Chapter 462 — The Country Estate
Purple Streets of Chang'an · Page 1 of 4
Dou Huaiying felt a headache coming on.
One look at his father-in-law's face told Song Yan everything he needed to know, so he smiled and said, "How about I go with you?"
Dou Huaiying could not have asked for more.
When Dou Heng learned of it, he summoned Song Yan over and said, "You needn't pay the Wang family any mind. Just say what needs to be said. If they start quibbling, come straight back and tell me. We elders will not sit by and do nothing." He looked for all the world like a man afraid Song Yan would come off the worse.
Song Yan felt a quiet warmth in his heart and offered a suggestion: "When the time comes, why not have Twelfth Brother go with us? It would be a good chance for him to pay his respects to the Seventh Madam as well, so that we needn't trouble her on the actual day."
He was worried the Wang family would use the pretext of having the adopted heir pay his respects to Wang Shuying and send her back to Hening Temple Alley.
Dou Heng understood at once.
He too had no wish to see such an adoptive mother set over his own son's head.
Dou Heng looked at Song Yan with a measure of approval and said, "Then let Zhi go with you!"
Song Yan assented, and the next day went with Dou Huaiying and Dou Huaide to Willow Leaf Alley.
Wang Zhibing had already guessed why Dou Huaiying had come, and received the three of them courteously into the main hall.
But when Dou Huaiying stated his business, Wang Zhibing's face turned somewhat green.
The reason he had held his tongue all this time was that he had resolved to send Wang Shuying back while the Dou household was busy with the adoption, and he had not wished to alert the Dou family to his intentions by beating the grass and startling the snake. He had never expected his calculations to come to nothing.
His heart was bitter beyond measure, yet he could not help saying, "An adoption is such a grave matter—how could it be done without Yingxue? There's no need to rush it. You've come such a long way; stay and enjoy a proper banquet. By this afternoon, I'll have Yingxue go back with you."
Song Yan meant to open with a few tactful words, but Dou Huaiying's tone was stiff and cold. "I brought Zhi here to give the Wang family face," he said. "So the Wang family does not prize it. I have overstepped myself!" With that he called Song Yan and Dou Huaide to their feet and made to leave. "Since she has no time, there's no need to wait till afternoon. We'll be going now."
Even in the years he had followed his father into exile, Wang Zhibing had never suffered such humiliation.
His face swelled purple with rage, but he remembered his mother's instructions and was forced to grit his teeth and press Dou Huaiying to stay.
Song Yan was pulling Dou Huaiying along at a brisk pace when Wang Zhibao appeared from somewhere, seized Wang Zhibing by the arm, and said with a black look, "Brother, you can't keep indulging our sister like this. Father has done everything for her sake, and are we still to be mocked by our colleagues? Have we not done enough for her? Even if she returns to the Dou family, will the Dou kinsmen treat her like a human being? Do you know that Tan'er's marriage has fallen through again because of her?"
Wang Zhibing was silent. Through his mind flashed his wife's troubled face, and his sister-in-law standing with arms akimbo on the steps, cursing toward the courtyard where their sister lived, each time her son's marriage prospects had come to nothing. He heaved a long sigh.
Only then did the heart Wang Zhibing had been holding in suspense settle back into place. He put an arm around his brother's shoulder and said, "We can't afford to offend any more people on her account. Nan'er and Tan'er still have to make their way in the world! Let's go see our brother-in-law off. They gave us face; we should return the courtesy."
At this Wang Zhibing could not help laughing. "You've grown much steadier now!"