Madam, don't do this!

Chapter 271 You don't actually like older women, do you? (6,000 words)
Flirting with other women?

Song Yan was a little confused.

He was probably not a womanizer; if he really had that in mind, he would probably have several times more women around him.

Since the incident with Hua Lian Yue, he had become extremely well-behaved. After being granted the title of Earl and concurrently serving as the Prefect of Pingyang, he held absolute power over the military and political affairs of the prefecture and its borders. Countless people came to visit him every day. Even with the Eldest Princess in charge, many wealthy families still wanted to send their daughters to the Prefect's residence.

That's the governor, the supreme official of Pingyang Prefecture.

Even if she couldn't become the principal wife, just being a concubine would be considered as having established a connection with the governor, allowing her to reap countless benefits within Pingyang Prefecture.

He ignored all these people; where did this flirting come from? Even Zhang Ci's granddaughter, Zhang Yan, who was petite and beautiful, he asked himself if he had ever done anything outrageous.

This charge is truly unjust.

Seeing Song Yan's bewildered expression, Luo Yuheng knew that Song Yan couldn't be blamed for this, but she was still very annoyed and could only puff out her cheeks:

"The person is still inside the manor. If they don't see you today, they probably won't leave easily."

Song Yan frowned. He knew Luo Yuheng's personality. Although Luo Yuheng was very kind to his own family, he was a completely different person when dealing with outsiders. If they liked him, that was fine, but if they didn't get along with him, he would show them no mercy at all.

Arrogant, domineering, disrespectful of etiquette and law, and unorthodox...

These are the labels attached to Luo Yuheng.

In some people's minds, this Princess is even more difficult to deal with than Emperor Ninghe.

At least, Emperor Ninghe's actions were still within the bounds of propriety, while Luo Yuheng didn't care about such things. Therefore, behind her back, Luo Yuheng was probably also known as a shrew. However, Song Yan knew that the so-called shrew was just a disguise for Luo Yuheng, merely a means to protect herself. Fighting with a shrew was shameful if you lost, and there was nothing to be proud of if you won; it would probably just make people think, "I can't afford to offend her, so I'll just avoid her."

The real Luo Yuheng is actually a very gentle person.

Thinking of this, Song Yan let out a heavy sigh: "Mother, who exactly is this person?"

Luo Yuheng's complexion returned to normal, her delicate brows furrowed: "They are from the Kong family."

Song Yan immediately thought of the carriage parked downstairs at Fangcui Tower. But given Luo Yuheng's status and personality, surely he wouldn't feel troubled because of the Kong family? As if seeing what Song Yan was thinking, Luo Yuheng sighed with a hint of helplessness: "Although the Kong family is one of the eight great families in Jin, they haven't reached the point where I can't afford to offend them."

"However, these people from the Kong family are a bit special. They're like eels. Even if I told them they might be back late, they would just smile and say it's okay, no rush. Even if I said something harsh, they would still be smiling. Even if I wanted to get angry, I couldn't."

Song Yan suddenly realized that he had encountered a tough nut to crack.

"There were three people who came. One of them was Kong Xinghuai, the half-brother of the Kong family patriarch; another was Kong Lingyan, the second legitimate son of the Kong family; and the last was Kong Xiyan, the eldest illegitimate daughter of the Kong family."

"I made up an excuse to leave the hall. Tianxuan is handling things there now. The Kong family didn't come here with good intentions. I don't know where they found out that you like older women, so they brought Kong Xiyan over. They obviously want to keep Kong Xiyan by your side."

"Just be careful."

A black line appeared on Song Yan's forehead. Prefers older women? Who on earth is spreading rumors about me behind my back? Don't they know that those who slander others behind their backs will have children without any moral compass?

As usual, Luo Yuheng stood on tiptoe and patted Song Yan on the forehead: "Let's go back."

She spoke softly as always, showing no anger at these unwanted suitors. Song Yan obediently followed beside her: "Yan'er, you know that your mother has never forbidden you from taking concubines. Banxia is one thing, but I arranged it myself. I have also accepted Yang Siyao and Hua Lianyue."

