Huo Xi returned to the carriage, holding back the tears she had shed all the way.
"Girl!" Vanilla and Xia He were frightened and were about to step forward, but were stopped by Mother Ma's eyes.
He sighed and moved over to hug her.
He patted her and caressed her. Seeing Huo Xi lying in her arms and weeping silently, she felt very distressed and did not say a word. She just held her quietly. The two maids had never seen such a girl before, and their eyes were red.
After a long while, when Huo Xi calmed down, Mother Ma finally spoke: "Girl, although Young Master Gong is a good candidate, his family is not suitable, so it doesn't matter. According to the girl's status, it is actually very inappropriate for her to get married to a businessman.
.”
Huo Xi calmed down and shook her head: "I have never thought about marrying into an official family."
"Why?" Mother Ma was a little surprised by her thoughts.
Huo Xi's eyes were distant. Her mother ended up in front of her in that way that year. Even after so many years, she still couldn't forget it.
"As emperor and courtier, I don't want to be like... and become a victim of political strife and party strife."
Mother Ma sighed, how could her original master not be like this?
"But girl, businessmen are looking for profits, and they won't be soft-hearted when it's time to give up."
"I know. But I think I am a businessman and have the ability to protect myself. The businessman has money but no power. As long as I use enough money to open a path and buy out the power... no matter how bad the result is, I will always be saved. And I don't want to be trapped.
In the backyard.”
Mother Ma was silent.
Vanilla and Xia He looked at each other, wondering why they couldn't understand what the girl said today.
"Girl, now it seems that she may have thought wrong before. Maybe people are like that, the more things they don't have, the more they want them. Officials want higher authority and money, and merchants want more than money.
I still want to be a powerful person. They say that officials and businessmen are inseparable. I am afraid that the two cannot be separated. For a wealthy family like the Gong family, if they want to maintain a century-old foundation, marrying the official family may be the best way."
Huo Xi looked at the swaying car curtain, yes, maybe she thought wrong.
If you don't have the ability, you can't protect yourself anywhere.
And if she has the ability, she can break through the quagmire. For the first time, she felt the importance of status.
Without status, anyone can step on someone and do whatever they want.
She wanted to avenge her mother and take back for Nian'er what should have been his, but she never thought about returning to the Zhang family.
Maybe she really thought wrong.
In a society where the jungle prevails, only by becoming stronger and standing taller can we avoid being devoured by others. A little sacrifice, a little grievance, a little pain depends on whether it is worth it.
Huo Xi's eyes became firm.
"Mommy, go directly to the pier, let's go back to Beijing."
"Girl, our luggage is still at the inn!" Vanilla and Xia He said hurriedly.
"I'll take Xiang Xiang to clean up. The girl should take Tayue and Xia He to the dock first." Mother Ma nodded in agreement. She didn't want the girl to stay in Huai'an longer.
After putting down Nanny Ma and Xia He, Huo Xi went directly to the dock.
Drink Menjiang in the southwest.
The 100,000 troops brought by the conquering general Zhang Fu from the north are camping nearby. They are waiting for Mu Sheng of Yunnan to bring his 100,000 troops to join him.
He went to Annan to quell the rebellion. Emperor Yongkang appointed Zhang Fu as the chief military officer and granted him the title of general to conquer the barbarians. Mu Sheng was appointed as the general to conquer the Yi Zuo. Mu Sheng was defeated before, but this time he was entrusted with an important task by the emperor and ordered him to fight with Zhang Fu.
Annan.
There is no way. The terrain in the south is complex, with many mountains, rivers, deep forests, and numerous obstacles. The Southwest Army is more familiar with battlefield conditions.
Zhang Fu came out of the tent and frowned as he faced the mountains and thorns all over the fields.
He said to the military advisor beside him: "This wilderness is full of thorns. It will take a long time for Mu Sheng's army to just cut down the mountains and clear the way."
