Song Yan went to the Dou family's private school, where Song and Min were responsible for teaching Dou Zhao and Dou Ming. On the first and fifteenth of each month, they would take a day off. First, he would teach Dou Zhao the various philosophers, then teach Dou Ming the Analects of Confucius.

  Dong Ming followed Song Yuemin to class diligently. However, she had a weak foundation and apart from the daily morning homework, she also had to practice writing 500 characters every afternoon when she got back home, which made her complain bitterly after several days.

  Zhou Ayi kept encouraging her: "Eating bitterness and hardship is what makes a person superior. Look at Fourth Miss, while the stewardesses are still calculating on their abacuses, Fourth Miss has already figured out how much money it is..."

  Dong Ming stared at Zhou Mama: "What's the relationship between settling accounts and writing?"

  Old Lady Zhu hastily comforted her, saying: "It's nothing, it's nothing. It's just that Fourth Miss is so capable and Fifth Miss is so clever, she should also be able to do everything like Fourth Miss."

  Dong Ming didn't make a sound, but he also didn't call out "it's hard to write" again.

  Due to the Pang Kunbai incident, Chen Quanshui came to the fore and moved into the Duan Mansion, helping Duan Zhao manage business matters and new recruits of guards. Gao Xing was in charge of Western Duan's affairs and the management of the inner courtyard's servants. Du Ning had fallen to the point where he was assisting Zhou Mama. Gao Xing considered himself a person of Duan Zhao and soon joined forces with Chen Quanshui. After Du An was sent to prison for theft and died from corporal punishment, Du Ning became timid and didn't dare to manage anything. Zhou Mama was new and couldn't handle things alone. Although Western Duan was divided into three parts, everyone had to follow Duan Zhao's lead. With an annual allowance of 10,000 taels and having both money and people at her disposal, she found it even more convenient to take action than before. Her attention shifted from Eastern and Western Duan to the political affairs of the capital.

  "Zeng Ge Lao should be almost seventy this year, right?" she asked Chen Qu Shui, "I don't know how many more years he can hold on?"

  In her past life, she didn't pay attention to these things and didn't know which year Zeng Yifen passed away.

  "Fourth Miss was really accurate! I just received the news yesterday that Kyoto is spreading rumors that 'Zeng Bufan's body is not suitable and may have to resign'."

  "It depends on whether Fifth Uncle can seize this opportunity."

  In the previous life, Wang Xingyue had returned to Beijing before Zeng Yifen's death. It seemed that he was serving as a deputy minister in the Ministry of War, but in this life, due to his relationship with Wang Yingxue, he was stuck in the position of Shaanxi Provincial Governor.

  Dong Zhaoren thought for a moment and said: "Who is the current Minister of War?"

  Chen Qu Shui Dao: "Gu Yanjing."

  "Can't we send a message to the Wang family? Just say that originally, Grand Secretary Zeng wanted to promote Wang Xingyi as Deputy Minister of War. But because of the Wang family's affair being grasped by Ye Shipei, Grand Secretary Zeng could only compromise and support Gu Yanjing becoming the Deputy Minister..."

  In her memory, Ye Shipei and Zeng Yifen were old rivals. It was his handwriting that Zeng Yifen retired back then. If it weren't for the fact that Zeng Yifen passed away not long after he did too, and Ye Shipei didn't have a very strong disciple, Wang Xingyi and Dou Shixiong might still be able to enter the cabinet.

  Prohibiting horse markets is a struggle between civil and military officials, so Ye Shipei will not drag down Zeng Yifen's hind legs. However, now that it involves the three-product officials under the two cabinet ministers' doors, Wang Xingyi's matter can be brought up for discussion.

  Chen Qu thought: "This can't be said casually, if you're not careful, it might even have the opposite effect..."

  "Then let's try to ask around from this aspect," said Du Zhao, "we should be able to find some relevant sayings about this matter." As she spoke, she smiled, "Even if there aren't any, we can make it so!"

