Chapter Ninety-Two: Into the Capital or Not

The carriage halted a good distance from the entrance to the Zhang family’s residence.

A woman in her forties, supported by two elderly maids, alighted from the carriage.

“Madam, why not let Master Xu drive the carriage a little closer? Look at the road, full of potholes and muddy ditches, the smell of rotting fish and vegetables everywhere. Such is life in a small place,” one old maid remarked.

“I don’t mind, so why should you? Must we stop the carriage right at their doorstep, making a show of ourselves?” the woman rebuked curtly.

Another maid chimed in, “Madam, your health has not yet fully recovered. The wind by the stream is strong.”

To this maid, the lady was more cordial, “It’s nothing. I’ll take it as an opportunity to walk a little more.”

She looked at the cramped street, many of the houses along it still thatched with straw, and could not help but sigh, “My elder sister’s family lives like this. How could I bear it if I didn’t come to see for myself? How could I enjoy any splendor in the capital with peace of mind?”

Not a single servant around dared to speak.

Only the old steward ventured, “Madam, I must say a word. In such a market town, cramped as the palm of one’s hand, even the broadest heart would be pressed small.”

“People of sense would know you come out of pity, but I fear those without sense will think our family owes them something.”

The woman shot the steward a sharp look, “How can you speak such heartless words?”

The steward bowed his head, “I am loyal to Madam.”

“I can tell the difference between loyalty and disloyalty. Is there anything the master of the house fears to say to me, that you must speak on his behalf?”

“He means only to have you join him in the capital soon, so the family may be reunited.”

“My ancestral home is Pucheng; this is my true home. I know what I am doing. All of you wait here. Only Madam Xu may come with me—no one else.”

After a moment’s hesitation, the steward and the maids replied, “Yes, Madam.”

The woman pushed open the bamboo gate, paused for a moment at the door, then finally reached out and knocked.

Inside the Zhang home, the atmosphere was peculiar.

Madam Yu was elated that Zhang Qiu had been admitted to the clan school. Zhang Shi and Zhang Yue had just had a quarrel and were ignoring each other.

At the sound of the door, Zhang Qiu ran to open it.

A voice outside, trembling with emotion, called, “Is that Xier? Don’t be afraid, I am your aunt!”

Hearing this, Zhang Shi, Zhang Yue, and Madam Yu were all startled and hurried to the door.

They found the visitor already in tears.

Zhang Shi exclaimed in surprise, “Second Aunt, Madam Xu, why have you come? We should have gone to greet you! How could we let you travel all the way from Suzhou? It’s all... all because Third Brother is too thoughtless.”

He cast a glance at Zhang Yue.

Zhang Yue…

“It’s not Third Brother’s fault,” Lady Yang wiped her tears, “I just wished to return home and see everyone, but the nearer I came, the more timid my heart grew. When Xier was born, he was so fond of me…”

Zhang Shi hastily fetched a chair for Lady Yang.

Her eyes were filled with unspeakable affection as she looked at Zhang Qiu, but the child seemed evasive. Madam Yu spoke up.

“It’s nothing,” Lady Yang said, sitting down, and took from Madam Xu’s hands a pair of jade pendants carved with dragon and phoenix, “It’s never too late to be close again. Xier, this is your aunt’s gift for you.”

Madam Yu, herself from a wealthy family, instantly recognized the pendants as top-quality white jade, and exclaimed, “Second Aunt, this is far too precious.”

Lady Yang replied, “This is a gift for my dear nephew from his aunt. What is precious about it? Take it.”

Madam Yu had no choice but to say, “Xier, thank your aunt quickly.”

“Thank you, Aunt.”

Holding Zhang Qiu’s hand, Lady Yang said, “Xier’s eyes are bright—he must be a clever child. But the cleverer the child, the less he can be indulged, or he’ll never amount to anything. Do you hear, Xier? If your mother beats you in the future, it’s at your aunt’s suggestion, not because she doesn’t care for you, but so you may grow up to be learned like your second and third uncles.”

At these words, something stirred in Zhang Yue’s heart. Zhang Qiu put down the jade pendant he was playing with and nodded, “I understand. Third Uncle says all the sons of the Zhang family are destined for scholarship.”

“Well said!” Lady Yang was delighted.

Then she looked at Zhang Shi, “I heard the shops on Chema Street were all burned down, the old house and the hundred mu of farmland gone?”

Zhang Shi replied, “Yes, and no. The shops were rebuilt as eateries.”

“With what money?”

“Third Brother raised it, and it’s all been paid back now. The business does well; it earns dozens of strings of cash a month.”

Lady Yang glanced at Zhang Yue and nodded, then said to Zhang Shi, “Brothers standing together through hardship—reviving the family’s fortunes—that is the mark of a true Zhang.”

Remembering his old gambling ways, Zhang Shi looked ashamed, “Yes.”

Lady Yang noticed his tone, “Did I say anything amiss?”

“Nephew is ashamed. I’m not as good as you said, Second Aunt.”

She studied him, “I remember you as a thoughtless boy, but now you can head a household. If there are shortcomings, you can change. No one is born perfect.”

Taking Madam Yu’s hand, Lady Yang said, “You’ve suffered over the years. Eldest Nephew must have caused you much hardship.”

