The "second old lady" in Wen's mouth is Tao, Li Xu's cousin and the widow of the late Chief Envoy Li Yuegui, who has the imperial title of a third-grade lady.
She also has another identity, that is, the mother-in-law of Jiangning Weaving Cao Yin.
The Li family was an ordinary family among the elites. There was only one member of the family who was in charge of the world affairs, but two important officials were born one after another, namely Li Shizhen, Li Xu's father, and Li Yuegui, Li Xu's uncle.
The former can achieve the rank of second-rank governor, while the latter can participate in politics from the third rank.
Although Li Shizhen and Li Yuegui were cousins in name, they were actually raised in the same family.
Li Yuegui lost his father when he was three years old and was raised by his uncle Li Xiquan.
Li Xiquan is Li Xu's righteous grandfather.
Because his adopted son and raised nephew have become talented, Li Xiquan was praised by Emperor Shizu.
Li Yuegui was not very old and died in office in the 21st year of Kangxi's reign.
He had two sons, both with ordinary qualifications. They were both students of the Imperial College, but they did not pursue official careers like Li Xu.
Now the whole family is attached to Li Xu's home.
Li Xu was a little stunned, sighed and said, "I'm going to meet my aunt..."
Wenshi sighed and said, "Go ahead and talk nicely. Your aunt is not stupid."
Li Xu smiled bitterly and went to the east wing.
In the east wing, Tao Shuren was also worshiping Buddha. She looked to be about the same age as Wen, already in her sixties.
She is Li Yuegui's stepmother, but because her first wife left early, she married into the Li family around the same time as the Wen family, and the two sisters have always been close to each other.
This was also the reason why she stayed with her nephew's family instead of relying on her son-in-law's family.
Seeing Li Xu coming, Tao Shuren put down the rosary.
Li Xu said respectfully: "Auntie..."
The two families have a deep connection.
At that time, the Eight Banners entered the customs and the world gradually became peaceful. Li Shizhen also passed the Eight Banners' talent examination and was sent to Changlu as a judge, so he sent people back to his hometown in Shandong to inquire about the whereabouts of his relatives.
As a result, the original wife, Mrs. Wang, was still in the family. She was filial to her mother-in-law and raised her brother-in-law.
Li Xu was not yet born at that time, so the Li family's daughter-in-law, Wen, who had decided to marry outside the customs, was in an embarrassing situation.
Later, it was Li Yuegui and his wife who came forward and negotiated with the Jiang family. They respected Wang's status as the first wife, and at the same time, in accordance with customs outside the customs, Wen was the second wife.
The children born to them are all legitimate children.
Later, when Li Shizhen's rank became higher and higher, and he also applied for imperial edict for the Wang family, he wanted to rehabilitate his legitimate concubine.
It was still Li Yuegui who came forward to support Wen's mother and son.
Li Yuegui, who was working abroad, wrote a letter to Li's father and asked for a place in Yinsheng for Li Xu.
At that time, it was also a precaution, so as not to be suppressed or flattered by the aunt's mother, and to come out as soon as possible to pursue a future.
This is why even though they are separated by a room, the two families are still as close as flesh and blood.
Mrs. Tao looked at Li Xu and said, "You are not on duty in front of the emperor. How come you have time to come here?"
Li Xu pointed to the guest house next to him, and said with helplessness: "Auntie, the ninth elder brother sent someone to warn my nephew that where the saint is stationed, no outsiders should be strictly prohibited from entering or exiting."
Mrs. Tao was silent for a while and said, "Do you think my old lady is too nosy?"
Li Xu said: "Aunt, today is different from the past..."
It turns out that "showing beauty" was the suggestion given by this lady.
Tao's mother-in-law was also born in Baoyi. Even though she followed her husband to work abroad in her early years, she never stopped hearing news from the capital.
Regardless of whether they are the old ones in the Three Banners or the new ones in the Three Banners, the ups and downs of the family are always connected with the emperor's harem.
