Chapter 494: New Year

Seeing that Dou Zhao's expression was full of kindness, Song Mo's eyes sparkled. He took Dou Zhao's arm and said with a smile, "Let's carry Yuan Ge'er to the front hall!" He didn't ask what Dou Zhao and Ji Yong had said.

However, Dou Zhao felt that Ji Yong's words were very important.

She told Song Mo everything about her conversation with Ji Yong.

Song Mo was a little surprised. His brows slightly furrowed but soon relaxed. He smiled and praised: "He is indeed a rare and wise man. He has not had much contact with Prince Liao, but he can see Prince Liao's ambition at a glance."

Ji Yong's intelligence is beyond doubt. Dou Zhao nodded and asked with some concern, "Is Song Han really close to the people in Liao Palace?"

The last time Song Han hit Miao Anping with a club, he was discovered by the people Song Mo sent to monitor Song Han, and they reported it to Song Mo. Only then did Miao Anping save his life.

Song Mo hummed and said with a smile, "I was just wondering how I could quietly lead Song Han onto the Liao King's boat, but he ran over on his own without waiting for me to do anything. This can be considered an unexpected gain."

Dou Zhao vaguely understood Song Mo's intention.

She couldn't help but sigh secretly.

No matter in the past or present life, Song Mo is obviously not prepared to let Song Han go.

However, Song Han was indeed a piece of shit. Although Miao Anping was not a good person, his crime was not punishable by death, but Song Han wanted to kill him just because he was unhappy with him, which was a bit too cruel.

The three of them left the study.

But they saw Ji Yong standing in the middle of the yard with his hands behind his back, looking at them coldly.

Dou Zhao was stunned and asked, "You haven't left yet?"

Ji Yong, however, looked as if he was too lazy to pay attention to her. His eyes fell directly on Song Mo, and he said, "In the blink of an eye, Brother Yuan can speak."

Song Mo replied "yes" with a gentle and calm smile. But for some reason, Dou Zhao felt that Song Mo was like a cat that had encountered its natural enemy, and his fur stood up in alert.

She couldn't help but call out softly, "Yan Tang."

Song Mo turned around and smiled at her soothingly, then turned back to greet Ji Yong: "I heard that the emperor often kept Master Ji in the Qianqing Palace to talk these days. How come Master Ji has time to come to Jing'an Temple Hutong today?"

Ji Yong sneered and said, "Dou Dechang is my cousin, why can't I come?" He seemed to be full of thorns.

Song Mo didn't mind it and said with a smile: "Master Ji, you are very thoughtful. We have prepared some wine in the front hall. If you don't mind, you may have a couple of drinks later." He looked like the host.

Veins popped out on Ji Yong's forehead, and just when Dou Zhao thought he would say something upsetting again, he smiled slightly, his fierce expression disappeared, and he raised his hand to pick a camellia and walked in front of Yuan Ge'er.

"Does it look good?" He asked Yuan Ge'er with a smile, and handed the bouquet to the child. "Take it and give it to your grandfather. He will definitely be very happy."

Yuan Ge'er didn't know Ji Yong, but Ji Yong's smile was very kind. He turned around and looked at Dou Zhao.

Song Mo pursed his lips slightly and tightened his arms around the child.

Dou Zhao was at a loss for words. She said angrily, "Cousin Ji, flowers are for viewing, not for picking. Don't tell the children to pick flowers."

Ji Yong sneered and said, "It doesn't matter whether you use it for viewing or for picking and wearing, as long as you make full use of it, it won't be considered a waste of nature's gift." He turned his gaze to the child, "Yuan'er, don't listen to your mother. She's always nagging but never gets to the point. If you listen to your mother, you will definitely become a pedantic person in the future. Take this flower. If your mother dares to give you a cold shoulder, come to me - I'm your uncle!"

What kind of uncle is he?

Dou Zhao was both amused and confused.

Ji Yong had already stuffed the flowers into Yuan Ge'er's pocket, then patted Yuan Ge'er's head, turned around and strode out of the yard.

When Ji Yong touched his son's head, Song Mo managed to control himself from knocking Ji Yong's hand away. Seeing Ji Yong leaving, he calmly took the camellia that Ji Yong had given to Yuan Ge'er and placed it on the beauty chair under the veranda. He said to Dou Zhao, "Let's go", and carried Yuan Ge'er to the front hall.

Dou Zhao is a smart man and feels that Song Mo seems to be a little sensitive towards Ji Yong.

She wanted to find an opportunity to talk to Song Mo, but unfortunately, as soon as Song Mo arrived at the lobby, he met an unexpected person - Kuang Zhuoran from Panyu.

He came to Beijing to take part in the next spring imperial examination. He came to Kyoto so early to thank Dou Qijun, Dou Dechang and Song Mo.

Dou Dechang had a good impression of Kuang Zhuoran, and he pulled his arm and said, "Maybe we will be classmates!"

The people in the front hall were a little surprised when they heard this and asked, "Are you going to continue next year?"

Usually in a situation like Dou Dechang's, if he was not completely sure, he would take a break. If he passed the imperial examination and became a fellow Jinshi, it would be no joke.

Dou Dechang had not discussed this with anyone before, and now he said with a guilty conscience: "I want to press on to win!"

Dou Shiheng and Dou Shiying both showed disapproving expressions, but Song Mo felt that this was not the time to talk about this matter, so he smiled and changed the subject, asking Kuang Zhuoran: "When did you arrive in Kyoto? Where are you living now?"

Kuang Zhuoran was a smart man, and after experiencing the family change, he became more sophisticated. He smiled and replied, "I just arrived yesterday and am staying in the inn for now. I want to visit Boyan and a few elders first before renting a house..."

