As Xu Rong walked in, he saw the Zhang family beaming with joy, already preparing for a banquet.
It wasn't about bestowing a title upon Lin Ding, that wouldn't happen so quickly. Rather, it was about the celebratory banquet held by the Duke of Yingguo to formally accept Lin Ding as his adopted son. Once the banquet was held, the news was announced to the capital, and from then on, the relationship between the adoptive father and son was set in stone and could not be changed.
As for the investiture banquet, that's something to do after Lin Ding gets his mansion and settles down. Once he takes this step, all sorts of banquets will be held continuously, and it will take quite a while before things calm down.
The Duke of England, accompanied by Lin Dingcai, was resting in the flower hall after leaving the palace when the men of the Zhang family rushed over to hear his account of the audience.
When Xu Rong arrived, the British official sat at the head of the table. Even with his shrewdness, he couldn't help but beam with joy: "It turns out that the Ministry of War's intention was to choose between the rank of Earl and Marquis. Ding'er should strive to be the best, to be able to handle matters properly before His Majesty, and to be knowledgeable about the counties and prefectures of Annam. He should be able to answer questions fluently. His Majesty was greatly pleased and immediately ordered that he be granted the title of Marquis."
The Ministry of War came up with a ambivalent decision to leave the Emperor some room for choice, but judging from the final outcome, it is clear that Lord Xiao's psychological maneuver failed.
"It is all thanks to my godfather's guidance and cultivation that I dare not disappoint him." Lin Ding stood up and respectfully bowed to the Duke of England.
The Duke of England was very pleased to see that he was grateful. He stroked his beard and said repeatedly, "Sit down, we're family, no need for such formalities."
Lin Dingfang sat down, but as soon as his bottom touched the chair, he added angrily, "I won't call Xiao Yuanhong Ruyi either."
Xu Rong had just gotten to stand next to Xiao Xin when he heard this: "..."
Well, it seems that Lord Xiao's plan not only failed to work, but also backfired.
If he hadn't completely ignited Lin Ding's fighting spirit, Lin Ding might not have performed so well.
With the imperial edict already issued, the Duke of England no longer restrained Lin Ding's words and actions. He pretended not to hear it and turned to Zhang Daye and Zhang Erye, saying, "Ding'er has just been granted the title of Marquis, and he is probably not yet familiar with many rules and regulations. As his sworn brothers, you should help him out more."
Grandpa Zhang bowed and replied, "I understand. Tomorrow I will go to the Ministry of Rites to help my sworn brother choose a residence."
While the houses that can be used as residences for noble families are all said to be similar, the location and age of the houses are all important factors. It is also very important to have someone knowledgeable and influential who can get in touch with the people.
Lin Ding stood up again to thank his two sworn brothers, but he wasn't so concerned about the house at the moment. He asked anxiously, "Father, what about Bao'er—?"
"Calm down." The Duke of England shook his head slightly. "Right now, you're not the only one who's anxious."
Lord Xiao's first move was undeniably shrewd, but since it was countered, he found himself on the defensive.
Lin Ding was still confused and didn't quite understand: "What does Godfather mean?"
“As I said before, the worst-case scenario is that Xin Ge’er will miss this exam,” the Duke of England said calmly. “Then, why not try a do-or-die approach?”
Xiao Xinzhen missed out on this imperial examination; was he the only one who lost out?
No, there's also Lord Xiao.
The reason why Lin Ding's side was so constrained was the crucial deadline of the provincial examination. But what if that deadline disappeared?
Xiao Xin will lose three years, and Lord Xiao will also lose his biggest bargaining chip.
The price he could get before the imperial examination was completely different from the price he could get after the examination.
Lin Dingben was adept at using stratagems. When the British duke used military terminology to explain, he immediately understood: "Excellent!"
Next, the Duke of England held a banquet as planned, sent out invitations widely, and opened the ancestral hall. Although Lin Ding was not a member of the Zhang family and could not be listed in the family genealogy, he still had to inform the ancestors. Every ceremony was conducted in a strict and orderly manner.
As the imperial examination drew ever closer, the Duke of Ying's mansion was bustling with activity every day, as if Xiao Xin had no place in the public eye.
The British were right; when one side isn't in a hurry, the other side is bound to get anxious.
At the end of January, Lord Xiao personally came to deliver the second set of conditions.
—Yes, it's a wave, not a single one.
The first condition in this set of conditions was that Lady Wei be sent out of Beijing on the grounds of death.
