Do You Know?: Rule the World.

Chapter 183 Gu Shuchang Leaves the Sheng Mansion
Wei Ling glanced at Sheng Hong lightly and said coldly, "The Wang family has made things difficult for my elder sister several times. Although she has recovered now, the poisoning is no small matter."

"It will ultimately shorten one's lifespan; this matter cannot be so easily dismissed!"

Upon hearing this, Sheng Hong hurriedly tugged at his sleeve and took a few steps to the side, whispering, "She is, after all, an official's wife, and serving her sentence in the inner prison is already a severe punishment according to the law."

"If we add any more charges, it might cause criticism from your colleagues, who might say that you are abusing your power and settling personal scores, which would be detrimental to your reputation."

"Besides, you've just returned from a meritorious service. Don't be impulsive. If you really can't swallow this, just secretly speak to the female officer in the inner prison. You know the ins and outs of the inner prison; she'll have a hard time."

Why make a scene in the open and give others ammunition to criticize you?

Ever since Wang Ruoyu was imprisoned, Old Madam Wang has been trying to empty her savings to bribe officials everywhere, hoping to make things easier for her in prison.

However, Sheng Hong stopped them all without making a sound.

After all, he had long disliked this sister-in-law. Back when he was just a minor official with a meager salary, she often came to his home to stir up trouble and make the inner quarters uneasy.

Now that she has fallen to such a state, Sheng Hong naturally cannot allow Old Madam Wang's scheme to succeed.

Wei Ling's gaze darkened slightly. After weighing the matter for a moment, he nodded and said, "Thank you for the reminder, Duke Wei. I will definitely pay a visit to the old lady and my elder sister in a few days."

"Alright, I was just about to invite you to my residence for a chat." Sheng Hong stroked his beard and smiled, then strode towards the palace gate.

As night deepened, at the Ningyuan Marquis's residence.

Inside the rear courtyard, the lights were on, and the air was warm and fragrant.

The first thing Gu Tingye did upon returning home was to go to the ancestral hall to pay homage to the Gu family ancestors and place the imperial edict of bestowal and the iron certificate of merit on the incense table.

He had changed into casual clothes and was smiling as he held Chang'er in his arms.

His rough fingertips gently teased her delicate face, his eyes full of affection.

A short while later, he glanced around the room and asked, "Where's Granny Chang? Why haven't I seen her?"

Yuan Wenying, who was sitting in front of the bronze mirror and removing her hairpins and jewelry, smiled and turned to look at him. From this day forward, she was the wife of the Duke of Zhenguo.

“Granny Chang’s grandson fell ill the day before yesterday, so I told her to go home and take care of him first, and come back when the child is better.”

Granny Chang's husband, son, and two daughters are all deceased.

A few years ago, at Gu Tingye's urging, she brought her widowed daughter-in-law and grandchildren from Yangzhou to live in the capital.

His granddaughter, Chang Yan, had grown into a beautiful young woman, while his grandson, Chang Nian, was eight or nine years old and was studying at a private school arranged by Gu Tingye.

Gu Tingye nodded slightly and then asked, "I just heard from the steward that my mother-in-law has been visiting frequently lately. Is something wrong at home?"

Upon hearing this, Yuan Wenying frowned slightly, walked over and sat down next to Gu Tingye, and sighed softly, "It's not a big deal."

“My mother actually took the public funds and secretly followed my uncle Zhang to do business, and lost everything.”

"When my father found out about this, he was furious and scolded her in front of the whole family."

"My older brother and sister-in-law have always been favored by my mother. Whenever they earn money, my mother tries every means to take it away from them."

"Now that his mother is in an awkward position, he doesn't know how to say a word and just stands there pretending to be deaf and dumb."

"But my mother is also muddle-headed. She only thinks about them when there are good things, and when something goes wrong, she just comes to me crying."

Over the years, she has come to see the true colors of Yuan Wenchun and her sister-in-law, Zhang Shi: shrewd, selfish, cold-hearted, only knowing how to take and never taking responsibility.

