Su Wanyan smiled appropriately: "Thanks to the Empress Dowager's concern, Fucheng is just as you all know, with spring-like weather all year round, which is very pleasant."
"Your Highness is wise. I've only been away from the capital for a short time, and I've already begun to miss you all." The Empress Dowager spoke politely, then abruptly changed the subject: "However, I've heard that His Highness is going to promulgate a new tax law in Fuzhou. Is that true? How come I didn't know about it?"
The young emperor had no real power, but the Empress Dowager remained as powerful as ever.
The fact that this question was asked indicates that the Empress Dowager was dissatisfied with the tax reform, and if the tax reform was to be reformed, why was it not reported to the authorities?
If Yu Nanqing were in Fuzhou, it would be one thing, as the Empress Dowager would be powerless to intervene even if she wanted to. But now that he is right in front of her, the Empress Dowager will not allow Yu Nanqing to disregard her authority.
Even if nothing can be changed, she still wants to annoy these two people and constantly remind them that she is the one in power in the Great Jin Dynasty.
Su Wanyan lowered her eyes slightly, and then heard Yu Nanqing's slow and gentle voice sound in her ear: "The new tax law is intended to benefit the people, but it is not yet finalized. Once the new tax law is mature, I will definitely report it to you."
The Empress Dowager's smile didn't change much, and it was unclear whether she was satisfied or dissatisfied with the answer.
She said, "This is good news. I look forward to hearing the good news. However, Prince Gong should think twice before making any decisions in the future. After all, this is the territory of the Great Jin Dynasty. Please report to the court in time so that I can give you some advice."
Yu Nanqing said it was all for the benefit of the people, so what else could she say?
Besides, she wasn't really against anything. On the contrary, Yu Nanqing's tax reduction was a good thing. Although less was handed over to the court, it at least meant that he wouldn't have the opportunity to skim off too much profit from it.
She just didn't like Yu Nanqing and Su Wanyan; if you really think about it, she wasn't really stupid.
Yu Nanqing ignored the Empress Dowager's nonsense. Seeing this, Su Wanyan lowered her eyes and smiled, "Yes, Your Majesty, I understand."
The Empress Dowager arranged a sleeping quarters for Su Wanyan in the palace, but she declined and returned to Prince Gong's Mansion with Yu Nanqing.
When I went to Fuzhou, most of the items in Prince Gong's Mansion had already been moved away, and now only some simple displays remain in the mansion.
Now that they've returned to stay temporarily, Su Wanyan and the others don't need to worry about the other items. The palace eunuchs and maids, under the orders of the Empress Dowager, came and arranged things at the Prince Gong's residence.
While Huang Ye was busy giving instructions, the maid that Yu Nanqing had arranged for her came to report: "Your Highness, Madam Qiu and Miss Dai request an audience."
Madam Qiu is Xu Yixuan, from the Qiu family of the Grand Secretary's residence. After she married into the family, she naturally took her husband's surname.
Su Wanyan's eyes lit up, and Yu Nanqing smiled and said, "I'll wait for you in the study."
"good."
As soon as Yu Nanqing left, Xu Yixuan and Dai Zhiwan were invited in: "Yanyan!"
Dai Zhiwan's voice was soft and sweet, which didn't match her gentle and dignified appearance at all.
At this moment, she seems more like a gentle and sweet girl.
Su Wanyan, who was still happy, felt a pang in her heart and stepped forward to grasp their excited hands: "It's been a few months, how come you've even changed how you address me?"
The change was so sudden that she couldn't adapt for a moment.
“I’ve missed you terribly since you went to Fuzhou a few months ago.” Dai Zhiwan said, tears welling up in her eyes. “I want to tell you everything right away, but I have to wait ten days or half a month to write to you.”
Xu Yixuan was much calmer than Dai Zhiwan: "You're about to get married, and you're still so impetuous. If you're not careful, your mother will scold you again."
When this topic came up, Dai Zhiwan became listless. Recently, her mother had been keeping a close eye on her, constantly telling her how she should serve her husband and in-laws after entering her husband's family.
She was completely overwhelmed by what she heard.
She had never caused any trouble growing up, and she always did whatever her family said. She rarely rebelled, but recently, perhaps because her mother had brought it up more often, the closer the wedding date got, the less she wanted to get married.
"Sister Xuan'er, please spare me." Dai Zhiwan said listlessly, "Only you two can get my mother to let me out now."
Su Wanyan found it amusing and pulled Dai Zhiwan and Xu Yixuan to sit down in the flower hall.
After the maid served tea, she asked, "How are you all doing in the capital?"
"Everything's fine, nothing serious has happened."
Needless to say, the Shunguo Duke's Mansion was far more powerful than the Changguo Duke's Mansion.
The Changguo Duke's Mansion was considered to be at a lower level, and these days the grandfathers of the two families seemed to be secretly competing with each other.
"When you left Fucheng, I had a pair of water bracelets made for you. I'll have someone send them to the Duke's mansion later." After saying that, she smiled and looked at Xu Yixuan: "Of course, Yixuan has some too, but they're not as good as Dai Zhiwan's pair. After all, she's the bride, and I don't want to steal her thunder."
Su Wanyan said it was a bit inferior, but laymen couldn't tell the difference at all.
Xu Yixuan covered her mouth and laughed upon hearing this, while Dai Zhiwan frowned: "Why do you start teasing me as soon as you get back?"
Su Wanyan asked with a smile, "Have you met the young master of the Marquis of Anding's mansion?"
Dai Zhiwan nodded: "I've already met him."
How are you feeling?
"It's fine as it is," Dai Zhiwan pouted. "What else can we do?"
My first impression of her wasn't particularly good, nor was it particularly bad; she seemed a bit dull.
"Tsk." Su Wanyan glanced at her and looked at Xu Yixuan: "Yixuan, you say it."
Xu Yixuan smiled: "I think he's not bad. He looks upright and is approachable, unlike a reckless warrior. He seemed at a loss when facing Zhiwan, which means he must like her."
Su Wanyan's eyes lit up immediately: "Oh, if you say it's good, then it must be good. Are you just experiencing your first love?"
"Whether he's just starting to experience romantic feelings or not, I don't know, but he already has two concubines in his courtyard." Since they've already engaged in sexual relations, talking about starting to experience romantic feelings is just nonsense now.
Xu Yixuan understood perfectly, and upon hearing this, Su Wanyan's expression immediately became clear.
In this era, most men would indeed take one or two concubines before marriage, and those who were more lustful would have even more.
"Isn't it inappropriate for you to discuss these things in front of an unmarried girl like me?" Dai Zhiwan frowned, her face turning bright red.
The reason she didn't run away out of embarrassment was entirely because the nanny who had been teaching her recently had been talking about these same things.
“These are all secondary.” Su Wanyan held Dai Zhiwan’s hand and smiled. “No matter what the Marquis of Anding’s family is like, with the status of the Duke of Changguo’s family, they are already climbing too high. As long as you are not wrong, just show your strength. If they dare to bully you, come to me. I will use my status to crush them.”
"I'm relieved to hear that. I won't hold back then." Dai Zhiwan smiled contentedly as she held Su Wanyan's arm.
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