Do You Know?: Rule the World.

Chapter 149 The Marquis of Xiangyang's Residence, Wang Ruoyu Provokes Trouble
Sheng Hong knew Sheng Changfeng's capabilities well, and for now, he only secured him a sinecure of the eighth rank.

The plan is to first let him familiarize himself with court affairs and interactions in the capital, and once he has gained enough experience, then send him to a local area to accumulate more experience.

He didn't expect Sheng Changfeng to achieve anything great; he only hoped that Sheng Changfeng would act steadily and make no mistakes.

If they can eventually rise through the ranks to become a fourth or fifth-rank official in the capital, it would be a respectable path for their family.

"Second Uncle Gu, my maternal grandfather has begun to show signs of softening his stance on the matter of adopting Third Uncle."

Qi Heng spoke softly. He was dressed in a moon-white brocade robe, his black hair tied up high, still looking like a humble gentleman.

The third uncle he mentioned was Gu Tingwei.

Gu Tingye raised his hand and touched his chin; this was something he had expected all along.

He had inquired and learned that most of the descendants of the old Marquis of Xiangyang were mediocre and only knew how to indulge in pleasure and debauchery.

Compared to those people, Gu Tingwei is a cut above the rest.

A few days ago, he personally visited the family and mentioned the matter in his words.

Now holding the rank of second grade, he is a rising star in the court and a trusted minister of the emperor. The Ningyuan Marquis's mansion has once again risen to the ranks of the most powerful noble families.

In contrast, the Xiangyang Marquis's residence is becoming increasingly deserted. Princess Pingning is, after all, a married woman, and Empress Dowager Cao is currently not involved in worldly affairs.

If we don't make some plans, I'm afraid we won't even be able to keep our foothold in the future.

By adopting a son from the Ningyuan Marquis's mansion, the two families could not only renew their old friendship but also gain a powerful backer.

This would benefit Princess Pingning, the Duke of Qi's family, and their relatives.

"This is also thanks to Yuan Ruo's mediation." Gu Tingye raised his hand and patted his shoulder.

Qi Heng naturally supported this matter. He said gently, "To be honest, when my uncle was alive, my maternal grandfather originally thought that he would pass on the title according to the eldest son of the legitimate wife. He even considered having you as his successor."

Gu Tingye sighed softly. Gu Tingyu's health was deteriorating rapidly. As the saying goes, a dying man's words are often kind.

During this period, I had many heart-to-heart talks with him.

In his view, his elder brother was extremely intelligent, best at understanding people's hearts, and never showing his emotions.

Anyone with a healthy body will surely be able to pass the imperial examinations and enter officialdom, eventually rising to a high-ranking position.

At that time, I would most likely only be able to be adopted into the Marquis of Xiangyang's household.

"What do you mean by adoption or not, young master? I heard that there won't be a poetry test in this year's imperial examination?"

Sheng Changfeng craned his neck and asked in a low voice.

Qi Heng composed himself and nodded solemnly.

"This is indeed the case. The Emperor has issued an edict that in the future, the selection of officials through the imperial examinations will place greater emphasis on practical matters and policy essays and interpretations of the classics."

hiss--

Sheng Changfeng took a deep breath, a chill ran down his spine, and he secretly rejoiced that he had made the list last year.

If this were this year, he would probably fail the exam again, and might only ever be a scholar for the rest of his life.

Gu Tingye chuckled twice and teased, "Ever since you got married, you haven't set foot in Yiyun Tower again."

“The other day Yunniang was saying that the third son of the Sheng family is now focused on self-cultivation and managing his family, and has completely forgotten about them.”

"Second Uncle Gu, I had no choice but to do this... sigh!" Sheng Changfeng looked helpless and sighed deeply.

Then, he leaned close to Gu Tingye's ear and whispered, "Please give my regards to Yunniang and Liniang for me."

“I can’t go out and cause trouble anymore, otherwise my father will definitely break my legs if he finds out, and I won’t be able to explain it to my wife either.”

Ever since Sheng Changfeng entered high school, Sheng Hong has explicitly forbidden him from having any dealings with women from brothels.

Gu Tingye nodded in deep agreement. Civil officials and those of the "pure stream" all cared about their reputation, but a military general like him didn't need to worry about so much.

After several rounds of drinks and several dishes, they arrived at the flower hall.

Liu Mama stepped forward to Wang Ruofu and whispered, "Madam, Madam Lin, Madam Wu, and four or five officials' wives are heading to Tingxue Residence."

Wang Ruofu immediately put down her wine cup, a hint of displeasure in her heart. "What are they going to do by looking for the Wei family?"

Sitting next to her, Wang Ruoyu's eyes flashed with a hint of mockery and resentment as she chuckled, "Sister."

"How come your information is not as good as mine? That general is leading troops to quell the rebellion in the Northwest and has repeatedly made meritorious contributions."

"I heard that the Emperor has ordered the Ministry of Rites to draft a decree appointing him as the Deputy Commander of the Qin-Feng and Ningxia Routes. This is a real and powerful position."

