Three

Every family inevitably has some amusing or exasperating individuals or matters, lamenting helplessly: "How can you compare the Hai family with the Bai family"

Naxin is a person without ideas. He has served in official positions for many years, adhering to the attitude of standing with the east wind to plant rice and the west wind to promote wheat, swaying left and right, muddling through to this day. Of course, this is not without the influence of his lineage; the Qi family, the Oqi Li clan, has a distinguished ancestry, having made notable contributions when entering the pass with the dragon, and thanks to his ancestors' blessings, their family is still relatively prosperous today. Naxin's greatest wish is not to seek glory for his family name, but merely to maintain his wealth and status. The young emperor ascended the throne, and the court was rife with factional struggles. Xue Shangzhang, a man of military background wielding a long spear, is hard-hearted and ruthless. Since he has taken the lead, if you do not align yourself with him, you will be dealt with, and even the young emperor cannot protect you.

"Sir, why are you not speaking?" asked the Concubine, "Did you hear what the Lady said?"

Xu Xu exchanged some pleasantries and, checking the time, realized it was time to enter the palace. The two sisters, Ying Ming and her companion, accompanied him to the outer gate, where he raised his hand and said, "You may return now. Do not worry, I will inquire about things in the palace. If there is any news, I will send someone back immediately to inform you."

The side consort smiled awkwardly as she took the wine jug from the maid's hand and filled a cup for the master. "You must be busy, my lord, why not eat a bit more? After the Empress's funeral, you will have to stay in the military council's duty room for at least a month. Earlier, the consort instructed me to add more blankets for you, but I forgot as soon as I turned my head. This time, I had Sanbao harness the carriage, so there should be no mistakes this time."

"Your mother, Ha Chi, a third-rate shrimp following the flag, can't even get close to a blue-feathered guard, and now you've come here to mess with me!" He jumped out of bed, kicked the person over, and ordered them to be sent to the back room to wake up. Although he was released later, his honor and favor were nowhere near what they used to be, and now, if not mentioned, hardly anyone remembers this person.

However, the awkwardness of the situation did not prevent the concubine from seeking positions for her brothers and nephews. The Lord had real power in his hands, and she gradually used her charming ways to elevate her family to a somewhat respectable status. However, one incident later caused the Lord to completely neglect her. When the eldest daughter of the main wife reached the age for marriage proposals, the concubine, upon learning the news, had the audacity to act as a matchmaker for a distant nephew of hers.

The noble consort furrowed her brows in contemplation: "I have heard that the situation at the Saligan River is critical, and the court is currently in the process of mobilizing troops. Xue Zhongtang holds the six divisions of the earth's support, and the palace must give him some consideration. The Empress Dowager is most adept at balancing the world; although there has been some turbulence in the court over the years, it has not yet caused any significant upheaval, and she has managed to smooth things over. If this time..." She glanced at Yingming with difficulty, "Perhaps in order to soothe their grief over the loss of their daughter, they might just include you in the arrangements."

Runhe also realized that she had misspoken, stuck out her tongue at her, and laughed, saying: "Indeed, I was inappropriate. I just wanted to praise Hai Yintai, not only for his appearance but also for the little house he made"

Yingming and Runhe are different; they have always had a relatively deep and stable personality, showing no obsession with anything, as long as life is manageable. After listening to the words of the Fujin, it seemed that she did not take it too seriously, but instead smiled and reassured them, "Today it is me they are looking at, but tomorrow they may not look at others. During the twenty-seven days of mourning for the Empress, there are established protocols for the princes and ministers to pay their respects, and it is uncertain which family might receive the imperial decree to bring their daughters into the palace for a greeting."

