and cool toward Molan — not particularly warm, but not causing difficulties either. On the day Molan had served tea to her parents-in-law, Madam Liang had given a full and proper set of gifts for the occasion. But any clear-eyed observer could tell Madam Liang did not like Molan. Not only that — among the several daughters-in-law below, because the concubine’s sons had been raised in Madam Liang’s own chambers from childhood, she often had their wives kept close at hand for conversation and tea. For Molan she rarely had any such attentiveness.
Wang Shi suddenly perked up, and with a scornful laugh said: “She can rely on her own abilities from now on — a mother-in-law on that front is clearly not an ally.” Hualan pursed her lips in a smile, a look of disdain on her face: “Fourth Younger Sister is truly virtuous — within only a month of entering the household, she has already given the maids around her one by one to her husband to enjoy.”
Minglan sighed inwardly: this was precisely where Madam Liang’s cunning lay. Molan had no one to rely on and would have to stake everything on her husband. From Hualan’s account, this Chun Ke Yiniang seemed to be a figure in the mold of Youjie — though beautiful as a blooming peach flower, and though spirited and fierce, she might not be a match for Molan’s soft and subtle methods. Madam Liang had long been wary of the concubine’s eldest son’s household — how could she allow Chun Ke to stay at her own son’s side? To stir things up and use Molan’s hand to dispose of Chun Ke would be ideal; even if both women were badly damaged in the conflict, Madam Liang would lose nothing.
Just so: when the sandpiper and the clam fight, the fisherman wins.
Minglan’s mood was still somewhat low. While seeing Hualan out, she took her by the arm and quietly said: “Elder Sister — Yuan Shao’s aunt, the Shoushan Earl’s wife, is on good terms with the Yongchang Marquis. If the opportunity ever presents itself, it might be worth giving Fifth Elder Sister a subtle word of advice.”
Hualan’s expression darkened, and she snorted coldly: “You are a kind soul — even if you’ve forgotten what she did to you, you should not have forgotten how Wei Yiniang died!”
Minglan shook her head earnestly, looking at Hualan with sincerity: “Your younger sister is a useless sort, and still nurses that grudge from the beating by Nanny Kong. But no matter how bad Fifth Elder Sister may be, she still bears the Sheng surname — if she truly did something outrageous, would any of us sisters have a good name left? If Molan’s methods were to go too far and turn brutal, the first to face criticism would be our own family for bad upbringing.”
Hualan’s expression grew serious. She was an exceptionally intelligent woman — she had only been blinded by the long-accumulated bitterness toward Lin Shi’s mother and daughter and had not thought it through clearly. Now that it was laid out, she understood. She put an arm warmly around Minglan’s shoulders and smiled: “Good little sister — you are a discerning one. Elder Sister has taken note.”
Minglan broke into a smile, and two little dimples peeked out at the corners of her mouth: “Last time I sent over the little shoes — did Zhuang Jie’er and Shi Ge’er wear them well?”
“Very well — all well.” Hualan’s expression immediately softened at the mention of her own pair of children. “The cloth doll you made for Zhuang Jie’er — she loves it beyond all things, and won’t let anyone else touch it for a moment. Small children’s feet grow quickly, and shoes are most easily worn out. Younger Sister, don’t make such intricate embroidery next time — it seems such a waste. You’ve been so thoughtful of Elder Sister; Elder Sister will certainly not forget your kindness. When you get married, Elder Sister will give you a fine thick dowry supplement!”
Minglan looked at Hualan’s bright, open smile and knew she had been getting on well lately, which made her genuinely glad on her behalf.
…
With the eighth month arrived, the autumn imperial examinations drew near. Candidates registered under the Northern Metropolitan Circuit came trickling into the capital one after another, and the Sheng household welcomed five guests: an old acquaintance of Sheng Hong’s and two nephews of Sheng Hong’s friends and fellow examination graduates from the same home province. They were coming to the capital to sit the examinations and had no relatives in the capital; and every year during the autumn and spring examination periods, inns, hostels, and lodging houses in the capital raised their prices to absurd levels — not only did it drain one’s travel funds, but it was also impossible to study with any peace of mind.
Sheng Hong and Wang Shi put their heads together and decided to set aside a row of rooms on the edge of the Sheng residence’s rear garden to let these examination candidates lodge there temporarily. The reason Wang Shi was so generous this time was clearly that she had other intentions — among the guests were quite a few sons of officials from families of comfortable means.
By mid-August, Changwu’s nine-month mourning period had come to an end, and he came back up to the capital with his wife and daughter. Coming along with him was his cousin Li Yu. Whether for Li Yu to sit the examination or for Changwu’s own reinstatement to office, both required the help of Sheng Hong. Hardly had they settled in when Changwu went straight to the Sheng Mansion. Yun’er had gone ahead to see Wang Shi, weeping and wiping her nose in an outpouring of apology, saying over and over that her own mother was in the wrong toward Wang Shi, and that Yun’er herself was utterly ashamed.
Wang Shi carried some resentment within her, but faced with Yun’er’s storm of weeping, plus the presentation of box after box of generous gifts, and moreover thinking that none of this was really Yun’er’s doing — and that she had also been too easily swayed by Kang’s maternal aunt, not knowing clearly enough what her own elder sister’s character was — she had no one but herself to blame as well.
