Chapter 141 Extra Chapter 1 (3): On the day of Yi'an's wedding, the guests were numerous, among whom the most conspicuous was none other than the eldest prince, Hongxi. ...
On the day of Yi An's wedding, there were many guests, among whom the most eye-catching was the eldest prince, Hong Xi.
Hongxi looks like Shi Qionghua, and they also share some similarities in personality. Just like when Shi Qionghua came to the Hesheli family to see Fuxuan's wedding, Hongxi arrived early with Shi Xin and several cousins.
But he never showed up. The only people who accompanied Yi'an to the Tong family to pick up the bride were Akdun's youngest son, Shi Xin, Honghui, and Hongyu.
Akdun represents the banner people under Yulang Zuoling. In recent years, Yi'an has retired from the Imperial Study and, apart from the days when he goes to the palace to serve, most of his time has been spent on banner affairs by his father.
After all, Yi'an will definitely be the leader of this branch in the future. In a few years, he will announce that he will go out of the capital to gain experience. Then there will not be much time for him to get to know these bannermen under the leadership.
Shi Xin represented the eldest prince and was also making it clear to everyone that the Shi family had no objection to the marriage alliance between the Hesheli family and the Tong family. No one should try to interfere between the two families. The two brothers would have to continue their relationship in the future.
Honghui represents Prince Yong, who failed to become emperor. Clearly, the Fourth Prince Yong is not as stoic as the one in the original timeline. In fact, thanks to Yinreng's intentional or unintentional indulgence and Yulang's ability to always pull the reins in time, this prince now possesses a formidable, invincible presence.
He dares to tackle any tough nut to crack, and with his ruthlessness and meticulousness, most people and things he steals cannot escape his grasp. Now, this man is truly loved by those who wish they could elevate him to the heavens, while those who hate him are hoping every day that Prince Yong will finally fall from power.
Fourth Master is neither a fool nor a madman; he simply understands better than anyone that he must seize the next few decades, or even a decade or two, to accomplish everything he wants to do.
Otherwise, once this period passes, the emperor will most likely gradually become like the late emperor. At that point, things might not be as they are now.
That wasn't because Yinreng had changed; it was simply an inescapable, predetermined path for anyone who had sat on the throne for so long.
Yinzhen knew exactly what he wanted, so he pursued this path without hesitation. However, he couldn't ignore his son, so Honghui maintained good relationships with Yi'an and all his cousins. He could walk this path himself; there was no need for his son to follow in his footsteps.
As for Hongyu, this man really didn't want to come, but his father barged into his yard early in the morning and kicked him in the butt, kicking him out.
After all, the Grand Council was already discussing which deputy general to send to check and balance Prince Zhi before they could feel at ease sending the prince to the northwest to guard against the Dzungars causing trouble again.
Regardless of who is ultimately sent, Yinzhi's departure from the capital is a foregone conclusion. After all, as the Grand Prince who could rival Yinreng back then, this matter is unlikely to be easily forgotten.
It wasn't that Yinreng didn't want to use his elder brother, but rather that he simply couldn't. If he used him easily, it would be tantamount to sending a message to the entire court and his younger brothers: it's okay to go against the emperor, as long as you can back down when it matters, the matter will be resolved.
Therefore, even if it is to be used, it must be done in a way that is almost equivalent to exile to the border, so as to have a deterrent effect.
For this reason, Yulang actually asked Yinreng, "Why not just not release Prince Zhi out of the capital and let him stay in the capital as a leisurely prince? If one generation of Prince Zhi isn't enough, there's still Hongyu. If two generations pass by, everything will turn to ashes."
As long as the title of Prince Zhiqin's Mansion is still valid, we can simply select a promising son from Hongyu's children and elevate him to a higher position.
This is absolutely true. Several ministers in the cabinet, the Grand Council, and the Ministry of War all think the same thing, but they just don't dare to say it out loud.
Only Yu Lang dared to ask such a question in front of the Emperor. The Emperor not only wasn't angry, but also patiently explained to him why he insisted on arranging a place for Prince Zhi.
When the late emperor passed away, he summoned both Yinti and Yinzhen to his presence. There were some things the late emperor didn't say aloud, but Yinreng understood his intentions.
