Chapter 482 — The First Birthday
Purple Streets of Chang'an · Page 1 of 4
Chen Jia reasoned that Jiang Yan was, after all, the younger sister, and that since he was entertaining Song Han in his own home, propriety demanded Jiang Yan come out and greet him. Fearing Song Han might harbor resentment and show Jiang Yan a cold face, on the day of the banquet he had simply urged Jiang Yan to go and pay a call at the Yizhi Hall. But he had never imagined that Song Han's feelings went far beyond resentment—he meant to humiliate Jiang Yan outright. And so, when Chen Jia went to the Yingzhen Duke's residence to fetch Jiang Yan, he did not wait in the small flower hall of the outer courtyard as he usually did. Instead he asked the servant who had shown him in, "Has the heir returned?"
The Duke of Ying had not shown his face when Jiang Yan married, and Song Yan had made a habit of treating Chen Jia coldly. Chen Jia had once served under the Song household, so the Duke's serving women could not help but regard him with a measure of disdain. Fortunately, Chen Jia was tactful with people and generous with money, and he was, properly speaking, the household's own nephew by marriage; so they did not go so far as to slight him, though they were rather less guarded in his presence. Hearing him ask after Song Yan, the servant grinned and said, "The heir isn't back yet! Is there something you need? Shall I have a word with Brother Wuyi, who serves in the study, and ask him to keep an eye out for you?"
Chen Jia smiled and said, "Then I'll trouble you!" And with that he pressed a few coins into the servant's hand.
"No trouble at all, no trouble at all!" The servant's eyes crinkled into a seam with his grin, and he hurried off to watch outside.
The moment Song Yan stepped from his sedan chair, he heard that Chen Jia was waiting for him in the small hall. Surprised, he asked, "When did the eldest son-in-law arrive?"
Chen Jia had married Jiang Yan, yet the relation between the two men had not changed in the slightest from what it had been before.
Hearing Song Yan call Chen Jia "eldest son-in-law," the servant's heart gave a thud. He hastened to say, "The eldest son-in-law has been here about half an hour. He said he came to fetch the young lady home, and when he heard you had not returned, he waited in the flower hall all this while."
Song Yan nodded and said, "In future, when the eldest son-in-law comes, have tea served to him in the study of the outer courtyard."
The servant assented again and again, and led the way ahead with great care.
Song Yan and Chen Jia went into the study to talk.
Chen Jia did not dare repeat Song Han's words to Song Yan verbatim. He said only, "Song Han entered the Embroidered Uniform Guard on the Empress's recommendation. Green as he is, his star is rising fast, and today I made a point of inviting him to my house for wine. From the look of him, he is rather pleased with himself. Another man in his position would surely grow arrogant, but with the Empress's golden signboard behind him, I fear even Lord Shi will weigh his words carefully where Song Han is concerned."
This was lodging a complaint against Song Han.
Song Yan only smiled faintly at this. But after he had seen Chen Jia and Jiang Yan out the gate, his face darkened.
The Empress meant to use his father and Song Han to deal with him.
She had miscalculated badly.
Song Yan summoned Chen He. "Keep an eye on Song Han for me."
Chen He had once been his personal attendant, and knew all his relatives and friends. After Chen He married, Song Yan had him transferred to the registry office, and there, because he was well acquainted with every household, he carried out his duties admirably.
"Yes, sir!" Chen He answered respectfully and withdrew.
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Dou Yan was in the midst of opening trunks with several maids to pick out lengths of fabric.