Chapter 066

Chapter 66: Madam Tao Teaches Her Daughter

The current mother-in-law and her son-in-law, with Xin An, who had once gone through the wedding rites with Tang Rong, standing between them, made for a somewhat awkward tableau.

Acting as if nothing were amiss, Xin An smiled and paid her respects to Madam Tao, then turned to Tang Rong and said: “Mother stepped out a moment ago and will not return until the afternoon. Eldest Brother, if you have business, you can go later.”

Madam Wang and Madam You, the two sisters-in-law, had arranged to go listen to opera together; if Tang Rong were even slightly in the loop, he would not have made this trip.

An awkward look crossed Tang Rong’s face, and Xin An’s smile grew even brighter as she said: “I will not disturb Eldest Brother and Madam Tao.”

After offering a blessing salute, she led her people away at an unhurried pace. Madam Tao watched her back thoughtfully, then turned with a smile to Tang Rong and said: “My worthy son-in-law’s injury has improved a great deal. Are you about to take up your post at the Ministry of Rites?”

Tang Rong nodded and said: “These past two days I have been familiarizing myself with the Ministry of Rites’ regulations. I will report for duty in three days.”

She said: “Good.”

Madam Tao entered the gate of Chun Hua Courtyard; today she had come specifically to teach Tao Yi Ran how to compete for the right to manage the household. After exchanging a few words with Tang Rong, she went into Tao Yi Ran’s rooms. Tao Yi Ran, already impatient with her own mother’s nagging and even more averse to the idea of fighting over everything as Madam Tao advised, said: “Mother, why dwell on contending for these things only to end up taking the inferior path?”

She added: “Women in the inner residence do not have only the single path of running the household. It is perfectly fine to live one’s own good life; is it not better to let others trouble themselves with everything?”

She said: “With no desire and no demands, one attains tranquility. With a mind as still as water, one is calm as a placid river.”

She concluded: “Mother, you should take things more lightly.”

Madam Tao’s temples throbbed. [How could the inner quarters of a great household ever be as calm as a placid river?]

Tang Rong might indeed be the Heir Apparent, but until he actually inherits the title, anything can change. She said sternly: “Even if you do not contend, the people next door are watching like tigers. Your husband is striving outside and naturally hopes you can be a worthy helpmeet. What is a worthy helpmeet?”

She asked: “Is it strolling under the moon among flowers or composing poems?”

Tao Yi Ran said impatiently: “Mother, please stop.”

Impatience already written all over her face, she said: “The things you speak of will be handled by Auntie Liu and Auntie Cai. Why should I bother?”

Madam Tao stared at her, stunned, then said helplessly: “Having two steward-matrons in one courtyard will not do. Even a mountain cannot hold two tigers. If you insist on letting the people below handle matters, then of these two only one can remain.”

Tao Yi Ran asked: “Why do you always like to scheme?”

She said: “They each have their strengths. Let one manage inside and the other outside, what is wrong with that?”

Madam Tao felt utterly weary. Ever since childhood, Tao Yi Ran’s health had been poor, with bouts of discomfort every few days; she had never pressed her, letting her have her way. After Tao Yi Ran fainted while learning to manage the household, she dared not tire her at all, always thinking that perhaps after marriage things would improve.

Most importantly, the girl had spent much of her time beside that old woman in the estate; [how could someone of humble birth teach her daughter well?]

Choosing Tang Mo as a son-in-law had been for this very reason. A second son who could not inherit the family business would naturally mean her daughter need not toil. Who could have known things would turn out like this? What household’s mistress is constantly unwell and unable to run the home?

Tao Yi Ran no longer wanted to hear anything that would trouble her, and she said: “Mother, stop worrying about my affairs. I know what I am doing.”

Madam Tao softened her tone, saying that if she wished to manage the household then she should nurse her health well and strive to conceive soon, but before she could finish, she was interrupted, and Tao Yi Ran said: “Mother, I already told you, stop worrying.”

[All that nagging only made her feel annoyed.]

Madam Tao’s anger rose as well, and she said: “You may find me annoying now, but the day will come when you regret it.”

