Chapter 166: Laying the Railway
In the second carriage, officials were getting off the train in an orderly manner.
When one of them heard the Emperor Qingyuan's oral order to confer the title of nobility, he slipped and almost fell off the train step.
The official behind him was quick to respond and supported him: "Master Xu, be careful!"
Lord Xu broke out in a cold sweat and gasped twice with lingering fear: "Thank you, Lord Tian, I'm just... too surprised."
Mr. Tian smiled bitterly: "Who isn't?"
Not only the two of them, but all the officials present did not expect that His Majesty would promote Du Qingtang to the rank of Marquis Wen'an.
An elderly man, nearly 70 years old, had a complicated expression on his face. He twirled his long beard and muttered to himself, "Trains are truly miraculous, aren't they?"
Everyone was speechless.
It was shocking, but also impressive.
The fastest vehicle they had ever ridden in their lives was a horse-drawn carriage.
I thought this was the limit, but I never expected that I would be able to experience the feeling of riding the wind in my lifetime.
"I wonder if trains can reach all parts of Daxia. If they can, disaster relief and troop deployments would be much more efficient."
"Wen'an... Didn't Marquis Wen'an say before that the train could travel hundreds of miles a day and carry tens of thousands of people? I'm sure that's what he was planning."
In the first carriage, Emperor Qingyuan was also thinking about this problem.
"Lord Du, please stand up quickly." Emperor Qingyuan couldn't hide his enthusiasm and personally helped Du Qingtang to his feet. "Lord Du, I want this train to run throughout Daxia. I wonder if you can do it?"
"Of course you can." Du Qingtang said confidently, "We just need to design the railway route and have the craftsmen lay the tracks according to the established route, and we can easily reach all corners of the world."
"Excellent! Excellent! Excellent!" Emperor Qingyuan praised repeatedly, his eyes, which had become cloudy due to his age, now brightened a little. "Lord Du, as you are the Minister of Works, I will give this task to you..."
"but--"
Du Qingtang changed the subject and Emperor Qingyuan stopped laughing. The officials in the carriage behind him pricked up their ears secretly.
"But what?" Emperor Qingyuan threatened in a tone that was neither too light nor too heavy, but with a smile in his eyes. "Lord Du, if you keep this a secret, I will punish you for disrespect."
Du Qingtang readily replied, "If a train is to achieve large-scale transportation, it will need at least ten carriages."
"Currently, the train only has two carriages. We will need to add more carriages in the future and continue to test and improve it. I hope Your Majesty will give us some time."
Emperor Qingyuan waved his hand and said considerately, "I can give you two months. Lord Du, just go ahead and do it."
In the past thousands of years, there have been no trains, but people still provided disaster relief and mobilized troops.
It's only two months, for long-term planning, he can wait.
"Your Majesty, I thank you for your grace." Du Qingtang changed the subject. "During this period, I will dispatch craftsmen to the provinces surrounding Xiajing to lay tracks. For safety reasons, residents within three meters of the railway line will need to relocate."
"I believe the court should compensate these residents with resettlement and demolition fees."
Emperor Qingyuan frowned and asked, "Do we have to move?"
In recent years, the national treasury has become increasingly full, several times more than in the past, reaching more than 40 million taels.
However, the imperial court needed to spend money in more and more areas: border defense required money, disaster relief required money, and river embankment construction also required money.
He spends ten thousand taels today and thirty thousand taels tomorrow. He really spends money like water.
Laying tracks is expensive in itself, and if you add in the resettlement and demolition costs, Emperor Qingyuan would really feel distressed.
Du Qingtang nodded: "We must ensure the safety of trains during transportation and minimize potential safety hazards."
Train accidents still happen in modern times, let alone in ancient times.
Du Qingtang didn't dare to guarantee that a train would not have any problems from the time it was in service to the time it was scrapped.
If people living near the tracks are injured or killed, the compensation will be far more than the resettlement and demolition fees of a few dozen taels, and it will also cause people to fear and resist trains, which will not be worth the cost.
Du Qingtang also planned to make money for the national treasury by operating trains.
Emperor Qingyuan pondered for a long time, then said, enduring the pain, "Forget it, let's do as you say."
Just spend money to buy peace of mind.
