Lu Hao could understand the truth that a woman who managed the household could understand. He was at the center of the imperial power vortex and could understand it even more. It was difficult for a person to stand for a long time in this power struggle. The wise way was to find a family that could be relied on and work together with others. Why did forming cliques for personal gain continue despite repeated prohibitions? This was the way for court officials to protect themselves.
What is an aristocratic family? Not just anyone with money and power can become an aristocratic family. Aristocratic families have something that ordinary people envy but cannot get, that is, the family's reputation and connections. The complicated relationships and the reputation of being a scholarly and pure family are enough to make the people and even the emperor feel a deep fear of the aristocratic family.
The Great Chu was founded not long ago. In the war in which the founding emperor Song Wei rebelled, some aristocratic families were wiped out, while others were gangsters who were lucky enough to follow the right people and became upstarts wearing dragon robes. The upstarts opened new families, but these upstart families had only a few decades of experience and were nothing compared to those aristocratic families that had lasted for two or three hundred years and were still prosperous.
Why would a noble man like the Prince of Qin marry the daughter of the Fang family who had one foot in the coffin? It was for the protection of the Fang family. With the Fang family's amulet, the Princess's Mansion was able to remain safe during the coup d'état that lasted for several years.
For Lu Hao, a man who started from scratch and has no roots or foundation, the best way is to become the son-in-law of a noble family.
Even if he has the emperor's trust, his foundation is still unstable. There is a saying from the past that goes, "To be with the emperor is like being with a tiger." The emperor is the most difficult person in the world to figure out. One moment he likes you very much, but the next moment he sees you as a thorn in his side. He wants to get rid of you as soon as possible. If he doesn't kill you, he will demote you to a commoner and drive you away, all of which is out of consideration for the long-term relationship between the emperor and his subjects.
When Song Wei became the emperor and the country was stable, the first thing he did was to chop off the heads of the founding heroes. Among those who lost their heads, which one did not sacrifice his life to help Song Wei build his country? Which one did not save Song Wei's life? He just chopped them off. The rest of them were not a threat to the throne under him.
With Lu Hao's status and position, isn't it the same? Moreover, he is far less important than those founding heroes. If he offends the emperor one day and loses his favor, it is estimated that the emperor will order him to be beheaded in a matter of minutes.
However, if he had a noble family behind him, the situation would be completely different. Even if the emperor hated him and was determined to kill him, he would have to consider whether his noble family would agree.
He understands all these principles and has thought about them more thoroughly than anyone else.
Looking at the portraits of his grandfather and father enshrined in the house, both of them frowned. With seriousness and sorrow, Lu Hao recalled his twenty years of life. In his memory, he was a young master with luxurious clothes and food. If his family had not fallen into poverty, he should have grown up to be a playboy who only eats and waits for death like Sima Hong. After his family fell into poverty, he began to study and studied hard for more than ten years. He had been frightened and suppressed. He had also been frustrated and depressed. All of these were for the sake of climbing up, forcing himself to climb to a higher and more powerful position.
However, when he came to his senses and found himself standing at a high place, what surged into his heart was not the ecstasy of fulfilling his long-cherished wish, but the lament of being at a high place and feeling lonely.
He had many thoughts about Mingyu, and he kept thinking about them over and over again for a long time, but he couldn't make up his mind. He knew that with his status and Mingyu's situation, the Xu family would probably be overjoyed even if she became a concubine, but he also knew that Mingyu would definitely not be willing, so this matter would not be accomplished.
If he wants her, the hot-tempered girl who is engraved in his heart, he has to show considerable sincerity. Otherwise, the little girl is hard-hearted and cruel enough to look down on flashy things such as power, fame and wealth. What can he do to impress her
Lu Hao looked at the portraits of his grandfather and father, which showed deep hatred and bitterness, and smiled. He said to his mother, who was still trying to persuade him, "Who painted this portrait?"
The topic suddenly changed too quickly, and Mrs. Lu was a little uncomfortable. After a while, she frowned and said, "I still asked the painter to paint it according to what I said!"
Lu Hao smiled amiably, "Let's get another artist to paint another one someday. These two paintings are nothing alike." After that, he left the room without paying any attention to Mrs. Lu. The midsummer sun was strong, pouring down on him. Lu Hao took a deep breath and smiled at Mrs. Lu in the room, "Mom, let's go and have dinner. It's getting late."
Life is short and living is tiring, so why should he not even have a chance to do what he wants? He was determined to do it. Stripping off his gentle and elegant appearance, he was essentially a strong and rebellious man. He decided to just let his temper run wild in the most important matter of life.
After Fu Lemei left, Mingyu told her mother what happened today. She only vaguely said that she met Mrs. Lu at Prince Li's mansion. Seeing that Mrs. Lu's attitude was not very enthusiastic, this marriage was probably hopeless, but she skipped the fact that Mrs. Lu's words were fierce and rude. Mingyu was grateful to Lu Hao from the bottom of her heart. Lu Hao helped her return to her dream home in Jiangnan. Mingyu didn't want to hate Lu Hao because of Mrs. Lu, and she also wanted to leave face and respect for her benefactor in front of her relatives.
