Song Li was still in Dongchang Mansion at the moment. The reason why he thought of Zou Mansion was not because of official business, but because of a new guest.
"Miss Xu, I am currently conducting a private visit incognito. Keeping everything simple is really not suitable for a pampered young lady to follow you around." He smiled and looked at the girl in gorgeous clothes not far away, and said kindly, "So please let the young lady and the little girl come here. There is a small station in the town, and I will immediately arrange for someone to send you to respond to Tianfu!"
The words were polite, but he was already cursing in his heart!
If it weren't for the fact that Xu Jingyuan was the legitimate daughter of the descendant clan, and that her father and brother were relatives of the state favored and indulged by Emperor Yongle, Song Li would have really wanted to drive her back to Dingguo's palace immediately!
This was not just because Xu Jingyuan was angry with his family. In anger, he called a few servants, left a letter and then ran to Shandong to find his best friend Song Jianiang. The most important thing was that Song Jianiang was already with his father. With his persuasion, the suspicion of an affair between Shen Diaolan and Xi Fuwei, the daughter of the Xi family, was dispelled. As a result, when the master came, he chatted with Song Jianiang for a while. After hearing the news, he said: "Jia Niang, you That’s so honest! It would be weird if these two people weren’t fishy! After all, there are dilapidated squire families everywhere. Along the way, I’ve heard about a dozen or twenty people like the Xi family’s encounter! I have never seen any member of the Jinyiwei family give a generous helping hand to give an orphan a way to survive!"
"How come this Miss Xi's life is so good?"
Although Song Jianiang was more naive, she still trusted her father. Thinking of what Song Li had said earlier, she said doubtfully: "Ajing, you are not overthinking it, are you? My father said that Brother Shen Shi can save their aunt and nephew. It’s not just for nothing, but for the Miss Xi family to do things for him! Therefore, in the eyes of Brother Shen Shi, the Miss Xi family is actually just a subordinate!”
"Subordinate?" Xu Jingyuan curled his lips in disdain and said, "Of those aunts in my brother's room, who was not my brother's servant earlier? Those who served him to wash, change clothes, and eat, were served and served in the tent. Go! Let me tell you, the methods of these cheap maids are all the same! If you don’t do something now, just wait and see! Maybe someone will be ready to call you mother before you even come through the door! "
Song Jianiang's face turned green and white when she said this, and she looked very ugly. Although she was born into wealth, she knew from a young age that the person she would marry in the future would definitely not be an ordinary person. It was 80% impossible for her husband to keep her company, but she After all, at this age, I still have some unrealistic feelings, that is, I hope that my husband and I will love each other and there will be no third party.
Especially now that I have not married yet, if Xi Fuwei takes the lead, even if the Shen family sends her away when they get married, I will really feel aggrieved just thinking about it.
"These are all things that have no trace." Song Jianiang's mind was confused, and she reluctantly retorted, "Besides, Brother Shen Shi has serious business in Shandong, so how can he care about these romantic affairs?"
Xu Jingyuan seemed to be smiling but not smiling: "At this age, he is full of energy. He came to Shandong alone, with no elders to pressure him, and no confidant maid to follow him. Now that he meets the man named Xi, isn't it just that he is sleepy?"
Seeing Song Jianiang looking at him in surprise, she felt a bit gaffeful: This is not something a girl who has not left the court can say casually.
Especially with her status.
After a pause, he didn't have the confidence to add, "I heard what the old aunts at home said when talking about people... But your brother Shen Shi's matter is really weird: think about it, even if you want to find someone to go to Zou Mansion to do it, Secret traitor, why are you looking for that Miss Xi family? Originally, it is best for those who want to be secretly traitors not to attract too many people, otherwise there will be so many people watching, what can they do? But since Miss Xi family is beautiful, you Can you say that you can’t attract attention?”
"After all, the head of the Zou family has a wife, and it is said that his wife is not a fuel-efficient lamp!"
"So, does your brother Shen Shi still expect this young lady from the Xi family to seduce Zou Zhihan? Since it's not for a beauty trap, what else can you say about having a beautiful subordinate besides enriching your own pockets?"
She and Song Jianiang were close friends and sisters who grew up together. Song Jianiang couldn't help but feel unswayed by her words.
The scene also said that this was impossible, Xu Jingyuan must have been too suspicious, so he turned around and ran away to find Song Li, asking Song Li to find out what Shen Diaolan was thinking about Xi Fuwei
Song Li said a few words and found out that it was Xu Jingyuan who instigated it. He was secretly angry: from his point of view, he really didn't think it was a big deal that Shen Diaolan had several concubines besides his wife!
After all, how can a nobleman's son live his life with just one legal wife these days
Even Song Li himself had several aunts living in the backyard after he became successful!
As long as you know the importance, don't let the concubine get on top of the mistress, and keep your head on the issue of inheritance, that's all.
To put it bluntly, even a royal princess these days has to watch her consort serve her tea!
The emperor couldn't protect his daughter from this injustice, so what was he like as a minister
Unfortunately, at his age and status, he had already seen through love matters, but it was difficult for the young Song Jianiang not to be entangled.
At this moment, he was pestering his father, making Song Li upset and resentful that Xu Jingyuan was looking for trouble. He also advised his daughter: "You really don't need to pay too much attention to that Miss Xi family! The Shen family has nothing to do with Shen Tiaolan. He has high hopes, and now his every move is under the watchful eye of the Shen family. If he does something detrimental to his future, the Shen family will be more anxious than anyone else to stop him!"
