Chapter 356: Feedback

When Dou Zhao heard these words, she didn't know what to feel for a moment.

In the previous life, Song Mo killed Song Yichun!

In this life, she must keep Song Mo safe no matter what.

Dou Dechang had no idea what Dou Zhao was thinking. He thought she had just gotten the power to preside over the meeting and was not used to it yet, so he teased her, "Bo Yan and I have put in so much effort, you should at least thank us. Why are you just sitting there with your teacup in your hand, wondering if you think we are meddling in your affairs?"

Dou Zhao smiled and teased him, "The Duke is giving you and Bo Yan compensation, isn't that interesting?"

Recalling the scene at that time, Dou Dechang took the Sichuan fan that Dou Qijun used to pretend, and waved it, grinning foolishly.

Dou Qijun said seriously, "Fourth aunt, tell me the truth, is the Song family very complicated?"

The Dou family and the Song family were just drifting apart. If they had gotten closer, Dou Dechang and Dou Qijun would not have been able to hide it with their cleverness.

She nodded slightly and said implicitly: "Which one is not complicated?"

Dou Qijun stopped asking questions and said with a smile, "Uncle Lu is indeed an upright and honest person. Otherwise, today's matter would have been difficult to resolve so satisfactorily."

Dou Zhao was a daughter-in-law after all. Even if Song Yichun treated her harshly, she could only endure it. If she complained in front of outsiders, she would be labeled as unfilial. According to the original plan, she just wanted to invite the Lu family to be a witness, so that the Lu family would know that it was not that she was unfilial to Song Yichun, but that Song Yichun acted without rules and forced her son to divorce his wife just because his daughter-in-law said something that she didn't like. If there was any conflict between her and Song Yichun in the future, people would naturally put the blame on Song Yichun, so that she could prepare for the next step of taking the power to manage the Yingguo Mansion. But she never expected that the two old ladies were much more insightful than she thought. Not only did they scold Song Yichun, they also asked Song Yichun to hand over the power of housekeeper to her right away.

She touched the pair of bamboo cards that had become as smooth as jade from being rubbed in the hands of who knows how many generations, and her imagination ran wild.

Dou Dechang, on the other hand, said with some worry, "We have brought up the Second Madam and Fifth Uncle as an accusation, so it won't be exposed, right?"

The so-called Second Lady was angry and Dou Shishu was still kneeling, but it was just something they said to scare Song Yichun.

Dou Qijun smiled and said, "Don't worry. Song Yichun will probably avoid the Dou family now. How can he confront Fifth Uncle? Even if he does, will Fifth Uncle still side with the Duke of Ying's Mansion?"

Dou Dechang finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Dou Qijun stood up and said goodbye: "I've been out all day, and I have to go back. I'll come visit Fourth Aunt again after the New Year."

Dou Zhao invited them to have dinner: "It's cold outside. If you don't have some hot soup in your stomach, you will feel uncomfortable if you go out. I have asked the kitchen to prepare hot pot. You can have dinner before going back."

Dou Dechang wanted to stay for dinner: "I told my mother that I went to Yuqiao Hutong, how can I have dinner when I go back? It's New Year's Day, and all the restaurants on the street are closed. Where can I find something to eat?"

Dou Qijun was just hesitating when a servant came in and said, "The prince is back!"

Dou Zhao took the opportunity to keep him: "You haven't met your fourth uncle yet, right? Now that you have met him, you must greet him before leaving."

Dou Zhao was married directly from Jing'an Temple Hutong, and the Dou family in Zhending, including her grandmother, did not know Song Mo.

While they were talking, Song Mo had already walked in through the curtain.

On the way, Wuyi had told him what happened today. He was familiar with Dou Dechang, and the other unfamiliar young man must be Dou Qijun.

He smiled and saluted Dou Dechang, then greeted Dou Qijun: "Your fourth aunt often praised you as the best of the Qi generation, and you took great care of me when I was a child. Now that I see you, I can see that you are truly majestic, elegant and handsome." He was very polite.

Dou Qijun was a scholar who learned the style of Wei and Jin dynasties. Not to mention that he had traveled far and wide in the past few years and gained a lot of knowledge, even if he went back ten years, Dou Qijun would not be vague when meeting Song Mo. Seeing that Song Mo treated him politely, he naturally would not be reserved and started to greet Song Mo.

After a while, Ruo Zhu came and asked where the hot pot was.

"Let's put it in the small flower hall?" Dou Zhao asked Song Mo for his opinion. "There's a ground dragon burning in the small flower hall, and a few pots of plum blossoms are in full bloom."

The three of them went to the small flower hall.

After three rounds of drinks, Song Mo, Dou Dechang and Dou Qijun all relaxed, spoke more and more casually, and became more and more speculative.

Dou Qijun pointed at Dou Dechang who was pouring wine into him and said to Song Mo: "Seeing my silly uncle, if you want to pour wine, you should pour it into you, but you are pouring it into me."

Song Mo chuckled, feeling a little proud that Dou Dechang was not shy with him, and drank even more.

Dou Qijun was fine, but Dou Dechang started to talk nonsense, unable to control himself. He talked to Dou Qijun about Kuang Zhuoran: "Is his father's relationship reliable? I have been looking for the person you mentioned for a long time but couldn't find him. Could he be fooled by someone?"

Song Mo didn't care about anything like "don't listen to anything indecent" and asked Dou Qijun: "Who are you looking for? Do you want my help?"

Dou Qijun was worried about this.

Dou Dechang was mobilized but nothing was gained. But we can't go to our fifth great-uncle for such a small matter, right?

