Chapter 448: Chapter 420, Gold Mine News Leaked_1
All seven puppies were pure black. Since they had just been born not long ago, they looked thin and small. Daohua glanced at them and immediately liked them, deciding then and there to bring them back to the Daohua Pavilion to raise.
“From now on, let Bi Shi take care of these seven puppies. After you go back, redistribute the tasks in her hands to others,” Daohua said.
Wang Manman nodded in agreement and then said with a smile, “Miss, I’ve noticed that you seem to really like Bi Shi.”
Daohua smiled, “Bi Shi is straightforward. She can complete whatever task she’s given without any fuss. Although she’s not very flexible in her work, she’s reliable. These puppies are still so young, they might not survive if not carefully attended to. I can rest easy with Bi Shi looking after them.”
Hearing this, Wang Manman regarded Bi Shi with even more importance.
For a servant, what could be more important than earning the trust of their mistress?
Actually, among the new maids, she favored Bi Wei more. Bi Wei was more meticulous and considerate in her work, and she was also decent in her behavior. There was still one position left for a first-class maid by the young lady’s side, and she had always thought it would be Bi Wei.
But now, seeing the young lady like this, it seemed that Bi Shi had a better chance.
Not long after Daohua returned to the courtyard with the seven puppies, Yan Yunxi and Yan Yunyan came looking for her.
Yan Yunxi looked at the puppies and laughed, “I didn’t expect Uncle Tu would actually send all the newborn puppies to you. You should know, his puppies are extremely sought after.”
Yan Yunyan smiled, “Back when Yiyi was still at our old home, he often followed Brother Wentao to Uncle Tu’s house. I suppose Uncle Tu also misses Yiyi and Brother Wentao very much.”
Daohua asked Bi Shi to take the puppies downstairs and instructed her to fetch some cow’s milk from the kitchen for them before turning to Yan Yunxi and her sister with a smile, “It’s kind of Uncle Tu to remember me. He sent me seven puppies. When you go back, please also take some things back to him for me.”
Yan Yunxi and Yan Yunyan smiled and agreed.
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Daohua then asked, “Have you tried the clothes? Do they fit? If they don’t fit, let me know and I will have the sewing room alter them for you.”
Yan Yunxi and Yan Yunyan were somewhat embarrassed, as they had followed Brother Wenxiu over for a visit and had been eating and taking gifts; they felt a bit guilty.
However, both knew this was the hospitality of the Yan Family, so they quickly expressed their thanks, “We’ve tried them and they fit well, no need for alterations.”
Daohua nodded with a smile, “That’s good. If there’s anything you’re not satisfied with, please tell me. If I’m not around, you can tell the maids too, so they can inform my mother.”
Yan Yunyan quickly said, “Everything here is very good for us, there’s nothing that we’re not satisfied with.”
Dahua smiled and didn’t continue, ordering Guyu to bring in some tea and snacks, and the three of them sat in the room and talked about school matters.
Yan Yunxi said, “Master Shen is truly knowledgeable and wise. The things she talks about during class are things I’ve never heard before.”
Yan Yunyan added, “Indeed, when I was working on my embroidery, she gave me some pointers, and it felt like the things I produced were instantly different.”
Yan Yunxi continued, “Now I understand why our grandfather insisted on traveling back and forth to the town repeatedly to invite Master Zheng to our clan for teaching. Having a good teacher really benefits the students immensely.”
Her family and Yunyan’s family were considered among the top in the clan, and their embroidery skills were taught by specially hired embroiderers from the town brought to their homes.
Compared to the other girls in the village and town, their embroidery skills were indeed good. But after coming to the Yan Residence, they realized how narrow their view had been.
In fact, Yan Yishuang and the others weren’t wrong when they first arrived; their embroidery was indeed somewhat lacking, and many of the maids in the Yan Residence had embroidery skills that surpassed those of the town’s embroiderers.
Daohua smiled, “The depth and breadth of a teacher’s knowledge greatly determine the depth and breadth of their students’. Even those of high status, in their efforts to secure a good teacher for their children, would go out of their way to visit them. The clan leader grandfather has also taken great trouble for the future of our clan’s younger generations.”
