Chapter 394 Dragon Boat Festival
The daughter-in-law that Chen Jia bought was called Yao Er, the head of the household. Both husband and wife were from the south. They were originally servants of a wealthy family. Later, the wealthy family committed a crime and the servants were implicated and sold. It happened that Chen Jia asked his colleagues in the Jinyiwei to help find a few reliable servants. In order to curry favor with him, the Jinyiwei bought this family to honor him. He saw that this woman was very methodical and steady in her work, so he let her take care of the affairs of his inner courtyard, Tao Er was on duty at the gate, and the two sons, one followed their father to work, and the other swept the yard in the outer courtyard. The youngest daughter followed her mother in the inner courtyard and became a maid who took care of flowers and plants.
Tao Erjia was visiting the Duke of England's mansion for the first time. Before she came, Chen Jia had repeatedly reminded her of the importance of the Duke of England's mansion to her. She was very nervous along the way, and she was even more nervous when she saw the black lacquered flat-head carriages in front of the Duke of England's mansion delivering gifts. But she didn't expect that Chen Jia would be so respectable in the Duke of England's mansion! The Duke of England's wife not only met her in person, but also rewarded her with a top-quality seal. She finally felt relieved.
When I told Chen Jia about it after I got back, I couldn't help but look a little happy.
Chen Jia was also a little surprised.
The Duke of Ying's Mansion is not a place where you can enter just because you want to bring gifts. Without a third-rank official, the gatekeeper won't even look at you. He is only a fourth-rank official now. If he hadn't taken the path of the Crown Prince's wife, where would he stand? How could the maid sent there possibly meet Madam Dou?
He thought that they should move more closely.
The next day, he brought two jars of the best realgar wine to visit Duan Gongyi.
Duan Gongyi's mind was as clear as a mirror.
But even without Chen Jia, there is still Wang Jia. What's more, Chen Jia is relatively kind to him, so what is there for him to worry about?
He immediately prepared some snacks and invited Chen Jia to stay at home for a drink.
Chen Jiaben came here for this purpose, so he readily agreed and even suggested inviting Mr. Chen over to have a drink together.
Duan Gongyi waved his hand and said, "Mr. Chen has been busy these two days and can't spare the time. Next time you come, we will invite Mr. Chen to come over for a drink."
Chen Jia hurriedly asked what was going on.
Duan Gongyi looked at him with a smile.
His face flushed, and he said, "I am where I am today, all thanks to Madam Dou. I have always wanted to repay Madam, but Madam has everything she needs. I just want to send her something, but I don't know what to send her. So I was thinking if I could help Madam, so I asked this question."
Chen Jia was a good speaker, and Duan Gongyi was a thoughtful listener. After sending Chen Jia away, he immediately went to see Dou Zhao.
Dou Zhao was entertaining two young ladies from the Lu family who came to give them holiday gifts. Duan Gongyi waited for half an hour before he saw Dou Zhao.
"Madam, didn't I fail to find out about Zi Chou Yinmao last time you asked me to find out?" He gave Dou Zhao some advice, "Do you think you can ask Master Chen Jiachen to help you find out? His subordinates specialize in this, and we can't compare with them!"
Dou Zhao had always been curious about who was the one who was asking about the Li family in the first two years after they moved out. Hearing this, he was somewhat tempted, but he still said, "After all, this is an old story in the mansion. It's not good to let others know about it."
Duan Gongyi chuckled and said, "I think Chen Jia is very smart. We can just find a reason. Even if he knows why, he will pretend to be deaf and dumb."
Dou Zhao thought, "I'll discuss this matter with the prince first."
After all, it concerns Song Yichun's reputation. If the incident was exposed, Song Mo, as his son, would lose face.
Who knew that Song Mo didn't care whether Song Yichun's reputation would affect him or not, and said with a smile: "That Chen Jia is eager to do two things for you, just give him whatever you want!"
Dou Zhao said: "What if he knows too much?"
Song Mo laughed and said, "He relied on me to get to the top. Even if he knows nothing, he has been labeled by me. If he wants to change his ways, he can forget about his career in the officialdom."
Dou Zhao thought about it and realized that this was indeed the truth.
Song Mo smiled and shook his head, saying, "You girls just like to ponder the private affairs of your parents. It's been so long, and you still want to know what's going on with the Li family?"
Dou Zhao laughed and said, "Aren't you just free?"
Song Mo couldn't help but smile when he thought of how Dou Zhao was very energetic when he had something to worry about, but seemed to be listless when he had nothing to do.
If she finds these things interesting, let her do it!
Song Mo told her about his plans during this period: "... We need to have someone keep an eye on the Imperial Hospital. However, most of the doctors in the Imperial Hospital have been on duty in the Imperial Hospital for generations, so it's not easy to get information. Didn't the emperor complain about headaches a few days ago? I asked Yan Chaoqing to find a way to talk to the staff of the provincial governors who came to Beijing to send holiday gifts. By then, they will definitely recommend famous doctors who are good at treating headaches to work in the Imperial Hospital. Things will be much easier."
The Imperial Hospital is related to the safety of the Emperor, and therefore has the strictest discipline.
Dou Zhao warned him: "You have to be careful not to get yourself involved."
"Yeah!" Song Mo smiled and shook Dou Zhao's hand, then called the maid to come in and change clothes.
Duan Gongyi went to Chen Jia's house in Yuqiao Hutong.
The two of them were drinking on the kang in the upper room.
