Chapter 408 — The Reason

Gu Yu grew irritated as he listened. "That's what every one of you says! My uncle is even more blunt — he says if you're not satisfied after she's married in, divorce her in a couple of years and marry again, so stop making a fuss. Making things up out of thin air, as if the Feng girl were a cabbage — don't like it, just throw it away. And what about me? A union of hair, a union of hair, a bond for a hundred years — I want to find a capable girl and live my life properly with her. Is that so wrong?"

In your last life you found a formidable one, that Zhou woman, and even then you two couldn't get along!

Dou Yan could only shake her head as she listened.

No doubt at this moment Empress Wan had all her thoughts fixed on the Prince of Liao. Her policy toward the noble houses was one of appeasement; she feared that if Gu Yu kicked up a fuss over his marriage it might affect the Prince of Liao's grand plans, and so she had yielded to Gu Yu on this matter.

Thinking of Gu Yu's unrestrained wildness in his last life, Dou Yan felt that Gu Yu was a pitiable man.

Song Yan said with a headache: "Then I'll go and talk to your grandfather."

Gu Yu leapt up in delight. "Brother, I'll help sister-in-law arrange the courtyard for the Jiang cousin! I guarantee sister-in-law won't have to lift a finger."

Song Yan gave a cold snort. "If you didn't help your sister-in-law, no one in the Yizhi Hall would dare let her lift a finger anyway."

Gu Yu grinned shamelessly and gave Song Yan a push. "Go on, hurry to the Earl of Yunyang's residence. If you're late, my grandfather will have gone off to his villa at Shichahai to fish."

Song Yan gave Dou Yan a few instructions, changed his clothes, and went out.

Gu Yu then accompanied Dou Yan to Bishui Pavilion.

On the way, Dou Yan asked him, "How did you come to be so thoroughly at odds with your stepmother? She may be a titled lady of the highest rank, but the Empress doesn't care for her. One small pair of tight shoes from the Empress would be enough to make her suffer."

"If she had that much brains, she'd have done me in long ago!" Gu Yu said scornfully. "She's only relying on having curried favor with the Shen family, thinking my aunt won't touch her. If she ever annoys me enough, I'll egg Shen Qing on to deal with her, and then we'll see what she has to be so smug about!"

The Shen family were the maternal kin of the present Crown Prince.

Dou Yan looked at the ferocity written all over his face and could not help saying, "Look at you. You haven't even made your move, and you're already shouting it from the rooftops. Anyone would be on their guard against you. Who could you possibly deal with? No wonder you're a boy with Empress Yi at your back, and still you've never once got the better of your stepmother!"

Gu Yu was thoroughly unconvinced.

Dou Yan said, "Then tell me. When exactly did you ever win against your stepmother?"

Gu Yu's lips moved, but for a long while no words came out.

Dou Yan advised him, "Use the method that suits the person. With someone like your stepmother, either keep silent and turn a blind eye, or do it first and talk afterward, so she has nowhere to plead her grievance."

Gu Yu lowered his head, lost in thought.

By the time Song Yan returned at dusk, Bishui Pavilion had been fitted with new mottled-bamboo blinds, a painting of a beauty beneath the moon hung in the main hall, mugwort incense burned in the hundred-flower censer, the kang had been laid with a cool hibiscus mat, and the maids and serving women were all ready. He nodded in satisfaction and asked Gu Yu to stay for supper.

But Gu Yu cared only for his own affairs, and tugging at Song Yan's sleeve he pressed him, "What did my grandfather say? Tell me at once!"

"If it hadn't worked, would I dare come back and face you?" Song Yan said, pulling his sleeve free of Gu Yu's hand. "Careful, or you'll tear my clothes. Your sister-in-law made this for me with her own hands."

Gu Yu leapt up in excitement, threw an arm around Song Yan, and shouted to Dou Yan, "Sister-in-law, bring us a whole jar of wine!"

Infected by his high spirits, Song Yan rarely showed so light a smile. "That whole jar of wine ought to be on you, surely? I can't do the work and play host as well."

"You treat today, I'll treat tomorrow!" Gu Yu said with a grin, settling himself on the kang and turning to Dou Yan. "Sister-in-law, you come too. No sense in being cooped up at home every day."

Dou Yan pressed her lips together and smiled.

Song Han came in carrying a jar of wine.

He showed no surprise at seeing Gu Yu, but lifted the jar and said with a smile, "Lucky man. I had a hard time coaxing a jar of Pear Blossom White out of the Princess Ninghuai's household to honor my brother with, and here you are as well."

Gu Yu said carelessly, "It's only a jar of Pear Blossom White. One of these days I'll send you a cartload."

Song Han did not mind either; smiling, he sat down beside Song Yan and said to Gu Yu, "Mind you keep your word. I'll be waiting for that wine tomorrow."

Gu Yu thumped his chest.

Dou Yan went to tell the maids to serve the dishes, but her thoughts were on Song Han.

These days he was almost as bad as Gu Yu, coming over every single day...

That evening, after seeing Gu Yu and Song Han off, Dou Yan asked Song Yan, "How did you persuade the Earl of Yunyang?"

Song Yan said, "Don't imagine the Earl of Yunyang has gone senile. He simply doesn't want to offend anyone. But if he thinks of the Yunyang Earl's household, then taking a capable granddaughter-in-law is plainly the right course." Then he asked Dou Yan, "Have you noticed that Song Han drinks just like Father?"

Song Yan, coming back to himself, was indeed deeply suspicious by nature.

If she had not met him in the green years of his youth, winning his trust would have been harder than climbing to heaven.

Dou Yan sighed. "I hadn't noticed."

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Sisters and brothers, here is today's first update.

o(n_n)o~

Begging for pink votes!