Chapter 229 You are neither worthy to be her father nor her employer!
(Thanks to reader 20220306232703454 for casting 2 monthly tickets.)
The walls on the second floor were actually made of brick and stone frames with wooden planks as partitions. Although a few glutinous rice bricks were used in the middle, Li Shiyue's hearing was good enough that if she listened carefully, she could hear the conversation in the next private room.
In addition, Yan Xuefei shouted that sentence quite loudly;
Not to mention, the windows in the room where the Prince of Zhenbei and his men were still open. Even if Li Shiyue didn't want to listen, she couldn't help but have good hearing.
At this moment, the gong downstairs sounded again, indicating that the first half of the play "The Story of Zhenli" had ended, and the waiter carrying a tray was walking back and forth between the tables downstairs to collect tips.
This time, Li's mother and the others had learned from experience and had prepared the money well in advance.
This was the first time that Li Shiliang, Zhao Min, Ma Zi, and Zhao Yan had come to a grand restaurant in the prefectural city to eat at a banquet and watch a play. When they saw the silver that Li's mother had prepared, they realized that there was such a thing as tipping.
"This prefectural city is really something else; even tips are given in silver!"
Zhao Min felt a little distressed about the money that Li's mother had given away. Although she didn't have to pay for it herself, she was still a bit uneasy because she was used to being frugal.
However, Zhao Min raised her hand and touched the silver hairpin in her hair. She secretly encouraged herself, thinking that she must not lose face for Li Shiliang in public. Instead of looking at the silver that Li's mother had prepared on the table, she looked down at the high platform and started talking.
"Zhenniang sent that scholar to take the imperial examination, and at home she had to reel silk and weave brocade, as well as take care of her frail old mother and young child. She was truly a diligent and kind woman."
"Sister-in-law Min, what's so good about this?"
The money that scholar used for the imperial examination was earned by Zhenniang bit by bit through reeling silk. If the scholar passed, it would be fine, but what if he failed? What would Zhenniang do then?
After hearing what Zhao Min and Li Xiatian said, Li's mother and the others also joined in the discussion with interest.
Li Shiyue, on the other hand, pretended to be looking at the high platform downstairs, but actually she was listening intently to the conversation next door.
In the private room next door, named Qingsong, Yan Xuefei, who had cursed the Prince of Zhenbei for being crazy, stood up. Her face was cold and her eyes were full of anger. She angrily questioned the Prince of Zhenbei: "Why did you arrange the marriage for Jiu Niang without asking me?"
We made a promise back then: if you want to acknowledge Jiu Niang back, then you have to agree to let her take my surname, Yan!
You must consult me about Jiu Niang's future marriage arrangements. Only if Jiu Niang and I both agree can I proceed.
But now, how can you disregard Jiu Niang's wishes and casually agree to the marriage?
She is your daughter too!
I don't ask you to be good to her in every way, I only wish you to have some pity for her!
I do not agree to this marriage!
If you're going to ruin my daughter's life for your own power!
"Then, Liu Cong, let's see if your abilities, as the Prince of Zhenbei, are greater, or if my sword, Yan Xuefei's, is faster!"
As soon as Yan Xuefei finished speaking, she drew the long sword that was propped up on the ground beside her, and pointed the tip of the sword directly at the Prince of Zhenbei!
"Father!"
The first to react was Liu Tan, who was closest to the Prince of Zhenbei. As he stood up, he drew his sword and slashed at Yan Xuefei's sword. At the same time, Li Mingfeng's sword also went towards Liu Tan's sword!
The clanging of weapons was deafening. Li Shiyue frowned, only managing to hear a few scattered questions from Yan Xuefei. The drama downstairs was taking another turn, with loud music and a cacophony of voices obstructing her from hearing the conversation next door.
The turning point of the play was that the scholar passed the imperial examination, but he also abandoned Zhenli and her daughter, stayed in the capital, married the daughter of a high-ranking official, and wanted to use his father-in-law's power to climb the social ladder.
Therefore, Li Shiyue only heard Yan Xuefei say that she disagreed with the marriage arranged by the Prince of Zhenbei for Yan Jiuniang. She had no idea why there was a clashing of weapons.
She was in a real bind right now, not only wanting to know what was happening in the next private room, but also wanting to know what Zhenniang, who had been abandoned by the scholar, would do.
Inside the private room, the Prince of Zhenbei laughed, a hearty, loud laugh.
After taking a leisurely sip of tea, the Prince of Zhenbei said to Yan Xuefei, whose eyes were already red with anger, "Your temper is still the same as it was back then."
The Prince of Zhenbei raised his hand, extended a finger, and pushed the sword tip pointing at him aside. Then he turned and nodded to Liu Tan.
Liu Tan watched as Yan Xuefei sheathed her sword before sheathing his own. Li Mingfeng also sheathed his sword, and the guards at the four corners of the room, including Ma San and Zhao Da, also sheathed their swords at Liu Tan's signal.
Seeing that Yan Xuefei had calmed down a bit, the Prince of Zhenbei said to her again, "Listen to the play in the audience. A woman choosing a husband is an important event in her life. Jiu Niang is my daughter. How could I harm her?"
"She's childish. How old are you? Can't you see the situation clearly?"
Yan Xuefei remained silent.
At this moment, the Prince of Zhenbei did not need Yan Xuefei to respond. He continued, "I chose the second son of a noble family with generations of merit for Jiu Niang. In this way, she will not have to bear the responsibilities of the eldest son, nor will she have to be a hardworking and tiring matriarch."
As direct descendants, they are entitled to a considerable share of the family fortune.
When she gets married in the future, I will definitely give her a lot of dowry. She will have no shortage of money to spend when she has children, and she can live a peaceful and prosperous life. Isn't that good?
Could it be that,” the Prince of Zhenbei pointed out the window, “that he should learn from Zhenniang, who chose a scholar herself, only to be abandoned by him, leaving her to raise her daughter alone in that miserable life?”
I chose excellent matches for Jiu Niang, but she didn't understand and ran away.
"You, as her mother, not only don't try to persuade her, but you even have the nerve to ask me?"
The Prince of Zhenbei looked at Li Mingfeng with a mocking gaze again, "You found someone like him who has nothing to his name, so you expect Jiu Niang to be like you?"
Yan Xuefei was speechless. She knew that what the Prince of Zhenbei said made some sense, but she knew that she could only listen to half of what he said and ignore the other half.
Therefore, Yan Xuefei did not completely believe what the Prince of Zhenbei said. She also remembered the news she had received from Liu Tan that the Prince of Zhenbei had arranged a marriage between Yan Jiuniang and the Sun family of Guanlong, but in fact it was for the Sun family's iron mine in Yanshan.
However, Yan Xuefei thought about what Yan Jiuniang had said to her last night, and she raised her head again with determination. She looked at the Prince of Zhenbei and said word by word, "My Jiuniang has been intelligent since childhood. She has been managing two Fujian ships by herself since she was twelve years old."
From the moment she displayed her talent in this area, you made her your money bag.
Over the years, she has transported countless valuables to Andong for you.
Even if she isn't your daughter, but just one of your subordinates, considering how diligently she works for you, you should still politely discuss her marriage with her!
Instead of disregarding her wishes and hastily arranging a marriage that you think is good for her!
In this respect, you are neither worthy to be her father nor her employer!
Li Shiyue, who had been listening intently to Yan Xuefei's words, nodded vigorously. She felt that what Yan Xuefei said was absolutely right!
The Prince of Zhenbei is just as bad a father as her scumbag father; they don't deserve to be called "father" at all!
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