Chapter 5, Old Matters

Without saying a word, Xiao Gu lifted her skirt and got into the car

He said with a smile, teasingly

Wang listened to her flattery, which was indeed sincere and heartfelt, and couldn't help but chuckle: "Becoming a minister is not necessarily guaranteed, but the Emperor is someone who values old relationships. In his youth, my husband was appointed to the Prince of Yan's residence as an assistant official, and for decades he has worked diligently and sincerely, spending day and night together. Even if there are no merits, there are still some hardships endured."

It has already been two hours since the last update, and the streets are utterly silent. Inside the carriage, the only sound that can be heard is the rapid rolling of the wheel axles

The Buddha said, "If I do not go to hell, who will go to hell"

Old Seven Qin Yao shrugged his shoulders and smiled, saying: "In any case, he is a big shot that the Five Cities Garrison cannot afford to offend. He became enamored with my performance and lent me his vehicle for a few days."

Mother Yao was so frightened that her hair stood on end, and she trembled as she said: "He spends all day looking for a group of disreputable friends, either going to the brothel or to watch horse racing and dog fighting. I, as a servant, cannot control what happens outside!"

Mother Yao was taken aback and exclaimed, "Then it should be our lord's turn, considering the original wife and legitimate offspring..."

Mother Yao wholeheartedly agreed, adding fuel to the fire, "The old lady has been putting on airs these past few years, constantly nitpicking at the master and us. Isn't it just that she can't let go of her grievances? With two legitimate elder brothers ahead, the fourth master is a long way from this title! This principle should have been clear to the old lady decades ago when she married in as a concubine, yet now in her old age, she seems unable to see it clearly."

She turned her lively, dark eyes, playfully glancing at him with her head tilted. On her seemingly smiling face, two dimples appeared, contrasting sharply with the rough, lined features of her visage.

Xiao Gu knew that he was always resourceful, so he no longer insisted. After entering the carriage, he quickly changed his clothes, knocked on the door, and soon Qin Yao bent down and walked in, sitting opposite her

Wang let out a hum and merely said ambiguously, "It is time to change the steward of the outer court."

Wang let out a cold laugh, chilling to the bone, "You clearly know what I fear the most in this residence!"

Seventh Brother

Her appearance, talents, and character are all exceptional, and her husband has also made significant progress in his career. She has two sons and one daughter of her own, in addition to two sons and two daughters from her husband's side, making her offspring quite numerous. In contrast, the master of the neighboring Rongxiang Courtyard, despite indulging in debauchery and taking many beautiful concubines, and marrying two legitimate wives successively, has only two sons and one daughter. Compared to this, Wang's demeanor is quite upright. Although she cannot go against her mother-in-law out of filial piety, she secretly thinks of her as merely a stepmother and is quite disdainful of her audacity to covet the title of the marquis. She appears gentle and virtuous, yet her true nature is one of pride and ambition. Although there has been no overt conflict with the old lady, there are undercurrents of fierce rivalry between them, with neither willing to yield. Compared to this, Wang's demeanor is quite upright. Although she cannot go against her mother-in-law out of filial piety, she secretly thinks of her as merely a stepmother and is quite disdainful of her audacity to covet the title of the marquis. She appears gentle and virtuous, yet her true nature is one of pride and ambition. Although there has been no overt conflict with the old lady, there are undercurrents of fierce rivalry between them, with neither willing to yield.

Mother Yao's heart tightened, and she said hesitantly, "That little rascal runs outside to fool around every day, everyone has already gotten used to it..."

Indeed, at that time we were in the north, suffering from the local climate and falling ill, and there were not enough attendants to care for us. It truly was not easy, and it must have been hard on you as well

Turning her head, a black lacquered carriage adorned with a stone blue canopy and silver dragon embroidery appeared behind her. Beside the driver, a robust man dressed in a gold-trimmed black mink cloak was smiling at her.

Wang sighed and said, "I have always been well aware of the old lady's temperament—since the court has delayed the decree for the title, she will surely take advantage of the situation to plot something for her precious son. You must keep a close watch on her Xuanrun Hall; if anything goes wrong..."

She exclaimed joyfully in a low voice

After a long silence, Mama Yao thought that the Wang family had fallen asleep, but then she heard a soft question from the darkness: "Is there any news from Jiahe Residence, apart from what the old lady has said?"

Within the Orchid Fragrance Pavilion of the Ten Thousand Flower Tower, the secret meeting came to a hurried conclusion, and everyone left, each burdened with their own thoughts

"Nowadays, thirty years in the east of the river, thirty years in the west of the river, our branch of the family has finally endured to see the light..."

Madam Yao nodded hurriedly, "Rest assured, Madam, those few young girls and the little boy over there have received my kindness, and they come to chat with me every few days."

