Chapter 370 — Wedding Wine
Purple Streets of Chang'an · Page 1 of 4
Now that Uncle had come to the capital, neither Yunqi Temple Lane nor Locust Tree Lane could do less than give him a welcome feast.
But Uncle begged off both, on the grounds that he had not yet reported to the Ministry of Personnel.
So the Fifth Madam called at the house to see Dou Yan. "An old grudge is better loosed than tied," she said. "That Wang woman came to no good end either. Our two families can hardly break off a friendship of several generations just like that. You ought to have a word with your uncle. Your Fifth Uncle is in the Grand Secretariat now, after all — isn't it convenient to pass a word to him when there's business? Why go looking at Mu Chuan's face?"
So that was it: her uncle had got himself in with Mu Chuan.
No wonder, in her last life, her eldest cousin's husband had been able to serve his apprenticeship in the Ministry of Works.
She could not help but sigh.
From a place as out of the way as that, her uncle had still managed to make connections with the great men of the capital — no small feat.
And if not for her mother's death — had her uncle entered the Hanlin Academy, his official career would surely have run smoother.
And the reason her uncle had turned from the near to seek the far was, in all likelihood, her and her mother, was it not?
Dou Yan thought this made good sense, and smiled. "Sometimes circumstances force your hand and there's nothing else to be done. Surely you can't expect Uncle to offend Mu Chuan?"
The Fifth Madam thought her a child who understood nothing. "Your uncle is kin to our family by marriage, after all. Even if he courts Mu Chuan, Mu Chuan will never take him as a confidant — he will only be on his guard against him in everything. Don't imagine these things are so simple."
So that was how hard it had been for her uncle in her last life!
Dou Yan was on the verge of tears, and in that instant she conceived a thorough loathing for the Fifth Madam; so, purely to sicken her, she said carelessly, "And what is so remarkable about it? At worst he takes Wang Yuan's road. Dai Jian rode Wang Yuan's road and ended up Chief Grand Secretary, did he not? If my uncle takes Wang Yuan's road, there is no disgrace in it. Besides, the Heir is on good terms with Wang Yuan — I imagine Wang Yuan would still sell the Heir that much face."
The Fifth Madam was so angry that the veins stood out on her forehead, but she dared not lose her temper; she swallowed her fury and went away.
The moment she was gone, Dou Yan jumped up and set off for Jade Bridge Lane.
Uncle had gone to the Ministry of Personnel. His arrival had set the preparations for Zhao Zhangru's wedding going at full tilt; she was to be a bride now, and naturally could not go about as freely as before.
When Dou Yan arrived, her aunt and Madam Guo, who had come over to help, were holding up two bolts of cloth and dithering over them.
Catching sight of her, her aunt beckoned at once. "Come quickly and look for me — which of these would do better for the red gown for the double congratulations?"
Madam Guo laughed too. "Your aunt and I have been dithering for the longest time. Thank goodness you're here."
Dou Yan saw that the two bolts were much alike — one with a vase-and-peony pattern, the other with a four-seasons ruyi motif — and laughed. "Then have one of each made. Cousin can wear whichever she likes; on the third day she has to go and see her mother-in-law anyway."
Song Yan, accompanied by Song Weimin's wife and eldest son, had moved yesterday into the Step-by-Step Inn, not far from Jade Bridge Lane, and had found time besides to call on the Song family there.
Her aunt gave a spat of mock reproof at Dou Yan and said to Madam Guo, "Don't listen to her. She's new money now — every stitch she orders has to come in pairs. We can't compete with her."
Madam Guo covered her mouth and laughed.