Volume 2: Residence in the Capital Chapter 238: Unintentional Planting of Willows
While Concubine Yu was trying to find ways to tactfully plead for Princess Yongping in front of the emperor, Princess Yongping had already arrived outside the Zhaoguo Mansion. As luck would have it, she ran into Zhang Shou, who was helping Wu get off the carriage.
Although in the past, when going to and from the Duke of Zhao's Mansion, whether it was Zhang Shou or Wu, if they came from home, they would mostly go through the back door for convenience, but because today is the Little New Year, Zhang Shou accompanied Wu to the temple to burn incense, intending to have lunch at the Duke of Zhao's Mansion at Zhu Ying's invitation, and then worship the kitchen god in the evening. When they came back through the main gate of the Duke of Zhao's Mansion, they didn't expect to meet Princess Yongping.
When the two met, Wu was surprised to see her secretly. If Zhu Ying was a beautiful peony, then the elegant girl in front of her was like an orchid in a valley. Although her eyes were indifferent, people dared not look directly at her. Just as she was thinking in her heart, which family was the daughter of that girl, she heard Zhang Shou speak.
"Meet Princess Yongping."
Wu was shocked and immediately followed Zhang Shou's bowing. What was even more unexpected to her was that Princess Yongping came straight to them and looked at Zhang Shou seriously with her cold eyes. Then she laughed, but there was no joy in her voice. At that moment, she couldn't help but have a very ridiculous idea.
She only recently found out that the woman she thought was a relative of the Duke of Zhao and brought back with Lady Zhao by Widow Zhang turned out to be Concubine Yu. So, Ah Shou, Zhu Ying and Princess Yongping were born on the same day of the same month of the same year, so they naturally had a deep bond with each other. Zhu Ying fell in love with Zhang Shou at first sight, so could Princess Yongping be the same?
Seeing that Zhang Shou did not avoid her gaze, Princess Yongping thought of how her father had asked Zhang Shou to be beside him when he was choosing a son-in-law. The new spinning machine that was the focus of the dispute between the eldest prince and the second prince this time was also said to be made by Zhang Shou. Many playboys with bad reputations were now obediently serving as their supervisors in Banshan Hall... She couldn't help but feel more complicated.
"Zhang Shou, I really misjudged you." She raised her head and tried to appear calm and indifferent as she spoke word by word, "Zhu Ying is luckier than me, but that's what she deserves. I have always disliked her, but although she has this and that, she is an open-minded person. I hope you won't let her down in the future!"
At this point, Princess Yongping walked into the gate without looking back. As a royal princess, even if the Lady Dowager and Jiu Niang did not personally welcome her, she had the right to ask the Duke Zhao's mansion to open the main gate. Zhang Shou watched the gate slowly close after Princess Yongping entered, and then he helped Wu enter from the west corner gate. The doorman who came to greet him was polite and attentive, and when he wanted to escort him a few more steps, he smiled and declined.
After leaving the gate area, Wu whispered, "Ah Shou, what did Princess Yongping mean by what she said to you just now? What do you mean by misjudged? Could it be that she looked down on you in the past?"
"Mother, why are you thinking about these things?" Zhang Shou didn't want to mention the literary gathering at Yuehua Tower , so he evaded the question calmly, "Listen, didn't she warn me not to let Yingying down? She and Yingying were born on the same day, month and year, and their relationship has never been harmonious, but I didn't expect that she would side with her on the key issue."
Wu was successfully distracted by Zhang Shou, and immediately smiled and said, "You are all still young, there is no big conflict, it's just a little quarrel between children. Princess Yongping is noble and elegant, although she is completely different from Yingying, but she is definitely a good girl... By the way, didn't you help the emperor choose a son-in-law before?"
Zhang Shou immediately cried out inwardly, "Oh no!" Sure enough, the next moment, Wu immediately asked, "Didn't your Banshan Hall have a consort and two grooms? I see that Princess Yongping is not young anymore, so she didn't settle on anyone this time?"
Wu suddenly turned into a gossipy old lady and asked about Princess Yongping's marriage. Zhang Shou was helpless and could only vaguely say that Princess Yongping was a talented woman, so the emperor had not chosen a suitable one for the time being and planned to help her look for one. Only then did he finally deal with the problem. When the mother and son arrived at the second gate, they saw Mother Li waiting there.
"Madam Wu, Mr. Shou." Madam Li smiled and knelt down to salute, then explained, "Madam Yu sent Princess Yongping to deliver something, so Madam took her in first. She won't stay too long and won't delay dinner."
Wu felt a little sweat on her forehead. A princess came to the Duke of Zhao's mansion, but she seemed to be despised? Zhang Shou laughed and said, "Mother Li, why do you sound prejudiced against Princess Yongping?"
