Chapter 26 — Before Departure

Dou Yan dodged past her aunt and went pattering off toward her third aunt.

The aunt was taken aback.

Her third aunt scooped Dou Yan up, all smiles. "Madam Zhao, the child is far too young to understand anything, and she cannot do without the maids and serving women who attend her day and night. If she were frightened, it would be a fine mess indeed. I think it best she stay somewhere familiar to her—wouldn't you agree?" She could not quite keep a note of mockery out of her voice.

The aunt's face went red, then white, while inwardly she cursed the little maids in her household up one side and down the other.

She had not even told her own mother the true reason she was going to her husband's post. Yet somehow Zhangru, that little chatterbox, had parroted it to the maid who amused her at play, and the maid had told her own cousin, and on it went—who could say who finally carried word to the Dou family? The result was that before she had even arrived, the Dou household had drawn up its battle lines.

They had never had grounds to take Shouyuan away in the first place. Now the Dou family had called in the matriarchs of several prominent Zhenading families to bear witness, and Shouyuan—heaven knew what she had been told—would not come near her. This time, it seemed, she would not get her way.

Her eyes could not help reddening, and her voice grew thick. "Shouyuan, your aunt has come to take you home to play." She made one last effort. "Do you remember your cousin Zhangru? They are all waiting at home for you to come and play!"

Dou Yan nodded, but burrowed deeper into her third aunt's embrace, staring at the aunt with wide black-and-white eyes full of fear, and stammered, "I want to play with cousin... but Aunt Ding said that if I went with you, you would sell me off to some mountain hollow..."

Uproar filled the hall.

Aunt Ding protested in a fluster, "I—when did I ever say such a thing? Children should not talk nonsense."

Her third aunt's face was a study in displeasure, but she forced out a smile. "Shouyuan, you mustn't say things you shouldn't!"

"Little children tell the truth. I was just saying—Shouyuan is usually as close to me as a daughter, so why should she hide from me today?" The aunt's face was mottled with fury. "To ruin an innocent child like this—take care you do not bring retribution on yourselves!"

A matron among them laughed and tried to smooth things over. "It is all a misunderstanding, all a misunderstanding! Once it is explained, all will be well, all will be well! Madam Zhao, you have come a long way—do go inside and rest, have a cup of tea..."

"Misunderstanding?" The aunt retorted without a shred of courtesy. "Is this what a misunderstanding looks like? Our family's young mistress is barely cold in her grave, and already you set Shouyuan against her own uncle. Have you taken a fancy to some great family's daughter, wanting to marry her to our son-in-law as a second wife, and feared the Zhao family would spoil the match between your two houses?"

That was a remark worth hearing out.

The matrons shrank back, and not one dared step forward to answer.

Seeing this, the aunt only grew more formidable. Leng Heng gave a cold snort. "I am well aware the Dou family is great in wealth and standing—one stamp of your foot and all Zhenading trembles. But you cannot bully people like this!" To spirit Shouyuan away quietly was now impossible; the Dou family was on its guard. Even if they slipped out of Zhenading while the Dou family was off guard, once the Dou kinsmen caught up with them on the road, they would have to hand Shouyuan over all the same. Since that was so, she might as well raise a great fuss, show the Dou family a thing or two, and let them know the Zhao family was not without teeth—and that they had best not give Shouyuan sour looks. Her mind made up, the aunt's words grew all the sharper. "You say we meant to carry Shouyuan off to the post—wherever did you hear such a thing? Shouyuan's father and grandfather are both living. She may have lost her mother, but there is no reason on earth to foster her out to her uncle's house. The Dou family is, after all, a line of officials and scholars; there is no counting the learned men and magistrates among you. Are you telling me that what even a woman like me knows, you do not? If you mean to frame us, at least invent a better excuse..."

Dou Yan listened in deep admiration.

Turning the tables on them!

No wonder her uncle thought so highly of his wife.

Her third aunt had been berated until her face turned purple, but matters had come to such a pass that she had no choice but to yield. Yet she spoke for the Dou family; if she yielded, would she not be admitting the truth of Madam Zhao's charges?

The thought flashed through her mind, and she shot a glance at Aunt Ding, whose face had gone pale.

The only way now was to let her bear the blame.

She was, after all, only a concubine, unfit for polite company—and such a deed was only to be expected of her.

"Madam Zhao," her third aunt said, handing Dou Yan to a maid behind her and dropping a curtsy of apology to the aunt, "it is all my fault, listening to every wind that blows. You are too generous to bear a grudge against the small. For the sake of our kinship, forgive this old sister of yours this once." Then her face hardened, and she ordered Aunt Ding, "Well? Apologize to Madam Zhao at once!"

Aunt Ding's face went a shade whiter.

They were the ones who had set her to coax Shouyuan; they were the ones who now made her take the blame... but what could she say? Unless she wished to leave the Dou household for good.

"Madam Zhao," she said, forcing down her humiliation. After a moment's thought, she lowered her head, tears in her eyes, and knelt before the aunt. "It is all my fault!" She flung herself to the ground and began knocking her head against the floor with resounding thuds.

The aunt gave a long sigh.

She knew very well Aunt Ding had only acted on orders. What could she say?

Shouyuan was young and could not protect herself. If the Zhao and Dou families fell out, it was Shouyuan who would bear the brunt and the resentment.

For the sake of the Buddha, one spares the monk—she could only let the matter drop and restore the peace.

Even so, she said to her third aunt, "It bodes ill to have a woman stirring up gossip. Shouyuan is still too young to know better, and it truly worries me to have such a person at her side. I am afraid this matter must be brought to the master of the house. Shouyuan must have someone proper about her before anyone can rest easy!"

This was a demand that the Dou family punish Aunt Ding.

Her third aunt could only stiffen her spine and say, "Madam Zhao speaks the truth," then began to smooth things over. "Look at us, talking away. You are soon to leave with the master for his post, and I fear you will not return to Anxiang for three or five years. Since it is better to invite than to meet by chance, and several ladies happen to be visiting today, let me seize the occasion to set two tables in the flower hall and give you a farewell feast." As she spoke, she stepped forward and took the aunt by the arm, ordering a maid beside her, "Go tell the senior madam that I am giving a farewell for Madam Zhao of the Zhao family, and ask her to come and join us."

The maid answered and hurried off.

The aunt did not refuse. "Coming all this way so early, I really could do with a cup of tea," she said with a smile.

At once one of the matrons took up the thread. "When does Madam Zhao set out? We must make an occasion of it and see you off."

"In a day or two," the aunt said with a smile. "But how could I put Madam Zheng to such trouble..."

The whole party went off, chatting and laughing and pressing close together, to the flower hall next door.

No one mentioned what had just happened.

From over the maid's shoulder, Dou Yan gazed back at the great hall.

The empty hall—vast, spacious, and cold.