Do You Know?: Rule the World.

Chapter 166 Unauthorized Lifting of the Sea Ban, the Kang and Wang Families

After the eunuch finished reading the imperial edict, the entire Sheng family bowed respectfully, and Sheng Hong received the edict with trembling hands.

"Congratulations, Duke of Wei! Congratulations, Duke of Wei!"

After saying that, the head eunuch turned to look at Old Madam Sheng and nodded slightly, saying, "Old Madam is very fortunate. Your household has produced an Empress and has received such an honor."

"What a glorious family! From now on, you can enjoy your honor and privilege."

The old lady smiled kindly and said gently, "The Sheng family owes this favor entirely to the Emperor's kindness. The Empress Dowager's virtue is something the entire Sheng family will never forget."

The eunuch nodded solemnly, his expression showing great respect.

Sheng Hong and his son Sheng Changbai personally escorted the eunuchs to the gate of the mansion, stood solemnly before the steps, and watched them slowly depart until they disappeared at the end of Jiying Lane.

Inside the main hall, Wang Ruofu sat upright in a round-backed chair, his heart pounding slightly with excitement.

From now on, she will be able to be addressed as the Duchess of England, just like the Duchess of England, wherever she goes!
"Wei Guogong..."

"Mother, our family has only been in the capital for about ten years!"

"Whenever I think about what happened in the past ten years, it feels like a dream."

The old lady gently turned the prayer beads in her hand and said slowly, "Yes, although our family holds the rank of Duke, it is all thanks to the Empress's contribution in bearing the imperial heir."

"When you're out and about, you shouldn't be too ostentatious. Besides, Changbai holds an important position, which is exactly the time for him to offend people."

Wang Ruofu held the handkerchief and nodded vigorously, "Mother, don't worry, I understand all these principles."

"Hua'er is fortunate to have two princes by her side; it is truly thanks to the blessings of our ancestors!" With that, she picked up a teacup and drank it all in one gulp.

Hai Chaoyun looked at Wang Ruofu and couldn't help but smile.

Sheng Changfeng and Liu Shi exchanged a glance, both understanding that no matter how great the honor the Sheng family received, the benefits they could derive from it would be limited.

Fortunately, Sheng Changbai is an upright and honest person. As long as they keep to their duties, they will naturally receive help after the family is divided.

In the future, it won't be difficult for their children to marry into higher social classes, thanks to this connection.

The old lady looked out the window, her gaze slightly darkening. She thought to herself that the Sheng family's title was probably more than just that of a duke.

Not long after Empress Dowager Cao was made empress, her father Cao Qi was posthumously granted the title of Prince of Wu by the late emperor.

Zhang Yaofeng, the father of the late emperor's favorite concubine Zhang, was also posthumously granted the title of Prince of Qinghe.

In her view, after a hundred years, Sheng Hong would at least receive the title of Prince, and if he was lucky, it was not impossible for him to be granted the title while still alive.

Although she insisted on raising Sheng Hong herself against all odds, she did not covet any future wealth or glory he might bring.

But looking back now, I can't help but feel that the choice I made back then was absolutely correct.

Not long after, Sheng Hong saw the eunuch off.

He jogged back to the main hall, carefully picked up the imperial edict, placed it on the incense table in the ancestral hall, and then excitedly lit three sticks of incense for his ancestors.

Sheng Changbai, who was always unfazed by honor or disgrace, went straight to his study and focused on handling the affairs of the Ministry of Personnel.

The matter of the Sheng family being granted the title of Duke.

Within hours, the news spread like wildfire throughout the capital, with everyone praising the Sheng family's good fortune and blessings.

The Kang family's house, in the back courtyard wing.

After Wang Ruoyu told Kang Haifeng about this, he slammed his teacup down on the table, snorted coldly, and spoke with disdain.

"It's nothing more than a favor he received through his daughter; what real skill is that!"

In Kang Haifeng's view, Sheng Hong, as a scholar, curried favor with the royal family and schemed to gain fame and titles, lacking any of the integrity a scholar should have.

