Chapter 265 — The Imperial Edict

The pearl headdress, its beads the size of lotus seeds, gave off a soft, luminous glow—understated yet sumptuous. Anyone with a weaker presence would have been overwhelmed by it; the eye would see only the pearls and never the woman wearing them. Dou Yan, however, was tall, and the fierce spirit between her brows was such that rather than blurring her features, the pearls' radiance softened the lines of her face, making her bright and striking, a figure impossible to overlook.

Empress Dowager Yi could not help silently crying out, "Well done!" Then she smiled and said, "This child—she does know how to dress herself."

Dou Yan bent her knees and made her curtsy of thanks.

Her bearing was poised, neither timid nor overbearing, as though she had passed through such occasions countless times before—dignified and elegant.

Empress Dowager Yi nodded again and again, making no secret of her admiration.

The corners of Song Zhi's mouth could not help but curve upward.

Empress Yi watched them, hiding a smile behind her sleeve, then rose and whispered a few words into Empress Dowager Yi's ear. The Empress Dowager was startled, glanced toward Song Yan, and then began to chuckle.

Dou Chi, meanwhile, darted a glance at Song Chu.

Song Yan was looking at the two ladies with a face full of bewilderment.

Seeing this, Empress Dowager Yi laughed even more merrily and instructed Aunt Lan: "Go and bring out the candied orange peels that Fujian sent in as tribute a few days ago, and let Yantang and his wife taste them."

Aunt Lan was briefly surprised, then hastily agreed with a smile and withdrew.

Song Yan and Dou Yan stepped forward to give thanks.

Empress Dowager Yi pointed to an embroidered stool nearby and said, "Yantang is a boy we watched grow up. Now that you have married Yantang, you are one of the family. Sit down and talk with us." Her tone was warm and easy.

Song Dan gave his thanks and sat down.

Dou Yan followed suit.

Aunt Lan led several palace maids in bringing up tea and refreshments.

Besides the candied orange peels the Empress Dowager had mentioned, there were sweets such as ludagun and pea-flour cakes.

Dou Yan thanked Aunt Lan.

Then Empress Dowager Yi asked Dou Yan, "How old are you this year? How many brothers and sisters do you have at home?"

Dou Yan stood up and answered respectfully, "This subject is seventeen this year, and has only one younger sister at home."

"Sit down and talk, sit down and talk," Empress Dowager Yi said with a smile. "You look like a girl of generous bearing—why act so stiffly?" So saying, she looked smilingly at Song Chu and added, "You are a year older than our Yantang!"

Dou Yan nearly broke into a sweat.

In her last life she had looked just the same, and had answered with just the same respectful courtesy—and neither Empress Dowager Yi nor Empress Yi had ever said she was too respectful!

Dou Yan pressed her lips together in a smile and answered briskly, "Yes."

Empress Dowager Yi liked her frankness. She asked Dou Yan what books she had read, what diversions she had at home in her daily life, whether she was accustomed to life at the Ying Duke's estate, whether she had learned to manage a household while still at her maiden home—and so on, all manner of homely things, her manner kind and gentle, like an elder of the neighboring household.

Remembering Princess Ninghuai's words, Dou Yan smiled and answered each question in a clear, carrying voice.

Empress Yi glanced at Song Chu.

Empress Dowager Yi was well pleased with Dou Zhiwei's answers, and suddenly sighed with feeling: "Your mother-in-law was a capable woman, a pity she went too early..."

Dou Ji saw Empress Yi wipe the corner of her eye, and Song Yan too fell silent.

She suddenly realized: Lady Jiang must have been very dear to Empress Dowager Yi.

Sure enough, Aunt Lan hurried forward to comfort the Empress Dowager.

After a while, Empress Dowager Yi composed her sorrowful expression and resumed speaking with Dou Yan, Song Yan, and Empress Yi.

An inner attendant came in to report: "His Majesty has left the court and asks whether the heir of the Duke of Ying and the lady of the Dou family have arrived. If they have, they are to proceed to the Qianqing Palace for an audience."

Everyone was much surprised, and Empress Yi asked the attendant, "Is the lady of the Dou family to go as well?"

The attendant answered, "Yes."

Empress Yi glanced at Empress Dowager Yi.

Empress Dowager Yi mused a moment, then said, "Then let them go."

Song Yan and Dou Qu rose to take their leave.

Empress Dowager Yi instructed Song Yan and Dou Yan, "Do not keep His Majesty waiting." Then she told Aunt Lan, "Give the lady of the Dou family that string of red agate beads His Majesty presented to me a few days ago as a mark of his filial piety. Young people look well in bright things like that!"

Only then did Empress Yi say, "Since that is so, I shall join in the fun as well." She called, "Yunying," and a palace maid of some thirty-odd years, plain of feature, stepped forward. Empress Yi said, "Bestow upon the lady of the Dou family a pair of jasper hairpins!"

Clearly these had been prepared well in advance.

Song Yan and Dou Yan knelt to give thanks for the imperial favor.

Then Empress Dowager Yi said to Song Yan, "Yantang, when you have time, bring your wife to the palace to amuse herself. I hear from Ningde that the lady of the Dou family plays leaf cards very well—she can make up a hand for us then. As for the consorts and concubines in the palace, they fear losing silver when they lose and fear my displeasure when they win, so playing cards with them is really no fun at all..." Her tone was full of complaint.

Everyone laughed.

Song Yan and Dou Yan took the opportunity to bid farewell to Empress Dowager Yi and Empress Yi, and went on to the Qianqing Palace.

Outside the Imperial Study, several men in scarlet official robes stood waiting beneath the side gallery.

Seeing Song Yan and Dou Yan approach, they could not help but raise their heads in astonishment and scrutinize them.

Someone let out a "Huh?"

Dou Yan's gaze drifted over out of the corner of her eye.

A tall, imposing figure, fair skin, bright piercing eyes, and a face still wearing a smile as genial as a spring breeze.

It was her Fifth Uncle!

Dou Yan was startled and could not help lifting her eyes.

Their gazes met in midair.

Dou Bingheng's expression instantly turned somewhat wooden.

Dou Yan was just wondering whether she ought to smile at him and greet him when a eunuch came out beaming: "His Majesty was asking just now why the Heir Apparent had not yet arrived and told us servants to hurry you along... I shall go report at once." With that, he went back into the Imperial Study.

She had no choice but to wink at Dou Bingheng, then stood waiting with her eyes on her nose and her nose on her heart.

All around was a dead silence.

A tall, plump, fair-skinned minister wearing the crane insignia came out of the Imperial Study, his brows knitted tight.

Catching sight of Dou Yan, he looked blank, somewhat at a loss.

Song Ji whispered to Dou Yan: "That is Mu Chuan." Then he smiled at Mu Chuan.

Dou Yan's eyes went wide.

So this was what Mu Chuan looked like.

Mu Chuan, for his part, gaped, pointed at Dou Yan, then slowly lowered his hand, smoothed the astonishment from his face, gave a dignified nod, and strode past them with his head held high and chest out.

Now it was Dou Yan's turn to be astonished.

Someone else came out of the Imperial Study.

"Heir Apparent, Madam," he greeted Song Yan and Dou Yan with a smile, "His Majesty asks the Heir Apparent and Madam to go in and speak with him."

Dou Yan looked closely. It was Wang Ge.

She had no time to take issue with his mistaken form of address, and entered the Imperial Study with composed features alongside Song Yan.