Chapter 227 Going to School
On the 25th day of the twelfth lunar month, early in the morning, the Shi family brought Shi Xiangyun here.
The little girl first went to pay her respects to the old lady, and then went straight to Ningguo Mansion.
Of course, Baochai also accompanied them as a steady elder sister.
"Aunt!"
Xiangyun still had some baby fat on her face, and her voice was lively and naive, "Are you visiting the garden so early?"
"Is it too early now?"
The little girl was wearing a bright red brocade jacket with gold sprinkled on it, which made her look pretty and rich.
Shen Ning waved at her, "You came from the Shi family, it's so far, how long have I been walking around?"
This was actually the first time she had seen this child since she came here.
Grandmother Jia felt sorry for her niece, so she sent people to pick her up several times. However, Shi Nai and his wife would not let her go, so she could only sigh helplessly.
Shen Ning knew that this was mainly because the Jia family owed money to the national treasury.
In order to repay the silver, Shi Nai had a falling out with his uncles, aunts, and brothers who had divided the family property with him. But after selling everything he had to repay the silver, he probably took his anger out on the Jia family.
Otherwise, how could a child who had grown up almost by Grandmother Jia's side be sent here again after more than half a year? "Miss Bao has never visited our garden, has she? Let's take a walk together!"
Shen Ning pulled Xiangyun along, but did not forget Baochai.
"Yes! I've heard from my sisters that the garden in the mansion is very beautiful."
Baochai bowed and then walked forward happily.
She was actually a little afraid of Mrs. Shen.
My brother was well disciplined in school.
When he was a child, when his father was still alive, his mother couldn't take good care of him.
After entering the Jia family school, my brother's most commonly used trick of pretending to be sick was completely defeated by Mrs. Shen.
Although he is still full of resentment when he goes to school now, his calligraphy shows obvious improvement.
Apparently he wrote a lot when he was in school.
Because of her brother, Baochai was very grateful to Mrs. Shen, but she also vaguely felt that she didn't like her very much.
Now I can get an invitation...
Baochai was simply overjoyed.
"Aunt, I want to go to Ningcuixuan."
Xiangyun didn't want to visit the garden, "I heard that the sisters are all there, I want to go too."
"Ha ha!"
While she was still young, Shen Ning pinched her little face unscrupulously, "They are not here at the moment."
"Where did they go?"
"I'm helping your cousin's wife with housekeeping in the flower hall in front."
"Ah?" Xiangyun and Baochai were both very surprised.
"Do they know how to do it?"
There was a look of longing in Xiangyun's eyes.
Her uncle and aunt kept her at home. How many good things had she missed?
"That's what you asked."
Shen Ning laughed, "I don't know either, but I think they should learn while managing! After all, they are discussing it together."
"Let's discuss it together?"
Xiangyun blinked her eyes and said, "Aunt, if I come here today to study, can I discuss it with you tomorrow?"
"…So are you here to study, or to discuss something together?"
Shen Ning asked her with a smile.
“Both.”
Xiangyun pulled her sleeve and said, "Aunt, I have to study and discuss management matters with my sisters."
In her memory, her aunt treated her very well.
Second Aunt said that we should listen more to the old lady and cousin's aunt here.
Yesterday, Third Aunt also said that we should listen more to the old lady and my aunt, especially my aunt. If there is anything on our mind, just speak out. It would be bad if we were too polite.
“Come on, come on!”
As far as possible, Shen Ning was willing to make things convenient for these girls. "As long as you don't mind, just come."
At this point, she saw Baochai who seemed to be quite envious, and sighed slightly in her heart, "Miss Bao, you are already very good at managing the household at home, right?"
"No, no."
Baochai hurriedly shook her head.
Although her mother would discuss many things with her, she was always unable to make up her mind.
Specific housekeeper..., she has never tried it.
"When I was at home, I focused on studying."
By reading books, she can learn a lot and see a lot of things.
"Yeah?"
Shen Ning heard it and she still wanted to come here to study.
Qingping brought a lunch box home yesterday and told her that Bao-guniang was at the old lady's house. The old lady had left some food for her and she looked very happy.
The children of the two mansions are studying here, Baochai wants to study...
"Then are you interested in studying at Ning Cui Xuan with the sisters here?"
Shen Ning looked at her with a smile.
"May I?"
Baochai was really surprised.
She thought she was not good enough, she thought that because she was a merchant, Mrs. Shen looked down on her, but she didn't expect...
"nature!"
Shen Ning felt a little uncomfortable seeing the little girl wanting to go to school so much.
It looked like she would have to ask the school to keep a closer eye on Xue Pan.
