A Concubine for the Family: A Family Saga in China (17 page)

The garden pavilions were equipped with mahjong tables, games of chance and chess. Musicians strolled along the many courts playing Chinese mandolins — the pi-pa, the two-string violin — erhu, and the bamboo flute. Jugglers and magicians performed amid circles of guests who laughed and clapped.

All at once timbrels rang out and flutes soared in a vigorous tune as the drums of the hired band banged to demand attention.

The bandleader chanted: “The Master and
Tai-tai
, please be seated.” Righteous Virtue, who was resplendent in a navy blue gown of gleaming silk, led Purple Jade to the throne-like chairs. Purple Jade looked stunning in a lavender skirt and a light jacket of soft mauve. An embroidered golden phoenix dominated the jacket.

Next, Righteous Virtue’s stepmother and half sisters were announced, followed by the Huang family cousins. They bowed before their hosts in turn, and stood behind the chairs.

“Where’s
jei- jei
? Go look for Golden Bell.” Silver Bell nudged Peony.

As she spoke, Golden Bell appeared besides her, wearing a lime green silk skirt and mint green jacket with a row of jade buttons clasped by golden frogging.

“It’s about time you appeared. Where were you?” Silver Bell hissed, poking her sister.

“I was helping to prepare the bride,” whispered Golden Bell.

“Who is she . . . who is she?”

“Mother strictly forbade anyone to breathe a word about it; there are too many people in the house wasting mouth water and spreading what is not true.”

“Oh good
Jei-jei
, please tell me, tell me!”

“Well, all right, everyone will see now in a minute anyway.” She adjusted the jade pin on her newly bobbed hair.

As soon as she whispered the secret into her sister’s ear, Silver Bell hopped on one foot, then the next, clapping and laughing.

Golden Bell covered her sister’s mouth. “Don’t spoil it for everyone else!”

The Chou family’s relatives were announced. Glorious Dragon and other cousins similarly joined the relatives after paying their obeisance.

Then the younger generation was called forth: “The young mistresses of the house, please be seated.” Golden Bell and Silver Bell stood before their parents; they knelt and kowtowed. They were seated on the ebony chairs flanking their parents.

The music cascaded in trills, then swelled to a spirited crescendo while relatives and friends paid their respects formally to their hosts. After the youngest cousin had performed his rite, the music reverberated a full ten minutes more. The bandleader cleared his throat and announced in a booming voice: “Let the concubine be presented.”

A door opened, and a hush descended upon the guests. Orchid emerged, dressed in a rose red gown, the color more pink than the true red that was draped on the chairs. It was the appropriate color for a concubine’s wedding.

Orchid wore pearl and ruby star bursts in her chignon. No veil covered her face, as was the custom for the usual bride. Thanking Buddha under her breath, Orchid blushed as she prayed repeatedly to be blessed with a son. Her heart warmed remembering the chests upon chests of silk gowns, jewelry, quilts and embroidered silk comforters Purple Jade had prepared for her dowry. She knew that few young women in this region would be more richly endowed.

As Righteous Virtue watched Orchid approaching with her great sparkling eyes, he devoured her firm young features with a hunger he had not known before. Waves of both panic and exuberance swept away his initial shyness. He had a numbing thirst. He had not known such passion since the days he had marched in the streets of Shanghai, and shouted slogans against the foreigners.

“Is this foolishness or biology?” he asked himself. Then he remembered his own clumsiness. He had been Purple Jade’s champion and protector. His love for his wife had crystallized into a friendship so consuming that he felt innocent of sex. Perhaps he had known all along that his wife would choose Orchid — her sweet, discreet servant and companion. Yes, he had also been fond of Orchid. Now she would do well to bring harmony within the household.

Purple Jade noticed her husband’s excitement. Her heart was sore with jealousy.
Oh, let that red-eyed monster pass from my consciousness
, she prayed. She had learned from experience that by simply accepting the validity of her feelings, she would be calmed.
Yes, it is natural to drink vinegar and feel uneasy, but we will have an heir
, she reminded herself. She tilted her head toward her husband and whispered, “I have given her a pillow book.”

