Chapter 443 Double Ninth Festival
No wonder Jiang Lizhu didn't dare to tell me directly.
Dou Zhao asked: "Should we tell our aunt the truth?"
Song Mo shook his head: "It's better not to tell my aunt. For things like this, the fewer people who know about it, the safer it will be."
Dou Zhao nodded and stopped asking about this matter. He talked about the Double Ninth Festival: "Are you free that day?"
"I'm afraid I have to accompany the emperor to Tuer Mountain." Song Mo said apologetically, "I'll let Xia Lian and the others take you there." He added, "Have you decided where to go?"
"Let's go to Xiangshan." Dou Zhao said with a smile, "Let's go a little further."
This was Dou Zhao's first time out of the city since arriving in Kyoto.
Song Mo felt even more apologetic.
She held Dou Zhao's hand and said, "Where else do you want to go? Let's go together next time we have a day off."
Dou Zhao knew that he was now fighting openly and secretly with Song Yichun, and he couldn't be careless with the emperor. He needed to show up in front of the emperor more often, and he didn't have much time to spend with her. She chose a place that was closer: "Then let's go to Daxiangguo Temple to burn incense? I want to burn a few incense sticks for Yuan Ge'er to pray for his safety."
"Okay!" Song Mo said gently, looking at Dou Zhao with eyes full of tender warmth, "When the child grows up, we will go to a farther place, Jiangnan, Guangdong... to meet those barbarians."
Dou Zhao smiled and held Song Mo's hand.
Song Mo's hand went up along Dou Zhao's arm...
Dou Zhao giggled because of the itch.
A small flame ignited in Song Mo's eyes.
But someone came to spoil the mood. A little maidservant announced outside the door, "Master, Madam, the second wife is here."
Song Mo frowned and said, "It's so late, what is the Second Madam doing here?" His tone was very stiff.
The little maid shuddered and said tremblingly, "Second Madam said that the Double Ninth Festival is coming soon, and the uncle of the Miao family sent some flower cakes and osmanthus wine. Second Madam brought them here specially for the prince and his wife to taste."
Song Mo was upset.
But the one who had a grudge against him was Song Han, not the newcomer Miao Ansu.
Dou Zhao smiled and said, "I'll go take a look!"
Song Mo said gloomily, "Go and come back quickly. Don't bother talking to her. We can talk about it tomorrow if there is anything."
Dou Zhao smiled and went to the hall.
Miao Ansu wore a bright red jacket with 100 different patterns on it, a golden hairpin in her hair, and light makeup, looking stunningly beautiful.
She smiled and bowed to Dou Zhao, calling her "sister-in-law" affectionately, saying, "My parents' home is far from Kyoto. I left home this morning and just arrived now. I thought other things were easy to deal with, but this flower cake couldn't be left alone, so I sent it over directly. I hope I didn't disturb your rest, sister-in-law?"
Since we're going to live under the same roof in the future, it's better to be straightforward.
Dou Zhao smiled and said, "I just rested. If you come later, you will have to wait for me to get up and do my makeup again."
Miao Ansu was somewhat surprised by Dou Zhao's frankness. She smiled and said, "Sister-in-law is naturally beautiful, do you really need to dress up? For someone like me, I can't go out to see people without dressing up."
She showed goodwill, and Dou Zhao also hoped to get along with her, but this was not the time to talk. Dou Zhao smiled and said, "Sister-in-law, don't be so modest. Didn't you notice the surprised expressions on everyone's faces when you recognized your relatives?"
Miao Ansu laughed and said, "I heard that you and your cousin are going to climb the mountain on the Double Ninth Festival. I wonder if I can go with you?"
Dou Zhao said calmly, "Is Second Uncle going?"
Miao Ansu asked, "Is it inconvenient for him to go?"
Dou Zhao said, "The prince will accompany the emperor to Tuer Mountain that day."
Although they are uncle and sister-in-law, their ages are almost the same. Logically, Song Han and Dou Zhao should avoid each other.
Miao Ansu understood and said with a smile: "Then I will talk to the Second Master, and then I will go with my sister-in-law and let him play by himself."
Dou Zhao smiled without comment.
The next morning, Miao Ansu replied: "Second Master told me to follow my sister-in-law."
Dou Zhao asked her, "How many people are you going to bring? Are two carriages enough for you?"
"Don't bother." Miao Ansu said with a smile, "My sister-in-law and I can just squeeze in."
"How can that be possible!" Dou Zhao laughed, "You are leaving the mansion to represent the reputation of the Duke of Ying's mansion. How can you squeeze in with us like this? Don't refuse. I will ask them to prepare two carriages for you, one for you and one for your maids and servants."
Miao Ansu thanked him again and again.
A little maid came in and reported, "The old lady from Jing'an Temple Hutong is here."
Why did her father come to her so early in the morning instead of going to the government office?
It's not necessary to make a special trip just for the Double Ninth Festival, right?
Dou Zhao went to the small study in the outer courtyard to meet Dou Shiying.
Dou Shiying looked a little anxious, and asked, "Is the Yantang in the palace or in the Jinwuwei Yamen?"
This matter could have been asked by a servant, but he went there in person...
Dou Zhao felt a little uneasy and said, "It is said that he will enter the palace at noon."
Dou Shiying left in a flash without even mentioning the Double Ninth Festival.
Dou Zhao kept muttering in her heart, and asked someone to guard the door. When she saw Song Mo coming back, she asked him to come directly to her.
Song Mo rushed over with sweat all over his forehead. She asked hurriedly, "Did father find you?"
It turns out it was because of this matter.
