Chapter 85 Choosing a Successor
Shen Qingtan looked somewhat innocent: "It really is what I say."
"It's okay." Zhao Yi picked up the bound book: "What is coming will eventually come."
The couple went to the main hall together.
——
After Zhao Jue successfully bribed the clan elders, he felt confident that he would win.
Therefore, upon returning home, he discussed with the second master and the second lady, and then went to find Duke Zhao to advance the election date to today, catching Zhao Yi off guard.
Seeing that Zhao Jue was sure of victory, Shen Mingzhu wrote a letter to invite Mrs. Shen to come to the ceremony and witness her most glorious moment.
Mrs. Shen rushed over without stopping after receiving the letter. She found an excuse that Shen Mingzhu had offended a noble in the palace, which was very against the rules. She personally brought a nanny to teach Shen Mingzhu the rules, and then stayed in the second room to wait for news.
Everyone in the mansion was alarmed by the second wife's movements, and they all speculated that the title would fall on the second wife.
"I heard earlier that when the Duke was testing him, the Second Master gave an answer, but the Third Master couldn't, and then postponed submitting his strategy until two weeks later. Now that the Third Master has moved up the date, it's clear he's prepared."
"Third Master has been leaving early and returning late every day for strategic reasons, while Second Master has been recuperating in Lanxue Garden and hasn't made any movement. I'm afraid he can't compete with Third Master?"
"I'm worried that Second Master isn't prepared and will probably lose to Third Master this time."
When the Second Master, the Second Mistress, Zhao Jue and Shen Mingzhu went to the main hall, they heard the conversation among the servants and finally let out the anger that had been pent up in their hearts for days.
When they arrived at the door of the main hall, they met Shen Qingtan, Zhao Yi, the eldest lady and the eldest master.
"Brother, sister-in-law, your sudden early submission of the strategy today shouldn't affect my nephew, right? When the Duke asked the question that day, my nephew was able to improvise. On the contrary, our Jue'er is so unskilled and has no clue at all."
The Second Madam said with a look of sorrow, "Jue'er originally wanted to prepare more thoroughly, but I was worried that the elders would be delayed because they took time out of their busy schedules to come to the capital."
The eldest lady raised an eyebrow at her pretentious words and said, "A few days earlier or later, the result will be the same for you. There's really no need to waste time."
"That's right, sister-in-law." The Second Lady deliberately took the First Lady's words as flattery, and wore a friendly smile on her face. "We are family. You can't write two Zhao characters with one stroke. It doesn't matter who gets the title. No matter what the result is today, the other one must not turn against her and damage the harmony among brothers just because she didn't get elected."
The eldest lady glanced at her and said, "It's rare that you finally understand life for once."
The second wife's expression changed, but when she thought of the scene that was about to happen, she suppressed her anger: Let her be proud for a while!
The group walked into the main hall and sat in their respective seats.
Duke Zhao, the old lady and four elders of the clan came and sat in their seats with serious expressions.
Zhao Jue first glanced at Zhao Enhong, and seeing that he still had a smile on his face, as if telling him that everything was fine, he became more calm.
This time, we made a special effort to avenge our previous humiliation.
In the last examination, he was defeated by Zhao Yi, and people in the mansion were saying that he was not as good as Zhao Yi.
After he took the initiative today, the situation in the mansion turned in his favor.
Zhao Jue was the first to hand the plan to Duke Zhao: "Grandfather, this is the strategy I wrote."
Duke Zhao took the thick stack of rice paper, frowned at the first glance, and looked at Zhao Yi.
Zhao Yi was drinking water and didn't seem to care about the outcome.
Duke Zhao was a little confused about Zhao Yi's thoughts. Zhao Jue was busy coming in and out these days, but Zhao Yi didn't even leave the courtyard.
Yesterday he sent someone to question him, but Zhao Yi said, "Follow your Third Brother's wishes. I will cooperate at any time."
Duke Zhao suspected that he had guessed wrong. Zhao Yi did not want to compete for the title that day. He was just giving him face and supporting him. He did not take the title seriously at all.
He frowned as he read the strategy and handed it to the elder beside him.
The elders all had stern faces, looking very serious and unapproachable.
Only Zhao Enhong was approachable, and the strategy was passed on to him last.
After he finished reading it, he placed it on the coffee table next to him.
It took an incense stick of time to circulate Zhao Jue's strategy.
The Second Master and the Second Mistress were in great anguish and kept observing the expressions of several people, but none of them showed any sign.
Zhao Jue was not too worried. The clan elders were united, and with Zhao Enhong smoothing the relationship for him, the title would definitely belong to the second branch of the family.
Zhao Enhong worked hard all his life, but in the end, wasn't what he wanted just to have a large family?
If the only grandson is unwilling to seek treatment, the family lineage will be cut off.
Zhao Jue grasped Zhao Enhong's weakness and was not afraid that he would not take the bait.
To put it another way, even if Zhao Enhong did not help him, his strategy happened to be to develop his argument based on Zhao Yi's proposal, and he seized the initiative and could also come out on top.
If Zhao Yi couldn't come up with an amazing strategy, he would definitely be overshadowed by him.
Duke Zhao waited anxiously. After they finished reading, he said to Zhao Yi, "Yier, what's your strategy?"
Zhao Yi gave Jiang Mu a look.
Jiang Mu held the booklet and handed it to Duke Zhao with both hands.
When Duke Zhao saw that it was a booklet, he frowned and suspected that Zhao Yi was fooling him.
But when he opened the cover and saw the preface, his attention was caught and he couldn't help but read on.
Everyone in the second house was worried. Seeing Duke Zhao frowning, squinting, or looking serious, they couldn't help but wonder: Is he dissatisfied with the strategy?
Sure enough, as if to confirm their guess, Duke Zhao handed the booklet to the clan elder with a frown on his face.
If he was satisfied, his brows would have relaxed long ago.
They glanced at the elders again, and saw that the elders were watching slower and slower, with the same solemn expression as Duke Zhao, so they felt more and more relieved.
After all the documents had been circulated, the main hall fell into silence.
Duke Zhao did not comment, but instead looked at the elders standing beside him and asked, "Brothers, what are your opinions?"
The first elder said tactfully, "You two have different strategic considerations. One is to mobilize the entire clan to jointly develop the family industry, while the other is to cultivate clan members based on their respective strengths. We can't judge which one is better, but only which one is more suitable for the Zhao clan."
The second elder said, "Our original intention was to develop a branch of the clan. We need a practical approach. I have marked the strategy we intend to implement."
The third elder echoed, "I agree with their thoughts. Let the fourth elder reveal the outcome."
Everyone looked at Zhao Enhong in unison, and then turned to the two strategy books, as if trying to see from them who the elders had chosen.
When Zhao Jue saw that it was Zhao Enhong who revealed it, he leaned back in his chair with a relaxed attitude and looked at Shen Qingtan with deep eyes.
He was looking forward to seeing how Shen Qingtan would react after he became the heir to the Duke's Mansion.
Shen Qingtan glanced at Zhao Jue, who was confident, and turned to look at Zhao Enhong.
The atmosphere was solemn, and everyone in the hall held their breath involuntarily.
Zhao Enhong picked up one of the strategy books and said, "The four of us are all optimistic about this strategy."
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