Chapter 519 — Departure
Purple Streets of Chang'an Page 2 of 2
"Cannot speak?" The Crown Prince frowned. "Not a single word?"
"Only mumbles and drawn-out sounds, like a muddled child." Song Yan looked greatly troubled. "If he does not use a brush, we cannot tell what he is saying. Father grows agitated as he tries to speak; if he is not smashing things, he is overturning the kang table. And the imperial physicians say he must not be excited. I had no choice but to assign an old attendant who served Father for many years to wait on him closely..."
"There is no help for it," the Crown Prince consoled Song Yan. "Fortunately, the Yingzhenguo Mansion has hereditary servants. In time, Lord Zhenguo will gradually grow used to it."
"This subject thought the same."
The two talked for some time about Song Cen's illness, and then the Crown Prince raised his teacup.
Song Yan was utterly bewildered.
But when he saw Cui Yijun personally hold up the door curtain for him, he had a vague guess, and that night whispered to Dou Yan: "The Emperor may put me in charge of the Embroidered Uniform Guard."
Dou Yan was badly startled.
In the previous life, Song Yan had commanded the Embroidered Uniform Guard.
"Did His Highness hint at that?" she asked Song Yan.
"His Highness asked about Father's illness," Song Yan said. "He must be afraid I will have to observe mourning. Right now the Embroidered Uniform Guard has no commander, and the palace is like a man blindfolded and deafened. I cannot think of any other reason His Highness would go out of his way to summon me into the palace."
"Could you not go to the Embroidered Uniform Guard?" Dou Yan said hesitantly. "Its reputation is too poor."
"Whether a reputation is good or bad still depends on how a man conducts himself," Song Yan said with a disapproving laugh. "There is one good thing about going to the Embroidered Uniform Guard," he added, biting her ear. "At least I will not have to stand duty in the palace..." His hand closed over her breasts, which had grown fuller with pregnancy.
"What are you thinking?" Dou Yan said, half annoyed and half amused, slapping his hand away. "This concerns your future!"
"Even at my worst, I can still be like Father and serve as an undistinguished seal-holding commissioner in the Five Chief Military Commissions," Song Yan said, pulling Dou Yan into his arms. "However capable I am, His Highness cannot hand both the Jinwu Guard and the Embroidered Uniform Guard to me. I once wanted to clear my uncle's name and uncover why Father killed Mother. Now that wish is fulfilled. I only want to stay with you and our child, to be a good husband and a good father, so that my child will not be as I was when young. As for those things outside the body, there is nothing left worth fighting over."
These past years, Song Yan had also had a hard time.
Since he was willing, then let him be!
Dou Yan stroked Song Yan's face affectionately and said gently, "As you wish. So long as you are happy."
"What use is my happiness?" Seeing how Dou Yan put him first, Song Yan was delighted and wanted to lift her onto his lap, but as he reached out he remembered she was in no condition for it, so he kissed her face hard several times instead. "What matters is that you are happy. Don't you like having me with you?"
The couple exchanged sweet talk for half the night. When they rose the next day and saw that Gao Sheng had been sent from the Yunqi Temple alley to deliver Jiang Bosun's traveling farewell gift, they remembered that Jiang Bosun would set off for Haozhou the next day.
Song Yan said in alarm, "A-Yan has not yet come to pay her respects to Fifth Uncle!"
Earlier, Jiang Bosun had been covered in wounds, and Jiang Yan was pregnant. Fearing he would frighten Jiang Yan, Jiang Bosun had forbidden Song Yan to tell her that he was staying at Yizhi Hall. Now Jiang Bosun's external injuries had healed, and he was about to leave the capital for distant Liaodong. Who knew when the relatives would meet again? How could Jiang Yan fail to come and pay her respects to Jiang Bosun?
Dou Xin said, "Look at you. Is Yuqiao Alley so far from here?" Then she pressed her lips together and smiled. "I long ago had a serving woman send a note to Chen Zanzhi. Sister Yan is timid; rather than tell her directly, it is better to let Chen Zanzhi pass it on!"
"What is there to pass on?" Song Yan said, displeased. "Fifth Uncle is her own uncle. Would he harm her?"
Dou Xin smiled and said nothing.
Song Yan sighed helplessly.
Dou Yan thought to herself: In life, eight or nine out of ten things go contrary to one's wishes. If this was the unhappiness in her life, she would relish it as if it were honey.
*
It is the twenty-ninth of the twelfth lunar month this year. How are your New Year goods coming along?
I just bought a little fruit by the roadside...
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