Chapter 380 Determination
It's no big deal that Concubine Ye plotted against the princess and had no true love for her. The princess didn't really help Concubine Ye and Prince Qi. But don't forget that the Duke of Zhenguo and his sons died in the battlefield, and the prince suspected that it was caused by a poisonous insect.
When Marquis Changping saw Old Master An, who looked very similar to Duke Zhenguo, he was frightened and fell off his horse. They had already suspected that Marquis Changping was involved in the death of Duke Zhenguo.
If Concubine Ye is not real, then the death of Duke Zhenguo and his son must be related to Concubine Ye and Marquis Changping's brother and sister!
The more I thought about it, the more frightened I became. A chill spread throughout my body, with cold air rushing from my back to every part of my body.
Xie Guimo put away the letters and took them away.
The maid did not stop him. These things originally belonged to the princess. It was only natural for Xie Guimo to take the princess's things.
The princess came to look for Xie Guimo and Shen Tang. She saw them halfway and saw that they were holding letter boxes. The princess asked in confusion, "What are you doing with these? They are all useless things."
Ever since Concubine Ye gave birth to Prince Qi, she hoped that she could ask the prince to support Prince Qi. When she failed to do so, a rift arose between him and Concubine Ye. Now, there was no need for them to even meet, let alone the letters they had exchanged for more than 20 years.
Xie Guimo really wanted to ask the princess a few questions, but he was afraid of affecting her mood. Besides, no one knew whether Concubine Ye had spies in the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion. It would not be too late to ask later, so he held back.
Xie Guimo said, "I'm a little curious, so I plan to take it back and have a look."
The princess smiled and said, "What's there to be curious about?"
But the princess did not take the letter back. The maid came over and said, "Princess, Old Master An and his men have arrived."
The princess said to Xie Guimo, "Mother will go first. You can walk slowly with Tang'er. There is no rush."
Seeing that Chen Tang's skirt could cover her shoes, the princess was worried that Chen Tang would step on her skirt and fall if she walked fast. She had to live in fear until the child was born, which was even more nervous than when she gave birth herself.
The princess walked in a hurry, but there was no need to be so anxious. By the time Xie Guimo and Shen Tang went to the front yard, Old Master An and his family had just arrived.
Old Master An's lineage was truly prosperous, with four sons and two daughters. The four sons gave birth to seven or eight grandchildren, but the four sons did not go to Beijing together. After all, the An family had stayed in Qizhou for decades, and most of their personal connections were in Qizhou. Although going to Beijing could take over the connections of the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion, the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion had been in decline for more than ten years after all. In the officialdom, people have always been forgotten after they leave.
But even if it is cold, it is still no match for the An Mansion.
Master An Da and Master An San are the legitimate sons and they went to Beijing this time, while Master An Er and Master An Si, the illegitimate sons, are still staying in Qizhou and will decide whether to go to Beijing later.
He brought four grandchildren with him, among whom was the one Xie Guimo favored. He was the second son of the third wife. He was delicate and had a pair of black eyes that made him look smart. He also looked like Old Master An and naturally like the Duke of Zhenguo.
The moment Mrs. An saw him, she had the idea of adopting him. She believed that if Xie Guimo liked him, he would definitely be good.
When it comes to feelings towards the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion, Mrs. An admits that she is not as good as the princess.
Old Madam An's hair is half white, but she looks very energetic, with kind eyes and amiable manner. It's not the kind of amiability that is pretended, but one that comes from the bottom of her heart. Just by looking at the prosperity of the An family, one can tell that the mistress is kind and generous.
Old Madam An bowed to the princess and Madam An, and the princess quickly helped them up, "Aunt is an elder, we are embarrassed."
Madam An invited them into the house and said, "It's a pity that I couldn't find you earlier. If the old master and the Duke were still alive, they would be so happy."
The princess was glad that Chen Tang's cousin married the eldest son of the Jiang family, and it happened that Mother Du, who went with her, had seen the Duke of Zhenguo before and recognized the face of Old Master An. If she waited for Old Master An to pass away a hundred years later, these relatives would really be lost.