In contrast, his second elder brother, Yuan Wenshao, is down-to-earth, ambitious, and honest. He is now the sixth-rank commander of the Southern City Military Command.

Compared to the Gu family's past, the Yuan family's troubles are nothing.

Gu Tingye raised his hand and gently patted her shoulder, comforting her, "Don't get upset. Your mother-in-law came to the mansion crying and complaining, just listen to her."

"If she asks you for help, and it involves money or other difficulties, don't rush to agree."

"In my opinion, only the second brother-in-law of the Yuan family is worth helping."

Yuan Wenying nodded in deep agreement, "What you say is true, sir. I understand the advantages and disadvantages involved."

"By the way, I've already had someone prepare for Xian'er's coming-of-age ceremony. My sister-in-law said there's no need to go to great lengths, but I think we should still make a proper celebration."

"It's not only good for Xian'er, but also very beneficial to the gentleman's reputation."

Gu Tingyu was narrow-minded and jealous of Gu Tingye's talent and virtue. His failure to pass the imperial examination was already common knowledge in Bianjing.

At this moment, Gu Tingye is holding a grand coming-of-age ceremony for Xian'er. If word gets out, people will only say that he is magnanimous, forgiving, and treats his widowed sister-in-law and young niece well.

"I'll listen to you; it'll just cost a little more money."

"After all, Xian'er is now the eldest daughter of the Duke's family, so we must carefully choose a suitable match for her."

After saying this, Gu Tingye lowered his head and saw that Chang'er in his arms was already fast asleep. Reluctantly, he handed her over to the wet nurse.

The empresses of Emperor Taizu and Emperor Taizong of this dynasty were all daughters of military generals.

Empress Dowager Liu's father was also a military general, but his family fell into decline and his parents died, which led her to become a dancer.

Empress Guo, the first empress of the late emperor, and Empress Dowager Cao, the current empress dowager, are both daughters of upright military generals.

If the Sheng family hadn't been lucky enough to have arranged the marriage before Zhao Han was formally recognized as a member of the family, breaking off the engagement prematurely would have certainly damaged their reputation.

Otherwise, the current empress would undoubtedly be the daughter of the Duke of Ying.

He was only thirty years old when he became a Duke, wearing a purple robe and jade belt, with outstanding military achievements, and the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun had not yet been recovered.

As the eldest daughter of the Duke of Zhenguo's family, Chang'er is being carefully raised and may very well become the empress in the future.

Thinking of this, Gu Tingye unconsciously straightened his back, a meaningful smile on his face.

On the other side, at the Yongchang Earl's Mansion, the Liang family.

In a small courtyard on the east side, candlelight flickered, and the surroundings were decorated in a simple and elegant style, with a wisp of smoke rising from the incense burner.

This was the residence of Liang Hui, the eldest son born out of wedlock, and his wife, Lady Wei.

Fourth-rank Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of War!
He is not yet forty years old this year, which is the age when his career is on the rise. However, it is difficult for him to cross the threshold of the fourth rank, put on a purple robe and jade belt, and join the ranks of prominent officials!
Many officials spend their entire lives stuck at the fourth rank, from youth to old age, exhausting their life's efforts without ever succeeding in climbing the ranks.

Liang Hui leaned against the soft couch, shook his head, and sighed deeply.

Knowing his thoughts, Lady Wei gently comforted him, "My lord, there's no need to be anxious."

"In the end, the gentleman is a son born out of wedlock, and his maternal family has no power. Compared to Erlang and the others, his achievements today are already extremely rare, one in ten thousand."

Liang Hui put down his teacup and nodded. "Yes, Madam dotes on Erlang. She has taken meticulous care of him since he was a child, always looking out for him and making sure he doesn't get even the slightest bit tired."

"When I was young, I practiced martial arts and studied. Through the cold winter and hot summer, even when I was sick, I never stopped for a single day. Before I reached the age of twenty, I joined the army."

"Although I had my father's protection to some extent, in the end, I still had to fight my way up with my own hard work."