Thinking that Song Mo was the co-governor of the Jinwu Guard and was in charge of the Five Cities Military Department, he exclaimed, "Oh!" and felt a little more expectant in his heart.

He told Song Mo what had happened: "...the magistrate of Panyu County was instructed by a man named Fan Shiquan to open a tea shop on Qianmen Street, but I went there several times and couldn't find this Fan."

"Leave this matter to me." Song Mo gave Dou Qijun another glass of wine, "I'll give you news in the next two days."

"That's great!" Dou Qijun didn't make it a formality. The two of them clinked glasses and the atmosphere became more and more lively. They ended up drinking until the first watch. If Dou Zhao hadn't been afraid that his sixth aunt would worry at home, they would probably have been reluctant to leave.

Song Mo arranged for someone to send Dou Dechang and Dou Qijun back, but he himself held Dou Zhao and started to act drunk and crazy.

"Shou Gu, you are really amazing! If you were a man, you would be a great general, and you would get the opponent's card without bloodshed.

Why don't we go to the Lu family one day and kowtow to the two old ladies? If it weren't for the two old ladies, I'm afraid this matter would still be a mess.

During the Spring Festival, shall we also have a feast at home? Invite a few uncles and nephews and have a good time.

I grew up in my uncle's home. When our children were born, we often took them to Jing'an Temple Hutong to let my father-in-law give them enlightenment.

He talked in a long-winded manner for most of the night, and every word he said revealed his longing for future life.

Dou Zhao sat beside the bed, watching Song Mo who had fallen into a deep sleep after drinking the sobering soup. He couldn't help but smile and kissed his cheek gently before blowing out the light and going to bed.

When he woke up the next morning, Song Mo had completely forgotten what he had said. He only vaguely remembered that he seemed to have promised Dou Qijun something.

He couldn't help but slap his head and shout "Oh no!", without even having breakfast, he hurried out the door.

Dou Zhao smiled.

I feel that Song Mo like this is like a young man who has not yet reached the age of twenty, full of vigor and vitality, making people feel energetic when they see him.

She sat in front of the mirror and Ruotong helped her comb her hair.

Ganlu came to report to her: "The maids in charge of the mansion are standing in front of the door of Yizhi Hall, waiting. The cold wind is blowing and they are shivering."

These maids in charge should have also received the news.

Dou Zhao instructed Gan Lu: "Tell them that the rules here are still the same as when Mother-in-law was here. Let them do what they should do."

When the news got out, several maids in charge looked at each other in bewilderment.

There were also those who had worked under Chiang, and they turned their eyes and went to the Senate.

Someone kindly told the other matrons in charge: "When Grandma was here, Chen Zheng would give instructions every morning in the anteroom of the east wing of the upper courtyard."

Everyone suddenly realized what was going on and headed for the upper courtyard. They all felt the same way in their hearts: the emperor has his own ministers, and the managers of the inner courtyards are no different. How many of them can continue to work here? How many of them will be sent out? Or even tortured to death for a reason?

For a moment, everyone felt a little uneasy.

Dou Zhao dressed up, ate and drank tea leisurely according to her usual lifestyle habits.

Gan Lu couldn't help but worry for her: "So many housekeepers are waiting in the main hall, why don't you go over there quickly?"

"My mother-in-law starts doing housework at noon every day. They came early. Do you think I should go and make do with them?"

That’s right!

Ganlu smiled awkwardly.

Dou Zhao drank some tea and then went to the main building in the upper courtyard.

It was just a repetition of some old routines, and she wouldn't be wrong even with her eyes closed. Within an hour, everyone in the building had left.

Dou Zhao returned to his room and nestled on the big kang by the window, where he and Su Jun made small clothes for their unborn baby. In his heart, however, he kept thinking about what was happening in Song Han's room.

After the Chinese New Year, there was a second-class maid and two third-class maids in Song Han's house who were of marriageable age, so two reliable people had to be sent there to serve. As for the maids selected from the farm, Du Wei had been asked to find out what their ancestors did. After the Chinese New Year, there should be news. I'm afraid I have to ask these maids about my mother-in-law.

She was planning to marry Ganlu and Sushen to the steward of the mansion, so it was better for them not to know much about this.

Among the new maids, Ruozhu and Ruotong are both very smart and can be of great use.

There are also the accounts of the British Duke's Mansion, which must be carefully examined. They can be used to give gifts at weddings and funerals, and can also show the closeness of the relationships between the various mansions.

…

Dou Zhao was just thinking about it when he saw an unfamiliar little maid peeking her head out of the door.

She couldn't help but smile and asked the little maid, "Which room are you from? What do you want to talk to me about?"

The little maid was very brave. She stood out with a smile on her face and said in a clear and logical voice, "My name is Fu Liu. I came from the farm in Tianjin. Guard Duan asked me to come and see if the Madam is busy."

After the group of little maids from the farm entered the mansion, Dou Zhao prefixed their names with the character "Fu".

"Go tell Guard Duan that I'm free, so let him in!"

Fu Liu smiled, turned around and ran away.

After a while, Duan Gongyi came over and said with a smile, "Madam, that Master Chen Jiachen wants to see you."

Dou Zhao was a little surprised and asked with a smile: "How did you get together with Chen Jia?"

Duan Gongyi said, "Su Xin is getting married, and he has given a gift. We can't just let him go like that, right? Invite him to stay and drink at the wedding. After a while, he will get to know her."

Dou Zhao had to give Duan Gongyi some face.

"Let him in!" She smiled and ordered the maid, "Take Master Chen to the small flower hall in the outer courtyard to serve tea."