After seeing off the people from Tan Family Manor, Dou Zhao breathed a sigh of relief.
Song Mo didn’t return until the afternoon, around 5-7 PM.
She told him about Madam Tan’s visit and jokingly asked, “What have you done this time? You’ve made the Tan family come from Zhending to Beijing just to clarify their stance.”
Song Mo felt quite helpless and said, “The Tan family is overthinking. Not only did they once help us in our time of need, but given their esteemed position in the jianghu world, I wouldn’t provoke them without reason.”
Dou Zhao glanced around, seeing that the maids and servants had left, and quietly asked, “What about that child? What are Fifth Uncle’s plans?”
After all, it was his only son. Would he just keep raising him at Tan Family Manor?
Song Mo’s eyes revealed a hint of reluctance as he said softly, “This is Fifth Uncle’s wish. He says that even if the Jiang family experiences a moment of calm, there will inevitably be turbulent times ahead, and no one knows what the future holds. Since the child has managed to escape danger, it’s his fate, and we shouldn’t interfere. It’s also a way to preserve a bloodline for the Jiang family.”
Dou Zhao remained silent.
From Jiang Bosun’s words, it seemed he had made preparations for the Jiang family’s future. Hopefully, he wasn’t just all talk and could lead the Jiang family out of their low point.
Women with children are especially sympathetic towards other children. Song Mo thought Dou Zhao was worried about the child’s difficult fate and gently comforted her, “Misfortune might be a blessing in disguise. The Jiang family’s current situation is still very difficult. The child is safer staying at Tan Family Manor.” He continued, “Didn’t you say you can’t experience extreme emotions right now? Let’s not think about these things. After dinner, I’ll play chess with you.”
Hearing this, Dou Zhao’s mood improved significantly, and she smiled, “Has Gu Yu left?”
“Yes,” Song Mo replied, putting his arm around Dou Zhao’s shoulders as they entered the inner chamber. “I saw him off at Anding Gate. He’ll be back before the Little New Year.” He then described some scenes from the farewell to cheer her up.
Du Wei sent a servant to report back to Song Mo: “…Those five pomegranate ornaments originally belonged to Chen Jia’s late godfather, Chen Zuxun. They were family heirlooms. After Chen Zuxun’s death, the Chen family lost their hereditary position, and his son also passed away from shock. Only Chen Zuxun’s elderly wife was left to care for her daughter-in-law and young grandson. They were often harassed by former members of the Jinyiwei, and their financial situation worsened day by day. After Chen Jia was promoted to Zhenfu Si Qianshi, he started supporting the Chen family. Later, when he needed to give gifts but couldn’t afford them, Chen Zuxun’s elderly wife learned of this and gave him these pomegranate ornaments.”
Anyone who held a position of power in the Jinyiwei was quite wealthy.
Chen Jia had been out of favor in the Jinyiwei for the past few years and almost lost his position. He had spent all his savings from his time with Chen Zuxun on bribes and networking. Although Song Mo had put in a good word for him with Wang Yuan, he still had to pay out of his pocket for currying favor with superiors and socializing with colleagues. It was no surprise that he was now penniless.
Dou Zhao pondered, “I wonder if the Chen family willingly gave them up or if they were forced to?”
“They probably gave them willingly,” the servant smiled. “The Chen family now treats Chen Jia like their own son, hoping he’ll help their grandson maintain the family’s status!”
Hearing this, Song Mo fell silent for a moment before asking, “How much money does Chen Jia owe?”
The servant was startled and blurted out, “How did the Young Master know that Chen Jia owes a lot of money?”
Song Mo had been in a very good mood since learning about Dou Zhao’s possible pregnancy. He wasn’t bothered by the servant’s reaction and said, “It’s not hard to guess. Although the Chen family has fallen on hard times, Chen Zuxun was once a Qianhu in the Zhenfu Si. Even if former colleagues are kicking them while they’re down, in the capital during these peaceful times, things can’t be too outrageous. The Chen family must still have some resources left. Since they’re counting on Chen Jia to help their grandson maintain their status, their fates are intertwined.
If Chen Jia succeeds, the Chen family will preserve their wealth. If he fails, the Chen family will eventually decline as well. Naturally, they’ll fully support Chen Jia, and right now, they can only help him financially. Chen Jia has been living beyond his means for years, even renting his home. His financial situation is obvious. How could the Chen family not support him with money? Yet he can’t even afford to give gifts, which shows the debt is too large for the Chen family to fill.” At this point, he smiled faintly, the corners of his mouth turning up. “Since that’s the case, I’ll help him repay his debts! Consider it payment for these five pomegranate ornaments.”
The servant’s mouth fell open in surprise.
Dou Zhao couldn’t help but chide, “Do you like these pomegranate ornaments that much?”
Song Mo looked at Dou Zhao with a slight smile and said, “These pomegranate ornaments arrived at just the right time. How could I not like them?”
Dou Zhao’s face immediately turned bright red.
Song Mo called Chen He in, “Go to the accounting office and withdraw some money. Pay off all of Chen Jia’s debts.”
Chen He responded, “Yes, sir.”
The servant couldn’t help but mutter, “Chen Jia owes more than twenty thousand taels of silver…”
Dou Zhao was shocked and exclaimed, “How did he end up owing so much?”
Song Mo, however, didn’t even furrow his brow. His expression remained unchanged as he instructed Chen He, “Go to the accounting office and withdraw the money.”
The servant shuddered and quickly bowed respectfully to Song Mo before retreating with Chen He.
