Chapter 007: The Niece-in-law

It is said that since his ascension to the throne, the old emperor arranged three marriages for him, but all three princesses perished before they could consummate the marriage. Gradually, tales of ghosts and deities began to spread, claiming that his bloodshed was too great, and that ordinary women could not withstand the vengeful spirits that clung to him, thus they could not approach him.

In the middle of the night, she suddenly thought of the dirty object in her arms—Little Golden Tiger. The iceberg wolf by the Qingling River did not seem like an ordinary person; if she recklessly brought the dirty object into the city, would it not be too safe?

Xia Chuqii slightly curled her lips

This Master Nineteen has an extremely reclusive temperament. When he is not angry, it does not indicate that he is in a good mood; when he is angry, it does not mean that he is in a bad mood. The more calm he appears, the more frightening he becomes. Especially in recent days, after he sent scouts to search for a woman throughout the territories of Ling Shui and Qing Gang without success, his expression has become even colder and more inscrutable, and no one dares to provoke him easily at this time

Aunt San still smiled cheerfully, "Da Zhu is not very considerate. You need to take better care of your health. Tomorrow, go to the county town and exchange the two baskets of japonica rice from the granary for some money. Also..." She paused for a moment before continuing, "The fifteenth of this month is an excellent day. After selling the rice, you should have some extra money. Buy a few feet of floral cloth and make yourself a nice outfit, so that you and Zhu can finally settle down together, to avoid further gossip."

The eunuch Zheng Erbao hurriedly lifted the curtain and entered the tent, only to find His Highness alone, simultaneously holding black and white chess pieces engaged in a game. He quickly rolled up his sleeves and knelt down.

However, shortly after this case, Zhao Mianze married the third young lady of the Xia Tingde family, who inherited the title of Duke of Wei due to her contribution in exposing her brother. It is said that the two are well-matched and share a deep affection for each other. What are their intentions now?

Although she is a fool, in her eyes, he is just a child

A black piece fell, and Zhao Zun took the document, reading it without changing his posture. He gestured for Zheng Erbao to light the candle and burn it, then once again gazed at the chessboard, holding a white piece in his hand, remaining silent for a long time.

Zhao Zun set out to campaign against Wuna in the spring of the twenty-fourth year of Hongtai, and it is now the winter of the twenty-fifth year of Hongtai. The nearly two years of life at the border have not hindered his awareness of the court's developments. A year ago, a shocking case occurred in the capital that stirred the entire court and the public. The former Duke of Wei, Xia Tinggan, was exposed by his younger brother, Xia Tingde, for treason and collusion with the enemy. The entire family of over seventy members was executed, leaving only the seventh young lady missing without a trace

Sir, the urgent message from the capital is eight hundred miles long

On weekdays, she is not a proper person... naked in the pigpen... those pigs are in heat... it is a disgrace to morality

It is not acceptable; one must first understand the situation before making calculations

The villagers of Liunian have no additional means of livelihood to supplement their household income apart from farming and animal husbandry, and every household is extremely poor. However, various taxes are exorbitantly high; the costs for well drilling must be shared, and the expenses for repairing the ancestral hall must also be shared. Now, with the army of the Nineteenth Master needing to be stationed in the county, sharing the costs is naturally unavoidable.

Observing the countenance and the complexion, Zheng Erbao, who is usually quick-tongued, seems somewhat hesitant today

Grandfather, the secret investigation along the way... ? ... Everyone has returned to Beijing, how can I continue to investigate for others

Today, the city is unlike the usual days, with patrolling guards in armor and carrying weapons everywhere. The small stalls, vendors, and inns are deserted. She paraded around ostentatiously with the fool, and soon squeezed her way towards the bustling roadside of the noisy post station.

The Prince of Jin is about to arrive in Qinggang County

Grass, run quickly

There are people saying that this Prince Jin is the youngest and most favored son of the current old emperor. At just over ten years old, he has already fought on the battlefield, achieving victory in every battle, inflicting countless casualties, and earning the title of "King of Death." Whenever people mention him, they cannot help but feel a sense of dread.

As Xiacao listened to the gossip, his footsteps did not falter. Together with the fool, they entered the city, exchanging one stone of polished rice for five copper coins, and then began to wander around.

Wait and see

Grandfather, there is one more thing...

The fool is foolish, yet possesses great strength, carrying a stone of glutinous rice ahead, his back held straight. In contrast, she, having been ill, still appears somewhat wilted.

