Chapter 83
After the incident of the eldest princess leaving the palace, Wang Shuhuai went out early and came back late as usual. At the end of the year, the Ministry of Revenue was the busiest government office, and Wang Shuhuai didn't even have time to return home. Even so, whenever he had time, he would go back home to see his wife and children.
As the end of the year approached, Xie Yunchu was receiving the heads of the entire Duke's Mansion while taking care of his own private accounts.
On the 12th day, Linglong Xiu handed in a total of 100,000 taels of silver notes, and the Caoyun wharf received a huge amount of 250,000 taels of silver. There was both inflow and outflow. The Caoyun shops were almost completed, and at the end of the year it was time to settle the accounts with the carpenters, and all other expenses amounted to tens of thousands of taels.
All the farmers in Xie Yunchu's village, both men and women, worked for her. The old men were responsible for supervision, the elderly women helped prepare meals, and even the unmarried girls came out to help Xie Yunchu run the shop. The young men shouted to sell the shop, helped with entertaining people, and learned all kinds of tricks.
After the opening and closing of Caohe River and the construction of the wharf, this group of people gained experience and gradually became proficient in their work.
However, a tall tree attracts the wind. Not long ago, a wealthy businessman was jealous of Linglong Embroidery's booming business and deliberately sent people to the shop to cause trouble in an attempt to ruin Linglong Embroidery's reputation.
Uncle Lin came back in a hurry to tell Xie Yunchu that Wang Shuhuai happened to be back home for dinner that day. After hearing about this, he just said something indifferently:
"Leave it to me."
Then, without even taking the umbrella, his tall figure disappeared in the wind and snow.
No one knew what trick Wang Shuhuai had used, but the next day the boss personally went to Linglong Embroidery to apologize, saying that he had made a mistake and had to pay a large sum of money. The other jealous colleagues were quite puzzled and went to find the rich businessman to find out the reason. They didn't find the rich businessman, but met the other shopkeeper. The shopkeeper cried bitterly.
"This is a piece of iron plate. Don't kick it. My master only kicked it once and he is still lying in prison. That night, the court heard the news and found out that our cargo ship was smuggling. Most of our property was confiscated. If you don't want to die, you can give it a try."
After that, no one dared to cause trouble for Linglong Xiu again.
On the 18th day of the twelfth lunar month, Wang Shuxu got married.
In the morning, Xie Yunchu sent someone to tell Wang Shuhuai to come back early for a drink.
Wang Shuxu called his sixth brother Wang Shuye and third brother Wang Shukuang to go to Zhou's house to pick up the bride.
The Duke was also a handsome and suave man when he was young. The eldest princess had a tall and broad forehead and was born with a majestic appearance. Jiang's appearance was even more impeccable. All the descendants in the family were outstanding in appearance. When the three brothers rode on horseback to welcome the bride, they attracted onlookers of all ages, men, women, and children, and the girls even competed to throw their handkerchiefs to them.
Wang Shuye was so embarrassed that his face turned red as he walked along the street. If he wasn't wearing a wedding dress, everyone would have thought he was the groom today.
In the evening, Wang Shuxu welcomed Zhou Min back home with satisfaction.
The third master and the third mistress sat on the high hall, with the masters and mistresses from other rooms sitting on their left and right.
The third wife looked at the happy smile in her son's eyes and suddenly felt that everything was worth it. She choked up and shed tears.
The third master heard his wife sniff and sigh, and then he advised,
"Why are you crying on such a happy day?"
The third wife looked at her husband with a complicated expression.
"Thank you, sir."
Although the Third Master was dissatisfied with her choice, he did not stop her in the end. The Third Wife understood that with the means of a Deputy Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate, she would not be unable to stop this marriage. This shows that although her husband attached great importance to the title, he did not disregard the relationship between husband and wife and did not ignore his son's feelings.
That's enough.
When the Third Master thought of that incident, he felt like there was a thorn in his heart. He said nothing, but raised his sleeve and pointed forward, signaling the Third Madam to pay attention to the occasion.
The third wife wiped away her tears without leaving a trace and showed a dignified and generous smile.
The newlyweds paid their respects to their parents and then sent the bride to the bridal chamber.
The Duke did show up, but the Princess stayed in Qinghui Palace due to feeling unwell.
