Chapter 361 — Daughter
Purple Streets of Chang'an · Page 2 of 4
Guo Shi opened her mouth but said nothing. Yet as she looked at her daughter, tears could not help glistening in her eyes.
Just before the New Year, Dou Bochang's concubine, Concubine Bai, had borne Dou Bochang a bastard eldest son, Dou Yun.
Guo Shi's voice grew softer and softer.
Dou Yan pitied her greatly, yet was also angry at her for not fighting for herself.
What was wrong with a daughter? Did a daughter not have Dou blood flowing in her veins too? Was a daughter necessarily less filial and sensible than a son?
Dou Yan stroked Dou Pinyuan's head and said to Guo Shi, "Sister-in-Law Ten, why not bring Pinyuan along too? I will send a few more guards and some experienced old nurses. We will certainly take good care of Pinyuan."
"Let's go, let's go!" Seeing that Aunt Dou Yan was speaking up for her, Dou Pinyuan wheedled all the more coquettishly.
Guo Shi's circumstances were difficult, and so she wished all the more for her daughter to be happy.
She cast Dou Yan a grateful glance and said with a smile to Dou Pinyuan, "Then you must obey the nurses and not run around everywhere..."
"I'll be good, I'll be good!" Dou Pinyuan bobbed her little head like a pecking chick, yet the sight of it made Dou Yan's heart ache.
On the way home, she leaned against Song Yan's shoulder and asked him, "If I keep bearing daughters, will you treat our daughters well?"
Song Yan said sensitively, "What happened? Did your sister-in-law look at some flower tree or other and say you would bear daughters? Our family has few heirs—even daughters are just as precious. Do not let your thoughts run wild." With that, he put his arm around Dou Yan and said, "What is more, they would be our daughters, with my blood flowing in their veins and yours as well. They are certain to be the cleverest and most beautiful, beyond anyone's compare. If we have many daughters, we can pick our sons-in-law and choose all the fine sons of other families for our household. Every New Year and festival they will send us wine and tea—how it will drive those who bear sons mad with envy!"
Dou Yan burst out laughing. "Stop trying to coax me into good spirits!"
"I truly mean it," Song Yan said. "If the house were full of girls, every day would be like viewing flowers—just thinking of it is pleasing to the eye. But if the house were full of boys, think about it: each one standing there thick-limbed and burly—what pleasure is there in that?"
Dou Yan thought about it, and it really did seem as he said. If she bore several more daughters and dressed them up nicely, would it not be like viewing flowers?
"You are just trying to scare me for all you are worth, aren't you?" She pressed her lips together and smiled. "With my looks, there is no way I could bear thick-limbed, burly sons. If I truly did bear thick-limbed, burly sons, they would surely take after the ancestors of your Song family!"
"That is impossible!" Song Yan said. "The Yingzhenguo Estate is famous for producing handsome men. When the founding emperor took our Chixiao Sect under his wing, it was because he saw that we were docile, obedient, and comely of face."
"Really?" Dou Xin said, reaching out to turn his face toward her. "Let me see—just where exactly are you handsome?"
Song Ke gave a disdainful little snort and put on an air of noble aloofness.
Dou Yan laughed heartily.
The couple talked all the way back to Yizhi Hall.
Only then did Dou Yan remember the matter of the Lantern Festival. She hurriedly took it up with Song Yan, and fearing that Xia Lian might have other commitments at the time, said, "I will just have Duan Bing and Chen Lanxu and the others accompany us."
Song Yan thought for a moment and said, "For the guards, use Duan Bing and his men. After all, they are more familiar with the Dou household and easier to work with. As for the rest, leave it to Ziai Peak. You need not concern yourself." Then he asked in surprise, "You are not planning to go out during the Lantern Festival?"