Chapter 295

Chapter 296: Tapping Tang Gang’s Connections

At the dining table in Chun Rong Hall, a plate of simply stir-fried spinach had already been set out, and Grand Matron was very satisfied: “This dish is good. It is fresh, and there is even a faint sweetness as you chew. Good.”

Gan Lu smiled as she explained: “When this spinach was delivered it still had dewdrops on it and was spotless. We first blanched it to take away the astringency, then stir-fried it like this. Not only is the color bright, it is tender as well, and the flavor is excellent.”

Grand Matron agreed and added, a little regretful that Xin An had not come to eat today: “It is good. That child has a quick mind. In winters past, when we put up a warm shed to grow vegetables, it was for our own table, yet even then what we grew was not as good as hers. Quite rare, truly.”

The dish was ordinary, but in winter such things are luxuries, and who would not like them.

Grand Matron asked, thinking of the other branch: “Did any go to Chun Hua Courtyard?”

Gan Lu answered without hesitation: “No.” She said the marquis’s residence had kept only two baskets of vegetables today: one sent to Chun Rong Hall and one left in the front courtyard. Grand Matron observed calmly: “Still young.” She meant the young wear their likes and dislikes on their faces.

Gan Lu spoke up for Xin An: “Second Young Madam is frank and straightforward. If she were to pretend nothing had happened and, smiling, send vegetables to Chun Hua Courtyard, whether Chun Hua Courtyard dared accept them is one question. This kind of forbearance is not necessarily a good thing either.”

“You are right,” Grand Matron said. She did not dwell on it further. She could not manage this matter anyway, and she could not take sides; better to live her own days well and leave it at that.

In the front courtyard, Xin An and Madam Wang, mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, were eating hot pot. The base was mutton broth; what they blanched in it were the greens delivered that very morning. The pot burbled, bubbles rising. The aroma of mutton mingled with the freshness of vegetables and filled the room. On the table sat two more dishes: sesame-oil chicken slices and fish balls in superior broth. Tang Gang, having returned early, caught the fragrance, stepped inside, and, seeing the two women eating with faces flushed from the steam, halted for a beat: “Eating?”

[They are eating very well. I, the head of the household, most days wolf down something casually at noon; when duty is busy there is not even time for a meal. Even if there is time, there are no more than three simple dishes. Meanwhile this pair sits at home eating so comfortably.]

Mother-in-law and daughter-in-law both turned to look at him. Madam Wang blurted out: “Marquis, why have you come back at this hour?”

For a moment Tang Gang had no words and did not know how to answer. [I am an injured man; after finishing my errands, can I not come back to rest for half a day?]

“Father, have you eaten?” asked Xin An once she had swallowed a slice of mutton, then added courteously: “Would you like to make do with some?”

“Fine,” he said.

He strolled to the main seat and sat. The servants hurried up with bowl and chopsticks and set out a saucer of condiments. Tang Gang ignored the two women; he truly was hungry. It had been bitterly cold in the morning and his wound hurt. He could not show it, so he had to act as if nothing were wrong and work busily for half a day. Midway an elderly official had even grabbed his arm, right on the wound, and the pain had brought him out in a cold sweat.

He suddenly remembered that night when he himself had grabbed Tang Mo’s arm. Tang Mo’s injury had been far worse than his and must have hurt much more. [No wonder Madam Wang had pushed me away.]

After he had eaten silently for a time, he said the vegetables were excellent, then asked: “Which household grew them?”

Madam Wang promptly made it clear that the vegetables were grown by Xin An and added: “It was very difficult, and they were grown with great effort.”

She did not want Tang Gang to take advantage. Xin An, however, was much more generous. She said with a smile: “It was not particularly difficult. The main thing is that the capital invested was ample, so the color is good and they are tender. Today was the first picking. I had people send some to a few households we know well. Father, if there are colleagues you would like to send to, I can have people deliver some to their doors. It counts as social exchange.”

Tang Gang eyed Xin An’s magnanimity with some suspicion. [Is she truly this open-handed?] When he did not speak, Xin An continued: “My husband told me yesterday that at the critical moment it was Father who stepped forward to save him. This injury of yours you suffered because of him. Uncle hid in a corner, even hiding behind Father.”

