Chapter 53 — The Farmstead (Pink Ticket 240 Bonus Update)
Purple Streets of Chang'an · Page 2 of 4
Dou Yan had once heard Cui Da's wife say that when Grandmother first arrived at the farmstead, there had been no end of talk. The Cui family had taken offense on Grandmother's behalf, but Grandmother stopped them, saying, "You have done it—so what if they talk?" Her manner was utterly composed. She showed no special favor to those who flattered her, nor did she make things hard for those who had spoken ill of her; good or bad turned solely on who worked the fields well. In time, when the harvest was poor, Grandmother would even forgive their rents. If a family's child wished to study, she would put up the money; if a child wished to apprentice in a shop, she would find a way to arrange it. In time, Grandmother gradually won these people's respect. Later, when the Cui family and some others on the farmstead finally resolved to follow Dou Yan to the capital, it was entirely out of regard for Grandmother. Strictly speaking, Dou Yan owed his good fortune to her reflected light.
They went up the hills to shoot birds and down to the river to catch fish.
In the bright May weather, Dou Yan relived the farmstead life he remembered.
But she was no longer that ignorant child after all. In a mere two or three days she was so worn out that lifting an arm left her whole body aching.
Tuoniang fretted and asked Grandmother outright, "What is to be done?"
"She only needs to move about more," Grandmother said with a laugh. "She has been moving too little." Then she took Dou Yan by the hand. "Come, you and I will go pick worms off the melon vines."
Dou Chi wanted to come along.
Tuoniang, naturally, shielded her.
Grandmother laughed. "She is a girl. If she does not work properly now, how will she ever grow strong? How will she bear children later? Look at the young ladies of rich families—so many die in childbirth, and it is because once they are with child they stop moving, terrified that some mishap will cost them the heir. The more they fear a thing, the more surely it comes. Look at us farming folk—how many of us die in childbirth? Only those who cannot be raised at all!" At this, Grandmother sighed with boundless feeling.
Dou Yan thought of her former life... and it was just as Grandmother said. Her body had been damaged, yet she had not perished of it.
Given a second life, if one did not cherish it well, the advantages of the first would not descend upon one for no reason. And to misjudge oneself on that account would be a truly terrible thing.
She struggled up from the kang and said in a feeble voice, "I will go with you to catch worms."
Grandmother smiled in satisfaction.
Tuoniang, Haitang, Qiukui, Moli, Xuancao, and Grandmother's own serving woman—the Red Aunt who had helped Grandmother down from the carriage—trailed behind them like a string of rice dumplings.
This time they were after the prettiest green worms.
Haitang and the others shrieked in terror, and even Tuoniang's face changed.
Dou Yan giggled, found a pair of chopsticks, and caught them one after another; in no time she had filled a whole saucer with green worms.
She teased Haitang: "We will fry these in oil and eat them in a bit!"
Haitang leaned against the wall and threw up violently.
Grandmother chuckled and scolded Dou Yan: "Never say such a thing again."
Red Aunt, however, praised her: "Truly worthy of being the Mistress's granddaughter."
Grandmother's face darkened. "I will pretend I did not hear that this time. If I hear such words again, you may go back to your own home!"
Red Aunt turned pale with fright.