Chapter 424 — A Strategic Proposal

Song Yan had barely settled into his study when Gao Sheng arrived, laden with tonics. "My master is overjoyed," he said. "He asks that you look after the young lady with the utmost care. Once her month of confinement is over, he will send someone to fetch the young master home for a few days' stay."

By custom, the third-day washing and the month-end celebration were affairs managed by the women of the household; even Dou Huaiying, though the child's own father, would be expected to keep his distance.

The old master was beside himself with delight. He had always held Dou Yan in high regard, and must be even happier now than anyone.

Song Yan thought for a moment, then said, "Tell my father-in-law this: whenever he has a free day, he should come round for a visit, and I will carry the little one out so he can have a look at him."

Gao Sheng was overjoyed to hear this. He kowtowed to Song Yan several times before taking his leave.

Song Yan picked up his brush to draft the glad tidings, but just then Gu Yu, who had caught wind of the news, hurried over.

His delight was written plain across his face. "I hear it's a boy, six catties seven taels—is it true?"

Song Yan nodded vigorously. He had quite lost the mood for writing announcements and simply sat there talking about the child: "...He opened his eyes in less than two hours... The midwife says other women's babies cannot open their eyes for a full seven days... His brows favor mine, his lips favor your sister-in-law's—he is simply beautiful beyond words... I was just worrying myself sick over a name for him, and here you are, just in time. Help me see which one suits him best."

The two men sprawled across the kang table by the window, poring over the list of names Song Yan had written out earlier, picking and choosing among them.

When Song Cen, who was practicing his calligraphy, heard that Dou Yan had a son, his face darkened at once, and he flung down his brush in a fit of irritation.

The young servant who had brought the news stood trembling, not daring to move.

Song Cen looked at him, his expression turning blacker still, and waved him off with a frown.

The servant, as though granted a great pardon, fled at a run.

Tao Jun sat alone in his quarters for a long while, then decided he had better go and see Song Cen.

Song Cen had said nothing to him about the trouble Song Yan and Song Han had stirred up, but he had more or less guessed at it.

He had entered the Yingzhen Ducal House shortly after Song Han's birth. The old Duke had not long been dead, and many of the house's old retainers had been sent back to their villages to live out their days in comfort; Lady Jiang had then taken charge of the household affairs. At the time he had thought it no more than the ordinary passing of the old order, and had paid it little mind. Now it seemed to him that Song Cen was bolder than he had imagined—and yet also more incompetent, more impetuous, and more witless.

If he kept drifting along in Song Cen's company, he feared he would come to a bad end at Song Yan's hands.

The thought of withdrawing began to take root in him.

But just now Song Yan had gained a firstborn son, and his position was more secure than ever; Song Cen must surely be feeling wretched. This was hardly the moment to speak of leaving. More than that, he ought to soothe Song Cen and lift his spirits, so that when he himself took his leave, he might go in peace and honor the bond between patron and retainer.

With these thoughts settled, he hesitated no longer. He changed his clothes and set off for the Xixiang Courtyard.

Sure enough, Song Cen was there in the thick of a temper.

On inquiry, it turned out the maid had brewed his tea too hot.

Tao Jun sighed and asked a servant to announce him.

Presently a maid came out and drew back the curtain for him.

Tao Jun entered the study with a grave countenance.

Song Cen said at once, "You must have heard by now? Song Yan has a son."

"I have heard," said Tao Jun. "It is precisely on that account that I have come."

Song Cen gave an interested "Oh," a trace of a smile creeping onto his face, and motioned to the armchair beside him. "Sit down and talk."

Tao Jun asked Song Cen to dismiss the attendants serving in the room, then said, "I would counsel the Second Young Master to seek a formidable match. Matters of the inner quarters must be handled by the women of the inner quarters themselves; for us to meddle in them is like scratching an itch through one's boot—when the crucial moment comes, we can never bring our strength to bear."

Song Cen hesitated. "Would that work? That Dou woman is fierce and shrewd, no easy opponent. I fear an ordinary lady would not be able to hold her in check."

"Then let him marry a princess," said Tao Jun. "However formidable the Heir's wife may be, would she dare to lord it over a princess?"

Song Cen's eyes lit up. "The children a princess bears will be kin to the imperial house, of nobler birth and higher station than anything that Dou woman brings forth. Then Song Yan will have a headache worth having." At this he could not suppress a cold snort. "We shall see whether Song Yan still cradles that Dou woman like some precious jewel in his palm!" He then began to consider which princesses were of an age with Song Han: "Fuyuan is already married off; of Jingyi and Jingtai and Jingfu, one is three years older than Tian'en, one two years older, and one a year older. All told, Jingfu would suit best—but Jingyi is the Empress Wan's own daughter..."

Tao Jun made no reply, only drank his tea.

Were imperial princesses so easily wed? With Song Yan's brilliant match standing before them as a standard, and with Song Han's name already sullied by rumors of baseborn origins, to say nothing of a princess—any family of even modest standing would think twice before marrying a daughter into this house.

He dared not offend Song Yan, and so could only spin out this nonsense to see them past the present crisis.

But seeing Song Cen in such a state, he could not help offering a reminder: "If a princess is out of the question, a commandery princess or the eldest legitimate daughter of a great house would serve as well! So long as her natal family is powerful, and with the First, Third, and Fourth Branches behind him, the Second Young Master need not necessarily lose to the Heir—however formidable the Heir may be, he cannot simply disown his own kin, can he?"

Song Cen nodded again and again, his spirits greatly restored.

If he took good care of himself, he had at least thirty years of life left in him. With himself at Song Han's back, what fear was there that they could not put that Dou woman in her place?

Surely the Dou family could not come knocking at the door over every trifle?

And besides, that Dou woman had no full brothers of her own. For now things stood well enough—but in a family like the Dou's, who had risen through the examination halls, whichever branch produced the highest-ranking official was the branch that stood tallest and spoke loudest. In ten or twenty years, who could say which branch would head the Dou family?

The thought flashed through his mind, and his mood brightened further. He said to Tao Jun, "Now that he has a son of his own, his brother is pushed to the side. I cannot think what madness has seized Song Yan, that he means to take back the dowry Lady Jiang left to Tian'en and hold it in trust himself—and he has even bewitched the Lu family's young master into agreeing, saying Tian'en is too young to understand such things, and that it would be just as well for Song Yan to manage Lady Jiang's dowry on his behalf for the time being. If Song Han is to be betrothed, I would like to see what excuse they can conjure to demand that dowry back! Truly, one arrow to bring down two hawks—a fine scheme indeed!"

Tao Jun was taken aback by this.

He had not known that Song Yan meant to reclaim Lady Jiang's dowry.