Chapter 370 — Wedding Wine

Now that Uncle had come to the capital, neither Yunqi Temple Lane nor Locust Tree Lane could do less than give him a welcome feast.

But Uncle begged off both, on the grounds that he had not yet reported to the Ministry of Personnel.

So the Fifth Madam called at the house to see Dou Yan. "An old grudge is better loosed than tied," she said. "That Wang woman came to no good end either. Our two families can hardly break off a friendship of several generations just like that. You ought to have a word with your uncle. Your Fifth Uncle is in the Grand Secretariat now, after all — isn't it convenient to pass a word to him when there's business? Why go looking at Mu Chuan's face?"

So that was it: her uncle had got himself in with Mu Chuan.

No wonder, in her last life, her eldest cousin's husband had been able to serve his apprenticeship in the Ministry of Works.

She could not help but sigh.

From a place as out of the way as that, her uncle had still managed to make connections with the great men of the capital — no small feat.

And if not for her mother's death — had her uncle entered the Hanlin Academy, his official career would surely have run smoother.

And the reason her uncle had turned from the near to seek the far was, in all likelihood, her and her mother, was it not?

Dou Yan thought this made good sense, and smiled. "Sometimes circumstances force your hand and there's nothing else to be done. Surely you can't expect Uncle to offend Mu Chuan?"

The Fifth Madam thought her a child who understood nothing. "Your uncle is kin to our family by marriage, after all. Even if he courts Mu Chuan, Mu Chuan will never take him as a confidant — he will only be on his guard against him in everything. Don't imagine these things are so simple."

So that was how hard it had been for her uncle in her last life!

Dou Yan was on the verge of tears, and in that instant she conceived a thorough loathing for the Fifth Madam; so, purely to sicken her, she said carelessly, "And what is so remarkable about it? At worst he takes Wang Yuan's road. Dai Jian rode Wang Yuan's road and ended up Chief Grand Secretary, did he not? If my uncle takes Wang Yuan's road, there is no disgrace in it. Besides, the Heir is on good terms with Wang Yuan — I imagine Wang Yuan would still sell the Heir that much face."

The Fifth Madam was so angry that the veins stood out on her forehead, but she dared not lose her temper; she swallowed her fury and went away.

The moment she was gone, Dou Yan jumped up and set off for Jade Bridge Lane.

Uncle had gone to the Ministry of Personnel. His arrival had set the preparations for Zhao Zhangru's wedding going at full tilt; she was to be a bride now, and naturally could not go about as freely as before.

When Dou Yan arrived, her aunt and Madam Guo, who had come over to help, were holding up two bolts of cloth and dithering over them.

Catching sight of her, her aunt beckoned at once. "Come quickly and look for me — which of these would do better for the red gown for the double congratulations?"

Madam Guo laughed too. "Your aunt and I have been dithering for the longest time. Thank goodness you're here."

Dou Yan saw that the two bolts were much alike — one with a vase-and-peony pattern, the other with a four-seasons ruyi motif — and laughed. "Then have one of each made. Cousin can wear whichever she likes; on the third day she has to go and see her mother-in-law anyway."

Song Yan, accompanied by Song Weimin's wife and eldest son, had moved yesterday into the Step-by-Step Inn, not far from Jade Bridge Lane, and had found time besides to call on the Song family there.

Her aunt gave a spat of mock reproof at Dou Yan and said to Madam Guo, "Don't listen to her. She's new money now — every stitch she orders has to come in pairs. We can't compete with her."

Madam Guo covered her mouth and laughed.

Dou Yan asked her, "Why is there no sign of little Pin? You ought to bring her out and about more often. Children need to meet people and see the world — that is the only way they lose their shyness, learn neither to cringe nor to give themselves airs, and carry themselves with ease."

Madam Guo said meekly, "I'll remember. I'll bring little Pin over to play tomorrow."

As the two of them talked, the Sixth Aunt, née Ji, arrived with her daughter-in-law née Han and Qijin.

Recalling what Dou Yan had just said, Madam Guo cast her a grateful glance and followed her out through the ornamental gate.

Qijin was a lively, restless child; catching sight of the pair of gold filigree lantern earrings Dou Yan wore, he fixed his eyes on them and would not look away.

Dou Yan teased née Han: "Qijin is going to grow up a regular little miser — he already knows gold is pretty."

Née Han smiled.

Dou Yan took the Sixth Aunt's arm. "What brings you here today?"

"Your eleventh and twelfth brothers are both idling at home," said née Ji. "I was afraid Aunt might have errands needing an extra pair of legs, so I came specially to tell her. I'll send the two of them over tomorrow — if there is no running about to be done, they can help Uncle entertain guests here, and get a little experience besides. It's their good fortune."

Her aunt thanked her again and again.

Dou Yan sighed to herself.

With so many young men in a family, how much easier everything was to arrange.

The Song family's younger generation was thin — so thin that when Song Yan wished to pick a tall one from among the dwarfs to lend him a hand, there was no one to be found.

Boy or girl, they should simply have more children!

Dou Yan sat down with née Ji and the rest on the broad heated platform in the sitting room.

With the women gathered together the chatter flew thick and fast, and in a blink it was noon.

Zhao Si had come home.

Learning that several of the Dou ladies were paying a call, he sent a man to inquire after them, and had the midday meal laid in the outer rooms.

Dou Yan slipped quietly away to him and asked her uncle point-blank, "Have you taken Mu Chuan's road?"

Uncle was taken aback; then, supposing that the Dou family had sent Dou Yan to plead their case, he grew very angry, and forcing down the rage in his heart he said to her, "These are great matters of the court — keep out of them. I know what I am about. Even without leaning on the Dou family, we Zhaos will not quail before anyone. Your only business is to bear children and raise them well."

Dou Yan, seeing that her uncle had misunderstood, smiled and said, "Fifth Aunt did come to see me, but it is not for her sake that I have come to say these things to you. The Crown Prince is not Empress Wan's own son, after all; the Prince of Liao in Liaodong rules the realm with a single word; and Mu Chuan was raised up single-handed by the Empress. Since His Majesty began to be taken ill now and then, the Empress has even been giving orders to the Imperial Guards. The heart of man is never content — a snake will try to swallow an elephant. Even the Heir keeps his distance from all of this now. Uncle, you must be careful too."

Zhao Si was aghast. "Who told you all this? The Heir? Why would he speak of such things to you?"

Dou Yan, making a tiger-skin banner of Song Yan's name, let her tongue run free: "The Heir says the inner palace is the court in miniature, and that I should keep more company with the great ladies of the harem."

Zhao Si's face changed color on the instant.

Dou Yan seized the moment to take her leave.

Zhao Si shut himself up in his study for a whole afternoon.

When Dou Yan heard of it, she nodded to herself in secret approval.

Before long, her uncle's appointment came down.

Just as the rumors they had heard foretold, he was sent to Huguang, to serve as prefect of Wuchang.

Prefect for prefect, Wuchang outshone Qingyang in both position and bustle; for her uncle this was no small step up.