Chapter 69: Political Turmoil
Su Shengsheng picked up the teapot on the table and stepped back, then turned and walked into the kitchen to boil water.
Taking advantage of the fact that no one was around, she quickly threw a large piece of salt into the pot.
As long as this cousin feels that she is a difficult-to-discipline woman, he will naturally not bring her back as a troublemaker.
Only after the salt water completely dissolved did Su Shengsheng return to the main hall.
"When my father learned about this, he was very angry with my aunt and specifically instructed me to bring my cousin home for a reunion. Thankfully, Master Ji doesn't look down on us merchants. No matter which family Sister Sheng marries into, it will be a great opportunity."
When Su Shengsheng heard that they had discussed this, she finally understood why her grandmother had sent her out on purpose.
Seeing Ji Yanli's look of worry, she hurried forward to add more tea for Li Xiang. "Cousin, you've come a long way, so you must be getting a sore throat. I've added some heat-reducing ingredients to the tea to help you relieve your fatigue."
Li Xiang was quite surprised by Su Shengsheng's thoughtfulness, but he immediately took it with a smile, "Thank you, Sister Sheng."
However, as soon as he took a sip, he suddenly spat it out, "Why is this tea salty?"
For a moment, everyone in the room looked at Su Shengsheng in surprise, with an innocent look on her face. You know, she had never had the habit of teasing anyone before.
Su Shengsheng's smile was still sweet. "Cousin, do you feel free?"
I'm just looking for trouble.
Li Xiang looked at her, and his little canine teeth unconsciously retracted, "It's okay, it's okay..."
But he put the cup back on the table in a panic, and didn't dare to touch it again. It didn't look like he thought it wasn't salty enough.
The old lady looked at her helplessly, then told Su Nianwei to get another pot of water.
But Ji Yanli was there too, so it was hard to say anything to her at the moment.
This guy is really easy to deal with.
Su Shengsheng smiled and sat back next to her mother without saying anything else.
After the new tea was replaced, Li Xiang drank several big gulps of it without caring about the scalding taste.
Seeing this, everyone turned their attention back to Su Shengsheng.
At this time, Jiao Shi broke the silence and said, "We are now planning to start some small business. It is thanks to the help of Sheng girl that the elderly and the weak in this family have something to rely on."
Since the male child couldn't come back, it was reasonable for her, as the eldest son's wife, to speak up.
Upon hearing this, Li Xiang also joined in the praise, saying, "I just arrived at Tianqian Pass, and I didn't expect to know the land just by asking around. It's not a small business at all."
Hearing his pertinent and honest words, the women couldn't help but smile with satisfaction.
Mrs. Zhong also smiled and said, "Wenxuan was saying that no one in the Su family was involved in business, yet Miss Sheng had such a talent for business. Now I finally understand where this talent came from."
She hinted that Su Shengsheng's business acumen came from the Li family, which was also a compliment to the Li family.
With just a few words, the awkwardness was easily resolved and the atmosphere became lively again.
Soon, Jiao told Li that her third family was planning to open an embroidery studio. Li was also involved and was preparing to buy a shop.
Su Shengsheng had never heard her mother mention this matter. She thought it was probably because of the issue of the fourth room's money, and they discussed it privately.
Saying it to her face now, probably to let her leave with peace of mind.
Seeing that his grandparents were also smiling, Su Shengsheng also smiled, "This cousin is new here and must have never seen the beautiful scenery of Guanzhong. How about I take him for a walk?"
The Su family is engaged in business, which is indeed partly due to the four branches.
After careful consideration, Su Ruilin decided that several families should work together to earn back the money, and not let Su Shengsheng face the storm alone.
Of course, they said this for the Li family to hear.
Su Shengsheng is not without support, and she has a capable son-in-law like the young master of the Ji family, so the Li family dare not look down on her.
Li Xiang had been humiliated before and then had salt water poured into his mouth. He had no idea that this cousin, whom he had never met, was deliberately teasing him.
But he also knew that this cousin had been abandoned by her aunt for many years, and it was indeed a bit unreasonable for her to suddenly recognize her as a relative.
Therefore, Li Xiang put down the teacup immediately and said, "I'll follow your cousin's arrangements."
…
"General, General Zhang has arrived safely in Xuzhou. This is the letter he wrote to you." Mu Ze handed a letter with a wax seal to Xie Xuan.
The letter reads: Your Majesty has asked for peace with the Northern Rong several times, and even offered the two lost territories of Shangzhou and Guozhou, which I had recovered with an army of 100,000, to the Northern Rong.
The Northern Rong envoys arrived in the capital. A group of veteran generals and I were unwilling to seek the skin of a tiger, but the emperor had made up his mind. He dismissed me from my position as prime minister and asked Wang Yongshou to kneel in front of the Northern Rong envoys and pay tribute.
