Chapter 9: The Lobbyist Arrives

Sister Pearl did not understand: "What arrangements?" What arrangements could the servants possibly have? Naturally, they follow their master.

Firstly, the actions of the newly appointed Duke of Jiannan, Zhao Jiong, were excessive. As a member of the royal family, he could not agree to this, so he intervened and persuaded Zhao Jiong to take a step back. The coffin of the late Duke was still sent back to his hometown in the south for burial, and Grandma Qian could also be buried alongside him. However, she could not be interred in the primary position; she must be laid to rest as a concubine. The late Duke would be buried with Lady Qin, and a space would be reserved on the right for Lady Zhang for future use, thus fulfilling the distinctions between legitimate and illegitimate offspring. Grandma Qian could also be buried alongside him, but she could not be interred in the primary position; she must be laid to rest as a concubine. The late Duke would be buried with Lady Qin, and a space would be reserved on the right for Lady Zhang for future use, thus fulfilling the distinctions between legitimate and illegitimate offspring.

Due to the matter concerning Auntie Qian, the Zhang family and the Zong family have never been particularly close. Additionally, having settled in the capital for many years, the Zong family resides in Fengxian, only managing to meet once every few years. If it were not for the mourning affairs organized by the Duke, Lord Zong Yu would not have traveled such a long distance to the capital. However, he usually maintains more frequent contact with the younger branch of the family and seldom seeks out Zhao Zhuo for conversation. Therefore, his special visit today surprised both Zhang and Zhao Zhuo.

Mi has left, and the Zhao siblings, Zhao Jing and Zhao Wei, are engaged in their respective roles of teaching and learning, seemingly quite earnest. Sister Pearl sits down beside them, takes out her needle and thread pouch, and intends to make a plain-colored net for Zhao Jing. Zhao Wei's wet nurse gives her a knowing glance, signaling her to step outside for a conversation. Sister Pearl is puzzled, but their relationship is amicable enough. Seeing that the young masters are occupied with nothing, she follows her out.

In the main room, Master Yu had just finished a lengthy discourse and finally had time to catch his breath and sip some tea to soothe his throat. Indeed, the task of a negotiator is not an easy one

Sister Pearl was taken aback: "How did it come to this? You must think carefully; you have grown up, and in the future, if you achieve success, you will have a rare dignity. If you resign now, everyone will blame you in the future!"

Mi coldly snorted and placed his daughter on the kang, then sat across the kang table from his son. He then gently smiled and said, "Wei, continue writing. Once you finish, you can play with your sister. Eldest sister must also be obedient and not disturb your brother while he is working on important matters"

Mi was holding Zhao Jing, heading to the residence of Zhao Wei in the east wing. As they descended the steps, they bowed their heads in greeting to the approaching Lord Yu, who wore a benevolent expression and even reached out to touch Zhao Jing's small face: "I heard you were ill a few days ago, but now you look much better. Truly, it is the blessing of the Duke. " Mi remained silent with her head down, while Zhao Jing shrank her neck, trying to evade his hand. This man, who was said to be a distant uncle in terms of family hierarchy, appeared to be of the grandfather's generation. He was plump and fair-skinned, with smooth skin on his hands, showing no signs of calluses from writing, clearly accustomed to a life of comfort. However, his eyes were murky, and there was no genuine affection in his gaze, which made him unappealing to others.

This is a somewhat dilapidated courtyard in the residence of the Duke of Jiannan. The space is quite large, but the overall layout does not conform to the standard arrangement of one main building and two wings. To the north are three main rooms, while to the east are two side rooms, accompanied by a small ear room. The west side, however, is overgrown with weeds, featuring a row of trees that have not been pruned for a long time, resulting in an unsightly appearance. On one side of the trees, towards the back on the west side, there are two small houses that serve as the quarters for the servants. Behind these small houses is a wall, beyond which can be seen a small building used for storing miscellaneous items and a row of houses where the servants reside.

Zhao Jing studies very diligently. Although she was already a university graduate before her time travel, the written language of this era is in traditional characters, and the formal language is in classical Chinese. With her limited proficiency in the language, she would not fare well and might even be regarded as illiterate. Therefore, taking advantage of her youth, she decided to pick up classical literature again and study it earnestly, so that in the future, she could at least earn a reputation for being "knowledgeable and courteous"

Zhao Wei's wet nurse was so angry that she stamped her feet: "What are you pretending to be confused about? We are all natives of the capital. Although we serve as servants, we still have a large family and friends here. If we really follow the master back to the south, wouldn't that mean separation from our loved ones? Naturally, we must make plans early!"