Emperor Qingyuan planned to arrange for imperial envoys to conduct secret inspections of the local areas in a while, and to remove more corrupt officials. The stolen silver would be enough to cover the expenses in this regard.
Du Qingtang struck while the iron was hot and said, "In addition to trains, I personally think we can also add public buses in the city to facilitate people's travel."
"The people only need to pay a few cents for the fare, and they can reach their destination as quickly as possible, while also increasing revenue for the national treasury. This is a win-win situation. What do you think, Your Majesty?"
Emperor Qingyuan asked curiously, "Public buses are like trains, without the need for oxen, horses, or human labor to pull them?"
To be honest, Emperor Qingyuan was still immersed in the extreme shock brought by the train.
He had a lot of questions he wanted to ask Du Aiqing, but then he thought that it might involve confidential information, so he had to give up regretfully.
Du Qingtang nodded in agreement and pointed to the front of the carriage: "With this, the carriage can travel at high speed."
Emperor Qingyuan and all the officials looked towards the front of the carriage, all confused and puzzled.
Du Qingtang curled his lip imperceptibly and explained, "This thing is called a steam engine. With it, we can completely liberate the work of cattle, horses, and human labor."
The officials were amazed when they heard this.
"I can't believe there is such a miracle in the world!"
"Once the public buses are officially operational, I'll be able to sleep an extra half hour every day, and I won't have to endure the wind and sun. How wonderful! How wonderful!"
"On this point, I agree with you, Master Yuan."
When everyone heard this, they all burst into laughter.
The officials of Cao's party were originally laughing, but suddenly they found that Cao Yuan had a blank expression and was staring at the carriage with gloomy eyes. Their hearts skipped a beat, and they didn't know who had made him unhappy again. They exchanged glances with each other, but couldn't get an answer, so they reluctantly retracted their exposed front teeth.
Cao Yuan looked at the huge metal object, the words of Emperor Qingyuan just now echoing in his ears. He also recalled the humiliation Du Qingtang had inflicted on him at Duke Cheng'en's mansion that day, and his fists hidden in his sleeves clenched again and again.
Just two days after he took sick leave, that bastard Xia Ming demoted the Ministry of Revenue deputy minister he had finally recruited to Zhen'an Prefecture in Guangxi Province, the southernmost part of Daxia, on the grounds of corruption and bribery.
Although Zhen'an Prefecture was not as chaotic and violent as Shaoqing Prefecture four years ago, it was also famous for its poverty and bad waters.
Unless he makes achievements like Du Qingtang, he may not be able to come back in his lifetime.
Cao Yuan was almost mad with anger. Thinking of what the court doctor said, that one should not get angry easily, otherwise there would be a risk of stroke. He forced himself to suppress his anger and sent people to kill Guo Qian.
The guards around Du Qingtang are highly skilled in martial arts, so it's no big deal that the assassins can't get close to her, but can't they kill a mere Guo Qian?
If Guo Qian had not been more of a hindrance than a help, how could Du Qingtang have caused such a scene in Duke Cheng'en's mansion, causing him to lose a valuable aide and ruining his plan to take control of the Ministry of Revenue?
Guo Qian must die, only then can she relieve the hatred in her heart.
Who would have thought that a day later, the assassins returned empty-handed.
When asked the reason, it turned out to be because Guo Qian seemed to have disappeared from the face of the earth, and no matter how hard the assassins tried to investigate, they could not find out where he was.
Cao Yuan failed to vent his anger by killing Guo Qian, and today Du Qingtang was named Marquis Wen'an. He felt extremely unlucky.
If it weren't for his face, he really wanted to leave.
The Grand Secretary of the Dongke noticed Cao Yuan's expression and sighed in his heart.
The Prime Minister is becoming more and more impatient. Not only does his mood swings show on his face, but he is also becoming more and more moody.
It was just like the Fourth Prince who had just returned from the Imperial Mausoleum and was thrown into disarray by His Majesty.
This made many members of Cao's party feel uneasy and they began to back down.
If it weren't for the fact that a broken ship still had three thousand nails, and if it weren't for Cao Yuan's vindictiveness and his habit of killing betrayers, they really wanted to leave.