When they arrived at the main hall, the maid served tea. When Mrs. An saw the children, she liked them very much. They had come to the capital to adopt children, so it was not inappropriate for them to do so. Mrs. An waved to the young master An Qi, who she had taken a fancy to, and he walked up to her.
Madam An looked at Grandpa An and Madam An, "Grandpa An's grandchildren all look great. This little grandchild looks like the Duke. He has a good physique and is suitable for martial arts training. I liked him at first sight. I hope my uncle, aunt, brother and sister-in-law will be willing to let him go."
Mrs. An San was somewhat reluctant. Although she had also come to Beijing, once she was adopted, she would no longer be able to call her mother.
But being adopted is a pie in the sky, something that others cannot even think about.
Madam An said, "It is Bao'er's blessing to be favored by you and the princess."
Madam An was very happy, tears glistened in her eyes, and she choked up and said, "It has been many years since the Zhenguo Mansion has been so lively. I live one day at a time. Only after finding you relatives, the Zhenguo Mansion has hope of reviving. I only hope that I can raise this child in my lifetime and inherit the family pedestal, so that I can have the face to meet the Duke of the State and his family."
Baoer looked at Mrs. An and said, "I heard my grandfather and father talk about my great-uncle. He was very powerful. Can I be like him in the future?"
Mrs. An touched his head and said with a smile, "As long as you work hard, you can be even better than your great-uncle in the future."
She looked at the other children, who were actually not that old. "Although you are past the best age to practice martial arts, your Grandfather Taibo had never practiced martial arts when he went to the battlefield. He still trained himself on the battlefield, became a marquis and a general, and gained great reputation. As long as you have perseverance and determination, it is never too late."
It’s a pity that there is only one title in the Duke of Zhenguo’s Mansion and it cannot be divided, otherwise Madam An would like to find a companion for Baoer.
She had discussed this matter with the princess consort and planned to set up a clan school and hire someone to teach Bao'er how to read and write, as well as practice martial arts, to lay a good foundation first. When he grows up a little, she would let Prince Jingyang take him with him to gain experience for a few years. Since they had hired a teacher and a martial arts instructor, and the An Mansion was not far away, the younger generations in the clan could all come and study together. After all, at an age when they like to play, they still need playmates. Besides, one person could not support the huge Zhenguo Mansion, so they would need a few right-hand men.
Since he was adopted, he had to be treated as his own son, and plans should be made for him, also for the title of the Duke of Zhenguo to be passed down.
But these things are not urgent. After all, Madam An is old and has traveled all the way to Beijing. She needs to rest well. It will not be too late to discuss these matters in detail later.
After chatting for a while, the maid came in and reported, "Madam, the meal is ready."
Mrs. An said, "Let's eat first. Now that the An family has moved to Beijing, we will be close to each other and it will be convenient to discuss anything."
Everyone sat down, talking and laughing, having a great time.
After lunch, they sat for a while, and then Xie Guimo said, "Tang'er has something else to do on the street, so we'll leave first."
The princess nodded and warned, "Don't tire Tang'er out."
Chen Tang bowed and left with Xie Guimo.
Everyone in the An family knew that it was thanks to Chen Tang that the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion was able to find the An family, and they were grateful from the bottom of their hearts.
After leaving the Duke Zhenguo Mansion, they took a carriage to the street and entered a clothing shop. When they saw Chen Tang and Xie Guimo coming in, the shop owner felt that the shop was flourishing.
His shop sells ordinary clothes, and no noble person like this has ever come in. The brocade skirts are more about temperament. Even a blind person can sense her nobleness in every move.
Chen Tang asked, "Shopkeeper, do you have a ready-made wedding dress?"
The shopkeeper was a little confused.
He glanced at Chen Tang's bulging belly. She was probably going to give birth soon, so why was she still buying a wedding dress?
Seeing that the shopkeeper had misunderstood, Chen Tang smiled and said, "It's for my maid to wear when she gets married."
The shopkeeper looked misunderstood and smiled awkwardly, "It was originally bought for the maid. When the maid got married, the young lady came to help choose the wedding dress in person. It is a blessing to be your maid."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