  "That's also true." Chen Quanshui smiled and said, "If the Wang family thinks that Wang Yingshuang is hindering Wang Xingyi's career, I think even if it were Wang Xushi, she would probably harbor some resentment towards her daughter. Not to mention that after Wang Yingshuang married into the Duan family, she couldn't even stand on her own two feet in the Duan family and caused a lot of trouble."

  "Pulling out the firewood from under the cauldron, I think this is a cleaner and more efficient way." Dòu Míng smiled and nodded, asking about the affairs of the shop.

  Chen Qu Shui Dao: "Only the Kyoto store is roughly balanced in terms of income and expenses, while the other several stores all have slight losses, totaling over 200 taels."

  "This is also good." Du Zhao smiled and said. "By September, Bo Yan's affairs will be busy too, you need to prepare some silver for Cui Thirteen to print the child."

  "Everything is ready." Chen Quanshui and Dou Zhao said their own plan, Su Xin said from behind the curtain: "Fourth Miss, Ji Young Master has arrived."

  What's the matter?

  What is he doing here?

  Dong Shao and Chen Quanshui finished talking about the matter and went to the Flower Hall to see Ji Yong.

  Ji Yong asked her: "I'm going to Baoding Prefecture, is there anything you want me to bring for you?"

  She hasn't been to Baoding Prefecture, how would she know what to bring?

  But Dòu Zhāo still smiled and thanked him: "Nothing needs to be brought. Wishing Jì Jiā's elder brother a smooth journey!"

  "Alright then, I'll just casually help you carry some things!"

  His smile was warm and polite, but for some reason, Duan Zhao always felt that he seemed to be plotting something, making people feel uneasy in their hearts.

  "It's all right, it's all right." Du Zhao repeatedly declined.

  Ji Yong smiled but did not respond, and stood up to bid farewell.

  Dong Zhao escorted him to the entrance of the flower hall, but felt a gaze staring tightly at himself.

  She turned around and saw Dou Ming standing under the willow tree.

  Dong Ming turned around expressionlessly and left, disappearing into the winding and secluded path shaded by willows with a large group of maids and old women surrounding her.

  Dong Zhao couldn't help but let out a deep sigh, and spent the whole morning tending to the flowers in the flower house. Seeing that several of the evening primroses she had planted were about to bloom, she invited Sixth Aunt over to admire them.

  The sixth aunt suggested: "Why don't we hold a flower appreciation banquet?"

  Grandma chimed in: "Right, right, right! It's rare to have such a gathering, let's invite all the ladies and madams over. We can't always be hosted by the East Mansion, we should return the courtesy!"

  Since the marriage between Du Zhao and Ou's family ended without a word, Du Zhao's marriage became a heart disease for her. She was afraid that Du Zhao would be delayed because of this, so when she saw an opportunity to show off Du Zhao, she tried her best to make it happen.

  Dong Zhao saw his grandmother's enthusiasm and thought that she didn't have anywhere to go on ordinary days, so he smiled and said: "Great! Let's have a midnight feast then!"

  Sixth Aunt listened and also became interested, the three of them whispered and discussed for half a day, finally settling on the flower appreciation banquet. They confirmed the guests to be invited, sent out invitations, cleaned up the warehouse decorations, arranged the menu for the flower appreciation banquet and the serving maids and aunties. It had been a long time since West Compound had such excitement. From the housekeeper to the lowest-ranking maid, everyone was at a loss. Duan Zhaohui handled everything with ease, one thing after another, arranging everything in an orderly manner without any effort. This left Ji Shi, who had come to help personally, staring in amazement and asking her "Who helped you come up with this idea?"

  "You've never eaten pork and never seen a pig run, have you!" Dou Zhao said nonchalantly, "Every year during the New Year's celebrations, it's such a big commotion, one would get used to seeing it."

  Some people are naturally clever.

