It was like the middle of winter. The curtains at the door had been removed and replaced with scarlet felt. When the curtains were opened, there were several pots of flowers and trees. The daffodils were fragrant, the camellias were light, and the okra was very graceful. Entering the inner room, passing three screens with pine, cypress, plum and orchid patterns, the little girl squatted and reported, "Miss Wei is here."
Bi Tao nodded and waved to her, then lifted the pearl curtain to look inside. I saw that the girl was only wearing a simple bean green silk jacket, with her hair loosely tied up in a Japanese bun. A few strands of hair were tucked behind her ears, revealing a small face the size of a palm, which made me look even more pitiful.
Even Bi Tao, who served him personally every day, was infatuated with him.
"Miss, Miss Wei is here. What kind of tea would you like to serve?"
"Winter is dry, have some chrysanthemum tea to clear away heat." After saying this, Yurong smiled, not knowing what she was thinking about. She had two pear-shaped cheeks, and her smile was radiant.
Yuwei ran very quickly, as she was a very impetuous person. Just as the master and servant finished their conversation, a girl in red came running in. She had a hanging bun and wore a lot of head ornaments, and her rings jingled as she ran.
As soon as she came in, she held Yurong's hand and said, "Sixth sister, are we going to the King Han's mansion together? When my grandmother told me about this, I was afraid, but when I heard that you and Sister Lian were going, I felt relieved."
The Beijuanfang Yang family is a branch of the Hongnong Yang family. The great-grandfather settled in Jingzhao with his five sons. All five branches were direct descendants. Yuwei was from the third branch. Her grandfather died early, but her grandmother, Madam Lu, was a very insightful person. Yuwei's father was a minor official in the Maritime Customs. Although the position was not high, it was well-paid. Yuwei had her capable grandmother and mother to help her with everything, so she lived a very casual life.
Yurong pinched the flesh on her cheek and said, "You know my situation. It's hard for me to be in the princess's eyes. I'm only here to pay my respects to her. I'm really grateful to her for convincing the Zhang family to cancel the engagement."
When she was young, she married Zhang Lingyi, the third son of the Zhang family, the prime minister. The third son of the Zhang family was a top scholar in the imperial examination. The Zhang family had great power and was envied by all the sisters in the family. She and the fourth branch of the family had a superior status in the family. But once the Zhang family fell into trouble, her hard days came. The high officials in the first and fifth branches hoped that she would commit suicide. Madam Lu from the third branch thought it was inappropriate, but she could not afford to offend the first and fifth branches, so she took her granddaughter back to her parents' home to live for a few days.
Fortunately, the rain stopped and the sky cleared up.
It was because Princess Han brought the invitation from the Han Palace to Yang Zhao that Yang Zhao was able to make this happen smoothly. Otherwise, it would have been almost impossible for such an important official of the court to meet.
As long as the engagement is not cancelled, she will be considered a member of the Zhang family in the eyes of the elders in the clan.
Even if he doesn't commit suicide, he will be locked up in a temple, worshipping Buddha for the rest of his life.
The kindness of Princess Han cannot be forgotten.
Yu Wei misunderstood and her face suddenly turned red. "Sixth sister, you know that my grandmother and father have little influence in the tribe. Even if we want to speak up for you, the elders will definitely not listen."
This girl is a very honest person. Last time when the tribe members discussed letting Yurong commit suicide, the third branch neither supported nor opposed it. On the one hand, Mrs. Lu felt that this was not a right thing to do, but on the other hand, she could not go against her tribe members. As a widow who had lost her job and raised her only son, although she could not bear to see this happen, she would not take sides. So she took Yuwei back to her parents' home and lived there for a few days before returning.
It is common for people to seek good fortune and avoid evil. Yurong did not blame Madam Lu. Just like her mother said, sometimes even your biological parents may not be able to do their best to help you, let alone outsiders.
Yurong smiled and said, "What are you talking about? How can I blame you? You know, I only have one biological brother. Although I have a biological cousin, she and I have never been very close. Only you, although we are not biological sisters, are closer than biological sisters. There is no need to say such things."
After that, she took out some ginseng candied fruit and shared it with Yuwei. Seeing that she looked very natural and didn't show any resentment at all, Yuwei felt relieved.
The two sisters chatted for a while, and Yu Wei sighed, "Sixth sister, what do you think the palace is like? I want to go and take a look, but I'm afraid of getting into trouble. I'm not like you and Yu Lian. I'm just going there to show up..."
"Why do you belittle yourself? I think the Third Old Lady is so smart. If she wasn't good enough, she wouldn't have let you go." Yurong said meaningfully.
Unfortunately, Yuwei didn't hear it. After drinking a cup of tea, she put all the talk aside and started talking about the interesting things she heard at her relatives' house.
"Sixth sister, do you know? Princess Xin'an's handsome and unique husband Wei actually went to the palace to cancel the engagement. You can tell that he is really brave. He even broke off the engagement with the princess."
"The emperor actually agreed."
"How can I not agree? Wei Xuanning is the eldest son of Prime Minister Wei, and he is in charge of two houses. Princess Xin'an was bullying others by taking advantage of her power. She made her only son the prince consort. Wouldn't this cut off the foundation of the Wei family? Now that the crown prince has been deposed, Princess Xin'an has long been unwelcome in the palace. She is not a person with a good temper. You said that the emperor should not agree even for Prime Minister Wei." Yuwei felt sympathetic to Prince Consort Wei at this time, and even said, "Everyone says Prince Consort Wei is unfaithful, but I think Prince Consort Wei is sober now."
