Jiang Lizhu accompanied Dou Zhao to the Bishi Pavilion, where Jiang Yan was being settled. Song Mo went to the study—he anticipated that Xia Lian would soon bring back Song Shize, and he expected there would be much to discuss.
Jiang Yan sat on the edge of the kang by the window in the inner room, staring blankly at a jade stone bonsai of grape squirrels. Upon hearing the commotion, she immediately stood up and stepped forward to greet Dou Zhao.
Dou Zhao took her hand and, before she could speak, quickly recounted the events that had transpired at the Xixiang Courtyard, omitting some of Song Yichun’s remarks.
Jiang Yan was momentarily stunned, her expression slightly awkward as she whispered, “Duke, do you not like Madam Jiang?” Although she believed Song Mo’s words, she remained cautious. One person who could confirm her identity was already deceased, while the other had flatly denied it, so she carefully referred to Jiang Shi as Madam Jiang.
“I’m not quite sure,” Dou Zhao replied sincerely. “When I married in, my mother-in-law had already passed away for several years.” At this point, an idea struck her, and she asked Jiang Yan, “Would you be willing to help me investigate my mother-in-law’s affairs?”
Jiang Yan nodded excitedly, her ink-black eyes finally sparkling with life.
Jiang Lizhu felt a weight lift from her heart. She admired Dou Zhao’s approach to handling matters and, when writing back to the Jiang family, she couldn’t help but praise her, which left the matriarch of the Jiang family deeply moved. She remarked to the women of the Jiang family, “The heir is indeed fortunate. I thought that after the eldest aunt passed, there would be no elder to guide him, yet he inadvertently married Dou Shi. This shows that this union is destined by heaven.”
Upon hearing this, Jiang Xiexiu remained silent for a long time but agreed the next day to the marriage arrangement made by the Jiang family.
Of course, that was a matter for later.
At this moment, seeing that her presence was no longer needed, Jiang Lizhu smiled and took her leave, allowing Dou Zhao and Jiang Yan to share their private conversation.
Dou Zhao and Jiang Yan sat down in the waterside pavilion next to Bishi Pavilion. Dou Zhao said, “Now that we have passed Minglu, you can settle down comfortably in the Duke’s residence. If you need anything, just let me know.”
Jiang Yan gently nodded. She wanted to ask about Li Liang but held back, knowing her biological brother and sister-in-law might not be pleased with her inquiry.
Dou Zhao then inquired about the clothing and jewelry being made for her: “I discussed it with your brother, and tomorrow I will take you to the Lu family to pay respects to Old Madam Lu and Princess Ningde.”
During her stay outside, a nurse sent by Dou Zhao had already explained the relationships between the Song family and various households in detail. Jiang Yan understood that the Lu family was the maternal family of the late Duke, and her visit there was to acknowledge kinship. This thought made her feel anxious.
She worried about making a mistake and embarrassing herself, fearing that if it came to light that she was not truly a daughter of the Song family, her initial joy would turn into disappointment and shame.
However, thinking of Dou Zhao, who was heavily pregnant yet still busy with matters concerning her, Jiang Yan felt a deep sense of guilt. She couldn’t bring herself to say “no,” so she quietly agreed, “Yes,” and the next day, after dressing up, she followed Dou Zhao to the Lu family.
Old Madam Lu and Princess Ningde were puzzled: “Although there are many young ladies in the Jiang family, it seems none have caught Madam Jiang’s affection enough to be adopted as a goddaughter. What is Yan Tang up to? Could it be that she has been deceived by the servants? Madam Jiang’s departure was so sudden that someone might have falsely transmitted her will!”
Princess Ningde, having cultivated her composure over the years, smiled and reassured her sister-in-law, “The person will arrive soon; we’ll know the truth when we meet.”
As they spoke, Dou Zhao and Jiang Yan arrived.
The matriarch of the Lu family personally welcomed them at the entrance, and upon seeing Jiang Yan, she was momentarily taken aback, continuing to steal glances at her even after entering Old Madam Lu’s inner courtyard.
Jiang Yan felt extremely uncomfortable.
Old Madam Lu and Princess Ningde were astonished, especially Princess Ningde, who had seen many sordid affairs in the palace and had grown distant from them.
After Jiang Yan bowed to them, Princess Ningde quickly found an excuse for the matriarch to take Jiang Yan to the back garden, leaving Dou Zhao alone to converse.
Dou Zhao came here for two reasons: first, the Lu family had always shown goodwill towards her and Song Mo, and Jiang Yan needed their recognition and support; second, she wanted to clarify Jiang Yan’s identity and see if the Lu family had any recollection of past events that might provide clues. When Princess Ningde inquired, Dou Zhao recounted everything in detail.
Old Madam Lu was so furious she could hardly speak, while Princess Ningde sighed repeatedly, saying, “I sensed something was off back then. How could a child born at full term be so weak? Yet your mother-in-law was so infatuated that she failed to notice. What could we, as uncles and aunts, say? Song Han has used countless precious medicines to nurture his health, spending money like water, yet he still cannot compare to Yan Tang’s sturdiness.
This indicates that the child was either premature or induced by medicine.” She continued, “If it was a premature birth, that would be one thing, but if it was induced, it’s concerning. The Duke was determined to bring this son into the household. Most of the evidence from back then has likely been cleaned up, so there’s no need for further investigation. If we can confirm it, let the child be recognized as a Jiang family cousin; if not, it’s no big deal—just a few extra chopsticks and a little more dowry. It’s better than missing out entirely.”
