Chapter 189: Taking Action

Ji Yong jumped up from the bed, shouted "Zi Shang" loudly, and said, "I want to go to Maoer Hutong to visit my aunt."

Zishang was yawning with his mouth wide open for a long time. He looked out the window and said, "Sir, there is a curfew in Kyoto. Should we wait until dawn before going?"

Ji Yong was shocked to realize that he had said something wrong. He snorted coldly and said with a straight face, "Of course I know it's the middle of the night. I meant to go to Mao'er Hutong to visit my aunt tomorrow morning."

But you have to go to the yamen tomorrow morning!

But he didn't dare to say it. He muttered to himself a few times and couldn't fall asleep. He finally waited until dawn and escorted Ji Yong to the Hanlin Academy. Just when he wanted to find a place to take a nap, Ji Yong strode out and said, "Let's go to Maoer Hutong."

Zishang opened his mouth but said nothing in the end. After Ji Yong got on the carriage, he jumped on the wheel and told the driver to go to Maoer Hutong.

The Sixth Madam had just seen Dou Shiheng off when she saw Ji Yong rushing over early in the morning. She hurriedly asked him, "What happened?"

"Nothing." Ji Yong said, "I was thinking about going to Master Fang's place tomorrow to look for a copy of "Xuanyuan Agriculture" written by Shen Xi of the previous dynasty, but I couldn't find it. I remember seeing a copy at my uncle's place. Aunt, please help me find it."

Ji hurriedly called the brothers Dou Zhengchang and Dou Dechang to help find the book.

The three people worked for a long time, but there was no sign of the book.

Ji Yong muttered, "Did you see it at Uncle Seven's house?"

"That's possible." Dou Zhengchang was in charge of comparing the books in the collection, while Dou Dechang was in charge of finding the books. He was so tired that he sat down on a meditation chair and said, "My fourth sister likes to read this kind of books the most. Sometimes my seventh uncle finds them at a used book stall and will definitely buy them and send them to Zhending. I just don't know if the book you mentioned is in Zhending or Jing'an Temple Hutong now."

Dou Zhengchang hurriedly said: "I'll go with you!"

After the incident with Ji Lingze, Ji Yong looked down on her maternal family, the Han family, and also had a bad attitude towards her cousin Han. Dou Zhengchang did not want to embarrass Han, so he took the opportunity to ease the relationship with Ji Yong.

Ji Yong seemed to have forgotten about this incident at all, and dragged Dou Zhengchang to Jing'an Temple Hutong.

Dou Shiying was not at home, and Wang Yingxue was said to be unwell, so she went to stay at the Dou family's farm in Wanping.

Gao Sheng came forward to entertain Ji Yong and Dou Zhengchang.

"Nothing special, I just came to look for a book." Dou Zhengchang was quite polite to the chief steward of Dou Shiying.

Gao Sheng respectfully led Dou Zhengchang and Ji Yong to the chamber where Dou Shiying kept his books, and arranged for two clever servants to serve them.

Ji Yong flipped through a book randomly and said, "I'm going outside to get some fresh air." He seemed to be in a state of irritability.

Dou Zhengchang said "hmm" and continued to look for the book with his head down.

Ji Yong asked a servant about Dou Ming's residence and then walked in without hesitation.

Dou Ming was tuning his pipa. When he saw Ji Yong, he jumped up in fright: "You, how did you get in?" As he spoke, he retreated five or six steps and stuck to the stained glass window behind him, shouting "Someone come here".

Ji Yong snorted, his face full of sarcasm: "I forgot, when you see a man and a woman together, you think they are having an affair." He looked Dou Ming up and down, "Why? It's not the same thing when it comes to you?"

Dou Ming didn't get a single breath to come out, his voice was stuck in his throat.

Ji Yong glanced at her, stood up and walked out, while telling Dou Ming: "Come here, I have something to tell you."

His condescending tone made Dou Ming so angry that her face turned pale, but when she thought of Mo Ergu's small eyes like green beans, she felt a chill in her heart and followed Ji Yong, biting her lip.

Ji Yong stood in the middle of the yard, so that all the servants in Dou Ming's room were under his eyes, but no one could get close to hear what he was saying.

He whispered a few words into Dou Ming's ear.

"What did you say?" Dou Ming jumped up and looked at Ji Yong in shock, his expression a little dull.

"You heard it right." Ji Yong said coldly, "As long as you help me accomplish this, the grudge between you and me will be written off! Otherwise, if we settle both accounts together, it won't be as simple as selling someone to the land of fireworks."

Dou Ming couldn't help but shudder. A hint of hatred flashed across his eyes as he looked at Ji Yong. He said fiercely, "You, why did you do this?" His voice was hoarse, as if he was very excited and very scared.

"You don't need to know why." Ji Yong glanced at Dou Ming with contempt and said coldly, "You just need to do what I tell you to do."

Dou Ming lowered his eyelids, his face dark and unclear.

Ji Yong walked away.

Dou Zhao soon found out that Ji Yong and Dou Ming had met alone. She was very worried and said to Chen Qushui, "These two people, one is water and the other is fire, they can never get along. They can get together, so the matter must be very complicated. Since we can't find out what Ji Yong and Dou Ming said, we can only keep a close eye on them."

Chen Qushui nodded slightly.

Wei Tingyu once again paid a visit with valuable gifts.

Dou Shiying still didn't see him.

Wei Tingyu stood on the steps of the Dou family's flower hall, not knowing what to do for a moment.

The beginning of winter is approaching, and if the marriage is not settled, we will have to wait until next spring.

Whether you have money or not, it’s good to marry a wife and bring her home to celebrate the New Year.

