Chapter 372 Complaint

Ji Yong doesn't want to do it anymore.

But if he quits, even though my great-grandfather will protect him everywhere, I'm afraid he will be the first one to not forgive him.

The monthly allowance of the public office and the resources of the Ji family will never be tilted towards him again.

With his title of Tanhua (third place in the imperial examination) and his qualification of having completed the Wenhua University Examination, what can he do?

He pondered for a long time in the Hanlin Academy.

First of all, we must have food, clothing and other daily necessities, otherwise what’s the point of living?

Secondly, there are servants and maids to support, so does he have to serve tea and water himself?

The other thing is that he needs to have enough money to travel around. He doesn't want to live on the meager income from writing and have to depend on other people for his living.

In the end, it’s all about money.

How can I get silver?

Ji Yong returned to Yuqiao Hutong somewhat absent-mindedly.

I saw someone holding a wedding on the road.

He had planned to take a detour.

However, he heard people who were watching the excitement saying something like "It's a local official from the northwest who borrowed the house of the Duke of England to recruit a son-in-law." He remembered his mother's vague words a few days ago, "What a coincidence, but you must not run into him."

He stopped and thought.

It should be Dou Zhao's uncle Zhao Si who is marrying off his daughter.

Given the relationship between Dou Zhao and her uncle, she would definitely go to help.

Should I talk to Dou Zhao about this?

As the thought flashed through his mind, he walked into the brightly lit Ruyi Gate on his own initiative.

Unexpectedly, he didn't see Dou Zhao, but saw Song Mo first.

What bad luck!

Ji Yong touched his heavy forehead and asked Mr. Zhibin: "Where is Mr. Zhao? I have something to say to him."

Mr. Zhibin knew that Ji Yong was the son of the Ji family of Yixing, a young scholar with a promising future as a noble Hanlin. How could he dare to neglect him? He hurriedly took Ji Yong to Zhao Si.

Zhao Si was talking to some classmates when he saw Ji Yong come in. He was quite surprised.

Fortunately, several of Zhao Si's classmates were either serving in the Hanlin Academy or in the Six Ministries. As they were all scholars, they all knew Ji Yong, the young and successful double-listed Jinshi. Some people introduced Ji Yong to Zhao Si, and some people also greeted Ji Yong.

Ji Yong smiled gently and returned the greetings humbly, with an elegant demeanor, just like a well-educated young man from a noble family.

Zhao Si developed a liking for him.

Ji Yong generously asked to see Dou Zhao: "We are cousins, but we are getting older and my cousin is married. It is inevitable that we are in a tangle of relationships. We should avoid suspicion. Please send someone to take me to talk to my cousin."

A gentleman does not deceive in secret.

He asked for an audience so openly that everyone present nodded in agreement.

Zhao Si also showed some appreciation, but still said: "If you have anything to say, I can also relay it to you!"

Ji Yong said, "The Emperor ordered me to follow Lord Yu to revise the Zhouli Hexun. When I was a child, I saw a book called Liyi Zhushu Canyi on my cousin's desk. I went to borrow it from my seventh uncle, but he said he didn't have it. I want to ask my cousin, am I mistaken or is this book privately owned by my cousin? If it is privately owned, can I borrow it? In ancient times, the ceremony of crowning must be held in the temple. The emperor crowned four times, but the ceremony was only held once. I haven't found the source of it once. I want to ask my cousin, do you have any impression of this?"

Everyone in the room was shocked when they heard this. Zhao Si was even more surprised and asked, "Does Shougu understand Zhouli?"

"Yes!" Ji Yong said calmly, "Not only do I understand, but I am very proficient in it. I have been looking for books these days and I can't even tell the directions. And Master Yu is rushing me, so I have no choice but to take a break." He bowed to everyone and said, "Please give me some convenience and don't let anyone know."

Who would be willing to ask a woman for advice on these academic matters?

Everyone showed that they understood what he meant, and they all said, "I know, but I won't tell anyone." They looked at Ji Yong with a little more affection, and someone even advised Zhao Si, "This is a serious matter. Just send someone experienced to accompany Master Ji to see your niece."

Zhao Si also felt that this matter was indeed not suitable to be made public, nor was it convenient to stop it. He called a loyal servant in his sixties to take Ji Yong to the east chamber, and asked someone to invite Dou Zhao to come and talk.

Dou Zhao was confused and was even more surprised when he saw Ji Yong.

The loyal servant hurriedly explained the whole process with a smile.

Dou Zhao was furious, but out of consideration for the loyal servant standing between them, he could only glare at Ji Yong fiercely and asked in a low voice: "Do you want me to have the reputation of a female genius?" He could not even deny that he was not very proficient in Zhou rites.

Ji Yong didn't take it seriously, frowning and saying, "It's rare for me to see you, so I have something important to tell you. Don't be like those vulgar women who only know how to get angry and can't tell the difference between the important and the unimportant..."

Dou Zhao raised his eyebrows.

Ji Yongyi complained, "You don't know what I've become!" He kept on talking about his situation in the Hanlin Academy, and then said, "I know you have a lot of properties under your name, and many big shopkeepers. I now have about five thousand taels of silver in private money. Can you find someone to help me manage this money and maintain my food and clothing in the future?"

Dou Zhao immediately understood what he wanted to do.

