Chapter 148 Propose marriage

Shangjing.

Since King Liang retired and the prince returned to Beijing to preside over the overall situation, the courtiers of the Left Party faction who knelt outside the Meridian Gate to invite Yi Chu that day were trembling every day, walking on thin ice.

But the prince was only busy with government affairs, and he didn’t mention anything about the King of Liang.

The leftist faction can’t really think that the prince will not be held accountable. Their actions outside the Meridian Gate that day may not really put pressure on the queen, but they can also lead King Liang to the capital, and attack the capital and the imperial city. The reason is like putting a fig leaf that can barely see through the imperial power struggle.

These courtiers all tried to seek reassurance from their backbone, Zuo Xiang Wang Xian, and Zuo Xiang only said:

“Proposing Yichu is just an expedient measure to stabilize the situation of the DPRK and An Sheji. It’s not that serious, so don’t mess around.”

courtier…

Not that serious?

Wang Xiang, you…are you sure you’re not trying to deceive yourself and deceive others?

And the left minister, Wang Xian, was in a panic or not, only he knew.

——

In the Censor Taichung, the eyes of all the ministers and officials looking at the Imperial Censor Wang Jingyi in the past few days were a bit complicated.

It is not known whether the Zuo Prime Minister’s residence will be liquidated by the prince due to the implication of the King Liang incident.

That evening, when Wang Jingyi left the Censor’s Office, a servant came over to salute Wang Jingyi and said:

“Master Wang, Master Ji invited Master Wang to Qianshui Lake for a chat.”

“Master Ji said that it is about the survival of the Zuo Prime Minister’s Mansion.”

Wang Jingyi frowned and looked at the servant in front of him. This man seemed familiar, as if he had seen him in Ji’s house before, and he was a servant of Ji Shangshu’s mansion.

And the survival of the Zuo Xiangfu? Are you referring to King Liang?

Ji Mu is the prince’s person, what can be revealed from Ji Mu may be the meaning of the prince.

Well, it’s good to go and explore the air.

But… Qianshui Lake?

The absurdity of that night and Ji Mu on the boat…

Wang Jingyi’s ears suddenly turned red, she quickly put aside the inappropriate thoughts in her mind, let the servant lead the way, and then got into her carriage.

After Wang Jingyi got off the bus by the Qianshui Lake, she was introduced to a luxurious and exquisite painting boat. Wang Jingyi paused at the entrance of the painting boat, frowning slightly.

The servant who led the way seemed to sense her concerns and explained:

“Master Ji has already booked the entire painting boat, and no one will disturb you.”

Wang Jingyi really didn’t want people to see her private meeting with Ji Mu, so as to avoid more gossip. After all, the current Ji Mu, as a new noble in the DPRK, is a hot candidate for uncle from various families in Shangjing, and there will only be more or less people staring at him.

Wang Jingyi continued to walk to the second floor of the painting boat. She couldn’t help thinking of some rumors in Beijing about the newly promoted Ji Shangshu.

Ji Mu used to be low-key and had a low sense of presence. But after being promoted to Shangshu, almost everyone in the dynasty guessed that he really belonged to the prince’s faction, and this Ji Shangshu seemed to no longer pretend to be restrained, but became much more high-profile.

Of course, this high-profile voice was about Ji Mu’s amazing financial resources.

The price of Shangjing is not low, and it is even more difficult to buy real estate. Unless they have lived in Beijing for generations, the new officials who are newly transferred to Beijing mostly buy mansions with compact structures and relatively remote locations. It’s a rental house.

Wang Jingyi visited Ji Zhai once, that is, the night on the boat.

The Ji mansion that Wang Jingyi saw was not large, and the furnishings in the mansion could only be said to be ordinary, in line with the identity of a servant of the Ministry of Officials with an ordinary family background.

But those who have been to Ji Shangshu’s mansion to send congratulatory gifts are all amazed at the wealth and grandeur that can be seen everywhere in Ji’s mansion.

Today’s Jishang Shufu is still where it was originally, but it has expanded into several neighboring mansions, and it occupies a very large area after the renovation.

And in such a short period of time, he was able to purchase several connected mansions in Shangjing, and the reconstruction was completed without much disturbance. Some people speculate that this could only be because Ji Shangshu had bought those mansions before, perhaps because he kept a low profile in the past and chose the smallest one to live in.

Just like the previous time Ji Mu and Wang Jingyi drank on a smaller boat, Wang Jingyi still vaguely remembered that the boat swayed gently on the lake because of the absurdity of the two of them.

