Zhang Guangdao frowned slightly when he heard that he was going to sacrifice his granddaughter. It's not that he didn't want to, it was because the emperor's temperament was complicated and difficult to predict. In addition, the court battles were complicated. The Zhang family women were involved in it. Instead of reaping any benefits, they caused a lot of trouble.
It may even involve the Zhang family.
Besides, if a granddaughter marries the emperor, she will be an ordinary concubine at best, and may not get any benefits. It would be more realistic and practical to stay at home and get married locally.
In the long run, marrying Zhao Shan is a good idea.
Zhang Guangdao didn't dare to gamble.
Zhang Guangdao had a smile on his face and said with a smile: "Nephew Gu Xian, it's not that I don't want to, it's because this girl Yingxue has an impatient temper and can easily say the wrong thing. On weekdays, that's it at home. That's it when by the emperor's side. Every word must be carefully considered. A little carelessness may lead to big trouble. If she goes to the emperor's side, she might cause trouble for us."
Gu Xianxiong smiled and said: "Mr. Zhang, please don't be humble."
Zhang Guangdao said: "This is not modesty."
Gu Xianxiong smiled and said: "I heard that Miss Yingxue is as beautiful as a woman, resourceful, and good at dancing. She is a rare woman. Wouldn't it be a pity for such a woman not to take a look from a higher place?"
Zhang Guangdao was silent for a while.
Go to high places?
Zhang Guangdao didn't make up his mind for a while, so he looked at Yu Yong and said: "I remember that there was a poppy in the Yu family, named Yu Qinghuan. She was gentle and virtuous, good at playing the piano, and she was both beautiful and wise. I'm afraid it would be better if Yu Qinghuan went to the emperor's side."
Yu Yong's biological sister is Yu Qinghuan.
Just turned twenty.
The family is choosing a husband for Yu Qinghuan, but has not thought about it yet.
Yu Yong had no worries and said: "If you don't have a suitable candidate, my sister can give it a try. But I heard that His Majesty the Emperor has high vision, and my little sister is not good at words, a little clumsy, and not popular, so His Majesty may not like her." Little sister.”
Seeing that Zhang Guangdao and Yu Yong were both modest and dissatisfied, Zhou Xin said, "Don't refuse."
Zhang Guangdao asked: "What does nephew Zhou Xian mean?"
Yu Yong also looked over.
Zhou Xin snorted and said in a deep voice: "If I were a direct descendant of the Zhou family and had a suitable woman, I would have sent her to her long ago, and it would be your turn to be gibbering. It's really hard to talk."
"In my opinion, don't hesitate and refuse, and send both Zhang Yingxue and Yu Qinghuan. For us, the Yangzhou family, as long as we can choose one, that would be great."
"If you are lucky and your Majesty keeps both Zhang Yingxue and Yu Qinghuan, that will be an opportunity for us as a wealthy family in Yangzhou."
"One of the two people can give birth to a dragon son for the emperor. With the dragon son, our Yangzhou family is different. We can devote all our resources to support him."
"When the prince comes of age in the future, it will be an opportunity."
"If we want to seize the direct descendants in the future, we can participate. Or if the prince can be crowned King of Wu and strive to conquer Yangzhou, won't our Yangzhou clan have more opportunities? The world is about to be unified, so we need to think about the long term."
Zhou Xin said in a deep voice: "This is all on the surface. What do you refuse to do? I think two people are the most suitable."
Bai Wanli's eyes lit up, and he echoed: "Master Zhou said it well. They say food and sex are the same. The emperor is also a human being, and he also lusts after women. Our Majesty is very interested in women."
Gu Xianxiong expressed his position: "Brother Zhang and Brother Yu, I think we can give it a try."
Yu Yong hesitated for a moment, nodded and said: "I have no objection, I will convince my little sister."
Zhang Guangdao saw that everyone was looking at him. It involved the collective interests of the Yangzhou clan and he couldn't refuse. He nodded and said, "That's it. I'll go back and make arrangements."
Gu Xianxiong praised: "Zhang Gong and Brother Yu understand the righteousness, and I admire them. We have decided to donate women, and then we will involve issues of population, land, food and money."
"Food and money are destined to die. There is nothing much to say."
"Population and land, I say it again."
"Don't make false claims early, don't think about keeping anything, and be sure to do things in a disciplined manner. Our Emperor is not a blind man. He is ruthless and extremely capable. He cannot deceive the Emperor."
Gu Xianxiong said solemnly: "Once the emperor deals with this matter, all the efforts made will be in vain. When the time comes when something goes wrong for our family, don't blame us for not saving him. Facing the powerful emperor, each family has no choice but to hide and protect themselves. road."
Zhang Guangdao said: "I know."
Yu Yong, Bai Wanli and Zhou Xin all agreed, and people from major families also expressed their agreement.
