Chapter 200 — A Cold Laugh

Dou Chi gave a cold laugh.

He had never imagined that even now, Wang Shuying would still have such nerve!

He had underestimated her before.

She asked Chen Yanzhou, "If the Seventh Madam wants Dou Ming to marry into the Jining Marquis's household in my place, what would she do?"

"Surely not?" Chen Yanzhou was utterly shocked, his jaw hanging open for a long while.

"In this world, there is only what one cannot imagine, never what one cannot do." Dou Yan's expression was somewhat cold. "Just investigate according to what I have told you. You should find something."

Though Chen Yanzhou found it inconceivable, out of trust in Dou Zhiwei, he asked no more. Clutching the account books, he left the Huai Shu Alley.

Dou Yan sat blankly gazing at the lush old locust tree outside the window, and only after a long while did she come back to herself.

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Perhaps because there was now a clear direction, in no more than two days word came back from Chen Yanzhou's side.

Her father knew nothing at all about the broken engagement with the Wei family that Huai Shu Alley had arranged for her, but because the wedding date between the two families had been dragged out again and again, altered time after time, and her bridal trousseau had long since been prepared, no one had been set to arrange her departure from the house. As for Wang Shuying, these past days she had not only placed her own maids and serving women in posts at the kitchen and in the main courtyard, but had also been frequently helping Dou Ming purchase clothes and jewelry, giving out that Dou Ming's coming-of-age ceremony was near and that Dou Ming must not be made to lose face. The quantity was so great and the workmanship so exquisite that even her father thought it too extravagant and said a few words to Wang Shuying on that account. Yet Wang Shuying not only failed to restrain herself as she once had, but quarreled furiously with her father, accusing him of being harsh toward Dou Ming. Her father had never been stingy with money toward others, and these days he was often summoned into the palace for the imperial lectures and needed to prepare his expositions carefully. Unable to endure her clamor, he simply shut his door and ignored her. Gao Sheng, for all his loyalty and competence, was after all only the household steward and could not very well stop her. Wang Shuying spent silver like pouring water; those who came and went from the house were either men from the silver shops or the chief managers of the capital's most celebrated silk and satin establishments. Dou Ming's coming-of-age ceremony was still a year away, yet already the people of the capital were speculating about how lavish the Fifth Miss of the Dou family's ceremony would be.

As for the Fifth Aunt, on the very day after Ren-ge's birthday she went to Yu Qiao Alley—not to pay her respects to Ji Yong's aunt or mother, but to pay her respects to Ji Yong's great-grandfather.

After coming out of Yu Qiao Alley, she went at once to Zhi Ma Alley and talked privately with Mrs. Cai for a long time. She stayed to dine at the Cai household before finally turning back home.

Dou Yan sank into thought.

It seemed Huai Shu Alley had already made up its mind to let Dou Ming marry into the Jining Marquis's household in her place—since it could both explain away her engagement to the Wei family and strike a blow at the Wei family, with Wang Shuying left to bear the blame. Such a fine opportunity—the Fifth Aunt could not possibly let it go unused!

Marrying in her place was not difficult; the difficulty lay in what came after the marriage.

Dou Ming might not understand the consequences, but Wang Shuying could not possibly be ignorant of them.

In her last life, she had been the Dou family's legitimate Seventh Madam, and her father had been a powerful Grand Secretary of the Grand Secretariat. In this life, she could scarcely look after herself. By what right should Dou Ming marry in her place?

Suddenly the words Su Lan had spoken to her echoed in Dou Yan's ears.

"I escorted the Marquis to the Chuihua Gate and was just hesitating over whether to go to the kitchen and see if the midday meal was ready when I saw the Marquis following an old serving woman back. I hurried to hide behind a tree, and when they had gone far off, I sent a little maid to follow them. That little maid said the Marquis had followed the old woman into the Fifth Miss's courtyard."

Or perhaps there was something else she did not know?

Dou Yan's hand clenched tightly into a fist.

In her last life, when she learned that Wang Shuying wanted Dou Ming to marry Wei Fan in her place, that feeling of utter loneliness and helplessness had washed over her heart once more.

Since you wish to marry in my place—then marry!

I would like to see how you, Dou Ming, will swallow the bitterness I once tasted! How you, Wang Shuying, will clean up this mess! And by what right Huai Shu Alley means to marry me off to the Ji family!

Her mind made up, Dou Yan drew a deep breath and instructed Su Xin, "Go ask Old Chen whether the whereabouts of that sum of money from last time have been clarified yet. If it truly cannot be clarified, then ask the chief manager Dou Juan to help look into it!"

This was what Dou Yan and Chen Yanzhou had agreed upon.

If she had some matter to bring to Chen Yanzhou, Chen Yanzhou would use it as a pretext to call at the house.

Su Xin answered and went.

That afternoon Chen Yanzhou came over.

Dou Yan said in a low voice, "Can you get in touch with Mr. Yan?"

Chen Yanzhou was somewhat surprised.

Dou Yan said, "I want Mr. Yan to help me arrange for my family to leave Beinanli. I do not know which place Mr. Yan is most familiar with."

Chen Yanzhou was visibly startled. "Miss, what are you—"

Dou Yan had indeed wanted to discuss this matter with him, and naturally would not hide it from him. She said in a low voice, "You know how formidable a man Song Yantang is. I had thought that since he owed us a favor, I would avoid using it if I could, and keep it for a critical moment to protect myself and save my life. But now it seems it cannot be kept—Wang Shuying's plan is full of holes, but if Huai Shu Alley and the Ji family join hands to mediate for her, it may well be that she succeeds. If so, so much the better. But what if she fails? Do not forget—when that time comes, my aunt will surely come to the capital to see me off on my wedding."

"With a matter this grave, we cannot rely entirely on others.

"So we must prepare for both outcomes.

"If Wang Shuying's plan succeeds, then when the Dou and Ji families discuss the marriage, I will have an excuse not to marry—Wang Shuying let Dou Ming marry into the Wei family in my place; if Huai Shu Alley does not intervene in that, by what right should it intervene in my marriage? As for my father, I have my own way to make him keep me at home, and then we can return to Zhending.

"If Wang Shuying's plan is seen through, in her desperation the Dou family may have no choice but to marry me into the Wei family. At that point we can only fight with our backs to the river. Have Guard Duan and the others ensure my safety, and then we will negotiate terms with the Dou family and force them to agree that I shall never marry again."

Having said this, Dou Chi could not help but sigh.

Once matters reached that point, she would have torn all pretense with the Dou family, and it would likely take great effort and great cost to mend her relations with the Dou household. After all, half the property of the West Dou branch had been transferred into her name in the form of a dowry, and the East Dou branch had every reason to keep managing that half of the property on her behalf, producing it only when she married.

The freedom she supposedly enjoyed now was no more than a flower in the water, a moon in the mirror—not something to be taken seriously.

Chen Yanzhou of course understood the reasons behind all this.