Chapter 835 The Truth - Serious Matters

Why bring up something you shouldn't talk about? This person must be a spy from an enemy country!

“As subjects, instead of sharing the emperor’s burdens, you’re inciting trouble. I think you’re all just bored and want to go home and rest.”

A woman's voice came from afar. In the entire Great Zhou palace, who else can still call themselves "this palace" besides Empress Meng, who caused the emperor to replace a group of ministers?

Meng Wei, dressed in a phoenix robe, slowly walked towards them.

Behind her followed a teenager. Even though no one had ever seen the boy before, the resemblance between his features and Empress Meng's made it clear that he was Empress Meng's younger brother.

"Your Majesty, we pay our respects. May Your Majesty live a thousand years!"

Everyone kowtowed and bowed to the Empress. Lu Hexuan straightened his clothes, which had been torn and messed up, and looked at Meng Wei.

It must be said that this empress has a very good demeanor; the daughters of the Meng family are indeed very well-mannered.

"Why has the Empress arrived?"

It is said that the harem should not interfere in politics. Although Meng Wei helped him out of the predicament, he still had to maintain the proper decorum.

Upon hearing this, Meng Wei immediately showed some worry on her face. "Uncle said that if it weren't for my aunt sending someone to look for me, I wouldn't have known that the little princess was ill."

The little princess Meng Wei mentioned is the daughter of Lu Hexuan and Princess Chuxia. Since their marriage, the two have lived a secluded life. Although Princess Chuxia had some difficulties conceiving, she eventually gave birth to a daughter for Lu Hexuan.

Upon hearing that his daughter was ill, Lu Hexuan's expression changed drastically. He immediately thanked the Empress for informing him of Yunyun and then quickly left the palace.

The group had finally managed to stop Lu Hexuan, but now all their efforts had been in vain.

They glanced at the empress standing before them; they couldn't very well ask a woman where the emperor was, could they?

Although everyone knows in their hearts that the Empress could not possibly not know where the Emperor is, who dares to ask, who can ask?

If word gets out that the ministers are forcing and harassing the woman, their official positions are likely doomed.

After weighing their options, they all bid farewell to the Empress.

"Why doesn't sister take this opportunity to give them a good talking-to?"

The boy watched the departing ministers and thought his older sister was too easy to talk to. If it were him, he would definitely have given her a good warning.

"Nonsense! These are all key figures in the court. Didn't you see that many of them are from the Senate? Now that your brother-in-law is gone, if I really did what you said, then tomorrow in court, the question won't be about where your brother-in-law is, but about the Empress's interference in politics and her lack of virtue."

The young man was clearly inexperienced. Seeing him nod as if he understood, Meng Wei couldn't help but ask, "What brings you to the palace today?"

When the conversation turned to serious matters, a blush appeared on the boy's face.

"Actually, I have a favor to ask of you, sister."

The blush on the boy's face betrayed his thoughts, and Meng Wei's previously serious face instantly broke into a smile, "You want me to issue an imperial decree to grant you marriage?"

Touched on his secret, the boy lowered his head.

He had already asked his mother about this matter, but his mother and father refused, saying that the two families were related by marriage, and that the other party was a concubine's daughter, whose upbringing would definitely be poor, so they did not agree to the marriage.

The boy, having lost his way, could only place his hopes on Meng Wei. However, after looking at him, Meng Wei also refused, saying, "I don't agree."

"Why?"

The boy couldn't understand it at all; his father and mother disagreed, and his sister disagreed too.

Back then, my sister married my brother-in-law from an unequal social class, but he never looked down on their family!

Now, thanks to their husbands' family's influence, their family has become a hereditary noble family in the capital. It hasn't been long, and these people are already starting to forget their roots.

The boy glared angrily at Meng Wei, utterly bewildered as to how his sister had become like this.

Meng Wei didn't care what the boy thought. In her opinion, her younger brother was too young and hadn't experienced anything. How could he take on the responsibility of a marquis's mansion and take care of a family?

"Although Yuxin is the daughter of the second wife, she has always been raised by her grandmother and has been taught by her mother-in-law and brothers. She is no less than any young lady from a prominent family in the capital."

Meng Wei glanced at her younger brother as she spoke, "Most importantly, Yu Xin herself is a knowledgeable and talented woman. Brother, although you are my own brother, do you think you are worthy of Yu Xin?"

Meng Wei's words brought her younger brother back to reality. Yes, all these years he had considered himself intelligent, but he hadn't really studied properly. Although his parents were strict, that only prevented him from becoming a spoiled brat. Now, if he were to compare himself to Gu Yuxin, he certainly couldn't compare.

"Then what should I do?"

In just a few words, the boy wilted like a frostbitten eggplant.

"Now everyone says that with Father's talent and learning, he is not worthy of the position of Marquis. Brother, you are still young, don't you want to achieve something on your own?"

Meng Wei's words startled the boy, but when he thought that Gu Yuxin wouldn't wait that long for him, he lost his nerve.

Seeing the inner turmoil in his heart, Meng Wei patted his shoulder, "As long as you are determined to do it, I will find a way to get Grandmother to keep Yuxin for two more years. Besides, Yuxin will not be of marriageable age until next year, it is too early to issue an imperial decree now."

With Meng Wei's words, the boy finally straightened up.

"When I got back, I asked my father to send me to the academy so that I could take the exam next year."

The Meng family had been civil officials for generations, and as the only legitimate son of the Meng family, he was naturally groomed by the entire family to become a civil official.

Meanwhile, at the Geng family home, Lord Geng was utterly distraught, looking at his daughter who was about to get married and his taciturn son.

"You're about to get married, can't you stay home and do some needlework or something?"

The wedding date for Geng Muqiu and Ji Wenjin was finally set in early December.

Because the Ji family was Gu Shuyan's maternal grandparents' family, and because Lord Geng trusted Ji Wenjin's character, Lord Geng readily agreed.

However, seeing his daughter constantly running off to other places even after the engagement, Lord Geng was troubled. The General's Mansion was a prominent family in the capital, where etiquette was paramount. His daughter, however, had been wild and unruly since childhood. Wouldn't she be sent home after going to the General's Mansion?

Hearing her father's concern, Geng Muqiu shook her head dismissively. "I've never been good at needlework since I was little, and you know that, Father. Besides, what will happen to my business if I don't go out? It's almost the end of the twelfth lunar month, and every household is busy buying gifts. How can I possibly give up my time to make money and stay at home?"

After Geng Muqiu finished speaking, he looked at Lord Geng with an expression that seemed to say, "Father, are you stupid?"