Chapter 247 — Two Courts

The ladies seated around them could not help laughing, and one of them praised: "Truly a pair of flawless gems! Many a year since I've seen two so well matched!"

Old Madam Lu and Princess Ninghuai nodded with smiles.

The wife of Song Maochun, Madam Wang, and the wife of Song Fengchun, Madam Li, could not help exchanging a glance.

They had not expected that the newly arrived Dou girl would not only bring a lavish dowry but be so beautiful besides. Now all that remained was to see whether she was shrewd and capable!

At this thought, the two of them sighed in unison.

Over there, Dou Yan saw only a flower hall full of people, and could not help wondering privately.

Hadn't they said the Song family had few relatives? Why had so many come?

Wonder as she might, she still earnestly followed Elder Madam Lu's prompting. She and Song Yan first knelt and offered tea to Song Cen, then knelt to the empty grandmaster's chair beside Song Cen that stood in place of Lady Jiang. Besides the red envelopes Song Cen himself bestowed upon the two of them, he also, on Lady Jiang's behalf, gave Dou Yan a set of gold head ornaments and seven or eight pearl-and-jade trinkets, every one of them lustrous and exquisitely wrought—clearly no common things.

Song Yan explained in a low voice: "Those are the Song family's heirlooms."

Dou Yan smiled at him, then earnestly paid her respects to the relatives Song Maochun introduced to her, matching each name in her mind to the face before her. She did not notice the cold gleam that flickered once in Song Yan's eyes and was gone.

The Song family possessed several other treasures—a torc of seven-colored gems, a diamond ring the size of a yellow bean, a pendant of emerald the size of a pigeon's egg—things that were truly rare wonders of the world, heirlooms the Songs themselves regarded as precious. Yet his father had not brought them out.

What on earth did he intend?

Song Yan was filled with fury, but when he raised his eyes, he saw Dou Yan's smiling face.

For reasons he could not name, his heart grew calm.

What of a few pieces of jewelry? If the Xuanming Sect could get their hands on them, could he not do the same?

Song Zhi's mood gradually settled. Together with Dou Chu, she paid her respects to the elders.

Dou Fan caught sight of Wang Yuguo in the crowd.

She blinked, thinking her eyes had deceived her.

What was he doing here?

In her past life, she had never once heard of any kinship between the Wang and Song families.

Could that be why the Song family had fallen into ruin at the time?

Dou Yan muttered to herself, and Song Maochun led a tall, lean boy before her.

"Tian'en, hurry and pay your respects to your sister-in-law."

Dou Yan's eyes went wide.

Song Han!

The very Song Han who, in her last life, had his limbs hacked off by Song Yan and bled to death!

His features bore a five or six parts' resemblance to Song Yan's, especially his face shape and nose, which seemed struck from the same mold as Song Cen's. Yet his gaze was shifty and his spirits listless, as though he had not yet woken from sleep. Set beside the radiant Song Yan, one was of the earth and the other of the heavens; without looking closely, one would never guess the two were brothers.

She could not help turning to cast a glance at Song Chu.

Song Yan was gazing fixedly at Song Han.

In his eyes were a measure of sorrow, a measure of gloom, a measure of helplessness, a measure of self-mockery.

Two brothers once closer than flesh and bone, parted by their own father's hand, drifting ever further apart—was there anything in this world more grievous than that?

Dou Yan gently clasped Song Zhi's hand.

Song Zhi's expression softened considerably.

Song Han bowed his head to Dou Yan and softly called her "sister-in-law."

Dou Yan presented him with the four treasures of the study she had prepared in advance.

Song Han murmured his thanks and retreated to hide behind Song Tongchun.

That cowering manner—how did it resemble the Second Master of the Yingzhen Ducal House at all?

Dou Yan shook her head to herself.

Then she saw a young nobleman step forward, comelier even than a girl, so delicate that one could scarce tell male from female.

"Cousin Tianci!" He looked Dou Yan straight in the eye, rather rudely. "So this is our sister-in-law?" He bowed to her. "I am Gu Yu."

Dou Yan heaved a long sigh in the depths of her heart.

Gu Yu, Earl of Huichang in her past life—how could she not know him!

The Empress Dowager Wan's nephew, the Emperor's cousin, and ever Song Yan's sworn accomplice and diehard crony.

Even when Song Yan was reviled by ten thousand, he had stood unwavering at Song Zhi's side.

※

Today is Father's Day—give your dad a call and wish him well!

o(n_n)o~

ps: I did a major revision of the text, so the update is an hour late. My sincere apologies!

※