Chapter 1613 Engagement

Changzhong didn't want to go back home. Gu Sheng had known Mr. Zhou's personality after several encounters. "Sir, would you like to have a cup of tea together?"

Chang Zhong: "Okay."

Gu Sheng and his elder brother had just finished dinner at the restaurant opposite and came to the teahouse to relieve their greasy stomach and digest their food. Because Mr. Zhou was there, they chose a private room upstairs.

Changzhong is not the kind of person who likes to ask about other people's families, but when he met him today, he was waiting for Gu Sheng to introduce him.

Gu Sheng ordered some tea before introducing his elder brother, "My eldest brother is 24 this year. He was injured and could not stay in the barracks and return home. His name is Gu Yan."

When Changzhong went upstairs, he found that Brother Gu Sheng had a limp, which turned out to be left over from the war. He picked up the teacup and said, "I'll use tea instead of wine to toast Brother Gu for defending our country."

Gu Yan drank the tea in the cup and said, "Sir, you are too kind."

He was just following orders. Was he afraid of going to the battlefield? He was afraid that he would die and leave his brother alone. Of course, he also had the heart to protect his family and country, but a soldier like him was more selfish.

Changzhong was very sensitive to emotions, so he smiled and stopped asking Zhanchang, "Is Brother Gu going to Beijing alone this time?"

Gu Sheng answered, "I wrote a letter to ask my elder brother to come to Beijing. He will follow me in the future. Wherever I am, he will be there."

When Changzhong heard that Gu Yan was not married, he thought of Gu Yan's legs and looked at Gu Sheng. He felt that his elder brother was like a father to him.

At the Zhou Mansion, Zhou Shuren had just arrived at the door when he saw his youngest son jump off the carriage and signaled it to stop. "Where have you been today, little brat? Why are you coming home just now?"

Changzhong looked up at the sky, "Dad, you left early again."

Zhou Shuren knocked his son on the head and said, "Mind your own business."

Changzhong covered his head and said, "I went to the teahouse to see what was going on and chatted with Mr. Gu for a while."

Zhou Shuren was helpless, "When do you think you will grow up?"

"I'm grown up now, Dad. My expenses have been quite high recently. Can you support me a little?"

Zhou Shuren covered his purse and cursed with a smile, "Unfilial son."

Changzhong was not afraid, he pulled his father's sleeve and said, "Dad, look at your son's wallet!"

Zhou Shuren was determined not to loosen his purse and signaled his son to let go and stop pulling his sleeve.

I have seen too much and am too lazy to read it anymore. Anyway, the Marquis's wallet will definitely be empty.

The father and son went back to the main courtyard, tugging and tugging. Zhou Shuren's purse was still held in his son's hand. "Look at your son, he is so disrespectful."

Zhu Lan was too lazy to raise her head, "That's what you're used to."

Changzhong smiled and said, "Mom, Dad loves me the most."

Zhou Shuren coughed and said, "I'll go change my clothes."

Zhulan then raised her head and asked the maid to collect the paintings on the table. She pointed at her son's forehead and asked, "Where have you been this time?"

Changzhong sat across from the table and picked up a frozen pear from it, "Delicious."

"Um?"

Changzhong touched his nose and said, "My son knew that Zhuo Guyu was invited to the teahouse today, so he went to see the excitement."

"You."

Changzhong took another bite of the pear and said, "My son thinks he is too eager to show off. He seems a little impatient."

Zhulan thought that Zhuo Guyu wanted to make his reputation even greater because he was afraid of being suppressed in the imperial examination.

Zhou Shuren changed his clothes and came out, "This is not a smart move."

It seems that the emperor is a partial person. The Yong'an Duke's Mansion has been away from the court for too long and can no longer grasp the emperor's pulse.

Chang Zhong understood immediately after hearing this and pointed to the sky, "The Yong'an Duke's Mansion is afraid."

Zhou Shuren was pleased with his son's intelligence. "It's winter now, don't go out recently, or you might get sick."

