Chapter 188 — Countermeasure (Seeking Pink Tickets)

As for Wei Fan, when Zhang Mingyuan hurried him off to Song Yan for help in smoothing things over, he already knew what his sister was about. He scolded Wei Wan roundly, and then said to his mother, Mrs. Tian, "I will not break off the engagement! The Fourth Miss of the Dou family is very well. She is beautiful, and it is a match settled since childhood; there is no reason whatever to break it off so lightly."

Mrs. Tian had been uneasy about the whole affair, and that the match was not broken off came to her as a relief. Seeing that her son was unwilling, she was all the more reluctant to force him, and sent for Wei Wan to counsel her: "Let the matter rest as it is. Your brother will not break off the engagement."

Wei Wan was furious at his want of spirit, but Zhang Yuanming gave her a dressing-down: "The Fifth Master of the Dou family is now a Grand Secretary, and there are several jinshi and juren among his kin; they will only grow more illustrious with time. What does it matter if the dowry is a little thin, when you have such a great tree to shelter under? Are you afraid the Jining Marquis's household will not live well? Do not be so shortsighted as to stare only at the tips of your toes!"

The excuse of "mutual incompatibility" could no longer be used, and Mrs. Five of the Dou family had already been put on her guard; to try to break off the engagement from that quarter was impossible. Moreover, her mother and brother would not go along with it, and Wei Wan began to feel somewhat sheepish.

"But the dowry is too small," she muttered, still unwilling to let it go.

"How is it that you turn muddle-headed in this one matter?" Zhang Yuanming said. "The Changxing Marquis's household may count as great and wealthy, but look at the marriages of their young ladies—the family allowance is a flat three thousand taels, not a copper more, and that must cover both the trousseau and the wedding feast. Then look at the marriage of the Hu family, the great merchants of Jiangnan, last year: the dowry silver alone came to fifty thousand taels. How much a dowry amounts to does not depend on whether the family is high or low, but on how much the parents love the child."

Wei Wan fell sheepishly silent.

Wei Fan then wondered whether he should call at the Dou house and beg Dou Huaiying's pardon. But at the thought of what his sister had done, he grew faint-hearted again, and while he hesitated this way and that, word came that Dou Yan had arrived in the capital.

He could sit still no longer. Taking fine tea and wine, he went to call.

Dou Huaiying was still in a fine rage and would not see Wei Fan at all.

Wei Fan left Crane Cry Temple Alley in embarrassment.

Mrs. Tian counselled him: "When the time comes, we will prepare the betrothal gifts most handsomely. We will give Shouyuan her dignity, and that will be enough."

To prepare betrothal gifts handsomely, one needed silver!

Wei Fan thought of the twenty thousand taels Gu Yu had still not settled with him, and went out again.

But Gu Yu's page said, "Our young master has gone to Kaifeng with the heir of the Yan'an Marquis. Let the Marquis of Jining come back another day to see him!"

Wei Fan went twice more. Both times, there was no one to be seen at the post.

At his wit's end, he went to the Duke Yingguo's residence to beg a favor of Song Yan. "...I must ask the heir to pass a word to Young Master Gu."

Song Yan was silent for a long while, then said, "So it's settled, then—the wedding date?"

Wei Fan said, abashed, "It's only a matter of these few days."

Song Yan gave an "oh," and said, "Set your mind at ease. I'll speak of this to Gu Yu." His tone was plainly more listless than usual.

Wei Fan did not understand.

Word had long since spread throughout the capital: the Duke Yingguo wished to take a second wife. Those of modest means feared Song Ke would still consent to give his daughter in marriage; those who sought to attach themselves to the powerful and the noble, the Duke Yingguo, in turn, looked upon with disdain. So it was that in all the capital, the Duke Yingguo could find no match fit to suit him.

Song Yan, who had known nothing but smooth sailing, ought to have been living in comfort—so why did he look so utterly dispirited?

Yet Wei Fan had a heap of troubles of his own and no heart to spare for such matters. After exchanging a few idle words with Song Yan, he rose and took his leave.

Gu Yu had indeed gone to Kaifeng Prefecture.

Song Yan summoned his accountant Huo Li. "Prepare twenty thousand taels of silver. I shall need it in a couple of days."

Huo Li had at first worried that Song Zhi's income would not suffice for the expenses of Yizhi Hall, but to his surprise Song Zhi had many a resource, and Yizhi Hall was not only more amply provided than before but had a fair surplus besides. He also knew that certain of Song Yan's expenditures were not fit to see the light of day, and so he said respectfully, "Will it be hard silver, or should I prepare silver notes?"

"Silver notes," Song Yan said forlornly. "When the time comes, give them to Chen He."

Huo Li answered and withdrew.

Song Yan gazed at the great clusters of trumpet creeper blossoms, his heart in utter turmoil.

Ji Yong of Yuqiao Alley was in turmoil too.

Ever since his falling-out with Dou Chi, he had tossed and turned and could never sleep well.

Was he to stand by and watch, just like this, as Dou Yan was married off to that Wei Fan—a man of mean appearance, with neither learning nor character to recommend him?

※

A make-up post for the May 4th update.

I'll keep writing the following chapters; the schedule will be a bit erratic—do bear with me, everyone!

~~~~(_

※