The prince is more stable

Chapter 521: Old Friends
The old woman was naturally grateful to Zhao Xiaoqian.

The son was lucky and met a noble person who cultivated and promoted him. Soon, earth-shaking changes took place in the family.

In the past, the mother and son lived in a pigeon cage house in the alley, which was probably the poorest slum in the city of Bianjing. Even so, the mother and son often did not have enough to eat. Zhang Xiaoyi was an errand boy, and if he had no business for a day or two, the mother and son would starve.

It was not until he met Zhao Xiaoqian that Zhang Xiaoyi, who was also a smart man, decisively seized the opportunity and turned his family's fortunes around.

The biggest change was that Zhang Xiaoyi was now employed by the Imperial City Department. With his salary, the family had some extra money, and His Royal Highness the Prince even bought this house for them.

The house was still not big, just a two-courtyard house, but in the city of Bianjing, owning a two-courtyard house meant one was already a true middle class person.

The old woman was overjoyed to see Zhao Xiaoqian, whom she hadn't seen for more than half a year, come to her house in person.

She knew that the noble man would not forget her son, and her son had always been loyal to the noble man.

It is impossible for a loyal person to be forgotten by his master. This is an irrefutable truth.

"My humble abode is simple and shabby, and I am truly sorry for the injustice done to you. I am also blind, and I have delayed my son Xiaoyi's future. I only regret that I was not killed by the King of Hell earlier, and stayed in this world to drag Xiaoyi down..."

The old woman led Zhao Xiaoqian inside, muttering to herself.

Zhao Xiaoqian looked around the courtyard with a smile.

It is indeed a bit shabby, but it is very neat and clean. There is no dust on the ground, which shows that it is cleaned regularly. There is a grape trellis in the yard which is about ten feet in radius. Summer is really the season when grapes ripen. Under the dense leaves, there are bunches of green or purple grapes.

Under the grape trellis is a set of bamboo tables and chairs. On the bamboo table lies a small needlework basket and an unfinished embroidery of a magpie making noise on a branch.

This small home is very warm and cozy, and every inch of space is filled with the rich smell of happiness.

Zhao Xiaoqian even felt that it was much warmer than his own Chu Palace.

Without waiting for the old woman's greeting, Zhao Xiaoqian sat down on the bamboo chair, raised his hand and picked a bunch of ripe purple grapes from above his head. Without washing them, he peeled the grapes and put them into his mouth. His movements were smooth and unobtrusive.

Although the old woman was blind, she could still hear the noises. When she heard Zhao Xiaoqian sitting on a bamboo chair and picking grapes to eat, smacking his lips, a happy smile appeared on the old woman's face, and a hint of kindness even appeared in her lifeless eyes.

After sitting down and chatting with the old woman for a while, I heard footsteps outside the door.

Zhao Xiaoqian looked out the door with a smile on his face and saw Zhang Xiaoyi coming back. But what surprised Zhao Xiaoqian was that Zhang Xiaoyi did not come back alone, there was a woman following him.

The woman looked to be about twenty years old. She was wearing a very simple coarse cloth skirt and a wooden hairpin like a chopstick was inserted diagonally in her slightly yellowed bun. She had a very pretty face, but her complexion looked a little sallow. She was not tall, only about as tall as Zhang Xiaoyi's shoulders.

The woman followed Zhang Xiaoyi carefully, without raising her head, her eyes fixed on Zhang Xiaoyi's heels, following his footsteps, looking a little inferior.

As soon as Zhang Xiaoyi stepped into the door, he saw Zhao Xiaoqian sitting in the yard, smiling at him.

Zhang Xiaoyi was stunned, and immediately stepped forward quickly, kneeling down on his knees with an expression of surprise, but his voice was choked with sobs.

"His Highness has returned to the capital, and everyone in the city knows about it. I knew His Highness would come to see me."

Zhao Xiaoqian smiled and helped him up: "Get up, don't kneel down all the time, you have no spine...Haha, your grapes are good, very sweet, I'll pick a few bunches and bring them home for my dad to taste."

After not seeing each other for more than half a year, a simple sentence means that we meet again as often as we do, without any sense of distance.

