“Ambergris is an imperial tribute. I cannot use it.”

***

The dense white mist in the bath gradually dissipated, and the surrounding air succeedingly cooled.

Tanxiang’s sight had already fluttered towards Jiafu many times over. Her master’s entire body had shrunk, immersed in the camphor wood bathtub. Her freshly washed, semi-damp black hair was haphazardly secured on the side of her neck with a hairpin. She had pressed her forehead against the wall of the tub with her eyes closed, her eyelashes drooping as if she had resigned to slumber.

Fearing that Jiafu would catch a cold, she could not help but softly urge, “Young Lady, wake up.”

Jiafu languidly unclosed her eyes and supported herself up by clutching the dripping wet walls of the tub.

What emerged was flesh as soft as snow, glistening jade-like skin speckled with crystalline water droplets, and a physique resembling a delicate budding orchid.

Tanxiang wrapped Jiafu’s body with a large soft towel, while Dingxiang handed over clothes prepared beforehand. Jiafu wiped her body dry, donned her clothes, and stepped out. A few rough grannies1 scampered inside to tidy up. A granny surnamed Wang, one employed not too long ago, sniffed the fragrance from the bath and could not resist probing, “What kind of fragrance does Young Lady use every day? It smells very pleasant. My granddaughter will marry next month. When I go back, I will buy some for her to add to her makeup.”

Being the amiable person Tanxiang was, she returned with a smile, “Wang mama,2 this fragrance is called dipterocarpus, otherwise known as borneo camphor.3 It was transported from South Tianzhu. I heard Young Lady say that it originally isn’t worth a lot of silver there, but once it crosses the ocean and reaches our land, it will be worth one or two silver taels.”

Granny Wang was astounded. Clicking her tongue, she exclaimed, “My mother! That’s too expensive. Not at all affordable! How much silver does it cost adding this to Young Lady’s bath every day for a month? This isn’t bathing in fragrant water, but silver water!”

Another granny scoffed and ‘heckled’, “Lao4 Wang, keep your words to yourself and make sure your drivel doesn’t reach the outside, lest others mock you. What kind of family do we serve? No matter how expensive a fragrance is, it’s just dirt to the master’s eyes. Say nothing of one or two silvers, even if it’s ten taels of silver, if Young Lady wants to use it, only a single command will suffice.”

The sea trade in Quanzhou was prosperous. Day by day, countless ships would shuttle in and out of the ports at Nuanxun Gate and Tu Gate from places as near as Champa, Siam, and Sulu, to those as far as Caliphate, Malin, and Bici.5 A dazzling array of commodities from various foreign countries would be ferried in, and among these, fragrance was one of the major varieties. The Zhen family was an affluent family in Quanzhou possessing a fleet of ships that was second to none. No matter how precious a fragrance was, nothing was rare for the Zhen family. Although this granny’s words carried a smidgen of gloating, they were inerrant.

Nodding her head akin to a chick pecking at rice, Granny Wang smiled in abashment. “Yes, yes, I’m ignorant. I misspoke……” She craned her neck to inhale the aroma with utmost zeal and lugged the tub of water out alongside the people in the room.

Tanxiang trod out and saw Jiafu opening the spice box, taking out a jade spoon, and ladling a spoonful. Knowing that she wanted to pour it on the phoenix head censer, she scurried over and uncovered the lid for her.

“Let me do it. Young Lady, be careful. You might burn your hand.”

Jiafu tossed the powder into the furnace. When it touched the flames, it expelled a faintly pleasant crackle accompanied by green smoke ascending in spirals. She bent slightly, lifted her hand, and fanned the incense smoke in her direction a few times. She then closed her eyes and inhaled deeply.

Tanxiang observed her, feeling somewhat puzzled.

The Young Lady had never been fond of smoking fragrance in her room and preferred the scent of fresh flowers. She was ignorant as to why, but after returning to Xishan Temple that day, her preferences suddenly changed. She not only burnt borneo camphor, but also had it crushed to fine powder to have it incorporated into her bath water.

Anyhow, that was perfectly fine. Tanxiang had been with the Zhen family for many years. Following the Young Lady, she became more or less knowledgeable about the benefits and drawbacks of some fragrances. Borneo camphor was naturally a top-class product with a light and gentle scent, a sweet aftertaste, and a reasonable price. However, among a similar category of waxy fragrances, it was not first-rate. What topped the list was ambergris. Because the two were similar in appearance, color, and scent, they were indistinguishable to non-connoisseurs. As such, profiteering merchants would often sell borneo camphor as ambergris.

Although ambergris was rare, it was not like the Zhen family lacked some in their storehouse. Since the Young Lady had switched to using incense, why had she not taken ambergris and instead used this slightly inferior borneo camphor?

Tanxiang could not resist asking.

Transfixed on a cloud of green smoke puffing out from the phoenix’s mouth, Jiafu faintly answered, “Ambergris is an imperial tribute. I cannot use it.”

In stark realization, Tanxiang commended, “Young Lady is thoughtful and considerate.”

