Chapter 115
The four heroes of the capital each have their own strengths. With the four of them joining forces to defend the ring, it is really rare to find someone who can defeat them all at once.
At least no one like that showed up tonight.
The guests in the Oriental Teahouse and the people gathered outside watched a unique lantern riddle show, and their faces were beaming with satisfaction.
An hour later, the event ended, and neither the three hundred taels of silver nor the golden rabbit lantern was won.
The boss came out and said some polite words, and finally said, "It's a pity that no young talents have taken home these rewards this year. No problem, we can combine the rewards. Come back next year!"
A lot of advertising.
On the way back, everyone was talking about the performance of the Four Heroes of Beijing tonight, what riddles and couplets they had, how exciting the attacking and defending performances were, how nervous they were watching, and how they almost couldn't breathe when someone couldn't match the answer.
Chu Huan was sitting in the carriage when she heard a few children running past the carriage, shouting the couplet that Nangong Ling had made not long ago.
Regardless of whether Dongfang Heng was involved in the invitation of Nangong Ling by the owner of the Oriental Teahouse, the end result was that Nangong Ling was able to perform on the same stage with men, show herself, and be accepted by the people. This was a very good start.
After tonight, I believe that more women will be willing to show their talents in public, rather than being confined to the backyard, either actively or passively.
They will understand that women are no worse than men and are definitely not canaries in a cage.
When the carriage arrived at the Chu family, Shang Lu got off first, and then helped Chu Huan get off.
Seeing that there was no one around, Chu Huan did not refuse.
Qingzhu and Hongmei have already given up some of their work, and their eyes are shining as they look at Shanglu, as if to say: Could this be my future son-in-law?
Chu Huan ignored the two maids' questioning looks and said to Shang Lu, "The snow is getting heavy. I'll have the driver take you back. Be careful not to catch a cold."
Shang Lu originally wanted to refuse, as he was in good health at his age and wouldn't catch a cold all the time.
Then he thought that this was Chu Huan's good intention and that she cared about him, so he agreed.
"Okay, I'll watch you go in before I leave."
Chu Huan did not insist on the order of priority, so she listened to him and went into the Chu family first, then watched Shang Lu leave in a carriage from inside the door.
Before the carriage had even gone far, Shang Lu heard the system's signature baby voice rang out in a panic: [Finally home, Sister Huan, let's eat some melons from the late emperor and Bai Yueguang together~]
It wasn't enough to just say that, the system actually started singing: [Langligelang~]
Chu Huan: “…”
Everyone: “…”
It can be seen that the system really wants to share with them some things about the late emperor and Bai Yueguang, and can't wait to take a few more steps.
Hehehe, then they can’t let the system down!
Many people were secretly excited. The royal melon can't be eaten anytime and anywhere. It's a good time! Miss is mighty!
Shang Lu shook his head. Even though he knew that tonight's news would not be included in the report and that he had to listen to it live, he had no intention of staying.
The story of a king seizing his minister's wife also demonstrates the strength of the monarch's power. Even though the emperor committed such an unethical act, he remained supreme and unshakable.
Whenever he thought of this, he became more determined to live in seclusion.
Suddenly, he heard the sound of a carriage stopping, followed by the sound of messy footsteps.
There are a lot of people.
Shang Lu lifted the curtain and saw that several carriages had stopped in front of the Chu family's gate. Most of the people he had met in the box, including the Fifth Prince, Nangong Ling, the Second Prince's wife, and Concubine Wu, had arrived.
A group of people hurriedly got out of the car and ran into the Chu family, carrying a few urging voices on the wind.
"It's over, it's over. We're going to miss it."
"If I had known earlier, I would have come back with Chu Huan."
"There were so many people and cars at the scene that the speed was too slow."
"I hope Tong'er hasn't started yet."
Phytolacca: “…”
He could imagine what excuse they would use to come here. In order to prevent the Jinyiwei from reporting them, they probably would not go to Chu Huan's Qianhuaju, but would definitely go to the Fifth Prince's courtyard.
You're really trying too hard just to eat melons.
Shang Lu lowered the curtain and stopped paying attention.
The carriage moved forward slowly, and the wind and snow blew away his thoughts and some worries. The emperor should not suppress the news that Dongfang Heng loved Chu Huan, right?
On the other side, Chu Huan braved the cold wind and Xue Zi and hurried back to Qianhuaju.
【Eat it.】
System: [Bai Yueguang's surname is Bai and her given name is Yiyi. Does this name give you an image of a small white flower or a small bird?]
Chu Hua: [No. Names are chosen by parents, and most of the time they reflect their expectations for their children, such as Anbang and Jianguo. Even humble names are a form of hope, hoping that the child will be safe and sound.]
