Chapter 330 — Drawing Near

Dou Yan was secretly startled, and halted her steps: "You wished to see me?"

Chen Jia's heart eased, and at once a sense of urgency seized him, that if he let this chance slip there would be no other. Facing a woman as perceptive and clear-sighted as Dou Yan, he had best speak the plain truth; perhaps matters might still turn.

"By the great grace of the heir, Lord Wang no longer harbors any grudge against me, and Lord Shi, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, thinks rather highly of me as well." He hastily and tactfully laid before Dou Yan the predicament he faced, saying all the while, "This humble servant begs the madam to put in a good word for him before the heir," and knocking his head on the floor with a thud, thud, thud, "This humble servant will never forget the madam's great kindness so long as he has teeth in his mouth. Should the madam but give a word of command, this humble servant will dash out his brains and spare no effort."

Dou Yan's gaze upon Chen Jia was cold and clear.

But that still left the question of whether you had any part in this affair.

If this is truly the thief crying "stop thief," then even dashing out your brains would likely be of no use!

"I understand," Dou Yan said coolly, and left the flower hall.

Only then did Chen Jia dare raise his head.

He stared blankly at the screen in the flower hall, painted with a hundred butterflies at spring play, his heart deeply unsettled.

The Dou woman was more difficult to deal with than he had imagined. Would she help him?

He had accepted her favor; could he ever repay it?

Was taking this shortcut through the Dou woman right or wrong after all?

Fortunately he was a man of firm resolve, and quickly reined in his feelings. With steady steps he followed the serving boy out of the flower hall.

Dou Yan, meanwhile, had halted beside the Taihu-stone rockery next to the small flower hall, and asked Xia Lian, "Have you found out who those men were?"

"No," Xia Lian said, abashed.

Dou Yan said, "The moment you find out, send me word."

Xia Lian answered respectfully, "Yes."

Dou Yan was secretly puzzled.

Xia Lian had dealt with her before, yet had never been so deferential as he was now. Could Song Yan have given them some instruction?

She shook her head and returned to her inner chamber. Once she was up on the kang, her thoughts turned to Chen Jia, so much so that she did not notice Song Yan's return and was badly startled, scolding Sujuan, who was on duty, "The heir is back, and you did not make a sound!"

Sujuan flushed and lowered her head.

"It was I who told them to keep quiet." Song Yan had washed and changed his clothes, and came out smiling. "I wanted to see what you got up to alone at home." Then he sat down at the edge of the bed. "I never thought you would sit there alone in a daze. Is it dull? When the rest day comes, I will take you to the Western Hills to admire the chrysanthemums."

Dou Yan did not dare ride in a carriage. She pursed her lips and smiled. "What is so fine about chrysanthemums? Why not wait until it snows, and go admire the plum blossoms!"

By then, whether she was with child would also be settled.

In any case, her father-in-law Song Cen had no authority over his daughter-in-law.

"Very well!" Song Yan was intrigued by the idea, and grew quite animated. "Shanxi will be very cold by then. Have a few fur garments made while there is time." Then he called Chen He in. "Open the storehouse and let the madam choose a few pieces of fur."

Dou Yan tugged at Song Yan's arm. "It is too late today. We can talk about it tomorrow!" Her face grew serious, and she asked him about his visit to the palace.

"You guessed it after all." Song Yan tweaked Dou Yan's nose. "The Empress would have me go to Liaodong. But I pleaded that the matter of the fire at the Yingzhenguo estate is still unsettled, and recommended Gu Yu. Is he not under house confinement at home? With the Empress speaking for him, the Emperor will surely turn a blind eye. It will do him good to see Liaodong as well. Forever drifting about in the rich and splendid circle of the capital, even a fine man will grow narrow of mind."

Dou Zhiwei's eyes went wide.

Song Yan's mind worked fast indeed!

For Liaodong, there was no better choice than Gu Yu.

This matter could be considered settled, then?

The great stone in Dou Yan's heart fell away, and a touch of delight crept unbidden into the corners of her eyes and brows.

Song Yan's heart stirred at the sight, and he bent low, laughing softly by her ear: "I am at home, and you are this happy?"

※

I have always felt that life brings many perplexities, and there is no use complaining; the thing to do is find a way through them. But ever since I fell ill, my strength and energy have fallen off sharply. My second cousin-in-law was in a car accident and sent to Wuhan for a craniotomy; she is still in intensive care and has not woken, her life hanging in the balance. I ran errands for two days and felt as though I would collapse. My eldest cousin-in-law settled matters at home and came to take over, and I slept a whole day without stirring, my head a muddle, my heart unable to settle. The time I spend writing has stretched longer, and I cannot guarantee my posting schedule. Everyone at home is busy; little Zhizhi takes her meals in the school cafeteria. This Saturday I have been given the task of taking my aunt, who is past seventy, to the hospital to visit my second cousin-in-law. Life has grown busy and disordered, and I can only ask everyone's forbearance over the time I have for writing. I will snatch whatever time I can to write and post.

For now, let me first make up the update of August 26.