Chapter 5

Grandmother said she was deeply disappointed in Little Four.

“Two years of copying scriptures and chanting prayers, and she’s learned nothing of Buddha’s mercy. I never imagined she could be so ruthless. She’d destroy us all just to become Zhili’s principal wife.”

“Very well, very well.” Grandmother sighed. “She may not care for the Jiang family’s good name, but I must.”

“I’ll swallow my pride and speak to the He family on her behalf.”

He Zhili’s eyes burned with humiliation and resentment. At a warning glance from Aunt, he nevertheless bowed to his supposed ordeal.

Aunt wiped her tears. “She is a Jiang daughter, after all. The He elders may grant me this favor. Sister-in-law, remember to give her a generous dowry. That will secure her position in the He household.”

Mother nodded, tears gathering in her eyes. “Amitabha,” she murmured in relief.

For a girl with Little Four’s looks to become the principal wife of the eldest He son was more than Mother had ever dared dream.

She wept with joy.

A roomful of posturing fools.

I could not help laughing aloud.

“You still think I’ve done all this to secure her the position of principal wife?”

“I never intended to let Little Four marry into the He family.”

“He Zhili, what exactly do you think you are? Take a good look at yourself. No talent, no character. You’re a pile of dog shit. What makes you think you deserve Little Four?”

“Jiang Yanci!” He barked at me, red-faced and furious. “Who would want Fourth Cousin, looking like that, if I hadn’t had the misfortune to touch her? Even if you threw her among a pack of beggars—”

Smack.

I gave him two backhanded slaps.

He screamed and spat out two teeth in a mouthful of blood. At last he shut up.

Grandmother began swearing again, thumping her cane against the floor.

“Save your strength, Grandmother. You’ll have time to curse when your precious grandson is beheaded.”

At last they understood. I meant it. I was going to send He Zhili to his death.

“Ah Ci, Ah Ci!” Mother fluttered helplessly. “Your aunt has agreed to let him marry Little Four properly. Why won’t you leave Zhili alone? What good would his execution do her? Who else would bring her home as a bride in an eight-man sedan chair?”

Mother had considered everything. A disfigured daughter who had lost her chastity would always be a burden at home. It did not matter what sort of man He Zhili was. What mattered was that he would marry her.

“And then?” I asked. “Will she spend her days chanting prayers in another house? Or die of an illness within a year to make room for a more presentable second wife?”

“You don’t care, do you? Once she’s married off, whether she lives or dies has nothing to do with you. Is that it?”

Mother had eagerly swallowed Aunt’s promises, but somewhere in a hidden corner of her heart, she had considered those other possibilities too.

I had struck exactly where it hurt. She flushed, flustered and stumbling over her explanations.

I watched her without expression. Eventually she could say nothing at all, only cover her face and cry.

“Well, well, Jiang Yanci. What a fine girl you’ve become.” Grandmother sneered. “Do you think being the Huaiyuan heir’s wife puts you beyond my reach?”

“I’ve sent someone to fetch your mother-in-law. She should be here soon. If you stop now, I may conceal some of this from her. But if you insist on screaming for blood, I’ll let her see just how savage and vicious her new daughter-in-law is!”