Madam Yu’s eyes reddened, and she replied softly, “No, Second Aunt. I am not aggrieved.”

“Nonsense,” Lady Yang’s tears flowed, “A woman marries, leaving one family for another, and as a wife, must bear grievances up and down the household. Yet she mustn’t complain—all the hardship and tears must be swallowed, maintaining harmony for the family’s sake.”

After she finished, Madam Yu wept quietly, “That’s how it is in grand families. Mine is a small household; Shi and Uncle are understanding.”

Lady Yang smiled, “You are a good wife. Eldest Nephew is blessed to have you.”

Madam Yu wiped her tears, “I dare not accept such praise.”

Zhang Yue thought to himself that Second Aunt had covered every angle—praising this one, admonishing that one, leaving him completely isolated.

Lady Yang and Madam Yu spoke intimately for a while before finally turning to Zhang Yue, “Third Brother, come closer, let your aunt have a good look at you.”

Though reluctant, Zhang Yue could not help but take a few steps forward.

“Of all the brothers, you and your second brother resemble each other most. Now you are a scholar too. The last time you saw your aunt, you were too young to remember, so it’s natural to feel distant.”

He forced a smile, “Aunt, you’re too kind.”

Lady Yang said, “I can tell you are ambitious. I heard you used to dislike studying, but after your second brother left, you attended the village school, often went hungry, and copied books for others. Old Steward once said you only earned your degree thanks to your second brother, but in truth, you passed on your own merit—anywhere else you’d have been accepted just the same.”

“No wonder you’re unwilling to come to Suzhou—you wish to stand tall on your own!”

Zhang Yue was filled with conflicting emotions.

“It’s good for a man to fight for his own honor. But if you must blame someone, could you not blame your second brother, but only your aunt?”

Zhang Yue asked, “Aunt, why do you say that? Why should I blame you?”

Lady Yang sighed, “It was entirely my idea to have your second brother leave home. I tricked him, saying I was gravely ill in Yangzhou and asked him to visit me, but I deliberately didn’t tell your elder brother. He regards me as half a mother…”

“Why did you do that, Aunt?”

She sighed, “All because of my own selfishness. I didn’t want all that your uncle and I had saved up over the years to fall to that concubine’s son. From beginning to end, it was I who wronged your family.”

In the Song dynasty, concubines were called ‘little mothers.’

Zhang Yue did not know much about his uncle’s family affairs, only that when his aunt married in, she brought a considerable dowry. His uncle both feared and cherished her, but after becoming an official, he took a concubine who bore a son; from then on, he only respected, but no longer loved his wife.

Zhang Shi stamped his foot, “What a mess this has become.”

“At first, we thought Second Brother looked down on Registrar Zhao. Then it was thought he changed his registration to Suzhou to take the imperial exam. Later, it became Registrar Zhao’s daughter’s fault. Now, it turns out to be Second Aunt’s fault. I don’t know who to blame anymore. The whole thing has me baffled.”

Madam Yu whispered, “Shi, please stop.”

By now, Madam Xu was quietly wiping away tears, “Eldest Young Master, Third Young Master, you must not blame the Madam. Master has now been appointed a Registrar and has moved the family to the capital. Madam was supposed to go too, but after hearing the steward’s news, she left him and hurried here to Fujian, though her health is not yet strong…”

Lady Yang waved her hand, “I’ve followed my husband south and north for many years. Such journeys are nothing. Now that we’re together, no matter how great the troubles, we can sit and talk them through. Third Brother, would you be willing to go to the capital with me?”

Zhang Yue looked to Zhang Shi and Madam Yu.

Zhang Shi paced for a while, then said, “Third Brother, since Aunt has shown such sincerity, you should go with her to the capital.”

Madam Yu agreed, “Aunt treats us as family—go with her, Third Brother.”

Zhang Qiu wanted to object, but seeing his parents had spoken, could only stand aside, unhappy.

Zhang Yue considered, “May I ask, Aunt, what does Uncle say of this?”

At the mention of her husband, Aunt’s face darkened slightly, “I still have a say in this family. Of course, your uncle has no strong objections, just a bit of pettiness.”

Zhang Yue nodded, “Then it will put Uncle in a difficult position. Second Brother, has he said anything?”

Aunt replied, “Since he gave up the exams, your second brother has been teaching in the capital and hasn’t returned to Suzhou, so I haven’t seen him.”

“But surely you correspond with him?”

“We do.”

“Has he mentioned me and Brother?”

Aunt was silent for a moment, “Third Brother, I cannot deceive you—he has not. But I guarantee, your second brother has not forgotten his fraternal bond.”

“Perhaps he has his own difficulties. I understand.”

“Third Brother…”

Zhang Yue rose and bowed to Lady Yang, “You have come a long way, Aunt. My brother and I were remiss not to greet you outside. Now that you are finally home, why not rest for a while and let us attend you? Let the family spend the festival together.”

“This…” Madam Xu wanted to speak, but Aunt pressed her hand, “Very well. It has been so long since I returned. The ancestral Yang house is still cared for; I can sweep away the dust. As for going to the capital, let me consider a while longer.”