Chapter 708 Visiting San Niu
Cheng Wanwan carefully examined the information of the four servants. They were all people bought from a brokerage firm in the capital, and their family backgrounds seemed to be quite respectable.
The He family wouldn't have planted spies in her new residence so obviously; it would seem like they were treating her like a fool.
Therefore, these four people are only the obvious suspects; there should be other informants hidden behind the scenes.
"Let's use these four people for now and see how they go." She thought for a moment before speaking. "Old Liu, observe him closely. If there are no problems, he can be put to good use. If there's anything suspicious, report to me immediately."
Granny Qi nodded and went to do it.
In Cheng Wanwan's courtyard, no one was brought in to serve her; Granny Qi and Yan Hong were enough.
That night, perhaps because she had just arrived in a new place, she didn't sleep well and got up early.
The capital city was freezing cold in November. She wore several quilted inner garments and a fur-lined cloak before daring to go outside.
Granny Qi, who was waiting outside, gave a polite greeting and said, "Why did you get up so early, Lady? Breakfast is ready."
Cheng Wanwan nodded and walked to the warm room where breakfast was served. The room was filled with burning charcoal, and tea was brewing on the fire, making it especially warm.
She couldn't help but sigh that the extravagant lives of wealthy families in the capital were all built on silver. The charcoal in this stove alone would burn at least five or six taels of silver a day, not to mention the servants in the house. She couldn't even imagine the monthly expenses.
Fortunately, she was not short of money, otherwise she would not have been able to enjoy the mansion bestowed upon her by the emperor.
After breakfast, Granny Qi brought over a stack of red invitations: "After you arrived in the capital yesterday, many people heard the news and sent invitations to invite you to flower viewing banquets, poetry gatherings, lake tours... all of which will be held in the next half month. Please take a look and see which ones you would like to attend and which ones you don't want to attend?"
Cheng Wanwan flipped through the dozen or so invitations. Seven or eight were visiting cards, inviting people to pay her a visit, while the rest were invitations to attend banquets.
In the dead of winter, she really didn't want to go out in the cold wind.
She began, "Each of the ladies who sent the invitations will receive a special gift from Dahe Town. Please tell them that I am currently unavailable, but I will definitely invite them to visit when I have time."
Knowing that Cheng Wanwan disliked these social engagements, Granny Qi had prepared some gifts in advance. After showing them to Cheng Wanwan, she arranged for servants to deliver them to each household.
Cheng Wanwan wasn't deliberately making excuses; she genuinely had something to do.
She asked Cheng Yi to arrange the largest carriage, filled with all sorts of delicious food, and took Si Dan with her as they rode to the outskirts of the capital.
As an elderly mother, the first thing I did upon arriving in Beijing was, of course, to visit my son.
She didn't tell San Niu about her coming to the capital. San Niu thought she wouldn't come until after the New Year. He must be very happy that she and Si Dan suddenly appeared.
The carriage traveled smoothly all the way to the garrison camp on the outskirts of Beijing.
Cheng Wanwan didn't recognize the two soldiers guarding the gate. She jumped out of the car and said gently, "I am Zhao Jingyu's mother from your army camp. I've come to visit him. May I go in?"
The two guards at the gate were immediately startled.
Zhao Jingyu, isn't that Brother Sanniu? And Brother Sanniu's mother is none other than the famous Lady Sui, a third-rank official?
"Sui Shuren, please come in." The soldier immediately let her through. "However, Sui Shuren, there are new regulations in the military camp. Family members who come to visit can only wait in designated areas. Please follow me this way."
Cheng Wanwan nodded.
When she came to the military camp last time, she felt that the management of the garrison was too lax. Although they did not participate in the army and fight, they were still commanders of a region. The garrison was so loose and disorganized that it was not a proper order. It must have been after the Ye family incident that the General of the Cavalry strengthened the management and no longer allowed family members to enter the important areas inside the military camp at will. This was actually a good thing.
The soldier led her to a tent on the west side of the military camp, which was at the very edge and completely out of reach of the camp's core area.
"Please wait a moment, Ms. Sui Shu. I'll go and call Brother San Niu over right away."
The soldier turned around and went to call for help.
Cheng Wanwan waited a while, and then came the sound of hurried footsteps at the tent entrance. Then, the tent was lifted, and the first person to rush in was an acquaintance.
Zhang Jinbao exclaimed excitedly, "Auntie, it really is you!"
Cheng Wanwan smiled and said, "It's been two years since I last saw you. You've grown so tall! I can hardly reach your head anymore."
When Zhang Jinbao first came to the military camp, he was a soldier responsible for guarding the gate. Now he should have entered the inner camp and be able to participate in training every day.
She had a good impression of the child. If Zhang Jinbao hadn't gone to warn her, San Niu might already be...
She said, "I brought some delicious food with me. Jinbao, hurry up and unload the food so we can all share it."
Zhang Jinbao scratched the back of his head: "The cotton-padded clothes I'm wearing are the ones Auntie donated to the military camp two years ago. The quilt on my bed was also donated by Auntie. I've received so many things from Auntie, how can I have the face to ask for food? Auntie, please save them for San Niu."
He was followed by many soldiers who had come to watch the spectacle, and they all echoed his sentiments.
"Yes, yes, we can't take anything from Su Shu-ren anymore."
“It used to be so cold in winter, but since we got cotton clothes and quilts, we’re finally warm. Sui Shuren saved the lives of us poor people.”
"Since Sui Shuren has come to our military camp so often, shouldn't we treat her well?"
"Yes, yes, I remember when the supplies donated by Sui Shuren were delivered to the military camp, Old Yang from the kitchen said he would treat Sui Shuren to pork knuckle."
"I'll hurry and tell Old Yang that Sui Shuren is here, let's get the pork knuckle ready."
"I'll go ask the general..."
The soldiers went off to do their tasks separately, giving Cheng Wanwan no chance to refuse.
However, she could understand.
The duty of the garrison in the capital was to protect the imperial city. They did not need to fight on the front lines. The imperial court's military supplies were given priority to the front lines. In the end, it was these low-ranking soldiers who suffered the most. They were all children from poor families. They were sent to the military camp just to survive. There was no extra money to buy them warm clothes. These teenagers relied on their righteousness to withstand the cold winter every year. Although they did not freeze to death, they suffered a lot.
The capital city experiences extreme cold for at least three or four months of the year, and the military supplies donated by Cheng Wanwan undoubtedly rescued them from the bitter cold.
The gratitude in their eyes was genuine and without any pretense.
But Cheng Wanwan was also afraid of causing trouble for these lowly soldiers, so she quickly said, "Jinbao, I'll just come and see Sanniu and then leave. Tell everyone not to bother me."
"It's alright, Auntie," Zhang Jinbao said with a grin. "When other people's parents come, they sometimes stay for a meal at the military camp. They just need to inform the general, and he won't take it to heart."
Cheng Wanwan asked, "Which general?"
In this camp, anyone of the fifth rank or above could be called a general, and there were as many as twenty or thirty generals of all ranks.
“Of course it’s General Zhaoyong,” Zhang Jinbao replied. “General Zhaoyong is Sanniu’s mentor. If he knew that Sui Shuren was coming, he would definitely have the kitchen prepare the highest standard of food to entertain her…”
A smile flickered in Cheng Wanwan's eyes.
General Zhaoyong was He Xiao's former title. After he was exonerated, he was reinstated and remained in the military camp.
Perfect timing, she had something to discuss with He Xiao.
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