Chapter 33 — Unbeknownst

She knew Pang Shi was full of schemes and had no sense of propriety in word or deed, yet never had she imagined she would say such things—and still less that her young sister-in-law would look so tempted by them.

Fury surged in her, and she berated Pang Shi sharply: "Do not do unto others what you would not have done unto you. To speak so is simply too..." She meant to say "too shameless," but thinking they must still pass through the same doors in the days to come, she swallowed it and said instead, "too much!"

Seeing Gao Shi's face darken only delighted Pang Yulou, and her words came barbed and unsparing: "Eldest Sister-in-law, I am not like you, who has read the books of the sages and can reel off lofty principles at will. I know only that a man who does not look out for himself is condemned by heaven and earth! And why has our young sister-in-law come to such a pass? Was it not for this family? Now that the household has a little color back in its cheeks, what—she is an embarrassment, so you turn your back and pretend you never knew her? You may do such things; I cannot. I know one should have a conscience. In those days, when our sister-in-law was an unmarried girl going about in public for the sake of the family's livelihood, who among them did not point and whisper behind our backs? Why did none of you leap out then to preach propriety and shame? When all is said and done, it was because you needed her to put food on the table..."

Gao Shi could not help glancing at Wang Shuying, and saw her give an almost imperceptible nod.

At once she felt plunged into an ice cave, a chill seeping into her heart.

"Hold your tongue!" Gao Shi cried, cutting Pang Yulou off. "To live by the work of one's own hands is fair and square under heaven—what fear have we of the petty gossip of small men? Seventh Master Dou is already betrothed, and for your own selfish ends you would wreck the union between the Dou and Zhu families. Such base conduct deserves the contempt of all. How can the two be mentioned in the same breath..."

Pang Yulou sneered. "What is selfish, and what is public-spirited? To want good food, good clothes, and a good life—is that selfish? To give away all that is one's own—is that public-spirited? Is our sister-in-law inferior in looks to the Zhu family's Fifth Miss? Or inferior in birth? Besides, it was Dou Huaiying who deceived her, telling her he had no wife, and only then did she let down her guard and fall into his trap. Why should she not be raised to wife? Why should she not take back what ought to have been hers? And do not forget, Eldest Sister-in-law—you are a Wang. It was for your son's sake that she went begging for medicine and fell foul of Dou Huaiying!"

Gao Shi's face went white, her breast heaving violently, and for a long while she could not utter a word.

"Sister-in-law, I am with you in this." Pang Yulou sat down on the edge of the bed, her manner turning at once gentle as water as she consoled Wang Shuying. "Those who neither eat your food nor drink your drink—let them speak ill of you; that is only their due. But those who have eaten your food and drunk your drink and still stand there in their sanctimonious way pointing fingers at you—they are crueler than any outsider..."

"Second Sister-in-law!" Wang Shuying wept and leaned against Pang Yulou's shoulder.

"Do not cry, do not cry." Pang Yulou drew out a handkerchief and wiped Wang Shuying's tears. "Listen to me. I promise I will make the Zhu family withdraw the betrothal meekly..."

Gao Shi closed her eyes. It was a long while before she opened them again, and her expression was much calmer.

Softly she called "Yingxue" and said, "In that matter of the past, it is I, your eldest sister-in-law, who wronged you, and I beg your pardon. In all the years since I married into the Wang family, it has been said that I manage the household, but in truth, without you, I could not have held this family together at all. You have always been clever; some things need not be said for you to understand them. To raise a concubine to wife requires a letter of consent from the Zhao family. The Dou and Zhao families are at such odds—how could the Zhaos ever write one? And you have seen Dou Juan's attitude. Had he meant to raise you, he would have broken off with the Zhu family the moment they objected to the wedding date. Why wait until now? Besides, the Zhu family is no humble household; the Dou family would never offend them on our account. Father may have been restored to office, but he is only a seventh-rank county magistrate. You would do well to think carefully about what is to come."

Wang Shuying leaned against Pang Yulou's shoulder and said softly, "Eldest Sister-in-law, did you not always tell me that some things can only be known by trying?"

Gao Shi was left speechless, choked with stifled breath. At last she said only, "Think it over carefully," and swept out.

*

Posting this first; I will fix the typos later.

O(∩_∩)O~

*