“Our heir thinks along the same lines,” Dou Zhao smiled. “Even if this girl has no blood relation to the heir, her resemblance to my mother-in-law is a sign of fate. We can treat her as a younger sister and take good care of her.” However, she had already firmly believed that Jiang Yan and Song Mo were siblings.
Old Madam Lu and Princess Ningde nodded and inquired about the Wei and He families: “What are Yan Tang’s plans?”
Dou Zhao replied, “The heir mentioned that since spring began, Henan has been unstable, with bandits roaming in Qingyuan County, colluding with local gentry to rob and pillage. He intends to have the officials investigate thoroughly to prevent these people from disturbing the peace. From what the heir indicated, we should have results soon.”
Old Madam Lu and Princess Ningde nodded in agreement, saying, “That’s excellent! There’s no need to stoop to their level.”
They recalled how the Jin and Yin families had once given ten taels of silver to a former brother-in-arms, leading to their ruin and family disintegration. Now, with Wei Quan and He Qingyuan colluding with bandits, what good could come of it?
Old Madam Lu and Princess Ningde then summoned Jiang Yan, presenting her with two pieces of jewelry as a greeting gift, and inquired about her well-being.
Although Jiang Yan answered without a hitch, her discomfort was evident.
Old Madam Lu and Princess Ningde shook their heads in regret, feeling that such a beautiful young girl had grown up timidly in the streets with the Li family, unable to shed her humble demeanor.
Dou Zhao understood that if time permitted, it would be best to nurture Jiang Yan a bit longer before introducing her. However, with her impending childbirth, she feared that if she delayed too long, rumors might spread that Jiang Yan was sent by the Jiang family to serve Song Mo, tarnishing Jiang Yan’s reputation.
She continuously encouraged Jiang Yan and took her back to the Dou family.
Song Mo was deeply concerned and forbade her from going out again: “I have my ways to deal with my father; you mustn’t neglect your well-being by running around.”
If anything were to happen to Dou Zhao, he felt that all his efforts would be in vain.
Dou Zhao smiled, “The midwife advised me to move about more. Since I have nothing to do, it’s good to take Jiang Yan out for some fresh air.”
However, Song Mo’s expression did not improve.
Dou Zhao had to assure him, “If I feel unwell, I will stay home immediately.”
Only then did Song Mo’s expression relax slightly.
Jiang Yan also breathed a sigh of relief.
She understood that Dou Zhao and Song Mo were looking out for her, but she truly disliked such social engagements, especially with everyone’s eyes on her, as if they were trying to see through her. She worried that they might discover her past indiscretions beyond her husband, making her feel as if she had become like her adoptive mother, Li Tiao Niang, who thought her little secrets were unknown, while in reality, everyone in the neighborhood pointed fingers at her. She had also faced considerable criticism because of it.
Being able to stay at the Duke’s residence, especially in the secluded Bishi Pavilion, where she didn’t have to worry about food and drink, and could simply pass the time with needlework, felt perfect to her.
Soon, people in the capital learned that Song Mo had a cousin living in the Duke’s residence. Jiang Lizhu, feeling sorry for her cousin who had recently lost her husband, was contemplating finding her a good match.
Inevitably, some began to take an interest in Jiang Yan, considering her connection to the Duke’s residence.
Jiang Yan turned pale with fear and pleaded with Dou Zhao, “I don’t want to marry again; please send me to a temple!” She thought she should have been dead by now, but after several failed attempts, her courage had only diminished. After receiving protection from Song Mo and Dou Zhao, she became even more afraid of death and couldn’t help but cry softly.
Dou Zhao understood that she had been hurt and wouldn’t recover quickly. She hurried to comfort her, saying, “This is to prevent others from gossiping about you; it doesn’t mean we want to marry you off immediately.”
Since meeting Dou Zhao, who appeared particularly calm and attentive, Jiang Yan had developed a strong trust in her. She shyly wiped her tears and said, “Then I’ll just stay home and do needlework? My sister-in-law is expecting a little nephew, and I want to do my part for him. I only hope you won’t think of me as an unlucky person.”
“You being found by your brother is already a stroke of good fortune!” Dou Zhao could empathize with Jiang Yan’s anxiety, recalling her feelings of dislocation in Jing’an Temple Alley. Therefore, she not only comforted her gently but also assigned her a pile of embroidery work.
Jiang Yan gradually settled down, happily doing needlework with her newly assigned maid, Yinghong. She felt much more spirited. By the sixth day of the sixth month, when she saw Dou Zhao directing the household maids and matrons to sun the books, she expressed her envy, saying, “I didn’t know sister-in-law could read.”
Dou Zhao was taken aback and laughed, “You can’t read?”
Jiang Yan blushed, “I learned a few days of the ‘Three Character Classic’ with my uncle when I was young. She said it was useless for girls to learn these things. Later, my uncle got busy with his studies, and I stopped learning. Now, I’ve forgotten almost everything.”
Dou Zhao thought for a moment and smiled, “Would you like to learn? If you want, I can speak to your brother and have him invite an old Hanlin to teach you reading and writing.”
Jiang Yan’s eyes lit up, “Is that possible?”
“Of course!” Dou Zhao laughed. “It’s not like you’re going to take the imperial examination; it’s just learning a few characters and understanding some principles. It doesn’t matter when you start.” She then reminded her, “In front of your brother, you mustn’t call Li Liang ‘uncle’ anymore. He despises the Li family for taking you away and not treating you well.”