Chapter 442 — Opportunists
Purple Streets of Chang'an · Page 1 of 4
Steady as Jiang Yan generally was, she was still a young girl at heart, and at the first mention of an outing she lit up with delight.
Dou Yan asked her, "Where would you like to go climbing? The leaves on the Fragrant Hills have turned red these past few days—it is the very season for it, though it is a fair way off. Mount Mian'er and Mount Xuanmo are both fine, except that His Majesty may take it into his head to go as well, and then the roads will be sealed."
Jiang Yan had been to none of them, so she could hardly have a preference for one over another.
She caught Dou Yan's arm and laughed. "I shall go wherever you go, sister-in-law!"
That tone of utter trust melted Dou Yan's heart.
She instructed Ruo Tong to go to the needlework room and see whether the new clothes made for her and Jiang Yan were finished, and Ruo Dan to tell the kitchen to begin preparing chestnut cakes and brewing chrysanthemum wine; then she fell to discussing with Jiang Yan which maids and serving women they should bring along.
Yizhi Hall at once bustled with life.
Lady An, wife of the Heir Apparent of the Marquis of Yan'an's household, came to call.
Dou Yan was rather taken aback.
Not a soul from the Marquis of Yan'an's house had come yesterday for Song Han's kin ceremony; by rights they ought to have kept out of sight for a few days. Why, then, this hasty visit?
She invited Lady An to sit in the reception room.
Lady An did not beat about the bush. After tea and cakes, and a few enquiries after Yuan Heng, she came straight to the point. "I hear that Mrs. Hu, wife of Registrar Hu of the Five Army Commissions, has proposed a match for the young lady of your family, and that you have given your consent. Might I ask whether the matter has been settled?"
Dou Yan's heart gave a small leap. She smiled. "It was no more than a suggestion. The Heir Apparent has not even had a chance to hear of it—how could it be settled?"
Lady An let out a long breath and smiled. "Ours is no common acquaintance, so I shall speak plainly. The first time I set eyes on your Miss Jiang, I had a mind to make a match for her; only I did not know what sort of family you wished for her, and so I hesitated until today. Now that I hear someone has come with a proposal, I am all anxiety again, for fear you have already promised her to another." She pressed her lips together and smiled. "The gentleman is an elder cousin of mine on my own family's side. He is twenty-eight this year. His years are hardly a match for the young lady's—but there is something to be said for an older man: at least he knows how to cherish a wife.
"His first wife died in childbed, leaving a girl who is nine this year; in a few years more she will be of an age to marry. He has two farms, a shop for raw medicinal herbs, a pawnshop, and a grain-and-oil business. One would not call the household one of ten thousand strings of cash, but it never wants for food or clothing. He is an honest, good-hearted man, and he feared that if he took a new wife the girl would be wronged—which is why he has put it off until now.
"Talk it over with the Heir Apparent, and see whether this cousin of mine is worthy of your notice."
A little old, to say nothing of having neither degree nor office—this was no fine match.
Lady An must have thought the same, which was why she had wished to make the match and yet held back so long. Now, seeing that they were willing even to look over Mrs. Hu's candidate, she had come to press her suit without further scruple.
It was a case of casting a brick to draw forth jade. Mrs. Hu's introduction was bearing fruit.
As for whether Song Yan would agree—that was like a blind man eating glutinous rice balls: everyone knew how many lay in his own bowl. It was merely an excuse for putting the matter off. If Dou Yan agreed, would Song Yan stand in her way?
Dou Yan nodded, all smiles.
Lady An, somewhat reassured, chatted with her a while and then rose to take her leave.