Chapter 41 — A Tiger Cowed

Ji shi said only that Yuzan was unfit to remain in Dou Yan's service and that another maid should be brought in to replace her.

Old Lady Yu understood: this was Ji shi forcing her to deal with Yuzan herself.

The maids and old women of the West Household fawned on her only because they hoped to squeeze some advantage out of her. Yet when one of them got into trouble, not only could she not protect the girl—she had to personally punish those very people who had once flattered and courted her.

Who would ever come near her again after this?

But if she pretended not to understand, might the Sixth Madam feel her dignity had been slighted and take the matter all the way to the Second Old Madam?

At the thought of the Second Old Madam, Yu's heart went cold with dread.

Best get through this immediate difficulty first and worry about the rest later.

Gritting her teeth, Yu took Yuzan back and, before the eyes of everyone present, had her soundly beaten with twenty strokes of the plank, until her flesh split and her skin tore, until she was drawing more breath than she gave out. She reckoned the Old Master must be raging about something even now, and that whoever drew near him would suffer for it; so, fearing that if Yuzan died it might bring bad luck down on the Old Master's head, she sent for a physician to dress her wounds and at the same time had someone find the girl a family to marry into.

"The chief thing is that she be married off far away," she instructed the matchmaker. "We don't want her redemption money either—we'll throw in ten taels of silver as a dowry."

Such a fine bargain stirred even the matchmaker's own heart. "I have a distant kinsman, a porter who makes his living on the Huai'an grain transport. His wife has just died. If it can be arranged, there'll be a few packets of tea as a thank-you gift besides. Only he's a bit old, and he has two sons..."

Yu cared nothing for any of that. So long as the girl could be got far away, she asked not another question and agreed to the match on the spot. "I'll go and tell the Seventh Master."

The matchmaker sat there beaming, drinking her tea and waiting.

Dou Huaiying was at the Crane Longevity Hall. By the time Yu hurried over, she was stopped at the door.

"The Old Master is discussing business with the Seventh Master," the young servant told her in a low voice. "He's given orders that no one is to disturb them."

So Yu stood waiting in the courtyard.

In the study, Dou Duo lay in his reclining chair looking as though he had aged ten years at a stroke—weary and haggard.

"Wanyuan, this time you must come back with a provincial degree!" He laid the back of his hand across his brow, covering his eyes; his low voice carried a note of helplessness and bitter resentment. "The Dou family of today is not the Dou family of your great-uncle's day. If you want to preserve the family fortune, you must prove yourself. Do you understand?"

Dou Huaiying stood there straight as a rod and said nothing.

Dou Duo sat bolt upright and thundered furiously, "Did you hear a word I said?"

"I heard." Dou Huaiying answered calmly, then asked, "What do you intend to do about the Wang family business?"

Dou Duo gave a cold laugh. "You needn't trouble yourself over that," he said darkly. "So long as I am here, the West Dou will never let the East Dou roll us flat! All you need do is set your mind at ease and go sit for the provincial examination." Then he raised his voice: "Who's on duty outside?"

"This servant, Du An."

"Go and invite the eldest young master of the Wang family to come here."

Du An answered and went off.

Dou Duo turned back to his son, who stood there calm and still. "Go back and pack your things."

Dou Huaiying bowed respectfully to his father and left the Crane Longevity Hall.

Yu hurried to meet him. She told him of the visit to the East Household, and finished: "...the Sixth Madam's meaning is that a girl like this cannot be kept any longer. For the sake of her reputation, it would be best to marry her off far away."

Fearing fresh complications, she had invoked Ji shi's name.

Dou Huaiying was taken aback; after a long pause he said, "Since it is the Sixth Madam's wish, then do as the Sixth Madam wishes."

Having got her word, Yu hastened back to tell the matchmaker. That very night Yuzan was carried out on a door plank.

Dou Huaiying, meanwhile, stood rooted to the spot for a long while, then instructed Gao Sheng behind him: "Go and pack my things for me. I'm going to the Sixth Master's to see Shouyuan."

Gao Sheng said quickly, "Then go early and come back early, sir. Tomorrow at first light we must make offerings to the ancestors."

Dou Huaiying nodded and went to the East Household.

Dou Heng was sorting the books and scrolls he meant to take to the capital. The study was somewhat in disarray. Seeing Dou Huaiying come, he led him into the main hall and they sat down.

"Shouyuan has gone with your sixth sister-in-law to visit the second son's wife," he said, pouring Dou Huaiying a cup of tea. "By the look of the hour, they should be back soon."

Dou Huaiying murmured, "I've put Sixth Sister-in-law to trouble," and sat holding his teacup in silence for a long time.

Dou Heng smiled. "What is it? Tired of the commotion at home?"

Dou Huaiying smiled faintly and answered a question with a question: "Sixth Brother, when the Zhu family wanted to break off the engagement, why did you speak up for them?"

Dou Heng was a little surprised. Half in jest, half in teasing, he said, "Your reputation is already bad enough. If the Zhu family broke it off with you as well, I'm afraid you'd never find a decent wife again."

Dou Huaiying listened and thought it over, then suddenly his face broke into a smile, his brows and eyes opening out like a scroll slowly unrolling, natural and free, fluid and unhurried.

Dou Heng stared, momentarily struck dumb. Dou Huaiying had already lifted the teacup in his hand and said with a smile, "Sixth Brother, I drink to you."

"Oh?" Dou Heng pressed down the strange feeling in his heart and laughed. "And what's this for?"

"I just wanted to say 'many thanks' to Sixth Brother!" A smile played at the corners of Dou Huaiying's mouth, but his gaze was earnest and grave, which left Dou Heng faintly astonished. He was just about to ask what had happened when a burst of laughter and chatter came from outside.

"That'll be Shouyuan back," Dou Heng said, and went out of the side room with Dou Huaiying.

The great red lanterns bathed the courtyard in a ruddy glow. A crowd of maids and old women came in escorting Ji shi and Dou Yan. Ji shi had her head lowered, saying something to Dou Yan that no one could hear; Dou Yan tilted up her face and gazed at her with a giggle, the tiny red-gold lilac buds at her ears flickering and glinting, mischievous and lovely as stars winking on and off in the night sky.

Dou Huaiying's nose stung with sudden grief.

If Gu Qiu were still alive... how happy she would have been!

He could not help squatting down, spreading his arms, and calling out to Dou Yan, "Shouyuan."

Dou Yan raised her head and saw Dou Huaiying, with his sword-sharp brows and star-bright eyes.

She stood quietly at Ji shi's side and called out slowly, "Father."

Dou Huaiying's smile froze on his face; his arms, as though bearing the weight of a thousand catties, slowly dropped to his sides.

Ji shi hastily nudged Dou Yan and said with a smile, "Your father leaves tomorrow. He came expressly to see you today."

Dou Yan feigned incomprehension. She bent her knees in a curtsy to Dou Huaiying and bade her father farewell in a crisp, clear voice: "Safe journey, Father!"

Dou Huaiying laughed in spite of himself.

What was the sense in squabbling with a child?

Smiling, he stepped forward and patted his daughter's head. "While Shouyuan stays with your Sixth Aunt, be good and obedient. Understand?"

Dou Xin nodded, giggling.