Chapter 16: A Little Heart's Thoughts

As evening drew near, the aroma of cooking drifted from the Wang family courtyard. Three tables had been set from the front courtyard to the back — one for the busy masons and bricklayers, and one each for the neighbors who had helped with firewood. Wang Dou sat inside the main hall with his mother, his wife, and Han Chao.

There were large tubs of rice, and the meal included meat and wine; everyone ate with great relish. The hired masons and bricklayers would receive some wages, while the neighbors who helped with firewood got only the meal, but all were content, every one of them wolfing down the food — it had been a long time since they had eaten such a fine meal.

Lady Zhong went out several times to urge them to drink, calling out loudly as she moved about, "Eat and drink well, everyone, eat and drink well!"

Wang Dou also went out to offer a round of toasts. When they saw Wang Dou emerge, everyone rose to their feet, protesting that they dared not accept such honor.

Han Chao signaled with a glance, and he and Gao Shiyin along with the other two followed behind Wang Dou to offer toasts as well, which made the villagers even more uneasy. These military men were all tall and imposing, their presence far too overwhelming — especially that Gao Shiyin, with his face full of tough, sinewy flesh and eyes that constantly flashed with ferocity, looking nothing like a decent man. How could anyone not feel afraid and uneasy? They truly wondered where Chief Wang Dou had found such a fierce and intimidating subordinate.

Lady Zhong also watched with a smile as the several big men trailed behind her son. None of them looked easy to deal with, yet every one of them obeyed her son, and her heart swelled with considerable pride.

Wang Dou also had Xie Xiuniang accompany him to offer a round of toasts. Xie Xiuniang followed behind Wang Dou, holding a wine pot, her expression somewhat nervous, afraid that her bearing might be improper, that she might say the wrong thing and be laughed at behind her back. But Wang Dou's gentle smile and encouraging gaze helped her relax considerably.

She followed behind Wang Dou like a demure little wife. Someone at the table joked, asking her when she and the Chief would hold their wedding.

Xie Xiuniang only blushed and stared at the tips of her shoes. Wang Dou laughed openly and said, "Soon, soon — next year, next year. When the time comes, all you neighbors must come and drink the wedding wine."

Everyone answered in a chorus of agreement, saying repeatedly that when the Chief's great happy day arrived, they would certainly all be present.

Xie Xiuniang, her face still red, returned to the main hall with Wang Dou. Seizing a quiet moment, she secretly said to Wang Dou that that big brother called Gao Shiyin, with his fierce and villainous face, did not look like a good man, and she urged Brother Wang Dou to keep an eye on him.

Wang Dou laughed. No matter how fierce he is, doesn't he still have to lie obediently flat before me? There's no need to worry at all. His confident manner filled Xie Xiuniang with a rush of admiration.

Back at the table, Han Zhong also loudly teased Xie Xiuniang, asking her when she would marry their Chief Wang — he could hardly wait to drink the wedding wine.

Xie Xiuniang's face grew even redder. Wang Dou scolded him with a laugh, "Just eat your food."

Lady Zhong also looked cheerfully at her son and daughter-in-law, then sighed inwardly. Her daughter-in-law had been recuperating for a month, and although her complexion looked somewhat better, her frame was still too thin and small; she needed to be raised to be fairer and plumper.

At the table, Qi Tianliang and Lady Zhong talked with great rapport, the two of them discussing their insights on buying fields and property. Ever since Qi Tianliang had come into some money, he had been fantasizing about a happy life with fine fields, a house and courtyard, a wife and children, and a warm kang bed. During this time, he had also traveled to many places around Shunxiang Fort and Dong Family Village. Lady Zhong's dream was also to redeem the ancestral fertile lands and then buy more fields, passing them down generation after generation to her descendants, so that the family estate would flourish — then she would have no regrets.

The two of them could be said to share a common language and talked together with great delight.

Wang Dou listened beside them with a smile. Owning one's own fertile land could be said to be the dream of all Chinese peasants, unchanged from ancient times to the present. And redeeming the ancestral lands, then finally buying some fertile fields to pass down through the family — this was also something Wang Dou had considered.

At present, land prices in Bao'an Department were already far lower than in previous years, and when he was promoted to Chief, he might also be allotted some official fields. With that land, his mother and his little wife could live on rent collection in the future, sparing them from toiling all day long. They had worked hard all their lives; it was time they enjoyed some comfort.

Of course, this was only one of Wang Dou's plans. If he were a man of the Great Ming, he would choose only this path. But coming from a later age, the considerations in his heart were far grander; he had several other schemes in mind, all matters that could only begin to be put into practice after his promotion.

……

After the evening meal, the guests, full of profuse thanks, were seen off. Lady Zhong tidied up rooms for Han Chao and the others to rest. The Wang family courtyard was a two-entrance siheyuan; though dilapidated, it had many empty rooms, so accommodating Han Chao and his men was no problem.

After the guests were settled, Wang Dou sat talking with his mother and his little wife inside the house. When the conversation turned to Wang Dou's promotion to Chief, Lady Zhong wept again. She sighed and said, "If your father were still here and could see how promising you have become, how happy he would be."

Wang Dou comforted his mother with a few words, then brought up the matter of taking Xie Xiuniang to the banquet at Dong Family Village the next day.

Xie Xiuniang was somewhat uneasy, afraid only of causing Wang Dou to lose face.

Wang Dou comforted her, saying, "What face do I have to lose? That Company Commander's wife is no great personage either. Just act the way you normally do, and treat her the same way."