Song Mo asked the maid to wrap a handkerchief for him, and went to the inner room with her to talk: "Your fifth uncle called your father-in-law, sixth uncle and the Dou family's children in Kyoto to Huaishu Hutong last night, and asked them to study behind closed doors, not to make friends with unknown origins, and not to participate in any official factions. No matter what big or small things you encounter, you must inform your fifth uncle first, otherwise there will be family rules.
After the younger generation passed away, your fifth uncle kept your sixth uncle and father-in-law, and told them vaguely about the matter of Prince Liao, asking them to help supervise the children of the Dou family and not to cause trouble at this time.
My father-in-law was very worried when he heard this, and was afraid that I might be involved, so he came to inform me and told me to be careful."
Dou Zhao heaved a sigh of relief, patted his chest and said thankfully: "Fortunately, fortunately!" Then he said angrily: "He is really a fool. He came here so suddenly and scared me!"
"You are born with a blessing but you don't know how to appreciate it!" Song Mo sighed, "If father-in-law didn't always keep us in his heart, how could he have lost his mind? Don't ever say such things again!"
There was a hint of sadness in his tone.
Dou Zhao looked up in surprise, but saw that Song Mo's eyes were a little wet.
She could not help but remain silent.
Song Mo thought that it was his words that made Dou Zhao embarrassed, so he laughed and said, "I asked my father-in-law, and he said that he would not go hiking with you on the Double Ninth Festival. He asked us to send Yuan Ge'er to him, and he would take care of Yuan Ge'er at home."
Because the child was too young, Dou Zhao decided to keep Yuan Ge'er at home.
Dou Zhao burst out laughing.
My father is now very content with his grandson and doesn't want to go anywhere.
She smiled and nodded.
Jiang Yan prayed: "Please bless the Bodhisattva and have a sunny day on the Double Ninth Festival!"
Dou Zhao smiled and touched her head.
The weather was very good for the next two days, and on the Double Ninth Festival, the sky was clear and the air was fresh.
Dou Zhao first sent Yuan Ge'er, the wet nurse and others to Jing'an Temple Hutong, and then met Jiang Lizhu at the gate of Jing'an Temple and went to Xiangshan together.
Ji Hong, who was sitting in the second carriage, lifted the curtain a little and looked out. She saw that the first carriage that Dou Zhao was sitting in was at least two meters away from them. The guards were either leading the way in front or behind. There were only four guards guarding the side, and they were also focusing on Dou Zhao's carriage. She breathed a sigh of relief, lowered the curtain, and said indignantly: "Madam likes that cousin and let her ride in the same carriage with her. I have nothing to say, but that Mrs. Wu is just the daughter-in-law of a small Tongzhi, and Madam is so generous to let that Mrs. Wu ride in the same carriage with her... Madam, you are the real daughter-in-law of the Duke of Ying's mansion. Isn't it a slap in your face for Madam to do this?"
"What do you know?" Miao Ansu scolded Ji Hong, "When Dou entered the family, Uncle Lu and Princess Ningde and others came. When it was my turn, they were all too old and frail to stand the quarrel. Although my family is not of high status and I don't have as rich a dowry as Dou, my marriage is arranged by Yu. After entering the Song family, I am the daughter-in-law of the Song family. If they don't give me face, they are not giving face to the Song family. Don't you think it's a bit strange?"
Ji Hong blushed and said, "Perhaps, perhaps the people of the Lu family are a bit flattering? Seeing that the Second Master cannot inherit the Duke of Ying's Mansion, they are so disrespectful to him?"
Miao Ansu waved his hands and said thoughtfully: "There must be some secrets here that we don't know... The maids and servants around the Second Master can't get to the bottom of it, so we can only find out by ourselves!"
If you get closer to Dou Zhao, you might be able to find out something.
Miao Ansu said to Ji Hong, "I'm going to sleep for a while. Remember to wake me up when we get close to Xiangshan."
Ji Hong said "hmm" embarrassedly.
Miao Ansu felt as if something was blocking his heart and he couldn't breathe.
Her day was coming, and the nurse tentatively asked Song Han if he wanted to arrange a maid to stay in the same room with him. He actually chose Ji Hong...
I just married into this family!
Even if he likes Ji Hong, can't he wait for two months?
Song Mogui was the crown prince, and Dou was pregnant and had given birth to a child, so he had no concubines or maids in his house.
How come they are so different from each other when they are born of the same mother?
Miao Ansu closed his eyes unhappily.
Jiang Lizhu, who was sitting in the front carriage, was a little embarrassed and asked, "Are we going to take Miao to climb the mountain like this?"
"There are so many people in Xiangshan, what can't be done!" Dou Zhao said with a smile, "We can't just beat Miao to death just because we don't like Song Han, right?"
"That's what she said, but how could this woman not side with her husband but side with her uncle and his wife?" Jiang Lizhu said, "She clearly knew that everyone would turn against her, but now she pretends to know nothing and deals with her. I always feel embarrassed."
Dou Zhao smiled and said, "We can take this opportunity to let her hear some rumors. I'm sure she will stay away from us in the future."
"That's the best." Jiang Lizhu thought Dou Zhao's arrangement was perfect. She spoke distressedly about the rumors between Song Mo and Jiang Baisun, "Cousin, what do you think I should do?"
Dou Zhao smiled and said, "Although you are the daughter of the Jiang family, you are also the daughter-in-law of the Wu family. If there is a conflict with the Wu family, you should think of the Wu family first. If it has nothing to do with the Wu family, you should choose the Jiang family first. The others are all bystanders. I think my aunt will come up with a rule."
"The others are just bystanders!" Jiang Lizhu murmured, repeating Dou Zhao's words, and for the first time, admiration flashed in her eyes as she looked at Dou Zhao.