Sheng Hong, on the other hand, believed that Kang Haifeng was a spoiled brat who had squandered his family's fortune.

If Old Master Kang knew what he had done all these years, he would probably be so angry that he would crawl out of his grave.

Wang Ruoyu looked at him, raised an eyebrow, and teased, "Kang Haifeng, you're really just a sour grapes."

"The fact that the Sheng family can receive such an incredible blessing through their daughter is a testament to their own abilities."

"Why don't you let our daughter earn some favor and bring honor to the Kang family? Instead of spouting sarcastic remarks, why don't you think about how to make your own life more respectable!"

"If it weren't for my family's help these past few years, I'm afraid the Kang family's ancestral home would have been sold off and squandered by you, you good-for-nothing!"

Ever since the Wang family moved to Beijing, Wang Ruoyu has had someone to rely on, and he has been very rude to Kang Haifeng, often pointing his finger at him and giving him a good scolding.

Kang Haifeng knew he was in the wrong, so he could only swallow his anger and keep quiet.

They also turned a blind eye to her mistreatment of her illegitimate children.

"You..." Kang Haifeng felt a tightness in his chest from her words. He gritted his teeth, snorted coldly, and turned his back to her.

Wang Ruo rolled her eyes and then said, "Zhao'er turned 18 last month, so why not marry her off sooner? That way, there will be one less person in the family who's eating and drinking for free."

Kang Zhao'er was Kang Haifeng's twelfth illegitimate daughter.

His birth mother was Su Xiaoniang, who was favored by Kang Haifeng because of her outstanding appearance and talent.

Kang Zhao'er's older sister, Kang Qiu'er, was the one that Wang Ruoyu secretly gave to the old Prince Kang as a concubine.

In addition, Su Xiaoniang also had a son born out of wedlock named Kang Yan, who was about the same age as Liu Ge'er.

"Which family have you chosen for her? Zhao'er is obedient and sensible. As her legal mother, don't push her into a fire pit as well."

Before he could finish speaking, Wang Ruoyu stood up, pointed her finger at his nose, and said, "A pit of fire? Kang Haifeng, then tell me, how much dowry can you afford to give her?"

She took another step closer, her spittle almost splashing onto Kang Haifeng's face.

"Don't you have any idea what kind of situation our family is in right now?"

"You want her to marry into a good family in style? Fine, then you'll have to pay up!"

"You lowly brat, you're lucky if you can even get food to eat and get married. You can't afford to be a loving father to me."

Looking at Wang Ruoyu's mean face.

Kang Haifeng couldn't help but clench his fist, suppressing the anger in his heart, and thought to himself: When the Wang family falls into decline, I will definitely teach her a lesson!
On the other side, in Hanlin Lane, at the Prince's Mansion.

Wang Shiping exhaled a soft breath and exclaimed, "Duke of Wei, what an honor this is!"

"Even Father probably never imagined that the Sheng family would be so prosperous today. My brother-in-law has given birth to a wonderful daughter!"

Grandma Wang leaned back on the soft couch and slowly raised her eyelids.

If such a good thing had happened in the eldest daughter's family, she would have already come to congratulate them.

Aunt Wang said softly, "Although my brother-in-law received his title and honors from the Empress, in my opinion, he is quite capable."

"If it were any other family back then, how could they bear to marry off their eldest daughter?"

Upon hearing this, Old Mrs. Wang's eyes narrowed slightly, and she couldn't help but shake her head.

Originally, Old Madam Sheng brought Sheng Hong to the door to ask for the marriage of her eldest daughter, but Wang Ruoyu looked down on them. After several commotions, Grand Tutor Wang finally allowed Wang Ruofu to marry into the family.

Kang Yuan'er stood beside Old Mrs. Wang, looking sour.

Of the four legitimate daughters of the Sheng and Kang families, she has married the worst, judging from the current situation.

Back when her older sister Kang Yun'er married into a merchant family, she secretly mocked her.

