Chapter 120: A Quarrel Between Husband and Wife

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Around the hour of the Monkey, the people who had gone to the wedding banquet returned from the county town. The Gu household instantly grew lively again, as everyone began describing the grandeur of the Jiang family’s feast.

“You should have seen it, little sister. The Jiang family spared no expense with that banquet. They didn’t hold it at home—they held it in a restaurant in the county town. And what a sight it was! They booked the entire restaurant just to entertain the guests who had come to offer their congratulations. You really should have seen how many important people showed up on the Jiang family’s side.”

The moment Senior Sister Li entered the room, she began speaking with great animation.

Although Jiang Binghao’s father was no longer alive, there were still quite a few capable people among his relatives. As a result, today’s banquet was arranged with considerable dignity. Moreover, Jiang Binghao was a licentiate student, and he had a good reputation in the county town. Many of his classmates, teachers, and other notable acquaintances had come as well, making the occasion exceptionally lively.

“Father, Mother, the banquet was held at the restaurant where my brother-in-law works. He made all the arrangements, and everything went perfectly.” Gu Chengren sat smiling beside his parents, recounting the affair bit by bit. “My brother-in-law introduced me to quite a few people today—men of learning who are well known in the county town. We really underestimated him. Who would have thought he had such an extensive circle of acquaintances there?”

Their own son-in-law worked as the restaurant manager, and Old Master Gu and Madam Li had visited the place before. They knew how large and impressive it was. Still, they had never expected the Jiang family to hold the wedding banquet there. It was certainly surprising.

Then again, when Old Master Gu recalled the betrothal gifts the Jiang family had sent, he felt less astonished. The Jiang family’s resources were evidently quite substantial.

“Excellent, excellent! Fifth Son, Xiuli has found herself such a fine family. You deserve great credit. Very good indeed! My youngest son truly has ability—he has brought the Gu family such a fine son-in-law.”

Old Master Gu was delighted, and the smile never left his face.

“Second Brother, Second Sister-in-law, Eldest Sister, Brother-in-law, don’t leave tonight. Stay here and have dinner with us. Let’s make merry once more this evening. I’m in such high spirits today—we must have a proper drink.”

Old Master Gu addressed the couple from his second brother’s household, as well as the married couple Zhang Yuanming and Senior Sister Li.

The neighbors and other villagers who had gone to the wedding had returned to their own homes as soon as they reached the village. Only these closest relatives had come back to the Gu household to talk with Old Master Gu. Looking around the room and seeing that they were all his nearest kin, he decided to keep them for dinner.

Madam Li was perfectly willing to have the Zhang family stay, but when Old Master Gu invited his second brother’s family as well, her expression became somewhat unpleasant. She and Madam Huang had never gotten along. They had disliked each other for years. Although Madam Huang had contributed a generous share of gifts for Xiuli’s dowry, Madam Li remained neither warm nor cold toward her.

Madam Li was not the sort of person who could hide her feelings. Whenever she was displeased, it showed plainly on her face. She said nothing, merely sitting there with a dark expression as she glanced toward Madam Huang before looking away again.

Second Uncle Gu gave a faint smile. “Elder Brother, we’d better not stay. We’ve been out all day, and we don’t even know what things are like at home. We should hurry back and take a look.”

How could Second Uncle Gu have failed to notice Madam Li’s expression? His family was not lacking a single meal, and he had no desire to remain there and endure her sour face.

“Besides, although we went to eat a wedding feast today, the journey there and back was a long one. Sitting in that jolting cart has left me dizzy. We should go home and rest. It’s the height of the busy farming season, and we have to work in the fields again tomorrow.”

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Old Master Gu tried repeatedly to persuade his younger brother to stay, but Second Uncle Gu would not agree. After exchanging a few more words with Old Master Gu, he led his family away.

Watching his brother’s departing back, Old Master Gu could only sigh. Over the years, the brothers’ relationship had grown strained because their wives could not get along. He had hoped to use today’s occasion to ease the tension between them, but apparently that was not to be.

“Couldn’t you have said a word? The moment I suggested that Second Brother stay for dinner, you pulled such a long face. Don’t you have any relatives of your own?”

Old Master Gu was angry, and he muttered those words at Madam Li in a low voice.

But Madam Li was not the sort of woman to swallow her grievances. She exploded at once.

“What face did I pull? Haven’t I always looked like this? When I speak, you complain that I sound unpleasant. When I keep quiet, you still manage to find fault. You old fool, what on earth has gotten into you? We were having such a fine day—why are you picking a fight with me?”

Old Master Gu had merely grumbled under his breath, but Madam Li shouted loudly. At once, everyone in the room turned to look at the old couple.

“Mother, what are you doing? This is such a happy day. You mustn’t start quarrelling.”

Seeing Madam Li like this, Gu Chengren hurried to persuade her.

“I know it’s a happy day. Does your father know that? Everyone else is cheerful, and that old fool keeps muttering at me for no reason. His brother left—what does that have to do with me? If they look down on our food and don’t want to stay, am I supposed to kneel and beg them to remain?”

