In fact, the Zhang family has never been a famous or wealthy family.
Apart from a Vice Minister of Works, there have been no other notable figures. When it came to the current head of the Zhang family, he could only barely become a doctor, and that was only possible because of the help from the Chengguo Mansion.
Before that, the most glorious thing for the Zhang family was that their daughter married the eldest son of the Yongding Marquis's Mansion and became the wife of the eldest son.
The girls in the Zhang family were not engaged to high-ranking men.
As for this marriage, it was decided casually when the eldest master of the Zhang family and his colleagues went out to supervise the river transportation, as they had shared the joys and sorrows for a period of time.
At that time, he didn't say who it was. He just said that if he had a granddaughter, he would marry her to the grandson of that colleague.
As a result, his colleague went to the northwest to raise horses, but he fell ill and died, and the marriage was forgotten.
Until last year, when someone came to the door, the head of the Zhang family denied it outright and drove the person away.
Originally, no one mentioned this matter again. But when the news of Zhang Jingchan becoming Prince Zhuang's concubine spread, that family came to make trouble again, and it was a big fuss - the boy's widowed mother hanged herself at the gate of the Zhang family, and died just like that.
This incident caused a huge uproar. The people from Shuntian Prefecture took the body away and sent someone to summon the eldest master of the Zhang family that same day.
Mrs. Qin was very excited when she heard this. Seeing her daughter feeding the goldfish with a small bottle in her arms, she quickly stood up and walked to her daughter. "It's such a big fuss that it has already alarmed the censors. I heard that this man's former subordinate in the Ministry of Works wrote a letter to impeach the eldest master of the Zhang family for ten crimes, including not educating his daughter well, not being upright, and forcing people to death..."
Tsk tsk, every single one of them hit the civil servants' sore spot.
"Now the Zhang family has to cover their heads when they go out on the street, for fear that their identities will be known. Their reputation has been completely ruined!" Mrs. Qin became more and more excited as she spoke. After spitting, she said fiercely: "This is all their retribution!"
Zhang Jingchan fell ill soon after, and I heard that her illness was serious.
Princess Zhuang smiled and asked softly, "Is this retribution?"
Mrs. Qin felt that her daughter's tone was a little off, and when she saw her put the bottle down, she asked hesitantly, "Isn't it?"
Princess Zhuang glanced nonchalantly at the lights outside the window and said calmly, "If there really was retribution, could Zhang Linghui still be the wife of the prince of the Duke's Mansion for so many years? If there was retribution, why didn't it happen earlier?"
She never believed in karma.
There is only winning and losing in this world.
Mrs. Qin reacted, but was still confused: "Could it be you..."
Clapping her hands, Princess Zhuang held her belly and sat back on the bed. The doctor told her to stay in bed and not get out of bed, but she didn't do so. After sitting back, she lowered her eyelids and smiled, "It's not me, because I don't have to do it. Naturally, someone will do me a favor first. After all, in her eyes, Zhang Jingchan is a thief."
... ..Tian Rui!
Mrs. Qin reacted immediately, opened her mouth, and the previous joy disappeared instantly.
Although Zhang Jingchan is very annoying, she is no match for Tian Rui in terms of status and scheming. Tian Rui's move against Zhang Jingchan can only mean that she is determined to win over His Highness.
But who could expect such an ambitious person to obediently submit to her own daughter
The tea in her hand suddenly lost its flavor.
At this time, Tian Rui was watching the maids going back and forth to dry books.
The weather was very good today, and the empty garden was already filled with books. She sat on the stone bench with a comfortable expression.
Not long after, Tian Xun came running over, holding up the hem of her skirt. Before she even stood still, she said, "Sister, I heard that Zhang Jingchan is sick, and she's seriously ill."
Tian Rui glanced at her, with no reaction on her face. She looked straight at her book and said, "Really? What does this have to do with you?"
"Why is it okay?" Tian Xun sighed, bent down and stared at Tian Rui's profile, and suddenly smiled again: "Sister, why are you pretending? I know everything. The day we came back from the restaurant, you went to see Second Uncle, right?"
Tian Rui didn't even raise her head. She lazily told the maids to be careful, then stood up and walked towards her own yard.
Tian Xun followed her all the way, exclaimed, and as soon as he entered the house, he ignored the busy maid and pulled Tian Rui first: "Sister! Tell me quickly, how did you find her fiancé?"
Tian Rui blinked her eyes and handed the book in her hand back to the girl: "Take this out and let it dry in the sun." Then she turned around and looked at Tian Xun: "What fiancé did you say? When did she have a fiancé?"
Tian Xun was stunned by this question.
After a moment, she reacted, her eyes widened and she exclaimed: "Okay! So it was really you who did it, and your second uncle even helped you. So, those people are all you..."
"Hush." Tian Rui smiled, stretched out her hand to make a silent gesture, and then put her hands in the rose water to soak them. She said in a deep voice: "I didn't do anything."
Tian Xun pouted, very dissatisfied with Tian Rui's pretense: "Isn't it just the help of Second Uncle? It turns out that the Zhang family didn't have an engagement before, you just made it up."
yes.
Tian Rui's face was indifferent, but a hint of viciousness flashed across her eyes.
Anything she likes belongs to her.
Anyone who tries to steal her things will not have a good ending.
At this time, Zhang Linghui also received the news. When she heard that Zhang Jingchan was seriously ill, her face was indifferent and she did not react at all.
Mrs. Zhang's tears kept flowing. She held Zhang Linghui's hand and choked up, "Linghui, you can't ignore your niece. She is still so young..."
Perhaps she was really too tired, or perhaps she could no longer bear the grievances that had accumulated over so many days, so Zhang Linghui suddenly brushed away her mother's hand.
Mrs. Zhang's tears were still on her cheeks. She moved her lips and looked at her in astonishment: "Linghui?"
"Don't call me!" Zhang Linghui's ribs ached with anger, and her lips turned pale as she looked at her mother fiercely: "What else do you want from me? Don't you know what my situation is now? The prince is still in prison, and I can't even see him. I'm at my wit's end, what else do you want from me?! Zhang Jingchan is sick, who made her sick? Was it me?"
Over the years, the Zhang family has never been at peace.
My father made mistakes in his work from time to time, and he asked the Duke's Mansion to help.
Her mother's dowry shop suffered losses, and she was asked to help fill the gap.
This relative in the family wants promotion, that relative wants help, and the days go on like this endlessly. Until now, Zhang Linghui has finally had enough.