Chapter 94 — Aftermath
Purple Streets of Chang'an · Page 1 of 4
Dou Yan came out of Dou Yong's study.
He smiled and asked Dou Yan, "What? Leaving already? You are not staying a while longer?" As he spoke he lifted his eyelids slightly and cast a glance toward the study.
Do not look at what is improper; do not listen to what is improper.
How is this man so fond of prying into other people's business? What has become of all the books he has read?
And him a provincial graduate!
Displeased, Dou Yan gave him a faint nod and went to Lady Ji's rooms.
Ji Yong turned back and saw Wu Shan sitting there ashen-faced, wooden as a statue.
He called out to Wu Shan, but Wu Shan slammed the study window shut with a bang.
Ji Yong frowned, thought for a moment, and followed Dou Yan into Lady Ji's chambers.
Dou Yan was in the middle of taking her leave of Lady Ji.
Lady Ji took her hand and smiled with great tenderness: "Come sit with your Sixth Aunt whenever you have the time." As though she would never see her again.
A pang of guilt rose in Dou Yan's heart.
Sixth Aunt had treated her like a daughter, and she had failed to honor that kindness.
"I fear I shall make such a nuisance of myself that you will drive me out," she joked with her sixth aunt.
But Ji Yong asked her with a grin, "Did you not say you asked Wu Shan to paint a fan for you? Where is the fan?" He looked her up and down. "Surely Wu Shan is not incapable of painting? Shall I paint one for you? I am not bad at painting myself—I studied under Zhou Liuyi, the famous scholar of Jiangnan!"
Dou Yan felt a headache coming on, but for Sixth Aunt's sake she could not be too rude. She smiled and said, "Fourth Brother Wu said that once it is finished he will have a servant send it to the Western Mansion."
"Is that so?" Ji Yong was about to say more when Lady Ji cut him off with a warning note in her voice: "Jianming, did you not say you were going to Mount Tai in a couple of days to watch the sunrise? Have you finished packing? Is there anything you have not yet put together?"
Ji Yong pursed his lips and said no more.
Dou Yan caught a flicker of helplessness cross Lady Ji's face.
She rose quickly. "Sixth Aunt, I shall be on my way. As for the jasmine you wanted, I shall have them sent over at dusk."
"Thank you for the trouble, Shouyuan," Ji Wan said, and had her chief maid Caishu see Dou Yan out. Then she could not resist saying to Ji Yong, "What did Grandfather tell you? He told you to 'speak less and observe more.' Do not go breaking Grandfather's heart!"
Ji Yong muttered, "I know," but could not resist adding, "Do you not think that Wu Shan has no grace or bearing about him at all? He is utterly unworthy of Shouyuan. Who arranged this match? They might as well be playing a lute with the strings all in disarray!"
Lady Ji was so angry she could not speak for a long while. "What nonsense are you spouting? Whether he is worthy or not, what business is that of yours?"
Ji Yong said nothing.
Her expression softened, and she said gently, "Sometimes one cannot judge by appearances. Do not be so quick to draw conclusions."
Ji Yong gave a vague "oh," bowed respectfully to Lady Ji, and withdrew.
Lady Ji watched her nephew's upright figure, straight as a pine, and heaved a long sigh.
Meanwhile, Dou Yan was instructing Sulai: "Make frequent trips to the Eastern Mansion these next few days. The moment you hear any news, come and tell me at once."
Young as she was, Sulai was clever and quick-witted. In the past it had not been convenient to plant her own people in the Eastern Mansion, but with Sulai there the flow of information had grown far smoother.
Suxin hesitated. "Miss, in a matter like this, ought you not consult Aunt Cui? Or perhaps Seventh Master in the capital?"
She too thought the Wu family a fine match.