Xie Xiuniang was still a little hesitant. Lady Zhong, on the other hand, displayed considerable matriarchal poise, instructing Xie Xiuniang on how she should conduct herself the next day. Seeing that Xie Xiuniang had only a few silver hairpins, silver earrings, and such ornaments, Lady Zhong thought for a moment, then brought out the complete set of gold jewelry that her own mother-in-law had passed down to her and solemnly handed it to Xie Xiuniang.

The local women of Bao'an Department all had the custom of wearing jewelry, whether rich or poor. Of course, wealthy households wore gold jewelry, while poorer ones could only wear silver. But no matter how poor a family was, the women of the house would at least have a few silver bracelets and silver rings. The poorer the family, the more they feared being looked down upon by others; even wearing silver jewelry gave them some comfort in their hearts.

Moreover, Lady Zhong's handing the heirloom gold jewelry to Xie Xiuniang carried yet another, different meaning. Watching Wang Dou's status and position change day by day, Xie Xiuniang had always harbored a small worry in her little heart — that after Brother Wang Dou rose in the world, he might cast her aside and marry someone else. After all, there were many cases of such child brides being abandoned when the man came of age and married another.

Now, seeing her mother-in-law pass the heirloom jewelry to her, Xie Xiuniang was completely at ease. This meant her mother-in-law had fully accepted her. Wang Dou had always been filial to his mother, and with his mother's support, she need no longer fear such a thing happening in the future.

Xie Xiuniang's heart was filled with joy. She put on the gold jewelry and delightedly looked left and right in the bronze mirror, while Lady Zhong stood beside her offering opinions. The two of them then discussed what new clothes she should wear the next day. Fortunately, whenever the Wang family went out, they always had one set of clean and presentable clothing. Moreover, after seizing supplies from the Later Jin army, Wang Dou had brought back several bolts of cloth, and some time ago Lady Zhong had already made a set for Xie Xiuniang, giving her at least one extra choice when going out.

Wang Dou went to bed first. Lady Zhong and Xie Xiuniang talked until late into the night.

That night, Xie Xiuniang lay in bed tossing and turning, unable to sleep. Her mind kept thinking about what she should say when she met the Company Commander's wife the next day, what kind of etiquette and bearing would be proper, so as not to disgrace Brother Wang Dou. Poor thing — from childhood to now, she had never met any important people, nor learned any etiquette or bearing, and she could not even read. What if the Company Commander's wife asked something she could not answer? What if she committed a breach of etiquette and Brother Wang Dou became displeased?

Although Lady Zhong had imparted a whole set of secrets to her, her heart was still anxious and uneasy. She pondered for half the night, then thought about how the villagers would view her when she left the village with Brother Wang Dou the next day. At this thought, her face flushed a little red. She thought for a long time, and at some unknown hour, she finally sank into a deep sleep.

……

Early the next morning, Xie Xiuniang got up. She dressed herself neatly, then cheerfully went to cook.

When everyone was eating breakfast and saw Xie Xiuniang all dressed up, Han Zhong shouted, "Sister-in-law, in that outfit you look just like a bride."

Xie Xiuniang was both shy and delighted. She stole glances at Wang Dou, her eyes full of hope, as if wanting him to praise her.

Lady Zhong was also very satisfied with Xie Xiuniang's attire, but in Wang Dou's eyes, her thin, small frame in a floral dress — the clothes were new, to be sure, but somehow she just did not have that air about her.

On the surface, he smiled and said, "Very nice, very nice. The clothes and jewelry are all very beautiful."

Only then did Xie Xiuniang happily set her heart at ease.

After breakfast, just before they set out, Lady Zhong did not forget to impart some wisdom to Wang Dou — how he should behave when he met the Company Commander, that he must on no account be remiss in courtesy, and so on. What could Wang Dou say? He could only nod obediently.

They led the horses out. The horses had been fed in the back courtyard the night before and were full of spirit.

Everyone went out the main gate. Wang Dou mounted his horse. Xie Xiuniang looked at Wang Dou, not knowing what to do.

Wang Dou extended his hand to her with a smile and said, "Come, Xiuniang, sit behind me."

Xie Xiuniang was pulled onto the horse by Wang Dou and, as he instructed, wrapped her arms around his waist. Her heart pounded fiercely, and her movements were somewhat stiff.

Han Zhong let out a few strange whoops. Wang Dou glared at him. "What are you laughing at, you brat? Look at yourself — you ought to find a wife too."

Everyone laughed. Qi Tianliang also chimed in from the side, "That's right, that's right, Brother Han, how about letting your sister-in-law find you a woman? Your sister-in-law is most enthusiastic about this sort of thing."

Han Zhong waved his hands repeatedly. "I don't want one! I'm perfectly happy as I am now. Finding a wife is nothing but trouble."

Laughing, they spurred their horses and rode off. Lady Zhong leaned against the door, watching her son's figure slowly disappear, a contented smile rising on her face.

……

All along the way, the streets and lanes were full of people greeting Wang Dou. Cries of "Good morning, Chief Wang!" rang out one after another, showing that the villagers already knew of Wang Dou's promotion to Chief. The smiles on everyone's faces were full of respect.

However, when they saw Xie Xiuniang behind Wang Dou, looks of surprise appeared on many faces. After Wang Dou and his group passed, a wave of astonished chatter rose behind them.

Amidst gazes of every kind, Wang Dou and his men rode forth with heads held high.

Once out of the village, the vast, flat land stretched before them. A surge of heroic passion rose in Wang Dou's heart. He called out, "Xiuniang, hold on tight."

With a loud shout of "Hyah!"

At once the sturdy horse shot off like the wind and lightning.

Han Zhong and the others also whooped and shouted, each spurring his mount to follow close behind, kicking up a trail of dust.

Xie Xiuniang held tightly to Wang Dou's solid, thick waist. She closed her eyes, her little heart brimming with contentment, wishing only that it could go on like this forever.