Chapter 154 Zhou Congxian is not good enough for my granddaughter, Meng Yushan.
As the Spring Festival approaches, Dingxian County is filled with red lanterns in its streets and alleys, and new Spring Festival couplets are put up at the entrances.
Adults and children alike wore new clothes.
The school is closed for the holidays.
A long line of escort agency carriages slowly arrived at the mansion gate.
"May I ask if you are from the Jiang family residence?"
The head镖师 (bodyguard/escort) took out a warrant from his pocket, saying, "These are all items to be delivered to your esteemed residence."
Yao Shisan looked bewildered. "Who sent this?"
The head镖师 (镖头,镖师 is a person who entrusted someone with a镖) only had the name "Meng" (孟)
She knew, Meng Yushan.
If her brother saw these, he'd probably throw them all away.
"We won't take it; you can take it back."
The head镖师 (bodyguard/escort) looked troubled. "Madam, we don't have the policy of returning escort missions."
“If you accept it, how you handle it is your business, but if we don’t deliver it, we’ll break the rules, and who will dare to hire us for escort services in the future?”
"If you haven't returned the goods, then you can accept them."
Jiang Xingyao returned. "I'll sign off on these things, and I'll entrust you to take them back to their original location."
"This..." The head镖师 (bodyguard/escort) had never encountered anything like this before.
Before setting off the convoy, everything is checked, from large and valuable items to small children's toys.
They could hardly let go of the deep concern of an elderly person in their eighties.
Jiang Xingyao asked his sister to fetch him a writing brush, ink, paper, and inkstone from the study.
He signed his name on the escort letter and then rewrote the entrustment.
"How much money do you need?"
The bodyguard tugged at the head bodyguard's sleeve. "It's their business, we shouldn't get involved."
"We'll take on the escort mission and then carry it out."
The head镖师 (bodyguard/escort) glanced at the family. Indeed, they shouldn't meddle in other people's business.
Once the goods have reached their destination, the mission is complete. If someone else entrusts the goods back to them untouched, that's their business.
Fifteen large boxes, filling five large trucks.
Less than an hour after entering Ding County, they were taken away again, intact.
...
Meng Yushan, far away in the capital, was still gloating.
"This time I'm entrusting a shipment to a security escort agency, and they don't have a rule about returning shipments. Let's see how he refuses my good intentions this time!"
The Duke of Zhenguo's mansion has been cleaned again.
This imperial residence, a first-class mansion, is of such grandeur that it is comparable to that of a prince.
Unfortunately, I can only stay there for less than a month throughout the year.
For so many years, we haven't just lived in the old place, we've just let it sit.
"The general is still superior!"
Guo Fang raised his hand and ordered someone to come in and refill the charcoal.
Meng Yushan said, "I personally presented the things that others would fight tooth and nail to him, and he still didn't even bother with them."
Guo Fang chuckled, "Isn't this just like the general? He earns his own future."
"Once the dike in Ding County is completed, the landscape will change dramatically. Not only the waterways, but also the agriculture in the surrounding mountains and rivers will be under Your Majesty's control."
Meng Yushan was not very familiar with His Majesty, who had only been on the throne for a few years.
"The late emperor left behind too many messes, and Your Majesty's ability to do what you have done is truly admirable."
Guo Fang said, "His Majesty entrusted such an important place to Lord Jiang, which naturally shows his high regard for him."
"Furthermore, with the Yue family and the He family becoming increasingly prosperous in the future, why should the General worry that the Duke's Mansion will not prosper in the future?"
Meng Yushan laughed heartily, clearly in high spirits.
"Well, you're even better at flattering than Ziyu now."
Guo Fang said, "It's not because Guo Ziyu is not here that I had the opportunity to flatter him."
Meng Yushan spent his life in the military, commanding countless subordinates, and nearly half of the military generals in the court had honed their skills under his command.
He has also promoted countless people.
But now, there aren't many people around me anymore.
I am truly grateful, but I hold you in the highest esteem.
"Lord Meng, the Duke of Zhou from the Duke of Yingguo's mansion has arrived."
The eunuch at the gate was specially sent by His Majesty. Meng Yushan was rarely in the capital, and many people did not recognize him.