After deciding on the strategy, Gu Xianxiong said: "Zhang Gong and Brother Yu will go back to make arrangements first, and make sure that Yingxue and Qing Huan have no objections, and then tell me. This matter requires your consent. Once I reported it to His Majesty, you came out." It will be troublesome if something unexpected happens.”
Zhang Guangdao and Yu Yong agreed again.
Everyone left.
Zhang Guangdao went straight back to the Zhang family and arranged for someone to call his granddaughter Zhang Yingxue.
Zhang Yingxue is in her early twenties. She is a typical Jiangnan woman. She has the graceful temperament of a Jiangnan woman. She has a graceful figure. The waist is restrained by the belt, which reveals her voluptuous waist. It also highlights the voluptuous breasts of her upper body. In addition, her temperament is extremely outstanding. It makes her beautiful.
Her eyes were bright and sparkling with a different kind of light, highlighting her strong energy and ambition.
Zhang Yingxue comes from a big family, but she is unwilling to be ordinary and is a motivated woman.
She is good at long sleeve dance.
In Wuxian County in the south of the Yangtze River, Zhang Yingxue was famous for her good dancing and was known as the Dancing Fairy. Compared with Yu Qinghuan's Qin Fairy, Zhang Yingxue is gentler and more graceful. In the eyes of outsiders, Zhang Yingxue is not as cold as Yu Qinghuan, and her personality is more gentle.
Zhang Yingxue saw Zhang Guangdao and saluted: "Grandpa!"
Zhang Guangdao said: "I'm informing you today that my family plans to arrange for you and Yu Qinghuan to enter the palace to serve His Majesty and become a concubine in the palace. What do you think?"
Zhang Yingxue was stunned for a moment.
Entering the palace as a concubine?
This was something she had never thought of. Her previous idea was to marry into a big family in Yangzhou to gain a foothold, and then rely on her own abilities to make the family strong and show her own abilities.
Now, it’s time to enter the palace!
After Zhang Yingxue came back to her senses, she had an unprecedented thought in her heart. Entering the palace meant jumping out of the well of Yangzhou and completely becoming a master.
She would rather cry in the deep palace than laugh in a small door.
She wanted to climb up.
Zhang Guangdao saw Zhang Yingxue's hesitant look and asked, "Why, are you unwilling?"
Zhang Yingxue said without hesitation: "Grandpa, I am willing to go. My father died young, and it was my grandfather who raised his granddaughter. Compared with other families, our Zhang family is lagging behind now, and we need our granddaughter to cheer up the Zhang family."
"Okay, it's my granddaughter."
Zhang Guangdao had a smile on his face.
On weekdays, he didn't have much contact with Zhang Yingxue, but he also paid attention to Zhang Yingxue. He never lacked Zhang Yingxue's financial supply and always tried his best to cultivate Zhang Yingxue.
Unexpectedly, Zhang Yingxue has a big heart.
Zhang Guangdao said: "You have such aspirations and ambitions. Who says that daughters are inferior to men? Maybe my Zhang family can also produce a noble concubine."
Zhang Yingxue said softly: "Grandpa, if my granddaughter wants to move forward, she cannot do without your full support, and she still needs your support."
Zhang Guangdao said: "As long as you have this ability, the Zhang family will have no choice but to support you. Not only that, the Yangzhou family will also support you with all their strength, because you are our hope."
Zhang Yingxue said softly: "Grandpa, as the Zhang family, my granddaughter naturally has the duty to revitalize the family. However, my granddaughter has a small request."
Zhang Guangdao was greatly relieved and said with a smile: "But it doesn't matter."
Zhang Yingxue said: "My father has a son and a daughter. I am the eldest daughter, and I have a younger brother, Zhang Minghan. He has just turned eighteen, so he is not young. He should do something within his ability and not sit idle all day."
"Can you ask my grandfather to arrange something for my little brother to do? Let him have some experience early so that he can hone his temperament and improve his abilities. In the future, my granddaughter will gain power and my little brother will have a chance."
Zhang Guangdao's eyes lit up.
He was not surprised by Zhang Yingxue's words, but by Zhang Yingxue's thoughts and methods.
Zhang Yingxue did not simply plan for Zhang Minghan.
On the one hand, Zhang Yingxue sacrificed herself for the family and made a condition to Zhang Guangdao. Zhang Guangdao would naturally agree to appease Zhang Yingxue. This kind of agreement may be just thrown aside and ignored, and Zhang Minghan will not be cultivated if he is given something to do.
In order for Zhang Guangdao to vigorously cultivate Zhang Minghan, Zhang Yingxue specifically mentioned the second aspect.
That is, after Zhang Yingxue gains power, she will use her own people, and she will use Zhang Minghan. At that time, one person will be able to ascend to heaven, and Zhang Minghan will have the opportunity to soar to the sky.
