The Third Prince, who was demoted to a prince in his previous life because he interfered with the issue of choosing a crown prince, remained silent in this life for some unknown reason regarding the Emperor's choice of a crown prince. Thus, he retained his title and became the Emperor's oldest surviving prince.
At some point, he and his disciples compiled a book called "Ten Records of Agriculture and Sericulture", which mainly talked about agriculture and sericulture, recorded the changes of various farm tools from ancient times to the present, and also explained in the book how to farm, raise silkworms, and press oil and extract ramie.
On August 24, the Empress Dowager passed away, and the Third Prince presented the book to the Emperor.
This is the first book about crops in this dynasty.
The emperor was delighted and gave the third prince five hundred gold coins, allowed him to walk around the Qianqing Palace, and promoted the book throughout the country.
For a time, the third prince was the most popular person, and countless princes and nobles came to congratulate him.
However, he kept the door closed, saying that he saw the emperor was troubled by the drought in the north and the floods in the south last year, and his unintentional act of wanting to share the emperor's worries was not worthy of such praise from everyone.
Word spread throughout the court and the country that the third prince was filial.
Even people like Zhou Shaojin, who never go out of the house, have heard about it.
She said to Madam Guo in confusion: "Isn't it too much? Even if it was unintentional because she felt sorry for the emperor's paperwork, she should have kept it to herself. But she said something like 'not worthy of such praise from everyone'. How strange!"
Madam Guo laughed and said, "Shao Jin, you are now acting like a lady in an official family. In the officialdom, nothing comes without a whim. When something is known to everyone, it is usually not a simple matter. Just wait and see, there will be more drama."
Zhou Shaojin's face turned red.
A few days later, news spread in the capital that the Eighth Prince had contracted chickenpox, and the Third Prince bathed and fasted to offer sacrifices to the Queen of Pox for the Eighth Prince.
Zhou Shaojin didn't know this prince in his previous life.
By the time she moved into the farm in Daxing and began to listen to the gossips of the maids and old women, the third prince had been demoted to a prince. After that, he had been staying in the capital city and had never heard any rumors.
Zhou Shaojin thought that the third prince was only instigated by a few brothers to participate in the matter of establishing the crown prince, so the emperor in his previous life showed leniency to him, and he could be a prince safely in this life. Unexpectedly, things changed and he did this.
"Did I misjudge him in my previous life?" When she and Cheng Chi were whispering in the same quilt at night, she leaned on Cheng Chi's arms and couldn't help muttering, "Will he jump out and compete with the Crown Prince for the throne? Will the Emperor think that he is being too aggressive?"
Cheng Chi gently stroked her shiny and smooth black hair and laughed softly, "Otherwise, why did the emperor only reward him with 500 gold coins? And transferred him to the Qianqing Palace? He just wanted to see what he was going to do, right?"
Zhou Shaojin was a little surprised and said, "You mean, the emperor is testing him? But isn't it a bit too much to offer sacrifices to the Queen Mother Pox?"
Cheng Chi smiled and said, "Let's not worry about this matter. Isn't there a crown prince? He is indifferent to his own interests, and others can't rush him. But why did he die so early? It's a pity. This child has a very flexible mind and is unconventional. He is a good student."
Zhou Shaojin found it interesting and asked, "Is he a good candidate to be an emperor?"
"I don't know yet." Cheng Chi smiled, "Everyone likes smart children, and the emperor should be no exception."
Zhou Shaojin sighed.
She knew the outcome but couldn't change it, and it also involved human lives, so she felt a little disappointed.
But she would not say anything to Cheng Chi about it.
They are all ordinary people. It is already difficult for Cheng Chi to protect the Cheng family, let alone a crown prince!
She is not that confused yet.
Just as Cheng Chi said, if something happens you can only rely on yourself.
If the Crown Prince wants to keep his position and avoid life-and-death disaster, he can only rely on himself.
Zhou Shaojin quickly put this matter behind him and focused on urging Cheng Chi to start the Cheng family school.
When people around me found out, they were very supportive.
Gu Jiunie donated 200 books to the clan school. When Yuan Bieyun heard that Gu Jiunie had come to the capital and ended his travels early, he donated 500 pens and three carts of rice paper to the clan school.
Cheng Chi couldn't help laughing, and said to Yuan Bieyun: "If you really want to, come and teach me from time to time and tell the children about your travel experiences."
Speaking of the Cheng family, it only includes Cheng Shao's two adopted great-grandsons Abao and Aren, Cheng Xiao's Rui brother, and the three great-grandsons of Pengcheng Earl's family. Even Guan Ge of Zhou Chujin's family is not yet of enlightenment age because he is still young.
If we want to run the clan school and achieve the reputation of the Jinling Cheng Clan School, we will have a long way to go.
Yuan Bieyun was still as carefree as ever, lying on the Luohan bed in the study room with his clothes half loosened, resting his head on a large pillow, crossing his legs and eating grapes from a crystal plate, and said, "If I talk to you, what about our family's clan studies?"
Cheng Chi said: "I didn't know you were going to move back to Tongxiang!"
"You brat!" Yuan Bieyun laughed, plucked a grape and threw it at Cheng Chi, "You're already a father, but you still tell jokes in a serious manner like before. Speaking of which, I haven't seen your Yun Ge'er. Now that I'm here, why don't you let someone bring him over for me to see? I'm not like Jiu Nie, who is very stingy. I have a gift for meeting you."
