When Shi Nai heard that Zhang was so impatient, he laughed a little because she couldn't hold her breath.
"Why be anxious? There are still many things to do. Besides, it only takes a few days to take a boat from the capital to Yangzhou. There is nothing to worry about." Shi Nai raised his eyes and said proudly.
"What else is there? I started to pack the things at home a few days ago, and now I have almost packed them. Let's just take our clothes and go south." Ms. Zhang was still a little impatient. Regarding the hard days in the capital,
She has had enough of staying here, and now she wants to go to Yangzhou to enjoy the happiness.
"What's the matter? There are so many things! How did our official come to be? It's not because the old lady was the mediator. You can't go to the Rongguo Mansion to say hello to the old lady." Shi Nai now felt that his aunt was too powerful.
Now that you are capable, you must seize it, otherwise it will be difficult to talk to her if you ask her for anything in the future.
Mrs. Zhang just woke up from a dream, "I want to go to the old lady's place to have a look. This time I will go with you. I must thank the old lady properly."
Shi Nai nodded and continued stroking his beard, thinking for a while, "And what about Xiangyun?"
Mrs. Zhang really didn't understand this time. If Shi Xiangyun had something to do, he could just go with them.
Shi Nai hated the iron and said: "You usually have good ideas, but why are you so stupid at this critical moment? You really have long hair and short knowledge. You said that Xiangyun went to the south with us. What if something happens?
How can we explain it to Rongguo Mansion?"
Mrs. Zhang still didn't understand, "What could happen if I go to the south?"
"You, you, why don't you understand? You said that if we go from the capital to the south, if we don't adapt to the climate, get sick, or have a disaster, we suddenly go there. How can we compensate people to the Rongguo Mansion?"
"No way. I think our Xiangyun body is quite strong. We are completely different from those delicate young ladies. How could we be so unlucky?" Ms. Zhang didn't believe this. She didn't know about Xiangyun's body yet? This is
Those who were beaten are completely different from those pretty ladies in Rongguo Mansion.
"Okay, even if I want you to be in good health, you said that in Jiangnan, a gathering of people, there are so many young scholars there, what if someone falls in love with Xiangyun, what do you think we should do?"
Mrs. Zhang burst into laughter and said, "Master, you are watching a play. Those scholars want to enter our house, which is more difficult than reaching the sky. Do they still want to see Xiangyun?"
Shi Nai really couldn't stand it anymore. Sometimes this lady is smart, sometimes she's not stupid. She might as well tell him directly, "Let me tell you straight, Xiangyun is now considered a member of the Rongguo Mansion. Let's take her away."
I'm afraid it's not suitable. It's better to stay in the Rongguo Mansion and let the old lady take care of it. Besides, we don't know how many years it will take to return to the capital. If our eldest nephew thinks that we lied to him, what should we do?"
Only now did Zhang finally understand that Shi Nai wanted to send Shi Xiangyun to Rongguo Mansion to be used as a hostage.
Zhang raised her eyes and looked at Shi Nai carefully. In the past, Shi Nai still had some human feelings. Why did he throw all these things aside as soon as he became an official?
Shi Nai felt a little uncomfortable when she looked at him, and said with an unhappy face: "What's wrong? Is there something wrong with what I said? You look at me like this."
When Mrs. Zhang saw Shi Nai's face turned down, she didn't dare to say anything. Besides, Xiangyun was not her biological niece. She had no control over what happened in the end, as long as she did her best.
"Master, since you said so, let's go to the Rongguo Mansion and discuss with the old lady first to see if she can help us take care of Xiangyun for a while, and then take Xiangyun back to live in the mansion when we come back?"
Zhang said it very euphemistically, but the meaning was similar to Shi Nai's.
Shi Nai was now satisfied, "Tomorrow we will go to Rongguo Mansion to see the old lady. This time we will bring more gifts so that we can express our gratitude to my aunt."
Mrs. Zhang smiled and said: "You don't have to worry about it, sir. I made preparations a few days ago. I'm just waiting for the good news to come, so we can go and thank the old lady."
Only then was Shi Nai satisfied, and then he told her again: "Don't be petty this time. What's wrong with us when we get to Yangzhou?"
The things Zhang originally prepared were just for the sake of appearance. After hearing Shi Nai's words, she was a little reluctant, but she still smiled and agreed, thinking about going back and preparing a thicker gift, so as not to let her master find fault.
After Sister Zhang said this, she thought of Shi Nai's brother Zhongjing Hou Shi Ding, so she asked: "Master, do you want to go to your brother's place and say something? After all, we will not see each other for many years this time."
Shi Nai scratched his head after hearing this. Over the years, except for some interactions during the Chinese New Year, he and his brother rarely met each other.
This is also the method that the two of them came up with. He still vividly remembers the dangerous incident more than ten years ago. In order to survive the original difficulties and protect the Shi family from being ruined, he and his brother discussed it, and each of them separated.
