A Marriage in Name Only

"Zhi Xia, where did my agate bracelet go?"

Xie Ying leaned against the door, downcast. A friend had given her the bracelet back when she was in Xuzhou. She had not worn it in over a year, but perhaps getting hurt had left her feeling low and nostalgic. Now she found herself thinking of things from the past.

"I'll look for it."

Zhi Xia rummaged through the chests and cupboards for a long time but still could not find it.

"Miss, I can't find it. Could it have been lost during the move?"

"You can't find it?"

The one time she wanted something from the past, it had gone missing. Nothing seemed to be going her way lately. Xie Ying sighed and said listlessly, "If you really can't find it, forget it."

"Yes, Miss."

Seeing how dispirited Xie Ying looked, Zhi Xia added, "Miss, I'll go buy you some snacks."

"No... All right. Go ahead."

Zhi Xia handed her fan to Nian Chun and went out. She visited several well-known snack shops around the city and bought a few things. Once her hands were full, she glanced around, then hurried into a pawnshop.

A clerk came forward as soon as he saw her, greeting her like an old acquaintance. "Back again, miss? What are you pawning this time?"

Zhi Xia took two pink pearls from her pocket.

"Just two?"

"Two are easier to sell. Who would you sell a whole pair of pearl earrings to?"

"Heh. You're right, miss."

Zhi Xia's face hardened. "Don't try any tricks. These are fine Southern Pearls. Don't cheat me with a price for fakes!"

"I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare." The clerk repeated himself as he led her behind the counter to work out the price. They were plainly familiar with each other.

"One South Sea Pearl comes to one tael and two mace, so two would be..."

"..."

Zhi Xia spent nearly two hours out before returning to the Xie Residence. It was already afternoon, and Xie Ying was taking a nap. Zhi Xia set down the basket of snacks and slipped silently into the adjoining room.

Nian Chun was resting on a bamboo couch. When she saw Zhi Xia return, she asked softly, "Why were you gone so long?"

"It was too hot on the road, so I stopped at a teahouse for a while."

They were both maids and occasionally covered for each other when one took a break, so Nian Chun asked no more.

That evening, Xie Madam sent someone to call them over for dinner.

"Why did Auntie send for us?"

Madam Zhou straightened her daughter's collar. "Your aunt is worried you'll make yourself ill cooped up at home. She asked everyone to eat together so you'd have some company and feel better. You didn't eat lunch either, did you?"

Xie Ying fell silent again, looking miserable.

By the time Madam Zhou arrived, Shen Lantang was already there. From the elder branch, there were Shen Lantang and Xie Madam; from the younger branch came Madam Zhou, her eldest daughter-in-law Madam Qian, and Xie Ying. Together they filled the table and made for a lively gathering.

With more people at dinner, a few extra dishes had been prepared. The first cold dish was a refreshing salad of red-leaf greens, grown at an estate outside the city and delivered fresh. There was also chilled pig's ear, a favorite of the Xie Family young and old, crisp and chewy and well suited to summer. Hot dishes followed: fish and meat. The steamed sea bass was sprinkled with shredded scallions, and plenty of soy sauce in the dressing gave it a rich flavor. The meat was braised, since there were children at the table—Xie Ying and Shen Lantang. Xie Madam preferred hers simply steamed and dipped in soy sauce; it was less rich that way.

With chicken, pork rib soup, and stir-fried seasonal vegetables as well, the evening meal was more than plentiful.

The women exchanged a few words over dinner, their conversation easy and unhurried. The atmosphere was peaceful.

As dinner drew to a close, Xie Madam wiped her mouth with a handkerchief.

"Cai Yue."

The older servant woman at her side stepped forward and handed Xie Madam a wrapped piece of cloth.

Still holding her handkerchief, Xie Madam spoke with calm, unhurried grace:

"Since my great-grandfather's time, the Xie Family has held itself to courtesy, prudence, and humility. We have never acted wantonly or cruelly, nor have we treated our servants harshly. I do not ask every servant to be unfailingly loyal to the Xie Family, but I expect them, at the very least, to deal honestly with us. Zhi Xia—"

Zhi Xia went rigid.

Xie Madam lifted the cloth from the table. Two pink pearls rolled onto the floor.

"You wicked servant! You dared steal your mistress's belongings and sell them behind her back. What have you to say for yourself?"

Zhi Xia's eyes had widened at the sight of the pearls. At the rebuke, she dropped to her knees. "I was wrong. Greed got the better of me. I know I was wrong..."

Xie Ying covered her mouth in shock. From two pearls alone, she could not tell which piece of jewelry they had come from, but she knew they were hers.

Zhi Xia had stolen her jewelry and sold it!

"You don't regret what you did. You're begging for mercy only because you've been caught!" Xie Madam said sharply.

"The Xie Family will never tolerate such a servant. Someone—"

Two servants waiting at the door immediately entered and seized Zhi Xia by the arms.

"Lock her in the woodshed for now. Tomorrow, take her to the authorities!"

"First Madam, Madam... Miss!"

Zhi Xia tried to plead, but one of the servants covered her mouth and dragged her away.

Xie Ying sat frozen in place, plainly stunned.

Zhi Xia had been at her side since their days in Xuzhou. Her mother had said a personal maid should ideally grow up alongside her mistress; that was how she would become loyal. Since Xie Ying would eventually return to Zhaojing, she had chosen Zhi Xia from among the girls being sold into service. Zhi Xia and Nian Chun had entered the Residence around the same time. Xie Ying had never imagined Zhi Xia would betray her.

Her thoughts were in turmoil.

After dealing with Zhi Xia, Xie Madam turned to the others. Of those present, only Madam Zhou had been told beforehand. That day, when one of Xie Ying's two personal maids could hear her and the other could not, Xie Madam had grown suspicious and sent people to follow them both. Nian Chun stayed in the Residence all day. On the rare occasions she went out, it was to run errands for Xie Ying. She even haggled over a bag of roasted chestnuts without managing to lower the price. She did not seem particularly clever.

Zhi Xia, by contrast, was much more capable, though she did have a habit of shirking work. Xie Madam might have overlooked that. But yesterday, her people had followed Zhi Xia to the pawnshop and caught her selling the pearls. After questioning the clerk, they learned she had sold quite a few other pieces of jewelry as well—pieces she plainly could not have bought herself.