Chapter 19 — The Marriage

"What does a child know of such things?" Aunt said apologetically. "It's all the fault of Biru and the others for not looking after Shouyuan properly." And she scolded her daughters a few more words.

Mother, of course, had to stop her.

The two sisters-in-law humbly deferred to each other for a good while, but Mother dared not let Dou Yan go on following Zhao Biru and the others any longer. She took Dou Yan and Zhao Zhangru up onto the kang to play, peeled chestnuts for them with her own hands, and went on with the earlier topic: "Wei Fan is the heir of a marquis household. I fear Sister Tian would find it awkward, so I mean first to send someone to the capital to make inquiries, and then discuss the matter with Father-in-law."

"That's good! That's the safer way." Aunt nodded. Their talk gradually turned back to Uncle—whether he had reached the capital safely, whether he was resting well, whether he would have his name on the golden roll, and so on—until the afternoon at the hour of the Rooster, when the armed escort with the carriage came to urge them, "It's getting late; if we don't set out now we won't reach home before dark." Only then did Mother reluctantly take her leave of Aunt.

Perhaps because she was thoroughly displeased with Father's failure in the examination, Mother spent the whole of the spring plowing season practicing the art of examination essays under Grandfather's guidance. Neither Mother nor Wang Shuying dared to disturb her, and the matter of going to see Grandmother came to nothing.

As a concubine, with no relatives to call on, no friends to visit, and no sisters-in-law to exchange visits with, the days in the rear courtyard were very lonely. After paying her respects to Mother, Wang Shuying would often find some pretext to linger a while longer in Mother's rooms.

Mother was always cool toward her, and usually dismissed her with a few words.

Dou Yan felt that Mother still minded Wang Shuying a little.

Had it been her, she would have kept the concubine there and made her tell jokes and amuse her—otherwise, would the woman not have been fed for nothing?

But some things had to be taken slowly.

Dou Yan's thoughts and worries now all circled around the marriage to Wei Fan.

Just as her arrival had let Mother live, and Wang Shuying, who had originally been the second wife, became a concubine.

Would her marriage to Wei Fan likewise be changed by all this? If she did not marry Wei Fan, then whom would she marry?

Dou Yan missed her three children terribly.

The spring wind blew, the grass and trees grew lush, and good news came from the capital.

Her maternal uncle Zhao Si had placed fifth in the second class of the metropolitan examination, and was granted the status of jinshi.

Grandfather and Father were delighted, but happiest of all was Mother. When the Dou family sent congratulatory gifts to the Zhao household, she took Dou Yan back to her maiden home once again.

This time it was different from the last. The Zhao house was hung with red and colored silk, festive as a holiday, and everyone's face glowed with joy.

Zhao Zhangru pulled Dou Yan into her own room and fished out a rose-flavored pastry wrapped in oil paper from behind the bed board: "It came from the Chen family in town—the household of a provincial graduate. Here, for you to eat. It's ever so sweet! Granny Peng says that from now on I can eat as many as I like, so whenever you want some, come to our house."

Dou Yan looked at the pastry in her hand, already half crumbled, and her heart grew warm; her nose prickled and tears fell.

In her former life, she had not even known Zhao Zhangru's name.

For no other reason than this pastry, she decided to get on well with her uncle's family.

Mother had drunk a little wine, so that night they stayed over at her uncle's house, and only set out for home early the next morning.

"There, now," Mother said, a smile hovering at the corners of her mouth the whole way, "our Shouyuan has a jinshi for an uncle too."

Her expression was serene and she looked thoroughly content.

Dou Yan was happy for her mother, and asked, "When will Uncle come back?"

"He still has to sit for the Hanlin selection," Mother said with a smile. "The earliest would be after the fifth month."

"Then shall we come to Uncle's house again?"

"Yes, we shall!"

"I like my cousin."

Mother joyfully cupped her face and kissed her again and again, then whispered her instructions: "Aunts and nieces are close for generation after generation—break the bone and the sinew still holds. You and your cousins are the closest of kin. Do you understand?"

Dou Yan nodded. "Closer than even Third Cousin."

Mother nodded without stopping and praised her cleverness, and when they reached home she carried her in her own arms through the second gate.

In the courtyard the lilacs, magnolias, peonies, passionflowers, and purple orchids were all in bloom, a riot of brilliant color, blazing like fire. As one walked among them, bees flew and butterflies danced, and a hidden fragrance drifted on the air.

Mother stopped and drew a deep breath. "This year the flowers are blooming more gorgeously than in years past."

"Yes," Granny Yu said with a restrained smile.

But Mother's face had turned cold.

Dou Yan followed her mother's gaze.

In the pavilion beside the lotus pond sat a man and a woman.

The woman wore a spring dress of goose-yellow, her smile radiant as a flower, a round silk fan in her hand; she leaned lazily against the curved rail of the pavilion, her delicate beauty tinged with a languid, rippling charm.

The man was refined and handsome, smiling as he sat before the stone table in the middle of the pavilion, spread with xuan paper, painting the beauty before him; between his brows lay an unmistakable joy... and contentment.

Dou Yan's heart tightened.

Mother, her face already dark, walked straight ahead without a glance to either side.

Granny Yu hurried after her.

From behind came a peal of silvery laughter.

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My internet connection dropped here and I could not log in, so this update is much later than usual.

Sorry about that!

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