Now that the Xue family is stable, Bao Sister, who is as talented as Lin Daiyu, won’t have so many calculations, right?
Shen Ning doesn't think that Baochai in the Dream of the Red Chamber thinks highly of Baoyu. Their values are not the same. Baochai pursues the imperial examination and likes reading, while Baoyu hates reading the most.
She married Baoyu just because he was the only one she could get and the best candidate, right?
Shen Ning sighed softly in her heart, "But, the New Year is coming soon, you..."
"I want to be with Sister Yun."
Being able to study in Ningguo Mansion is equivalent to being taught by Madam Shen.
Baochai knew how important this was to her.
"become!"
Shen Ning nodded, "Qingzhu, take the two girls to the flower hall. The dough figurine maker will probably be here soon. It's a good opportunity to make one for each of them."
"Making dough figurines?"
Shi Xiangyun was so surprised.
She has seen dough figurines being made.
I just haven't tried it myself.
"Aunt, could you please ask the dough figurine maker to come over and make dough figurines for us?"
"yes!"
Shen Ning smiled, "Do you like it?"
“I love it.”
Shi Xiangyun jumped up and said, "Aunt, you are so kind, Sister Bao, let's go quickly."
As she said that, she grabbed Qingzhu and wanted to go to the flower hall.
Baochai had no choice but to quickly bow to Shen Ning before hurriedly following.
Shen Ning watched them go away, then turned around and went her own way.
At this time, the dough-making master invited by Jia Zhen arrived, and the flower hall suddenly became lively.
…
In the imperial palace, the emperor hurried to Kunning Palace after returning from court.
Finally, Zhen Yingjia was sent to the Ministry of Justice by him.
How excited he was when he saw this man, whom he had always wanted to capture, coming to court with the shackles!
When the Crown Prince was still alive, the Zhen family was considered the local emperor of Jiangnan.
When the crown prince passed away, he became the emperor, but the Zhen family was almost a local tyrant in name only.
No matter who becomes an official in Jiangnan, if he does not pay his respects to the Zhen family, he will not be able to hold the office for long, or he will die, unless he is like Lin Ruhai, who has the support of two dukes’ mansions.
The emperor had long hated him.
When my father went to the south of the Yangtze River, the Zhen family did spend a lot of money, so my father tacitly allowed the Zhen family to intercept some of the taxes in the south of the Yangtze River. However, they intercepted the taxes year after year without any end.
Up to now, the national treasury has not paid back a single cent of the money owed. It is said that the daughters of the Zhen family who were married off to places around the south of the Yangtze River have all gone to places close to their family.
Huh~ Even the royal family’s princesses aren’t this crazy when they marry them off.
The emperor rushed to Kunning Palace as fast as he could. Just as the palace servants were about to pay their respects, he waved his hand and told them to go away.
"Your Majesty...! Is there any good news?"
The Queen looked at him with some uncertainty.
"Hahaha! Guess!"
The emperor laughed.
He was too embarrassed to laugh in the court, and on the way back, he was too embarrassed to laugh for no reason, so he could only laugh at the queen, "If you guessed it right, I will give you a royal farm in Jiangnan."
Imperial estate?
Or from Jiangnan? The queen couldn't help laughing, "What if I guessed wrong?"
"Guessed wrong?"
The emperor bared his teeth and smiled, "Since I am in a good mood, I will give you a smaller imperial farm."
"What is big? What is small?"
The queen asked with a smile.
"The income of ten thousand taels or more is called big, and the income of less than five thousand is called small."
"That……"
The Queen walked around the Emperor and said, "We have had a lot of happy things." She had actually guessed it a long time ago, but it was rare for the Emperor to be so happy, so it would be boring to guess it right away. So she pretended to be thinking hard, "Why is he so happy again now... ? Your Majesty, can you give me a hint?"
As she said this, she bumped into him coquettishly.
"I've already given you a hint!"
The emperor laughed and said, "Just try your best. I believe in you."
"Trust me?"
The Queen laughed, "Did you give any hints?"
She seemed to be recalling what he had just said, "Eh? You just mentioned the imperial farm in Jiangnan?" At this point, she also looked surprised, "It's the Zhen family. Master Zhen was taken to the capital?"
"Hahaha, exactly!"
The emperor spun around happily, "How many years have I been troubled by the Zhen family?"
I thought that if he wanted to take down the Zhen family, he would have to hurt his muscles and move his bones.
I didn’t expect that!
"Back then, the prince was determined to take down the Zhen family, but he failed."
