"When you're in the palace, remember to be careful and don't let our lady suffer any injustice."
"Don't suffer in silence. If you have any problems, go to Qingsong. If that doesn't work, go and cry to the Empress. Just don't keep anything to yourself."
"besides……"
Fu Zhong followed beside the carriage, giving instructions to the woman who had been rescued, word by word.
Xiao Lanhua agreed to let her enter the palace, while Fuzhong stayed with her brother.
The female general never knew the real reason why Fu Zhong suddenly wanted to stay; she only knew that the little eunuch had grown up and wanted to make a future for himself.
Is there any better place than the palace? Why keep him in a cage here?
Fu Zhong was speaking when his face turned red and his ears became flushed. He looked up at the girl who was lifting the curtain; her name was now Qing Man.
Xiao Lanhua felt that any woman who could survive under such circumstances would have a full moon every day from now on.
"Qingman, wait until I make something of myself, then I'll come back and marry you."
Qingman frowned and said to Fuzhong with a serious expression.
"I don't have a problem with your status as a eunuch, but you're not dead yet, are you? We'll talk about it when you're dead."
"Do you really have to become a widow?"
"It's not impossible."
Qingsong rode ahead and laughed out loud, but there was only one person who was the most unhappy, and that was Xue Cheng.
It seems like Lan Hua just returned to his side yesterday, so why is she leaving today?
The man was reluctant to part and stayed by his beloved's side on horseback.
"If you send me any further, you'll have to send me back to Beijing."
Xue Cheng smiled. He was no longer young; he was now a grown man of thirty-four, no longer the naive boy he once was. He had shaved his beard because Xiao Lanhua was coming.
At least he looks much more pleasing to the eye than the emperor.
"I don't know when I'll see you again," the man said, looking at Xiao Lanhua.
The female general looked up at the azure sky.
“Xue Cheng, in the capital, I, Xiao Lanhua, am the most arrogant and domineering person who cares about face. I require three letters of introduction and six betrothal gifts, and an eight-bearer sedan chair. I cannot do without any of them.”
"One day I will marry you openly and honestly."
Hearing this, Xue Cheng's face flushed slightly.
They wouldn't have been so direct back then, but now...
At this age, one should be more passionate about matters of the heart.
Time waits for no one; more than ten years have already been wasted, and now both of them are hoping for it to pass quickly.
The man pulled on the reins; they were already at the border of Dongyu, and he couldn't go any further.
He looked at his childhood sweetheart and nodded.
"It definitely will."
Lan Hua gave him a flamboyant smile, squeezed her legs tightly around the horse's flanks, and said something nonchalantly.
"They're gone."
She's as flamboyant as ever, which is great.
Xue Cheng liked Xiao Lanhua's flamboyant and confident demeanor; she was born into a good family, which gave her the right to be so.
But instead of living off his savings, he followed his father and brothers into battle.
Her long sword was the source of her arrogance.
No matter the circumstances, she is like the most intense sunlight in the scorching summer, so bright that people can't open their eyes.
There's something interesting happening in the capital lately, something that's really getting those merchants excited again.
"It's another selection of imperial merchants. Will your Xu family participate this time?"
Lady Hou held the child in her arms, while Xiangxiang sat on the floor, holding a needle knife and pricking the rabbit.
Xu Zheng poured the woman a glass of water and replied.
"Look at Qiu Shui, the Xu family is now under her control."
"Hou Xiangxiang, I told you not to harm things, why are you still stabbing the rabbit?"
“Mother, you don’t understand. Animals also have acupoints, and you can use them to treat their illnesses. If you do it right, you can cure them.”
Lady Hou nodded, but she hesitated to ask, "Could you please not prick your two-year-old sister in front of her?"
With the influence of Hou Xiangxiang, Long'er, and Da Ni'er, what kind of person will this child grow up to be?
Other people's children usually call their mother first, or their father, or at least their maternal grandparents. Our child, on the other hand, calls his sister first.
Calling her "sister" is one thing, but look at how bright and shiny Xiangxiang's needles and scalpels are, and how she stretches out her hand every day, babbling and begging.
"Then let's have the Hou family join in the fun this time."
Xu Zheng nodded.
"Sure, I'll find out which other companies are coming. Knowing yourself and your enemy is the key to victory."
Xu Zheng's face was not unfamiliar in the capital. He was a former imperial merchant, and his air of wealth made it clear that he came from a wealthy family.
The next day, Xu Zheng was recognized at the restaurant that He Qingzhu and the Wang family of Beining jointly owned.
"Master Xu? Long time no see. You've come to the capital this time, also to select imperial merchants?"
The man shook his head.
"No, my daughter is here."
Since Madam Hou hadn't given her word yet, Xu Zheng couldn't very well say, "My wife is here," or he might not even be allowed to enter the house.
"If the Xu family doesn't participate in the election, then our Ning family has nothing to fear."
I heard that the Ning family is related to the Minister of Rites, whose daughter is the current Empress. No wonder they are so confident; they certainly have a powerful backer.
However, Xu Zheng had just inquired about it.
"The Wang family of Beining and the He family of Pingyang still have some strength. Patriarch Ning should be more cautious."
The man sat down next to Xu Zheng, poured himself a glass of wine, and said with a self-satisfied air.
"These two families have no backing. For us in business, the most important thing is the imperial court..."
The man didn't continue speaking, but simply pointed to the top of his head.
That means having talented people in the court makes things easier.
Xu Zheng covered his face with his hands and didn't reply.
Well, how should I put it? They both know perfectly well who they're backing. Which business doesn't have the Prince of Zhenbei involved? Even the Xu family can't escape it now.
His father, as if possessed, sent over silver notes every month.
If Yingying can't send it there, then give it to the Prince of Zhenbei; it's all the same anyway.
“Brother Ning, I must take my leave now. I have a young child at home, and I need to go back and check on him.”
"That's not fair, Patriarch Xu. When will you have another son?"
Xu Zhengzhen didn't want to pay attention to him. What did he mean by "again"? If I could openly hold a banquet, wouldn't I be able to do so?
Yes, that's what Patriarch Ning thinks too.
Even if it's a child born from a mistress, it's still your own child. Xu Zheng is already this age, so this can be considered having a child late in life. Isn't he happy?
If it were him, he would have put on a three-day, three-night feast.
If the child's birth mother has a low social status, she can simply take the child to live with her parents to raise.
Therefore, Patriarch Ning did not understand why Xu Zheng did not celebrate.
“I…this child takes her mother’s surname.”
"A princess?"
It took the Ning family head a while to finally manage to utter this sentence.
Don't be fooled by the fact that the Xu family, once imperial merchants, were later dismissed. Only those in the business world truly know how ruthless Xu Zheng was back then.
He is decisive and ruthless, yet somehow insidious, but you can't bring yourself to hate him.
In other words, Xu Zheng is a person with principles.
"No, Brother Ning, don't make wild guesses. When the opportunity arises in a while, I, Xu, will definitely throw a grand banquet and send you an invitation."
The head of the Ning family stared blankly at Xu Zheng's hurried back, then slowly sat down on the stool.
This time it's a bit more difficult.
The woman who could make Xu Zheng marry into his family must be either rich or noble. If Xu Qiushui also participates in the imperial merchant selection this time, things will get complicated.
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