Even if he could not rely on the one sitting on the throne, at least he would not be demoted, dismissed from his post, or even lose his life.
The Grand Secretary of the Dongke wanted to retreat while the going was good and protect himself, but his granddaughter was the consort of the Fourth Prince, and his niece's daughter was a concubine of the Fifth Prince.
He was too deeply involved with Cao's party and could no longer escape.
"Sir, if you can be patient, you can accomplish anything." The Grand Secretary of the Dongge said in a voice as soft as a mosquito, "Please be patient for a while. Once our people find out whose name is written on the imperial edict, you can..."
Cao Yuan disagreed and just wanted to sneer.
What can I do even if I know?
Change the name on the imperial edict?
As long as Xia Ming is still alive, he will find out sooner or later, and then make the entire court panic and unable to live in peace.
The only solution now is to kill Xia Ming and all the princes except the fifth prince.
There is only one person left in the royal family, so this can ensure that the next emperor will be the fifth prince.
Cao Yuan's eyes flickered, and in an instant he made a decision, and his expression gradually relaxed.
Seeing this, the Grand Secretary of the Dongke secretly breathed a sigh of relief, stepped aside and continued to look at the train.
Even he had to admit that Du Qingtang was a man of great talent.
If it can be used by the Fifth Prince, it will definitely help him ascend to the throne.
Unfortunately, Du Qingtang is not so easy to recruit. If you make her angry and she bites you back, and the matter is brought to the Golden Palace in front of His Majesty, it will be a loss of both the wife and the army.
......
Emperor Qingyuan was unaware of Cao Yuan's plan. He stood up and walked to the front of the train, carefully observing the steam engine that Du Aiqing had mentioned.
After studying it for a while, he could not figure out anything. He sighed that everyone has their own expertise, and sat back down without changing his expression. He asked confidently, "Lord Du, I want to sit here again."
Du Qingtang: “…”
Seeing Du Qingtang's silence, Emperor Qingyuan raised his eyebrows: "Why? Not allowed?"
Du Qingtang: "...Of course, Your Majesty, please wait a moment, I will make the arrangements."
Emperor Qingyuan twirled his beard and smiled, "Thank you, my dear Lord Du."
The feeling of walking with the wind was so wonderful that he felt he wanted more.
I don’t know when I can leave the palace again, or when I can experience the feeling of riding a train again, so today I must ride it to my heart’s content.
"Your Majesty, you are too kind." Du Qingtang exchanged pleasantries with him and went to inform the researchers to conduct a second trial.
The officials had already gotten off the train and were gathering in groups of three or five, engaging in heated discussions about the train.
When they learned that a second trial was going to be held, they had no time to imagine the future. The officials, who were in high positions and mostly experienced, walked briskly into the carriage like a gust of wind and took their seats in an orderly manner.
Du Qingtang gave the researcher a few instructions and then returned to the carriage. "Your Majesty, if you like trains, you can have a small four-wheeled carriage built that can only accommodate three or five people. Then, tracks can be laid in the palace. You can travel back and forth between the Palace of Heavenly Purity, the Hall of Supreme Harmony, and the Imperial Study every day, and you won't need to ride the dragon sedan chair anymore."
Riding on a dragon chariot is okay in spring and autumn, but it is extremely hot in summer with scorching sun, and extremely cold in winter with biting winds. Even with curtains to block the view, it is still painful.
Emperor Qingyuan pondered for a moment, then clapped his hands and said with a smile, "Lord Du, this is a brilliant plan. Once the trains and buses are built, I will order people to build buses."
As we were talking, a rhythmic whistle sounded and the train slowly moved out.
Emperor Qingyuan pushed open the sliding window, and the spring breeze instantly poured into the carriage, ruffling his hair and beard.
The train gradually picked up speed, and the scenery on both sides rapidly receded, like a grand and magnificent watercolor painting.
Emperor Qingyuan did not tidy up his appearance, letting his hair and beard flutter in the wind, and slowly closed his eyes.
He took a deep breath, and his nostrils were filled with the scent of spring that represented freedom.
At this moment, he forgot about his responsibility to run the country and all the grudges and love.
At this moment, he was just Xia Ming.
Xia Ming is carefree, happy and relaxed.
......
The train circled the imperial farm three times.
