Chapter 84 — Undercurrents

And the two people at the heart of it all, Dou Yan and Wu Shan, knew nothing of the treacherous winds and shifting clouds gathering around them—Dou Yan had lately been learning the qin from Song Weimin, drilling the gong, shang, jue, zhi, and yu until her head swam. Wu Shan, meanwhile, rode high on the spring breeze, a smile for everyone he met, and making the most of his few remaining carefree days, he went with Dou Zhengde and the others to Baoding Prefecture, and brought back for Dou Yan a bright red qin tassel tied in a ruyi knot.

Song Yan, who was learning the qin from Song Weimin alongside Dou Chu, twitched the corner of his mouth slightly and turned his face away.

It was indeed a little gaudy, but Wu Shan did not mind.

In his bosom he carried a crimson kesi silk pouch, and inside it lay a tiny gold hairpin in the shape of a lover's knot, like a burning flame that set his chest aglow.

That was what he truly wished to give Dou Zhiwei.

Dou Yan held the crimson tassel for the qin. She looked at Wu Shan, standing before her with a rather foolish grin on his face, then at Dou Huaide, who had come along with Wu Shan yet now stood far outside the waterside pavilion like a wooden post, and she was utterly baffled, feeling that something must have happened of which everyone was aware but herself alone.

She handed the crimson tassel to Bie Suxin, who attended her, and thanked Wu Shan with a smile.

A young servant came running from afar.

"Twelfth Young Master, Fourth Miss," he said, drenched in sweat, "the Sixth Madam wants you to return at once. The young gentleman from the Ji family has arrived."

Everyone in the waterside pavilion was struck dumb.

"The young gentleman from the Ji family—who might that be?" Dou Huaide said blankly. "There are more than twenty of my generation in the Ji family!"

The servant wiped his sweat. "It is the Ji family's Sixteenth Young Master."

Dou Huaide was badly startled. "What, Ji Yong is here? When did he arrive? And with whom?" He looked for all the world like a man who had just met his creditor.

Now it was Dou Yan's and Wu Shan's turn to be curious.

"What is it?" Wu Shan asked him. "Have you some quarrel with this Ji Yong?"

"No!" Dou Huaide grimaced as though his teeth ached. "I have merely long admired his illustrious name."

Dou Yan said, "Am I to go as well? The Sixth Aunt wants me there too?"

The servant nodded repeatedly. "That is what the Sixth Madam instructed."

Dou Yan looked at Dou Huaide.

Dou Huaide dragged his feet, wearing an expression that plainly said he did not wish to go back.

Sensing something amiss, Dou Yan said gravely, "What exactly is going on?"

"Nothing, nothing," Dou Huaide said, and could not help drawing himself upright. "Let us hurry over, lest we keep the guest waiting." His expression was that of Jing Ke on his way to assassinate the King of Qin, bearing the tragic resolve of one who would never return.

Wu Shan could not help exchanging a glance with Dou Yan. "I will go over with you."

Dou Yan nodded, but Dou Huaide protested again and again, "There is no need!" He said to Wu Shan, "You have not yet paid your respects to my aunt since your return. Go back and see her first; we shall gather again later."

Wu Shan glanced at Dou Chu, then drew Dou Huaide aside and said in a low voice, "Tell me the truth—do you owe that Ji Yong money? I still have four hundred taels in my rooms. If you need it, take it for now, and if it is not enough, I will think of something."

"I do not, truly I do not!" Dou Huaide was caught between tears and laughter. "Ever since I won against that bastard surnamed He at the cockfight, I gave away the Iron General I had raised. You know of this matter; it is impossible that I would break such a promise. You ought to trust me."

Wu Shan was half convinced. "I believe you about the cockfight. But why are you afraid of Ji Yong?"

Dou Huaide's expression shifted slightly. "I am not afraid of Ji Yong. I simply do not care to see this person."

Wu Shan was about to say more when Dou Yan, who had been openly eavesdropping nearby, gave a soft cough.

Even between the closest of friends, each has secrets he would rather not tell.

She smiled and said, "Twelfth Brother, wait for me a moment. I will change my clothes and return to the residence with you."

Dou Huaide nodded, but his brows were knitted tightly into the character for "river."

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While writing this chapter I kept feeling something was off, so I went back and reread Chapter Eighty-Three again and again, revised some of the dialogue, and it flowed much better. Only then did I begin writing Chapter Eighty-Four. It is a little late—my apologies!

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