Chapter 469 — Taking Sides

Song Yan was silent for a long moment. Then he said, "This year, go into the palace and pay the Crown Princess a New Year's call."

Did that not mean throwing in their lot with the Heir Apparent?

Dou Yan was startled.

Song Yan put an arm around her and laughed. "Where has your imagination run off to? His Highness has given us a cake; we can hardly do nothing at all in return, can we? As for the Prince of Liao, we shall send the New Year's gifts exactly as we have in years past."

Having uncovered the business with Shi Chuan, Song Ke had perhaps gone over to the Prince of Liao; otherwise people would take Song Yan for a man afraid of the Prince of Liao, and then where would his bottom line be? Anyone who pleased could step up and trample Song Yan twice.

Dou Yan murmured her assent.

Yet when they reached the Yingzhenguo estate, they ran into Gao Sheng at the gate.

Gao Sheng said with a smile, "Tomorrow the Twelfth Master formally enters his service, so the master sent me to tell the young master and young madam not to forget tomorrow's drinking at Longhua Temple Lane."

Song Yan answered him and told Gao Sheng to carry a few jars of the pear-blossom white bestowed by the palace back to Dou Huaiying.

Gao Sheng, all thanks and gratitude, wended his way home.

The next day Song Yan, Dou Yan, and Yuan Heng, all turned out in new clothes, set off for Heming Temple Lane.

Dou Huaiying took Yuan Heng in his arms and would not let go.

The guests arrived in ones and twos. Seeing the little child in Dou Huaiying's arms, fair and round as carved jade, they could not resist coming up to tease him.

For a while the hall was loud with laughter.

Then someone asked, "How is it we have not seen the Fifth Master and Fifth Madam?"

Dou Huaiying, fearing that Dou Ming would kick up a fuss and leave Dou Huaide with no face, had sent word to Wei Fan alone. Whether he came or not was his own affair.

But when Wei Fan truly failed to appear, Dou Huaiying was still somewhat displeased.

He frowned slightly and was about to offer a word or two by way of excuse when Wei Fan hurried in.

Wei Fan wore a brand-new brocade robe of sapphire blue embroidered with medallions in pale blue, and over it a cloak of dark grey squirrel fur. He came through the door bowing to all and apologizing: "Ming wanted to come; she meant to come along. But she caught a chill yesterday and is poorly today. The doctor made up a few doses for her, and after taking them she is drowsy and wants only to sleep, so I did not let her come."

No one thought much of it.

Dou Ming had for some time been returning to her natal home; whenever there was any happy or mournful occasion in the Dou family, they simply sent word to Wei Fan. If he chose to come, he came; if he did not, no one went to fetch him three times or four.

Dou Yong and the others stepped forward smiling to greet him.

A young maid ran up to take Wei Fan's cloak.

Dou Jichang's sharp eyes caught several scratch marks on Wei Fan's neck.

He threw Dou Huaide a look.

Dou Huaide coughed softly twice, a sign for him not to meddle in other people's business.

When Dou Jichang got home, he told Fifth Madam the whole of it.

Fifth Madam warned him as well: "This is a matter for the Jining Marquisate. Pretend you know nothing of it."

Returning to the Jining Marquisate, Wei Fan went straight to the courtyard where Madam Tian lived in her widowhood.

The maids hurried forward to help him off with his cloak.

But he thrust the little maid aside and asked Nurse Tian urgently, "How is she?"

Nurse Tian's eyes dimmed. In a low voice she said, "The doctor says that if she can last through tonight, mother and child will both be safe; but if she cannot last through tonight..."

At this Wei Fan's face changed utterly; grinding his teeth, he said in bitter fury, "How could she be so vicious at heart, to take my child's life with a single bowl of medicine!"

Nurse Tian bowed her head and said nothing.

Wei Fan strode quickly into the inner chamber.

The room, its underfloor flues well fired, was warm as spring.

On the great kang by the window lay a young girl with a pallid face; she was none other than the maid who had served Wei Fan in his study that day.

Tian Shi was sitting by the edge of the kang, rolling prayer beads between her fingers and reciting sutras.

Hearing the stir, both of them looked over. The young woman murmured "Marquis" with downcast eyes and struggled to rise.

But Tian Shi pressed her back onto the kang and said softly, "Lie down now, or you will disturb the child."

The young woman gazed up at Wei Fan and lay back obediently.

Wei Fan sat down beside Tian Shi and asked with concern, "Are you well?"

The young woman nodded.

Wei Fan's expression eased somewhat.

Yet Tian Shi's eyes grew moist, and she turned her head away. "What do you mean to do about Ming Jie'er?" she asked in a low voice.

Wei Fan looked somewhat at a loss. "Ming Jie'er is, after all, my legal wife..."

He had been wrong first, taking a maid; he could accept Ming Jie'er's temper. But she should not have been so cruel as to beat the child out of his maid... Dou Zhiwei's child was nearly half a year old, while he had not a single one at his knee...

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To all the sisters and brothers reading this, here is today's update.

o(n_n)o~