"Yan'er has excellent medical skills and pulled Tianxuan back from the brink of death. I am very grateful. Because of Tianxuan's health, we have been unable to consummate our marriage for a long time. Even if we did, we would not be able to leave you with any children. Tianxuan should have told you all of this. Her body has been tormented by tuberculosis for many years and is severely depleted. According to the doctor, although she is not completely unable to get pregnant, the chances are much smaller than for normal women. She may be childless for life. Therefore, I thought of giving you some compensation. It would be good if you had another woman to take care of you."

Song Yan felt a little embarrassed: "As for offspring... I'm still young." He roughly understood why Luo Tianxuan suddenly brought up the matter of offspring and concealed her physical condition. Perhaps Luo Tianxuan didn't want him to have any grudges against her because of this, but she didn't want to delay her own life, so she hoped that he could have a child with Banxia and Siyao first.

Luo Yuheng then patted Song Yan's head again: "What do you mean you're still young? You're sixteen already. It's normal to have children at this age. You're not young at all."

In this era, it's common for people to get married at fourteen or fifteen, and quite a few to have children at sixteen.

“Tian Shu, Tian Quan, and Tian Yang are all older than me. They don’t even have wives yet, let alone children,” Song Yan retorted.

“Their situations are different.” Luo Yuheng smiled and shook his head: “Their marriages are none of my business. They’ve probably all been arranged, it’s just not the right time yet.”

“But you are different. Your mother truly treats you as her own child. If you were to have a baby, your mother would be able to hold her grandson.” Luo Yuheng smiled.

Song Yan blinked: "Isn't he my grandson?"

Luo Yuheng tapped Song Yan on the head: "He's a grandson." A touch of stubbornness; "grandson" sounded more affectionate than "grandson by marriage."

Song Yan didn't say anything more. So be it, he was a grandson. After all, he was a son-in-law, so from that perspective, he wasn't wrong to be a grandson.

"However, Banxia, ​​Yang Siyao, or Hua Lianyue are all fine... If you like, the girl from the Zhang family is also acceptable. Old man Zhang Ci came to see me this afternoon, and I met that girl. She is indeed quite pretty and well-educated."

Song Yan was taken aback. Was Old Man Zhang really that efficient?
To think they knew to start with their mother, they truly are cunning and shrewd.

"But some people are not suitable, such as the women of the Kong family."

Luo Yuheng let out a slight sigh: "Yang Siyao is a daughter of the Yang family, but she has a great feud with the Yang family, so there is no problem. But what exactly is the situation of Kong Xiyan from the Kong family? Even I am not very clear about it."

"The Kong family's situation is rather complicated. If they really become in-laws, there will likely be endless troubles in the future."

"So you have to be careful, don't fall into that trap just because that Kong family girl is pretty."

Song Yan shook her head with a wry smile: "Don't worry, Mother, it won't happen."

Luo Yuheng patted Song Yan's head again: "That's good, that's good."

After a pause, Luo Yuheng finally couldn't help but steal a glance at Song Yan: "Yan'er, tell your mother the truth..."

"Ok?"

"You don't actually like older women, do you?"

Song Yan: ???
He vowed to find out who was spreading rumors about him behind his back and to make that person suffer the punishment of being forced to "comb and wash".

Before they knew it, they had arrived at the main hall.

There were four people in the hall, with Luo Tianxuan sitting in the main seat. When she saw Song Yan, a look of joy immediately appeared on Luo Tianxuan's face, and she stood up and walked towards Song Yan. Although it was her first time and she had worked hard for most of the night, the physical strength of a grandmaster-level martial artist was incomparable to that of an ordinary woman, and there was nothing unusual about her steps.

"My husband, you're back." With a faint smile on her face, she reached out and wiped the dust off Song Yan's shoulder as she approached him. "You've been keeping my little sister company all afternoon. You must be tired, my husband."

Song Yan shook his head: "I like green clothes and colorful clothes very much. There's nothing hard about it."

Luo Tianxuan's expression darkened slightly. Her husband really did like children... but what about her health?

