Chapter 341 — Conflict

But Second Madam Zhang had no intention of letting Wei Wan off. "Elder Sister-in-law may not know yet, I suppose? The Dou family supplemented the dowry of the Heir's Consort of the Duke of Yingguo—they say it came to a hundred or two hundred thousand taels of silver. In order of seniority, no doubt the next supplement will go to the Countess of Jining. Then when our eldest young master takes a wife and our eldest young lady marries, with such wealthy and generous uncle and aunt, how respectable it will be!"

A hundred or two hundred thousand taels of silver?

Wei Wan's expression changed drastically.

Then she looked at Princess Ninghuai, Old Madam Lu, and Dou Yan. Though they were somewhat displeased, none of them rebuked Second Madam Zhang for her nonsense.

Her heart turned to ice in an instant.

Princess Ninghuai frowned and threw a glance at the Marchioness of Changxing.

Second Madam Zhang was a daughter of the Shi family of the Changxing Marquisate.

The Marchioness of Changxing gave Princess Ninghuai an embarrassed smile, called Second Madam Zhang by her childhood name, and said, "You and your loose tongue. If a thief really does come, it will be because of your squawking."

Second Madam Zhang dared to cross Wei Wan in the Jingzhenguo household only because the Changxing Marquisate stood behind her, and now the Marchioness of Changxing was displeased. How would she dare say another word? She hastened to smile and say, "Am I not just green with envy that my sister-in-law has such a fine sister-in-law of her own?" She mocked herself thus until everyone was laughing and they had entered the flower hall, the whole matter put behind them; only then did she breathe easy again.

Wei Wan hurried to ask Dou Ming, "What exactly happened?"

Dou Ming only ever thought of how Wei Wan counted every copper before her, never of how Wei Wan quietly subsidized Wei Fan and Madam Tian. At these words her face went cold. "My sister-in-law has always had sharp ears and keen eyes. Nothing in our Jining Marquisate household escapes you, to say nothing of the Jingzhenguo household!" Then she swept off into the flower hall.

With the guests all seen in, the wives had to hurry over to offer birthday greetings to the Duchess of Jingguo.

Wei Wan did not dare delay. She murmured a few instructions to her trusted old serving woman, then went with a smile to the flower hall alongside the second and third madams.

By the time she had offered her greetings and come, surrounded by attendants, with the Duchess of Jingguo to the waterside pavilion, Dou Yan was nowhere to be seen.

She was somewhat taken aback.

Princess Ninghuai explained, "Something seems to have come up over at Yantang. They sent someone to call her away and said they would come another day to make their apologies to you."

Song Yan had made a fine impression on the Duchess of Jingguo. She thought him a man of noble birth who cared little for socializing, yet immensely capable in his own right, scrupulous in courtesy, and sensible of what mattered. If he said something had come up, then it must truly be important; and thinking of what had befallen the Yingzhenguo household these past years, she gave it no further thought and said with a smile, "I only meant to gather everyone here for some festivity on my birthday. If I have delayed matters of consequence, the fault would be mine. If they have business, they should by all means go; that is what would please me."

Everyone laughed.

Dou Yan was already in a carriage with Song Yan, bound for the Yingzhenguo household.

"You should have called for me two quarters of an hour later," she said, leaning against Song Yan's shoulder with a smile. "Since one goes to offer birthday greetings, one ought at least to drink a cup to the birthday lady, no?"

"It was precisely because I feared you would be uncomfortable after drinking that I had you called away before the Duchess of Jingguo went to the waterside pavilion," Song Yan said with a smile. "And who is it that does nothing but torment me when she is unwell?"

Dou Yan flushed slightly.

She did not know herself how she had come to be this way. When she was unwell and saw Song Yan sitting there placidly reading or writing, she would make a fuss over him: now begging him to pour her a cup of tea, now clamoring for something to eat, and watching Song Yan spin in circles around her, the tightness in her chest and shortness of breath would scatter to the four winds.

"Has the feast not yet begun in the front courtyard?" she said, changing the subject with a smile. "There is not the least smell of wine about you."

"Can you not abide the smell of wine?" Song Yan said. "And still you ask me why there is no smell of wine about me!"

Dou Yan laughed sheepishly. "When we get back, I will make you gourd cakes to eat!"

Song Yan said crossly, "Can you abide the smell of cooking oil?"

Dou Yan was speechless.

Song Yan gave a humph and did not speak to Dou Yan again the whole way.

Seeing that they were nearly home, Dou Yan grew anxious and scolded, "Then what do you want me to do? Who ever saw such a petty man!"

Song Yan pulled a stern face and got down from the carriage.

Dou Yan had no choice but to follow him into Yizhi Hall.

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Sisters and brothers, I have been run off my feet these past two days and only had time to come online today. I have learned that we took first place in the monthly ticket rankings for August. My heartfelt thanks to everyone!

I hardly know what more to say. My time is not my own just now, so I can only wait until this busy spell is over before I properly thank you all.

o(n_n)o~

ps: Posting the draft first; I will hunt down the bugs in a bit.