Chapter 423 — Childbirth

Ji Shi urged her, "You may see the child sleeping sweetly now, but in a few days, once he fills out, he'll want to feed one moment and soil himself the next, and make such a din no one can rest. I fear your health won't hold up."

"It's nothing!" Dou Xin said. "I've long been prepared." Then she assured Ji Shi, "If I find it too much, it will be time enough to let them take over."

Her manner was utterly firm.

Lady Ji assumed Dou Yan felt this way because she had lost her mother as a child, and could not help sighing softly. She stopped trying to persuade her and instead began instructing her on the various precautions to observe during confinement.

Word of the happy news reached the Song household. the First Madam and the other ladies came to visit Dou Yan.

The Dou kinswomen took the opportunity to excuse themselves.

Dou Yan asked Jiang Yan to see the guests out.

Since Song Maochun and the others depended on the Yingzhenguo Estate for their livelihood, no stir within the estate could escape people who kept their eyes fixed on it day and night. Song Yan had made no great show of Jiang Yan's affair, but neither had he deliberately concealed it. The First Madam of the Songs had already heard the serving women of the estate tell it with every appearance of truth: that in order to raise the son born of his mistress as a legitimate son under Lady Jiang's name, Song Cen had quietly sent the daughter Lady Jiang bore him to be raised in the Jiang household; and that now the Jiang family had fallen, the Songs had brought the girl back... But who would ever do such a thing? She had snorted at the tale, mocking the idle servants who had nothing better to do than invent rumors full of holes. Yet now, face to face with Jiang Yan, she was struck dumb.

The Third Madam of the Songs felt her gorge rise at the sight of a room full of Dou kinswomen.

In those days Lady Jiang, for all her closeness to the Jiangs, had never dared hold the Songs in such utter disregard as the Dou women did now!

She lowered her head and whispered with the Fourth Madam, paying no notice at all to Jiang Yan: "When our nephew's wife gives birth, why do they not send word to us who are her aunts, but instead invite all her own family? Are they not going to hold the third-day washing ceremony at all?"

But the Fourth Madam, hearing this, only tugged at her sleeve, then jerked her chin toward the door.

The Third Madam looked that way and saw nothing but the door curtain swaying; the Dou kinswomen and Jiang Yan had vanished, and of course she had not caught sight of Jiang Yan.

She was puzzling over it when Jiang Yan came back.

The Third Madam started violently, pointed at Jiang Yan, and got out the word "You—" before realizing how unseemly she looked. She hastily dropped her arm, withdrew her gaze, and restored her former cold, proud face.

Dou Yan watched, secretly amused. She introduced Jiang Yan to the three Song ladies, then on the pretext of having her check whether the old hen stewing on the stove was done, sent her out of the room. Then she spoke frankly to the Third Madam with a smile: "Third Aunt, what was it about seeing Sister Yan that set you thinking?"

The Third Madam's face flushed red and paled by turns. "It is only that I wondered," she said awkwardly, "how this Miss Jiang, a cousin from the Jiang family, comes to look so very much like the Second Madam!"

"Is it only because she looks like her?" Dou Chu, contrary to her usual silence, pressed on relentlessly. "They say that when my mother-in-law gave birth to the Second Master, it was the First Madam who recommended the midwife. Yet now the heir apparent cannot find that midwife anywhere. Tell me, is that not strange?" As she spoke, her sharp gaze fell upon the First Madam.

The First Madam nearly leapt from her seat.

"I—I meant only kindness," she protested hurriedly, fine beads of sweat already standing on her brow. "That old woman Wen had a fair name in the capital. She attended me at the births of both Song Qin and Song Duo—how could she simply vanish? Most likely the old creature made enough money and gave up the trade. I have heard she has but one daughter, married far off in Jinan Prefecture. Perhaps she has gone to Jinan—who can say?"

"Perhaps," Dou Yan said with a smile that was not quite a smile. She told the maids to serve tea to the three Song ladies, and added that the child was asleep and so she would not bring him out for them to see; on the day of the third-day washing ceremony, she begged them to come early.

After all the fuss just past, the three Song ladies had no heart for further talk. After a few civilities, seeing Dou Yan take up her tea cup, they took their leave.

Dou Yan too was somewhat tired. After giving a few instructions, she lay down and slept.

When Song Yan returned and heard that Dou Yan had gone to rest, he softened his step and entered the birthing chamber. Standing by the bed, he gazed at Dou Yan and the child for a long while, then with a smile on his face he left the room and went to write wedding invitations for his friends.