Chapter 426 — The Third-Day Bath
Purple Streets of Chang'an · Page 3 of 4
Lady Guo did not know what to say and made no reply. Lady Han, who had always despised Lady Cai's vulgarity, smiled and said nothing either. It was Wen, the wife of Dou Wenchang, who very much wished to ask how Dou Ming was faring now, but seeing that no one so much as mentioned Dou Ming, she swallowed the words on the tip of her tongue and could not help heaving a sigh for her in her heart.
The First Madam of the Song house, however, was bitter at heart.
Now that Dou Yan had borne a son, her place in the household was all the more secure.
That day her remarks about the midwife had been no more than a stone cast to test the waters; she feared there would be more questions to come.
But she truly knew nothing—how was she to answer?
To think that she had first offended Dou Yan by taking over the household affairs of the Yingzhenguo Estate, and now stood suspected by Dou Yan of involvement in the business of Song Han and Jiang Yan—she wished she could leap into the Yellow River to prove her innocence.
If Dou Yan did not believe her innocent at all, and the child's prospects were ruined on her account, would her husband and son still hold her in respect?
Madam Song the Elder sat as if on pins and needles and stole a glance at Madam Song the Third and Madam Song the Fourth.
Madam Song the Third was greatly displeased that the women of the Song family had been seated near the door, and was whispering to Madam Song the Fourth, trying to prod her into voicing a complaint or two.
Madam Song the Fourth listened with a smiling face, while inwardly she held it all in contempt.
The third-day washing ceremony was, after all, the affair of the wife's natal family, and the Dou family was renowned and openhanded besides—if they did not take the seats of honor, who should?
She thought of the few words Dou Yan had spoken on the day Yuan Heng was born, when they had come to pay their respects.
Could the rumors circulating in the household actually be true?
At this thought she could not help glancing toward the reception room to the west.
Princess Ninghuai and Old Madam Lu were resting there, and Jiang Yan was serving them tea.
The two elder ladies looked at Jiang Yan, yet the content of their talk was something else entirely.
"With the name bestowed by His Majesty, Yuan Heng's position as eldest legitimate grandson is secure. There is no way the seat of the Duke of Yingguo will ever fall to that other one," said Princess Ninghuai, sipping her tea lightly.
"Our family has honored the Yingzhenguo Estate so highly, and not so that we might make a bridal gown for some base-born brat of uncertain origin," said Old Madam Lu, raising an eyebrow. The gentle benevolence of former days was gone from her face; she looked cold and severe, revealing the authority and presence of the mistress of a great house. "It is only a pity about Yan. Such a pretty girl, and that vile woman ruined her outright! However well that bastard behaves, however clever and sensible he seems, the mere thought that that woman's blood runs in his veins makes me sick to my stomach!"
This sister-in-law of hers had the most fiery of tempers. She had never been able to tolerate the smallest grain of sand in her eye; it was only that age had somewhat mellowed her.
But the matter of Jiang Yan had roused her temper again.
Princess Ninghuai had no choice but to say, "If the thing blows up, it will after all be a scandal, and of no benefit to Yantang either. We can only take it slowly."
Old Madam Lu nodded. "Setting all else aside, first let us get Huisun's dowry back. Then find Song Han a match and let him set up his own household, separate him into a branch of his own. At least then I will be able to eat my meals without losing my appetite at the sight of him."