Chapter 36 — A Temporary Stay

That night, Wang Zhibing and Gao shi stayed over at the Dou household.

Dou Yan paid them little mind; she had been waiting all along for Tuo Niang to return.

"Old Mother Yu says she will bring the things over first thing tomorrow morning." Tuo Niang had come back rather late.

Dou Yan breathed a sigh of relief and instructed Tuo Niang, "Pack up all the things we ordinarily use. In a few days we may be going to stay with Sixth Uncle's household in the East Mansion."

"Why would we go stay at Sixth Master's house?" Tuo Niang's mouth fell open. "Is it because Concubine Wang has been kicking up such a dreadful fuss at home?"

Even she knew about it—which showed that everyone in the Dou household, high and low, had heard the news.

Dou Xin said, "No. Father is going to the capital to sit for the provincial examination, and he fears I will have no one to look after me, so he may send us to stay at Sixth Uncle's for a while."

Whatever else might happen, the examinations came first; Father would certainly go to the capital to sit for the provincial examination.

In her previous life, Concubine Ding had very successfully set Dou Yan and her aunt against each other, and she had dwelt safely in the Dou household, with Dou Huaiying helping to provide for her in her old age and bury her at the end. In this life, she had lost her power to manage the inner household, and Dou Yan had likewise lost the protection of her elders; since Grandfather would not look kindly upon Grandmother, Sixth Uncle's proposal conveniently solved Father's difficulty, and she would in all likelihood be sent to stay temporarily at Sixth Uncle's household.

Dou Yan was willing to go and stay at Sixth Uncle's house.

Sixth Aunt's family name was Ji; she was from Yixing County in Changzhou Prefecture of South Zhili. Her grandfather Ji Nian had been the top graduate in the metropolitan examination of the jichou year, and her family had also produced a teacher of the emperor and a grand secretary—one of the few families of official lineage to be counted on the fingers of one hand in Jiangnan.

The Second Madam had taken a fancy to Sixth Aunt's family background back then, and relying on the favor Second Great-Uncle had once done Ji Nian when he served as censor, she had shamelessly begged for this match on Sixth Uncle's behalf.

Compared with the Ji family, the Dou family at this time was far inferior in both prestige and wealth. What was more, the people of Jiangnan managed their households with greater refinement than those of the north, and after Sixth Aunt married in, the Second Madam felt rather like a plain stone set beside a pearl when in this daughter-in-law's presence, and was somewhat constrained in both speech and conduct.

Fortunately, Sixth Aunt came of a great house, generous and composed, and did not put on airs for having married beneath her station. Whether toward her mother-in-law or toward her sisters-in-law and husband's sisters, she was respectful and courteous; and as she conceived soon after entering the household and bore two sons in succession, in the course of time Sixth Aunt became the apple of the Second Madam's eye.

In her former life, Dou Yan had not had much contact with this Sixth Aunt.

But before her marriage, Father had asked Sixth Aunt to instruct her in the matters of the boudoir.

She still remembered how Sixth Aunt, on the point of leaving, had taken her hand and exhorted her in a low voice: "Remember: after you marry, the most important thing is to bear sons, the next is to flatter your mother-in-law. As for your husband, you need only keep your looks ever fresh before him..."

It was the first time anyone had stripped away the veil of womanly speech and womanly virtue and spoken to her so plainly of the way of being a wife.

Dou Yan was deeply shocked.

Yet beyond the shock, she could not help pondering Sixth Aunt's words carefully—and the more she thought, the more sense they made; and the more sense they made, the more she acted accordingly.

In her former life she had been so busy with her own affairs that she had no time for others; now, looking back, she could not help feeling a lively curiosity about the relationship between Sixth Aunt and Sixth Uncle.

And since she also had a favor to ask of Sixth Aunt, she could not help rather looking forward to this temporary stay at Sixth Uncle's house.

※※※※※

At noon the next day, a great crowd of people came from the Pang family.

Perhaps because it had already been decided that Ji shi would look after Dou Chu for a time, perhaps because the mood at home was poor, that afternoon Dou Huaiying personally escorted Dou Yan to the East Mansion.

Second Aunt and Sixth Aunt came out to the second gate to receive the father and daughter.

Dou Chi sized up Sixth Aunt.

Ji shi was at this time no more than twenty-four or twenty-five, fair and comely, her black hair done up in a bun and fastened with two gold-wrapped jade pins; she wore a lotus-pink summer robe and a white gauze skirt, with no other ornament upon her person—most refined and plain.

She came forward with a smile and embraced Dou Yan.

Dou Yan caught the faintest scent of roses.

She knew that fragrance.

It was no ordinary incense, but rose water from the land of the Arabs—fifty taels of silver for one small bottle, a price to be weighed against gold, and sold only by the largest few trading houses in the capital.

Second Aunt, for her part, smiled and patted her head, then said to Dou Huaiying, "You may as well come with us to pay your respects to the Madam!"

Since his daughter would be imposing on the ladies of the East Mansion for her care, Dou Huaiying thanked them again and again, and the party went on to the Second Madam's quarters.

The Second Madam's room was simply furnished, yet every piece was of a plain and generous antiquity, a quiet splendor beneath the restraint, like a storeroom for curios—there was little life in it, and a chill breathed from every corner.

The room suited the Second Madam very well.

Dou Yan thought of her cold cruelty toward her mother, and cursed her inwardly.

After the greetings, the Second Madam took a handful of sweets and gave them to Dou Yan, then asked Dou Huaiying, "I hear the Wang family has been making rather an ugly scene?" Her offhand tone carried a note of severity.

Dou Huaiying flushed and said in a low voice, "I will settle it very soon."

The Second Madam said, "You are about to sit for the provincial examination. I think this matter should be left to your Second Sister-in-law to handle for you in dealing with the Wang family."

It was the tone of a command, not a question.

Dou Huaiying nodded, shamefaced.

The Second Madam gave a satisfied "Mm," and when she looked at Dou Yan her face had changed to a kindly smile: "Come, Shouyuan, come to your Second Great-Aunt! Let your Second Great-Aunt see whether you have grown taller?"

Dou Yan thought the Second Madam like some ancient demon of a thousand years—she had lived another ten years after Grandfather's death before she herself passed away.

She had no wish to be close to the Second Madam, and when she heard herself summoned, she did not go over, but took Sixth Aunt's hand and said loudly, "I am already five years old this year—of course I have grown taller."

Her voice rang out clear and bright, leaving everyone briefly stunned before they burst into laughter.

Second Aunt chimed in, "Second Sister-in-law, you miscalculated! You should have held the candy in your hand before calling Shouyuan over. Now you have nothing in your hands—why would Shouyuan run to you?"

Another round of laughter swept through the room.

Second Aunt rose to her feet and said to Dou Huaiying with a smile, "You may safely entrust Shouyuan to Sixth Sister-in-law. We will all help keep an eye on her. It is getting late—shall I go back with you and have a look? Zhending is no bigger than a palm. If trouble breaks out like this, no one will be able to show his face."