Song Mo then embraced Dou Zhao and leaned against the large pillow, whispering, “This Chen Jia knows how to play the game. Owing twenty or thirty thousand taels of silver was to be expected.” He teased her, laughing, “I originally estimated he’d owe fifty or sixty thousand taels. Who knew he only owed twenty thousand? It seems his foundation is too weak. Even moneylenders wouldn’t dare lend him too much. I wonder if his credit will improve after I help him repay his debts this time. Will it be easier for him to borrow money in the future?”
Dou Zhao couldn’t help but laugh, saying, “I don’t know if you’re helping him or harming him by doing this.”
“Who cares?” Song Mo said nonchalantly. “Even parents can’t follow their children for life. If he encounters any problems in the future and doesn’t think about how to solve them himself, what does it have to do with me?”
That was true.
Dou Zhao smiled, pressing her lips together.
Song Mo then said, “Early tomorrow morning, I’ll go to Daxiangguo Temple and ask the abbot to bless these pomegranate ornaments. Then we’ll place them at our bedside. They say it brings many children and blessings.” As he spoke, his hand slipped into Dou Zhao’s clothes and gently caressed her abdomen. “When will we know for sure? I want to invite Aunt over to take care of you.” He looked so eager that Dou Zhao couldn’t help but laugh again.
Chen Jia stared at the twenty thousand taels in bank notes that Chen He had delivered, his face as dark as if it were about to rain.
Huzi hadn’t noticed and was counting the full box of banknotes again.
“Brother Chen, it is twenty thousand taels in bank notes, not a penny less!” He could barely contain his excitement and happily said to Chen Jia, “We can pay off all our debts now, and we can even buy back our old house. We won’t have to fear running into those moneylenders anymore…” Halfway through his speech, he saw Chen Jia’s gloomy face and was taken aback. His voice gradually trailed off, “What’s wrong, Brother Chen? Is there something wrong with these banknotes? These notes were delivered by Mr. Chen from the Duke of Ying’s young master’s household. I’ve checked carefully, and not a single one is fake. Mr. Chen also said that if you need anything in the future, you can go directly to him. We’ve finally made it through the hard times, and good days are ahead. What’s there to be unhappy about?”
Chen Jia was already feeling restless, and hearing Huzi’s naive and simple-minded words immediately set off his temper: “Are you pig-brained? They’ve sent twenty thousand taels in bank notes because they want to treat this matter as a transaction, goods received, and payment made. Telling me to find Chen He if I need anything is just their way of telling us not to go to the Duke of Ying’s mansion without good reason… What good days? Being a mere Qianshi in the Jinyiwei’s Zhenfu Si is nothing! It’s still just at someone else’s word! Who knows when someone might set their sights on the position and force us to make way?”
Huzi was dumbfounded and said, “Then, then what should we do? Return these twenty thousand taels?”
Twenty thousand taels was no small sum, not just two thousand. Even if they were to embezzle and extort, it would take at least three to five years to accumulate that much!
He couldn’t help but mutter, “But we’d have to be able to pay it back first…”
Chen Jia was pacing furiously around the room. Hearing this, he shouted “Enough!” His face looked extremely unpleasant.
Huzi couldn’t help but shrink his shoulders.
Chen Jia felt short of breath and his chest tightened. He simply pushed open the window.
Cold air rushed in.
He shivered, but his mind cleared a bit.
After meeting the Duke of Ying’s young master’s wife, he was immediately promoted to Qianshi in the Zhenfu Si. Not only his colleagues but even his superior’s superior’s superior, Shi Chuan, called him in and hinted meaningfully while cursing jokingly, “You little rascal, having such a good relationship with the Duke of Ying’s young master and keeping it from me. If it weren’t for the young master personally putting in a good word for you this time, I wouldn’t have known!”
He realized then that the lady’s words carried unusual weight.
After leaving the Jinyiwei office, he thought about how the lady, having married into the Duke of Ying’s family, would probably be most concerned about bearing children and producing heirs for the Duke of Ying’s family as soon as possible. He had scoured almost every street and alley in Beijing before finally finding those five pomegranate ornaments symbolizing many children and blessings of the Chen family… In the blink of an eye, he had received a reward of twenty thousand taels of silver, enough to pay off all his debts!
All in all, his success today, his ability to turn his life around, was all because he had chosen the right path and latched onto the right patron.
If he could please the lady… No, pleasing the lady would mean frequently appearing before her. Men and women should be kept separate, and the Duke might not like it. The lady might not even see him… He needed to find a way to help the lady with her affairs… And do it in a way that pleased her, made her feel that no one else could do it as well as he could, or even if they could do it well, they couldn’t do it as quickly as he could…
He started pacing around the room again.
What did the Duke of Ying’s young master’s wife need right now?
This connection absolutely could not be severed!
What did Dou Zhao need most?
She felt that what she needed most right now were maids who could satisfy her.
Suxin blushed and said, “How about we postpone my matter for a couple of years? Steward Zhao will be accompanying Master Zhong to inspect your properties these days, and he won’t have time for a while anyway…”
“Him inspecting my properties has nothing to do with your marriage. Do you think all those merchants don’t get married?” Dou Zhao laughed, “Don’t overthink it. Mr. Chen and Master Duan will help arrange your wedding. You two just need to focus on being the groom and bride.”
Suxin blushed even more, lowering her head and mumbling something inaudible. Dou Zhao couldn’t make out a word, but she felt comforted seeing Suxin’s girlish shyness—Suxin must be looking forward to marrying Zhao Liangbi after all!