But to everyone's surprise, the eldest son of the Sheng family already held the title of Earl, possessing immense wealth. Not only was the official diligently serving in the Imperial Guard, but he also had no concubines. Furthermore, his mother-in-law was gentle and easy to manage.

Aunt Wang glanced at her discreetly, while Lin's mother had already secretly found a potent medicine and put it into Kang Yuan'er's food.

It is now certain that she will never be able to conceive again.

So she said quietly, "Yuan'er, you and You'er have been married for three or four years now, why is there still no sign of pregnancy?"

"It's not that I'm being nosy, but you need to be more careful."

“You’er is our family’s only legitimate son. Mother and I both hope that he can have children soon and continue the Wang family line.”

"The second son of the Sheng family has both a son and a daughter, and the third son's wife is pregnant. This big family is so lively and enviable."

Upon hearing this, Kang Yuan'er clutched the hem of her clothes, momentarily at a loss for words.

Grandma Wang is over seventy years old and is also concerned about this matter. Although Kang Yuan'er is her granddaughter, she is ultimately not as important as having a son of the Wang family.

She quickly added, "Your mother-in-law is right. From now on, you should focus more on taking care of your health and having children."

"If this drags on any longer, I'm afraid people outside will start gossiping."

“Yes, Grandmother,” Kang Yuan’er replied, her eyes lowered.

She also knew that if she could not conceive again, even if her mother came, she would not be able to stop Wang You from taking a concubine.

A subtle smile flickered across Aunt Wang's eyes.

-

Mid-May of the fourth year of the Hongwu reign.

The Duke of Wei's mansion has been almost completely repaired, and Wang Ruofu is leading his servants in preparing for the opening banquet in a few days.

Over there on Liangzhe Road.

The land survey is proceeding smoothly, and three officials have already failed the performance evaluation due to delays in the survey and errors in the accounts.

Today, the Liangzhe Road Transport Office.

Gu Qianfan, dressed in a dark blue outfit, with his black hair tied up high, stood to one side with his arms crossed and a smile on his face.

Wang Anshi sat upright at his desk, and without Madam Wu by his side to take care of him, he became increasingly unkempt.

If he wore ordinary clothes and went out, it would be impossible to associate him with a high-ranking official of the imperial court.

Shi Qiang had just arrived from the dock. He picked up his teacup, tilted his head back and drank it all in one gulp. Then he cupped his hands and said, "Yesterday, the brothers of the canal gang discovered another secret."

"Because the matter is of great importance, I had no choice but to come immediately to inform Lord Wang."

"Speak quickly!" Upon hearing this, Wang Anshi's brows furrowed immediately.

“Zheng Qingtian, the magistrate of Qiantang County, illegally lifted the sea ban and secretly allowed foreign merchants from Southeast Asia to enter the HZ market. They unloaded and traded goods under the guise of local merchants, exploiting loopholes in the market tax to make huge profits.”

The founding emperor of this dynasty successively established eight maritime trade offices in Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Quanzhou, Mingzhou, and other cities, and appointed local officials as maritime trade commissioners.

Smuggling is rampant due to collusion between officials and businessmen, and the dispersed nature of ports makes supervision difficult.

Therefore, the imperial court only allowed the ports of Guangzhou, Mingzhou, and Quanzhou to receive merchants from Southeast Asia, and closed all other ports.

"Is the news accurate?"

Shi Qiang nodded solemnly, "Rest assured, sir. I would never have come to inform you if I had not verified it repeatedly."

"In addition, Zheng Qingtian also concealed his private property and concealed his hidden land."

"Before you and Lord Gu came to Jiangnan, this man had visited Prefect Xiao Qinyan of Suzhou several times late at night," Shi Qiang said in a deep voice, bowing with his hands clasped.

Upon hearing the name Xiao Qinyan, Gu Qianfan's smile vanished instantly.

If the evidence is conclusive, Xiao Qinyan will definitely suffer a major setback, and may never be able to recover.

