Chapter 316 — Arrival

Song Yan nodded to himself and said with a smile, "Since you are of the Cui family and near kin to the lady as well, come and visit the residence from time to time when you have leisure. Talk with the lady."

After several years of dealing with the great and powerful in the capital, Cui Min was no longer the naive youth he had once been; he took this for mere courtesy and answered with a smile, "Yes."

Time reveals a man's heart. Song Yan said no more, reflecting that with Old Chen and the others joining them, Dou Yan would have his own guard about him, and a thing like the fire at the Yingzhenguo residence would never happen again. His mood lifted at once, and he chatted cheerfully with Chen Yanzhou and the rest for a while. Between the lines ran the message: "From now on we are one family; united we prosper, divided we suffer—let us live in harmony." Yan Che, meanwhile, took up Song Yan's cue and spoke of how the Dou family had aided the young heir in those early days, his face all gratitude, wearing the look of a man beholding his saviors.

Chen Yanzhou understood that Song Yan was putting their minds at ease. After a modest demurral, he conveyed the message that "we have all received kindness at the hands of Dou Zhiwei; wherever Dou Yan goes, we follow. We shall look to Dou Zhiwei alone."

Hearing this, Zi'ai Feng was filled with admiration for Dou Yan.

To command such men, to make them say such things before the young heir—the lady was no ordinary woman!

He whispered to Yan Che, "Once this breaks up, shall we invite Old Chen for a few more cups, just the two of us?"

Yan Che thought it a good idea too and nodded with a smile.

Song Yan rose and said with a smile to Chen Yanzhou and the others, "You have all had a hard journey. Rest well for the next few days; the lady no doubt has much to ask you. I will not keep you from your rest any longer."

They all rose together to see Song Yan off.

Song Yan went straight back to the main chamber and asked Dou Yan, who sat on the heated kang by the window doing needlework, "I did rather well today, didn't I?"

Dou Chi smiled and set down her needlework. "Why are you more and more like a child?"

"I am younger than you, after all!" Song Ke said, as though it were the most natural thing in the world, and pulled her sewing over to look. "What are you making?"

"A winter garment for you," Dou Xin said. "The Spring Festival will be here before we know it."

Song Yan gazed at Dou Xin and sat with her a while, then said with some reluctance, "I am going to look in on Gu Yu in a little while. You may as well have a word with Old Chen."

Dou Yan did indeed have matters to discuss with Old Chen.

She answered "All right" with a bright smile and saw Song Yan out the door.

※※※※※

At that moment, far away in Lingshou County, in a secluded three-courtyard house at the southeast corner of Tan Family Village, the vigorous, high-spirited Provincial Graduate Tan stood respectfully before Old Master Tan, white-haired and white-bearded, and was speaking in a low voice: "The news comes from Cangzhou; there can be no mistake. Not only is Cangzhou in chaos, but the capital, Taiyuan, Datong, Tianjin and other places are all rife with disorder. Brothers turn on one another for the sake of advancement; friends fall out, fathers and sons destroy each other, all for silver. A fine hand the young heir of the Duke of Yingguo has—a few thousand taels of silver, and he has stirred up endless trouble across the rivers and lakes. It is well we agreed without a word of protest to take that child into our keeping; otherwise, who knows what would have been awaiting us!" Then his face clouded with worry. "When he wanted us to move against the fourth young lady of the Dou family, we refused. I wonder whether he still remembers that."

Old Master Tan said nothing, slowly twisting his beard, which reached his chest. After a long while he said, "How does Duan Bing fare in the Dou household now?"

"He should be doing well enough," the Provincial Graduate said. "The fourth young lady had him go with her to the capital. Word is she will not be back for some time. He has asked someone to keep an eye on his house and grounds, and plans to bring his aged mother to the capital in a few days."

Old Master Tan heard this and laughed. "The fourth young lady of the Dou family is to be married, and it seems we have not yet sent her a congratulatory gift."

The Provincial Graduate's eyes lit up.

Song Yan was ruthless and venomous, and they lived here in seclusion—to draw near him was to fear being dragged down with him, to keep far from him was to fear earning his hatred. The fourth young lady of the Dou family was a person of noble character, and one with whom dealings could be had.

"I will see to it at once!" His voice came out several degrees louder than before.

※

My apologies, my apologies—I actually forgot to hit publish... ⊙﹏⊙b sweat...

ps: Sisters and brothers, it is the weekend tomorrow, and there will be an extra update as usual. Barring anything unforeseen, the extra update will come around half past two in the afternoon; should anything come up, I will explain beforehand.

o(n_n)o~