Righteous Virtue nodded and touched her hand in gratitude. Purple Jade felt the electricity in the touch, but knew that although she might seem naive to a sophisticate, she had forever bound to her the love and respect of her husband. The red-eyed monster reared its head for another brief moment at the sight of her beautiful gift. Indeed, she could hardly recognize the radiant Orchid. The monster would always be there, she knew, but she had already mastered her inner turmoil. She never would allow it to disturb the peace and harmony of her house. She straightened in her seat and sat poised for her role in this dramatic moment.

Orchid came before them; she touched her head to the floor and remained prostrate. Righteous Virtue’s heart skipped a beat. He had been reluctant to accept a concubine from his wife. Now, the wisdom of Purple Jade’s choice struck him with full force.

Murmuring waves of approval came from the guests. Some clapped and shouted, “Good. . . good.”

Purple Jade descended the chair platform. She touched Orchid on the head and asked her to rise. Taking Orchid by the hand, but avoiding her eyes, Purple Jade led her to her husband. “My master,” she said with a clear ringing voice, “may this, my present to you on your fiftieth birthday, bring many felicitous blessings to this house.”

Righteous Virtue rose. Giving his wife a secret smile, he bowed and led her, followed by the concubine and his daughters, to the ancestral shrine. There they kowtowed in deep obeisance. The wedding ceremony and the birthday reception ended.

The guests assembled in the large garden, where dining tables were set up in the rambling pavilions and terraces. Before the meal, a golden tray with a flask of wine and two golden cups was brought to the head table. A servant girl held the tray, and Orchid stood with her head bowed as she filled the cups with wine and presented the wine to her patrons in turn — Righteous Virtue first, then Purple Jade — as a sign of gratitude and respect. The quiet ceremony over, the feasting began. The male guests threw their fists in finger-guessing games. A poetry slam broke out around another table. Hangzhou was renowned for its gourmands and poets. The ladies ate daintily, anticipating the usual dozen courses of finest delicacies. The succulent Dongpo pork was named after Su Dongpo, the famous local poet. Live jumping shrimp immersed in Shaoxing wine was the specialty of the region. For months, the servants had saved the shrimp in a special basket suspended in the river. Long noodles, which symbolized long life, were served instead of rice. Dessert featured the traditional long-life peaches, which were peach-shaped steamed buns filled with bean paste. The green leaves and red blush of the peach were painted with vegetable dyes.

A stage occupied one end of the large open pond. Against a backdrop of a plain white canvas, a troop of Shanghai opera singers presented “Havoc in Heaven, the Adventure of the Monkey King.” Ladies swayed to the music while they ate; the men reeled with the wine they had imbibed.

Mr. Strong joined Miss Tyler, who was sitting with Golden Bell and Silver Bell. Mr. Strong couldn’t stop eating morsel after morsel of various dishes, exclaiming all the while how these were not the Chinese dishes he had known. When the beggar’s chicken arrived, Strong thought a ball of clay had been placed in front of them. The server cracked open the clay with a little hammer and lifted a tightly wound bundle of lotus leaves onto a blue and white plate. He broke the seal on the leaves, and a whole chicken emerged with a heavenly aroma of herbs and mysterious seasonings. The chicken had been doused with Shaoxing wine, and stuffed with mushrooms, rehydrated dried scallops, onions, garlic, lotus seeds, and sweet rice. Everyone plucked off the tender chicken meat and took spoonfuls of the stuffing. Strong was so busy eating and exclaiming his excitement that Miss Tyler had to touch his arm and tell him that the girls would like to explain the opera to him.

Although Miss Tyler spoke Chinese, Chinese opera — sung on a bare stage in high falsetto voices — was alien to her. She found the music dynamic and the acrobatic skills of the dance pantomime intriguing.

“The men wave blue banners to portray sea waves,” Golden Bell explained. “That man standing with the oar is on a boat.”

“The Monkey King wears red on his face because red represents courage and honor,” added Silver Bell.

“Do the costumes also represent different things?” asked Miss Tyler.

