Chapter 246 — Joy and Sorrow

Some households rejoiced while others grieved.

Dou Yan and Song Yan had settled down to a peaceful rest, but Song Cen, after a long and tiring day, now sat grim-faced in the armchair of his study, listening to Tao Jun report the news that had been gathered over the past two days.

"...It is true that the Fourth Miss of the Dou family was raised in the countryside of Zhending, and it is true that she and Wang Yousheng's daughter were like fire and water. That the Fifth Miss of the Dou family snatched the Fourth Miss's betrothed is also a matter known to everyone high and low in both the Dou and Wei households. But what no one expected was that, because of the sisters' exchanged marriage, Seventh Master Dou took the silver drafts originally meant for the Fifth Miss's dowry and gave them to the Fourth Miss as compensation..." Here Tao Jun could not help knitting his brows, and he lowered his voice. "I hear that Seventh Madam Dou has been threatening to die over this matter, and did not even appear when the Fourth Miss left the bridal chamber. And Seventh Master Dou quarreled with her over it and even summoned the Wang family to arbitrate—even Elder Dou was stirred up. When I came away, the Wang family and Elder Dou were still at the Yunqi Temple alley. I reckon that no sooner has the Dou girl stepped out in her bridal procession than her family will be in an uproar behind her! By then, I fear it will become a laughingstock for the Heir."

Song Cen was displeased.

He wanted to make trouble for Song Yan, but he had no wish to bring disgrace upon the Yingzhen Ducal House.

Song Cen thought it over, then said, "Have your men keep a close watch. If that side truly does break into an uproar, then have that Dou woman refrain from paying her return visit for the time being."

That way, when everyone learned that trouble had arisen in the Dou woman's natal family, it would serve nicely to soften the shock caused by that pallet of silver drafts.

Tao Jun nodded again and again, then took counsel with Song Cen: "...I would like to make a trip to Zhending."

Song Cen was well pleased with Tao Jun's prudence and gave his consent, then asked about Song Han: "How has his studying been these days?"

At Song Cen's request, Tao Jun had recommended an old acquaintance of his serving in the Hanlin Academy to come every ten days to guide Song Han in his studies.

"Lord Du says the Second Young Master is very diligent, and at this rate, in another two or three years he will be ready to sit for the examinations."

Song Cen was far from satisfied to hear this.

Everyone knew that the sons of meritorious families did not sit for the imperial examinations, yet the old man insisted on bringing up the examinations. Was this not making a fool of him?

He thought back to when Song Yan had been studying—no matter which great scholar taught him, all had said that Song Yan was naturally brilliant, and that it was a pity he had been born into the Yingzhen Ducal House.

Song Cen's anger flared at once, and he said to Tao Jun in a muffled, sullen voice, "It is getting late. You had best go and rest first, sir."

Tao Jun had, after all, been Song Cen's guest and advisor for over twenty years, and he knew that Song Cen was displeased. He could not help sighing to himself, and withdrew with a dejected look.

Song Cen noticed none of this; he was wholly absorbed in thinking about the Dou family affair.

If Seventh Master Dou had truly fallen out with his wife, then why not seize this opportunity to order his daughter-in-law to cut all ties with her natal family? In that way, Song Ji would be unable to obtain any help from the Dou family.

The more he thought about it, the better the idea seemed.

But who should be sent to speak to the daughter-in-law?

Surely he, a father-in-law, could not go and speak to his son's wife himself?

And this matter must not alarm Song Yan. With Song Yan's cleverness, he would likely know at once what scheme was afoot; then, besides tipping his hand, it might even give Song Yan an opportunity to draw still closer to the Dou family.

Only now did he deeply appreciate how troublesome it was to have no capable woman at his side to handle such affairs!

Jiang Shi's lovely face flashed through Song Cen's mind.

He could not help shuddering, and shook his head fiercely, as if by doing so he could drive Jiang Shi from his memory.

※※※※※

Two wards away from the Yingzhen Ducal House, at the residence of the Marquis of Jining, though it was already past the third watch, the lamps still burned in the side courtyard where Tian Shi lived, and several old serving women who attended her stood in the middle of the courtyard, watching with some unease the maidservant of Wei Wan who stood in the covered corridor.

"What hour is it now? What business can the eldest young madam have that cannot wait until tomorrow, that she must have it clear at this time of night?" one of the old women muttered under her breath in displeasure.

"Just so." Her words drew the agreement of her old companions. Another old woman said quietly and resentfully, "And she summoned the Marquis and the Young Madam as well. The eldest young madam might consider—even if the Marquis has done something amiss, he is, after all, the one who holds up this household, and he has taken a wife. She ought to leave him a little face. To scold the Marquis like this in front of the Young Madam—what sort of behavior is that! I say we must remind the Dowager, or else, as the days go by, the Young Madam will surely come to slight the Marquis!"

Recalling the indistinct quarreling of Wei Wan and her brother that had come from the inner chamber just now, the old women nodded in unison.

And at this moment, the Wei Wan whom the old women were discussing was glaring at the silent Dou Ming with wide, furious eyes, looking as though she wished she could swallow Dou Ming whole to relieve her hatred.

"Are you mute?" she said in a low, cold voice, fixing her gaze on Dou Ming, whose lips were pressed into a tight seam. "No one in our family is blaming you. We merely asked you a few questions, and yet you act as if I were your enemy—not only ignoring me, but not even sparing a thought for your own mother-in-law. You came in your sister's place to marry into this family—did any of us ever say a word against you? Who would have thought you would prove so ungrateful, lacking not only humility and gentleness, but even the basic courtesy and breeding of a decent person. Is this the fine daughter the Beilou Dou family raised? Tomorrow I shall go and ask Elder Dou's lady for an explanation, and see who taught you to treat your mother-in-law this way..."

Watching the dazed Dou Ming, Wei Fan could not help quarreling with his sister once more: "Sister, can you not say a little less? Did I not explain it to you long ago? That pallet of silver drafts was originally prepared by our father-in-law for Ming, and since Ming did not use it, surely he could not let the Tongde Silver House print it for nothing? So father-in-law gave that pallet of silver drafts to the Fourth Miss Dou... What are you making such a fuss about here? Who talks the way you do?"

"What? Now that you have a wife, you no longer have a sister?" Wei Fan sneered, and said with righteous indignation, "Those silver drafts were originally meant for Ming. Since Dou Yan could take back her dowry, why can't Ming take back the dowry that was prepared for her? Even if she cannot take it back, as they are both daughters, your father-in-law ought to prepare a share for Ming as well!"

When Dou Yan married, she, as a relation by marriage, had gone to the wedding feast too.