She thought carefully and said, "Editing a book is not like other things. Even though those who have passed the imperial examinations are not qualified for the job unless they are well-read in poetry. I am afraid that your reputation is known to the public, and the emperor may think of you when he wants to edit a book. You will be trapped in it and cannot escape from it. You will never be able to leave the Imperial Academy. If so, it will be a waste of life..."

Ji Yong was overjoyed when he heard this, and said excitedly: "I knew that the fourth sister was different from others! Then which manager do you think can help me manage my property?"

Dou Zhao said with a cold face: "None of them is suitable!"

Ji Yong was stunned.

Dou Zhao said: "Do you think doing business is easy? It is just like studying. You have to devote your whole body and mind to it. On rainy days, you think about selling umbrellas. On sunny days, you think about repairing umbrellas. All year round, you have to plan and operate the transportation of goods from the north to the south and the sale of goods from the south to the north..."

Ji Yong became annoyed: "After all, you are just pretending to be nice to me!"

"You want to establish your own family, but you can't stand other people's different voices. What can I say?" Dou Zhao said coldly, "I think you shouldn't compare your strengths with others' weaknesses. Since you are good at reading, you should pursue a career in government. What Old Lady Ji said makes sense. Now is an opportunity for you. Since you can help the emperor compile books, you may be able to get close to the emperor. It depends on whether you position yourself as a scholar who can only compile books, or as a capable official who is proficient in the law code and can solve problems for the emperor!"

Ji Yong wanted to say something but stopped.

However, the loyal servant of the Zhao family was already stunned and at a loss.

Dou Zhao felt that he had said everything he needed to say. As for what to do next, it all depended on Ji Yong's choice.

"If you insist on using your private money to do business, it won't be too late to bring me a message." Dou Zhao said, turning around and leaving the compartment.

Ji Yong sat on the armchair and fell into deep thought.

A servant was peeking out from behind the curtain and winking at the loyal servant. The loyal servant took a long while to react, tiptoed over and whispered, "What's the matter?"

The servant's voice was even lower: "Master, what did Master Ji and Miss Biao talk about? Why hasn't Master Ji returned to the study yet?"

The loyal servant hurriedly said, "Go and tell the master that Miss Biao has returned to the inner house early, and Master Ji is sitting in a chair in a daze. I was afraid that Master Ji didn't know the way to the study, so I'm waiting here!"

In fact, it is to monitor Ji Yong and make sure he does not run around.

The servant understood the loyal servant's implication and went back to report to Zhao Si with a smile.

Zhao Si heard from the man he had sent to the inner house to inquire about Dou Zhao's wife that Dou Zhao had returned to the inner house and was talking with the sixth and fifth wives of the Dou family. He felt relieved and ordered the servant: "Go and tell Lao Luo to serve Master Ji well!"

The servant went to the compartment with a smile.

Several of Zhao Si's classmates complimented him on his good niece, and asked him which family his niece married into and which family her husband belonged to.

Zhao Si answered them one by one.

Those people showed regretful expressions.

Some even asked, "Why didn't Lord Zhao choose a scholar for your niece?"

When Zhao thought of Dou Shiying, he became irritated and his tone became a little stiff: "I am an official in the northwest. My niece's marriage was arranged by her father, Dou Wanyuan."

Naturally, these people also knew Dou Shiying.

Someone asked, "How come Dou Wanyuan is your aunt? Isn't he Wang Yousheng's son-in-law?"

Zhao Si said unhappily, "My sister was the original wife. After she died of illness, he made Wang Yousheng's daughter his successor."

The atmosphere in the room suddenly became cold.

Fortunately, a servant came in to report that the groom's sedan chair had arrived.

Everyone was smiling and urging Zhao Si to go meet the new son-in-law, and they went to the main hall of the wedding ceremony, chatting and laughing.

After the ceremony, the newlyweds entered the bridal chamber, drank the wedding wine, and the groom came out to toast everyone.

For a while, the hall was filled with laughter and joy, and it was quite festive and lively.

Song Mo walked over to Dou Zhao, who was standing on the porch watching the excitement, and helped her tighten her hood. He smiled and said, "Why don't you go to the new house? Do you want me to protect you and squeeze in?"

Dou Zhao stroked her belly and said with a smile, "I'm afraid of squeezing the baby."

Song Mo thought about it and didn't dare to force it. Seeing the wind on the corridor, he helped her to the tea room next to him: "Sit over there. I'll pour you a cup of hot tea. After they finish making noise in the bridal chamber, we'll go back and come back tomorrow morning."

Dou Zhao nodded, followed Song Mo to the tea room, sat on the brocade stool, took a sip of the tea brewed by Song Mo, and talked to him about Ji Yong, and said with emotion: "If a person is too smart, he will get twice the result with half the effort, and he will not know how to cherish. He is so talented and amazing, I am afraid that the people in the Ji family will lose a few more hairs because of him."

Song Mo, however, felt his hair stand on end.

But he looked calm and composed: "Don't always treat him like a child. He's already an adult. You can't just help him clean up his messes for the rest of his life. You have to let go and let him grow up."

Dou Zhao laughed and said, "You have a point. If he really wants to do some business, I will introduce him to a good manager. As for other matters, we have no right to interfere."

Song Mo couldn't help but mutter in his heart.

What is "we"? It means "you yourself", okay?

I was never ready to help him!

It would be great if he could resign and return to Jiangnan!