Fish Meat – Chapter 4

The Sixth Year of Shenchu

The Servant Alai

Upon hearing the term “Mistress,” Fourth Aunt’s nerves twitched slightly, and she threw out a sentence with an ambiguous tone: “She naturally wants me to return as soon as possible.”

Alai didn’t respond, knowing that Fourth Aunt and Mistress Yao usually didn’t get along. Conflicts between wives and concubines were not something others could easily comment on. Especially since Mistress Yao came from the direct lineage of the Yao family in Nanya, with her husband being the current Minister of State Affairs, holding a position of light duties but significant power. The Yao family was the most powerful clan in Nanya. If it were the direct line of the Xie family in Dongchun, they might have been able to contend with the Yao family, but compared to them, the Xie family in Suichuan had no standing at all.

Although Xie Taihang cherished the tender affection of his concubine, he always obeyed his wife Yao’s words. After all, his wife had stood against the Yao family’s numerous objections and married him from afar under great pressure. He had promised the Minister of State Affairs in person that he would treat his wife well.

Xie Taihang followed Mistress Yao’s commands in all matters, big and small, routinely reporting to her. Naturally, this left Fourth Aunt feeling oppressed under Mistress Yao’s authority.

Even though Fourth Aunt had a son and a daughter, she knew she needed to make more plans for their future. Given their status as children of a concubine, how could they expect any good fortune?

Today, Fourth Aunt got up early to go to Taoyuan Temple to pray for Xie Taihang and also to pray for a stable year in Suichuan. She hoped that the Xie family could have a smooth and prosperous year.

Although she left under the pretext of prayer, she had already pulled her daughter, the Sixth Lady, out of bed early and asked Alai to help dress her.

The Sixth Lady, half-asleep, was wrapped in richly embroidered clothes, yawning continuously. She had snuck out last night to peep into Young Master Zhong’s room, returning only at midnight. Groggily, she asked her mother why she was being dragged out so early.

“To pray for your father,” Fourth Aunt said. “You can come with me and then we’ll visit the Wang family to deliver some fine fabrics from the capital to Madam Wang.”

The Sixth Lady exclaimed, “The Wang family is a prosperous clan in Suichuan; they must have seen all kinds of good stuff. Why would they care about your few pieces of fabric?”

She casually remarked, not expecting Fourth Aunt to get angry. “What do you mean by ‘few pieces of fabric’? These are silks supplied to the Emperor! When I tell you to go, you go! So much nonsense! Your legitimate sister Ah Xun is already engaged to Young Master Xun. If you don’t stay alert, don’t come crying when Mistress marries you off to some nobody! How did Heaven give me such ungrateful children? Who will care about you after I’m gone? You’re just as useless as your brother, wandering around aimlessly all day!”

The Sixth Lady felt wronged but didn’t dare to argue. She didn’t know who had provoked her mother to such anger.

It was a coincidence.

On the way to the Sixth Lady’s room, Fourth Aunt had run into Mistress Yao, who was accompanied by two personal maids. Mistress Yao asked where she was headed so early, and after paying respects, Fourth Aunt truthfully said she was going to the temple in the city to pray for Xie Taihang.

Mistress Yao glanced at the fine silks in her basket and smiled:

“It’s so cold outside, you’re really hardworking. By the way, which temple are you going to? I’ll send someone with you to help carry things. This basket of silk looks heavy.”

Fourth Aunt politely declined. While she would indeed pray, her main purpose was to deliver the gifts to the Wang family and introduce the Sixth Lady to the Wang family’s only son. If she could secure this marriage, half of her life’s worries would be settled.

During the early era of Shunde, the Da Yu was quite open-minded. Although women couldn’t hold official positions, they were often seen taking on family duties.

