Chapter 312 — Examination
Purple Streets of Chang'an · Page 1 of 4
"Song Yan?" Her aunt stared at Dou Yan in astonishment.
"Exactly!" Dou Yan's face lit up in keen interest. "His parents are both dead, and there is no one else in the family. He spent those years with Mr. Song in Zhending—you saw it yourself—no one could be of a more honest and kind nature. If we could take him as a live-in husband, nothing could be better!"
Her aunt came back to her senses. Seeing how serious Dou Yan looked, she was torn between exasperation and amusement. "Don't tell me you decided this on the spur of the moment?"
If she admitted it was a spur-of-the-moment decision, her aunt, cautious in all things, would certainly turn her down flat.
Dou Yan denied it vehemently. "Of course not. I had this in mind all along—it is only that the Song family's foundation is too thin. You were the one who said we should find someone from a scholarly household, and Song Yan is the only fit match." With that, she pressed her aunt for a decision. "Just tell me, is it workable or not? If he pleases you, then while Mr. Song and Song Yan have not yet set out for home, I will have Yantang step forward and act as go-between. If you are not satisfied, we will think of something else." Then she muttered under her breath, "For a live-in son-in-law, isn't it best if there are as few relatives as possible in the family? And Song Yan is someone we watched grow up—we know him inside and out. Who could be a better choice?"
Since a family sought a live-in son-in-law, it was certain their own line of descent was thin. And though contracts regarding inheritance and support were always drawn up beforehand, it was all too common—as the father aged and declined, and the capable, shrewd son-in-law gradually grew in power—for him to seize the wife's family fortune and then take another wife and have children of his own. This was one important reason why families were so cautious about taking a live-in son-in-law, and why they placed such weight on the man's character.
In this respect, Song Yan's character truly left nothing to be desired.
It was only that, coming from the woman's side, it did look rather like forcing a duck onto a perch.
Her aunt hesitated.
Dou Yan herself found Song Yan more suitable the more she thought about it—not only was he handsome, but his temper was mild, he was quick and diligent with his hands, and honest to the core. When her uncle and aunt grew old, with Song Yan to care for them, they would surely live comfortably.
Seeing her waver, she hurried to say, "Whether it works or not, we have to try, don't we? Cousin is already twenty. How many more years do you plan to keep her?"
Her aunt thought it over and still chose the steady approach. "You sound them out first. If the Song family is willing, it will not be too late for us to make the proposal then."
Dou Yan gave a "mm" of assent and went off happily to the front flower hall.
Song Yan was speaking with Song Yan—the younger—at that moment: "...To think we are of the same clan! Might I ask where you are from? How old are you this year? What did your father do? Who else is in your family? Have you had any schooling?"
Mr. Song merely assumed that Song Yan was curious upon meeting someone of the same surname, and suspected nothing. The younger Song Yan was even less inclined to suspicion. He answered each question respectfully: "I am from Quzhou. I have only just come of age this year. My father was originally a xiucai who made his living teaching in a school. He fell ill and died when I was three; by the time I was seven, my mother had passed away as well, and there is no one left in the family. I followed my uncle in my studies for some years and learned a few characters."
He was modest and courteous, and Song Yan nodded to himself in approval. Then he asked, "Since you have already come of age, have you taken a courtesy name?"
"I have!" said Song Yan. "My uncle gave me the courtesy name Qianli."