Do you know: I am Xu Jiazi

Chapter 802 Finding a Solution Elsewhere [Thank you! Thank you again! 7k words owed]

Looking at Xu Zaijing's playful expression,

With a warning in her eyes, Madam Sun pointed at her youngest son below her with her fan.

Seeing Sun's expression, Xu Zaijing quickly suppressed his smile, sat up straight, and adopted a composed demeanor.

After scolding her youngest son, Madam Sun fanned herself a few times and looked outside, saying, "I wonder what the situation is like on An'er's side now."

Xie and Hualan exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with anticipation and curiosity.

On the day the large dragon boat capsized in Jinming Pond, Xu Zaijing deserves the most credit for rescuing the emperor.

The one whose contribution was second only to Xu Zaijing was Huyan Jiong, who was always in the water.

Regardless of how much effort he put into saving the emperor, Hu Yanjiong's selfless and fearless attitude in protecting the emperor deserves commendation from the court.

Today, a palace procession will go to the Huyan family in Chunhe Ward to deliver an imperial edict.

Since it involved rewards and honors, the Xu family members didn't ask too many questions; they just needed to listen to the news today.

No sooner had Madam Sun finished speaking than a voice called from outside the door: "Madam! Your servant is back!"

Upon hearing this, everyone looked outside and saw Ye'er, who was beside An Mei, enter the house with a smile.

Before Ye'er could even greet her, Madam Sun, who had just stood up, hurriedly asked, "How did it go? What rewards did the Huyan family receive?"

Ye'er smiled and curtsied: "Reporting to Madam, the lord of the Huyan family has been enfeoffed as the Marquis of Dinghai, and the mansion that was previously confiscated has been returned to him."

"Marquis of Dinghai?" Madam Sun was taken aback. After exchanging a glance with her two daughters-in-law, she said, "I thought they would directly restore the title of 'Marquis of Jinghai'."

Xu Zaijing said from the side, "Mother, if my brother-in-law's grandfather performs meritorious service, it may be possible to restore the title of 'Marquis of Jinghai'."

"That's true!" Mrs. Sun nodded and sat back down in her chair.

Xu Zaijing looked at Ye'er and asked, "What about brother-in-law? Is there any further reward in the imperial decree?"

Sun and the others all looked at Ye'er.

Ye'er shook her head, and said hesitantly, "Reporting to Fifth Master, this servant did not hear anything!"

Upon hearing this, Madam Sun sighed softly: "Alright then! After all, An'er's husband's family is a marquis."

Hua Lan and Xie Shi both nodded in agreement.

Madam Sun then smiled and waved her hand: "Dan Mama, please give me a reward!"

Ye'er quickly bowed and said, "This servant thanks you, Madam!"

In fact, what Sun was worried about was that Huyan Jiong had an older brother, and he was not the eldest son of the legitimate wife.

Huyan Hai was granted the title of Marquis of Dinghai, but Huyan Jiong may not necessarily inherit the title in the future.

Ye'er's eyes darted around, as if she remembered something, and she said, "Madam, when I came back, I heard Miss and Madam Pan say that there was a line in the imperial edict that says, 'Those whose titles are hereditary must obey a special decree.'"

Xu Zaijing smiled upon hearing this.

Hua Lan, standing to the side, smiled and said to Madam Sun, "Mother, so..."

Madam Sun's expression relaxed considerably, and she nodded, saying, "Good! Good!"

The Sheng family, Linxi Pavilion,

Zhou Xueniang looked at Lin Qinshuang by the window and said with a flattering expression, "Young lady, I see that you are in a very good mood today."

Lin Qinshuang smiled and raised an eyebrow.

"Kaka."

The scissors in my hand clicked a few times as I trimmed the potted plant.

The leaves and branches of the potted plant fell off immediately.

Zhou Xueniang quickly squatted down and picked up the fallen branches and leaves.

Lin Qinshuang looked towards Sheng Hong's study and laughed, "Hehe! How could I not be in a good mood after hearing news about that vile woman, Lady Kang, from Honglang's mouth!"

