Chapter 36: Strike First
Zhu Hao was selected to be a companion to the Prince Xing's palace.
It is said that he will be a companion to the little prince, but no one knows what his situation will be like after entering the palace. As a member of the Zhu family, it is basically difficult for him to be trusted. How could he be allowed to get close to Zhu Houcong?
These are all problems.
But the most important issue at the moment is how to convince Zhu Niang and the Zhu family to let him enter Prince Xing's Palace.
"Why does mother seem unhappy that I was chosen?" After seeing Jiang Lun off, the mother and son closed the door again, lit the candles, and the room was filled with light, but the atmosphere was a little depressing.
The whole family was happy because they made money. The family that had been poor for a long time finally gained financial freedom. But now, they are all unhappy because Zhu Hao is going to move into Prince Xing's Mansion.
Zhu Niang said: "Xiaohao, entering the palace... even if you are not a slave, it will be very hard. What if others abuse you without your mother by your side... I can no longer protect you..."
What Zhu Niang was worried about was that the child was too young and had gone to a strange place, to a powerful family, and if he was bullied, she would not be able to support her son.
Zhu Hao comforted her, "Don't worry, mother. With my cleverness, it's good that I don't cause trouble to others. If others want to make things difficult for me, they should consider their own abilities... I will try to enter the palace. If I am really bullied, I will just not go there again. It's not like I'm signing a contract to sell myself to others as a slave. Why worry about that?"
Aunt Li smiled and said after hearing this : "Madam, what Hao-ge said makes sense. If we are bullied, we can just not go. Now we have to rely on the prestige of Prince Xing's Mansion to prevent the young master from returning to the Zhu family?"
"Zhu family..."
Zhu Niang felt even more troubled when she thought about the Zhu family's attitude towards orphans and widows.
"Mom agreed, right?"
Zhu Hao pulled Zhu Niang's arm and started to act coquettishly.
Zhu Niang nodded and agreed reluctantly.
Zhu Hao jumped up and said, "I know that mother loves me the most and will not let me go back to the Zhu family to work like a slave... Mother, I tell you, my grandmother will definitely come to the shop when she knows that I have been selected. She will probably go into the city before the city gates are closed and come to my door when it is completely dark."
Zhu Niang and Aunt Li looked at Zhu Hao at the same time, not understanding why Zhu Hao said that.
"Is the old lady coming?"
Zhu Ting was frightened by Zhu Hao's words.
In the eyes of the innocent little girl, Zhu Jia was no different from a bad person. Every time she came, she caused trouble for the courtyard. She had long equated Zhu Jia with an old witch.
Zhu Hao nodded: "He will definitely come. Just wait and see. He will probably come in through the back door... Auntie, please pay more attention to the movements in the backyard. If there is a knock on the door, you must ask first and then welcome the person in. It is not easy to get grandmother to agree to let me enter Prince Xing's Mansion. I need the cooperation of mother and auntie. I will call Yu San later, and I must act out this scene well..."
…
…
Zhu Niang didn't believe the child's mumbling at first.
But things are so mysterious. Sure enough, after nightfall, the family had just finished dinner and were preparing to wash up and rest when someone knocked on the back door.
"Who is it?"
The family came to the backyard trembling with fear and asked outside the gate.
Zhu Wanjian's voice came from outside: "Mom is here, open the door!"
Zhu Niang and Aunt Li looked at each other, and then looked at Zhu Hao together.
Zhu Hao smiled and pointed in the direction of the back door, then nodded vigorously with a firm look in his eyes, meaning that since I was right, everything should be done according to my words from now on.
Then Aunt Li went over and opened the door.
Zhu Jia's temples were a little messy, and she looked exhausted. Behind her were Zhu Wanjian and housekeeper Liu. The coachman stood at the back rubbing his hands, but there was no trace of the carriage, so it was obvious that the group had come on foot.
Zhu Jiashi stepped into the door first, stared at Zhu Niang who came forward, and said sinisterly: "Old Third's wife, I have something to talk to you about. Come in and talk."
There was a hint of solemnity between his brows, as if the orphans and widows in this yard had committed some crime again.
Butler Liu and the coachman did not move and had no intention of going inside.
Zhu Wanjian followed Zhu Jiashi closely, and was about to step over the threshold when he saw Zhu Niang bowing and saying, "Mother, if you have anything to say, you can talk here. It's getting dark... I'm afraid it's inconvenient for you to go in."
Zhu Jia was startled, turned around to look at her son who came in carelessly, and immediately realized what her daughter-in-law meant.
She is a widow, and a chaste woman certified by the imperial court. It would be fine for her to welcome guests into the house so late at night, but she actually allowed a grown man to come in from the back door of the yard. Even if he was a relative, the two of them had no blood relationship. Does she still want to keep her reputation as a chaste woman?
Zhu Jia naturally couldn't joke about her daughter-in-law's reputation , so she said to Zhu Wanjian, who followed her into the yard with a nonchalant look on his face, "It doesn't matter where you say it... Second brother, go out and wait!"
"Mom? What do you mean? Isn't this our brother's yard? Being here is just like being home. Why are you chasing me away?" Zhu Wanjian didn't care about that.
It was not the first or second time that he had come to the shop to cause trouble. Although he had not entered through the back door before, he had long been accustomed to it. This time, he felt that he was being treated unfairly by entering through the back door of the yard, and he was even more unwilling to leave in such a humiliated manner.
"go out!"
Zhu Jia shouted loudly.
Zhu Wanjian could only walk towards the door dejectedly. As soon as he stepped out of the door, he stopped, turned around, and glared at Zhu Niang fiercely.
Zhu Niang frowned slightly, waved her hand, and said, "Please go and close the door, sister."
