Chapter 377 — Tracing the Roots

Still, if these people cooperated obediently with Dou Yan, he would let bygones be bygones and pretend not to know, leaving them to live or die as they would.

Those who lived by clinging to the Duke of Ying's household were worth nothing without it. But the Duke of Ying's household, without them, might be badly wounded, yet it could still recover slowly.

Song Ke wanted to ruin Dou Yan's mood on account of these people. He smiled and said, "Then tell me — what do you want me to do?"

"Find a way to get me the service rosters of the front courtyard from years past, so I can have a look." Dou Yan blinked up at him.

Song Yan said gravely, "I saw those things back in the day — several crates of them, as I recall. Are you sure you want to search them for clues?"

Dou Yan needled him: "Seems someone searched for years without finding a thing — plain to see he had no method to it!"

"Oh-ho! So you dare make free with my name!" Song Yan reached out to tickle Dou Yan.

"This is no way to bully a person!" Dou Xin dodged away.

Song Ke would not let it drop.

The two of them dissolved into laughter.

Fufeng, blushing, said to Fuye with a smile, "The Heir and the Madam are so good together!"

But Fuye's little face stayed taut. "Good or not," she said, "we'll wait until they've been married twenty years before we judge."

Fufeng could only click her tongue. "Sister, you talk fierce!"

Fuye shot her a glance, turned, and walked toward the rear covered rooms where the two were resting.

Fufeng wrinkled her nose and hurried after her.

Behind them came a flurry of hasty footsteps.

Fufeng turned her head and saw Ruozhu rushing into the main house.

"The Heir is in the inner chamber," she could not help murmuring. "What urgent matter could this be?"

In such circumstances, the serving women would not disturb the Song Yan couple unless it were something urgent.

She stood on the winding corridor, wearing an expression of wanting to know and not daring to go ask; after a long while she let out a faint sigh, turned her head back with considerable regret — and suddenly caught sight of a figure across from her, watching her quietly.

Fufeng jumped half out of her skin. She was about to let out a shriek when the figure strode forward in two or three steps and clapped a hand over her mouth.

"What do you think you're doing?" a furious voice came at her ear. "If you startle the Heir and the Madam, you'd better watch your hide!"

Hearing the figure speak, Fufeng's heart eased, and only then did she realize that the one covering her mouth was Fuye.

For a maidservant, the worst offense is to make a fuss over nothing.

She gave a sheepish laugh and said, puzzled, "Didn't you already go past the side room? Why did you turn back?"

Fuye said sourly, "You can't even follow me without getting lost — how could I not come back for you?" Then: "What are you standing there like a fool for? Get back here with me!"

Fufeng smiled at Fuye ingratiatingly and followed her out of the main courtyard.

She did not notice that just as they were about to leave the main courtyard, Fuye glanced back at it, lost in thought.

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In the inner chamber, Dou Yan and Song Zhi both looked somewhat grim.

"A little figure with Chuan'er's name written on it and a silver needle stuck through it, found in Baizhi's room?" Dou Yan asked Ruozhu in a low voice. "The matron in charge of Lord Zhenguo's household is Tang Huang-shi, Huang Qing's elder sister. What does she say?"

Ruozhu said, "Matron Tang was scared half to death and would only clamor for someone to fetch Lord Zhenguo, until the whole household knew of it. But wouldn't you know it, Lord Zhenguo has gone to the Third Princess's residence and no one knows when he'll be back..."

As she spoke, she glanced at Dou Chu.

By the look of it, there was more to this than met the eye!

True, this was a fine opportunity — one could use the affair to sweep Song Cen's rear household clean — but it was just as easy for the fire to singe one's own fingers. Better to let Song Cen rack his own brains over it.

She was only a daughter-in-law, after all!

Dou Yan, afraid Song Yan would poke his nose into the business, took Song Zhi's hand and said with a smile, "Isn't there still the Chief Steward? With Lord Zhenguo away from the household, this is the sort of thing he ought to step forward for! Go and ask the Chief Steward for me — what has happened at the Osmanthus Court?"

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To all my brothers and sisters reading along, here is today's bonus chapter.

o(∩_∩)o~

Pink tickets have doubled these past few days — I beg for pink tickets, I beg for your support!

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