Chapter 498 — Warning
Purple Streets of Chang'an · Page 3 of 4
Dou Huaiying thought of Dou Bingheng's decision and could not help hesitating. Song Yan said, "It was Fifth Uncle's and Sixth Uncle's idea that you need only be 'fetched' home. But my father-in-law thought it improper, and told me to accompany him here in person to 'fetch' you. Whatever you have to say, say it plainly to my father-in-law now. Once you are back in the Dou household you may not get such a chance again; and even if you did, my father-in-law might not be able to decide it in your favor."
If only the Dou family was willing to take Ji Lingze back as well, that alone would be as good as acknowledging the match.
Dou Huaide was beside himself with joy, and poured out for Dou Huaiying everything, one thing after another: how he admired Ji Lingze's talents, how he had taken up her cause, and all the rest.
The Dou family had a deep scholarly lineage; that he had passed the metropolitan examination put his learning beyond doubt. And being set on moving Dou Huaiying, he told it all so gracefully that his words might have come from some celebrated classic, until Dou Huaiying could not but be stirred, and glanced at Song Yan irresolutely.
Song Yan would never be the one to spoil the mood. Smiling, he ordered a servant to fetch a sedan chair, and had a serving woman help Ji Lingze into it.
Dou Huaide's eyes grew faintly moist. Pressing his lips together, he made Dou Huaiying a grand ceremonial bow.
"What do you think you're doing?" Dou Huaiying was startled and hurriedly raised him to his feet.
The faintest flicker of a smile crossed Song Yan's face as he escorted Dou Huaiying and the others back to Hening Temple Lane.
When Dou Heng learned that Ji Lingze had come back with them as well, he was so angry that the veins stood out on his forehead. "I knew it! Send Old Seven and the whole business is bound to be ruined! Why did Yantang not stop him?" He rose to his feet and made to storm off to Longhua Temple Lane.
But Dou Bingheng caught him by the arm and, with a long sigh, said, "Keep out of this. Old Seven is Zixian's father!"
Dou Heng was taken aback. "How can that be? You know as well as I do. Old Seven would not tread on an ant. Let him discipline Zixian, and it is like turning a sheep out to graze..."
Dou Bingheng cut him off: "Can you not see it yet? Song Yantang has been standing up for Old Seven all along!"
Dou Heng's expression tightened.
Somewhat wearily, Dou Bingheng said, "Old Six, now that Old Seven has Song Yantang for a son-in-law, we must keep a careful eye on all Western Dou affairs hereafter."
Song Yan was using Dou Huaide's marriage to warn them who the true master of Western Dou was!
Only, the words were wounding to speak; in the end Dou Bingheng did not say them aloud.
Dou Heng turned it over a few times in his mind, and understood.
His face fell, and he said, "Is Zixian to take a widow for his first wife, just like that?"
Dou Bingheng smiled bitterly. "Unless you mean to fall out with Old Seven!"
Dou Heng was silent for a long while.
Lady Ji, however, her heart in a tangle, flung herself down on the great bolster and wept.
Song Ji came to plead with Lady Ji that she send someone to the Ji family with a proposal: "The palm and the back of the hand are both flesh of one body. Setting aside that the Ji girl has been married before, she waits on you as she would her own mother. Surely you cannot stand by and watch her die! Besides, Twelfth Brother has already passed both examinations and is a jinshi; if he cannot even set his own household in order, how much less can he bring peace to the realm? Let him go and try his hand."
Lady Ji made no reply.
But by that afternoon she had summoned an official matchmaker to Mao'er Lane.
When Dou Heng heard of it, he shut himself in his study and would not speak to Lady Ji.
When Dou Shi learned of it he was much worried, and said, "Should we ask Father to go and reason with Sixth Uncle?"