Chapter 308: Suspicion
At this time, Wei Tingzhen was moving large and small bags of things to her mother's house.
Tian's personal nanny came running over with a few maids: "Hey, aunt, you are coming back, why didn't you send someone to tell us first? We can arrange a few guys to greet you here!" As she spoke, she personally took the paper box from Wei Tingzhen's wet nurse Nanny Jin, and signaled her trusted maid to support Wei Tingzhen.
"It's because Peijin and her husband are not at home," Wei Tingzhen let the maid carry her and walked towards the Jining Marquis's mansion. "I was afraid that my mother would be lonely, so I came to see her and chat with her."
Tian's personal nanny was stunned when she heard this.
The sensitive Wei Tingzhen frowned slightly and asked, "What's wrong?"
Tian's personal nanny smiled and said, "The Marquis and his wife are both at home! I just went to greet the Madam."
Now it was Wei Tingzhen's turn to be surprised: "Isn't today the day when my wife's sister returns home to celebrate the lunar new year? Why didn't they go to Jing'an Temple Hutong?" He then asked, "Did they not go back? Or did Jing'an Temple Hutong not send any invitations?"
She didn't know that today was the day when Dou Zhao went back to her parents' home to stay for the full moon. She only found out when she went to pay her respects to her mother-in-law yesterday and heard Mrs. Zhang San mention it. Then she remembered that she hadn't been back to her parents' home for some time because she didn't like her sister-in-law. She wanted to take advantage of the fact that her brother and sister-in-law were not around to come back and have some time with her mother. She didn't expect to encounter such a thing!
If Jing'an Temple Hutong didn't send the invitation, then they shouldn't blame her for being a troublemaker! No matter what, she had to ask for the truth. How could she ignore her brother when she had a son-in-law like the Prince of the Duke of Ying? How could it be so good!
Tian's personal nanny heard Wei Tingzhen's words and said hurriedly, "Jing'an Temple Hutong has invited you! Not only did they send an invitation, but early this morning, the tall steward from Jing'an Temple Hutong came to our house in person and wanted to take the Marquis and his wife over."
Wei Tingzhen asked curiously, "Then why didn't they go there?"
Tian's personal nanny said, "Madam is feeling a little unwell. Upon hearing this, the Marquis decided to stay at home with Madam..."
Wei Tingzhen's face darkened when he heard this: "Madam is not feeling well, have you called a doctor?"
"Madam said it was just a minor problem, there was no need to call a doctor."
When Wei Tingzhen heard this, he turned around and went to the Senate.
Tian's personal nanny didn't dare to ask more questions and just followed in.
Dou Ming was lying on the bed sulking. When she heard that Wei Tingzhen had come, she jumped up and said, "What is she doing back here?" without disguising her disgust for her.
"I think he has come back to see the lady." Before Nanny Zhou could finish her sentence, Wei Tingzhen burst in.
"I heard you were sick? You still don't want to see a doctor?" She stared at Dou Ming, whose face was flushed, with sharp eyes. "If anything happens to you, won't the Dou and Wang families tear my brother to pieces? I think we should ask a doctor to take a good look at you." As she spoke, she called out to "Madame Jin": "Take the prince's note to the Imperial Hospital and ask a doctor to come and take Madam's pulse!"
Isn't it just a satire on her for making a big deal out of nothing?
If it were any other time, she would definitely be very angry, but today, when she thought of Gao Sheng's helpless expression, she felt very comfortable in her heart, and she didn't care about Wei Tingzhen's words.
Wei Tingzhen did not let her go and asked loudly, "Where is the Marquis? Why isn't he in the house?"
A little maid answered cleverly, "The Marquis is in the study." She hurriedly called Wei Tingyu over.
Wei Tingzhen scolded him: "Do you know that the emperor has issued an imperial decree that Song Yantang has not only been promoted to the position of co-director of Jinwuwei, but also supervised the Wucheng Bingma Division. People from Jing'an Temple Hutong came to invite you, but you refused to go! Have you been influenced by someone's pillow talk and lost your mind? Everyone has a headache and fever, and you can recover without medicine by staying here like this? If you don't go to see a doctor, but sit at home in a daze, can the disease heal itself?"
"You..." Dou Ming was so angry that his hands were shaking.
Wei Tingzhen, however, acted as if he had not seen anything and continued to scold his brother: "Are you deaf or dumb? I am talking to you and you still ignore me! I think this is all you can do, and you are just bullying at home. You should know that the Duke of Dongping is only the temporary acting commander of the Wucheng Bingmasi, and the commander of the Wucheng Bingmasi will sooner or later be replaced. Song Yantang is now in charge of the Wucheng Bingmasi and is on good terms with the Duke of Dongping. If you don't take this opportunity to manage it well, and try to make a deal with Song Yantang, you will be in trouble. "You want to be the deputy commander of the East City Army for your whole life? You know, the deputy commander of the Five Cities Army was dismissed during the reign of Emperor Taizong, and was re-established during the reign of Emperor Xiaozong. Who knows how long this deputy commander can last? You don't quickly find a way to get Song Yantang to help you move to another place, but you are here playing with a woman in the inner house. How did you suddenly become like this?"
In every way he spoke, he was blaming Dou Ming for bringing bad consequences to Wei Tingyu.
Dou Ming could not stand it any longer and refuted her bluntly, "What you said is totally unreasonable, aunt! The Marquis is just reading in the study room, how can you say that he has been implicated? What's more, the Marquis is going back to my parents' home to see my brother-in-law..." But he was filled with hatred in his heart.
Song Mo is just a teenager, what qualifications does he have to supervise the Five Cities Military Department?
This time Dou Zhao goes back to live in Duyue, I believe all the relatives of the Dou family in Kyoto will go there, right?
