At night, Sheng Hong, his immediate boss Li Shilang and several colleagues returned home after drinking. They originally wanted to go to Wei Ruixuan first, but wine was a matchmaker, and their thighs refused to obey and they entered Lin Xige.
The moment Lin Xiaoniang saw Sheng Hong, she shrank violently, and her heart immediately jumped into her throat. Today was the day of the imperial examination, and according to past habits, Sheng Hong would stay at Weiruixuan these two days.
Lin Xiaoniang's confidant Xue Niang was in a panic at this time. If the master found out that the third young master and the fourth girl were not at home... Lin Xiaoniang's fate would not be better. He, the number one loser... had a red forehead. I broke out in a big cold sweat.
Lin Xiaoniang is worthy of being a professional mistress with excellent professional skills and first-class acting skills. After taking two deep breaths, her whole body returned to normal. She stepped on the snow lady, signaling not to panic, and then made a gesture, meaning to go to the fourth girl immediately.
"Hong Lang, what happy event has happened to you?" Lin Xiaoniang came forward and helped Sheng Hong sit on the fragrant couch. Seeing that he was in a particularly happy mood, she was a little curious. Today's Changbai Palace Examination, the results did not come out so quickly.
Sheng Hong hugged Lin Xiaoniang and said, smelling of wine, "As long as Bai'er's grades in the imperial examination are not too bad, I can work out some connections and let him enter the Hanlin Academy. Then my father and son will be able to serve as officials in the same court." Having said this, I can't help but imagine that when father and son went to court together, their colleagues looked envious and jealous...
Lin Xiaoniang was very generous, pretending to be surprised, and said kind words for free, "Congratulations to Hong Lang. Father and son are ministers in the same palace. It is rare in ancient and modern times. It will definitely be passed down as a good story in the history books in the future." Come on..." He helped Sheng Hong change out of his official uniform and asked the maids to prepare hangover soup and hot towels.
Sheng Hong looked at Xiaoniang Lin who was busy with her business. Although she was the mother of two children, she still looked like a beautiful lady. Her eyes were moving, she was even more charming, her throat was a little dry, and she was about to do something good. , there was a sudden quarrel outside the house.
Lin Xiaoniang felt secretly resentful and immediately asked her personal maid to go out and inquire about it. After a while, the maid re-entered the house and said that the eldest lady had sent someone to call Sheng Hong to pass Wei Ruixuan and to discuss something with him.
Sheng Hong had a stinky face and waved his hand impatiently, "Go and tell the lady that I will rest in Lin Xige tonight. If you have anything to do, we will talk about it tomorrow night." After saying a few words, his mouth felt dry. Seeing the hangover sour soup placed on the coffee table, he stood up, picked up the bowl and took two big gulps. After drinking the sour soup, he felt much better, "Where are Mo'er and Feng'er? I haven’t seen Feng’er for several days, how are you doing with your homework?”
Lin Xiaoniang picked up the hot towel and wiped Sheng Hong's face carefully, and said softly, "Mo'er and Feng'er are both reading in the room. After the new year, Feng'er got up before dawn every day and read early, and continued to read until midnight. Only then did he agree to rest. He said that he would get a good rank like Brother Bai in the next provincial examination, win glory for Hong Lang, and give face to the Sheng family."
Sheng Hong stroked his beard twice with joy. Not only did he think that in three years' time, his youngest son could also be a Jinshi in high school, and that the Sheng family would be a Jinshi in three disciplines... He felt a little excited. He stood up and walked outside the house, "I'm going to see Feng. Go."
Lin Xiaoniang hurriedly grabbed Sheng Hong, leaned against him, her eyes were as charming as silk, and she exhaled like a blue breath, "Hong Lang... It's so late, so you should rest early..."
"Have a look and come back." Sheng Hong's mind was filled with thoughts of being a third-level scholar.
Seeing that Sheng Hong was leaving her and about to go out, Lin Xiaoniang had no choice but to use her ultimate move. After an ouch, she fainted and fell to the ground.
"Shuang'er, Shuang'er, what's wrong with you?" Sheng Hong hurriedly picked up Lin Xiaoniang on the ground, shouted twice, but didn't wake up, and hurriedly shouted to the maid beside him, "Go and call the doctor quickly."
"Yes, my lord." The maid trotted out the door.
After half a cup of tea, there was a "squeaking" sound. Sheng Hong thought that the doctor was coming, and he stood up to greet him.
