Chapter 381 — Calling at the Door

Wei Wan narrowed her eyes slightly and retorted with an unabashed smile, "I had only just stepped through the hanging-flower gate myself, and from afar I saw the cloud capes of third and fourth rank — I thought it was a grand court assembly, and could not help lingering a moment at the gate. It quite made the in-law madam's eyes swim. Most careless of me." As she spoke she covered her eyes and laughed, while her gaze swept with contempt over the women of the Dou and Wang families.

Seeing her mother-in-law take so firm a stance, Lady Cai naturally would not let Wei Wan have the last word. She smiled and said, "The Dou and Wang families both have many who hold office — besides madams, there are virtuous ladies and gentle ladies too. Nothing rare in it — unlike the madam's maiden family and married family, where beyond the super-grade madams there are no other ranks at all, so that looking from afar one can tell at a glance which is a madam and which a mere wife. No wonder the eldest young madam mistook us. Fortunately, the eldest young madam's brother in her maiden home has married a daughter of our Dou family, so there will be many occasions to deal with one another hereafter; in time the eldest young madam will grow used to rooms full of titled ladies." The Dou and Wang families had dealt with each other before, and the tongue of the Wang family's Second Madam, Pang Yulou, was not there merely for show. As she spoke, her gaze fell upon Pang Yulou. "Second Madam of the Wang family, would you not say that is the way of it?"

Pang Yulou had long been displeased that Wang Shuying lived in the household, eating from the common stores and using what the common stores provided, and that even her food and clothing were of the finest. Had Madam Wang Xu not spoken, she would not have come at all. But the Dou family's baton had now been passed into her hands; if she did not step forward, would the Dou family not laugh themselves to death over her?

At these words she went up a few steps with a smile, took her place at Madam Cai's side, and said in a soft, gentle voice, "I too mistook the Eldest Young Mistress for our Fifth Young Mistress just now. Who is to blame, when in this household no one but our Fifth Young Mistress has the right to wear the robes of a titled lady above the first rank? I beg the Eldest Young Mistress not to take it to heart."

Madam Tian was a titled lady of the first rank as well, but being widowed, when she dressed in full formal attire according to her rank she wore only half a set of the gold, silver, jade and kingfisher ornaments, to mark the difference.

Wei Wan's face was like frost.

The Dou family's Sixth Madam, Madam Ji, had no wish to stand here quarrelling with the Wei family's Eldest Young Mistress and give the Wei servants a spectacle.

She stepped forward smiling to smooth things over: "Since we have come, ought we not to go and pay our respects to the Dowager?"

Madam Gao had had the same thought as Madam Ji, and taking up her words she said with a smile, "Shall we go and see the Dowager first, and then talk in the flower hall?"

The ladies of the Dou and Wang families all answered "Yes" with smiles, in such force that even if Wei Wan refused, they would go straight to Madam Tian.

Wei Wan looked at these two families in their great array, thought of herself fighting alone, and could not help turning livid. She went with the Fifth Madam and the others toward Madam Tian's courtyard, yet inwardly she was thinking that it was better to bear more children. She and Wei Fan were the only two, sister and brother, and in any matter they could only look after each other. The Zhang family, besides the three brothers born of one mother, had five sisters as well, which was why her mother-in-law's birthday could be celebrated so merrily; and when her father had married her into the Zhang family, it had had much to do with the Zhang brothers.

Madam Tian had long since agreed with her daughter that today, no matter what, Dou Ming must be taught a lesson. She knew well enough that she was not a woman of ready speech, and had resolved not to show her face. When the Fifth Madam and the others came to visit her, she tied a brow band about her head and feigned illness, and clutching the Fifth Madam's hand she poured out her grievances: "Where is there such a daughter-in-law? Her mother-in-law is ill, and she does not come to tend her. How bitter my fate is!"

The Fifth Madam smiled and said nothing.

Then Madam Cai put in, "I hear our Fifth Young Mistress has been taking medicine every day since her miscarriage. Is she not overworking herself? I see your household has few serving women. Shall we send over a few matrons from the Dou family who understand the care of health, to attend our Fifth Young Mistress and nurse her back to strength? Otherwise, if it becomes difficult in the matter of heirs, that would be trouble indeed."

Madam Tian could not help shrinking back a little.

Wei Wan, however, was furious.

Do you mean that if Dou Ming bears no son hereafter, your Dou family will lay it at the door of this miscarriage?

She was about to speak in retort when Pang Yulou, following close upon Madam Cai, took up her words: "Is there such a thing? How is it we never heard of it? Our Fifth Young Mistress is too soft and yielding by nature. The matter of heirs is of the first importance." So saying, she looked at Wei Wan with feigned anger. "Our Fifth Young Mistress is young and has but newly married in, and does not know better; but the Eldest Young Mistress has borne and raised several children herself — why did you not remind our Fifth Young Mistress of it? The legitimate is the legitimate and the concubine-born is the concubine-born; the Eldest Young Mistress must not let her husband throw the household into disorder."

※

Brothers and sisters who read this, here is today's first update.

The second update is postponed to around 11 p.m.