Chapter 62 — Three Years

Wang Yu knew that Ji shi meant the Wei family of the Jining Marquisate. She smiled and said, "When the Third Old Master passed away, the Wei family did not even send the three sacrificial beasts. That match is most likely done for."

"All the better if it is," Ji Guan said. "When the time comes for Shouyuan to marry, they will have cause to regret it."

Wang Yu thought of Dou Yan's thick betrothal-gift ledger and burst out laughing.

Mistress and servant talked intimately for a long while.

After the Mid-Autumn Festival had passed, Pang Jixiu suddenly came to call on Dou Yan.

Dou Huaiying's brows drew tight. He asked Wang Shuying: "What has he come for?"

Wang Shuying was equally at a loss and said hurriedly: "Let me go and see what this is about!"

She returned shortly, carrying in a red-lacquered carved box: "He says it is to thank Shouyuan for saving his life. He is going to study at the Jingyun Academy in the prefecture, and he has brought a gift to repay Shouyuan."

Dou Huaiying opened the box. Inside was a gilded kaleidoscope—a Western trinket, worth a thousand taels.

Wang Shuying's eyes reddened as she looked at it. She forced a smile: "Do you think we should call Shouyuan in and ask her about it?"

Dou Huaiying thought it over. "I'll go and ask her."

He went to the main quarters in person.

Dou Yan turned the kaleidoscope over in her hands for a good while, then quietly told her father about their trip to the country estate to swim, adding: "...I also received a painting manual, *The Hall of Cold Fragrance*, from Zhi ge'er, and a piece of Shoushan stone from Fourth Brother Wu. It's only that Pang Jixiu's gift is somewhat rarer." She warned her father, "You must not breathe a word of this. It took them no small effort to keep it from the elders. If word of it came from my mouth, I fear they would shun me like a tiger from then on."

Dou Huaiying chuckled and promised: "I will tell no one else." Then he said, "Aunt Cui must have been frightened out of her wits that day, surely?"

"Mm." Dou Xin said, "Boys forget the pain as soon as the scar heals. I'm afraid they'll go swimming there again next year. What do you say we think of some way to bring Aunt Cui home to stay a few days?"

Dou Huaiying said, "We ought to bring Aunt Cui home for a few days. And come next summer, we should mention it to the Old Madam as well." Then, teasingly, "If it only reaches the elders' ears next year, they surely won't suspect it came from you, will they?"

Dou Yan giggled.

Wang Shuying stood beneath the colonnade of the main quarters, her heart churning like a pot come to a boil.

Pang Jixiu kept sending curious little trinkets, each one of no small value.

When someone is over-attentive for no reason, he is either a knave or a thief.

As time went on, Dou Yan grew suspicious and could make no sense of why Pang Jixiu behaved so, and she quietly came to regard him with some wariness. The things he sent she kept apart in their own chest, instructing Sujuan to keep the key safe: "Not a single piece may be lost."

Sujuan did not dare be careless. She strung the chest key on a red cord and hung it about her neck, never letting it leave her person day or night.

In the eleventh month, the dàn sacrifice was held for Grandfather; one month later, mourning was put aside, and it happened to be the New Year.

The East and West Dou households hung lanterns and colored silks; firecrackers burst and drums and music clamored—a great and joyous bustle.

Wu Shan gave Dou Yan a rabbit lantern; Pang Jixiu sent a colored glass revolving lantern painted with the Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea.

The lantern spun with a whirring rush, flashing brilliant, multicolored light.

Dou Ming was captivated by the rarity and urged Shu jie'er: "Didn't you say Cousin treats you best of all? Ask her to lend it to you for a few days."

For the first time, Dou Yan refused Shu jie'er: "This was a gift from someone else. It wouldn't be right for me to pass it on to you. If you like it, I'll have one bought for you."

"No need, no need. I only wanted to borrow it for a few days." Shu jie'er's face flushed crimson, and she returned to the East Mansion in a huff, scolding Dou Ming for making her go and ask for the lantern: "You knew perfectly well it was a gift to Fourth Aunt, and still you sent me to ask."

Dou Yan snorted with laughter. "In the past, was any of those things not a gift to her from someone else? Why did she never say 'it wouldn't be right to pass it on'? She plainly doesn't want to give it to you. If you couldn't get the lantern, why take it out on me!"

Shu jie'er was so furious she burst into loud wailing.

Yi jie'er scolded her: "Day after day you covet Fourth Aunt's things, and once you take them you never return them. If Fourth Aunt were not mindful of being your elder and reluctant to take issue with you, who else would indulge you like this? You do wrong and never reflect on it, and at a few words from others you bawl and wail—no wonder Fifth Aunt holds you in contempt!"

※

Sisters who are reading along, the little monster has struck—typos will be fixed tomorrow.

~~~~(_

※