Chapter 253 — Unwilling

The tea served to Dou Yan and Song Yan was the same tea as before, the cakes the same cakes as before; only the smiles were more attentive, the voices softer, the manner more careful.

Dou Bingheng invited Dou Heng, Dou Huaiying, Song Yan, and Wei Fan to the study to talk, and no one else was included. Only Wei Fan was invited last, and when he invited Wei Fan, he hesitated a moment.

Wei Fan felt nothing of it, but Dou Ming, who had grown up amid the gaze of others, saw it plainly.

Her face paled. Seeing the Second Old Madam holding Dou Zhiwei's hand while everyone sat around the two of them like stars around the moon, chatting and laughing, she slipped quietly out to the covered corridor outside the study.

Dou Bingheng was chatting with Song Yan, and the subject of their talk was, remarkably, anecdotes of the several Grand Secretaries of the Grand Secretariat.

Song Ke now and then added a few words. Clearly he was well acquainted with these Grand Secretaries, and what he added was always the Emperor's or the Crown Prince's or some prince's or great minister's approbation of one or another of them, which raised Dou Bingheng's interest all the more, until even Dou Heng and Dou Huaiying joined the discussion.

She never once heard Wei Fan's voice.

Coming out of the Huai Tree Alley, Dou Ming took counsel with Wei Fan. "Why don't you go and seek some post with the Golden Guard or the like?"

Wei Fan looked at her as one looks at a child begging for sweets, with a touch of doting fondness. "How could it be so easy? The Golden Guard is the personal guard; its numbers are fixed. Unless a place falls vacant, no amount of money will serve."

Dou Ming bit her lip. "Then how was Song Yan's cousin able to enter the Golden Guard?"

"He's different." Wei Fan's tone betrayed an envy he himself did not notice. "The moment he was born he held a hereditary post of the fourth rank proper. His entry into the Jinwu Guard was by the Emperor's own appointment, and he went in as a commandant of the third rank proper. The former commandant of the Jinwu Guard's Front Division was transferred to the Henan Regional Military Commission as deputy commandant because of him—and that man is the legitimate second son of the Marquis of Jingjiang! Yet even he had to step meekly aside and make room. Apart from the Emperor, who else could command such a stroke?"

Dou Ming's face turned a blotchy red. Unreconciled, she said, "Then there's no other way?"

"Oh, there is!" Wei Fan thought the difficulty enormous—far beyond his own ability, and quite impossible to bring off—and so he spoke with great ease. "Once you have opened a path through the Ministry of War, the Ministry of Personnel, and the Five Chief Military Commissions, then when the Jinwu Guard is reorganized, you can scheme for a post."

Dou Ming said nothing, but in her heart she was calculating. Over at the Ministry of Personnel there was Fifth Uncle's connections—her father could be sent to put in a word. At the Ministry of War there was her maternal grandfather's connections—her eldest maternal uncle could be sent to put in a word. Only at the Five Chief Military Commissions did she know no one... but where there's a will there's a way... Her grandfather had fought campaigns for so many years; with those regional commanders and governors-general and the like, he must surely have some measure of acquaintance. One person leads to another, and one can always reach a few familiar faces...

At this thought her heart grew steady, and she instructed the coachman, "To Willow-Leaf Lane!"

Wei Fan was startled. "What are we going to Willow-Leaf Lane for?"

This matter had not even the first stroke of the character for success about it. If it failed, they would be dipping for the moon in the water and coming up empty—would that not disappoint them all the more?

Dou Ming decided for the time being not to tell Wei Fan, and said, "Father says that once Elder Sister returns to her natal home on the third day, he will send Mother back to Willow-Leaf Lane. I want to go ask Grandmother for her counsel."

It was Wei Wan who had told Wei Fan of this. At the time, both he and Wei Wan had thought that Wang Shuying had belonged to the Dou household for over ten years now; no matter how dissatisfied Dou Huaiying might be, he would make a fuss, vent his temper, and let it pass. They had never imagined the affair would grow so grave.

Appalled, he said, "Father-in-law truly means to send Mother-in-law back to her natal family?"

Dou Ming nodded, untroubled by the matter.

So long as Grandfather lived, Fifth Uncle would certainly not permit Father to divorce Mother. At most he would send Mother back to live with the Wang family for a while.

"The Marquis need not worry." She comforted Wei Fan. "Father only said Mother should stay with her natal family for a few days."

In a flash of insight, Wei Fan suddenly understood: this time Dou Huaiying insisted on sending Wang Shuying back to her natal home, and it very likely had to do with Dou Ming taking Dou Yan's place and marrying him!

He shut his mouth.

But in his heart he was thinking of Dou Yan.

If only he could exchange a few words with her alone.

He thought back to that day when, at Dou Ming's invitation, he had gone to the Puji Temple. Dou Yan had been heartbroken, yet she had said she believed there was nothing between him and Dou Ming. And he had recklessly acknowledged Dou Ming, without so much as a word of explanation...

At this thought he could not help turning to look out the window.

The rain had stopped at some unknown hour. The branches by the roadside were bare and stripped, and the sight of them gave rise to a sense of desolation.

Winter was almost upon them!

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Sisters and brothers, when I was writing I placed Aunt and Cousin Zhangru into this chapter, and everyone responded wondering why Aunt and Cousin Zhangru were not to be seen at the kinship acknowledgment. So I revised Chapter 252 and placed Aunt and Cousin Zhangru there instead. It is only a few lines, but the plot has shifted a little; if you are interested, you may flip back and take a look.

o(n_n)o~

ps: Wishing everyone a pleasant weekend!

Tomorrow's extra update will be around half past two.

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