Purple Streets of Chang'an - Chapter 27 — The Unexpected - 清風書屋

Not long after Aunt left, word came from Jiangnan.

The household was thrown into chaos at once.

First Aunt, unable to bear the shock, took to her bed; Third Aunt took charge of the inner affairs of the East Dou branch. Third Uncle took Second Cousin Dou Yuchang with him to Yangzhou to see to First Uncle's funeral arrangements, Fourth Cousin Dou Rongchang assisted Sixth Uncle in managing the family's sundry business, and Grandfather seemed to have aged ten years overnight, lying all day on the reclining chair in his study, staring blankly at nothing.

A gloom hung over both the East and West Dou households.

None of it touched Dou Yan. She went on dragging into her room whatever took her fancy each day. Dou Huaiying teased her: "Not going to see your sister anymore?"

"Concubine Wang doesn't like me going to see her." Dou Yan pouted, looking utterly unconcerned, though a small hurt flickered in her eyes.

Dou Huaiying's heart skipped a beat. He said nothing, only reached out to smooth Dou Yan's dark hair, and murmured, "Very well then. Father will teach you to write."

Dou Yan asked Dou Huaiying, "When is Grandmother coming?"

The Mid-Autumn Festival was almost upon them, and she hoped to have a word with Grandmother then.

Dou Huaiying's brows drew together slightly. "Who told you to call Aunt Cui 'Grandmother'?"

Dou Yan cursed inwardly.

Grandmother had only come to be called "Grandmother" after Dou Xiao was born. From the time she was old enough to understand, she had lived her whole life alongside Grandmother, and in her memory she had always called her "Grandmother"—she had clean forgotten this point.

She had no choice but to hedge: "If not Grandmother, then what should I call her?"

"You must call her Aunt Cui!" Dou Huaiying instructed his daughter patiently. "Your First Uncle has passed away from illness, and everyone is in low spirits. I'm afraid this year's Mid-Autumn Festival won't be celebrated on any grand scale. Aunt Cui will likely stay at the farm for the holiday." Then he asked her, "Why do you want to see Aunt Cui?"

Dou Yan said, "They say Aunt Cui knows how to farm!"

Dou Huaiying laughed heartily. "That's right—your Aunt Cui is very good with crops. Her farm has always brought in the best returns of all our farms." As he spoke, his gaze turned somewhat distant.

Perhaps this was the sorrow of a concubine's son.

Dou Chi spoke of these things with Father again no more, and drew Father off to the study to practice calligraphy.

That year on the fifteenth of the eighth month, they did no more than share mooncakes. Compared with former years, when they had admired the moon and viewed the lanterns, it was a far quieter affair.

The maids whispered among themselves: "Who knows when this mourning period will ever end!"

By the end of the ninth month, First Uncle's coffin had been brought back to Zhending County.

The Dou family put on hemp and white, and half of Zhending County was clad in white.

The county magistrate of Zhending and Sixth Uncle and Father waited in person at the city gate to receive First Uncle's coffin. Grandfather and the Second Old Madam, being elders, did not attend the funeral.

Dou Yan met her ninth cousin, Dou Huanchang, whose childhood name was "Lan'er."

He was sixteen this year, thin and pale, and he stood trembling before First Uncle's spirit tablet, thanking the mourners who came to pay their respects. But when he turned around, he flung himself into Grandfather's arms and wept aloud: "Father coughed up so much blood..."

Tears at once filled Grandfather's eyes. He gathered the boy's shoulders and comforted him softly: "Good child, from now on you shall study with your granduncle."

Dou Huanchang nodded, gazing at Grandfather with a look full of tender devotion.

Dou Yan sneered inwardly.

Grandfather had taught Father all wrong, and now he was here to ruin First Uncle as well.