There's no saying that a name can determine a person's future, nor should we judge a person by their name. If a girl's appearance and temperament match her name, it could be a coincidence or the result of her parents' deliberate upbringing.
Originally the system was just joking, but after hearing what Chu Huan said, it went back to look through it again.
[Good!] The system hissed repeatedly, [In ancient times, many girls were kept in seclusion. They rarely went out and never saw outsiders. They were protected by their parents and siblings, and they didn't exercise or do much sports. Many of them were weak and fragile.]
Considering this situation, I originally thought Bai Yiyi's weak and pitiful appearance was just a coincidence. I didn't expect that Bai Yiyi's parents knew that many men were attracted to this type of woman, so they deliberately raised their daughter to be this way.
Chu Huan: “…”
Everyone: “…”
I thought it was a love triangle or a forced marriage story, but why does it sound like there's some conspiracy involved?
It suddenly becomes complicated and I have to use my brain.
If the Bai family deliberately cultivated the girls in their family, it means that they had come up with the idea more than ten or even twenty years ago. Their plan was quite far-reaching, and no one knew why.
Great, you've got our attention!
Many Jinyiwei stationed at the Chu family straightened up and pricked up their ears.
System: [When the late emperor was young, he always felt that he was very powerful and did not need to rely on the power and prestige of the royal family. He could make a name for himself on his own. Therefore, when he went out, he used an alias and would not reveal his identity as a prince unless it was absolutely necessary.]
At that time, the late emperor feigned illness, but in reality, he secretly led a group of men south of the Yangtze River to investigate the imperial examination fraud. If anyone from the capital came to visit, the late emperor's twin sister would be sent over to pretend to deal with it.
Everyone: Huh? Does this plot sound familiar?
Yes, isn’t it that Chu Huan disguised herself as a man and pretended to be Chu Qin, and the real Chu Qin secretly went to Jiangnan?
It turns out that the emperor's inspiration comes from the previous emperor!
System: [At the time, the Bai family was located in Jiangnan. They had many outstanding embroiderers and weaving and dyeing craftsmen, and their silk business was a lucrative one. However, they were not satisfied with this. Because Jiangnan had several major silk merchants, including imperial merchants who specialized in supplying silk to the imperial family, they were not very conspicuous among them.]
The Bai family has three girls of marriageable age, each one raised to be graceful and bright, charming and alluring, and pitiful. Bai Yiyi is the third one, and the one who best suits the Jiangnan prefect's taste.
The then-prefect of Jiangnan was the brother of the emperor's favorite concubine. The Bai family wanted to establish a marriage relationship with him, believing that even if they couldn't become imperial merchants, their business would still be able to flourish.
At that time, Bai Yiyi was sixteen years old, in the prime of her life, while the Jiangnan prefect was already forty-eight, much older than Bai Yiyi's father. He had many wives and concubines, and his grandson was already nine years old. This was like selling a daughter for fame and fortune! Ugh!
The last sentence is enough to show how much the system hates the Bai family's actions.
Not to mention Nangong Ling, the Second Prince's wife, Wen and other women, who would have felt suffocated if they had put themselves in the situation. Even the Fifth Prince, Chu Ping, Pei Mingcheng and others frowned when they heard it.
The royal family and aristocratic families would marry each other, but the purpose of the marriage was to deepen the relationship and make the two families better. They paid attention to whether the two families were well matched and compatible. The marriage could not turn into an enmity. It was very rare for a young girl to be paired with an old man.
Just as the system said, this is simply selling a daughter for fame and fortune.
Chu Huan paused: [Will Bai Yiyi agree?]
System: [So what if they disagree? The Bai family has been training them in that direction since they were young, using all kinds of brainwashing and PUA to make them dedicate themselves to the family. Those who know them call them rich ladies, while those who don't think they are skinny horses.]
A woman's marriage is decided by her parents. Secular dogmas and rules are in place, and few dare to challenge them. Bai Yiyi's acquaintance with the late emperor and her previous relationship with him are already quite remarkable.
Even if Chu Huan knew what Bai Yiyi did later, she would still have to say this under this premise: "If Bai Yiyi had a bit of Chu Shu's courage, knowing that marrying an old man would cause unrest in the entire family, perhaps she wouldn't have ended up like that."
System: [Girls like Chu Shu who work hard and fight for themselves are rare.]
Chu Shu, who was eating the melon, said: "..." Then I will take what you two said as a compliment.
Many people in the Chu family nodded in agreement. A young girl marrying an old man was really challenging their tolerance limit. Instead of accepting it passively, they would rather see someone rise up in resistance.
