Promotion (or reassignment)

A hint of disappointment flashed across Feng Daizhu's eyes. She coughed lightly a few times, covered her mouth with her handkerchief, and turned to Lin Xu with an awkward smile:

"It's all my fault, my sister-in-law and I have become the laughingstock of this family. I am pregnant and it is very inconvenient for me. It is fortunate that Lang-ge is being taken care of by his mother... But this child is very playful, and I'm afraid he will forget about me soon."

“Sister-in-law, you’re joking. Lang’er is still young and doesn’t have such thoughts. He’s just interested in the novelty of those pastries and fruits.” Her tone softened. “Once you’ve given birth safely, Lang’er will be more sensible and will naturally remember Lingbo Garden.”

The two chatted for a few more minutes, but ever since Lang Ge'er arrived, Feng Daizhu's thoughts were inevitably on the child, and she never mentioned the events of the previous night again.

Lin Xu then prepared to take his leave with a smile. "Since the sun is shining so brightly right now, and it's rare for you to be with Lang Ge'er, I won't disturb you any longer. My husband fell ill suddenly last night, and I really had no choice but to go and fetch Physician Xu. I also didn't dare to disturb you in the middle of the night. Please don't take offense."

Feng Daizhu put down the embroidered handkerchief she had been clutching, her smile gentle, though her eyes were somewhat misty. "It's nothing. In a crisis, saving lives is the priority. Why are you being so polite with me? Second brother... are you alright now?"

"It's nothing serious. Physician Xu is a master of medicine. He prescribed some medicine, and my husband's fever has subsided. Thank you for your concern, sister-in-law."

After a few more brief pleasantries, Lin Xu left first. Walking slowly through the corridor and past a grove of forsythia in full bloom, Zhu Ling noticed Lin Xu's thoughtful expression and couldn't help but say:

"Madam... what are you thinking about?"

Even though she had been standing below the hall the whole time, she could clearly see that Lang Ge'er, who had been raised by Madam Bai for a while, seemed to have lost all affection for the eldest son's family. How could a nearly two-year-old child not recognize his own mother? The eldest son's family was so embarrassed in front of outsiders; who knew how heartbroken they must be behind closed doors!

As Zhu Ling was pondering this, she noticed Lin Xu gazing wistfully into the distance, as if looking at something even more distant than the vibrant spring scenery. A gentle smile curved her lips.

"I was thinking, the tiger-head hat that Lang Ge'er was wearing just now was really cute. I wonder if his baby will look just as adorable wearing it?"

Naturally, this refers to Gao Youyi, not Bai Shi.

Zhu Ling suddenly realized and smiled, "Of course, and the master and mistress are both very beautiful, so the future young master or young lady will definitely be very cute. Your two tiger-head hats are the result of a lot of hard work, so they will naturally be beautiful... Perhaps, they will even surpass your beauty in the future."

Lin Xu knew she was joking, so he pretended to pinch her and chuckled, "You always act disrespectfully in front of me."

.

Time flies, and soon the pomegranate trees in the yard will be in full bloom. In the blink of an eye, it is already the hot and humid season of midsummer.

Within a month, the Dou family was blessed with a series of happy events. First, Feng Daizhu gave birth smoothly, and then gave birth to a grandson for the Dou family. In addition, the three members of the Dou family, father and sons, were all enjoying political success, and good news kept coming from all of them.

Dou Huaisheng had only been promoted to Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel for a little over half a year when he had already established himself firmly in the ministry. He was also highly regarded by Zou Xiangqing, the former Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel and now Minister of the Ministry of Personnel. Zou Xiangqing was promoted around the same time as Dou Huaisheng. He was a dedicated and down-to-earth person and was just about to make a name for himself in the Ministry of Personnel when, unfortunately, his wife passed away due to illness, and Zou Xiangqing had to return to his hometown to observe a year of mourning.

According to the laws of Dayu, if an official in the court lost his wife, he did not need to resign, but he had to return to his hometown for a year to recover before he could return to the capital and resume his original post. Dou Huaisheng was thus able to take charge of the Ministry of Personnel and temporarily assume the duties of Zou Xiangqing for a year.

The Ministry of Personnel, responsible for personnel changes, was a crucial and influential position in the court. For a time, the Dou family was incredibly powerful, their doorstep practically worn down by visitors. Within days, Dou Yanzhou and Dou Yanxun also received transfer orders.

Dou Yanzhou had served as the Chief Clerk of the Water Conservancy Bureau for more than three years, in charge of all matters related to canal transport. He consistently ranked among the top performers in performance evaluations, and thus, he was promoted to Assistant Director of the Water Conservancy Bureau without any apparent cause.

In contrast, Dou Yanxun's promotion is much more intriguing. He initially entered the Ministry of Works through family connections, holding a minor position as the head of the Agricultural Reclamation Department, a mere eighth-rank official, which was hardly noteworthy. According to precedent, if he worked diligently, he could be promoted to the position of Assistant Director within three to five years.

Unexpectedly, less than half a year later, the position of Assistant Minister became vacant, and Dou Yanxun, who had just been named as a replacement but had not yet been promoted, was transferred to be the magistrate of Laining County in the suburbs of Beijing.

This transfer order shocked not only the Ministry of Works but also the entire Dou family.

