When choosing a concubine, it is extremely important for the family to be clean. After all, the mother must be a good example to the world and be a role model for the world.
"It's really troublesome..." Zhao Mengqi sighed.
Wanwan's eyes darkened, feeling ashamed and desolate. Her background was so stained that even if she married into the royal family, she might not be able to qualify as a ninth concubine, and would only be able to be named the lowest concubine or concubine.
This will only happen after Zhao Mengqi ascends the throne. Before that, he may only be a concubine with no name or status.
Although she had already thought about this clearly, and after deciding to be with Zhao Mengqi, she convinced herself not to care about it, but she always had a strong character, and it was inevitable that she felt a little uncomfortable.
But Zhao Mengqi raised his eyebrows and smiled, gently waving his hand and saying, "But so what, am I afraid of trouble? No one can stop what I want to do. If those bandanas want to use this matter to start a fight, Then come and give it a try. The so-called fighting with the sky is endless fun! Fighting with the earth is endless fun! Fighting with people is endless fun!"
Zhao Mengqi was high-spirited and looked like a king fighting against heaven and earth, but he made Wanwan laugh.
"You're such a person, you're so breathless when you talk, it's really annoying!" Wanwan punched him in the chest, pouting and complaining, "If you fight with a minister over a woman, wouldn't you become an eternal king!?"
"Haha, are you afraid of becoming Su Daji?"
"I'm not afraid. It's just that as a king, the most taboo is to be willful. Shang, Zhou, Sui and Yang were all outstanding in intelligence, civil and military, but just because of their willfulness, didn't they end up with their own lives, the destruction of their country, and their infamy for thousands of years?"
"Yeah, you are quite a virtuous queen. Now you start to give advice. Haha, you really have a virtuous wife at home and your husband will not suffer any misfortune."
"You, you can always say one or two words that no one else has heard before. It sounds like it is casually spoken, and it makes sense when you think about it. But, my identity is destined not to be yours. I don’t have extravagant hopes for a wife. I think it’s not worth going to war for a status. It’s good to have it, but I can tolerate it if I don’t have it. The emperor of the Song Dynasty never does what he wants, and everything should be done with the country. Put Sheji first."
Looking at Wanwan's sincere words, Zhao Mengqi felt warm in his heart. He couldn't help but reach out and gently scratch her nose, "If you can't even control your own marriage, how can you be the master of the world!? Don't worry, You don’t have to worry about this, just wait to be the queen.”
Wanwan wrinkled her nose and glanced at Zhao Mengqi, "Don't mess around! You shouldn't focus on these things. There are always trade-offs in everything."
She just thought he was having fun for a moment and didn't take it seriously, so she just said a few words.
She really didn't have any extravagant hopes for the position of head wife. Not to mention the issue of life experience, from the consideration of various factors, there was a high probability that Qian Duo was the best candidate.
"Okay, let's not talk about it for now." Zhao Mengqi is a person who puts emphasis on actions rather than words. He only needs to do what he decides. He always talks about it, but he becomes a boastful person.
Looking at Wanwan with a smile, he turned to another topic, "By the way, are these young men in the tea shop all orphans of military martyrs? Are their situations very bad, so they need you to work hard to make money?"
"Well, this is just part of it." Wanwan nodded, with some sadness in her eyes, "Five years ago, nearly two thousand people died on the battlefield with my father. Some of these people were from the Fenghua Army, and some were refugees. Many of them were born in poverty, and it was my father who helped them get married and start a family."
"After that war, many families lost their backbone and livelihood. Some women were still young, so my mother decided to let them remarry, and brought all these children who had no relatives to rely on back home. At that time, there were more than a hundred people , gradually grew up, the men were basically recruited into the Forbidden Army, and the girls who reached the age also found suitable families to marry."
"The thirty or so people in the tea shop are all the older ones who are staying. There are also about forty people aged six to eleven who are all in my house. In fact, most of them are taken care of by my mother-in-law. I There’s not much that can be done for them…”
Wanwan said it lightly, but Zhao Mengqi could imagine how hard it was.
This boy is just that, he just needs to be raised, but this little lady has to prepare a decent dowry, otherwise it will be difficult to marry into a good family. This is exactly the opposite of later generations...
Wanwan sighed again, "In the past few years, Fenghua (this chapter is not finished!)
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The army is also very difficult. Without the army leader, the food and salary have been in arrears for more than two years. Every time I go to ask for it, Pingjiang Mansion has no good face and just gives me three melons and two dates. "
At this time, although the army's food and salary were under the unified management of the central government, the warehouses issued were established locally, and many times came from local fiscal revenue, and the Xiang army was directly managed by civilian officials.