Mother Li realized that she had said something too much, and she slapped herself in the face. She smiled bitterly and said, "Fortunately, you two heard me, otherwise I would have committed a big taboo! Alas, the last time Princess Yongping came, she said something very excessive, so the lady was unhappy for several days, and the lady-in-waiting was also very angry. As servants, we can't help but feel unhappy."
"Of course, no matter how unhappy you are, that's not a reason to criticize the princess behind her back, so please forget what I said, Mr. Shou."
Wu knew that she was not well-informed, so she kept silent. Zhang Shou naturally would not make a fuss about such an issue, so he smiled and said, "Madam Tai and Aunt Jiu have always been broad-minded. We can just leave this matter here."
"Yes, yes, thank you, Mr. Shou." Mother Li agreed, and then took Zhang Shou and Wu to Qing'an Hall. The mother and the lady had discussed inviting the mother and son to celebrate the festival together on the eve of the New Year, and Zhu Ying agreed with both hands, so she felt a little resentful about Princess Yongping who came uninvited. At this time, while talking about various preparations, she quietly asked Zhang Shou about his arrangements for the New Year's Eve.
Because Zhu Ying begged and pleaded with Zhang Shou to bring Wu over to have fun at noon on New Year's Eve. As for the evening, she was helpless because she couldn't let the mother and son go to someone else's house for a reunion so late at night.
Zhang Shou's answer, however, surprised her. "As for New Year's Eve, the teacher sent someone to tell me more than a month ago that he wanted my mother and I to go over and keep him company as an old man living alone. The teacher's wife is long gone, and his children and grandchildren are not around. There is no one around who understands him, so I naturally agreed. I am sorry to the Madam, Auntie Nine, and Yingying."
At this point, he smiled and said, "The teacher said that his grandson will be able to be transferred back to Beijing next year. Next time during the Chinese New Year, I will definitely bring my mother to your house to have a mid-year dinner together. It will be more lively with more people, and everyone will enjoy the celebration."
Mother Li was immediately delighted. The next Chinese New Year, Zhang Shou and Zhu Ying would definitely be married. At that time, Zhang Shou could bring Zhu Ying back to Zhaoguo Mansion to celebrate the Chinese New Year, which would show more sincerity than celebrating the Chinese New Year together this year. You know, after a woman gets married, she will spend every festival at her husband's home, and she may not even go back to her parents' home for lunch!
Nowadays, people outside are still gossiping that Zhang Shou is the son-in-law of Duke Zhao's mansion, but Zhang Shou doesn't care about it. He talks about the future calmly at this moment, which shows his broad mind and magnanimity!
"Sir, tell the Madam and Madam what you said. They will be delighted! Then you will be the perfect son-in-law of the family!"
She unconsciously brought up the word "son-in-law" again. When she arrived at the hall in front of Qing'an Hall, she saw Zhu Ying standing there looking around. As soon as she saw them, she immediately ran over. She couldn't help laughing.
Zhang Shou even joked, "Princess Yongping is here, Yingying, why don't you accompany her?"
"She and I are sworn enemies, why should I accompany her?" Zhu Ying raised her eyebrows unhappily, but when she met Zhang Shou's gaze, she shifted her gaze away unnaturally and muttered in a low voice, "It was my grandmother and my mother who chased me out and asked Mother Jiang to guard the door. I can't listen to anything that girl Yongping says, it's simply weird!"
When Princess Yongping came to see the Lady Dowager and Jiu Niang, Madam Li, like everyone else, just heard her claim that she didn't want to get married. As for what she said to the Lady Dowager and Jiu Niang later, she was ordered to stay away and didn't dare to eavesdrop, so of course she really didn't know. So when she saw Zhu Ying's face full of depression, "Why can't I listen?", she couldn't help.
Zhang Shou didn't know, and didn't want to know. Seeing Zhu Ying in a low mood, he stepped forward and quietly grabbed her hand, then smiled and said, "Since there are guests here in Qing'an Hall, how about we go to your second brother's Ziyan Pavilion? The Imperial College is on holiday this time, and I have assigned homework to the students in Banshan Hall. It's a good opportunity to go and see how he is doing!"
As soon as these words came out, Zhu Ying immediately forgot her little unhappiness just now, and said happily: "Okay, it's time for a surprise attack! My second brother came back from the Imperial College this time. He worked very hard and stayed in the study all day long. But I don't believe that he has changed his personality and is so hardworking! Ah Shou, let's go!"
Seeing Zhu Ying dragging Zhang Shou away, Mother Li couldn't help but shake her head. But seeing Wu smiling and watching Zhang Shou and Zhu Ying leave, not only did she not persuade them, but was happy to see it happen, she secretly sighed that it was a good thing for the eldest daughter to have such a temper and meet such a mother-in-law.
Since it was a surprise attack, Zhu Ying naturally ordered people to scout the area near Ziyan Pavilion on the way, in case Zhu Er had already placed people around to watch. After she was sure that Zhu Er had no such preparations, she felt at ease and pulled Zhang Shou to charge in.
