Chapter 48 — Reckoning

Pang Yulou had three elder brothers: Pang Jinlou, Pang Yinlou, and Pang Xilou.

Pang Jinlou was the capable one, and while his two younger brothers were still stumbling about in ignorance, he had already taken the family's shops firmly in hand. Pang Yinlou was shrewd; knowing he could gain nothing by helping out in the Pang shops, he coaxed a private sum of silver out of their father and opened a teahouse of his own. Pang Xilou had been a wild one since childhood, fond of fists and feet. He had picked up a few tricks at the county's martial arts school, but he could not get a hand into the shops, and he was unwilling to bow and scrape in service to others the way Pang Yinlou did. Each month his meager allowance came and went: if he ate there was nothing to drink, and if he drank there was nothing to eat. So he simply took up the business of collecting debts and lending money with a few of his martial brothers who were good company.

Dou Bingheng knew at a glance what the Pang brothers were after.

Eager to curry favor with the Wang family, they had been only too glad to serve as the Wangs' blade. Now that the Wangs were to be joined in marriage with the Dou family, they feared that the Dou family would hold their earlier conduct against them and that the Wangs would cast them off. So they had simply staged the drama of baring their backs to the rod—We have already bowed our heads and conceded defeat before all our neighbors; surely you Wangs and Dous cannot strike us dead with a single blow?

Yet even though he understood it all, Dou Bingheng was still somewhat taken aback by how well the Pang brothers had grasped the situation, by the decisiveness and daring of their judgment, and by the sheer shamelessness of men who cared nothing for their reputation.

He had no intention of involving himself further in the affairs of the East Residence and the Wang family, but he was displeased to learn that the Pangs had learned so quickly of the Dou-Wang marriage alliance. With pointed meaning, he smiled at the Second Dowager, who had brought the women of the household to see him off. "I wonder how it is that the Pang family has so suddenly turned from arrogance to deference?"

The Second Dowager turned her son's words over in her mind and understood him.

She smiled. "Where there is an effect, there must be a cause; and where there is a cause, there will be an effect."

The meaning was that she would look into the matter herself.

Dou Bingheng smiled. "I wonder how much longer Seventh Brother will rattle on over there. Magistrate Gong is still waiting at the post station to see me off; I shall wait for Seventh Brother there. It will give me a chance to talk with Magistrate Gong as well."

The newly appointed magistrate of Zhending County was surnamed Gong.

Though Dou Bingheng was not the clan head of the Dous, he held the highest office of any man in the family. Now that someone was stirring up trouble in the Dou household, propriety dictated that he ought to go and mediate. But when he thought of why the Pang brothers had taken up their quarrel with the West Residence, the Second Dowager could not help muttering inwardly. Was she to let her son, a full third-rank official, dirty his hands with such wretched business? Naturally she wished her son to leave this den of trouble as soon as possible.

She nodded hurriedly. "To be sure, you have risen to the third rank, but an official in hand is worth more than a title on high. The family's affairs still need Magistrate Gong's good offices. You must not grow arrogant and offend him—still less keep Magistrate Gong waiting for you!" With that she urged Dou Bingheng to go and see Magistrate Gong at once.

Dou Bingheng thought for a moment. "Sixth Brother, why not take Sixth Sister-in-law and Shouyuan with me to the post station?"

Dou Huaiying did not come. Now that Dou Bingheng had made up his mind to keep Dou Yan close to the East Residence, the less contact Dou Yan had with the West Residence the better.

As for Ji shi, she did not want Dou Yan caught up in the quarrels of their elders.

She held Dou Xin in her arms and gazed at Dou Heng with a beaming smile, looking for all the world as though if he agreed she could set off with Dou Yan that very moment.

Dou Heng felt this was, after all, the East Residence's business; if Dou Huaiying needed help, the steward would surely come to ask for it, and if Dou Huaiying did not, he ought not to rush over and join the fray uninvited. Seeing his wife looking at him, he smiled and took Dou Yan into his arms. "Shouyuan, shall we go with your Fifth Uncle and see what the Zhending post station looks like?"

Dou Yan giggled.

She could not be bothered with the wretched business of the Wangs and the Dous.

Dou Huaide also clamored to go, but the Second Dowager directed Nurse Liu to catch him around the waist and hold him fast. "Your father and mother have important matters at hand; what business have you joining the commotion?"

Dou Huaide pursed his lips in grievance.

Dou Heng and Ji shi paid him no mind and climbed into the carriage with Dou Yan.

Magistrate Gong was a man of about Dou Bingheng's age, handsome and commanding in bearing. He claimed to be a graduate of the Xin Chou examination, four cohorts below Dou Bingheng, and he treated Dou Bingheng with great respect.

Dou Bingheng's manner was likewise modest and amiable.

When all had exchanged greetings, Magistrate Gong, Dou Bingheng, and Dou Heng conversed in the hall by the post road. Ji shi withdrew, taking Dou Yan to the rear courtyard of the post station to look at the flowers and plants.

It was past midday when Dou Huaiying finally arrived.

He bowed to Dou Bingheng and the others in turn, begging their pardon.

Dou Bingheng waved it off and introduced Magistrate Gong to him.

Magistrate Gong praised Dou Huaiying as a man of outstanding appearance. "Truly worthy of the Xie Hall's descendants."

After Dou Bingheng and Dou Huaiying had made their modest disclaimers, Magistrate Gong hosted a banquet to see off Dou Bingheng and Dou Huaiying, with Dou Heng in attendance.

In the rear hall, Ji shi saw that the dishes brought in were heavy with oil and sauce; she picked out only a few light ones to feed Dou Yan. "Bear with it a while; when we get home, Sixth Aunt will make you lotus-leaf soup."

Dou Yan was never a fussy eater. After the vegetables she ate a steamed bun, and then, so full she was drowsy, she did not even know when she was carried back to the East Residence.

As soon as they alighted from the carriage, Caishu came up to meet them, all smiles. "Sixth Master, Sixth Mistress, Madam Zhao of Anxiang has come back from Ganquan and is talking with the Dowager even now. The Dowager says that as soon as you and Sixth Mistress return, you are to bring Fourth Miss over to pay your respects to Madam Zhao."

Dou Yan, Dou Heng, and Ji shi were all taken aback, and Dou Yan was overjoyed. "My aunt is here? When did she arrive?"

Caishu hurried to answer. "She has been here nearly an hour. She took her meal in the Dowager's rooms; by now she should be drinking tea with the Dowager in the sitting room."

Dou Yan tugged at Ji shi's hand. "Let's hurry!"

Ji shi laughed and scooped Dou Yan up. "First let us wash your face and change your clothes, or your aunt will get dust all over her when she hugs you."

Dou Yan gave a sheepish laugh and went with Ji shi to wash up before going to the Second Dowager's rooms.

Her aunt was a little thinner than she had been in Anxiang, but she looked much more spirited.

Dou Yan threw herself into Madam Zhao's arms, crying "Auntie!" and then asked, "How is my uncle? How are my three cousins? Why have you come back to Zhending so suddenly?" One question after another, so earnest and eager that her aunt was nearly moved to tears. "Only two or three years, and our Shouyuan has suddenly grown into a young lady who knows how to ask after people."