Chapter 429 — Matchmaking

Song Yan personally escorted Cui Yijun as far as the Bìyǐng Gate, while Dou Yan, according to custom, had the gifts from the Crown Prince and Crown Princess put on display in the great hall, to be returned to the storehouse once the full-month celebration was over.

The golden qilin wrought of pure gold, the necklaces of the eight treasures, the crimson cloak of carved silk—all glittered with a dazzling light in the bright summer sun.

Who among those present did not dine amid bells and drums? What things had they not seen? But these were gifts from the Crown Princess, and that made them different.

The company did honor to Song Yan and Dou Yan, praising them on every hand, and only then did they sit down again in the small flower hall.

To the strains of string and bamboo, the banquet began.

Song Cen saw Wang Ge seated in a corner, deep in lively talk with Gu Yu, and could not help frowning. He asked Shi Chonglan in a low voice, "What did he say over there?"

Shi Chonglan smiled. "Rest easy. Since he dared take our silver, he will not dare welsh on the deal."

Song Cen's heart settled somewhat, and only then did he begin to feel better.

Old Lady Lu was also whispering to Princess Ninghuai: "What if the Empress Dowager is too lazy to meddle in such a trifle?"

Princess Ninghuai smiled. "The late Emperor doted on Consort Miao above all others. Had the prince she bore not died young, I fear there would have been quite a commotion in this palace. At the Third Imperial Grandson's full-moon celebration, I quietly told Consort Shi of the Song family's affairs. Knowing her temperament, she will certainly tell the Empress Dowager. Once Song Yan agrees to this matter, I shall enter the palace and seek a marriage for Song Han. The Empress Dowager will surely grant a marriage to a girl of Consort Miao's family—just wait and see."

Old Lady Lu had always admired Princess Ninghuai's methods. Hearing this, a smile crept into the corners of her eyes and brows.

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That evening, Dou Yan told Song Yan of the intentions of Old Lady Lu and Princess Ninghuai.

Song Ke could not help but sigh with feeling. "I have never been blessed with kin, yet I have found a father-in-law, Old Lady Lu, and Princess Ninghuai."

Dou Yan could not resist scolding him fondly: "Keep your thoughts about Father to yourself. You must not praise the old gentleman anymore, or he will only grow more full of himself."

At Yuan Heng's full-moon celebration, Dou Huaiying not only sent writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones, along with gold rings and silver locks, but also gave Yuan Heng a six-hundred-mu tea plantation and an oil press. These two properties alone brought in three or four thousand taels of silver each year.

Song Yan laughed heartily. "I was only teasing Father to make him happy. Those properties—I discussed them with Father long ago. They will still be managed by the Dou household stewards, and when Yuan Ge is to be married, Father can give them to him then. Father will have his dignity, and Yuan Heng will know how kindly his maternal grandfather has treated him."

"Do not forget the fire at the Yingzhenguo Estate," Dou Yan said, his head aching over his father's habit of scattering money about. "He must not put on such a show again."

"You underestimate Father," Song Yan said. "As for what he has given Yuan Ge this time, Father only told the Dou stewards and did not breathe a word to outsiders. He informed the Dou family only for fear that the matter might later be unclear—otherwise, he would not even have told the steward."

Dou Yan said thoughtfully, "Does Dou Ming know?"

"The Wei family sent gifts but no one to deliver them," Song Yan said, greatly pleased that the Wei family had turned against him, though he suppressed his delight. "Father says he will send someone to inform Dou Ming."

Now that it was made clear, it would spare them Dou Ming's pestering later on.

Dou Yan's expression cleared at once.

Song Sui was too weary to discuss the Wei family with Dou Yan. He told him that Song Cen had asked Shi Chonglan to sound out the Emperor's wishes, hoping to have Song Han marry a princess, and added, "The sooner the marriage is settled, the better. You have only just recovered from childbirth, and the jolting of a carriage might harm your health. Tomorrow I shall go to the Lu residence myself to thank the two old ladies."

Dou Yan cared for the child himself, and felt that even twelve shichen a day were not enough. He naturally did not object. That very night he had gifts prepared for Song Yan, and after breakfast the next day, he saw Song Yan out the door.

After the midday meal, Princess Ninghuai sent in her card to enter the palace.

The next day, the Empress Dowager summoned Princess Ninghuai and kept her in the palace for the midday meal.

When the Empress heard that Princess Ninghuai had entered the palace, she had meant to go to the Palace of Compassion and Tranquility to see her, but the Emperor summoned her to the Palace of Heavenly Purity instead.

"Are the marriages of Jingyi and Jingfu still unsettled?" the Emperor asked the Empress, setting down the memorial he had been reading. "Yantang is a father now. Their marriages ought to be decided as well."

But for Song Cen, Song Yantang would long ago have been his son-in-law.

Still, the man had been sensible enough. This time he had taken the initiative to propose that his second son marry a princess. Whether it succeeded or not, he had at least softened his stance, and the Emperor was rather pleased.

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Brothers and sisters, here is today's second update.

OX∩一∩KO～

Pink votes, please!

PS: Tomorrow is Singles' Day. What are you all planning to splurge on?