When Li Shizhen was appointed governor of Guangdong, he had no intention of relying on his eldest son. On the contrary, he had the intention of suppressing him, preventing him from being promoted to the magistrate for ten years.
Tao Shuren's two sons were young at the time. After losing her husband, she took her son with her and went to live with Wen's mother and son. Later, she gave Li Xu the idea of "presenting beauty".
As a result, Li Xu returned to the Ministry of Internal Affairs from being sent out to the prefecture, and returned to Beijing to serve as the general manager of Changchun Garden, and then was sent out to weave for Suzhou.
Tao sighed and said: "Xudong, tomorrow is the Wanshou Festival..."
Xudong is Li Xu's character.
Li Xu had a delicate heart and understood immediately.
It is now the thirty-eighth year of Kangxi's reign, and the emperor is one year older than him, already forty-six years old.
"Auntie doesn't like the prince?"
Li Xu hesitated and asked.
Tao said: "It is said that 'the royal family values the eldest son and the common people love the youngest son'. I think that sometimes it is just the opposite... Everyone knows that Suo'etu is the pillar of the 'princeling party'. As long as the emperor still cares about the East Palace, he will not Suo'etu will be put to death."
Even though the old lady had a low status in her early years, she still experienced three dynasties.
When the Eight Banners fights among themselves, it is rare for them to really lose their heads.
Especially top-to-bottom cleaning.
Li Xu thought for a while, then shook his head and said: "It's too hasty now, it's too early to 'bet' now."
Mrs. Tao said calmly, "That's by the way. The main thing is that Mr. Wang has a natal family..."
If the Wang family behaves in a responsible manner and is satisfied from top to bottom, then the flesh-and-blood relationship will be closer than the relationship between them and the noble Wang.
Only if the Wang family is shown to be vulgar, the emperor will not like it, and the noble Wang family will not want to get close to them, will they continue to rely on the Li family.
In recent years, the Li family, as the royal family's "maternal family", has sent thousands of taels of silver to the palace every year.
After more than ten years, you can make a silver man.
Now, seeing that the prince born to the Wang family has stood up, he has also been given the title of nobleman. When the two elder brothers are older and have higher qualifications, they will become a concubine.
"The two princes who guard the royal family well and occupy the title of 'uncle' will protect the Li family's wealth for two generations!"
Tao said seriously.
Li Xu had a look of shame on his face and said, "My nephew didn't think too much and let my aunt worry about it."
For the sake of the Li family, we really cannot let the Wang family come forward.
Li Xu had not paid much attention to the Wang family before. He felt that they were just ordinary people in the market. Even if Wang Guiren cared about his family's kindness and was willing to get close to him, he could not bring him up and could not take his place.
But there is another generation.
His eldest son is young and is now making haha beads next to his fifteenth elder brother.
Although the two are master and servant, they still have the identity of "cousin". As long as there are no mistakes in the future, a guard will have no future.
If the Wang family followed Shengjia to Beijing and replaced him, it would be hard to predict the future.
However, Li Xu was also a little curious and said: "Auntie, this time the Holy Emperor visited the south, he brought seven princes with him, plus the two 'receivers', there are nine..."
Li Xu saw them all, but Tao didn't see any of them.
However, except for the tenth elder brother, the other elder brothers are all from the concubines of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and they are also watched in private.
Mrs. Tao pondered for a moment and then said: "Last year, the emperor divided the princes among them. There were six in one batch. Even if the ones behind him are mature, they still have a seniority gap with the ones in front. There is no way to honor six brothers and kings!"
The implication of this is that if the East Palace is unstable, the follow-up candidates will be among the six.
The reason why Li Xu listened to this aunt's opinion was because Mrs. Tao came from a scholarly family, and her ancestors were from a scholarly family. She was not like ordinary women who had knowledge at the door.
Li Yuegui's grandfather was the commander of the central defense in the late Ming Dynasty. He was captured along with his close aides and put into prison.
