Uncle from a poor family

Chapter 169 Little Zhuge (vote request)

Zhang Luan was already in Li's house, sitting in the guest of honor seat.

It was almost noon when Li Zisheng returned home.

As soon as Li Zisheng came back, he rushed over and held Zhang Luan's hand tightly, with an excited look on his face: "Laizhan, I'm lucky to have you."

Pang Qing said with a smile, "Your Majesty, you have worked hard in the palace these past two days... We dare not neglect Mr. Zhang here. Everything will be received according to the highest standards. You can rest assured. Do you think you can take a bath and change clothes before eating? Everything is ready in the mansion."

"I don't care about that much anymore."

Li Zisheng said with great effort, "I have to go to the Ministry of Personnel later. Come on, do you still remember that scholar Xu? His appointment as the right assistant minister of the Ministry of Personnel has been officially issued, and he will go to Beijing soon. I guess you should be able to meet him before you marry your daughter.

"Also, your family's wedding event should be re-organized in the next two days. It is expected that before the Lantern Festival, the court will send someone to your house to ask for the bride price."

Zhang Luan asked in surprise, "Now that there is no need to congratulate the imperial concubine...will the wedding be pushed forward so quickly?"

Li Zisheng had a deep look on his face: "Laizhan, you don't know that after this incident, the court will no longer go against the will of heaven... The position of the crown prince is safe."

In his opinion, the emperor was actually timid. After all, watching Concubine Wan die without being able to do anything about it, the despair and helplessness left a very strong impression on people. Even if Zhu Jianshen was in control of the world and believed that he was protected by the gods, he would not dare to act against the will of heaven.

It’s just that he can’t criticize the emperor casually.

Shen Lu quickly winked at Zhang Luan and said with a smile, "It's a good thing to get married early... Last time, we had already prepared for the betrothal and marriage proposal, so I don't think we need to make any more preparations this time."

Li Zisheng said: "But you still have to be careful not to act too ostentatiously... Your Majesty is extremely sad about the death of Concubine Wan, and I don't know how to comfort him. I guess Your Majesty will have no interest in court affairs for quite a long time in the future."

“This… hehe…”

Zhang Luan could only shake his head and smile bitterly.

What I mean is, this matter has no part of my decision. It wasn't me who killed his concubine.

It's not even my turn to comfort him.

"I also heard that the Crown Prince was very worried about your daughter and had written a letter to have someone from the Imperial Observatory send it out of the palace, but I had someone suppress it."

Li Zisheng said, "But what happened in the past two days has already passed, so there is no need to hide anything anymore. I will have someone bring the letter out and deliver it to your house later."

Zhang Luan asked cautiously: "Will it be... not so good?"

Li Zisheng smiled and said, "Young people can totally understand... What's wrong with a future young couple writing letters and living in harmony? It's just that Empress Wan was seriously ill and it's not suitable for correspondence. By the way, Lai Zhan, there's something... I'm too embarrassed to mention it."

Shen Lu and Pang Qing standing beside them were stunned.

Are you, Li Zisheng, ever embarrassed?
"Please speak, Minister Li," Zhang Luan said hurriedly.

"Just... let our little niece say a few good words about me in the letter... even if it's just to mention me in passing... I'm so ashamed, so ashamed."

"This is my job!"

How could Zhang Luan dare to make trouble? He said respectfully: "Thanks to Minister Li's care, I am where I am today. I will repay you with gratitude. When I go back, I will ask my daughter to write more about you. I think the prince will remember it!"

"So good!"

……

……

Time flies, and it’s the fifteenth day of the first lunar month in a blink of an eye.

The seventh day after Concubine Wan's death was approaching, but the palace was still filled with an eerie silence.

On the surface, everyone expressed deep sorrow over the death of Concubine Wan, but in fact many people were secretly delighted. This was mainly because as Concubine Wan had grown older and entered menopause in recent years, her temper had become increasingly hot-tempered and she would often beat and scold the palace maids.

She was used to being willful and no one in the Forbidden Palace could control her. Over time, her mentality changed and she acted arrogantly and lawless, which naturally aroused public anger.

