This is true, and Zi'an couldn't help but think deeply after hearing it.
However, he then added: "Forget it, when I came here, I was not even as good as a maid. A maid at least worked and had food to eat, but I... humph, I am just a dog sacrificed at will in the prime minister's house."
"It's not easy for everyone. It's even harder for me." Hu Huanxi sighed deeply. "Everything I have now is what I worked hard for. I won't give up my career just to get married and have children. Going abroad is just the first step. The second step..."
"On the market?" Zi'an asked with a smile.
Hu Huanxi was discouraged, "Well, the situation does not allow it."
The two looked at each other and smiled, both feeling a little sad.
When Lao Qi came back in the evening, Zi An asked, "Where has Lao Jiu been recently? He never came to see you since you came back."
"While busy with the affairs of Xiehan Tower, Yan Xu actually found the headquarters of Xiehan Tower." Murong Jie said.
Zi'an guessed that this was the reason. Otherwise, how could the idle prince Ye Wang be busy after being "dismissed" by the Empress Dowager
"What's wrong? Why are you asking about him suddenly?" Murong Jie asked after Xiaosun had hung up her outer garment and helped Zi'an sit down.
"Huanxi came today and asked about Laojiu." Zian poured him a glass of water. "Have you eaten yet?"
"I have eaten. Today I went to my second brother's house and asked him to prepare for departure in two days."
"Depart? Where to?" Zi'an asked in surprise.
"I decided to send him to Daliang to propose marriage, and he will go with the county lady. After they go there, the county lady will settle down there. After Axin and Princess Yi'er get married, my second brother will stay there as an envoy."
"Short stay?"
"Well, I live here for eleven months a year and only come back once at the end of the year." Murong Jie said with a smile.
Zi'an was also very happy, "That's great. After they leave Da Zhou, no one will say anything. They can do whatever they want. Prince An has suffered for so many years. It's time for him to live his own life."
"Yes, this is actually what the old ancestor meant. The old ancestor originally thought that the second brother would take the county lady away early in the morning, but he didn't expect that he would wait so steadily. He would not take her away until the county lady agreed. The old ancestor also said that he was stupid. As for women, if they can't be persuaded, they will just kidnap them."
Zi'an smiled, "The old ancestor is still so domineering."
"It's not that the old ancestor is domineering, but that the old ancestor understands women. The old ancestor probably saw that the county lady also had feelings for the second brother. Otherwise, the old ancestor would not have said such a thing. The second brother is a person who is strict with himself and keeps himself clean. Without the county lady's affirmative approval, he would not have done such a thing. Otherwise, he would have kidnapped the county lady when he returned from the battle."
"If he had been kidnapped earlier, perhaps my mother would have been spared more than ten years of suffering." Zi'an couldn't help but sigh. It was really helpless to meet the right person at the wrong time.
"You have to experience things in the world before you know what is right and wrong. If my second brother had forcibly taken my wife, the county lady would have hated him for the rest of her life. At that time, she and Xia Huaijun had feelings for each other, but it was only after what happened later that she felt cold-hearted."
"Yes," Zi'an smiled at Murong Jie, "I didn't expect you to have such a profound understanding of love."
Murong Jie stared at her and said something very sentimental, "Only when you are drunk do you know how strong the wine is; only when you are in love do you know how deep the love is."
Zi'an burst out laughing, "Where did you learn that?"
"Aunt Ashe said so." Murong Jie said with a smile.
"Has Aunt Ashe ever been married?" Zi'an asked curiously.
"I don't know whether she got married or not, but from the conversations between our ancestors and her, I can tell that she once loved someone."
Seeing that the two were talking and had no intention of taking a bath, Xiaosun went out to prepare tea and snacks.
"Seventh Brother, tell me more about the past between the ancestor and Aunt Ashe. What is the story between the ancestor and Regent King Qingtian?" Zi'an asked curiously.
The Regent Prince Qingtian that she knew was the Empress Dowager's brother-in-law, which reminded her of Dayuer and Dorgon in The Secret History of Xiaozhuang, as well as Zhen Huan and Prince Guo. Could it be that they were the same
Murong Jie said: "How could a junior like me know what happened back then?"
"Oh," Zian was a little disappointed, "Then who knows?"
"Perhaps the old lady would know." Murong Jie said after thinking for a moment.
Zi'an said, "I will visit the old lady tomorrow and also promise her about Doctor Wen Yi. Although the old prince An Ran said a lot that day, I still feel that there are some inside stories that the old prince didn't say."
"The old lady may know something about Doctor Wen Yi. Doctor Wen Yi once came to Da Zhou. She always chatted with the old ancestor and the old lady. They had a good relationship."
"Then I have to go and ask around, otherwise when the master comes, I won't know anything." Zi'an said excitedly.
Ever since he knew Wen Yi was coming, Zi'an's heart had never stopped being excited. He had been in a state of excitement, and he especially wanted to know the stories of these old people.
She had never wanted to learn more about the affairs of the Grand Empress Dowager before, but after learning about the Regent Prince Qingtian, she felt that the story must be extremely exciting.
"Okay, let Ni Rong and Ling Li accompany you, but you have to come back early. There will be a few people coming into the mansion in the evening. You will have to see them then."
"Who?" Zi'an asked.
Murong Jie helped her to the chaise longue, letting her half lie down, and then said, "Ask Su Yue Lou to select a few people. These people will follow you in the future, so you have to pick a few people who suit your eyes."
"Okay!" Zi'an agreed immediately. In fact, it didn't matter whether she was picky or not, because she knew that Lao Qi would definitely check the background of the items and would not send them if they were not reliable.
Murong Jie also lay on the couch with her, letting Zi'an rest his head on his shoulder. When Xiaosun came in, he saw this warm scene and smiled so hard that his mouth was crooked. He placed the snacks on the rosewood coffee table next to the chaise longue and then left.
As soon as he went out, he saw Wanjing coming over with the account book. Xiaosun hurriedly said, "Sister Wanjing, come back tomorrow. The prince and the princess are talking."
Wan Jing immediately stopped and said, "Thank you, Xiaosun. I'll come again tomorrow."
"Sister Wanjing, Nanny made some cakes and there are some left over. Do you want some?" Xiaosun no longer had the initial hostility towards Wanjing. After all, it was only after she came that Guiyuan was able to work as a manager in the farm.
Wanjing looked at Xiaosun gratefully and said, "Thank you. I'll come back and get it later."
Xiaosun's respect for her in the mansion made other servants respect her as well. Some servants had previously said that she was here for the prince, but fortunately Xiaosun got angry and told those gossipers to shut up, so that they could live in peace.
Xiaosun said, "I have nothing to do right now. I'll send it to the accounting office for you, and also send some to Doctor Wu."
Wan Jing paused for a moment and frowned slightly, "Xiao Sun, is Doctor Wu the princess's benefactor?"
"Yes, it was he who saved the princess. Nanny said we should treat him well," said Xiaosun.
Wan Jing said "Oh", as if she had held back a breath, "Okay, got it."
(End of this chapter)