Chapter 389 — Old Acquaintances
Purple Streets of Chang'an · Page 2 of 4
At the end of the third month, on Song Yan's decision — after Dou Yan had made inquiries about the man — Sujuan was betrothed to a steward of the outer court's reception office named Xu Liang. Ganlu's marriage, however, was still unsettled.
Ganlu smilingly handed the midwife a heavy purse.
The midwife was surprised and delighted.
She had long heard that the Heir's wife had brought a rich dowry; she had not expected her to be so open-handed as well.
She spoke a few auspicious words, then, laughing, followed Ganlu out of the inner chamber.
Dou Yan, supported by Ruozhu, climbed down from the kang and strolled about the courtyard of the main house.
This was the wisdom of her former life.
The more one moved before the birth, the easier the delivery.
Ganlu, back from seeing the midwife out, brought a small tea table and directed the little maids to set out melons, fruit, and cakes.
Madam Song the Elder arrived with her daughter-in-law, Madam Tan.
Dou Yan, recalling that she had once offered to recommend a midwife, assumed she had come out of concern for the birth. Seeing the day fine and the wind gentle, she told a little maid to set a brocade stool beneath the grape trellis and invited the Elder Madam and Madam Tan to tea and fruit.
The Elder Madam smilingly asked a few questions about the birth, then suddenly turned the talk to Jiang Yi: "...I hear the young man is quite spirited in looks. With your pregnancy, your delivery, and then your lying-in, it will be half a year at least. There are some matters you ought to be turning over in your own mind."
Dou Yan was bewildered for a moment before she understood what the Elder Madam meant.
She could not help laughing. "You trouble yourself on my account, Aunt. But in such matters I think the Heir has his own arrangements. I am only a woman of the inner quarters; it is not for me to fret over them."
The Elder Madam turned crimson, hemmed and hawed at her for a good while, and at last came round to her purpose in a roundabout way.
It turned out that Madam Tan's father also held office in the Five Wards Military Command and had now been promoted to Commander of the North City garrison. After Song Yan took up his post, he had called on him many times, and Song Yan had received him warmly. But when it came to promotion, the post had gone to Hao Dayong!
And after Hao Dayong took charge of the Five Wards Military Command, he grew ever less respectful toward Song Yan. Returning kindness with malice, he set his sights on the Marquis of Jining: not content with tripping him up at every turn, some days past he had openly begun investigating the Marquis's affairs, and had made the matter of the Marquis and a certain man surnamed Wang opening a silk shop together on East Street a scandal on every tongue.
"It is true," said the Elder Madam, "that officials of the court are forbidden to engage in trade. But of all the civil and military officers in this court, whose household does not do a little buying and selling? On that paltry stipend alone, would we not all starve? One should let people off where one can. Hao Dayong's conduct has drawn grumbling from every rank of the Five Wards Military Command. My kinsman feared the Heir might be dragged into it, and specially bade me speak to you, so that the Heir would not be taken in by that fellow surnamed Hao!"
Dou Yan smiled and said nothing, casting a glance at Madam Tan.
Others might not know, but Madam Tan understood full well in her heart.
Her father was simply green with envy that Hao Dayong and Jiang Yi had won Song Zhi's regard, and was dripping poison into Song Yan's ear about the pair of them!
Madam Tan's face went crimson.