The crown prince had been deposed long ago. It would have been fine if Princess Xin'an was an ignorant princess of the world, but Yurong had heard that her father was in the Palace of Prince Han and her brother was in the Imperial Academy. This princess worked very hard to recruit soldiers for her brother. If it weren't for this, the emperor wouldn't have been disgusted with her.
Yurong actually felt some sympathy. She felt that the marriage with Prince Consort Wei was so aggrieved. If she hadn't been afraid that Zhang Chang would fall in love with her, there would have been no marriage between her and Zhang Lingyi.
The Zhang family didn't really treat her as their daughter-in-law, but she couldn't go against it. If the Zhang family hadn't gotten into trouble, she would have married into the Zhang family. Her mother-in-law was already old, and she might have caused some scandal of cheating on her husband.
This was also the reason why she went to King Han's palace. It was too miserable to live a life where her fate was always dominated by others. If she wanted to be her own master, she had to find a stable and capable marriage.
When she came to her senses, Yuwei had already left. Bitao hurriedly said, "Mrs. Lu has gone to call Miss Wei home."
"Well, in that case, I will also go to have dinner with my mother."
Zhu is making ginseng candied fruit with her daughter-in-law Fan. This ginseng candied fruit is Zhu's specialty. She was born in a country family, which is not wealthy, but she is naturally good at yellow and white things. She can make money from any good thing that she has seen from others.
Take ginseng preserves for example. She has ten acres of land dedicated to growing ginseng, most of which she sells to medicine shops, and keeps one acre of the best ones to make preserves, which can be used to nourish the body and as a snack.
Cut off the ginseng head and some nodes, wash it clean and steam it in a pot. After steaming, mix it with maltose and ginger soup in the pot, let it dry and put it in a porcelain pot.
Zhu was busy trimming ginseng beards, but Fan noticed Yurong with her sharp eyes.
"Sister, why don't you make any noise? Come, come and sit next to me."
Mrs. Fan was a gentle woman. She was chosen by Mrs. Zhu herself. She was also a girl from a scholar family. Although her appearance was not as outstanding as her brother, she was a smart and honest person, and she was treated very well by her husband.
Yurong couldn't help but go over and pick up the ginseng to cut the roots, but the maid next to her refused to hand her the scissors.
Zhu looked up and smiled: "Girl, you will have to go to the Han Palace in a few days. I heard that Yu Lian from the fifth room has been taking milk baths or drinking fresh flower tea these days. She wants to make her fragrance spread far and wide. But you are doing the rough work."
Because Princess Han brought the news to the Yang family, there were a total of four girls going to the palace. The eldest girl was the princess's niece Yuzhen, the third girl was Yuwei, the fourth girl was Yurong, and the fifth girl was Yulian.
The second branch had no heirs, so now there was only an old lady and a granddaughter, Yuzhi, so it was naturally not a good idea to go there.
In Zhu's mind, none of these people could compare to her own daughter. Although Yuzhen, the eldest daughter of the royal family, had a father who was a senior general and was the princess's niece, she was born out of wedlock. Moreover, Yuzhen's mother had once served the third aunt. Although the third aunt of the eldest daughter of the royal family had passed away, many hatreds were not so easily resolved.
So, although Yuzhen seems to be the closest, she is actually the least likely.
Not to mention Yuwei, Zhu didn't take her seriously. The child was ignorant, not smart, and had a hot head. She couldn't even settle the lawsuits of the maids and old women. Wouldn't it be like sending her life to that mansion?
The only one who can compete with her is Yulian.
There are five branches in the Yang family. The first three are born to the original wife, while the fourth and fifth are born to the second wife. They should love each other, but the reality is not so. The fourth old master is a mess and a snobbish person. When the great-grandfather died, he ignored his younger brother. The fifth old master attached himself to the eldest branch. The fifth old master is now the Minister of Works. Yulian's biological father is a fifth-rank Counselor, and her mother is a princess from the royal family.
Although she had dark skin, short stature and high cheekbones since childhood, she refused to go out in recent years, took medicine every day, and asked people to come and adjust her bones. She was also good at makeup. Her face, which was only slightly pale, looked like a lady walking out of a painting after putting on makeup.
How would a man know these things? As long as they look good, that's all.
Therefore, Zhu only mentioned Yulian now, because her family background was better than her daughter's and she was also a beauty.
Yurong didn't care: "Mother, Yulian has always been serious and takes everything seriously. There are even rumors in the capital that she is a beauty that is hard to come by in a few thousand years. I have always admired her ruthlessness. As for going to the Han Palace, we will do whatever the princess arranges."
"You must be well, otherwise..." Zhu's heart was filled with deep worry.
If Princess Han doesn't value her, with the ruthless nature of the Fifth House, it will be a fight to the death. If Yulian becomes a concubine, the Yang family will have to put everything on her. Moreover, when the Zhang family was in trouble and Yurong was forced to commit suicide, it was the Fifth House that first colluded with the First House and persuaded the Qin family not to let the criminals of the Qin family insult the Yang family.
They judge others by their own standards and are afraid that they may fail to kill the tiger but end up being hurt by it. If the fifth branch gains power, they will trample Yurong to death.