Chapter 301: Three Men Fighting for One Wife

"I sincerely suggest that Grand Master Qin rush to the palace to see His Majesty and tell him that I have gone too far and disturbed your Qin Mansion's Qushui Liushang Banquet."

"I will wait here for your Majesty's decree."

"Master Qin, please move aside a little, so as not to disturb my enjoyment of the guests' elegant conversation, literary debate, poetry and composition."

The sound of xiao drums arose, and the zither and harp joined in.

The Qushui Liushang Banquet finally became a little lively.

Empress Dowager Xie smiled and stared quietly at a certain spot in the crowd.

After a moment, Empress Dowager Xie lowered her eyes and said to the old nanny beside her, "I want to listen to Qin Yuanqing's poetry."

Qin Yuanqing, the eldest son of the Qin family, is both civil and military.

The sound of righteousness touches the origin and makes the heaven and earth clear and deep.

What a good meaning.

What a pity.

Before Xie's Erlang died, Qin Yuanqing shot him blind with a bow and arrow. Qin Yuanqing also cut off Erlang's head himself and hung it high on a flagpole.

Erlang is the most talented general in the Xie family.

Every time they went hunting, Qin Yuanqing was always inferior to Erlang.

Every time Qin Yuanqing played polo, he was always inferior to Erlang.

Once the palace changed, Qin Yuanqing finally had the opportunity to vent his jealousy.

The old nanny raised her hand lightly, and in an instant, the Qushui Liushang Banquet fell silent.

"Where is Mr. Qin Yuanqing?"

The old lady's cold and solemn voice floated into the wind.

Guests: It starts again!

Empress Dowager Xie is about to start calling out Prince Yan's names again.

But Qin Yuanqing was the eldest son of Grand Master Qin and the next head of the Qin family, and his status was extraordinary.

Before he was thirty, he was already a third-rank official.

Anyone with a discerning eye knows that as long as the Qin family survives, it is only a matter of time before Qin Yuanqing becomes a high-ranking official.

Therefore, no one in the court, whether civil or military, dared to disrespect Qin Yuanqing.

I'm afraid that this time, Queen Mother Xie's call for Prince Yan will lead to failure.

Qin Yuanqing stepped forward, bowed his head and saluted, "Your Highness, I, Qin Yuanqing, pay my respects to the Empress Dowager."

"I have heard that the eldest son of the Qin family is a man of great talent in both civil and military affairs, and no one in the capital can match him. So today, don't hide your incompetence."

"Qin Dalang, please compose a poem to mourn the death of the girl."

Qin Yuanqing was angry in his heart, but he showed no sign of it on his face.

"Your Majesty, this is against etiquette."

"Since ancient times, mourning poems have mostly been written by husbands for their deceased wives."

"I beg your Majesty to forgive me."

Empress Dowager Xie glanced at the old nanny, who understood what she meant. "Young Master Qin is a genius. He will definitely set a precedent and be passed down through the ages."

"Please."

"Your Highness the Queen Mother." Qin Yuanqing was fearless and neither humble nor arrogant. "Mourning is about mourning and mourning."

"I had no connection with Miss Xiang, so it is hard for me to mourn her death."

Empress Dowager Xie asked casually, "We have never met before?"

“Not necessarily.”

"Then just wait a little. It won't be too late to do it again when we have intersections."

The old maid cooperated very well and said, "I will send someone to urge the two princes."

Empress Dowager Xie raised her hand and pointed, "No need to rush."

“I am here.”

Prince Duan Xiao Fei bowed respectfully and then said, "Your Majesty, my nephew and I did find a purse embroidered with a lotus pattern, a handkerchief with a picture of a bird playing in the water, and a letter written by the eldest lady to the second son of Qin in his residence."

Prince Duan took the wooden box filled with letters and passed it over.

Empress Dowager Xie shook her head slightly and ordered, "Distribute it."

"Everyone, please identify whether the shameless man who had an affair with the young lady and dared not admit it is Qin Erlang."

"So as to avoid people suspecting that I am seeking revenge."

Prince Duan's hand holding the wooden box froze.

Empress Dowager Xie made no secret of her hatred for the Qin family.

What I am doing today is just to tear off the Qin family's face, throw it on the ground, and then step on it hard.

