Chapter 280 — Self-Examination

Dou Yan was dazzled by that radiance. She could not help sighing inwardly: thank goodness she had lived two lives and had learned to take such things lightly. Had she met Song Yan in her last life and faced such jewel-like brilliance day and night, even the firmest resolve would surely have withered into shame...

She shook her head and drove the thought away.

Suxin came in to report: "My lord, the commander of the Eastern City Garrison begs an audience. He says the chief commander of the Five City Garrisons has been summoned into the palace. With no one at the head now, he asks that you come and give direction."

Song Yan gave a cold laugh.

It must be that word of what the Emperor said had gotten out; those men feared being dragged into it and were rushing to curry favor with him.

Just as well—he had business for them to handle.

He rose and looked at Dou Zhiwei, his expression by then exceedingly gentle: "Shouyuan, I will go take a look. Within an hour at most, I will have the Yingzhen Ducal House searched from top to bottom. Sleep a while longer. It will not be too late to take up the household's accounts afterward."

Dou Yan nodded and said, "Go about your business. If anything comes up, I will have the servants bring word to you."

Song Yan left the inner chamber.

Dou Yan sighed. "The chief commander of the Five City Garrisons and the prefect of Shuntian Prefecture are in for trouble this time."

"Serves them right!" The thought still made Suxin's heart quail, and she could not help complaining: "What are they for? Is it not their daily duty to deal with such thieves? So many unfamiliar faces appear in the capital all at once, and they notice nothing. They deserve to lose their posts."

To rouse Suxin to anger was truly a rare thing.

Dou Yan pressed her lips together and smiled. After washing and dressing, she went to the study.

To do good work, one must first sharpen one's tools.

If she meant to take charge of the Yingzhen Ducal House's inner court, she would have to make some preparations in advance.

From the hidden compartment in the study, Dou Yan took out the list she had gathered of the housekeepers now overseeing each quarter of the Yingzhen Ducal House, and the list of the housekeepers from when Lady Jiang had run the household, and compared them for a long while before putting the lists back where they belonged.

She took her morning meal in the study.

When she had finished, the eldest madam and her daughter-in-law came over.

Perhaps it was the misery of being meat on another's chopping block, or perhaps it was a night without sleep, but the eldest madam and her daughter-in-law both looked utterly haggard.

Dou Yan asked whether they had eaten, exchanged a few pleasantries, and then went to the upper courtyard.

Lady Jiang usually handled household affairs in the flower hall of the upper courtyard. The flower hall was not far from Yizhi Hall: entering the upper courtyard by the slanting lane, one followed the covered walkway on the west side through a moon gate and arrived. All around the hall grew bamboos of every kind, interspersed with oleanders and monthly roses. It was a lovely spot, and it bore a fine name besides—the Hall of Gathered Greenery.

The housekeepers of the Yingzhen Ducal House's inner court had all arrived and stood in the courtyard whispering in small groups. But when they saw the eldest madam, Madam Dong, and a train of maids and serving women escort Dou Yan in, silence fell at once.

Dou Yan strolled into the flower hall as if at leisure and sat down with the eldest madam, taking the place of honor and guest respectively. A young maid served tea. Suxin came out from the four-paneled lattice doors of the hall, stood on the steps, and invited the housekeepers in to discuss household matters.

The flower hall had five bays and no pillars; armchairs ran along the walls, yet these housekeepers had no right to sit in them.

They stood in the center of the hall while the eldest madam announced that urgent matters at home made it impossible for her to continue overseeing the Yingzhen Ducal House's accounts; by the Duke of Ying's command, the tally was to be handed over to Dou Yan, and from then on, whatever business arose, they were to seek Dou Yan's instructions. With that, in full view of everyone, she gave Dou Yan the rosewood box that held the tally.

She had held the accounts for a single day; the tally in her hand had not even grown warm before she handed it over. And when one recalled what had happened the night before—who would believe the eldest madam had urgent business at home, and who would believe it was the Duke of Ying's will that the tally pass to Dou Yan?

Yet who would dare step forward to question Dou Yan and the eldest madam?

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Sisters, I beg you for pink votes!

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