Chapter 365 — Moving House
Purple Streets of Chang'an Page 2 of 2
Both Ji Shi and Fifth Aunt praised Song Yan endlessly for her thoughtfulness.
Dou Yan smiled with pursed lips, resolving to reward Song Yan handsomely once she returned.
Because her aunt by marriage was still unpacking her trunks and boxes, they sat a while longer and then prepared to take their leave. Just then a young servant came running in and said, "Master Chen of the Embroidered Uniform Guard's Zhenfu Office has heard that the mistress is here. He wishes to come in and pay his respects."
Only then did Dou Yan recall that Chen Jia lived here.
And Ji Yong too lived in Yuqiao Lane.
All her acquaintances were clustered together in one place.
She wondered how Ji Yong was doing now.
Was he conducting himself properly in the Hanlin Academy?
He was hardly the sort to grow steadier with age!
Dou Yan said to the young servant, "I am about to return to the residence. Go and tell Master Chen that I am still accompanying several elders and it is not convenient for me to receive him. My aunt by marriage is living here now. If he is so inclined, I would ask him to look in on her from time to time."
The young servant answered and went off.
Cai Shi clicked her tongue in admiration. "The Fourth Son-in-Law is truly formidable—even someone from the Embroidered Uniform Guard's Zhenfu Office wants to come in and pay his respects the moment he hears the Fourth Young Mistress is here!"
Fifth Aunt frowned, displeased by Cai Shi's blatant sycophancy.
Guo Shi hurried to smooth things over. She said with a smile, "Now the Fourth Young Mistress can set her mind at ease, surely? She has even found guards for Mrs. Zhao."
Fifth Aunt laughed softly.
Guo Shi then said, "The young miss is about to be married. Shall I come over tomorrow and run errands for Mrs. Zhao?"
Both Fifth Aunt and Cai Shi were startled.
Guo Shi had always been quiet and unobtrusive. How had she suddenly taken a liking to socializing?
Her aunt by marriage was naturally glad to have someone familiar with the capital at her side to help, and readily agreed.
Dou Yan gave Guo Shi a thoughtful glance, then followed the others as her aunt by marriage saw them off to the hanging-flower gate, and returned to the Yingzhenguo Estate Lane.
Song Yan was in the study talking with Mr. Yan.
Dou Yan said in surprise, "How is it the heir returned so early today?"
Ganlu shook her head.
It happened that Suxin had come to the residence to visit her.
She put the matter out of her mind and went happily to welcome Suxin in.
"Let me see if you have changed at all," Dou Yan said, taking Suxin's hand and studying her closely.
Her black hair was coiled into a married woman's round bun, adorned with a goose-yellow lilac and a purple redbud silk flower. She wore a pale blue plain-silk jacket with woven floral patterns, and gold filigree lantern-shaped earrings hung from her ears. There was a clear elegance to her, touched with a certain dignity.
Dou Yan nodded approvingly. "You look every bit the lady of the household now!"
Suxin blushed.
Sujuan came in with Ruozhu, and at the sight of Suxin there was yet another round of delighted surprise. Only afterward did she ask Dou Yan for instructions: "The manager of the silk shop has brought over the fabrics for this year's summer clothes. Shall we follow the usual custom and give everyone one pale blue jiao-cloth jacket, or change to another color?"
The household had two or three hundred maids and serving women, and every spring they made summer clothes, and every summer they made winter clothes.
Dou Yan said, "Follow the usual custom."
Sujuan smiled and curtsied, about to withdraw.
But Suxin said to Dou Yan, "Madam, I remember that when you married in, there were more than a dozen bolts of fine plain silk. This fabric is not like others—left too long, it will spoil. I think you would do better to take out a few bolts and reward people with them, rather than let all that plain silk go bad in the storeroom."
The moment the words left her mouth, she regretted them deeply.
She was no longer the madam's personal senior maid. Such matters were not hers to meddle in, yet old habits died hard, and she had gone and played the lady of the house again.
Dou Chu simply treated Suxin as one of his own and never gave it much thought. He sighed with feeling, "You're the careful one. I can't even remember what's in my own stores!"
"Then let me come back and serve you as before!"
The words reached her lips, and Suxin hastily swallowed them again.
Every household had its own rules. A maid who had been married out had a little home of her own to look after; she could not wait on her old master from dawn to dusk, and there was certainly no sense in her coming back to take up a post again.
She thought for a moment, then said, "Madam, have you found a personal maid yet? Perhaps Sulan might put off her wedding a while longer. With no capable person at your side, I fear that even once Sulan is married, she will not be easy in her mind."
*
Recommending a novel o(n_n)o~
"A Wife's Passions and Desires," by Do Not Sweep the Snow
Synopsis: The husband keeps a bevy of beautiful concubines; the wife has her seven passions and six desires. To become the eldest young madam of the Anyang Marquis household, plotted against by her husband's family and manipulated by her own—such a state of affairs she will not accept. Kick out the worthless husband, shatter the schemes, seize her future! Caught inside the game, she will rise all the way up and become the one who moves the pieces, so that those who dream of maneuvering her meet no good end!