Chapter 95 — Reneging (Bonus Chapter for 810 Pink Votes)

Lady Ji watched the chill that flickered now and again in the Second Old Madam's eyes, and knew that the Old Madam had taken a deep dislike to Matchmaker Wu, and that in all likelihood she would make trouble for her before long. So she said no more, rose, and took her leave. Then she thought of how, just a few days past, Aunt Cui had sent word asking whether she might help find two embroiderers from Jiangnan to sew Dou Yan's wedding clothes, and a pang of sorrow went through her heart. She summoned Caishu: "Have a carriage made ready. I am going to the Western Mansion."

Dou Yi had already received the news. She assumed that Wu Shan had said something to Matchmaker Wu, and while she breathed a sigh of relief, a faint, nameless melancholy brushed across her heart. But she quickly put it from her mind, and spoke to Chen Yanzhou of the tidings just received: "...So the Second Old Madam has concluded that Du An was acting on Wang Shuying's instructions?"

"Indeed!" Chen Yanzhou said with a smile. "The Third Master has written not only to the Fifth Master but to your honored father as well, and just now sent a man posting hard for the capital."

Dou Yan mused, "Knowing my Fifth Uncle's character, he will certainly seize on this to make trouble for Wang Xingyi. Wang Xingyi has won great glory in battle these past years, and a general in the field may decline the sovereign's commands—but the matters of military pay and provisions, of pensions and rewards, cannot be handled without the aid of the six ministries' officials. My Fifth Uncle has built his position in the capital over many years, with roots deep and firm. At a time like this, Wang Xingyi would never dare fall out with him. Were I in his place, I would certainly bow my head, own my fault, and promise my Fifth Uncle something or other..." She broke off and laughed. "Here I have been frightened out of my wits—surely my Fifth Uncle cannot be the only one to reap the benefit? I daresay we shall get no meat, but might we not at least get some broth? Suppose we simply have the Pang family pay us ten thousand taels in compensation... no, twenty thousand taels! To get at Pang Kunbai, I put up ten thousand taels of my own as a reward! The Pangs go about with their noses in the air, every one of them, as if 'I have silver' were written across their foreheads—so let us pluck them good and proper!"

Chen Yanzhou chuckled.

Dou Yan instructed Suxin, "Help me grind the ink—I want to write a letter to my father. This is the sort of thing best left to him to raise with Fifth Uncle."

Smiling brightly, Suxin laid out brush, ink, paper, and inkstone for Dou Yan.

Dou Yan wrote the letter to his father. Then he brought up the matter of Duan Bing: "I have already spoken with Third Uncle. From now on, whatever medicinal herbs Old Mrs. Duan needs, her serving maids may simply fetch from the Dou Juan apothecary and put it on my account."

Yesterday Duan Bing had formally become a guard at Dou Juan.

Chen Yanzhou nodded with a smile. "That is excellent."

Dou Yan asked a few more questions about the business at the stationery shop, and only then returned to the inner courtyard.

Grandmother's eyes were red, as though she had been weeping. From time to time a flicker of pity surfaced in the way she looked at Dou Yan.

Dou Yan was quietly astonished. Once out of the eastern side courtyard, she asked Ganlu, "What on earth happened?"

Ganlu lowered her head and murmured, "It was the Sixth Lady who came by. She said the Wu family sets out for the capital tomorrow..."

So that was it—Grandmother was grieving that her marriage prospect had fallen through.

Dou Yan let out a breath of helpless resignation.

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A light rain fell on the day Wu Shan departed.

The rain was wet and clinging, washing the leaves to an extraordinary green.

Dou Yan spent the whole day in the glasshouse pruning the holly branches, until dusk, when Dou Huaide came to call on her: "Wu the Fourth says you once asked him to paint a fan leaf, and he asked me to bring it over for him."

She washed her hands and had Suxin put the fan leaf away in a trunk.

Dou Huaide said, at a loss, "Aren't you going to look at what he painted?"

"What does it matter what he painted?" Dou Yan wiped her hands carefully with a handkerchief and said mildly, "Better to put it away."

Dou Huaide was silent.

A few days later, Ji Yong returned from Mount Tai. Hearing that Wu Shan had gone, he waved his fan and laughed twice—"Ha, ha"—then instructed his attendants to ready the carriage; he was going to the Western Mansion.

Lady Ji frantically blocked his way. "What are you going to do?"

Ji Yong opened his eyes wide. "I brought our Fourth Sister a fully formed fleeceflower root. Is even that not allowed?"

Lady Ji gave a sheepish, embarrassed laugh.

Ji Yong swept off in grand style.

When he saw Dou Yan, he asked her, "I hear your engagement with Wu Shan has fallen through? You needn't be heartbroken—a man like that, all soft and limp, is really quite dull. You are sure to meet someone better! It just so happens I found a fleeceflower root to give you—nourish your hair."

Was this his idea of comforting her, or of cutting her down?

Dou Yan's temple twitched with fury at the sound of it; she ground her teeth and said, "Has Cousin Ji perhaps misheard? Since when was I ever betrothed to Fourth Brother Wu?"

Ji Yong's mouth fell open, and it was a long while before he closed it.

Dou Yan felt much better.

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Sisters, brothers, I beg for pink votes...~~~~(_

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