Madam Li had never been one to tolerate a disadvantage, and now she shouted straight at Old Master Gu.

“You’re his elder sister-in-law. For all these years, because you and Second Brother’s wife have been at odds, the two of us brothers hardly ever see each other. Today is a happy day, and everyone is in good spirits. I only wanted my brother to stay for dinner so we could talk. Couldn’t you have opened your mouth and said one word? Is your mouth made of gold? Would speaking cost you your dignity?”

Old Master Gu did not know what had come over him today. He only felt an oppressive frustration building inside him.

“You have your own relatives, your sister and brother-in-law. I have a brother too. But after all these years of your carrying on, my brother hardly ever comes to our house anymore. At last, this opportunity came with Xiuli’s wedding. Second Brother’s whole family showed us such consideration, bringing all those gifts for her dowry. They lent us their cart and even came to help escort the bride. I only wanted to use this chance to mend things between us. Couldn’t you have helped me by saying a word?”

Old Master Gu also harbored some resentment toward the Zhang family. Over the years, his wife had given them no small number of valuable things, both openly and behind his back. Yet when Xiuli married, the Zhang family had brought only that little bit in return. How could he not be angry?

And today, the entire Zhang family had gone to the wedding banquet. Wasn’t that practically an act of shamelessly taking advantage of a wealthy host? There was no need to disgrace themselves to such an extent.

Without even having witnessed it, Old Master Gu could imagine what the Zhang family must have looked like eating at the banquet in the county town. He had also noticed that each of the Zhang family’s two daughters-in-law was carrying several packages. From the look of them, one did not need to guess: they had surely packed up food and drink from the banquet and brought it home.

Ordinarily, when a rural family held a wedding feast, it was common for guests to pack some food to take home. Local custom generally allowed only one person from each household to attend the banquet. Those who were thinking of the family members left at home would save their own portion and bring it back for them to eat. This was extremely common in the countryside, and the hosts tacitly permitted it. Many guests—women in particular—did this, and no one would say anything.

But today was different. The Jiang family had held the banquet in a restaurant, and supposedly the guests were all people of standing. What was more, the entire Zhang family had gone to the feast, and they had returned carrying so many packages. Old Master Gu found it utterly humiliating.

He could easily guess where the food had come from. Senior Sister Li must have relied on her status as a maternal aunt from the bride’s family to demand it from the Jiangs. There simply could not have been so many leftovers from the banquet tables.

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Then, thinking of his second younger brother’s family, who had sent only the couple and their three sons to the banquet—and who had not been carrying anything when they returned—Old Master Gu felt even worse.

His muttered remark to Madam Li had merely been an outlet for his resentment. He had never expected her to disregard all propriety and start shouting. That only made his own temper flare.

“What did you say, you old fool? You decrepit old bastard, why did you drag my elder sister and brother-in-law into this? They went to the wedding feast to show the Jiang family respect. What of it? Xiuli’s maternal aunt is a genuine close relative. Is she not allowed to attend a wedding banquet? The Jiang family themselves haven’t said a word, so what business is it of yours to sit here and spout nonsense?”

Madam Li had always been fiercely protective of her own family. How could she allow anyone to speak ill of them? She glared furiously at Old Master Gu.

Old Master Gu was in no mood to back down today. He pointed at Senior Sister Li and the two daughters-in-law standing behind her and said angrily, “Why shouldn’t I mention them? Just look at what each of them is carrying! They’ve brought disgrace all the way to the county town. The Jiangs are newly related to us, and yet they had no sense of propriety at all. The whole family went to the wedding feast, and afterward they even carried things home. Look for yourself. Do I really need to spell it out?”

At first, the old couple’s quarrel had merely seemed like an amusing spectacle to the Zhang family. No one had expected the flames of their argument to spread to them so quickly.

Senior Sister Li turned around and looked at her two daughters-in-law. Their hands were indeed stuffed with packages—six or seven of them altogether.

Her face became difficult to hold up. It flushed crimson, and she rose to her feet.

“Sister-in-law, we’re tired after today, so we won’t stay and keep you company. Come visit when you have time. If anything comes up, just send one of the children over to tell us.”

With that, she led her husband and children out of the Gu household.

“They’re so stingy. It wasn’t as though we ate their food. Was there any need to make such a fuss?”

As he left, Zhang Yuanming muttered those words under his breath.

Old Master Gu heard him, of course. In a fit of anger, he struck his tobacco pipe hard against the edge of the kang.

“There, you see? You see? Those are your fine relatives. You’re always saying that other people are ungrateful, shameless wolves who can never be satisfied. These are the real ungrateful wolves!”

Madam Li was somewhat dazed by then. When Senior Sister Li had left just moments earlier, she too had noticed the packages in the two daughters-in-law’s hands. There had been far too many for them to have been ordinary leftovers from the banquet. That left only one possibility: they had asked the Jiang family for them.

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I had originally planned to add an extra chapter tomorrow, but after thinking it over, I decided to add one today instead. Hee hee. Thank you, dear readers, for all your support along the way. Thank you so much.

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