What made this young eunuch so remarkable was that he knew all the officials in the capital, including their families.
His Majesty specially sent him to help Zhenguo Gong recognize people.
"Let him in."
The smile on Meng Yushan's face slowly faded.
This little granddaughter was born in the Meng family home and grew up there until she was four years old.
He later learned more about the situation.
When he was six years old, he and his brother were taken in by a schoolteacher surnamed Jiang in Chuzhou.
Her name was also changed from Yao Shilan to Jiang Shiyao.
She was sold into servitude to the British Duke's mansion at the age of sixteen.
At eighteen, she was taken as a concubine and gave birth to a daughter.
He faked his death and left the capital at the age of 21.
The journey described in just a hundred words contains untold hardships.
Duke Zhou took off his cloak, his face beaming with smiles.
"I have long admired General Meng's reputation, and today I am finally able to meet him!"
Meng Yushan held his cane in both hands and sat motionless in his original position.
"My legs are weak, please sit wherever you like, Duke Zhou."
The Duke of Zhenguo's mansion was very quiet, with only Duke Meng as the master and not many servants.
Duke Zhou had already automatically projected his own image onto Mengyu Mountain, imagining his own desolate later years.
"Please sit down, Lord Meng. I'll find a seat myself."
Guo Fang has already left, and now only Meng Yushan and Duke Zhou are in the room.
The nearest stool to Meng Gong was at least ten steps away.
Duke Zhou glanced outside and found that there wasn't a single servant in sight.
There was no other way but to move it myself.
Duke Zhou hadn't expected that even the stools in the Duke Zhenguo's mansion were so heavy!
"Duke Zhou, do you need my help?"
Meng Yushan said that, but he didn't move an inch.
"No, no need, I can do it myself..."
The Duke of Zhou was covered in sweat before he finally managed to move the stool over.
The two sat around the fire pit.
Duke Zhou paused, clasped his hands in greeting, and said, "I heard that Duke Meng has found his long-lost grandson and granddaughter, and I haven't had a chance to congratulate him yet."
"I heard it from someone."
Meng Yushan suddenly raised his eyes, his already somewhat cloudy eyes were captivating, no less so than in his prime!
Duke Zhou's heart skipped a beat.
I heard that the news had already spread throughout the capital.
However, the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion has not yet uttered a single word to the outside world.
Even if the rumors are true, since Duke Meng did not speak personally, they are still just rumors.
He's now going to investigate a rumor.
I was careless!
Duke Zhou now only regrets his recklessness.
Meng Yushan smiled as he looked at him, who was covered in sweat.
"I heard it's true, we've found it. Please seal it off when the time comes, and we'd also like to invite the Duke of Zhou to have a drink with us."
"Of course, of course!" Duke Zhou breathed a sigh of relief.
He then asked cautiously, "Didn't the young masters and ladies of your household return to the capital for the New Year?"
Meng Yushan, "He is in office and cannot leave."
Just seven words.
Duke Zhou was surprised that Duke Meng had acted so quickly and had already made arrangements for his grandson.
"Yes, a career is naturally important. The young master is in office, and the young lady is currently..."
He's already shamelessly pressing for answers.
Meng Yushan glanced at him. "What, so concerned about my granddaughter? Are you trying to arrange a marriage?"
When Duke Meng so bluntly pointed out what he was thinking, Duke Zhou gave an awkward laugh.
He then straightened his back and said, "Since Lord Meng is so straightforward, I won't be coy either."
“My son, Zhou Congxian, is currently unmarried, he…”
"I've seen it."
"Have you seen me?" Duke Zhou's eloquent speech was interrupted.
There was not a trace of warmth in Meng Yushan's eyes.
"Zhou Congxian is not good enough for my Lan'er."
What good place could someone be that would rather fake their death and escape?
"This...is there some misunderstanding?" Duke Zhou didn't know when his son had met Duke Meng.
"Guo Fang, see the guest out."
Meng Yushan had already turned away and was no longer looking at him.
When Duke Zhou was struggling to move the stools, there was no one there, but now everyone has suddenly appeared.
"This way, Duke Zhou."