There are already two legitimate sons ahead, yet one thinks of having his own biological son seize this tremendous benefit. Having already established himself in an improper manner, he still dares to feign authority and reprimand his uncle—does he truly believe he is the ancestral patriarch of the entire family?

Xiao Gu left through the side back door and was about to find a secluded place to change his attire when he heard a light laugh behind him: "Come into my carriage."

Mother Yao let out a sneer and leaned closer to her ear, whispering: "One must not judge a person by their appearance. Just look at that solemn and stern old lady; in her youth, she possessed such skill and charm."

Whose vehicle is this belonging to a high-ranking official or noble?

Wang interrupted her words, saying, "The civil and military paths are different. The master is a second-degree scholar; there is no need to wade into this murky water."

Wang felt the warmth of the towel around her eyes, sensing the faint medicinal aroma lingering at the tip of her nose. She let out a sigh and said: "As long as the court does not issue the documents for the title succession, it is hard to say who will prevail in the end—Lord is a hopeless case, unable to manage his affairs properly and indulging in lustful pleasures. The current emperor does not favor him either. If this deliberate delay continues, I fear..."

Thus, Mother Yao dismissed the two maidservants and took it upon herself to keep watch at night. She was from the Wang family as part of the dowry, and was quite familiar with this task.

Wang recalled the coldness of the world during those years, and could not help but feel a sense of lamentation

He couldn't help but roll up his sleeves to wipe for her, but halfway through, he awkwardly put them down again. "The matter of assassination is not trivial; why did you take it upon yourself?"

Indeed, when it was first announced that our master was being sent to the Prince of Yan's residence, all the servants in the manor said that it was a wild and desolate northern land, frequently invaded by the Yuan and Mongol Tartars. They were all terrified and came up with various excuses, refusing to accompany our master. Now, each and every one of them is regretting their decision and has come to me to seek connections and speak well of him

"Go change your clothes in the car, I will take you back"

Having finished speaking, she turned to the side and soon fell into a deep sleep, leaving only Mother Yao, aged and weary, who was so frightened that she lost her sleepiness and spent half the night with her eyes wide open, pondering her thoughts.

In the stillness of the deep night, her voice was not loud, yet it was filled with sarcasm and resentment

Xiao Gu assessed the car's body—crafted from a century-old ebony, it was meticulously structured and exquisite. The furnishings faintly revealed behind the curtains were simply luxurious to the extreme

Today, you are certainly the center of attention

At that time, Shen Yuan had just achieved the rank of third place in the imperial examination and was blessed with the birth of his first son. However, under this double joy, he unexpectedly encountered a calamity—his mentor, known for his upright character, had offended the influential Qi Tai at the court of the Jianwen Emperor. As a result, he never even set foot in the Hanlin Academy and was instead dispatched to the fief of the Prince of Yan in Beiping, to serve as a minor official in the royal household with no prospects for advancement. After the news spread, the old master became overly cautious and instead reprimanded his second son harshly, urging him to pack his belongings and leave the capital as soon as possible. The servants of the household were reluctant and none were willing to accompany him, as they all scrambled to curry favor with the currently favored old lady.

So you have become complacent

Wang also smiled for a while, then she sighed with relief, rubbed her eyes, and said: "I am tired too, let's rest early."

The Wang family hails from a prestigious lineage in Jiangsu and Zhejiang, characterized by integrity and a long-standing reputation. As the legitimate wife, she has always conducted herself with dignity and grace, embodying virtue and stability. After marrying Shen Yuan, she not only managed the household adeptly but also received widespread praise for her ability to support her husband and educate their children. In recent years, her husband Shen Yuan has risen rapidly in his career, achieving the position of Academic Scholar at the age of 42. He spends his days drafting edicts and consulting on matters directly beside Emperor Yongle, Zhu Di. Although his official rank is not particularly high, he is a prominent figure in the emperor's inner circle, deserving of respect.

Wang let out a laugh and shook her head, saying: "The few she relies on the most are not on our side, so it is better to be cautious—she has always been cunning and resourceful, and she can be quite bold. Do not forget how she managed to climb up to become the mistress of this marquis's residence by what means back in the day."

Madam Yao thought for a moment and then, while removing the eye cloth from her, took another clean piece from the silver basin to wipe away the medicinal liquid around her eyes. She complimented, "Our master has been a prodigy since childhood, a natural literary star descended from the heavens. He passed the imperial examination at the age of twenty-three, and the current emperor values him highly. In my opinion, he is bound to ascend to the position of minister in the future, enjoying both wealth and honor—this title sounds appealing, but it carries no real power or substantial salary, and our master may not even covet it!"

Come here, girl