Fortunately, reason still prevailed and she did not explode in Chun Hua Courtyard. Leaving the room, she found Tang Rong, hoping he could properly discipline Tao Yi Ran, and said: “That child is far too naive and guileless, without the least bit of shrewdness. In the future you will have to take more trouble with her.”

Tang Rong had been expecting his mother-in-law to persuade Tao Yi Ran to be more diligent and help him; who knew the matter would be kicked back to him in the end. He felt rather displeased and said: “I have not been with Yi’er for long and still cannot grasp her temperament. I do not know what exactly ails her body, or why she is always unwell.”

He added: “If Mother-in-law knows, please tell me, so I can ask Father to invite an imperial physician to examine her.”

At this, Madam Tao was left speechless. She knew, to some extent, that her daughter was feigning illness, but she was unwilling to accept that fact and only said that she was constitutionally weak: “Perhaps it was brought from the womb.”

Tang Rong said: “Is it possible to regulate it with treatment?”

He looked as if he would get to the bottom of it and said: “I find Yi’er’s complexion quite good, yet every morning she feels unwell. If it is not pain in her chest it is a headache, or else a stifling breathlessness, no spirits to speak of. The symptoms are complicated and worrying.”

He was no fool. [He could almost conclude that Tao Yi Ran was not ill. Since their marriage, they had frequent relations; no matter how he tossed her about, she could handle it and even enjoyed it, hardly like someone in poor health.] Of course, he would never say such things aloud.

Madam Tao did not know how to answer, while Tang Rong wore a worried expression and said: “When Father returns, I will go ask him. It is best to invite an imperial physician to diagnose her.”

Whether there was an illness or not, one feel of the pulse by an imperial physician would reveal it. Madam Tao forced a smile and said: “There is no need for so much trouble. In the past, the estate invited quite a few doctors, and they all said it was nothing serious and that careful nurturing would suffice.”

She continued: “She was fatigued before the wedding, and so much has happened since. The child is not one who likes to complain and keeps everything bottled up. I fear that is why she feels unwell. Give it a few days and it will pass.”

The situation was worse than she had expected. What Tang Rong was saying already showed his displeasure at Tao Yi Ran’s laziness; he needed a wife who could share his burdens, not a decorative beauty who merely knew flower arranging and painting.

Having been ready to leave, she returned again to Tao Yi Ran’s room, and this time her words were particularly severe: “You may choose not to manage the household, you may choose not to have children, you may do whatever you like. The premise is that you must hold a man’s heart, that a man dotes on you and indulges you…”

Madam Tao lingered a long time without leaving, and with Madam Wang absent, Xin An led her people to Chun Hua Courtyard. In Madam Wang’s absence she took charge and said: “I thought that since Madam Tao seldom visits, she should have more private talk with Eldest Sister-in-law. I will have lunch laid out in Chun Hua Courtyard. Eldest Brother, what do you think?”

Tang Rong cupped his hands and said: “Many thanks, Younger Sister-in-law, for your thoughtful arrangements.”

Xin An smiled and said: “You are too polite, Eldest Brother. With Mother not in the estate, I will share her worries.”

Having said this, she departed with her attendants. Tang Rong felt a mix of emotions. Before noon, the kitchen sent over dishes, very sumptuous, and there was even fruit wine. Before Tang Rong could ask, the kitchen’s steward-matron explained: “This fruit wine was delivered by the winery this morning. The fragrance is rich and the taste is good. Second Young Madam said that since Madam Tao is an honored guest and Eldest Young Madam loves all that is light and elegant, this fruit wine is just right.”

Tang Rong nodded. After the kitchen people left, Madam Tao and Tao Yi Ran came in. Learning that Xin An had taken it upon herself to manage affairs without prior permission, Madam Tao wanted to pick at her mistakes. Yet after sitting and observing for a while, she found not a single error, and her sense of crisis deepened. She said: “The Marquis has not returned today, has he? In that case, other than us, only Second Young Madam is a master in the estate. Why not invite her to dine together?”

She added: “How can I, the guest, sit and eat while the master avoids us to one side?”

She ordered: “Go invite her quickly.”