Chapter 34 - I Have Returned

Her first day back at the Jiang fu was spent dealing with turbulent undercurrents while exhibiting a tranquil front. The next day, the weather was exceedingly good. Early in the morning, Lian Qiao and Bai Zhi set off to make some inquiries about Jiang Xin Zhi. As Lu Zhu had no knowledge of past events in the Jiang fu, she would not be able to help them even if she went with them. Thus, she stayed by Jiang Ruan’s side, sorting out matters to do with their new home, Ruan Ju.

The sunlight shone through the flower windows[1], filling the room with light. As Lu Zhu sat by the door woking on her embroidery, she smiled and said, “The weather is good in the capital. The sun is steady and the sun rays feel so comfortable.”

[1] Hua chuang ( 花窗 ) – flower window. They were a means of decorating and beautifying windows in ancient Chinese garden architecture. Such windows are both decorative and practical, and can still be seen in modern buildings today. See http://madoken.jp/en/research/windows-in-chinese-architecture/3505/

Jiang Ruan did not comment. Ruan Ju and its courtyard were in a remote location, so the sunlight did not reach many areas. The contrast to Mei Qing courtyard was great, where the sunlight had been beautiful and ample.

When Zhao Mei was still alive, Jiang Ruan had sprawled on her knees watching Jiang Xin Zhi practising his swordplay, the japonica flowers drifting down one by one. That scene had truly been beautiful. Now, things remained the same, but the people were gone. Zhao Mei was long dead and she did not know whether Jiang Xin Zhi was dead or alive. Of her own flesh and blood, she alone was left.

Jiang Ruan smoothed a stray lock of hair behind her ear, and resumed reading the book in her hand. However, at this time, Bai Zhi hurried in, and whispered, “Miss, bad news. Lian Qiao and the people from Yan Hua Yuan are in a disagreement.”

“How could this be?” Jiang Ruan frowned as she asked. “Lian Qiao is anxious and impatient in character, but everyone knows this. How could it be that a disagreement could arise on the first day itself?”

Lu Zhu had put down her embroidery work and was looking at Bai Zhi.

Bai Zhi paused and looked at Jiang Ruan hesitantly before saying, with some difficulty, “When this servant and Lian Qiao returned to Jiang fu, we saw the people from Yan Hua Yuan disciplining one of the servants. At first, we didn’t pay attention to it, but later, Lian Qiao caught a glimpse of the servant’s face . . . It was . . . it was Zhou momo.”

“Nai niang[2]?” Jiang Ruan asked in surprise.

Zhou momo had been Jiang Xin Zhi and Jiang Ruan’s wet nurse, whom Zhao Mei had brought from her maternal residence when she had married. After Zhao Mei passed away, the people at Jiang fu said that Zhou momo had beseeched them to let her retire and leave Jiang fu as her mistress was no longer there. From that time onwards, nothing had been heard of her. In her previous life, Jiang Ruan had also never seen Zhou momo again. However, how is it that Bai Zhi was now saying that Zhou momo was still at Jiang fu?

[2] Nǎiniáng ( 奶娘 ) – wet nurse

Lu Zhu, being clever and quick on the uptake, was able to surmise Zhou momo’s importance from the conversation. She said, “Why would Lian Qiao jie raise a ruckus with these people? Could it be that Zhou momo was being badly bullied?”

Bai Zhi faced Jiang Ruan’s sharp gaze, and said with difficulty, “Zhou momo, she . . . She is blind. When this servant and Lian Qiao saw her, she was throwing out the night soil[3]. The people from Yan Hua Yuan said she had smeared night soil on the new clothes that the mistress was preparing to wear for her visit to Jun Wang Fei[4]. Therefore, because they wanted to punish her, they forced Zhou momo to eat the contents of the pail.”

[3] Ye xiang ( 夜香 ) – lit., night fragrance. Definitely a euphemism, as it refers to human excrement. There being no flushing toilets at that time, human waste was deposited in a bucket, and it was a lowly-ranked servant’s task to dispose of the contents. I’ve used the term ‘night soil’ as that’s how it’s referred to in my country; up until the late 1960s ‘night soil cars’ (with 36 ‘compartments’) were still in use, with ‘night soil collectors’ going around the different districts to pick up buckets of ‘night soil’ in the outhouses and replacing them with empty buckets.

[4] Jun wang fei ( 郡王妃 ) – probably refers to the wife of the Prince of the Second Rank. 郡王 is an ancient Chinese title first seen in the Western Jin Dynasty. It is one of the titles given to direct male-line descendants of the Emperor, and is usually translated as ‘Prince of the Second Rank’, second only to the ‘Prince of the First Rank’ or ‘Prince of the Blood’.

See Noble ranks of Qing Dynasty and more.

Jiang Ruan’s eyes narrowed, and one could feel the fury suddenly emanating from her entire body. Even Lu Zhu, who had never met Zhou momo before, could not help but cover her mouth in horror and spit out in indignation, “This kind of bullying is really too much!”

Jiang Ruan’s forehead was tightly furrowed, and her eyes were full of pure rage. Oh, such a wonderful Yan Hua Yuan! Oh, how great Xia Yan is!

