Read A Concubine for the Family: A Family Saga in China for Free Online

They would become national heroes. Would that mean war with Japan and chaos for the country? She wiped the thought from her mind. Like everyone else, she hoped for peace but also wanted China to remain Chinese. The thoughts brought on the usual fog of apprehension. It seemed to infuse the air she was breathing.
    Silver Bell entered with Peony. She carried a copy of the Three Character Book . “
M-ma
, Father said everything will be all right.”
    “Where is Orchid?”
    No one answered.
    “Well, Peony, go fetch us some tea. Silver Bell, we’ll start our lesson.”
    “Oh
M-ma
, there is so much going on! Can we skip a day?”
    “No, Silver Bell. Now repeat after me.”
    Purple Jade recited aloud:
    “Origin of man
    Is always kind.”
    Her daughter repeated but her eyes roamed the room.
    Soon, Peony returned with a tea service on a tray. Orchid followed with lowered eyes. Peony was serving tea when suddenly Orchid tipped the basin of water on the night table.
    “What’s wrong Orchid?” Purple Jade faced her. “That is not like you.”
    “
Tai-tai
, I am sorry . . . I went out the back door and saw the corpse,” Orchid blurted out. “They said the girl was from the mission school.”
    “Oh no! Who is she?” Purple Jade looked straight into Orchid’s frightened eyes. She sounded more firm and brave than she felt.
    “No one knows yet.”
    “Have you heard any opposition to the students of . . . of the missionary school?” Purple Jade paused when she remembered her own opposition.
    “Oh, there is the usual wasting of mouth water!” Orchid answered.
    “I heard the girls are taught not to bring the rice bowl to their mouths,” Peony volunteered.
    “They are also forbidden to slurp their soup!” Orchid mopped up the spilled water. “They learn silly things in that school, but some girls put on airs!”
    “The Western customs are strange, but these are not provocations.” Purple Jade frowned. “There must be some personal reason.”
    “The lord sent a message into town. Some family will come to claim the body soon.” Orchid gave the floor a vigorous scrub. When she stood up, she felt better.
    “Orchid, take this grocery list to the accountant.” Purple Jade thrust out the paper. Her firm order was given in a voice just loud enough to summon the authority of her class and breeding; she wanted no more speculation about the body. “Don’t go out the back door again. All the freedom and fancy learning did not bring this girl any peace!” She glared at her daughter.
    “Golden Bell said it is fun to learn how the electric light works!”
    “Hai,” her mother said with a sigh. “Western learning favors the practical, but it doesn’t build character. It is your father’s fault. He is too fascinated by Western toys.”
    Purple Jade stopped sipping her tea, remembering all the novelties her husband had brought into the house. Seven years earlier, Righteous Virtue had installed electric lights; two years later, he added “self-coming water” to the schoolroom and the kitchen; last year, he bought a new “gas car.” “That Shanghai chauffeur he hired,” Purple Jade shook her head. “He’s causing such an uproar among the servants!”
    She put down her teacup. The Dragon Well tea did not taste right. She dabbed her mouth with her handkerchief. It tasted as if it had been brewed with river water taken from the muddy shore. Water from the center of the river was clearer, although nothing could equal the clean, crisp taste of water from Tiger Run Spring. The Dragon Well tea of her household was always brewed from Tiger Run Spring water. The servants were delinquent. She must look into this.
    “Peony said the chauffeur is really interesting. Imagine, he said he isn’t afraid of any foreign devil.” Silver Bell brought her mother back from her private thoughts.
    “Are you afraid of the foreign devils, Silver Bell?” Her mother smiled. A few laugh lines appeared at the corners of her eyes, but her