Chapter 150 What support can the Zhou family bring in?

"Don't worry, Old Master Zhou. I will find my cousin. You just need to arrange the marriage with my sister-in-law." Chu Li patted her chest. Since it was the person her cousin liked, she should do her best.

She is determined to be the matchmaker.

After Chu left, Ruan Qinghuan visited her grandmother, who was being looked after by her aunt. Upon hearing that Shuang'er would not have to marry into the He family, the old lady's spirits improved significantly.

The aunt knew that Qinghuan had helped to prevent the disaster today, and she was very grateful: "Thanks to Qinghuan today, otherwise my Shuang'er would have been..."

"Don't say that, Auntie. Shuang'er is my sister. I won't watch her jump into the kang."

Zhou was the eldest daughter-in-law in the first house. She was nearly 40 years old and had given birth to two sons and a daughter, Zhou Shuang'er. She was the youngest and the most beloved.

Although today's incident was over, Zhou was still worried: "What if..."

"Nothing will happen, so don't worry, aunt."

In the backyard of the Zhou residence, Zhou Shuang'er had been making noise for too long and sobbed weakly on the table in the yard.

Hearing footsteps, she looked up and saw her grandfather and two girls coming over. She was stunned for a moment, then buried her face in her arms and said angrily, "Grandfather, I will never marry He Hongzhi even if I die."

Grandpa Zhou: "Haven't you come to see your cousin yet?"

cousin?

The Zhou family has only one daughter, Zhou Shuang'er, and the rest are all boys. This is why she is so loved at home. Apart from the Zhou family, the only cousin who can be treated so kindly by my grandfather can only be Sister Qinghuan from my aunt's family?

Just when she felt that she was crying shamefully, the next second she suddenly stood up and looked at Ruan Qinghuan in disbelief.

The expression on her face kept changing, and she was already crying so hard that her eyes were wet. She looked very funny. After a while, she asked cautiously, "Are you really Sister Qinghuan?"

The last time she came to Jiangnan, she was only seven or eight years old. Now she looked so different from then that Zhou Shuang'er couldn't recognize her.

"Who was it that cried and made a fuss about trying to drive me away, saying that I had robbed her grandparents?" Ruan Qinghuan teased.

Zhou Shuang'er: "..."

Zhou Shuang'er blushed. When Ruan Qinghuan's siblings came to the Zhou family, their grandparents loved them very much, which made Zhou Shuang'er jealous and she often quarreled with her.

Later, on one occasion, Zhou Shuang'er was bullied by neighborhood kids and tied to a wooden stake at the West Street city gate. It was Sister Qinghuan and Qingzhou who rescued her and beat up those kids.

From then on, no one dared to bully her anymore.

Joy and grievance surged in her heart at the same time. Her depressed mood seemed to have found an outlet for venting. Zhou Shuang'er ran forward and threw herself into Ruan Qinghuan's arms and cried loudly: "Sister, take me back to the capital. I don't want to marry into the He family no matter what."

"Why are you still the same as before, hiding when you encounter trouble?"

Zhou Shuang'er did not argue. She knew that what Sister Qinghuan said was right. She looked powerful because she had the support of the Zhou family.

But now the He family is obviously stronger than the Zhou family, so she immediately had no idea what to do.

**

"Throwing an embroidery ball to find a husband?" Zhou Shuang'er sobbed and immediately refused, "That won't work. What if the embroidery ball is snatched away by the He family?"

"So what are you going to do? You're still being controlled by the He family."

Zhou Shuang'er was speechless for a moment.

It's not a solution to keep shirking this responsibility.

She was of course unwilling to be threatened by the He family, but the risk of throwing the embroidery ball was too great. She was really afraid that the embroidery ball would be snatched away by the He family, and then she would really have no way out.

Ruan Qinghuan: "How about a martial arts competition to find a bride?"

"That's even worse. Master Feng is just a scholar and businessman. He is not familiar with martial arts. He..." Zhou Shuang'er blushed as she realized she had said something wrong.