When Emperor Qingyuan and the officials got off the car, everyone had a genuine smile on their face.
The officials who used to dislike Du Qingtang and often criticized her behind her back now looked at her again and inexplicably found her much more pleasing to their eyes.
"Regardless of whether Du Qingtang is a man or a woman, her abilities are obvious to all."
"Trains benefit all people. No wonder Your Majesty promoted her to Marquis Wen'an. Throughout the centuries, I have never seen a marquis younger than her."
"Congratulations to her! She's been promoted again in just one year. At this rate, won't she be a Duke next year?"
Although they admired Du Qingtang's ability, it did not prevent everyone from feeling jealous and making sarcastic remarks loudly.
Du Qingtang glanced at it and ignored it.
If you can't stand her but can't get rid of her, then just put up with her.
Emperor Qingyuan did not forget the researchers who had worked with Du Aiqing on the development of the train. He announced in a loud voice, "The six of you have made great contributions to the development of the train. You are promoted to the rank of eighth-rank official and given an additional 100 taels of gold as a reward."
After passing the assessment of the institute, these researchers were awarded ninth-rank official positions.
Logically speaking, they can only stop here in this life.
But since they participated in the development of trains and made great contributions, Emperor Qingyuan promoted them as an exception.
Firstly, it is a reward, and secondly, it is also a way to motivate everyone——
As long as you make achievements, promotion is just around the corner.
The researchers were overjoyed and kowtowed repeatedly to express their gratitude: "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your grace! Long live Your Majesty!"
Seeing this, the other researchers couldn't help but feel sour.
Isn't it just by chance that I learned the art of machinery, and by chance was chosen by the head of the academy, and together we built a train?
You see, the steam engine was drawn up by the head of the academy alone, and then built by himself.
At most, those six people helped the dean and modified the steam engine according to the dean's requirements.
Compared with the achievements, there is more hard work.
If they were also good at mechanical engineering, they would definitely do better than those six people.
But they were not discouraged.
Your Majesty will not treat meritorious officials unfairly. As long as they develop things that benefit the country and the people, they will not have to worry about not being rewarded.
No matter whether the reward is money or an official position, as long as it can bring honor to the family, they will be satisfied and will wake up with a smile in their dreams.
-
After the train trial was completed, Emperor Qingyuan returned to the palace, and the officials also returned to their respective posts. After checking in, they began a new busy day.
Du Qingtang returned to the Ministry of Works and without even having time to drink a sip of tea, he summoned Doctor Wan from the Du Shui Qing Li Si.
"The train has passed two test runs this morning. His Majesty has ordered the Ministry of Works to lay track throughout the country. I have other important matters to attend to, so I'll leave this matter to you."
In addition to managing the Du Shui Qing Li Si, Langzhong Wan is also the deputy director of the research institute, making him the most suitable person to be responsible for this task.
"Just like when we paved the cement road before, we'll organize a construction team, starting with Xiajing and gradually radiating outwards. We'll strive to have all 140 prefectures paved with tracks by this time next year."
“In addition to the train tracks, there are also tracks in the city dedicated to public buses.”
Doctor Wan was puzzled: "Excuse me, sir, what is a public bus?"
After Du Qingtang explained, Doctor Wan suddenly understood: "So that's how it is! At that time, we can charge according to the distance of the journey, ranging from one to five cents. Although the fare is relatively low, it will add up over the years and it will be a considerable income."
Du Qingtang remained noncommittal. Public buses are a convenience facility, and low prices will attract more passengers.
"Oh, one more thing." Du Qingtang picked up his pen and scribbled on the paper before handing it to Doctor Wan. "Here are some precautions for laying the track. Have the construction team memorize them and confirm them three times before starting."
"Any household within three meters of the railway line must move out. After registering, submit the household list and the required fees. After verification, go to the Ministry of Revenue to withdraw the money."
Doctor Wan took it with both hands and promised solemnly, "Don't worry, sir. I will do my best to complete the task. I will also carefully select the craftsmen for the construction team and strive to lay the tracks as soon as possible so that trains can run throughout Daxia!"
Everyone loves to hear nice words, and Du Qingtang is no exception. He couldn't help but smile and said, "I'm sure you'll do your job well. Once you've done your job well, I'll definitely commend you to His Majesty."
