Chapter 348 Visit

Qixia found a deserted place and lifted her clothes to see that there were bruises on her belly.

Everyone in the Duke of Ying's mansion said that the Second Master was very kind to others. She dared not say anything, and the next morning she accompanied Song Han to Yizhitang to visit Dou Zhao as if nothing had happened.

"Will I have a nephew next summer?" Song Han was wearing a dark green brocade robe, which made his face look like a jade, gentle and elegant.

Dou Zhao smiled and nodded, then gave him an orange cake to eat.

His eyes lit up and he smiled, "It's Fujian's tangerine cake! Isn't it said that there are strong winds in Fujian, so bamboo shoots and tangerine cakes are not available in the market?"

"I liked to eat sweet and sour food a few days ago. Your brother specially asked someone to send it from Fujian." Dou Zhao had been vomiting for two months. Song Mo thought of ways to make food for her. She didn't lose weight, but she developed the habit of eating a few snacks from time to time. Seeing that Song Han was eating happily, she also took an orange from the box and peeled it.

Song Han said, "People always say sour boys and spicy girls, sister-in-law, you must be pregnant with a boy."

The fire case in the Duke of Ying's Mansion had been closed long ago. The conclusion of Shuntian Prefecture and Wucheng Bingmasi was that all the thieves were brought to justice. Song Mo also agreed with this conclusion and returned Emperor Taizong's sword. He began to work at the Jinwu Guard according to normal schedules and stayed in the palace for two days every few days.

Today is the day for Song Mo to enter the palace. As soon as he left, Song Han came right after him. Song Han is already 14 years old this year and is taller than Dou Zhao. Logically, Dou Zhao should have avoided him, but Song Han seemed to be unaware of this and went straight into the main room. Dou Zhao had other plans and turned a blind eye to this and entertained Song Han in the banquet room.

"Thank you for your good words, Second Master." Dou Zhao said with a smile, "Your brother and I also hope it will be a boy."

If she gave birth to a son, Song Han would be the third in line to the throne. She really wanted to know what Song Han's expression would be.

"That's great." Song Han smiled happily, "Then I can take my nephew to practice martial arts, fly kites, and play ice skating, just like my brother did when I was a child..."

Dou Zhao smiled and chatted with Song Han about family matters.

Qixia was invited by Suxin to the tea room to drink tea.

"I heard that sister's wedding day is set for the 22nd. Today is the 20th, why are you still working in the mansion?" Qixia asked Suxin curiously, holding a steaming cup of Longjing tea.

I’m afraid that other people won’t be able to come up with the right answer.

Su Xin muttered to herself, but her smile was as gentle as before: "Madam has rewarded me with a small house with three entrances. When the time comes, I will move out of Yizhi Hall and get married there. My sister, Ganlu and Sujun have all gone to help me prepare the new house, so I'd better stay with Madam."

Qixia couldn't help but widen her eyes: "Sister, are you going to marry from Yizhitang?"

Being able to become a monk from the master's house is a great honor.

Su Xin smiled and nodded.

She originally felt that something was not right, but the lady wanted her to marry out of Yizhitang, and the prince also agreed, saying that when Sulan got married, the sedan chair would also leave from Yizhitang... She didn't know how to express her gratitude, so she knelt down politely and kowtowed three times to the prince.

"Congratulations, sister!" Qixia couldn't tell how she felt.

It was rumored in the mansion that the head maidservant of the Madam was getting married and the Madam gave her two thousand taels of silver as a dowry. She did not believe it at all, but now it seemed to be true.

Suxin gave her some snacks including bean curd, donkey rolls, and carrot cake.

Qixia was the head maid in Song Han's room. She had to help Song Han with his writing and could only recognize a few words.

The snacks were made in a mold with the words "Yu Shan Fang" (禦膳房) written underneath.

She hesitated for a while and said, "Sister, this is a gift from the Lord, right? If we eat it like this, will the lady be unhappy?"

Su Xin smiled and said, "Didn't Madam lose her appetite a few days ago? The prince only hoped that Madam could eat a little, so he brought all kinds of food home. These are the most common things. There are too many at home, and they will go bad if left for a long time. Madam just gave a few boxes here and there to show off to others. But I thought it was almost the New Year, and it would be decent to show off to others or give as gifts, so I forced her to keep some. Just eat, and if you think it's good, bring a few boxes back later for the maids in the second master's room to taste."

Sweet and soft pea yellow was Qixia's favorite, especially the one given by the palace. It was sweet but not greasy, and had a long aftertaste. But when I thought about the kick I got yesterday, the pea yellow in my mouth didn't seem to be as delicious as before.

She took a sip of tea and saw a little girl with bright eyes and white teeth, who looked like a maid, running in and shouting "Sister Suxin".

Su Xin's face darkened slightly, and she said, "Why are you so flustered? If you scare Madam, you'll be in trouble!"

The maid took two deep breaths to even out her breath, then reported: "Old Madam Lu and Princess Ningde came to see Madam. They heard that you were getting married, and the two ladies have gifts. Madam asked me to invite my sister to come over and kowtow to express her gratitude."

The Duke of Ying's mansion is so big, who would know a maid? The reward to Suxin was only for the sake of the lady's face.

Qixia was thinking in her heart, and sent Suxin out with a blushing face.