Years of warfare had decimated the able-bodied men, who were all fighting on the front lines against the invading Hu tribe. The lack of labor left fertile fields abandoned. The Emperor encouraged agriculture and urged women to join the workforce. Whoever cultivated the land would own it. This huge incentive turned young women into the freshest labor force in Da Yu. Within two years, countless wastelands were cultivated, ensuring ample supplies for the front lines, leading to several victories and reclaiming half of the cities north of the Suidong Mountains.

In this environment, seeing women on the streets was no longer unusual. Even though taking her daughter to meet a prospective suitor might seem overenthusiastic, it wasn’t something that would attract criticism.

Fourth Aunt had only discussed marrying the Sixth Lady into the Wang family with Xie Taihang. Although he usually followed Mistress Yao’s orders, Fourth Aunt was his favorite among the concubines, and she could usually persuade him. Moreover, the Wang family was prominent in Suichuan, so the marriage was not a bad idea. Xie Taihang agreed.

She never mentioned this to Mistress Yao, fearing that she might sabotage the plan. But even if she didn’t say anything, such small matters would naturally reach Mistress Yao’s ears.

“I heard you are quite close with Madam Wang?” Mistress Yao casually mentioned.

Fourth Aunt coughed lightly and said, “Madam Wang is just kind and hospitable. I don’t dare to claim any close relationship.”

Mistress Yao shook her head, worried, “The Wang family is good, but their only son is a fool. If the Sixth Lady marries him, it might not be a good thing.”

Fourth Aunt’s face stiffened, but she forced a smile, “Sister, what are you saying? The Sixth Lady is still young and not ready for marriage. Besides, marriage decisions aren’t up to me; they are for you and the Master to decide.”

Mistress Yao held Fourth Aunt’s hand and said earnestly, “Don’t blame the Master for saying you’re simple-minded. The Sixth Lady will be fourteen after the new year, and it’s time to start planning her marriage. Seeing you frequently visit the Wang family, I thought you had set your sights on their foolish son. Fortunately, that’s not the case. I wouldn’t want to see the Sixth Lady’s future wasted on a fool, living a life of lonely wealth. How could you bear that?”

Fourth Aunt didn’t know how to respond, feeling that any answer would be wrong.

After some small talk, Mistress Yao left with her servants.

Fourth Aunt was so angry that her eyes turned red.

Mistress Yao always spoke insincerely, her words laced with barbs, yet she pretended to care. Who couldn’t hear the mockery in her words? Mocking her for being an incompetent mother, thinking she could only marry her daughter to a fool! If she had better options, would she go to such lengths to cling to the Wang family? If she weren’t just a concubine, how could her children’s futures be so uncertain, forcing her to scheme tirelessly? What if the son was a fool? If the Sixth Lady married and bore a legitimate son, she would secure the position of the Wang family’s mistress. A small sacrifice could bring a lifetime of wealth and peace, freeing her from the stigma of being born a concubine! Mistress Yao’s children were born superior; how could they understand their hardships?

Wealthy but lonely life? Bah!

Fourth Aunt was so angry she nearly spat blood.

Even standing in the cold wind of the back garden for a long time didn’t dispel her anger. She stormed into the Sixth Lady’s room, venting her unrelieved anger on her uninspiring daughter.

The Sixth Lady felt wronged but, hearing she had to visit the Wang family, immediately clutched her stomach, howling and running to the privy.

“No, Mother, I have a stomach ache; I can’t go with you…”

Fourth Aunt was about to get angry when the Sixth Lady called out to Alai, who had been standing silently by: “Alai! Go with Fourth Aunt. It’s cold outside, and it’s snowing. Remember to bring her hand warmer, okay?”

“Yes,” Alai obediently replied.

Fourth Aunt, after scolding the Sixth Lady all morning without getting her out of the house, had no choice. The basket of silk was heavy, and if she had to carry it herself, her arm would break. She decided to take Alai along to help carry things.

At Taoyuan Temple, when Fourth Aunt handed the basket to a young monk, she scrutinized Alai closely, finding some resemblance to Xie Taihang in her features.

