Chapter 145

Chapter 145: Xin An Persuades Madam Wang

It must be said that Tao Yi Ran’s psychological endurance was not ordinary. Only last night she had been treated so harshly by Tang Rong, and yet facing Xin An today she not only betrayed no flaw but still had the energy to match Xin An in a contest of words.

Xin An halted and turned her head to look at her: “Elder Sister-in-law truly has the bearing of an elder sister. It is a pity your comfort did not strike the right place. Last night a certain someone returned to the room muttering about bad luck, saying he saw a ghost and ran into an unclean spirit, and I had to spend effort to talk him down.”

She went on, her tone mild and scalpel-sharp: “I do not know what this unclean spirit looks like, to be so nauseating. If we run into it again, I shall have no choice but to invite a spirit-invoking rite, warding off evil and misfortune.”

“And one must admit, this unclean spirit is truly formidable. There is already one person flat on his back in Chun Hua Courtyard, and it seems this one in Qiu Shi Courtyard will not be spared either. That thing’s cultivation is profound; even the Marquisate’s Heir Apparent cannot withstand it, let alone him?”

Xin An all but pointed at her nose to say she was the unclean spirit. Tao Yi Ran of course heard it. As the saying goes, one does not slap a face; Xin An’s move indeed crossed a line.

Tao Yi Ran replied smoothly: “All the varieties of life are arranged by fate. Besides, our Marquisate is protected by Grandfather’s heroic spirit. Younger sister-in-law, better not to speak of strange forces and chaos.”

Xin An smiled and nodded as if taking it to heart: “Elder Sister-in-law is right. All the misfortunes after Eldest Brother’s marriage are fated.”

“Even Grandfather’s heroic spirit cannot protect against them; it must be destiny.”

“Elder Sister-in-law is well read; you put your finger on the crux in one stroke.”

“You…” Tao Yi Ran flushed with anger, her cheeks reddening. Xin An only kept smiling and continued forward: “When we stand before the Buddha today, Elder Sister-in-law must be sincere. It is not the way for Eldest Brother to lie like this for long. If he continues to be beset by mishaps, his temperament will be affected, and then for whom will your exceptional zither-playing be performed?”

Their verbal spar ended with Tao Yi Ran falling silent. A faint smile rested on Xin An’s lips as if nothing at all had happened.

They soon arrived at Chun Rong Hall. The Grand Matron greeted them with a smile and invited them to breakfast: “Once we have eaten, we will set out.”

“Thank you, Grandmother,” Xin An said as she accepted the handkerchief a maid offered and cleansed her hands. After sitting she did not forget to call to Tao Yi Ran. Tao Yi Ran’s eyes were red, the very picture of grievance. The Grand Matron naturally noticed, found it inauspicious, yet still asked what was wrong. Tao Yi Ran hesitated, then let her gaze fall on Xin An as if to accuse her of bullying.

Xin An did not, as she often had, speak up first on her behalf. Instead she met Tao Yi Ran’s gaze and said evenly: “Elder Sister-in-law, every time I run into you I find you have been crying. So early in the morning, what has happened? If you have been wronged, you must tell Grandmother; Grandmother will see justice for you.”

The Grand Matron’s expression was not pleasant. Her mood had been poor to begin with; seeing someone cry first thing in the morning made it feel even more inauspicious.

For the moment, Tao Yi Ran had no way to handle Xin An. She knew that even if she told the truth, the Grand Matron would not believe it. She could only swallow the bitterness and borrow the slope to step down, saying that she had seen the wounds on Tang Rong’s body in the morning and felt distressed, failing to control herself.

The Grand Matron’s expression eased a little. After two more questions about the injury and hearing that it had begun to heal, she nodded and said: “Sit.”

Only then did Tao Yi Ran sit to eat. Xin An, all consideration, used her chopsticks to place a flaky lard pastry on Tao Yi Ran’s plate: “Elder Sister-in-law, you have worked hard taking care of Eldest Brother and must have little appetite and sleep. But your health matters most. If you fall ill, Eldest Brother will worry. Please eat more.”

