This year's spring is particularly short.
It seemed like it had only been there for a few days, and then it flew away in a flash.
It's only April, but the weather has already become severe, making people feel the horror of summer.
It's so hot in April, by June and July, it will be so hot that people will die of heat.
This year, Gu Jiu didn't have any new projects to start. She continued working on the same projects from last year, so she felt very relaxed.
She was relaxed, but the Shaofu was not.
The Shaofu Household Order arranged people to keep an eye on the movements outside the South City Gate and on the cement road.
He has to worry ten times more than the boss Gu Jiu.
Whenever there was any disturbance in these two projects, the Shaofu Household Secretary would become very nervous.
Once the old man got nervous, everyone in the Shaofu became nervous as well.
After all, Gu Jiu was the number one customer of the Shaofu Bank. She borrowed the most money.
Outside the South City Gate, a new house was put on the market, and the Shaofu family official was delighted. But after being happy, he began to worry again.
Because the houses sold so well, thousands of them were sold out in just two or three days.
It gives people the feeling that people in Beijing are very rich, as if every household has enough money.
Why is the Shaofu Household Manager worried?
Because he was worried that Gu Jiu would start doing things again after he had the money, and would build houses on a large scale and keep renovating them.
But he knew that Gu Jiu was the largest landlord outside the South City Gate.
Just like an ant moving, buying one piece of land at a time.
Over the years, the land outside the South City Gate has become one piece, and farmland could be turned into houses at any time.
Many times, the Shaofu family official complained to Gu Jiu, "Why build so many houses?"
The capital city is this big and has this many people.
With so many houses being built, is there anyone who wants to buy them?
At that time, Gu Jiu smiled and said, "That number of houses is not too many. When the ancestor has free time, he should also go and experience the people's sentiments. It's not that I must build so many houses, but the people need houses."
The Shaofu Household Supervisor was so angry that he blew his beard and glared, "What nonsense! Ordinary people have houses to live in, why do we need so many houses?"
"When my house can't be sold, then what our ancestors said will be true."
"I am old and don't understand the thoughts of you young people. I am just reminding you to repay the loan on time. His Majesty has been sending people to monitor the Shaofu Bank."
"Don't worry, ancestor, the important things will not be delayed."
Of course, the Shaofu Household Order could not be truly at ease.
He sent people to keep an eye on the South City Gate and the cement road, which saved Gu Jiu a lot of trouble.
If anything happens in these two places, the Shaofu Household Order will definitely notify her immediately.
…
On a rare day off, cousin Su Zhengsu came to visit.
"Please invite cousin Su to the flower hall for tea."
It was a rare occasion for Su Zheng to come to his house, and Gu Jiu was very happy.
In recent years, the Su family has supplied medicinal materials to the pharmacy and invested money in the South City Gate and cement roads. Finally, their lives are showing signs of prosperity.
But the Su family is really not cut out for business.
In the past two years, the Su family made some money from supplying medicinal herbs. After they had the capital, they thought about doing some other business and buying back the family business that they had sold.
As a result, except for the medicinal materials business supported by Gu Jiu, which was still profitable, all other businesses lost all their money.
After several attempts, he almost lost all the capital of his medicinal materials business.
Now, everyone in the Su family realized that they were not cut out for business.
The reason why the medicinal materials business can make money is that Gu Jiu's pharmacy always comes to them to purchase medicinal materials all year round.
They just need to act as a middleman, ensure the quality of the medicinal materials and deliver them on time.
After realizing that they were not cut out for business, the Su family gave up the idea of doing business.
They will use the money they earn to buy land and houses.
Back in my hometown, I bought back the fertile land that I had sold when I was poor, bit by bit.
Here in the capital, the old house can’t be bought back.
So he bought a new house.
Su Zheng passed the imperial examination and became an official, and the Su family members moved to the capital one after another.
After all, the capital is the imperial city, and it is better for studying and taking exams than in my hometown.
Gu Jiu packed up and went to the flower hall to meet Su Zheng.
"Cousin Su is a rare guest. It's rare for him to come to the palace."
Su Zheng joked, "The threshold of the palace is too high. I really don't dare to step in easily."
Gu Jiu pursed his lips and smiled, "I didn't expect that cousin Su, who is always serious, has also learned to joke."
Su Zheng waved his hands repeatedly and said awkwardly, "I've been attending so many social events that I've only learned a little bit."