Not to mention Dou Yanxun's usual carefree and irresponsible nature, even his appointment to the Ministry of Personnel was entirely due to his family's influence, with his eldest son, Dou Yanzhou, having to ask old friends for help to make the appointment possible. But no one expected that, less than a year into his term, this usually irresponsible playboy would be transferred to a county magistrate post!

It's important to understand that although the position of county magistrate is relatively lowly, they are in charge of many matters, including the livelihood of the people, adjudicating lawsuits, managing agriculture, and more. They are also regarded as the "parent official" by the people and wield real power in the area. Moreover, historically, being sent to other places is a preparation for future promotion. If one is promoted to county magistrate today, there's no guarantee that one won't return to the capital and be promoted directly to the central government in the future! In short, the value of this seemingly minor county magistrate position is astonishing.

Moreover, although on the surface both Dou Yanzhou and Dou Yanxun were promoted, the position of Assistant Director of the Water Conservancy Bureau was only a sixth-rank official, while the position of County Magistrate was a sixth-rank official. In terms of official rank, Dou Yanxun, the illegitimate son, was superior.

Thus, even the servants at the villa keenly noticed the significant difference in their treatment at home recently. Even the gazes of others towards them held a hint of envy. These were things that hadn't happened before.

Lin Xu, dressed in a light green short shirt, sat on a rattan chair, his brows furrowed as he looked at the account book in his hands. Behind him, lush green bamboo provided shade, and several blooming peonies clustered around a corner of the garden's rockery, adding a touch of delicate beauty.

On the table beside her, a translucent Ru kiln teacup was filled with clear tea, wafting steam and exuding a rich aroma. She casually flipped to a page of the account book, slowly scanning the fine ink characters on the paper, her brow gradually relaxing.

She had reviewed these accounts countless times over the past few days, and they were already ingrained in her mind. Several of the shops in her mother's dowry were not doing well. Although they did not lose money last year, they did not make any profit either. She was just thinking about how to make a decision when she received the news that Dou Yanxun was about to be promoted.

That day, she was paying her respects in Bai's room when, unusually, Aunt Guo, Dou Chu, Aunt Zhen, and Dou Zhen, who hadn't gone to the palace due to her teacher's day off, were all present. As they were chatting and drinking tea, Fu Zhen suddenly entered with light steps, greeted them with a cheerful smile, glanced at Lin Xu sitting upright in the hall, and then said:

"Congratulations, Madam! Congratulations, Second Young Mistress! This is excellent news! The Ministry of Works has just issued a transfer order, and the Second Young Master will soon be going to the neighboring Laining County to serve as its magistrate!"

The sudden good news left everyone dizzy. Aunt Guo hadn't heard it clearly and thought it was about her eldest son, so she asked in confusion, "Didn't the eldest son just say the other day that he was being promoted to Assistant Director of the Water Conservancy Bureau? Why is he going to be a county magistrate now?"

A hint of embarrassment flashed across Fuzhen's face. She deliberately looked at Lin Xu and said with a smile, "It's our Second Master who got promoted."

Upon hearing this, everyone's gaze turned to Lin Xu. Some were surprised, some were puzzled, but Dou Zhen was the first to smile and say, "It seems like good news has been coming one after another lately. Congratulations to Second Brother and Sister-in-law!"

Despite their deep doubts, they still had to maintain appearances. Several people offered their congratulations, and from then on, gifts and tonics poured into the villa like a flowing river. Even Aunt Zhen, who had been ill for a long time and rarely interacted with others, sent a Qingtian stone inkstone.

Even after careful consideration, Lin Xu understood the probing look Bai Shi had given him that day. Dou Yanxun's sudden promotion had completely stolen Dou Yanzhou's thunder, and Bai Shi would surely assume that someone else had helped him. And her own father was probably Bai Shi's first suspect.

But she knew her father better than anyone else. He had always been honest and upright for half his life, so why would he make an exception and pull strings for Dou Yanxun?

But besides his father, who else with some power would secretly help him?

She was also at a loss for words. So, when the atmosphere between the two was harmonious, she tentatively asked Dou Yanxun a question.

Although he had long since recovered, his body had not fully healed since that illness, and his complexion was paler and weaker than before. He simply smiled casually as always, "Madam, do you also believe that there is a powerful figure helping me behind the scenes?"

Before she could react, his smile turned playful, and he reached out to her waist.

"...Or is it that Madam is already eager to become the esteemed 'Madam of the County'?"

Lin Xu rolled her eyes at him, and naturally didn't bother to ask any more questions. In any case, Dou Yanxun wouldn't really tell her everything, so she simply stopped thinking about it.

But there was another matter at hand that urgently needed her attention.

Lin Xu turned his gaze to the fragrant flower bushes behind him.

It is early summer, and all kinds of flowers are in full bloom. Among the colorful flowers, the peony stands out with its beautiful color.

In three days, it will be the wedding day of the Third Prince and Princess Miao Yiyun of Shou'an County. High-ranking officials and nobles from the imperial family will be invited. As her former classmate from Zhiqiong Hall, she is naturally among those invited.

Having learned from the Taoist's mistake last time, Lin Xu couldn't help but plan even more meticulously this time, even with a better opportunity to make his move.