As Dou Zhao entered her grandmother’s resting room, Ji Yong’s clear voice was resonating passionately: “…You see, this is what the Buddhist scriptures say, but how many people in those bustling temples practice it? They’re all focused on how to increase their wealth. How are they any different from worldly merchants? You don’t need to donate so much money for incense every year. In the end, it’s just being misused by them without conscience!”
Grandmother, sitting in the master’s chair, and Hong Gu, standing behind her, stared at Ji Yong with slack-jawed expressions, looking somewhat dazed.
“Cousin Ji!” Dou Zhao quickly interrupted, “When did you return? How is Sixth Aunt? How are the Eleventh Brother and Twelfth Brother? Have the two families decided on a wedding date?”
Ji Yong glanced at the sun outside and asked in surprise, “What were you doing in the prefecture? Why are you back so early?”
His response, though unrelated to her questions, brought relief to Grandmother and Hong Gu. Grandmother, as if finding a savior, said loudly, “Shou Gu, you’re finally back! Ji Gongzi has been explaining Buddhist teachings to us all day. He must be parched. After you’ve had some tea, why don’t you both go see Second Madam? Nanny Liu has come looking for you several times today. She must be anxious by now.” She seemed eager to send them off.
What’s all this about?
Dou Zhao couldn’t help but look towards Hong Gu.
Hong Gu quietly pointed at Ji Yong and said, “Ji Gongzi wants to participate in next year’s spring imperial examinations. He finds the capital too noisy and Yixing too far. He heard that Heshou Hall has a rich collection of books, one of the best in the entire North Zhili. He asked the Fifth Master if he could stay at Heshou Hall for a while. Seventh Master said this matter still needs to be discussed with you. Second Madam sent Nanny Liu to invite you over to discuss this. Nanny Liu came several times but couldn’t find you. Ji Gongzi couldn’t wait and came over first, waiting for you until now…”
Being so kind to Ji Yong?
Could it be that after Fifth Uncle entered the cabinet, he decided to draw closer to the Ji family?
Ji Yong was full of schemes. If he had made up his mind to move in, the more she tried to stop him, the more interesting he would find it, and the more he would try to move in by any means necessary. She didn’t have the time or energy to deal with him. Moreover, if the elders in the family agreed and she didn’t, wouldn’t she offend everyone? It might be better to just let him move in.
“A good sword suits a hero, and rouge suits a beauty,” Dou Zhao smiled. “Since Grandfather passed away, Heshou Hall has been empty. Cousin Ji can rarely make use of it. If Father has agreed, there’s no need to consult me. I’ll go inform Second Madam right away, so she won’t have to keep worrying about this matter.”
Hearing this, Ji Yong blinked but said nothing. After finishing his tea and thanking Grandmother, he walked out of the Chuihua Gate side by side with Dou Zhao, who had changed her clothes.
“I heard Mr. Chen went to the capital to visit friends?” he suddenly said before getting into the carriage. “Why didn’t you write a letter to Seventh Uncle? The capital is crowded and complex, and he hasn’t been there for a long time. It would be good to have someone look after him!”
“Mr. Chen said it was his matter and didn’t want to trouble Father and the uncles,” Dou Zhao smiled. “I couldn’t take it upon myself to decide, could I?” With that, she got into the carriage.
Ji Yong raised an eyebrow and got into his carriage.
Second Madam’s intention was less about consulting Dou Zhao and more about informing her: “You grew up with your Sixth Aunt, as close as mother and daughter. Ji Gongzi is your Sixth Aunt’s nephew from her maiden family, which makes him your cousin. He’s about to take the imperial examinations, and we have such convenient facilities here. There’s no reason not to accommodate our relatives. If you girls feel uncomfortable, you can all move to stay with Aunt Cui.”
Since you elders have all said so, I have even less reason to object.
Dou Zhao grumbled inwardly but smiled and said, “Heshou Hall already has a side door that leads directly outside. There’s nothing inconvenient about it. When do you think Cousin Ji from the Ji family should move in? I’ll have someone clean up Heshou Hall.”
Second Madam was satisfied with Dou Zhao’s attitude. She glanced at Ji Yong, asking when he would move in.
In front of the Second Madam, Ji Yong was dignified and courteous, as gentle as jade. He pondered, “Why don’t I move in today? That way, we won’t need to clean up a guest room here. I’ve brought a few people with me, so I can take care of the cleaning, cousin.”
Second Madam nodded with a smile, “That sounds good.” She then took Ji Yong’s hand and instructed him, “If you need anything or are short of something, feel free to come and tell me.”
Ji Yong looked straight ahead respectfully and said, “Madam, you’re too kind. I heard from my aunt that my cousin has been managing the West Mansion very well. I’m sure there’s rarely a need to trouble you.” By the end of his words, there was a hint of a smile in his voice.
Second Madam was slightly taken aback but quickly laughed, “That’s thanks to your aunt’s good teaching.”
Ji Yong smiled without speaking.
The servants in the room all laughed flatteringly.
Dou Zhao also smiled, pressing her lips together.
This Ji Yong, although he occasionally caused some trouble and seemed a bit unreliable, never hesitated when it came to important matters.
She felt a sense of gratitude towards Ji Yong in her heart.
As they left Second Madam’s room, she couldn’t help but ask him, “Do you have a courtesy name?”
“Not yet,” Ji Yong smiled nonchalantly. “When I think of one, you’ll be the first to know.”
Is this person Monk Yuantong?
Dou Zhao felt somewhat troubled, but realizing there was no use in rushing such matters, she pushed it to the back of her mind and made small talk with him. “Why did you suddenly decide to participate in next year’s spring imperial examinations? Wasn’t the old master intending to have you gain more experience for a few years?”
