Chapter 24: Strange Results
Just when the adults were hesitating whether to take advantage of the situation and have a share of the profits, they suddenly saw the old emperor on the dragon throne waving his hands with a smile on his face.
"Alright, alright, my two beloved ministers, there's no need to quarrel anymore.
It is said that fate is tied by a thread, and once fate comes, it cannot be stopped.
The reason why I acted as a matchmaker was because I was afraid that you, Xiao Aiqing, would be alone for the rest of your life. Now that you already have your beautiful wife, let's just leave it at that.
No matter how the marriage was arranged, it was a marriage gifted by heaven.
It is better to demolish ten temples than to break up a marriage. Didn’t Zhang Aiqing say that heaven and earth cannot be deceived?
Since we have already paid homage to the heaven, earth and ancestors, let it be.
Xiao Yuan, don't feel wronged.
Even though you don't seek a wife or dowry, marrying a rich woman is not a bad thing after all, so don't worry too much about it."
Xiao Yuan quickly knelt down and kowtowed without mentioning the evidence of Li's marriage exchange. He looked as if all the thunder and rain were grace from the emperor.
The old emperor was very satisfied with this behavior and turned to ask Zhang Zhongyi again.
"Zhang Aiqing, you don't have to stand up for your disciple. Although the dowry has been reduced a lot after his father-in-law, who was a fourth-rank official, was replaced by a fifth-rank official, this matter is still his fault.
Didn't he say that he and the Jiang family girl had been engaged since childhood?
I guess I have met her before. It's raining and windy, and I don't know what my wife looks like.
Even though I have a teacher like you who has passed the imperial examinations with honors, I haven't seen you write any famous works, but you entered the bridal chamber very quickly.
You should give him a good warning later. He will be the one to take over the title in the future, so you should focus more on the real work."
Zhang Zhongyi quickly knelt down to plead guilty on behalf of Zhao Chengye, with a respectful attitude that could not be faulted at all.
The old emperor suddenly smiled again, "Xiao Yuan, it was a mistake for the Jiang family's daughter to marry you, but she is also a legitimate daughter of an official family, so you can't treat her badly.
Zhang Aiqing also has a message for your beloved disciple: It takes ten years to be able to cross the river together and a hundred years to be able to sleep together.
Since you have married a girl from the Li family, live a good life.
Don’t complain about my low birth and meager dowry after entering the bridal chamber.”
After the old emperor finished speaking, the two of them agreed. Zhang Zhongyi took the opportunity to flatter the emperor and made him very happy.
Xiao Yuan rolled his eyes in his heart, he really couldn't do this job.
It would be fine to flatter the old emperor in a subtle way to please him, but it hurts his teeth to hear him say such flattering words.
We really should let those students in the academy see what this old fox looks like now.
What a righteous and proud person! His servile appearance is even worse than that of the eunuchs.
The old emperor decided the fate of another person in a casual conversation, then walked away feeling very satisfied.
Does it matter if Xiao Yuan complained about being plotted against?
unimportant.
Is it important that Li Shilang's wife changed the matchmaking arranged by the emperor without authorization?
It doesn't matter.
If the emperor is angry, it would be a great crime of contempt for the imperial power. If the emperor is happy, it would be nothing more than a woman's motherly love.
One thought can lead to heaven or hell. The power of life and death is in your hands.
This is the taste of imperial power. Once you have it, it is as addictive as drugs. Even parents, wife and children will not be allowed to touch it.
The old emperor enjoyed this feeling immensely, and became increasingly obsessed with the feeling of dominating other people's destinies.
Madam Li is so bold and presumptuous that her daughter must be no good either. The Ningguo Mansion is going to have some fun this time.
However, the Li family's daughter was born in a humble family, her dowry was not rich, and her means of marrying into the family were not glorious. She would certainly have no chance of winning against a duke's mansion.
