Chapter 216 — Solicitude

It turned out that this Tao Jun had a nephew by marriage, a traveling merchant, who the year before had become embroiled in a theft case in Baoding Prefecture of North Zhili. Tao Jun wished to ask Dou Huaiying to put in a word with the authorities at Baoding.

Dou Huaiying knew they meant to use him as a banner under which to march, waving Dou Bingheng's tiger skin—for Dou Bingheng was Minister of Justice.

Afraid that Dou Huaiying might refuse to help, Tao Jun hastened to say, "My nephew by marriage has always been honest and upright, and his family is well off. There is no way he could have committed a theft. If his name can be cleared, you may be sure he will be handsomely rewarded."

Such cases were common enough. Dou Huaiying could not bring himself to aid and abet wrongdoing for a few pieces of silver. Besides, Xu Zhiji was a palace graduate of both examinations and served in the Hanlin Academy—surely a man like that could find someone to put in a word with the Baoding prefect. If he had come to Dou Huaiying instead, then this so-called theft was probably not so simple. So he smiled and said, "No need to speak of thanks. I will make inquiries first; if I can be of help, so much the better."

Tao Jun rose at once to thank him, and said with feeling, "I had thought to ask the Duke of Yingguo to put in a word. But to my surprise, the Duke said it was inconvenient for a court official to associate with outside ministers, and that he had far too many scruples. We scholars are the better sort after all. Wherever we go, we find people willing to lend a hand."

This explained why his patron would not intercede for him, while at the same time flattering both Xu Zhiji and Dou Huaiying.

Xu Zhiji gave a quick cough.

How could a man who was usually so apt in his speech blunder so badly at a moment like this?

Since they were asking Dou Huaiying for help, he ought simply to have curried favor with Dou Huaiying—why drag that other matter in?

Tao Jun realized his slip as well, and hurriedly changed the subject, turning to the amusing tales and trifles of the capital in recent days. For a time the atmosphere was quite harmonious.

After several rounds of tea, Xu Zhiji saw a trace of weariness in Dou Huaiying's brow and shot Tao Jun a glance. They exchanged a few more pleasantries, then rose to take their leave.

Dou Huaiying courteously saw the two of them out of the study.

The serving women were just then taking down the great red lanterns pasted with the double happiness characters.

Tao Jun smiled and said, "I did not know there had been a happy occasion in your household. Had I known, I should have come to call several days earlier."

Dou Huaiying could not help feeling a little uncomfortable, and said curtly, "It was my daughter's marriage."

"Oh!" Tao Jun seemed much interested. "Might I ask into which family your daughter has married?"

Dou Huaiying's expression grew even more unnatural. It happened that Xu Zhiji had come to drink at the wedding feast, and reflecting that Tao Jun served as a retainer in the household of the Duke of Yingzhen, he thought the man must at least have heard of the Marquis of Jining even if he did not know him—and perhaps this might even bring them closer. So he said with a smile, "The fortunate groom in Lord Dou's household is a descendant of the founding hero, the Marquis of Jining. He is a man of striking appearance, and inherited the title before he even came of age..."

The matter of the sisters' exchanged marriages had not yet spread abroad, and Dou Huaiying, anxious that Xu Zhiji might say more and make them a laughingstock, cut in hastily, "Brother Zhiji flatters us."

Seeing that Dou Huaiying plainly did not wish to say more, Xu Zhiji guessed that the son-in-law was not much to Dou Huaiying's liking, and smiled and let the matter drop. But Tao Jun, with a touch of obsequiousness, said, "Lord Dou is truly blessed! If even your second daughter has married so well, entering the household as a marchioness, then your eldest son-in-law must be a man of rare distinction as well. Might I ask from which family the eldest son-in-law comes?"

Dou Huaiying was choked with fury.

"My daughter" means the daughter of mine, not my youngest daughter—must I spell it out?

This Tao Jun—is he a scholar or isn't he?

But the man had asked him to his face; he could hardly stay silent, or people would suspect some peculiarity in the matter!

He had no choice but to say, "I have few children and wished to keep my eldest daughter at home, so for the time being she is not betrothed."

At this, Tao Jun's eyes lit up, and he said eagerly, "Then does Lord Dou mean to keep your daughter at home and take a husband into the household? Or do you plan to marry her out when a good family comes along?"

Hearing the implication in these words, Dou Huaiying's heart gave a leap. Could it be that Tao Jun had a suitable match in mind?

He said slowly, "It is precisely because I have not made up my mind that I have never arranged a match for my eldest daughter..."

Tao Jun said excitedly, "Lord Dou, I should like to act as matchmaker for your daughter. What does Lord Dou think of the idea?" His smile was all eagerness.

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Tomorrow's bonus update will be around two in the afternoon.

o(n_n)o~

ps: Recommending Lin Jiacheng's new book, Boundless Phoenix Moon.

After an accident, the young girl Lu Ying became extraordinarily clever and sharp.

And so, in the early Eastern Han, when the realm had just settled into prosperity and Confucian learning was at its height, Lu Ying—unwilling to depend on others for her bread and unwilling to remain poor and wretched—set out, for the sake of the wealth and honor she dreamed of, on a course of careful calculation and clever climbing.

Only she never imagined that, plotting her way along, she would meet such a schemer...

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