“Remember to take it with you once we leave tomorrow. All my clothes should be perfumed with borneo camphor. Suffuse it for a longer period of time. Do not do anything else, and do not make a mistake.”

Tanxiang grinned. “Rest assured, Young Lady. I have everything ready. There won’t be any mistakes.”

“Madam has arrived!”

Jiafu turned her head and saw her mother, Meng-shi6 with Liu momo7 beside her. She welcomed them with a face wreathed in smiles.

Madam Meng led her daughter to sit on the edge of the bed. “How is your body? Have you slept well?”

The ninth day of the first month was the third anniversary of the death of Jiafu’s father. That day, she had wandered to Xishan Temple to perform great propitious rituals8 with her paternal grandmother, Hu-shi; her mother, Meng-shi; and her older brother, Zhen Yaoting. She had dwelled in the temple that night, sharing a room with Madam Meng. Early the next morning, Madam Meng had awoken to find her daughter in tears. Perplexed, she pried her for the reason, but the other simply shook her head and fervently clung to her, alternating between laughter and tears. Madam Meng was terribly frightened. Suspecting that her daughter must have stumbled upon something nefarious outside the temple, she entreated a monk to incinerate a talisman in front of their ancestors’ memorial tablets, its ashes to be spread on water.9 When she took her home on that same day, her daughter’s dazed state seemed to linger, her consciousness often adrift, recovering only a few days later.

Jiafu replied, “Daughter is already well. Mother need not worry.”

Madam Meng swept her gaze all over her daughter’s body. Confronted with her beaming face and healthy complexion, she circled her in a loving embrace. “Time is fleeting. It has been three years since your father left. Your elder brother is naughty and disobedient, and only you, child, are still considerate towards Mother. Tomorrow……”

She stopped.

The next day, Jiafu would venture north to the capital with Madam Meng and her elder brother, Zhen Yaoting.

The ostensible purpose of the Zhen family’s trip up north was to celebrate the birthday of the Wei Grand Duke Manor’s Old Madam Pei, but in truth, it was for the marriage between Jiafu and the Wei Grand Duke Manor’s Heir, Pei Xiuzhi.

The betrothal had been clinched years ago, and they were now only awaiting the fulfillment of Jiafu’s filial mourning. No matter how affluent the Zhen family was, her deceased father had, after all, only attained the scholarly honor of xiucai.10 Although she was to become a widower’s second wife with a five-year-old stepson lying in wait, for her to marry into a Grand Duke Manor as the Heir’s Madam was already a great leap in rank. It had taken a lot of setbacks for this betrothal to come to fruition.

For the Zhen family, this meant that their daughter would have a home to return to. This was a wonderful thing, and Madam Meng was content. However, calling to mind the considerable distance between the capital and Quanzhou, after her daughter’s marriage, it might be difficult for the mother and daughter to pay each other visits. Just that, in the Grand Duke Manor, where gates were high and courtyards deep, with a family status more inferior, she feared that her daughter would find it difficult to secure a foothold over there in the future. After worrying about this and that, the load on her mind poured forth, and glistening tears had surfaced from the corners of her eyes.

Liu momo deftly pieced together some polished words to console her, “Young Lady will not marry into just some family. The Grand Duke Manor is aware of her roots and her background. The Heir is outstanding in behavior and appearance, a giant among men. Madam, you know how well he treated Young Lady when he went to Quanzhou. More than that, their Second Madam and you, Madam, are biological sisters. You are all from the same family. Once Young Lady enters the Grand Duke Manor, she will become the Heir’s Madam. We still do not know how much more good fortune the future holds, so what is Madam so worried about?”

Finally persuaded, Madam Meng smiled, dabbed the corner of her eyes, took her daughter’s hand and said, “It is Mother who thinks too much. Come. Don’t make your grandmother wait long.”

……

Jiafu’s paternal grandmother, Hu-shi, was the pillar of the Zhen family, her valiance and acumen not losing to any man. In the past, she had wholeheartedly longed for her son to pass the imperial examination to obtain scholarly honors. After her husband’s death, she assumed responsibility for the family property all by herself so as not to distract her son. As a man unfettered by conventions, Jiafu’s father had little interest in scholarly honors. Once he acquired the xiucai title, he persisted in trying to advance but repeatedly failed. When he reached his thirties, he abandoned that path in a fit of rage and took over the family business. Three years ago, when Jiafu was thirteen, he voyaged the sea with a fleet of ships, but wind and waves had mercilessly battered him to a disastrous end. Living through her son’s demise before her own, one could well imagine Hu-shi’s immense grief that very moment. Nonetheless, the old lady was once again at the helm and placed her hopes on Jiafu’s elder brother, Zhen Yaoting, who was two years older than Jiafu. He turned eighteen this year, and he treated his younger sister very well. Though, it was a pity to say that he progressed with leaden steps: his studies were in complete shambles, he scarcely concerned himself with the family business, and he meandered leisurely outside all day long. Right this instant, the lamps were already lit, but the person had yet to return.