Both parties were present during this negotiation, with the Duke of England in the center to keep the peace. Lin Ding, sitting on the other side, was about to break out when Zhang Erye, sitting next to him, stopped him in time. A fight would be fine, as it would allow both sides to vent their anger. If Lord Xiao lost, it would be because he was not as skilled as others. But if they fought again, there would be no way to negotiate.
Lord Xiao's gaze pierced through her like an ice pick: "This vile woman has disgraced my family. I have already spared her life because of my father-in-law's intervention. If she is not even willing to leave the capital, then there is no need to talk anymore."
The British official pondered for a moment. From a man's perspective, the conditions proposed by Lord Xiao were not unreasonable, nor were they unacceptable.
Seeing that Lin Ding wouldn't listen, he suspended the negotiations and asked him to go out and persuade him.
“Xin’er has a bright future and cannot leave. Madam Wei has no such concerns. Besides, she was partly deceived back then.”
“Sister Yu did it for me.” Lin Ding refused to budge. “Tell him to set other conditions, he can ask for any amount of money, but he can’t let Sister Yu live without me.”
The problem is that Lord Xiao is not short of money.
Unable to persuade him, and not wanting to delay any longer, the British official, after a moment's consideration, sent a message to the guest quarters.
Upon hearing this condition, Madam Wei paused for a moment, then slowly nodded: "Alright, I'm willing, as long as he doesn't make things difficult for Xiaobao, I'll leave."
I disagree.
Xiao Xin stood up, his face frozen, and walked outside.
Mrs. Wei hurriedly chased after him, asking, "Where are you going?"
“I went to tell him that I should trade my mother for my future, but I don’t want that future.”
"Erlang, Xiaobao, wait a minute!"
Wei chased after him, but Xiao Xin moved with incredible speed, and she could never quite catch up. In her anxiety, she pulled Xu Rong, who had come out with her, and said, "Quickly, try to persuade him."
Xu Rong kept walking and shook his head: "I can't persuade him."
This condition seemed better than the first one, so much so that even the Duke of England thought it was acceptable—otherwise he wouldn't have sent word. But if Lin Ding or Xiao Xin agreed, what kind of people would they be?
Over the years, it was Lady Wei who endured humiliation and made the greatest sacrifices. Now that she has finally made it, she cannot share in the glory of her husband and son. Instead, she has to feign death and bear the greatest cost alone. There is no such logic in the world.
The three of them rushed to the study in the front courtyard. The gatekeeper hesitated but did not stop them. Xiao Xin ignored them and went in by himself. After bowing to the Duke of Yingguo, he turned to Marquis Xiao and said, "My mother will not leave. Marquis, you don't need to use me to control my mother. I will not take the exam this year. If you still have a grudge, Marquis, just come at me."
Lord Xiao: "..."
This was his first direct confrontation with Xiao Xin since the incident.
"You—" he finally managed to squeeze out the words through clenched teeth, "Hello!"
Xiao Xin couldn't hold on any longer and lowered his head slightly.
No matter how thin or weak the father-son relationship between him and Lord Xiao was, Lord Xiao had, after all, held the title of his father for twenty years. When it really came to this, it wouldn't be so easy for him to get over this psychological hurdle.
"You may go back first." The Duke of England frowned. He hadn't expected the message to come out this way. He reassured him, "This matter is still under discussion, and it's not certain yet."
But then Lord Xiao spotted Madam Wei hesitating by the door, and his eyes flashed with fury, as if a thorn had been driven into them. He roared, "What's wrong with that? Father-in-law, your household has produced such a vile woman, distorting the bloodline. Aren't you going to punish her?!"
The British public paused for a moment, then did not respond.
Lin Ding retorted: "You forced a woman to become your concubine, you're the shameless one!"
Lord Xiao sneered: "I brought Lady Wei into the family with her parents' consent. What did I force? It's clear that Lady Wei deceived me and was unfaithful first."
"Sister Yu is unwilling!"
Lord Xiao said disdainfully, "Marriage should be arranged according to the parents' wishes."
Lin Ding panicked and jumped up to hit him again, but Master Zhang quickly held him down once more. As the two were struggling, Madam Wei mustered her courage and stepped forward: "Regarding Erlang, I have wronged the Marquis. I am willing to comply with the Marquis's request—"
“Madam,” Xu Rong interrupted her.
After Lady Wei entered the Duke of Ying's mansion, Lin Ding treated her as his wife, and the servants who were assigned to serve her naturally addressed her as the principal wife. Xu Rong then followed suit and changed his address to her.
After interrupting her, Xu Rong stepped over the threshold and calmly entered. Reaching the center, he curtsied to Lord Xiao and said with a smile, "What you say is true, Lord Xiao. Marquis should indeed make the decision about marriage. I only have one question to ask you, Lord Xiao. Before you took our wife as your wife, did you know that she was already engaged and deeply in love with her fiancé?"
