Chapter 143 The Third House’s Thoughts, the Princess Removes the Threshold
Xiao Yunzhou and his servant Yan Fang had just returned to the courtyard of the third room when they heard his mother, Madam Zhou, and his sister-in-law, Madam Xiao Zhou, arguing with each other in a sarcastic manner.
"As a woman, how can you wield a sword or a gun? If this gets out, people will think that the Xiao family is mistreating our Zhou family."
"Haha, I'm different from you. I'm the only wife of Cheng Su in my family, and he's full of vigor and vitality. I learn martial arts from my niece-in-law to strengthen my body and to accompany Cheng Su more when I'm old."
"My mother-in-law is so old, yet she brings up such boudoir matters. It's really... really funny."
Xiao Yunzhou was in a panic and was about to slip away, but when he turned around, he was caught by his brother Xiao Wenyuan.
"Yanfang!"
Xiao Yunzhou wanted to ask the servant for help, but he found that Yan Fang was running faster than him...
Xiao Wenyuan was caught between his mother and wife, feeling torn. Seeing his younger brother, he finally found a lifeline.
"Xiao Yunzhou! Where have you been again? Have you finished the policy paper I asked you to write? Have you read the books my father asked you to read?"
Xiao Yunzhou raised his eyebrows nonchalantly: "I've written it, read it, is it done?"
"no!"
Xiao Wenyuan frowned and said in a cold voice, "Look at you. You don't study, but spend all day thinking about what warriors do. Your father is the Minister of Justice, but you don't care. Instead, you keep talking about the generals and the second generals. What kind of person are you!"
"That's General Gu Dao!"
"I don't care about the sword general or the sword general."
"And the calligraphy that the teacher asked you to practice a few days ago, was that written by you? That must have been written by Yan Fang!"
"I'm innocent. Yan Fang's handwriting is not that ugly."
"you--"
As soon as he spoke, Mrs. Zhou and Little Mrs. Zhou stopped arguing and looked over at him.
Madam Zhou grumbled earnestly, "Wenyuan is right, Yunzhou. You're not young anymore. In two years, you'll be coming of age. It's time to study hard and pass the imperial examination next spring. Then you can help your father and elder brother in the court. Besides, if you really want to practice martial arts, I'll personally choose a martial arts master for you once you pass the imperial examination, and you can practice as much as you want then."
Xiao Wenyuan chuckled, "Did you hear that? I don't need your help anymore. My father is old and busy with official duties, so you have to share his worries!"
He was only a sixth-rank official in the Ministry of Works. He had never been as smart as the other members of the Xiao family since childhood. However, he had no great ambitions and lived a comfortable life.
Madam Xiao Zhou rolled her eyes and sneered, "Yun Zhou wants to take the imperial examination? Then he should study martial arts. As the saying goes, the poor learn literature, the rich learn martial arts. Our family can afford it. Even if the prince fails, maybe the Xiao family can still produce another military commander."
"Shut up!"
"shut up!"
"Shut up!"
As soon as the words fell, Xiao Wenyuan, Xiao Yunzhou and Madam Zhou spoke in unison.
"No matter what the prince looks like, no matter what outsiders say, he is the head of the Xiao family. Madam, please be careful with your words." Xiao Wenyuan said.
Madam Zhou even put her hands on her hips and said, "You are pregnant now, so you have become wild, but don't forget, the Xiao family is what it is today because of the prince. It is because of the prince that we have the hereditary throne of the king. The Xiao family can do without my husband, your husband, but it must have the prince."
Xiao Yunzhou's eyes were as sharp as knives, and he looked at Madam Xiao Zhou solemnly: "My cousin's leg was crippled for Dayan. You are not qualified to talk about him."
"You, why are you three so anxious? I just made a slip of the tongue and said the wrong thing. Of course I respect the prince and Wenyuan. Don't you know who I am?"
Mrs. Xiao Zhou didn't expect that these three people would react so strongly to her words, so she had to explain. She pulled Xiao Wenyuan's sleeve, spoke in a coquettish tone, and a hint of coldness flashed in her eyes.
Xiao Wenyuan looked at his wife's bulging belly, and a gentle smile reappeared on his face: "My wife has a sharp tongue but a kind heart. Mother, Yunzhou, please don't be offended."
Mrs. Zhou: "Hehe."
After saying this, Xiao Yunzhou became his bold and unruly self again. He raised his arms and folded them behind his head, then walked out of the yard lazily.
"I just don't want to study, I just want to learn martial arts, I like General Gu Dao, I want to be a general in the future, you have no right to interfere."
“This kid!”
Mrs. Zhou was so angry that Xiao Wenyuan began to comfort his mother again.
It’s so hard to be caught between being a mother and a wife!
However, he kept looking at Xiao Yunzhou until his figure disappeared before he looked away.
Thinking of the worn-out military books he had seen in the study before, Xiao Wenyuan couldn't bring himself to scold his brother for being incompetent.
His cousin Xiao Yizi was made king for his military achievements, but his legs were crippled by Dayan.