Seeing the change in Luo Tianxuan's expression, Song Yan guessed what she was thinking. Women always tend to overthink things, but these things can't be explained in just a few words. He'd guide her slowly later. Thinking this, Song Yan took Luo Tianxuan's small hand in his. This intimacy in front of everyone made Luo Tianxuan a little shy. She gently struggled, as if trying to break free from Song Yan's grasp, but he held on tightly, so she could only let her be.

Luo Tianxuan led Song Yan to the main seat, while Luo Yuheng did not follow. The stubborn and unruly members of the Kong family were not the type of people Luo Yuheng was used to, and he had enough time to deal with them in an afternoon.

Seeing Song Yan sit down in the main seat, while Luo Tianxuan quietly sat to the side, the other three people in the guest hall exchanged glances, all able to see the astonishment in each other's eyes. Small things, small details, can reveal a lot; the rumors circulating that Song Yan suffered greatly at the Princess's residence seem to be mostly unfounded.

Moreover, Luo Tianxuan suffers from tuberculosis, yet her complexion is rosy, showing no signs of illness or coughing, appearing no different from an ordinary person. Perhaps the marriage to bring good fortune has been successful. Ancient people were mostly superstitious; compared to Song Yan's absurd claim of medical expertise, they preferred to believe in mystical and superstitious things.

No wonder Song Yan's status in the Princess's mansion was different from that of ordinary sons-in-law.

The idea of ​​using marriage to bring good fortune has existed since ancient times, but very few people have succeeded in doing so.

If someone can successfully bring good fortune through a marriage ceremony, they are destined for great blessings. Such good fortune may even extend to their relatives. As long as they are not mentally unstable, they will treat them well and will never cause any dissatisfaction.

Consider this: ever since the Eldest Princess took Song Yan as her son-in-law, she first regained her status as a member of the imperial family from a commoner, and was granted the title of Viscount of Ningping County. Then, due to Song Yan's merits, she was restored to her title of Eldest Princess... Even Song Yan himself rose rapidly through the ranks. Even Emperor Ninghe, far away in Dongling, seemed to have benefited greatly from this nephew-in-law, and his posture in the court became much more upright.

Such good fortune is truly extraordinary.

For a moment, the way people looked at Song Yan became somewhat strange.

If such a person with extraordinary good fortune were in another family, wouldn't they be treated like a god of wealth and wouldn't be mistreated in the slightest?
Then look at the Song family... They mistreated him from a young age, even sending him to be a live-in son-in-law. Since Song Yan left the Song family, the matriarch Yang Miaoqing died, the eldest son Song Zhen died, the eldest son Song Yun died... A once happy family, now it's no exaggeration to say that it's been destroyed.

For a moment, Kong Xinghuai and Kong Lingyan even felt that it was a bit inappropriate to bring only Kong Xiyan, the eldest daughter of a concubine, and that they should have chosen a legitimate daughter from the Kong family, so that they could also benefit from this good fortune.

Of course, this thought only stayed in my mind.

The eldest daughter of the Kong family held such a noble status; how could she possibly become a concubine? Even becoming a concubine to a princess's husband was impossible. As for fortune, it's something to be respected but kept at a distance; moreover, if fortune truly existed in this world, whose fortune could surpass that of the Kong family?

Thinking this, the slight unease that had arisen in his heart gradually dissipated. A middle-aged man sitting at the head of the guest seats cupped his hands to Song Yan and said, "This humble subject, Kong Xinghuai, greets Your Excellency the Prefect. Your Excellency is truly diligent and conscientious, working tirelessly until night for Pingyang Prefecture. You are a model for all officials in Ningguo, and we admire you."

Kong Xinghuai was indeed quite capable. Although he was a member of the Kong family, he didn't display any of the arrogance or domineering nature typical of aristocratic families. He immediately offered a mild but not overt compliment. However, this compliment made Song Yan a little embarrassed. Diligent and conscientious? What did those words have to do with him? He had spent the afternoon shopping with the two young girls. If it weren't for Kong Xinghuai's sincere expression, he would have suspected that the guy was deliberately mocking him.

"This is Kong Lingyan, the second son of the Kong family, and Kong Xiyan, the eldest daughter of the Kong family. Your reputation as governor is widespread. You have suppressed Japanese pirates, defeated the Jurchens, executed corrupt officials, and comforted refugees. My two nephews have long admired you. Today, when they passed through Pingyang Prefecture, they begged to see your face. I hope you will not take offense."