“Very well — bring your daughter next time. She is both my niece and my adopted daughter’s daughter — I’ll have to give two red packets.” In the end, Wang Shi said lightly that she would let the matter pass.
Li Yu was meeting Sheng Hong and Wang Shi for the first time. He was just about to kneel and bow when Sheng Hong quickly reached out a hand and helped him up, saying hastily: “We are all family — there’s no need for such ceremony.”
The old lady looked Li Yu up and down — she saw he was bright-eyed and clear-featured, and in his pale sky-washed blue right-front-fastened thin silk jacket he appeared all the more fair-complexioned and handsome. She smiled: “After all these years, Yu’er has grown so much taller.”
Li Yu clasped his hands in a respectful salute and said with a warm smile: “I can see the old lady is looking ever more vigorous and hearty. On this trip, Mother asked me to bring along several white ginseng roots from Yunnan — neither heating nor cooling, but nourishing and restorative — as a token of respect.” He then turned slightly toward Wang Shi and said: “Mother has also prepared some small gifts for Madam and the several young misses — please do not think them too modest.”
The old lady nodded in satisfaction. Wang Shi too smiled slightly. Sheng Hong, seeing Li Yu’s thoughtful speech and appropriate manner, was very pleased, and said: “Very good! You focus on your studies first — afterwards let Changbai bring you and your elder brother to pay calls and meet people. The provincial examination is not like the metropolitan examination — there aren’t so many ins and outs to it. The several teachers at Songshan Academy have all served as examiners in their time — you just need to do your work solidly and the foundation will hold.”
Li Yu’s face lit up with delight and he bowed his head repeatedly in thanks.
Rulan stood to one side, quite bored. Wang Shi had drawn Yun’er over to the old lady’s side to talk. Minglan noticed with some surprise that Sheng Hong seemed to like Li Yu quite a great deal. Looking carefully, she understood why the old lady had said Li Yu bore some resemblance to Sheng Hong as a young man.
Changfeng, though he resembled Sheng Hong in looks, had after all been raised in luxury and had about him a certain air of the spoiled young master. But Li Yu — both were men from merchant families who had taken the path of officialdom, both were full of youthful energy and eager ambition, and moreover…
Minglan narrowed her eyes slightly.
From the moment Sheng Hong and Changwu had begun talking about Changwu’s reinstatement, Li Yu had been glancing over at her from time to time. On one occasion their eyes happened to meet directly, and he had actually looked at her with feeling-laden eyes and given a small smile. Minglan was startled and quickly looked sideways at Rulan — she found her staring blankly out the window, seemingly lost in a daydream, and only then did Minglan breathe a sigh of relief.
Very well — this fellow really did resemble Sheng Hong quite a bit.
The old lady had often said Sheng Hong was not truly a bad man. When he and Wang Shi had first been married, he had genuinely wanted a harmonious marriage with his wife — he had also respected her, trusted her, and said nothing even when Wang Shi dismissed the two chamber-warming attendants who had served him since childhood. If only Wang Shi had not been so overbearing, using her family background to order everyone about and overstepping her bounds in matters that were not hers to meddle in — or if she had been a little more gentle, a little more virtuous, a little more appreciative of poetry and romance — then even if Sheng Hong had eventually taken two small concubines, the whole affair with Lin Yiniang would never have come to pass.
In modern terms, Sheng Hong might have had his calculating, ambitious side, but he also had emotional needs — and that was why, even knowing it would offend the Wang family, he had been foolish enough to so openly dote on Lin Yiniang.
Just like Li Yu.
Here and now, it was perfectly clear that as a principal wife’s daughter, Rulan was of far greater value to pursue than herself. With the approval and favor Sheng Hong evidently had for him, as long as he passed the examination successfully, the probability of him marrying Rulan was well over ninety percent. And yet this worthless young man, with faint shyness, kept stealing glances at herself. Did he not understand at all?
Any beauty could be found — once successful and distinguished, he could take seventeen or eighteen lovely concubines if he wished. But having a capable and well-connected family of in-laws was worth more than anything. How little young people understood the world — Minglan felt deeply regretful.
…
The old lady had been rather busy lately, and often had Changbai come to ask about Li Yu’s situation — his manner with people, his conduct and bearing, and so on. It was not until the twenty-eighth of August, the day the autumn examination opened, that Changbai offered a single sentence: “He is diligent and earnest, quick-witted and thoughtful — young in years but capable and well-practiced in his affairs. He is bound to have some prospects.”
The old lady’s eyes flickered several times.
Minglan knew the old lady’s mind had become active again. Since their visit to the He family, though she had not said anything, the old lady’s enthusiasm for the He household had noticeably cooled. Minglan understood her meaning — there was still much to be said, but it all came down to watching He Hong’s own attitude. If He Hong were as muddled as his mother, then there was nothing more to say.
The autumn examination was to run for three sittings. On the morning of the second day, while Minglan was sitting in Shou’an Hall doing needlework, Nanny Fang came in swiftly from outside with a face full of smiles, saying: “Young Master He Hong of the He family is back! He has only just delivered several cartloads of goods to the medicine shop, and hasn’t even gone home yet — he came straight here first! Says he brought some things for the old lady and delivered them here ahead of everything else.”
Minglan put down her needlework and raised her eyes to look at the old lady. She could clearly see in her gaze an expression of satisfaction.