This year is his first Spring Festival after he finished mourning. Besides him, there is only his mother at home. If Dou Zhao could get married earlier, his mother would have someone to keep her company, and it would be more lively when visiting relatives and friends during the first month of the year.

How can I calm my father-in-law down?

Wei Tingyu was thinking, when a cheerful laughter like silver bells came from behind him.

He turned around and saw a graceful girl wearing a pink jacket and a dark green skirt. Her features were as picturesque as a peach bud in early spring, which made his eyes light up.

"Are you Marquis Jining?" The girl took the initiative to greet him. "I am the fifth child in my family." Her eyes flickered, making her look very smart. "My father made things difficult for you. Do you feel wronged?"

It turns out that she is the fifth daughter of the Dou family.

Wei Tingyu shook his head repeatedly.

Dou Ming didn't wait for him to say anything, and said, "In ancient times, people visited a thatched cottage three times. This is only your second visit. It's still too early!"

Wei Tingyu was overjoyed and said hurriedly, "Thank you for your advice, Miss Fifth!"

Dou Ming smiled and passed by Wei Tingyu surrounded by a group of maids.

The third time, Dou Shiying finally met him in the flower hall. Although he only said two short polite words, Wei Tingyu breathed a sigh of relief.

Walking out of Dou Shiying's study, he met Dou Ming again.

A group of maids and servants surrounded her and were heading towards the study.

Dou Ming blinked at him.

He bowed and showed tears of gratitude.

Dou Ming pursed his lips and smiled.

Wei Tingyu touched his head awkwardly.

The two passed each other again.

After hearing Dou Shiying's words, Wei Tingyu felt that the matter had been covered, so he went to the Duke of Jing's Mansion and asked Wei Tingzhen to help him find a matchmaker and discuss the wedding date with the Dou family.

Wei Tingzhen knew that his brother had just gone to Jing'an Temple Hutong, so he hurriedly asked, "What did Lord Dou say?"

Wei Tingyu smiled and said, "Nothing much - just something like 'It takes a hundred years to be able to be on the same boat, there is still a long time to go, we must learn to live with mutual respect'."

Wei Tingzhen frowned: "Didn't you mention dowry?"

"Isn't this the matchmaker's job?" Wei Tingyu asked curiously, "Isn't it inappropriate for me to bring it up?"

Wei Tingzhen was furious.

Dou Zhao is already old, and the Wei family wants to cancel the engagement. Dou Shiying has been angry and has shown off. Shouldn't he offer some kind of dowry to compensate the Wei family?

Seeing her brother looking confused, she was too lazy to say more to him. After discussing with her mother, Tian, ​​she asked the wife of Marquis of Yan'an for help and took the official matchmaker to the Dou family to discuss the date of the wedding. The matchmaker was Zhang Jiming, the second master of Marquis of Yan'an and Duke of Jing.

Dou Shiying was so angry that he was speechless, and in his heart he felt sorry for his eldest daughter.

Why did you promise such an incompatible family? !

He also blamed Zhao Guqiu for arranging this marriage for his daughter too early.

He said to Ji: "There is no rush for the wedding date. I have asked the Qintianjian people to help choose a date. Let's wait for them to reply to the letter before we decide."

When Dou Zhao was getting married, Dou Shiying invited Ji to help with the ceremony.

The matchmaker invited by the Dou family was Cai Bi's wife, and the matchmakers were Yang Sen and Cai Bi.

Yang Sen and Dou Shishu had a very good personal relationship.

Ji and Mrs. Cai discussed: "Our Seventh Master wants to wait until the date of Qin Tianjian is calculated before making any decision."

"That's good." Mrs. Cai, like her husband, was also a person who was keen on power. When there was a happy event in the Dou family, she was happy to pass on the message to both sides.

The Wei family was waiting for the Dou family to choose a date.

This wait lasted until the beginning of winter.

Wei Tingyu became anxious.

Wei Tingzhen suddenly realized.

It turns out that they haven't forgotten what happened at all!

She immediately became angry and said, "Didn't they ask us to wait? Let's just wait!"

Then comes Laba.

Dou Zhao's strategy worked.

People all over Kyoto were saying that the Wei family was dissatisfied with the Dou family's marriage and wanted to cancel it.

The fourth daughter of the Dou family has been in Kyoto for nearly half a year, but the wedding date has not yet been set, which is proof.

The parties involved are usually the last to hear the news.

When the Dou family learned the news, it was the Spring Festival.

Mrs. Wu felt a breath stuck in her throat and she almost suffocated.

It was windy and snowy, and she stood in front of the Chuihua Gate and waited until the hour of You. She finally entered the palace on New Year's Eve to celebrate the festival with the Emperor. She also went to court early on the first day of the New Year to congratulate the Emperor on the New Year, and then presided over a series of celebrations such as beating the Spring Ox.

Dou Shishu, who was exhausted, rubbed his temples and said, "I'll ask my seventh brother to come over and talk to me tomorrow morning."

Mrs. Wu felt a little relieved.

The Second Lady said disdainfully: "With his temper, it's the same as not saying anything."

The Fifth Madam and Dou Shiying did not have much contact, and her heartstrings tightened again when she heard this.

She asked the second lady to make the decision.

The Second Lady sighed and said, "If it's something else, I can discuss it with Shougu, but for this matter, I can only let them make the decision themselves."

But if the people in Kyoto say this, what face will the Dou family have? We must do something to restore the reputation of the Dou family, right? !

The fifth wife remained silent.

Although it was freezing cold, Dou Zhao and Dou Shiying were happily eating roasted sweet potatoes in Dou Shiying's study.