Commander Ji welcomed the group to his mansion and gave them a warm reception.
Old Mrs. Ji held Du Shaoxuan's hand affectionately and chatted with him about family matters. Not only did she not take advantage of her seniority, but she also spoke in a very humorous way, making people feel like they were in the spring breeze.
Everyone gathered around Du Shaoxuan and talked, gossiping, and were extremely affectionate.
Especially Ji Xiaoman, who sat next to Du Shaoxuan with an innocent look on her face, called him "Brother Shaoshuai" repeatedly in a very sweet voice and spoke to him in a very familiar manner.
Her three brothers acted as great assists, saying over and over again how cute and lovable her Xiaoman was. Everyone liked her way of speaking to raise her value.
They were just too impatient and frankly couldn't bear to watch it, but there was nothing they could do, it was too difficult to meet the young general.
Du Shaoxuan just listened but didn't express any opinion.
The Ji family had two wives. One wife was surnamed Lu and had two children, Ji Cheng and Ji Yu. The other wife was surnamed He and had three sons and one daughter. Ji Xiaoman was her only daughter.
He had high hopes for her daughter and wanted to marry her to Du Shaoxuan. She had instilled these ideas in her. Ji Xiaoman also wanted to marry in a grand manner, and when she saw that Du Shaoxuan was so handsome and extraordinary, she was naturally attracted to him.
Unfortunately, Old Lady Ji and General Ji were somewhat unhappy and winked at Ji Xiaoman, telling her that girls should be more reserved.
Besides, they are more optimistic about the eldest daughter Ji Cheng, who is dignified and steady.
Mrs. Lu held her five-year-old son's head in her arms, eyes full of tenderness, and sat quietly, unlike Mrs. He who would make her presence felt from time to time.
Ji Cheng was also very quiet, and sometimes he couldn't help but secretly glance at Mu Wanqing. The more he looked, the more familiar she looked to him.
Mu Wanqing ate snacks, drank tea and watched the show. Any family with many wives and concubines will never be peaceful.
Especially for those who have to take care of two families, it is extremely troublesome.
Fighting for favor, fighting for interests, fighting for inheritance rights, it is like a battlefield without smoke.
However, most men think that there is nothing wrong as long as their wives and concubines get along well with each other and their children are friendly to each other.
Ji Xiaoman is cute and lovely, while Ji Cheng has the demeanor of a daughter of a general. They are completely different types.
Ji Xiaoman personally brought out a basin of cut fruits from the kitchen, "Brother Shaoshuai, try the fruits from the Western Regions. They are delicious. I cut them myself."
Her brothers winked and joked, "Young Marshal, our family only got a few, and Xiaoman only got one. She was reluctant to eat it, but now she is willing to eat it."
Du Shaoxuan didn't seem to notice anything. "Thank you, Qingping, for trying some different fruits and vegetables. You love new things the most."
The first piece of fruit he picked up was handed to Mu Wanqing. Mu Wanqing took a closer look and couldn't help but laugh. Isn't the red naan a watermelon?
Is it called watermelon now or cucumber?
She took a bite and found the water content to be OK, but the taste was bland. "This watermelon is not very sweet. It needs to be improved."
Du Shaoxuan immediately became excited, "Can it be grown in our Xiliang?"
Influenced by Mu Wanqing, he became very interested in crops.
Mu Wanqing enthusiastically explained, "Yes, watermelon can grow in sandy soil, clay soil, and wasteland on hillsides. Choose fertile and loose loam, add plenty of sunlight, plant scientifically, and cultivate seeds carefully to achieve a relatively ideal taste." Note (1)
As expected, there are many new things here. I saw watermelon as soon as I arrived, so it was worth the trip.
Du Shaoxuan's heart moved, "What about that seed?"
"This is it." Mu Wanqing spit out a watermelon seed, which seemed to be able to be planted on a large scale.
There are too few fruits and vegetables these days, and with just these few kinds, she is never satisfied.
Du Shaoxuan carefully put the watermelon seeds aside and said, "Okay, I'll collect them first and give them to you later."
"Okay." Mu Wanqing happily took a big bite of watermelon. The taste needed to be improved.
But she is not an expert in this area.
"Help me find people who grow watermelons. I want to bring some back with me."
"Okay, I'll take care of it." Du Shaoxuan took on the responsibility, and his gentle and considerate attitude made people around him jealous.
Ji Xiaoman said innocently and romantically, "Brother Shaoshuai, is this Miss Qingping a farmer? You sound very reasonable, but I don't know if it's true."
She implied that Mu Wanqing was a farming girl, but neither Du Shaoxuan nor Mu Wanqing looked down on farmers, as the country is based on agriculture.
"She must be right. No one is smarter than her."
This evaluation was so high that the Ji family members' faces changed several times.
Ji Xiaoman spoke in a naive tone like a little girl, "I haven't asked yet, what is Miss Qingping's surname, what do your parents do, and what did your ancestors do?"
"My last name is Mu. As for my ancestors..." Mu Wanqing thought about it seriously, "They were officials. Of course, this is not important."