This servant girl, Alai, was Xie Taihang’s blood.

Years ago, Master Xie, in a moment of drunkenness, had favored a maid in the residence, resulting in her pregnancy. Ten months later, she gave birth to a child. Mistress Yao knew but said nothing. However, Master Xie, being of noble character, couldn’t bear the thought of having favored a lowly servant, so he didn’t acknowledge the child and never even looked at the mother and daughter. The household, adept at reading the winds, soon relegated the maid to the most remote part of the estate to do the dirtiest and hardest chores. In the bitter cold of twelfth lunar month, with water frozen and the house drafty, the maid had only a tattered cloth for warmth but kept her child wrapped snugly in her arms, ensuring her survival through the winter. The maid’s legs were damaged from the cold, leaving her crippled and unable to walk far.

Later, the kind-hearted gardener of the mansion took pity on the mother and daughter, taking them to his room to take care of them, and eventually became a couple.

As the child grew, she began to help with chores. People in the Xie household would call her, “Come, move the firewood,” “Come, stir the ashes,” and so she got a convenient name – Alai.

Fourth Aunt looked at Alai, seeing in her young face some of Xie Taihang’s features but more of her mother’s. To be honest, her mother did have a knack for bearing children; this little girl had just the right kind of beauty, not too gaudy nor too plain. Her long brows might have seemed fierce on another girl but gave her an air of spirit. Combined with her alert and lively eyes and increasingly lovely features, she was a budding beauty.

The Fourth Aunt could not help but sigh inwardly, grateful that Alai was merely a servant, for if Xie Taizheng had acknowledged Alai, her Sixth Lady would have been utterly incomparable.

Perhaps the lingering blue smoke and majestic bell tolls of Taoyuan Temple had calmed the tumultuous emotions of the Fourth Aunt this morning. She relaxed her brow and said to Alai:

“The time for making prayers is long and arduous, and even the Sixth Lady is too lazy to come along, let alone you, a mere child. Go back first and tell the Mistress that I have had my midday meal at Taoyuan Temple and am returning.”

Alai responded, “This… let Alai accompany the Fourth Aunt instead. The city is filled with refugees now, and if Alai were to encounter any trouble, Alai could try to hold them off for the Fourth Aunt.”

Though the other had just blocked her earlier, Alai did not hold it against her, as she was genuinely concerned for the Fourth Aunt’s safety.

Back when Alai’s mother had given birth to her in the twelfth lunar month, the Fourth Aunt, seeing their pitiful state, had sent over a small coat that had belonged to the Sixth Mistress. Apart from her mother’s warmth, that coat had been the only thing sustaining Alai through the bitter winter. Later, when Xie Taizheng learned of the coat incident, the Fourth Aunt had been severely reprimanded. Though the Fourth Aunt was often harsh in speech, Alai remembered this act of kindness. Alai’s mother also frequently reminded her that the Fourth Aunt had saved her life, and that she should be grateful and repay the favor.

Fourth Aunt, genuinely annoyed, said, “You child! If I tell you to go back, you go back! So much nonsense!”

Seeing she was truly angry, Alai had no choice but to obey and leave.

Watching Alai’s departing figure, Fourth Aunt sighed in relief.

Though people said the Wang family’s Young Master Qi was a fool, she had seen him. He might be a bit simple, but he wasn’t truly an idiot; rather, his simplicity made him more caring. Moreover, the Wang family had few heirs, only Young Master Qi as the legitimate son, meaning the family business would eventually pass to him. If the Sixth Lady could marry him and bear a legitimate son, her future would be secure and prosperous. If Alai, with her beauty, caught Young Master Qi’s eye, even if her status couldn’t make her a legitimate wife, the Sixth Lady would still inevitably suffer. It was safer to send her away.

Thinking of her troublesome daughter and how much more she would have to worry, Fourth Aunt stomped her foot in frustration and turned towards the temple.