While they were speaking, Wang Manman came in and said, “Miss, Sister Ping Tong came by to say that the master is looking for you and wants you to go to the main courtyard right away.”
Daohua’s face was filled with surprise, “My father is looking for me?”
Wang Manman nodded her head.
Seeing that Daohua had matters to attend to, Yan Yunxi and Yan Yunyan quickly stood up, “You have things to take care of, so we’ll be leaving.”
Daohua did not see the guests out, merely watched as they left. Once everyone was gone, she immediately asked, “Father summoned me, what for?”
Wang Manman shook her head, equally puzzled, “I have no idea, Sister Ping Tong didn’t say.”
Daohua contemplated for a moment, “Then let’s hurry over.”
…
The main courtyard.
When Daohua arrived, she saw Yan Zhigao sitting on a bed by the window, peacefully drinking tea. She quickened her pace and approached with a curtsey, “Father, you wanted to see me?”
Yan Zhigao, seeing Daohua had arrived, pointed to a chair, “Sit down and we’ll talk.” He then waved his hand to dismiss the maids in the room.
Seeing this, Daohua’s suspicions grew. Not only was Madam Li absent, but also the maid had to leave; what could her father possibly want to discuss with her alone?
Once all the maids had left, Yan Zhigao finally asked, “Has the Little Prince been looking for something with your third and fourth brothers recently?”
Daohua was startled. Did her father know about the gold mine? After a moment of thought, she carefully replied, “It seems they are searching for something.”
Yan Zhigao urged, “Do you know what they are searching for?”
Daohua hesitated, then lowered her head, “Xiao Yeyang told me not to speak of it.”
Yan Zhigao was taken aback at first, then said with frustration, “You won’t speak because the Little Prince told you not to? When have you ever been so obedient? I don’t recall you being this attentive to what I’ve told you before.”
Daohua did not respond but instead asked, “Father, how did you know they were looking for something?”
Yan Zhigao replied irritably, “Your father, after all, is the Magistrate of Ningmen Prefecture. If people are searching for something under my jurisdiction and I don’t know about it, then I might as well not be the Magistrate at all.”
With that, he paused and continued with a stern face,
“The Jiang Family is also searching for something. Is what they’re seeking the same as what the Little Prince is after?”
Daohua was stunned. Did the Jiang Family also know about the gold mine?
Before Daohua could continue, Yan Zhigao added, “Just yesterday, Magistrate Xiao saw Duke Duan’s men at the docks.” At this point, Yan Zhigao’s eyes became extremely serious.
“Daohua, tell me the truth, what exactly is the Little Prince looking for? How did they manage to involve Duke Duan?”
Daohua was taken aback, “Duke Duan? Who’s Duke Duan?”
Yan Zhigao didn’t seem to mind that Daohua avoided a direct answer and explained, “Duke Duan is the eighth son of the late emperor. After the former emperor died, he was sent by the current emperor to guard the Imperial Mausoleum and has been doing so for over a decade.”
Speaking, he glanced at his eldest daughter and spoke with a profound tone,
“It was once rumored that the late emperor intended to pass the throne to Duke Duan. Now that Duke Duan’s people have come to my territory, I must know their purpose.”
Daohua felt increasingly tense inside. A single gold mine had implicated so many people: the emperor, Duke Duan, the Jiang Family; none of them were entities their family could afford to provoke. She hesitated no longer and confessed, “Father, Xiao Yeyang and the others are searching for a gold mine!”
“What?!”
Yan Zhigao sprang to his feet, eyes wide as he stared at Daohua, “Why didn’t you tell your father about such a significant matter?”
Daohua remained silent, then recounted the encounter with the fifth master and his companions to Yan Zhigao.
After hearing this, Yan Zhigao’s temples throbbed. He stood and paced back and forth in the room. After a while, he calmed down, “Since the emperor is aware of the gold mine and has instructed the Little Prince to keep it quiet, then your father will continue to pretend ignorance.”
“However, your two brothers must also be extracted from this affair. Matters of the Imperial Family are not something our family can be involved in,” he concluded.