Zhu Jia stretched out her hand to stop Aunt Li, her face full of annoyance: "Old Third's family, Old Second is your brother after all, so just quit while you're ahead... I came to you this time to ask you one thing... Why did you let Hao'er take the exam to be selected as a companion student in Prince Xing's mansion? Do you care about the reputation of my Zhu family?"
I'm coming!
Zhu Niang was very surprised. Zhu Jia's reaction to this matter was exactly what Zhu Hao had expected.
He took an attitude of denunciation from the beginning, forcing his daughter-in-law to surrender, and even asked her to offer conditions in exchange before allowing Zhu Hao to enter Prince Xing's Palace.
This move is certainly clever, but it underestimates other people's wisdom. Do you think that no one else understands the situation except you?
Zhu Niang looked calm and said, "Mother is right. My daughter-in-law thinks so too. So after hearing the news, I severely punished him and sent someone to go to Prince Xing's mansion to inform him that no one from my Zhu family will go to Prince Xing's mansion to be a study companion."
This move is to retreat in order to advance!
Don't you disagree?
I'm sorry, I have already sent someone to reject Prince Xing's request in advance.
The child was making a fuss and insisted on going for the election. Even if he was selected, we would not go.
Zhu Jia originally thought that everything was Zhu Niang's idea, but when she saw Zhu Niang's serious expression, which did not seem fake at all, she immediately felt that something was wrong. She then turned around and glared at Zhu Wanjian, then signaled her son to help talk to him so that she could take advantage of the situation to back off.
At this time, Zhu Wanjian was still brooding over the fact that his mother had kicked him out of the house. When he saw Zhu Jia's eyes looking for help, he was at a loss as to how to respond.
"You...really sent someone to Prince Xing's Mansion to say that the child won't go?" Zhu Jia's attitude was not as tough as before, and her voice was much softer.
Zhu Niang said, "Yes, mother, I really didn't know about this before. It was the teacher surnamed Lu that I found for my child. He couldn't stay in Anlu for long. Thinking that he had a close personal relationship with the tutor Sui in the palace, he asked Xiaohao to participate in the selection of the companion of the palace before leaving... After my daughter-in-law knew about it, she wanted to ask Mr. Lu to clarify it, but who would have thought that he had already left Anlu. She had no choice but to ask someone to inform the Xing Palace and let the matter go!"
What Zhu Niang said was all Professor Zhu Hao's words.
The purpose was to tell the old lady that the child was able to pass the exam not because of his high knowledge or strong ability, but because the teacher he had hired had a good relationship with the tutors in the palace and was a relative of the teacher.
What is Zhu Hao guarding against?
To prevent the Zhu family from forcing him to take him away, otherwise why would the old lady come to the house with three grown men? Didn't she know that this would affect the reputation of her daughter-in-law?
To put it bluntly, it is better to snatch the person away directly than to negotiate with your daughter-in-law in a nice way... Your son is in my hands, so I have absolute initiative. When the time comes, I can let him in to Prince Xing's Palace or not let him in. I can move forward and backward freely.
But things are different now.
Zhu Niang showed her opposition to Zhu Hao's study companion in Prince Xing's Mansion, and stated that she had sent someone to reject the Mansion... thus the initiative was shifted to the other side.
For a moment, Zhu Jia was so angry that her teeth were itching, but she could do nothing.
Obviously, it's useless to bring Zhu Hao back. My daughter-in-law has sent someone to Xingwang Mansion to refuse, and you will send him in later... Do you think Xingwang Mansion is a charity and you can come and go as you please?
What's going on?
"Mr. Lu from the Third Family actually has good intentions. Why don't you appreciate it?"
Zhu Jia was very anxious. On the one hand, she hoped that her son would go to Prince Xing's Mansion as soon as possible to stop the person who was bringing his daughter-in-law to refuse. On the other hand, she also hoped to maintain her power in front of her daughter-in-law.
Not to mention that Zhu Wanjian has resentment in his heart now, even if he doesn't have any negative emotions, with his dull mind, can he understand Zhu Jia's mood at this moment?
Besides, what’s the point of going?
Yu San, who was sent out as a cover, never went to Prince Xing's Mansion at all. How could you stop him?
Zhu Niang sighed: "My daughter-in-law has thought about it carefully. Instead of letting Xiaohao study and seek a career in the imperial examination, where the chances are slim, it is better to practice martial arts and return to the Zhu family to hone his body. This way, when he comes of age, he can inherit the position of Jinyiwei left by his father... My daughter-in-law hopes that he will serve the country with martial arts and inherit his father's legacy."
The muscles on Zhu Jia's face twitched twice.
This daughter-in-law obviously doesn't play by the rules!
Zhu Jia shouted sternly, "Do you think that practicing martial arts is enough? I have already thought it through. The position of Jinyiwei centurion will be passed on to the younger brother of the second house. You, the third house, don't even think about it."
"ah!?"
Zhu Niang didn't expect Zhu Jiashi to be so heartless, "But... Mother, that was passed down to Xiaohao by his father..."
Zhu Jia sneered: "What does it matter? It was originally a military household position protected by the Zhu family. I have the right to distribute it. The second son made a mistake before, but it doesn't mean that his next generation can't inherit it. As for your son... In fact, it's not bad for him to go to Prince Xing's Mansion as a companion. At least he can study and have a chance to make a name for himself... You should find someone immediately to call back the person who was sent to reject Prince Xing's Mansion, otherwise..."
Zhu Jia wanted to threaten him, but suddenly thought of a problem and realized that she was in a passive position.
With great difficulty, Zhu Hao was selected as a companion to the royal palace, and the Zhu family had some initiative in front of Captain Lin and the court. However, perhaps because of their daughter-in-law's "stubbornness", the Zhu family had no choice but to give up the initiative.