The little maid looked at her curiously: "Sister, are you Sister Qixia from the Second Master's room? She is so pretty. No wonder people say that the two sisters in the Second Master's room are both beauties!"

There were two maids in Song Han's room, and the other one was called Caiyun.

"My sister is really pretty." Qixia said with a smile, "I wonder what you should call me?"

"Sister, you can call me Ruozhu." The little maid smiled, "I am a second-class maid in the Madam's room, but after Sister Suxin and Sister Sulan get married, I will be promoted to first-class." She was a little proud, "Then I will go to the upper room to play with Sister Qixia."

The first-class maid in the Duke of England's mansion is in charge of several second- and third-class maids, so she has relatively free time of her own.

Qixia knew that the second-class maids named "Ruo" in Dou Zhao's house all followed Dou Zhao from Zhending. They were Dou Zhao's direct descendants. Although they were young, they were quite respectable. Perhaps because after marrying into the Duke of Ying's mansion, their relationship with Zhending gradually faded, and because the Duke and the Crown Prince were not on good terms, the new maids in Yizhitang were all selected from the various farms of the Song family.

She smiled and said "OK".

Ruozhu started chatting with her in a flash.

What kind of personalities did Ruotong and the others have, who was promoted to first-class maid this time, why the other two "Ruo"s were uncomfortable, which of the new maids were restless, all of these soon came to the madam's attention, and how did Suxin deal with those maids... Ruozhu told her everything like beans from a bamboo tube without waiting for her to ask.

Qixia couldn't help but curl her lips.

What's the point of being pretty for such a brainless person? If she wasn't from Zhending, she would have been stepped on by others and would have had no chance to make a breakthrough.

She listened to Ruozhu talking about what happened in Dou Zhao's room with a smile, and occasionally interjected a few words, which made Ruozhu talk even more excitedly.

A little maid lifted the curtain and called out to Ruozhu, "Hurry up, the wife of the prince from the Marquis of Yan'an's mansion is here."

"I have to go serve tea." Ruozhu jumped up after hearing this, said hello to Qixia, and ran away like a gust of wind.

Another little maid came to ask Qixia: "Sister, the second master is going back to the house."

Madam Lu and Princess Ningde are relatives by marriage, but the young lady of the Marquis of Yan'an is a female guest, so Song Han naturally cannot stay.

Qixia hurried over to help Song Han put on his hooded cape and supported him upstairs.

Song Han asked her, "What did you just say?"

When Song Han went out to visit someone, if he needed a maid to serve him, the maid would follow him wherever he went. If Song Han did not need his maid to serve him temporarily, these maids would usually be placed in the tea room or the ear room, and would be accompanied by the maid or nanny next to the master to drink tea.

After what happened yesterday, Qixia couldn't help but want to please Song Han, so she told Song Han what happened in the teahouse as a joke.

"A courtyard with three entrances?" Song Han muttered, "Did you hear it clearly? Is it three rooms or three entrances?"

"I heard it clearly." Qixia said, "It's the third entrance!"

Song Han stopped walking, stood on the corridor, looked at the dead branches rustling in the cold wind, and said, "Go find that Ruozhu and ask what gifts Gu Yu has sent."

Qixia also felt that Ruozhu was a man who could not keep secrets, so she answered "yes" with confidence, sent Song Han back to the upper room, rummaged through the boxes and cabinets to find a few threads, and went to Yizhitang again in the afternoon.

Because she was a maid in Song Han's room, the people in Dou Zhao's room treated her very politely. When they heard that she was looking for Ruozhu, they invited her to sit in the back room of the main house.

"Many guests came today, and Sister Ruozhu is still serving in the upper room." A young maid named Fufeng, who was only eight or nine years old, served her tea and water. "Sister Ruozhu, do you have any urgent matters? If so, I will take the time to bring you a message. If not, Sister Ruozhu will sit for a while, eat some snacks and fruits, and wait for Sister Ruozhu."

At this time, Qixia should come back another day. But Song Han's ferocious face under the light suddenly appeared in her mind... She shuddered and felt that if she didn't do what Song Mo asked her to do, the situation last night might happen again.

She smiled cheekily and said, "Then I will wait for Sister Ruozhu here."

Fufeng brought some fruits and other things for her to pass the time, then excused himself and left to go about his own business.

Qixia waited in the back room until dinner time, when Ruozhu ran in, panting.

She gulped down a bowl of tea before asking, "What do you want to talk to me about?"

Qixia explained the purpose of her visit.

Ruozhu smiled and said, "It's just a small matter, why would you come here in person? Just ask a little maid to bring a message. I'm too busy today and can't leave. Besides, it's almost time to lock the keys. I don't know how many people the prince has told the good news to, and everyone has come to congratulate him. I'll go to the cashier's office tomorrow to ask for you."

Qixia thanked her profusely, gave her the threads, and returned to the upper house.

Ruozhu took the silk thread and looked at it. It was a plum blossom-shaped necklace inlaid with two pieces of jadeite, and a line of it was inlaid with several pearl flowers. It was obvious that it was worth a lot of money.

She smiled and took the silk ribbon to the main room.

Dou Zhaozheng had dinner with his aunt and Zhao Zhangru.

Seeing her looking around, he smiled and said, "Come in and talk!"

Ruozhu came in with a smile and showed Dou Zhao the silk thread. "Madam, this was given to you by Qixia from the Second Master's room. She also asked me to find out what gifts Master Gu has sent you."