Duan Gongyi complained to Chen Jia half-truthfully: "...I went to Er Tiao Hutong several times, but I couldn't find out where it was. But after going there more often, I was recognized by someone. It shows that not everyone can be a spy."
Chen Jia perked up after hearing this and said with a smile, "If there is nothing to be ashamed of, how about I send a few people to help you find out?"
"That's great." Duan Gongyi said with a smile, "You are the prince's man, even if there are any taboos, it is not right for you."
Chen Jia asked about the whole incident in detail.
Before Duan Gongyi finished speaking, he already had an idea in his mind.
Most likely it was the romantic debt left by the Duke of England. Now the Crown Prince and the Duke were fighting and wanted to bring up the old matter again.
As long as he finds the people from the Li family, the whole matter will be solved.
Isn't this what he is best at?
But no matter what, this is an old matter of the Duke of Ying's Mansion. Duan Gongyi was able to hand this matter over to him because either the Crown Prince or Madam Dou nodded. And the fact that these two nodded was probably because Duan Gongyi spoke for them.
Chen Jia poured wine for Duan Gongyi with a smile. After he finished drinking, he stuffed a purse into Duan Gongyi's pocket and personally escorted him to the gate.
The matter of inquiring about the Li family was handed over to Chen Jia.
Dou Zhao breathed a sigh of relief and waited for news at home.
As a result, a letter came from Huguang saying that Zhao Zhangru had diagnosed a pregnant woman.
Dou Zhao was naturally overjoyed, and she prepared a whole cart of food, medicinal herbs, gold and silver ornaments, silks and satins, and sent someone to deliver it to Huguang. She and Song Mo began to prepare to go to the palace on the Dragon Boat Festival to congratulate the Empress Dowager, the Empress and other dignitaries.
Outside the Cining Palace, Dou Zhao met Dou Ming.
She was much thinner than before she got married, with a pointed chin and big eyes, which made her look even more charming.
Dou Ming also saw Dou Zhao.
Her eyes suddenly turned into knives.
Dou Zhao was wearing a bright red court robe, and walked in from outside, chatting and laughing with the wives of the Marquis of Changxing, the Duke of Xingguo, the Earl of Dongping and other mistresses of the most meritorious families in the court.
Her young face stood out among a group of women in their thirties and forties.
As soon as they stepped into the gate of Cining Palace, Aunt Miao, the most respectable lady beside the Empress Dowager, came to greet them with a group of palace maids. They greeted Dou Zhao and others with a smile and led them to the Empress Dowager's bedroom with a humble attitude. Unlike them, the wives of second- and third-class meritorious families who had gradually declined because they had lost their real power, they had to stand in front of the screen wall and wait for the Empress Dowager's summons before they could see her...
Watching Dou Zhao following the group of ladies around the screen wall without looking away, Dou Ming clenched his fists tightly.
Some people even complained in her ear: "Same person, different fate. Thirty years ago, when I followed my mother-in-law into the palace, I could see the nobles in the palace by just reporting. But now, I still have to wait outside..."
Dou Ming just felt his face burning.
Someone whispered, "That young woman is the wife of the Duke of England, right? I heard that she and the Crown Princess are due within a few days of each other? What a lucky life! If she gave birth to a child born on the same day as the Emperor's grandson, no matter whether it was a boy or a girl, the Crown Princess would probably remember it in her heart. That would be a real blessing!"
Someone else said, "Do you think the Duke of Ying's family is as superficial as you? The Duke of Ying's son was given a hereditary rank of Fourth Rank Assistant just a few days after he was born, and he started participating in the Autumn Encirclement before he even learned to walk. Which family in the Manchu Dynasty is so respectable? Even if their eldest grandson was born on the 15th day of the seventh month, he still has a bright future. Why are you so worried?"
Dou Zhao's due date is mid-June.
The person who was refuted was unhappy, and said with a gloating look: "Maybe the eldest grandson of the Duke of Ying's mansion will really be born on the 15th day of the seventh month?"
"What nonsense are you talking about!" someone shouted, "This is in the palace, be careful, there are ears on the other side of the wall."
Before the lady could say something, two palace maids came out from behind the screen wall.
All the sounds stopped abruptly.
One of the palace maids asked with a smile, "Which one is the wife of Marquis Jining?"
Dou Ming was stunned.
Someone nearby pushed her.
She hurried forward to answer.
The maid smiled and said, "The old ancestor heard that you are the sister of the wife of the Duke of England, and wants to meet you!"
As soon as the palace maid finished speaking, Dou Ming seemed to hear a sigh of envy.
She clenched her fists tighter.
But as a palace maid, she dared not reveal even a little bit.
Dou Ming thanked the two palace maids with a smile and followed them to the empress dowager's bedroom. After passing the screen wall, she stuffed two red envelopes into the two palace maids' pockets.
The two maids accepted the gift with a generous smile, saying, "Everyone says that Lord Dou gave all his wealth to his two daughters as dowries. Madam Dou was also so generous when she entered the palace. It shows that the rumors are true. We will not be polite."
Dou Ming gritted his teeth in anger.
Dou Zhao got an advantage and still acted like a good boy. When did he get half of his father's property?
Thinking of this, her chest felt as if it was covered with oil and she couldn't breathe.
After she kowtowed to the Empress Dowager, she almost fell backwards. The Empress Dowager called her over and looked at her carefully for a long time. She even looked up at the Empress and a group of ladies beside her and said, "Yan Tang's daughter-in-law is still prettier. The wife of Marquis Jining is too thin!"