Zhang Xiaoyi also smiled: "I will pick all the grapes in the yard right now, and plant more next year to send to Your Highness."

"No, a few skewers are enough for you to try. Leave some for your mother... Uh, who is the girl behind you?"

Zhang Xiaoyi then remembered and quickly turned around to pull the woman behind him to the front.

"Your Highness, please forgive me for laughing. This is my future wife, Xiao'e. ... Xiao'e, this is my benefactor, His Royal Highness the Prince of Hejian County in the Great Song Dynasty."

As soon as he finished speaking, Zhao Xiaoqian waved his hand: "He's not a noble, he's a friend."

Zhao Xiaoqian stood up and bowed to the woman. "Zhao Zi'an greets my sister-in-law."

The woman was frightened by Zhao Xiaoqian's reputation. When she saw Zhao Xiaoqian saluting, she became even more frightened and uneasy. She involuntarily took two steps back and hid behind Zhang Xiaoyi, not daring to show her head.

Zhang Xiaoyi smiled awkwardly: "Don't blame me, Your Highness. I'm from a humble family and haven't seen the world..."

The old woman smiled brightly, took out a handful of copper coins from her bosom and handed them to Xiao E, saying, "My dear daughter-in-law, go to Zhouqiao and buy some meat and vegetables, and two yuan of wine, so that you can show off your cooking skills to the noble man."

Xiao E took the money and walked out the door without saying a word. After taking two steps, she suddenly stopped, turned around, bowed quickly to Zhao Xiaoqian, and then ran away as if she was running for her life.

Only after the woman left did Zhao Xiaoqian give Zhang Xiaoyi a hearty grin. "Xiaoyi, you're incredible! After only six months of not seeing you, you've quietly married a woman who looks seven or eight years younger than you. You've been a bachelor for thirty years, and you still have the guts to do this?"

Zhang Xiaoyi's face flushed and he smiled uncomfortably, "It's just fate. I've actually known her for two or three years. We used to make a living in the Zhouqiao brothel, and we only got engaged this year."

Zhao Xiaoqian nodded. "When will the wedding take place? What about the betrothal gifts? I'll have someone send over two hundred taels of silver later. I'll use it for the betrothal gifts and wedding banquet. I'll have more money so I can have a more glamorous wedding."

Zhang Xiaoyi hurriedly shook his head: "No betrothal gifts, no banquet, just inviting a few friends over for a drink will be enough."

Zhao Xiaoqian frowned: "He raised this girl for so many years, and you married her without paying a cent? Didn't your father-in-law beat you to death?"

Zhang Xiaoyi smiled bitterly and said, "There's no father-in-law. Xiao'e is an orphan in troubled times. She fled from the north three or five years ago. Her family died along the way. She couldn't find a job in Bianjing, so she could only sing for brothels." "Then a patron took a fancy to her and rented her a shabby house for three years. After three years, the patron saw that she had aged and didn't want her anymore. So she had to continue to work in the brothels. That's how I met her. Years ago, I became interested in marrying her."

Zhao Xiaoqian was silent.

Perhaps, this is the truest love of the lower class people.

There was no romance, no vows of eternal love, only two hearts that had experienced the vicissitudes of life happened to meet and decided to protect each other from the wind and rain for the rest of their lives.

After a long pause, Zhao Xiaoqian nodded: "It's better for you two to live a good life than anything else."

Zhang Xiaoyi smiled and said, "I don't mind her serving others, and neither does my mother. We are both miserable people, and it is fate that we can help each other to make a living. No girl from a respectable family would look down on an old bachelor like me. Xiao'e has a good personality, knows how to manage the household, and can serve the elderly. That's enough."

Zhao Xiaoqian sighed, "She's a good girl. Don't let her down. Even though her parents and elders are gone, marrying her shouldn't be too shabby. Listen to me, find a fancy restaurant in Bianjing and set up ten tables..."

"I'll find you a drummer, a matchmaker, and a sedan chair, so that the girl can marry you in style. She will remember your kindness for the rest of her life."

