Chapter 41: Rewards and Punishments

After supper, the old master and his wife discussed matters in the main house. The rest, with no pressing work, were in the courtyard tying bamboo hoops. Wang Ge had already made enough candle trays during the day, so now she focused solely on bamboo strips.

Wang Dalang, unable to do anything, kept out of the way and, led by Tiger Head, stayed with Wang Peng and his younger sister from the third branch in the side house, so they wouldn’t add to the chaos by running around the courtyard.

In the second branch, Wang He and his sister joked and laughed together. Ever since their father praised him, Wang He had been especially diligent at any task. Now, with A Ge’s praise as well, he actually worked faster and better than everyone else.

Madam Jia, on the other hand, felt the opposite. Wang Erlang had twisted his arm chopping bamboo, so he worked slowly and kept urging her, which annoyed her so much that she rolled her eyes at him whenever she bowed her head.

Meanwhile, Madam Yao hadn’t expected her own family to keep the bamboo screen. If this went badly, Wang Ge would surely demand compensation again. What to do? She gazed absentmindedly toward the main house.

Wang Sanlang nudged her. “You’re tying it in the wrong place.”

Annoyed, Yao untied the hemp rope, muttering her grievances in a low voice: “I truly don’t know whom your niece takes after, always fussing with her own family. Tell me, does she regard you as her uncle at all? Over a window mat, she’s had you running around for two days—has she ever asked if you’re tired? Not once! Even if we did take the mat, so what? Isn’t it only right to give things to elders as a sign of respect? But now, it’s as if we’re thieves in her eyes.”

A wave of warmth washed over Wang Sanlang. He had indeed spent two days rushing about, braving the wind and dust, setting out before dawn, only to be scolded by his father, mother, and second brother in turn—no one ever asked if he was tired. His mother-in-law, not knowing the truth, thought the curtain a gift from Madam Yao and hung it up without hesitation. Was he supposed to tell her the curtain belonged to his niece and must be taken down? What would his relatives think then?

Yao continued, “In the future, don’t be so soft-hearted. Nephews and nieces aren’t the same as your own children—there’s always some distance.”

Just as Wang Sanlang was about to reply, he noticed his second brother looking over. Fearing his wife’s complaints would be overheard, he quickly lowered his head and said nothing.

As dusk fell, the old couple emerged.

The old master called out, “Tiger, take a rest and help your father out here. I have something to say. Did I tell you all to stop working?” The old man’s temper was quick today. Those who had paused their tasks pretended to be busier than ever.

Once Wang Dalang came out, the old master had his eldest son sit beside him and began formally, “Ever since A Ge became a first-class apprentice, our family has changed. We can earn money now—something we never dared hope for in the past. If I don’t speak plainly, you’ll only fret and harbor resentment… Erlang, if you can’t sit still, go tamp the earth at the west end of the village!”

Wang Erlang was about to protest his innocence but swallowed his words.

The old master continued, “All the children are growing up. In a couple of years, some will be matched, some will prepare dowries—it’s nearly time for you to save a bit for yourselves. This time, selling bamboo dragonflies, rolling lanterns, fans, food boxes… Bamboo hairpins not included—if you want to compete over such trifles, there are plenty of bamboo sticks and pieces in the storeroom. Carve your own hairpins, and whatever you sell is your own skill!”

Seeing no one speak, he returned to the main point, “This time, we earned a total of 490 wen. The second and third branches did the hard work of chopping and hauling bamboo from the wild hills, so each of you gets forty-five wen.”

From the mention of “pocket money,” Madam Jia and Madam Yao perked up. They were overjoyed; after years of working, to be given a share—and such a generous one at that!

But their joy quickly curdled into sourness.

“If it weren’t for A Ge’s craftsmanship, the bamboo you cut would only be good for firewood. So the main branch gets a hundred wen.”

“The main branch deserves more… Yes, it’s only right.” Yao’s first outburst hadn’t been thought through, but she quickly corrected herself.

The old master, intent on settling scores, glared at Yao, then at Sanlang, until even his grandson A Zhu shrank in fear. “Where there are rewards, there must also be penalties. A bamboo curtain—worth at least fifty wen—even at a discount, since it’s used for a wedding, we’ll count it as forty and deduct it directly from your share.”

