Chapter 321 Song Jingning was forced to marry
"You are a guest, General Chen, please eat as much as you want. I guarantee you'll be full!"
After Qi Yanzhou finished joking, he led the few people into the main hall.
After everyone sat down in the main hall, Sun Chu took out two pieces of paper from his arms and handed them to Ye Chutang.
"This is my annual gift to the children. You must accept it on behalf of the two children."
Ye Chutang didn't bother to be polite with Sun Chu. He took it and took a look at it.
There are two house deeds and two land deeds.
One is "Tianxialou" and the other is "Furongtang."
In other words, Sun Chu gave the two most profitable shops to An An and Le Le.
A restaurant and a beauty shop.
She smiled and said, "Young Master Sun's New Year gift is very nice and thoughtful."
After hearing this, Song Jingning took out two amulets from his sleeve pocket and handed them to Ye Chutang.
"I'm not as wealthy as Mr. Sun. It's just a small gift. I hope Madam Qi will not despise it and accept it on behalf of the two children."
He obtained this amulet from the most spiritual temple in Tianshan County overnight after celebrating the New Year.
In order to burn the first incense stick, he asked the abbot to consecrate the amulet, and he even shamelessly used the name of "Master Haoyue".
Ye Chutang knew that what Song Jingning gave him was definitely not an ordinary amulet, so he quickly took it.
"Mr. Song is thoughtful. I will let the child wear it close to his body."
Hearing this, Ah Man also interjected.
"The bell I gave you must also be worn close to your body. It will do you no harm."
Ye Chutang smiled and said, "Okay, I'll remember that."
After saying that, she asked Shan'er to go downstairs to prepare lunch.
Since we have to eat vegetarian food on the first day of the Lunar New Year, the food is relatively simple and can be prepared by one person.
Qingping and Qingan were helping her.
In less than half an hour, lunch was ready.
Tangzhouyuan also has a dedicated dining room, which is next to the small kitchen.
The group moved to the dining room.
Although the dishes on the table are all vegetarian, there are many varieties and they look good, which makes people very appetizing.
Qi Yanzhou asked: "Would you like to drink wine or tea?"
Chen Kui immediately said, "Drink some wine to warm yourself up so you can get going."
"General Chen just arrived yesterday, and he's leaving today?"
"Well, it's going to snow again soon. After lunch, I have to set off back to Linzhou City to prevent the barbarians from taking advantage of the heavy snow to launch a surprise attack on the border."
The barbarians invade every year when it snows.
Sometimes it's a small fight, sometimes it's a large-scale attack, no one can tell.
Now that his daughter is recovering from her injuries, he has to stay in the barracks.
Otherwise, soldiers without a general will be like a pile of scattered sand!
Qi Yanzhou understood Chen Kui's concerns. He asked Shan'er to bring a wine pot and personally poured a glass of wine for Chen Kui.
"If the barbarians rise up in arms, I wish General Chen victory."
These words touched Chen Kui's heart.
He quickly picked up the wine glass and said, "Thank you Mr. Qi for your kind words. I will drink first as a sign of respect."
After saying this, he drank the wine in the glass.
Mrs. Chen saw Chen Kui pouring her another cup and advised: "My husband, please don't drink too much, or you won't be able to ride your horse steadily."
"I'm happy today, so it's okay to drink a few more cups."
After saying that, he poured Chen Ruoyun a cup of warm tea.
"Yun'er, please use tea instead of wine and drink a cup with your father."
Chen Ruoyun nodded, picked up the teacup and said, "I wish my father good health for many years to come."
"Okay, Dad also hopes that you will not be harmed by any injuries and will find your ideal husband soon!"
As he said this, he glanced at Song Jingning.
When Song Jingning received Chen Kui's gaze, his heart skipped a beat.
Then Chen Kui spoke to him.
"Mr. Song, when do you plan to marry my daughter?"
