Chapter 320 — Headache
Purple Streets of Chang'an Page 2 of 2
He wishes to consult me on this matter, yet suspects me of secret collusion with Song Yan...
He bowed, and said in a tone of utter sincerity, "I am near the age of knowing the decree of Heaven, and long since put aside all thought of advancement. These ten-odd years, favored by the Lord Defender of the State's deep regard, I have trembled with care, not daring for a moment to be negligent. It is true that henceforth the Ying Estate will be the heir's to command, but by that time I shall long since be old and feeble, and having taken my leave of the capital, what would it be to me? In olden days there were Fang and Du; today there is Sun Huai! Untalented though I am, and not daring to compare myself with the sages of old, I would yet never dare to ruin the reputation of the scholar's estate!"
Fang and Du were the renowned ministers Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui of Emperor Taizong of Tang. Sun Huai was the Grand Secretary of the Grand Secretariat under Emperor Xianzong—to repay Emperor Xianzong's recognition and grace, after that emperor passed away he disregarded the new sovereign's urgings, resigned his office, and returned home. For ten years he served as the head of an academy. And Emperor Xianzong was moreover famed as a benevolent ruler.
Being likened by Tao Jun to a wise sovereign, Song Cen's countenance gradually cleared, and his voice grew gentler. "Master Tao, you speak too gravely. I too am one who, in desperate illness, turns to any physician—that little beast has driven me to distraction! You have no idea how the Emperor shields him. Once, before the Earl of Donglin, he actually said that if that little beast behaved frivolously, the Earl of Donglin should by all means report it to the Emperor. Ai! That was no lesson to the boy—that was a check upon the Earl of Donglin! So that he might smoothly take charge of the Five City Garrisons! What I am raising now is no son—it is an ancestor! Tell me, of all the fathers under Heaven, is there any like me..."
Tao Jun let out a long breath. Yet he could not suppress his inward carping.
Nor under Heaven is there any father like you—a son who props up the family admirably, and you must needs hound him to death... But after all, why can the Lord Defender of the State not tolerate the heir?
For the first time, Tao Jun faced that question squarely in his heart.
Song Cen was already waving Commander Chang away. "Keep this to yourself for now. Wait until Master Tao and I have worked out a plan. You may withdraw. When I have instructions, I will send for you."
Chang had no choice. He shot a look of resentment at Tao Jun, who had not so much as glanced his way, and muttered his assent. Then he withdrew.
Song Cen turned to Tao Jun with great sincerity. "What do you think we should do about this? Surely I am not to sit here with my eyes wide open and simply endure it?"
He ground his teeth, fury plainly written on his face.
"Your first order of business, Lord Zhending, is to find out whether the Dou family knows of this matter." Tao Jun knew that Song Yan had become a thorn lodged in Song Cen's heart—the slightest touch and Song Cen would fly into a rage, losing all reason at any moment. Song Yan had to be pulled out of this affair. "As for whether the heir and your lady knew each other before the marriage, that is a small matter. If the Dou family knows, what is their purpose? How did they come to know? You must decide on a course, Lord Zhending. If the Dou family does not know, then is someone backing your lady? Or was that Chen Bo acting on someone's commission? From what I know, that Chen Bo is a close friend of Yan Yun, who serves at the heir's side. Until these things are clear, the enemy is in shadow and we are in the light. Even with Zhang Liang's strategems, we would come off the worse!"
The implication was plain: to this day you have never told me why you set out to ruin Song. Now that trouble has come, how am I to know where to begin the investigation?
Sort it out yourself!
Song Cen opened his mouth and then closed it.
Seeing this, Tao Jun pretended not to notice and went straight on: "Then why not start with the maids and serving women around your lady? Especially those she trusts most. If the heir and your lady were passing things privately between them, they could not have hidden it from such people."
"Master Tao speaks wisely." Song Cen's spirits lifted, and he began to ponder where to begin and whom to entrust with the task.
Tao Jun, however, was thinking of his own experience in Zhending.
To beat the legitimate grandson of Wang Yousheng, brother-in-law of the Yunnan provincial governor, until the man could not rise from his bed, and in the end to settle it by paying silver to the point of ruin, while the Dou woman came away without a scratch—what ordinary woman could have managed such a thing?
The one who had saved the heir must have been that Dou woman!
And the heir's respect for her was thus explained.
He had served at Lord Zhending's side for more than ten years and still did not know why Lord Zhending treated the heir as he did. Even the heir himself had never expected such treatment from Lord Zhending. How had the Dou woman come to know?
Could it be that she truly had the gift of foreseeing what had not yet come to pass?
And if she knew, then the heir must know as well?
Truly, when gods do battle, it is the little devils who suffer!
Tao Jun felt a splitting headache coming on.
Until he found the root of Lord Zhending's inability to tolerate the heir, there was no way to explain any of this—let alone devise a means to suppress the heir!
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Brothers and sisters, here is the update for August 18!
o(n_n)o~