Cheng Chi ignored him and asked, "Are you leaving again after you come back this time?"
"Of course I have to go." Yuan Bieyun's eyes flashed with bitterness, and he said, "Otherwise, what will happen to my brother? I don't want to cause any trouble and make a fool of myself!"
Yuan Bieyun is the third child in the family, but he is the smartest among Yuan Weichang's sons. Yuan Weichang's eldest son is his elder brother. Although he is not as good at studying as him, he is honest, down-to-earth, and willing to lower his head to deal with people. He has very good interpersonal relationships. Like Yuan Bieyun, he passed the imperial examination and became a Jinshi at an early age, and is now a censor in the Ministry of Rites. Peng Weichang thought he was too honest, and wanted Yuan Bieyun to replace him as the manager of the Yuan family several times. However, Yuan Bieyun did not want to embarrass his brother, so he did not work, traveled outside all year round, and even had an affair with his mistress.
Every family has its own problems.
Cheng Chi said: "Okay! If you need any help from me, just tell me."
"Of course." Yuan Bieyun said with a smile, "I won't be polite with you."
Cheng Chi led him to the inner courtyard: "You also meet the one in my family... the one who broke into the Sanzhi Pavilion when the ancestor of the second branch celebrated his 80th birthday..."
"No way?!" Yuan Bieyun opened his eyes wide, "If I remember correctly, that little girl is much younger than us..."
Cheng Chi frowned and said, "What are you talking about? It's much younger than you, not much younger than me... Don't forget how many years older you are than me..."
The two of them argued all the way into the Chuihua Gate, and did not mention meeting Zhou Shaojin and Yun Ge'er.
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Qin Zi'an was very depressed after hearing Qin Ziping's words.
Qin Ziping advised him: "Since your sister-in-law didn't choose to remarry for the sake of empty formalities, you should cut off your feelings from now on and treat her as our sister-in-law. Don't mention marriage anymore."
Qin Zian nodded sadly.
Ji Ying walked in through the curtain, followed by two maids carrying wine and tea.
Qin Ziping said, "Let's drink and not talk about this anymore."
Qin Zian hummed and lowered his eyelids.
After he left, Ji Ying couldn't help but complain: "What's going on? It's not like we don't let Nan Ping in. Who is he showing this stern face to?"
"Forget it, forget it." Qin Ziping said with a smile, "Just say less. Isn't he unhappy now?"
Ji Ying used to think that Qin Zian's eyes grew on the top of his head, so she disliked him a little. Now she was quite happy to see him being frustrated. After a few words, she put the matter behind her and talked about the ninth day of the ninth lunar month: "It's the old lady's birthday. From what Shao Jin said, he wants to make it lively for her. How about we go to the street someday and choose a birthday gift for the old lady?"
Qin Zian happily agreed, and took advantage of the day off to accompany Jiying to the street, where he chose a string of purple purlin Buddhist beads and a Hetian jade pendant with the inscription "May everything go well" for the old lady. On the ninth day of the first lunar month, he happily went to Chaoyang Gate.
Since it was not a birthday party and Mrs. Guo was not a person who liked socializing, she only invited people from her own family to her birthday party.
When Ji Ying went to pay her respects to Old Madam Guo, she was sitting and talking with Chang. When she heard Ji Ying coming to pay her respects, she happily pulled her hand and talked to Chang, then she introduced her to Chang and called Zhenzhu in to take her to Zhou Shaojin.
Chang smiled and watched Jiying enter the room, then she said, "The 'auntie' that Yun'er was talking about is this grandma, right? She is really beautiful. She also seems to be very capable."
In the past, when Ji Ying served Cheng Chi, Mrs. Guo was not familiar with her. It was only after she married the Grand Steward Qin as his granddaughter-in-law, became good friends with Zhou Shaojin, and taught Yun Ge'er to swim that she became familiar with him.
"That's right." Madam Guo smiled and said, "With her coming here, the house is much more lively, and Shao Jin also has someone to talk to."
Chang smiled slightly, thinking that everyone in the Cheng family was broad-minded and never judged people by their background. This was true for Cheng Shao and his sister-in-law.
No wonder Cheng Shao respects this sister-in-law so much.
Ask her to discuss anything with Mrs. Guo.
Chang told Madam Guo about Abao and Aren: "… Originally, there was no one to take care of them at home. Now that I have started to take charge of the household affairs and Xie is pregnant, it is not good to let the two children live in Second Master's house forever. Master and I discussed and wanted to take the two children back."
After all, he is the adopted grandson of the Second Master. Now Mrs. Qiu has to take care of Mrs. Xie. Mrs. Guo smiled and said, "That's good! The grace of giving birth is not as great as the grace of raising. With two children following you, you will have something to do."
"I thought so too." Chang said with a smile.
At first Cheng Shao disagreed, saying that they were old and worried that they could not take good care of the child, but how would they know if they didn't try.
Mrs. Guo asked someone to invite Mrs. Qiu.
But a little maid ran in and reported: "A mother beside the Fourth Prince's wife came over and said that she was ordered by the Fourth Prince's wife to come and wish you a happy birthday on their behalf."
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Hey guys, today's update.
I wish you all a happy Mid-Autumn Festival!
O(∩_∩)O~
※(To be continued)