Chapter 314 — Acceptance

Leaving Dou Yan and Song Yan to their honeyed bliss, Song Yan lay tossing and turning, not closing his eyes the whole night through.

He thought of how the clan had looked after him when he was small, of the bowl of steaming hot congee his great-aunt in the back street had given him one bitter winter, of the summer-cloth jacket Third Aunt had made for him in the blazing heat.

His uncle had four sons. When he went to Zhending to take up a teaching post, he had meant to bring his youngest son along—it would let the boy study and spare the family one mouth to feed. In the end, he brought Song Yan instead.

His aunt had nothing of her own, yet she made him clothes for all four seasons, warm and cool.

These last two years she had even wanted to arrange a match for him. It was only that his family had no property to speak of and he had no proper trade; for a good family the betrothal gifts were high, and with the wives of his cousins—Third and Fourth—both newly brought in, his uncle's household had its hands full for the moment. Those willing to give him a daughter were either girls with some defect or families greedy for the betrothal gift, men of no account. In truth, his aunt might well have gone along with the current and settled a match for him and called it done, and reaped a name for herself as a virtuous wife besides. But no—she insisted on finding him a girl who could truly keep a household...

Song Yan's eyes grew wet at once.

At first light, heedless of the serving woman's startled look, he knelt before the door of Song Yumin's room.

Song Yumin pushed the door open, saw the dew on Song Yan's hair, and stood frozen in the doorway.

After a long while he said, his voice hoarse, "So you already know?"

Song Yan nodded and said quietly, "Uncle, I agree to this marriage!" Shame he could not hide clung to the corners of his eyes and brows.

"What nonsense are you talking?" Song Yumin hurried to pull Song Yan to his feet. "Did we raise you all these years only to hand you over to another family as a live-in son-in-law? Not another word of such talk from now on. As for the heir of the Duke of Ying's household, I will deal with him myself... at worst I'll go back and sit in a schoolroom a few more years!"

"No." Song Yan protested urgently. "It's not because the Duke of Ying's heir came to plead his case and I took fright—it's that I want to go myself."

His uncle's eldest son was already a provincial graduate, and Third Brother had passed the prefectural examination; soon his eldest nephew would sit for the exams too, and there were still many places in need of money. Once there had been Dou's stipend, but now they were eating into their savings with nothing coming in. Many a boy like him had long since starved or frozen to death. He had grown to manhood, and had even learned a little reading at his uncle's side—what more could he ask?

It was only a pity he could not put his name on the golden roll and repay his uncle and his clan for their kindness.

Song Yumin did not believe it.

Only two days before, the two of them had been talking so happily together—how after returning to Quzhou they would go to the government office to register, how he would sit for the boys' examination. How could he have changed his mind in the blink of an eye?

"Uncle!" Song Yan knelt at Song Yumin's feet. "Magistrate Zhao and Madam Zhao are good people. They won't treat your nephew poorly. Please just agree!"

And he knelt there before Song Yumin, unwilling to rise.

Song Yumin's old eyes ran with tears.

Their host was surnamed Zheng, given name Jiuyan, a friend of Song Yumin's.

Hearing from the serving woman that uncle and nephew were kneeling there talking, and not knowing what had happened, he hurried over.

When he learned it was about Song Yan's marriage, Zheng Jiuyan burst out laughing and scolded Song Yumin: "The Zhao family are a scholarly house—naturally they'd want a son-in-law who understands letters and verse. Otherwise I doubt they'd have kept their girl unmarried this long. Now that your nephew is to enter the Zhao household, he'll surely be at Magistrate Zhao's side, serving him. The whole family are graduates of the metropolitan examination, men of standing; to study under Magistrate Zhao—would that not be a hundred times better than studying under you? And his sons and grandsons after him will have the Dou family as a great tree to lean on. If you truly care for this nephew of yours, then keep close ties with the Zhao family hereafter and see that his good name is not dimmed." Then he teased Song Yumin: "Surely no one in your family is after the Zhao family's silver?"

This speech left Song Yumin not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

Zheng Jiuyan seized the moment: "Why not let me act as matchmaker?"

Song Yumin said nothing.

Song Yan quickly rose and thanked him.

Zheng Jiuyan laughed. "That's more like it! A true man acts openly. Since the decision is made, then make a proper job of it!"

Song Yan nodded again and again.

Song Yumin gave a long sigh and turned back into the room.

Zheng Jiuyan shot Song Yan a look. "You'll be living with the Zhao family from now on. Even if he knows you'll do well and they'll treat you like a son of their own, his heart is bound to ache at losing you. Go and have a good talk with your uncle."

Song Yan thanked Zheng Jiuyan once more with gratitude.

Zheng Jiuyan waved it off with a smile. No sooner had he passed through the hanging-flower gate than he sent someone to inquire after Dou Huaiying's whereabouts, and timing it for when Dou Huaiying left his office, he had twelve boxes of gifts made up and went to the Hening Temple Lane.

When Dou Huaiying heard what Zheng Jiuyan had come for, his jaw dropped in astonishment, and it was a good while before he collected himself.

He sought confirmation cautiously: "You're sure you have it right? Matchmaking for Song Qianli and my cousin's daughter? My elder brother-in-law's household is looking to take in a son-in-law!"

"Indeed!" Zheng Jiuyan said with a smile. "I have long heard that your young cousin is a quiet and refined girl. Young Mr. Song has studied at your house these several years under Mr. Song; his looks and character are known to you all..."

Before he had even finished, Dou Huaiying had grown excited. He quickly called Zheng Zhengchang to keep the guest company, while he himself slipped off in a flash to the guest rooms.

His aunt by marriage had not slept all night either.

Would the Song family agree?

And if they did not, what was to become of Zhangru's marriage?

Every friend who might be asked had been asked; every young man worth looking over had been looked over. Where was a suitable match to be found now?

If word of this got out, would people not think the Zhao family were so eager to marry off their girl that they thought little of Zhangru?

Why had it never occurred to them before—Song Yan?

Had it been raised back in Zhending, yes or no, it would have been settled by now, and there would have been no need to drag the whole business to the capital.

There is no wall in this world that the wind does not pass through. The Cat Alley side was easy enough to handle, but if the people in the Locust Tree Alley got wind of it, would they not secretly gloat? And the Wang family too—they lived in the capital as well...

The very thought of it made her head ache, and she had no spirit in her all day long.

Seeing Dou Huaiying come in so cheerfully, his aunt by marriage was taken aback.

Before she could speak, Dou Huaiying had already turned to the servants attending them and said, "All of you, withdraw. I have something to discuss with my aunt."

The maids hurried out.

Dou Huaiying told his aunt what Zheng Jiuyan had come for.

For a long while his aunt could not collect herself; when she did, she could not help murmuring "Amitabha" and saying, "That boy Yantang—I have never in my life seen anyone go about things more steadily than he does!"