Chapter 084

Chapter 84: Tao Yi Ran Deals with Auntie Cai

Seeing Madam Wang out, Xin An turned back into the room, glanced once more at the three newly acquired treasures, set out the yellow jade peony, and placed the other two aside, speaking to herself that after Tang Mo looked them over she would lock them away.

A zither sounded from the neighboring courtyard, and after listening for a moment, Xin An felt that in the blazing summer heat the music was like tinkling spring water, cooling her without reason. [So Tao Yi Ran’s zither playing truly is exceptional,] she thought, [and it is no wonder. Her family standing is presentable, her features are lovely and her figure slender, with that willow-in-the-wind grace. Add to that her outstanding talent and the fact that she has read no small number of romances about talented scholars and beautiful ladies, then a high standard and a cool temper are only to be expected.]

The little dog Meatball came in from outside wagging his tail, tongue lolling as he panted. He circled once at Xin An’s feet, then flopped on the floor to cool his belly. Chun Lv came in puffing with indignation, bell in hand, crouched to tie it to the dog’s neck, then said to him: “Now remember this, you are the dog of Qiu Shi Courtyard, so do not go forgetting your way home.”

Xin An slanted her a look, then asked: “What happened?”

Chun Lv said the dog had run out and even run into the neighboring courtyard, where he capered about and made the people inside laugh nonstop, adding with a huff: “If the young madam hadn’t been taking him out for a stroll these past few days so everyone next door knew him, he would probably have been seized already. Honestly, if they like dogs so much they can go catch one for themselves. Do not think I do not know they deliberately teased him in so he would wander over. They cannot be up to anything good.”

The round, roly?poly dog looked at Chun Lv with an innocent face, and when she glared at him he still wagged his tail in dopey delight. Xin An found him clever and said: “Meatball has not grown into his frame yet, he is still baby?plump and endearing. Watch him carefully from now on. Running about is one thing, but do not let him out the gate to wander all over. If he bit a guest, that would be bad.”

Chun Lv said she had already told Er Shan: “Er Shan can train dogs, and this one listens to him.”

“All right,” Xin An said, then, as the soft, lingering notes continued and drowsiness stole over her, added: “I will doze for a while. If I sleep too long, wake me.”

Chun Lv carried the dog out. To fall asleep to the sound of a zither was indeed a fine thing. Since returning to this life, Xin An had slept exceedingly well, as if making up for all the sleep she had lacked in her previous life.

Everywhere in Qiu Shi Courtyard was quiet. There was little work to do in the yard, the mistress was resting, and the servants, with no tasks in hand, sat indoors doing needlework, speaking in low voices to the music’s gentle cadence.

By contrast, in Chun Hua Courtyard, Auntie Cai, her eyes slanting and sharp, caught someone nodding off, planted her hands on her hips, and unleashed a stream of curses, finishing by raising her voice to say: “The work is not finished and you dare to loaf and cut corners, mind your hides.”

At present she ruled Chun Hua Courtyard. With Tao Yi Ran not managing affairs, she could deal with the servants as she pleased. Those beneath her lived in terror and bitterness. Who told them their mistress was a frail invalid while their Auntie Cai was a hag like a night demon?

Just then the zither fell silent. Auntie Liu, in attendance upon Tao Yi Ran, turned her head to observe the commotion outside and thought that at last her opportunity had come. She turned back and continued speaking of Auntie Cai’s faults: “Auntie Cai clutches a feather and treats it as an arrow of command. She spends all day barking orders. Her voice is grating, and the people below are full of complaints. If word spreads, they will not say what kind of person that Cai hag is, they will say the young madam is not kind and gentle.”

Tao Yi Ran’s face set. Rarely in good spirits today, she had been playing for her own enjoyment, yet before the piece was half finished that old woman had spoiled her mood. Auntie Liu’s words struck home. She felt Auntie Cai was coarse beyond bearing, her big voice and the words she spat out grated on the ears, making her irritable and unable to continue.

“Bring her here,” Tao Yi Ran said.

