The Du family has no background or power; all she has is the good reputation she has built up over the years and this beautiful appearance that she has carefully maintained.
If she wants to climb higher, the only way is through marriage, finding a powerful and influential husband's family to leverage their influence.
Du Pengzhi was a little nervous. "The county magistrate mentioned to me secretly earlier that he had feelings for you and that if you were willing, he would definitely treat you well..."
If his sister were to become the magistrate's husband, he would be the magistrate's brother-in-law. He could easily deal with the Ye family himself, so why bother to make the Wang family resent him?
A hint of mockery flashed quickly in Du E'li's eyes.
Such a narrow-minded person!
But she had to flatter him, saying, "Brother, Qingshui County is just a county. I believe you will go much further. I want to be a greater help to you."
Du Pengzhi felt a surge of excitement; his sister was right!
Qingshui County is such a small place. In the entire Liang Dynasty, there are hundreds or even thousands of such counties. What kind of high-ranking official is this?
Immediately, he made up his mind, "Little sister, you're right, I'll definitely find a way to help you marry into a higher social class!"
Du E'li nodded with a blush on her face. "That day in town, I heard a storyteller say that the Sixth Prince's biological mother is the current favorite concubine, Consort Wang, and his maternal grandfather is the current Minister of Revenue. If you get to know these people, I'm sure you'll pass the provincial examination in Shuzhou next February and become a Juren."
Du Pengzhi's heart was pounding. A prince? A concubine? The Minister of Revenue?
If he gets involved with any one of these people, he'll be set for life!
He looked closely at his younger sister, who had a shy and bashful expression. Yes, his sister was so beautiful; in his heart, no one was as pretty as her.
Du Pengzhi took Du E'li's hand and said with heartache in his eyes, "It's just that I'm sorry to make you a concubine."
Du E'li simply shook her head slightly.
In her heart, however, she felt utter contempt; she would rather be a nobleman's concubine than a poor man's wife!
“Then I will take you to Shuzhou immediately. I overheard that the Sixth Prince is currently in Shuzhou.”
Du E'li clenched her fists tightly with excitement; her heart was pounding in her throat.
She is destined for immense wealth!
She said in a sweet and gentle voice, "I will listen to everything you say, brother."
...
After two days of non-stop travel, Yan Yu finally arrived at the Su residence in the early morning.
The Su residence was a gift from the Emperor, and it was the closest to the Imperial City. This was all because Su Yan lamented that he had to get up at five in the morning, which made the Emperor feel very sorry for him.
After moving into the Su residence, Su Yan was able to sleep an extra half hour every day.
Su Yan had already gotten up, put on his purple court robes, and was having breakfast.
A bowl of millet porridge and a plate of pickled radish.
He did not care much for food or drink.
"My lord." Yan Yu hurried in and bowed.
Su Yan stood up anxiously, "Thank you for your hard work, where's the letter?"
I present the wild goose feather with both hands.
Su Yan picked it up, looked at it over and over twice, and made sure there was nothing on the cloth. He then forcefully tore it open, and the moon-white cloth scattered like snowflakes.
He read very quickly, his face growing paler with each page, until he finished reading one and his face turned ashen.
Undeterred, he asked, "What did she say to you?"
Yan Yu recounted the entire conversation between the two without missing a single word.
When Su Yan heard the question, "How is your master doing lately?", his face lit up with a smile again.
After Yan Yu finished speaking, he frowned and asked, "That's all?"
Yan Yu nodded. "Reporting to my lord, that is all."
Su Yan picked up the letter, which was full of polite thanks, and read it over and over again, feeling a mix of emotions.
There was a mix of disappointment and joy, both from the disappointment of having waited several days for this thank-you letter, and from the secret delight of her asking him a question.
In the end, it all turned into dissatisfaction with the Wang family. "The Wang family clearly knows they can't touch the Ye family, yet they still dare to act so arrogantly. Go and tell Imperial Censor Shi to report these things about the Wang family, along with Wang Shuo's words, to His Majesty today."
Yan Yu turned around and prepared to leave.
Su Yan stopped him again, "Go and urge them again to see where the imperial edict sent to Qingshui County is. If the exile of the Wang family in Shuzhou doesn't start soon, the people on the road will freeze to death."
He was still unaware that with the imperial decree in effect, the journey was long, and even if the sixth prince of the Wang family pleaded and pulled strings, the exile might not be able to proceed.
But he deliberately didn't give the Wang family any time to breathe!
Yan Yu felt that her master was a good person, even caring about whether these exiled criminals were suffering.
After the court session began, Ning Xuan looked solemnly at the large group of kneeling officials below and said, "All my beloved ministers, rise."
As usual, Wang Helu, the Minister of Revenue, was the first to stand up.
Su Yan lowered his head slightly, his gaze shifting, noticing some details that he hadn't noticed in the past.
At the critical moment, it is the fatal blow a person can deliver.
Sure enough, the Emperor picked up the memorial and threw it straight at Wang Helu, saying, "How dare you, the Wang family! Look at this memorial, and read it aloud!"
The sixth prince, Prince Ningyao, was standing next to Wang Helu. Upon seeing the incoming memorial, he instinctively stepped in front of his maternal grandfather, letting the memorial smash his face.
He immediately knelt down and asked, "Father, are you pleased or angry?"
Su Yan was secretly delighted and wanted to applaud the Sixth Prince; he was utterly foolish.
As a prince, he actually shielded his maternal grandfather from harm from his own father, the emperor. It's hilarious.
What will the Emperor think of this?
If the Wang family can control the prince to this extent, what will they do next?!
"Bang--"
Wang Helu knelt down, his knees striking the blue bricks, the sound echoing in the hall.
Everyone who heard this felt a pain in their knees.
"Your Majesty, I am guilty!"
Wang Helu, his beard white, banged his head hard against the blue bricks.
Ning Xuan, who was originally furious, calmed down a bit after seeing this scene.
"Alright, stop kowtowing. Since Prince Duan has taken the memorial, you can read it."
Ning Yao felt as if the memorial in his hand was a hot potato, and he wished he could throw it away.
Wang Helu glanced sideways, sighing inwardly, "If Your Majesty and Prince Duan do not mind, this old minister will humbly request to see the memorial first."
Ning Xuan nodded slightly.
Just as Ning Yao was about to respectfully hand it to him, Wang Helu knelt down, bowed, and took it from his hands with both hands.
After quickly glancing at the memorials, he knelt down again. "Your Majesty, please forgive me. It is all my fault that these crimes have been committed."
Ning Xuan looked at him coldly, "You are indeed wrong. I will fine you half a year's salary. The Wang family violently seized land, encroached on farmland, and competed with the people for profit. The prefect of Shuzhou is guilty of an unforgivable crime and will be executed within three days. If you, the person standing in this hall, cannot manage your family members, I will help you manage them."
Wang Helu kowtowed again, "Your subject obeys the decree."
After just one morning court session, a large bump had swelled up on Wang Helu's forehead.
Ning Xuan then looked at Ning Yao. This youngest son was the most soft-hearted of all his sons, but also the kindest, unlikely to amount to much. "Prince Duan, think carefully about whether you are surnamed Ning or Wang. Confine yourself to your residence until you have figured it out."
Ning Yao felt a cold sweat creep up his back. What did his father mean by this?
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