"Don't delay. I'm still waiting for Qin Yuanqing to write a eulogy for Miss Xiang."

Prince Duan: ???

Qin Yuanqing wrote a eulogy for Xiang Rongyue?

Suddenly, Prince Duan did not hesitate.

He was happy when Qin Yuanqing was in trouble.

Therefore, Prince Duan personally distributed the letters in the wooden box one by one, and kindly instructed them to pass them around and not miss any one.

The affectionate content was so embarrassing that the unmarried woman dared not read it for too long. She just glanced at it quickly and passed it on to others.

Princess Qingyu, who had rushed to Xiang's house to search Xiang Rongyue's room, also came back holding a wooden box.

"Empress Dowager, Qingyu has fulfilled her mission."

"He threatened to go to the emperor and impeach Qingyu."

"Will the Queen Mother make the decision for Qingyu?"

Empress Dowager Xie raised her eyelids and said, "I will protect you."

Princess Qingyu was overjoyed, "Your Majesty, these are all love poems written by the sanctimonious Qin Erlang to Xiang Rongyue. There are eighteen of them."

"Qingyu has been arranged in chronological order."

"Her Majesty, please review it."

"Distribute it as well." Empress Dowager Xie said calmly.

Immediately, he looked at Qin Yuanqin with interest and asked, "Did you meet?"

Qin Yuanqing's face turned ashen.

Xiang Rongyue ruined the reputation of the three sons of the Qin family.

She had an affair with her second brother, but was married to her fourth brother.

After he died by hitting his head against a pillar, he wrote a poem to mourn him.

He had already foreseen how those who like to stir up trouble would exaggerate and weave the matter into something even more alluring and fascinating, more arousing and stirring up people's imaginations.

Before long, there will probably be some melodramatic stories based on what happened today published in bookstores in the capital.

No one cared about Empress Dowager Xie's aggressiveness and madness. They only remembered the complicated and ambiguous relationship between the third son of the Qin family and Xiang Rongyue.

Empress Dowager Xie may seem crazy, but she is actually terrifyingly insightful.

He was sure that before Empress Dowager Xie launched the attack, she already knew about the relationship between his second brother and Xiang Rongyue.

Step by step, he won the game by being crazy and moody.

Even more desperate than Qin Yuanqing was Qin Silang.

Oh my God.

Fortunately, the Queen Mother cancelled the arranged marriage. Otherwise, if he really married Xiang Rongyue, he would be the one who cheated on his second brother, or his second brother would be the one who cheated on him.

If Xiang Rongyue gets pregnant, will the money belong to him or to his second brother?

What if Xiang Rongyue still can't forget her old love after marrying him...

The more Qin Silang thought about it, the scarier it seemed.

Fortunately, he escaped.

As for reputation?

Did he have a good reputation?

Qin Silang raised the wine jar and drank several cups in succession to calm his inner fear.

As for the situation of his eldest and second brothers, it was not within his consideration.

Not only is he a playboy, he is also a white man.

The eldest brother is a third-rank official, and the second brother is a young and promising general.

He is not worthy of worrying about his elder and second brothers.

"Qin Yuanqing, it is said that you could compose a poem in ten steps when you were seven years old. Why are you so slow in writing a poem of mourning?"

Qin Yuanqing was silent.

He could never compose an elegy.

Otherwise, his name will be intertwined with Xiang Rongyue for decades or hundreds of years to come.

His lifelong ideal was to become a wise minister whose reputation would last forever, rather than being portrayed as a despicable villain who competed with his brother for his wife in unofficial history.

At this point, the only one who can save him is his father.

Upon seeing this, Grand Tutor Qin exhaled a breath, looked around, gritted his teeth, and kowtowed to Empress Dowager Xie, begging, "Your Majesty, I beg you to help me."

"Is it just an understatement?" Empress Dowager Xie asked coldly.

[Chapter 302: Thanks to the Queen Mother for being unstoppable]

Chapter 302: Empress Dowager Xie is unstoppable

Qin Taishi showed a helpless look on his face. "I will try my best to persuade Your Majesty to pardon the old Duke Xin's crime, cancel his exile sentence, and allow him to return to the capital."

