Chapter 493 — Celebration

"Here!" Seeing Dou Yan enter, he said rudely to the servants attending the room, "All of you, out. And shut the door."

The maids and serving women of the study turned pale. All of them looked at Dou Yan in alarm.

Dou Yan had never doubted him. She said gravely, "You may withdraw."

A faint smile touched the corner of Ji Yong's mouth.

The serving women slipped silently away.

Ji Yong stepped forward, came to Dou Zhiwei's side, and said in a low voice: "What is the matter with that young brother-in-law of yours? He is very thick with the Prince of Liao's household. Say a word to Song Yan. Tell him to rein in this cheap little brother of his, before he drags the whole family down with him."

At these words Dou Yan's heart pounded like a drum, so violently she could scarcely breathe. "How do you know there is something wrong with the Prince of Liao?"

Ji Yong's gaze darkened at this. Slowly he stepped back two paces. "It seems my worrying over you was wasted. About some things you knew they were amiss long ago."

There was more than a little irony in his voice.

Waiting is such a torment.

At this moment Dou Yan felt that every extra person who knew was one more ally.

She spoke plainly: "It is because Yan Tang commands the Jin Wu Guard. There is no going around it. But as for the rest, none of us dares say a word."

Ji Yong's expression eased somewhat, and he said smugly, "What am I? Day in and day out I turn over the appointments of this court. If I could not see this clearly, what business would I have becoming Chancellor and entering the Grand Secretariat?" Here he sighed. "I had meant to hold this treasure apart and throw in my lot with the Prince of Liao. It seems you mean to stand on the Crown Prince's side... Forget it. I shall help the Crown Prince too. Better that than see the Prince of Liao mount the throne while you all end up in a prisoner's cell. This Prince of Liao--a darling of Heaven, badly worsted now, his head bowed very low indeed--when he takes the throne his temper will surely turn overbearing, and you have married that fellow Song Yan. The tall tree catches the wind. I fear that when the time comes I may not be able to keep you and Yuan Heng safe..."

That conceited tone, as though the whole age lay in the palm of his hand, left Dou Yan speechless for a long while.

Yet she had to admit that Ji Yong saw things with deadly accuracy.

In her former life, after the Prince of Liao took the throne, he had indeed grown somewhat headstrong and self-willed, and was no easy emperor to speak with.

Still, she could not resist needling him. She smiled and said, "Are you quite sure you are merely a humble Messenger of the Messenger Office and not a Grand Secretary of the Grand Secretariat?"

Last time Ji Yong had discharged his assignment well, and the Emperor had plucked him up and set him in the Messenger Office as a Messenger.

His fellow graduates of that same examination class were either still grinding out seniority in the Hanlin Academy or had just finished their term there and were bent over documents in the Six Ministries. Only he had already been moved through three posts, and young as he was, he shone very bright.

Ji Yong cast Dou Chu a look of contempt. "Do you even know what the Messenger Office does? They are the Emperor's intimate servants! His intimates! If men would seize the palace, can they go around the Messenger Office? Truly, long hair, short wit! I will not talk to you further. Remember to tell Song Yan what I said, lest he get you killed."

With that he flung his sleeves and went out.

Dou Yan's face flushed with anger. She stood alone in the little flower hall and drew several deep breaths before her temper settled.

Song Yan came in carrying Yuan Heng in his arms.

From far off Yuan Heng was already calling "Mother," reaching out his hands for her to hold him.

Dou Xin took her son into her arms, beaming, and said in wonder, "What brings you here?"

Song Dan said, "Father wanted me to carry Yuan Heng out to show everyone, but the boy kept clamoring for you, so I thought I had better let you hold him a while first, lest he start crying and fussing once he reaches the front hall..."

Before he had even finished, Yuan Heng was already pouting his little mouth and saying, aggrieved, "I did not cry, I did not cry!"

Dou Chi could not help laughing. He stroked his son's head and said, "Our Yuan Heng is the best boy of all. He did not cry, he did not cry."

Only then did Yuan Heng smile.

That smile was brighter than the summer sun.

Dou Yan could not help but kiss her son. (To be continued)