Chapter 457 — Open Promotion

In her last life, Dou Yan had not nursed the child herself, and so she had never known what a nuisance it was. But she could well imagine Song Yan's forbearance, and the thought of it all at once broke something loose in her.

She traced her way down along his neck.

Nor were her hands idle.

How could Song Yan hold back any longer? He turned, swept her up in his arms, and strode toward the bed...

Gan Lu and the others kept watch outside for most of the night, and still the sounds within had not died down.

Ruotong truly could not hold out any longer. She sat down in the grand chair and paced softly to and fro about the hall.

Gan Lu said, "Go down and rest. Two young maids and I will be enough here. Tomorrow morning, remember to bring two deft-handed maids and air out all the bedding in the madam's room."

Ordinarily, the things from Dou Yan's room were never handed over to the laundry.

Gan Lu was their teacher and had always looked after them well; she was a good sort. So Ruotong did not stand on ceremony with her, and went off to rest.

Gan Lu sat in the hall knotting cords, but her mind was on what Dou Yan had said to her in the carriage on the way back: "One family is a third-class steward of the outer court at the Yingzhenguo Estate. He's your age, with only a younger sister. He's already betrothed, and she'll be married off in the next year or two. Another is the second steward in the heir's silk shop; he had a few years of schooling, went into the shop as an apprentice at twelve, and they say he's a decent enough fellow. Then there's Zhang Fugui's eldest son, two years younger than you, who runs errands with his father now. To my eye the boy is far better looking than his father, and steadier in his dealings too, and we know the family through and through. That's why I put him on the list as well... Think it over, and see which family suits you best."

Which family suited her best?

She did not know either.

Sister Suxin and Sulan had both married, and both were doing quite well.

She thought it would be enough if she turned out like them.

As for which family was best, she would leave that to the madam to decide.

She trusted the madam.

At this thought her face burned, and she could not help listening closely to the sounds from the inner room.

Faint cries drifted out, full of joy, tinged with a something that was hard to name—a kind of tender charm.

Gan Lu smiled along with it in spite of herself.

The madam was doing so well for herself.

She lowered her head and went on knotting cords.

※※※※※

But Chen Jia was in a state of utter panic.

Just before the office let out, Shi Chuan suddenly summoned him to the Embroidered Uniform Guard yamen. First he praised him at great length, then told him that starting tomorrow he was promoted to Vice Commissioner of the Guard, and that his duties would be taken over by Liu Yu, a Chiliarch of the Guard; he was to hand over his work to Liu Yu within the next two days.

This was a naked promotion in name and demotion in fact.

Everyone knew he was Song Yan's man, and that Liu Yu was Shi Chuan's trusted confidant.

Was this Song Yan's punishment for the business with Jiang Yan? Or had he somehow been drawn into Shao Wenji's affair without knowing it, and become a thing Shi Chuan feared?

Whichever it was, set against figures of such weight as Song Yan and Shi Chuan, he was no more than an ant.

What was he to do?

He paced back and forth in his room.

Huzi watched from the side and could not help biting his lip.

The next day he pleaded a headache and did not go with Chen Jia to the Zhenfu Division yamen.

But the moment Chen Jia was out the door, he went straight to the Yingzhenguo Estate to find Duan Bing.

Duan Bing and Chen Jia were on close terms, so naturally he knew Huzi.

When Huzi said he had been sent by Chen Jia to see Jiang Yan, Duan Bing thought nothing of it and had a message sent to Yinghong.

But in Yinghong's presence Huzi would say nothing, insisting that he must see Jiang Yan himself.

Yinghong knew that Jiang Yan had asked Chen Xi to inquire after Li Liang's whereabouts, and did not dare stand in her way; she went to report the matter to Jiang Yan.

Jiang Yan was greatly astonished to hear it.

She met Huzi very soon after.

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Brothers and sisters, here is today's update.

o(n_n)o~

ps: Monday has come around again—are you all busy too?