Dou Zhao's husband became the superior of her husband's superior's superior. Dou Zhao must be very proud!
She felt upset just thinking about it, and was even more unwilling to add to Dou Zhao's glory, so no matter what Ren Gaosheng said, she was unwilling to go back to Jing'an Temple Hutong.
Wei Tingzhen ignored her words, didn't even look at her, and continued to say to Wei Tingyu: "This is an opportunity, you must not make a mistake!"
Wei Tingyu shouted "Sister" loudly, then looked at Dou Ming embarrassedly: "Let's go to the study and talk!" He pulled Wei Tingzhen to the ear room next to the banquet room that was used as a study, and stammered for a long time but stopped talking.
"Is there anything you can't tell me?" Wei Tingzhen's temper was only directed at Dou Ming. When she was in front of her mother and brother, she always spoke softly and patiently, "Is there ever a time when I didn't stand by you?"
Wei Tingyu smiled sheepishly, then said in a low voice: "Last time I went to the Wucheng Military Department to report, I met Song Yantang... However, his attitude towards me was very cold... I think that even if I go to ask him, he may not be willing to help me..."
"Why doesn't he help you with this?" Wei Tingzhen asked in confusion, but as soon as she said this, she understood, "Is it because of the Big Dou family?" She asked Wei Tingyu anxiously.
Wang Qinghai also thinks so.
Wei Tingyu didn't know how to answer.
Wei Tingzhen was furious: "I knew that nothing good would happen if we got involved with Dou Ming!" She became more and more angry. She lifted the curtain and walked out of the study. Standing in the hall, she started to curse at the inner room opposite. "Song Yantang was so good to you in the past. He gave you a good horse and helped you with business. But you offended such a good brother for a scumbag woman! Marry a wife for her virtue and a concubine for her beauty. If the wife has no virtue, there will be no peace in the family. This is written in the book..."
Dou Ming in the room was so angry that his ribs ached. He jumped out of bed and went to find Wei Tingzhen to argue.
It’s over, they’re arguing again!
Wei Tingyu had a headache and pulled Wei Tingzhen: "Sister, please say less!"
Dou Ming paused when he heard this.
Wei Tingzhen stamped his feet in anxiety: "You still don't reflect on yourself now, are you going to live like this for the rest of your life? I heard that Song Yantang helped the Empress's brother, Jiading Earl Wan Pengji, to get in touch with a wealthy family in Fujian. Jiading Earl made 8,000 taels of silver from tea in just two months! You idiot, you could have also participated in the business!"
Dou Ming was stunned.
Is this true or false?
If Song Yantang helps someone to make a connection, that person can earn eight thousand taels of silver in two months. How much does Song Yantang himself earn?
My second aunt spent so much effort to open a satin shop on East Street, but the annual revenue was only a little over 1,000 taels of silver. However, these people can easily earn so much money with just a few words...
Wei Tingzhen's words opened a window for Dou Ming, making her feel dazzled and as if she had seen a new world.
It turns out there are people who are so stingy about money!
But Wei Tingyu remained silent.
Just as my sister said, Song Yantang used to have a special affinity with him.
Moreover, because of Song Yantang, wherever he went, people would give him some respect. Especially people like Feng Zhi from Yongenbo Mansion, who used to be too lazy to even raise their eyelids when they met him, but now, although they are not close to him, they will still greet him with a smile if they meet him face to face.
Now they know that they have no relationship with Song Mo...
Wei Tingyu couldn't help but feel deep regret.
He couldn't help but say: "Everything has its own cause. If it weren't for Dou Ming, I wouldn't have been able to enter the Wucheng Bingmasi..."
Before he finished speaking, Wei Tingzhen sneered: "Based on your past friendship with Song Yantang, he is the co-director of Jinwuwei and in charge of Wucheng Bingmasi. It should not be difficult to ask him to help you find a deputy commander. Maybe he can even get you to Jinwuwei! Only you, inexplicably being calculated by others to eat free food and still being grateful to others..."
Wei Tingyu's face turned blue and red.
Dou Ming, who was behind the curtain in the inner room, felt a sweet taste in his mouth and spat out a mouthful of blood.
Nanny Zhou and others were panicked.
"Madam, Madam!" They all surrounded her.
When Wei Tingyu heard the noise, he ran to the inner room, but he had just taken two steps when Wei Tingzhen grabbed his arm and asked, "What are you doing?"
"I, I, I'll go and take a look!" Wei Tingyu murmured, avoiding her sister's sharp gaze.
"Doesn't she have servants around her? Do you have to join in the fun? If she's not feeling well, the maids will naturally tell you. Why did you rush in so hastily? She's like this now because you've gotten used to her! If you don't help her correct this bad habit, are you going to let her become a shrew?" After Wei Tingzhen asked, he added earnestly, "You're just too soft-hearted. If you had rejected Dou Ming at the beginning, would you and Song Yantang have gotten to this point now? There are some things you need to think about carefully. Is the family business more important? Or is your wife more important? Without the family business, can your wife respect you?"
Wei Tingyu straightened his back upon hearing this.
Wei Tingzhen nodded slightly and let his brother go.
Wei Tingyu said, "Sister, I need to discuss the matter of Song Yantang with you."
"That's right!" Wei Tingzhen said with a pleased smile, "I'll call your brother-in-law over now. One more person means more strength. We can't let you and Song Yantang become estranged for no reason just because of a woman in the inner house."
The brother and sister left the main room.
Nanny Zhou looked at Dou Ming, whose face was as pale as gold paper, and hurriedly lifted the curtain and went out. The hall was empty, with no one in sight. Only the colorful ropes hanging on the plywood curtains were swaying gently.