"General Wei only has this one relative in the capital. How could they not seize every opportunity to flatter and fawn over him?"

Wang Ruofu frowned, and although she was somewhat displeased, she still sighed softly, "Let them go. It's not a big deal anyway. Let the Wei family save face."

Seeing that she was not angry at all, and looked completely calm and composed.

After pondering for a moment, Wang Ruoyu asked, "Mother asked you to reprimand Wei Shi earlier. Did she give you the cold shoulder?"

"No, the Wei family is quite sensible."

"Really? I didn't notice." Wang Ruoyu chuckled, glancing at Minglan out of the corner of her eye.

“I think your sixth daughter is becoming more and more opinionated. I’m afraid she’s relying on her uncle’s power and doesn’t even respect you, her stepmother.”

Wang Ruofu then looked at Minglan, "No, Minglan has never forgotten to pay her respects to Minglan morning and evening from beginning to end."

"It's just an act to show you! Once she leaves home and her uncle is backing her up, I bet she won't respect you anymore!"

Seeing that her attempts to provoke him were futile, Wang Ruoyu's resentment gradually grew.

Now that the Wang family has returned to Beijing, with Old Madam Wang backing them up, Kang Haifeng is naturally keeping a low profile.

But ever since his reinstatement became completely hopeless, he became even less ambitious and spent his days fooling around in his concubine's courtyard.

The eldest son, Kang Jin, is of mediocre talent and has been burdened by his own actions, so he still does not hold an official position.

There was no prospect of marriage, and even families of lower social standing were unwilling to marry their daughters to them.

Seeing that his younger sister, who grew up in the countryside, has now received the title of Lady of the County and that all her children are successful.

Even a concubine in the Sheng family has someone backing her up!
How could she not hate it!

She dreamed of dragging Wang Ruofu into the mire!

"If you ask me, sister, you're just too soft-hearted. What concubine would do something like this in your family?"

“In the past, Lin Qinshuang always had the upper hand over you, and now there’s Wei Shi, not to mention the old lady.”

“I don’t think you have any right to speak in this house,” Wang Ruoyu said, while scrutinizing Wang Ruofu’s expression.

"You are the Empress's legal mother, yet you still have to be wary of a concubine. This is truly unheard of."

"Mother has already asked my brother to keep a close eye on Wei Sanlang."

“If he makes even the slightest mistake, he will be impeached and made to suffer the consequences.”

Wang Ruofu lowered her eyelids slightly, her expression somewhat complicated. In this family, she really didn't have much of a say.

Meanwhile, inside Shou'an Hall, the old lady was having a pleasant conversation with the old lady of the He family.

Old Mrs. He's family was the Zhang family, whose members had served as chief physicians in the Imperial Medical Academy for three generations.

Thanks to these two connections, her grandson He Hongwen's admission to the Imperial Hospital has made progress.

Originally, Old Madam He was very fond of Minglan and had considered making her her granddaughter-in-law more than once. However, He Hongwen's father passed away early, and his mother was bedridden. Seeing that the gap between the two families was widening, she had no choice but to give up the idea.

"Now that only Ming'er is left, shouldn't you start looking for someone to marry her?" Old Mrs. He said with a smile.

The old lady sighed softly, "Times have changed. This girl's marriage must be something that satisfies the Wei family."

"Oh?" Old Mrs. He raised an eyebrow, quickly discerning many meanings from those words.

"Don't get any ideas about private matters, you old fox. I called you here today because I have a favor to ask of you."

When it comes to understanding people's hearts and handling internal conflicts, Old Madam He is a cut above Old Madam Gao Sheng.

Back then, the old master of the He family also had a large number of wives and concubines, but none of them gave birth to any children.

As soon as Old Master He passed away, his concubines disappeared one after another, and outsiders couldn't detect a single clue.

"Tell me, we've been friends for years, I'll definitely help you." Old Mrs. He put aside her thoughts and still had a smiling face.

The waitress dismissed the maids who were serving her and closed the door.

Old Madam Sheng lowered her voice and said, "Her Majesty has not conceived for several years since giving birth to the eldest prince."

"After much thought, I think it's the most suitable person to ask you to do this. It's important to have another imperial heir before the Emperor issues the decree for the imperial selection."

Grandma He picked up the teacup on the table and took a small sip.

"It's just a small matter. You can find a suitable excuse to bring me to the palace for an audience."

"Over the years, hundreds of officials' wives have benefited from my treatments and have been blessed with many children. Rest assured."

The old lady nodded repeatedly, indicating that the matter had been settled.

She changed the subject abruptly, "Has your son Wen's marriage been arranged?"

"Not yet. His mother is a fool. She actually wants Hongwen to take her sister's daughter into the household first."

"The Cao family, who were convicted and exiled six years ago?" Old Madam Sheng was somewhat surprised upon hearing this.

Grandma He looked helpless. "Yes, the emperor granted a general amnesty, and the Cao family just happened to be on the list."