When Sheng Hong was an official in the south, Wang Ruofu often used her sister Kang Wangshi's ideas to deal with Lin Qinshuang.

"A vicious woman like Kang Wangshi deserves to be stabbed to death!"

"What you say is true, young lady!"

Lin Qinshuang glanced at Zhou Xueniang and said, "You should also tone down your expression! Even if the authorities or the Imperial City Guard investigate our family, we have a say!"

"We did ask Hu Mama, who works for Madam Kang, but we firmly refused!"

"The fact that the Kang family knows those things is because the Sheng family's servant boy is loose-lipped; it has nothing to do with us!"

"Do you understand?"

Zhou Xuenniang nodded repeatedly.

"Judging from your appearance, you're probably easily frightened and will spill everything."

"Young lady, I don't know, I don't know. Once you tell me, I understand everything."

"Ah."

Lin Qinshuang nodded, put down the scissors in her hand, and picked up the round fan.

"It's a pity that Wu Yatou was lucky enough to escape such a major incident, but let's leave that aside for now."

"Even with the incident involving the sixth girl, there hasn't been any gossip or rumors circulating in the capital these past few days."

"Without rumors and gossip, how could I, Mo'er, become the most outstanding girl in the Sheng family?"

As she spoke, Lin Qinshuang looked at Zhou Xueniang and asked, "Did your husband really go to the streets to spread rumors?"

Zhou Xueniang hurriedly said, "Yes, my lady! I swear on my life!"

"But these past two days, the Xu family's relatives have been making headlines, and the idle men in the city are mostly talking about it."

"Many people are saying that the one who had the accident at Yuqing Temple that day was a maid from the Xu family, who just looked somewhat like the Sixth Miss."

"With these two factors combined, nobody believes anything my husband says."

Looking at Lin Qinshuang's expression, Zhou Xueniang continued, "I was thinking of having those gossipy merchant women who frequent the inner quarters of the mansions pass on the message."

"But when they heard that it was Sixth Miss's sarcastic remark, not many of them dared to say it."

Lin Qinshuang looked puzzled: "Why is that?"

"I heard that a head of the merchant's wife trade said a few words in a wealthy family and almost got herself into serious trouble," Zhou Xueniang said.

Lin Qinshuang's eyes lit up: "That's true! The Xu family is currently very powerful, and no one dares to offend them."

Zhou Xueniang continued, "Young lady, I think the Sheng family is related to the Xu family by marriage. The eldest daughter is the eldest daughter of the Duke's mansion, and the second son is a third-place scholar."

"The marriages of my second and third sons are also excellent, and the status of the young ladies has risen accordingly. Let's not do these things anymore."

"Given the current status of the Sheng family, the Fourth Miss's future husband's family will be quite good."

“That’s right.” Lin Qinshuang nodded and said, “Given the Sheng family’s background, my Mo’er could easily become the eldest daughter-in-law of a Duke’s mansion.”

Upon hearing this, Zhou Xueniang forced a smile: "What you say is true, young lady."

Lin Qinshuang fanned herself a few times and said longingly, "But I think the best position is still that of a concubine next to Xu Wulang."

"Huh?" Zhou Xueniang was taken aback: "Young lady, what are you saying? How can a concubine compare to the mistress of the house!"

"You don't understand, do you!"

Seeing Zhou Xueniang's bewildered expression, Lin Qinshuang said smugly, "How old is Xu Wulang now, and he's already a prince!"

"But he doesn't just follow the path of military merit. His future prospects are like the sun right now—bright enough to blind anyone!" "Even the eldest daughter-in-law of an ordinary noble family might not have as much power as the concubine of a prince."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Xueniang stared blankly at the sun outside the window: "What you say is true, young lady."

After he finished speaking, the room fell silent.

Seeing Lin Qinshuang remain silent while her eyes darted around, Zhou Xueniang tentatively asked, "Young lady, what are you thinking about?"

