Chapter 485 — Counterplot

Song Yan was bouncing a ball to amuse his son when the news arrived, and he was somewhat taken aback. He turned to Dou Yan with a smile. "It seems the Prince of Liao is not to be underestimated!"

Of course not. In his former life...

But in his former life, he had not come back midway.

Then why had he returned to the capital?

Was it because circumstances in this life differed from the last, forcing him to alter his original plans?

Dou Yan felt that no amount of caution regarding the Prince of Liao was excessive.

She cautioned Song Yan, "Be careful."

"We and the Prince of Liao have not yet fallen out," Song Yan reassured her. "I will act as circumstances dictate."

Dou Yan wanted to say a few more words of warning, but Yuan Heng came barreling over, clutching Song Yan and shouting, "Ball, ball!"

Song Yan hastily scooped up his son with a laugh and said to Dou Yan, "Let us go play ball. No more of this dampening talk."

Yuan Heng had not yet spoken a word by his first birthday, but the moment the ceremony was over he seemed to have found his tongue all at once. Not only could he call "Daddy," he would beckon to the servants attending him, saying "Come here," then point at a teacup when he wanted a drink, or at a pastry when he wanted a snack. Song Yan was so excited he did not sleep a wink all night, and the next day he said to Dou Yan—who had long fretted over whether something might be wrong with the boy—with no small pride, "I told you my son was clever. He simply kept silent until he could astonish us all at once. You will always borrow trouble, and you made me worry for nothing all that while."

Dou Yan smiled and said nothing, listening to him grumble, though her heart ached with a mingled sourness and grief.

In her former life, Wei Fan had never paid the children any mind; her two children had not called "Daddy" until they were nearly two and speaking quite clearly. In this life, Song Yan came home from the office and spent every moment with Yuan Heng, and her child had learned to say "Daddy" before "Mommy"... She turned her face away, blinked several times, and only then turned back, restoring a radiant smile for Song Chu.

Song Yan showed Yuan Heng how to play ball.

Yuan Heng stood to one side clapping his little hands; each time the ball came down, he would toddle over, pick it up, and hand it back to Song Yan. When Song Yan told him to kick it a couple of times himself, he ran and hid behind Dou Yan, peeking out his little head to size up Song Yan. If Song Yan wore a stern face, he would beckon to his wet nurse, saying "Come here, come here," and when she came over smiling, he would want either a drink or a snack; if Song Yan was all smiles, he would point at the ball and say "Ball, ball," meaning for Song Yan to keep kicking it.

Song Yan began kicking the ball with great cheer, and after several rounds it suddenly dawned on him. Half amused, half exasperated, he said to Dou Yan, who sat nearby doing needlework, "So the little rascal only wanted me to kick the ball for his entertainment! I have become a performing monkey."

Dou Yan laughed.

Yuan Heng did not understand why his parents were laughing, but laughter meant goodwill.

He giggled, picked up the ball, and offered it to Song Yan as if to curry favor.

Song Yan's heart melted utterly; he crouched down, gathered Yuan Heng in his arms, and kissed him twice.

Yuan Heng giggled, adorable beyond words.

Song Yan took the ball from Yuan Heng's hands and said with a smile, "Watch closely. Daddy will kick the ball for you."

He kicked the ball high, so high it nearly struck the ceiling.

Yuan Heng clapped his little hands, laughing and hopping, as merry as a little bird.

Wu Yi watched from the doorway, hesitating, unsure whether to step in or withdraw.

Dou Yan nodded to him.

Only then did Wu Yi come in with a smile and present a crimson visiting card. "Young Master, Mr. Geng Li of the Prince of Liao's household has come on the Prince's behalf to deliver an invitation. He says the Prince will feast you and your lady at the Liao residence on the twelfth of the ninth month, to enjoy the chrysanthemums."

The Prince of Liao had not taken up his fief in Liaodong from the outset. After leaving the palace he had lived in the capital for two years before departing for Liaodong. His residence in the capital had all along been maintained by the Imperial Clan Court.

Dou Yan thought no feast boded well, yet an invitation from the Prince of Liao was hard to decline—especially not knowing how long he meant to stay in the capital. One could plead an excuse once; but twice, thrice?

She thought it over, then said to Song Yan, who was frowning at the card in his hand, "It is a grave taboo for a vassal prince to cultivate ties with court officials, especially one such as you, commander of the guard post that protects the palace. Ought you not to inform His Majesty of this?"

If the Emperor showed even a trace of displeasure, Song Yan would have grounds to decline the Prince of Liao's feast.

Song Yan said, "Naturally I must sound out His Majesty. Otherwise, why do you think I have almost no social engagements? I am demonstrating my loyalty to the Emperor. But as for the Prince of Liao—what has he been doing these days? Whom has he feasted? To whom did he send invitations first? Whom did he invite afterward? All of this must be investigated thoroughly." Here he paused in thought, then added, "And then there is Song Han. The Empress is not the sort to relish gossip about other households. If she is elevating Song Han so, I do not believe she has no calculations of her own."

Dou Yan nodded repeatedly.

Early the next morning, Du Wei laid out on Song Yan's desk a full account of the Prince of Liao's every move since entering the capital.

Song Yan read the intelligence first before returning to the inner chambers to breakfast with Dou Yan and Yuan Heng.

Dou Yan asked him, "What did Du Wei have to say?"

Song Yan fed a piece of pork floss to Yuan Heng while answering, "Those he invited are all imperial kinsmen and relatives. The invitations were sent according to seniority, and nothing seems amiss. Yesterday, before even entering the palace, he sent a card in; barring the unexpected, His Majesty will grant him audience after the morning court today. Then we shall see whether the Crown Prince is present!"

If the Crown Prince was present, it would at least prove that although the Emperor favored the Prince of Liao, his head remained cool and rational, and he upheld the Crown Prince's position as heir as before. But if he met the Prince of Liao alone, or even set the Crown Prince aside and met him together with the Empress... then the Crown Prince's position would become delicate.

Dou Yan understood this as well.

As she saw Song Yan out the door, she could not resist patting his hand lightly.

Song Yan paused, saw that the maids and serving women were following at a distance, turned around, and swiftly pecked Dou Yan on the cheek before climbing into his sedan chair.

Dou Yan's face burned; only after a long while did she compose herself and go to the main courtyard of the Yingzhen Ducal Estate.

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The Emperor not only met the Prince of Liao alone, but said to the imperial kinsmen who came to mention the Prince's feast with a smile, "I merely missed my son and summoned him back for a reunion. He, too, merely wished to see you uncles and brothers. There is no need for ceremony with him. These past years in Liaodong he has traded in furs, dug ginseng, and gathered pearls, and made a great fortune. Let him treat you all to good food and good wine!"

The Prince of Huainan and the others laughed awkwardly and murmured "Yes," then tactfully changed the subject, asking what trades were profitable in Liaodong these days, and how much money the Prince of Liao had made.