She doesn't rely on her ancestors for food.
Ji Xiaoman's eyes flashed with contempt, and she smiled even more brightly, "Because he is a small official, he is not important?"
Mu Wanqing did not answer but asked, "What did the Ji family's ancestors do?"
Whose ancestors were not peasants? We are not a family with a history of thousands of years, so why pretend to be noble?
Ji Xiaoman said with pride, "We have been high-ranking military officers for generations. My father's generation was a third-rank commander, a high-ranking official stationed in a local area."
"Oh." Mu Wanqing's attitude was cold, "It's hereditary..."
She pushed away the watermelon that was handed to her and said, "Du Shaoxuan, two pieces are enough for me. It's not very sweet." There was a little bit of disgust in her voice.
Du Shaoxuan had no choice but to take it back and eat it himself. "Let's go to the market and see if there is anything you like. You have such high standards. Alas."
"Uncle Ji, when will the trade be open?"
Commander Ji looked at Mu Wanqing for several times. Who was this girl? She actually called the young commander by his name and was so casual.
"The day after tomorrow."
Ji Xiaoman held her breath, feeling extremely uncomfortable. "Miss Qingping seems to be dissatisfied with the hereditary system? This is the rule established when the country was founded."
It was a bit premature to think of setting a trap for her. Mu Wanqing smiled and shook her head, "No, I just think it's more interesting to make a name for myself without relying on my ancestors."
Ji Xiaoman couldn't help but laugh, "I have to say, you are even more naive than me. You still want to rely on yourself to fight for it. This world is not as simple as you think. Do you think it's easy to be an official?"
"Let's talk about the imperial examination. After ten years of hard study, you finally get the top spot. Then you have to be assigned to a local place to be a small county magistrate, a seventh-rank official. This is one in ten thousand."
Mu Wanqing held her chin up and listened with a smile, and suddenly said, "No, usually the top scholar will be assigned to the Hanlin Academy and be promoted to the sixth rank."
Ji Xiaoman choked, and then taught her a lesson seriously, "I mean, it's not easy to be an official. You can't succeed just by working hard."
Mu Wanqing was not angry yet, but Du Shaoxuan was unhappy and his face darkened. "What is difficult for you is easy for her. Of course, people are different. We cannot expect everyone to be as smart as her. After all, there is only one Qingping in this world."
Ji Xiaoman was stabbed and felt terrible. He was too biased. What did he mean by there was only one Qingping? Being an official is easy? You must be kidding.
The eldest son of the Ji family frowned slightly and said half-jokingly, "Young Marshal, my sister and you are childhood sweethearts. Why are you helping an outsider?"
He is the eldest son and was trained as the heir, so naturally he is very ambitious.
Du Shaoxuan couldn't help but get anxious, fearing that Mu Wanqing would misunderstand him. "No, it's not like that. We only meet once every two or three years. We're not familiar with each other."
Mu Wanqing glanced at him indifferently. This man really is... if he loves him, he wants him to live; if he hates him, he wants him to die.
"Got it, eat melon."
Du Shaoxuan took the watermelon from her hand, not caring how ugly the Ji brothers and sisters looked, "By the way, Uncle Ji, do you have kapok trees in your house?"
Commander Ji was stunned for a moment, "You must be joking. This is a unique view in Commander Du's mansion. Where else can we find such a place?"
Du Shaoxuan hesitated for a moment, "Then, I have a favor to ask of you."
"No, no, just give me your orders, Young Marshal." Commander Ji knew Du Shaoxuan's character very well. He had this temper.
Du Shaoxuan made a direct request, "I want kapok trees, seeds are fine, the more the better."
This is the fastest way. As the highest commander in Ganzhou City, Commander Ji has many people trying their best to please him.
Commander Ji thought it was a simple matter. "That's easy. I'll send the news to merchants in various countries to see if they have any."
"Bring any rare and strange things here. A large reward will be offered." Mu Wanqing interjected, intending to work on two fronts in parallel, so that it would be faster if the official came forward to collect things.
Generally speaking, the best things would not appear in the market. They would have been intercepted or sent to the homes of the powerful.
When they go to trade privately, they mostly look for bargains.
This was what the two had discussed beforehand. Du Shaoxuan nodded slightly, "Yes, we want something that Da Qi doesn't have."
Commander Ji looked at Mu Wanqing intently, with a strange look on his face. Why did it seem like she was in charge? Was it an illusion?
Mu Wanqing calmly let him look at her.
"Young Marshal, what do you want?"
Du Shaoxuan gave a reasonable reason on the surface, "The emperor's birthday is coming, and I want to prepare a unique gift for the emperor."
This was a very good reason, and Commander Ji suddenly realized, "I see, that's how it should be. I'll give the order right away."
He called the housekeeper and gave him some instructions, "You should still live in the same courtyard as before. It's reserved for you."
Du Shaoxuan looked at Mu Wanqing. One lived in the inner courtyard and the other lived in the guest courtyard. The distance was too far, and he was worried. "No, I have asked someone to book the Yuelai Inn."
