Chapter 269 — Style Name

Dou Yan was taken aback. Then he burst out laughing. "He will like them very much—so much that he will be reluctant to use them. He will set them out in his study, and whenever a guest comes he will bring them out to show off, and tell everyone that these were a gift from his son-in-law... You still want to give them?"

Song Yan's mouth fell open. Yet he said, "Of course I'll give them! Not only will I give them—I'll keep looking to see if there is anything even better."

Dou Yan roared with laughter.

Song Yan sat on the kang drafting his manuscript.

Dou Yan urged him, "Go to bed early, why don't you? We have to be up early tomorrow."

Song Yan was tougher than she had imagined.

"You go to sleep first!" he said without lifting his head. "I'll go to bed once I've finished this."

Dou Yan smiled and went to bed first.

When she woke the next morning, Song Yan was asleep beside her.

He lay curled on his side, carefully perched at the very edge of the bed, so that one turn would have sent him tumbling off, leaving the greater part of the bed to Dou Yan, and looking exceedingly constrained.

Dou Yan thought of that room full of rare treasures, and then looked at how Song Yan slept, and her heart ached. Her eyes even grew a little sore.

She tucked the corner of his quilt around him, slipped quietly out of bed, and whispered her instructions to Gan Lu, who had come to attend her: "Be gentle, all of you. Mind you don't wake the heir."

Gan Lu answered softly, "Yes."

Dou Yan went to the side chamber to wash and dress.

Behind Dou Zhiwei's back, Song Ke had known for some time that the other had already opened his eyes.

In the faint light of dawn, his eyes were bright as stars.

※※※※※

Since the banquet was hosted by Song Yan and Dou Yan, apart from Old Madam Lu and Princess Ninghuai, all those who came were of the younger generation.

The Third Madam of the Jingzhen State Duke's household, Feng Hui, smiling brightly, introduced her sister-in-law to Dou Yan—Madam Shi, niece of the Marquis of Changxing: "...I heard that my cousin's wife was giving a chrysanthemum-viewing banquet. She was most eager to come and see. I said, my cousin's wife is kind and good-natured; just come along with me. And so—here she is, I dragged her here. When you think about it, we are hardly strangers. Our eldest sister-in-law's brother married your younger sister; the two families are doubly connected by marriage."

Compared with her former reserve, the Third Madam Zhang was extraordinarily warm, and even the Second Madam Zhang, who had come uninvited, wore a smile that seemed very friendly indeed.

When you are poor, no one asks after you though you live in the busiest market; when you are rich, distant relatives find you though you dwell deep in the mountains.

Having lived two lives, Dou Yan had seen more than enough of such things and could take them entirely in her stride.

She exchanged a few pleasantries with the Second Madam Zhang with a smile, and then Young Madam Wang came over leading a young woman of quite ordinary looks and very plain dress.

"Madam," she said, presenting the woman to Dou Yan, "this is the wife of the heir of the Earl of Huichang."

Dou Yan's heart gave a jolt.

Shen Qing, heir of the Earl of Huichang, had married the daughter of Xiao Sanyou, a good friend of the Earl from before his rise. After the Prince of Liao ascended the throne, it was precisely a censor's impeachment of Xiao Sanyou—for monopolizing markets and building a tomb for his mother in excess of his station—that implicated the Earl of Huichang, and the whole Earl's household was put to the sword.

Of course, she had never believed the stated grounds for the Shen family's execution, yet she could not help studying Shen Qing's wife, Madam Xiao.

Madam Xiao had plainly not yet adapted to her change of station; she curtsied to Dou Yan timidly and murmured "Madam."

"There is no need to stand on ceremony." Dou Yan smiled at her warmly, her tone light. "There are no elders present today, so do as you please and say whatever you like. Even if you drink too much and make a spectacle of yourself, I will think of some way to sober you up before sending you home."

Madam Xiao breathed a sigh of relief and said, flushing, "I—I don't drink."

Dou Yan said, "That is wonderful. I don't drink either. I was dreading that someone would come who drinks and expects to be toasted."

Madam Xiao laughed, and relaxed along with it, a look of relief spreading over her face.

Meanwhile Song Yan was speaking with Zhang Xuming: "...Keep an eye out for me. If the post of chiliarch of the Qiuling Thousand-Household Guard is settled, let me know."

Zhang Xuming could not help glancing at Gu Yu, who sat idly on the beauties' bench in the waterside pavilion tossing fish feed into the lake, and said in a low voice, "Heir, that chiliarchcy is worth at least twenty thousand taels. Why not join forces with Gu Yu and take it for yourselves? I can find you a buyer!"

"Don't go meddling." Song Yan said, "The Marquis of Changxing has his eye on that."

Zhang Xuming could not help curling his lip. "He has his eye on so many things. If he eats the meat, is others drinking the broth not allowed?"

"I have my own plans." Song Yan clapped him on the shoulder. "Just keep watch for me, that's all."

Zhang Xuming served as a registrar in the Office of Records of the Rear Army Command.

He nodded.

Song Yan walked toward Gu Yu.

※

Sisters and brothers, the pain this morning was terrible. The injection stopped it, but I am weak all over. I have barely managed to finish this chapter. I will rest a while, then get up to catch the bugs, and strive to post the next update before midnight. If I cannot, please read it tomorrow!

~~~~(_

I'm sorry, but the source text for paragraph 91 appears to be missing—only the placeholder "※" was provided, with no actual Chinese content to translate. Please supply the full Chinese text of paragraph 91, and I will translate it into English in the required format.