Chapter 275 Water

Dou Zhao certainly wasn't so naive as to think that his angry expression would make the first wife obediently hand over the Duke of England's counter-card.

Isn’t Song Yichun going to Xuantong for half a month?

I still have plenty of time!

She entertained Song Han, who had just come to school, with a smile on her face.

"This is autumn white pear from Shandong, this is pine nut candy from Suzhou, this is peach dates from Nanjing, this is honey tangerine from Tangqi..." She pointed at the fruit snacks on the table, "I don't know what Second Master likes to eat, so I prepared a little bit of everything."

Song Han drooled as he watched.

"You are so nice, sister-in-law." He ate pine nut candy and said vaguely, "You also know that the best pears are Qiubai from Shandong, and the sweetest tangerines are from Tangqi... I was worried that my sister-in-law came from the country and didn't know anything, so we couldn't communicate." As he said this, he smiled brightly at Dou Zhao, which was quite as radiant as Song Mo's.

Song Han is also considered a handsome man, but compared to Song Mo, he is like the bright stars and the bright moon, not on the same level.

Of course, Dou Zhao had never seen anyone who could be compared with Song Mo in his two lifetimes, so it was not Song Han's fault.

Thinking of this, Dou Zhao felt a flash of sympathy for Song Han.

She personally brewed a pot of the newly launched Tieguanyin tea for Song Han.

Tieguanyin tastes slightly bitter, while pine nut candy is sweet. As he drinks the Tieguanyin and eats the pine nut candy, the Tieguanyin becomes more mellow and the pine nut candy becomes sweeter. Song Han's face is filled with satisfaction.

Dou Zhao asked about Song Han's daily life: "Who usually takes care of the second master? Are the maids and servants obedient? Are the homework tight? Is the monthly allowance enough?" She looked like a caring sister-in-law.

Song Han didn't mind, and told her about his life. As they talked, the topic turned to hunting, and Song Han became very interested: "...When I was nine years old, I shot and killed two pheasants and a hare!"

This was something Song Han was quite proud of and he often talked about it. Everyone in the Duke of Ying's Mansion knew about it, and Dou Zhao had naturally heard about it a long time ago.

She was amazed and joined in the fun.

Song Han became even more excited: "I was originally planning to join the Autumn Guard when I was ten years old, just like my brother. Unfortunately, my mother passed away, and I had to observe the mourning period..." When he said this, a trace of confusion flashed across his face, as if he had lost his goal and didn't know what to do next.

Perhaps, Song Han always competes with Song Mo in everything just to show off to Mrs. Jiang?

Dou Zhao guessed, followed Song Han's sigh, and comforted him, "Second Master is so skilled, there will be plenty of opportunities in the future."

Song Han nodded, but he no longer had the excitement he had before.

Dou Zhao saw that it was getting late, so he invited Song Han to have dinner and said, "Second Master, it's just right for you to tell me about the Autumn Hunting. I only know that if you want to be an official, you must participate in the imperial examinations, civil officials participate in the civil examinations, and military officials participate in the military examinations. This is the first time I've heard that you can become an official by competing in archery."

Song Han smiled and started talking to Dou Zhao about Qiuwei.

Suxin and several maids were setting up the dishes in the hall.

Lu Zheng came over and wanted to invite Song Han back to the upper room for dinner.

Dou Zhao smiled and said, "I've already prepared everything, please let Second Master have dinner here!"

Lu Zheng looked towards Song Han.

Song Han was talking about the important part when he saw Lu Zheng asking for his instructions. He waved at Lu Zheng and signaled him to leave.

Lu Zheng bowed respectfully to Dou Zhao and Song Han and withdrew.

Dou Zhao seemed to be thinking about something.

Song Han obviously did not lose his freedom.

According to Song Mo, Song Han has been very close to him since childhood, but Song Yichun didn't like Song Han to interact too much with him, and he didn't want to make things difficult for Song Han, so the brothers didn't interact as closely as before. However, every time Song Han saw him, he was still very affectionate to him.

If that’s the case, why doesn’t Song Han visit Song Mo more often?

She thought of her past life, when she was on high alert and showed her dislike for Zhu without disguising it, but Wei Ge'er and Rui Ge'er still found ways to see Zhu... If you really miss someone, shouldn't you want to see him/her all the time? And the more painful and dejected you are, the more you want to get comfort and advice from that person, right?

Song Han, however, just acted as a filial son.

Or, in Song Han's heart, his father is more important than his brother?

Dou Zhao tossed and turned and couldn't fall asleep.

Thinking about what happened in the previous life, she felt more and more that Song Han had let down Song Mo's brotherly love for him.

Song Mo will be back tomorrow. Should I tell him about this?

Thinking that Song Mo was kept in the dark, she felt aggrieved and indignant for Song Mo, and she became more and more unable to sleep.

She simply put on her clothes and sat up.

Su Xin, who was on night duty, was always careful and attentive. When she heard the noise, she also sat up.

"Ma'am, would you like me to move the lamp over here?"

Inside the tent, there was only a small octagonal palace lamp lit on a small stool.

"No need." Dou Zhao said unhappily, "I just can't sleep, so I'll sit for a while."

Su Xin said "hmm" and poured a cup of tea for Dou Zhao.

There was a sudden noise outside.

They were both stunned, and Dou Zhao even ordered Su Xin: "Go and see what happened."

Su Xin left immediately.

The noise grew louder and louder, mixed with the faint sound of a woman crying.

Dou Zhao couldn't help but frown.

