Chapter 394 — Dragon Boat Festival

The steward of the household Chen Jia had newly purchased was a woman named Yao Er; she and her husband were both southerners, hereditary servants in a great household until that family ran afoul of the law. The servants were implicated and sold off, and it happened that Chen Jia had asked his colleagues in the Embroidered Uniform Guard to find him a few reliable maidservants. The Guard officers there, eager to curry favor with him, bought the whole family and presented them to him as a gift. Seeing that the woman handled affairs with method and steadiness, he put her in charge of his inner household; Tao Er stood guard at the main gate, one son worked alongside his father, another swept the courtyard in the outer compound, and it was only the youngest daughter who followed her mother into the inner quarters as a little maid tending the flowers and plants.

It was Tao Er's wife's first visit to the Ying Ducal Estate. Before she came, Chen Jia had warned her again and again, making sure she understood just how important the Ying Ducal Estate was to him. Her heart had been in her throat the whole way, and when she saw the row of black-lacquered flat-roofed carriages lined up before the gate delivering festival gifts, her heart pounded even harder. She had not expected Chen Jia to enjoy such standing at the Ying Ducal Estate; not only had the Heir Apparent's wife received her in person, she had even bestowed upon her a generous red envelope. At last her heart settled.

On her return she spoke of it to Chen Jia, and could not help betraying a note of delight.

Chen Jia was somewhat taken aback as well.

The Ying Ducal Estate was not a place where you delivered a gift and were simply let in; without the rank of a third-grade official or above, the gatekeepers would not even glance at you. He was only a fourth-grade official now — had he not found his way through the Heir Apparent's wife, where would he even have had a place to stand? How could a mere maid have been granted an audience with Lady Dou?

He thought to himself that these visits ought to become more frequent.

The very next day he brought two jars of the finest realgar wine to call on Duan Bing.

Duan Bing saw through him at once.

But if not Chen Jia, there would be some Wang Jia; and besides, Chen Jia suited his temper. What was there to take offense at?

He promptly prepared a few dishes to go with wine and pressed Chen Jia to stay and drink at his home.

Chen Jia had come for precisely this. He agreed readily, and suggested inviting Old Chen over for a cup or two as well.

Duan Bing waved a hand. "Old Chen has matters to attend to these days and cannot spare the time. Next time you come, we shall invite him over for a few cups."

Chen Jia quickly asked what the matter was.

Duan Bing glanced at him with a smile.

Chen Jia flushed. "Everything I have today, I owe to Lady Dou. I have long wished to repay her, but she lacks for nothing — even if I wished to send a gift, I could never hit upon the right thing. So I thought I might lend her some assistance, and that is why I asked."

Chen Jia spoke with intent, and Duan Bing listened with intent. After seeing Chen Jia off, he went at once to see Dou Yan.

Dou Yan was entertaining the two young madams of the Lu family who had come delivering festival gifts, and Duan Bing waited half an hour before he was granted an audience.

"My lady, that matter you had me look into last time — didn't I manage to dig up a thing or two?" He offered Dou Yan his counsel. "What do you say to having His Excellency Chen Jia help with the inquiries? He has men who do precisely this sort of work — we cannot compare!"

Dou Yan had always been curious about who had been inquiring after the Li family in the first two years after they moved away, and she was rather tempted by the suggestion. Still, she said, "It is, after all, an old matter of the household's. It would not do for others to learn of it."

Duan Bing chuckled. "I find this Chen Jia a most perceptive man. We need only invent some pretext; even if he knows the true reason, he will play deaf and dumb."

Dou Yan pondered. "I shall discuss this with the Heir Apparent first."

After all, it concerned Song Cen's reputation — were the events of those years dredged up, Song Yan, as his son, would lose face as well.

But Song Yan did not care in the least whether Song Cen might affect him. He laughed. "That Chen Jia is dying for the chance to do you a service or two. Whatever you need done, just hand it to him!"

Dou Yan said, "But what if he learns too much?"

Song Yan laughed aloud. "He rose through my patronage. Even if he knew nothing at all, he bears my mark — if he thought to change course, he could forget about making a career in officialdom."

Dou Yan thought it over, and it really was just so.

Song Yan shook his head with a smile. "You women — always so fond of fretting over these household trifles. How long has it been since they left, and you still want to know how the Li family is doing?"

Dou Yan giggled. "Isn't it just that I have nothing to do?"

Song Yan reflected that Dou Yan was full of vigor when she had something to occupy her and wilted like a flower when she did not, and could not help smiling.

If she found such matters interesting, then let her be!

Song Yan then told her of his plans for this period. "...The Imperial Medical Academy — we must have someone keeping watch there. But most of the imperial physicians have served there for generations; it is not easy to extract information from them. His Majesty has been complaining of headaches these past days, has he not? I have had Yan Che try to strike up conversations with the retainers of the border governors who came to the capital bearing festival gifts. When the time comes, they will surely recommend renowned physicians skilled in treating headaches to serve in the Academy. It will be much easier then."

The Imperial Medical Academy was tied to the Emperor's safety, and so was governed by the strictest rules.

Dou Yan cautioned him, "Be careful. Do not get yourself entangled."

"Mm!" Song Yan smiled and clasped Dou Yan's hand, then called for the little maid to come help him change his clothes.

Duan Bing, meanwhile, went to Chen Jia's residence in Yuqiao Alley.

The two drank upon the heated kang in the inner chamber of the main house.

Half in jest and half in earnest, Duan Bing complained to Chen Jia, "...I have been to Er Tiao Alley several times and got neither east nor west out of it. And the more often I went, the more I was recognized. Clearly this business of ferreting out secrets is not for everyone."

Chen Jia perked up at this, and said with a grin, "If there is nothing taboo about the matter, I can send a few men to make inquiries for you."

"That would be splendid," Duan Bing said with a smile. "You are the Heir Apparent's man; even if there were taboos, they would not apply to you."

So Chen Jia questioned him closely on all that had happened.

Before Duan Bing had even finished speaking, Chen Jia already had the measure of it.

Most likely it was a romantic debt left behind by the old Duke of Ying in years past, and now that the Heir Apparent and the Duke were locked in contention, the old affair was to be raked up again.

All he had to do was find the Li family, and the whole matter would come together.

And was this not precisely what he excelled at?

Yet however it was told, this was, after all, an old affair of the Ying Ducal Estate. That Duan Bing could entrust it to him meant either the Heir Apparent had given his consent, or Lady Dou had — and for either of them to consent, it was most likely Duan Bing who had put in a word for him.

Chen Jia smiled and poured wine for Duan Bing; after they had drunk, she tucked a purse into his hand and saw him personally to the front gate.

The business of inquiring into the Li family's affairs was thus handed over to Chen Jia.