Chapter 264 — Sudden

When Song Yan returned to Yizhi Hall, he carried about him a cold aura that was enough to strike silence into anyone who saw him from afar, yet he addressed Dou Yan as though making a pledge: "Rest assured, I will handle this matter properly."

Whom his father wished to marry was his father's affair, and he cared nothing for it; but if his father meant to bring in a woman to suppress Dou Yan, that he would never permit under any circumstances.

Seeing the veins stand out at his temples, Dou Yan could not help but soothe him: "It is not as bad as you think. The betrothal has not yet been settled, has it? And it is fortunate Father told us in advance. Had we learned of it only after the betrothal was fixed, we would be in a far more passive position. The pressing thing now is to discover how the Duke suddenly came to be connected with the Hua family, so that we may meet each move as it comes."

Whether Song Cen had set his heart on a daughter of the Hua family or had decided to take a second wife in order to suppress her, Dou Yan did not wish this matter to proceed before she herself held sway over the inner quarters of the Ying Duke's estate.

The Hua family was the household into which Wang Qingyuan had married in her previous life. And the Hua family's overbearing arrogance had left a deep impression on Dou Yan. Who would have thought that in this life she should have dealings with the Hua family!

Song Yan had been muddled by anger at his father; hearing Dou Yan speak thus, he quickly calmed himself and summoned Chen He: "Go and ask Du Wei—what exactly is going on?"

If his father intended a marriage alliance, it was impossible that Du Wei should have noticed nothing.

Chen He answered and left, but in less time than it takes to drink half a cup of tea, before Song Yan and Dou Yan had even managed to change into casual clothes, Chen He was back: "Young Master, Du Wei has sent a man over, saying there is a matter concerning the Duke's second marriage that is of the utmost urgency. He is waiting outside the second gate for permission to report."

It seemed Du Wei had not failed in his duty after all.

Song Yan's expression darkened slightly. He told Chen He to bring the man to the study, then said to Dou Yan: "Change your clothes and come listen as well."

Dou Yan was eager to know what trick Song Cen was playing. She assented, changed hastily, and went to the study.

The man Du Wei had sent was a servant boy of fifteen or sixteen, utterly ordinary in looks and build—the sort who would vanish into a crowd and never be found—yet his tongue was quick and nimble, revealing something uncommon beneath the plain exterior.

"...The chiliarch of the Qiuling Thousand-Household Office in the Wei Prefecture Guard was involved in a case of a borrowed hereditary post never returned. The aggrieved party brought suit before the Ministry of War, and the Ministry, having verified the facts, and since the aggrieved family had no heir to inherit, was preparing to reclaim the hereditary chiliarch post of the Qiuling Thousand-Household Office. Hua Tang wished to have his eldest son fill the vacancy, so he took the route of the Marquis of Changxing and came to the capital to deliver silver." The boy had not expected anyone else to come in and listen, and could not resist a glance—yet that glance made him look twice more, and his speech slowed. "It happened that he met the Duke right at the gate of the Five Army Command. The Marquis of Anlu, Lord Commander of the Rear Army Command, dragged the Duke off to drink, and the Duke, seeming to have nothing pressing at the moment, went along. What was said at the feast no one knows; only that the moment the banquet broke up, Hua Tang, his face alight with excitement, ordered his personal attendants to hurry to Wei Prefecture. Because you had once instructed that whatever the Duke did, if there was the slightest irregularity, we were to find out what lay behind it. The man watching sent a covert signal to Master Du, and Master Du dispatched men disguised as highway robbers, who lifted a letter from that attendant's person. Thus we learned that Hua Tang, knowing the Duke had not remarried, wished to marry his eldest daughter to the Duke, with the Marquis of Anlu as matchmaker. The Duke did not refuse. Hua Tang at once sent men to Wei Prefecture to inform Lady Hua and request the eldest young lady's birth horoscope. Master Du, seeing that matters were amiss, ."

Song Yan's eyes were as cold as winter stars. "Did the letter's bearer discover that the letter was missing?"

"No." The boy dared not look at Dou Yan again; eyes on his nose, nose on his heart, his voice gradually steadied. "Master Du had the letter slipped back again."

Song Yan nodded, and lest Dou Yan fail to understand, explained: "The chiliarchs and centurions of the various guards are mostly hereditary posts. Sometimes when the father dies, the son is still too young to administer the guard, and so the hereditary post is lent to a relative, with an agreement that it be returned in five years or ten. Those who keep faith return it on time; those who do not often borrow it and never give it back. Presumably this chiliarch of the Qiuling Thousand-Household Office lent his post to a relative, and then died before his son came of age; the family bargained with the relative, and when no terms could be agreed, that household simply brought the relative before the Ministry of War—both sides breaking clean, neither to gain anything. Now, the Wei Prefecture Guard is under the command of the Datong Garrison Headquarters, and the Datong Garrison is supervised by the Rear Army Command of the Five Army Command. If Hua Tang wishes his eldest son to take the Qiuling post, he must have the support of Shi Duanlan, Marquis of Changxing, and Zhou Chaoyu, Marquis of Anlu and Lord Commander of the Rear Army Command."

Dou Yan understood everything the boy had said.

She gave a slight nod.

Song Yan gave a cold laugh: "Hua Tang has schemed well! Only this time he has moved the wrong beads on the abacus." He instructed the boy, "Go tell Du Wei to keep a close watch on the Hua household, the Marquis of Anlu included. I want to know exactly what they have been doing these past few days."

The boy assented and withdrew.

Song Yan and Dou Yan returned to the inner chamber.

Dou Yan poured Song Yan a cup of tea.

Song Yan sat on the kang by the window, drinking his tea and pondering.

Seeing him thus, Dou Yan had no thought of sleep herself; she sat beside him and took up her needlework.

Song Yan said, "Go to bed at once. Tomorrow morning you must enter the palace."

Dou Yan did wish to make a good impression on the Empress Dowager and the Empress, and truly did not care to stay up late; yet watching Song Yan like this, she could not bring herself to lie down either, and said, "In any case, Wei Prefecture is not a day or two's journey from here. You should rest early too. After a night's sleep your spirit will be better and your mind clearer—perhaps you will hit upon a good plan."

Song Yan nodded, got into bed, and leaned against the headboard, still pondering.

Gone was all the tenderness of moments before.

Dou Yan could not help but sigh inwardly again.

This tangled state of mind, perhaps only one who had lived two lives could understand.

※※※※※

Just past the hour of the Ox the next day, Song Yan and Dou Yan rose, dressed according to their rank, and went to pay their respects to Song Cen.

Song Cen's gaze lingered on their faces a good while, as though if only something would show in their expressions it would suit him well; in the end he found nothing, and with a furrowed brow waved them off.

He showed no inclination to see them into the palace.

So much the better!

Dou Yan and Song Yan rode in a carriage toward the palace.

Along the way they kept encountering the carriages and sedans of those attending the morning court.