"The prefect of Pingjiang is Liu Xiuren?"
"It's him. If he breaks off the engagement this time, I'm afraid it will be even more difficult to get food and salary in the future..."
Zhao Mengqi muttered, "Well... don't worry too much, I will find a way to solve it."
Wanwan glanced at him, "Isn't this the right thing to do? Who will solve it if you don't solve it?"
"Haha, that's right. After all, this is your dowry..."
"Talk nonsense again!" Wanwan quietly pinched the soft flesh of Zhao Mengqi's waist and twisted it.
***……
Zhao Mengqi gritted his teeth and gritted his teeth in pain, feeling pain and happiness at the same time.
Zhenze Town, Liu Family Main Hall.
Sitting at the head of the hall was an old man with white beard and hair, his eyes slightly closed, and he seemed to be taking a nap. However, judging from his chest that was rising and falling violently, and his fingers that were constantly flexing and stretching, it was clear that he was not at peace at this time.
Down the hall, Liu Weizhen was kneeling upright, expressionless, with a dead look on his face, but fear in his eyes.
He didn't get a stick. After all, he was the legitimate son of the third wife. He was old and had to retain some dignity. However, he was scolded by his grandfather and was anxiously waiting for the final treatment.
The six or seven young men standing next to him were all the third generation of the Liu family, Liu Weizhen's cousins, but they looked at Liu Weizhen on the ground with gloating in their eyes.
This sixth child, who was able to read a few books and got into Imperial College, was always arrogant and had his nostrils in the sky. He really thought of himself as the Liu family's horse. Now that he is better, he actually does such a stupid thing. It's really funny. .
At this time, a middle-aged man strode in from outside, with a proud attitude in his steps. He was obviously a person who had been in a high position for a long time.
Hearing the sound of footsteps, the old man opened his eyes and was surprised to see it was his eldest son, "Xiu Ren, why are you back?"
"Something happened on the canal. My son was worried about his family, so he came back to take a look." Liu Xiuren explained casually after greeting his father.
Pingjiang Prefecture, which later became Suzhou, was located in Wu County. It was only eighty or ninety miles away from Zhenze Town in a straight line. It could be reached quickly by boat from Taihu Lake.
Liu Xiuren looked at Liu Weizhen kneeling on the ground and wondered, "Father, what's going on? Did Liu Lang commit a crime? Seeing that they are about to get married, if there is nothing big wrong, father should not be too harsh on him."
After hearing this, the old man became very angry and said angrily, "You are still a slut. The Jiang family has announced in public that they are breaking off the engagement, and the Liu family has lost all their face! How could I, Liu Zhengyi, have such a stupid grandson? I single-handedly ruined my marriage..."
"Break off the engagement!? Break off the engagement at this critical moment!? Is the Jiang family crazy!? What is going on?" Liu Xiuren was shocked.
Liu Zhengyi, the head of the hall, was still angry, "Let that little beast speak for himself!"
Liu Xiuren didn't care about anything else and dragged Liu Weizhen up. "Liu Lang, please explain the matter in detail quickly. I'll see if there is any way to make up for it! This matter is of great importance. You must not miss anything!"
He had heard before that his nephew was dissatisfied with the marriage, but he didn't take it to heart. Marriages in large families never cared about whether the parties involved were satisfied or not, they were all to achieve a certain purpose.
He also believed that no matter what Liu Weizhen thought, he would still have to obey the will of his family and would never have the guts to disobey.
But I didn't expect that when I returned home, I heard that the marriage had been announced, and it was the nephew who was responsible for it.
The impact of this incident on the Liu family is not just a matter of losing face. The marriage between the Liu and Jiang families is also related to the plan that the Liu family has been planning.
Seeing his uncle's cautious and serious face, Liu Weizhen did not dare to delay, so he quickly recounted the matter from beginning to end, and also added some details that he had not mentioned before.
When he heard that Mr. Xu appeared and had an idea for the young lady of the Jiang family, Liu Xiuren couldn't help but his eyes narrowed, "The Xu family of Huating? That grandson of Prime Minister Li? This is a bit tricky..."
"Ahem! Xiuren, please listen to what he has to say. The Xu family is not important in this matter." Liu Zhengyi spoke.
Liu Weizhen is submissive (this chapter is not finished yet!)
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No, he went on, and when he couldn't help but rush out and scold the adulterer, Liu Xiuren couldn't help but put his head on his forehead, "You! Why are you so unwise!? Previously, I had a grudge against the marriage, and I didn't want to do anything for it. The Jiang family just wanted to show off, so they could just pretend they weren't there. Why did they end up losing their minds again and rashly running out to teach others a lesson? Even if this couple is really selfish, they still have to catch thieves and catch stolen goods. , catch an adulterer and catch a couple, this other person has not exceeded the rules, why are you so impulsive?! What's more, in public, you forcefully say that your fiancée is having an affair with someone, isn't this just putting a shit on your head? Everyone else is a family scandal. Don’t publicize it, it’s better for you, if you don’t have a scandal, you still have to create a scandal to publicize it!”