Lin Qinshuang ignored her and continued to ponder.

Zhou Xueniang wisely stopped bothering them, and even when a maid came over, she drove her away with a look.

After about half an incense stick's time, Lin Qinshuang finally spoke slowly: "Tell me, what do you think of Mo'er's looks? Tell the truth!"

Zhou Xueniang's words caught in her throat. After thinking for a moment, she said, "Young lady, the fourth young lady is naturally intelligent and kind-hearted, and her figure is just right! She's much prettier than the fifth young lady!"

"Hmm. How does it compare to Sixth Sister?" Lin Qinshuang asked.

“Uh, they’re evenly matched!” Zhou Xueniang said.

"Alright, stop trying to fool me! Although Mo'er is outstanding in appearance, she is still slightly different from the sixth daughter born to that bastard of the Wei family."

As she spoke, Lin Qinshuang said with a look of disdain, "Tell me, what were the people from the Ministry of Rites or the Imperial Clan Court thinking? How could they give him the title of 'Prince of Wei'!"

It took Zhou Xueniang a while to realize what Lin Qinshuang was talking about: Wei Xiaoniang's surname is Wei.

"Young lady, it must be a coincidence! After all, the Fifth Prince of the Xu family has protected His Majesty and the Crown Prince several times."

"That's called Duke Protector of the Nation, or even Prince Protector of the Nation. That sounds a hundred times better," Lin Qinshuang said, quite annoyed.

After waiting a moment, Lin Qinshuang looked at Zhou Xueniang, who remained silent, and said, "Speak up, are you mute?"

Zhou Xueniang tentatively said:

“Young lady, I’ve also heard it mentioned in the folk tales of the marketplace. For this important matter of bestowing the title of Prince, the gentlemen will definitely seek out an ancient kingdom that has been mentioned in ancient books, and it won’t be named randomly.”

"The term 'defending the country' has appeared in historical records, but the term 'protecting the country' should not have existed."

Although Zhou Xueniang's words were unpleasant, Lin Qinshuang did not lose her temper. After thinking for a moment, she nodded and said, "That makes sense."

"Young lady, you just asked me about the appearance of the Fourth Young Lady, is that right?"

Lin Qinshuang was silent for a moment, then said, "After the investiture ceremony, the Xu family will definitely hold a banquet to express their gratitude. What do you say?"

Zhou Xueniang listened very attentively.

"Do you think it's possible for Mo'er to find an opportunity to be with Xu Wulang?"

Lin Qinshuang didn't finish speaking.
Zhou Xueniang's pupils dilated, and then she said in a trembling voice, "M-Mistress, do you want Fourth Aunt, Miss, and Fifth Master Xu to secretly pledge their lives to each other?"

Lin Qinshuang lowered her voice and said, "Didn't you say that whether it's Qingcao, who's close to that slut in the next courtyard, or those two girls Yunxiang and Huaxiang, Xu Wulang's three personal maids are still virgins?"

Zhou Xueniang nodded slightly: "Yes, young lady. According to my family's method of judging women, all three of them are still virgins, that's for sure."

"Have you ever heard that Xu Wulang went to brothels?" Lin Qinshuang asked.

Zhou Xueniang shook her head repeatedly: "No. Last year, this young master was going back and forth between the Xu family and Sheng family almost every day."

Hearing Zhou Xueniang's words, Lin Qinshuang's eyes seemed to become even more determined: "Yes! This is a virtuous and upright young man!"

Zhou Xueniang, having understood Lin Qinshuang's intentions, secretly swallowed.

Lin Qinshuang whispered again, "Tell me, what if I, Mo'er, were this newly appointed prince's first woman?"

As she spoke, Lin Qinshuang drifted into a reverie.

Looking at Lin Qinshuang with a smile on her lips, Zhou Xueniang said in a low voice, "Young lady, I don't know if I should say this."

Lin Qinshuang, waking from a sweet dream, raised her chin and said, "Speak."

