Chapter 475 — Sudden Illumination

He took a sip of tea.

Dou Bingheng said nothing.

Song Yan was not yet of age; to make him judge and choose at once, at this moment of life and death, was asking rather much of him.

The thought flashed past. He sighed inwardly.

His own two sons were older than Song Yan, yet now they fretted over the examination essays their tutor set them. Compared with Song Yan, they fell far short.

In days to come, the two boys would have Dou Juan to look after them in the examinations and their careers, but when they met with hard straits, they would likely still need to beg Song Yan for a helpful hand.

Thinking this, he found Song Yan rather more agreeable still.

"Think this over carefully," said Dou Bingheng, his voice turning gentler than before without his quite realizing it. "If it truly is too hard, there is no shame in feigning constant panic and pleading illness to resign. After all, you are not the only one who fears the Empress's kin." The last sentence came out with a touch of teasing.

Was this — was this not a little too intimate toward him?

Song Yan, still somewhat ill at ease, rose with a smile and took his leave.

Dou Bingheng saw him personally to the main gate before returning to his study.

The Fifth Madam, who had been keeping an eye on the study all along, came in bearing hot tea.

"My lord," she said with some concern, "has something happened over at the Yingzhen Estate?"

"Nothing much." The matter was grave, and Dou Bingheng kept silent even before his wife. "He was impeached, and came to me for advice."

The Fifth Madam breathed a sigh of relief.

Dou Bingheng suddenly brought up the Guo woman: "I recall she often took Jingjie to call at the Yingzhen Estate. Has she been going these days?"

Her husband never aimed an arrow at nothing.

The Fifth Madam said soberly, "It has been the New Year these past days. Everyone has been busy; the Guo woman has not been to the Yingzhen Estate for two months."

Dou Bingheng said, "Tell her to go see Shouyuan more often when she has the time. Kin grows closer the more one visits."

This was plainly meant to have the Guo woman cultivate ties with Dou Yan.

The Fifth Madam was astonished, but she trusted her husband and asked nothing, only smiled and said, "Very well."

When Song Yan reached home, Dou Yan and Yuan Heng had both finished washing and dressing; Dou Yan was on the kang with Yuan Heng, who wore only a lined jacket, coaxing him to roll over.

His son's guileless manner and innocent smile drove the chill from Song Yan's heart.

He kissed the little one's face, took off his clothes still bearing the frost, washed away the dust of the road, sat down beside Dou Yan, and, imitating Dou Zhiwei, teased Dongyuaner into rolling over.

Chen Yanzhou had already reported the whole course of events to Dou Yan. Dou Yan knew he had gone to the Locust Tree Lane, and so asked with a smile, "Was the trip smooth?"

"Very smooth!" Dou Bingheng was worthy of his rank as a Grand Secretary; his vision of affairs stood several steps above that of the secretaries about him. Song Yan told Dou Yan everything that had passed.

"The Empress's kin?" Dou Yan murmured, though his heart was somewhat disordered.

A man walking abroad shows the world a single face.

Because of what Shi Chuan had done, it was no longer possible for Song Yan to rely on the Prince of Liao. And now he had offended the Empress's kin as well... To remain neutral was already impossible.

Were they, then, to throw in their lot with the Crown Prince on that account?

But the Prince of Liao was the one who would triumph in the end!

Dou Yan twisted her fingers together, thinking that the Crown Prince had been born to eminence, and that there was no telling how many men had sought to attach themselves to his household. Even if Song Yan were to throw in his lot with the Crown Prince now, he likely still could not become one of the prince's trusted intimates.

And that would only make things more dangerous!

What on earth was she to do?

Both husband and wife wished to remain neutral, and so their spirits were rather low just then. Song Yan held Dou Yan in his arms, and for a long while neither of them closed their eyes.

With the fruit already in hand, it was easier to trace it back to its root.

Song Yan instructed Du Wei to search for clues along the lines Dou Bingheng had deduced.

Chen Jia, meanwhile, had come to fetch Jiang Yan home.

Her face flushed, Jiang Yan returned to Yuqiao Alley laden with the great and small bundles Dou Yan had prepared for her.

Seeing Chen Jia's rather grave expression, she asked with concern, "Did my brother give you a hard time?"

Jiang Yan could tell that Song Ke was fond of Chen Jia.

"Not at all." Chen Jia smiled and patted Jiang Yan on the head. "There is some trouble at the office, that is all. I was just wondering how best to handle it."

That was the sort of thing she could not help him with.

Jiang Yan gave a soft "oh," and tenderly helped Chen Jia wash and change.

Chen Jia's smile spilled from his eyes to the corners of his mouth.

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Sisters and brothers, here is the belated update for the sixteenth.