Chapter 48: Marriage
At that time, all officials were required to participate in flood control and water control. She felt sorry for her father's hard work from dawn to dusk, so she ran to the bookstore and looked up various articles related to flood control, hoping to help her father to the best of her ability.
After watching for a long time, I figured out some of the tricks.
When everyone was at their wits' end, she made a very bold suggestion:
Use the Qibao Canal in Chengdu to discharge floodwaters.
As soon as she said this, she was scolded by her father. He said that bringing flood water into Chengdu was self-destructive and would cause the entire city to be submerged.
But there was really no other way at the time.
With the determination to go all out, her father submitted her hand-drawn map and flood control methods. As expected, he was severely criticized and refuted by other officials.
But at the last moment, Xie Guanlan stood up.
He said he would give this method a try.
Fortunately, the result is good.
The Qibao Canal not only successfully shared the pressure of flood discharge, but also made water transportation in Chengdu more convenient and business on both sides of the strait more prosperous due to the widening of the river channel after the flood receded.
Because of her strategy, her father was promoted to the position of Chief Clerk by the Du Taishou, and he rose to prominence from then on...
In the corridor, Cuicui begged like a greedy little cat, "I haven't eaten any rice dumplings this year. Miss, please secretly save one for me tonight! You will be blessed!"
Wen Xingluo came to his senses and said okay.
She raised her eyes.
In the past life, due to floods, people had no food to eat and many people starved to death.
Maybe in this life, she could make preparations in advance and ask the government to mobilize more food from the surrounding counties, which could be considered as accumulating blessings and doing good deeds.
But the problem is how to let the government know that there will be floods in two months.
During dinner, the old concubine said, "In a few days, I plan to go to Ciyun Temple to burn incense and pray for blessings. Ningning will accompany me. And Ziheng, you will be responsible for escorting us."
Xie Guanlan refused: "Grandma, I've been busy with official duties these days."
"What are you busy with? Is there anything in your office that is more important than the safety of Ningning and me?" The old concubine said angrily, "It's settled!"
Wen Xingluo lowered his head and ate his food.
If Xie Guanlan also went to Ciyu Temple, could she then use the "Buddha's mouth" to hint to him that there would be floods in Shu County?
…
On the day when we went to Ciyu Temple to burn incense, Wei Si also came.
Wen Xingluo leaned against the window and watched his mother holding the hand of the maid and stepping into another carriage.
At this time every year, my mother would go to Ciyu Temple. I don’t know whether she went there to pray or to worship someone.
As she was lost in thought, the old concubine boarded the carriage and praised, "Ningning looks very beautiful today."
Wen Xingluo smiled. "At dawn, Grandmother sent two maids to dress me up. It took most of an hour, so of course I look beautiful. But Grandmother, why do we have to dress so formally when we go to burn incense?"
The old concubine smiled meaningfully: "You will know when you get there."
The sound of horse hooves came from outside the car.
Wen Xingluo looked over and saw Xie Guanlan coming on a horse.
Today, the old empress dowager had also sent someone to dress him up. The newly-cut scarlet brocade robe made him look tall and handsome. The four-finger-wide gold-inlaid leather belt outlined his slender and noble figure. "He rode a horse and leaned on the slanting bridge, with red sleeves waving in the building." He was the dream son-in-law of all the nobles in Shu County.
A thought vaguely emerged in Wen Xingluo's mind.
Lady Dowager...
Could it be that he was taking her and Xie Guanlan on a blind date under the pretext of burning incense?
After burning incense, the old concubine led Wen Xingluo and Xie Guanlan to the meditation room.
In the Zen room, sat a noble lady and her two children.
The old concubine said warmly: "We are late!"
After the two sides exchanged greetings, Wen Xingluo realized that this noble lady was the princess consort of the King of Hanzhong.
Princess Xue of Hanzhong smiled and took Wen Xingluo's hand: "Miss Wen is beautiful, well-educated and well-mannered. She is even better than what the Concubine Dowager described in her letter."
She looked at Xie Guanlan again with admiration: "Commander Xie, your grace is even better than before."
The old concubine smiled and said, "I'm not boasting, but my grandchildren are indeed sensible and know when to act. They are good children. Your prince and princess, one is handsome and the other is as beautiful as a flower, and they are also good children."
Wen Xingluo curled up his fingertips.
It turned out that her grandmother came today to arrange a blind date for her and Xie Guanlan.
No wonder she specially sent a maid to dress her up beautifully...
Xue said cheerfully, "The Concubine Dowager and I are going to attend a sutra lecture. You guys can just wander around the temple. We're all the same age, so I'm sure we'll have endless things to talk about."
…
Four people of the same age who "had endless things to say" walked through the corridor in silence.
Wen Xingluo was walking in front when a low voice suddenly came from behind him: "Be careful."
Chen Yushi, the Prince of Hanzhong, stepped forward and lifted up the pomegranate branch that extended into the corridor for her.
Wen Xingluo came back to his senses and bowed quickly: "Thank you, Prince."
Chen Yushi said cheerfully, "No problem."
Wen Xingluo looked at his handsome face and was lost in thought for a moment.
Others don’t know, but she knows very well that Chen Yushi is actually a girl.
The King of Hanzhong was arrogant, extravagant and licentious, with many wives and concubines. In order to gain a firm foothold in the backyard, Princess Xue concealed the gender of Chen Yushi and announced to the outside world that she had given birth to a legitimate eldest son who inherited the title of Crown Prince.
In his previous life, Xie Guanlan joined forces with other princes to rebel, and the emperor summoned Chen Yushi to defend the capital.
Although Chen Yushi was brave and good at fighting, she was no match for four people. After she died on the battlefield, an enemy army discovered that she was a woman.
They cut off her head, stripped off her armor, and cruelly hung her body on the city wall.
The emperor was not grateful to Chen Yushi for sacrificing his life to protect him. Instead, he issued an edict to scold Chen Yushi for being shameless and acting like a hen that crows at dawn.
The King of Hanzhong felt ashamed and killed Xue in anger.
In the temple, the late spring sunshine is warm.
Wen Xingluo felt a chill running through his limbs.
She didn't think Chen Yushi was a bad person.
On the contrary, she admired Chen Yushi for being able to secure the throne of the crown prince despite being a daughter, and she admired her even more for her ability to command troops and command generals with both civil and military skills.
She subconsciously gave Chen Yushi a gentle and sweet smile.
Xie Guanlan saw it and raised his eyebrows slightly.
After the Chen brothers and sisters walked to the front, Xie Guanlan lowered his voice and asked, "Do you like him?"
Wen Xingluo didn't react: "What?"
"Do you like Chen Yushi?"
Wen Xingluo was speechless.
The girl's silence was seen as her consent by Xie Guanlan.
He put his hands behind his back: "You and him are not suitable."
Wen Xingluo: "I didn't say I liked him."
"You smiled at him."
“I smiled at a lot of people.”
The spring breeze blows on my face, bringing a slight dryness before the arrival of midsummer.
Xie Guanlan stared at her: "Are you thinking of escaping from the Zhenbei Palace by getting married?"
Wen Xingluo listened to his "analysis" and ripples appeared in her apricot eyes.
Yes, why didn't she think of getting rid of the Zhenbei Palace by getting married?
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