"Auntie, hiccup!..." Sheng Changfeng, who had drunk a lot of alcohol, was stunned when he saw Sheng Hong!
Why is daddy in grandma’s room?!
When Sheng Hong saw that his youngest son was drunk, and the pungent smell of alcohol rushed into his nostrils, he still didn't understand the situation. His face instantly turned livid, and the anger in his chest soared! He pointed at his youngest son, looked at Lin Xiaoniang, and scolded , "Is this what you said about doing the questions until midnight?!"
Lin Xiaoniang looked at her son who was drunk, and then at Sheng Hong. Her angry face was distorted. She hesitated for a long time, and then fainted again with an ouch.
snort!
Sheng Hong turned around and saw that Chang Feng was actually trying to get away. He picked up an itch stick and caught up with his youngest son and slapped him hard.
"Let you not study hard!"
"Let you go out and fool around!"
"Ah, Daddy, I was wrong."
"Ah, daddy, I don't dare to do that anymore."
After beating him for a few minutes, Sheng Hong was exhausted and sweating profusely. He put down the scratching and asked his younger son where he had been fooling around.
How could Sheng Changfeng dare to tell the truth honestly? If he really wanted to tell the truth, his father might sever the father-son relationship with him and use the pretext of participating in a poetry gathering held in the same year.
"You poor scholars who can't pass the provincial examination are just holding a bullshit poetry festival!"
Sheng Hong asked his personal servant to drag his youngest son out, beat him with twenty sticks, and then made the evildoer kneel in the yard!
She turned around and looked at Lin Xiaoniang, who was lying on the couch. She was still dizzy. After holding it in for a long time, she said, "A loving mother often loses her son!"
Lin Xiaoniang felt bitter in her heart. She had thought about telling Sheng Hong, but if she really did, her son would definitely hate her, and she would have to rely on him for the rest of her life.
Sheng Hong flicked his sleeves and walked straight out of Lin Xige. Before leaving the hospital, he said, "Let this evildoer keep kneeling and reflect on it!"
"Mom, the master has already left the courtyard." Xue Niang watched Sheng Hong leave the courtyard, hurriedly entered the house, and said to Lin Xiaoniang on the couch.
Lin Xiaoniang sat up and whispered, "Where is Mo'er? Have you found her?"
Xue Niang whispered, "On the way back, we will probably arrive in a quarter of an hour."
Lin Xiaoniang covered her little heart and took a few breaths. The secret about her daughter was finally revealed, "Let the servants shut up!"
Xue Niang said firmly, "Don't worry, little lady, no one dares to talk nonsense."
...........
Sheng Hong walked out of the yard, looked up to the sky and sighed. Every time he heard his colleagues talking about his unsatisfactory children in the same year, he would feel proud for a while. His two sons were very successful, but he didn't expect that the younger son was also a bastard. For a while, The night wind blew by, "Ah sneeze!" He tightened his tight singlet! After thinking about it, he raised his legs and walked towards a yard.
Wei Ruixuan
Mrs. Wang looked at her youngest daughter's dowry list, which was over 10,000 yuan, but she always felt that it was a bit too little.
Holding his forehead...The son-in-law is too rich, and it's troublesome!
The total gifts Wang Lidong gave to the Sheng family in these years totaled less than 100,000 yuan... Ru'er only got a small half, and the rest was not only entered into the public account, but was divided between Sheng Minglan and Sheng Molan.
Xiaoliu was forgotten, but the little goblin Sheng Molan also got more than 20,000 yuan... Every time I think about this, my heart twitches.
"Madam, do you feel uncomfortable in your vagina?" Seeing Wang covering her heart and gritting her teeth, the Lu Hong family immediately asked with concern.
Mrs. Wang waved her hand to indicate that she was fine, "Ru'er's dowry is a little thin, I want to collect more.
But I only have 5,000 guan left in my private house for Chang Bai to get married.
The public accounts cannot be touched.
The officials can't count on it, and the old lady can only get 1,000 yuan."
Lu Hong's family comforted him by saying, "Madam, ten thousand guan is enough. When the eldest girl gets married, she doesn't have that much. And I don't think the young man cares about the dowry."
Mrs. Wang said worriedly, "Brother Heng won't say anything. I'm afraid that Princess Pingning will dislike me less and will inevitably look down on her."
"Who despises Ru'er?"
Sheng Hong pushed the door open and entered the house. He saw Mrs. Wang and her nanny, who were cooing. He walked up and looked at the list in her hand, "Isn't Ru'er's dowry almost ready?
