Chapter 008

Chapter 8: The Magnanimous and Tolerant Xin An

Xin An’s single, doubtful remark immediately pleased Madam Wang; as the stepwife, she had long suffered at this servant’s hands. Relying on the fact that she had been retained by the former marchioness and that she nursed the Heir Apparent, the servant was overbearing in the manor, forever claiming that the stepmother treated her stepson harshly.

Even in front of Madam Wang she behaved like this; in Tang Rong’s quarters she was practically a grand matron, and no one dared defy her.

Auntie Cai, who had not been treated like this in many years, instinctively raised her voice, saying: “Second Young Madam, this maidservant serves the Heir Apparent; she is not the Marquis’s concubine, so please do not mistake me.”

“Mother,” Xin An cried as she threw herself into Madam Xin’s arms, saying: “Tang Rong truly is a liar; he actually keeps such a bedchamber maid. She is fierce, and I do not want to stay here. I want to go home.”

With a glance, Madam Xin saw that Auntie Cai was no easy character and, all at once, she felt grateful she had not married Tang Rong [she thought: I truly dodged a calamity]. She patted Xin An’s back, then said to Madam Wang: “Marchioness, your estate is far too disorderly. What was agreed before no longer stands. We will take An and leave at once.”

Mother and daughter made to go, but Madam Wang hurried to stop them and directly rebuked Auntie Cai, saying: “When your betters speak, what place is there for a slave to interrupt? The Heir Apparent is at fault in this matter. The Marquis himself ordered the Heir Apparent to come and make amends. An has suffered a grievance as large as the heavens; can she not voice a few complaints?”

She pressed on, saying: “Or is it that your usual insolence has not gone far enough, and now you do not even heed the Marquis’s words?”

She concluded, saying: “A mere servant dares raise her voice before her masters. Do you mean to rebel?”

Tang Mo had been sitting at ease, sipping tea, yet in his heart he wished Xin An would scold them even more sharply; after only a day he had come to relish the feeling of someone acting in concert with him, which was delightful beyond measure. Seeing Xin An casually move to put this old harridan in her place, he grew even more elated. Then, noting the darkness on Tang Rong’s face, he set down his cup with satisfaction, let anger show in his eyes, and stepped forward. [He thought: now it is my turn.]

He addressed his elder brother, saying: “Elder Brother, since this began I have not said a word. I do not wish to probe into its causes for fear of wounding our fraternal bond, but you must not bully us too far.”

He continued, saying: “Xin An has just arrived and does not yet know people here. Look at your nurse behind you: draped in silks and hung with gold. What is wrong with Xin An mistaking her for Father’s concubine, when even Father’s concubines are not so ostentatiously adorned?”

He pressed the accusation, saying: “She lords it over the household, barking orders at everyone. You clearly know she is coarse and ignorant, yet you brought her here. Do you refuse to accept Father’s decision and hope to use her mouth to humiliate me?”

Auntie Cai moved to defend herself, but one cutting look from Madam Wang forced her to swallow her protest. Reluctantly, she dropped to her knees before Xin An and said: “It was this maidservant who offended Second Young Madam; this maidservant deserves punishment.” She slapped herself, the crack of palm on cheek ringing out.

She explained, saying: “The Heir Apparent’s wedding is a joyous event, so for two days I dressed more festively in my happiness. It was not that I had forgotten my station.” Then she quickly removed all the ornaments she wore.

Xin An stared, taken aback, and stepped back two paces, saying: “Mother, the rules of this marquisate are terrifying. Let us go home.”

Madam Xin was deeply displeased. A single servant, reproved briefly by her master, dared to throw a tantrum. She said: “Is this a house where masters are masters and slaves are slaves? Our Xin family cannot afford to be tainted by this.”

She added, saying: “Marchioness, do not try to persuade us further. If in front of me this vile servant is so brazen, then once I leave, how will she treat my An?” She turned toward the doorway and instructed: “The Wang family retainers, Chun Yang and Chunlv, tally the girl’s belongings. We are leaving.”