  Ji Shi smiled and nodded repeatedly, saying: "You're doing well to be so diligent, it saves me from worrying about you." After finishing speaking, he felt that this wasn't a good thing to say, so he joked: "I'll tell Third Aunt that you said she's a pig running!" Trying to divert the topic.

  Dong Zhao knew what was on her mind and smiled as he played along: "If Third Aunt asks, I won't admit it."

  Ji laughed loudly.

  On the day of the flower appreciation banquet, I still couldn't help but rush over ahead of time. Seeing that everything was arranged properly, I finally let out a long sigh of relief.

  That night, the wine was fine and the dishes were exquisite. The performers sang "Jianyuan" from "The Story of the Hairpin". Even Du Ming, who had reluctantly attended the flower appreciation banquet, listened with tears in his eyes, occasionally whispering to Yixiaojie and Shuxiaojie.

  Chen Quanshui listened to the distant sound of silk and bamboo, thinking about the news from Kyoto, until the sky turned white before falling asleep in a daze.

  When he woke up, it was already three poles of the sun.

  He hastily got up and asked his personal attendant: "Has Fourth Miss arrived at the Flower Hall?"

  After finishing her classes, Dou Shuang would stay in the flower hall for half an hour to deal with household chores.

  The little servant came in with a basin of water and smiled: "Fourth Miss has arrived at the flower hall!"

  Chen Qu's heart felt relieved.

  He was taken aback at once.

  In his early years, he had served as a clerk under Zhang Kai, the governor of Fujian. Even when facing Zhang Kai, he had never felt such tension... Was it because of the news he heard yesterday?

  He sat in the house for a moment, guessing that Duan Zhao would return to the inner courtyard, and hastily went to the flower hall.

  Outside the flower hall, willows are planted everywhere. In the summer, the willow trees are lush and green, with millions of branches swaying in the wind, making people feel cool at a glance. Through the four open windows, Chen Qu saw Duan Zhao wearing a moon-white striped cotton shirt chatting happily with Gao Xing.

  Her figure is straight, her eyes are calm, and her bright forehead and long eyebrows that enter the temples give people a sense of wisdom. Just looking at her from afar, you can tell she's an extremely intelligent and strong-willed person.

  Isn't he also much older than her but still not as good as her?

  Chen Qu Shui thought for a moment, then entered the flower hall.

  Delighted, she was enthusiastically telling how well yesterday's flower appreciation banquet went and how the people from the East Mansion were praising it.

  Dong Zhao smiled and responded with a few words of praise "well done", and Gaoxing walked away happily.

  Chen Qu Shui adjusted his expression and said in a deep voice, "Fourth Miss, it's possible that things are indeed as you say. Zeng Yifen originally wanted to keep Wang Xingyi as the Minister of War, but because Wang Xingyi couldn't cultivate himself or manage his household, Zeng Yifen had no choice but to agree to let Ye Shipei make Gu Yanjing the Minister of War."

  "Ah!" Dou Zhao's interest was piqued, "I had you deliver a message to the Wang family, but did you actually pass it on?"

  Although things have deviated from the norm, they won't be too far off overall.

  Dòu Zhāo is more confident about the future now.

  "Chen Quanshui said, "The words have already been passed on." Wang Xushi called over Wangshi and severely scolded her. It's said that Wangshi left the Wang family in tears. Not only that, but also brought up old affairs, and Wang Xushi forbade Pengshi from leaving the house."

  Dòu Zhāo zhǎn yán yī xiào.

  English Translation: Dou Zhao's face relaxed into a smile.

  "Fourth Miss, where did you hear some rumors? Otherwise, how would you know that there's an inside story to Gu Yanjing's affair..."

  "No, I don't know," Duan Zhao said with a smile. "I just think it's strange that Wang Xing has such great military achievements but can't move from his position as Governor of Shaanxi, while Gu Yanjing, who is less famous and experienced than him, has gone ahead."

  ※

  Sisters and brothers, looking for materials, wasting time, all the way until now...

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