good season

Even Zhen Wuduo was surprised that Xiao Zhen would dare to come to his door.

This little brat is the reason his precious granddaughter doesn't even want to eat bean sprouts anymore. He deserves a good beating, no, ten beatings!

"Do you know you're her elder? How old are you? How old is she? What are you trying to do? An old cow eating young grass? I think you're looking for death?"

If we don't count my past life, I'm only three years older than your precious granddaughter. How is that an old cow eating young grass?

However, Xiao Zhen didn't say anything, appearing resigned to being beaten and scolded.

Zhen Wuduo's mood improved slightly. "Dare to talk back? I'll give you a good beating!"
"I heard you don't want that badge anymore? You don't regret it?"

He couldn't even remember how many godson he had. Every time he adopted a godson, he would give him something, which served as both a gift and a token of his trust.

When he met Xiao Zhen, he took a liking to the young man at first sight.

His arrogance at such a young age reminded him of himself when he was a child.

Before his third brother threw him into the sea, he was a proud child, pampered by his father, loved by his mother, and fawned upon and respected by a large group of people.

He saw a reflection of himself in Xiao Zhen. At that moment, he thought, "This child has a good background, good looks, a good physique, and is smart. He has everything."

If he were still young, he would surely think that this is someone favored by God.

But as he's grown older and experienced more, he's come to realize that there's no such thing as unchanging fortune from birth to death; if there is, it's because one's life is short.

Just like him, he had such a good childhood, but that didn't stop him from being thrown into the sea by his own brother and growing up as a poor child. Later, he witnessed his adoptive parents and the girl he loved being killed alive.

Everyone says he's lucky, that he has more money than he could ever spend in several lifetimes, but who would know that he lost his wife and daughter?

So when he saw Xiao Zhen, he knew that this child was too lucky and too enviable, and that he would definitely encounter big trouble in the future. Whether he could overcome it depended on both his ability and his luck.

He was so eager to know what the child would become, so he shamelessly became his godparent. He had plenty of good things, but this child was born into such a privileged background; what good things hadn't he seen? After thinking for a moment, he took out this plaque.

If it were any other godson, knowing the purpose of this token, they would either be ecstatic or go berserk.

But Xiao Zhen didn't. He just glanced at it and casually put it in his pocket, as if it were a worthless piece of scrap metal.

For many years afterward, Xiao Zhen never used this badge.

Until that year, when he suddenly learned that Xiao Zhen had used this token, he knew that something must have happened to the kid.

He hadn't even reached the capital when he heard the news of the boy's death.

When others get into trouble, they might suffer minor injuries, but he died.

Zhen Wuduo shook his head as he recalled these past events.

He foresaw that something terrible would happen to Xiao Zhen, but he didn't foresee that his only descendant would fall for Xiao Zhen.

Others can have a godson to care for them in their old age and see them off in death, but this old man had to give up his eldest granddaughter when he adopted a godson.

He has never suffered a loss in his life, nor has he ever done a business that loses money.

He wanted to hear what this brat had to say.

"Do you regret it?"

Xiao Zhen shook his head: "I handed over that token myself, what is there to regret?"

"You really don't regret it? With that token, you can get as much money as you want. It's a treasure trove. Are you willing to part with it?" Zhen Wuduo asked.

Xiao Zhen: "Of course I'm reluctant, but if handing over this token would sever my father-son relationship with you, I would still be willing to do it."

Zhen Wuduo: Are you trying to drive me crazy?
Zhen Wu rolled his eyes: "Do you know how many people want to be my son?"

Xiao Zhen: "That doesn't include me."

Zhen Wuduo: "I originally wanted you to inherit my mantle."

Xiao Zhen: "Stop. I told you a long time ago that I would not become a pirate. You should pass on your mantle to someone else. Don't try to take my place."

Zhen Wuduo: "Yes, I've made up my mind. I'll pass on my mantle to my precious granddaughter. We'll inherit the mantle together. I'll take her to Fujian later and give her that big black flag."

Xiao Zhen: "Alright, stop pretending. You yourself are no longer a pirate, do you really think you can let your granddaughter be one?"

Zhen Wuduo rolled his eyes again. He really couldn't bear to part with his pampered granddaughter, who grew up in a wealthy family and should enjoy her life there. The days of braving the wind and rain and licking blood off the knife's edge should end with him in the Zhen family. Besides, his precious granddaughter could take the surname Shi or Zhao, but not Zhen.

The Zhen family has been rotten to the core; they are not worthy of his eldest granddaughter.

