Chapter 497 — Missing

Song Yan coughed softly.

Ruozhu came trotting over, bent her knees in a curtsy to Song Yan, and addressed him respectfully as "Heir Apparent," while Ruotong announced in a loud voice, "The Heir Apparent has returned."

Song Yan walked straight toward the main hall.

Dou Yan lifted the curtain himself and came out to welcome him, greeting him with a beaming smile: "You've come!"

Song Yan nodded with a smile and asked, "Where is Yuanheng?"

"His wet nurse is holding him in the back courtyard, swinging on the swing!" Dou Yan walked side by side with him into the hall.

Ji Yong sat sprawled in an armchair on the right-hand row. Seeing Song Yan enter, he took a sip of tea, rose to his feet, and said to Dou Yan, "I've told you everything I know. Whatever you mean to do, make up your mind early. Don't come back later saying I acted on my own. I'm off—I'll come see Yuanheng in a couple of days!" Then he nodded to Song Yan and swept out.

Song Yan was furious, yet his manner remained utterly casual. He laughed and said, "This Ji Jianming has grown used to throwing his weight around and never reins himself in at any time. That he has managed to muddle through the officialdom safely to this day is a marvel in itself!"

"Isn't it just." Dou Yan agreed with him wholeheartedly. "His parents must have worn themselves out worrying over him!"

She thought of how Ji Yong was still unmarried; two years ago the elders of the Ji family had still dared to scold him a little, but afterward, as his imperial favor grew day by day, fewer and fewer people in the Ji family could presume to speak a word to his face. She could not help heaving a long sigh.

Song Yan found it exceedingly awkward to watch, and said with a smile, "Is Yuanheng with no one but his wet nurse? A woman has little strength—if she lets him fall or knock himself, that would be no small matter. I'll go take a look!"

"Gao Zan, the youngest son of the Gao family, and Songluo are both in the back courtyard keeping him company; otherwise I wouldn't dare leave him to the wet nurse," Dou Yan said. "He can run and jump now, and ordinary young servants can't match his energy, let alone his wet nurse. I was just about to discuss it with you—should we find a few sharp-witted young servants to keep him company, so he won't lack playmates?"

Dou Yan was in a delicate condition now and did not dare romp with her son.

Song Dan said, "Then in a little while we'll look at which family's boys are suitable. Pick a few four or five years older than him to play with him." With that he made to rise and go to the back courtyard.

Dou Fan said, "I still have something to tell you." Then she took his hand and led him into the inner chamber. "Ji Jianming came just now and told me that his cousin Ji Lingze has accompanied his grandmother to the capital, and that on the very night Ji Lingze arrived, Twelfth Brother went to call at their house. He told me to be careful, and reminded Father to settle Twelfth Brother's marriage early, lest the night bring long dreams and some trouble be stirred up."

When the sky wants rain, or a mother wants to marry.

This Ji Yong was meddling far too much.

Song Yan grumbled inwardly, but his face wore a smile as he said, "A few days ago you were still saying to let nature take its course—how have you changed your mind now? Twelfth Brother is, after all, the elder brother, and this life is his own to live. If he truly marries this Miss Ji, could you really fail to address her respectfully as 'Sister-in-law'? And if his misdeeds come to light, you are a junior, and a daughter married out of the family besides—where would it fall to you to have a say?" As he spoke, he took Dou Zhiwei by the hand and led her up onto the large heated kang by the window, and even helped her off with her shoes. "What matters most for you now is to rest well and nurse the child. This child is far more mischievous than Yuanheng. When you were carrying Yuanheng, you could eat and sleep well; now you can't even bear the smell of rose dew, and you've grown thin all over. Let's not trouble ourselves with outside affairs. Nursing your health well is what counts."

At these words Dou Yan could not help taking up her hand mirror and turning this way and that. "Am I thin? Why do I feel as though I've grown fat?"

Song Yan sat down beside her and casually plucked the mirror from her hand and tossed it aside. "How could anything be told from this mirror?" Then he turned to the matter of the summer retreat. "Let's go earlier this year; no doubt there will be nothing for the relatives to wag their tongues about."

The Song family had a country villa in the Fragrant Hills, its scenery most exquisite. In summer, when they went there to escape the heat, they would close their doors and decline all visitors, and enjoy a good two days of quiet.

The child was indeed a restless one; it would do him good to rest there awhile.

Dou Xin said, "You set a date, and I'll make the preparations first; when the time comes, you can send us over."

Song Yan had duties on hand and could not get away.

"I'll find a way to ask for leave," Song Yan said, fetching the almanac. "In any case, in summer the Emperor goes to the Western Park, and things there aren't bound by as many rules as in the palace. The princes and great ministers will all be straining every nerve to make a good impression on the Emperor. With me gone, I'll be making room for certain people—and who knows, I may really be able to get the leave!" As he spoke, he flipped to the twenty-second day of the fifth month, which bore the words "suitable for travel." "How about this day? It's just past the Dragon Boat Festival, and the weather will be gradually warming."

Dou Yan pondered that in her former life the Prince of Liao had launched his palace coup in the eleventh month; there was still time. In her former life she had been too far removed from the palace to know—the Emperor's illness and the Prince of Liao's entry into the capital were things she had learned only after the fact. In this life she often went into the palace, and Song Yan was on guard against the Prince of Liao; if anything was amiss with the Emperor, it could not be hidden from her. The Fragrant Hills were only two hours' journey from the capital, and returning would be simple enough. So she leaned lazily against Song's shoulder and said, "Whatever you decide is fine; I'll do as you say."

Seeing the exhaustion all over Dou Yan's face, Song Yan kissed her forehead gently and said in a warm voice, "Are you very tired? Rest a while. I'll see to Yuanheng." With that, he took a bolster, helped her lie down, and waited on her.

Dou Yan savored Song's tenderness and consideration, clasped his hand, and soon fell asleep.

Song Yan smiled faintly, gazing at Dou Yan's peaceful sleeping face, and only after a good while did he rise and go to the back courtyard.

Two days later, Dou Yan sent word to Song Cen that after the Dragon Boat Festival she would take Yuanheng to the Fragrant Hills villa to stay for two months.

Ever since he had learned that Dou Yan was with child, Song Cen's feelings had been complicated. Hearing that Dou Yan meant to go escape the heat, he waved his hand with some impatience, which counted as acknowledgment.

Dou Yan began preparing for the Dragon Boat Festival and the summer retreat.

Dou Huaide had gone missing.

When Lady Ji came weeping to her, she was struck dumb, and for a long while did not know what to say.