After listening to Mingyu's story, Madam Xu sat there in a daze for a long time before she recovered. She couldn't quite accept the news for a while. After a while, Madam Xu gathered her hair, opened her mouth several times, and finally said with hope: "Maybe... you misunderstood. Isn't this the first time you meet? Madam Lu might be afraid of losing face in front of you, so she deliberately acted serious and cold. In fact, maybe she..."
Mrs. Xu couldn't continue. In fact, she didn't know what to say. Mingyu had always been precocious and steady. How could she not tell how others treated her? If Mrs. Lu didn't dislike it, why would Mingyu say that when she came back? Since Mrs. Lu didn't want to, there was no hope for this marriage. They couldn't beg for it. Not only would it make them lose face, but they would also look down on themselves. However, Mrs. Xu sighed. It was such a pity and regret to miss Lu Hao.
Mingyu hugged Madam Xu's arm and shook her head, "Mom, don't hold out hope for Lord Lu. I'm not destined to marry into a rich family." Mingyu also figured it out. If she had to treat her future in-laws with a humble, cautious, or even fawning attitude just because she had been divorced, losing her dignity and personality, she would no longer be herself.
Madam Xu wiped her face, feeling exhausted from dashed hopes. She touched Mingyu's hand, feeling sorry for her daughter. She was such a good girl, but her life was so rough. She finally had Lu Hao, and now she saw good days coming, but now it was gone. It was like God was playing a trick on her. Madam Xu tried to comfort her, "If she doesn't like you, then let her not like you. Don't think about other things. She doesn't like you because she has no taste... Let's just pretend it never happened. You should live a peaceful life. Your parents are here, and they will never let you suffer any grievances."
No one knew what Mrs. Xu said to Xu Changqian and Xu Mingye. Xu Mingye seemed to be indifferent, and Xu Changqian sighed for a while, but there was nothing he could do. He could only give up and think that his daughter was not so lucky.
When Mingyu went to bed at night, she slept particularly soundly, as if she had unloaded a heavy burden from her heart. She hadn't slept so soundly in the past few days.
The next morning, after seeing off Xu Changqian and Xu Mingye who were going to report to the government, Mingyu and Madam Xu cleaned up the house and prepared to go to the shop. As soon as they opened the door, they saw Lu Hao's servant Xiaoqi standing at the door, his hand suspended in the air, as if he was about to knock on the door.
Seeing Mingyu, Xiao Qi grinned, "I was just about to knock on the door, and you came to open it!"
Madam Xu recognized Xiao Qi and knew that he was Lu Hao's servant. She remembered the cold reception her daughter received from Madam Xu yesterday, and she was a little unhappy with Lu Hao. She was also a little cold to Xiao Qi. She smiled and said, "It turned out to be the steward Qi. My old man and Ming Ye are not at home. If you have anything to do, why not wait until they come back in the evening?"
Xiao Qi said with a smile: "I am not here to see the two Lords Xu today, I am here to give them gifts!" As he said that, he asked the servants behind him to pick up two boxes from the carriage and deliver them into the yard.
Xiao Qi opened the box and took out the things covered with soft brocade cloth to prevent earthquakes, and showed them to Madam Xu and Mingyu one by one.
The gift to Xu Mingye was a jade chessboard, with white pieces made of white jade and black pieces made of ink-colored glazed tiles. What was rare was that the chessboard was made of a whole piece of red sandalwood, which was simple and elegant, and quite beautiful. The gift to Xu Changqian was a set of handwritten calligraphy by famous masters of the previous dynasty, and the gift to Mrs. Xu was a set of jade jewelry.
This gift is of great significance.
"Seventh Steward." Madam Xu looked a little frightened and said, "This gift is too valuable. We can't accept it. You should take it back and thank Lord Lu for us."
Xiao Qi smiled happily, looked very pleasing, and spoke clearly, "Our master has been too busy these days to come to our house in person. He has prepared these things a long time ago and will come to visit us in person when he is free in a few days. He said that Lord Xu and Madam Xu should wait patiently, and he will definitely come."
Mingyu lowered her eyes to look at the box covered with bright red satin on the ground, and roughly understood what Lu Hao meant. He couldn't handle his mother now, but wanted the marriage to go on as usual, so he sent the gift first to show his attitude, to stabilize the Xu family, and then talk about it slowly later.
Madam Xu nodded. She guessed what Mingyu had guessed, and sighed, "Lord Lu is thoughtful." Lu Hao's sincerity was there, and it all depended on what he would do in the future.
Xiao Qi is a few years younger than Ming Yu, and is used to being so casual with Ming Yu. Before leaving, she whispered to Ming Yu, "Pretty girl, my master specifically told me to tell you that this is not a betrothal gift. Don't worry, our Lu family's betrothal gift is not so shabby!"