Chapter 43: Startling the Ladies

Liu Minyou knew from the voice alone that it was Deng Keshan arriving. The man was thoroughly streetwise — an out-and-out local boss in Tianjin who knew everything about matchmakers and grannies, brothels and pleasure houses, idlers and loafers. Although Liu Minyou did not have a good impression of him, they were now working together after all, so he quickly invited him in. The three of them sat down in the shop front, and Wang Daixi brought three cups of tea.

Deng Keshan wore a smug look and said to the two of them, "Brother Liu, Brother Dai, two matters — the brothel and the peddler women. Let's start with the brothel. The brothel matter is finally settled. I visited three establishments, and Qunfang Pavilion is still the best. The madam there is an old acquaintance of mine. The past two days she insisted on one tael; I haggled for two days and finally got it down to eight mace. We'll sell them at three taels five mace apiece, though she wants our brothers from the society to help serve tea in the main hall."

The madam had a fine idea — she risked nothing whether they sold or not. With their eyes on making money, they had no choice but to agree. He asked Deng Keshan, "Then when can we start?"

"Tonight will do. Their top courtesan is called Siguier. As Brother Liu suggested, give her a dress. The madam has already given me her measurements."

Liu Minyou took the slip of paper and put it away, then said with a touch of worry, "Isn't three taels five mace a bit expensive? Will those patrons be willing?"

Deng Keshan picked up his tea, took a sip, and then said, "Brother Liu, you needn't worry about them lacking money. A brothel is not the same as a common music house. At Qunfang Pavilion, the top courtesan costs fifteen taels a night, and damn it, that doesn't even include the opera or the banquet. Inside and outside this city of Tianjin, there are plenty of relatives of officials, gentry, and wealthy merchants from the capital. The shops in the best locations all belong to them. What they spend in a single day is more than we earn in a year. If we don't make a little extra off them, our consciences won't rest easy."

Liu Minyou and Dai Zhenggang were both left staring, dumbfounded.

Deng Keshan continued, "What I just mentioned was the brothel — three taels five mace per piece. Next is the peddler women. I've found eight."

Liu Minyou said in surprise, "Brother Deng, your connections are truly vast — you even know so many peddler women."

"Eight is nothing. I know plenty of those matchmakers and grannies; I could find more if I needed to. Of these eight, five are peddler women and three are flower-women. I've got leverage on quite a few of them, too. Don't be too polite with them. Whatever price we set, that's the price. It's not up to them to take more."

Dai Zhenggang said, "What kind of leverage could peddler women have? Aren't they just selling things?"

Deng Keshan gave a sly grin. "Brother Dai, you don't understand. Hardly any of these matchmakers and grannies are decent folk. If I want to deal with them, I've got plenty of methods."

Liu Minyou quickly urged, "Brother Deng, we still need them to work diligently. If you give them too little, it's pointless if they don't put their hearts into it."

"Yes, yes, Brother Liu is right. I'll still listen to you. How about we settle the shares today? That way I can make arrangements with them."

Liu Minyou knew he wanted to clarify his own share. He thought for a moment and said, "Then for the peddler women, let's set a uniform price of one tael eight mace. We get one tael three mace, the peddler woman gets two mace, and you, Brother Deng, take three mace. What do you think?"

"Done, just as Brother Liu says. Then should each peddler woman take a sample garment?"

"Take them. We only have five right now, so give them first to five of the more capable peddler women. The others will have to wait a couple of days."

"Right then."

－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－

"Clack, clack, clack."

Beside Dongyuan Japanese dried seafood Shop, a peddler woman walked through the back alley, striking her "startle-the-ladies" clapper. After she finished knocking, she waited a moment by the side door. The door creaked open, and a maidservant came out.

"Old woman, my young lady asks if you have any good face powder."

Old Woman Tian's face creased into a mass of wrinkles. Ignoring the fact that the maidservant was barely in her teens, she fawned, "Elder Sister, face powder is common enough, but I have a new kind of garment here. If your young lady wears it, she'll surely be unable to bear taking it off."

The maidservant pursed her lips. "You peddler women and your glib tongues — everything is wonderful. I've only just been assigned to serve the young lady. If the goods are no good and I get scolded for it, I'll kick you."

"How could that be? Elder Sister, you don't know — everything I, Old Woman Tian, sell is good. If it weren't good, I'd have returned it long ago. If it truly gets you scolded, from now on I'll write my Tian character upside down."

"Fine then, come in with me." Juxiang opened the door wider and led Old Woman Tian into the courtyard. Old Woman Tian followed all the way to the third courtyard, then was about to proceed into the young lady's chamber in the west wing.

"Juxiang, who have you brought?" Juxiang turned and saw the Lady standing in the covered corridor with Old Woman Zhang. She hurried over and replied, "Madam, it's Old Woman Tian, a peddler from outside. She's brought new clothes for the young lady to see."

Lady Zhao sized up Old Woman Tian and said to her, "Sell your wares if you must, but don't you go stirring up any unsavory business."

"Madam, set your mind at ease. This old body would never do such a thing."