The more Liu Xiuren talked, the angrier he became, with a look of hatred on his face, "What do you want me to say about you? In the past, although I saw you a bit flamboyant, you were quite knowledgeable and smart. How come the more you read, the more you become... Are you becoming more and more rotten!? You have no sense of how to behave, what should be done, what should not be done, and how to do it. Don’t you have any idea in your mind? With your behavior like this, who would be willing to marry their daughter to you? !? Shame on you! What a shame!"
Liu Xiuren had guessed what happened next, so he was not in the mood to listen anymore. He was thinking about how to save the marriage, and he didn't bother to teach his nephew any more. He said eagerly, "Go and clean up quickly, and then follow up." I'll go to the Jiang family to apologize. When I get there, don't say anything, just kneel at the door of the Jiang family! As long as the Jiang family doesn't take back the engagement, you won't be able to get up even if you kneel until you die!"
Liu Weizhen immediately became anxious, "Uncle, it's useless. The Jiang family will never change it again. Jiang Ruochu has someone in his heart..."
"Huh?!" Liu Xiuren frowned deeply, "You are talking about the so-called "adulterer", right? Although this person is not even afraid of the Xu family, he should have some background, but as long as the truth is on our side, we Liu family don't have to be afraid either. anyone."
"No, uncle, there is something hidden in this..." Liu Weizhen said, unable to help but tremble.
"Hidden secret?" Liu Xiuren thought for a moment, then kicked out all his nephews, including his son, and other irrelevant personnel.
"Your grandfather and I are here now. If you have any hidden secrets, please tell me quickly."
Liu Weizhen gritted his teeth, "That adulterer is not an ordinary person, but the King of Yan!"
"King Yan!?" Liu Xiuren was also shocked, "Shouldn't he be in Lin'an!? How could he come to Wujiang?... No! The people on the canal must be him too, right?... This is a big deal Not good!"
"King Yan? Why didn't you tell me about this earlier?" Liu Zhengyi glared at his grandson again, and then looked at Liu Xiuren in confusion, "What happened on the canal? Does it have anything to do with our family?"
"Father, I will talk about the things on the canal later. What I want to confirm now is whether this person is really King Yan. Liulang, why do you think he is King Yan? You should have never seen him, otherwise Won’t go out.”
"He calls himself Meng Qi, and..."
Liu Weizhen quickly told the rumors about Lin'an and his own analysis one by one.
Liu Xiuren's face was as dark as water, "So, we are inseparable. If it is really King Yan, our family may be facing catastrophe."
"No, it's just a woman, and she has already broken off the engagement with our family. Let's not mention it again and just give it to him. As for the Fenghua Army, we have to find another way. It's under your jurisdiction anyway, so it won't cost more at all. Hands and feet, those poor red guys will always be subdued..."
"Father, it's not this, and it's not that simple. Last night, a group of water pirates appeared on the canal in Pingwang Town. I guessed it was Jiang Manhai, but he used Fangtang's banner to surround and kill a pirate ship. The official ship came from Lin'an. Now I think the person on board must be King Yan. The key is that Jiang Manhai failed in the end and seems to have been captured alive. If it is really King Yan, what can he ask from Jiang Manhai's mouth? Let's follow the clues. Family matters..."
Liu Zhengyi also panicked, and the teacup in his hand clattered, "What...what should I do? Is my whole life's hard work going to be ruined in one day?"
"Father, if it's really King Yan, we can't sit still and wait for death." Liu Xiuren has been an official for many years, and he still has peace of mind. He calmed down and thought for a while before saying, "Now, the most important thing is to quickly send a letter to the second son in Lin'an. , let him check the whereabouts of King Yan, and let the third son come back as soon as possible. It is best to bring more troops and horses, so bring more troops and horses, and there are still tricks (this chapter is not finished!)
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The church is also here to make sure everything is safe! "
Liu Weizhen was completely confused and couldn't understand what his uncle and grandfather were talking about, but the feeling of impending disaster was real!
"boom!"
There was a loud thunder, it had just cleared up one day, and the rain was coming again...
p. Thank you book friends for your rewards and support, and thank you all for your encouragement and concern. I don’t know how to publicize anything, so I can only try my best to write well, and the rest will be up to chance...
Today there are still two chapters in one, totaling 4,000 words.
176. Storm is coming