Auntie Liu hurried to do it, pleased that her young madam could at last listen, and thinking that her efforts to speak of Auntie Cai’s harm whenever she could were not in vain. [In truth, my young madam is very clever,] she thought, [only accustomed to languor. If she slowly corrects herself bit by bit, she will be no worse than the Second Young Madam next door. Does the Second Young Madam have my young madam’s learning? Has she received such careful tutelage? She is only from a remote place. How could she have my young madam’s breadth of knowledge?]

[As long as my young madam stands tall, what business will there be left for the Second Young Madam?]

[Though the authority over the household stores was promised to her, that was only an expedient. In every respect my young madam surpasses the one next door.]

Auntie Cai, still unaware of what had happened, came to Tao Yi Ran wearing a smile. Before she could even offer her greeting, she heard Tao Yi Ran say: “From today on, all matters large and small in the courtyard will be handled by Auntie Liu. If you have nothing to do, work your needle.”

It was a complete stripping of authority. Auntie Cai was stunned and a little panicked; she did not understand what she had done wrong. Then she thought that her power had been granted by the Heir Apparent. What right did the young madam have to remove her?

She said: “In answer to the young madam, it was the Heir Apparent who personally instructed that this maidservant manage all matters in the courtyard. If the young madam is dissatisfied with this maidservant, you should first speak with the Heir Apparent.”

Tao Yi Ran lifted her eyes, her gaze full of distaste. She disliked servants who climbed up her nose and stood on her face; a servant ought to be whatever the master said she was.

“You, though you came in with your mistress as part of her dowry, still take the monthly stipend of the Marquisate. You eat from the Marquisate’s bowl and are the Marquisate’s servant. As a servant you must keep to your place. When your master rewards you, you should feel gratitude, and when your master punishes you, you should accept it. To be thus resentful, do you intend to defy your betters?”

“A servant who bullies the master should be flogged and then sold.”

Auntie Liu wanted to clap. Look how imposing her young madam was and how well she spoke. This was the bearing of a future mistress of the Marquisate.

Auntie Cai’s mind buzzed. She still could not see where she was at fault, and blurted out: “It was I who raised the Heir Apparent.”

Tao Yi Ran’s brows pinched. Auntie Liu hurried forward and said: “Mind your words, Auntie Cai. The Heir Apparent is the legitimate eldest son of the Marquisate. You are only someone who, through the master’s favor, was permitted to attend him.”

Tao Yi Ran took up the words: “The number of women in the Marquisate who wished to be his wet nurse was beyond counting. To grant you that favor was only a kindness. Do you now take yourself for half his mother?”

Naturally, Auntie Cai would not accept that. She said she had to wait for Tang Rong to come back and say so himself, adding: “If the Heir Apparent decrees the same, this maidservant will have no objection.”

Auntie Liu had just opened her mouth to scold when Tao Yi Ran spoke first, and at once Auntie Liu regretted it to the point she wanted to slap herself twice.

“You are a servant of the Marquisate, and therefore part of its property. When the master moves his property, whose consent is needed?”

“To disobey the master is a graver crime.”

In Tao Yi Ran’s words, servants were worth less than nothing. After so many years of strutting, how could Auntie Cai endure it? She said: “Young madam, this maidservant did sign a deed of sale and is indeed a servant, but over these years if I have no merits I have labored hard. Even the Madam has treated me with three points of regard. On what grounds does the young madam humiliate me so?”

Unwilling to waste more words, Tao Yi Ran ordered Auntie Liu to have people drag her away, lest her peace be disturbed further. Auntie Cai shouted in unwillingness. The servants looked at one another. Auntie Liu regretted it bitterly. A moment before, she had seen in her own young madam two points of a house?managing mistress’s manner and felt secretly pleased. Who knew she would then say that last sentence.

Everyone knew that servants were part of the master’s property, but who truly wished to sell themselves and become bondsmen? Who was born wanting to attend upon others? Hearts were already heavy with unwillingness; if they heard this kind of face?grinding talk from the master’s own mouth, whose heart would not turn cold?