Chapter 075

Chapter 75: Xin An, Meticulous in Etiquette

About matters that had yet to happen, Xin An chose to keep silent. She simply listened quietly as they talked of jewels and ornaments, fabrics and cosmetics, or of which young madam was pregnant and which lady had borne a child so that gifts must be sent.

Ever curious, Qiu Wen Yuan soon turned her curiosity on Tang Mo. Many people knew about Tang Gang’s impeachment of the Northern Garrison Army, and there was plenty of idle gossip, saying he played favorites toward his eldest son or that he believed the marquisate could suppress Liao Zhi and was arrogantly overweening.

She asked: “Is your Second Young Master doing well in the Northern Garrison Army?”

“Very well,” Xin An said, setting down her chopsticks. “He is full of excitement.”

Her purpose today was not to worm her way into their circle, nor to complain and seek help, but simply to have them put a face to the name so that they could exchange greetings at future gatherings and to use this chance to meet more people. [Some things cannot be forced. Press too hard and it backfires.]

She added, smiling: “He says the men of the Northern Garrison Army are easy to get along with and give him pointers at every turn. The food is good too. He is in high spirits.” [She would happily blacken Tang Rong and Tao Yi Ran, but she would never speak a single ill word of the Northern Garrison Army.]

The women clearly doubted that the entire Northern Garrison Army had turned into saints. They guessed that Tang Mo must be delivering only good news and hiding the bad so Xin An would not worry. In that light, Tang Mo really was a good man.

After the meal they sat with tea, and Xin An presented the three with the meeting gifts she had brought from Huai River: “Our Huai River silver?blossom tea. It is not as famous as other teas, but both its fragrance and taste are very fine. Please try it, Elder Sisters.”

“Younger Sister Xin is too modest,” Li Yu Yan said. “I heard from my Heir Apparent that Huai River silver?blossom tea is a local marvel. Its returning sweetness is pronounced and its flavor lingers long. With one swallow, even your breath is tea?scented. Most importantly, it withstands many infusions, and each infusion has a different taste.”

This gift struck right to Li Yu Yan’s heart. Her own father had once received Huai River silver?blossom tea from subordinates and praised it many times.

Her father?in?law, Prince Cheng, also loved it and had once been rewarded with a jar by His Majesty the Emperor. She added: “I have heard this tea is picked amid the cloud and mist of high mountains and must be pan?fired on site to preserve its fragrance. It is most rare.”

Hearing her hometown tea so praised, Xin An felt a glow of pride and said: “What the Heir Apparent’s consort says is all true. The tea grows on high mountains where mist never lifts. Honeysuckle grows alongside it, its rich scent infusing the leaves so they carry a flavor that other teas do not.”

“My father loves this tea most of all. He even bought a mountain slope and has people carefully tend the tea trees.”

The Xin family’s owning a mountain surprised Qiu Wen Yuan, and she asked: “In that case, does this tea have a great yield?”

“Not very great,” Xin An said with a shake of the head. “Tea trees are rare. Old trees are extremely valuable, and cultivation is slow.”

“Each year we select the very best portion for the palace. The rest is just adequate.”

Li Yu Yan said in sudden understanding: “So the Huai River silver?blossom tea sent to the palace every year comes from the Xin family?”

“Yes and no,” Xin An replied. Xin Kuan was the deputy head of the Huai River merchants’ guild, whose head was the region’s richest merchant, the Yao family. “The Yao family are imperial merchants. Because we are in the same guild, our family selects the finest tea each year and delivers it to the Yao family, which presents it to the palace in their name.”

She added with an apologetic smile: “The very best is already in the palace. These are a shade inferior to what we send in, though the flavor is the same. Only, when brewed, the leaves do not unfurl quite as elegantly as the ones sent to the palace.”

“If you do not look closely, you cannot tell,” Yan Wen Hui said. She and Qiu Wen Yuan had never tasted this tea and were intrigued at once. Yan Wen Hui smiled and handed the tea tin to her maid, telling her to brew a pot immediately: “I cannot wait to get home. Let us taste it now.”