Zhang instructed her daughter-in-law: "Take the girl to her brother and let the siblings play together." Mi complied, picking up Zhao Jing and leaving, while Zhao Jing's wet nurse hurriedly followed. Zhao Jing was very reluctant in her heart, looking longingly at her grandmother, wishing to stay and listen in. The adults spoke without much regard for her presence, and she could hear quite a bit of inside information, which would help her not to be completely in the dark when things happened.

Sister Pearl did not dare to casually discuss the matters of the master’s household: "How would I know about such things? If there truly is something, we will eventually be informed."

Sister Pearl is truly at a loss for words. It was merely a few remarks made by the lord, yet the old lady and the second master have not even responded, and already the morale has dissipated to this extent. It has been less than four months since the duke left, how could things have changed so completely?

Secondly, the Zhang family and the Zhao Zhuo family are determined to observe the mourning period. Whether they do so in the capital or back in their hometown makes little difference. It is better to return to the south together. Firstly, it has been many years since they last saw their relatives, and this is an opportunity to reconnect and also to include the two children in the family genealogy. Secondly, if their branch does not go to supervise, what if Zhao Jiong verbally agrees but changes his mind when they reach the grave? No one in the entire Zhao family can keep Zhao Jiong, this noble lord, in check. With Zhang as his stepmother, he at least dares not act recklessly.

Master Yu was not genuinely trying to win the child's affection, so he did not care whether the child hid or not. He laughed heartily a couple of times and then went into the house. Ms. Mi frowned and glanced at him a few times before carrying Zhao Jing into the east wing.

Sister Pearl hesitated, for she too was concerned about this matter. The family of her husband would certainly follow their master, but it was difficult to say about her own family. Perhaps her father and mother would not have any issues, but what about her elder brother, sister-in-law, and nephews? What about her uncles, aunts, and maternal uncles? If the masters were merely dividing the family and still living in the capital, it would not be difficult for them to meet. However, now that the marquis wanted them to return to their hometown to observe mourning, given the marquis's demeanor, it seemed that once they left, it would be very hard to return.

Zhao Wei was writing under the east kang window when he saw his mother coming over with his younger sister. He was very happy and was about to jump down from the kang, but his wet nurse would not allow it: "You haven't finished writing this page yet, young master. The old master has instructed that you must complete it before you can play."

Both Zhang and Zhao Zhuo were quite surprised after hearing this. Lord Yu should have been closer to Zhao Jiong's side, so why did he suddenly start considering them today? Zhao Zhuo hesitated and asked, "Although my elder cousin's intentions are certainly good, I cannot help but wonder... why are you so enthusiastic?"

What he said is actually not difficult to understand, and the main points can be summarized in three aspects

There is no one in the yard, and Zhao Wei's wet nurse glanced around before turning back to quietly ask Sister Pearl: "I heard that our old lady and the second master are going to send the spirit back to the old home in the south, is that right?"

Mi felt somewhat displeased upon hearing this: "When has Wei ever been lazy? He simply knows the proper etiquette. Seeing that I brought his sister along, he came to pay his respects. Are you suggesting that he should ignore me, his mother?"

The wet nurse lowered her head and stepped aside: "The little one does not dare, the second madam is being too harsh."

Seeing the affectionate bond between the siblings, although the youngest daughter likely did not understand what her brother was saying, she at least appeared to be well-behaved and quiet, which is a good thing. She turned to instruct Zhao Jing's wet nurse, Sister Pearl: "You stay here to take care of her, and be attentive in your service." Sister Pearl quickly agreed, and Mi then left the eastern wing.

Zhao Jing nodded little by little, and Mi was unsure whether she truly understood or was just acting unconsciously, but he smiled and patted her head: "Good child"

What brings Lord Yu here for a visit? She has been preoccupied with this matter, perhaps it is related to the return of the deceased to their hometown for mourning. Her husband is to take the imperial examination in the future, and he must remain in the capital; what if he returns to his hometown and finds it difficult to come back? This matter must be handled with caution

Zhao Wei was very excited and actively wrote the remaining characters. In no time, he finished writing, dried the ink, quickly set it aside, and then climbed over to his younger sister's side: "Sister, what do you want to play?"

