Chapter 386 — An Errand

Song Yan could not contain himself. He held her fast in his arms: "How did I ever come to marry such an amusing wife!"

Dou Qu warned him, "The child, mind the child!" Then, teasing, "So it is only now you realize your wife is a fine one!"

Song Yan suddenly fell still. He set her down, cupped her face carefully in his hands, and his smile slowly faded. Looking steadily into her eyes, he said gravely, "I knew long ago that I had married a good wife..."

Which was why he had schemed every way he knew to bring her through his gate.

He said it quietly, in his heart, to himself.

And resolved that what he had once done he would never, ever tell Dou Yan.

Dou Yan was startled by his solemn face and asked hurriedly, "Has something happened?"

"What could possibly have happened?" Song Yan burst out laughing. He turned over and lay on his back beside her, half in jest, half in sighing: "I was only thinking how wondrous the world is. You in Zhending, I in the capital, a thousand li between us, and yet we came to be man and wife..."

And such a good one, at that.

Was Heaven making up to him for the hardships he had suffered?

He said it silently, in his heart.

Dou Yan found it wondrous too.

In her former life she had been a nameless woman buried in the inner quarters, while he was the focus of dread for the whole court and realm; and in this life, by the merest turn of fate, they had become husband and wife. And he treated her so well — it truly felt like a dream.

The thought flashed through her mind, and she could not help starting.

Surely she was not truly dreaming?

She pinched Song Yan.

"Ai yo!" he cried, yet the look he bent on her was all concern: "What is it? Are you unwell somewhere?"

Dou Yan burst out laughing.

And even if this were a dream, what of it?

She would rather stay drunk in the dream and never wake.

Dou Yan threw herself into Song Yan's arms and held him without a word.

A warm embrace, a clean, cool scent.

This was Song Yan.

How could it be a dream?

Dou Yan kissed him lightly on the chin.

Song Yan gave a low, comical cry of alarm and said fiercely, "So you tease me too? You will have to pay the price yourself."

Dou Yan laughed, a note of indulgence in it.

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The next day Song Yan had a day of rest and went to the Earl of Donglin's residence.

He wore a straight robe of Hangzhou silk in bamboo-leaf green; in the spring wind his jade-like face was calm and composed, warm as a spring day, enough to leave a man gently tipsy.

The Earl of Donglin could not help sighing, "The heir truly lives up to his name as the capital's handsomest man!"

Song Yan frowned slightly.

Only then did the Earl realize his slip of the tongue, and he laughingly invited Song Yan into his study.

Song Yan raised the matter of Jiang Yi: "He has certain ties of patronage with my household, and Lord Ma recommended him besides; he is quick and capable, so he ought to be given a chance. There happens to be a deputy commissioner's post open in the Five Armies Camp. I thought to recommend the Commander of the Southern Ward for it, and transfer Jiang Yi to be Commander of the Southern Ward. What does your Lordship think?"

Men of the Five Armies Camp could not lightly leave the camp; even with a promotion of a rank, it was nothing like the freedom of the Five Wards Military Command, where there was profit to be skimmed.

Was this not simply forcing the Southern Ward commander to step aside for Jiang Yi?

The Earl of Donglin would not, over so trifling a matter, deny Song Yan his pleasure; he agreed with great readiness. After all, he himself was only acting in his post at the Five Wards Military Command, and such a favor, going with the current, cost him nothing to give.

Still, he could not resist asking about Wei Fan: "...He has sat as deputy commander two years now. Should there not be some adjustment?"

Song Yan sneered inwardly, but his face was all mildness: "Though the Marquis is my brother-in-law, he is my elder, and with the Wang family to look after his affairs, there are matters I would rather not thrust my hand into."

The Earl recalled that Wei Fan had come to the Five Wards Military Command by way of Wang Yousheng's connections, and recalled as well the rumors about Wang Yousheng that had been running through the capital of late. Certain he had found the reason, he wore a look of sudden enlightenment and said again and again, "So that is it! The heir's scruples are not without cause." Smiling, he invited Song Yan to taste his tea, and let the matter drop.

Yet the tidbit that Jiang Yi had curried favor with Song Yan, heir of the Duke of Ying, and been promoted to Commander of the Southern Ward still spread like wildfire through the Five Wards Military Command.

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Making up for yesterday's second update.

o(n_n)o~