As soon as these words were spoken, the tofu on Sun Chu's chopsticks was crushed and fell into his bowl.
Sun Chu had only heard of catching a son-in-law from the list, but had never seen forced marriage in public.
Song Jingning calmed himself down and put down his chopsticks.
"I wonder what General Chen means by this?"
His words brought the overly frightened Chen Ruoyun back to her senses.
"Dad, what are you talking about?"
She liked Song Jingning, but knew she was not worthy of him and never had any false thoughts.
Chen Kui glared at Chen Ruoyun and told her not to interrupt.
He looked at Song Jingning, who was as calm as the breeze and the moon, and replied, "It literally means that Mr. Song and my daughter have had physical contact, so they must get married."
Ye Chutang looked at Song Jingning in shock.
Song Jingning was overwhelmed and explained, "General Chen, I had to do it to save people."
"When we were at the General's Mansion, we were eager to save people. What about on the way to Tianshan County?"
Song Jingning: “…”
It turns out that Chen Kui and his wife insisted that he change Chen Ruoyun's medicine and were waiting for him here!
He chuckled, "I was kind enough to help General Chen save his daughter, but the general set a trap for me?"
"Yun'er is good at both literature and martial arts, has an above-average appearance, and has military merits and an official position. Young Master Song will not suffer any loss by marrying her."
What Song Jingning hates most is coercion.
He looked at Chen Kui with cold eyes, "Marriage is a major event that affects one's entire life. It cannot be calculated based on whether or not you suffer a loss."
After saying that, he looked at Chen Ruoyun.
"Miss Chen, what do you think of General Chen's forced marriage?"
In fact, he could have used the fact that the doctor who treated Chen Ruoyun was also a man to refuse the marriage proposal.
But he didn't want the heroic woman who was dedicated to maintaining stability on the border to be criticized for spreading bad rumors.
Chen Kui immediately winked at his daughter, asking her to take the opportunity to arrange the marriage.
If you like it, grab it!
Scholars value their reputation the most, and physical contact is a fact. Even if Song Jingning is unhappy, he will agree to the marriage.
Chen Ruoyun shook her head at Chen Kui and looked at Song Jingning.
“Song Gongzi, you don’t need to pay attention to what my father said. Saving people is a holy act and you shouldn’t be coerced into doing so.
If you want to marry me, I am willing to marry you. If you don't have me in your heart, then don't force it. ”
Song Jingning could tell from Chen Ruoyun's words that she had feelings for him.
But he had no interest in Chen Ruoyun.
"Thank you Miss Chen for your understanding. General Chen didn't say anything today, and we didn't hear anything either."
What he meant was that no one would tell others about him changing Chen Ruoyun's medicine.
Several people in the kitchen quickly said that they would not say anything more.
Chen Kui was almost mad at his daughter, but he couldn't force them to get married.
"Okay, since you have made your decision, I won't get involved."
After saying that, he picked up the wine glass and said, "Everyone, I'm sorry for delaying your meal. I'll drink three glasses as punishment!"
After drinking three glasses of wine, Chen Kui picked up the wine jug and was about to pour it, but Qi Yanzhou held his hand.
"General Chen, you will be on your way soon, so don't drink too much. I will have someone prepare some strong liquor and food for you to eat and drink on the road."
"Thank you, Master Qi. We will settle the expenses together when my wife and daughter leave the Qi family."
Qi Yanzhou thought about Ye Chutang's plan to drain the Chen family's assets and nodded.
"I know General Chen doesn't want to be too deeply involved with the Qi family. My wife remembers all the expenses of Madam Chen and Miss Chen very clearly. Please rest assured, General."
Chen Kui nodded, loosened his grip on the wine jug, and picked up chopsticks to eat the food.
After eating and drinking, he stood up and said goodbye.
"Yun'er, see dad off."
Chen Ruoyun's injuries have not yet recovered, and she cannot sit or stand for a long time.
