Chapter 308

Chapter 309: The clan has arrived

After their laughter and teasing, Tang Mo went out of the courtyard smiling from ear to ear. Once he left, Xin An truly began to be busy; together with Cui Ping she double-checked the New Year gifts, attended banquets at various houses to keep up ties, and rushed about so much that her feet hardly touched the ground.

Lin Yao, busy herself at year’s end and having not seen Xin An for some days, took her hand and teased: “You look a bit more rounded.” She added with a grin: “Your cheeks are glowing. Life is treating you very well.” Xin An cupped her own face and asked: “Have I gained that much?” Since the snowfall, Qiu Shi Courtyard had lit its own stove and meals had been plentiful, but she always took a walk after eating.

Lin Yao laughed: “A little more plump, but even prettier. No wonder Second Younger Brother Tang does not want to go out drinking now. What are you eating? Tell me.” As Xin An covered her face and laughed, Yan Wen Hui came over and asked with a smile: “What are you talking about to make her laugh like that?” Lin Yao replied with a chuckle: “That she excels at handling her husband and is very pleased with herself.” Yan Wen Hui said serenely: “Then pleased she should be.”

Xin An rubbed her face and said shyly: “I am not laughing at that. Sister Lin said I have put on weight, and I am embarrassed.” Yan Wen Hui said: “Where are you fat? Looking like this, Second Younger Brother Tang must be very fond of it.” Lin Yao even pinched Xin An’s cheek and said: “Your skin is supple and dewy, like silk. If I were Second Younger Brother Tang, I would not even be willing to go out to work. I would tie you to my belt and take you everywhere.” Xin An remembered Tang Mo saying much the same and laughed even more happily.

Qiu Wen Yuan, who had come along with Yan Wen Hui, dimmed in the eyes and muttered: “What is there to be smug about; sooner or later it is all the same.” Lin Yao turned her head and asked: “What is the matter?” Perhaps realizing her words were unpleasant, Qiu Wen Yuan looked at Xin An and said: “I did not mean you.” Xin An thought a moment and guessed at once; it must be that the young master of the Han family had taken a concubine. She smiled faintly and said: “Sister Qiu’s mood is not very good.”

In Xin An’s memory, Young Master Han of the Han family was elegant and talented, but could not keep his belt fastened. Qiu Wen Yuan’s next words confirmed it: a little over a year into their marriage, the young master had taken in two concubines, and lately he had even laid hands on someone at Qiu Wen Yuan’s side. They could only listen to Qiu Wen Yuan complain a bit; there was little else they could say. Especially between husband and wife, someone could wail as if the world were ending one day and be affectionate the next, leaving the would-be counselor looking like a clown.

Fortunately Qiu Wen Yuan herself wanted to be talked around; after two complaints it passed. She said they had not all gotten together in a long time and that when free they should go see an opera to relax. Yan Wen Hui said: “That must wait until after the New Year.” Year’s end never offered peace and quiet: “It feels as if I have done nothing and also done a great deal; I am busy every day, yet it amounts to nothing.” Lin Yao nodded in agreement and said the cold made the fatigue worse.

As they chatted of households and trifles, Lin Yao suddenly asked about the Wei family: “Sister Zhao has not stepped out the door to this day. Lord Wei has politely declined all our visits. There is not a shred of news.” Yan Wen Hui looked to Xin An and said: “The miracle physician seeing the Wei family was recommended by you. Do you know anything?” Xin An shook her head: “The physician holds his tongue. I could not learn a thing. I sent some tonics a few days ago and only heard it is somewhat better. I have not seen what ‘better’ means.” Yan Wen Hui sighed: “What a strange illness.” There was definitely something to it, but if they did not want others to get involved, there was nothing these women could do.

Just then they heard people whispering about Prince Jin. Lin Yao stopped someone and asked, then learned that just now Prince Jin’s household had entered the city, returning in time for the year’s end. Xin An’s eyes lit; after so long preparing, they had at last awaited his return. It had not been easy. Someone said: “Half a month ago people from the palace went to Prince Jin’s residence to sweep and move in many furnishings. We guessed he would return for the New Year, and it turns out to be true.” Another asked: “Should we send a visiting card?” At that, everyone fell silent, faces awkward. When Prince Jin had first been exiled, those who usually called on them had vanished; one by one they kept their distance lest they be implicated. Now that he had returned, fawning forward would be truly embarrassing. Lin Yao forced a smile and said: “Since he is back, of course a card should be sent, but we are all daughters-in-law; this must be decided by our elders at home.” The group suddenly understood, smiles returned, and they decided the embarrassment belonged to their mothers-in-law.

Xin An held back her laughter; she found it all rather amusing.

When she returned to the residence, she told Madam Wang that Prince Jin had returned. Madam Wang said: “We have had no dealings with Prince Jin’s residence, nor did we add to their woes, so there is no talk of kicking someone when they are down. Since he is back, send a generous gift.” She paused and added: “Only that ‘stake’…” Xin An said: “I asked Sister Lin. Since it was the Emperor’s gracious reward, there is no reason to take it back. If we were to return it of our own accord, it would make Prince Jin look petty.” Madam Wang considered this and let the matter drop.

Just then Ping Qiu led Tao Yi Ran in. After many days, Tao Yi Ran looked much thinner. She already suffered morning sickness and had just had prenatal distress; rather than rest properly, she had taken Concubine Yu’s child to raise at her side, which left her even more haggard. After the formal courtesies, she sat slowly and asked Madam Wang to find another wet nurse: “The nurse we have looks sturdy, but she cannot feed Qijin to satiety, which makes him cry constantly. I want to hire another to help so he is properly cared for.” Madam Wang was not pleased that she had taken the child; she said: “In my view you should return the child to Concubine Yu to tend. The important thing is to nurse your own body back to health.” Tao Yi Ran already regretted it; she felt Concubine Yu’s child was not only noisy but ugly. When she saw him soil a diaper, she felt entirely unwell. When Madam Wang spoke, she seized the slope to step down and said: “I did not think it through. I only wanted Concubine Yu to rest more. I did not expect my body to fail me.”

She added: “In that case let Concubine Yu nurse the child. There is no need to trouble ourselves to hire anyone.” Xin An lowered her eyes, thinking: [So much for being without desire and competition; even Tao Yi Ran shows no mercy when calculating against a concubine.] For someone like Concubine Yu, a shapely figure was essential to compete for favor; once she began nursing, it meant a long stretch in which she could not compete. And Tao Yi Ran plainly meant to turn Concubine Yu into a wet nurse. [Is she that afraid she will not bear a son?]

Madam Wang could not be bothered with Chun Hua Courtyard’s affairs and let Tao Yi Ran decide for herself. Before Tao Yi Ran could voice thanks, the gatekeeper came to report: “Madam, members of the clan have arrived.” He said that at the marquisate gate there stood five young masters and three young ladies of the Tang clan, with another dozen attendants, led by the clan’s senior master and senior madam; they had already disembarked from their carriages.

They had arrived some ten days earlier than expected, which surprised Madam Wang. She could not have known how long the Tang clan had yearned for this day. When the Old Marquis still lived, the clan wanted to come to the capital to support him. The Old Marquis, fearing the Emperor would burn bridges after crossing the river, was intent on retreating at the right time and worried that if the clan came they could not hold themselves steady and would make trouble, so he never agreed. In Tang Gang’s generation, he disdained the unpromising clansmen, believing they would come only to take advantage, so he also refused. This time, once Grand Matron’s message went out, those people wished they could set out that very night, afraid the marquis’ household would change its mind.