Chapter 301 — Drawing Out the Threads
Purple Streets of Chang'an · Page 1 of 4
Chen Jia's words sounded absurd, but on closer thought,.
Still, whether what he said was true or false could be verified with a little investigation!
Song Yan pondered for a moment, then said, "What do you want?"
Chen Jia was overjoyed.
Song Yan clearly believed his story.
He hastened to say respectfully, "Young Master, I ask only that my misunderstanding with Lord Wang be cleared up, so that I may keep my place and earn my bread in the Embroidered Uniform Guard!"
So long as Song Yan was willing to speak for him, his release from trouble would be only a matter of days. And if his superior's superior's superior—Shi Chuan, Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard—learned that he could move Song Yan, he would naturally regard him with new eyes. When that time came, keeping a low profile would be impossible even if he wished it!
Why then should he make excessive demands of Song Yan and provoke Song Zhi's displeasure?
At this thought, he bent his waist even lower.
The other had given him such an important clue; this request was not unreasonable.
Song Yan nodded faintly and took up his tea.
Chen Jia rose to take his leave.
Yet the corner of his eye could not help stealing a glance at the screen.
As he walked out the door, he deliberately slowed his steps and pricked up his ears to listen.
Sure enough, he heard Song Yan say a few words in a low voice.
That voice was mild as a spring breeze, tinged with a tenderness and sweetness that defied description—where was there any trace of the coldness of a moment before?
Chen Jia was alarmed.
He longed to hear what Song Yan was saying. But at the sight of the servant leading his way, whose steady tread bespoke a trained fighter, he at once abandoned the notion.
Who on earth could be behind that screen?
Song Yan was plainly quite different toward this person.
Was it someone he loved?
He shook his head.
Given Song Yan's temperament, even the woman he loved most could never be made to hide behind a screen and spy.
Could it be someone of the Jiang family?
But the Emperor had exiled every male of the Jiang family above the age of five to Liaodong; only women and children remained...
That too was hardly likely.
The Jiang family was now in Haozhou. Even if a second Madame Mei had arisen among them, she could not have reached the capital so quickly after his sudden defection to Song Yan.
This person wielded such influence over Song Yan... Chen Jia resolved to investigate thoroughly whoever was behind that screen.
Song Yan was hard to win over—but would those about him be as hard to win over as he?
.
In the eyes of the Duke of Yingguo's heir, he was a nobody.
Song Yan could simply have refused to see him. The moment he appeared at the Daxing estate, he could have been seized on the spot, put to torture, made to squeeze out every scrap of information he knew, and then beheaded, his head sent to the Embroidered Uniform Guard under some charge such as "plotting treason"—which would have served as a warning to the ill-disposed and might even have been a chance to sweep up several of his trusted brothers in one net. That was why he had come alone this time...
Yet Song Ke had not only seen him, but was willing to negotiate terms with him!
Could it be because that person was present?
Chen Jia had a vague feeling.
Perhaps his fortune and glory hung upon this very person.
After Chen Jia had gone out, Song Yan took Dou Zhiwei's hand and led her to sit beside him, asking gently, "Did you feel stifled?"
Only two feet separated the screen from the wall, and the space was very small.
"It was fine!" Dou Yan said. "It is often cleaned, very tidy."
Song Yan sighed deeply. "Could my elder uncle truly have died like this?" His spirits were somewhat low, and his tone carried deep doubt.
"It must be so!" Dou Yan felt a piercing ache in her heart, regret and melancholy and sorrow all mingled together. "What do you mean to do?"
She believed Chen Jia had not lied.