Zhuge Weidao never expected that his house in Goulan Hutong would be so magnificent. Accompanied by his brother Zhuge Weixue, he rode a four-wheeled carriage and headed there with two large boxes of luggage.
As soon as I turned into the alley, I saw a big mansion with a sign of Zhuge Mansion hanging on the door. There is also a Tsing Yi bandana at the door, which is used by family members to sweep away the dust. When they saw the two brothers Zhuge Weidao and Zhuge Weixue getting off the carriage, they all quickly bowed and saluted.
A tall middle-aged man with a springy face, wearing a long robe and a scarf came out of the door. He clasped his fists and saluted. On the way here, Zhuge Weidao had already heard from his brother that he had a steward named Yu, named De, and named Xiaoqian. He was a descendant of Lao Yu, an old minister of the Zhuge family. With such a background, it is not difficult to become an official, but this man is "non-mainstream". He likes literature and drama, can write well, can sing on stage, and can write his own notebooks. He is a cultural person. . This has to be postponed until the Ming Dynasty, and it may be possible to be admitted to the Juren or Jinshi. However, because of Zhuge Wu Zhongwang, this dynasty regards mathematics and physics as its prominent learning. Although there are also liberal arts majors in universities, liberal arts students can also work as secretaries. But this member of the Yu family didn't want to be constrained by that. When he was young, while the old man was still in power, he played opera with people everywhere, but he never became a character. Later, the old man died, and he was bullied by his brothers at home. He didn't get any inheritance, so he was a little depressed. But for some unknown reason, Zhuge Weidao (the original one) actually offered him a high salary and hired him as his disciple, and also made him a housekeeper.
But now Zhuge Weidao knows that the original "himself" is a fox that has become a spirit, so it must make sense for him to be so kind to the housekeeper... This Yu De must be his confidant!
So Zhuge Weidao also bowed his hands to Yu Xiaoqian: "Xiaoqian, is everything okay at home?"
"Okay, okay, everything is fine at home." Yu Xiaoqian looked at Zhuge Weidao with some worry, "Dong Weng, yesterday Baozhi and Mu Ru came over and said that your head was injured and you forgot many things?"
"Indeed," Zhuge Weidao nodded and sighed, "Xiao Qian, I will have to ask you for advice later."
"Dong Weng, what you said is exaggerated." As Yu De spoke, he called two servants, carried Zhuge Weidao's luggage in, and then made a "please come in" gesture to ask for it. Bring the two brothers Zhuge Weidao and Weixue into the house.
But Zhuge Weixue said to his brother: "Daozi, Yu brother has something to do, so he won't go in... You have a good night's rest. Something will happen tomorrow. In addition, if there is anything you don't remember, feel free to ask filial piety." Qian, he knows everything.”
Know everything?
Be sure to ask!
When Zhuge Weidao thought of this, he stopped being polite to his brother, said goodbye to him, and then followed Yu De into the house alone.
Entering the house, Zhuge Weidao couldn't help but sigh in his heart - it's so big! Thinking about the housing prices in Beijing two hundred years from now, just this house, I really don’t know how many small targets it will cost? Even now, the price of this house is probably quite high, right?
This Zhuge family...it's so easy to make money by opening a cheat!
After sighing with emotion, he wandered around his house again with his hands behind his back. He had to take a good look at his property. This house occupies a really large area. It is not an ordinary courtyard house at all, but a courtyard within a courtyard. There are small gardens one after another. Every plant and tree is carefully thought out. There is also the faint sound of horses and mules neighing in the back. There are four male servants in the house, all of them are tall and strong. There were five maidservants, all from the East. When they saw Zhuge passing by, they all bowed respectfully.
Zhuge Weidao knew that those Japanese maidservants were specially trained by the Zhuge family to serve their masters. They were not only proficient in housework, but also well-behaved and obedient. In addition, they are all illiterate and can do nothing but serve their masters. It is difficult for them to survive independently after leaving the Zhuge family.
Of course, the Zhuge family will also support them in their old age and bury them, so that they can live a lifetime of food and clothing. Therefore, these Japanese maidservants are also very loyal to the Zhuge family, and have no impression of the country where they were born.
Most of the maids in Zhuge Weidao's family were elderly. Only one looked young and beautiful, so Military Advisor Zhu took another look. Yu De next to him smiled and came up to her, "Dong Weng, that's Ah Li." , she was just delivered at noon today, she is only sixteen years old, would you like to arrange for her to serve you tonight..."
Zhuge Weidao immediately understood that this was one of the benefits of a military advisor!
It’s so feudal! No wonder King Wu Zhong in the painting is so angry.
"No, I just want to have a good rest." Zhuge Weidao looked at Ah Li again, it was really good!
Yu De smiled and said: "Yes, yes, you have to go to the palace to see the Queen Mother tomorrow!"
Zhuge Weidao was stunned. What does this have to do with meeting the Queen Mother?
Thinking of this, he looked around and found that no one else was present, so he lowered his voice and asked, "Xiao Qian, do I have a good relationship with the Queen Mother?"
"Okay!" Yu De said with a smile, "The Queen Mother is your god-sister, and the Queen Mother's brother Zheng Guoxian is your brother... Just now, Mr. Zheng's family came here to inquire and asked if you had responded. Home!"
"Then the Queen Mother and I..." Zhuge Weidao always felt that there was something wrong with his relationship with the Queen Mother, "Are we... particularly close?"
