Chapter 1079: Chapter 1078: Na Card
Last ti during the greenhouse event, Du Zhongjing happened to be on duty in the Imperial Palace during those days and couldn’t co out.
The second son of the Du Family, Du Xiuyan, went out to verify goods last ti, encountered so issues, and was so busy that he hasn’t returned yet. The family brought news that Wang Yongzhu arrived in the Capital City, visited the Du Family, and even brought a eting gift for the second house.
He sent over a box of top-quality precious dicinal materials and a rare copy of the “Classic of Herbal dicine” to Wang Yongzhu, with a ssage saying he would make up for the eting gift upon his return.
So, that day, it was Du Zhongjing’s eldest son, Lord Du, who personally delivered a generous gift and apologized on behalf of his father.
Normally, after delivering the gift, one would stay for a while. Upon hearing that the guests were all Graduates, Lord Du was very eager, but as soon as he exchanged a few pleasantries, an old servant from Lady Yan’s side hurried over, saying there was an incident at ho and Lord Du needed to return quickly.
Lord Du dared not delay, hurried ho anxiously, only to learn that it was because his mother was feeling unwell.
Although he regretted not being able to mingle more with the Graduates and learn from them, in the end, Lord Du, being a filial child, still spent half the day inquiring about Lady Yan’s health before returning to his room.
When Du Zhongjing returned and heard the butler’s report on the matter, he was uncharacteristically furious and scolded the servants around Lady Yan harshly.
He berated a group of unruly servants for forgetting their duties! Who gave them the courage? When the mistress of the house was feeling unwell, they didn’t call a doctor? The family runs a pharmacy; how could they lack Imperial Doctors? Why the urgency to call the young master who was out attending a banquet back ho? What kind of rule is that?
Do they intend to act as the head of the family?
After the reprimand, not only were the presumptuous servants at fault docked half a year’s pay, but all the duties they managed were also taken away.
Even Lady Yan didn’t escape unscathed; Du Zhongjing gave her a stern private lecture, asking her to better manage the servants to prevent such incidents from happening again.
He also lanted that such a great opportunity, with so many Graduates attending the Song Family’s banquet, could have given Lord Du so guidance. Even making an acquaintance would have been a great advantage for him.
Even though the Du Family held the position of Director of the Imperial dical Bureau, outside the Capital City, it might be impressive, but in such a place, it’s really not enough.
The aristocrats might respect the Du Family for His Majesty the Emperor, but the genuine scholarly people treat the Du Family quite indifferently, generally keeping them at a distance.
If the old master were still in the Capital, those scholarly officials might have shown so respect, but now that the old master has retired back to his hotown, always being inside the Forbidden City, especially with his status, he couldn’t fraternize closely with governnt officials. Cautious officials shunned contact to avoid the Emperor suspecting them of seeking information about the Emperor’s health.
Back then, Lord Du’s tutor was modest, finding a Scholar to teach for a few years. Then, the Scholar beca a Graduate and turned all his attention to the imperial examination.
Later, with considerable effort, he was sent to an academy in the suburbs of the Capital for studies.
This ti, when Old Doctor Du returned to his hotown, he ntioned taking Lord Du back to let him study at Changqing Academy, thinking that with both the old couple watching over, it would be better than studying in the Capital.
Du Zhongjing was initially a bit tempted, but Lady Yan strongly disagreed, claiming how could a backwater compare to the Capital?
Moreover, Du Zhongjing had heard that Changqing Academy hadn’t been as good in recent years, so he didn’t agree.
Old Doctor Du was quite open-minded, believing his descendants had their own fortunes. He could worry about his son, but if his son’s wife wouldn’t let him care about the grandson, he’d let it go.
Unexpectedly, Changqing Academy’s results were remarkable this ti, and after receiving a letter from Imperial Doctor Du, Du Zhongjing regretted it endlessly.
He then entertained the idea of letting Lord Du first associate with Song Chongjin, and then interact more with the Graduates from Jing County to gain their guidance, which would be much better than staying in the academy.
Unexpectedly, the good plan was ruined by several servants, making it hard for Du Zhongjing to not feel infuriated.
He also instructed Lady Yan to be more attentive to Wang Yongzhu’s family, lest she neglects them and faces consequences.
Lady Yan, upon receiving Wang Yongzhu’s New Year’s gifts, hurriedly prepared a large cartload in return, sent it back, and invited Wang Yongzhu for a visit when she had ti.
Wang Yongzhu considered that before the year ended, she ought to visit the Du Family again. Having finished copying the Treatise on Cold Pathogenic Diseases, she had reviewed the notes thoroughly and copied them again. It was ti to submit her work.
So she inquired about when Du Zhongjing would be resting and asked if Du Xiuyan had returned ho. Upon learning that Du Zhongjing would be ho resting for the next few days and Du Xiuyan would be back the following day,
Wang Yongzhu nodded in agreent, saying she would visit within those days, and sent the ssenger away.
When Song Chongjin returned, the two discussed and agreed to visit the Du Residence the next day.
The next morning, while Yang Zongbao was exercising in the courtyard, Old Yu Tou, the door attendant, rushed over with a na card.
“Uncle, Uncle, it’s not good—”
Yang Zongbao replied snappily, “I’m perfectly fine, why the shout so early? Has the sky fallen?”
“Uncle, early this morning, two Officials Masters ca pounding on our main gate. When I opened the door, they threw this card at , saying it was for our master to see and said their master is waiting to et our master and madam!” Old Yu Tou, still shocked, quickly handed over the na card.
Yang Zongbao, who could read, glanced at the big “Song” character on the card, imdiately furrowing his brows. Could it be?
Opening the card, indeed, he saw Song Hong’s na.
Yang Zongbao’s heart skipped a beat. He knew sothing about the grudges between Song Chongjin and Song Hong, and that his niece’s family was not at all fond of Song Hong.
For Song Hong to boldly send over a na card and explicitly say he wanted to see them, it could only an—
Yang Zongbao furrowed his brows, waved Old Yu Tou away, and then went into the backyard, clutching the card.
When Song Chongjin saw the card, his face changed.
Wang Yongzhu, however, remained calm, took the card to have a look, and then asked, “Where is the ssenger? Even if they want to see us, they should ntion a place, right?”
Yang Zongbao, realizing his oversight, slapped his forehead; he got distracted upon seeing Song Hong’s na.
He quickly called Old Yu Tou back to ask, only to learn that the ssenger was still waiting at the door for a reply.
“This is simply too much! They’re forcing us to go whether we want to or not!” Song Chongjin said angrily, slapping the table.
Wang Yongzhu, however, laughed, flipped through the card a few tis, and then said, “Now that we’re under their roof, we have to bow down. Besides, we knew well that in coming to the Capital, a eting was inevitable. It’s not worth getting upset over this.”
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