Chapter 374 — Discontent

Dou Yan did not know whether to laugh or cry. She said to Su Lan, "Tell me, what is this supposed to be?"

Su Lan smiled with pursed lips. "Madam should be happy. The old lord and the Heir get along so well."

"Yes!" Dou Yan sighed. "I have not been a good daughter. Thank heavens for the Heir."

Her mood brightened again. She went to the kitchen herself to instruct the old women at the stove, had a banquet prepared, and sent it to the outer courtyard.

Dou Huaiying chatted at length with Song Yantang and felt greatly cheered. He stayed at Yizhi Hall until the lamps were lit before returning home. By the time Zhao Si's family left the capital, he no longer took Zhao Si's coldness to heart.

If his own sister had met with such a thing, he would probably have found it hard to let go as well.

No one in this world can satisfy everyone. Why not conduct oneself openly and honestly? So long as I can answer to my own conscience, that is enough.

Yantang was absolutely right.

So long as one has a clear conscience, how others see it and what they think is their business.

He felt clear-headed and refreshed, as if years of gloom had been swept away. He prepared travel funds and parting gifts for Zhao Si and delivered them in person to Yuqiao Alley. Under his aunt's slightly apologetic look, he calmly drank a cup of tea, chatted with her a few idle words, rose, and took his leave.

His aunt went to the study.

Seeing her husband practicing calligraphy there in a fretful mood, she could not help sighing softly. She turned and went to Zhao Zhangru's rooms, asking whether all her luggage was packed: "...do not leave things scattered about."

Zhao Zhangru was quite indifferent. "This is Shouyuan's house. Even if something is left behind, Shouyuan will keep it for us. She has a farm estate in Huguang. When the time comes, just have someone bring it to Huguang."

His aunt glared at her.

Just then Song Yan came in. Learning of it, he laughed. "Mother, do not worry. I will help keep an eye on things. Nothing will be left behind here."

Zhao Zhangru blushed and smiled at her husband.

His aunt could not help smiling and shaking her head.

Thank goodness for Song Yan.

He had grown up eating from a hundred households, and was careful and prudent by nature. He made up for his daughter's carelessness. Yet precisely because of this, his daughter's lively cheerfulness made up for Song Yan's sensitivity and delicacy. This marriage was truly excellent.

A father-in-law must feign deafness and folly.

She smiled and went to the hall.

***

After seeing off her uncle's family, Dou Yan began preparations for Su Lan's marriage.

She prepared a dowry for Su Lan identical to Su Xin's.

Chen He was very uneasy and asked Su Lan to decline this dowry. "My brother-in-law is poor and works for Madam. But I am the Heir's milk-brother, and I have the Heir to look after me."

Su Lan shook her head. "Gifts from elders must not be declined; the same goes for gifts from our mistress. We should accept them gladly. Only, in future, when dealing with people, remember how our mistress treats us, and you will know how to conduct yourself and what to do and not do. That in itself is repayment to her."

Chen He had not expected the carefree Su Lan to voice such simple, sound principles. He could not help viewing her in a new light, and no longer dared to coax her as if she were a naive girl. From then on he treated her with more respect.

When Chen He's mother saw that Chen He truly liked his wife, she thought of the dead Chen Tao and felt that fortune and misfortune in this world were unpredictable. She became more tolerant toward Su Xin. After Su Lan married, she lived happily beyond Dou Yan's expectations. This was something Dou Yan had not anticipated.

Only she did not know it yet.

Just two days before Su Lan's wedding, Lü Zheng's wife brought two young maids to the east wing of the upper courtyard to collect Song Han's summer clothes. Hearing that Dou Yan was in the back garden watching the serving women tend the flowers and plants, she thought it over, went to the back garden, and made her respects to Dou Yan.

Dou Yan was already slightly showing her pregnancy. After standing a while she felt tired, and sat down on a beauty couch spread with fur cushions. Casually she took two honey oranges tributed from Fujian from a tall blue-and-white porcelain dish on the tea table and gave them to Lü Zheng's wife. "Take these back for the children."

Lü Zheng's wife thanked her again and again, then said in a low voice, "I heard people from Xixiang Courtyard say that the Duke of Ying intends to assign Chuan'er from Xixiang Courtyard to serve the Second Master. But Chuan'er is someone who served the Duke of Ying closely. How can she be put into the Second Master's rooms? In this matter, I beg Madam to make the decision."

Someone who had served Song Cen closely?

In what way closely?

To tell the truth, she had never managed to find out.

Dou Yan said thoughtfully, "I have said that matters in the Second Master's rooms are for the Second Master to decide. If this is the Second Master's wish, then of course I must intervene."

The implication was clear: if it was only Lü Zheng's wife's idea, then even if Chuan'er had once served Song Cen closely, she would turn a blind eye.

Lü Zheng's wife's face flushed red. After a long moment she said, "Madam may not know, but that Chuan'er is seductively beautiful; every man who looks at her stares. The Second Master is still young. If he learns that the Duke of Ying has assigned Chuan'er to his rooms, how could he refuse? Besides, Chuan'er originally offended Miss Bai Zhi in the Duke of Ying's rooms. Bai Zhi put in a bad word, and Chuan'er angered the Duke of Ying. That was why the Duke of Ying, in a rage, assigned Miss Chuan'er to serve in the Second Master's rooms. If such a person enters the Second Master's rooms, will she not turn them upside down?"

As she spoke, she knelt before Dou Yan. "I beg Madam to grant this servant's earnest loyalty."

Bai Zhi?

Was she not a second-class maid in Song Cen's rooms?

The last time she had gone to Xixiang Courtyard to nurse the sick, she had seen only two senior maids, Luoyan and Chenyu, and a few little maids still with their hair in childhood tufts. She had wondered then why Song Cen had only these maids. Later, looking through the roster of servants in the Duke of Ying's household, she discovered that Song Cen's rooms had four senior maids, eight second-class maids, twelve third-class maids, and a number of lower-ranking maids and married serving women, forty-four people in all.

She had not yet had a chance to know them. Unexpectedly, because of a second-class maid, Chuan'er, she had come into contact with the maids of Xixiang Courtyard ahead of time.

Dou Yan said, "I will consider this matter."

Lü Zheng's wife left disappointed.

Dou Yan called out loudly, "Su Xin!"

Gan Lu came in smiling and answered, "How could the Madam have forgotten that as well — Sister Su Xin has taken Sister Su Juan along to deliver fruit to the Young Master."

Dou Yan laughed despite herself.

Today was the third session of the provincial examination, and as she had on the two previous occasions, she had fruit freshly prepared and sent Su Xin to carry it to the examination hall.

In daily life she had grown so used to calling Su Xin's name over every little thing.

When summer came and Zhao Liangbi returned to the capital, Su Xin would go home as well; and then it seemed she would not have a single maid left to whom she could speak her heart.

She would have to accustom herself, slowly, to watching these trusted maids leave her, one after another.

Dou Yan found herself thinking of Chen Yanzhou's arrival.

No wonder men were so fond of keeping advisors.