Song Yan pursed his lips. He roughly understood why Luo Yuheng felt that these two were difficult to deal with.

Even if you know that this person has ill intentions, their words are full of praise for you, and the praise is just right. Even someone with Luo Yuheng's personality would find it difficult to straighten up and drive them away.

Kong Lingyan and Kong Xiyan also stood up in time and cupped their hands in greeting to Song Yan: "Greetings, Governor."

"Please, gentlemen, do not be so polite. You are making me feel ashamed." Song Yan also stood up and returned the greeting: "The Kong family are descendants of Confucius. I am but a mere warrior. How can I be worthy of the courtesy due to the descendants of the Master?"

Song Yan's seemingly casual remark suddenly made the atmosphere in the room strange. Kong Xinghuai frowned, seemingly deep in thought, while Kong Lingyan and Kong Xiyan also looked embarrassed. The large reception hall suddenly felt somewhat oppressive. After a few breaths, Kong Xinghuai coughed lightly: "Your Excellency is joking. There are so many people with the surname Kong in the world. What virtue or ability does my Kong family of Jin have to be related to the lineage of the Duke Yansheng?"

Song Yan was taken aback: "Huh? Aren't the Kong family of Jin and the Duke Yansheng from the same family?"

Kong Xinghuai's expression had returned to normal: "They are not from the same family, they just share the surname Kong."

"I see. I was being presumptuous."

"It's alright, it's alright. Many people in Ningguo mistakenly believe that the Kong family in Jin and the Duke Yansheng are from the same lineage, so it's not the governor's fault."

Just then, Gu Banxia also served fragrant tea.

Both sides seemed to have completely forgotten the awkwardness just now, and the atmosphere had returned to normal. Song Yan took a sip of the tea, which was fragrant and refreshing: "You all came here today not just to see me, right? I am a martial artist and don't know how to beat around the bush. If you have anything else to say, please speak frankly. If it is within my power, I will not refuse to give the Kong family face. If it is difficult for you, I hope you will not take offense."

Kong Lingyan curled his lip, thinking that he was just a crude and uncouth man who didn't understand the rules in this regard.

Generally speaking, shouldn't important matters involve hosting banquets and having both parties constantly test each other's bottom lines, taking three to five rounds to reach a deal?

If everything is discussed openly, wouldn't it take away a lot of the fun?

Kong Xinghuai's expression remained unchanged; instead, he chuckled and said, "Your Excellency the Prefect is indeed a man of few words. In that case, I will speak frankly as well."

Clearing his throat, Kong Xinghuai said again, "The Kong family has come here today only to ask for a pass from you, sir."

"Pass?" Song Yan raised an eyebrow, seemingly curious.

Kong Xinghuai's smile grew even wider: "It's just a pass that allows the Kong family's caravan to freely enter and exit the border. Lord Song currently controls Pingyang, so this is just a small matter for you. We hope you can give the Kong family this face. The entire Kong family will remember your kindness. If you ever need anything in the future, the Kong family will do everything in its power to help you without hesitation."

Song Yan pursed her lips, looking rather uninterested.

The Kong family is truly stingy; they're like misers, not giving away a single penny.

They want me to do something, but they don't offer any real benefits, they just give me empty promises.
The face of the Kong family?
Favor?

How much is this thing worth?

No, the Kong family is one of the eight great families in Jin. Merchants are very shrewd and sophisticated. The Kong family itself shouldn't be so clueless. Perhaps the benefits they received were given to these people as kickbacks?

Thinking this, Song Yan's expression, which had been gradually fading, became serious: "The Kong family is a merchant family. What are they doing crossing the border? Do they want to do business with the Jurchens? Ningguo has laws that strictly prohibit trade with foreign tribes. Do the Kong family think that Ningguo's laws are just a joke? Can they trample on them at will?"

"On this point alone, I can charge your Kong family with the crime of disrespecting the imperial authority and having illicit relations with the Jurchens."

By the end, his tone had become stern and forceful.