At first, Li Yu Yan had not thought much of Xin An, and had only joked with her for Yan Wen Hui’s sake. But now she saw profit in Xin An. She hoped to obtain more silver?blossom tea to honor her father and to curry favor with her father?in?law, and so her attitude toward Xin An warmed.

No matter how exalted one’s station, there is always someone one must please.

She also felt that perhaps more could be gained from Xin An in the future. She had no regard for the marquisate’s power, but the Xin family’s financial strength remained a mystery.

The Huai River region produced much salt and had many salt merchants, but to be deputy head of the guild meant the Xin family’s wealth could not be taken lightly.

Fresh tea arrived quickly, fragrance spilling through the room. After blowing across the surface, Yan Wen Hui took a small sip and savored it carefully, saying: “It truly is different.”

“It is so good,” Qiu Wen Yuan said, sipping in little mouthfuls. “My mouth is sweet, sweet. So mellow.” She was already thinking that she would let her husband taste it when she returned. It was indeed delicious.

In the afternoon they prepared to return home, taking their leave at the door and agreeing to go hear opera and taste tea together whenever they had leisure.

Once in the carriage, Xin An put away her smile, let out a long breath, and closed her eyes to review the day from start to finish, checking for anything amiss and thinking over each woman’s situation. [She had come for a face to be recognized, not to seek refuge, and she would sift the gains and missteps one by one.]

Yan Wen Hui and Li Yu Yan rode back in the same carriage. Not long after they set out, Yan Wen Hui asked: “Sister Yan, what do you make of the Xin family younger sister?”

Li Yu Yan smiled: “Much better than I expected. I thought that since she came from merchants her speech, bearing, and manners would be lacking. But after a day it is clear she is no different from the capital’s noble ladies. The Xin family must have hired tutors to teach her carefully.”

“You still have a good eye for people,” Yan Wen Hui said with a laugh. “My younger brother is close with Second Younger Brother Tang and called on me personally to ask that I look after her. I was not much inclined at first, but having met her I am willing. Her temper is agreeable, and to be able to accept reality so quickly after the exchanged?brides affair and even to extract great advantage from it, she is no fool.”

In what circumstances does one gain advantage?

Naturally, only after suffering great grievance. To keep her quiet and compliant, the marquis’s household must have needed to appease her, which meant Tang Rong and Tao Yi Ran had likely been entangled long ago.

“I saw that when she spoke of Tang Mo today, her eyes shone,” Yan Wen Hui added. “It may truly be a good match.”

Li Yu Yan did not say that she fancied the Xin family’s wealth. Some things cannot be spoken aloud even to one’s closest. She only said: “In future, if there is anything, invite her along.”

Yan Wen Hui felt a breath of relief. She naturally hoped those she introduced would do her credit. Xin An had not disappointed.

Less than half an hour after she returned home, Steward Zhang of the marquis’s household arrived at the Liu family gate with Auntie Wang. He announced with a bow: “Our Second Young Madam, seeing that Young Madam Liu is fond of this Huai River silver?blossom tea, has specially sent a maidservant to bring more to Young Madam Liu. There are also several local gifts from the Huai River. Our Second Young Madam thanks Young Madam Liu for her kind care.”

Besides the silver?blossom tea there were a carved ivory fan and a glazed figurine of a flying celestial lady. Among them, a copy of Linshui Fang written in the hand of the Huai River great scholar Yuan Zhi made Yan Wen Hui’s eyes light up. Master Yuan’s calligraphy was extremely rare, and it was Liu Ming Yuan’s dearest treasure.

“Younger Sister Xin is too courteous,” she said. It had to be said that Xin An’s manners were most thorough, inspiring goodwill. “Please convey my thanks to Younger Sister Xin.”

After Auntie Wang took her leave with proper respect, she and Steward Zhang departed the Liu family residence. Along the way, Steward Zhang several times started to speak and held back. Every one of the items Second Young Madam had sent out today was hard to come by. The tea and the great scholar’s calligraphy were favorites of the Marquis as well.

“Last time the Marquis drank a cup of tea in Madam’s apartments and said it was remarkably different. So it was Huai River silver?blossom tea. I have heard it is a tribute tea, very rare.”

[The Xin family had never presented any to the Marquis. If the Marquis found out, how furious would he be?]