"Are my uncle and aunt okay?"
At the end of last year, Su Zheng's parents, Gu Jiu's uncle and aunt, took their children to the capital. At that time, Gu Jiu also went to visit them.
Su Zheng nodded. "Xiaojiu is very thoughtful. Her family is very kind. I came here today because I have something I want to ask Xiaojiu."
Gu Jiu hurriedly said, "Cousin Su, please speak."
Su Zheng looked hesitant, as if he didn't know how to start.
After thinking it over for a while, he said, "I came here today because of my marriage."
oh!
Gu Jiu smiled meaningfully.
Su Zheng, an unmarried man in his thirties, has been putting off getting married for a long time and still hasn't found a solution to his marriage to this day.
My uncle and aunt went to the capital at great lengths, their main purpose being to arrange Su Zheng's marriage.
Gu Jiu smiled and asked, "Is cousin Su's marriage settled? When will he invite me to the wedding?"
Su Zheng shook his head. "That's not the case. I came here today because someone asked a matchmaker to come to my house and propose marriage a few days ago. Everything else is fine, but the family proposing marriage is so influential that it's really surprising and shocking. My father couldn't figure out their specific intentions, so he asked me to go to the palace and ask Sister Xiaojiu."
Upon hearing this, Gu Jiu also put away his joking thoughts, "Whose marriage proposal would make my uncle and cousin Su so nervous?"
Su Zheng looked around and then lowered his voice and said, "The Cui family of the Zhenguogong Mansion."
ah?
Gu Jiu was shocked.
It turned out to be a big deal, which was surprising and shocking.
"Are you sure it's the Cui family of the Zhenguo Mansion?"
Su Zheng nodded heavily. "It's absolutely true. Sister Xiaojiu, I'm just a nobody. Why would the Cui family be interested in me? They even sent a matchmaker to propose marriage. It's so strange. My father speculates that the Cui family might have come to propose marriage because of Sister Xiaojiu."
"No, it can't be all because of me." Gu Jiu slowly shook his head, "Is it the legitimate branch or the illegitimate branch?"
Although they both have the surname Cui, there is a huge difference between the direct branch and the illegitimate branch.
Su Zheng said solemnly, "She's a legitimate daughter of a legitimate family. If she were a concubine's daughter, I wouldn't be nervous."
She is actually a legitimate daughter.
There's something strange about this.
Since the death of Empress Cui Ruizhen, the Cui family of the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion has gradually faded out of sight.
When Crown Prince Renxuan passed away, Duke Zhenguo resigned from his official position and returned home to retire.
This generation of Duke Zhenguo was the nephew of Queen Cui Ruizhen. He was only in his early fifties, but he resigned and returned home to retire, obviously for self-protection.
The Cui family of the Zhenguogong Mansion still has a few sons working in the government office, but they are all insignificant officials of the fifth or sixth rank. Not only do they have no real power, they are not even qualified to attend the grand court meetings.
It can be said that in just a few years, the Cui family of the Zhenguogong Mansion faded out of the power circle.
However, a lean camel is bigger than a horse. After all, it is a legitimate duke's mansion with a title and family background. It is not something that the current Su family can reach.
What was the Cui family of the Zhenguogong Mansion trying to achieve by marrying their legitimate daughter to Su Zheng, a minor official of the seventh rank?
For money?
The Su family has only been able to take a break in the past two years. They have accumulated some financial resources and can afford to send their children to school.
Picture of people?
Cousin Su is good-looking, but not as handsome as Pan An.
Picture talent?
The other top scholar in the same class was a dashing, handsome, and a poet. He was also an older, unmarried young man. Su Zheng was no match for him.
Oh no, the only thing left is personal connections.
Twenty years ago, the Su family was demoted and exiled from the capital, leaving behind very few of their connections. They also didn't have close ties with their in-laws, the Gu family.
The only relationship left is with Gu Jiu, we have been in contact and are quite close.
However, since this concerns the prince and the succession to the throne, given the current situation of the Cui family of the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion, they probably don't have the courage to get involved in such trouble.
No wonder, the marriage proposal from the Cui family of the Duke of Zhenguo Mansion made the eldest uncle of the Su family so panicked that he directly asked Su Zheng to come to Gu Jiu to ask about it.
Gu Jiu pondered for a moment and said to Su Zheng, "How should my uncle reply to the matchmaker?"