But it is still no problem to walk from Tangzhouyuan to the front yard.
"Okay, I'll take Dad."
Mrs. Chen also followed.
Chen Ruoyun took Chen Kui to the stable in the front yard.
Chen Kui poked his daughter's forehead in frustration.
"You silly child, your father has already paved the way for you, why don't you step up?"
Chen Ruoyun bowed respectfully to Chen Kui.
"Dad, I know you mean well, but a forced marriage is not a happy one. If you force Mr. Song to marry me, he will definitely get tired of me and make me waste my life. Is this what you want to see?"
Although this makes sense, Chen Kui disagrees.
"Time reveals a person's true character. Dad believes that as long as we get married and spend time together every day, Song Jingning will definitely see the good in you."
"But Dad, what if Young Master Song doesn't think highly of me? He is a scholar, and I am a warrior. We are not the same kind of people."
This question stumped Chen Kui.
He thinks his daughter is a good person, but others may not think so.
Most men don't want to marry a woman who is good at wielding swords and sticks, but a gentle and considerate lady.
Mrs. Chen led the horse out of the stable and handed the reins to Chen Kui.
"Husband, we have done everything we can. Let Yun'er decide the rest. Let her decide her marriage herself."
Chen Kui sighed, "Mr. Song is a good man, it would be a pity to miss him."
"He is a good man, but not necessarily a good match for Yun'er."
Chen Ruoyun agreed, "What mother said makes sense. There are many good men in the world, but not all of them are suitable to be husbands."
After that, she smiled and said, "Dad, please leave quickly. If you delay any longer, it will be dark."
"Okay, Dad is leaving first. You should recover and then go back to Linzhou City with your mother."
"My daughter, please don't worry. I hope you have a safe journey. If it snows, just ride slower."
"Got it. It's cold outside. You and your mother should go back to your room."
Chen Kui led the horse away.
When leaving through the gate, Qi Yanzhou handed him some liquor and food.
"General Chen, see you later."
"See you later!"
Chen Kui placed the bag on the saddle and secured it, then mounted his horse and left.
After Qi Yanzhou watched Chen Kui leave, he returned to Tangzhou Courtyard.
He looked around and went to the side room to see An An and Le Le.
Sun Chu and A Man were sent away by Ye Chutang.
She and Song Jingning were talking in the side hall.
"Brother, what's going on between you and Miss Chen?"
Ye Chutang knew that Song Jingning used the rejuvenation pill to save Chen Ruoyun, but he didn't know the details.
Song Jingning coughed lightly, and a slight blush appeared on his face.
"The situation at that time forced me to..."
He told Ye Chutang how he saved Chen Ruoyun's life.
Then he talked about changing the bandages for Chen Ruoyun on the way to Tianshan County.
“At that time, the carriage could only accommodate four people, and since I knew medical knowledge, I did not bring a doctor.
I didn't think too much about it and just helped Miss Chen apply medicine along the way as requested by the Chen couple. ”
He thought it was inappropriate to do so, but Chen Kui and his wife had no knowledge of medicine, so he had to do it.
And as long as the couple kept the secret, no one would know that he and Chen Ruoyun had physical contact.
As a result, it turned out that it was a trap set by the two of them to ask him to apply medicine to Chen Ruoyun!
"Fortunately Miss Chen is reasonable, otherwise we would not be able to win over the forces but would make enemies instead."
Hearing this, Ye Chutang breathed a sigh of relief.
She was really afraid that Song Jingning would sacrifice himself in order to win over Chen's army.
"Brother, I hope that when you marry in the future, you will marry someone you love, and don't compromise because of anyone or anything."
Song Jingning rubbed the top of Ye Chutang's head and smiled brightly.
"Don't worry, I won't let myself down when it comes to the big things in life."
Otherwise, Song’s parents would have forced the marriage for many years and would have succeeded long ago.
"Chu'er, I want to discuss something with you."