For the prosperity of the Zhang family, Zhang Guangdao must do his best to train Zhang Minghan so that when the opportunity comes, Zhang Minghan will be competent.
Zhang Guangdao flicked his sleeve and said, "Yingxue, as long as you can become the emperor's woman, I will make Zhang Minghan the heir of the Zhang family and train him with all my strength."
"Thank you, Grandpa!"
Zhang Yingxue thanked her without hesitation,
Zhang Guangdao talked clearly, asked Zhang Yingxue to wait, turned around and left Zhang's house for Gu Xianxiong's house.
…
Yu family, in the backyard.
The melodious music of the piano resounded throughout the courtyard.
One moment the piano sound is melodious and graceful, another moment the piano sound is majestic and intense, and in the blink of an eye it becomes cheerful and lively again. The sudden change of the piano sound is not jerky or sluggish at all.
Everything is so silky smooth.
The person playing the piano is a petite woman, nearly twenty years old.
She is not tall, at most 160 centimeters, with a baby face, pure and cute, without any impetuousness or philistine, everything seems so natural.
This is like a lotus root that emerges from the mud but remains unstained.
Fresh and refined.
This is Yu Qinghuan.
Yu Qinghuan is Yu Yong's sister and a compatriot, but she is just the daughter of an old mother who was born only in her forties.
Yu Yong also loves this sister very much.
While Yu Qing was playing the piano happily, Yu Yong quietly came to the yard, listened to the joy of the music, felt the beauty of the music, washed away all the impetuousness, and showed a light smile on his face.
After the music ended, Yu Yong walked over to Yu Qinghuan and sat down.
Yu Qinghuan saw Yu Yong coming back and said happily: "Brother, why are you back?"
The sound is clear and crisp, like big beads and small beads falling on a jade plate.
There is no delicate softness, only crisp joy, which makes people unconsciously happy and reduces a lot of depression.
Yu Yong looked at the innocent Yu Qinghuan, hesitated for a moment and said: "Qinghuan, eldest brother has chosen a marriage for you."
Yu Qinghuan was stunned for a moment.
Immediately, Yu Qinghuan laughed and said: "The male is the one to get married, the female is the one to get married. It's the eldest brother's choice. I believe in the eldest brother."
Yu Yong said: "Aren't you worried?"
Yu Qinghuan smiled and said, "I believe in brother."
Yu Yong felt a little uncomfortable and said truthfully: "The emperor has been chosen to send you to the palace as his concubine. The person who will enter the palace with you is Zhang Yingxue of the Zhang family, but this matter has not been determined yet and requires His Majesty's consent. . If His Majesty does not agree, it will be in vain."
Yu Qinghuan still said: "I listen to big brother."
Yu Yong asked: "Silly girl, aren't you worried?"
Yu Qinghuan tilted her little head, her big black and shiny eyes blinked, and said with a smile: "I believe in the arrangement of eldest brother. Besides, who is not married to someone else? Marrying an ordinary person brings the worries of ordinary people."
"Marrying into a big family, being in a big family, and having big family struggles."
"I am married to the emperor. Although the emperor has three palaces and six courtyards, the emperor will not come to me when there are many people. Aren't I pure and at ease?"
"I think it's pretty good."
Yu Qinghuan thought simply and said: "No matter who you marry, there is nothing easy. In comparison, marrying the emperor can help your eldest brother, and I won't have any trouble. Isn't it great?"
Yu Yong couldn't help but laugh. This silly sister of hers was so naive.
Such a desireless attitude might make Yu Qinghuan's life more comfortable.
Yu Yong said: "I understand my little sister's attitude. I will reply to Gu Xianxiong and ask him to make arrangements."
Yu Qinghuan said: "Brother, go and get busy."
Yu Yong left the Yu family directly. Yu Qinghuan looked at Yu Yong's leaving figure and thought for a moment, then regained his composure and concentrated on playing the strings.
When Yu Yong arrived at Gu's house, Zhang Guangdao also arrived. The two of them replied to Gu Xianxiong that there was no problem in getting married.
Gu Xianxiong received a clear answer and said: "Gong Zhang and Brother Yu, please wait a moment. I will go to see your majesty and listen to your majesty's instructions."
After saying that, he left.
Gu Xianxiong went to Prince Wu's Mansion to ask for an audience, and successfully met Zhao Shan. He saluted and said, "Gu Xianxiong pays homage to your majesty."
Zhao Shan said: "You came here to ask for a meeting. Could it be that the Gu family and other big families intend to break their promises and not abide by the agreement?"
Gu Xianxiong said quickly: "Your Majesty, please rest assured that the materials and money promised before are already in preparation. All the population and land will be inventoried."
"I have come down to see your majesty. Your majesty has no one to serve you in Wu County. After discussion with the various major clans in Yangzhou, they recommended two stunning women to serve your majesty."
Gu Xianxiong cupped his hands and said, "I wonder what your Majesty wants?"