He's face changed when she heard the voice, "Yue Lai Inn?"
Du Shaoxuan raised his eyebrows, his eyes sharp, "Any questions?"
He was startled and shook her head subconsciously, "No, no, I mean, why do you want to stay in the inn? Do you think our Ji Mansion is not a good host?"
Why was it that unlucky place? She still remembered the humiliation her brother and nephew suffered there, and her nephew still had a trauma.
If Commander Ji hadn't stopped her, she would have wanted to burn down Yuelai Inn.
Du Shaoxuan declined politely, "Thank you, but I brought a friend with me this time, so it's not very convenient."
It turned out that he refused to live in the Ji Mansion because of Mu Wanqing. The Ji family members had different expressions.
Old Mrs. Ji couldn't help but look at Mu Wanqing a few more times. She had to admit that she was a very special girl, with a charming aura and a firm look in her eyes.
He suppressed her disgust for Mu Wanqing and chuckled, "What's the big deal? Our Ji family has plenty of houses. Are we worried that we can't accommodate a few girls? Just live in Lanfang Pavilion with Xiaoman. Xiaoman, you should entertain the guests well."
Only in this way can I have more contact with Du Shaoxuan and have the opportunity to develop feelings.
As for Mu Wanqing, she was just a channel for them to rise to the top.
Anyone who destroys her plan will become her mortal enemy.
Her wishful thinking was going well, but Mu Wanqing directly refused.
"Thank you for your kindness, but I am used to being free and unrestrained. I don't like being constrained. An inn is more suitable for me to live in."
He was a very conceited person. She was considered one of the most noble ladies in the city and was highly praised by others.
"Miss Qingping has a bit of a stubborn personality, which doesn't seem good. The young marshal came to Ganzhou City on purpose, first for official business, and second to build a relationship with the Ji family. You will ruin his plans by doing this."
Mu Wanqing smiled coldly, "Du Shaoxuan, how about you stay here? I can stay in the inn by myself."
Du Shaoxuan also didn't want to live in the Ji family. The intentions of Ji Xiaoman and her sister were so obvious that only a fool would stay.
"Wherever you are, I will be there. I have to accompany you to feel at ease."
He felt blocked in her heart. She was actually valued so much by him. No, this was the son-in-law she had chosen. No one could snatch him from her.
"Miss Qingping, please stay here. The overall situation is more important..."
Before she could use moral blackmail, Mu Wanqing dropped a heavy bomb, "I heard that your He family is using the Ji family's name to mess with the Jiangnan Guo family? Your hands are really long. I don't know how many favors you have lost and how many enemies you have made. The Ji family's reputation in Jiangnan is ruined."
The Ji family members all changed color, especially Old Lady Ji, who screamed in shock, "Is this true? Are you kidding me?"
What was going on? Why was the He family always restless? They had brought trouble to the Ji family time and time again. If she didn't have four children, she would have wanted to divorce her daughter-in-law.
I regret not letting her in.
But now, for the sake of the dignity of the four children, I have to neither beat nor stop.
Mu Wanqing bowed to her and said, "Old lady, I have a friend who is the second master of the Guo family. He has come all the way here to apologize to the Ji family. Please let them go for their innocent involvement."
Old Mrs. Ji was worried. She had always been kind to others and made many friends, but she could not stand the repeated corruption of the He family.
She felt uneasy at the thought of having a group of enemies without her knowledge.
"Where is he?"
Mu Wanqing was sure that she knew nothing about this matter. "She is in the carriage outside the door. No one dared to come to the door without a letter."
Old Mrs. Ji was so anxious that she broke out in a sweat. Since they had even come to her house, it seemed that this was most likely true.
No wonder this girl has such a subtle attitude towards the Ji family.
"Please come in."
Guo Er was brought in by the servants, his face full of anxiety and restraint, not knowing what to do.
Mu Wanqing said softly, "Second Brother Guo, this is Old Lady Ji. If you have any grievances, please tell her. She is the kindest person."
"This is Commander Ji. He has a kind old mother who taught him, so he is naturally an upright person."
This is putting Commander Ji on a high pedestal. People say you are upright, so how can you have the nerve to cheat others?
If it was Commander Ji who did it, could he admit it in front of Du Shaoxuan?
Du Shaoxuan would definitely ask, why did you do this? Once checked, it would be even worse.
If it wasn't Commander Ji who did it, then you have a big problem as you have repeatedly failed to control the He family.
Her few short words were like a sharp blade, piercing the Ji family's weak spots.
Commander Ji then realized how powerful Mu Wanqing was. This girl looked harmless, but she was actually very cruel.
Guo Er was stunned. She promised to solve the problem for him, and that was how she solved it?
Mu Wanqing also said lightly, "It is said that one should cultivate oneself, manage the family, govern the country and bring peace to the world. If you can't even manage your wives and concubines, how can you talk about bringing peace to the world, right?"
Everyone gasped, this was even more cruel.
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Note (1) From Wikipedia.
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