Chapter 230 — Telling Her
Purple Streets of Chang'an · Page 3 of 4
"According to Duan Bing's recommendation, the heir's skills are superb, yet he was beaten half to death by Song Cen, who cannot so much as truss a chicken. In the end, it was only because Song Cen held the name of father over him, catching the heir off guard." Chen Yanzhou continued, "One cannot recognize the true face of Mount Lu, only because one is standing inside the mountain itself. But we are different. We are all outsiders, and we can see things more clearly, more plainly. I have pondered the young lady's worries carefully as well." He leaned forward slightly, gazing at Dou Yan with burning eyes. "This is like a trap. If we can expose the trap, we will know why Song Cen treats the heir as he does. With the heir's talent and methods, why should he worry about being unable to deal with Song Cen? Once the internal threat is eliminated, what external threat need we fear? How then could the Ying Duke's household come crashing down?" As he spoke, he leaned back against the back of the armchair, raised his brows, and smiled with great ambition. "Young lady, every man wishes to 'sober, hold the power of the realm in his hand; drunk, lie at the knee of a beauty.' There are many women in this world who could help the heir spread his branches and leaves, but if you hold this pledge of allegiance, you may walk the Ying Duke's household with your head held high for the rest of your days! Is that not far better than crouching in the Dou family, fighting it out with those women and children?"
By now Dou Yan had calmed down.
She could not help throwing cold water on Chen Yanzhou: "But if it is discovered that the heir is not Song Cen's own son, what awaits us is likely to be silenced for good, is it not?"
Chen Yanzhou chuckled and said, "If Song Cen wants to kill the heir, after much thought I can see only two possibilities. One, the heir is not Song Cen's flesh and blood. Two, the heir has done something that threatens Song Cen's very life. When I heard that you were betrothed to the heir, I went to make some inquiries, and afterward I sought out an old friend and asked him to help investigate the heir's affairs. The heir's wet nurse was chosen from the ** household. She is a native of Wanping County, left the household when she was three, and is alive and well today; she tells everyone she meets that she once served as the heir's wet nurse. According to her, she arrived at the Ying Duke's household ten days before the heir was born. When Lady Jiang gave birth, the midwife was one recommended by the Empress's own household, a woman who had delivered the Empress herself. Not only was the late Matriarch Sun of the Ying Duke's household present in the birthing room, but the late Matriarch Mei of the Ding Duke's household was there as well, while the old Duke of Ying waited in the courtyard. After the heir was bathed, the two matriarchs personally carried him to the door of the birthing room so that the old Duke of Ying and Song Cen might have a look at him. Afterward, at Matriarch Sun's invitation, Matriarch Mei personally took charge at the upper courtyard and directed the servants in preparing Lady Jiang's confinement month, while Matriarch Sun, together with the wet nurse and a crowd of maids and serving women, looked after the heir. Apart from attending court, the old Duke of Ying spent all his time holding his grandson... There is almost no possibility that the heir was swapped."
Dou Yan did not believe at all that Song Yan was not Song Cen's son, but Chen Yanzhou's meticulous manner still filled her with admiration. She said thoughtfully, "Then you suspect that the heir has done something that threatens Song Cen's very life?"
Chen Yanzhou nodded and said gravely, "Either he has done something that threatens Song Cen's life, or he has done something that harms Song Cen's interests—something that makes Song Cen prefer to kill his own son rather than give way."
Dou Yan could not help knitting her brows tightly.