Doctor Wan was overjoyed and bowed deeply: "Thank you very much, sir!"
After Doctor Wan left, Du Qingtang drank two cups of tea and started to handle official business.
It was almost noon when Du Qingtang returned from the imperial farm. After reviewing all three piles of official documents, he went straight to the research institute.
Just as Du Qingtang said before, the researchers have only built two carriages so far. Now that the track has been laid, she took this opportunity to invite Emperor Qingyuan and important officials in the court to come and experience it.
According to the relevant data of the steam engine, it should be able to drive eighteen carriages.
Du Qingtang plans to recruit more researchers who are good at this field and try to build the remaining sixteen carriages this month.
Then it will take another ten days to half a month for trial operation and improvements, and by the end of May, the line will be officially open to traffic in Xiajing and surrounding provinces.
......
Du Qingtang stayed in the research institute for more than an hour, working with more than ten craftsmen to build the prototype of a public bus. As the sun set and wisps of smoke rose from the imperial farm, she headed home.
When they were about to enter the city, Du Qingtang saw the construction team clearing the wasteland beside the official road.
Once in the city, there were construction teams laying tracks for public buses.
Compared to outside the city, there is no need to clear the roads in the city. At this speed, people can get on the bus soon.
Many people stood watching from a distance, with smiles on their faces, looking around curiously and talking about it.
“What is the construction team doing?”
"Last time they built public toilets and garbage stations, and the time before that they paved cement roads. This time will definitely be a good thing too."
"Hearing you say that, I'm looking forward to it even more."
Du Qingtang glanced at the people going in and out of the public toilets, and the children throwing their garbage into the garbage station and running away happily, and couldn't help but curl his lips.
However, in just seven years, thanks to her efforts, Daxia became prosperous, the country was peaceful and the people were safe, and the scene was full of prosperity.
She dedicated her life's learning to Daxia, and Daxia became her "stage" to show herself, letting the world know that women's talents are no less than men's.
This is probably what is called a two-way rush.
Du Qingtang rode a horse from the west to the east of the city.
The Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of Works were very efficient, and the plaque of "Marquis Wen'an's Mansion" had been changed to "Marquis Wen'an's Mansion".
The plaque with gold characters on a black background is magnificent, fully demonstrating the supreme honor and power of the marquis's mansion.
Du Qingtang admired it for a moment, threw the reins to the doorman, and walked into the Wen'an Marquis Mansion.
We already have a Marquis's Mansion, so how far away can a Duke's Mansion be?
After entering the door and taking a few steps, Meng Fang came up to greet him with a smile and bowed: "Congratulations, my master, on your promotion to marquis."
Du Qingtang remained calm and said, "I am able to achieve what I have today because of your majesty's appreciation and trust."
This is the truth.
If Emperor Qingyuan had not valued her, how could she realize her ambitions in the court, let alone be honored with the title of Marquis Wen'an.
Meng Fang smiled without saying anything, his tone soft and gentle: "Master, Shaoqing Mansion has sent hundreds of kilograms of beef and mutton. I have already sent them to the kitchen."
"In addition to beef and mutton, there are also fruits and dried fruits. The fruits and vegetables were sent all the way from Shaoqing Prefecture to Xiajing, and many of them were damaged. I took the initiative to deal with the damaged fruits and vegetables, and sent the rest to the kitchen."
"Two of the porcelain jars containing dried fruit are also broken. The intact ones have been sent to the main courtyard," Meng Fang said, and presented a letter. "This was sent with the food. Please take a look."
Du Qingtang took the envelope and the words "To Uncle Master" flowed freely and elegantly, just like Yao Jingzhou's character. "Send half of the food to the Princess's residence, and have the kitchen prepare a few more dishes."
There is a huge difference between earl and marquis, so naturally he has to celebrate this promotion with his family.
Meng Fang responded softly and retreated respectfully.
Du Qingtang read the letter as he walked towards the main courtyard.
In addition to reporting on the current situation in Shaoqing Prefecture, Yao Jingzhou also said that several groups of people went to Shaoqing Prefecture to inquire about information last year. Fortunately, they were discovered in time by his people and all of them were dealt with, so that the news was not spread.