Today, many guests came to visit the eldest princess under the pretext of having a drink, but the eldest princess politely declined.
Wang Shuhuai came back and had dinner, then went into Qinghui Palace to pay his respects to the Duke and the Princess.
The princess kept him to question him.
The candle flame made a crackling sound. Chao Yun pinched off a piece of it with a pair of scissors, served some tea, and quietly closed the door and left.
Wang Shuhuai wrote a brief report on the recent situation in the court and gave it to the princess. The princess glanced over it, rubbed her brows and asked him,
"Who will accompany the prince to the suburban sacrifice tomorrow?"
Wang Shuhuai replied calmly,
"Several officials from the Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of War, the Imperial Guards and the Huben Guards will be in charge of accompanying the emperor."
The princess was silent for a while, then suddenly asked,
"Shu Huai, which of His Majesty's princes do you think is worthy of entrusting the country to?"
When Wang Shuhuai heard this, his handsome eyebrows rippled slightly and he glanced at the eldest princess.
Back then, the eldest princess had four older brothers. Prince Duan was both talented in civil and military affairs, the third prince was virtuous, and the fourth prince's mother's family was strong. However, the eldest princess chose the second prince, who was inferior to the other princes in every way.
The ambition of this regent princess is evident from this.
"The Second Prince is a wise man, but unfortunately the Yue family is powerful, and Minister Qi is in charge of the Ministry of Personnel and controls the cabinet, which can easily form a deterrent."
"The Third Prince is extremely capable and cannot be easily shaken."
"The Fourth Prince is disabled..."
"The fifth prince is young and intelligent, and his mother is just a palace maid."
Wang Shuhuai stopped talking and said nothing. Among these princes, the fifth prince was the easiest to control. If he guessed correctly, the eldest princess must have chosen the fifth prince. Once the emperor died and the fifth prince ascended the throne, the eldest princess could continue to be the regent. When the eldest princess passed away, the fifth prince would be grown up and able to control the court officials.
The princess looked at him with squinting eyes, her slender armor gently tapping on the table.
"Why don't you mention the prince?"
Wang Shuhuai laughed, "If Grandmother had chosen the prince, she wouldn't have asked this question."
The crown prince is the legitimate heir to the throne and should be the heir to the throne.
"If not, why would you bother trying to stop my aunt from Gao Zhan?"
The eldest princess thought of her youngest daughter, and her brows ached. "Gao Zhan is a talented general, but it's a pity that he shouldn't have been born into the Gao family."
The Crown Prince has the powerful support of the Gao family, so he is not within the consideration of the Princess.
Wang Shuhuai didn't respond.
The Duke heard the two people talking more and more deeply, and said impatiently,
"The Wang family is not involved in party disputes. Your Highness, please do not cross this bottom line. And Shu Huai, you are not allowed to do anything reckless either."
Wang Shuhuai stood up and said yes.
The eldest princess stroked her forehead and motioned Wang Shuhuai to go back.
After Wang Shuhuai left, the Duke walked over with a serious look on his face.
"Your Highness, the Mongols are watching closely. It is not appropriate to move the country's foundation at this time. Have you forgotten the lesson of the bridgehead?"
The princess was shocked when she heard this.
Her father, the previous emperor, had no qualifications to inherit the throne. That year, there was chaos in the court, and the Mongols took the opportunity to attack the bridgehead. Emperor Jinning led the army in person, but was besieged by the Mongols. In order to avoid being humiliated, Emperor Jinning committed suicide at the bridgehead. This move shocked the world, and the soldiers and civilians of the Jin Dynasty wept and spontaneously wore mourning clothes to meet the enemy. Finally, they successfully drove the Mongols out of the border and brought back the body of Emperor Jinning.
The situation was critical at the time and the country could not afford to be without a ruler for a day, so the late empress actively contacted court officials, who immediately supported the late emperor, who was then a virtuous prince, to ascend the throne, and the country's destiny was transferred from Emperor Jinning to the late emperor's lineage.
Emperor Jinning's eldest son died on the battlefield, and his youngest son died of illness a few years later. He left behind only a grandson who was named Prince of Zhaode. The title was passed down for generations and he enjoyed a permanent salary.
The Wang family was also involved in that battle. At that time, the Duke's father, Old Master Wang, accompanied the Emperor Jinning and died at the bridgehead with the Emperor Jinning.