Xin Huan, who had come hurrying over, saw the scene and immediately began shouting that he would go out and spread the word that in this marquisate the servants ran the house. Mother and son exchanged a look, full of resolve, determined to deal with this wicked old woman today and give Tang Rong a stinging slap in the face.

Madam Wang could not hold them back, and Tang Mo had already spoken every good word he could in front of his mother-in-law. Without any discussion, everyone moved in unspoken accord. Seeing the moment was ripe, Madam Xin had Xin Huan fetch Xin Kuan.

In the front courtyard, Tang Gang was drinking with Xin Kuan and Lord Tao. The mood had not yet fully warmed when Xin Huan burst in and, in a few sentences with some embellishments, laid out the affair, saying: “It is truly amusing. The masters come to apologize, yet bring threats with them. That servant is even more rampant, those upturned eyes venomous enough to kill.” He concluded, saying: “Father, they are keeping my sister from leaving.”

Xin Kuan flung his cup to the ground in anger. Tang Gang’s eyes flashed with fury as well. Lord Tao inwardly despised the marquisate’s mismanagement and regretted forging this marriage, though that did not stop him from rising to go and see.

Tang Rong had never imagined the matter would escalate like this. He had expected the Xin family to make a scene, but a woman’s reputation was paramount. Having come through the marquisate’s gate yet spending the night in the same room as his second brother, Xin An would, he believed, endure whether or not he apologized. He had thought he needed only to go through the motions and then return. As for Auntie Cai, who had wielded power for years, she kept kneeling without a sound, and she was not truly afraid. She belonged to the former marchioness, she had nursed the Heir Apparent, and even the Marquis had to give her some face.

Tang Gang arrived and, for the first time in his life, felt displeasure toward Tang Rong. Seeing Auntie Cai kneeling with a defiant look only fanned his anger. He shouted an order, saying: “Men, drag this insolent slave away and give her thirty strokes.”

The Tang family had risen by military merit. Even if they no longer held command, servants in the manor were punished with military cudgels. Thirty strokes would leave Auntie Cai bedridden for at least three months. But if she were confined to bed, would that not make Tao Yi Ran’s days easier?

Auntie Cai was frightened and looked at Tang Rong in panic. He did not intercede; he knew this was no time to plead. It was Xin An who spoke, timidly, saying: “Marquis, I was the first to fail to recognize her. Seeing her sumptuous attire, I mistook her for your concubine. That was indeed my fault at the start, and it is normal she grew angry. She is the Heir Apparent’s wet nurse and has carried the dignity of years in this house, which also reflects on the Heir Apparent’s face. She is older and may not bear such punishment.”

She added, saying: “It is, after all, the newly wedded time for me and for the Heir Apparent’s lady in the courtyard next door. Please spare her.” At “Tao…,” she caught herself and switched to: “the Heir Apparent’s lady.”

In his heart, Tang Mo gave her a thumbs-up. [He thought: thrashing the old witch would be satisfying, but it would make people think the Xin family is merciless. And my biased old man would then resent Xin An; caning that old harridan would damage his precious son’s face.] Showing magnanimity by sparing her might even wring some benefits from that partial father.

Tang Gang’s expression softened. He judged that though the Xin family’s temper was hot, this Xin An was magnanimous and tolerant. He also remembered that back when this unruly slave was young, she had actually tried to climb into his bed, which had disgusted him. Old and new grudges combined, he drove his foot into her chest and said: “Count yourself blessed to meet a kind Second Young Madam. Bow your head and thank her for sparing your life.” [He thought: were it not for my late wife’s lingering sentiment, I would have killed you long ago.]

That kick split Auntie Cai’s lip. Ignoring the pain, she crawled to Xin An and knocked her head to the ground, saying: “This maidservant was muddleheaded. Many thanks to Second Young Madam for great magnanimity, and many thanks to Second Sister-in-law for great magnanimity.”

Xin An feigned a trace of fear, yet also a little pity, edged closer to her mother, and said: “Get up. I misidentified you; do not take it to heart.”