"
When Wang saw Sheng Hong, she was surprised and said, "Aren't you sleeping in Lin Xige tonight? Why are you here again?"
Sheng Hong's face froze slightly, and he turned around and sat on the chair next to him. Feeling that his throat was a little dry, he asked his wife to make him a bowl of tea.
When Mrs. Wang saw Sheng Hong looking away at him, she knew that she was not happy staying at Lin Xige. She couldn't help but make a few comments, and asked the nanny to bring green tea powder, pour it into the boiling water, and order the tea first.
Had tea.
The corner of Sheng Hong's mouth twitched, and Ruoyouruowu glanced at Mrs. Wang. If he hadn't happened to see her for something, he wouldn't have come over even if he was sleeping in the study room. "In today's imperial examination, several adults took a fancy to Changbai and wanted to get married.
"
Wang was surprised and asked, "How many are there? Which ones are they?"
Sheng Hong said with some pride, "Wen Yanbo, the political advisor, Anbo, the minister of Guanglu Temple, Li Shilang, the boss..."
Mrs. Wang stood up suddenly, almost overturning the tea bowl in her hand, and said excitedly, "Mr. Wen also likes my Bai'er?" Although she has always wanted her son to marry an eldest daughter from her sister's family, but if she can get married to the Zai Zhi's family,
Then I can only say sorry to my sister.
Sheng Hong smiled and stroked his beard twice, and said: "I was also stunned at that time, but the meaning of Wen Xianggong's words still depends on Bai'er's ranking in the imperial examination."
Mrs. Wang said nervously, "What Mr. Wen means, Bai'er's ranking in the exam will be..."
Sheng Hong waved his hands and sighed, "I thought Mr. Wen was good at first, but when I was having a drink with Mr. Li in the evening, he told me some news. I don't think this marriage can be concluded."
Wang asked, "What are you talking about? I have met the third girl from Prime Minister Wen's family twice. She is both talented and beautiful, and I heard she has a very good temper. She is a perfect match for Chang Bai."
Sheng Hong went to the Wang family and said in a low voice: "The second son of Prime Minister Wen's family has been very close to Prince Yan recently. I heard that he also provided a lot of money, which seems to be hundreds of thousands." He sighed slightly. He said, "I don't know what Mr. Wen is thinking. Although King Yan has a good reputation and there is no competitor like King Yong, His Majesty obviously doesn't like him.
The chances of King Yan ascending to the throne are really slim.
When the new emperor ascends the throne, King Yan and the forces involved in the fight for the throne will definitely be liquidated. Our family does not have a big backer, so it will inevitably be affected by that time."
Although the Wang family was not very proficient in court matters, she had lived in the capital for so many years, and her ears were pricked by all the news about the battle for the right to inherit the throne. Knowing the danger of this matter, she hurriedly said, "This Wen Xiang Gong's family is still Forget it, what about the other ones?"
"Master An of Guanglu Temple is from the An family of Xinghua, and has been holding hairpins for generations. In the past hundred years of our reign, we have produced 33 double-ranked Jinshi.
My boss, Mr. Li Shilang, was born in the Li family of Songling, a scholarly family, and a noble family. His elder brother was the deputy envoy from Jiangnan East Road, and his younger brother was a bachelor's degree scholar at the Hanlin Academy..."
Sheng Hong took the tea bowl handed over by Mrs. Wang and took a sip. Although it made his throat a little scratchy, he just liked the tone. He praised: "The tea made by Madam is very comfortable to drink." After taking another sip, he put down the tea bowl. , “The reputations and family traditions of the An family and Li family are quite good.
Madam, I went out for a run recently to inquire about the situation of these two girls."
Wang frowned and said, "The An family is good, but Mr. An is a side branch.
I've met the girl from Shilang Li's family once. She's a little short, right down to my earlobe, and she doesn't seem to match Changbai very well."
Sheng Hong glanced at Mr. Wang and snorted coldly, "Master An is only in his early forties. He has been a third-rank official for more than ten years and is expected to become a prime minister.
Mr. Li is not bad either. If you are shorter, just be shorter, as long as the girl has good character.
Don't think that I don't know your little thoughts, that you just want Bai'er to marry the eldest girl from your sister's family.
If you are really good for Bai'er, then put away your stupid ideas!"
He actually called her stupid. Wang got angry and glared at Sheng Hong, "What do you mean by being unreachable?!"