The military advisor nodded: "Yes. Otherwise, why would the little Annan bother to defeat Youqi? He had defeated Mu Sheng's army before. Now he is coming back again, relying on these terrains. The thorns in the wild are not a big deal, but this is
Annan's rebel army now uses the river as a guarantee and has 600 ships at hand. If we want to cross the river, we have to cut down trees and build ships."
Zhang Fu frowned. Previously, in Mobei, there was a vast plain, but there was no need to chop down thorns to clear the way, and cut down trees to build bridges and build ships.
"I heard that Mu Yan knows something about logging, so I summoned him to ask."
"Who?" the military advisor looked confused. Who is Mu Yan?
"He is Mu Sheng's eldest son, who was adopted to the second-generation Xiping Hou Mu Chun."
"Ah, it's him."
The military advisor couldn't help but shake his head when he thought about it.
He was born in the second wife's house and was adopted as the heir by his childless uncle, thinking that fate would favor him. However, his uncle did not survive for a few years, and the title did not fall into the hands of his heir apparent, and he was given the title by his biological father.
It doesn't matter that his biological father inherited the title. I heard that he, the biological eldest son, was ignored and the eldest son of the concubine was given the title of prince.
Tsk tsk, is this a good or bad fate?
The soldiers quickly found Mu Yan.
"General." Mu Yan lowered his eyebrows and cupped his fists at Zhang Fu.
The military advisor couldn't help but look at him. With his sword-shaped eyebrows and starry eyes, and his tall and straight posture, he was quite a talented person. It was a pity.
"Yes." Zhang Fu nodded lightly, "I heard that you have a lumber shop in the southwest. Now we are afraid that we have to cut down the wood to build a bridge and build a ship, which may be delayed for a long time. Do you have any good ideas?"
"I dare not tell you a good strategy. The general is the commander-in-chief. We only listen to the general's orders. Regarding logging, I can write a letter and order the stewards to come, take the soldiers up the mountain to cut trees, and teach them the art of shipbuilding."
"Very good. I've heard that woodcutters 'go into the mountains with one thousand and come out with five hundred'. As the commander-in-chief, I don't want my men to lose their lives in unnecessary things. The mission of a soldier is naturally to die on the battlefield.
Only then can you get what you want.”
"Yes. The general is very strong, as if he has great admiration for you."
"Haha, you are a good boy. I think you are better than your father. Your father...your uncle is about to join forces with our army. Should you go to your uncle's tent, or..."
"I am willing to obey orders under the general's tent."
"Okay. From now on, you can come to my tent and obey my orders."
"yes."
Zhang Fu looked at the young man in front of him, and the more he looked at him, the more he liked him. The sadness of many days was gone.
"Are you engaged?"
Mu Yan's eyes flashed and he shook his head: "No."
Zhang Fu happily pounded his fist into his palm. No, it was very good, very good. He still had two daughters of the right age at home. How could the fertilizer flow to other people's fields? What's more, he still had several nieces.
The more I watch it, the more I like it.
On the other side, by the time He sent someone to the inn to pick them up, the room was already empty.
When Gong Ziyi heard the news, his eyes were dull and he could not regain his senses for a long time.
"Yi'er, it's a foregone conclusion. Unless the Chen family daughter voluntarily breaks off the engagement or something happens, she will be your first wife. Your adopted sister..."
Gong Fang didn't want to admit it, but he already felt regret after seeing Huo Xi and Chen Jingci.
I only blame myself for being angry with Yi'er and not stopping my daughter-in-law from letting her settle Yi'er's marriage with the Chen family as early as possible, even if it took a few more days.
But the matter has already been accomplished, and it is useless to say more.
"Yi'er, please be like her brother and sister from now on. We will take more care of her shop in the future. Neither you nor our family can afford to offend the Chen family." Gong Fang sighed.
In addition to Gong Fang, Gong Shuo, He, and the elders of the family took turns preaching. Gong Ziyi did not resist at all. He listened blankly without saying a word, only stroking the Pisces pendant that Huo Xi returned.