After a pause, "If he offends our family because of Miss Xi, it will definitely be detrimental to his future!"
Do you really think it’s so easy to fly up a branch and become a phoenix
Even if Shen Tiaolan lost his mind for a moment when he was young, the entire Shen family was not confused!
They also hoped that Shen Tielan would seize this opportunity to show his face in front of Emperor Yongle, preparing for his future success and revitalizing the Shen family!
How could there be any stain on Shen Taolan's eyes when they were set on the bone
That Xi Fuwei is still alive and well is enough to prove that the relationship between her and Shen Diolan is innocent!
… What’s more, Song Li sent people to investigate and said there was no personal relationship between the two.
But Song Li didn't plan to tell his daughter about this.
After all, this daughter is already very interested in turning her elbows outward before leaving the house. If I tell her now that I have gone to investigate the matter between Shen Diaolan and Xi Fuwei in private, she may act coquettishly and make trouble for herself in the future. Reporting to her daily about Shen Tiaolan's whereabouts, etc... He came here to do things for Emperor Yongle, not to help his daughter to gain prominence and jealousy.
"Dad, I know Brother Shen Shi is a sensible person." Song Jianiang twisted her belt with her fingers and frowned slightly as she said, "But that's not the case with Miss Xi's family! We didn't know before that when she went to Yanzhou Mansion, didn't she just listen to Have you ever said that she is a shrewd person and has helped take care of the family since she was very young? Now that her father and brother are gone, she and her nephew are the only ones living outside. Even their identities were forged with the help of Jin Yiwei. Why did she end up in this situation? There’s no way she doesn’t have any idea in her mind!”
"However, the Wen family is powerful. Although she managed to escape with her life now, her nephew is still young and she is just a prostitute. With their aunt and nephew, how can they hope to avenge the Xi family? How could Shen not be so anxious? Where is Brother Shi?"
Song Li said calmly: "You have already imagined this truth. Wouldn't Shen Tiaolan not know about it? When he asked Xi Fuwei to go to the Zou Mansion, didn't he just use the condition of helping the Xi family to avenge their hatred as a bait?"
Song Jianiang pursed her lips: "But the Wen family is a rich family in Dongchang Mansion, and their status is not lower than that of the Zou Mansion. Next, the canal will be built, and the section of the river will be connected, and their cooperation is indispensable! How could Brother Shen do this for a mere Xi? Home, where are you going to Dongwen's home? If Xi Fuwei is a smart person, she will definitely not believe Brother Shen Shi's promise! In other words, she will not believe Brother Shen Shi's promise as a boss! "
"Then a smart person will believe in a man's promise?" Song Li sneered, "Don't forget that Xi Fuwei and Wen Xianyun, the eldest son of the Wen family, are still an unmarried couple! Wen Xianyun is not merciless at all when he plots against the Xi family! So if Xi Fuwei still has a little memory, she should know that the man is cruel. Why are the oaths made by each other all false! Let alone let her take the initiative to play tricks on Shen Tielan, I'm afraid Shen Tielan will see it If you fall in love with her, she will still be busy hiding!"
He was impatient.
Emperor Yongle's position was unfair, especially the word "usurpation" written in blood on the ground after Fang Xiaoru was beheaded, which completely tore the emperor's fig leaf.
This caused the emperor to feel uneasy about the government and the public since he ascended the throne, otherwise he would not have rebuilt the Imperial Guard.
Fortunately, Emperor Yongle did not inherit His Majesty Emperor Taizu's practice of killing heroes.
Therefore, veterans like Song Li are quite proud.
But following such a master who would kill his own flesh and blood without mercy, Song Li didn't dare to rely on his qualifications at all.
The matter of reopening the canal this time was of great concern. Song Li's acceptance of this task was certainly related to the fact that he was the minister of the Ministry of Industry and was good at water conservancy projects, but it also showed the trust of Emperor Yongle.
Of course, with the amount of trust, there is also the amount of responsibility.
If this thing is done well, his status in front of the emperor will certainly rise, and he will be able to protect his descendants; if something goes wrong, not to mention being executed, his status will definitely plummet, and most of the hard work of his life will be lost.
At this juncture, Song Li would not be so distracted by his daughter's girlish feelings... not even his favorite daughter.
After all, to put it bluntly, if he falls, what will happen to Song Jianiang
Seeing that her daughter was entangled at this moment, after saying a few words to get rid of it, she sent someone to invite Xu Jingyuan to come over, and tried to send her back to Yingtian Mansion with Song Jianiang, both soft and hard.
He thought about it, and asked the escort to give his wife a handwritten letter, asking her to look after Song Jianiang and have less contact with troublemakers like Xu Jingyuan in the future.
Of course, she also gave Song Jianiang a good lesson and told her daughter that as the daughter of a nobleman, she would definitely be the wife of a nobleman in the future, so what kind of consciousness and mind should she have.
But that was his plan and he was confident of suppressing Song Jianiang's objections, but Xu Jingyuan did not cooperate at all.
After hearing the euphemistic expulsion order, the Duke's sister and the niece of Emperor Yongle smiled disdainfully, played with the collar on her chest, and then said slowly: "I appreciate the kindness of the Minister of Song Dynasty. Yes! However, on the way here, I received an invitation from the Zou Mansion, saying that their old lady is celebrating her birthday next month and asked me to take the time to have a drink... I had not yet decided whether to go or not. I’m actually a little interested!”
"So, Song Shangshu is not in a hurry to send me and Sister Jianiang back. He should send us to Zou Mansion first, and we can finish our birthday wine with that old lady before we leave!"