The purpose of summoning Yinzhen was to tell Yinreng that he could use this knife, but after using it, he had to give Yinzhen a good ending, so that he wouldn't have to work hard all his life but lose his reputation and end up with nothing.
The reason for bringing in Yinti was to ask Yinreng to consider that he hadn't caused Yinti much trouble in the last few years of his reign, and to find a stable place for Yinti, this whetstone. After all, the reason the two brothers had ended up like this was because of their father.
What the late emperor promised before his death, he truly could not go back on his word. Yinreng did not say those empty words to Yulang, but explained everything to him in detail.
Since the Emperor had spoken, Yu Lang, as the Emperor's most trusted and favored minister, naturally knew what attitude he should take. Hong Yu reluctantly came to offer his congratulations, but before he could say more than a few words, Yu Lang escorted him to Yi An with great intimacy.
Yi An glanced at his father from afar. Although he still didn't know why he had another person to win over, he figured he might as well do the job his father had given him. After all, he was the only young master in the family, and the capable should do more work.
Yi'an led a long procession of princes, the eldest son of the Shi family, and the son of the deputy commander of the firearms battalion to fetch the bride. The scene was so magnificent that even the word "spectacular" wouldn't do it justice. The Tongjia clan, being so illustrious, couldn't hide their desire to show off.
Longkodo, who had always looked down on Yulang's small family, could barely manage a smile. He was somewhat regretful; why had he been so focused on things decades in the future with such a good in-law? In the last twenty years, with Yulang's help, what position couldn't he have secured?
But it was too late for regrets. Fu Qing's family still happily sent their daughter off in the bridal sedan chair, and didn't even let Yi An drink more than a few cups of wine at the door. They easily and smoothly brought their wife into the family.
The wedding took two whole days, and the next morning there were ancestral worship and greetings, none of which could be omitted. Fortunately, Shen Wanqing did not intend to use such matters to establish her authority over the newly arrived Jing Shao. As long as the rules were followed, everything went more quickly and smoothly than when she herself entered the family.
On the first day after the wedding, the whole family gathered in the main courtyard for lunch, and in front of the old lady, they changed all the titles of the household members.
Yi'an, now married, became the new head of the household, while Jing Shao naturally became the head mistress. Yu Lang, who had been an official for many years but was still addressed as "Master" in the household, finally became the lord, and Shen Wanqing became the lady of the Hesheli family.
Although Pusa Bao and his wife were not present, from now on they would be referred to as the Second Master and the Second Madam by everyone in the household.
For the past ten years or so, the old lady Niohuru has not caused any trouble. Before, when Yi'an was still young, she had a few quarrels with Shen Wanqing because she doted on her grandson.
Later, Yi'an entered the palace and became Hongxi's study companion. Every day, apart from going to Tongjia's courtyard to pay his respects, he hardly cared about anything else.
Shen Wanqing and Yu Lang tacitly avoided speaking ill of Niohuru in front of their child. After all, she hadn't done anything truly heinous, so in Yi An's mind, Niohuru had always been a decent person.
On the contrary, Jing Shao, who had just entered the door, felt that this old lady who looked like a Buddha was a bit strange. However, she couldn't quite put her finger on what was strange about her, so she could only keep this thought in mind for the time being and think about it later.
However, the old matriarch of the Tongjia family has now truly become the matriarch, with everyone in the family following her wishes, because she has become quite confused.
The first thing that happened to Tongjia Shi was a year and a half ago. She had completely stopped mentioning Fuxuan, but one morning she suddenly asked the nanny beside her why Fuxuan hadn't come over yet and whether she was feeling unwell or sick.
The old lady was taken aback by the question and was dumbfounded, not knowing how to answer. After all, everyone in the household knew that Shen Wanqing disliked Fuxuan and had maintained a distant relationship with Jingzhou over the years. Now that the old lady had suddenly asked this, it was truly difficult for a servant to answer.
Fortunately, in that brief moment of surprise, Lady Tongjia quickly came to her senses. She slapped her forehead, lamenting that she had been so confused that morning that she had completely forgotten that Fuxuan was already married.
With her saying that, the matter naturally shifted away, and when Shen Wanqing came to the main courtyard to pay her respects, no one brought it up.