He suddenly stopped and said, "New Year is coming. I want to go and tell my brother the good news."
Without the prince, he wouldn't be where he is today.
"I'll go with you!"
The queen held his hand without hesitation and said, "Let's... go and tell the emperor again."
"good!"
The emperor was deeply moved and embraced her.
Last year they were very pitiful because they were very worried about the Chinese New Year.
The last bit of the queen's dowry was used to buy thick cotton clothes for the elderly and children there.
They have no money anymore.
The emperor was used to living a poor life, so he was not actually afraid of poverty. He had something to eat, and it would be even better if the food was still warm.
Once upon a time, he couldn't eat much hot food in the harem.
In very cold weather, sometimes the soup we deliver is frozen.
At that time, he wished he could grow up quickly!
Finally he grew up, moved out, got a princess, and had three meals a day, including snacks, all of which were hot.
How happy he was at that time!
Even after being emperor for several years, he was never as happy as he was at that time.
"Queen, have I ever told you, thank you, over the years?"
"Yes, I said a lot."
The Queen buried her face in his chest, "Even though I didn't say it with my mouth, I could feel it."
“…”
The emperor silently hugged his queen tighter, "At this year's palace banquet, meet Madam Shen from Ningguo Mansion and mention the prince's daughter to her. When the time comes, we will find a way to use Madam Shen and Jia Zhen to grant her a favor!"
"I'm afraid not."
The Queen raised her head and said, "Jia Jing died not long ago, and the Ningguo Mansion is in mourning, so it is not appropriate for her to attend the palace banquet. However, I can summon her to the palace in advance tomorrow."
Nowadays, it is easy for them to give grace to whomever they want.
"Then tomorrow!"
The emperor let her go with a smile, "Let's go and see our father."
The couple went to meet the emperor together, holding hands as they did in the palace.
The emperor who could not be moved has now become obedient.
He hoped the emperor would come.
He was afraid that if the emperor didn't come, the palace servants would become even more perfunctory in serving him.
The New Year is coming, and his Shoukang Palace was so lively in previous years!
But now..., he only has one son left, the emperor.
"Father!"
The emperor's gentle voice rang in his ears, and the retired emperor, who was thinking about the past with his eyes slightly closed, suddenly became energetic.
"My son came here to tell you a good news."
Good news? The emperor looked at the emperor.
He knew that good news for the emperor was bad news for him.
The old man opened his mouth and took one more breath.
He was afraid that he would get angry and forget to breathe.
The emperor tried hard to build up his mental strength and not get angry. If he got angry and ruined his health, no one could replace him.
Keep a calm mind, maybe he will get better slowly.
"Zhen Yingjia has come to Beijing, but he was escorted by his son's men."
Zhen Yingjia? Zhen family?
The emperor breathed a sigh of relief.
The Zhen family has been in Jiangnan for many years, and he knows what they have done.
But during those years, he needed ministers like the Zhen family.
He needs the Zhen family and Prince Jin to compete with the prince.
Later..., the same thing happened.
He needed them to suppress the emperor.
The emperor sighed softly in his heart.
If he had known that one day he would be lying down and unable to move, why would he bother with all those things? Whether it was the crown prince or the emperor, they would succeed him and take good care of Dazhao.
"Probably around the New Year, the order to confiscate the property will reach the Zhen family."
The emperor did not see any angry expression on the old man's face, and he felt very comforted, "Father, I will go and tell the prince the good news later, what do you think?"
The Emperor: “…”
He glanced at the emperor. Was this son really thinking of the prince? Oh~ As expected, the prince had calculated his mentality when he set the fire, right?
The retired emperor's breathing was a little heavy.
He was plotted against by the prince.
That evil son.
She is using the lives of her entire family to plot against this old father!
How many years had he been sad because of him? In the end...
"You also think your son should go and announce the good news, right?"
The emperor felt a little pain in his heart when he saw the emperor like this. "The Zhen family has long been a cancer in Dazhao. You have spoiled them for so many years. You let them withhold some taxes to pay back the silver owed to the treasury because of your kindness in welcoming you. But year after year, why don't they pay it back?"
At this point, the emperor could not help but grit his teeth and said, "Father, what kind of people are you favoring? Are they worthy of being human?"
In the eyes of the emperor, those people are not worthy of being called human beings.
Relying on Prince Jin and Concubine Zhen, they turned Dazhao's Jiangnan into almost their Zhen family's Jiangnan.
"They must pay back the silver. If they can't pay it back in one generation, their descendants will have to pay it back to me."
The emperor hated it so much that he said, "Unless the Zhen family has no descendants, I will never let them go."
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