Chapter 466 — Abduction

The physician, summoned in all haste by the Six Doors, came out of the inner chamber looking greatly relieved. He bowed respectfully to Song Yan and said, "There is nothing seriously wrong with either of the young ladies in your household. A few doses of a calming decoction will set them right."

Song Yan rewarded him, then took Jiang Yan and Yinghong back to the Yingzhen Estate.

Jiang Ling, who had waited in vain for Jiang Yan to arrive, had felt something was amiss the moment she heard people gossiping about an eloping concubine. Once the maid she sent out came back with news, she realized at once that the one in trouble was most likely Jiang Yan.

She was frantic with worry. She hurried to the Yingzhen Estate.

Out of trust in Song Yan, Dou Yan comforted Jiang Ling in a gentle voice.

Jiang Ling gradually calmed down and sat with Dou Yan in the room, waiting for news of Jiang Yan. When Jiang Yan returned to the estate, she made a show of supporting Dou Yan as they went out to meet her.

Seeing that Jiang Yan was still muddled and had no idea what had happened, Song Yan simply told her she had mistaken the person, and that once the household's master discovered it, he had reported it to the Six Doors.

Jiang Yan turned the whole matter over in her mind and found nothing suspicious in it. Her heart was set at ease. When she saw Dou Yan and Jiang Ling, guilt was written all over her face, but she was still able to reassure them: "I'm fine. It was all a misunderstanding."

Dou Yan showed nothing on her face. Smiling, she fell in with Jiang Yan's account, cheerfully instructed the little maids to prepare peach-wood water for Jiang Yan's bath and to cook her a bowl of peace noodles, and sent Jiang Yan back to Green Water Pavilion.

Jiang Ling too pretended that nothing had happened, talking and laughing along with Dou Yan. But once Jiang Yan had returned to Green Water Pavilion, a shadow of gloom flickered across her brows. A little anxiously, she asked Song Yan, "Cousin, about Yan's business—there's nothing seriously wrong, is there?"

"Nothing serious," Song Yan said with a smile, his gaze sharp, his manner that of a man who had everything well in hand.

Jiang Ling was reassured. With her usual quick understanding, she said to Dou Yan, "Since I've come out anyway, I may as well keep Yan company for a while. It will set the elders' minds at rest too."

Dou Yan nodded with a smile and went back to the main courtyard.

She told Song Yan about Jiang Ling's visit, and an unconscious yearning crept into the corners of her eyes and brows: "It's a pity I came to the capital so late. I never got to witness the Jiang family in all its glory."

Song Yan understood what she meant and smiled. "The plum blossom's fragrance comes from the bitter cold. Back then, you might not have been able to appreciate the Jiang family's resilience."

Dou Yan nodded repeatedly.

A servant came in to announce, "Master, Madam, Young Master Gu is here!"

Song Yan instructed the servant, "Have him wait in the study. I'll be there as soon as I've changed my clothes."

The servant answered and withdrew.

The little maid had just brought in water when another servant came to report that Ma Youming had come calling.

Song Yan changed his clothes, and Jiang Yi arrived as well.

Dou Yan straightened his collar for him and said, "It looks as though everyone has heard about this business."

Song Yan gave an "Mm" and said, "I think that story they concocted is a good one. We'll tell everyone that some men sent to seize and escort an eloping concubine mistook the carriage."

Dou Yan nodded with a smile.

Meanwhile, Shi Chuan, the Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, stood with his hands clasped behind his back by the railing on the top floor of the Drunken Immortal Tavern, gazing off in the direction of the Yingzhen Estate.

Within a hundred zhang of the Forbidden Palace, no building of more than two stories was permitted.

The Yingzhen Estate stood right beside the Forbidden Palace.

From the Drunken Immortal Tavern, in truth, nothing could be made out clearly.

But for some reason, Shi Chuan felt as though he could see Song Yan standing in the middle of the Yingzhen Estate's broad main courtyard, looking toward him.

His hand gripped the vermilion railing tightly.

Liu Yu's heart tightened along with his hand, and he could not help saying, "If Song Yantang finds out, what shall we do?"

"He won't find out," Shi Chuan said with absolute certainty. "The Prince of Liao, Song Yantang—don't be fooled by how amiable they are when they meet us. At bottom, they are the masters, and we are nothing but their servants. Please them, and of course they'll toss you a few sweet dates. But anger them, and they'll turn on you without a moment's mercy."

Liu Yu could not resist muttering inwardly: Since you know full well how merciless these people are, why did you have Jiang Yan seized the moment Geng Li had one foot out of the Yingguo Estate?

"You don't understand!" Shi Chuan, seeing what was in Liu Yu's mind, laughed. "In the Prince of Liao's eyes, only Song Yantang is worth speaking to. We, at best, are fit to carry his shoes. As long as Song Yantang is around, none of us will ever rise."

Liu Yu still did not understand.

To his mind, whether the Prince of Liao's business succeeded was still uncertain. Was it not a bit early to be stirring up trouble now?

But seeing that Shi Chuan had no intention of saying more, he wisely held his tongue.

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Sisters and brothers, that's all the update for today.

o(n_n)o~