Chapter 152
Chapter 152: The Meeting
Madam Jia pressed her forehead, her face full of worry, and said: “Aunt has always treated me well. It is only one meeting; it should be fine.”
“Nanny Sun paced like an ant on a hot pan as she blurted: “Madam, you are being foolish. Even if Zhao Tong Bin means no harm, what about others? Paper cannot wrap fire. If the second and third branches find out, they will make a scene.”
Madam Jia snapped her head up and asked: “If you do not speak, how will they know?”
Nanny Sun fell silent, then heard Madam Jia soften as she said: “I know you care for me. Aunt treats me like her own daughter. If I cannot fulfill her last wish, am I even human?”
For a moment, Nanny Sun had no words. She knew Madam Jia was soft?hearted; she had even used that kindness before. She had not expected it to put her in a bind one day. [If madam falls, my good days end.]
She calmed herself and said: “Just this once. I will arrange it.”
Relieved, Madam Jia nodded and said: “Good.”
That night, Xia Meng Yan rested in a rocking chair. Duan Yi Chen came to her side, picked up the tea on the table, and drank it in one go, then spoke before she could ask: “Nanny Sun sent a letter to the Jia Family. In the next day or two, the First Madam will go to the Zhao Family. As for the secret messages you mentioned, I found that a maid in the First Madam’s courtyard once admired Zhao Tong Bin; she is likely the one who passed messages to the First Madam.”
Xia Meng Yan had not expected Zhao Tong Bin to have an admirer, so she asked: “Any movement from the Second Madam?”
Sitting beside her and eating pastries at ease, Duan Yi Chen answered: “She sent people to track the First Madam’s movements today.”
Xia Meng Yan let out a small laugh and thought: [The Second Madam never disappoints.]
Duan Yi Chen leaned closer and asked: “What are you going to do, quietly fix this for the First Madam?”
Xia Meng Yan was not that kind. If Madam Jia were cruel and scheming, she would stand aside. Unfortunately, Madam Jia was only not very bright, and Xia Meng Yan still had to live in the Lin Family for a few months, so of course she wanted the household’s head madam to be steady. Most of all, if Madam Jia lost face, uncle would also lose face. [Uncle has treated me well; I do not want him to be in a tough spot.] She gave her order and said: “Post people to watch them closely.”
Duan Yi Chen nodded and said: “All right.”
At dawn the next day, Xia Meng Yan heard that a messenger from the Jia Family had returned with a note saying Old Madam Jia was ill and wished to see her daughter.
When the news reached her, Madam Jia spoke briefly with the old madam at home, then took Nanny Sun and went back to her parents’ house.
Lin Qing Wan felt uneasy. After much coaxing and pleading, she followed Madam Jia to the Jia Manor.
Xia Meng Yan went on eating and drinking as usual and did not worry.
Back at her parents’ home, Madam Jia first visited her mother. Old Madam Jia’s health was indeed poor, but not so bad that it truly required her daughter to rush home. The old lady studied her child, then asked: “Tell the truth. Why did you come back? Did you quarrel with the eldest master?”
Eyes reddening, Madam Jia shook her head and said: “No. I just want to stay home for two days. Mother, please do not send me away.”
Old Madam Jia had assumed the couple fought and that her daughter wanted advice, which was why she sent a letter to the Lin Family at once. She sighed and said: “Child, I spoil you. What head madam returns to her mother’s house just because she is upset?”
Madam Jia leaned in to hug her and said with a playful whine: “Mother, I miss you.”
“All right, all right, all right,” Old Madam Jia replied with a smile, then warned: “The Lin Family lets you be willful, but you must not do this again later.”
“I know,” Madam Jia answered.
She spent half the day in her mother’s courtyard and only after lunch returned to the rooms she once lived in.
Seeing that Miss Qing Wan had not followed, Nanny Sun lowered her voice and asked: “At night Miss Qing Wan usually sleeps in your room. What should we do?”
A bit troubled, Madam Jia whispered: “Have people keep an eye on her. Once she falls asleep, we will go out.”
Nanny Sun nodded.
Lin Qing Wan sat with her grandmother, but her mind was on her mother. She did not know Xia Meng Yan’s full plan, but she knew her mother had come back to meet Zhao Tong Bin’s mother. She wanted to stop her, yet she feared ruining Xia Meng Yan’s plan, so she kept her distance from her mother. She felt a stab of regret and thought: [I should not have come on impulse.]
