Purple Streets of Chang'an - Chapter 198 — Cultivating Goodwill - 清風書屋

Both Mrs. Cai and Mrs. Ding were somewhat taken aback, but Wang Shuying was already saying with a smile, "Mrs. Cai, an encounter beats an invitation. I had meant to call on you at your residence in the next few days—I never expected to run into you here, so I won't stand on ceremony. There is a matter I'd like to ask your help with..." She signaled for her to step aside and talk.

Mrs. Ding had seen plenty of such things. She withdrew to the side with the maids and serving women, smiling without a care.

Wang Shuying invited Mrs. Cai to sit in her carriage.

Mrs. Cai thought it over, then smiled and climbed in with Wang Shuying.

Mrs. Ding waited outside for about two hours, during which she now and then faintly heard sounds of weeping from within the carriage.

Mrs. Cai's personal attendant asked Mrs. Ding with some concern, "Nothing's wrong, is there?"

Mrs. Ding smiled. "Even if something is, the Dou family still has the Fifth Mrs. Dou—it wouldn't fall to us to step forward!" Then she guessed, "Perhaps she's been wronged somehow and wants the Fifth Mrs. Dou to speak for her, but can't bring herself to say so directly, so she wants Mother to pass along a message!"

The attendant thought it over and found Mrs. Ding's words quite reasonable. Her expression relaxed, and she stood waiting at her ease.

About a quarter of an hour later, Mrs. Cai stepped down from Wang Shuying's carriage. Wang Shuying would have seen her off, but Mrs. Cai stopped her. "Seventh Mrs. Dou, go on ahead. I'll think this matter over carefully and give you an answer."

Wang Shuying said hurriedly, "Thank you, Mrs. Cai!" Her eyes were red and swollen, her expression mournful.

Mrs. Ding thought to herself, "I wonder what the Seventh Mrs. Dou wanted with Mother," as she stepped forward to support Mrs. Cai.

Mrs. Cai's face was drawn tight, and she looked somewhat grave.

The moment she got into the carriage, she ordered the driver, "Hurry back!"

Mrs. Ding was badly startled and asked anxiously, "Mother, what's happened?"

Mrs. Cai seemed not to have heard her. Her expression was dazed, and she kneaded her handkerchief into a ball, smoothed it out, then kneaded it into a ball again.

Mrs. Ding knew her mother-in-law had run into a serious difficulty. She scarcely dared breathe and sat quietly to one side.

The carriage sped along and soon arrived at Zhima Alley, where the Cai family lived.

Yet Mrs. Cai sat in the carriage without moving.

The serving women outside waited a long while and, seeing no one alight, were about to draw back the curtain and speak, but a look from Mrs. Ding stopped them short.

The sun gradually sank toward the west, and a cool breeze blew through the alley, yet inside the carriage it was unbearably hot and stuffy. Mrs. Ding felt certain her back was soaked through with sweat. She picked up the round fan to fan Mrs. Cai a few times, and took the chance to cool herself as well. Suddenly Mrs. Cai came back to herself and asked in a low voice, "Tell me—if we had a chance to earn ten thousand taels of silver, would we do it, or not?"

Mrs. Ding turned pale with alarm. "I fear the risk would be no small thing either?"

Mrs. Cai nodded, and seemed about to speak but held back.

Mrs. Ding, heedless of the stifling heat, moved over and sat close beside Mrs. Cai. "Does it have to do with the Dou family's affairs?" she whispered.

Mrs. Cai whispered a few words into her ear.

Mrs. Ding went white with fright, and the round fan in her hand dropped with a smack to the floor, drawing the serving woman who followed the carriage to jerk back the curtain in haste and ask anxiously what was the matter. A sharp rebuke from Mrs. Ding sent her retreating again.

"Mother, what do you have in mind?" Mrs. Ding's voice trembled a little. "I fear there'll be a rift with the Huai Shu Alley household afterward!"