Chapter 37 — Night Talk

Ji shi sat on the kang by the window, gazing at the sleeping Dou Yan, and sighed a sigh scarcely audible. "This child—how very beautiful she has grown!" As she spoke,

having come out from Third Master Dou Zhen's house, she had taken Dou Yan along to pay her respects to the several nieces-in-law, and by the time they returned it was deep into the night and all was still. After washing and making herself presentable, Dou Yan had collapsed onto the bed and fallen fast asleep.

Old Mother Wang was sitting by the bed fanning Dou Yan; at these words she could not help looking toward the child.

No lamp was lit in the room. In the moonlight Dou Yan looked as though carved of pink jade, her little red mouth slightly pursed, a hint of a smile playing at the corners, as if she were dreaming something lovely—the sight of it melted a person's heart on the spot.

"Indeed!" Old Mother Wang said, unable to help herself. "How could Seventh Madam bear to leave Fourth Miss behind and go like that!"

Ji shi said nothing.

Old Mother Wang went on: "When all is said and done, it is all that concubine's fault. They were old acquaintances—old friends, no less—and still she entangled herself with Seventh Master. Where was Seventh Madam to put her face? No wonder Seventh Madam chose this road."

"She did not hang herself because she could not face others," Ji shi said, listening, a note of melancholy in her voice. "It was because she held Seventh Uncle too dear. Even if it had not been Concubine Wang—had it been any other woman, even the lowest sort of singsong girl—so long as she could win Seventh Uncle's favor, to her it would have been a catastrophe like heaven falling and earth splitting; she would sooner die than see it. But she never stopped to think: with her gone, what of the child? What of the brother of her natal family who raised her? Doing as she did—it is nothing but grief to those who love her and joy to those who hate her. Ai, I do not even know what to say. If she had had a mother to help her decide, or a bosom friend to talk with, matters might never have come to such a pass. The saying 'Take not to wife the eldest daughter of a motherless house' is not without reason. Only Shouyuan is to be pitied—her days ahead will likely be hard."

Old Mother Wang did not take this seriously. "Is it not said that Fourth Miss is betrothed to the heir of the Marquis of Jining's household?"

"Mere words, nothing more," Ji shi said with feeling. "If the Wei family truly meant to honor that betrothal, they would not have sent only a steward when Zhao shi died."

Old Mother Wang felt a measure of worry on Dou Yan's behalf.

"We had best not discuss such things behind people's backs," Ji shi said. "Has the gathering on Mother-in-law's side broken up yet?"

She had long since given her orders: the moment the Second Madam's guests dispersed, she was to be informed at once.

Old Mother Wang rose hurriedly. "I will go and see!"

Ji shi nodded, took the fan from Old Mother Wang's hand, and began fanning Dou Yan herself.

Old Mother Wang returned with word: "They say it has not broken up yet."

Ji shi's brows drew tight; she looked somewhat uneasy.

Old Mother Wang hesitated. "Could it be… has something happened?"

Ji shi said softly, "Mother-in-law is likely at this very moment quarreling with the Old Master of the West Mansion over Seventh Uncle's marriage!"

.

The sleeping Dou Yan turned over.

Ji shi patted her gently; seeing no further movement, she lowered her voice: "Elder Zeng has ousted Chen Jizhou and put forward He Wendao—what does that tell us? It tells us Elder Zeng has firmly planted his feet at court." Her voice was calm and dispassionate, colder and clearer than the moonlight spilling across the windowsill. "Elder Zeng is past the age of sixty; his health and vigor are far from what they were. He can hold out five or six years at most. When that time comes, who will take over from Elder Zeng?" She paused briefly. "If I guess rightly, Wang Xingyi must already have been promoted to a ministry chair."

Old Mother Wang thought for a long while; her face changed abruptly. "You mean—Concubine Wang is to be elevated to wife?" Her voice trembled.

Ji shi nodded, her expression grave and cold. "My mother-in-law is the most quick-witted of people. This time it is the Old Master of the West Mansion whose head will ache."

Old Mother Wang sat stunned for a good while; the shock on her face would not fade.

She murmured to herself there: "After Elder Zeng was forced into retirement, all his protégés fell out of favor—only Fifth Master could still hold his own. Before Elder Zeng was recalled, they all clustered about Fifth Master… Now Wang Xingyi has been recalled too. If he were only some petty county magistrate, it would be of no account—but to rise within half a year to a ministry chair, that means he too has won Elder Zeng's high regard… However formidable Fifth Master may be, he lacks Lord Wang's reputation. At this rate, in time he is bound to come off the worse… If Concubine Wang is elevated to wife, then the Wang family will owe the Dou family a favor, and Lord Wang will surely be too embarrassed to contest with Fifth Master for the leadership of the faction—he might even… help Fifth Master contend for it… But Concubine Wang's character is too vile. A woman like that, even if she could bear a son, could never raise him properly… and then the West Mansion would be utterly ruined… The Old Master will never agree, no matter what…" As she spoke she shook her head violently. "No, no—if even I can work this out, the Madam and the Old Master must know it too. On what grounds would the Madam persuade the Old Master to agree to elevating Concubine Wang?" She could not make it out.

"That is precisely what worries me!" Ji shi let out a long breath, her gaze falling on Dou Zhihui. "I fear Sixth Master may have meant well and done ill."

Old Mother Wang did not understand.

"There is indeed a bit of turmoil in the West Mansion just now. That child Shouyuan—so young, and already without a mother; it pains me to see it." Ji shi went on slowly. "When Sixth Master asked me to look after Shouyuan, I agreed without a second thought. It was a good deed—but now the situation has changed greatly. If the Madam seizes on this pretext and has me help raise the West Mansion's eldest grandson… The Dou family's property was divided equally in those days, and afterward managed jointly; Seventh Uncle alone stands to gain half the Dou family fortune. How many people can look on that without their hearts stirring? Not to speak of the Wang family—even among the Dou, there will be those green with envy. And then we shall be neither fish nor fowl, with no peace in this house day or night!"

**

"Then what is to be done?" Old Mother Wang said anxiously. "If you are truly made to raise the West Mansion's eldest son—Concubine Wang is his birth mother; surely she cannot be kept from so much as a glimpse of him all the year round? The very thought of dealing with a base, shameless creature like her turns my stomach. And besides—dragons beget dragons, phoenixes beget phoenixes, and the sons of rats dig holes. What good could ever come of her raising? We must not have our own Hui-ge and Zhi-ge corrupted when the time comes—that would be a fine mess. Sixth Madam, if the Madam speaks to you of this matter, you must on no account agree! Even Fourth Miss"—she glanced toward Dou Yan—"I say she cannot be kept either. Say the weather is too hot and you are unwell; send her to the Madam. Whoever wishes to take her may take her; she will not want for food or clothing either way."

Hui-ge and Zhi-ge were the eldest and second sons of the sixth branch.

"Do not say such things again!" Ji shi said, displeased. "She is not some kitten or puppy, to be kept when one is fond of it and tossed aside when one is not. She is a living, breathing child!"

"But…" Old Mother Wang faltered.