Today is just a talk, but Ji Mu has packed a whole luxury painting boat. As long as it is not a prominent family in Beijing, there will be no such thing as not taking money seriously.

Wang Jingyi was suspicious, maybe this Ji Shangshu had another identity.

And if this is the case, it is impossible for the crown prince to not know the true background of Ji Mu, but he concealed it for him, so that Ji Mu can wander unnoticed in the court for so many years.

Then, Ji Mu’s family background will not be simple.

——

When Wang Jingyi was introduced into an elegant room with a view of the lake on the second floor of the painting boat, Ji Mu was making tea in front of a tea table by the window.

Ji Mu raised his eyes and glanced at the person who came, then reached out and gestured to Wang Jingyi for a Zen chair opposite the tea table, and then continued to make tea slowly.

“Ji Shangshu.”

“Master Wang.”

After the two nodded in greeting, Wang Jingyi took a seat.

Being alone in the same room with this man made Wang Jingyi somewhat uncomfortable. She focused her gaze on Ji Mu’s tea-making movements, avoiding the occasionally complicated glances from the man opposite her.

Ji Mu’s hands are slender and good-looking, with well-defined joints, and his complexion is cold and white.

Wang Jingyi seemed to remember that there were thin calluses on the finger pads of these hands, that night…

That night, these hands brought her a joyous experience she had never had before…

Wang Jingyi let out a sigh of relief, turned her head to look at the lake outside the window, and frowned slightly.

“Why did Ji Shangshu choose to meet here?”

Wang Jingyi still asked the question that was lingering in her mind, a question that was irrelevant.

Ji Mu raised his eyes to look at Wang Jingyi, the woman’s reddish ears exposed by tilting her head out of the window made a dim light in Ji Mu’s eyes.

Ji Mu calmly turned his eyes back to the tea set in his hand, and said slowly:

“Isn’t it an elegant thing to drink tea with the lake breeze at dusk in the light summer?”

While speaking, Ji Mu pushed a freshly distributed tea in front of Wang Jingyi.

What Wang Jingyi didn’t know was that Ji Mu had been a frequent visitor to Qianshui Lake these days.

That night, when Ji Mu got off the boat with Wang Jingyi, who had fallen asleep, he had ordered someone to buy the boat. After that, Ji Mu would occasionally come over to sit on the boat and have a drink with the evening breeze, and take a drink when he was a little drunk. car back home.

——

Wang Jingyi picked up the tea cup and drank it lightly, and the tea soup poured into her throat. Wang Jingyi secretly praised:

Tea is good tea, and the tea maker’s technique is indeed excellent.

But Wang Jingyi didn’t experience the elegant leisure at the moment. After she put down the teacup, she looked at the newly-appointed nobleman in brocade clothes and jade belt on the opposite side, and asked:

“I don’t know what the matter is when Ji Shangshu invited the next official to come?”

Ji Mu understood Wang Jingyi’s complicated state of mind at the moment, he didn’t go around the corners, and went straight to the theme:

“King Liang led his troops into Shangjing without authorization, and this move may be regarded as treason.”

“How much the Zuo Prime Minister’s House participated in this matter, Sir Wang, I am afraid that you have some ideas in your heart, so there is no need for this official to say more.”

Wang Jingyi felt a little cold in her heart, and her father repeatedly took his sword to the side. Will the Wang family have to suffer the consequences after all?

Ji Mu continued to speak:

“There have been two generations of Zaifu from the Prime Minister’s Mansion, and he is also a relative of the royal family. His power in the court is intertwined. Mr. Wang, now that you have entered the officialdom, you should understand the drawbacks of stubborn factions in the government.”

“His Royal Highness the Crown Prince never wanted to kill the Wang family, he just needed the Zuo Prime Minister to withdraw from the center of the court.”

“Because of King Liang’s case this time, it may be impossible for the Zuo Prime Minister’s Mansion to clear things up.”

“Then, let’s see how it goes back.”

Wang Jingyi doesn’t doubt that Ji Mu’s words are deceitful, because these are her long-standing thoughts.

She also persuaded her father, Wang Xiang, but his father was too stubborn.

When Wang Jingyi frowned and pondered, she suddenly heard the man opposite her calling her in a low voice.

“Wang Jingyi.”

Wang Jingyi raised her eyes, and she realized that Ji Mu was calling her by her name, not her official title.

What is he going to say?

Wang Jingyi’s cheeks were a little hot because of Ji Mu’s focused look on her face, her heartbeat gradually accelerated, and she seemed to have a hunch about what Ji Mu was going to say.