“Oh yes,” replied Silver Bell. “Perhaps I can come to the schoolroom next week and tell you all about it.”

“That is very kind of you.” Miss Tyler winked at Golden Bell. “But tell me, Silver Bell, how do you feel about having a concubine in the house?”

Golden Bell turned crimson with embarrassment. Her sister answered, “It is wonderful because we’ll have an heir!”

“I do have a great deal to learn from you.” Miss Tyler sensed Golden Bell’s dismay. “Western culture is so different from your fine traditions that I must be a careful teacher of my own and a good learner of yours.”

Miss Tyler turned to translate her Chinese conversation with Silver Bell to Mr. Strong.

“Righteous Virtue speaks excellent English,” Strong whispered. “How did he get his wife to give him a concubine?”

“Mr. Huang is a founder and trustee of our missionary school,” Miss Tyler answered. “I’ve been tutoring in this house for more than five years. I understand this was Mrs. Huang’s idea.”

“What?!” Mr. Strong looked into Miss Tyler’s eyes to make certain she wasn’t joking.

“My student told me that she had insisted upon it. Mr. Huang gave in only because it is the proper thing to do here to ensure an heir!”

“I’ll be darned!” Mr. Strong slapped his lap. “His wife looks like a fairy princess. Is she crazy? No one would believe that, even in my Sodom and Gomorrah — New York City!”

“They’ll understand even less in Syracuse, New York.” Miss Tyler blushed and lowered her head to speak into her napkin. “Purple Jade is a great lady. She has ensured the harmony and perpetuation of this family.”

“I’ll be returning to the States next month. When are you due for leave?”

“This will be my twelfth year in China. The longer I stay, the less I want to leave.” Softness graced her hazel eyes. She had come to love these gentle, hospitable people, and she had accepted their stoic ways. She had arrived here to teach, record her experiences in pictures and perhaps convert them to Christianity. Instead, they had changed her.

Strong took note of Miss Tyler’s radiant face as she looked at her students and wondered at the devotion of this missionary woman. He judged her to be about forty-five. What was she doing here? He still could not fully understand the Xian incident. Now, the Huang family’s solution to getting an heir sounded insane! Aloud, he said, “Here’s my card. Please call me sometime when you’re on leave. I’d like to interview you and perhaps you can explain the propriety and logic of concubines in New York. My God, what am I saying?” He ran one hand over his hair and wiped his forehead with his handkerchief. “My wife will flip if she hears this. I mean, you will present the Chinese point of view, of course.”

“Yes, of course!” Miss Tyler pocketed his card and turned to face the reporter. “I hope you’ll allow me to speak of Chinese culture in broader terms. To have a concubine is an honest, open expression in this male- dominated society. In the West, we’re subtler. The French have their mistresses and we have our prostitutes and other outlets for men. I’m afraid it will be a long time before we Westerners will accept the reality of how the so-called fairer sex has learned to cope.”

Strong smiled and shook her hand. “It has been a pleasure meeting you. Perhaps someday we’ll talk again when you’re back in the States.”

Righteous Virtue, Purple Jade, and Orchid came to the table to toast their guests. Miss Tyler and Mr. Strong thanked their hosts and wished the family peace and prosperity.

Miss Tyler remembered the presents the girls had prepared. She nudged Golden Bell to remind her. Silver Bell produced her flute and played a fetching tune with a lively rhythm, while Golden Bell recited to the accompaniment:

Everyone clapped and cheered, urging the sisters to repeat their performance. Purple Jade smiled, brimming with pride. She had orchestrated all the elements to a perfect pitch. All the activities flowed with integrity and grace; the months of planning and hard work had come to fruition.

Righteous Virtue announced: “I am honored by your presence and your many gifts. Let it be known that from now on, Orchid shall be named Huang Comely Brook.”

Never uttering a single sound, Orchid, with her head lowered and blushing throughout the evening, bowed deeply in thanks. She was led away to her bridal suite.

The night sky lit up. The fireworks had begun. There were peonies, chrysanthemum, lilies and other varieties in successive flowery display. Purple Jade rested her hands on Silver Bell’s shoulders, flushed with satisfaction.