"Hey, my granddaughter won't be a pirate, and she can't marry you. I'll say it again: as long as you can't use your face and your name openly and honestly, don't even think about my granddaughter."

Xiao Zhen nodded: "Alright, I don't want to. I came here today to confirm with you whether we will no longer be father and son?"

Zhen Wuduo almost choked on his breath; this kid was just there to annoy him.

Did they think that if they angered him to death, their eldest granddaughter would be left unattended, and he could then freely enter their home?
dream!

“You’ve been my son for so many years. How can we sever our father-son bond so easily? No, no.”

Xiao Zhen: "I've almost paid back the money I owe you. I'll return the last bit, including principal and interest, within three months."

Hearing the words "with interest," the old man became even angrier.

This kid used that token to withdraw silver from Wan Jin Hao three times. He has already repaid two of those three payments, just as he said, with interest.

How can a son spend his father's money and still have to pay interest?
That kid has ulterior motives; ever since that trip south, he's been planning to sever ties with him.

In other words, it was from that time that this kid started dreaming of stealing his little cabbage.

Shameless! Absolutely shameless!
"Then let's talk about it after you return that last bit of money. Until then, you are still my son and my granddaughter's uncle!"

After the old man finished speaking, he put his hands behind his back, hummed a little tune, and walked away with an air of indifference, away, away!

Xiao Zhen was left alone, bewildered in the wind.

However, Zhao Shiqing was very happy because she ate the candy that Xiao Zhen brought.

Some of the candies were ones she had never eaten before; they were both beautiful and delicious.

Upon hearing that Xiao Zhen had been disciplined by the old man, Zhao Shiqing was initially worried. The Four Guardians were not to be trifled with, and Xiao Zhen had suffered serious injuries.

But when Zhao Shiqing heard that he hadn't used any physical force, only words, she felt relieved. Xiao Zhen had more skin than others; he could take any insults. And indeed, Xiao Zhen could. He handed the candy to Zhao Shiqing and hurriedly left. He needed to earn money so that he could pay back the money as soon as possible and get rid of the "uncle" label.

Whoever wants to be the old man's son can be; he never wants to be one again.

If he had known it would affect his life's most important matter, he would never have agreed to be the old man's son, even if you beat him to death.

For the next few days, Princess Huixin came to the candy shop every day, but she never saw that familiar figure again.

Because of her younger sister, Princess Huiming, Princess Huixin was also confined to her quarters.

She lived in Princess Jiarou's residence, and was also confined to Princess Jiarou's residence.

Princess Jiarou spent most of her days at the Zizhu Temple. The reason the emperor still granted her a residence was to prevent people from thinking that she wanted to become a nun. But this was just self-deception. Even if Princess Jiarou didn't go to the Zizhu Temple, she would meditate and cultivate herself every day and had long since stopped caring about worldly affairs.

She didn't even ask a single question about Princess Huiming.

Princess Huixin was heartbroken that no one pleaded for her sister, not even Princess Jiarou, who was closest to them.

She was confined to her home for three months, and after the confinement was lifted, she entered the stage of waiting to be married.

Her fiancé was a scholar from a humble background who had passed the imperial examinations.

The "poor families" that the royal family referred to were certainly not those so poor they couldn't afford to eat, as they simply couldn't afford to support a scholar who could pass the imperial examinations.

Her prospective husband was named Lin Sen. His ancestors were merchants and his family was wealthy. With money came the desire for power, so the Lin family had been dedicated to cultivating their descendants for three generations. Unfortunately, it was only in Lin Sen's generation that such a scholar emerged.

Lin Sen was a lucky man. He took the county and prefectural exams and always came in last place. In the palace exam, thirty-five people were selected as Jinshi, and he was the thirty-fifth.

He failed the imperial examination to become a junior official, but he was chosen by the emperor to be the son-in-law of Princess Huixin.

His classmates were still struggling to reach the seventh rank, while he had transformed into a third-rank imperial son-in-law.

Of course, his career ended at this position.

Princess Huixin had met Lin Sen before. He was twenty-five years old, handsome, and had a dimple on his left cheek when he smiled, which made him look very approachable. Princess Huixin couldn't find anything wrong with him. She was very satisfied with this marriage. Her princess residence had already been chosen and was under renovation. Once it was completed, she would hold her wedding and marry the prince consort she had only met once.

In fact, it didn't matter to her who her husband was, because no matter who it was, it wouldn't be Xiao Zhen.

Xiao Zhen is dead, he's dead!

