Chapter 23 #2
“We have to appeal to people higher up than the county magistrate if we want him to stop bullying our family,” Grand-mother Jiang said as if outlining the next steps of a wéiqí game. “I have several friends I need to visit in the next few days, and I believe you have one as well.”
Ailin combed through her mind to think of who Grand-mother Jiang was referring to. She knew almost no one in Hangzhou.
Madame Cai spoke in a determinedly upbeat voice. “What do you think of going to the Prefect’s Residence tomorrow to pay Madame Qiu that visit you promised?”
The next morning, Ailin accompanied Madame Cai on a carriage ride to Madame Qiu’s home. She brought several of her best paintings as gifts, but the idea of approaching Madame Qiu for political reasons troubled her.
Madame Qiu had a profound understanding of art, and Ailin did not want to seem vulgar in her presence.
At West Lake, Madame Qiu mentioned owning one of Ailin’s works from Nanjing.
That meant she was acquainted with people who knew Uncle Chen.
Though Ailin barely knew her, the lady’s connection to someone Father had respected meant something to Ailin that was hard to describe.
To taint the kind of friendship she might have with Madame Qiu by asking for favors was repugnant to her.
On the other hand, if Ailin didn’t ask for help from Madame Qiu, then she would be leaving Grand-mother Jiang’s family to deal with the Gao family’s threats on their own.
That wasn’t right either. After all the support she, her mother, and her sisters had received from the Jiang clan, it was her duty to help them in any way she could, especially since their current troubles had been triggered by Meilin.
Ailin was still in a turbulent state of mind when the carriage pulled up to the Prefect’s Residence.
The stately mansion projected power and competence, with a horizontal biǎn’é hanging over a large, rectangular gate to mark its significance.
Inside the walls, the front garden was large enough to be imposing but compact enough to avoid ostentation.
The courtyard was more rockery than greenery, and the trees and bushes seemed carefully selected for efficient maintenance.
Madame Qiu met Ailin and Madame Cai in the inner quarters where she lived. The decorative style deeper in the residence was softer and perhaps influenced by her preferences. Pots of rare orchids sat next to other well-tended plants. A golden-haired cat lounged in the corner of the garden.
“Thank you for visiting,” Madame Qiu said. She personally poured tea for her guests and offered a cup to Madame Cai.
“It is our honor.” Madame Cai admired the tea’s fragrance before she sipped, showing courtesy for Madame Qiu’s hospitality.
Ailin tried to calm her nerves as she drank her own cup of tea, wondering how best to bring up the matter of Magistrate Gao.
As a younger woman with little influence, she owed deference to Madame Qiu and could not speak out of turn.
Even though Madame Qiu was only a concubine, she was an intelligent and educated woman said to be so trusted by Prefect Yao that she was the sole manager of his official residence.
She was the only channel through which Ailin’s family could get the ear of the prefect, so everything depended on the impression that Ailin would make during this visit.
“I brought a small gift for you, Madame Qiu,” Ailin said as she presented a box with one of her paintings.
Madame Qiu took the box, opened it with delicate fingers, then unrolled the scroll inside.
Ailin’s heart beat nervously. No matter how many hours she practiced painting, the wait for judgment from people she cared about was always nerve-racking.
“This is a lovely painting of Guānyīn,” Madame Qiu said in a neutral tone. “The details on this lotus remind me of your paintings from Nanjing. You are skilled in painting both plants and human figures.”
Ailin bowed her head. “Thank you.”
“Have you ever tried painting anything more ambitious?”
“Pardon?”
Madame Qiu set the Guānyīn painting back in its box. “I appreciate this beautiful gift, but I can tell that you chose this for me because you know it is good, not because it is the best work you can do.”
Ailin swallowed nervously. Did Madame Qiu dislike her painting? Did she think that Ailin was slighting her by offering a substandard gift? Ailin quickly tried to think of a way to salvage her relationship with Madame Qiu.
“I practiced painting the bodhisattva for many months before creating this painting. I apologize that the crudeness of my skills has displeased you.”
“Not at all, Miss Duan. Both your skills and your talent are very apparent. It is your spirit that I would like to see more of. Is there something you’re afraid of that is preventing you from painting more boldly?”
Ailin tried to parse through Madame Qiu’s question.
Below the surface of her words on art, she could have been inquiring about Ailin’s political intentions.
She needed to provide an answer that could address both layers of questioning without being too obvious, in case her supposition was incorrect.
“I paint familiar subjects because I am a simple girl who has seen very little of the world outside my home. I am afraid of offending people with my ignorance if I am too bold.” This statement was both objectively true and an allusion to Meilin’s recent blunder at West Lake.
“If you didn’t worry about offending others, what would you paint?”
Ailin considered the question carefully. She had never been good at refraining from worry, so it was challenging to imagine a situation in which she was free from constraints. Furthermore, her answer needed to refer back to the problem of Magistrate Gao and the help she needed for the Jiang family.
“If I were to follow my heart and do as I please, I would paint people living in the mountains, peaceful and free from politics.” Ailin’s heart thumped. Was her answer too blunt?
Madame Cai, who had remained silent throughout the conversation, gripped a silk handkerchief tightly, looking as tense as Ailin felt.
Madame Qiu finally spoke. “You remind me of your father, Miss Duan. He was a scholar known for loving peace.”
Ailin was barely able to hide her shock. “You knew my father?”
Madame Qiu smiled. “Prefect Yao worked under your father at the Hanlin Academy many years ago. He was excited to learn that one of his late mentor’s daughters was actively creating and selling paintings. That was why I was looking out for your work.”
Ailin choked back unexpected emotion. “It’s an honor to meet people who knew my father. I hope I’m not a disappointment to his legacy.”
“Not at all. You have great potential. I want to see what you could do if you pushed yourself beyond the boundaries in your mind. With your skills, you could paint works grander than The Riverside at Qingming Festival.”
Since Madame Qiu had complimented her, it was Ailin’s turn to be a little braver, despite her nervousness. “Making waves attracts negative attention.”
“Are you talking about your younger sister, Miss Meilin?”
Since Madame Qiu had broached the topic, everything was now out in the open, and Ailin felt freer as a result. “My sister behaved inappropriately, but the consequences of her actions have been unduly harsh.”
Madame Qiu waved her hand as if swatting at a gnat. “Magistrate Gao was looking for excuses to persecute the Jiang family.”
“You’ve heard about our family’s troubles?” Ailin was not surprised that Madame Qiu was well-informed, but the question of whether she would help remained.
“The Jiangs are not the first family Magistrate Gao has tried to extort. Prefect Yao has suspected him of corruption for a long time, but the old fox has always been good at covering his tracks. If you have evidence of his misdoing, the prefect’s office would be happy to investigate.”
Ailin glanced at Madame Cai, who was incapable of holding back her joy. “Do you really mean it? Our family has plenty of evidence.”
Madame Qiu poured another cup of tea. “I’m glad our interests are as aligned as our taste in art.”
Ailin couldn’t believe this turn of events.
Not only did Prefect Yao know her father, but he also needed help from the Jiangs, and Madame Qiu was willing to facilitate the exchange.
Ailin’s family might be able to solve the issue of Magistrate Gao without accruing social debt!
They still had to deal with the corrupt magistrate, but now they had allies. Ailin was so happy that she could cry.
“Thank you for everything, ma’am. I will work harder than ever so I can one day bring you and Prefect Yao a painting worthy of your esteem.” Her resolve was as firm as her gratitude was deep.
Madame Qiu smiled. “I look forward to your future work, Duan Ailin.”