The noble consort listened quietly from the side, not interjecting. In fact, she had never instructed the secondary consort to prepare any bedding. The secondary consort's remarks were merely an attempt to attribute the credit to her, thereby enhancing her reputation as a virtuous and capable wife

Yingming smiled and thought to herself that Houpu did not understand that titles were inherited from ancestors. Even with the title of general, one may not necessarily engage in military affairs. Nowadays, many Mongolian nobles cannot even draw their fishskin knives, let alone his family, which has been engaged in civil service for the past two generations. Hai Yintai is engaged in a serious profession, and he possesses a unique skill; there is no one in the court or outside of it who can replace him. If one has seen him, they would know he is not the type of brash warrior; he should be the one sitting at the table, with mountains and rivers converging at his fingertips. Hai Yintai is engaged in a serious profession, and he possesses a unique skill; there is no one in the court or outside of it who can replace him. If one has seen him, they would know he is not the type of brash warrior; he should be the one sitting at the table, with mountains and rivers converging at his fingertips.

Yingming was momentarily taken aback and exchanged glances with Runhe. Runhe was her maternal younger sister, with round eyes and a upturned nose, possessing a stubborn appearance; anyone who did not meet her expectations would find her capable of making a hole in the sky. She said: "Father, you should go to the palace to find a way, just say that my second sister has already made a commitment and cannot enter the palace to become a consort"

Naxin finally raised his head and glanced at the confused girl, "Your sister cannot go, so you will?" After scrutinizing her, he shook his head again, "With that dog-like appearance, the palace won't take you seriously; you look like a rebel at first glance. Should I find someone? Right now, all departments are extremely busy, who has time for this matter! I'm just back for a meal and will be leaving soon. Not to mention that there is no imperial decree from the palace, I cannot act recklessly. Even if I had such an intention, you should also calm down; if you are to go, then you must go."

The sample is meticulously crafted according to the dimensions of the site, and it is said that after the completion of the project, the sample can be compared without any discrepancies. Yingming is not familiar with those courtyard mausoleums, but she greatly admires the ingenuity and creativity of Haiyintai. Perhaps it is her childlike nature that makes her find those small trinkets, just like Runhe, to be truly fascinating.

Naxin raised his hand and touched his forehead. He had thought that he would have a couple of responses, but after listening for a while, he only let out a long sigh, and of course, there were no further words.

Hou Po's evaluation of this future brother-in-law is not high. Upon hearing about the situation of Master Hai San, he curled his lips and said: "Isn't his family living off the salary of a General of the Town and Country? How can he engage in such activities?" He shook his head vigorously, saying, "Indulging in trivial pursuits leads to a loss of ambition!"

The management of affairs within a woman's inner chamber is indeed a learned skill. Among the noble families both within and outside the capital, it is common for nine out of ten households to experience discord among wives and concubines. The root cause often lies in the harshness of the legitimate wife and the competition for favor among the secondary wives. In truth, those noble first wives are not incapable of accommodating others; after all, in this world, men take multiple wives and concubines, and no one can completely defy societal norms. Once the situation is smoothed out, everything becomes manageable. For instance, this particular secondary wife is astute and knows how to navigate relationships. She manages to have two daughters and a son, which is a win-win situation for everyone involved.

The dark clouds that lightly enveloped the center of her brows gradually dispersed, and with a teasing tone, I asked her: "You find someone handsome and think they are to your liking, is that so?"

Runhe has been counting on her fingers all the way, "The Empress is on her way, officials are not to marry within a month, and no festivities are to be held within a hundred days. You and Hai Yintai have already passed a small engagement last year, and once the national mourning period is over, you can hold a wedding in May..." After saying this, she turned to look at her, "Second Sister, you like Hai Yintai, don't you? Compared to the prince from Eldest Sister's family, I think he is not inferior at all"

The noble lady furrowed her brows and said, "Can't you hope for the child to be a bit better? Thick and honest, yet still helping to mediate the situation."

With her saying this, everyone felt that they were being too gullible. After all, considering various factors, the palace would not hastily settle on a candidate like this

In the eyes of the noble lady, Houpu is a straightforward and honest fellow. Although her so-called "mediating" might involve Houpu taking advantage of the chaos to give both sides a good beating, both sides fear his tyranny and temporarily cease hostilities. Naxin, however, is aware of this and thinks that this child is like a living bandit; if he were in a time of turmoil, he might achieve great things. Hopefully, he can grow into a capable person; otherwise, he will only end up being sent to Ningguta to hammer wooden stakes.

