Chapter 416 — The Wild Goose

Song Yan comforted her. "Set your heart at ease; I know what I am about in this. Whether Fifth Uncle joins the Prince of Liao or not, so long as the Prince of Liao means to rebel, he and I must make a show of falling out. After all, it is not yet known who will win; and I will not, out of a foolish loyalty, let you and the children suffer."

"So long as you know it," said Dou Yan, reining him in as best she could. "Since ancient times, no one who has had a hand in the struggle for the succession has come to any good, whether he won or lost."

Song Yan said, "I promise you."

Dou Yan was still uneasy at heart, and grumbled about it all to Song Yan.

Chen Yanzhou laughed. "His Highness Zhaohua has so many about him, and the Heir has never been one to press close to His Highness. Even if he wished to attach himself to His Highness, His Highness would first have to trust him! I rather approve of the Heir's way — watch and wait a while, and if the worst comes, one can only sacrifice the pawn to save the king."

That pawn is Jiang Baisun, I suppose?

Dou Yan's heart eased a little.

At noon Ruozhu came to report: "It is well you gave me that word, Madam. If I had not carried a little wound salve to the maid who keeps the Second Master's cat, she would have been gone long since. When she learned I was of your household she wept and wept, saying she could repay your great kindness only in the next life. She said the Second Master feeds that cat at every meal — whatever he eats, the cat eats — so the creature has taken to squatting beneath the kang table. Qixia had warned her before to be careful, and not let the cat run up on the kang for fear it knock over a teacup and scald the Second Master. She blames herself for not heeding Qixia's words, and so bringing this trouble down."

Dou Yan had matters on her mind and no patience for such talk. "Has the little maid been sent to the farm?"

"Yes," said Ruozhu. "She will not keep her leg, but at least her life is spared."

Dou Yan soon put the matter from her. When Song Yan came home that evening, she had Ganlu cook a bowl of noodles in chicken broth that had been simmering half the day, to serve him as a night meal.

Song Yan tasted it. The broth was very savory, and he ladled out a spoonful for Dou Yan. "Very good. Try some."

Dou Yan now ate little and often, and had had a bowl of it just before he came in, but she would not spoil his pleasure, and took a sip from the spoon.

"Good, is it not?" said Song Yan.

Dou Yan nodded, all smiles.

Song Yan ladled another spoonful, blew on it, and held it out to her. "One more."

Dou Yan looked at the steaming broth, and all at once there rose in her mind the sight of Song Han sitting at the kang table, picking out the dishes he liked best onto a little saucer and feeding them to his cat.

Her head rang with a great humming, and her face changed utterly.

Song Yan was badly startled. "What is it? Shouyuan, what is it? Are you unwell?"

His face was all alarm.

Dou Yan drew a long breath and came back to herself, but could eat nothing more.

White-faced, she asked him, "I think I once heard you say that before Mother died she lay ill abed, and that you were away in Liaodong then, and it was Song Han who nursed her?"

She called his brother by name.

Song Yan felt at once that something was wrong, and his face grew grave. He nodded. "Yes."

"And I remember you said that in Mother's day she loved to keep cats, but when you came back the cats had all vanished?"

Song Yan nodded.

Dou Yan said softly, "Song Han keeps cats, and when he eats he first feeds the cat whatever he likes best, and only then eats himself..."

Song Yan's eyes narrowed, his gaze cold and sharp as a blade's edge, and his face went rigid. "What are you saying?"

Dou Yan laid her hand on his.

His hand was trembling.

"Did he not take in two more cats?" Dou Yan said. "I wonder whether he still has that habit. If the cats are gone, might he not find a dog to feed?"

Song Yan closed his eyes, and did not open them for a long while.

But when he did, there was no ripple left in them; they were cold and clear as well water.

He told Wuyi, "Send for Lu Ming. At once."

Wuyi withdrew, quaking.

Song Yan had no appetite left.

Ganlu saw half a bowl of broth remaining and was about to ask whether Song Yan wished for anything else, when she looked up and caught Dou Yan signalling to her.

She slipped quietly away.

Only after Lu Ming had gone did Song Yan come to bed, but he tossed and turned and could not sleep.

Dou Yan put her arms about his.

He grew still, and said softly in the dark, "Did I wake you? Shall I go sleep on the kang?"

"No," said Dou Yan, holding his arm the tighter. "I cannot sleep either."

Neither spoke.

The inner room was utterly still.

Suddenly Song Yan gave a little laugh, and laid his hand gently on her high belly. "Tell me — a child that meets so much while still in the womb, will it be born a worrier, do you think?"

"It may well be," said Dou Yan. "It is as well this is the first. Girl or boy, such a temper is no bad thing."

Song Yan sighed, and turned to take her in his arms.

It was too hot.

But thinking of how low his spirits were, Dou Yan bore it.

More than that, these past days she had been early to bed and early to rise, long since out of the habit of keeping late hours, and before she knew it she had drifted off into a drowsy sleep.

Half dreaming, half waking, she seemed to hear Song Yan say, "It's a fine thing, that you married me."

Dou Yan could not help but be delighted, and wanted to ask him, "Is that true?" But her eyelids were heavy as lead, and would not open for anything.

She mumbled something incoherent and fell asleep.

Brothers and sisters, happy weekend to you all!

Today is the first day of November. A new month, a new beginning. I'm counting on everyone's pink votes this month!

O(∩_∩)O~

Tomorrow's bonus update will still come around the afternoon, and the regular update around nine in the evening. (To be continued)