Chapter 78

The Granny Temple was nearest the house. The moment its gongs and drums struck up, it was the old lady's place that filled with people instead. Even Xique had got her liveliness back, and stood on the kang stamping the quilts to play.

Dingxiang was carrying a child, and her feeling for this little cousin of hers was a tangled one. But there was a little person in her belly now, and it softened her heart, so she told them over and over to keep a good eye on the girl.

The room was full of laughter. The aunties who used to sit gossiping at the ancestral-hall gate were all here at the house now. The old lady wore a soft pale jacket, a broad "long-life" band bound across her brow, and she was calling to everyone, all smiles: "You're not going to the front to watch the play? Stinky-egg's wife tells me today's is a Yanjing troupe, and they're doing Passing the Examination. A fine thing to hear, they say."

Everyone laughed together, and said one after another that it was cold out, and the old lady's room was the warmest place there was.

The old lady loved to hear sweet words above all, and loved to boast besides. With so many to listen, she talked herself up for all she was worth. But she knew how to manage folk now, and knew that to put people at their ease you must give them a treat. So she told First-Moon: "First-Moon, go to the kitchen and have them set a hot pot on, and warm some wine." That said, she caught Gao-shi's hand, all smiles: "Go on, fetch your children over. From today we don't cook at home. Come here and eat."

Gao-shi had once been the one forever going on about "back in our prefecture-city." Before the old lady now she was very meek. She envied the good life the Chen family had, but she'd never dare say a sour word, so she only envied it out in the open, all smiles: "As if you need tell me! I'll tell my kitchen today to cook for none but those few masters. And the moment my brat's back from school I'll bring him straight over. Rest easy, I'll not eat you one meal short."

At that the whole room roared, and Wan-shi put in her word: "Old lady, short, is it? I saw her carry her own food-bowl over here! Eat her fill and she'll be carrying a bowl home from your house besides, and selling it to her tenant-lords for silver to spend!"

That set off another roar.

The old lady was open-handed now. It pleased her to have people eat from her house. And besides, at a family's happy gathering the more you gave away, the more blessing came back. So when the laughing was done she asked: "Is one bowl enough? Never mind, if it's not enough take more. There's plenty. Eat all you like."

The old lady said it in plain earnest, and for a moment the room went quiet. Chen Dayi's wife, Kou-shi, sitting quietly at her sewing, pricked her finger clean through with the needle and gave a little cry. That set the room off again, the old lady with them, until they'd laughed the tears out of their eyes.

Gao-shi glared at Wan-shi with a scolding sort of fondness: "As if my house wanted this bit of feast-food. Hold one at your house and see if I don't come! I like the old lady's cooking."

The old lady held her hand and laughed: "Just so, just so! And it's no boasting, but Stinky-egg and the others took more than thirty sheep off the herders over Baiquan Mountain way, all to be eaten these six days. However much outsiders eat, I don't care a jot. How many can you few eat? Eat away, eat away!"

This was the same old Madam Chen who, jolted along that whole road once, would not let a soul so much as touch one hair of what was hers.

Wan-shi had put on a good ten jin this year. She held the old lady's hand in her plump round fingers and thanked her: "At the New Year and the festivals, whenever there's a bit of good food, I say a few words to my children over it. We're never to forget the Chen family's kindness. Look who lives on Quanhou Street with us, and think what fools we used to be. Old lady, your house is our own kin."

Wan-shi had once had a great loud voice, but she'd said little since she was widowed. The Chens didn't mind her widowhood, and theirs was the one place on Quanhou Street she could come to.

Hearing Wan-shi, another woman nodded like a pestle pounding garlic and joined in: "Aye, aye. All the things you used to tell us, old lady, your house has now, and to spare. From here on, just live your good life!"

The words were scarcely out when they all laughed again. And in the midst of the laughing a little maid lifted the door-curtain of the east room, and Chen Dazhong's wife Li-shi came in on her belly and said to the old lady: "Granny, they've got the awning up in the yard! Didn't you say you wanted to watch?"

