Chapter 76 — Agreement

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Chen Yanzhou knew exactly what Dou Zhiwei meant by that.

At fifteen, he would never have dreamed that his career would stall at the degree of juren; at thirty-three, he never imagined he would fail even as a private secretary; at fifty-six, he had assumed he would fade into obscurity and die old and alone in that cramped, low-ceilinged room on Dongxiang Street—yet never in his wildest dreams had he imagined he would move to this quiet, peaceful little village, and on a day of driving wind and snow sit in a room with glass panes in the windows and underfloor heating, warm as spring, drinking Lu'an melon-seed tea with a twelve-year-old girl.

"So you're saying that although the property is in your name, you cannot touch it?" Chen Yanzhou asked after taking a sip of the clear, pale tea.

"Not unless I marry far away," Dou Xin said. "The steward would have to come with me to my husband's household. Otherwise, replacing him would offend the second branch."

"What a pity," Chen Yanzhou sighed. "I looked carefully at the inventory of property in your name—the shops are scattered across the north and south. If we could set down a proper set of rules, in time the managers and clerks of these shops would become our eyes and ears. Then nothing that happens in the world would escape our notice."

Dou Yan was startled, and laughed. "Businessmen are not necessarily good at reconnaissance, and scouts are not necessarily good at business. Finding someone who excels at both is far too difficult—and I'm afraid maintaining such a network would cost a fortune. The loss would outweigh the gain." But Chen Yanzhou's words had also given her an idea, and she mused, "So I was thinking—could we start a business outside the Dou family holdings? Nothing too large in scale. Best if it could open branches, from the capital all the way to Zhending. We need to keep an eye on Wang Yousheng and on goings-on in the capital, so that when something happens we won't be slow to react and end up at a disadvantage."

Chen Yanzhou thought it over. "I've noticed that your family's ancestors built their fortune on usury..."

Dou Yan's face flushed slightly.

Chen Yanzhou hurried on: "Do not misunderstand me, young lady. What I mean is, if we want to know what is happening in the capital, the best way is to run a business where we can speak with the gentlemen of the ministries at any time—and every one of those gentlemen is a scholar. I say we open a stationery shop, and along with it sell current essays, directories of officials, lists of examination graduates, and the like." Here he gave an odd smile. "And if anyone should need it, we could lend them a little silver for temporary relief. What do you think?"

Dou Yan considered it seriously, and had to admit it was a good idea.

"But whom can we put in charge of this stationery shop?" she mused. "Zhao Liangbi is too young—he cannot command respect. Besides, the Dou clan people have always mistakenly believed he is one of the Zhao family, and suspect he may be your uncle's eyes and ears, which is why they tell him everything and I can learn what is happening over there at any time. I also intend for Zhao Liangbi to learn more skills from the experienced stewards of that branch of the Dou family, so that if one day we fall out with the Dou family, there will be someone to help hold the overall situation there, and we won't be caught flustered and at their mercy. He absolutely cannot be moved. As for the others... Cui Da won't do. I plan to have Cui Min follow Dou Yan..." She could not, after all, find a suitable person—or rather, it was not that she could not find one, but that in this life she had to find a few people she could trust.

Chen Yanzhou said, "You seem to trust Third Master Xiu a great deal?"

"His family needs silver," Dou Yan said, "and they have the most boys—if there is a disagreement in the household, there will be relatively more people who can speak up." Of course, the main reason was Dou Yan. Fifteen years from now, his sharpness would press close upon Dou Bingheng. She wondered: if Dou Bingheng failed to best Wang Xingyi, should she support Dou Yan in contending against Wang Xingyi?

In the past she had not dared to think of it, but now—now that she had help in external affairs—perhaps she could try.

Was it not said that the bold are stuffed to bursting while the timid starve?

As Dou Yan was thinking this, she heard Chen Yanzhou say, "Young lady, whether in the household or at court, the one who makes others submit is not necessarily the one with the loudest voice, but the one whose words carry the most weight. Since you have resolved to rely on your nephews in the family, we may as well begin now by picking a few among them to cultivate with particular care..."

"Then I will trouble you with this matter, Old Chen." The one she had chosen was Dou Yan—but this life was very different from the last, and choosing a few more would give her more strength when the time came. It would also be a good test of Chen Yanzhou's eye. Dou Xin said, "I grew up in the East Dou household, and to me every one of these people seems excellent. I fear it will be hard to be impartial."

What sort of clan was the Dou family?

They had produced ten jinshi over the generations—even the great families of Jiangnan with centuries of lineage did not dare look down on them. That he could select supporters from among the Dou clan's sons set Chen Yanzhou's long-cold heart pounding again, as though a blazing summer were about to arrive.

"Good," he said without hesitation. "In a few days I will give you the list of candidates, and you can see which are suitable and which are not."

Dou Yan was well pleased. "Then let us do this: we open the stationery shop. For the chief manager, find a proper businessman. As for the second manager, let Cui Min take the post. His main task will be to cultivate ties with the great men at court and promptly report back to us on affairs in the capital." Here she could not help bursting into a giggle. "That sort of thing is what he does best—and likes best."

After going full circle, Cui Min had ended up back in her hands—though from the respected chief steward of the Jining Marquis's household office he had become the second manager of a tiny shop. If he knew of her past life and this one, would he leap up in fury?

Chen Yanzhou hesitated. "Should we have them write a letter of allegiance?"

"No!" Dou Yan answered almost sharply.

In her past life, fearful of causing her difficulty, the Cui family had volunteered to write a letter of allegiance. Cui Min had entered the Jining Marquis's household with her and served her with utter loyalty, yet was mocked time and again by Wei Wan—and that was a pain in her heart.

"If any other sons of the Cui family still wish to attach themselves to us," she added calmly, "let them write letters of allegiance."

Chen Yanzhou nodded with satisfaction.

Dou Yan braved the wind and snow back to the West Dou household.

Qiukui was waiting for her at the second gate, looking anxious. "Mr. Jiang says that if you do not come back to your lessons, he will resign his post and return to his village."

"Then let him resign and go home," Dou Yan said coldly. "Heat some water for me—I want a bath, and then I will sit and talk with Aunt Cui." She was making it plain to Qiukui that she would not be attending lessons today either.

Qiukui did not dare disobey, and attended her washing as Dou Zhiwei had instructed.