Chapter 181 — A Change of Heart (Begging for Pink Votes)
Purple Streets of Chang'an · Page 1 of 4
Before Wei Wan could speak, Fan shi had already stepped forward and planted herself in front of her. Facing Mrs. Zheng, she said coldly, "I wonder what grounds Mrs. Zheng has for such a remark? Perhaps Mrs. Zheng does not know that our household's old patriarch took a liking to the Book of Changes in his later years. Whenever a son or daughter was born into the family, a divination had to be cast. A true master from Dragon-Tiger Mountain even came to visit once, and so several of the masters in our family acquired the same fondness and took to studying the Book of Changes. The Seventh Master in particular—he has lectured on the Book of Changes before the Emperor himself, and there is no one more skilled at averting ill fortune and warding off evil. If the Fourth Miss were truly as Mrs. Zheng says, why has our Seventh Master never once mentioned it?"
With that, she turned and shot a glance at Wei Wan. "The betrothal between our Fourth Miss and the Marquis of Jining was settled when they were children, and three years ago the horoscope papers were formally exchanged. To show his solemn regard, the late Marquis of Jining even invited the Director of the Imperial Observatory to personally match the Eight Characters of our Fourth Miss and the Marquis. At the time, the Director declared it 'a match made in Heaven,' and the late Marquis was so delighted that he presented the Director with a piece of Shoushan stone. Everyone in both the Dou and Wei families knows of this. How is it that Mrs. Zheng lays the late Marquis's death at our Fourth Miss's feet?"
She went on, "Birth, aging, sickness, and death are the common lot of humanity. Mrs. Zheng and our household have never been close, yet Mrs. Zheng ties all these matters to our Fourth Miss—I wonder what her intent might be? And from what source did she hear such rumors?" Her eyes fixed on Wang Xu shi. "We are both women. You are older than our Fourth Miss—can it be you do not know what harm such words do to her?"
Fan shi and Mrs. Zheng stood locked in confrontation. Pointing at the mulberry to curse the locust, her words sharp and merciless, there was not a soul present who did not understand her meaning. A hush fell. Some glanced at Wang Xu shi, some at Mrs. Zheng and Wang Shuying, but most turned their eyes to Wei Wan, eager to know what she would say—Wei Wan was Wei Fan's elder sister, and at times her stance stood for Tian shi's, and so could sway the Marquis of Jining's.
Even Mrs. Wang, who had earlier steered clear of the matter, could not help holding her breath and pricking up her ears.
A surge of triumph rose in Wei Wan's heart.
This was precisely what she wanted.
Whether Dou Yan brought misfortune upon his kin did not matter in the least. So long as everyone learned of it, she could ride the tide and turn the situation to the Wei family's greater advantage.
"This..." Wei Wan put on a show of being caught in a difficult position.
Sometimes, being unable to answer is itself an answer.
Some shook their heads in regret, some fell into thought, and others wore the gloating delight of spectators who feared the stage was not high enough.
Wei Wan fought hard to keep from laughing aloud.
Fan shi thought she could thus protect Dou Zhiwei's reputation, never realizing that the more she did so, the more interested everyone became, and the more this affair drew the gaze of all.
She was just pondering whether to confirm Mrs. Zheng's words with "ever since my brother took up his post in attendance, Mother has been ill," or with "when the Eight Characters were matched, the Director of the Imperial Observatory also said my brother's horoscope was auspicious—that any woman who married him would enjoy glory and wealth—and never paid heed to whether the Fourth Miss of the Dou family was ill-matched with her elders," when she saw her own personal maid hurrying toward her, drenched in sweat and plainly frantic.
Wei Wan was startled, and could not help but be distracted.