Chapter 110 — A Dilemma

He truly did not think much of that Fourth Miss Dou, the "eldest daughter of a dead mother," but if matters went as this Master Ji said, and he traded the token for a great sum of silver, the Wei family could at once shake off its present straits, and there would be silver to grease the palms of the palace eunuchs and win his son a good post, and the Wei family would soon rise again. Only his daughter... If matters went as that old fellow Chen said, he would have to take the Fourth Miss Dou as his daughter-in-law; though she would bring a dowry and could lend his daughter support, she would after all leave them under another's thumb... Truly a dilemma!

If only there were some way to have it both ways.

The thought flashed through him, and his heart stirred.

Why must you rush to a decision?

Right now the He family wants that jade pendant, the Dou family wants it, and even the Dou family's Second Dowager has her own schemes, kept hidden from her son. As the saying goes, you cannot eat hot tofu in a hurry. Why not wait a little, draw things out, and perhaps fetch a better price!

Only, who knows whether this Ji family is truly related by marriage to the Dou family—that will need to be thoroughly investigated.

His mind made up, the Marquis of Jining's spirits rose.

One glance told Ji Yong what the man was scheming. A flicker of contempt passed through him, and he was suddenly overcome with grief for Dou Yan.

What kind of wretched match had her mother arranged for her!

If she married into this house, would she even have a path to survival?

No matter what was said, Dou Yan must not be allowed to marry into it!

Ji Yong silently resolved this in his heart, listening as the Marquis of Jining declared in an affected tone, "Our Wei family followed Emperor Taizong through the southern and northern campaigns, and in this way earned a place in the Imperial Ancestral Temple. Though we descendants are without talent, we have never forgotten the meritorious service of the Xuanming Sect, and we would not dare do anything to dishonor our ancestors. Since the Dou family and ours have exchanged tokens, how can this betrothal be changed at the drop of a hat?"

While he was still speaking with great eloquence, the steward who had earlier led Ji Yong in poked his head out at the entrance of the flower hall.

The Marquis of Jining frowned slightly and broke off. "What is it?" he asked, displeased.

The steward hurried in, eyes lowered and a conciliatory manner about him. "My Lord Marquis, the eldest young lady has returned..."

The Marquis of Jining started.

The steward then leaned close to the Marquis's ear and spoke at length.

Ji Yong would not stoop to eavesdrop, but Zishang pricked up his ears and caught every word.

"I do not know who sent word to the eldest young lady, but she heard that you have decided to keep the jade pendant and came back in tears with her child in her arms, saying she cannot go on living. The madam and the eldest young lady are weeping in each other's arms, and no one can talk them out of it. The heir was watching by their side and told me to come find you at once—he says if you do not go now, the madam and the eldest young lady will sob themselves into a faint..."

The Marquis of Jining doted on his wife and his two children.

And now, with such a turn of events, it would be well for him to explain matters properly to his daughter.

He could not sit still another moment. After a few perfunctory words of courtesy to Ji Yong, he once again raised his teacup to signal the visitor should leave.

Ji Yong said no more, rose, and left the flower hall.

The Marquis of Jining hurried off to the inner courtyard.

Zishang then told Ji Yong what he had just heard.

Ji Yong said, "I will wait for you in the carriage. Follow the Marquis and see what happens. I take him for a weak-spined man; I fear his daughter's weeping and wailing will make him change his mind again."

Zishang's mouth fell open. "Go—go to the inner quarters..."

"What are you afraid of?" Ji Yong shot him a scornful glance. "The Marquis of Jining's estate is vast, and the household can barely scrape by for its daily needs—there cannot be enough servants to tend all the courtyards. So long as you skirt the main courtyards, you can slip into the inner quarters without trouble. Even if someone recognizes you, just say I had further business with the Marquis and you wandered there in a daze after meeting no one along the way..."

What could Zishang say? He did as Ji Yong instructed and secretly followed the Marquis of Jining into the inner quarters.

Along the way, he encountered no one, as expected, and saw some of the more remote courtyards overgrown with wild grass, looking quite desolate.

The young master had been right again.

Grumbling to himself, he reached the principal courtyard unhindered and climbed in from the rear garden.

Maidservants and old women were all standing in the covered walkway of the main house. He pressed himself against the rear window and listened. The Marquis of Jining's voice came through in fits and starts: "...the palm and the back of the hand are both flesh—I look after your brother, but I cannot simply cast you aside... take my word in this matter, it will not steer you wrong... would I ever do you harm..."

Zishang quietly made his way back, but ran into trouble at the ornamental gate—an old woman barred his way. "What are you doing here? Why have I never seen you before?"

"I sweep the courtyard in the outer compound," Zishang said, quick-witted in his alarm. "I saw no one at the ornamental gate just now, so I wandered about a bit."

"How could there be no one?" The old woman was utterly baffled.

Zishang had already darted away like a puff of smoke, shouting, "I have to get back to my post," and made his way out of the Marquis of Jining's estate.

Ji Yong asked him, "What happened?"

Zishang recounted everything he had heard, faithfully and in full.

Ji Yong nodded and asked Zishang, "Which tavern in the capital is the best? I want to treat He Yu to a drink!"

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Sisters, brothers, three updates today! Three updates!

I finally got it written!

And I did a major revision of Chapter 108 as well...

Praise me, vote for me with pink votes...~~~~(_

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