Chapter 200 — A Cold Laugh

He could not help asking, "Then what do you plan to do?"

Dou Yan said, "I intend to have the coachman of Huai Shu Alley come forward as a witness, to prove that the reason the Dou family wants Dou Ming to marry into the Jining Marquis's household in my place is that the Dou family has already come to an agreement with the Ji family. Once Dou Ming is married, the Dou family will formally contract a marriage with the Ji family, and then produce the betrothal card the Ji family gave to Dou Juan and Ji Jianming as evidence."

No wonder the young lady said we should have Yan Che settle a family somewhere.

If that coachman stepped forward to testify for Dou Yan, leaving the Dou family would be the least of his worries—whether he could keep his life at all was another question entirely.

Chen Yanzhou was moved. "How did the young lady persuade that coachman? And how did she obtain Ji Jianming's betrothal card?" Then he thought the dealings in Sophora Tree Alley somewhat rash. "...The marriage contract between you and the Wei family has not yet been dissolved, and they dared to accept Ji Jianming's betrothal card."

Dou Yan grinned. "Ji Jianming's birth characters—I am afraid we must trouble you to see to them, Elder Chen. As for Old Mr. Ji's handwriting, I once saw it in one of Ji Jianming's books. The old gentleman wrote in the court style; the strokes are elegant and pretty, but hardly difficult to imitate."

Chen Yanzhou was aghast and blurted out, "Then that coachman..."

"Naturally, I told him to say whatever I wished him to say!" Dou Yan said as a matter of course. "As long as what he says is the truth, what does it matter whether he overheard the conversation between Fifth Aunt and Mrs. Cai or not?"

Chen Yanzhou wiped the sweat from his brow.

The day after leaving Elm Tree Alley, he went to call on Yan Che.

When he heard that Dou Yan wanted him to help settle a household, he asked nothing. He merely said, "Are they from Beizhili? Would Tianjin do? If it is too far, the accents and habits of life differ too much, and that would only make them easier to discover. Tianjin is fairly close to the capital, so if anything happens, we can deal with it in good time."

Chen Yanzhou was himself a man's advisor and understood the implication clearly. He hastened to say, "Our young lady means nothing more by it. This person once did our young lady a kindness, and so she wishes only to preserve this family."

Yan Che smiled to himself. "I understand. I will settle them properly."

Chen Yanzhou thanked him again and again, agreed on how they would keep in contact, and rose to take his leave.

Yan Che's personal attendant then asked, "Sir, should this matter be reported to the heir apparent?"

"No need," Yan Che said. "The heir apparent is accompanying His Majesty to the summer palace. A trifle like this is not worth troubling him with. Besides... I still owe someone a favor."

The attendant nodded with a smile.

Yan Che closed his eyes and fell silent, wondering whom to ask to arrange household registration for that family.

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Dou Yan waited quietly for the show to begin.

Within a few days, Mrs. Guo quietly told her: "Mother picked several more dates from those Seventh Uncle had the Imperial Observatory select, and invited Mrs. Cai over. She said the Wei family must either choose one of these dates and hold the wedding, or dissolve the engagement at once. Otherwise, she would go and ask the Marchioness of Yan'an what she meant by it—if the Wei and Dou families had a marriage contract, why did they carry on as though a daughter of theirs could not be married off, insisting on foisting her upon the Wei family? If that was how it was, why had they not acted long ago?

"This time the Wei family will certainly not dare play any more tricks. As for Ming-jie's affairs, do not take them to heart any longer. Once you are married, just live well with the Marquis of Jining."

All that Dou Zhiwei had done before was treated as a farce.

This was likely how many people felt, was it not?

Dou Yan only smiled and said nothing.

The Marchioness of Yan'an was a most proud and forceful person; if she heard such words, she would likely be beside herself with fury.

The Wei and Wang families could be called friends in adversity—the Wang family had never slighted the Wei family even in its most difficult times. If Mrs. Cai truly put such a question to them, the Wei and Wang families would likely sever all ties.

Whether it was Zhen Tingyu or Mrs. Tian, or even Wei Wan, none of them would want to see such a state of affairs.

Dou Yan asked Suxin, "Is that coachman willing to testify?"

Suxin smiled. "On one side are gambling debts; on the other, the chance to start life anew. He is a clever man, so he naturally knows what to choose."

Dou Yan nodded.

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Making up for the update of May 11.

ps: Happy Mother's Day to mothers everywhere!

Today I received a kiss from little Zhizhi. What gifts did everyone else receive?

o(n_n)o~

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