Zhao Wei's wet nurse has already begun to express her intentions: "I can no longer concern myself with loyalty or disloyalty; my whole family is here, and I absolutely cannot go with them. I have already thought it over; the boy is five years old now and no longer needs my milk. The second master and second madam have been somewhat displeased with me these past few days, so I might as well find an excuse to resign and request another assignment from above.

The courtyard features a pathway paved with stone slabs, surrounded entirely by yellow mud. Originally, it was overgrown with weeds reaching half a person's height. After the Zhang family moved in with their son, daughter-in-law, grandchildren, and granddaughters, they ordered some people to tidy up the courtyard a bit, removing the weeds, clearing away the broken bricks and stones, and sweeping the ground clean, making it barely presentable. The Zhang family also had several beloved pots of flowers and plants from their previous residence moved to the empty space under the window of the main house. With the autumn sky clear and refreshing, the osmanthus was in full bloom, the chrysanthemums were beginning to bud, and several unknown flowers were competing to bloom, adding a touch of color to the courtyard.

What does Zhao Jing want to play with? She is not a real one-year-old child. She pounced on the kang table, pulled over the textbook on it, and saw it was "Youxue Qionglin." She glanced at her older brother. Zhao Wei understood his sister's intention instantly and smiled as he said, "Do you want to learn characters, little sister? I will teach you!" He opened the first page of the book and taught her to read the characters on it: "Volume One, Astronomy. In the beginning, chaos opened up, and the universe was established..."

This is her first time leaving this room since she crossed over

Having previously seen the situation in the yard through the window, she only grasped the entire layout after stepping outside

Master Yu let out a bitter smile: "I have no choice but to do so. Our clan has always been weak, and we must rely on the goodwill of your branch in all matters. However, as the head of the clan, there are certain things I cannot turn a blind eye to. Whether it is the disruption of the legitimate and illegitimate lines, disrespect towards the stepmother, or disobedience towards brothers, each of these is a grave sin when spoken of. Zhao Jiong, being in a high position, may not care, but the clansmen are watching. If they were to follow suit in the future, would our Zhao clan not be thrown into chaos? I cannot forsake my responsibilities for personal gain, as it would bring disaster to future generations"

Zhao Wei's wet nurse pursed her lips and said: "I know you are tight-lipped, but everyone outside knows about it. What good does it do to keep hiding it? I won't ask too much, just one question: if the old lady and the second master want to return to the south, what arrangements will be made for us servants?"

On the second day, early in the morning, just after Zhao Jing's family finished breakfast, a maid came to report that Lord Zongfang Yu had arrived, requesting to see Madam Zhang and Zhao Zhuo

Unfortunately, Zhang and Zhao Zhuo were entirely focused on the visiting Lord Yu, completely oblivious to the subtle glances Zhao Jing was sending her way. She could only be unfeelingly taken away from the main hall by her mother.

A single remark stirred deep emotions in Zhang and Zhao, prompting them to simultaneously recall the grave mistake committed by the late patriarch of the Yu family, the elder of the clan.

Zhao Wei's wet nurse sneered: "I do not know whether the boy will amount to anything, but I do know that it will be a long time before he does. I advise you not to be so stubborn; the eldest sister is already nearing the time to wean, so you should make your plans early!"

The third point is the intention of Lord Yu himself, who believes that Zhao Jiong's division of the family property is unfair. According to the laws of our dynasty, family divisions, excluding ancestral property, should be equally divided among all sons. Moreover, Zhao Jiong's background is not legitimate, while Zhao Zhuo is the legitimate heir. However, the demand for Zhao Jiong to equally divide all assets is an impractical idea. It would be better to take a step back and only request half of the ten thousand acres of fertile land from the ancestral home, while considering the properties in the capital as part of the family estate and leaving them untouched. This way, it would be easier to explain to outsiders when they inquire. Zhao Jiong has verbally agreed and instructed Zhang and Zhao Zhuo's family to return, as this matter needs to be finalized to prevent Zhao Jiong from using some inferior land as a pretext. However, the demand for Zhao Jiong to equally divide all assets is still an impractical idea. It would be better to take a step back and only request half of the ten thousand acres of fertile land from the ancestral home, while considering the properties in the capital as part of the family estate and leaving them untouched. This way, it would be easier to explain to outsiders when they inquire. Zhao Jiong has verbally agreed and instructed Zhang and Zhao Zhuo's family to return, as this matter needs to be finalized to prevent Zhao Jiong from using some inferior land as a pretext.