Duke Zhou's face alternated between pale and flushed.
He couldn't say anything, and in the end, he could only leave with a flick of his sleeve.
Duke Zhou, who had been holding back his anger all the way, almost knocked Song Jiyun over as soon as he entered the door.
The white jade Guanyin statue in Song Jiyun's hand broke into two pieces.
Duke Zhou pointed at her and berated her, "The old lady took you in, not so you could embarrass yourself here!"
He then looked at the jade Guanyin on the ground and asked, "What is this for?"
Song Jiyun lowered his head and said, "This is a Guanyin statue that the old lady invited for the young master to grant him a child."
Duke Zhou almost fainted from anger.
All the previous attempts to meet him failed, and he was directly rejected by Master Meng at the Meng family's residence.
Now, the Guanyin statue that was specially brought back to grant children has been broken in two.
Does his son have no chance of marriage or children in this life?!
He looked at the Guanyin statue on the ground, his fingers trembling as he pointed at Song Jiyun.
"Get out! Pack your things and get out of the Zhou family!"
"yes."
Without the slightest hesitation, Song Jiyun picked up the Guanyin statue from the ground, turned around, and left the Duke of Ying's mansion.
The steward at the gate glanced at the Duke, seemingly wanting to say something but holding back.
Even when the Song family was in such a mess, and things were so ugly, the old lady still managed to protect Miss Song.
Now, because of a Guanyin statue, they were driven away by the Duke.
Who knows how this will turn into?
*
Chaos erupted in the capital.
Meanwhile, in Dingxian, thousands of miles away, laughter and joy filled the air.
On the day before the Lunar New Year, He Ran and He Zhu came over.
She was carrying large and small bags on her back!
It's full of New Year's gifts for everyone.
"Aren't you tired?" He Zhuo couldn't help but tease his sister. "You can buy these things anywhere."
Most of them are hairpins and jewelry.
He Ran glared at him. "Mind your own business! I carried it myself! If you didn't do any work, don't be nosy!"
"Beautiful! These are styles we don't have in Dingxian County. I love them!"
Yao Shisan quickly jumped in to smooth things over.
"Shuang'er, this is for you."
"This one suits you, Dan Niang."
This was He Ran's first time meeting Dan Niang; the last two times he had met her, it was Chun Niang.
She was outgoing and friendly, and quickly became acquainted with Dan Niang after just a few words.
"No, no, this is too valuable!"
Without saying a word, He Ran reached out and inserted the hair into her hair bun.
"My mom bought it for me, but I've never worn it even once. It's just a waste to leave it here! It's perfect for you!"
Jiang Xingyao knew her temperament, "Danniang, you should just keep it, otherwise she might sneak into your room in the middle of the night and stuff it into your hands."
Dan Niang chuckled, "I'd be honored to accept your offer, thank you, Miss He."
Wei Xun brushed the snowflakes off his clothes and walked in.
"The fireworks are all set up, we can go out and set them off now."
"Let's go! Let's set off fireworks!"
Fu'er and Xuan'er immediately held hands and ran out.
Let's set off fireworks!
The room full of people then went out in a lively atmosphere.
Golden fireworks burst in the darkness, illuminating everyone's faces.
It seemed that everyone's eyes were filled with happiness at this moment.
Jiang Xingyao then quietly took He Ran's hand.
Wei Xun and Shuang'er were also holding hands.
He Zhuo, who was standing behind the four people, covered his eyes and silently moved a few steps.
These people either need companions or have children.
Only him.
Alone and lonely.
I should have known better than to come!
Meanwhile, in the capital city, fireworks were being set off throughout the streets and alleys.
Zhou Congxian stood under the eaves, watching the fireworks being set off in the direction of the back garden.
They must be very happy in Ding County.
A slight smile played on his lips.
It seemed as if I could see their smiling faces under the fireworks.
"Your Highness, it's time to go to the palace."
Yu Ke gently reminded him, holding the cloak.
Zhou Congxian glanced at the new cloak in her hand, "Don't waste your time on me."
Yu Zhu immediately understood and took out her old cloak.
Zhou Congxian refused to let the two serve him, took the cloak, and turned to leave.
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