Empress Dowager Xie sneered, "No need."

"All the members of the Xie family died in Shangjing. What is your intention in letting him return to Beijing?"

"Your Majesty, please make your request directly." Grand Tutor Qin understood the hidden meaning.

Empress Dowager Xie said, "Qin Yuanqing personally buried Ah Zhuo's body, preserved the remains of Ah Zhuo, and held a land and water ceremony for Erlang for 49 days."

To this day, Xie Erlang's body and head are still separated.

The head hung on the flagpole and became a dry skeleton.

Grand Tutor Qin suddenly raised his head and asked, "Is the Queen Mother forcing me to do something I can't do?"

"Xie Erlang was a traitor. Your Majesty personally ordered his beheading. Yuanqing performed a water and land ceremony for the traitor's corpse. How will Your Majesty view Yuanqing and the Qin family?"

"Does the Queen Mother want the Qin family to follow in the footsteps of the Xie family?"

Empress Dowager Xie smiled and said, "That depends on whether anyone wants to replace the Qin family."

"You know, Qin Yuanqing owes Ah Zhuo."

"If not, in this life, I will find ways to destroy Qin Yuanqing and let Qin Yuanqing be buried with Ah Zhuo."

"Mad man!" Grand Master Qin gritted his teeth.

After the overall situation was settled, he had advised Your Majesty to eliminate the root of the problem and murder the highly respected Empress Dowager Xie without anyone noticing.

But His Majesty was determined to spare the life of Queen Mother Xie.

Nominally he was imprisoned in Changning Palace, but in reality he was saving the life of the Queen Mother.

He had killed so many people and his hands were stained with so much blood, yet he was too kind to Empress Dowager Xie.

"I responded on behalf of Yuan Qing."

"I want Qin Yuanqing to say it himself."

Master Qin was both angry and tired.

He was well aware of Yuan Qing's hatred for Xie Erlang.

Asking Yuanqing to hold a funeral ceremony for Xie Erlang was tantamount to breaking Yuanqing's proud character.

"Yuanqing, come closer." Grand Tutor Qin said in a deep voice.

After listening to Master Qin's retelling, Qin Yuanqing blurted out "Impossible!"

Who the hell is Xie Er? Is he worthy of being buried and held in a ritual ceremony?

Even Xie Er's legally married wife willingly submitted herself to him, followed his plans, and lent him a hand in destroying the Xie family.

Xie Er, after all, is nothing more than a complete loser.

Empress Dowager Xie was not surprised. "Then you should write a poem to mourn her death."

"If you want a reputation that will go down in history as an official, you still need to have this extremely hypocritical backbone."

"Choose."

Qin Yuanqing seemed to have his throat choked by Empress Dowager Xie's casual words. His face showed a look of struggle, his hands at his sides were clenched into fists, and his nails were deeply embedded in his palms.

He fought with Xie Er for more than ten years.

Compare military strategies.

Than hunting.

Compare Cuju.

Compare chess skills.

Comparing archery.

He is inferior to Xie Er in every way.

Xie Er was like a thick dark cloud hanging over his head, making him feel suffocated.

When everyone mentioned him, they would always say the same thing: "Mr. Qin is indeed outstanding, but compared with Xie Erlang, he seems to be a little inferior."

He was tired of hearing this.

I listened to it from the age of eleven to twenty-four.

Thirteen years.

Thousands of days and nights.

So, when Xie fell, he drew his bow and shot an arrow, using the archery skills that Xie Er was most proud of, and blinded Xie Er's eyes.

He cut off Xie Er's head with a long knife and hung it on a flagpole, leaving it for crows and birds to gnaw on.

He used a dagger that could cut through iron like mud to cut the tendons in Xie Er's hands and feet.

He wanted to make Xie Er a useless person who could not see, walk or hold hands for the rest of his life.

It will be impossible for me to hold a water and land ceremony for Xie Er in this lifetime.

"I wrote the poem of mourning."

Master Qin gently pulled Qin Yuanqing's sleeve and whispered, "Don't be willful."

"It is more important to have a good reputation and a good career, and to leave a name in history."

Qin Yuanqing shook his head.

It is more important to always suppress Xie Er.

No one knows how he survived those thirteen years.

