Chapter 449 — The Adopted Heir

Lady Ji pressed Dou Yan to stay for the noon meal.

But Dou Yan was thinking of Yuan Heng, declined the meal, and took her leave for home.

Lady Ji then asked Dou Huaide about his lessons.

Dou Huaide was rather surprised.

He was the second son, and of an indolent nature besides. His father treated the two brothers alike, yet his mother had always been stricter with his elder brother Dou Huaiying. To have her ask after his lessons rather than his brother's—this was the first time.

He answered with due propriety.

Lady Han's expression, however, showed something was off.

Dou Yong noticed, and later asked his wife privately, "Has something happened?"

"What do you mean?" Lady Han, who attended her mother-in-law, had guessed a thing or two. But nothing had been settled yet, and she did not dare tell even Dou Yong. Feigning ignorance, she said, "These past days nothing seems to have happened at home."

Dou Yong thought his eyes had played tricks on him, asked no more, and went to the study to practice his calligraphy.

Lady Han let out a breath and sat beneath the lamp sewing a bellyband for her son Erjin, her heart in a muddle.

Her mother had come to see her a few days ago and had asked, in this way and that, about Dou Huaide—as if she meant to make a match for him. When Lady Han had laughed and asked who the girl was, her mother had hemmed and hawed and said there was no such thing. She had also brought up her cousin's wife Lingze... What did her mother mean by that?

Lady Han could make no sense of it, try as she might.

Dou Huaiying, however, was more decisive than ever before.

He soon formally put the request to Dou Bingheng that Dou Huaide be adopted as his heir.

Dou Bingheng had discussed the matter with Dou Huaiying privately more than once. Now, seeing Dou Huaiying stand firm, he wrote a letter each to the retired Second Master Dou Shiqi at home, to Dou Huanchang of the Dou clan's main branch, to Dou Shiyang, who managed the family's affairs, and to the Second Dowager.

Though Zhending was surprised, Dou Huaiying had raised the matter once before, so it was no great shock. Dou Huanchang, after conferring with Dou Bingheng and Dou Shiyang, wrote back on behalf of the clan, consenting to Dou Huaide's adoption into the Western Dou.

Dou Bingheng sighed and said to Dou Huaiying, "Once Yuan Heng's hundred-day celebration is over, I will write out the adoption papers for you."

Dou Huaiying had gotten what he wished, and nodded happily again and again.

Dou Huaide's heart, though, was a tangle of feelings.

Once adopted, he would have nothing more to do with the Eastern Dou's sixth branch. Should he meet his own parents thereafter, he could only address them as "Uncle" and "Aunt."

Dou Huaiying consoled him. "It is only a move to my side of the house. Think of it as entering the Imperial Academy early."

Dou Huaide did not know whether to laugh or cry at that, yet the sorrow in his heart vanished for no reason at all.

The carriages and horses at Yuan Heng's hundred-day celebration were like a river, the voices of the crowd like a boiling cauldron. Not only did the families of merit and distinction all come, but every person of any consequence in the Capital Guard could be seen there; even the Crown Prince came and sat for a while.

Music of strings and flutes poured without cease from the Yingzhen Duke's mansion; it could be heard even walking along Shunxue Street.

Gu Yu flitted among the guests like a painted butterfly, and with the addition of that rakehell Feng Ye, and Shen Qing, who went wherever the liveliest crowd was, the banquet was turned into a roar of laughter at every turn, brimming with festive cheer.

Song Han sat in a corner watching coldly, and slipped quietly out of the great hall before the feast broke up.

Wei Fan, for his part, sat there head down, drinking bitterly.

If he had chosen Dou Yan back then, would today's merriment have been his?

He thought of Dou Ming's capricious temper—tender and sweet one moment, fierce and glaring the next—and drank faster and faster, and more and more.

Dou Fan had still not found the longevity lock that Ji Yong had sent.

She asked Ganlu, "Has Master Ji arrived yet?"

At Yuan's full-moon celebration last time, she remembered quite clearly, she had not sent Ji Yong an invitation, yet Ji Yong had sent gifts all the same. This time she had felt too awkward to leave Ji Yong off the guest list, but knowing his temperament, who could say whether he had actually come.

Ganlu went out to ask around, and reported back, "I did not see Lord Ji anywhere."

So it really was his doing.

Dou Yan said, "Never mind him. Tell the maids and serving women in the tea room to keep their wits about them. There are many guests today, and we must be careful we do not run short of hot water."

Ganlu answered and went off.

Dou Yan smoothed his sleeves and stepped out of the inner chamber.

Yet face to face, he saw Jiang Ling.

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Sisters and brothers, here is today's update.

o(n_n)o~