Fu Rongxin didn't believe Xue Zhiyi had such ability. Xue Zhiyi was at most in the harem, how could he be involved in government affairs? Moreover, she was the queen in her previous life. Even she didn't quite understand things, so how could Xue Zhiyi, a bastard and a whore, be so powerful!
Before Fu Rongxin could calm down, she heard a knock on the door.
"When?" Xue Zhentong asked.
Outside the door, Hu Bai replied, "Master, there's a letter from the Rong family."
"Bring it up."
Hu Bai responded, walked in and handed over a letter.
Xue Zhentong read through it quickly, and the worry he felt after not seeing it gradually faded away.
After Hu Bai left, Fu Rongxin asked, "Uncle, what's wrong?"
Xue Zhentong clapped his hands and smiled: "Okay, good!"
While Fu Rongxin was puzzled, Xue Zhentong said, "The Minister of Rites is useless, but the Rong family has captured a fugitive in Shili County. This fugitive is Lu Yan, the youngest son of the Lu family, the Minister of Rites. The Minister of Rites is wavering between the factions of Prince Gong and Prince Cheng. Now that I have such a hostage, am I still afraid that Lu Minchun will not be of use to me?"
He put the letter aside and took a sip of tea. "Minister Fang might not be willing to take risks for fame and fortune, but Minister Lu would risk his life for his beloved youngest son!"
…
Hu Bai turned around and reported the matter to Xue Zhiyi.
Xue Zhiyi was fiddling with the chess pieces: the son of the Lu family was captured by the Rong family, and Xue Zhentong thought he could use this to control Lu Minchun. Unfortunately, the Rong family belonged to Xue Tingliu, and Xue Tingliu was not on the same page with him.
Xue Zhentong was afraid that he had made a wrong decision and was happily jumping into Xue Tingliu's trap.
While she was thinking, Su Yue reported: "Miss, the fifth lady is here."
Xue Zhiyi raised his eyebrows and saw that Xue Runing had become much brighter since the last spring market, and his steps were brisk when he entered the door.
"Third sister!" She sat down in front of Xue Zhiyi and solemnly placed a box in front of Xue Zhiyi: "Third sister, look."
Xue Zhiyi opened it and saw a whole stack of house deeds inside.
Her eyes lit up: "Have you done everything?"
Xue Runing nodded: "I have kept all the property deeds. These are yours, sister. Please take a look. Is there anything wrong with them?"
Xue Zhiyi chuckled: "There's nothing wrong with it."
Looking at Xue Runing, she said, "Fulufang is dilapidated, and there are refugees living there. The houses and land prices are below market value, but it won't be long before they can be sold at a price higher than market value, and we don't even need to bother selling them."
Xue Runing's eyes flashed: "I believe my sister!"
Speaking of this, Xue Zhiyi asked her: "Runing, have you ever thought about starting your own household?"
Xue Runing was stunned. "According to the laws of Dayong, women can leave their families and establish their own household registration, but... except for widows who are not accepted by the family, who would do that?"
Xue Zhiyi said, "What if I want to do this?"
Hearing this, Xue Runing's mouth opened wide: "But isn't Third Sister already engaged?"
What's more, she didn't understand. As the legitimate daughter of the Xue family, her third sister had always been respectable and lived well in this family. Why would she want to leave?
Xue Zhiyi didn't know how to explain this to her. He couldn't say he wanted to disobey the emperor's order, right? So he just asked her, "What about you? Compared to being married off to someone you don't know one day by your father, would you rather take the money and leave to start your own family?"
After blinking for a moment, Xue Runing slowly nodded after some hesitation. "Third sister, I think what you said makes sense. I don't want to be arranged to get married, and... I don't know why, but I always feel a little scared staying at home."
"Afraid?" Xue Zhiyi didn't understand what she meant.
Xue Runing nodded. "I've been to Fulufang these past few days and learned that many people in the world struggle to even get a full meal. I suddenly can't understand why the people in the Xue Mansion, who already live a better life than anyone else in the world, are still dissatisfied and continue to harm each other like this. Thinking about it at night gives me the chills."
She sighed and said, "Third sister, I want to leave."
Xue Zhiyi was also stunned for a moment, then he smiled comfortingly: "Don't be afraid, if the day comes that you set up your own business, I will accompany you. I don't want to stay here anymore."
Xue Runing's expression softened a bit, but she still couldn't help asking, "But Third Sister, are you really okay with this?"
Xue Zhiyi held his chin up and smiled slowly: "Of course I can."
…
Waterside Buddhist temple.
Fu Ling knelt in front of the kind-looking Guanyin statue, but he couldn't calm down the whole day.
Fu Rong, who was copying scriptures at the table next to her, thought to herself, "Mom, I wanted to go and talk to Dad today and tell him not to let others get into a rift with you, but before I could even open my mouth, that bitch Rong Ziying sent someone to invite me over, saying she was having morning sickness and wanted Dad to stay with her. How hypocritical."
Fu Ling paused fiddling with her Buddhist beads. She opened her eyes, a sinister look in them. "Ever since Rong Ziying passed the concubine ceremony and officially became a concubine, Master has been eager to stay in Zhefang Courtyard every day. Ever since that big fight with me at Anxian Residence that day, he hasn't seen me in over a month. It must be that bitch who's secretly instigating things."
A drop of ink from the tip of the pen fell onto the rice paper and dissolved.
Fu Rong was very upset: "Mom, we can't let this kind of person control us."
Fu Ling's forehead twitched. Facing the Guanyin statue, she clasped her palms together and raised them above her head in a bow. "The evil creature in her belly must not be born. If another Xue Tingliu is born, our family will truly become the domain of the Rong family."
Frowning, Fu Rong thought to herself, "My mother is still the head of the Xue Mansion. Wouldn't it be easy to get rid of an unborn bastard?"
But Fu Ling said bitterly, "You don't understand. That bitch is wary of me now. All her expenses are never paid through the official account. The master privately approves the money and has her confidants go out to buy things personally. We can't get involved at all."
Unexpectedly, Fu Rongxin suddenly smiled: "Is mother confused?"
Fu Ling was puzzled, and only heard Fu Rongxin say, "Mom, who said that smuggling accounts are watertight? On the contrary, if something goes wrong, it will clear us of suspicion."
Fu Ling was stunned: "Yeah..."
Fu Rongxin continued to copy the Buddhist scriptures: "Mom, don't worry, this is a small matter, I don't need to worry about it."
Suddenly, Mother Xing knocked on the door and said, "Madam, the palace has sent a letter to the third young lady."
Xue Zhiyi? Fu Ling's expression hardened a little: "Show it to me."
After reading it, she said indifferently, "It's Princess Anle. She invited Zhiyi to come to Jianzhang Palace for a chat in three days. She only asked Zhiyi to go by name. It must be a private banquet."
He also gave the post to Xing's mother and asked her to deliver it to Xue Zhiyi.
As soon as Mother Xing left, Fu Ling's mouth drooped. "She's capable. The last time she saved someone, she ended up getting hurt by the princess. She's just a smooth talker and good at flattery. It's a pity the princess fell for her tricks."
Fu Rongxin just smiled faintly and said nothing: Xue Zhiyi really likes to hang out with the dead. She is lucky to be able to save Jiang Xu. Does she really think that she can change the fate of the Queen Mother and the Princess?
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