Chapter 329 — By Coincidence

In both her past life and this one, what Dou Yan had longed for most was a home of her own. In her previous life she had even married Wei Fan with a glad heart. If she put herself in their shoes...

"There is no need for that." Her hand drifted unconsciously to her belly. "Once Suxin's and Sulan's marriages are settled, let them move out and set up their own households. They can come and see me when they have time." Then she turned to Song Yan about adding servants. "I have already asked the wife of the Daxing estate's overseer. While Suxin still has some idle days, let her go to the Daxing estate and pick a few people to bring back."

If she truly was with child, the first three months were the most precarious, and she would need to rest and nurse herself carefully.

These were small matters, and Song Yan naturally let Dou Yan have her way in everything.

Dou Yan sent word to the Daxing estate and fixed the twenty-first day of the eleventh month for going there to choose the servants.

It so happened that on that very day Zhao Liangbi's parents arrived in the capital from Zhending with the news and came to discuss Zhao Liangbi's marriage with Chen Yanzhou. Suxin, blushing to the roots of her hair, had ordered a carriage readied at first light to go to the Daxing estate. To give Suxin face, Dou Yan had the Song family's coachman drive the Song family carriage to take Suxin to Daxing, while she herself received Zhao Liangbi's mother.

Zhao Liangbi owed everything he had today to Dou Zhiwei's patronage, and now she was even betrothing her most trusted senior maid to him. Zhao Liangbi's mother was overcome with gratitude toward Dou Yan and knelt to kowtow the moment she entered the door.

Dou Qu stepped forward in person to help Mother Zhao up. "We are all people of Cuijia Village. Mrs. Zhao, please do not stand on ceremony with me. Treat us as family paying a visit."

Mother Zhao was a simple, honest woman. Faced with Dou Yan's air of elegance tinged with a certain dash and vigor, she could only murmur and keep her head down. Dou Ji took the initiative to make small talk with her, asking how the harvest had been this year, whether all the children at home were betrothed, how many pigs and chickens they kept. Seeing that Dou Yan spoke with such warmth and solicitude, Mother Zhao's fluttering heart finally settled, and she began to answer Dou Zhiwei's questions.

Over on Chen Yanzhou's side, the talks went even better.

In the view of Zhao Liangbi's father, these years at the Dou household had not only made Zhao Liangbi promising but broadened his horizons as well; his marriage should be his own to decide—how much betrothal gift, where the new house would be, where the wedding would be held. The old couple had no objections to any of it.

Only now did Zhao Liangbi learn that Dou Yan intended to betroth Suxin to him.

The dream of many years had become reality. A tumult of feelings surged through him, and his eyes grew so moist he could not see clearly what was before him. He wished he could see Suxin that very instant, to see the look on her face when she heard the news.

Was she glad, or disappointed?

Did she long for this match as much as he did? Or had she agreed only out of deference to propriety?

Zhao Liangbi stood beneath the covered corridor outside Chen Yanzhou's wing room, his heart in his throat.

Chen Yanzhou and the wrinkled old man...

Catching sight of Zhao Liangbi, Father Zhao chuckled and could not help saying, "No wonder your mother and I proposed girls from every family and you would have none of them—no other family's daughter would do!"

Father Zhao had seen Suxin before.

Even then he had thought the girl not only fair of face and proper in conduct, but clever and capable besides, and wondered which family would be fortunate enough to take her in.

Who would have thought she would end up a daughter-in-law of their house?

Even now he felt as though he were dreaming.

Zhao Liangbi, red-faced, stepped forward to support his old father.

Father Zhao waved courteously at Chen Yanzhou. "Go inside and rest. As for the boy's marriage, his mother and I will talk it over properly. We will never let Miss Bie suffer any slight."

Chen Yanzhou nodded with a smile and saw the Zhao father and son out.

Mother Zhao, accompanied by Ganlu, was waiting for them at the gate of Chen Yanzhou's courtyard.

When the family met up, Zhao Liangbi was so abashed he could not lift his head, while the Zhaos exchanged a few more pleasantries with Chen Yanzhou and Ganlu before returning to Zhao Liangbi's wing room in Yizhi Hall.

Chen Yanzhou went to Dou Yan and recounted how it had gone. "...The old couple were overjoyed to hear of a match for Liangbi. They brought out all the eighty-odd taels of silver they had saved at home, and they plan to hire an official matchmaker this very afternoon to make the proposal."

In her past life, Zhao Liangbi's parents had been the kindest of old folk to their daughter-in-law.

Dou Yan smiled brightly at this and called Gao Xing's wife in, asking her to help hire an official matchmaker as well.

The news that Suxin was to marry Zhao Liangbi could not be kept secret and soon spread.

Though Song Cen's condition had improved considerably, his spirits had not, and he still lay listlessly in bed.

Thus no one in the Guixiang Courtyard dared tell Song Cen that a match was being discussed for Suxin. It was Song Yan instead who hurried back early from the Five City Garrisons and asked how the marriage talks were going.

"Very smoothly." Dou Yan could not help showing a sweet smile. "Mrs. Zhao is very reasonable. She said that after the wedding Suxin should live with Zhao Liangbi in the capital. I plan to buy Suxin a small three-room courtyard house as her dowry." As she spoke, she thought of Sulan and added, "I will buy one for Sulan, Ganlu, and Sujuan as well."

In her past life, Ganlu and Sujuan had suffered far too much following her. In this life, she wanted them to live the lives they wished for.

Song Dan said, "Generous of you. But if you release all the senior maids in your household, what will become of your own rooms afterward?"

Learning the rules was not a matter of a day or two, and they also had to read faces and gauge Dou Zhiwei's moods—all the harder.

"One step at a time!" Dou Yan sighed. "Besides, there is no sign of a match for Ganlu or Sujuan yet!"

She leaned back somewhat wearily against the large bolster.

Song Yan touched her forehead with concern and asked gently, "Has something happened? You do not look well."

Dou Chi rubbed her face. "It is probably just that I did not sleep well last night!" At that, she suddenly felt that she truly was very tired.

No wonder people said circumstances shape the mind. She had only just begun to suspect she might be with child, and already she was beset by every kind of discomfort. Why had it not been like this in her past life?

She muttered inwardly, then asked Song Yan, "Shall I have the maids set the table?"

"That would be good!" Song Yan's eyes had never left her face, and his voice held a note of worry. "After you have your midday meal, rest properly for a while. The Empress sent word that she wants me to enter the palace this afternoon. I will try to return early to keep you company."

At that, Dou Yan sat up straight, somewhat alarmed. "What does the Empress want with you?"

She had been turning over the matter of Empress Wan wanting Song Yan to deliver something to the Prince of Liao.

"I don't know yet." Song Yan was a careful man; he would not speak until he was utterly sure.

Dou Yan warned him, "If they mean to send you to the Prince of Liao, you must refuse." As though possessed, she caught hold of Song Yan's sleeve. "I don't feel well. Don't go..."

Song Chu was stunned.

Dou Yan, who had spoken, was stunned as well.

She was actually wheedling Song Yan in that sweet, coy way...

For a moment Dou Yan's face burned.