He pursed his lips and said, “I realized it’s more convenient to pass the imperial examinations and become a Jinshi.”
Dou Zhao laughed heartily and said, “What unreliable thing are you planning to do now?”
Ji Yong’s eyes flickered slightly.
He knew she would ask him this! But he hadn’t expected Dou Zhao to ask with a smile. In his expectation, she should have been expressionless, with a mocking look in her eyes, disdainfully glancing at him. But for some reason, thinking of the rustling of clothes behind the pearl curtain and the giggles of the young ladies when he accompanied Dou Zhengchang to visit his uncle’s house that day, and seeing Dou Zhao’s open and bright smile now, his mood suddenly became as expansive as clouds: “What do you think, is it possible that the Heshibi jade became part of the First Emperor’s burial goods?”
He’s not planning to dig up the First Emperor’s tomb, is he?
Dou Zhao couldn’t help but become angry: “How could you do such a thing? Disturbing people’s sacrifices is an act that damages one’s virtue…”
“Why are you so angry?” Ji Yong’s reaction was even bigger than hers. “I just want to properly study the Qin calendar. How did that become disturbing sacrifices and damaging virtue?”
Dou Zhao was speechless.
Ji Yong strode past her, but the corners of his mouth couldn’t help but curl higher and higher.
Dou Zhao sighed helplessly as Suxin came to report: “Young Master Mei has quietly left the estate.”
But Lu Ming was still staying with the Dou family!
Dou Zhao remained silent. She instructed Suxin to manage the trivial matters of Heshou Hall, and repeatedly warned her: “Make sure he doesn’t tear down Heshou Hall, and we end up helping him move bricks and stones.”
Suxin looked doubtful, clearly somewhat skeptical of her words.
Dou Zhao sighed deeply.
Why were all the people she encountered so different on the inside from how they appeared on the outside?
She ignored him, but he came looking for her.
“Hey, where exactly did your accountant go?” Ji Yong barged into the flower room, asking Dou Zhao who was watering the flowers. “What did he tell you? Do you know what his friend’s name is?”
Dou Zhao glanced at him coldly, saying “I don’t know,” before lowering her head to continue watering the flowers.
Ji Yong furrowed his brows and snatched the watering can from her hand. “I can’t find this person at all!”
Dou Zhao was secretly alarmed by his words.
Had Ji Yong discovered something?
Otherwise, why would he suddenly be so interested in Mr. Chen?
Thinking of Ji Yong’s devilish intelligence, she felt a bit panicked. To cover up this emotion, she pretended to be angry and snatched the watering can back from his hand, questioning dismissively, “Do you think the capital is your home? You think you can find whoever you want?” But her heart was pounding.
Ji Yong took the can from her hands again, thought for a moment, and placed it where Dou Zhao couldn’t reach. Then he looked at her seriously and said, “Do you know who this Chen Bo is? The last time I saw him, he seemed very experienced, so I had someone investigate him carefully. He used to be an advisor to Zhang Kai, the Provincial Governor of Fujian. When Japanese pirates besieged Fuzhou that year, Zhang Kai abandoned the city and fled. You can’t trust someone who betrays trust and abandons righteousness like that…”
Dou Zhao breathed a sigh of relief.
“I know he used to be Zhang Kai’s advisor,” she said sincerely. “Back then, Zhang Kai held a high position and great power. In such a matter of life and death, how could Mr. Chen, a mere advisor, have influenced him? Mr. Chen has always been ashamed of this, which is why he settled in East Alley Street, a place of diverse people and mixed characters. We can’t condemn a person forever for a single mistake, can we?”
“If he truly repented, I wouldn’t expose his identity,” Ji Yong’s brows furrowed even more. “The problem is that he told you he was going to the capital to visit friends, but in reality, he’s disappeared without a trace…”
His words, however, lifted the heavy stone from Dou Zhao’s heart.
Thankfully, Song Mo was cautious in his actions. Otherwise, given Ji Yong’s personality, if he had discovered anything unusual about Mr. Chen, he would have curiously investigated further… That would have been troublesome!
She suddenly realized that having such a person around was also a burden.
Sulan rushed in with a letter, and upon seeing Ji Yong, her expression became slightly guarded, showing a very wary attitude towards him.
What has this guy done now?
Dou Zhao beckoned to Sulan: “Whose letter is it?”
Sulan quickly replied, “A letter from Mr. Chen. It’s from the capital.”
Ji Yong was stunned and reached out to take the letter, but Dou Zhao snatched it first.
“This is for me!” she warned Ji Yong silently.
Ji Yong, however, was unconcerned and said casually, “I’m just worried you might be deceived!”
Ignoring him, Dou Zhao returned to her room and had Sulan guard the door before unfolding the letter to read.
Song Mo had lifted the restrictions on Chen Qushui and had relaxed his vigilance towards him. When Chen Qushui had questions, he could ask the servants around him, and they would answer, unlike before when they kept their mouths shut. Chen Qushui thus discovered that the Jiang family’s information network in the capital was actually in Song Mo’s hands. He decided to use the excuse of visiting Dou Shiying, Dou Shiheng, and others to stay in the capital for a few more days, hoping to use Song Mo’s people to gather some information about the court before returning.
Isn’t that like asking a tiger for its skin?
Dou Zhao burned Mr. Chen’s letter and watched Sulan bury the ashes in the flower bed before returning to her room to write a letter to Chen Qushui, urging him to return soon and not to take unnecessary risks.
She never dared to underestimate Song Mo.