Su Xin replied, "Madam, there's a fire in the stable ahead."

How could you be so careless?!

Dou Zhao couldn't sleep, so he slipped on his shoes and said, "Let's go take a look!"

Su Xin responded and accompanied Dou Zhao out of the main room.

The fire was fierce, lighting up half the sky. Men were roaring, women were crying, and the noise was overwhelming. Even standing under the veranda of the main house, one could feel the chaos in the front yard.

Everyone in the main courtyard of Yizhi Hall was awakened. Maids and servants put on their clothes and came out to watch, gathering in groups of three or four to discuss the matter.

When they saw Dou Zhao coming out, they all knelt and saluted, their faces full of uneasiness.

Dou Zhao looked up at the sky, felt the wind direction, and said to everyone, "We are in the north. The wind is blowing from the north today, so the fire cannot come here. Even if the wind direction changes, since there is no building connected to the front yard of Yizhi Hall, we still have enough time to put out the fire." She told Su Xin, "Go and ask Mr. Yan what happened. Is anyone injured or missing? A fire in the Duke's Mansion is a big deal. Has the Shuntian Mansion been notified? When can the people from Shuntian Mansion arrive?" He told Sulan, "Go tell Wuyi to call all the servants in the main courtyard to guard the gate. If the wind changes and the fire spreads, report to me immediately." He pointed to a few servants and asked a shrewd daughter-in-law to lead them: "Go and see if the water tanks in the corners are full. If they are, wait for instructions and help Wuyi and the others to fetch water. If the water in the tanks is not full, go and fetch water now and fill them up."

There is a small kitchen in the main courtyard of Yizhi Hall.

I'm talking about the small kitchen, which has everything including a seven-star stove, a firewood room and a well.

"As for the others," Dou Zhao called Ganlu and Sujin, "each of you take half of the people back to the house to rest. When needed, come out to help put out the fire."

Seeing that she was calm and composed, thoughtful, and had arranged things in an orderly manner, everyone felt relieved and began to act according to her instructions.

Dou Zhao stood under the veranda and observed the fire.

The shrewd daughter-in-law brought an armchair over and said courteously, "Madam, please take a rest. With Sisters Suxin and Sulan leading us, nothing will happen!"

Dou Zhao saw that she was quite clever and asked her, "What's your name?"

The woman said hurriedly, "My husband is called Lu Yi. My father-in-law used to be the head of the farm in Anliang. After my husband entered the palace, he helped the prince drive the carriage. Now he is on duty in the grocery store in Kyoto."

An Liang's farm was Mrs. Jiang's dowry.

No wonder this woman was assigned to be on duty in the upper room.

Dou Zhao nodded slightly.

The fire grew bigger and bigger, and the east group of houses where the servants lived next to the stable also caught fire.

Fortunately, the wind direction has not changed.

Su Xin hurried back, "Madam, Mr. Yan said that it is still unclear why the stable caught fire. The fire is still very large, and we don't know if anyone was injured. But we have sent someone to report to Shuntian Prefecture. But there was also an incident in the prison of Shuntian Prefecture tonight. It seems that someone robbed the prison. I am afraid that no one can be spared to put out the fire for a while. Mr. Tao has taken the visiting card of the Duke to the Wucheng Military Department, and they should be Someone should come to help put out the fire soon." He added, "Now Mr. Yan is leading Guard Xia and others to help put out the fire. Mr. Tao advocated opening the hanging flower gate and letting the guards fetch water from the lake in the back garden. Mr. Yan disagreed with opening the hanging flower gate and advocated demolishing two of the rooms on the east side of the group of rooms. As a result, Guard Chang led the guards on the Duke's Mansion side to fetch water, while Mr. Yan led our people to demolish the rooms."

Neither Mr. Yan nor Mr. Tao thought of letting Song Han come forward.

Dou Zhao felt something strange.

The fire was still burning fiercely, the air was filled with the smell of fireworks, cries for help and shouts were heard from time to time, and everyone looked awed. In such a serious occasion, Dou Zhao thought of the clear distinction between the Duke of Yingguo Mansion and Yizhitang, and could not help but chuckle.

I wonder what Song Yichun would think when he saw the mess in the yard?

Su Xin and Lu Yijia looked at each other in bewilderment.

Dou Zhao said hurriedly, "Nothing, I just thought of Mr. Yan and Mr. Tao... I agree with Mr. Yan's idea. Mr. Lu Yi, you go and do your thing, I'll go back to my room and rest. Since Mr. Yan and Mr. Tao are here, I'm sure nothing will happen."

Lu Yijia replied respectfully, "Yes," and went to check the water tank.

Dou Zhao and Su Xin returned to their room, but Dou Zhao couldn't sleep. The two sat on the kang and chatted: "From the tone of Second Master, the people who served him were all selected by Madam Jiang. After Madam Jiang passed away, the Duke of Ying released all the people who had served Madam Jiang. The people around him were all new in the past two years. You can talk to Mr. Yan later and ask him to check for me where the people who were released at that time are now and what they are doing?"

Su Xin nodded and said thoughtfully, "Do you suspect that someone knows about Mrs. Jiang?"

"This is just a clue." Dou Zhao thought, "There are still some things I haven't figured out. I want to find someone to confirm it."

Dou Zhao didn't say anything, and Su Xin never asked any more questions, and this time was no exception.

Suddenly, there was a loud knock on the door.

The servant boy shouted "Who is it?" and tried to answer the door, but was stopped by Wuyi.

"Who is it?" he asked in a rough voice, seeming a little overbearing.