Du Qingtang looked at the words "Respectfully reported by nephew Wen Jing" in the lower right corner, frowning thoughtfully.
Looking around the court, there are countless people who dislike her, but there are only a few who are real enemies of her, and they can be counted on one hand.
Cao Yuan was one of them, and there were also the former Tongzhengshi and Honglusiqing.
Du Qingtang's hatred for the former can be traced back to her previous life. If it weren't for that bastard Cao Yuan, she would never have been entangled by the mad dog of the Fifth Prince and ended up with such a tragic end.
Their grudge against the latter was that Du Qingtang, in collusion with Princess Zhaoyang, broke their son's legs and caused them to be demoted three levels and sent to serve as local officials.
Most likely Cao Yuan.
Last year, she failed to win him over and instead lost the fourth prince. More than thirty years of planning went down the drain. That's why Cao Yuan acted like a mad dog, biting and barking at her whenever he saw her.
In order to bring her down, it is not impossible to send people to Shaoqing Prefecture to investigate again.
Just as I was thinking about it, a clear female voice came from behind me: "Present the jade!"
Du Qingtang looked back and saw Du Qingju walking towards her with a medicine box on her back.
The setting sun fell on Du Qingju's fair face, giving her a layer of honey color, making her look warm and sweet.
Du Qingtang paused, waiting for Du Qingju to approach. His breath was filled with the bitter aroma of medicine, mixed with a hint of rust. "Has the Imperial Hospital been providing free medical services outside the palace again recently?"
Du Qingju was stunned for a moment, lowered her head and sniffed, then shook her head helplessly: "Xianyu, you are still so perceptive."
Du Qingtang smiled without saying anything. He couldn't say that he had seen too much blood in recent years and was very sensitive to the smell of blood.
"The free clinic just ended at the end of March. It's only been a few days, and it's already started again." Du Qingju walked forward carrying the medicine box. "I picked up this smell at the Seventh Prince's Mansion."
Du Qingtang glanced sideways: "Is the Seventh Prince's Consort unwell again?"
"Not really." Du Qingju shook her head, her expression somewhat subtle. "Although the Seventh Prince's wife is pregnant, the Seventh Prince still rests in the main courtyard on the first and fifteenth days of the lunar month, but they sleep in separate rooms."
"The Seventh Prince took advantage of this opportunity to sleep with a maid in the main courtyard. That maid was conceited and secretly got pregnant. She also did that kind of thing with the Seventh Prince."
"This morning, while serving the Seventh Prince, I accidentally scratched him with my fingernails. The Seventh Prince was furious and kicked the maid in the stomach, causing her to bleed profusely. It happened that I was there to check the Seventh Prince's wife's pulse and I stopped the bleeding."
Du Qingtang: "...It's really messy."
"That's right." Du Qingju whispered softly, "There are all kinds of monsters and demons in the Seventh Prince's backyard. It was the Seventh Prince's wife who was gentle and gentle, so she was so angry that she bled on the spot."
Du Qingtang pointed out sarcastically: "In the final analysis, it's still the Seventh Prince's problem."
If he respected his wife, his concubines and mistresses would not dare to make trouble.
Du Qingtang couldn't help but think divergently, thinking of Emperor Qingyuan's seven sons.
From the eldest prince to the seventh prince, none of them is good. Some are arrogant, some are stupid, and some are cruel. They are all ugly and have far more shortcomings than advantages.
The saying "good bamboo produces bad bamboo shoots" is exactly what this family is like.
However, Du Qingtang felt that Emperor Qingyuan himself had problems.
Raising a child but not educating him is worse than treating his son to his subject. At least if she did something bad, Emperor Qingyuan would cover for her.
Perhaps all his fatherly love was poured into Princess Zhaoyang, and he could not spare a single bit for other children.
This is also a good thing. At least Princess Zhaoyang's position as crown prince is secure, and she is the next emperor for sure.
Du Qingtang's thoughts raced as the main courtyard neared him: "When will the Seventh Prince's wife give birth?"
"There's still a month and a half left," Du Qingju explained casually. "Because it's twins, the delivery is risky, and the Seventh Prince's wife plans to have a cesarean section."
