Chapter 307 — Facing the Moon

In stark contrast to the joyous, festive atmosphere of the Heyi Zhitang, . . .

Song Cen paced the room like a caged beast, violent and restless: ". . . That little wretch — who knows what he sold to the Emperor, to have His Majesty dancing in the palm of his hand, even looking ready to take his side! Had I known, I should have hardened my heart and cleaned him out thoroughly back then, instead of opening any ancestral hall . . ."

Tao Jun, standing at attention to one side, had worries of his own.

He called out "Lord Zhenguo," cutting off Song Cen's endless cursing, glanced around the room — not a single serving woman in sight — and lowered his voice to remind him: "Tell me, how did the Emperor come to know about the old rift between the Heir and you? An ordinary man would never trouble himself over such a thing!"

Song Cen was struck dumb.

Tao Jun pressed on: "Lord Zhenguo, I say this is no small matter — you must find a way to get a hearing before the Emperor. Even if today's business cannot be cleared up, at least no one will be able to drop poison in His Majesty's ear against you later. Who can be a thief for a thousand days? But who can guard against one for a thousand? If this goes on, we shall be entirely on the back foot."

Song Cen fell into deep thought.

For a time the room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Yet a small figure flitted nimbly past the side window, darted behind the flowered wall nearby, and was gone in an instant.

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Once Dou Ci had finished distributing tips among the serving women, word reached the rest of the Dou family, and those relatives and friends who were on close terms with Song Yan — in particular Lord Huang Qi, Prefect of Shuntian, who would often have dealings with the Five Cities Garrison Command hereafter, and the Earl of Donglin, presently acting as its commander — each sent a trusted chief steward with a generous gift. So when the day came for Dou Yan's month-end visit to her natal home, Cloudrest Temple Lane was bustling as never before: not only did the whole household from Locust Tree Lane arrive, but even Lady Ji of Cat Lane and Lady Han, who was close to her confinement, came as well.

Dou Huaiying felt immensely gratified, and did not press the question of why Dou Yan had failed to attend Dou Ming's banquet last time; he asked her directly, "How many days do you mean to stay? I shall have the household make preparations."

The month-end visit did not require a married daughter to stay a full month at her parents' home, but merely fell in the month after her wedding; she might choose to stay a few days.

"Only two or three days," Dou Yan said with an apologetic smile. "In a couple of days the Heir takes up his post, and he must also urge the authorities to look into the fire at our house. I shall have to stay longer on my next visit."

A married daughter, treasuring the chance to be with her parents, would normally stay at least four or five days, some even a whole month; to stay only three days, as Dou Ci did, was very rare. Fortunately Dou Huaiying thought that a daughter married into another family must naturally put her husband's house first, and took no offense. He laughed and said, "Two or three days it is, then. I shall have Yantang come to fetch you when the time comes."

Song Yan rose hurriedly and answered "Yes," a trace of delight showing at the corners of his eyes and brows.

Dou Huaiying looked at him and chuckled.

Most likely his son-in-law wanted his daughter home early!

He looked at Song Yan with ever greater warmth, and fell to talking of his duties: "Young as you are, there will surely be those who resent it. But you must never be haughty. Understand that those old clerks of many years are the hardest to deal with. Most are full of experience and thoroughly versed in the ways of money and grain. Some even have private ties with the petty officials of the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of War. They may not be able to accomplish much, but if they choose to trip you up, they never miss. Your road is long yet — never stoop to their level. Be modest and prudent, broad-minded and generous, and learn to overcome hardness with softness . . ."

Dou Yan had to struggle not to burst out laughing.

That fellow Song Yan was doing well if he did not clean others out. Others wanting to clean him out? They were usually like grasshoppers in late autumn — few lasted long. And all her father's advice was to be humble and forbearing; if Song Yan truly acted on it, he would likely be devoured to the last bone shaving. Still, Song Yan ordinarily never let the seven passions and six desires show on his face — was there really any need to put on such a picture of joy before her father?

This fellow was far too good at playacting!

Song Sui wore the look of a docile pupil, listening earnestly and nodding "Yes" again and again, as though every word Dou Huaiying spoke were golden law, so that the old man, before a son-in-law of the third rank, grew more animated and more excited with every sentence.

Gao Sheng poked his head in at the door.

Dou Qu said, "What is it, Steward Gao?" cutting short Dou Huaiying's rambling.

Gao Sheng looked embarrassed and said hastily, "Nothing, nothing."

Dou Huaiying's face darkened at once.

At Dou Yan's banquet Dou Ming had not appeared, saying she meant to make her month-end visit to her natal home, and afterward had offered Dou Yan not a word of explanation; later, at Dou Ming's banquet, Dou Yan had indeed been wrong to send gifts without attending, but her words had had their logic too.

The two sisters had each been given fifty strokes of the rod.

So this time he had deliberately sent Gao Sheng in person to invite Dou Ming, insisting she must come, and had told Gao Sheng to say to her: "Let no one speak of the past anymore. From today on, the two sisters are to be loving and close, like one family."

And now, seeing Gao Sheng's face, how could Dou Huaiying fail to understand?

Dou Ming had simply ignored his words and paid them no mind at all.

But with Dou Zhiwei present, if he questioned Gao Sheng closely, would not the sisters' relations grow only worse? And with his son-in-law there besides . . . were such a thing spoken aloud, what face would his daughter have left before her husband?

Suppressing his displeasure, he said, "Is the feast outside all arranged?"

"It is, it is!" Gao Sheng, who had not known how to answer, breathed a sigh of relief at the question.

A young servant came in to report: "The Fifth Master has arrived and is drinking tea in the hall with the Sixth Master!"

Everyone was taken aback.

A married daughter's month-end visit to her natal home was a matter for the womenfolk — why should he, her uncle, come as well?

Dou Huaiying muttered to himself, then said to Song Yan, "Come, let us go and see your Fifth Uncle. He is well acquainted with the people at the Ministry of Revenue. Now that you have charge of the Jinwu Guard's military pay, make yourself known to that crowd at the Ministry — then, when funds are disbursed more promptly hereafter, both your superiors and your subordinates will look at you with new eyes."

Song Yan answered "Yes" with due deference, following Dou Huaiying out with neither haughtiness nor servility, yet the words he spoke were undisguised flattery of his father-in-law: "I have long wished to beg my father-in-law to make an introduction for me, only I feared you would think me unsteady in my conduct, and so never dared raise it . . ."

If he were not well acquainted with the Ministry of Revenue, could he have delayed the Marquis of Changxing's military pay?

If he were not well acquainted with the Ministry of Revenue, could he have settled the riverworks accounts to the last copper, on time?

Dou Yan truly could not contain herself; she bowed her head and laughed silently, then went off to the flower hall where the ladies were entertained.