Don't underestimate Song Yan just because he's only sixteen or seventeen years old. He's killed a lot of people, and when he gets serious, he can be quite frightening.

A faint aura of malevolence emanated from his body.

Even Kong Lingyan and Kong Xiyan couldn't help but tremble slightly, while Kong Xinghuai's face suddenly turned pale for a moment.

Ningguo Law?

What is that if not child's play?
If they didn't break the law, where would the eight great families of Jin have gotten so much wealth?

These things can be done secretly, but they can't be brought up in public.

Beads of cold sweat appeared on Kong Xinghuai's forehead. He raised his hand to wipe them away, a sense of dread creeping into his heart. He hadn't expected Song Yan, a mere youth, to possess such an astonishing aura. No wonder he was a ruthless man with tens of thousands of lives on his hands. Just now, he had even genuinely thought that Song Yan was about to order the three of them to be beheaded. Taking a deep breath, the paleness on Kong Xinghuai's face faded, and he put on a smile again: "Your Excellency, please don't be angry. The charge of colluding with the Jurchens is truly a miscarriage of justice for the Kong family."

"My Kong family is devoted to the peace and stability of the country. How could we do such a despicable thing?"

"However, the Jurchen territory also has many good things that are of great use to our Central Plains. For example, ginseng, deer antler, and lingzhi can all be used as medicine, and their effects are better than those in the Central Plains. If we can bring them back to the Central Plains, it would be a meritorious deed that saves lives."

"Although it violates the law, for the sake of the people of the Central Plains, these things must be done by someone, right?"

Song Yan was stunned, his expression one of utter disbelief.

Shameless.

He had never seen such a shameless person.

He was clearly doing this to make money, but in his words, it sounded like he was doing it for the good of everyone, displaying a heroic spirit of "If I don't go to hell, who will?" He even wondered just how thick-skinned Kong Xinghuai really was; perhaps even a hundred-times-forged steel blade couldn't cleave it.

Just then, Kong Xinghuai took out a small box from his side, stepped forward, and placed it on the table. Song Yan opened it, and under the light, a dazzling golden light shone through. It was actually gold beans, and at a glance, there were probably no fewer than a hundred of them.

"Of course, the Kong family is aware that this matter is somewhat difficult for you, so we are willing to offer some local specialties. Please accept them with a smile."

"If you are willing to issue a pass, the Kong family will send you a cheap local specialty for each pass issued."

As expected of one of the eight great families of Shanxi, their local specialties are truly delightful.

Song Yan silently reached into the box, grabbed the local specialties, and stuffed them into his sleeve… Why would he return money that was offered to him? Besides, if they didn't send the goods to the border, where would he find any leverage against the Kong family? In Song Yan's eyes, families like the Kong, Huang, and Fan were no better than Qian Yaozu. Qian Yaozu was despicable… despicable and wicked, while these powerful clans were pure evil. In their eyes, as long as it brought benefits to their family, the lives of others were not important. They never considered the disasters that arming the Jurchens would bring to the Central Plains.

In the eyes of Kong Lingyan and Kong Xiyan, such behavior was somewhat old-fashioned.

If you just want to appreciate local specialties, why not enjoy them in your room by yourself? Who would stuff local specialties into their pockets in front of guests? You come from a humble background and haven't seen much of the world. You can't compare to true scions of wealthy families.

Song Yan coughed softly: "Although it violates the law, I will make an exception for the sake of the Kong family's concern for the world. The pass can be issued. However, I really like these local specialties, so don't forget them next time."

"Moreover, the goods traded must be inspected, and there must be no contraband, such as ironware, grain, salt, or tea."

The three members of the Kong family were all stunned. In the trade with the Jurchens, pig iron, grain, salt, and tea were the main commodities. Apart from these, only silk and wine remained, which were not necessities and could not generate much profit.

It seems that these local specialties are not enough to impress this governor.

Kong Xinghuai gritted his teeth, as if making a difficult decision: "Sir, for each transaction, the Kong family is willing to take half a percent of the profits as a tribute to you!"

laugh.

Song Yan made a strange sound.

Half a percent?

Who do you look down on?
(End of this chapter)