The old lady was overjoyed. She scrambled briskly up to the window, pushed the lattice open, and called to them all: "Come and watch, come and watch!"

The old lady's courtyard was a big one. Today the ground outside the beast-shed had been swept clean, and seven or eight burly men brought in from outside were hauling a great sheet of tung-oil cloth up against the courtyard wall.

By country custom, when a house feeds a crowd from one pot, it must keep a meat-cauldron burning that never goes out in the main court, to guard against light-fingered hands reaching in where they shouldn't.

The fire under this cauldron must never die, and the meat in it must never run out. To hold a few days' celebration, a house must have one such great cauldron up, for its face.

This was a country custom, of course. Most of the official houses over on Quanqian Street didn't do things this way. They had proper kitchens. Only one like the old lady set store by such a thing. Back in the old home she used to say that if one day her house came into a great fortune, it would keep a fragrant cauldron going two days in the main court, and only then would a person not have lived for nothing.

Chen Dasheng was a simpleton. He'd never think of such a thing.

The ones who thought of it were the old lady's two eldest grandsons of the first branch. The moment Dazhong and Dayi came home, they turned round and set someone to arranging it all for her.

A crowd of women who'd once been poor leaned at the window and watched, not stirring, as the men raised the tung-oil awning, mixed yellow clay and built up the stove, and set the great black iron cauldron on the fire-hole.

At the last, Chen Dazhong lit a torch and turned to call to his granny: "Granny, say the word and I'll light it!"

The old lady nodded, and in a flurry even set her hair to rights. This was the wild dream of half her life. When she'd made herself tidy she leaned out and called: "Prosper! Prosper! Prosper!"

Chen Dazhong nodded and called back: "Ai! Here it goes!"

That said, he held the torch up and touched it to the four corners of the yard, east, south, west, north, then threw it into the stove-mouth. In an instant the eager fire caught the dry wood with a crackle. Everyone chimed in, oh how good, good firewood that, caught at a touch, look how high the flames go, right up to the awning, of all the fragrant cauldrons we've seen this one's caught the best...

Qi Qian'er sat in the east side-room eating dried fruit and watching the fun. She turned to Zhang Wanru: "Isn't it something!"

Her eyes were shining. "What I mean is, we all came up from hardship, and even I never knew it. The greatest wish of my granny's whole life turns out to be having everyone to the house for one meal."

Yu Dani explained to her in earnest: "Auntie, it's not one meal. It's six days."

Then the girl sighed, her little face all woe: "Granny won't let a fire be lit in our kitchen. She sent three bowls over with me when I came. I said, my brother's the strong one, why not have him carry them, and Granny said my brother's thin-skinned. So it seems I'm the thick-skinned one..."

Someone beside her laughed out, and the girl turned, and it was the new auntie from the Meng house across the way. At that the girl went redder than ever, covered her face, and cried: "I can't bear to live!"

That cried, off she ran.

Qi Qian'er laughed and laughed, and quickly sent people after her: "Go and mind those few, quick. There's strangers from the outer streets and outer villages all about. Don't let our young miss get knocked into."

The little maids in the yard hurried out after her. When they were gone from sight, Zhang Wanru shut the window, and she and Qi Qian'er sat on the little kang chatting.

She ate a handful of salt-beans and turned to ask: "A great business like this, and they truly didn't trouble you over it?"

Qi Qian'er smiled and nodded: "No. The first branch and the second branch are holding their great affair, so what call have they on me? I'm a guest today. Can't you see I've come as a guest? They've their own house-servants they brought from Wuyang. What need have they to use my third-branch people?"

Ever since her daughter fell pregnant, Madam Dong had all but lived at the girl's house, never a step from her side. The happiest mother-in-law on Quanhou Street sat there now and said, easy and slow: "That's the best way of it. If she took counsel with Qian'er over everything, now that would only muddle things. First off, it keeps the accounts clear. Your eldest cousin's wife is a capable one, only a bit set on having her way. But Qian'er, let your aunt say a serious word to you, and don't be cross."

