Chapter 950 Five More Years (Part 3): All Old Friends
Li San Niang had already discussed the matter of arranging a marriage for Lu Zhu'er with Mr. Bu Ke.
Putting aside her connection with the Bad Guys, just consider Qiu Xiang, Lao Shi, and Shi Jiu, who grew up with Lu Zhu'er, all of whom were members of the Bad Guys.
When she was young, Dewdrop did indeed call Mr. Unbelievable "Uncle".
Is it that Dewdrop was fond of the handsome Mr. Unreliable, or that Dewdrop herself was a lovable young lady?
That time, Li San Niang only took the title "Uncle" as a joke, but little did she know that Mr. Bu Ke would bring it up again today.
This title of "father" is not just a casual remark. If it is spoken and acknowledged, then it truly represents a relationship comparable to that of "father and son." In some ways, it is like the relationship between a master and disciple, a relationship that can transcend blood ties.
Before Li San Niang could figure out how to respond, another person shouted in her direction.
"Then I, as the uncle, must come even more!"
Xu Jingzhen, still dressed in his official robes, stepped down from the carriage and spoke to the two of them from the doorway of Li Sanniang's house.
Mr. Ke turned his head, a sly smile on his face, and cupped his hands in greeting to Xu Jingzhen: "Minister Xu, you rushed over right after court?"
"We can't keep up with the gentleman's speed on horseback!"
Standing to the side, Li San Niang sensed an invisible tension between the two, as if a battle had already begun.
She glanced at Mr. Bu Ke, whose eyes crinkled with laughter, and then at Xu Jingzhen, whose lips curved slightly at her. She could only cough lightly, drawing the attention of the two who were locked in a fierce confrontation. Then, she lowered her head and whispered to them, "I don't care what happens between you and Xu Sanlang."
But today is the grand engagement banquet of my only daughter, Dewdrop. If you do anything inappropriate at this banquet, I, Li Mingfang, though only a fifth-rank official, can certainly make trouble for you!
"Don't worry, Third Sister, I am Dewdrop's adoptive father. How could I be compared to those outsiders?"
"hehe."
Mr. Bu Ke ignored Xu Jingzhen's words and turned to let her go straight inside.
Xu Jingzhen, left standing outside the door, said, "Third Sister, I..."
"Hurry up, don't argue in front of the dewdrop!"
Having received Li Sanniang's words, Xu Jingzhen flicked his sleeves and followed Li Sanniang into the doorway.
As for Li San Niang's "warning" to the two of them, it actually refers to recent events in the imperial court.
The "Swastika Kingdom Praise Heavenly Pivot" is almost finished. In recent years, the trade routes in the Western Regions have become very mature. In fact, Tang Dynasty merchants have already penetrated into the Abbasid Caliphate and are going to Europe through the Abbasid Caliphate.
The political conflict between Mr. Bu Ke and Xu Jingzhen in the imperial court during this period was, in essence, a conflict between the radicals and the conservatives.
Mr. Bu Ke advocated that when the Tang Dynasty was at its peak, it should expand outwards, advance, occupy more territory, and acquire more good things, whether people or objects.
Xu Jingzhen believed that this was not a good time for expansion. Maintaining an army was expensive, and even though the Tang Dynasty was at its strongest at the time, this portion of tax revenue should not be used to expand the army and maintain troops, but should be used for the people's livelihood.
Thus, both men had their own ideas, and they argued fiercely in the imperial court.
Even if we meet outside the imperial court, you'll still mock me, and I'll still ridicule you.
However, no matter what, today is Lu Zhu'er's big day, and Li San Niang doesn't want those irrelevant things to affect the success of Lu Zhu'er's engagement banquet.
Because of the large number of guests, it was fortunate that the small courtyard on the west side could still accommodate two tables. The banquet had been prepared in advance, otherwise it would have been difficult to manage.
Everyone came to the feast for free; the engagement gifts for Lu Zhu'er had already filled the west wing.
The Wang family also came today, and Wang Ziheng, the father, dressed himself up to look presentable.
However, even an outsider who knows nothing about medicine could tell from his appearance that he was probably terminally ill.
Why do I say that?
Wang Ziheng is now so thin he looks like a dried-up skeleton, with sunken eyes, a sallow complexion, and bluish-purple lips. He sits at the table, yawning from time to time, his eyes lifeless.
With such an obvious look of being poisoned by opium, who could not see it?
Therefore, after discussing it with Lu Zhu'er, Li San Niang decided to move the Wang family's banquet to the east wing room, so that as few people could see it as possible.
Wang Dalang had no objection to this. After all, if it weren't for his deceased parents still holding him back as an older brother, he would have stopped caring about Wang Ziheng long ago.
"Given his current state, the fact that he's even given a seat at this banquet is a testament to his magnanimity; he's in a high position and doesn't hold grudges against us merchants."
"They just won't let us in today, what can we do about it?"
How did Wang Ziheng become the way he is today?
Li San Niang had no idea and no energy to care. Apart from Lu Zhu'er and the Li family's affairs, only the affairs of the strange people could affect and occupy Li San Niang's time and energy.
Besides being busy with the Ping An Women's Medical College and the Maternity Clinic, Li San Niang didn't have any extra time or energy to care about Wang Ziheng.
A former husband who was divorced eight hundred years ago?
Before the banquet began, Li San Niang pulled Lu Zhu'er aside and said a few words, then waved to start the banquet.
Everyone was enjoying their meal when someone else arrived at the door!
Li San Niang hurriedly lifted her skirt and headed for the door, only to find someone she never expected there, even more unexpected than when she met Song Zhenzhu earlier that day!
Go Ah-hye, who is now married, has arrived!
When Gao Ya Hui got married, she also sent an invitation to Li San Niang.
At that time, Li San Niang was busy, and Gao's grandfather held an important position. Li San Niang did not want to have too much contact with him, so she only sent someone to deliver a gift, but the person did not go.
Later, I heard from Gao's eldest sister-in-law that Gao Ya Hui's husband was very capable. After passing the imperial examination, he spent three years in the Hanlin Academy without any hope of advancement, so he used the Gao family's connections to be transferred to Tongzhou.
This was the first time Li San Niang had seen her again after all these years.
"Third Sister's charm remains as strong as ever, even surpassing her former beauty!"
"Ya Hui!"
How could Li San Niang not age?
From the first time I met Gao Yahui when I was not yet twenty, to now when I am over thirty, how could her appearance not have aged over the past ten years?
However, perhaps it is because power nurtures people, and as a female official with a place in the Imperial Medical Bureau, how could she possibly look much older?
"Come in, come in! It's been so many years, I almost didn't recognize you when I saw you for the first time..."
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