I am Bai'er's biological mother, how can I harm him?!
Yoona is so good, she is pretty, gentle and generous, she is my biological niece, she knows everything about her, and her family background is not much worse than the two families you mentioned."
Sheng Hong put down the tea bowl in his hand heavily. If he had known it, he would have cut it first and played it later. He was out of his mind today. Why would he talk to this person who couldn't understand what he was talking about? "Do you think Bai'er will still be a fifth or sixth grade official twenty years from now?" I work in various places all year round, move every three to five years, and never return to the capital for more than ten years. I have no problem with whoever becomes my daughter-in-law.
If you want Brother Bai to wear purple official uniform and stay in front of you all year round, then you must listen to me."
The anger level on Wang's forehead dropped by half, and she asked doubtfully, "You mean if you marry Yun'er, Bai'er won't be promoted?"
Sheng Hong snorted coldly, "Our Sheng family is a small family and we don't have many connections.
It has been so many years since my father-in-law passed away, and all the favors and resources he left behind have been wiped out by my uncle and your good sister.
After marrying Yuner, Changbai has to rely on himself if he wants to be promoted. But in our Song Dynasty, there is no one in the court. No matter how capable you are, you are just a p. nest.
If you marry a girl from the An family or the Li family, and with the help of the in-laws, depending on Changbai's ability, as long as nothing goes wrong, you will definitely be able to get to the third level before returning home to retire.
You are Changbai’s mother-in-law, which one do you want to choose?!"
Mrs. Wang looked at her own officials and said, "Didn't you rise to the rank of fifth-rank official by your own management?"
Sheng Hong laughed at himself, "If it weren't for my father-in-law's help, would I be able to work in a prestigious place like Yangzhou?
If it weren't for mother's help and the few resources left by Master Taishan, do you think I could be transferred to the capital by giving me such a small amount of money?
I'm telling you, dream!"
Ms. Wang didn't hesitate for long. She and her sister had not had a good relationship since childhood, and her son's future was more important. However, she still said that if the girls from the two families were of bad character, then she would definitely not agree.
Sheng Hong nodded. He believed that with the Li family's family tradition, the girl he would train would not be too bad. He solved a problem and was in a good mood. "When you came in just now, what did you say about looking down on Ru'er?"
Mrs. Wang talked about the dowry, and Sheng Hong frowned a little after hearing it. After thinking about it, he said, "Ru Lan's dowry should not exceed Hua Lan's. They are both your and my daughters. We can't favor one over the other, otherwise Hua'er will not talk about it." Say, I will definitely blame you in my heart.
Besides, who is Princess Pingning? How could she look down upon Ru'er just for a few thousand or twenty thousand dollars?
Moreover, Duke Qi would not agree to such a big deal about Ru'er's wedding, unless..."
"Unless what?"
"Unless the relationship between the new emperor and the Duke of Qi is irreversible."
"What's the meaning?"
Sheng Hong explained, "Today's body is still a few months away. Ru'er's marriage will definitely be held after the new emperor ascends the throne.
Once the emperor comes to the throne, he will definitely make some adjustments to the old ministers, and he will arrange positions that he likes, such as the position of Prime Minister."
Wang suddenly asked nervously, "Then the three envoys of Duke Qi will also be replaced?"
Sheng Hong nodded and said, "That's for sure. When a new emperor comes up, the first step is usually to take control of the military, and the second step is to pull the money bag into his arms."
Wang's face immediately fell. If the Duke of Qi had no specific tasks and no title, he would be like a tiger without teeth.
Sheng Hong continued, "In the past two years, the imperial court's income has been increasing, but its expenses have also increased a lot, so the imperial court has been short of money. After the new emperor comes to power, he will reward Conglong's meritorious officials, which will require a large amount of wealth.
Now the entire Song Dynasty knows that the Duke of Qi is the richest. By then, the wedding will be grand and grand, won't it take the initiative to attract the emperor's attention?"
Wang was frightened and said, "Officer, do you mean that the emperor will attack Qi Guogong's mansion? That's not Ru'er..."
Sheng Hong rolled his eyes and said, "Ru'er is also my daughter. Have you forgotten who raised Princess Pingning? As long as the queen and the future queen mother are here, nothing will happen to the Duke of Qi. Then the queen mother will be in the center. Adjust it, Duke Guo of Qi will give some benefits, and the matter will be over."
Mrs. Wang breathed a sigh of relief and said, "As long as it's safe, it will be equal to Hua'er's dowry."