In the evening, Zhulan told Zhou Shuren about Yujiao. "Do you think Concubine Liu is crazy? She really thinks that our family and the Shangguan family will get engaged right after meeting the emperor?"
Zhou Shuren fanned himself with a fan, "Concubine Liu doesn't dare to make any big moves. Concubine Liu has been with the emperor for many years and knows his temper. If she really makes a scene, everyone will know about it. Concubine Liu is afraid that she will not be able to control the situation and will be completely disliked by the emperor. It is better to choose two families with more weight."
Zhulan wanted to roll her eyes. The Zhou family and the Shangguan family were the best candidates. "Do you think Concubine Liu's plan will work?"
Zhou Shuren paused while waving his fan. "If the emperor wanted to use the second prince as a sharpening stone for the crown prince, he would have granted Concubine Liu's wish. If not, he would not have chosen the Xue family."
Zhulan, "I don't think the emperor will choose a whetstone for the prince."
If the choice is really made, the Second Prince will be ruined, and no matter what happens in the future, his fate will not be good.
Zhou Shuren smiled and said, "I don't think so either, so Concubine Liu won't get her wish."
The next day, in Lijia Village, Mingrui did not sleep well. He was very alert. It rained heavily in the first half of the night, and Shangguan Liu couldn't sleep and tossed and turned in the second half of the night, so he didn't rest either.
At daybreak, Mingrui sat up, looked at Shangguan Liu who had just fallen asleep, pressed his brows hard, got off the kang with more energy, put on his clothes and walked out of the room.
The servant guarding outside heard the noise and asked, "Sir, why are you up so early?"
Mingrui signaled the servant not to follow him, "I'm going out for a walk."
There were already noises outside, the sound of a door opening, quiet conversations, and the cries of geese.
When Mingrui came out, he saw the little boy who led the way yesterday carrying firewood to the kitchen. The little boy was stunned for a moment when he saw him, and then said, "Young Master, you need hot water. My grandma is boiling water. You need to wait a while."
Mingrui shook his head, "No hurry."
Mingrui listened to the sound of water in the ditch and took a deep breath of the fresh air. His sleepiness was completely gone. He was born in Zhoujia Village, but did not live there for long. His younger brothers and sisters had never been to the village.
He had often heard his mother talk about the days in Zhoujia Village. He turned around and looked at the busy Zhao family. The Zhao family had fled because of the war. The old lady had three sons, but one died. Now she has two sons. The old lady is the head of the family, and the two sons each have several children. The population is simple.
Mingrui had a good impression of this family: they were hardworking, united, and the mother and children were loving and filial, which reminded him of his own home.
When I walked out of the yard, I heard the sound of people reciting the Three Character Classic. I walked over to where the sound came from and saw a boy of about thirteen or fourteen digging a ditch at the door to drain water.
This boy is the eldest son of the second branch of the Zhao family, and is also the older brother of the little boy who led the way yesterday.
Zhao Bai felt embarrassed and at a loss, "I, I listened to you teaching me yesterday, so I just followed you and recited."
Mingrui asked, "Have you learned it?"
Zhao Bai, "I heard Brother Xia from the village head read it, and I remembered some of it. Yesterday, the young master taught my younger brother, and I remembered some more."
Mingrui continued to ask, "But do you want to study?"
Zhao Bai nodded and shook his head, scratched the back of his head with a silly smile, "I'm not very smart, and my family doesn't have money to support my education. I just want to learn more words, I don't want to be cheated by others because I can't read, and I don't even know that I'm signing a contract to sell myself."
Mingrui added: "Official uniforms have promotional brochures with simple words on them."
Zhao Bai pursed his lips and said, "Our village is far from the county town. It takes a whole day to go there. We rarely go to the county town when there is no need. We usually go to the big villages and towns nearby to buy things."
Mingrui understood. The promotional brochure was in the county town, and they couldn't see it. "You want to learn to read so much, but has anyone in the village been cheated?"
Zhao Bai nodded, "Yes, our village is poor, Uncle Qian is sick, and it was agreed that Uncle Qian's daughter would go to work, but the deed is actually a contract to sell her body."
"Didn't you let the headman take a look?"
Zhao Bai didn't say anything, but Mingrui understood that Lijia Village was not a village composed of families. The clan leader would be responsible for clan affairs, and the village head would only help if there were benefits.
In the capital, after the morning court session, Lord Shangguan walked up to Zhou Shuren and said, "My granddaughter is very grateful to your granddaughter for taking care of her."
"That's serious. Yujiao is younger than your granddaughter. Yujiao is the one who is being taken care of."
Lord Shangguan smiled and said, "Lord Zhou, would you like to come with us?"
"good."
The two of them walked together, which shocked many ministers. What was going on? The two of them had never said a word more than before. Old Master Wen also frowned.
Lord Xue was very nervous. There was no movement in the palace, and he didn't dare to send anyone to inquire. Logically, there should have been news in the palace.
Old Master Shangguan was not proud because his family had a future Crown Princess. On the contrary, he did not want his family to have a Crown Princess. The more he tried to avoid it, the more it would happen to his family.
Ever since the imperial edict came down, he had been more careful in the court, fearing that he might say something wrong.
He had never met Zhou Shuren before, and he used to think it was unnecessary as the Shangguan family had their own way of survival. But now he wanted to make friends with him, which is why he expressed his gratitude today.
Zhou Shuren has a very good impression of the Shangguan family. The Shangguan family is very similar to the Ning family. As high-profile as the Wen family is, the Shangguan family is as low-key. The future Crown Princess rarely goes out.
He had also never heard of anyone in the Shangguan family being arrogant. If the Shangguan family had not produced a crown princess, he would have been very optimistic about the Shangguan family's sons. Unfortunately, if the Zhou family wanted to remain undefeated, they had to avoid any involvement with the royal family as much as possible.
The two didn't say much, they just talked about some political affairs, and then they separated when they reached the palace gate.
Wang Ju followed all the way, and after Lord Shangguan left, she got on the Ministry of Revenue's carriage.
Zhou Shuren, "Have you gained weight again?"
Wang Ju: "...No."
"I don't believe it. You trembled as soon as you sat down in the carriage."
Wang Ju shrank her stomach and said, "That's your illusion."
Zhou Shuren stopped teasing Wang Ju and asked, "Why are you following me?"
Wang Ju, "I'm curious, how did you become friends with Lord Shangguan?"
Zhou Shuren smiled but said nothing. Yesterday, Zhulan and Old Madam Shangguan were invited to the palace, but the news was blocked. Now it is not known that Yujiao and Shangguan Li have left the palace.
Wang Ju whispered, "The Shangguan family has a future Crown Princess, you don't want to get involved, do you?"
Zhou Shuren rolled his eyes, "What do you think?"
Wang Ju was relieved, "I told you that you were cunning and sly."
"You can say that again."
Wang Ju waved her hand, "Just pretend you didn't hear it."
"late."
Wang Ju laughed dryly, then revealed a big news, "My father is going to retire."
Zhou Shuren was shocked, "Why does the old man suddenly want to retire?"
"I have already established myself in the capital, and our two families have already formed an alliance. My father wants to put down his burdens and live a leisurely life in his later years."
In fact, his father was able to put down his burden and retire, thanks to Zhou Shuren, Zhou Shuren's background, Zhou Shuren's status in the court and the royal family, and the marriage between the Wang family and the Zhou family, which gave the Wang family a reliable ally.
His father often said that he had good vision and that the marriage was a good one.