"The two children were childhood sweethearts and a perfect match. Three years ago, the Cao family's daughter was exiled and became someone's concubine."

"He was also forced to drink safflower soup by that mistress, and he has no hope of having children anymore."

"At first, the Cao family actually tried to keep it from me. Did they really think my medical skills were just for show?"

“If it weren’t for the fact that she has been a widow for my son for many years and is seriously ill, I would definitely send her back to her parents’ home to reflect on her actions.”

The old lady gently turned the prayer beads in her hand, pondered for a moment, and then asked in a low voice, "What does Wen-ge'er mean?"

"Although this child has been raised by me since he was a child, he is indecisive by nature."

"His mother was lying on her sickbed, crying and begging him to take the Cao family girl as his concubine. How could he refuse?"

The more Mrs. He talked, the angrier she became.

He Hongwen did not refuse this matter. With her daughter-in-law pleading so earnestly, how could she, as the grandmother, have any say in the matter?

If I had known this would happen, I should have let her remarry much earlier.

Then, she took the old lady's hand and said, "Old sister, if you meet a suitable girl, please think of one for my Hongwen."

"Background and appearance don't matter, all I care about is a decisive and capable personality."

"If the Cao family dares to push their luck any further, I won't be easily manipulated. I won't just stand by and watch the third branch of the family be ruined by them."

Old Mrs. He has three sons. Her eldest son is an official in the imperial court and was appointed to a post in Hongzhou last year.

The second son was a businessman in the capital, and the third son was He Hongwen's father, who died young.

-

After the banquet, Sheng Hong and Sheng Changfeng saw off the guests in the front yard.

Under Wang Ruoyu's elaborate instigation, Wang Ruofu disregarded her worries about Rulan and the two went to Tingxueju together.

Inside Tingxueju.

Wei Shuyi, with a gentle face and dressed in a light blue brocade dress, was sitting upright on a soft couch, watching Liu Ge'er read and practice calligraphy.

Minglan and Xiaotao sat to the side, the two of them smiling and chatting in hushed tones about Wen Yanjing's awkward appearance when he came to fetch the bride.

"Young lady, young lady, Madam and Aunt Kang have arrived." Xiao Die lifted the heavy curtain, a hint of worry flashing in her eyes.

Upon hearing this, Wei Shuyi immediately led Minglan and Liu Ge'er to the corridor to greet them, showing the utmost courtesy.

After giving them a casual glance, Wang Ruofu went straight into the room and sat in the main seat, with Wang Ruoyu sitting to her right.

"Madam, what important matter do you wish to discuss with us now?" Wei Shuyi asked, standing before the two of them with her eyes lowered.

Before Wang Ruofu could speak, Wang Ruoyu said first, "Wei Xiaoniang, your brother has been promoted again?"

"This really brings honor to the Sheng family. Tsk tsk, such a promising young man!"

"It's really unfair of you to keep you as a concubine in the inner quarters."

Upon hearing this, Wei Shuyi and Minglan had already guessed the purpose of their sudden visit.

"Aunt Kang is too kind. The future of my brothers is all thanks to the Emperor's great grace. As for me, I only wish to live a peaceful life and raise my children in the inner quarters."

Wang Ruo snorted coldly, "Wei Xiaoniang's tongue is getting sharper and sharper these days."

“If you were truly so dutiful, you should have found an excuse to decline when the ladies came to pay their respects.”

"You've taken so long! Do you even care about my sister?"

Wang Ruofu straightened her back and looked coldly at Wei Shuyi. "My sister is right. Concubines should not show their faces in public or socialize."

"Your Excellency is wise. It is not that I am ignorant of etiquette, but the guests are all prominent officials' wives, and I am apprehensive."

"I'm worried that closing the door immediately would be impolite, especially since today is Fifth Miss's big day."

“I am well aware of my status. My conversation with you ladies lasted only a short time, and all my words revolved around the kindness of the Sheng family and Liu’er’s studies. I did not say anything out of line. You may send someone to inquire.”

"I will always remember that it was the eldest lady who bought me into the manor, and only then could the Wei family be what it is today."

“You…” Wang Ruofu choked up.

Wang Ruoyu's gaze sharpened, and a surge of anger welled up within her.

Over the years, due to the sordid affairs of the Kang family, she developed a deep hatred for concubines and illegitimate children.

In the original storyline, she couldn't tolerate Minglan, a concubine's daughter, gaining power and living a better life, which is why she repeatedly made things difficult for and framed her.

"Little sister, listen to this, listen carefully!"

"She wasn't replying at all; she was clearly using reason and rules to slap you, a noblewoman, in the face, word by word!"

Minglan stood to one side with her head down, her fists clenched tightly beneath her wide sleeves.

She could tell that her mistress had once again been used as a pawn by Wang Ruoyu.

Wang Ruofu pursed her lips, at a loss for words. In her opinion, Wei Xiaoniang's words were flawless.

(End of this chapter)