Chapter 410 — Three Carvings

This was the Heir warning him, telling him to hand over a pledge of allegiance!

If he wanted to live, he had to walk the road the Heir had pointed out.

And what sort of road that was, he would have to work out for himself — for without that quickness of mind, the Heir would have no use for him.

He clung bitterly to Song Yan's leg and pleaded: "Heir, I beg you, save this old slave's life. This old slave will say anything."

Song Yan cast Song Shize a glance of contempt, then said to Song Cen, flat and cold: "You have seen it yourself. I have no choice but to save him!"

Xia Lian and several others rushed in and stood facing Song Cen's guards.

Song Cen's lips trembled with rage.

Song Yan glanced at Xia Lian, then withdrew from the hall with Dou Yan and walked quickly out into the middle of the courtyard.

From the hall came a clatter and crash of things, and Song Cen's furious bellowing.

But no one paid it any mind.

The serving women of the Osmanthus Fragrance Court had long since hidden themselves away somewhere; Song Yan's face, which had been like fine jade only moments before, was now veiled in grey, dull and lusterless.

Dou Yan assumed she was grieving that all affection between father and child had vanished, and comforted her: "Everyone must have their destiny with everyone else. Look — my father and I can never exchange a civil word, yet you and your father are like father and son born of the same blood. If I were to be jealous of you, I'd drown in my own vinegar."

Song Yan's expression did not improve in the least. Instead she murmured: "It was not Father!"

Dou Yan did not understand.

Song Yan looked at her, and that deep gaze was like a midnight sky with neither stars nor moon, chilling a person to the bone.

"The one who killed Yao-niang was not Father," she said in a low voice. "If it had been him, he would not have been so astonished..."

Could it be Song Han?

But he was only fourteen!

Yet when she thought of how, in this life, she had first met Song Yan, Song Yan had been only thirteen — a year younger even than Song Han. Dou Yan glanced toward the hall and began dimly to grasp Song Yan's meaning.

In the silence the atmosphere grew oppressive.

Song Yan sighed, patted Dou Zhiwei lightly on the shoulder as if to soothe her, and said gently: "Let us go back. Else when we have the man in hand, we shall still have to face Father's hypocritical questioning!"

Dou Yi was in no mood for it either.

She pressed her lips together, smiled at Song Yan, and left the Osmanthus Fragrance Court with her, asking softly: "What do you plan to do?"

"Investigate those around him," Song Yan said. "He could not have done such a thing with his own hands — and he would not have the stomach for it."

But as to how he would deal with the matter once it came to light, he did not say.

Dou Yan could understand what he was feeling.

A younger brother he had doted on and indulged for more than ten years had suddenly become a stranger, had even deceived him; he needed time to sort it out. Yet he had not flinched, and could still judge and handle matters so calmly — that filled her with admiration.

Wanting to lift his spirits a little, she said gently, "You are the calm one. You saw where the knot of the problem lay — far calmer than I. If it had been me, I fear my mind would have been wholly taken up with quarreling with the Duke of Zhenguo. As it is, you forced the Duke to let Sister Yan into the estate, and forced Song Shize and the others to declare themselves, and found out whether Lady Li Tiao's death had anything to do with the Duke — one arrow, three hawks."

Comforted by Dou Yan, Song Zhi's mood improved by more than a little.

He shook his head with a smile and cautioned Dou Yan: "When you go back, mind you don't give anything away in front of A Yan."

Dou Yan nodded.

At the gate of Yizhi Hall they ran into Jiang Ling.

Jiang Ling breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Sister Yan is frantic, saying she must not be the cause of a falling-out between her cousin and his father, and insisting I go to the Osmanthus Hall to see for myself."

"My falling-out with my father is hardly a matter of a day or two — what has that to do with her?" For the first time, Song Yan admitted before one of the Jiang family that he was at odds with his father. "Tell her not to worry!"

Jiang Ling could not help sighing, and looked toward Dou Yan.

Dou Yan smiled and nodded to her.

Jiang Ling felt a little reassured.

Dou Yan said, "I will go with you to see Sister Yan, so that she does not let her thoughts run wild."

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To all the sisters and brothers who read: here is today's first update.

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