The explanation was incoherent: "I mean, Magistrate He knows Kung Fu, so a martial arts competition won't work. There's no other meaning to it."

Ruan Qinghuan nodded: "Since it has nothing to do with others, how about I find a marriage for you in the capital?"

"No, no, I... I don't really want to leave Jiangnan..." Zhou Shuang'er was in great doubt, but for the sake of her reputation as a girl, she suppressed the sadness in her heart.

She knew that the Feng family wanted to protect themselves, so she sent Brother Feng Yi away. She didn't know whether Master Feng received the letter she sent.

**

In the Feng family, Chu Li is the guest of honor.

When talking about the Zhou family, the head of the Feng family also looked helpless: "The He family is very powerful in Jiangnan. We can never defeat them."

"Uncle, if you are worried that the He family will cause trouble, you can ask my father for help, right?" Chu Li didn't believe that no one could control the He family: "I don't believe that the He family dares to tear their relationship with the Duke's Mansion."

The head of the Feng family shook his head, wishing things were that simple.

Madam Feng also liked Zhou Shuang'er, but it was a pity that something went wrong in the middle of the process: "Li'er, you don't know that the He family is not only in Jiangnan, but also has supporters in Beijing. Your uncle didn't want to cause trouble to the Duke's Mansion because of a marriage, so he didn't send anyone to Beijing to deliver the letter."

Chu Li raised his eyebrows: "Where is my cousin?"

"Your uncle sent her to rent a farm in Qizhou."

It only takes a day and a half to get from Qizhou to Jiangnan: "Send a message to my cousin, asking her to come back as soon as possible."

The head of the Feng family showed doubt on his face: "Li'er, don't act recklessly. A strong dragon cannot defeat a local snake. Let's not fight for this moment."

"Uncle is wrong. Let's not fight for a piece of cake. I will take care of the matter between my cousin and Zhou Shuang." Chu Li knew what his uncle was worried about. After sending the servants away, he gave him a reassurance: "I'm afraid the He family's luck has run out this time. Uncle, don't be afraid."

The Feng family couple frowned: "..."

**

Inside the He Mansion, Mrs. He was so angry that she threw the cup and asked, "Why hasn't Zhi'er come back yet?"

As she was mumbling, a figure walked in. It was He Hongzhi: "What's wrong with mother? Why is she so angry?"

"It's because the Zhou family doesn't know how to behave." Mrs. He calmed herself down, took her son into the house and closed the door.

Seeing his mother's solemn expression, He Hongzhi was puzzled. Since the death of his first wife and her son, he rarely saw his mother so worried.

"Son, the Zhou family has found a strong backer this time. I'm afraid that your plan for marriage will go wrong."

backing?

The emperor is far away in Jiangnan, what support can the Zhou family find?

Mrs. He: "Grandpa Zhou's granddaughter is here."

He Hongzhi frowned.

The He family had investigated the four major merchant families in Jiangnan. He Hongzhi naturally knew that the granddaughter of Grandpa Zhou was the wife of the prime minister He'an.

He was also granted an imperial edict because of the Lucheng incident.

If she really came, things would be very difficult.

But right now the pressure from Prince Chen is not small. Now that the commander of the Jiangnan garrison has been replaced, we must find a way to bribe this person and raise enough food and military pay to prepare for emergencies.

That's why he set his sights on the Zhou family.

The Zhou family is wealthy. As long as he can drag the Zhou family into the water, the marriage will be arranged and he will be able to rise to power.

By then, the emperor will surely become suspicious of He An, and taking away his power will be tantamount to removing a thorn in the eye for Prince Chen.

Seeing that he didn't say anything, He Fu became anxious and said, "If it really doesn't work, can we think of another way?"

I'm afraid forced marriage won't work.

"No, I am determined to get this marriage. Mother will go and propose tomorrow."

"What if they still don't agree?"

"Then keep going until they agree." He Hongzhi snorted coldly: "Since they are relatives of the Prime Minister, we should show sincerity."