Chapter 302 — The Hint
Purple Streets of Chang'an · Page 1 of 4
None of them—not Young Madame Wang, not the others—had expected Dou Yan to be quite so blunt. For a moment they all sat rather taken aback, until Cai, quick-witted as ever, said carelessly, "When sisters live under one roof, who doesn't knock against someone now and then? Give it time, and..." She lifted her handkerchief to her lips and smiled. "The truth is, I came today to ask a favor of the Fourth Young Mistress—last time I saw the Fourth Young Mistress wearing a large flower pin of crystal, and apart from the novel design, that grape-purple paired with peach-pink was striking indeed. Next month my eldest niece in my maiden family comes of age, and I've been thinking of giving her a set of hair ornaments to keep for her wedding day. Might I ask who made the Fourth Young Mistress's jewelry? I should like to have him make a set for my niece."
Whether the words were true or false hardly mattered; at least the matter had been smoothed over.
Young Madame Wang and Madame Zhang San both breathed a sigh of relief, and could not help regarding Cai with new eyes.
The large flower pin had been a gift from Song Yan.
Dou Yan genuinely had no idea where it had been bought.
She sent someone to ask Song Yan.
Cai's face flooded with envy. "The Fourth Young Mistress is truly blessed!" Then, with feigned reproach, "Not like me—I've been married to your Tenth Brother four or five years now, and he's never bought me so much as a handkerchief. Truly, one man's fate is another's misfortune! The Fourth Young Master is not only handsome but treats the Fourth Young Mistress so well—no wonder she's grown even lovelier since her marriage than she was at home!" She hid her mouth behind her handkerchief and tittered.
Her talk had grown rather unrestrained, as women's talk among intimates will.
After all, acquaintance was shallow for words so deep, and Young Madame Wang and Madame Zhang San smiled with some embarrassment.
Dou Yan pretended not to hear, and invited Young Madame Wang and Madame Zhang San to taste the tea.
Cai took no offense, but drew near and chattered on, and the atmosphere in the room grew lively and harmonious enough.
The servant sent to inquire after Song Yan soon returned, and gave the name of a silver shop.
Cai at once invited Dou Yan along: "Let me borrow a little of the Fourth Young Mistress's prestige."
Dou Yan understood perfectly well that Cai simply wished to draw closer to her. But she found Cai tiresome, and had a great deal of work on hand besides; she had no wish to take up with a woman so fond of gossiping about every household's business, and so declined politely: "That will depend on when the Tenth Sister-in-law goes to the silver shop. Counting the days, my father-in-law will be home soon, and with such a great affair having befallen the family, I don't know what he intends. I'm afraid I shan't have time to go browsing with the Tenth Sister-in-law for a while yet."
At this, Cai's eyes lit up.
Word was running through the capital just now that the heir of the Yingzhenguo Estate had crushed the Duke of Yingguo so thoroughly that the Duke could not lift his head—that if the Duke wished to take a second wife, he must first see whether his eldest son would consent. Even her father-in-law had privately asked her mother-in-law about the matter; only, the Fourth Young Mistress being but newly married, her mother-in-law could hardly summon her for questioning. If she herself could glean a hint or two, what standing would that Guo woman have left in the household?
Her mind made up, she smiled and said, "Then whenever the Fourth Young Mistress has a free moment, we'll go together."
Dou Xin said, "I wonder whether your niece can wait that long?"