Chapter 349 — Entangled

"Then keep it for yourself!" Dou Xin said. "As for what gifts Young Master Gu sent me, we'll be busy these next couple of days sending Suxin off to be married, and once she's married the Little New Year will be upon us. We'll talk about it after the Little New Year!"

Ruozhu smiled and answered "Yes," then withdrew.

Zhao Zhangru said, "What's your brother-in-law up to? If he wants to know what gifts Young Master Gu sent you, why doesn't he come ask himself?"

"He's a boy, neither grown nor a child, and his head is full of twisty little schemes!" Dou Chi laughed, unbothered. "He'll be better once he's a few years older."

Her aunt admonished Zhao Zhangru, "Look more, say less."

Zhao Zhangru muttered a few disgruntled words.

Dou Yan nearly laughed at the sight and put a piece of steamed pork with rice flour on her plate. "It's very good. Try it."

Zhao Zhangru shot Dou Xin a smile, and no one spoke again; they finished their evening meal in quiet.

Her aunt then took up a matter with Dou Yan. "After the New Year, your uncle will be arriving in the capital. He's a stubborn man, not like us women, who can settle anywhere. I'm thinking that once the New Year is over I'll find a courtyard to rent near the Ministry of Personnel, and once your cousin is married, we'll go straight off with your uncle to his post."

Her uncle and her father were on bad terms, and all these years he had had no dealings with her father. When her uncle came to the capital, he could not possibly lodge at the Yunqi Temple alley house; nor, with elders in the household, could she possibly put them up at the Yingzhen Ducal Manor. Song Yan had long since thought through these details.

Dou Xin said, "The Heir has a three-courtyard residence in Yuqiao Alley. It's been rented out to others all this while, but fearing your uncle would be coming, he stopped renewing the lease with that family after the winter solstice, just waiting for your uncle to arrive so we can drink to your cousin's wedding!"

Zhao Zhangru flushed.

Her aunt, however, was overjoyed and could not stop praising Song Yan. She then admonished Dou Yan earnestly, "The Heir is truly thoughtful, and what's rarer still is the heart he bears toward you. You must know enough to cherish your blessings."

To have lived two lives and only then met Song Yan—of course she would cherish him.

Dou Yan smiled and nodded.

Her aunt then brought up the New Year. "Your pregnancy is settled now, and it wouldn't do for me to keep staying here. Once Suxin is married off, I'm thinking your cousin and I will go back to the Longhua Temple alley house first, and move to Yuqiao Alley after the Spring Festival."

Dou Yan had decided to use the New Year as her chance to seize control of the household affairs at the Yingzhen Ducal Manor. It suited her for her aunt and cousin to spend the New Year at the Longhua Temple alley house: for one thing, there was no mistress there, and the Dou ancestral rites were held at the locust-tree alley house, so there would be comparatively fewer feasts and invitations, and her aunt and cousin would be more at ease there; for another, she did not want her aunt and cousin dragged into the affairs of the Yingzhen Ducal Manor, lest Song Cen, driven to desperation, turn his resentment upon them.

She thought it over briefly, then smiled and agreed. "It's just as well for Aunt to spend the New Year at the Longhua Temple alley house. There are more people there, and it's livelier. You can also keep an eye on Father's inner household for me."

Her aunt smiled and gave her much advice on what to mind during the New Year, then took Zhao Zhangru back to their rooms.

Dou Yan had Ganlu open the storeroom and find several bolts of zhuanghua silk from the Jiangnan tribute rolls to make clothes for her aunt, along with a few gold ornaments for Zhao Zhangru; even the gifts for rewarding the servants at the New Year were prepared one by one. Only then did she go to rest.

The next day she rose and breakfasted, and the Zhao family's dowry-urging party arrived.

Though the bride was to be sent off from Yizhi Hall, each household had its own household gods and ancestral tablets, and Suxin was, after all, not of the Song family. The place for the sending-off was set in the western side rooms of Yizhi Hall, where Old Chen lodged.

Dou Yan washed and dressed, and went with her aunt and Zhao Zhangru to the western side rooms.

Duan Bing and the others who had come from Zhending behaved as though they were marrying off their own little sister, clamoring for Zhao Liangbi to serve tea and offer respects, and demanding he address them as "elder brother-in-law."

Zhao Liangbi did whatever he was told, thoroughly cooperative. His face was red, but his eyes were extraordinarily bright, and one could not tell whether it was from agitation or sheer excitement.

Dou Yan and Zhao Zhangru could not help giggling.

Duan Bing and the rest crowded around with teasing laughter, saluting Dou Yan one after another, then swept Dou Yan, her aunt, and Zhao Zhangru off to the room where Suxin awaited her marriage. They did not tease Zhao Liangbi further, letting him pass the dowry-urging ordeal with ease.

A residence was hard to come by anywhere near that alley, and all were large compounds of several courtyards; it took Song Yan some effort to find a satisfactory house in Zhengjue Temple Alley in the neighboring Nanjuxian Ward. Since Zhengjue Temple Alley was half an hour's walk from the Yingzhen Ducal Manor, the dowry-senders set out from Yizhi Hall after the midday meal, and the western side courtyard fell quiet.

By the time Song Yan hurried back, Dou Yan was lounging on the heated kang by the window, chatting idly.

He was still in his official robes, travel-stained and dusty; the ladies of the house all started at the sight, then each curved her lips, looking from Dou Yan to Song Yan with kindly smiles, stepped forward to salute Song Yan, and withdrew.

Suxin, soon to be a bride, showed no awareness of being one; she and Sulan fetched water and attended Song Yan as he washed and changed.

Song Yan paid his respects to her aunt, inquired after Zhao Zhangru, and said, "Sending off the dowry so soon? I thought it would wait until after the evening meal!"

From the sound of it, he had hurried back to give Suxin face.

Suxin and Sulan were deeply grateful and kowtowed to Song Yan.

Seeing how constrained everyone in the room was, Dou Yan took Song Yan by the hand and led him back to the main chamber.

Once they were alone, Song Yan felt Dou Zhiwei's belly and said, "Has the child been good today? Has it been troubling you?"

"How big can it be yet?" Dou Yan found his solemnity a little funny, but more than that, sweet. "We won't feel anything until five or six months."

"Oh!" Song Yan was a little disappointed, and changed into casual clothes before coming out.

Wuyi came running in. "Young Master! Lord Ma and Lord Jiang of the Divine Machine Battalion are here. They say you're about to become a father and are clamoring for you to stand them a feast at the Drunken Immortal Pavilion!"

Song Yan laughed. "This fellow has a dog's nose on him! News travels to him that fast."

Dou Xin said, "Just how many people did you tell?"

Song Yan scratched his head and gave a silly grin, which somehow made him look rather guileless.

Dou Xin laughed even harder, and rose herself to pick out a set of clothes for him to go out in. "Drink less. Getting drunk is always a loss of composure, and losing your dignity—it isn't good."

Song Yan took Dou Zhiwei's hand and sighed. "I'd meant to come home and spend some proper time with you..."

If not for that, why else would he have rushed off to the western side rooms without even changing his clothes?

"Understood." Dou Yan smiled gently. Seeing that no one was about, she rose on tiptoe and slowly kissed Song Yan on the cheek. "Go early, come back early!"