“Although he often feels that Father favors elder brother and he resents it, at the crucial moment it is still Father who can be relied on. Do not be fooled by his stubborn mouth. In his heart he still keeps Father in mind.”

Tang Gang looked up: “He can say that?”

“Of course. Blood is thicker than water. This kinship is born in the bones; how could it be severed?” Xin An said with a smile as she picked up a slice of mutton with the public chopsticks and placed it in his bowl: “You must be tired. You still have to report for duty while injured. Eat more and nourish yourself.”

“If there are households to whom you want to send some, give me the list. I will have people deliver them. Winter vegetables are rare, and ours are still dewy and crisp. They can even count as New Year gifts.”

By passing the gifts through her own hands, they would naturally have nothing to do with Tang Rong, and it would also signal a stance, pushing Tang Mo’s name before those households.

Tang Gang found himself partially won over. Xin An cast an unobtrusive glance at Madam Wang, who took the hint and placed a fish ball in Tang Gang’s bowl: “Could your own son really harbor a bad heart? Give him a chance. Do not keep chilling the child’s heart.”

“What can I do?” said Tang Gang. “They are all my sons. Would I truly be biased and ignore him? Have him come to my study when he gets back. I will instruct him in a few things.”

Madam Wang added another chopstickful of greens to his bowl. Seeing that matters were settled, Xin An put down her chopsticks and withdrew first. Tang Gang relaxed a good deal and said to Madam Wang: “In future, leave me some face in front of the daughter-in-law.” This talk of playing favorites and chilling hearts was hardly something to be said outright.

Madam Wang took the opportunity to say a few more words, and Tang Gang said no more. The main point was that Tang Rong could not be relied upon for now; outside the house he needed someone to support him, and Tang Mo was not that useless.

That afternoon Xin An went to the Xin residence. First, she checked the New Year gifts Auntie Wang was preparing; second, she inspected the flowers in their pots. Snow had already fallen, and there were only about twenty days until the New Year. She needed to choose the right time to send out the narcissus.

The gardener was bustling about. Pots of delicate chrysanthemums were blooming brilliantly in the warm house.

“Young Madam arrives just in time,” the gardener said. “These few pots of chrysanthemums can be moved out.”

He set the pots before Xin An. They were the pink chrysanthemums that Lin Yao had seen earlier. Last time they had only been small buds; now they had half opened.

It was also Xin An’s first time seeing chrysanthemums of this color, and she admired them for quite a while: “I will send people tomorrow to move them.”

“How are the narcissus?” she asked.

“They were repotted the day before yesterday and decorated with rounded ‘goose-warm’ pebbles,” said the gardener. “Please come this way, Young Madam.”

He had placed the narcissus in a well-ventilated spot. Green leaves, white petals, yellow stamens, all slender and graceful. With the mountain stones in the pot as embellishment, it made a small landscape painting and had much charm.

“Master Lin, your skill in cultivating flowers is truly excellent,” Xin An said.

The gardener bowed: “I am grateful Young Madam does not disdain me and has given this old one a chance to show his skill.”

“If the flowers are well tended, I will reward you with one hundred catties of charcoal and half a sheep carcass. Take them home,” Xin An said with a smile.

“Thank you, Young Madam,” he replied.

After the heavy snowfall, charcoal rose in price daily and was difficult to buy. If one was frugal, one hundred catties would last a while. As for half a sheep carcass, it was decent and presentable to take home. It made him feel he had face, and it pleased him more than being rewarded with silver.

“May I report to Young Madam,” the gardener added, “that my younger son is also decent at raising flowers. Could he enter the residence to help me tend the plants?”

Xin An thought briefly and said: “For this lifting and carrying, it is difficult for you at your age. But one truly must have the skill. Bring him to Steward Wang to be looked over. If he approves, the boy can stay.”

Standing by, Wang Jin bowed: “Master Lin mentioned this earlier and has already brought his son Lin Chun Ya. The boy is dexterous and proper.”

“In that case, Uncle Wang, please make the arrangements,” said Xin An.