Chapter 50 — Lending a Hand
Purple Streets of Chang'an · Page 1 of 4
It all came too suddenly; Yu Daqing had to pawn some of his wife's jewelry just to make the accounts balance.
Dou Xiuchang arranged for the Dou household's accounting office to audit the books. Seeing that the accounts matched the goods, he had Yu Daqing sign his name. His aunt sent him two hundred taels of silver as a farewell gift, along with other presents such as porcelain and screens; a propitious day was chosen, and a banquet was laid out to see off Yu Ao and her family.
Word went around Dingzhen County that the Seventh Master of the Dou family was taking a widow to wife, and that the Seventh Master's personal nurse, having grown old in service, had been retired with a generous sum of silver from the Dou family for her upkeep.
When Yu Ao's carriage rolled out of the city gate, someone quietly measured the tracks its wheels left behind.
Later, word reached the Dou household that Yu Ao's family had met with bandits on their way home; not only were their goods and money stripped clean, but Yu Ao, badly frightened, passed away within a few days. Yu Daqing was cut down and wounded; though he kept his life, he was left a cripple and could never look after himself again...
And the aunt, seeing that matters had been more or less settled, took her leave of the women of the Dou household: "...Shouyuan's uncle is still waiting for me to come home for the New Year. I leave Shouyuan in your care."
Whether it was the Second Dowager or the several madams, all agreed with pleasure.
Once the aunt had been seen off, the Dou family began to prepare for the New Year.
Since Zhao Guqiu's death, the New Year affairs of the West Residence had all been handled by Dou Zhen and his wife. This year, because the matter of Dou Zhiwei stood between them, when they invited Dou Duo over for dumplings at the Winter Solstice, Dou Duo declined, pleading the bitter cold and his own poor health. Dou Zhen was somewhat unsure and made a point of asking the Second Dowager for her instructions.
The Second Dowager went to the West Residence: "...Though we have the letter of consent in hand, no ceremony has been held, and after all, the woman Wang has no proper standing. I say, why not let her help the Third Madam's wife this year? It will be a chance to learn how to manage the household. Next year, our two households can keep the New Year separately."
Dou Duo assented indifferently.
Wang Shuying was called to the Third Madam's side to help.
She was overjoyed, naturally, and thought that since this was her first time handling such affairs, she must be neither too shabby nor too splendid. She coiled her hair into a neat round bun, put on a half-new madder-red padded jacket of brocade with the Yutangchun pattern, and wore only a pair of pure-gold earrings with a touch of oil, dressed clean and crisp, modest and proper, and went to the East Residence.
The Third Madam was checking accounts with the managing mothers. Seeing her come in, she only raised her head and said, "You're here," then had a maid bring over an embroidered stool. "Sit and watch for now. If there's anything you don't understand, ask me." Even as she spoke, managing mothers and well-placed senior maids came and went, went and came; the little side room was a constant stream of traffic.
Wang Shuying had lived in the capital for a time as a child and had once accompanied her mother on visits to great households. She took no offense, said gently, "Third Madam, go on with your work; don't mind me," and sat down on the stool, watching with eyes and ears as the Third Madam gave her instructions.
One managing mother's accounts did not tally, and she argued with the Third Madam: "When the aunt from the Zhao family of the West Residence came, the house was giving banquets one after another, and the cost of tea and wine rose higher than usual..."
At the words "West Residence," Wang Shuying pricked up her ears at once.