Chapter 327 — Thoughts
Purple Streets of Chang'an · Page 1 of 4
Tao Jun watched Song Cen raging like a thunderstorm and found it somewhat unbelievable. He thought that if this continued,
Good medicine tastes bitter.
He could not afford to worry about propriety any longer. Lowering his voice, he said, "Lord Zhenguo, calm yourself! Even if the Heir harbored some unfilial thought, he could not possibly act on it at a time like this, in such a manner—the one treating you is an imperial physician from the Imperial Medical Academy, and your medicine was dispensed from the Imperial Medical Office. If anything happened, every step would be traceable. The Heir is no child of seven or eight; he has served in His Majesty's presence these past years and surely knows the regulations governing the Imperial Medical Academy's prescriptions. He would never do something that amounts to digging his own grave. Rest assured!"
There was one thing he did not say, for fear it would worsen Song Cen's condition.
Given the Heir's capabilities, he could have simply enraged Lord Zhenguo to death—why take such a great risk with so crude a method as poisoning?
Tao Jun's words gradually calmed Song Cen's emotions, but he was still uneasy. He instructed Tao Jun: "My medicine—you had best have someone reliable brew it!"
Three feet of ice does not form in a single day.
Tao Jun had long since given up hope that Song Cen and Song Yan could reconcile. Seeing that Song Cen was no longer biting at everyone like a madman, he breathed a sigh of relief and said hurriedly, "I will brew the medicine myself. My duties are light in any case." This way, he would no longer have to follow Song Yan around all day, and visitors coming to inquire after the sick would not keep mistaking him for a steward Song Cen had sent to Song Yan's side to find fault with his household management, ordering him about as though he were a servant.
Song Cen felt a strange discomfort in his heart at this.
He had failed to make things difficult for Song Yan, and instead had made things difficult for his own man.
He nodded silently and, with an awkward air, went to bed to rest.
With Tao Jun helping to brew the medicine, Dou Yan was happy to have the leisure.
She set up a four-panel screen in the tea room and went there each day to do needlework. Those who did not know better assumed Dou Yan was still brewing medicine for Song Yan. Tao Jun did not disabuse them of the notion. One did needlework, the other brewed medicine, and they coexisted peacefully enough.
After a few days, Song Cen could gradually draw breath without gasping. He asked Tao Jun, "Are the accounts from Yizhi Hall settled yet?"
"They were just finished tomorrow." Tao Jun hesitated a moment, then said, "I heard the Madam brought over two hundred thousand taels of silver..."
Song Cen was greatly startled. He said, "How does the Dou family have so much silver?"
Tao Jun shook his head. "Even if the Seventh Master of the Dou family has no son, the First and Second Masters have sons aplenty—they could simply adopt one. How could the Dou clan possibly let the Madam bring over so much property..."
Song Cen felt another faint ache in his heart. He could not help grinding his teeth: "We must find out Chen Bo's background as quickly as possible. I refuse to believe the Dou family would add so much silver to Dou Shi's dowry for no reason! Go call Lu Zheng's wife in. I gave her five hundred taels of silver to buy over the people around Dou Shi."
Five hundred taels!
Tao Jun was secretly somewhat astonished.
Even when he himself retired and returned to his hometown, he might not receive five hundred taels of silver as a farewell gift.
With mixed feelings, Tao Jun had Lu Zheng's wife called in.