“The Rong family’s daughter is the Consort’s younger sister. Although I have never had the chance to meet her, I heard from the Fourth Miss that her appearance is outstanding among the noble ladies of Bianjing.”

"When Brother Feng took the imperial examination before, you saw the noble lady of the Chai family outside the examination hall. I won't say more about her temperament and appearance."

Upon hearing this, Lin Qinshuang's determined gaze softened.

"Given their family backgrounds and appearances, even if Fourth Miss were to enter the Prince's mansion, it probably wouldn't be as easy for her as you think."

What do you think?

After Zhou Xueniang finished speaking, she asked a question.

"I'm not making Mo'er a princess, just a concubine!"

"Once this is done, my Linxi Pavilion will be able to stand on equal footing with Weirui Pavilion!"

Seeing Lin Qinshuang's expression, Zhou Xueniang continued to pour cold water on her: "Young lady, that young man is extremely skilled. Putting aside everything else, even if he really did it, how could we possibly succeed?"

"You're asking me?" Lin Qinshuang frowned at Zhou Xueniang. "Let's think of a solution together!"

"Yes, yes, young lady!"

Seeing Lin Qinshuang biting her lip and deep in thought, Zhou Xueniang lowered her head.

Noticing something was amiss, Lin Qinshuang looked over and asked, "What's wrong? Did something come to mind?"

Zhou Xueniang nodded.

Lin Qinshuang: "Speak quickly."

Zhou Xueniang organized her thoughts and said softly, "Young lady, I've noticed that the Xu family has very strict rules. Qingcao and Yunxiang, the two sisters, are always dressed very properly and respectfully. They've never shown their calves or arms!"

Lin Qinshuang nodded, her eyes darting around: "Go on."

"But this young man is at the prime of his life, full of vigor. And the Fourth Miss has all the best features of you and the Lord, with long arms and legs."

"We'll be holding a thank-you banquet in a few days, and the weather should be warmer by then."

"In my opinion, if you are really planning this, it might make Fourth Miss's advantage even more obvious."

Lin Qinshuang's eyes were full of contemplation.

When she was still a young girl, she had personally seduced Sheng Hong. Listening to Zhou Xueniang's words, Lin Qinshuang's thoughts gradually opened up.

“That makes sense.” Lin Qinshuang continued, “A young man like Xu Wulang might not have seen many girls’ shoulders or thighs.”

"If there were a chance for Mo'er to show off in front of him, he might just become obsessed with her and think about her day and night."

"For these matters, we should probably go to those vixens in brothels, who flirt with men and know more about them than we do!"

Upon hearing Lin Qinshuang's words, Zhou Xueniang lowered her eyes, concealing her expression, and nodded in agreement: "You are indeed very thoughtful, Madam! That's right."

"Speak your mind! Don't hold back!" Lin Qinshuang said.

Zhou Xueniang lowered her head: "Yes, young lady! I'm just afraid that even if Fourth Miss arouses that young master's lust and makes him unable to forget Fourth Miss, it might not be enough!"

"How could it not be enough?"

Zhou Xueniang quickly said, "That young master has three maids with him, including Qingcao. These three maids are quite beautiful and have excellent figures!"

Lin Qinshuang was taken aback: "Hiss—you mean, even if Xu Wulang is aroused, he'll still seek him out?"

"Yes, young lady! But if things go as you think, I'm afraid Fourth Miss will end up benefiting someone else!"

As Zhou Xueniang spoke, she kept glancing at Lin Qinshuang's expression and continued, "So, I think that learning those tricks from the vixens in brothels might not be enough. We still need to find another way."

Hearing Zhou Xueniang's words, Lin Qinshuang, unusually, did not show any surprise. Her expression was indifferent, as if she already knew or had done something like 'finding a way elsewhere' before.

"Alright! It's a bit early to talk about this! Xu Wulang must have been surrounded by many people that day. Let's think of another way to give Mo'er a chance to be alone with him."

"Yes, young lady."

(End of this chapter)