Chapter 5

Xiaocui took a drink of water and continued her excited account.

“Miss, you should have seen it. That old witch went red right down her neck, like she’d been scalded.”

“She shoved Master Han away, looked around, and tugged her clothes straight. As if there was anyone there. Nanny Du and the rest are old foxes, every one of them. They’d cleared out long before.”

“The two of them even agreed he’d bring more materials tomorrow and paint a few more portraits.”

Then she looked a little doubtful.

“Miss, can we trust this Master Han?”

Of course we could!

He was already twenty-seven or twenty-eight. Handsome he might be, but the courtesan house had fresh crops of handsome young men coming through all the time.

I had paid him handsomely, and promised to help him leave the trade when the job was done.

Naturally he meant to seize the opportunity.

Besides, Mother still had her charms. She was far better than those patrons of his.

What trick hadn’t he learned in that house? He could bewitch a person with a glance.

An attractive older woman shut away for years, as ready to burn as dry tinder—winning her over would be child’s play.

We merely had to give them a little opportunity.

I furrowed my brow, and an idea came.

Once they’d spent more than half a month exchanging glances and were beginning to lose control,

I found a pretext to ask Mother for leave.

It was my late mother’s birthday, I said. I wished to offer incense at Qingxu Temple for three days.

“My mother always loved a crowd. I’d like to take more people along, to make her happy.”

“Besides, the temple is some way from home. Since I’ll be staying there for three days, I’ll need more attendants for safety.”

Off I swept with half the household’s servants.

Everything was in place.

Still, I feared that Mother, sheltered gentlewoman that she was, might have the desire but lack the nerve.

So for several days before I went, I added a few things to her bird’s nest that would heat her blood and stir her desires.

Ever since my arrival, she’d insisted I serve her food and drink every day.

She had given me the opportunity herself.

With all these measures at once, I couldn’t believe her defenses would hold.

When I returned from Qingxu Temple, my first duty was naturally to pay Mother my respects.

In the main courtyard, she was reclining on a chaise with her tea.

For once she didn’t greet me with a sour face. Instead she smiled and beckoned me in.

“Back already? Did your mother’s birthday observances go well?”

I lowered my eyes and answered, marveling inwardly.

How young Mother had made herself look today.

Her pale mauve jacket brought out a rosy glow in her fair cheeks. Even the lines beside her eyes had faded a little.

Her lips were redder than usual too, as though someone had carefully traced them.

Rain after a long drought could make even a withered tree bloom.

A woman really did need tending.

Feeling mischievous, I excused myself to change and withdrew.

In a low voice, I told Xiaocui to send someone with a message for Master Han.

Utterly puzzled, she hurried off all the same.

I returned to the main room to drink tea with Mother. I talked of this and that, any nonsense that came to mind, and simply wouldn’t leave.

Several times she tried to hint.

“You’ve had a tiring journey. Now that you’re home, go back to your courtyard and rest.”

I refused.

“Mother, I’ve spent days attending to my own mother’s observances instead of doing my duty to you. Of course I must keep you company a little longer.”

“My husband was most particular about it before he left.”

At last she lost patience and waved a hand.

“Enough. I’m hardly some old stickler. From now on you needn’t bother with morning and evening visits. If I need you, I’ll send for you.”

Only then did I rise respectfully, struggling not to laugh.

As I went out, Nanny Du came hurrying back and whispered in the old madam’s ear.

Mother’s face changed at once, disappointment written all over it.

Ha. No need to guess. Master Han must have sent word he couldn’t come.

That evening, Xiaocui helped me take off my hair ornaments.

Alone with me at last, she couldn’t hold her tongue.

“Miss, things had only just begun. Why did you call a halt?”

I removed my earrings before the bronze mirror and took a few pieces of malt candy from the snack jar.

The girl popped them into her mouth delightedly, though she still mumbled,

“Miss, I thought you didn’t let me eat sweets at night?”

I put another piece in her mouth.

“Eat. All you want tonight.”

After three pieces in a row, Xiaocui could eat no more. She frowned.

“Miss, too much of it is sickly sweet.”

Exactly.

Too much of even the best thing grew tiresome.

Take it away just when someone was enjoying it most, though, and how she’d crave it.

Xiaocui was clever. She understood at once and nodded, grinning.

There was another reason I didn’t mention.

This was revenge, too.

That old hag had kept calling her son away whenever I was worked up and wanting him.

I was merely returning the favor.

If you’d always gone without, you could manage well enough.

But once someone had tempted you to taste meat, going back to vegetables might prove difficult.

I wondered how many days she would last.