Lord Xiao said indifferently, "So what?"
What do Wei's wishes matter? In his heart, there is only his own desire.
Xu Rong nodded: "It's good that Your Excellency admits to knowing. So, you took a woman who only had her fiancé in her heart as a concubine, and in return you got a woman who indeed only had her fiancé in her heart. Isn't this a fair and reasonable deal, and honest and fair to everyone?"
"..." Lord Xiao was stunned for a moment, then roared, "You!"
The room was full of military officers, so Xu Rong felt safe and wasn't afraid of him. He laughed and said, "Why is the Marquis angry? The Marquis has gotten what he wanted."
"puff."
Master Zhang let out a laugh, then quickly composed himself.
The British Duke's expression changed slightly; he raised his hand as if to stop him, but ultimately slowly lowered it again.
He realized that, in just those two sentences, the balance of power between his side and Lord Xiao had changed.
In negotiations, momentum is very important. If you are overwhelmed by the other party from the start, you have already lost half the battle.
In fact, Xu Rong stepped forward precisely for this reason. She discovered that whether it was Lady Wei, Xiao Xin himself, or the Duke of Ying, they all felt a sense of guilt towards Marquis Xiao because of his background. This was not their fault; it was a limitation brought about by the times.
Xu Rong didn't. When she looked at Lord Xiao, she only had two words in mind: He deserved it.
To expand on this in eight characters: Seek benevolence and you will receive benevolence; seek green and you will receive green.
So she continued, "Or, if the Marquis thinks that Madam does not meet your requirements, that's fine too. The Marquis spent money to buy Madam as an object without any autonomy. Now that you realize you've been tricked and deceived, you should seek justice from the person who sold you the object. What can you say to an object?"
Who sold the Wei family property? The Wei family's parents.
Where are Wei's parents now? Underground.
Lord Xiao's face turned purple with anger: "You are being unreasonable and utterly illogical!"
Xu Rong disagreed: "I was just reasoning with the Marquis. What did I say wrong? Please teach me, Marquis."
In his rage, Lord Xiao managed to utter a rare statement: "Where did Lady Wei not deceive me? If she had told me earlier that I had lost my virginity and was pregnant with an illegitimate child, I would never have wanted her!"
Xu Rong shook his head and laughed: "My lord, who do you think you are? You're just a stranger who has barged into Madam's house. Why would she tell you such a private matter?"
Her sarcasm was undisguised, which infuriated Lord Xiao, but he was speechless, because, in arguing, her reasoning was sound and correct.
Xu Rong continued, "Besides, just because Madam said so, does that mean she can stop the Marquis? She said she didn't want to, but did the Marquis listen? She said she had a fiancé, but did the Marquis back out? May I ask the Marquis, what exactly do you take Madam for? If you take her as an object, a commodity to be bought and sold, then you shouldn't hold her accountable. If you take her as a person, a person with flesh and blood, then you shouldn't disregard her wishes as a human being."
"Ugh."
Mrs. Wei gripped the doorframe and couldn't help but sob.
Xu Rong wasn't finished speaking. "Furthermore, has the Marquis considered what kind of punishment her parents would incur if she lost you, her golden son-in-law?" Xu Rong didn't need an answer to this question, and answered confidently, "The Marquis hasn't considered that, even though it was the Marquis who intruded and caused this storm, what does it have to do with the Marquis?"
Lord Xiao's face turned ashen, but he did not refute it, because that was indeed what he thought, and he was not afraid to show it.
Xu Rong smiled again: "Then why should Madam worry about the Marquis's family background? And what does it have to do with Madam?"
"You—!" Lord Xiao stood up angrily.
Xu Rong continued, speaking only of her own opinion: "Your Excellency keeps saying that your wife is unfaithful, but that's only from your own biased perspective. In reality, your wife endured humiliation for her fiancé and ensured the continuation of their child; she should be considered both virtuous and chaste. It's you, Your Excellency—"
Her speech finally slowed down, and she said slowly, "You are the perpetrator in all but name, yet you blame the victim for only being 95% innocent, not perfect enough, and not fully enduring the trampling of your power, is that right?"
"..." Lin Ding, who was listening intently, gasped and turned his head, saying, "I wasn't going to do anything, so why are you pinching me?"
Old Master Zhang moved a little closer to him and whispered, "I wanted to ask you, does your daughter-in-law have a younger sister? You've met my youngest son; he's not young anymore."
Lin Ding was silent for a moment, then said, "...I don't know."
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