Jiafu trod after her mother to her grandmother’s room. Old Madam had strong eyebrows and a wide forehead, rendering an austere appearance. Jiafu was not at all close to her and had even feared her in the past. Even Madam Meng dared not talk before the other had spoken. She led her daughter with her to pay respects.

Old Madam inquired about the preparations for tomorrow’s journey up north. Madam Meng promptly responded, “Mother, rest assured. I personally prepared the birthday present for the Old Grand Duchess, as well as gifts for the Song family. All have been individually inspected and are now on the ship. The house in the capital has also been arranged, and we can live there once we arrive.”

Once Jiafu entered the capital, she would no longer return to Quanzhou and would tarry there until the day of her marriage. To facilitate the wedding arrangements, the Zhen family had deliberately purchased a house in the capital.

Old Madam fired a few more questions, and Madam Meng swiftly answered them one by one, very comprehensive and without error in her speech. Content, Old Madam advised, “When you reach the capital, do not calculate the silver and just use it how it ought to be used. The Pei family’s gates may be high, but that’s all just status and prestige. The unseen troubles they harbor may not necessarily be less than ours. Moreover, the court has changed these days, and the Pei family is no longer as grand as in the past. His family is willing to pursue this kind of marriage not because of A’Fu, but because of our silver and the means to obtain it.”

Madam Meng assured, “Mother, be at ease. Daughter-in-law knows.”

Old Madam’s stern countenance finally revealed a wisp of a smile. “You also had a hard life. You married into my Zhen family and, like me, you were widowed at a young age. Fortunately, you still have a pair of children to look forward to. Now, A’Fu will marry well, and you can live comfortably in the time to come.”

Madam Meng hailed from an official’s family. When her father had been dispatched to Fujian to take an official post, he was met with a grave mishap. It was only through the aid of the Zhen family’s grandfather that he overcame the plight. To express his gratitude, he married off a daughter to the Zhen family. The relationship between the two families had primarily been cordial, but in the wake of the death of the Zhen family’s grandfather, Lord Meng passed away. The Meng family’s son spiraled into depression and refused to take the initiative to further his acquaintance with the Zhen family. Consequently, the bond between the two families dwindled. Fortunately, Madam Meng had an excellent relationship with her husband throughout their marriage. Right this moment, Old Madam’s words once again evoked her sorrow. Her eyes reddened, but she did not dare cry. She merely assented with a simper, “Mother is right. I think so, too.”

Old Madam nodded, turned her head to Jiafu, who was nearby and reticent all the while, and beckoned her over.

Knowing that she had some wisdom to impart, Jiafu knelt on a cushion before her. “Grandmother, please advise.”

”Filial piety and fraternal duty are the essence of all actions. The circumstances of our family, you know them well in your heart. Although self-reliance is a virtue, you marrying into the Pei family is still a happy occasion. I will leave sooner or later, and I will set aside the family property for your elder brother. In the future, if you get ahead in the Pei family, you will inevitably have to lend him a bit of a hand. Grandmother’s words, will you remember?”

Jiafu responded with pure deference, “Granddaughter will remember.”

Old Madam very steadily fixed her eyes on her, within which was a trace of seldom-seen tenderness. She nodded and dismissed, “Get up. Go back and rest early. Raise your spirits. You will journey early tomorrow morning.”

Footnotes:

1 婆子 (pó zi): old woman or old female servants. I will be using ‘granny’ for simplicity.

2 妈妈 (mā ma): in this context, it’s used to address older female servants

3 冻龙脑 : 冻 means ‘cold’ while 龙脑 literally means ‘dragon brain’, but google says it translates to borneol, or borneo camphor. I’m gonna use borneo camphor for simplicity. It’s basically a waxy substance obtained from the borneo camphor tree, where 冻 refers to its crystallization.

4 老 (lǎo): prefix used before the surname of a person or a numeral indicating the order of birth of the children in a family or to indicate affection or familiarity

5 Not sure which historical places these are referring to. As per Snowy’s research, 大食 refers to Caliphate. The rest, I kept the pinyin since 麻林 (Malin) could refer to three other places, and none was found regarding 比刺 (Bici).

6 氏 (shi): literally means ‘clan’ name or maiden name. This is sort of used as a suffix to a married woman’s surname to indicate which clan she was from.

7 嬷嬷 (mó mo): another way to address older servants, though it seems to me that they’re higher in rank than ones addressed as mama.

8 大祥法事: The great propitious anniversary, i.e. a sacrifice every third year.

9  灵牌 This is a spiritual or memorial tablet of a deceased ancestor. They pray to the tablet to ask for help from the ancestor to look after the sick child. 符水 a shaman or a taoist priest burns a talisman and put the ashes of the talisman in water. Or the shaman or taoist might directly draw the incantation of a talisman in water while saying the incantations. The superstitions believe this will ward off evil and/or illnesses. (Source: Snowy)

10 秀才 (xiucai): lit. “distinguished talent”; an entry-level scholarly honor who had passed the college exam

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