Chapter 281 — Splitting Up

Dou Yan motioned for Suxin to take the rosewood box containing the tally tokens, then said to the Elder Madam with a smile, "I've only just arrived, and I'm not yet acquainted with the stewards of the household. I must trouble you, Aunt, to make the introductions."

Matters having come to this pass,

the Elder Madam swallowed a silent sigh and introduced the stewards of each branch to Dou Yan. Through these introductions, Dou Yan came face to face with every steward in the household.

Yet inwardly, she could not help but find something odd.

Ever since Lady Jiang's death, Song Cen's people had held the rear quarters of the Ying Ducal Estate in their grip. After Song Cen and Song Yan fell out, the estate had been purged; the maids and women who had served Lady Jiang were either killed, vanished without a trace, or driven out. But the stewards who had once followed Lady Jiang—though there had been changes—had changed little. Some had been replaced, while others still held their posts. They shared one peculiar trait: they were all rather young. Every older one had been swapped out; every younger one had been kept.

Was Song Cen trying to avoid notice, or was there something else at play?

Dou Yan gently brushed the floating leaves in her teacup, took a quiet sip, and continued listening to the stewards report on their duties.

Behind the Elder Madam stood Madam Dong, who glanced at Dou Yan's graceful posture and felt a bitter, acrid taste in her heart.

The night before, she and her mother-in-law had been at their wits' end, barely sleeping a wink, not knowing how to answer to the Second Uncle. And as for her father-in-law—he likely did not even know yet what a catastrophe had befallen them...

Her heart tightened involuntarily.

Her father-in-law would certainly blame her and her mother-in-law for bungling the affair. Her mother-in-law and father-in-law were bound in their original marriage; at most he would give his wife a scolding. The blame, in the end, would likely fall on her shoulders.

Madam Dong's face was somewhat pale. She heard Dou Yan asking a fair-skinned, comely woman, "You are Steward Chen, in charge of the Second Young Master's quarters?"

The woman bent her knee in a hasty curtsy and answered "Yes," her manner exceedingly deferential.

Dou Yan asked how much Song Han's monthly allowance was, how many maids were under his name, how many pages, and the like—just as she had asked the kitchen steward how much was spent monthly, how many women worked in the kitchen, and how many assistants there were. There was no particular attention paid, nor any neglect.

Steward Chen could not help but breathe a sigh of relief.

Look at this new madam—barely ten days in the household, and she had quietly taken the tally tokens, the symbol of authority over the Ying Ducal Estate, into her own hands. If anyone tried to tell her the new madam was as gentle and courteous as she appeared, she would not believe it if they beat her to death. Yet by unlucky chance, she was the one in charge of the Second Young Master's quarters, and the Duke had given orders that the Heir Apparent was not permitted to meddle in the Second Young Master's affairs... She truly feared the new madam would fix her eye on the Second Young Master's quarters and question her endlessly, and that those gossips who loved to stir up trouble would report it to the Duke. And since the new madam now held the tally tokens, summoning her for questioning was entirely proper—leaving her caught in the middle, unable to please either side.

But since the Heir Apparent now controlled the inner quarters, he would certainly meddle in the Second Young Master's affairs sooner or later. She would end up caught between the two no matter what.

At that thought, a faint bitter smile crept across her lips.

Today Dou Yan was merely meeting these stewards face to face. After sizing up Steward Chen for a few moments, she shifted her attention and continued questioning the other stewards.

Meanwhile, Song Sui sat in the flower hall in a grand armchair, his expression placid, silently regarding the commander of the Eastern City Garrison and Tao Jun.

Just a quarter-hour earlier, when he saw Xuanying send his own men to search the Ying Ducal Estate again, he had once more pounded his chest and declared: "...We and the Shuntian Prefecture have sealed off the nearby alleys. We've also sent word to the several great households the thieves might have slipped into. We caught three men near the Shuntian Prefecture school, two near Jianzi Alley, and four near Andingmen Street. They confessed that they had lookouts posted all along; when they saw the Yizhi Hall lose its footing, they immediately fled the Ying Ducal Estate in twos and threes according to plan. By now they have either gone to ground or fled the city..." The implication being: every place that ought to be searched had been searched; there could be no thieves left in the Ying Ducal Estate, and Song Yan need not send the Yizhi Hall guards door to door and courtyard to courtyard—it would only waste time. But now, gazing at the two thieves his men had fished out of a well bucket and from the rafters of the guest rooms, his face flushed red and pale by turns. Last time he had kicked the two bound thieves and bellowed, "Men! Loosen these two rascals' bones properly and find out where the rest of their gang has gone!"

Song Yan said nothing, watching as the Eastern City Garrison men hauled the two thieves away.

The Eastern City Garrison commander hastily bowed to Song Yan. "Heir Apparent, I'll go down and interrogate them now..." He wore the look of a man eager to make his escape.

Song Yan smiled faintly. "Before you go, perhaps you should inquire who is now in charge of the Five Cities Garrison? I should like to meet your Chief Commander."

The Eastern City Garrison commander started, then grew anxious.

Could it be that because of this affair, their Chief Commander was to be replaced?

And would he be implicated as well?

The Eastern City Garrison commander had no time for pleasantries with Song Yan. He hastily assented and left the flower hall, heading straight for the main gate of the Ying Ducal Estate, where he called for the deputy commander who had come along with them: "Go at once and inform the Chief Commander that the Heir Apparent of the Duke of Ying wishes to see him."

The deputy opened his mouth to say something, but the Eastern City Garrison commander cut him off impatiently: "Enough chatter—just go." The deputy swallowed whatever he had meant to say and rushed to the Five Cities Garrison headquarters, only to learn that the Chief Commander had already entered the palace. Some clerks and registrars were whispering among themselves, speculating whether the Chief Commander would return with his head still on his shoulders.

Only then did the deputy realize how grave a matter the fire and thieves at the Ying Ducal Estate had become.

He turned and hurried back to the estate, reporting everything he had heard and seen to the Eastern City Garrison commander.

The Eastern City Garrison commander drew a sharp breath, understanding that Song Yan was warning him.

What is fortune is not disaster; what is disaster cannot be avoided.

The Eastern City Garrison commander had no choice but to steel himself and enter the flower hall, saluting Song Yan with a face drained of color. "Heir Apparent, our Chief Commander is not present. Whatever you require, please command me!"