Chapter 286 — Reunion
Purple Streets of Chang'an · Page 1 of 4
After seeing Wei Wan off, Wei Fan followed Dou Ming back to the upper courtyard of the Jining Marquisate, sullen and silent.
Dou Ming went straight into the inner chamber.
Wei Fan, however, stood in the hall for a long while before turning and heading to the study.
When Dou Ming came out after changing her clothes and did not see Wei Fan, she could not help asking in surprise, "Where is the Marquis?"
The servants in the room all trembled with fear and dared not make a sound. Zhu'er had no choice but to steel herself and step forward to inform Dou Ming of Wei Fan's whereabouts.
Dou Ming's face turned ashen. With a sharp crack, she hurled the teacup at her side to the floor.
For a moment, the inner chamber was dead silent.
Her fingertips trembling, Dou Ming ordered Zhu'er, "Have the maids set the meal!"
Zhu'er did not dare delay. She hastily assented and, together with the maids, laid out the evening meal on the large kang by the window in the inner chamber.
Dou Ming ate slowly, and did not set down her bowl until the first watch of the night.
But Wei Fan still did not appear.
Zhu'er, with practiced tact, said, "The Marquis took his evening meal in the study."
Dou Ming raised her head and glanced at her.
Her gaze was sharp as a blade's edge. "Have you nothing better to do? The Jining Marquisate's laundry is short-handed!"
Zhu'er's face went pale, and she murmured assent, not daring to say another word.
Dou Ming only felt more stifled. She washed up hastily and went to bed.
A young maid went to close the door.
Dou Ming flew into another temper. "Locking doors and shutting windows—what do I keep you night watchers for?"
The young maid was scolded for no reason she could fathom, unable to tell what she had done wrong.
Only then did Zhu'er finally understand.
The madam was waiting for the Marquis to return, yet was too proud to admit it.
She quickly ordered the young maid to reopen the door, and had bedding brought in to keep watch through the night in the inner chamber. Only then did Dou Ming's expression improve somewhat.
Zhu'er did not dare sleep. She kept her eyes open, waiting for Wei Fan to come back to the room.
But Wei Fan never came back.
Dou Ming tossed and turned in bed like a pancake on a griddle, unable to sleep.
Zhu'er, however, did not dare let Dou Ming discover that she was still awake. She lay rigid and motionless, not even daring to breathe loudly.
Mistress and servant watched thus as the sky gradually paled toward dawn.
At last, the bed-curtains fell quiet.
Zhu'er let out a breath of relief.
.
But from within the curtains came a faint, muffled weeping, interspersed with Dou Ming's curses: "If you have any backbone, then don't come to me for the appointment letter for the Vice Commander of the Five Cities Garrison at Yancheng…"
Half a capital city away from the Jining Marquisate, in the Yizhi Hall of the Yingzhenguo Estate, Dou Yan awoke.
She opened her eyes and saw Song Yan's sleeping face.
His skin was lustrous as fine jade, his black hair falling softly on the crimson silk pillow embroidered with twin lotus blossoms—an indescribable gentleness and elegance.
Such a youth, fresh as clear wind and morning dew, yet in the bedchamber possessed a ruggedness and abandon wholly at odds with his appearance.
At the thought, Dou Yan's face burned hot. The exquisite splendor of the previous night seemed to course once more through her limbs, leaving her body somewhat weak. Only then did she realize she was held in Song Yan's arms. Their limbs were tangled together, so that half her body had gone numb.
She could not help but let out a soft moan.
Beside her ear rose Song Yan's clear, resonant voice: "You're awake!"
"Mm!" Dou Yan answered, kneading her numb right shoulder.
"What's wrong?" Song Yan turned on his side and asked with concern.
"My body's gone numb!"
"Where does it feel numb?" Song Yan said. "Let me rub it for you."