Zhang Xiaoyi didn't bother to be polite and thanked him with a smile.

Then Zhang Xiaoyi asked, "How is your Highness doing recently? Your Madam...do you have any children?"

Zhao Xiaoqian sighed again, "To paraphrase what I just said, the seven of us living a good life is better than anything else..."

Zhang Xiaoyi was stunned: "Seven...seven people?"

Zhao Xiaoqian nodded sadly: "Seven, three in Bianjing, three in Zhending Prefecture, and maybe more in the future. I can't help it, my belt is very loose, and my pants fall off when I'm not careful. I can't deny it afterwards, so there are more and more women at home..."

Zhang Xiaoyi immediately showed a strange look, and couldn't help but look down at him.

"Uh, Your Highness, I do have some connections in Bianjing. If Your Highness needs it, I can get you two tiger whips..."

Zhao Xiaoqian's eyes lit up, and he said seriously, "I'm in good health, immune to all diseases, and don't need any tiger whip. But it just so happens that I have a friend, uh, no, I have a father who is in poor health..."

Before he finished speaking, Zhang Xiaoyi immediately understood: "I understand. Your Highness, there is no need to say more. The tiger whip will be delivered to the palace in two days."

"A good man has a safe life."

Xiao E quickly came back with some wine and food. After entering the room, she shyly bowed to Zhao Xiaoqian, then went into the kitchen and did not come out.

Before long, Xiao E prepared a table full of delicious dishes, including five or six dishes of different sizes, including meat and vegetables, and the wine was also the best rice wine.

When the food and wine were served, Xiao E was busy adding more rice and dishes to the old woman's meal, but in the end she refused to go to the table and hid in her room and refused to come out.

Zhao Xiaoqian felt a little guilty and looked at Zhang Xiaoyi with a wry smile.

Zhang Xiaoyi smiled a bit smugly: "Don't blame me, Your Highness. We are from a small family..."

"Stop! That's enough. You just want to show off how sensible your wife is, so what? Do you dare to bite the bullet and marry a few more?"

Zhang Xiaoyi's smile froze: "I dare not."

Now it was Zhao Xiaoqian's turn to show off: "I dare you, I married six, six!"

Zhang Xiaoyi didn't show any envy on his face: "One wife is enough, too many will only cause more trouble."

"My house is not messy, but it's a bit stressful..." Zhao Xiaoqian said disappointedly.

The two of them drank and chatted about family matters and recent events, as familiar as old friends who had known each other for many years. Everything was so casual and comfortable.

After the old woman finished her meal, she got up and went back to the house.

Only Zhao Xiaoqian and Zhang Xiaoyi were left in the yard.

Only then did Zhang Xiaoyi lower his voice and talk about business.

"Your Highness, when I was hanging around Zhouqiao, I did get to know some trustworthy idlers, including a scholar who had failed the imperial examination..."

Zhao Xiaoqian raised his eyebrows: "What do you mean?"

"Before Your Highness left the capital for his post in Zhending Prefecture last year, I heard there was a rift between the Prince of Suining and Your Highness. After Your Highness left, your father, the Prince of Chu, also secretly summoned me. Following his instructions, I planted a few spies and infiltrated the Prince of Suining's mansion to work as a handyman."

"And that failed scholar also managed to sneak in. He's now one of the Suining County Prince's staff. He's not being given a high position yet, and he's still waiting for the right moment to make a contribution and gain his trust..."

Zhao Xiaoqian was a little surprised: "Did you arrange this?"

Zhang Xiaoyi smiled and said, "That's right, I arranged it. No one knows about this except your father, the Prince of Chu. Even the Wei gang in the Imperial City Bureau is unaware of it. Their only contact is me."

"Originally, I should have been the one to sneak into the Prince's Mansion, but since His Highness and I were acquainted, many people in Bianjing knew about it. I was afraid that sneaking in would easily expose my identity and cause trouble for His Highness, so I had to send a few trusted brothers to sneak in."

"For the past six months, we brothers have been keeping an eye on Prince Suining every day. Unfortunately, our status is not high enough to access important secrets. Your Highness, please wait a little longer."

(End of this chapter)