Report

Yet, I cannot bear to leave the fool behind and depart

Xia Chuqii would naturally not accept this arranged marriage that has fallen from the sky

Aunt San, what are you looking for me for

In a daze, she climbed down from the bed and wrapped the little golden tiger in a piece of rag, burying it under the loose soil beneath a clay pot in the corner of the wall. After pressing it down with her foot, she finally let out a long sigh of relief

Have you heard? That Fan family...

Zhao Zun glanced at him coldly and asked, "What is it?"

In summary, it is a matter of various curiosities

The day has turned clear, yet it remains dry and cold

Today, she hurriedly went to the county town in tears, and even scolded for quite a while... Ha, it seems someone is going to have bad luck again, after all, she is the young lady of the county magistrate's family

Moreover, she currently has no place to go. Unlike the female heroes in time-travel novels who can leap across rooftops and walls, the household registration system of the Dayan Dynasty is strict, requiring official travel permits wherever one goes, especially imposing many restrictions on women. For a young woman wishing to leave her hometown to seek a livelihood, it can be said that every step is fraught with difficulty

There are reports that Lord Nineteen led three hundred thousand Golden Guards to deliver a crushing blow to the Wuna Kingdom, capturing the Wuna princess alive, executing the Wuna king, and slaying over one hundred thousand Wuna soldiers. However, His Highness unfortunately contracted a cold on the way back to the capital and must stay in the county for some time to recuperate

Before long, the fool suddenly grabbed her arm and shouted in panic

After a perfunctory interaction with Aunt San, they all went to bed that night. However, Xia Chuqii tossed and turned, unable to find rest, feeling a persistent headache. In contrast, the fool, carefree and excited like a little child, pretended to need to relieve himself and came to her door to ask once more, wanting to accompany her into the city

Zhao Zun withdrew his hand solemnly and replied nonchalantly, "Four words—let's discuss it upon returning to the capital"

There are also those who say that he must have three heads and six arms, with a face like a fierce ghost

However, regardless of what is said, a person like him is not only unseen by the common people, but even the ancestors of the county magistrate Fan Congliang have never encountered such a figure. Here, the entire county's resources are mobilized to repair bridges and dredge rivers, with yellow sand roads being constructed, and they are already waiting ahead of others before dawn.

At the hour of the Rabbit tomorrow, we shall depart from Qinggang Post

Zhao Zun did not avert his gaze; the black and white pieces before him each occupied half of the territory, stalemated and unable to advance further to consume the other's land. It seemed he had not heard Zheng Erbao's words at all, merely furrowing his brow.

Isn't this the common people being treated like fish and meat?

consummation of marriage

The daughter of the former Duke of Wei, Xia Tinggan, was the bestowed legitimate wife of the Crown Prince

Go down

Ah? But grandfather...

Zheng Erbao twitched his lips and fell silent

They did not encounter any ox carts entering the city along the way, and it took the two of them more than an hour to reach Qinggang County.

The wick made a light popping sound as he calmly placed another piece down.

Please, sir, conduct a discreet investigation of a person along the way back to Beijing

The rooster crows, and the dog barks

Life is difficult enough without adding to it

Before entering the city, I saw that the area outside the city gates was crowded with people. ... People were jostling against each other, standing close together, some on tiptoe, some craning their necks, exchanging pleasantries, and joking ... . ... Various sounds of commotion rose and fell, as if the entire county town was in a stir over a single event

What kind of person?

On the seventh day of summer, Xia Chuqi rummaged through an old trunk and put on her best outfit. She spent a long time tidying herself up in front of a small peach wood mirror before finally preparing to head into the city with the fool

He had never met the appointed niece-in-law, yet he was aware that the woman's reputation was not very good

This commotion has made Xia Chiqi unable to sleep any longer

No one has ever provoked her and managed to escape unscathed

Under the big soap tree at the east end of the village, several women are laughing and whispering to each other. Their voices are very low, yet they still intermittently reach the ears of Xia Chuqii.

She smiled with her head lowered, pretending to be very honest

The surroundings grew increasingly desolate

"Yes!" Zheng Erbao secretly rubbed his hands and said, "Then, how should I respond to the Crown Prince?"

Sir, the courier has also brought a message from His Highness the Crown Prince for you

to allocate or distribute tasks or responsibilities among a group

Approximately twenty li from the city of Qinggang, within the territory of Ling Shui County, the Jinwei Army under the command of Prince Jin is stationed. As night deepens, a lamp still burns in the command tent. Outside the tent, the night watch soldiers, dressed in crimson battle jackets and wearing long knives in black sheaths at their waists, patrol with torches in hand. In the howling wind, the sound of their synchronized footsteps is distinctly audible

Even though Zheng Erbao had served him for many years, he could not help but shiver