Empress Dowager Xie curled her lips and said, "Okay."

The Xie family has not yet died out.

A Zhuo's biological son Ru'an is still alive.

One day, Ruan will personally carry Ah Zhuo's coffin to the grave.

Qin Yuanqing was full of anger, so he picked up his pen, dipped it in ink, and wrote a mourning poem in one go.

A powerful elegy.

Qin Yuanqing himself could not tell who this elegy was mourning.

Without Xie Er, no one in Shangjing could overshadow his brilliance.

Empress Dowager Xie signaled the old nanny beside her to take over the elegy.

He ordered slowly: "Pass on my imperial decree, order the Royal Bookstore to print Qin Yuanqing's handwritten elegy, and circulate it throughout the streets and alleys of Shangjing to highlight Qin Yuanqing's reputation as a talented scholar."

"Qin Yuanqing, come closer."

Empress Dowager Xie waved her hand.

Qin Yuanqing didn't understand why and did not move.

"If you don't respect me, slap me in the face!"

Slap after slap landed on Qin Yuanqing's face.

It hurts a lot, it hurts like fire.

But for Qin Yuanqing, what hurt the most was not his face, but his shaky dignity.

In front of all the dignitaries in the capital, he was slapped by the old maid beside Empress Dowager Xie.

This is a shame!

"The banquet on the winding river makes me very happy."

"Let's stop here today."

"Xie Er, I will ask His Majesty to arrange a marriage between you and Xiang Rongyue."

As soon as Empress Dowager Xie left, the other guests left one after another.

This year's Qushui Liushang Banquet was full of nerves, but it was also wonderful in a different way.

The Qin family is the only dominant family, and some people have long been dissatisfied with this.

But no one dared to challenge the power of the Qin family.

Empress Dowager Xie is a lonely woman, and those who are barefoot are not afraid of those who wear shoes.

To be honest, it feels great.

"Mr. Lu, please stay."

Lu Mingchao: ???

No, the Qin family has been in chaos because of Empress Dowager Xie, but they still have the leisure to think about her Qizhen Pavilion.

Should she be said to be generous or ruthless?

Standing next to Lu Mingchao were Lerong County Lord and Mingzhou.

The one who stopped her was Qin Wanrou's biological mother, Aunt Qiao, the favorite concubine of Master Qin.

"Mr. Lu, can I have a word with you?"

Aunt Qiao's beauty is truly stunning.

Her figure is light and graceful, like a willow swaying in the wind. When I see her, I feel pity for her.

This beauty is enough to make anyone fall for her, and they would even offer all the treasures in the world just to make her smile.

Lu Mingchao acknowledged Aunt Qiao's beauty.

“It’s not very convenient.”

"I hope Aunt Qiao will forgive me."

Lu Mingchao flatly rejected Aunt Qiao.

He turned his head and looked at Qin Wanrou who was behind Aunt Qiao.

Female Xiao mother.

Thinking of Qin Wanrou and Lu Minghui conspiring to plot against Lu Minghua, it was difficult for Lu Mingchao to have a good impression of Qin Wanrou.

Even such a beautiful face.

"Aunt Qiao, please tell me what you want to say."

Aunt Qiao's eyes swept across Lord Lerong and Ming Zhou, her face showing difficulty, with the corners of her eyes slightly red, as if she had suffered a great injustice.

Lu Mingchao thought that she could hug Aunt Qiao and comfort her, but she could never give up Qizhen Pavilion.

Aunt Qiao said softly, "Lu Dongjia."

"I want to discuss a business with Mr. Lu."

"Business?" Lu Mingchao raised his eyebrows. "Qizhen Pavilion?"

"If it's Qizhen Pavilion's business, then please don't say a word."

"It's not that I'm unkind. The truth is that I have decided to take out 30% of the profits from Chaofu Qizhen Pavilion to build Anjifang to help the orphans and the poor, and to respect the elderly and the sick."

"This matter has been reported to the emperor. We really can't do business with Aunt Qiao anymore."

Aunt Qiao's expression froze and her frail body staggered slightly.

Qin Wanrou quickly reached out to support him, "This is not what Auntie wants, I hope Sister Lu won't take it to heart."

I can't help but want to slap you.