Chapter 465 — A Match
Purple Streets of Chang'an · Page 2 of 4
Dou Yan found this odd, but when she pressed further, the girl blushed and said nothing. Dou Yan supposed that with her marriage approaching, it was only natural she should have some private thoughts she was too shy to voice, and so she smilingly agreed, and had a carriage and a few rough-work women servants arranged for the outing.
Jiang Yan thanked her shyly, and then said timidly, "Might we invite Twelfth Sister to come along?"
"With her to accompany you, so much the better." Dou Yan had meant to go with her herself, but now that she had a close sister of her own, Dou Yan was glad to let go, and so encouraged her to write an invitation to Jiang Ling.
Jiang Ling had been married into the Wu family for over half a year now, and the couple were loving and their life smooth, yet for some unknown reason there had been no sign of a child. Her mother-in-law consoled her that such things could not be hurried, but inwardly she felt scorched as if by fire, and was just wondering whether she ought to go burn a stick of incense to the Bodhisattva Guanyin when Jiang Yan's invitation arrived; she accepted with pleasure.
Madam Wu, who had herself endured from grandson's wife to mother-in-law, understood Jiang Ling's feelings well. She personally ordered incense prepared and saw Jiang Ling into the carriage.
Song Yan also wished Jiang Yan to keep company with friends, and when he learned she was going to Puji Temple to burn incense, he had a hundred taels of fine silver sent to her for incense money.
Jiang Yan declined it.
Song's face immediately turned ashen.
Dou Xu shot Jiang Yan a look.
Only then did Jiang Yan belatedly realize she had done something wrong; she hurriedly accepted the silver, thanked Song Yan, and withdrew in confusion.
Song Ke rubbed his temples.
Dou Ji smiled and held out her palm to him, complaining playfully, "The silver shop's manager is bringing Sister Yan's wedding jewelry today, and I want a pearl headband made!"
Song Yan laughed despite himself, and pulling Dou Yan down onto his knee, bit her ear and said, "When even I belong to you, would I stint you a pearl headband? Not a pearl headband—I'll have a hundred-treasure necklace made for you, how's that?"
"Who wears a hundred-treasure necklace in ordinary life?" Dou Yan teased back. "You simply don't want me to have my way."
Song Yan slipped his hand inside her collar and said with a teasing laugh, "Let me have a taste, and the pearl headband gets made, and the hundred-treasure necklace gets made too..."
Dou Yan admitted defeat and sprang up from his knee.
Song Yan roared with laughter, utterly delighted, and caught hold of her to keep her from leaving.
The couple was still tangled up in their talk when Wu Yi's voice came from beyond the door curtain: "Young Master, Geng Li is here."
Song Yan released Dou Yan and gently kissed her cheek. "I'll be back shortly," he said softly.
Dou Yan dutifully straightened his collar for him and saw him out of the inner chamber. She stood at the doorway until his figure had passed out of the main courtyard, then turned back inside.
Though Song Yan had shown nothing on his face, she had felt his body go slightly rigid at the name "Geng Li."
She summoned Liu Zhang, the young servant Du Wei had left behind in the household, and asked whether he knew who Geng Li was.
The more he knew, the better he understood Dou Yan's place in Song Yan's heart—and the more wary he would be of Dou Yan.
Liu Zhang answered with his teeth chattering. "This humble one knows of him, madam. He is the foremost strategist under the Prince of Liao."
Dou Yan was astonished. She dismissed Liu Zhang and sat waiting for Song Yan's return on the large kang by the window, her mind ill at ease.
Now that he had become Chief Commissioner, the Prince of Liao's hand had finally reached out for Song Yan.
Could it be that Heaven had its own design, hidden in the workings of fate?