His staff member was Tao's grandfather. Both families were Han Chinese, and they were related to each other. They had been married for generations and relied on each other.
In the early years of Tao's husband's life, in addition to being a virtuous wife, she also served as her husband's staff.
There are six candidate princes, except the seventh prince who is born with a disability, and the fifth prince who is stupid and disfigured. The remaining four princes are the princes.
Li Xu was very calm.
It’s still early, let’s see in ten years.
He himself was in the prime of life, so he certainly knew what his situation was like.
It doesn't mean that just because you say you're "old", you're really old. You'll still have plenty of energy within three or five years.
After leaving here, Li Xu did not ask for help. Instead, he personally went outside the prince's courtyard where the first few princes were temporarily staying and asked the guards to send a message asking to see the ninth elder brother.
Brother Ninth was not idle either.
Just as the things from Wanbao Pavilion arrived, he asked someone to pack out a portion of each item, and asked He Yuzhu and Xiao Chun to hold it while he and Shu Shu came out.
Since we are going to the female relatives, even if they are all elders, there is a difference of several decades, and it does not hinder the defense between men and women, it is more convenient for Shu Shu to explain, especially since many of the things purchased are for women.
As soon as he left the courtyard, he saw Li Xu there. Brother Jiu greeted him: "Why are you here? Are you here to find Prince Zhi or Qibele?"
The eldest brother and the seventh brother are responsible for the security of the Weaving Palace in Suzhou these days.
Li Xu hurriedly said: "This servant is here to find Master Jiu..."
Having said this, he glanced at Shu Shu next to him with hesitation.
Brother Jiu said: "Let me ask you clearly, who is the one who stayed? The place here is not big. There are so many princes and prince Fujin in front of us. What should we do if they collide?"
Li Xu smiled bitterly and said: "It was the Wang family who couldn't bear to part with the nobleman and took the initiative to keep the nobleman's niece. My mother was not around at the time, so my aunt agreed so she didn't want to offend anyone. Just now, the servant had sent my wife to the guest room, and now she is packing her luggage. After a while, I will send them there myself.”
Brother Jiu frowned and said, "Even if your parents are noble people, they are ordinary people. How dare you be so arrogant?"
It is not a secret that Li Xu supports his widowed cousin.
Even though there is no successor in the Li family, Aunt Li still has the title of a third-grade lady.
Li Xu remained silent.
Brother Jiu glanced at him and said more directly: "Khan Ama treats his son kindly and treats the prince's mother-in-law with kindness. You must know this well and don't be tempted to burn bridges."
Li Xu said with gratitude: "Thank you, Master Jiu, for your suggestion. I will take note of it."
Brother Jiu nodded and said, "I and Fujin are going to the Queen Mother first. You should be busy first. We can talk when we are free."
Li Xu bowed in agreement and watched Jiu Age and his wife leave.
Shu Shu felt like there was grass growing in her heart.
Li Xu's widowed aunt?
Isn't that Cao Yin's mother-in-law and Cao Yong's grandmother? !
To be honest, Li Xu has no blood relationship with the Li family. Instead, he has several cousins left by his uncle in his hometown in Changyi, Shandong.
Li Xu had an ordinary relationship with his aunt, Mrs. Wang, but he seemed to have a good relationship with several of his cousins.
Later generations of red fans also verified that many family letters were from Li Xu and several cousins.
On the contrary, the Li family was truly in decline.
Li Yuegui was a third-rank official, but his two sons were unknown.
On the other hand, Li Gege, who lives in the backyard of Fourth Elder Brother, was also born in the Ministry of Internal Affairs and was the daughter of the prefect Li Wenye.
Li Wenye's name is the same as Li Yuegui's two sons. Some people speculated that they were related to each other, but they didn't know whether it was true or not...
*
I check the information endlessly, always trying to figure out the relationship. Tomorrow won't be so late. Then, quietly ask for a guaranteed monthly ticket
Attachment: The next update will be at 12:00 on November 2. Welcome to Qidian APP to read.
(End of chapter)