Du Qingtang raised his eyebrows slightly. "Is this the second time that Eighth Sister has performed a cesarean section on a woman since she came to Xiajing?"
Du Qingju nodded. The first time was when she performed a caesarean section on a peasant woman who had fallen while working and was dying. No one had contacted her since then.
"Many people today believe that their bodies and hair are given by their parents, and would rather use forceps and die in childbirth than have a caesarean section to deliver the baby." Du Qingju sighed helplessly.
"Once the Seventh Prince's wife gives birth safely, more people will probably accept it." Du Qingtang used the letter paper as a fan and fanned himself. "I'm going to go in and change clothes first, and then have dinner. I worked up a sweat at the research institute, and now my body is sticky and uncomfortable."
Du Qingju suddenly remembered something and slapped her forehead: "Look at my memory. When I walked in, I was thinking about congratulating you, but you distracted me like that and I almost forgot."
As she spoke, she smiled and cupped her hands, "Congratulations on Xianyu's promotion to Marquis Wen'an. We must celebrate properly tonight."
Du Qingtang responded with a "OK", waved and went in, while Du Qingju went to check Du Qingmei's pulse as usual.
Du Qingmei has been back at the Wen'an Marquis Mansion for half a month. Every day she takes the blood-replenishing pills specially prescribed for her by Du Qingju to make up for some of the loss caused by the miscarriage.
"You're recovering well, but you still need to stay in bed for the full two months. Stay out of the wind and keep warm."
Du Qingju withdrew her hand, took out the silver needle, and said casually, "Xianyu has made another contribution today. His Majesty is very pleased and has conferred her the title of Marquis of Wen'an."
Du Qingmei had already learned about this from Cuizhen. She lay on the bed and let Du Qingju insert the silver needle into the acupoint on her back.
"Don't blame Xianyu. She has her own difficulties. It's even harder for her than for all of us."
"The reason you can lie here safely and soundly during your confinement period is because Xianyu risked being impeached by all the officials, beat Guo Qian half to death, and then went to the Cheng'en Mansion to cause a scene."
"Admittedly, Fifth Sister, you were imprisoned because you wanted to help Xianyu... But if you hadn't insisted on offering the jade to Guo Qian to secure an official position, none of this mess would have happened."
Du Qingju spoke softly as she inserted the last silver needle into the acupuncture point. "Okay, I'm going to the outer room to read some medical books. Remember to remind me to come and get the needle after one stick of incense."
As she turned around, Du Qingmei suddenly spoke, her voice hoarse and dull: "I admitted my mistake to Xianyu, but she ignored me."
Du Qingju was a little surprised and chuckled. Her tone was calm, as if she was stating a fact: "If I were to offer you jade, I wouldn't want to bother with you."
No matter how strong Xianyu is, she is also a kind-hearted person and cannot help being hurt and exploited repeatedly by her own sister.
Du Qingmei's heart seemed to be grabbed, as if she was suffocating, and she felt a sharp pain.
"I know Xianyu is right not to forgive me." Du Qingmei suppressed the sob in her throat and said in a low voice, "I can't forgive myself either."
She has done too many wrong things, and her current situation is all her own fault.
She did not ask for forgiveness from her sisters at home, but simply wanted to tell them that she regretted it, she knew she was wrong, and she decided to turn over a new leaf.
Du Qingju just sighed lightly, lifted the bead curtain and went out.
After Du Qingmei finished the acupuncture, Du Qingju went back to her residence, changed her clothes, and trotted to the dining room.
Because acupuncture took some time, when Du Qingju arrived, everyone was already there and they were congratulating Du Qingtang one after another.
Du Qingtang felt uncomfortable with their praise. Seeing Du Qingju, he acted as if he had seen a savior and quickly stopped them: "Okay, enough talking, let's eat."
Du Qingju couldn't help laughing, but Du Qingtang glanced at her lightly. She quickly stopped laughing, raised her glass first, and said seriously: "I was promoted to marquis for presenting the jade!"
Upon hearing this, everyone raised their glasses.
"Being promoted to marquis for offering jade!"
Everyone spoke in unison, and their eyes, filled with blessings and joy, fell on Du Qingtang in unison.
Du Qingtang coughed lightly and lowered his eyes. A smiling face was reflected in the wine in the glass.
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