Chapter 14 — The Mother-in-Law

Her mother had not slept all night, and neither had Dou Yan. Dou Yan knew what her mother was thinking about—she had been thinking of Wei Fan the whole night through.

What weighs on the mind by day will visit the dreams by night.

Her mother-in-law had always treated her with generosity, so it was reasonable enough that she should dream of her mother-in-law. But how had Wei Fan come into her dream?

Where on earth was she?

Dou Yan thought of the sound of Wei Fan weeping that she had vaguely heard, and of Lady Guo's assurances... and could not help shuddering. She pressed herself tightly into her mother's embrace.

The next morning her mother acted as though nothing had happened. Freshly dressed and made up, she went to the hall.

Dou Yan pursed her lips and followed her mother, not letting her out of her sight for a single step.

Her mother-in-law, Lady Tian, was dressed in quiet good taste that was yet not without elegance. Her smile was gentle, her bearing composed—like a magnolia blooming in spring, serene with a touch of brightness about it.

Dou Yan's heart sank.

Her mother-in-law looked thirty years younger.

That was not the point.

The point was that she knew her mother-in-law's temperament far too well.

When her father-in-law had been alive, he had treasured her like pearl and jade. Her mother-in-law's greatest regret had been no more than that spring came too late—the peonies she had planted beside the pavilion had only just set their buds by April.

So when her father-in-law passed away, she lost all her bearings at once, and withered and faded as swiftly as those flowers, drained of all vitality... How, then, could she be so composed and radiant now?

She looked behind her mother-in-law.

There she saw Wei Fan, looking all of five or six years old.

His fair face still had a trace of baby fat. His ink-jade eyes, warm and smooth, were opened wide—pure and clean—surveying the people and things around him with an unmistakable curiosity.

Feeling someone's gaze upon him, he turned to look. Seeing Dou Yan staring at him blankly, he lifted his little face, gave a soft "hmph" through his nose, and turned his face away.

Her mother-in-law had already caught Dou Yan up in an embrace. "So this is your little girl? Why, she's lovely!" Her smile was warm and kind, and she gave Dou Yan a pure-gold collar inlaid with precious stones and a pair of little pure-gold bracelets as a meeting gift. "Only, your little girl doesn't look the least bit like you. She must take after my brother-in-law, then!" As she spoke, a hint of teasing showed in her eyes as she smiled at her mother.

Her mother smiled with pursed lips, a charming smile, wearing the pride of one who shared in the honor—as though her daughter's taking after her husband made her especially proud. There was not the slightest trace of the quarrels she had once had with her father.

Her mother-in-law summoned Wei Fan to pay his respects to her mother.

He made his bow to her mother properly and with becoming deportment; one could tell he had been carefully coached.

Her mother was much pleased, and gave Wei Fan two rare volumes of classical texts from a previous dynasty and two ancient inkstones, then drew him over to ask how old he was, whether he had begun his studies, and what he did with himself ordinarily.

Wei Fan answered each question in turn, clear in speech and orderly in manner.

Her mother's face showed envy. "Our Shouyuan still can't speak very well even now."

"Girls are not the same as boys," her mother-in-law consoled her gently. "A girl will be married off one day, so she must be raised tenderly. A boy will inherit the family estate one day, so one cannot do without strictness. And besides, our Yu is the eldest son; he will inherit the title one day, so there is even less room for carelessness." There was a touch of ache in the look she gave Wei Fan.

Her mother nodded, then asked in surprise, "Why didn't you bring Zhen back with you?"

"Our married daughter and the married daughter of the Jingzhenguo Estate are the closest of friends," her mother-in-law said with a smile. "She acted as matchmaker, and Zhen is now betrothed to the eldest legitimate grandson of the Jingzhenguo Estate. I'm keeping her at home just now to learn needlework!" She added, "This time I hadn't intended to bring Yu along either. But his grandfather repeated his instructions over and over—he wanted to see the boy—so I brought him with me."

The reason Lady Tian had come back to her home village this time was that her grandfather, now over eighty, was gravely ill.

"When people grow old, they think only of the younger generation," her mother said with a smile. "Thankfully the old gentleman is rich in blessings and has pulled through." Then she said, "Now that Zhen is betrothed, sister, you've set one worry to rest. Congratulations, sister! When Zhen is married, don't forget to send me an invitation. Otherwise I shall have a complaint to make against you."

"That goes without saying," her mother-in-law said with a smile. "Our two families have the friendship of generations behind us—unlike others."

Her mother's eyes flickered, and she smiled. "Then is Yu betrothed yet?"

"He's still young," her mother-in-law said, and at the mention of her son her eyes softened by three parts. "The Marquis and I have had our minds on Zhen all this while; we haven't considered his affairs yet!"

Her mother smiled. "Our Shouyuan isn't betrothed either! I wonder, when was Yu born?"

Her mother-in-law was taken aback.

Dou Yan flushed scarlet in an instant.

Wei Fan often said: With me, a full Marquis of Jining, what lady of any great house in the capital could I not have married? If it weren't for the friendship of several generations between our two families, why would I ever have married you!

And as he said it, he would put on a shameless grin and pull her into bed.

She had always taken it for nothing more than Wei Fan wanting to save face, wanting her to be a little more compliant with him...

Dou Yan had never taken it to heart.

Yet here in the dream she still remembered it—which showed that in her heart she had minded it a great deal after all.

Her mother laughed prettily and said, "We grown-ups are talking, and here they stand beside us like wooden posts. Why not let them go play in the study next door? There's underfloor heating there too—it's warm."

Her mother-in-law nodded, called Wei Fan over, and gave him a few instructions.

Wei Fan nodded obediently, and he and Dou Chu followed Old Nurse Yu to the study, docile as could be.

Dou Yan slipped away from Wei Fan and lifted a corner of the warm curtain to peer outside.

Her mother smiled and raised her teacup slightly, signaling her mother-in-law to drink.

"I think highly of Yu—so young, and yet so well brought up. It truly warms my heart. But if you are unwilling, Sister, then pretend I never said a word." Her expression could not help but reveal a touch of disappointment.

"No, no!" her mother-in-law said apologetically. "Yu is the eldest son. This matter must be discussed with the Marquis before anything can be decided..."

"Say no more, Sister!" Her mother flushed, her smile awkward. "It was I who spoke out of turn." Then she took the fruit from the table and offered it to her mother-in-law. "Here, try these dried persimmons—made at home, sweet and soft. See if they suit your taste?"

Her mother's forcing the conversation onto another track left her mother-in-law quite uneasy.

"Guqiu," she said hesitantly, "perhaps I should go back and discuss it with the Marquis first?"

Her mother gave a sheepish laugh. "Please, Sister, don't mention it again! You know my temper—I say whatever comes into my head. I was only talking..."

Her mother-in-law laughed.