She knew that to keep her figure slim, Tao Yi Ran never touched greasy foods. Yet what made this pastry delicious was precisely its richness; the dough had to be worked with a great deal of rendered pork fat, the result meltingly lush and savory. It was the Grand Matron’s favorite.

Tao Yi Ran forced a smile, barely broke the crust with a small bite, and already her brows knit. The Grand Matron caught the flash of distaste in her eyes and liked her even less, whereas Xin An ate with relish, finishing two in a row with an evidently good appetite.

Breakfast was not yet over when Madam Wang arrived, saying she wished to go with them that day: “To offer a stick of incense before the Bodhisattva and pray for peace and smoothness in the household.”

The Grand Matron smiled and nodded: “That is good.”

Thus the four set out together, sharing a single carriage. On the road, with Xin An occasionally recalling the last outing with Lin Yao and others to South Crossing Temple, the scene did not become too awkward.

In the cool of the morning, South Crossing Temple was especially tranquil. Entering the temple, Xin An put worldly matters from her mind. Led by the Abbot, they went to the Mahavira Hall; the images of the Buddhas were solemn, and the Grand Matron was more devout than anyone.

Oil offerings were made, and the Abbot personally expounded the Dharma. The Grand Matron took Tao Yi Ran to listen to the teaching, while Madam Wang and Xin An went to the Lotus Pond to take tea.

Madam Wang was not in high spirits today. Her words revealed the fire in her heart. Xin An set down her cup and asked gently: “Mother is not in a good mood today?”

Madam Wang had come out in part to clear her head and in part to talk with Xin An. Some things had been pent up so long she did not know whom to tell. Although Xin An was not the best confidant, if she continued to bottle it up she feared she might do something irreversible. Her eyes fell on the Lotus Pond before them. “You have seen your Father’s partiality. It is likely it will not change.”

Xin An had thought it was something else. “Such things need not weigh on Mother’s heart. Since ancient times there have been no parents entirely fair and just. There will always be favorites; it is only human.”

“What hurts is merely that the favored one is not oneself.”

Madam Wang chuckled softly: “You are broad-minded.”

She did not know that in terms of experience and perspective, Xin An was fully qualified to counsel her, and to counsel her well. “I may have entered the Marquisate not long ago, but I have learned something of Mother’s position.”

“Speaking plainly, Mother need not worry.”

Madam Wang’s interest was piqued. “Tell me.”

Xin An did not hide her hand. “Father may be partial, but he has qualities worthy of praise, does he not?”

Madam Wang said: “That is because he cares about appearances.”

“He cares about appearances, so he will not brazenly do things that are too excessive. Under certain circumstances he is still approachable. Compared with those men who rule their households as one-man courts, never smiling, either nitpicking their wives or beating their sons, he is far better.”

“Father may not be very fond of my husband, but if my husband truly meets trouble, Father will not ignore it. With Father present, the Marquisate can be stable and without fear.”

Madam Wang assumed Xin An meant to urge her to reconcile, but then heard her continue: “There are eight or nine parts of life that do not go as one wishes. My mother always said that between husband and wife, do not always look at the other’s faults; think more of his strengths. If that fails, then consider what you would face if he were gone. Could you handle it? A person, however flawed, brings benefits by simply existing. Once you think it through, days pass more easily. One must never drive oneself into a dead end.”

Madam Wang had indeed been driving herself into a corner. She had restrained herself before; lately, whenever Tang Gang was mentioned, she felt a blaze of anger rising. She even worried that if Tang Gang provoked her again, she might send him westward on the spot with a single bowl of medicine.

The situation was not yet settled; Tang Gang must not meet with an accident.

Now Tang Gang was under enough pressure already. If they pressed him further and he died suddenly of a seizure or an unexplained collapse, Tang Rong would smoothly inherit the title, and only then would the trouble truly begin.

And in adversity, one must always find a way to make one’s own days better.