Therefore, the old emperor specifically asked Zhang Zhongyi to convey a message not to allow the Ningguo Mansion to treat the daughter-in-law badly, which could be regarded as a way to narrow the gap between the two sides from the side.
If the girl from the Li family is smart, she will know how to use the emperor's words to gain a firm foothold in the Zhao family.
As for Xiao Yuan, the old emperor didn't care much about him.
Firstly, this knife is very obedient and easy to use, so there is no need to disturb his home and delay his work; secondly, even if he does nothing, Xiao Yuan's life will be the same.
For officials in the capital, there is a watershed between the fifth rank and the fourth rank. Although there is only a difference of two levels, the meanings are completely different.
If a fourth-rank official from the capital is sent abroad, he will be a high-ranking official and can be called an important official of the court.
Generally, such officials are very cautious in their stance and alignment, and will not change their stance just for the sake of their children's marriage.
Jiang Huai has always been close to Zhang Zhongyi. Even if Xiao Yuan becomes his son-in-law by some strange coincidence, he will most likely not be on the same page with Xiao Yuan.
The marriage connects the present generation but the key point lies in the next generation.
Those who try hard to cultivate a son-in-law never consider the relationship between their daughter and the son-in-law, but rather whether everything the son-in-law has in the future will fall into the hands of their grandchildren or nephews.
Xiao Yuan is an inhuman eunuch who cannot allow the girls of the Jiang family to have children. Jiang Huai will only use him to pave the way for his own children and grandchildren. It is impossible for him to drain resources from him.
Xiao Yuan has always been vicious and vindictive. Anyone who tries to take advantage of him will inevitably be skinned alive by him. It is only a matter of time before the two sides start to quarrel.
If there was a mistress who loved her daughter, she might be able to mediate. Unfortunately, the Jiang family's daughter's mother died early and the concubine is in charge of the family. I'm afraid that old man Jiang Huai would wish her dead.
After all, when a lady dies, her dowry can only be passed on to her children or returned to her parents' home.
Since she married a eunuch, she naturally had no children. The dowry that even Zhang Zhongyi considered generous would return to the Jiang family sooner or later.
The old emperor didn't believe Xiao Yuan's words that he was not greedy for dowry. Is there anyone in the world who doesn't love money?
Xiao Ling had become the top manager beside him, but he still had a falling out with his sworn brother Xiao Yuan because of money.
The young eunuchs around him also had no children to raise, so they all scrambled for rewards.
Just wait and see, these two families who got married by mistake will have more fun to watch in the future.
Xiao Yuan and Zhang Zhongyi had guessed something about the old emperor's abnormal psychology. After all, they were both close ministers of the emperor and had accompanied him for a long time.
As for those ministers who seldom saw the emperor in private, they did not think of this at all. They only felt that the emperor was particularly tolerant and kind today.
The marriage between these two families was neither a big deal nor a small matter, but it was different in nature because one of them was arranged by the emperor.
To put it mildly, it is contempt for imperial power, and to put it seriously, it is disobeying the imperial order.
It is really surprising that they let it go so easily now. These four companies are really lucky.
Such strange things may be just a fun event for other people, but for Jiang Huai, it is like a roller coaster ride.
For him, marrying off his daughter yesterday was just an opportunity to bond with his colleagues.
All matters were handed over to Liu, and he didn't care at all except accompanying his colleagues to drink.
Who would have thought that so many troubles would occur. If he had known this, he would rather let that rebellious girl die at home.
God knows how hard it was for him to endure this morning court session. If it weren't for his body's instincts, he wouldn't even be able to stand.
It was thanks to the emperor's mercy that he did not get angry, otherwise he would not have been able to get the fourth rank he had worked so hard to get.
But even so, Jiang Huai was not happy. He kept moving forward mechanically while thinking about how to balance this relationship.
It is impossible to have the best of both worlds.
If you try to step on both boats, you will end up not being able to step on either boat and end up falling into the water.
But if he had to choose one...how should he choose?
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