Because of Zhu Er's random matchmaking, he only had two servants left who had been with him for many years, and the rest were replaced by new faces. At this moment, the two old faces were closely watched by the four new faces, and they didn't even dare to shout to remind them. Zhu Ying asked several people one by one, and found that no one knew what Zhu Er was doing in the room, so she simply pulled Zhang Shou to the door.
However, Zhang Shou had originally used Zhu Er as a cover to prevent Zhu Ying from harping on the fact that Princess Yongping came to see the Lady Dowager and Jiu Niang, so how could he really let Miss Zhu barge in so carelessly? He grabbed Zhu Ying's wrist, shook his head at the others, and then pulled her behind him, but waved for a servant to come over.
He whispered something to the man, and the servant immediately called out very cleverly, "Second Young Master, Princess Yongping is here to see the Madam and Madam."
Seeing no movement in the room, the servant repeated his words again. Soon, an impatient voice came from inside: "What does her coming have to do with me? Anyway, she doesn't like me. I'm too lazy to put my warm face on her cold butt! Get out!"
Zhu Ying almost laughed out loud when she saw the boy shrink his head after being scolded. Then, she saw Zhang Shou giving instructions to the boy again. He soon summoned up the courage to shout, "Second Master, Master Shou happened to meet Princess Yongping at the gate. After a few words, Princess Yongping went to see the Dowager and the Madam. I heard that Master Shou is at the gate of Qing'an Hall asking Miss about your homework!"
Zhang Shou dragged Zhu Ying to the side, out of sight. Sure enough, in just a moment, the door of the study was opened from the inside. Zhu Er, who came out, didn't even look to the side, staring at the boy, his face twitching.
"He still has the nerve to ask Yingying about my homework? I finally got a few days off , but I didn't even dare to go out. I just stayed at home doing the homework and math problems he assigned me! He only taught the basics of math in Banshan Hall, but look at those problems, are they for people to do?"
The servant didn't expect that his young master would complain to him directly. After a pause, he deliberately whispered: "Young master, you don't have to do it, right? Can't you just scribble a few strokes to fool around? Besides, Mr. Lu is not a well-known math genius. If you really can't do it, it's the same to ask him..."
"I won't. Do you want that fat guy to laugh at me?" Zhu Er roared. "I will never beg that fat guy for help even if I die! He actually dared to pretend to be incompetent and lie to me. If he wasn't also my brother-in-law's student, I would have cut off my friendship with him long ago! Anyway, the spring break isn't over yet, and he can't come to check my homework now... Don't bother me. I still have to memorize some Tang poems to deal with that little guy Xiao Cheng!"
Seeing the door slammed shut in front of him, the servant touched his nose immediately. Seeing Zhang Shou and Zhu Ying coming over again in the corner, he quickly whispered, "I can guarantee that there is absolutely no tip-off. The second young master must really be reviewing his lessons. Yesterday I found a pile of papers with all kinds of numbers written on them in the wastepaper basket!"
Zhang Shou couldn't help laughing. Zhu Er had never been to Cuiyun Hall at that time. Later, in the Imperial College, Banshan Hall and Jiuzhang Hall were two different things. Therefore, even though Lu Sanlang was very successful as the head of Jiuzhang Hall, it was understandable that Zhu Er was not convinced of Lu Sanlang's talent. Of course, this holding back may not necessarily make him go to the next level in his studies, but at least it is a kind of promotion.
He did not go in at the moment, but pulled Zhu Ying back to the servants, and said in a low voice with a half-smile: "Remember, Yingying and I have never been here. Otherwise, if the Second Young Master finds out, you will all be guilty of not reporting the truth."
Seeing that the servants were silent and nodded repeatedly, he pulled Zhu Ying and turned to walk out. When they got outside, Zhu Ying breathed a sigh of relief and said, "I never thought that my second brother would have such a day to compete with others! Hey, Ah Shou, if I tell him that the emperor is matchmaking him with the niece of Wang Dayin of Shuntian Prefecture, will he work harder?"
Zhang Shou was immediately surprised. Zhu Er? Marrying Wang Jie's niece? If Wang Datou's niece is as stubborn and capable as Wang Datou, Zhu Er will be miserable in the future! Of course, he can guarantee that the girl from the Wang family will definitely be a good wife and mother, but that kind of virtue will probably make Zhu Er cry, but it definitely meets the requirements this guy put forward in front of the emperor.
He asked Zhu Ying a few more questions in a low voice, and then he said embarrassedly that he had promised the emperor to keep it a secret, and then he revealed Wang Jie's attitude. After thinking about it, he finally smiled and said, "Don't tell your second brother yet. After all, the fate has not been decided yet."
"The most important thing is that it is just like what happened to us in the beginning. It all depends on fate!"