When Ye Chutang saw Song Jingning's serious tone, he knew it was an important matter.
She said seriously, "Brother, please speak."
"The post of governor of Tianshan County is vacant, and I want to take it."
These words made Ye Chutang's eyes widen.
"Brother, if you do this, you will break the Song family's rule of not entering the government, and you will be expelled from the Song family. And you haven't passed the imperial examination, so how can you become a third-rank official?"
Song Jingning picked up the teacup in front of him and took a sip.
“The road I’m going to take is difficult and dangerous, and it might implicate the Song family, so it’s best to leave.
Today, Tianshan County is under the control of the Qi family, and whoever becomes the governor does not need the approval of the imperial court at all. ”
After Shen Zhao was driven out of Tianshan County, the news of his dismissal did not reach the capital due to heavy snow blocking the roads.
He could have taken the salary of a governor and done his job accordingly.
In the future, when the country changes hands, he will be able to seek a high position based on his political achievements.
Ye Chutang looked at Song Jingning who had made up his mind and asked, "What are your plans, brother?"
"Become the Imperial Master! Become the Regent!"
If you want to be an official, you should be the one with the greatest power.
"Is it because of me?"
Song Jingning did not hide it from Ye Chutang and said bluntly: "Half for you, half for myself."
Initially, he did want power because he wanted to become Ye Chutang's support.
But after making efforts for this and getting involved in officialdom, he found that he wanted to make the world a better place even more.
Ye Chutang met Song Jingning's honest eyes and nodded.
"I support your decision, brother. But what do you want to say about the Song family?"
"Tell the truth, and even if I leave the Song family, I will still be the fifth son of the Song family!"
"Brother, you did the right thing. The Song family has given you a new life. You must not let them down."
Song Jingning smiled and said, "That's natural."
After saying that, he stood up and said goodbye.
"Chu'er, you need to rest more and don't overwork yourself. I'll come to see you when I'm free."
Ye Chutang stood up and walked Song Jingning to the door.
"Mr. Song, take care."
After Song Jingning left, she went back to her bedroom to rest.
Not long after, Qi Yanzhou came in.
Ye Chutang told him that Song Jingning wanted to be the governor of Tianshan County.
Qi Yanzhou agreed immediately without saying a word.
"Brother is well-read, knowledgeable, and upright. He will definitely be a good official."
"A Zhou, the officialdom is dangerous, you should give your brother more advice."
"You underestimate your brother."
"I'm not looking down on you. I'm just in case. After all, he's the only relative I have."
Qi Yanzhou held Ye Chutang's hand and assured him, "Don't worry, as long as I'm here, I'll make sure your brother is safe."
In the next few days, we visited relatives and friends and exchanged gifts.
Time flies and it is the sixth day of the New Year.
Today is the opening day of "Tianxialou".
Sun Chu had already done enough publicity, with all kinds of tasting, deposit, discount, and buy-one-get-one-free activities that were dazzling.
Qi Yanzhou also invited prominent families from Tianshan County to attend the event, aiming to create a lively atmosphere.
As the red silk was pulled and the firecrackers were set off, the restaurant was packed with people.
Sun Chu trained a lot of "sales".
Because of the commission, everyone worked very hard and sold a lot of stored-value cards and drink coupons.
In addition, the restaurant's dishes were novel and delicious, and it gained fame in just half a day.
The restaurant was packed all day.
Even though Sun Chu had made sufficient preparations, some dishes that needed to be prepared in advance were sold out in the afternoon.
So he immediately launched the scheduled activity again.
At the end of the day, the restaurant earned nearly a thousand taels.
Half of the money was for deposits, drink coupons and reservations.
After deducting costs and expenses, the net profit was two hundred taels.
Of course, the revenue on the opening day will definitely be much higher than on ordinary days.
But if you compromise again and again, you can still earn fifty taels a day.
It doesn't sound like much, but for the poor Tianshan County, this income is already considerable.
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