Ji Mu looked into Wang Jingyi’s eyes with a particularly serious tone:

“Wang Jingyi, marry me.”

Wang Jingyi was stunned, this man… is here again.

But what happened to me, I shouldn’t have reacted like this…

Ji Mu spoke again solemnly:

“No one can predict the extent to which the Zuo Prime Minister’s Mansion will be implicated this time.”

“For you, the best choice is to get married as soon as possible and take it out of the Zuo Prime Minister’s Mansion.”

“And now, the whole capital is watching the follow-up development of Liang Wang’s case. With the current situation of the Wang family, I am afraid you have no better choice.”

“It will take half a month for the saint to have a big funeral. You can’t get married until the whole country is mourning. The wedding can’t be too grand. You will suffer some grievances.”

“I will go to the Ministry of Household Management. After Wending, I will move your household registration to my Ji’s house. You will be Mrs. Ji, not Miss Wang.”

“Wang Jingyi, you want to say that I can take advantage of people’s danger, or take advantage of the fire. I, Ji Mu, have been planning for you for a long time. If you don’t agree, I don’t mind using some other means.”

“I still count the promises I made to you before. In this life and this life, you are the only one.”

Wang Jingyi…

This man is clearly coercive and enticing, and it seems that he is useless?

——

When Wang Jingyi returned to the mansion, she learned that her father Wang Xian and her brother were still discussing matters in the study. Wang Jingyi thought for a moment, then walked straight to the study.

In the study, after hearing Wang Jingyi’s suggestion, the left minister, Wang Xian, immediately smashed a volume of books in his hand at Wang Jingyi, who was standing in the middle of the study.

“Bastard!”

“Wang Jingyi, why don’t you just go to the censor’s desk and become a rank-five petty official? Your wings are hard? You’re doing it against the book everywhere, right?”

“Wang Jingyi, you understand that you can sit in today’s position because you have the Wang family behind you, and the entire prime minister’s residence is backing you!”

“Let this prime minister resign? Are you the true prime minister who is Qin Wenzheng’s kind of pure and pure origin?”

“The matter has not been finalized, it’s not that there is no room for turning around. If you open your mouth and let your father resign, you are going to be mad at the truth!”

Wang Jingyi rubbed the right arm that had just been hit by the scroll thrown by her father Wang Xian, frowned and didn’t speak again.

My father is stubborn, and it is useless to talk more, just waste his words.

Wang Jingheng glanced at Wang Jingyi, and then said to his father Wang Xian:

“Father, I think we might as well consider Jingyi’s proposal.”

“The prince has been weakening the influence of the Zuo Prime Minister’s mansion in the court over the past two years, even if the prime minister’s mansion can barely be implicated by King Liang this time, but if the prince is determined to pull the Zuo Prime Minister’s mansion off his horse, the prime minister’s mansion will be able to escape this time. , there is no guarantee that there will be a next time, next time.”

Wang Xian was more friendly towards Wang Jingheng, the eldest son he valued the most. He calmed down a little bit of anger, sighed softly, and then said:

“If it weren’t for the fact that the prince has repeatedly made moves against the Zuo Prime Minister’s mansion in the past two years, why would I want to push King Liang to the throne?”

“The prince is mean and unkind, and does not remember the old feelings. My Zuo Xiangfu, as the prince’s uncle’s family, should be the prince’s greatest help, but in his eyes, it is not as good as An Shifeng.”

“You don’t need to say more. I will discuss it when I see the Queen and Concubine Xian for my father tomorrow morning.”

——

After coming out of Wang Xian’s study, Wang Jingheng proposed to send Wang Jingyi back, and Wang Jingyi guessed that her brother must have something to say to her.

As expected, Wang Jingheng stopped in front of the hanging flower door, he looked at Wang Jingyi and said:

“Jingyi, maybe you should get married.”

Wang Jingyi looked back at Wang Jingheng and sighed in her heart.

My brother also thinks that there will be an accident in the Zuo Prime Minister’s house this time.

Wang Jingheng was silent for a moment, then spoke again:

“The prince will definitely make a fuss about King Liang’s case. This time, the prime minister’s office will be more fortunate than fortune.”

“Jing Yi, resign from office and get married in peace.”

“My daughter’s family shouldn’t be in the public eye. As a noble girl, you don’t need to go to the court to do those things.”

Wang Jingyi frowned slightly when she heard the words.

Brother, the first half of the sentence is fair, but the second half…

Wang Jingyi looked at Wang Jingheng and spoke, her voice slightly cool:

“If the elder brother doesn’t have so much prejudice against women, it is estimated that the sister-in-law will not propose to divorce.”

