Chapter 290 — Putting on Airs

Dou Yan asked about the Crown Prince and Crown Princess's likes and preferences.

Husband and wife sat on the heated kang in the inner chamber, discussing gifts for the visit.

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Dou Ming, however, was frantic with anxiety and anger, tears falling like pearls from a broken string.

"How heartless he is!" she complained to Zhu'er. "If I don't deliver the appointment document, he won't come fetch it. Does he truly not care about this post of East City Deputy Commander of the Five Wards Military Command? Does he know how much effort I spent securing him this position… He simply doesn't know how to cherish it!"

Zhu'er could only console her: "Husband and wife are one flesh—why must you stand on ceremony with the Marquis? The Marquis is a man, and yesterday you criticized him to his face before the Dowager. He lost face, and that's why he's sulking with you. The old lady always says softness overcomes hardness. Why not deliver the appointment document yourself, and give the Marquis a way to save face?"

The "old madam" Pearl spoke of was Wang Shuying's mother, Madam Wang née Xu.

Dou Ming, however, hesitated. "If I do that, won't it be the same as admitting defeat to him? What face will I have left before the Marquis after this?"

But if she did not send the letter of appointment over, and Wei Fan flew into one of his fits and truly refused to take up the post, what then?

Was she to let him loaf about the house under the title of Marquis? What difference would there be between him and those idle retainers of the capital? What was the point of being a Marquis with no power in his hands? And how would she be able to face anyone when she went out?

Dou Ming turned it over and over in her mind. By the hour of Shen, the time for leaving office was drawing near. Wei Fan still had not come to find her, and unease crept into her heart. Then a little maid came in to report that Fourth Master Wang of the Yan'an Marquisate had arrived, and that the Marquis was preparing to go out to dine with him. Only then did Dou Ming truly panic, and she had no choice but to go to Wei Fan's study, though in her heart she understood: this round was a total loss, and winning back her ground hereafter would prove very difficult indeed.

Wei Fan was not putting on airs, as Dou Ming had supposed. Rather, it occurred to him that since Dou Ming had used this post to threaten him, he simply did not wish to take up the office of deputy commander at all, and so he had arranged to go drinking with Wang Qinghai.

So when Dou Ming brought the letter of appointment to him of her own accord, he was quite pleased.

At least Dou Ming knew she had been in the wrong and had come to apologize on her own initiative.

Wang Qinghai, seeing it, loudly offered his "congratulations" and teased, "No wonder you asked me out for a drink—so there was good news afoot. Still, you're a fine one, telling me only now." Seeing the hour growing late, he urged Wei Fan to hurry to the Five Wards Command and register, and added, "Shall I go with you? My father-in-law has just been appointed Commander of the Five Wards Command, and I've met Commander Hao Dayong of the East Ward a few times—we're practically old acquaintances."

Wei Fan was overjoyed at this and asked in surprise, "How is it that your father-in-law commands the Wards Command of Yunzhong City?"

He had been worried that arriving late would displease the Commander of the Five Wards Command.

"So you hadn't heard?" Wang Qinghai said, taken aback, and told Wei Fan all that had happened these past few days.

A thought flashed unbidden through Wei Fan's mind.

If Dou Ming had not meddled so, he might well have secured the post of Deputy Commander of the East Ward through Wang Qinghai...

He seized Wang Qinghai and made straight for the yamen of the Wards Command of Yunzhong City, without so much as a word of thanks to Dou Ming.

Dou Ming gazed at Wei Fan's exultant back and felt a desolate sense of loss.

But when Wei Fan arrived at the yamen of the Five Wards Command, he did not see the Earl of Donglin, who also held the post of Commander of the Five Wards Command. The clerk told him, "The Earl has gone to the Yingzhenguo Estate. If you have business, come back tomorrow."

Wei Fan hastened to produce his letter of appointment.

The clerk glanced at it and smiled. "So it is the Marquis of Jining. We had no word of this—no doubt the Earl did not know the Marquis would be coming to our Five Wards Command. I'll send someone to inform the Earl at once. Would the Marquis care to sit and have a cup of tea while you wait for him?"

Wei Fan was about to agree when Wang Qinghai tugged at the hem of his robe and said with a smile, "We'll trouble you then, sir. But the hour for leaving office is near, and I fear the Earl will not return to the yamen. Better we come back first thing tomorrow morning. Please be so good as to announce us in the meantime." With that, he pressed two red envelopes into the clerk's hand.

The clerk smilingly agreed and personally saw Wei Fan and Wang Qinghai out of the yamen.

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Sisters and brothers, here is today's original update.

Begging for pink votes.

o(n_n)o~

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