Thinking of this, Gu Qianfan turned to Wang Anshi and said, "My lord, must I arrest Zheng Qingtian immediately and torture him severely?"

"If a mere county magistrate dares to lift the sea ban privately, I'm afraid many officials in charge in Jiangnan are colluding with him and secretly accepting bribes."

"Go then," Wang Anshi said, then picked up his brush, dipped it in ink, and prepared to write a letter to inform Zhao Han of the matter.

"Yes!" Gu Qianfan responded immediately and led his trusted men from the Imperial City Guard to Qiantang to capture Zheng Qingtian overnight.

In his view, this was a golden opportunity to bring down Xiao Qinyan.

Eight or nine days later, in Bianjing, at the Imperial Palace, in the Wenhua Hall.
A wisp of smoke slowly rose from the incense burner and then gradually dissipated.

Qingyun stood to one side and said softly, "Your Majesty, Song Yinzhang, a musician from the Qiantang Music Camp, has been settled in the Jiaosifang. Shall we summon her to meet Your Majesty?"

Zhao Han picked up the secret letter handed to him by Wang Anshi, turned to look at him, and said, "No need for now. I have no interest in listening to music right now. Just keep an eye on this person."

"This servant understands." Qingyun nodded repeatedly.

He had already privately informed Zun Yuan Changhe, the head of the Jiaofangsi (Imperial Music Bureau), that Song Yinzhang was a candidate personally selected by the Emperor and that he must be given special care to ensure that nothing went wrong.

A moment later, Zhao Han frowned, looking displeased, and slammed the secret letter down on the table.

"Zheng Qingtian has audacity to lift the sea ban!"

Qingyun took a deep breath and quickly bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, please calm your anger."

"With Lord Wang and Lord Gu here, I think the evidence of their crimes will be verified soon, and the Emperor will be able to use this opportunity to clean up the officialdom in Jiangnan."

Zhao Han's eyes were low and thoughtful. After a moment of consideration, he said in a deep voice, "Tell Wang Anshi and Gu Qianfan that this matter must be thoroughly investigated, but we must also stabilize the situation."

"Zheng Qingtian's accounts of illegally opening the sea trade, as well as the hidden land deeds and private property, must all be searched and found. Any officials involved who have conclusive evidence must be escorted to the capital!"

"Yes, this servant will deliver the message immediately." Qingyun replied respectfully, bowing deeply.

As dusk settled, Minglan, dressed in a light blue brocade dress and carrying a gold-lacquered tray, gracefully approached.

She stood in the hall, bowed gracefully, and said, "Your Majesty, I just made lotus leaf soup with Xiao Tao and brought it here for you to try."

Zhao Han looked up at her and nodded.

Minglan then stepped forward to the table and carefully placed the porcelain bowl in front of him. "Is there something troubling Your Majesty?"

“In the past, when I came, Your Majesty was always all smiles and laughter. Why are you so silent today?”

Zhao Han sighed softly and took Minglan's delicate and soft hands in hers.

Before he could speak, Minglan smiled and said softly, "Try the lotus leaf soup. I have some good news to tell Your Majesty later."

"Okay." Zhao Han smiled, gently stroked the tip of her upturned nose, and then scooped up a spoonful of soup and put it in his mouth.

"Excellent! The fragrance of lotus leaves mingles with the aroma of fresh food. Ming'er's cooking skills are becoming increasingly refined; even the chefs in the imperial kitchen would have to admit defeat!"

"Tell me your good news!" Zhao Han asked expectantly.

Minglan lowered her eyes and smiled gently. She stood up and said, "Sister Zhang came here today specifically to talk and amuse me. During our meal, she casually mentioned that she has had a poor appetite these past few days."

"I then asked Xiao Tao to invite the imperial physician to take my pulse, and unexpectedly, he detected that I was pregnant."

"Your Majesty, please go and see Sister Zhang tonight, but please don't tell anyone that I told Your Majesty."

(End of this chapter)