Chapter 335 — Ventilation

Dou Yan climbed down from the kang and said to Su Xin, "Come, let us go to the small flower hall! The people from Daxing Manor have sent all the young girls over. We will pick a few of the sharp-witted ones to keep."

Because of the attack on the road, Su Xin had turned back halfway, and the matter of choosing maids had naturally been put off.

The Daxing Manor had no idea what had happened. Yet a matter already agreed upon had suddenly changed, and the wife of the manor's head steward was deeply uneasy. A few days later, word came from Yizhi Hall telling her to bring the girls directly there, which made her even more nervous.

She feared Dou Chi would be dissatisfied with the girls she had chosen and send them all back; she feared the girls, having never seen the wider world, would say the wrong thing or do the wrong thing and be laughed at... She repeatedly warned the girls to stand straight, not to let their eyes wander, and to speak neither too loudly nor too softly, leaving these girls—who had grown up on the manor, hearing their elders tell of the glory of the Ying Zhenguo Estate—so terrified that they did not know what to do with their hands and feet.

When Dou Yan and Su Xin entered, the girls were standing woodenly in the middle of the hall, their faces pale.

She could not help smiling faintly, recalling how she had first met Gan Lu and Su Juan in her former life.

"Which manors were they sent from?" she asked the steward's wife gently, and the girls' expressions eased somewhat.

"These two are from our manor." The steward's wife pointed out the girls one by one to Dou Yan. "This one is from the Wanping Manor, these two are from the manor over in Langfang..."

There were twelve girls in all, all between eight and nine years old, all from manors near the capital, and all of families that had been tenants of the Song family for several generations; some even had elders who had once served at the Ying Zhenguo Estate.

Dou Yan was well pleased and kept them all. She said, "Though there is a fixed number for maids and servants, when I came to the capital from Zhending, only Su Xin and a few others came along to serve me. Let them count as my dowry maids!"

Since they were dowry maids, their monthly allowance and seasonal clothing would come out of Dou Yan's dowry.

The steward's wife was overjoyed and hurriedly curtsied her thanks.

Only six had originally been requested, and now all were kept. Others would not think that these girls had all won the lady's favor, but only that she enjoyed such standing before the lady.

The steward's wife sighed inwardly. A woman with a rich dowry was indeed different—if she wanted to keep people, she could keep them.

Dou Yan handed the children over to Su Xin for training, then called Gao Xing's wife in and had her take the steward's wife to draw up the girls' indentures of sale.

Just as this was settled, Song Yan returned from the yamen of the Five City Garrisons.

Dou Ji asked him, "Will you be on duty at the Five City Garrisons yamen from now on?"

"." Song Yan let Dou Yan change his clothes for him. He smiled and said, "The Embroidered Uniform Guard will still be my main post." Then he asked about the maids: "I heard Daxing sent the girls over. Were there any suitable ones?"

"I thought they were quite good," Dou Xin said as Song Yan led her by the hand to sit on the large kang by the window. "I kept them all." As for which side would pay their expenses, Dou Yan thought it a trifle and said no more.

Since Song Yan had handed the inner courtyard of Yizhi Hall over to Dou Yan, such matters were naturally hers to decide; he would not interfere. What concerned him most now was Dou Zhiwei's health: "After I left, did you vomit again?"

When she had risen this morning, she had been sick so violently that in the end she even threw up water, frightening Song Yan out of his wits. It was a long moment before he came to himself, and he held Dou Chi and stroked her back without cease, comforting her.

"No," Dou Xin said. "I have been quite well since you left. I asked Gao Xing's wife, and she said this is normal and I should not worry. It may get worse in the next little while, but after three months it will pass."

Song Yan pondered and said, "I think we should send for your aunt. With her here, I would be easier in my mind."

Dou Yan had experience and felt there was nothing to worry about, but Song Yan insisted, so she had no choice but to agree.

Early the next morning, Song Yan went to the Heming Temple Lane.

Fortunately Dou Huaiying had gone to his yamen, so Song Yan only said that Dou Chi was unwell and, as there was no elder in the house, he wished to invite her aunt to stay a few days. The aunt listened and, reckoning the days, was instantly overjoyed. Before Song Yan could finish, she rose to her feet: "I understand. I will take her cousin and go impose on your household for a few days. You are busy with official duties, so pay it no mind. Leave it all to me."

Song Yan had worried that his aunt might have misgivings and be unwilling to stay at the Ying Zhenguo Estate; seeing now that she had agreed without a word, and recalling what Dou Yan had said of the Zhao family's kindness to her, he was deeply grateful and grew even more respectful toward his aunt.

When Dou Huaiying returned home and heard that his aunt was going to stay at the Ying Zhenguo Estate for a few days, he was greatly startled and repeatedly asked what had happened.

Her face wreathed in smiles, the aunt let slip a hint or two to Dou Huaiying.

Dou Huaiying was dumbstruck and for a long while could not collect himself. But once he had, he kept smiling foolishly, and when Song Yan came to fetch the aunt, Dou Huaiying seized him and looked him up and down, then said at last, "I still have some fine things set aside for my grandson. You had best do me proud."

Song Yan broke out in a sweat.

Was that something he could accomplish by merely doing his best?

But since his father-in-law had spoken, he could only brace himself and murmur "Yes" again and again.

Only then did Dou Huaiying, beaming, release Song Yan and see him, the aunt, and Zhao Zhangru to the gate.

Dou Yan had already prepared the guest room and was waiting for her aunt. The two met, talked and laughed, and did not disperse until the middle of the night.

The next morning, the aunt told the kitchen to make radish porridge and to add a little vinegar to it.

Dou Yan ate two bowls before setting down her chopsticks.

The smile on Song Yan's face did not fade even when he reached the Five City Garrisons.

Someone hoping to curry favor thought he saw an opening and brought up Wei Fan: "...I never imagined he was actually connected by marriage to the young heir!"

Song Yan said mildly, "At the Ying Zhenguo Estate I am the heir; at the Five City Garrisons I am a court official. Address me as 'My Lord' or 'Commissioner Song.'"

The flattery had landed on the horse's leg.

The visitor looked embarrassed.

Someone else warned him, "In all the days Lord Song has been here, have you ever seen Lord Wei come calling?"

The visitor's expression changed drastically, and he clasped his hands in salute: "Pray, brother, enlighten me!"

The other man looked around, and seeing no one about, lowered his voice: "I hear Lord Song married the legitimate daughter of the Dou family, while Lady Wei was only acknowledged as legitimate because her birth mother was elevated to wife. Lady Song never had dealings with Lady Wei even when she was a girl, and Lord Song looks down on Lady Wei's origins all the more. After all, Lord Song is the legitimate eldest son of the Ying Zhenguo Estate."

The newcomer had never heard of this before, and could not help saying urgently, "What else do you know? Tell me quickly!"

The man smiled and said nothing.

Light dawned on the newcomer. He said hurriedly, "That was thoughtless of me—when we are off duty, let us go drink a cup or two."