Chapter 145 — Bereavement
Purple Streets of Chang'an · Page 3 of 4
He thought it over and told her all he knew: "I don't know the particulars. When I reached Young Master Mei's residence, the front was already a sea of white—all mourners come to pay their respects. I slipped in while I could. Old Chen said that when word of Jiang Lansun's death reached the house, the Duchess was already somewhat unwell. A few days after Young Master Mei left, she fell ill. The imperial physicians came and went, but her illness showed no improvement. The Duke of Zhenguo and the Second Young Master both attended her sickbed, and even the Empress Dowager and the Empress were alarmed; the Empress came in person to inquire after her. But the illness would not yield. It dragged on for over a month, and then she was gone."
Nothing out of the ordinary at all. Yet why did hearing it only make her feel more uneasy?
After seeing Duan Bing out and dismissing Suxin, Dou Yan pushed open the window of the study.
The great red lanterns lit the courtyard bright as day, and a piercing cold rushed in.
Dou Yan felt her spirits lift.
And when had Song Yan been driven from the family?
She could not help secretly regretting it.
Why had she not paid closer attention at the time?
Then she would not be so heavy with worry now.
Dou Yan sighed.
Just then she saw Su Lan hurrying across the courtyard toward her, a red gauze lantern in hand.
"What is it?" Dou Yan called out to her from the window before she had even drawn near.
Su Lan dropped her a perfunctory curtsy, gave no answer, and slipped through the door curtain.
Dou Chijin's heart sank; he dismissed all the servants in the room.
Su Lan waited until the two maids had gone out, then stepped to Dou Zhiwei's side and said in a low voice, "Lu Ming wants to see you! Now!"
At this hour the second gate was already locked, Dou Chujin received no outsiders, and Lu Ming had never once asked to see Dou Yan at such a time.
Dou Yan's heart began to pound. "Bring him in at once!" she said.
Su Lan gave a muted "Mm," went out with a grave face, and returned shortly with Lu Ming.
After greeting Dou Yan, Lu Ming stood in the hall and said nothing.
Su Lan at once dismissed the servants in the room, shut the latticed doors of the hall, and kept watch outside.
Lu Ming stepped forward and said quietly, "Third Master Jiang is dead. By the young master's command, Mr. Yan went to Haozhou to visit Madam Mei. Madam Mei feared the young master had no one to attend him, so she sent Xu Qing back to the capital with Mr. Yan. On the road they were set upon. Xu Qing is gravely wounded, and Mr. Yan took an arrow in the shoulder, yet they could never shake off their pursuers. Mr. Yan set a decoy to draw them off, and he and Xu Qing are hiding at your estate. He asks that you send word to the Yingzhenguo Mansion and have men come to their relief."
Dou Zhiwei had a very bad feeling.
First Lady Jiang's death, and then Yan Che and Xu Qing hunted down.
Was there some connection between the two?
"Do you know who is hunting them?" she asked, her face darkening despite herself.
"We don't know who they are." Lu Ming's face was grim as well. "They cling to us like maggots on bone; there is no shaking them off. Even when Xu Qing took one alive, the man crushed his own teeth and swallowed poison on the spot—they are kept dead men. Mr. Yan fears they have hidden heavy forces along the road to the capital and dares not go farther. He can only send word to the mansion and wait for relief."
Dou Yan did not answer at once. She sat there and lightly tapped her fingertips on the table.
Lu Ming hardly dared breathe.
Strictly speaking, the fourth young lady of the Dou family had neither kin nor acquaintance with the Yingzhenguo Mansion; she was at odds with the young master besides, and she was only a woman. Even to stand by and watch would have been perfectly reasonable. Their request was indeed a bit much.