In her previous life, Zhou momo had probably also suffered such inhumane torture before her very eyes, but, at that time, she had been completely oblivious to other people’s suffering. Now, she feared that Zhou momo’s appearance in front of Bai Zhi and Lian Qiao had also been arranged by Xia Yan. Xia Yan wanted her to see that Zhou momo’s life in Jiang fu was actually worse than death, and was using her to strike a blow at Jiang Ruan. Was this to humiliate her, or to take measure of her, to see if she would be provoked to action?

“Miss, Lian Qiao is hot-tempered, the minute she saw how Zhou momo was being treated, she started arguing with the people from Yan Hua Yuan. Their people are also not pushovers, and they had strength in numbers. This servant thinks that, in these circumstances, Lian Qiao may suffer in their hands, and it will eventually adversely affect Miss. Miss, can you think of any way out? The people of Yan Hua Yuan will definitely not let this go.”

“Lu Zhu, go and get my clothes.” Jiang Ruan closed the book on the table and stood up.

“Does Miss intend to save Lian Qiao jiejie?” Lu Zhu asked as she deftly handed Jiang Ruan her outer robe. “Should we inform Master?”

“No need,” Jiang Ruan said coolly. “By the time we wait for him to appear, I will not even be able to protect Lian Qiao.”

Bai Zhi was stunned. “Miss, are you going to confront the people from Yan Hua Yuan?”

“Now that people have brought the bullying right to our doorstep, should we still act like a turtle withdrawing into its shell?” Jiang Ruan glanced at her, then said indifferently, “Since she has decided to be provocative, how can we not meet her head-on?”

Xia Yan, I’m looking forward to our first confrontation even more than you are.

The three of them quickly tidied up, then followed Bai Zhi to the flower garden just within the entrance of Yan Hua Yuan. From a distance, they could see a group of servants surrounding two figures – one was motionless on the ground, while the other was standing in front of the first one in a protective stance. The air reeked with a strange odour. Not too far away, two gong tongs[5] could be seen, and one of them was lying on its side.

[5] Gong tong ( 恭桶 ) – literally, 恭 means ‘respect’, and 桶 is a pail or bucket. Interesting, therefore, that the term refers to a covered bucket for human waste.

When they saw Jiang Ruan and her party, the group of servants surrounding the two figures did not move from their places, until Lian Qiao uttered, “Miss”. The servant who was acting as the leader then turned her head and put on an unaffected air to say, “Why has Eldest Miss come? This is the area of the lower classes, and would befoul your eyes. It would be better for Eldest Miss to leave quickly.”

Jiang Ruan recognised this servant. It was none other than Xia Yan’s devoted senior maid, Lin Lang. In her previous life, Jiang Ruan had not understood why Xia Yan, who was so gracious and well-mannered, would have such a sharp-tongued and mean-spirited personal maid. Now, she saw clearly that Lin Lang was in fact the true reflection of Xia Yan’s character. Whatever Xia Yan was unable to say would find its way into the world through Lin Lang’s mouth; such as this current taunting of Jiang Ruan.

Jiang Ruan slightly smiled and said, “What you have said makes a lot of sense. So, you should leave quickly, in order to not befoul my eyes.”

Lin Lang stared blankly at her, while Jiang Ruan said doubtfully, “What is it? Are you not of the lower class?”

Her tone was moderate, but her words were sharp; her expression was smiling, but her upraised eyes were like cold knives. Lin Lang unconsciously took a step back.

Jiang Ruan heaved a sigh. “So, it turns out that Lin Lang, this servant, considers herself to be of the upper class, which is why she tortures other servants like this.”

“This servant does not,” Lin Lang said in a slightly panicked voice.

Jiang Ruan’s statement basically implied that even though she was a servant, her influence had grown such that she was now capable of ‘bullying’[6] her mistress. In the Jiang fu, although she had received Xia Yan’s favour, she would not be able to bear the consequences of such a ‘title’.

“Eldest Miss, this servant really does not think so.”

[6] Nú dà qī zhǔ ( 奴大欺主 ) – 奴 = slave/ servant; 大 = big; 欺 = bully; 主 = master. Jiang Ruan is saying that even though Lin Lang is a servant, her influence has grown to the extent that she is now capable of ‘bullying’ her mistress i.e. she’s a big shot now. That’s a dangerous ‘title’ to claim if one doesn’t have this power in reality, or doesn’t have the favour of the master/mistress.

Jiang Ruan smiled lightly and ignored her, instead turning her head to look at Lian Qiao.

Lian Qiao was hemmed in by a few servants. With her clothes in a disorderly state and the clear imprint of a palm on her face, it was evident she must have been involved in a fierce dispute. At this sight, Jiang Ruan’s face fell. She then noticed that another servant had an extremely vivid palm print on her face – clearly, Lian Qiao was not one to take offence lying down.

The person lying huddled at Lian Qiao’s feet had remained motionless. Even after Jiang Ruan’s arrival, she had said nothing and kept her head low, like a lifeless statue. One could only see a head full of white hair in disarray, and paper-thin winter clothes.

Jiang Ruan stretched out her hand and placed it gently on that person’s shoulder. The second she made contact, she could sense that the other person was trembling violently.

Lian Qiao opened her mouth, but ultimately did not say anything. Jiang Ruan looked at the older woman with her head down and said tenderly, “Nai niang, do not be afraid. I am Jiang Ruan, and I have returned.”