"Even with all my efforts, the Liang family's vast fortune will still belong to Erlang."

"They want to rely on me to maintain the family's reputation and preserve the wealth of Erlang and Liulang."

Madam Wei pursed her lips and said, "My father-in-law said that in addition to the title, he will also give us the shop and silver shop on West Street, as well as two estates in the suburbs."

"Ha!" Liang Hui snorted coldly, "It's just a drop in the ocean." "Erlang's abilities are mediocre, he's only good at being honest and loyal, while Liulang does nothing all day and indulges in wine and women."

"After Father passes away, we should start thinking about dividing the family property."

“Our lineage has earned its current prestige through my own hard work on the battlefield and in the imperial court. Why should these two incompetent fools benefit from it?”

"I'd like to see how long they can squander that fortune!"

Wei's eyes flickered slightly, and she agreed with Liang Hui's words. With the title of Earl, they had established their own household, and with the connections they had cultivated in the court over the years, who would dare to look down on them?

At most, it's just a temporary loss of face.

"I just heard from the servants that Liu Lang's wife is pregnant again?" Liang Hui turned to look at Madam Wei.

Madam Wei nodded and said casually, "Yes, Chun Ke and Qiu Jiang have been keeping Liu Lang in good sway, and he only goes to her courtyard on the first and fifteenth of each month."

“Chun Ke told me before that Liu Lang only didn’t treat her as a mere decoration because her family was powerful.”

"Sixth Brother's wife is now only thinking about having a legitimate son to rely on, otherwise Chun Ke and Wen Ge'er will have her completely under their thumb in the future."

“The young mistress of the Wen family once said that she and her birth mother, Lin, had been powerful figures in the Sheng family for many years. They had better food, clothing, and daily necessities than the main mistress and always acted arrogantly.”

“When she first married into the Liang family, she often showed off her status as the legitimate wife and illegitimate wife in front of me.”

"Now that Chun Ke is keeping her in check, it's just the way things are going."

Liang Hui chuckled but didn't reply. Since it concerned the inner perimeter, he couldn't say much and just treated it as an amusing anecdote.

-

A few days later, in the Shou'an Hall of the Duke of Wei's mansion, the aroma of tea filled the air, as warm as a spring day.

Only the old lady, Wang Ruofu, Sheng Hong, and Wei Ling were present.

Sheng Changbai knew the purpose of Wei Ling's visit today, but he did not want to get involved in these matters and went to the Ministry of Personnel early in the morning to take his duty.

In his view, his father owed the Wei family a debt no matter what. He had seen what kind of life Wei Shuyi and Minglan lived before the Sheng family moved to the capital.

Even though the many mistreatments were all caused by Lin Xiaoniang, they were still inextricably linked to Sheng Hong.

As the head of a household, it is wrong of him to fail to uphold justice, restrain the women of the household, and indulge the concubines' misbehavior.

"Greetings, Madam." Wei Ling greeted her with a composed expression and cupped his hands in a respectful bow.

The old lady sat upright on the soft couch, with a plate of pastries that Hai Chaoyun had specially bought from Ban Zhe Mian on the table.

Under Zhao Pan'er's dedicated management, Ban Zhe Mian became incredibly popular as soon as it opened, with the restaurant bustling with customers and cars every day.

Many tea drinkers originally came for Song Yinzhang's pipa music, but were quickly won over by Zhao Pan'er and Sun San Niang's tea and snacks.

Listening to a tune, sipping tea, and enjoying delicious snacks is truly a refined pleasure.

Even the women of many noble families in the city often sent people to buy some snacks to take home.

However, Zhao Pan'er was well-versed in business and understood that scarcity increases value. The number of items sold to the public each day was limited, and people had to be sent to queue up early in the morning.

The old lady smiled slightly and nodded, saying, "Uncle Wei, there's no need for such formalities. Please sit down and let's talk."

"Grandma Xie, it's been several months since I last saw you. You are in excellent spirits, even better than before." As Wei Ling spoke, he straightened his robe and sat down, displaying his composure.