The Empress asked for her opinion, and she said it was entirely up to the Emperor and the Empress to decide.

Yes, the sisters would never address the emperor and empress as "Imperial Uncle" and "Imperial Aunt" to their faces. She had seen Zhao Tingluo as a child hug the emperor's leg and call him "Imperial Uncle." The emperor was not angry at all, but instead gave him some of the snacks that had just been sent from the imperial kitchen.

Princess Huixin was neither envious nor would she do the same.

Because she knew from a young age that she and her sisters were different from the other children in the royal family.

Although they were princesses, they were still inferior to the other girls in the Zhao family.

Princess Qingchuan was the apple of her parents' eye and had the final say at home;

The princess of Liang can even command her personal guard!

Even the adopted daughter of Liang, who was only listed in the imperial genealogy but had no official title, was said to have been given the mountain where the old King of Liang had become a nun.

If she could, she would also like to become a nun, but like Princess Jiarou, they couldn't even become nuns.

They could only bear the titles, grit their teeth and force a smile, and do what others told them to do.

The younger sister acted willfully once, but she will have to spend her whole life paying the price for her willfulness.

If they are destined not to live as they please, then there's no point in striving for anything more.

The Empress was very pleased with her obedience and docility. A few days later, she arranged a meeting between her and Lin Sen. She only glanced at Lin Sen before agreeing.

Because she knew that even if she disagreed, Lin Sen would still be the consort, since he was the person the emperor had chosen for her, and it would be him regardless of her consent.

If she agrees, it's what she should do; if she disagrees, then she's being unreasonable, ungrateful, or even disobedient.

She couldn't afford to gamble; there was no one around her.

Thinking of this, Princess Huixin smiled bitterly. It didn't matter. Her sister was imprisoned in Ci'en Temple, and she was about to be imprisoned in the princess's residence. They were both imprisoned, just different in whether they slept on straw mats or brocade.

Princess Huixin got off the carriage. She still lives in Princess Jiarou's residence. Before, she and her sister lived in the same courtyard, but now she is the only one in that courtyard.

Even the nanny and maid who had served her for many years were punished because of her sister's matter, and she didn't even know whether they were alive or dead.

Now, all the people serving her are new faces. She doesn't know them well, and they don't know her well either.

It's fine that they don't know each other well; at least she won't be sad when they leave.

Princess Jiarou is focused on spiritual cultivation and rarely receives guests, so her residence is seldom visited.

But today, there are guests waiting here, and they are people that Princess Huixin does not want to see.

Princess Qingchuan was a companion to Princess Jiarou when she was young. Many elderly people around Princess Jiarou knew her. However, after Princess Jiarou became a Taoist, Princess Qingchuan rarely appeared in front of her.

Princess Huixin never expected that the Princess of Qingchuan would appear here, and that she would come looking for her.

"What do you want from me?" From childhood to adulthood, the Princess of Qingchuan had bullied the sisters countless times, and she was most adept at fabricating stories and turning the tables on them.

Princess Qingchuan looked at her with disdain: "Put away your princess airs and stop looking at people like that. I know everything about you. If you anger me, believe me, I'll expose all your shameless deeds. Don't think that just because Xiao Zhen is dead, these things can be forgotten. If Princess Jiayi finds out that you schemed against her son, see how she deals with you."

Princess Huixin bit her lip and asked, "Did you come here just to intimidate me?"

Princess Qingchuan smiled smugly, stepped forward, and said in what she thought was her most wicked voice, "Do you know what your future husband has done for you?"

"The prospective prince consort? Lin Sen? What did he do?" Princess Huixin asked instinctively.

"Yes, it's Lin Senlin, a Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examination). He's a real talent! Haha, the entire court must bow down in admiration." Princess Qingchuan became more and more proud as she spoke. She thought Princess Huixin would ask more questions, but Princess Huixin didn't. Instead, she lowered her head slightly, like an old monk in meditation.

Princess Qingchuan felt like she'd punched cotton. Furious, she said bitterly, "Then I won't beat around the bush. This Scholar Lin was already married at eighteen, married his cousin, and had a son and a daughter! You, a princess, are destined to be a concubine, hahaha!"

By the way, actually, the original choice for the imperial son-in-law was not him, but someone surnamed Gao. Unfortunately, that person was not fortunate enough to enjoy the position. He got into a fight with someone in a brothel and was beaten up. That's when it was Lin Senlin's turn to become the imperial scholar.

Tsk tsk tsk, you almost lost your chance to become someone's concubine! (End of Chapter)