Chapter 233 — Insistence

"Naturally I said exactly what the young lady told me to say." Gao Sheng had always prided himself on his loyalty, and now that he was obstructing Zhang Zhiqi he could not help feeling uneasy. "Manager Zhang asked me whether I could free up ten thousand taels before the New Year, or even eight thousand would do. I had no choice but to insist that I would not know until the year-end accounts were closed. Manager Zhang left very disappointed."

Dou Yan nodded.

The next thing was to see what Zhang Zhiqi would do.

Gao Sheng hesitated a moment, then said, flushing, "The master says—he says you are not to lend money at interest anymore. If you are short of silver, come to me and we will settle the accounts."

No doubt he had felt that Dou Yan had given him private instructions, and then he had turned around and told Dou Huaiying about it, which made him rather embarrassed.

Dou Xin said, "How much private silver does Father have? If he gives it all to me, what will he live on?"

Gao Sheng, recalling that Dou Yan had opened with a demand for thirty thousand taels—not a whit less impressive than Dou Huaiying—did not dare take up the thread.

Dou Yan respected Gao Sheng's loyalty to her father. Smiling, she rose and saw him out.

After that Zhang Zhiqi came to Gao Sheng twice more. Seeing that Gao Sheng's words were earnest, and having made inquiries about Gao Sheng's character, he realized the man was not deliberately obstructing him after all, and his temper calmed. He agreed with Gao Sheng to meet again after the Spring Festival, and Gao Sheng, greatly relieved, hastily consented.

Dou then instructed Chen Yanzhou to investigate Zhang Zhiqi's movements.

As she had expected, Zhang Zhiqi began to cultivate broad contacts among officials of low rank who were nevertheless close attendants of the Emperor or the Crown Prince.

Dou Zhiwei's heart at once grew heavy.

She had a long talk with her father. She hoped he would withdraw his shares from the Risheng Silver House.

Her father would not agree. "A man cannot stand without good faith. Since I gave my word, I cannot break it." Then, seeing Dou Zhiwei's expression more grave and solemn than ever before, he felt uneasy and a little guilty, and said, "Or else—after you are married, I will send Gao Xing to buy the shares back."

But would that not mean tearing all face with Zhang Zhiqi?

Dou Chiyue said, "And what if Zhang Zhiqi says there is no silver?"

Dou Huaiying said carelessly, "If we lose, we lose. What business is there that never loses money?"

Dou Yan was choked with anger.

This was not a question of profit or loss; it was a question of whether they would be regarded as members of the Prince of Liao's faction.

In her former life, it was because Song Yan had shot the Crown Prince dead without a moment's hesitation that the Prince of Liao had been able to force the Emperor to abdicate smoothly.

In this life, she had with great effort set Song Yan on the right path. When the Prince of Liao rose in rebellion, who would be willing, like Song Yan, to bear the crime of regicide and shoot the Crown Prince dead, leaving a name stinking for ten thousand years?

If the Crown Prince did not die, how could the Emperor be made to submit meekly?

Yet in the last life, the Prince of Liao had indeed ascended the throne.

Better that they keep far from the Prince of Liao and live out their small days in peace and safety—why trouble to wade into these murky waters?

After the Prince of Liao took the throne, so long as officials who had not joined the treason did not dash their heads against a pillar and die like Liang Jifang, he would still employ them all the same, to stabilize the grand situation.

"Since Father has no intention of calling back that fifty thousand taels, why trouble to give me the deed?" Dou Yan pressed Dou Huaiying to declare himself. "Do you mean to make me bear an empty name? I don't care—you promised me the shares in the Risheng Silver House, so those shares are mine. I want to withdraw them now! The Risheng Silver House need not think it can strip a single coin from me!"

Dou Yan had lost her mother in childhood and had grown up in the countryside of Zhending. She was sensible and considerate of others, and Dou Huaiying had always felt he owed this daughter a great deal, so that he was somewhat cowed before her. Now that Dou Yan's apricot eyes were round with anger and her face looked as though a layer of frost had settled over it, sweat at once sprang out on Dou Huaiying's brow. "Or else—shall I give you another fifty thousand taels?"

"Am I short of that fifty thousand taels?" Dou Yan stared at her father. "I simply do not like the way you treat everything as of no consequence, letting anyone take advantage of you who pleases. That Guo Yan is a great landlord of Shanxi, with ten thousand qing of fine fields to his name. Why is it that you alone put up fifty thousand taels, while he clubs together with His Excellency Zhao and His Excellency Chen for a share..."

"No, no!" His daughter was defending him with all her heart, and Dou Huaiying was naturally moved. He said hurriedly, "It was I who wanted to give you a little more silver, and offered of my own accord to put up fifty thousand taels..."

Dou Yan's heart stirred, but she said aloud, "Is fifty thousand taels a small sum? Even if you offered it of your own accord, if Guo Yan truly meant to wait with you, should you be the one to carry the whole burden? Who can guarantee that the Risheng Silver House will surely make money? Whatever you say now is useless—I am set on withdrawing my shares. If you will not go and speak to Manager Zhang, I will send Gao Sheng to speak to him!"

Dou Huaiying was in a complete quandary.

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Sisters and brothers, here is a rough draft for now; I will catch the little bugs later.

ps: I saw a friend in the comments asking where Duan Bing was when Gu Yu climbed over the wall—they have been living with Chen Yanzhou on Drum Tower Lower Street all along... As for how Gu Yu got into the inner quarters so smoothly, don't forget that at his side are two highly skilled Zhongnanhai bodyguards assigned by the Empress's own regulation... o(n_n)o~

And then, I beg for pink votes!

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