Chapter 448 — The Zen Temple

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Dou Yan said, "Are you afraid the people of the East Dou will gossip?"

Sixth Madam had been a virtuous woman all her life. Now, in her old age, because her son had been adopted out, she was seen as greedy and heartless. It must feel to her like a knife in the heart.

Yet Sixth Madam shook her head and said softly, "Even if your Twelfth Brother is adopted into the West Dou, is he not still a descendant of the Dou clan? The elders see farther and deeper than we do—they may well be willing. It is only that I keep thinking your father is still young and may yet have children of his own. The best course would be for him to take a concubine, or at least a maid to serve him in his chamber." Here she paused, at a loss for words.

Dou Fan understood what Sixth Madam meant.

Ever since Dou Ming quarreled openly with Father, Father had in his disappointment all but cut off contact with Dou Ming. Now the only person who could still speak to Father was himself.

If Dou Huaide were adopted and Father left no will, then by law Dou Huaide would inherit half of the West Dou estate, and the remaining half would be split evenly between Dou Yan and Dou Ming. The East Dou would naturally be glad to see it.

But Sixth Aunt and Sixth Uncle still hoped Father would have an heir of his own.

Yet her own mother had hanged herself because Father took a concubine. Sixth Aunt wanted Dou Yan to reason with Father, but could not bring herself to say so.

Dou Yan felt Sixth Aunt's goodwill keenly. She thought of how her mother had been gone so many years and how Father was all alone. If he could put the past behind him and start anew, that might not be a bad thing.

She smiled and said, "I will go and ask Father what he thinks."

Sixth Madam breathed a sigh of relief and patted her hand gently. "If you can let go of the past, then I can rest easy."

Though she knew this was how things ought to be, Dou Zhiwei still felt a little downcast. When she saw Miao Zhi, she spoke somewhat absently.

Miao Zhi found it strange in secret, not knowing what had happened. She probed Dou Yan a few times to no avail, and was about to fish for answers more obliquely when Dou Zhiwei's eldest and sixth cousins-by-marriage, Madam Guo, and her tenth cousin-by-marriage, Madam Cai, came to offer congratulations.

Seeing Sixth Madam Ji in the room, the three came forward to pay their respects, then clamored for Dou Yan to treat them to a banquet of swallow's nest and shark's fin.

Dou Xin smiled and answered, "Certainly." Just then the wife of the heir of the Marquis of Yan'an, Madam An, and the third madam of the Jingzhen Duke's household, Madam Feng, arrived together.

Madam Cai was quick to make friends, and besides, she had met Madam An and Madam Feng before. As they exchanged greetings, she teased them, "I never thought the two of you would come together."

Madam An smiled and said nothing.

But Madam Feng said, "We ran into each other on the road."

Before the words had faded, a young maid came in to announce that the three madams of the Lu family had all arrived together.

Everyone stepped forward to greet them warmly.

For a time the room was bustling and full of laughter.

Miao Zhi had no choice but to keep her curiosity to herself.

That night, Dou Yan tossed and turned, unable to sleep.

Song Yan drew her into his arms and kissed her forehead. "Tomorrow I'll go with you to the temple to burn incense for your mother. Let her go in peace, and stop fretting over the affairs of this world. Let her be reborn and live a lifetime of glory, wealth, and happiness."

His warm embrace washed away the nameless sorrow in Dou Yan's heart.

She laughed despite herself. "Mother may have been reborn long ago!"

"Indeed!" Song Yan seized the chance to counsel her. "So since we are still struggling in this world, let us not make things harder on ourselves."

Dou Yan said nothing.

Suddenly Song Yan bit her on the chest.

Dou Yan was startled out of her wits.

Only a thin single layer of clothing lay between them. A sharp pain shot through her chest.

"Are you mad!" She pushed at him in mild anger.

"If we do something together, your mood will improve." Song Yan paid her no mind. He arched an eyebrow and gave her a sly smile, his hand slipping straight into her collar.

Dou Yan could not help laughing. "Your hands are so cold—take them out this instant."

"Really!" Song Yan nibbled at her ear. "How nice—you can warm them for me..."

Soon a moan rose in the room that made the cheeks burn.

When Dou Yan rose the next day, Song Yan had already gone to the office. She stretched her somewhat sore body, and her mood had indeed improved a great deal.

She instructed Duan Bing to go to the Puji Temple to burn incense the next day.

After Dou Yan married into the Yingzhen Duke's household, she had lit an ever-burning lamp for her mother at the Puji Temple.

Duan Bing soon arranged the related matters.

Song Yan told her to wait a couple of days. "Once I'm through with these two days' business, I'll have some free time."

Shao Wenji had suddenly been thrown into the imperial prison, with not even a handover of official duties. Song Yan had no choice but to ask men from the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Personnel to stand as witnesses while he inventoried the possessions of the Imperial Guard, and he also had to keep the Guard's little slush fund from coming to light. He was run off his feet.

"I'm only going to burn incense, not on an outing," Dou Xin said. "You rarely get a day off—I want to save your rest for going out together."

Hearing this, Song Yan felt sweetness flood his heart.

He repeatedly instructed Jiang Yan to take good care of Dou Yan, and told Xia Lian to go with Dou Chuqi to Puji Temple as well.

Jiang Yan murmured her assent, nervous beyond measure—one moment asking, "Sister-in-law, did you bring a cape?", the next, "Sister-in-law, did you pack salted green plums for the road?", and the next again, "Sister-in-law, shall we go by carriage or by sedan?"—every inch the one in charge.

Dou Xin could not help laughing. He drew her down to sit beside him and said, "The nurses will see to all that. When the time comes, all you need do is come along with me and enjoy the outing. Your brother means the same."

Jiang Yan gave a sheepish smile.

The two of them went to Puji Temple to offer incense.

The abbot of Puji Temple came out in person to receive them.

Dou Yan knelt before the great, merciful, compassionate Guanyin, and for no reason at all, tears came pouring down her face.

The abbot of Puji Temple had seen his share of ladies shut away in inner chambers nursing secret sorrows; he simply pretended not to notice.

Dou Yan dried her tears and stood a while in the great hall; only when her feelings had settled did she step out of Chengguang Hall.

The abbot invited Dou Yan to take a vegetarian meal at the temple.

Dou Yan politely declined.

She decided to go to the Longhua Temple alley that afternoon.

As she descended the vermilion steps, she encountered Ji Yong.

Ji Yong wore a gray Daoist robe, a bamboo pin thrust through his hair, and stood with the ethereal air of an immortal, speaking in low tones beside a handsome monk of refined features.

Dou Yan was astonished.

The one walking at Ji Yong's side was, of all people, Defu.

How had those two ever gotten mixed up together?

Dou Yan muttered to herself.

As if sensing something, Ji Yong suddenly lifted his head and looked in her direction.

Seeing it was Dou Yan, a gentle smile at once rose in his eyes.

He said a few words quietly to Defu; Defu raised his head, measured Dou Chu with a trace of inquiry in his gaze, and came over together with Ji Yong.

Dou Yan exchanged greetings with Ji Yong and introduced Jiang Yan to him.

Jiang Yan, red-faced and head down, made a hasty curtsy to Ji Yong.

Ji Yong glanced at her and said to Dou Yan, "So this is Song Yantang's sister—the one who was swapped?"

Dou Yan cleared her throat.