Wang Ruofu twitched the corner of his mouth and said in a friendly manner, "How is your old lady's health these days? You have returned with merit and been granted the title of Earl. She must be very happy."

Wei Ling shook his head and sighed softly.

“After I returned to the capital, my mother’s complexion was better than before, but she was always worried about my elder sister and often regretted letting her sell herself into servitude as a concubine.”

"However, if it weren't for the extra money given by the madam back then, the Wei family would never be where it is today."

Wang Ruofu clutched her handkerchief and gave a dry laugh. "It's all old news, why bring it up again?"

"Back then, I saw your elder sister kneeling on the street. It was really tough for her. A little money was just a small favor. It's not worth you remembering it so much."

“Ming’er is now quite favored by the Emperor, and Liu’er is excelling in martial arts. Your elder sister has finally made it, hasn’t she?”

Wei Ling smiled calmly. Minglan had already stated in her letter that Wei Shuyi's poisoning had nothing to do with her.

When she was in charge of the Sheng family, she never really mistreated Wei Shuyi; at most, she would make things unpleasant with her words.

However, Wei Ling was too lazy to continue beating around the bush and said softly, "What you say is true, but I have come here today because I have a favor to ask."

Upon hearing this, Sheng Hong put the teacup he was about to drink back down and turned to exchange a glance with the old lady.

"To be honest, I have felt deeply indebted to my elder sister over the years. My mother is in poor health and has always hoped that my elder sister could gain her freedom."

"Upon learning that my elder sister had been framed by villains and had fallen into a coma due to poisoning, I was extremely anxious and lost my appetite for many days."

"This matter is merely a piece of paper for the Sheng family, but it is an immense favor for the Wei family. If the Duke of Wei agrees, Wei Ling will be grateful for the rest of his life."

After saying this, Wei Ling stood up and bowed.

Sheng Hong was prepared for this. He sighed softly, turned around and instructed Dong Rong to fetch Fang Liang's books from the study.

"Since it is the old lady's wish, I cannot force her to stay any longer. Letting her return to the Wei family is also a way for me to make amends for my negligence back then."

Wei Ling bowed again, "Thank you for your kindness, Wei State, which has fulfilled the long-cherished wish of my son and me. Let's not bring up the past again."

“That’s right,” Sheng Hong immediately replied.

Grandma Sheng slowly raised her eyelids and focused her gaze on Wang Ruofu.

"Find Liu Xiaodie's indenture. She has served the Wei family for many years with utmost loyalty."

"Now that Wei has returned to her family, she naturally needs someone close to her. We can't let her go back alone."

Wang Ruofu nodded repeatedly. She had no reason to refuse a mere maid. "Alright, I'll take care of it right away."

Before long, Dong Rong brought Fang Liang's book and, at Sheng Hong's instruction, handed it directly to Wei Ling.

On the other side, Wei Shuyi stood inside the house, her eyes slightly red, looking at Sheng Changliu with deep reluctance.

If it weren't for Wei Ling and Minglan's strong persuasion, she would never have left the Sheng family now.

“Young lady, there’s no need to be sad. Your uncle said he will go to the palace to ask the Emperor for an official title for you.”

"With an imperial decree, I can hold my head high from now on, and I can even go to the palace to see my sixth sister during festivals."

"Whenever my son has free time, he will visit you at the Wei family home. When he is able to establish his own household in the future, he will bring his wife here to reunite with him in a proper manner."

As Sheng Changliu spoke, his gaze was clear and firm, and Wei Shuyi gently exhaled a breath of stale air.

With Hai Chaoyun currently in charge of household management, the Wang family is not as powerful as the Wei family, so Wang Ruofu would not make things difficult for Sheng Changliu.

"Alright, I'll wait. In the Sheng family, you must listen to your father and second brother, especially your second brother. His words are definitely for your own good."

"Don't worry, son understands." Sheng Changliu nodded solemnly.

(End of this chapter)