Wealth and glory seek stability

General Shen’s Mansion.

Jian Xi took out the box given by Xia and spread it out in front of Baili Yanhua.

"That's the thing. From what I've seen from Miss Lin's words and actions today, I'm afraid she has no intention towards the Third Master, and she doesn't know that the Third Master wants to marry her. This is all one-sided. As long as you don't go to the Madam and threaten to marry Miss Lin, this matter can still be resolved."

"But I really like Sister Yun." Baili Yanhua stood there in a daze. It was like a bolt from the blue when he heard this.

Lin Yun clearly promised him that she would go back to the capital with him to see his mother. Doesn’t that mean she agreed to marry him?

Shen Nanxing couldn't stand seeing his friend's stupidity and couldn't help but say, "Yanhua, don't be so wishful thinking. Didn't you see the relationship between Lin Yun and the prince that day? We are not children anymore. She never took you seriously."

As soon as the words were spoken, the room fell into silence. It was snowing outside and there was a full charcoal fire burning in the house, but Baili Yanhua still felt that the occasional cold wind that came in turned into a steel knife piercing his heart again and again.

why?

He didn't have so many twists and turns in his mind. He just felt that as long as two people understood each other, it wouldn't matter even if their social status was as huge as a gap.

But now he was told that it was all his wishful thinking from the beginning to the end. He also disobeyed his mother for Lin Yun like a dog, and made his mother faint from anger.

Shen Nanxing knew that it was normal for his friend to not be able to accept it for a while, so he said, "Xi'er, ask the kitchen to prepare some snacks. I'm not going to go home until Yan Hua and I are drunk today. Send someone to tell the palace that Yan Hua will be back late."

"it is good."

Jian Xi closed the box, placed it next to Baili Yanhua, and walked out of the door with small steps.

Even with Shen Nanxing's persuasion, there were some things she was not comfortable saying, but Shen Nanxing did not have so many concerns. Baili Yanhua was a man of temperament, and everything would be fine once he figured it out.

Is Lin Yun really as innocent as he first saw? Baili Yanhua never beats around the bush, and he probably asked Lin Yun for his opinion before.

Now Lin Yun can be free from the trouble, but Baili Yanhua is still trapped in it and unable to escape.

Some things really can't be thought about too much. Jian Xi sighed and shook off the thoughts in her head.

Snowflakes were falling outside, and I thought of the red plum blossoms that filled the courtyard of the Duke of Korea's mansion. They must have been wonderful against the snow.

She walked on the path covered with a thin layer of snow, with a variety of emotions in her mind.

People who have experienced two eras can live well even with a slight information gap.

When Lin Yun first came to the capital, he was dressed simply. Today, all his clothes are exquisite. He took out 80,000 taels of silver without blinking an eye.

I guess she has also found a way to survive. I just hope she can keep her feet steady. Climbing high will inevitably lead to a heavy fall, and in this era, falling can be fatal.

Jian Xi stretched out her hand, and snowflakes fell into her palm. In the blink of an eye, they melted away due to the warmth of her hand and disappeared, as if they had never appeared.

"Girl, I've been looking for you for a long time. Why are you standing here in the snow alone? It's freezing outside. You might catch a cold." Zi Cui muttered to herself and took an oil-paper umbrella to help Jian Xi block the snow.

Jian Xi brushed the broken hair on Zi Cui's temples and said softly, "I'm not a child, how can I be so delicate? Go and tell the kitchen to send some wine and food to Leng Bi Xuan. My brother and Master Baili want to have a good time. Also send a servant to the palace to tell them that the Third Master will be back later."

Zi Cui nodded and handed the oil-paper umbrella in her hand to Jian Xi, "Miss, I'll do it right away. You hold the umbrella. It's still some distance to Huashui Pavilion, don't get wet." After that, she trotted away.

Zi Cui's thin figure disappeared in the snow, and Jian Xi didn't know what to do next.