Place a bet.
As a result, his brother got a marquis because of this, and although he was with the wrong person, firstly, he had little power, and secondly, the current emperor saw his father dying in battle and did not hold him accountable, which allowed him to live safely.
After so many years, their family is considered good among the four major families.
For example, the old Rong Guogong of Rongguo Mansion died because of this. Although Jia She inherited the title, he was demoted several ranks. In Ningguo Mansion, Jia Jing was frightened and left home to become a Taoist priest, leaving behind a son who only knew that hooligans could be regarded as
A prodigal is a loser.
Although the Shi family was safe and sound, and his younger brother was even knighted because of it, he had little contact with the four major families over the years because he betrayed him. Moreover, these people thought he was a traitor, so they treated him in court.
His younger brother was often troublesome, and the emperor's people also believed that this person had an impure mind and could not be of great use, so they kept his younger brother idle.
Who would have thought that more than ten years later, a monster would appear in Rongguo Mansion, and in less than ten years, he would go from having a thousand households to becoming the leader of the country. Only now is Rongguo Mansion reviving.
This makes their idea of splitting their bets back then seem so stupid. If they had tied themselves wholeheartedly to the four major families, it might have been a little harder in the past, but when Jia Ke becomes prosperous, each of them will benefit.
But it was useless to think about it now, and looking at the ups and downs in the court situation, Jia Ke and the emperor had a great fight, and the two of them went to war to meet each other.
Now I still think about the future. Since I have decided to make separate bets, there is only one way to go. He, the younger brother, should continue to follow the emperor and continue to be his loyal minister and filial son.
And his brother will follow Jacques. No matter who wins, they will be able to preserve their lineage of historians and avoid complete defeat.
"We haven't interacted with each other for so many years. If you have anything to say, don't worry about him." Shi Nai seemed to be very angry and walked out of the study with a flick of his sleeves.
In fact, Mrs. Zhang did not want to see this brother. Over the years, she had never seen Shi Ding, the Marquis of Zhongjing, doing anything to help her family, nor had he come to pay tribute to her sister-in-law.
Now that I am getting rich, what will happen to my family if this brother who is also poor and cannot afford to eat comes to fight against the autumn wind? It is reasonable to say that I want to help them, but I just want to give away the money.
Who felt distressed in my heart, so I still listened to their master, ignored him, and just lived like this.
But it was said that at this time, the whole Baoling Hou Mansion had spread that their Marquis had been ordered to be the prefect of Yangzhou, and this time he was going to a colorful world.
Therefore, many people began to become active, going through the door and giving gifts, all wanting to follow Shi Nai to Yangzhou.
When they were in the capital, they all had to stay in the mansion, because if they bumped into someone randomly on the street, they might have an identity, and how could they, the slaves, afford to offend them.
But it's different when you get to Yangzhou. Except for a few men, they belong to their elders. I heard that the salt merchants in Yangzhou live a more luxurious life than the emperor in the palace. Their master is their parent official, so they shouldn't behave well.
Be filial and filial.
As for my servants, they can also steal some money in a pretentious manner. Maybe this time they will all make a fortune when they come back. They will no longer have the same meal as before, and sometimes even the monthly money is not enough.
Can't send it out.
On the surface, Shi Nai said that he had not seen his brother, but in the evening, a letter was secretly sent to the Baolinghou Mansion. This letter was that their brothers once again took sides in this court game.
This letter was sent to Shi Ding in the Zhongjing Marquis Mansion by one of Shi Nai's confidants that night.
After receiving the letter from his brother, Shi Ding pondered for half the night, and finally burned the letter with a sigh.
It seems that there is a big danger again this time, otherwise his brother would not be able to do that thing of betting on both ends again.
Shi Ding actually felt that Jia Ke had a greater chance of winning this time. After all, the troops near the capital were tightly controlled by Jia Ke, and the emperor did not dare to act rashly.
But now that his brother has made a decision, he will just follow it, but this time he continues to bet on both sides, and it will not please both sides. In the end, it may be all in vain.
But all this they had been secretly seen by others, and the contents of this letter were quickly delivered to Jia Ke's desk.
Jia Ke saw the contents of the letter that night.
After Jia Ke read this letter, he felt a little unhappy. It turned out that this historian was betting on both sides, both that time more than ten years ago and this time. This was a way of applying the routines inherited by ancient aristocratic families to himself.
Just like when the Jurchens invaded the south, the Kong family was divided into southern and northern branches.
The branch that faces the south is said to want to be loyal to the emperor and serve the country. In fact, what it means is that the Kong family wants to make separate bets. The family of the northern branch will seek refuge with the Jurchens, and the family of the southern branch will seek refuge with the Southern Song Dynasty. When the time comes, no matter where they are in the north or south
If a court wins, the status of the Kong family will not be affected.
This time, the historian had almost the same meaning. It seems that the historian was also half-hearted. In the end, even if he gained power, this family could not be used to great effect.