Chapter 139 — Settling Accounts (Extra Update — Begging for Pink Tickets)

"There's always another way, you know!" Ji Yong said gravely. "I really hadn't thought of it in that light. It seems that having one more person to talk things over with does mean one more road open..."

Dou Yan was speechless.

Ji Yong burst out laughing, a flicker of slyness crossing his eyes.

Looking at him, Dou Yan could only heave a long sigh.

Ji Yong said quickly, "Don't be angry, Fourth Sister. I know you mean well by me, that you're afraid I'll go too far. But the affairs of this world really are tedious beyond bearing. If I didn't hunt up a little amusement for myself now and then, I'm afraid I'd be bored to death." By the end of his speech there was a touch of melancholy in his voice.

Dou Yan snorted. "'Everyone hopes his son will be clever; I was ruined by cleverness all my life'—isn't that how it goes!"

"Quite right, quite right!" Ji Yong raised his hand to clap Dou Zhiwei on the shoulder, then suddenly seemed to recall something and drew it back, saying loudly, "For that one remark of Fourth Sister's alone, a man ought to down a brimming cup!" Then, with a note of regret, "Why must you be a girl? If only you'd been born a boy!"

Dou Yan could no longer be bothered with him.

A clamor came from the south side of the garden.

Ji Yong rose to his feet.

Dou Yan found it rather strange.

Sulang had gone to fetch a lamp. What was taking her so long?

The two of them were peering in that direction when they saw Dou Ming supporting Grandmother, advancing amid a great cluster of maids and serving women. Dou Ming's personal maid Jihong and Honggu carried lanterns at the front, while Sulang, a palace lamp in her hands, trailed behind Grandmother looking thoroughly aggrieved.

Dou Yan gave a cold laugh.

Ji Yong's brow was pulsing with veins. Gritting his teeth, he murmured to Dou Yan, "Last time I let it pass for the sake of her being your sister. This time don't blame me for not sparing your face!"

Dou Yan said nothing.

The pile of paper covered in writing spread across the table gave Ji Yong his excuse: "...I'll go ask Fourth Sister whether she has any record of the lives of these people."

Grandmother nodded benignly. "Whatever you have to say can be said in the daytime. It's late, and the night wind is strong—mind you don't set the lamps alight."

The two answered in unison.

Under Dou Ming's triumphant gaze, Grandmother had Dou Yan help her back inside.

But no sooner had they stepped through the door—before Dou Yan could even open her mouth—than Grandmother said, "I know. Young Master Ji may love his mischief, but he has the heart of a child, and you, more than anyone, keep a clear head in all things. The two of you would never do anything to trouble your elders. But since Ming has come to me, she can just as well go to someone else. You must keep up appearances, after all. From now on, if there's anything to discuss, come to my rooms and say it there."

Grandmother's trust brought a moist warmth to Dou Yan's eyes.

She answered respectfully, and only left after she had seen Grandmother to bed.

Dou Ming, however, had been waiting for her outside all along.

Seeing Dou Yan come out, she called "Sister" in honeyed tones and said, "Tell me, should I have a word with the Second Old Madam tomorrow as well?"

"Go ahead!" Dou Yan said. "Cousin Ji told me just now that last time he let it go for my sake and didn't stoop to quarrel with you. This time, he won't be sparing anyone's face."

Dou Ming's face paled slightly, but she blustered, "You think he'd dare turn on me instead?"

Dou Yan smiled faintly and brushed past her.

Over the next few days, Dou Yan was summoned by Grandmother to do needlework, Ji Yong obediently stayed in the Hall of Crane and Longevity to read, and Dou Ming learned the pipa from Wan Niang. It was as though nothing had happened at all.

Sulang could not help muttering, "What exactly does Young Master Ji have in mind?"—looking for all the world like someone hoping to see the world turned upside down.

Suxin warned her, "This is a matter between the young lady and Young Master Ji. Don't go stirring things up."

Sulang nodded absently. When the weather turned cold, she volunteered to go change Ji Yong's thick bedding, all the while stealing glances at him.

Ji Yong pretended not to notice.

Sulang scratched her ears and cheeks in frustration, and at last could only bob a curtsy to Ji Yong and make to withdraw.

Only then did Ji Yong say, slowly and deliberately, "Set your mind at ease. I'm thinking of something that will make your Fifth Young Lady regret it for the rest of her life!"

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Brothers and sisters, today's bonus update!

To be safe, everyone had better read the update tomorrow!

Still, I can see the dawn of a return to a normal update schedule.

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ps: One more thing I need everyone's help with—a friend's child has come down with "lupus nephritis syndrome." If any of you know a renowned practitioner of Chinese medicine skilled in treating this illness, please leave me a message in the comments.

Thank you, everyone!

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