The system continued: [The late emperor approached Bai Yiyi because he received news that the Bai family was involved in a cheating case and that Bai Yiyi's brother was a candidate for this year's exam. He wanted to get some information from Bai Yiyi and created a chance encounter.]
What kind of girls doesn't the capital have? There are plenty of girls who are as pretty as dodder. The late emperor didn't fall in love with Bai Yiyi at first sight. He just thought girls from the waterside town were quite attractive. He was a little moved, but not much. He flirted with her to investigate the case.
Bai Yiyi didn't know his identity. She only thought that the late emperor was a wealthy businessman who had a little money and went to Jiangnan to do business. He was tall, handsome, talented, and very good at making women happy.
Compared to a 48-year-old man, a man like the late emperor is definitely more attractive. Bai Yiyi's heart is moved. The two of them have been dating for a while, and the late emperor gradually gives his heart to her.
Hearing this, it was clear that there was going to be a turning point and the story was going to take twists and turns, so everyone perked up.
really!
System: [The late emperor's group's purpose was exposed, and they were being hunted. The late emperor accidentally fell into the river. By the time he led his men back, Bai Yiyi had already been carried into the prefect's house in a sedan chair, becoming the old man's ninth concubine.]
The late emperor, feeling betrayed by a sincere relationship, was furious and, instead of confronting Bai Yiyi, returned directly to the capital. Later, rumors of cheating in the Jiangnan imperial examinations spread like wildfire, with the emperor's men allegedly behind the incident.
A few years later, the late emperor ascended the throne, and the scandal became a much-talked-about achievement. As details spread, the Bai family finally learned who the man Bai Yiyi had been dating was, and they regretted it deeply.
Chu Huan felt that a part of the plot was missing: [Why is the Bai family in such a hurry to marry Bai Yiyi off?]
System: [Because the Bai family discovered that Bai Yiyi often went out and was in contact with a strange man, and that the man's belongings were stored in the room, they were worried that if the matter was exposed, they would lose their chance to get close to the prefect, so they quickly took care of the matter.]
Everyone suddenly realized, how could the Bai family not regret it?
If they had not sent Bai Yiyi away in such a hurry, she would have been the new emperor's woman, and at least she would have been able to get the title of concubine, and the Bai family would have risen in status.
Chu Hua: [And then?]
System: [Then the Bai family began to plot how to get Bai Yiyi to hook up with the late emperor again.]
[Coincidentally, the late emperor went on an inspection tour south of the Yangtze River, and the Bai family managed to create an encounter. Upon seeing the late emperor, Bai Yiyi burst into tears and cried, "Sanlang, you're still alive!"]
Then he began to pour out his heart, going something like, "I thought you were dead, and I was completely despairing," "I wanted to go with you, but my family threatened me," "I married an old man, he treated me badly, and I live like a zombie every day," and "Now that I know you're still alive, my wish has come true, and I can finally leave with peace of mind."
Chu Huan was shocked: [The late emperor was deceived like this? ]
System: [As a man, hearing that a girl you once loved has been in love with you for years, even if you don't love her that much, or even if you've forgotten her for years, there will always be a little difference in your feelings.]
The men: "..."
Chu Huan knew what was going to happen next, so she concluded, "So this is the story of how the Bai family thought they had a golden leg, but ended up losing their other golden leg, and then quickly found another leg."
The system applauded crazily: [Excellent summary, I give you 100 points. I'm not afraid of you getting too proud!]
Chu Huan suddenly felt bored: [The late emperor was so easily deceived, played around by Bai Yiyi and the Bai family, and didn't even notice it until his death. It's really...]
The key words were muted manually because they would offend people if spoken aloud, but everyone who heard it knew what the word was - it was simply "stupid" or "silly".
The Fifth Prince, the Second Prince's wife and others: "..." After all, he is our royal grandfather, so give him some face.
System: [The late emperor discovered it.]
Chu Huan immediately became interested: [What's going on?]
System: [When the previous emperor was a prince, he could only take his own people to Jiangnan. Now that he is the emperor, he has the Jinyiwei and the secret guards. There are so many things he can investigate. How could he have been deceived by the Bai family?]
He knew that the Bai family deliberately created chance encounters, that they raised their daughter like a skinny horse, and he also knew what the Bai family wanted. But he was the emperor and could have any woman he wanted. Bai Yiyi was the only woman he had ever liked but never had, so he wanted to play with her.
Chu Huan: [The late emperor ended up in trouble?]
System: [Yes.]
"Hahahaha..." Even though there were Jinyiwei all around, Chu Huan couldn't help but burst out laughing.
The late emperor was a conceited man who thought he could calculate people's hearts and control emotions with ease. However, he did not expect that he would eventually be defeated by a young woman.
Chu Huan: [Bai Yiyi is awesome!]
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