Madam Dong stroked Qi Qian'er's head fondly and went on: "It's our old rule. Not a Qingfeng rule, mind, but the rule of all Great Liang. An old parent with a son lives with the son. When the son's gone, she lives with the eldest branch. By rite and law your eldest cousin's house is the grandson who bears the family's charge. Your fourth uncle's hiding himself away this year has made it plain. He's washed his hands of it. Your eldest cousin came home, saw how it stood, and took up the whole family's weight without a word. My words won't please you, but take them in. Tomorrow, hand the things the old lady left with you over to the first branch, and from then you can let this side go. You've split the household anyway, so it's the simpler. Don't hold a knot in your heart over it, all right?"

Qi Qian'er's hand stopped over the food. She blinked at the ceiling a while, then nodded: "Last year's harvest is all in her hands. The court gave her two hundred mu of land, and after that I bought her two hundred more. Oh, and the deed to this old house is in the old lady's name too. There's nothing else. Rest easy, Aunt, I'll take it over to her tomorrow. The old lady may give it to whomever she likes. I'll not fight for it, and I'll hold no knot over it."

Hearing that, Madam Dong was easy. She took Qi Qian'er's hand: "A house pulled into one strong rope, that's the good life. And you're right. Give the old lady's accounts back to the old lady, and how the first branch chooses to be dutiful, leave that to them."

Qi Qian'er had long known this day would come. It wasn't that Li-shi was a bad sort. She was only one to have her way. And it wasn't Li-shi alone. Her eldest cousin, Chen Dazhong, was a hard, upright man too. In the last life it was these two who'd held the fourth branch down and kept it from running wild.

But in those days Chen Siniu's official luck was high. To the outside world he was the gate-holding son, and what could the first branch do, so far away as they were?

Chen Dazhong had worked at it for years, wanting to get back to the old lady's side. And just as he'd caught a first glimpse of a hope of it, the old lady had died.

Well, it was a good thing now. Grandmother and grandsons were together again, and the eldest had his heart's wish.

Qi Qian'er truly hadn't schemed at any of it. She only thought: how good. Li-shi, Kou-shi, and Dingxiang were all carrying now, and the old lady's joy might buy her ten years and more of life. To have another chance to be dutiful to her was Qi Qian'er's own good fortune. As for the first branch taking on the old lady's keep, and managing the old lady's accounts.

Heh heh. Not a chance! It wasn't that she thought little of the Chen men. It was only that the whole lot of them together, before the old lady, were so many meek little chicks.

The yard grew warmer and warmer. As the big chunks of meat went into the iron cauldron, the smell of the cooking meat grew till Dingxiang could not stay by it. She covered her mouth and went back with her maid Taozhi to the courtyard next door, and only in the west wing did she let out a slow breath.

Cui You was in the main room, talking some matter over with his men. The sight of her had him on his feet in a bound, calling out one word on another: "Gently, gently now... Wife, what are you fleeing from?"

Dingxiang breathed out slowly, and said: "I don't know how the eldest cousin's wife bears it. There's meat cooking in the old lady's yard, and the reek of it could knock a body clean out..."

Saying it, she saw that Cui You's two clerks and the several hands he kept about him were all in the room, so she cut herself off and said with a smile: "I'll go back to my room, then."

Cui You caught her quickly: "Wife, wife, this is the very thing you should be here for. Sit down and talk it over with us."

Cui You never told Dingxiang his business out of doors. That he'd have her in on it today gave her quite a start.

When Dingxiang had sat, Cui You told her what they were discussing.

It came out like this. The Cui family had brought too many people this time. Cui You was fifteen years older than Dingxiang to begin with, and his dead first wife had left him two daughters. When the realm was newly settled last year, he'd sent home for his old mother, and his two younger brothers with their whole families, to come and enjoy an easy life in Wuyang.