“Hiss!” Wang Sanlang was pinched hard by Yao, forcing him to look up nervously and then back down. “Yes, Father is right. We’ll do as you say.”

It was over! Yao watched the coins that had just rolled toward her roll away again.

Knowing his wife well, Sanlang whispered, “There’s… there’s still five left.”

Yao’s lips trembled, tears glimmering in her eyes—not from gratitude.

The old master concluded, “Until the family splits up, these are the rules. A Ge, don’t feel shortchanged. The main branch must thrive, and it’s right that the other branches can depend on it.”

“I wouldn’t dare, Grandfather. I understand.”

Wang Ge, representing the main branch, went to the main house to collect one hundred and four wen. Granny Jia, now wealthy, said regretfully, “If I’d known those two hairpins would only fetch four wen, I’d have kept them.”

“Exactly,” Wang Ge replied with a smile. After her second and third uncles left, she kept four coins for herself, tied up the rest, and gave them back to her grandmother with a playful tone, “This, together with last time, pays off all my debt. Grandmother, you must erase all the marks I drew.”

Last time, when Madam Yao had scratched Wang Dalang’s hand, it had scabbed over in a day, and Wang Ge had returned the twenty wen compensation to her grandparents.

The old master, knowing his granddaughter’s nature, told Granny Jia to accept the money, then turned to Wang Ge, “I didn’t keep you just for this. The whole courtyard is full of bamboo cages, and the night wind is always strong. If a spark blows in from somewhere… I thought it best to be cautious.”

Experience comes with age! It hadn’t rained for days, and the air was dry—fire safety hadn’t crossed Wang Ge’s mind at all. She said, “I’ll sleep in the courtyard tonight.”

Granny Jia protested, “One person won’t do. I’ll stay with you. I’ll take the first half of the night, you take the second.”

The old master nodded, “That’s settled. If I wake in the night, I’ll come check, too. Tiger, go check the kitchen water vats—don’t wait for night, fill them up now.”

Wang Ge answered, went to the kitchen, lifted the vat lid—both vats were less than half full. She peered in and saw her cousin Wang Zhu tying bamboo hoops diligently. She had enough bamboo strips for tonight, so she didn’t call him and went to fetch water herself.

Unexpectedly, Wang Zhu caught up to her, grabbing the yoke, and whispered angrily, “You’re too cunning! First you shorted my father, now me? Want Grandfather to see and punish me for another month?”

“Grandfather said the courtyard’s full of bamboo cages, and if a spark got in, it’d be trouble. That’s why he wants the vats full now. Fine, you fetch it!” Wang Ge, unbothered by his attitude, explained and returned to the courtyard.

The family worked until the first watch of the night, then extinguished the stove. Each branch returned to their rooms. Wang Ge and her grandmother lay in the middle of the courtyard, unable to sleep, gazing at the starry sky and chatting.

“Grandmother, do you know how many stars there are in the sky?”

“How could I ever count them?”

Wang Ge turned to face her, holding her hand. There was a scar on the edge of her grandmother’s left palm—a remnant from when Wang Ge was five. Grandmother had taken her to do laundry, and a neighbor’s fierce dog had rushed at her. Grandmother had scooped her up with one arm and fought off the dog with a basin in the other hand, but the dog’s teeth tore a chunk of flesh from her palm.

Thankfully, the dog wasn’t rabid and was chased off. Grandmother’s hand bled profusely, but she only kept asking, “Was Tiger scared? Don’t be afraid, was Tiger scared…”

With a trace of tears in her eyes, Wang Ge gazed at the sky again. “I can count them. There are exactly nine hundred and ninety-nine stars in the sky.”

“Nonsense.”

“Why don’t you count them, Grandmother?”

“Oh? Are you trying to trick me?”

In the east wing, Yao heard laughter from the courtyard, rolled over, and muttered, “What’s so funny! How can anyone sleep with all that noise?”

In the outer room, Wang Zhu, after being punished to fetch water late into the night, had moved out to sleep alone. He felt no drowsiness at all—if one looked closely, his whole body was trembling ever so slightly, clearly from fear.