Lady Zhao nodded and let the two of them go to the young lady's chamber. Once they had entered the room, Old Woman Zhang said from the side, "Would Madam care for some refreshments?" Lady Zhao slowly shook her head and sighed again. Old Woman Zhang continued to console her: "Madam need not worry. The Master has been away on trips more than once or twice. Now that the Tatars have withdrawn, everywhere is peaceful. Nothing will go wrong."

"How can I eat? He has been gone over a month, yet lately my heart has been suddenly troubled and restless. I keep feeling as if something is wrong, so I won't even let Xiang'er go out. Ah, this is how it is — the wives of traveling merchants are always like this. Once they leave, they are gone for so long, leaving one anxious and heartsick."

Old Woman Zhang said, "But Madam must still take some nourishment. If you ruin your health from hunger, how will this old body answer to the Master when he returns?"

"When the Master returns, I will be able to eat. There is nothing more here; go and attend to your duties."

Old Woman Zhang sighed and left.

Inside her chamber, Miss Zhao had been pressed against the window. After listening to Lady Zhao finish speaking, she stood there a moment longer, then with a sullen face lifted the beaded curtain and came out. Juxiang and Old Woman Tian were waiting outside. Old Woman Tian was earnestly studying a flower vase on a tall side table. Seeing the young lady emerge, Juxiang said, "Miss, the one clacking the 'startle-the-ladies' clapper outside just now was this Old Woman Tian. She said she has beautiful clothes, so I brought her in."

Miss Zhao asked listlessly, "More sleeveless jackets and pleated skirts?"

Old Woman Tian came over and curtsied, saying, "None of those, I assure you. Miss has certainly never seen anything like this. The things I, Old Woman Tian, sell must be worthy of a celestial being like Miss."

Miss Zhao, hearing the flattery, cheered up somewhat after all and laughed. "You peddler woman — you haven't even brought out your wares yet, and already your mouth is so formidable. How many celestial beings do you see in a day, anyway?"

As Old Woman Tian set down her back-basket, she said, "A celestial being like Miss is not so easily seen. If this old body hadn't walked down this lane today, I might never have laid eyes on one in my lifetime. Miss is not only lovely and refined beyond the ordinary, but the furnishings in your room are so elegantly tasteful, and even your skill at flower arranging is remarkable. If you aren't a celestial being, then what are you?"

Miss Zhao giggled. This peddler woman's eloquence might just rival that petty little man's. But then, she walked the streets and alleys every day — of course she could develop such skill. That Accountant Chen, a scholar who read books and kept accounts — where on earth had he learned it?

"Then tell me what is good about the flower arrangement. If you get it right, I'll buy two items from you. If you get it wrong, I won't let you take them out."

Old Woman Tian had just opened her back-basket and was about to take something out. Hearing this, she had to put it back, yet without any fluster she said, "Since Miss has opened her golden mouth, this old body will give it a try."

Miss Zhao and Juxiang both watched her with keen interest. They had been confined at home by Lady Zhao these past few days, and this peddler woman's glib tongue was a source of amusement.

"A main hall arrangement should be large; a bedroom arrangement should be small. Miss's goose-neck vase is just over seven inches — precisely a small vase, perfectly suited for a lady's chamber. The flowers extend eight or nine inches above the mouth of the vase, the length exactly matching the ancients' method. The vase body is slender, so Miss has used a high-and-low arrangement, with the lower branch bent into a curve, creating a pleasing irregularity. Without Miss's clever and ingenious mind, how could such an elegantly tasteful flower arrangement be created?"

Juxiang laughed. "Old Woman Tian, where did you learn all this? Don't tell me you arrange flowers at home too."

Old Woman Tian said, "It's only what I've heard those young ladies and madams say. It's all because my wares are good — when they buy them, they're happy at heart and keep me a while longer to chat. Look at my clumsy, foolish self — even if I remember it, how could I ever produce such an arrangement?"

After all this conversation, Miss Zhao's mood had improved considerably. Smiling, she said, "Since it's what the young ladies and madams say, then they all know how, and they could certainly produce such an arrangement. Very well, I'll consider your answer correct. Take out your clothes and let me see them. If the workmanship is passable, I'll buy two from you."

Old Woman Tian had exhausted all her fine words and spent a great deal of spittle, and had finally reached the meat of the matter. She quickly and carefully took out a one-piece dress, shook it open, and showed it to the two of them.

A white satin one-piece dress was displayed before them. It had no front closure; the collar was a high neckline. A delicately elegant lotus flower was embroidered in full at the very center. The waistline, unlike that of a ordinary shenyi robe, was slightly drawn in.

Miss Zhao's eyes lit up. She snatched it over and held it against herself. Juxiang also turned and studied it closely.

"Miss, this garment has no front closure. It looks nice enough, but how do you put it on?"

As Old Woman Tian helped pull the sleeves straight, she said, "Elder Sister Juxiang, you don't understand. This garment goes on over the head, and the buttons are at the back of the neck. When worn, it's far prettier than a shenyi robe. The one I sold before noon — that young lady put it on and refused to take it off, saying she even wanted to sleep in it. Why not let Miss try it on?"