This battle was both a humiliating and glorious one for the Jin Dynasty. The emperor of the Jin Dynasty fulfilled his promise to guard the country's borders. Although Emperor Ning of Jin died, his spirit lives on.
The princess sighed for a moment and said,
"Some things are beyond my control. It also depends on whether the King of Han and the King of Xin are obedient."
The Duke stood with his hands behind his back, looked at the darkening sky and sighed deeply.
Wang Shuxu sent Zhou Min to the bridal chamber and then came out to entertain the guests. The third wife was worried that her daughter-in-law would be shy, so she asked Xie Yunchu to take Wang Shuqin to accompany her.
The two of them lifted the curtain and entered the new house. This was Xie Yunchu's first time coming to Wang Shuxu's house. The layout was completely different from Chunjingtang. There were a lot of flowers and plants piled inside and outside the house. Unexpectedly, Wang Shuxu was still a snapper.
Wang Shuqin saw her surprise and whispered, "My sister-in-law likes to grow flowers."
Xie Yunchu immediately understood that he was trying to please the beautiful lady.
The Fifth Young Master is unique among the young masters of the Wang family in this regard.
Wang Shuqin was on good terms with Zhou Min, so she had no scruples and wandered around the new house.
Xie Yunchu sat beside Zhou Min. When Zhou Min heard her talking, she took the initiative to open the wedding curtain and showed a shy smile.
"Second sister-in-law." The voice was a little uneasy.
Zhou Min felt a little less confident because she entered the door for that reason. "I didn't seem to see my grandmother during the wedding ceremony today. Does she dislike me?"
Xie Yunchu enlightened her,
"Silly girl, once you enter the palace, you will be the daughter-in-law of the Wang family. If you behave yourself and act in a proper manner, the princess will not dislike you."
Zhou Min felt sad. "I heard that my grandmother disliked my mother because of this. I was the one who caused her trouble. I feel bad about it."
Xie Yunchu understood the feeling of a girl who had just arrived and had no one to rely on, because she had gone through the same thing herself.
She held Zhou Min's pale hand and said, "You are wrong. Grandmother is not dissatisfied with you or the Third Wife. She is far-sighted and sees things differently from us. Don't try to figure out the thoughts of your elders at any time. Just do your own thing."
"Think about it from another perspective. You are marrying into a family you are familiar with. Your husband is your cousin whom you have known since childhood, and your mother-in-law is your aunt. You don't have the trouble of getting along with the mother-in-law, and your sister-in-law is particularly sensible. You are much better than others. When you meet your other sisters-in-law tomorrow, you will know by asking them. For example, your fourth sister-in-law came from Sichuan and married to Beijing. Not only was she unfamiliar with the place, but her eating habits were also very different. It took her a long time to adapt to life in the palace."
"We women are born in the backyard, and we only have this small world. If our horizons become narrower, we will be trapped to death."
Zhou Min was enlightened immediately after hearing this. "Second sister-in-law is right. I have been caught in a trap. After hearing what you said, I really don't know how to appreciate my blessings. I am so lucky to marry into the Wang family. My mother-in-law loves me, my husband respects me, and I have sensible sisters-in-law like you. I will go to see my grandmother openly tomorrow."
Because of these words of true love, Zhou Min treated Xie Yunchu differently from other times.
The next day, during the tea ceremony, everyone in the mansion waited for the newlyweds in Qinghui Palace.
Zhou Min remembered Xie Yunchu's words, smiled at the princess openly, and kowtowed respectfully.
The eldest princess didn't like timid children, and she was relieved to see that Zhou Min was as straightforward as the third wife. Even if she was not satisfied with the marriage, the man was already married and was a member of the Wang family. It was impossible for the eldest princess to make things difficult for a junior, so she treated her equally.
The Duke was always friendly to his juniors, and he smiled and told Wang Shuxu, "Help your wife up quickly."
"Your wife just got married, and you are not familiar with her yet. You should spend more time with her and ask her opinions on everything. Your parents are still a layer away from you. Your children will eventually leave when they grow up. The person closest to you is the one beside you. You must not let her down. Do you understand?"
Wang Shuxu knelt down and kowtowed solemnly.
"My grandson will follow your instructions."