Everything was fine that day. Shen Wanqing wasn't busy, and Niohuru didn't bother anyone. The two of them sat together amicably and had breakfast with Tongjia before getting up to go back.
Unexpectedly, Shen Wanqing was stopped by Tong Jia Shi as soon as she reached the door. The old lady had been living a relatively comfortable life in recent years, and most of the sequelae of her stroke in her early years had been cured. Only her eyes were becoming increasingly cloudy, making it almost impossible to see what her emotions were.
When Tongjia looked at Shen Wanqing, she said to her in a somewhat anxious and urging tone that she should pay more attention to Fuxuan's marriage. Fuxuan was getting older every year, and if she didn't find someone soon, she would really never be able to get married.
Shen Wanqing only hesitated for a moment before understanding what was going on. She readily agreed, which made Tongjia smile broadly before she pulled the puzzled Niohuru out of the main courtyard.
As soon as the two left the main courtyard, the nanny beside Madam Tongjia chased after them. She recounted what had happened that morning, and Shen Wanqing immediately ordered someone to fetch a doctor skilled in treating brain conditions.
Even the most skilled doctors specializing in brain diseases can't cure Alzheimer's. For Tong Jia's case, the doctors couldn't help much; the prescriptions they gave were all about calming the mind and spirit. They said if the illness couldn't be cured, she should just rest and recover. If she was confused, so be it; as long as she didn't cause trouble or act recklessly, she'd be fine.
At first, Tongjia was only occasionally confused, and when she was mostly lucid, she could even joke about the things she had confused about. It wasn't until before the Lunar New Year last year, when a sudden heavy snow and a drop in temperature caused her condition to suddenly improve.
The saying "the year is coming to an end" is not an exaggeration at all for elderly people who have lived to a ripe old age. Many elderly people can get through another year after passing the New Year, but if they can't get through it, there is nothing that can be done.
Lady Tongjia was delirious with illness at the time, and the household brought out all the items needed for the funeral, as well as the coffin that had been prepared years ago. Everyone said it was to bring good luck, but everyone felt that Lady Tongjia wouldn't survive.
Even the palace sent people to inquire about this every few days, since Yulang's father had passed away long ago, and he was the great-grandson. As the great-grandson, he was required to observe three years of mourning, and Yinreng had a lot of things to do that required his attention, so how could they let him go home for a three-year long vacation?
Yinreng even remembered the time when he married Shi Qionghua and was given a twenty-day leave. In just twenty days, he almost forgot which way the gates of Yuqing Palace faced. If he were to be deprived of official duties for three years, Yinreng felt he would become so wild that he would never return!
Therefore, he immediately informed Shi Qionghua and Shen Wanqing that if Tongjia died, he would definitely try to take away Yulang's life.
He needs to be prepared for this, and not to be stubborn about it. Even between a ruler and his minister, one round of declining an offer is enough; there shouldn't be endless requests to resign.
Everyone was ready, but after the New Year, the old lady suddenly recovered, albeit unsteadily. Her spirits were even better than before, but she was extremely confused. One moment she thought she was still an unmarried girl, and the next she kept pointing to the west side room across the hall and saying that her father slept over there.
Or else, she would call Yulang "elder brother." The first time she called him that, no one in the room reacted, except for Yulang, whose eyes welled up with tears. The old lady had come to regard him as her father.
From then on, the attitude of everyone in the family towards Tongjia was only one: as long as the old lady didn't hurt them, they would go along with whatever she said or did.
The main courtyard really made quite a few jokes because of this, such as being woken up in the middle of the night by Tongjia Shi to celebrate the New Year, and having to lead a whole courtyard of maids and nannies to make dumplings.
She insisted on going out of the city to the manor to escape the summer heat, and refused to take Yulang with her, saying that men shouldn't interfere when young ladies go out to play. Her manner and tone of voice were exactly like those of an unmarried girl.
At first, the whole family felt uncomfortable to some extent; it was awkward to see such a young expression on such an aged face. But as time went on, everyone got used to it. It was Fuxuan, who had returned to the capital for Yi'an's wedding, who found it particularly difficult to accept.