Naxin chuckled upon hearing this, "You will eventually keep me in your thoughts, but it is your noble lady who is concerned about my well-being."

The first-class official Naxin has three sons. The eldest, Houzai, is the son of the primary consort and currently serves as the governor of Angbang, stationed in Ula City, Jilin. The second son, Houyi, is also born of the primary consort; he is only seven years old and is not worth mentioning. The most troublesome is Houpu, the son of the secondary consort, a twelve-year-old hothead. He struggles with his studies but excels in fighting. When it comes to trouble, Naxin immediately thinks of him; this kid is oblivious to the consequences, and one wonders if he has gotten himself into a mess this time.

Songge was momentarily lost in thought as he turned his head and winked at Luge. Luge shifted his gaze and looked over; the girl under the light, dressed in simple attire, complemented by the slender plum blossoms on the desk and the moon-shaped window behind her adorned with layers of brocade, formed a clear and serene picture

Outside the palace, there are myriad forms of life, while inside, there are high walls on all sides, obscuring the true vastness of the world. The imperial family frequently requires construction projects, whether to build gardens or to construct tombs, and such endeavors incur enormous expenses. The emperor lacks the leisure to listen to your animated descriptions of what the beams look like or what the shadow walls are like. The emperor needs something tangible; a sand table, an object placed before him, or even lifting the roof to reveal the interior layout at a glance, that is what is called a model.

Although it may seem that only the primary and secondary consorts reside in this mansion, there is actually a concubine in the rear courtyard. This concubine originally came from a fruit vendor in the village and was brought back to the mansion after she caught the master's eye on one occasion. Generally, for nobles such as princes and dukes, when they reach marriageable age, the palace often plays matchmaker, pairing them with families of good standing. For instance, the primary consort comes from the family of a grand scholar, while the secondary consort hails from a fourth-rank military family. Those who rise from humble beginnings, however, can at most be referred to as "concubines," lacking official recognition, ceremonial attire, and are regarded as only slightly above the status of a maidservant.

The "small house" in Runhe's mouth is actually a hot sample

Lord Na still granted her a favor, suppressing his anger and willing to listen to her elaborate, just in case a relative ten thousand miles away was a high-ranking official of the current dynasty. As a result, after she chattered for half a day, she finally provoked Na Xin into a furious rage

Having just returned from the palace, I will change and wash up later. " With a soft murmur, she instructed them not to rush, while she took a seat at the writing desk.

However, Naxin also has his own way of governing. The three chancellors, Duozeng and Xue Shangzhang, are sworn enemies. He, on the other hand, stands in the middle, not offending either side, but in terms of decision-making in state affairs, he still leans somewhat towards Xue Shangzhang.

After sending Runhe into the room, Yingming returned to her own courtyard. The maid below had already lit the incense, scented the bedding, and prepared to assist the young lady with her washing.

Yingming let out a sound and said with a smile, "Father, don't forget to add more clothes at night, it can get cold in the latter half of the night." After watching the carriage disappear into the distance, she took Runhe back into the courtyard.

Ruihe nodded, "As the old saying goes, one's appearance is a reflection of one's heart. If a person is upright, you can tell from their eyes and mouth. Just look at his, and then look at the brother of the concubine, whose face is pale and whose mouth is twisted into eighteen curves, resembling the edge of a water wave; it is clear at a glance that he is not a good person"

The Concubine repeatedly said, "What kind of temperament do I have? Both you and the Concubine know. In these past two years, I have grown older, and my forgetfulness has increased. The other day, the children in the academy were causing a fuss, and I completely lost my temper. I thought about responding to you, but I forgot that too."

He opened the drawer and found a brocade box adorned with flowers and birds. Lifting the lid revealed a small boat carved from an olive pit. Cradled in the palm of his hand, it measured only about one inch in length, yet in this tiny space, eight operable windows were intricately carved, each with a figure seated behind it. What skillful hands must have crafted such an incredible piece!

Naxin was taken aback, "Who cracked the shell? Was it our family's magnolia bark?"