Wang Jingheng looked surprised. He didn’t expect his sister Jingyi, who had always been reticent, to reply to him with such a poignant remark.

Wang Jingyi also seemed to feel that what she said just now was not only a bit aggressive, but also quite rude. She smiled slightly, apologized to Wang Jingheng, and left on her own.

After Wang Jingyi left, Wang Jingheng still stood outside the hanging flower gate for a long time.

Jingyi said, is she prejudiced against women?

If Jingyi thinks so, Han Shuangling thinks so too?

On that day, Han Shuangling was awarded General Wude, the only female general in Daxia, which was widely circulated in Beijing.

Wang Jingheng heard that when others were talking about Han Shuangling, she was no longer the only daughter of the Marquis of Guannei, the former eldest daughter-in-law of Zuo Xiangfu, but more of General Han.

Han Shuang Ling Mingming is just a woman, a woman who can only depend on her parents’ family or her husband’s family, she suddenly became an independent existence.

After Han Shuangling reconciled with him, not only did he not become a pitiful woman who others would sympathize with, but instead lived an enviable appearance. This change made Wang Jingheng very uncomfortable.

Wang Jingheng inquired about Han Shuangling’s route to leave Beijing in advance, and waited in the second-floor window-side private room of a teahouse on her only path.

That day, Han Shuangling sat upright on the horse, high-spirited, and her face was a fresh smile that Wang Jingheng had never seen before.

Since Han Shuangling married into Zuo Xiangfu, Wang Jingheng has only seen that energetic state in Han Shuangling once.

It was a horse race with the Crown Princess at the Western Suburb Racecourse, and that time, Han Shuang Ling had a miscarriage.

Thinking of this, Wang Jingheng’s expression was gloomy, and his throat was slightly choked.

Han Shuangling…

She was pregnant with a child for herself and had an accidental miscarriage…

——

Wang Jingyi was outside her courtyard when she met the servant of her mother, Madam Wang, who was waiting there.

The man saluted Wang Jingyi and said:

“Miss, Madam asks Miss to come over.”

Although Wang Jingyi was very tired, she still went to Mrs. Wang’s place.

After Wang Jingyi returned to the mansion, she went to her father Wang Xian’s study, and Mrs. Wang also knew about it. Mrs. Wang even knew from the servants that the situation in the study seemed unpleasant.

Under Mrs. Wang’s repeated questioning, Wang Jingyi told her mother the content of the conversation in the study.

Madam Wang was silent for a moment, then took Wang Jingyi’s hand and shook it, frowned and said:

“Jing Yi, get married.”

Wang Jingyi looked at her mother’s worried expression about her. After several hesitations, she told her mother about the meeting with Ji Mu at Qianshui Lake a few hours ago, including Ji Mu’s request for marriage.

After Mrs. Wang heard this, she had mixed feelings in her heart. She was surprised, relieved, and a little wary.

Mrs. Wang was surprised that Ji Shangshu spoke so straightforwardly, and she was even more pleased that her daughter might have met someone who really valued her and would treat her with sincerity, but Mrs. Wang still had the last reason in her joy.

Yi Jingyi said that Ji Shangshu was from the prince’s faction, so would the marriage proposal be a trap for Jingyi?

But Mrs. Wang thought about it again. After arriving in such a field, Ji Mu would only be involved with their Zuo Xiangfu during this sensitive period just to harm Jing Yi when she was full.

——

Early the next morning, after Zuo Prime Minister Wang Xian left the palace and entered the palace, Mrs. Wang also ordered someone to prepare a car and go out.

And half an hour ago, Mrs. Wang sent someone to deliver a message to Ji’s House, Minister of Officials.

Yunfu Tea House in the West City of Shangjing.

The Minister of Officials, Ji Mu, who was supposed to go to the government office, got off the carriage and entered a private room on the second floor of the tea house. After half an hour, Ji Mu walked out with Madam Wang, and got into the carriage and left.

No one knows what they were talking about.

——

Zuo Prime Minister Wang Xian was at the Empress and Concubine Xian.

The queen is nothing more, and this virtuous concubine is becoming less and less likely to take Zuo Xiangfu as her maiden. She seemed to have forgotten that if her father and Wang Xian hadn’t tried their best to deal with it, how could Wang Qian be able to sit in the position of these four concubines and still hold the seal for so many years.

Wang Xian went to the previous dynasty again, and walked around the cabinet in Duanming Hall, but he still did not hear any ministers discussing the case of King Liang.