Su Zheng whispered, "I'm afraid of offending people, so I dare not say anything final. I just said my family is poor and I need a few days to think about it."
"Has the Cui family replied?"
"Not yet. I'm afraid that in a couple of days the matchmaker will come to my house and I'll be waiting for a reply. I can't delay any longer and will have to reject him sternly. I'm afraid I'll offend someone without realizing it and fall into some trap."
Gu Jiu pondered for a while, "Wait a minute. I haven't been paying attention to what's going on with the Cui family. I'll ask someone to ask my prince. He should know some inside information."
"Trouble you, little sister Jiu."
"No trouble."
Gu Jiu sent someone to the study to invite Liu Zhao, but Liu Zhao was not there and had gone out of the house.
Qian Fu personally went to the flower hall to reply, "Your Highness, half an hour ago, His Highness had to leave the palace for something urgent. Regarding the situation of the Cui family in the Zhenguo Mansion, this old servant does know a thing or two."
Gu Jiu laughed, "How could I forget you? If we talk about who is the most well-informed person in the entire palace, it must be you. Why did the Cui family send a matchmaker to the Su family to propose marriage? Tell me."
Qian Fu first glanced at Su Zheng and said, "This matter is still in the making. It's understandable that Master Su is not aware of the inside story."
"What's the inside story?" Gu Jiu was quite curious.
Qian Fu said, "Calculating the time, the court should explode by tomorrow. His Majesty has arranged for someone to submit a proposal to strip him of his title tomorrow to test the reaction of the civil and military officials in the court."
"What? Stripping of title?" Gu Jiu was shocked.
No wonder there is no movement in the court.
This matter involves too many things.
"Could it be that the Cui family of the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion received the news in advance?" Gu Jiu instantly figured out the connection.
Qian Fu nodded, "That's right. The Cui family of the Zhenguogong Mansion is in a rather awkward situation now, and they are one of the last remaining hereditary dukedoms.
This generation of Zhenguo Gong may not be very capable as an official, but he is very good at reading the wind. He probably anticipated that the Cui family would be overthrown, so he made arrangements in advance.
Marrying the daughter of a legitimate family to Mr. Su seems like marrying down now. But in the future, when the day comes when the title must be revoked, this move will come into play. With the support of the Madam, the Su family can at least protect a few people.
Gu Jiu looked towards Su Zheng.
Su Zheng's face turned pale. "To think so! You're actually thinking so far ahead. But stripping someone of their title is a serious matter. Your Majesty's foundation is unstable. How dare you do it at this time? Aren't you worried about the generals causing trouble?"
Qian Fu said, "That's why it's called a test, not a real demotion. However, as long as His Majesty persists in his determination to deprive me of my title, this matter will remain unsolved. Given the current predicament of the Cui family in the Zhenguo Mansion, marrying their daughter off to a lower status can be considered a self-preservation strategy."
Su Zheng was a little flustered. This was the first time in his life that he had encountered something of this level, and he didn't know how to make a decision.
He looked at Gu Jiu and said, "Little Sister Jiu, what should I do? Should I just reject the Cui family?"
Gu Jiu said, "Let's wait and see what happens in the court tomorrow before making a decision. Cousin Su, don't panic. Whether you marry the Cui family girl or not, the demotion will not affect you. I'm afraid His Majesty's demotion has other ulterior motives."
Su Zheng was a little confused.
After all, he had never been properly exposed to this level, so he was unaware of many things. The lack of information made it impossible for him to make an accurate judgment.
Gu Jiu didn't elaborate. "When cousin Su returns, you can tell your uncle about the demotion. But don't spread the news, lest it ruin His Majesty's plans. I'll send someone to deliver the news to you when I get it. You can continue your duties as usual for the next few days."
Su Zheng took a deep breath and calmed himself down. "Wash Sister Xiaojiu more. I will keep the matter of my demotion a secret from everyone except my father."
Gu Jiu personally escorted Su Zheng out the door.
After returning to the East Courtyard, she called Qian Fu over to talk.
There are some things that cannot be said in front of Su Zheng.
Now that there were no outsiders around, Gu Jiu no longer had any concerns. "Who gave His Majesty the idea to use the idea of stripping someone of their title to test the reactions of the civil and military officials? Aren't they afraid of shocking the army and destabilizing the people's hearts?"
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