Chapter 387 — Censure

Song Yan was keeping Dou Huaiying company while a crowd from the Hanlin Academy sat there boasting and bragging. Hearing the message, he smiled, explained a few words to Dou Huaiying, and made to go out and receive the guest.

But Dou Huaiying caught Song Yan by the arm. "I shall go with you. Since they are showing you face, we must not be too offhand with them."

Song Yan could only rub his nose and follow behind Dou Huaiying to exchange pleasantries with Hao Dayong and the rest of that shabby crew.

They were all shrewd enough to see which way the wind blew. When Hao Dayong and the others saw Song Yan personally ushering his father-in-law out to receive them, and treating Dou Huaiying with such deference, they knew at once whose boots were worth licking. Tongues wagged with florid flattery, each man vying to outdo the last in naked praise of Dou Huaiying, until the poor man fled in confusion, though in his heart he felt an indescribable glow of pleasure. Seeking out Dou Bingheng, he said, "Just keep whatever gifts Yan Tang's friends have brought; only give me the list of names. I will repay these courtesies myself."

It was not you they were flattering—it was Song Yan Tang!

If you go to repay them, those people will be able to claim a connection with Song Yan Tang. They'll be so delighted they'll rush out barefoot to welcome you!

The words rose to Dou Bingheng's lips, but looking at Dou Huaiying's face, wholly innocent of the trick beneath the surface, he swallowed them again.

He had a fine son-in-law now, and the son-in-law would see to all such matters for him. What business was it of his to worry on the man's behalf?

"Very well!" he said readily, and instructed the chief steward to copy out a list of the gifts for Dou Huaiying presently.

Then Dou Huaiying said to Song Yan, "Set your mind at ease. I will repay all these gifts."

Perhaps because Dou Huaiying felt he had some say over his own life, he deliberately or unconsciously chose to make up for that lack with money.

Song Yan sensed something of Dou Huaiying's subtle frame of mind and did not decline. Instead, humoring him, he smiled and said, "Shouyuan scolded me only a couple of days ago for accepting gifts so indiscriminately. But you have seen for yourself—these people were not invited by me at all, and it is a happy occasion for the Dou family besides. I could hardly drive them out, could I? Your stepping forward is the best possible solution."

Dou Huaiying then cautioned him, "Do not quarrel with Shouyuan. She is with child, and her temper is a little odd these days. When her mother was carrying her, as it happened, it was the depths of winter and the birth was imminent—yet she clamored for toon shoots. Where on earth was I to find them?"

Suddenly recalling the past, his expression turned distant.

Song Sui dared not let Dou Huaiying sink into his memories. He said quickly, "Father-in-law, Boyan is soon to sit for the Hanlin examination. He has always been close to our family, and we have several properties in the capital. What do you say we fix up a residence for him to study in? If he passes and becomes a Hanlin bachelor, he will have to remain in the capital another three years, and he will need someone to look after him. Would it not be better for him to have a place of his own?"

Dou Huaiying liked that Song Yan had said "our family."

His face alight with smiles, he nodded again and again. "Let us go and speak with Boyan, and see what he has to say."

Song Yan caught a maid and asked where Dou Yan was.

The maid smiled. "The Fifth Young Master has been dragged inside by the ladies for questioning, and has not come out yet!"

Song Yan regarded Dou Huaiying with a smiling look. "Tell me—shall we go and rescue him?"

Dou Huaiying was caught up in the spirit of it as well. "Of course we must find some way to fish Boyan out!" Then he said to the maid, "Go and tell him I have friends here, and that the Fifth Young Master is to come out and greet them."

The maid curtsied and hurried off to the inner courtyard.

Dou Huaiying and Song Yan exchanged a glance and smiled, like two companions who had together contrived some amusing mischief, each sensing in the other a kindred spirit.

Dou Yan was at that moment standing with Dou Yan by the pomegranate tree in the courtyard of the main house, deep in conversation.

"These past days I have been busy with the examination, and I have not yet thanked Uncle and Aunt for the Kuang family matter," he said with an apologetic smile, his brow filled with the excitement and joy of one who has plucked the cassia from the moon palace. "Once this busy spell is over, I shall call on you properly and have a good drink or two with Uncle."

When the Kuang family learned who had been scheming against them, they reasoned that since their fleet had already caught the eye of interested parties, it was like a piece of fat meat—if one man did not come to take a bite, another would. In the end they decided to sell the fleet to Wang Ge at a low price.

Kuang Zhuoran, for his part, resolved to burn the midnight oil and sit for the imperial examination.

Dou Yan thought this was just as well.

A merchant without official standing could never escape a fate of servitude.

ps: ※

Brothers and sisters, thank you for the pink votes you gave Nine Heavens Purple during the seven-day event. I bow to you all!

Please continue to support "Nine Heavens Purple" in the days to come.

Thank you, everyone!

o(n_n)o~

I will continue to post extra chapters on holidays.

※