Chapter 191 — A Lesson
Purple Streets of Chang'an · Page 2 of 4
Dou Yan found an opportunity to instruct Suxin. "Go and tell Young Master Ji that I have something to say to him, and that he is to come over when he has the time." In her heart she could not help but sigh. Back in Zhending, though there were many elders above her, she and Grandmother had lived in the West Dou compound, and whenever anything came up everyone came to report it to her. Her word was law, and she could decide everything herself. Now that she had come to the capital, though there were fewer elders above her, she had moved into the Huai Tree Alley house, and whatever happened, people reported it either to Dou Bingheng or to the Fifth Madam, or at the very least to the Sixth Madam—there was nothing left for her. Even seeing Old Chen had become most inconvenient, to say nothing of seeing Ji Yong.
When all was said and done, Zhending was better!
Perhaps for just this reason, Ji Yong did not come to see her until five or six days had passed.
By then the Fifth Madam had already heard the news that Wei Wan had taken a fancy to the young lady of the Ting'an Marquis's household, and in a fury she had shut the door and sat down with the Sixth Madam to plot a countermeasure.
Ji Yong flung himself carelessly into the armchair by the kang and asked Dou Yan, "What did you want with me? Surely you are not going to tell me you mean to break off the engagement with Wei Fan?" There was a note of mockery in his voice.
It seemed Ji Yong still brooded over her insistence on marrying Wei Fan.
Dou Yan asked him, "What did you have Dou Ming do for you?"
Ji Yong started slightly. "So you know!" Then, curious, he said, "How did you find out? Did you catch Dou Ming out in something?" He sighed. "I knew Dou Ming could not be relied upon, but I never thought she would give herself away so quickly. What did she tell you…"
Dou Yan only watched his eyes quietly and said nothing.
Under her gaze Ji Yong grew uncomfortable, and said loudly, "All right, all right, what are you staring at me like that for? You only want to know what I had Dou Ming do, do you not? I will tell you, then. I saw that the Wei Fan boy had no steadiness in him, so I had Dou Ming coax Wei Fan into escorting her to Puji Temple…"
When all was said and done, it was still meant to give the appearance that Dou Ming and Wei Fan had secretly exchanged gifts.
Dou Yan closed her eyes, and only after a good while did she master her feelings. Then she asked him, "And then?"
"What?" Ji Yong was puzzled for a moment, but quickly caught on and laughed. "It was only to see whether Wei Fan would take the bait…"
Dou Yan looked into his eyes and cut him short. "I thought you would respect my decision."
Ji Yong's voice broke off. The careless smile faded little by little, giving way to something grave.
"Or is it that you do not trust my judgment?" Dou Yan went on. "So that whatever decision I make, so long as you think it wrong, you will find some way to correct it for me, until I act according to your wishes?"
That was not it.
Ji Yong wanted instinctively to deny it, but the words died at his lips; whatever defense he might make, it seemed it would ring hollow.
"Cousin Ji." Dou Yan gazed at him earnestly. "I hope you will have a little more faith in me, and stop meddling in my marriage. If I need your help, I will ask you for it." As she spoke, the corners of her mouth lifted in a smile for him.
Ji Yong could not bring himself to smile.
For the first time in his life, he felt as though a great boulder had been set upon his heart, crushing the breath from him.
Suddenly a clamor arose from outside.
This was the inner court of the Dou residence—how could there be such an uproar here?
Dou Yan's brows knitted slightly.
Suxin came running in in a fluster; heedless of Ji Yong's presence, she blurted, "Bad news! The Fifth Young Lady was going with the Marquis of Jining to visit the Puji Temple, and Steward Gao caught them and blocked them at the main gate."