Chapter 217 — Matchmaking (Bonus Chapter: Begging for Pink Votes)

He saw Tao Jun out personally and said: "As for your nephew's matter, Mr. Tao need not worry. That Baoding prefect was of the same examination cohort as my second cousin, and when he came to the capital last year to report on his duties, he even stayed at my fifth cousin's house. It is only a concubine, after all; one might say he has failed to govern his household properly, and surely he knows it in his heart—otherwise he would not have found a pretext to throw your nephew in prison."

The implication being: if you can secure this match for my daughter, leave your nephew's affair to me.

Tao Jun bowed again and again before taking his leave from the Heming Temple Lane.

Dou Huaiying, however, was so excited he could scarcely sit still.

If Shouyuan could marry the heir of the Duke of Ying, she would not need to stay at home and take a live-in husband.

He had wronged Shouyuan last time. When she married now, he must prepare a little more dowry for her.

Ming'er would surely understand in her heart and not begrudge her sister these things.

He called Gao Sheng in loudly and instructed him: "Prepare another dowry for the eldest young lady—double the original." The words were barely out of his mouth when he felt it improper; others would see it and think he favored Dou Chi and Ming'er, which would make Ming'er lose face. He hurriedly said, "On second thought, just prepare a dowry worth twenty thousand taels for the eldest young lady as before; the rest I will give her quietly."

Gao Sheng was dumbfounded.

It had been only a few days—how was the eldest young lady to be married off already?

Surely the master had not, out of mere spite, married off the fourth young lady to just anyone?

He could not help saying: "Master, whose son is the eldest son-in-law? Have you sent trusted men to inquire into his background? The words of matchmakers are usually not to be trusted!"

Dou Huaiying started, then said: "True enough! How could I have forgotten such a thing?!"

Or perhaps it was simply that he was too eager to make amends to Dou Yan!

Dou Huaiying could not help but laugh. He told Gao Sheng about Tao Jun's intention to arrange a match for Dou Yan, and then asked him, "...What do you think?"

Gao Sheng felt that the match had come altogether too abruptly. But seeing Dou Huaiying in such high spirits, he could hardly throw cold water on the idea; and yet he feared that this might truly be a match of a lifetime, and that if his one word spoiled it, he would be guilty of a crime beyond redemption.

"If it can be brought off, what better match could there be!" he said tactfully. "Still, we ought to make inquiries. That way, when the Fourth Young Lady marries into their house, she won't be stumbling about in the dark, knowing nothing at all."

"Naturally." Dou Huaiying nodded again and again. It occurred to him that Gao Sheng was the man he trusted most, and he smiled. "Then I leave the matter in your hands." He exhorted him repeatedly, "You must get to the bottom of it." And he added, "If you manage this well, I will see to it that your boy gets a proper standing."

Gao Sheng had always respected Dou Yan; even without Dou Huaiying's orders, he would have made inquiries on his own, and now Dou Huaiying was promising his son a standing besides! Overjoyed, Gao Sheng thanked him again and again, knelt and knocked his head three times before withdrawing.

Dou Huaiying's feelings were deeply conflicted.

He feared that what Gao Sheng learned might prove unfavorable to the heir of the Duke of England's house, and thus leave Dou Zhiwei's marriage prospects in ruins; yet he also feared that Gao Sheng might find everything just as good as Tao Jun had said, and that the Duke of England's house would look down on Dou Yan after all...

He practiced his calligraphy in the study, waiting anxiously for Gao Sheng's news.

To his surprise, Gao Sheng was back by lamp-lighting time.

"Master, I have learned something." His face was pale, and Dou Huaiying felt a faint misgiving. "I heard it said that the heir of the Duke of England's house has a most violent temper. Because he quarreled with the Duke of Zhenguo, he actually had all the guards who answered to the Duke of Zhenguo killed. Not only that, he had the bodies of those guards laid out in neat rows in the middle of the courtyard, so that when the Duke of Zhenguo returned to his mansion—when the noble houses of the capital speak of the affair, they all tremble with fear..."

"What did you say?" Dou Huaiying leaped to his feet.

No wonder Tao Jun had offered to arrange a match for Shouyuan! So the heir of the Duke of England's house had a bad character, and no one dared to ally their family with his!

Was this not pushing Shouyuan into a pit of fire?

Fine fellow, Tao Chi—you dare to make a fool of me!

He was shaking with rage. Seeing that the servants in the room had all been sent away, he shouted at Gao Sheng, his face livid: "Where is that card of Tao Chi's? What was his nephew called again? Grind ink for me—I am going to write a letter to the Prefect of Baoding. He still thinks he can save his nephew's life?! I will have his nephew exiled three thousand li... no, exiled to the Nine Frontiers; that might be exactly what he wants. He would have the Duke of Zhenguo's household to speak for him, and three years of penal servitude might pass more comfortably than life outside. I will see him rot at the bottom of a cell..."

Gao Sheng had never seen Dou Huaiying so furious. He murmured and dared not make a sound, but just then a servant—foolish, or perhaps too clever by half—came running in to announce: "Seventh Master, the Fifth Lady of the Locust Tree Lane has come over, saying she has something to discuss with you!"

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Sisters and brothers who read this book, I beg you for pink votes!

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