Changzhong knew Zhuo Guyu's motive and found it boring. "Yeah."

The next day, Zhou Shuren was summoned to the palace, as the retired emperor wanted to see him. Zhou Shuren thought about it all the way and thought it was because of the prince. When he arrived at the retired emperor's bedroom, the retired emperor was grilling meat, and the whole room was filled with the aroma of grilling.

Zhou Shuren, "......"

The emperor's life is becoming more and more casual. In the past, the palace was full of incense, but now it is full of barbecues.

The emperor waved his hand, "Fresh lamb chops, would you like to have a drink with me at noon?"

Zhou Shuren sat on the chair brought by the palace maid, picked up the skewered lamb chops and grilled them, "Okay."

The emperor stared at the charcoal fire and said, "I once thought I would not be able to celebrate the New Year, but I didn't expect that I am still alive and well."

Zhou Shuren was also surprised, "The Emperor is blessed with great fortune and will live a long life."

The emperor said cheerfully, "I don't ask for a long life. If God is kind enough, I would like to live until the crown prince succeeds to the throne."

Zhou Shuren, "......"

It’s greedy enough. The prince has been on the throne for many years!

The Emperor said, "I heard that the eldest grandson of the Yong'an Anguo Duke is very talented in writing and is very popular among those taking the imperial examinations."

"I heard that, too."

The Emperor continued to flip the lamb chops expressionlessly, "Did the Duke of Yong'an not look for you again?"

Zhou Shuren knew the emperor very well. Although the emperor spoke casually, he was furious. "The Duke of Yong'an has not come to see me since he entered the palace."

There was a strong sense of regret in his tone, he really wanted to fight.

The emperor heard it and finally smiled, "I knew you were on my side."

What else Zhou Shuren didn't understand? The retired emperor was not only annoyed with the Duke's Mansion, he had already given up on it.

The Emperor said quietly, "Since the founding of the country, I have treated my meritorious officials well. I have never thought of taking away the titles I have given them."

Zhou Shuren still had his head lowered. The emperor had the idea of ​​seizing the title, but it was difficult to do so. The Yong'an Duke's Mansion had not made any mistakes. This was where the old duke was smart, but also where he was anxious.

Afterwards, the emperor started talking about other things, all about grain. They drank together at noon, and Zhou Shuren waited for the emperor to rest before he left.

After leaving the palace, she went straight home and lay down on the kang as soon as she entered the house.

Zhulan smelled alcohol, "Did you go into the palace to drink?"

"Yeah, I had two drinks with the Emperor."

Zhou Shuren took the handkerchief and wiped his face, motioned the maids to go down, took off his clothes and lay down again, saying: "If the Yong'an Duke's Mansion continues to struggle, the merits of founding the country will not be able to keep the title."

Zhulan paused while washing the towel, "Has the Emperor got some idea?"

"Well, you told me frankly today. I think the emperor has been thinking about it a lot recently. The more he thinks about it, the more he remembers that the Duke's Mansion is still not peaceful. The emperor regrets conferring the title."

Zhulan said: "If it were me, I would regret it too."

Zhu Lan added, "I heard from Yu Wen that Wen Ling treats Zhuo Gu Yu differently."

Zhou Shuren closed his eyes, "It's fine if Old Man Wen hasn't noticed, but if he does, Wen Ling will definitely get engaged immediately."

What Zhou Shuren predicted turned out to be right. Wen Ling got engaged at the end of January, without even waiting for the Chinese New Year. The man she got engaged to was from a prominent family in another province. This marriage was so unexpected. Wen Ling was the eldest daughter of the Wen family, but she did not marry into the capital, but instead married somewhere else.

As the year draws to a close, Yuwen comes over with a letter from the Wen family, "Wen Ling invites her granddaughter to tea."

Zhulan, "I heard she was grounded?"

She heard that Wen Ling was engaged and had inquired about some information. The girl was confined to the mansion. It was obvious that Old Wen knew what his granddaughter was thinking.