For many palace people, the death of Concubine Wan was as joyful as the New Year, but they did not dare to show it.

That afternoon, Zhu Youtang had just finished his studies and returned to Duanjing Hall when Qin Ji brought him a letter.

"Did you reply?"

Zhu Youtang's eyes lit up. "Yeah."

Qin Ji had a restrained smile on his face and said softly, "No one opened it, and it was delivered intact. But Your Highness must not show any joy, lest others notice, after all, the palace is still in mourning."

"Ah."

Zhu Youtang quickly picked up the letter from Zhang Yu, walked into the inner hall, and sat there like a serious student, carefully reading every word on the letter.

Qin Ji stood at the door of the palace to keep watch for him.

Zhu Youtang read the letter carefully, with a knowing smile on his face. He looked around and found that Qin Ji was abnormal. He waved his hand and said, "My dear, come here. Believe me, no one will care what is written in this letter... Is there anything wrong with me writing a letter to the future Crown Princess?"

Tan Ji said cautiously: "It still needs to be avoided after all."

As he spoke, Qin Ji subconsciously looked around the palace door. When he found that there was no one around, he walked to Zhu Youtang with confidence and asked with a smile, "What did the letter say?"

Zhu Youtang said, "She said she was preparing to marry into the palace... Someone from the Ministry of Rites came to her house and told her that the marriage proposal and name-asking ceremony would be held on the 17th day of the first lunar month, which is the day after tomorrow, and now the house has begun to be decorated. She did not write any poems this time."

Tan Ji said: "That's quite a pity."

"It's nothing. Inspiration doesn't come all the time... Besides, I'll be able to see her soon. Wouldn't it be better to sit down and discuss it slowly after we meet?"

Zhu Youtang seemed to be very open-minded, his eyes full of longing. "She introduced me to her family situation. Both her parents are here, and she has two younger brothers and a younger sister. She said her second younger brother is very talented and is recognized as a little Zhuge Liang in the family."

Qin Ji asked curiously, "How old are you?"

"Eleven years old, twelve after the New Year."

Zhu Youtang smiled and said, "She said that it was her second brother who suggested that she come to Beijing to participate in the selection of the Crown Princess. Originally, everyone, including herself, thought that there was no hope, but she was selected without knowing it... It seems that she is really a little Zhuge."

Tan Ji shook his head and smiled bitterly.

What is this called Little Zhuge?

It's obvious that he is already a speculator at such a young age!

Qin Ji asked: "Then... did this future young noble lady ever mention why she wrote to the palace in the first place? Who did she rely on to get the letter?"

Zhu Youtang asked curiously, "My dear, didn't you say before that it was through Li Zisheng's relationship?"

"That...that's just a guess."

Qin Ji shook his head and said, "The reasons behind this are too complicated. Now we don't know who is the enemy or not. If we don't clarify the situation, we will always feel uneasy."

"Then why not wait until she arrives at the East Palace and ask her in person?"

Zhu Youtang smiled and said, "No matter through whose relationship, I was able to exchange letters with her, which I think is the most meaningful thing in the first half of my life. My dear, do you still remember that day? Even the Empress Dowager said that she was courageous and insightful, and that she was both talented and beautiful, like a fairy walking out of a painting..."

Tan Ji smiled bitterly.

I thought to myself that our little prince is really poisoned by love. Why is it that when he mentions the future princess, his eyes light up and he talks incessantly? He is completely different from the dull and taciturn person he used to be.
"I will write to her again to tell her about the situation in the palace... Don't worry, my dear. I know what I can and cannot say, and I will know the limits."

As Zhu Youtang spoke, he excitedly took a pen and wrote a letter.

Qin Ji hurriedly advised: "Don't be in a hurry, there is still plenty of time to write tomorrow. We are almost a family, why are you so anxious to exchange letters so frequently?"

“That feels different.”

Zhu Youtang was delighted. "When I communicate with her, I can't help but feel more hopeful and expectant. I always wonder what she is doing now. You don't understand that kind of excitement, my dear."

Tan Ji smiled bitterly.

Your Highness, you really are outspoken.

I am a eunuch, of course I don't understand, but...

as long as you are happy.

(End of this chapter)