Chapter 986: Unwise

Zhu Lan thought of Zhang Yang's broken leg. He was really anxious because he was still not at peace even though his leg was not healed. "Several princes have sons, but the fifth prince has no children at all. The fifth prince is really anxious to have an heir."

Xue Han had also heard many rumors, but she had her own opinion. "Mother, I don't think the Fifth Prince's move was a good one. There are so many people in the harem all of a sudden. If there is no news for a few months, won't the rumors get more and more intense? By then, even if the rumors are false, they will become true."

"He has no choice. If he doesn't have a child to dispel the rumors, the power he has worked so hard to gather will fall apart."

Zhang Yang's methods relied on the power behind him, while the King of Qi's methods could cause endless trouble to Zhang Yang if he caught a single point. The difference between them became clear once they compared their strengths.

Xue Han leaned close to her mother's ear and said, "Mom, recently the Fifth Prince has been inviting Rongchuan to his house, but Rongchuan has not gone. Rongchuan told me that Lord Ning would not let him go."

Zhulan thought to herself that it was better not to go. In the eyes of the Emperor and Lord Ning, the Fifth Prince's Mansion was too dangerous. Zhulan smiled and said, "I heard that the Ning Marquis' Mansion has prepared a courtyard for Rongchuan to get married."

Xue Han sat up straight and did not tell her mother. Rongchuan still asked her what she needed to buy. She was so angry that she pinched Rongchuan a few times. How could he ask her this? But she felt sweet in her heart because Rongchuan attached great importance to their future little home.

Zhu Lan continued, "Liuli's family is your dowry. Liuli's parents have been assigned to manage the manor you are marrying off. There are also Liujin's maids. Do you want to bring them over? Tell your mother."

Xue Han shook her head and gently leaned on her mother's shoulder, "Mom, you have prepared enough for your daughter."

Zhulan stroked the lady's hair. She had never felt sad when she had teased her about getting married before, but as the day drew closer, she felt uncomfortable. "This year, I will give you the money collected from your dowry, along with the dowry money. Time flies so fast, and I feel like there are still many things I haven't taught you."

Xue Han held her mother's hand and touched the ring on her finger. "Mom, you have taught me so much. I will figure out the rest on my own. I am so smart and I will definitely not let you down."

Zhulan has been a concubine, and the little cotton-padded jacket will become someone else's. "Don't keep all the money you get when you get married. Now that the court is stable, you can invest the money to earn returns. Also, although Rongchuan is sincere to you, mother is not asking you to be careful, but to keep some capital for yourself."

Xue Han held her mother's hand tightly, "Mom, I won't let you down."

She longs for the same relationship as her parents, so she has expectations for a childhood sweetheart, but she is a daughter taught by her parents, and she is decisive. If she really cannot grow old together, she will decisively change her mind and live her own life.

Zhoujia Village, Steward Ding has been in Zhoujia Village for a few days. When he came back, the old patriarch's illness had recovered and he was recuperating these days.

Steward Ding bought the land quickly when he came back, and took the land deed to the clan leader's house. The old clan leader was walking slowly in the yard, and Steward Ding went forward to help him. "The clan leader is walking much more swiftly than in the past few days. You will be able to go to the clan school again in a few days."

Chief Zhou sat down and wiped the sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief. He waved his hands and said, "I am old, old. I am getting worse and worse after a serious illness. Look at me now. I have difficulty walking. Let me see where you bought the land."

Steward Ding took out the land deed and said, "I bought a total of 100 mu of land in the east, including a forest."

Chief Zhou stroked his beard and said, "This is a nice place. You have a good eye."

"We can start the work in two days after we recruit some people. By the way, do you think we should renovate the ancestral hall and the clan school together? Winter is approaching, and if we renovate the clan school, the children in the clan will be warmer in winter."

Chief Zhou smiled and said, "Okay, I'll have to worry about it when the time comes."

Patriarch Zhou stroked his beard and looked at Butler Ding. This was the Zhou family. Butler Ding was very impressive outside, but now he was so polite to him, which really pleased him.

The Zhou family was getting better and better. Thinking of the fate of his grandson Ming and Qing next year, the old patriarch smiled even more deeply. He touched his legs and insisted that he would not close his eyes until he saw his eldest grandson become a man.

At the Jiang family, Dong Yiyi sent the matchmaker away, and then came out after Mu Lan and the others left. "Mother, which girl did the matchmaker mention today?"

Dong Yiyi held up the tea bowl and said, "The daughter of Xu Xiucai in the county said that she came with a dowry of fifty acres of land, a shop and a small courtyard in the county town."

Mu Lan had grown up and had some understanding of her family's financial situation. Her mother knew how to make a living, and her father was now a teacher, with a monthly stipend. Her mother would not be interested in these dowries. "Mother, although I know that these are not to your liking, the Jiang family is getting further and further away from us. Jiang Miao is the only granddaughter of Mr. Zhou, so please don't worry about her."

Of course she hoped that Jiang Miao would become her sister-in-law. Not to mention that she and Jiang Miao got along well, just based on Jiang Miao's status, she supported her wholeheartedly. However, the Jiang family had moved to Beijing. If they had not moved to Beijing, there might still be some possibility. Now, they might have been engaged.

Dong Yiyi was washing the tea bowls. "I will not betroth your eldest brother before he turns eighteen. You understand the truth, so how can mother not understand it? We will take it one step at a time. However, your aunt said that Jiang Miao is not engaged."

Dong Yiyi turned her head to look at the concubine. She really wanted to marry into the Jiang family, no matter if it was a son or a daughter. But the concubine was right. The Jiang family had moved to Beijing, and some of the things that had happened before were no longer possible.

In the capital, Zhulan listened to what Zhao said, "Are you saying that the aunt from Liufeng's hometown brought her daughter to the capital?"

Since Zhao found out that her cousin Liu Feng committed suicide, she really had no good feelings towards the Gu family. "The reputation of the Gu family girl has been affected. Now she is at the age of engagement, so she came to the capital hoping to improve her reputation so that she can get a better marriage. Now she is anxious. What have she done before?"

Zhulan also looked down on the Gu family's behavior, "Gu Zhuomin's life is not easy either. Everything has come to him. The Ding family will be worried again."

Fortunately, Gu Zhuomin blocked it, so Liu Feng was able to dodge it.

Zhao snorted, "Mother, don't look at Hu's weak character. She knows everything. Didn't she tell me today that she would take her son back to live with Master Hu for a few days? Now Jin and Hu are getting along well!"

Zhulan also laughed, "She is indeed very smart."

The more Zhao got to know her future mother-in-law, the more satisfied she was. "I can see that Hu has a deep grudge against the Gu family. It also came out from her mouth that Liu Feng is completely disappointed with the Gu family."

She felt at ease now, and was even happier because the old man of the Gu family passed away early, and her uncle, who had already separated from the family, could not control Liu Feng and could not use the word "filial piety" to suppress Liu Feng.

(End of this chapter)