Chapter 178 Imperial City Division: My future life will be really busy
Two days later, Kuang Qianfan came to the Shen family with gifts. There was no other way. Ever since Shen Su had a child, this brother could not be invited out, so he had to come alone.
As soon as he saw Shen Xu, Kuang Qianfan said excitedly, "I was also given an official position. Can you guess where it is?"
Seeing how happy he was, Shen Xu guessed, "Are you also from the Ministry of Personnel?"
"I know you can't leave me, brother, but no."
Shen Xu rolled his eyes and waved Kuang Qianfan's hand away, "Stop talking nonsense and speak quickly."
"The Imperial City Bureau's deed inspector asked me to go to the Imperial City Bureau, probably because I have military blood."
Although the Imperial City Division is mostly composed of military generals, there are also civil officials. "Kanqi" means assessment, and the duties of Kuang Qianfan are roughly to examine the daily words and deeds of the people in the Imperial City Division, and to reward and punish them for their merits and demerits.
"When will you take office?"
"A month later, you don't know, after I passed the exam, my father and my elder and second brothers wrote several letters back to me, saying that our Kuang family was finally going to have a civil servant! It was like the ancestral tomb had moved to a new place to emit smoke."
Shen Su also knew the situation in Kuang Qianfan's family, and immediately said with a smile: "Then the place you should go to is probably the Hanlin Academy. Where else can the civil servants there be more authentic?"
"I was wondering, do you think it's that easy to get into the Imperial Academy? Where's your son? Bring him out so I can see him."
"Can you understand it? Just look at it."
Although he said that, Shen Xu still got up and planned to go check. If he was not asleep, he would bring the child over.
"What a pretty child."
When Shen Xu heard this, he was about to say that Kuang Qianfan finally spoke human words today, but then he continued, "Fortunately, he doesn't look like you."
Well, he exaggerated too early.
"My mother came back. When she heard that you had a child, she scolded me again. I felt really wronged."
Kuang Qianfan felt that the scolding he received was unreasonable. He also wanted to get married, but where could he find one?
"Your second brother didn't get married either, so why is it your turn now?"
As far as Shen Xu knew, among the three sons of the Kuang family, only Kuang Qianfan's eldest brother Kuang Pingjing was married. His wife was the daughter of a local military commander. Both his second brother and he were still unmarried and unengaged.
"My mother said that my second brother doesn't wash his feet at night. People who don't wash their feet are not qualified to marry. Anyway, our Kuang family has many sons, so it doesn't matter if one less son is not married."
Shen Su: ...
This reason... really makes people wonder how to refute it.
The two-month-old baby just ate, drank, defecated, urinated and slept all day long. Shen Xu asked Kuang Qianfan to look after the child and then let the wet nurse take the baby back.
"Have you heard? It is said that Princess Zhaoyang intends to recruit that scholar as her husband. A few days ago, the two of them were seen boating together."
Kuang Qianfan talked about this matter with great interest, but he didn't know that he was only one step away from becoming the royal consort.
Shen Xu teased him, "Why, are you jealous? I haven't given you a marriage yet, you can still fight for it."
"Hey! You really think highly of me."
Princess Zhaoyang was indeed very satisfied with Xu Heng. Not only was Xu Heng talented and handsome, but he was also very gentle and considerate to others. Princess Zhaoyang had thought that a scholar like him was always a bit aloof, but Xu Heng was not. Instead, he responded to her every request and obeyed her in everything.
The Queen complained to Princess Kangle with a distressed look on her face: "Xuan'er must have been bewitched by that third place winner. She runs outside every day. What a shame."
Although no one dared to gossip about her daughter because she was a princess, it was still inappropriate. Of course, as a mother, she would never blame her own child. The queen only said that Xu Heng had seduced the princess. Although she had not spoken to him yet, she was already unhappy in her heart. How could a man from a good family run away with a little girl every day?
"I originally thought that Yang'er's marriage was what worried me, but it turns out that Pengpeng is a good girl, and they get along well. Now it's Xuan'er who's making me worried."
"Didn't your Royal Brother ask someone to investigate? If there is no problem, just grant the marriage. After all, it is Xuan'er who likes it."
"You said the same thing, but guess what Xuan'er said? She told her father not to rush to arrange the marriage. If he did, it would be troublesome if she regretted it and had to take it back. Do you think this is something a girl should say? Not only girls, but also boys shouldn't say this."
Princess Kangle didn't say anything. The Queen was talking about her own children, so she just listened and didn't need to say anything.
The queen really just wanted to talk to someone. "People say that children are a debt, and that's true. I think one child is enough for a family. If you have more, you won't have time to worry about them."
The more she spoke, the angrier she became. She was also jealous of Princess Kangle's comfortable life. Look at how worry-free her husband and son were... It was unlucky for her to marry the emperor.
Princess Zhaoyang had no idea that her mother was almost worried to death, she was having a great time outside the palace. The handsome scholar was peeling melon seeds for her with his jade-like fingers and even joking to cheer her up, what a wonderful thing.
"Your Highness, I will be going to the Honglu Temple to take up my post in a few days, and I will not be able to accompany you then."
With a gentle look on his face, Xu Heng handed a small plate of peeled melon seeds to Princess Zhaoyang. The two of them were listening to storytelling in the teahouse today.
"Well, nothing to do, just go about your business."
"The Honglu Temple is not far from the palace. If Your Highness needs anything, please summon me."
"Well... Of course, I will summon you when I miss you."
After listening to the story, Xu Heng sent the princess to the carriage. He did not turn back until the carriage was out of sight.
"Brother, you're back."
"Yeah." After Xu Heng returned home, that spring-like smile was no longer on his face, so Xu Ying was always a little afraid of him.
"Mammy taught you. How's your learning going?"
Xu Ying said hesitantly, "It's... it's OK."
The nanny was very strict, and if she did anything wrong, Xu Ying would be slapped on the palm. Just now, she originally wanted to tell her brother to ask him to find another nanny for her, but she didn't dare to say it now.
"'It's OK' is not what I want to hear. If you can't learn well, I will send you back to Qingzhou."
"No, I won't go back to Qingzhou. I will study hard."
Xu Heng's expression finally eased. "Yingying, remember, I am your only relative. I am doing this for your own good. If you behave yourself, I will find you a good family in the capital."
"I understand, brother."
Xu Ying wanted to leave like this, but thinking of the recent rumors in Beijing, she bit her lip and asked, "Brother, you and the princess..."
"Yingying, don't ask this question again. She is a princess, she is the king and I am the subject, and a subject cannot say no." Xu Heng's face was serious, "You should go back to your room first, brother still has things to do."
On the way back to her room, Xu Ying still frowned. The maid beside her saw this and said to her, "Young Master will be the Prince Consort in the future. Isn't this a good thing? Why are you unhappy, young lady?"
Xu Ying shook her head in confusion, "I don't know either."
——Small Theater
Queen: It is better to have only one child.
A well-known family planning advocate in Dazhao