Chapter 251 — The Return Visit

Dou Yan and Song Yan were paying their respects to Song Cen.

Song Cen had no choice but to swallow all that he had wanted to say; he hurried through a few parting words to Dou Yan and Song Yan and sent them on their way.

The wind drove the downpour in surging waves, drenching the covered walkways as though they had been washed with water—to say nothing of those walking along them, whose shoes, socks, and hems were soaked through in an instant.

Everyone wore straw rain capes and wooden clogs.

Dou Yan seemed a little taller than usual.

Suxin struggled to hold the umbrella for her.

"Let me do it myself!" said Dou Yan, reaching for Suxin's umbrella.

But a pair of hands, translucent as fine jade, reached out and took Suxin's umbrella before she could.

Dou Yan looked up in astonishment and saw Song Yan's impassive face.

"I'll do it," he said, holding the umbrella without a flicker of expression, and with an arm around Dou Zhiwei's shoulders, he walked her out.

Chen He, who had been holding the umbrella for Song Yan, did not know what to do; he stood frozen for a long while before hurrying after them.

Dou Yan's head reached only to Song Yan's ears.

If she leaned just slightly, she could rest against his shoulder.

In two lifetimes, Dou Yan had always been the one holding the umbrella—when had anyone ever held one for her like this?

She was dazed for a long time, walking forward in a muddle, and when she came to herself she was already standing before the carriage at the gate.

The driver had already set out the mounting stool.

Song Yan hesitated a moment, then took Dou Zhiwei's hand. "Get in quickly, or your clothes will be soaked." He shifted the umbrella over the stool—he actually meant to help Dou Yan into the carriage himself.

Bean-sized raindrops struck Song Yan's face.

Dou Qu bent and ducked into the carriage.

Chen He came running, both hands raising a tung-oil umbrella high to shield Song Yan from wind and rain.

Song Yan handed the umbrella to Wuyi beside him and climbed into the carriage.

Suxin and the others wore peculiar expressions; they lowered their heads and filed onto the carriage behind.

Dou Jichang, who saw this scene, slowed his steps.

He was somewhat surprised.

Who in the capital did not know that the heir of the Yingzhenguo Estate came from a distinguished line, was cold by nature, and was hard to approach? Yet here he was, setting aside his pride to look after the fourth young lady... It seemed that even the coldest of men had a tender side before their wives.

Smiling, he sprang up into the Dou family carriage.

Rain pattered on the carriage roof.

Dou Yan looked at her clothes, not a trace of water on them, and felt a swell of emotion; she thanked Song Yan sincerely, "Many thanks," and handed him a handkerchief, gesturing for him to wipe the rain from his face.

Song Yan took the handkerchief and wiped his face.

It was an ordinary white silk fabric.

It reminded him of Dou Zhiwei's flower garden.

Song Yan wiped his face.

The handkerchief carried a faint fragrance, like orchid, or perhaps jasmine. On closer scent, it seemed like tuberose as well—very refined and elegant.

He tucked the handkerchief into his sleeve, lifted the carriage curtain, and gazed out through the glass-paned window. "Would you like to make a trip back to Zhending?"

There were few travelers on the road; the fierce wind and driving rain lashed the fallen leaves everywhere, making a rather sorry sight.

Dou Yan's eyes lit up. "May I?"

"Anything, so long as you want it, can always be made time for." He turned back, his eyes shining in the dim light of the carriage—bright as stars.

"True enough!" Dou Yan laughed, then thought seriously for a moment.

If only Song Yan could go back to Zhending with her.

Let Grandmother meet Song Yan. That would set her mind at ease.

But Song Yan served on duty in the Jinwu Guard and might not be free to leave; this matter would have to be considered carefully.

"I'll discuss it with Mr. Yan when the time comes?" she said with a smile. "And there will have to be some word to the Zhenguo Estate as well."

Song Yan nodded.

There was a faint sadness in his heart.

If his mother were still alive, with her to shield Dou Yan, how could Dou Yan find even a single trip back to Zhending so difficult!

He could not help clenching his fist.

Dou Yan saw that his spirits had sunk somewhat. Smiling, she leaned toward the carriage window.

"With this autumn rain, every shower makes the weather a little colder," she said. "Where are we now?"

In her former life, though she had lived in the capital for over a decade, she was only really familiar with the area around the Fuguifang.

"We are on Andingmen Street," Song Yan said. Then, thoughtfully, he instructed the driver, "Take the Jiangmi Lane route, through the Longhua Temple alley."

The driver gaped for a long moment before loudly answering "Yes, sir," and turning into a nearby lane.

Dou Yan asked curiously, "Why go by way of Jiangmi Lane? Is it because Jiangmi Lane is closer to Yunqi Temple alley?"

Next time she returned to her parents' home, she would know the way.

"It is about half an hour farther than going by the street north of the Imperial Wall," Song Yan said. "But the offices of the Six Ministries and the Five Chief Military Commissions are all over there. You can have a look."

Dou Yan was mortified.

Song Yan had taken her for a frail young lady who had never set foot outside the inner chambers.

Still, his thoughtfulness in taking her around put her in excellent spirits.

Dou Jichang, following behind their carriage, was utterly baffled.

Why had Song Yan's party changed course and headed south? The farther they went, the farther out of the way they were getting!

Then he saw the carriage and horses slow to a stop and linger a moment before the Hanlin Academy, the Imperial Parks Administration, and the Imperial Medical Office before rolling slowly onward.

He could not help asking the guard who accompanied the carriage, "What are they doing?"

The guard did not know either. He hurried over to ask and came back to report, "The heir is telling the Fourth Young Madam where the offices of the Six Ministries are."

Dou Jichang was dumbfounded. "What do the Six Ministries' offices have to do with my fifth sister?"

The guard shook his head, plainly just as puzzled.

It was Dou Jichang's page who hazarded a guess: "The young madam has just arrived in the capital and rarely goes out. And when she does, it is either to wander among a few temples or to browse the shops on South Street and Drum Tower Street that sell silks and satins, gold and silver trinkets. No doubt the heir means to broaden the Fourth Young Madam's horizons!"

Dou Jichang saw the light, and could not help laughing. "Only he would think of such a thing." To take his wife sightseeing at the Six Ministries' offices — she was not a son, to be spurred on to sit the civil examinations.

Fortunately the wind and rain were fierce today, so there were few travelers on the road; and since it was the day of the return visit to the bride's family, there was no set time to keep. Dou Jichang could not be bothered to disturb them. He lay back in the carriage listening to the rain, and with all the stopping and starting, it took them an extra half hour to reach Yunqi Temple alley.

The Dou relatives had all arrived.

Hearing that Dou Yan and the others had come, Dou Huaiying, desperate to know whether his daughter was faring well, ignored Dou Bingheng's attempts to restrain him and went to the main gate to welcome them.

Song Yan stepped down from the carriage, took the large umbrella from Chen He's hands, and held it against the wind as he helped Dou Yan down, though the hem of his own robe was soaked through.