After supper, Lin Qing Wan could tell her mother was anxious. She yawned on purpose and said she was sleepy, then went to the west room.
A quarter of an hour later, she heard soft rustling and guessed her mother was going out. She knocked out the maid serving her, then peered through the crack in the door and saw her mother change into men’s clothes and slip away.
On the west side of the city, in Yu Rong Alley, most residents were honest small shopkeepers. The Zhao Family had moved there years ago. Father Zhao worked at a restaurant, and Zhao Tong Bin taught at a private school and copied books for a shop in his spare time. If Mother Zhao had not fallen ill, their life would have been passable.
After dinner, Zhao Tong Bin waited by the door. He did not know when Madam Jia would come, so he took two days off and stayed home.
When he was about to give up hope, he spotted two figures coming one after the other down the lane, and he stepped forward quickly as he called out: “Yun Xiang.”
Nanny Sun moved in front of Madam Jia and shoved a small wrapped bundle into his arms as she warned: “Young Master Zhao, please mind yourself.”
Eyes glued to Madam Jia, Zhao Tong Bin ignored Nanny Sun’s cold look and said: “Yun Xiang, you are finally here. Mother knows you are coming and has been waiting.” He stepped aside to invite Madam Jia in.
The Zhao Family knew Madam Jia would come and had been hoping for it. Hearing movement at the door, Father Zhao carried Ling Hua into the west room.
Zhao Tong Bin led Madam Jia into the east room to see Mother Zhao.
Madam Jia stepped inside and smelled strong medicine. A gaunt Mother Zhao lay on the bed, and a rush of feelings flooded her as she greeted her: “Aunt.”
Mother Zhao slowly opened her eyes at the sound. When she saw who it was, tears slipped out even before she spoke as she whispered: “Yun Xiang, you, you came.”
Madam Jia took her hand, overwhelmed. When she was young, her father favored her elder brother, and her mother was busy fighting the concubines. They gave her little care. It was Mother Zhao who often cooked her favorite dishes and soothed her, which kept her from hating her parents. She had thought they would become one family, but fate changed midway. She squeezed the thin hand and said: “Aunt, I came to see you. You have lost weight.”
Mother Zhao sighed and said: “I am old. It is my time to go. Tong Bin is a filial child. He let me enjoy a few good years. I cannot drag them down any longer. What hurts me is you. If I had seen your younger half sister’s thoughts earlier, I would not have let that wrong happen. Cough, cough, cough.”
“Mother,” Zhao Tong Bin said as he hurried to rub her back: “Your good days are ahead. Please do not say that.”
“My illness is clear to me,” Mother Zhao answered. “To meet Yun Xiang before I die, I am at peace. But you two, because of that event, still carry knots in your hearts. It is best to speak plainly tonight.” Her strength failed, and even a few words left her breathless.
Madam Jia stroked her chest to ease her breath and said softly: “Aunt, please rest easy. It has been so many years. I am no longer angry.”
“That is good,” Mother Zhao said with a small wave of her hand: “Tong Bin, take care of Yun Xiang for me.”
Zhao Tong Bin led Madam Jia out of the east room. He poured tea and handed her a cup as he said: “Thank you for coming. My mother’s wish is finally fulfilled.”
Madam Jia held the warm cup, lowered her eyes to steady her feelings, and said: “It is only right. Aunt has been good to me. Visiting her is what I should do.”
He looked at her and asked in a tight voice: “Do you still hate me?” He had liked Yun Xiang, and he had never doubted that, not in the past and not now.
Before she could answer, shouting came from outside.
An excited voice cried: “Elder brother, this is the place. My people saw elder sister?in?law go in.”
Hearing a familiar voice, Madam Jia’s face changed. [Second Madam? Why is she here?] Panic surged. She hastily set down the tea and looked around for a place to hide.
Zhao Tong Bin had not expected anyone to come in the middle of the night. Luckily, the Zhao Family’s west room had a small side door for easy passage. He pulled Madam Jia through it to escape.
They had just closed the door when a hand gripped Madam Jia’s wrist and a whisper reassured her: “Do not speak. It is me.”