Chapter 302 — The Hint

Ever since Song Yan had regained the Emperor's favor, he had known that sooner or later Song Yan would learn of this.

He simply had not expected Song Yan to learn of it so soon.

Never underestimate a young man!

Watching Song Yan before him—steady of countenance, calm, keen-witted—Wang Yuan weighed his words for a moment, then smiled and said, "The Young Master misunderstands! This old servant is merely one who waits upon others; naturally I do whatever my master bids me do. How would I dare accept such a grand salute from the Young Master!" With that, he cupped his hands and returned the courtesy.

Song Yan listened with his heart shaken to its core, staring at Wang Yuan in alarm.

Not only did the man understand what was left unsaid; he also knew what ought to be spoken and what ought not.

If in the past Wang Yuan had been kindly disposed toward Song Yan merely because the Emperor kept him in mind, now he could not but look Song Yan in the eye and take his measure in earnest.

"Do try my Biluochun, Young Master," he said, pouring Song Yan a fresh cup with his own hand, and smiling, "The Emperor says the Dahongpao gets worse and worse to drink these days, so this old servant has had to take up Biluochun as well."

"Many thanks, Eunuch!" Song Yan lifted the cup and drank, only to find his mouth flooded with bitterness.

Taking his leave of Wang Yuan, he made his way back to Yizhi Hall in a daze.

No sooner had he entered than he went straight to Dou Yan.

Dou Yan was in the midst of tallying the silks and satins of her dowry with Suxin and the others.

This was her first year married into the Yingzhenguo Estate, and she meant to reward her own household attendants handsomely, giving them some fine cloth to make clothes for the New Year.

Seeing Song Yan come in with his mind elsewhere, she at once threw a glance at Suxin and went forward herself to help Song Yan sit on the large heated kang by the window in the inner room.

Song Chu flung his arms around Dou Yan and buried his face in Dou Zhiwei's bosom.

Pressed against Dou Yan's soft fullness, his feelings eased along with it.

"Shouyuan," he said thickly, "Wang Yuan is acting on the Emperor's orders... but why?" He lifted his head; in his dark eyes flickered a gleam of water, as though wetted by rain, crystalline and bright. "My eldest uncle guarded Fujian for twenty years—if not for merit, then at least for hardship... yet he is killed at will. Their home searched at will, sent into exile at will... By what right? By what right?" he questioned low, but his voice grew ever louder.

Dou Yan went pale with fright. She clapped a hand over his mouth and raised her head to look around warily; finding no one in the inner room but herself and Song Yan, her wildly pounding heart gradually steadied.

"Thunderbolts and rain and dew alike are the sovereign's grace," she said. She was startled that Wang Yuan was acting on the Emperor's orders, but compared with Song Yan's agitation, how could she spare thought to ponder it? She could only soothe him. "As for your eldest uncle's death, we had many guesses before, but if Chen Jia had not turned up, we could never in our dreams have traced it to Ding Wei. Yet had the Yingzhenguo Estate not caught fire and had you not struck with such decisiveness, Chen Jia would never have found you either... So Heaven has eyes after all; it too deems your eldest uncle wronged, and has given us a chance to help clear his name. The more times are like this, the less you must act on feeling, and the more you must hold steady! What Wang Yuan said is but one side of the story; the particulars still await verification." Then she added, "Mr. Yan and the others don't know of this yet, do they? Shall we invite Mr. Yan over to discuss it? Didn't you ask him to look into Chen Jia? Has there been any word?"

Song Sui held Dou Chi and was willing to let go.

"My head aches," he said, leaning against her breast.

Anyone struck by such a bolt from the blue would have a moment of weakness.

"Then let me rub it for you." A dull ache rose in Dou Yan's heart. She wanted to fetch a pillow and help Song Yan lie down, but Song Sui clamped her waist so tightly she could not move; she had no choice but to drag a large bolster over from close at hand for Song Yan to lie on, and sat beside him rubbing his temples.

But he merely murmured, "I want water!"

Dou Yan went to pour him a cup of warm water.

He would not take the cup, only fixed his eyes on Dou Yan.

Helpless, Dou Yan fed him the water.

Again he clasped Dou Zhiwei about the waist. "Lie with me a while."

Dou Yan answered "All right" again and again, and leaning against the head of the kang, gently stroked his forehead.

Song Yan closed his eyes, and his expression gradually relaxed.

Boundless tenderness welled up in Dou Yan's heart, and her stroking grew softer and softer.

Song Yan spoke as though in a dream: "I have thought it over carefully. The Emperor is not a man who cannot tolerate others. What exactly did my eldest uncle do to displease him? If it was that his merit overshadowed his sovereign... then the Emperor should have dealt with him ten years ago; why wait until now? If it was that my eldest uncle cut off someone's source of wealth... he was never one to be so upright as to be inflexible. He once told me that when water is too clear, there are no fish. So long as the other party did not affect military affairs, he would generally turn a blind eye..."

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Sisters and brothers, here is today's update!

o(n_n)o~