The great scholar An Shifeng was not seen in the Duanming Hall. Wang Xian casually asked where the great scholar An went, and someone opened his mouth to explain:

“Today, there is a ceremony for the canonization of the county lord in Fengtian Hall. As the Minister of Rites, Master An went to preside over it in person.”

Wang Xian was suspicious on the face, who was the canonized county head? Why wasn’t there a gust of wind in advance?

Wang Xian expressed his doubts:

At this time, Wang Jingheng had just returned to Duanming Hall from the Hanlin Academy. Wang Jingheng told his father Wang Xian the news he had just received:

“The newly appointed county magistrate of Huaiyin is Ji Qiniang, the head of the Ji family, the head of the three famous HNA families in Xuzhou.”

“Last year, there was a grain shortage after the flood in the south of the Yangtze River, and the troughs transporting grain were difficult to pass due to the blockage of the canal. Prince Ji Qiniang ordered the use of Ji’s sea ships to transport the imperial grain from the sea to the granaries in Shangjing. urgently needed.”

“Sea transportation is very risky. The loss of the Ji family’s ships and crew was not small. The merits are rewarded. The canonization of Ji Qiniang as the county head is also a compensation for the Ji family.”

“The cabinet and the Hanlin Academy only got the news this morning. It stands to reason that even if it’s just the county owner, the ceremony of canonization shouldn’t be so hasty, it’s like a temporary decision, but I don’t know why.

Wang Xian didn’t have much interest in this matter, but after he came out of the Duanming Palace, he happened to meet An Shifeng, a senior minister of the Cabinet, who was the same woman in brocade clothes.

The woman was full of heroism, and looked to be in her early forties. Wang Xian had some guesses about the identity of the woman, and this was probably the Xuzhou Ji Qiniang.

After An Shifeng and Wang Xian greeted each other, they introduced:

“The county magistrate of Huaiyin, this is the left minister of the court.”

“Wang Xiang, this is the head of Xuzhou Ship King Ji, and the new Jin Huaiyin County head.”

Wang Xian and Ji Qiniang nodded to each other respectively, looked at each other a few times, and then looked away.

Wang Xian didn’t have much interest in this season of Qiniang, and he was just a member of the Prince’s faction.

Afterwards, on the way the three of them walked out of the Imperial City to Xihuamen, Ji Qiniang quietly observed Zuo Prime Minister Wang Xian several times.

Outside the Xihua Gate, after several people said goodbye to each other, the left minister Wang Xian just walked up to his car, and the housekeeper hurriedly stepped forward and said:

“Master Xiang, Lord Ji, Minister of Officials, sent the official media to the mansion to propose marriage, saying that Ji Shangshu asked to marry the eldest lady.”

Wang Xian was extremely angry when he heard this, and his beard was shaking with anger.

Minister of Officials? Jimu!

“Kick people out to the truth!”

Wang Xian already knew about Ji Mu’s faction, how much Wang Xian admired this descendant in the past, how much he hates and hates it now.

Ji Mu turned him around, but luckily he had no reason to hold him, otherwise the consequences would be unimaginable.

Wang Xian immediately got into the carriage, and the carriage quickly returned to the Wang Xiangfu’s residence.

Ji Qiniang, who was still standing outside the palace gate, looked at the direction in which Wang Xiang’s carriage was leaving, with a meaningful expression.

Ji Qiniang’s ear is very good, and of course she can hear the conversation between the housekeeper of Zuo Xiang’s mansion and Zuo Xiang.

It seems that it will take a little more trouble to propose a marriage to Zuo Xiangfu.

No wonder his son was so eager to let her go to Beijing, and asked the prince to be the county head for her.

It’s all to raise the Ji family’s family background as much as possible, so that Ji Mu can marry the eldest lady of the Wang family.

His own son took great pains to get a daughter-in-law.

I don’t know how charming this Miss Wang is, so Ji Mu, who has always looked above the top, values ​​her so much.

However, if Ji Mu had done so much, he would still not be able to marry Miss Wang… Oh, it’s worth looking forward to seeing his son deflated.

Ji Qiniang got into the carriage, and the carriage went to Ji Shangshu’s mansion.

The author says:

In the original outline, Wang Jingyi was specially planned for Xie Zhao, but it seems that there have been several voices in the comment area before, saying that Wang Jingyi did not want to marry Xie Zhao. This idea does not affect the main line, and later added a play to Ji Mu, and replaced Wang Jingyi with Ji Mu. After the replacement, I think it’s not bad, what do you think?