Now he'd risen a grade and come to be an officer in Yanjing, and of course he came with the whole household in tow.

Clever as Qi Qian'er was at reckoning, even she hadn't guessed the Cui family would come more than forty strong, masters and servants together. It was lucky the front of this courtyard still stood empty, or there'd truly have been no housing them.

Cui You had meant to buy a house in Yanjing. But he sent to ask about it, and a Yanjing house big enough to hold his family wouldn't come in under three thousand strings. So he'd made up his mind. He'd spend the money, and settle his two brothers into households of their own. Reckoned all together, even to set up an establishment in Qingfeng, he'd need ten thousand strings at the least to sit easy.

Dingxiang heard it and began to fret. Ten thousand strings. She hadn't so much as five hundred to her name. Where was she to lay hands on ten thousand?

Her husband kept his mother, and there was the matter of the brothers, and she'd not dare say one word of complaint over it. Her own two cousins had lived under his roof, and hadn't he sheltered them the whole time, and busied himself over their marrying, front and back, and helped a great deal besides?

But the house had no ten thousand strings.

Dingxiang looked at Cui You, all trouble, and at the last set her teeth and said: "Husband, it's a fine plan of yours, but where's our house to find ten thousand strings?"

Cui You pressed his lips and cut his eyes toward his bookkeeper.

The goateed bookkeeper coughed twice, stood, and made his bow: "Reporting to the mistress. Our accounts stand at seventeen thousand strings in ready cash."

Dingxiang heard that her house had money, and was first glad, then furious. She reached out, in front of Cui You's own men, took him by the ear, and scolded: "You hard-hearted thief. Have you been playing me for a fool? For a bit of eating and drinking about the house I've walked with my head down, wishing I could pick a few coppers off the ground..."

Cui You dared not fight back, and could only let her twist and plead: "Wife, wife, let go your hand first and hear me out..."

Cui You did truly love his little wife. He was only a close and canny man. He'd held office on the battlefield, so how should he not have come by a few solid gains? Only he'd never dared show this money in Wuyang, and feared besides that his wife, who'd seen little of the world and didn't know where the lines lay, might not handle it well. So there was nothing for it but to play poor day after day.

In Wuyang Dingxiang would never have dared carry on so. But this was her mother's house, and here she had the nerve to make a scene. So she led her lord off by the ear, and into the room across the way, her third cousin's.

In the east wing, Chen Dayong sat cross-legged over his accounts. Mm, he was pinched for money too. He'd come home ten in all, his wife, his brother-in-law and his wife, and six newly bought servants. His wasn't so cramped a case as his sister's husband's, but living here was crowded in the end.

Granny had said she'd set up a house for him, and he'd quietly gone to look at it. It was big enough. The trouble was it would be two years and more before it was ready. So he'd a mind to go and live in the old ancestral house. He was used to his own freedom, and had no wish to live under another's roof.

He was just turning over where would suit to live, when he heard a racket outside the door, and next saw his own sister come in dragging her husband by the ear.

Chen Dayong couldn't abide the sight, and scolded her: "Let go, will you. This is Scabby's house. Your man's a fifth-grade officer, when all's said. It'd look shameful, put about!"

Dingxiang went in fear of her brothers. She let go, and, crying and sniffling, told the whole tale of Cui You's hidden money.

Chen Dayong heard her out and looked at Cui You, all envy: "Not bad, General Cui. You've raked in no small pile!"

Cui You held his ear and complained: "It's the little I've got, all leavings and scraps. Your sister's a great mouth. Tell her a thing, and by and by the night-soil man in the next street knows it too. Third brother, you can't lay this at my door..."

He hadn't finished before Chen Dasheng came in, hands behind his back, his face dark: "Dingxiang knows where the lines are. If it's not your doing, whose is it? You've a guilty devil in you, and you'd blame my sister for a big mouth? I'd say you looked down on my house once for being poor, and were afraid she'd get her hands on money and help us out. Isn't that it, General Cui?"