The Sixth Young Master Wang Shuye only half understood what he heard. He touched the back of his head and said,
"No wonder Grandfather accompanied Grandma in the palace every day. It turns out that Grandfather regarded Grandma as more important than his children and grandchildren."
As soon as these words were spoken, the faces of the masters and mistresses became embarrassed. The fourth mistress hated her son for being too talkative, and without caring that the eldest princess was present, she turned around and slapped her son's forehead hard.
The Duke always had a smile on his face, while the Princess held the teacup, lowered her eyes and said nothing.
Xie Yunchu was listening to the Duke's words and was quite touched. The Duke set an example himself and his children and grandchildren, regardless of whether they had a wife in their hearts or not, all showed respect to him. There were so many masters in the Wang family, but none of them favored a concubine and neglected his wife.
The Duke continued to instruct Wang Shuxu, "You, follow your second uncle and father to the ancestral temple and add your wife's name to the list."
Other families have to wait until their daughter-in-law gives birth to a child before they can be included in the family tree, but the Wang family only needs to marry into the family.
Originally, the Duke had to record this matter himself. The Duke's words clearly indicated that he had other arrangements.
"Where are you going?" asked the princess.
The Duke smiled and said, "Today, the young master of the Zhenguo Mansion, Lin Xiyue, married Jiang Cheng's daughter. I accepted Brother Lin's invitation and went to show my support."
Xie Yunchu actually didn't know that Lin Xiyue and Jiang Cairu were getting married today. She couldn't help but glance at the ignorant and naive Wang Shuya. Wang Shuya's death in her previous life had always been a mystery, so she didn't know what would happen to Jiang Cairu in this life.
After all, other people's affairs had nothing to do with Xie Yunchu. After the tea ceremony, she returned to Chunjing Hall. There was some light snow on the road. At night, the wind and snow were about to get stronger, and the sound of howling made Xie Yunchu's heart go up and down. Just as she lay down, she heard the old woman screaming outside. Xie Yunchu sat up quickly.
"Chunqi, go and have a look quickly to see what happened."
Chunqi was about to go out when he saw Nanny Gui, who was on night watch outside, running in with a horrified look on her face.
"Second Madam, something happened in the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion. Isn't the old lady of the Duke of Zhenguo the younger sister of the Empress? The old lady is deceased, and the Empress hosted the young master's wedding on behalf of her younger sister, but was accidentally poisoned at the banquet. Now the Duke of Zhenguo has sealed the door of the mansion and does not allow guests to enter or leave. He also reported to the Three Departments and asked the Left Censor-in-Chief to go and find out the truth."
"Our Duke is also trapped in the mansion and can't come back."
At this time, heavy snow was falling in the Duke Zhenguo's Mansion. The red lanterns were covered by the thin snow, emitting a dark glow like blood.
All the guests were detained in various places in the hall and interrogated one by one by the Left Censor-in-Chief, the Minister of Punishments, and the Chief of the Three Departments of the Supreme Court.
No one knew what the Duke had eaten that day. He had only been sitting at the table for an hour when he went to the palace three times. After the last visit, before he had even untied his belt, someone hit him on the back of the head and he fainted instantly.
When he woke up again, he found himself in a dark room. The dark room was less than ten feet long and wide, extremely small. There was only an oil lamp in the corner. Under the oil lamp, there stood a man. He was wearing a bright red wedding dress, leaning against the wall with his arms folded across his chest, looking at the Duke with a half-smile.
"My Lord, I hope you are well."
The Duke naturally recognized him as Lin Xiyue.
Lin Xiyue had narrow eyes, and her feminine face was made to look too fair by the bright wedding dress. Her thin red lips were slightly raised. When she glanced over, it was as if she was being stared at by a cold and poisonous snake. Even though the Duke had seen a lot of storms, he couldn't help but feel a chill in his heart when he looked at her.
Although the Duke was trapped, he was not in a hurry.
"We just met, how can we say that we are all well?"
Lin Xiyue's eyes narrowed slightly, with a sneer on the corner of her lips, "Fifteen years ago, you were at the bridgehead to pay tribute to the late old man. I met you once. Do you remember who I am?"
The Duke's face was shocked.
"Who are you?"
Lin Xiyue's smile faded. "Time is running out, Duke, I don't have time to waste time talking to you. Just tell me, where is the will left by Emperor Jinning before his death?"
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