Chapter 094

Chapter 94: Xin An Meets New Friends

Tang Mo not only knew Yan Shi Mao and the others well, he also had a fair understanding of their wives; otherwise he would not have arranged this banquet.

Lin Yao laughed when she saw his expression and teased, “Since you insisted on talking, I must teach my younger sister-in-law a couple of tricks to keep you more honest in the future.”

Tang Mo bowed with a pitiful look, “Sister-in-law, please spare me.”

Everyone laughed, and Lin Yao, smiling, reached a hand toward Xin An as she said, “Come with me, younger sister; we will talk at the next table and not waste words on these two louts, none of whom are any good.”

A voice came from the doorway, aggrieved and playful: “We had not even arrived and already heard Sister-in-law speaking ill of us. How heartbreaking.”

Xie Chang You and his wife entered with Wei Ye and his wife, both couples giving Lin Yao a wounded look as they said, “Sister-in-law must have seen Second Younger Brother Tang’s pretty bride and so chose to blacken us on purpose.”

Lin Yao replied with a grin, “Do you two need me to make an effort to blacken you?”

A clear, bright voice chimed in, “Sister-in-law speaks true. They require no smearing at all.” Lin Yao led Xin An toward a lady in a blue-green dress and said, “This is our Second Master Xie’s wife; her maiden surname is Zhao, so call her Sister Zhao.” Pointing to the gentle beauty beside her, Lin Yao added, “And this tender, graceful beauty is our young Master Wei’s new bride. She married three months earlier than you, so you should call her Han Younger Sister.”

Both women saluted Xin An, and she returned the courtesy. The ladies then sat together at the neighboring table to chat, while Tang Mo beckoned his brothers to take their seats, and Lai Lai went to hasten the dishes.

Forthright by nature and skilled at enlivening a room, Lin Yao quickly dissolved the small awkwardness at the table. Xin An was touched; [in the past, which of these people ever showed her a pleasant face?] Now they sat together, chatting and laughing. The feeling was quite strange.

The women had already heard from their husbands about the Tang family’s bride swap, so they were not overly curious. Still, as it was their first meeting, they could not help but study Xin An more closely. Xin An met their gazes with a smile, allowing them to look; anyone would be curious about what she had gone through.

Lin Yao, remembering her husband’s exhortation, showed Xin An extra consideration and asked, “Do you ever miss home?”

Xin An answered with a smile, “I used to, but my mother-in-law is generous and Grandmother is kind, and my husband treats me well. Besides, the Xin family has a residence here in the capital, and I visit it now and then, so I do not miss home as much.”

One of the ladies said with feeling, “We heard early on that you are not only beautiful and good-tempered but broad-minded. After suffering such a grievous humiliation, you did not complain against heaven or others and you found your footing so quickly. It is admirable.” Heads nodded all around. The heir apparent of a marquisate carries a weight far greater than that of a younger son who cannot inherit. They thought of themselves: if they had been insulted so on their wedding day, who knew how long they would cry; after crying, they would make a scene; after the scene, they would dread going out for fear of being laughed at, and would hardly set foot outside.

Xin An laughed lightly, looking a little embarrassed by the praise, and said, “Before I married, I had only seen the marquisate’s heir apparent twice, and he left little impression. It was nothing more than a match made by our parents and the go-betweens. When the bridegroom was switched I felt miserable, but my husband is good, handsome, and tall. Since what was done could not be undone, there was no use in crying or making a fuss, so I accepted it calmly.”

Lin Yao joked, “So in the end it is because our Second Younger Brother Tang has a fine figure and a good face that you fell for him at a glance.”

Laughter rose again. At the men’s table next to them, ears pricked up. Tang Mo wore a look of triumph. Whether Xin An’s words were entirely true or not, hearing them pleased him; it proved his face had its uses, and it made him feel she was giving him face, which delighted him even more.

As dishes arrived one after another, Yan Shi Mao lifted the wine pot to pour and joked, “Second Younger Brother Tang must drink a few extra cups, since he is so handsome.”

The private room filled with laughter. Both Tang Mo and Xin An blushed to the ears, and the atmosphere fully warmed. The men and women at the two tables were all of similar age and family standing, so conversation flowed easily. Even if Xin An’s birth was somewhat humbler, she was now the marquisate’s grandson’s wife and carried the experience of another lifetime; whatever topic arose, she could follow it. The women grew even more willing to talk with her.

After a while, Xin An learned that Wei Ye’s wife, Han Wan’er, was a daughter of the Han Grand Secretary’s household and that she and Qiu Wenyuan were sisters-in-law.

Someone asked, “Have you met Young Madam Han?”

“Once,” Xin An replied.

She recounted how Yan Wen Hui had invited her to the theater. The ladies marveled in unison that Tang Mo was thoughtful indeed: “Such attentiveness is unique in the capital.”

After all, what husband worries that his wife has no friends and might be wronged, then takes pains to arrange introductions for her?

Xin An said with a smile, “It must be destiny.”

This line brought another round of teasing. By the end of the meal, Xin An had gained a new understanding of Tang Mo. It is rare enough to make three or five true friends; the friends he had were truly good, which spoke well of his character.

As it was their first meeting, Xin An had also brought gifts, chosen from her dowry. She did not bring the silver-flower tea; items that might become imperial tribute lose their value if they appear too often. Instead, she substituted a newly produced fabric from along the Huai River called ripple silk.

One of the ladies exclaimed, “I have never seen this material before. It is so lovely.”

Who does not like beautiful things?

Xin An explained, “It comes from a new strain of silkworm. The fabric is woven with a natural water-ripple pattern; made into clothing, it has a lustrous sheen in sunlight or lamplight, and with each step it looks as if water has come alive. It has only just appeared. Because the supply is small, it has not yet reached the capital.”

The women were delighted. Gentle Han Wan’er smiled and said, “How can you give us something so fine? One should not accept a reward without merit.”

“Is it hard to obtain?” another asked.

“It is,” Xin An said honestly. “Those silkworms are difficult to raise, and they yield less silk than ordinary ones. We only produced ten bolts of gauze in all. As this is the first year, none was sent into the city. With experience, next year may be better.”

She added, “I barely know anyone in the capital and have no close friends, yet I do want to share in the bustle of the Water Blossom Banquet. I came today thick-skinned, hoping you elder sisters might look after me a little.”

Lin Yao and the others exchanged amused glances. They all understood that next year this fabric would most likely become a tribute item. Turning back to Xin An, they said with warm smiles, “Given the brotherhood among our men, there is no need for such politeness. Even if we had not met you at the banquet, we would have invited you to talk with us.”

Xin An looked delighted. “Before leaving home I was so worried, thinking this dinner would be presumptuous. My husband comforted me that you elder sisters are all kind and easy to get along with and told me not to worry, and once again he was right.”

Laughter rippled around the table, and the ladies praised Tang Mo a few more times. By the end of the meal, Tang Mo was practically floating.

Afterward, a few men with wine-warmed bravado clamored to go elsewhere for more drinking. The loudest, Yan Shi Mao, was promptly bundled into his carriage by Lin Yao, who threatened to twist his ear. With her so formidable, the other ladies could not be outdone. Even the gentlest, Han Wan’er, cast Wei Ye a meaningful glance. Wei Ye sidled up with a grin and said, “I am not going. It is so late; how could I possibly go drinking again? It is all their fault; they want to lead me astray.”