Dou Qijun chimed in, "Why rent a house? Just live in my place!"

For a moment, Dou Dechang's matter was thrown aside.

Dou Dechang's eyes sparkled, and he took Yuan Ge'er to the yard to watch the fish.

Song Mo was thoughtful. He went back home that night and told Dou Zhao about this matter. He said, "Do you think it has something to do with the aunt of the Ji family?"

Dou Zhao's heart skipped a beat when he heard this, and he asked, "Why did you think of this?"

Song Mo smiled and said, "If a man suddenly wants to be independent, what else could it be for other than a woman?"

Dou Zhao was embarrassed.

Before there was Song Mo, and after there was Ji Yong.

If I hadn't been able to glimpse what was happening in this life, I probably wouldn't have noticed the palace coup at all. This shows that no matter how the world changes, powerful people will remain powerful no matter where they are.

Kuang Zhuoran moved to Dou Qijun's place temporarily, while Dou Dechang stayed at home to study. Except for visiting Kuang Zhuoran once, he never left Jing'an Temple Hutong again.

Dou Zhao knew that he would pass the imperial examination, so he didn't pay much attention to Dou Dechang's change.

She asked Liu Zhang to pay attention to Song Han's changes.

Tao Erjia came to deliver a letter saying that Jiang Yan had diagnosed a pregnant woman.

Dou Zhao was overjoyed and brought half a car full of bags and things to visit Jiang Yan.

Jiang Yan was confined to the inner room by Chen Jia and was not allowed to go anywhere. When she saw Dou Zhao, she blushed with shame and muttered for a long time, not knowing what to say.

Dou Zhao smiled brightly, talked about family matters with Jiang Yan for a long time, had dinner at the Chen family, and after returning home, sent his mother, who had taken care of him during childbirth and confinement, to Yuqiao Hutong.

Song Mo frowned and said, "Don't you know how to take care of A-Yan?"

"It's not that I don't know how to take care of her, but that she's taken too good of a care." Dou Zhao smiled and said, "I'm afraid that Sister Yan will suffer when she gives birth."

Jiang Yan was already a little weak to begin with. If she kept eating, sleeping and drinking while lying down, how would she have the strength to give birth?

After Song Mo found out, he ordered Wuyi to call Chen Jia over.

Dou Zhao stopped Wu Yi and said to Song Mo, "Don't interfere in everything. Let A Yan live his own life."

Song Mo forced himself not to tell Chen Jia about this.

When Dou Zhao went there next time, he saw Chen Jia supporting Jiang Yan as they walked in the yard.

She couldn't stop laughing.

After returning home, he told Song Mo about this and said, "What do you think? I thought they would live their own lives!"

Song Mo didn't say anything. When he saw Chen Jia again, his expression brightened up.

Liu Zhang told Dou Zhao: "Someone is rampant in the village, beat someone to death, and was detained in the government office. He wants to go through the Second Master's way to change the sentence and fine. The Second Master has been busy with this matter these days!"

Dou Zhao sneered.

This Song Han really doesn't do any good.

She ordered Liu Zhang: "Don't let him succeed!"

Song Mo said, "If he asks the Liao Palace for help, and the Liao Palace is willing to help him, we should not interfere."

Dou Zhao was puzzled.

Song Mo said calmly: "After he hits a wall everywhere and finds that only the Liao Palace can help him, he will turn to the Liao Palace without hesitation and work for the Liao Palace wholeheartedly!"

This is indeed a good plan!

Dou Zhao smiled brightly and thought of Song Yichun.

She reminded Song Mo: "Do you think the Duke will help Song Han?"

"Then it depends on his fate!" Song Mo said sarcastically, "Given his character, he will never let go of the opportunity to strike me."

When Prince Liao fails, one can imagine what will happen to Song Han and Song Yichun.

Dou Zhao held Song Mo's hand.

Song Mo smiled slightly, took Dou Zhao's hand and went to Yuan Ge'er's room.

Yuan Ge'er was playing Cuju with the little maid. When he saw his parents coming in, he ran over with the ball in his arms and handed it to Song Mo: "Daddy, play!"

Song Mo laughed and took the ball from his son's hand.

Dou Zhao went to the main courtyard.

There is still more than a month until the Chinese New Year, and she still has a lot of things to do.

Cai came to visit unexpectedly.

Dou Zhao met her in the warm room with full of suspicion.

She asked Dou Zhao mysteriously, "It's being said that your Second Master committed adultery with the Duke's concubine, and the Duke beat both concubines to death. Is that true? If not, do you think of a way to dispel the rumor? It's so detailed."

Did the news finally reach the Cai family?

One concubine turned out to be two concubines.

Dou Zhao managed not to laugh with great difficulty.

She sighed, "How can I dispel such a rumor? My sister-in-law is still living on the farm! She said she won't be coming back for the New Year this year."

Cai's eyes were as big as bells.

She lost her voice and said, "Is this true?"

Dou Zhao did not comment.

Cai walked away stunned.

As Song Mo expected, Song Han was unable to get any connections here or there. The person who asked him to do so flattered him by saying that he was "the second master of the Duke of Ying's Mansion, and even the Empress Dowager treats you as her nephew." He also took out five thousand taels of silver and asked him to make the deal. He gritted his teeth and went to the Prince of Liao's Mansion for help.

Soon, the family that had beaten the man to death paid a compensation of one thousand and two taels of silver and the matter was settled.

Song Han's reputation spread in this way.

The four alleys suddenly became bustling with traffic.

However, as the New Year is approaching, Song Yichun, Song Mo and Dou Zhao will all go to the palace to have a reunion dinner.

Dou Zhao thought maliciously, it would be great if someone asked about Song Han.