Yu De nodded and said: "Yes, you two are very close! You two are family friends. You have known each other since childhood and are very close. Although she is six years older than you, you two can still play together."
This doesn’t sound right!
Zhuge Weidao frowned and thought to himself: "Will this Zhuge Weidao have anything to do with the Queen Mother..."
Just as he was about to inquire more carefully with Yu De, a family member suddenly ran in like flying in and saluted Zhuge Weidao: "Second Master, the thirty-eighth master of the Zheng family is here."
The thirty-eighth master of the Zheng family?
As soon as Zhuge Weidao heard the number of "Master", he had a headache. Why are these numbers so big? I am the One Hundred and Eighth Master, and now here comes the Thirty-Eighth Master Zheng... How many "Masters" have these eight aristocratic families produced in total over the past 100 years?
Seeing Zhuge Weidao in a daze, Yu De knew that he had forgotten who Master Zheng Sanba was?
"Dong Weng," Yu De said with a smile, "Zheng Sanba is the Queen Mother's biological brother Zheng Guoxian, also known as Shenshan... He is also a major of Jin Yiwei, the imperial guard."
"Then I have to welcome him..." Zhuge Weidao knew that he could not avoid this person, even if he had no impression of Master Zheng Sanba in his mind.
As for the Queen Mother Zheng, she couldn't hide from her. Natalie was in her hands!
So he straightened his robes and said to De Dao, "Get ready for the family banquet."
"yes."
...
"Brother Daozi, brother Daozi, do you still recognize my little brother?"
When a white-faced scholar with handsome features and a mustache saw Zhuge Weidao coming out of the mansion, he clasped his fists and asked loudly.
Of course Zhuge Weidao didn't recognize this pretty boy with an unshaved beard, but he still smiled and cupped his hands and said: "Holy Mountain, Brother Yu suffered a head injury and forgot many things, but I still remember you as a good brother."
"That's great!" This pretty boy was of course Zheng Guoxian from the Zheng family. He looked Zhuge Weidao up and down and said with a smile, "Brother Daozi's injury is better?"
"The injury has healed," Zhuge Weidao said with a smile, "but the memory has not been completely restored...Brother Shenshan, this is not the place to talk, please come inside! You and I haven't seen each other for many days. Have a good drink today." Serve a few cups.”
"Okay, okay, I'll excuse you." As he spoke, Zheng Guoxian took a box from the accompanying servant and handed it to Yu De with a smile, who came out with Zhuge Weidao. Needless to say, he knew what was inside. It must be some kind of tonic like ginseng or deer antler.
After Zheng Guoxian delivered the tonic, he and Zhuge Weidao held hands and entered the mansion together - it was he who took the initiative to hold hands with Zhuge Weidao. Zhuge Weidao was still a little unaccustomed to it, two grown men... ...and their hands are not tender. Both of them have calluses on their hands. They are obviously martial arts practitioners who often practice martial arts and shooting.
It's still early now and it's not time for dinner. So the two men sat in the second hall, drinking tea and talking. The person who was there to accompany me was the new Ah Li.
Of course Zheng Guoxian also knew the rules of the Zhuge family (in fact, all the eight major families were almost rotten), so he was a little dazed when he saw the newcomer Ali. After a few words of greetings with Zhuge Weidao, he started to inquire: "Daozi, how many people in your family are there?" The senior military advisor didn't blame you for pushing Rakshasa and Britain together, right?"
"How can you not blame me?" Zhuge Weidao smiled bitterly, "Several old men said that I ruined the overall situation of the United Luo to control the British... They want me to go to Nanyang to be the owner of the manor!"
"Oh," Zheng Guoxian nodded, "Then how did Brother Daozi solve this problem?"
Zhuge Weidao sighed and pointed to his head, "They also know that my place is not very good and they have forgotten some things. Moreover, when I passed by the Kingdom of Jin, I gave Emperor Daoguang a gift to break his poor life. A brilliant move, which can be considered as outweighing the merits and demerits, and still makes you somewhat wealthy."
"Destroy Emperor Daoguang's miserable life?" Zheng Guoxian was stunned, "How?"
Zhuge Weidao smiled and said: "Of course I will let Emperor Daoguang lead his troops to India to beg for food from the British."
"Leading soldiers to beg for food? You mean robbing, right?"
"It's not robbing, it's harassment. It's asking for market rewards and annual gifts."
Zheng Guoxian frowned: "It is impossible for the British to give...the British Empire any more face? No one in the world would regard city rewards and annual gifts as evidence of Britain's wealth and strength!"
Zhuge Weidao smiled bitterly and said: "Those old men also said the same... But I assure them, it is hard to say whether this Emperor of Light can get money, but he will definitely dig his claws deep into India, and Introducing British troops into Afghanistan or Central Asia.”
"What did those military advisors say?"
Zhuge Weidao looked helpless and spread his hands, "They asked me to handle this matter myself. Within three years, the war between the Jin Empire and the British must be intensified. Otherwise..."
As he spoke, Zhuge Weidao sighed again.
"This matter is difficult to handle!" Zheng Guoxian rolled his eyes, "But it's not like no one can help."
"Who? Who can help me?" Zhuge Weidao looked at Zheng Guoxian.
"The Queen Mother!" Zheng Guoxian said, "Brother Daozi, to be honest, I was sent by the Queen Mother... The Queen Mother would like to invite you to the palace to have a talk."
