Chapter 379 — Heart to Heart
Purple Streets of Chang'an · Page 2 of 4
Dou Yan replied coolly, "Did not Lord Zhenguo put me in charge of the household affairs of the Ying Zhenguo Manor? What, must the coming and going of maids in the inner courtyard be reported to Lord Zhenguo as well? Or is the custom of the Ying Zhenguo Manor somehow different from other houses? I did wonder — when the Xiangxi Courtyard was in such upheaval, why was it the chief steward who came begging me to step in and calm matters? Clearly the household wants a firm hand!"
How dared Matron Tang bring up Huang Qing? She picked and chose her words, and carried back a reply to Song Cen.
Song Cen choked on his fury and said nothing for a long while.
And since Dou Yan had made up her mind to give him no peace, the moment Matron Tang's heels were out the door, she sent the wife of Gao Xing to carry a message to Song Cen: "The second young master is still young, at the very age when the blood runs hot. When the heir was the second young master's age, there were only a few rough-work maids in his rooms, and his daily needs were seen to by serving lads. It is my lady's view that the maids in the second young master's rooms are all in the bloom of youth, and since they have been released, no more maids should be added — a few serving lads instead. Then when the second young master goes abroad, he will have lads to run his errands, and the young ladies of the Xiangxi Courtyard will be spared their flutterings. My lady asks what Lord Zhenguo thinks of this."
Song Cen's mouth twitched with rage.
The wife of Gao Xing made a hasty bow in fright and turned and fled.
Song Cen cursed Dou Chixiao roundly within his rooms.
When Song Shi learned of it, his face went ashen. "No respect for his elders," he muttered under his breath, and went off to the Drunken Immortal Pavilion.
He had arranged to drink with Ma Youming.
Ma Youming saw that the small private room held only two sets of cups and chopsticks, and guessed that Song Yan meant to ask him about the day he had gotten drunk. He felt a faint stirring of anticipation, and a faint fear as well. Only after three rounds of wine, when the two had fallen into easy conversation, did he find the courage to ask Song Yan, "How do you regard the Prince of Liao and the heir?"
Song Yan was silent.
The room was utterly still — so quiet you could hear a pin drop — and yet the air all at once grew tense.
Slowly Song Yan poured himself a cup of wine, and said, unhurried, "Then why have you sent your wife, your children, and your elders all back to your hometown?"
The color drained from Ma Youming's face in an instant, and the hand holding his cup trembled.
Then Song Yan said softly, his voice low and mournful, "Whether to name the son of the principal wife or the worthiest son — from antiquity to the present, men have argued without end. The Prince of Liao is bold and hearty, and we are kindred spirits. But a ruler is a ruler, and a subject is a subject. What need have we to regard anyone at all?"
Ma Youming's spirits jolted.
Song Yan — Song Yan was laying his heart bare to him!