If the Xiao family doesn't have someone who learns martial arts, their future will only go downhill.
But I am stupid and old, so it is impossible for me to give up literature and take up military affairs.
His younger brother picked up the knife that he disliked most when he was a child for him.
*
After parting ways with the prince, Xie Yao returned to Fuguangyuan.
In fact, Fuguangyuan and Liuxiayuan are separated by a wall, but Fuguangyuan is spacious and has sycamore trees planted in the courtyard.
Liuxiayuan is even quieter, and there is a towering sumac tree in the courtyard.
Xie Yao saw the empty space in the northwest corner of the yard and called Rendong over, "Go and fetch Zhui Mo, and also the six pairs of geese that the prince gave me, along with their cages. Keep them there from now on."
Rendong didn't think it was inappropriate. Changsi and others were still getting familiar with their master's style of doing things, so they didn't dare to say much.
"Measure the dimensions tomorrow, build a chicken coop here, and then put up a high fence."
Xie Yao found another seven taels of silver, took out a piece of paper, and handed it to him just as she had asked him to buy a list of fire starters.
Qiliang quickly opened the paper and took a look.
——House No. C, Nanhuai Street.
He felt much more relaxed, fortunately, it was only a house that was to be burned this time.
"You should secretly investigate who lives in this house and who the owner is." Xie Yao ordered.
This house is the most specific address corresponding to the Golden-Eyed Jade Buddha in Xie Ming'an's secret room account book, and it has been testified by Manager Wang that the person who accepted the bribe is a mysterious nobleman.
If the owner of the house can be identified and it can be proved that Wenchang Bo bribed high-ranking officials of the third rank or above in the court, no matter how cautious Xie Mingan is, he will not be able to escape accountability.
Qi Liang: "Just checking, not burning?"
Xie Yao: "What do you take me for? I'm such a kind person, am I the kind of person who would burn down other people's houses casually?"
Qiliang left in a hurry.
Xie Yao stood in the yard, her eyes fixed on the threshold of the gate.
The threshold was a foot high and had intricate patterns carved on it. It was easy for an ordinary person to step over, but it was a huge obstacle for someone in a wheelchair.
The thresholds of the main hall of the Xiao family, as well as Liuxiayuan and other places where the prince often came and went, were all removed. However, it was said that Fuguangyuan was built specifically as a courtyard for the princess when the palace was completed, and the princess had not been decided yet, so no one dared to move.
Xie Yao immediately called over Madam Qi: "Madam, I want to remove the threshold of Fuguangyuan and build a flat ground with bluestone. How long will it take?"
"Remove the threshold?"
"Yes, the thresholds of the main gate, main house, side rooms, and wing rooms of Fuguangyuan have all been removed."
Madam Qi was stunned for a moment, then thought for a moment, nodded vigorously, and smiled brightly: "This is not difficult. I will do it right away. It can be built in one day. However, the door curtains of a few rooms need to be replaced, but it is not difficult."
Xie Yao didn't know why she suddenly became happy when she just removed the door threshold.
Nanny Qi took the maid Tang Xin away, and the two whispered to each other as they left.
"The Fuguangyuan is so magnificent, why did the princess have the threshold removed? Will the door be able to close tightly after it's removed?"
"What do you know, little girl? Princess, you have the prince in your heart..."
On the other side, Xiao Yizi was in the inner room of Liuxiayuan.
He drove away the guards including Baizhu and Baimi, secretly found a large bag of embroidery silk thread and other items left by Madam Jingning, and began to sew sachets.
The princess herself said that she was a versatile person. She sewed seven or eight sachets for him, and she had to do it even while sitting in a wheelchair.
However, after embroidering for a while, a name popped up in his mind.
——Gu Dao.
——An old acquaintance of the princess in the north.
As a fellow military general, although Xiao Yizi had never seen Gu Dao, he had heard of his name and had analyzed several major battles he had fought.
Gu Dao was born in Guizhou and his name was given by General Gu. It was rumored that he was as handsome as a woman, and some people said that he was a woman. He was once as famous as Su Huai'en and had a great reputation in the north.
This man went to the battlefield when he was thirteen or fourteen years old, broke the enemy's formation with light cavalry, and when he was fifteen years old, he defeated the prince of Yong who led troops to invade the border. Because of this incident, he became famous and has made many achievements in the past two years.
Moreover, Gu Dao and Xie Yao are of similar age.
Xiao Yizi murmured something he had said before: "My king, am I very old?"
Suddenly, there was a tinkling sound outside.
Bai Mi rushed in to report: "Your Highness, something happened!"
Xiao Yizi quickly swept the embroidery frame on the table aside, raised his eyes expressionlessly, and said, "Next time you enter my room, you must knock on the door."
"...I understand."
"What's the matter?" Xiao Yizi asked calmly, a faint smile on his lips. "Did the princess send someone to ask me to go to Fuguangyuan tonight?"
Bai Su: "No, but the princess removed the threshold. Your Majesty, do you think she wants to kick you out?"
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