Miss Zhao had exactly that in mind. She quickly went with Juxiang through the beaded curtain and changed behind the screen. After a rustling of fabric, she walked out. In the pure white one-piece dress, her waist swayed like a willow as she moved, her skirt hem rippled, and the lotus flower at her bosom set off her lovely features — truly elegant and refined, like a celestial being.

Old Woman Tian and Juxiang were both momentarily stunned. Miss Zhao had not expected it to fit so perfectly either. Seeing the two of them staring dumbly at her, she blushed slightly and said with mock anger, "How does this dress look when worn? Do say something."

Only then did Old Woman Tian come back to her senses. "Good, good, truly beautiful. Even an old woman as ancient as me was struck dumb. If a man were to see it…"

"Hey, old woman, what nonsense are you spouting?" Juxiang, hearing her starting to talk wildly, quickly cut her off.

"Yes, yes. Anyway, it's simply too beautiful. I doubt even Chang'e in the moon could surpass this."

Miss Zhao was delighted at heart and teased the old woman, "You old woman, still talking nonsense. Chang'e is paired with Zhu Bajie — what are you making me out to be?"

Old Woman Tian, seeing her expression, knew she was joking and replied with a laugh, "Oh, this mouth of mine. Miss should be paired with Tang San… no, no, paired with the Jade Emperor. Miss, you must buy several more, in different colors. Truly, look how beautiful this is. If you went out like this, wouldn't you put all those top courtesans to shame?"

Juxiang also said from the side, "Truly, Miss looks so beautiful in it. The waist of this dress is a bit narrower — how does it suddenly look so much nicer?"

Miss Zhao felt a surge of pride, so she didn't bother to take issue with Tian the peddler comparing her to a courtesan, nor did she ask the price. She said magnanimously, "Then I'll buy three. Two for myself, and one for Juxiang as well."

"Really?" Juxiang jumped up with joy and immediately ran over to rummage through Tian the peddler's back-basket. Inside, however, there was only a pile of rouge and powder and a strange wooden frame, but no more clothes.

"Why are there none left? Then why did you tell the Young Lady to buy more? You old woman, you've been deceiving us." Disappointed, Juxiang flared up at the old woman.

"Aiya, Sister Juxiang, your words wrong me. This clothing is not like rouge and powder; everyone's measurements are different. You look at the sample garment, I help take your measurements, take them back to be made, and then deliver them. Today was just a coincidence that this one piece fit the Young Lady so perfectly."

"Hmph, then how long will it take you to make them?"

"This... this old woman does not know either. I have been selling for over ten, nearly twenty days now, and there are orders every day. The ones ordered three days ago still aren't finished. Just today I've already taken three orders. I don't know how many more are queued up at the clothing shop. In any case, I will certainly urge them to hurry for you both. Oh, right." Tian the peddler suddenly remembered something. She took out the wooden frame from her back-basket and said to the two of them, "Young Lady, look. These clothes are all made of silk and satin. Don't let them get damaged on a hook. Each garment comes with one of these. This is called a clothes hanger. If you put the garment on this before hanging it on a hook, you won't have to worry. Tell me, isn't this wonderful?" As she spoke, she took the skirt and hung it on the clothes hanger...

"How ingenious." Miss Zhao took the clothes hanger and examined it from all sides, full of admiration. Although the clothes hanger was an extremely simple thing, seeing it for the first time, it was still a novelty. On the hanger, a beautiful orchid had been painted with colored brushes, and the character for "orchid" was written on it. Juxiang also looked at it, clicking her tongue in praise. She turned her head and asked Tian the peddler, "The owner of this clothing shop is truly a talented person. Where is the shop located?"

Tian the peddler refused to say, afraid these people would go to the shop themselves to buy. She mumbled, "This old woman is not clear either. They were all delivered by someone else."

"You old woman, can you sell these clothes for a lifetime? My family's Young Lady said she would buy three, so it's three. If you don't tell us, I really will go look for it myself. This Tianjin city is only the size of a palm; I refuse to believe we can't find it."

Only then did Tian the peddler reluctantly say, "Then the Young Lady must agree: these skirts are two taels and eight mace of silver each, and the clothes hanger is two mace. You must buy them from me."

"Fine, fine. I'll take this ready-made one. For the two on order, I'll give you one tael of silver each as a deposit. That's settled. Now speak quickly."

"It's the Orchid Clothing Shop in Jingdong Ward."

"Jingdong Ward." Miss Zhao murmured the name softly. She had heard Old Cai say that the little man's family was also from Jingdong Ward, a place that produced all sorts of quirky and clever people. That day, after returning home, she had told her mother that she thought Accountant Chen was not bad. Her mother had also seemed agreeable, and it seemed her mother had even discussed it with her father. Since then, she seemed to feel a thread of concern for this person. He had been out at sea with her father for over forty days now. Had they reached the Land of the Wa yet? Had the wind and waves at sea frightened him? And what was her father's impression of him?

For a moment, her mood turned melancholy again. As she raised her eyes, she saw her mother's silhouette under the winding corridor, slender and lonely.