Fu Xuan hadn't returned for many years, and many things faded with time, leaving only fragments in the mind. Shen Wanqing didn't like Fu Xuan, but when she met her again after returning to the capital, Shen Wanqing surprisingly no longer found her past actions so repulsive.
Actually, she was quite annoying, but she just couldn't get Shen Wanqing's emotions to fluctuate. In her eyes, Fu Xuan was no different from the other relatives of the Hesheli clan. It wasn't until this moment that Shen Wanqing realized that she and Yu Lang had really gone too far and that there were many things that she couldn't care about anymore.
The old lady, Madam Tongjia, was equally indifferent. She looked at Fuxuan, who was kneeling in front of her, crying uncontrollably and shaking her head, without reacting at all.
It wasn't until the nanny beside her helped Fuxuan up that Tongjia, looking bewildered, blurted out, "If this lady has any troubles, she should go to our eldest mistress. She's the head of our household."
One sentence made Fu Xuan burst into tears. Zhen Xuan, who was sitting next to her, wanted to explain that this person was her most favored youngest daughter all these years, but she swallowed the words back.
That's for the best. Back then, so many people told the old lady not to meddle in Fuxuan's troubles, but no one could change her mind. Now that she's forgotten, why make her remember it again?
Both Zhenxuan and Fuxuan's husbands' families own houses in Beijing, and both have been renovated and expanded in recent years.
Dong E Decheng claimed he hadn't benefited from Yu Lang's influence, but as long as he remained Yu Lang's uncle-in-law, no one dared to deceive him in his official duties or business dealings. Without being deceived, how bad could business possibly get?
Fu Xuan cried that day and didn't stay. Instead, she went back to Dong E's house with De Cheng. Tong Jia Shi knew nothing about this. She only asked the nanny beside her when she was about to fall asleep that night: "How is the lady who cried so hard during the day?"
The old woman mumbled a few words, and before she could figure out how to get out of this mess, Lady Tongjia fell asleep almost immediately after her head hit the pillow. When she woke up the next morning, she couldn't remember anything that had happened or anyone she had seen the day before.
Because the old lady has a poor memory, it's impossible for so many strangers to move into the main courtyard all at once. Neither of her two great-aunts came over. The people eating now are the real family.
The change in titles quickly put everyone into practice, except for Tongjia, who had become the matriarch. She couldn't remember, and would respond first when the maid called her Niohuru. Once or twice, the nanny beside her would explain it to her carefully, but after a while, Shen Wanqing called for a halt.
People who are already confused will only become more confused if things are done this way. After glancing at her mother-in-law, Shen Wanqing immediately made a decision: from today onwards, all the titles for the main courtyard will remain unchanged, but to distinguish them from the Niohuru clan, they will be called the Old Madam of the West Courtyard.
There was no room for discussion, and everyone nodded in agreement as soon as Shen Wanqing mentioned it. Only 'Buddha' Niohuru looked a little strange, which made Jing Shao, who was already paying close attention to her, glance at her several more times.
Shen Wanqing had no intention of putting on airs as a mother-in-law in front of her daughter-in-law. After finishing her meal, she urged the two of them to go back to their own courtyard to rest.
From now until tomorrow, there's no need to go to the East Courtyard to pay your respects. Go back and get some sleep first, and we'll talk about the rest after you've woken up.
Yi'an and Sui Ning's small courtyards were expanded from the separate small courtyard behind the garden.
Jing Shao had originally planned to go to her sister-in-law's yard next door in the afternoon to sit for a while and give her the gift she had prepared for Sui Ning.
Perhaps they were really tired. The two of them, who had agreed to take a nap in the courtyard, actually slept until almost sunset before waking up.
The courtyard was quiet, save for the sound of maids tiptoeing in and out. Jing Shao turned her head and bumped into Yi An, who had been awake for who knows how long but hadn't gotten up or moved.
"Why didn't you wake me up when the old man woke up? That's not right."
Jing Shao was referring to herself. She was a girl who had been carefully raised by her family since she was a child. When she was about seven or eight years old, she knew that she would either enter the palace or be betrothed to a high-ranking family to become the mistress of the house. Therefore, she never disliked the concept of rules and regulations.
“Mom said we can’t go over tonight, it’ll just be the two of us for dinner. They’re already preparing outside, they’ll come in and call us when everything’s ready.”
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