Now that the decree to abolish the country's name has been issued, everything is a foregone conclusion.
You and the troops deployed in the southern border must be careful to prevent the Baishang Kingdom from taking advantage of the opportunity to invade. You must not follow in the footsteps of me and your father!
Remember, remember!
After reading the letter, Xie Xuan put it into the brazier and destroyed it.
Mu Ze couldn't contain his anger. "General, how could he just give up this city so easily after tens of thousands of brave soldiers fought so hard to recapture it?"
Chu Zhao also had a cold expression this time. "No wonder the Northern Rong asked those surrendered ministers who lost their land to submit a letter of surrender? It seems that the Northern Rong intends to take a two-pronged approach and make both sides their vassal states."
Xie Xuan's eyes were as cold and sharp as an arrowhead, and he said decisively: "Yu Chang dare not claim to be emperor."
Mu Ze was filled with indignation, gritting his teeth and saying, "Those spineless guys actually surrendered so easily."
"This matter must not be spread randomly in the army, so as not to affect morale." Xie Xuan said in a cold tone.
The matter was already a foregone conclusion, and Chu Zhao and Mu Ze could only accept the order: "I obey your command."
Seeing that Mu Ze still didn't leave, Xie Xuan asked coldly, "What else?"
Mu Ze hesitated this time: "General, I have found out that the person who sealed off the Red Mansion... was Miss Jun..."
After he finished speaking, seeing that Xie Xuan's expression was still indifferent, he could only murmur, "Miss Jun must have heard about the general and Miss Su riding together, but she probably didn't know that the person sitting on the general's horse was Miss Su, otherwise she wouldn't have blocked the Red Mansion."
After he finished speaking, he looked at Xie Xuan nervously, only to see Xie Xuan stand up coldly.
?
Mu Ze hurriedly caught up and asked, "General, where are you going?"
…
"Cousin Sheng, my cousin is dying, please come and save me."
On the ice on the other side of the barren mountain, Li Xiang, wearing a pair of strange wheeled boots, lay limp on the ground like an octopus.
If he hadn't held on to the rope around his waist tightly, he would probably have fallen head over heels again.
The other end of the rope was tied to a giant tree beside the glacier.
Su Shengsheng was walking leisurely beside the bushes with her hands behind her back. Upon hearing this, she just glanced over there lazily.
"Winter is almost here. Once the ice is solid, I'll bring the young master from Ningguo Mansion to go ice skating here."
As she spoke, she stopped by the roadside and looked at Li Xiang. "I promised the Crown Prince's wife that I would teach the young master for a year. I can't break my promise because of you."
Li Xiang understood that this little cousin had no intention of leaving.
He sighed, "But my cousin is here to bring my cousin home on my father's orders. It's such a long journey, and if I can't bring my little cousin back, I won't be able to explain to my father!"
Su Shengsheng picked up a stone and walked over slowly.
When Li Xiang saw her squatting, he immediately became nervous: "Cousin, what are you going to do?"
Su Shengsheng smiled slightly, spun the stone in her hand, and slammed it onto the ice surface.
"Ah!" Li Xiang's hair stood on end in shock. "Cousin, what are you doing?"
Su Shengsheng looked at him tenderly and thoughtfully, "Try the ice!"
"Cousin, the ice isn't solid yet. You'll fall down." Li Xiang was frightened when he saw her hitting the ice non-stop.
Su Shengsheng held up the stone and glanced at him calmly: "How about we work together?"
Li Xiang saw her stop, but looked as if she would have more fun if she didn't agree. He was so scared that he swallowed hard, "What cooperation?"
"You just need to cooperate with me in putting on a show to make my grandparents give up the idea of taking me back, and I will give you a big gift."
Li Xiang's face turned pale: "I don't want any big gifts..."
Su Shengsheng snorted lightly and raised his hand to smash it again. At this time, a strange sound came from under the ice, which scared Li Xiang so much that he could no longer care about anything else.
"I always listen to my cousin. I always listen to my cousin."
Su Shengsheng finally withdrew her hands with satisfaction and threw away the stone: "These shoes were originally made for Zaiqing, but I gave them to you for a bargain."
Li Xiang's face was dejected. When he struggled to get up, he was horrified to find cracks on the ice spreading from the soles of his feet.
"Cousin..." He was so scared that he couldn't even speak. His voice was as soft as a mosquito, for fear that a louder voice would crack the ice.
Su Shengsheng frowned slightly, "Just lie still, I'll pull you ashore."
Behind Su Shengsheng and Li Xiang, Mu Ze looked at Xie Xuan in astonishment as he stepped onto the ice, and it took him a long time to lower his jaw.
Then, he suddenly woke up: "General, this ice surface can't bear so many people."
Su Shengsheng responded and turned around, only to see Xie Xuan looking at her with a cold expression.
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