In the past, we were always busy, so it would be nice to have some time to enjoy the snow scenery.

The Hanmei Banquet is over.

The news of that day spread like wildfire. The prince was so angry that he fought with the third son of Duke Lan's mansion for the sake of his beloved.

In the palace.

Emperor Xuanyuan was furious when he heard the news.

"Rebel!"

"Your Majesty, calm down."

Emperor Xuanyuan felt unsatisfied and threw the memorials on the table to the ground.

"Look, the Hanmei Banquet was held in the morning, and the impeachment memorial to the Crown Prince was submitted in the afternoon. He really knows how to make me proud.

Jinbao, open my storehouse, send the pair of East China Sea Night Pearls to the Duke of Korea's mansion, and say that they are my apology, and then call the prince to the Qinzheng Palace."

"Yes."

The palace servants picked up the memorials scattered on the ground in an orderly manner.

Emperor Xuanyuan sat upright on the dragon throne, the turmoil in his eyes like a beast about to break out of a cage.

It seems that the prince has been too spoiled these days, which has led to him becoming so lawless.

We have to wait a little longer, the time is not yet ripe.

"Your Majesty, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has arrived."

"Let him in."

"Yes."

The candle on the dragon table flickered faintly.

"Your son greets His Majesty." Xuanyuan courtier knelt in the center of the Qinzheng Hall.

Emperor Xuanyuan picked up the candlestick at hand and threw it over. The candlestick was sharp and angular, but Xuanyuan Chaocheng didn't dare to dodge at all and could only take it head on.

"Father?" Xuanyuan Chaocheng covered his injured forehead in disbelief.

"Don't call me "I". What's wrong with your brain? As the crown prince of the Xuanyuan Dynasty, you should not show your emotions. But you are so impatient that you even fought at the Duke of Korea's banquet. You really bring shame to the royal family." Emperor Xuanyuan was furious.

Xuanyuan Chaocheng wanted to explain, "It was Lan An who provoked me first."

"shut up!"

"You're so stupid to get into a fight with someone just because of a few words. Why did I give birth to a son like you?"

Xuanyuan Chaocheng was silenced by the rebuke. It would be useless to say anything at this moment.

"I haven't gotten into any dispute with you about your relationship with that commoner girl, but you've already started to make a fuss about it. Your father isn't even dead yet, yet you're acting like you're obsessed with sex.

There is drought in the northwest. After the New Year, you will go to the northwest to provide disaster relief and help me calm the people. "

"Yes."

"roll!"

"My son, please retire."

After Xuanyuan Chaocheng left, the Qinzheng Hall returned to silence, and the serving palace maids skillfully picked up the candlesticks on the ground and relit the candles.

"Your Majesty, this is the Cordyceps and Black Chicken Soup made by Concubine Shu herself. Would you like some?"

Emperor Xuanyuan hummed inaudibly.

Jinbao held a small porcelain cup, opened the lid and placed it next to Emperor Xuanyuan.

Emperor Xuanyuan scooped a spoonful with a spoon. The soup was clear and had no fishy smell at all.

"It's really hard for her. She wouldn't have done this before. She has become more refined in the cold palace over the years. But what's the difference between her and the women in the harem?"

Emperor Xuanyuan seemed to be sentimental and ultimately did not drink the soup in the stew pot.

The candlelight in the Qinzheng Hall was so bright that it seemed as bright as day. Emperor Xuanyuan picked up the memorials from various places and began to review them.

Jinbao signaled to the palace maid behind him to replace the tea, and the soup was eventually replaced.

Chonghua Palace.

"My lady, it's late at night. It's snowing hard tonight. You should go to bed early, right?"

Concubine Shu was standing in front of the window, wearing a crimson purple middle garment and a rabbit fur cloak.

"Shi'er, what do you think His Majesty is doing now?"

"I don't know."

"Yeah, he never drinks the soup I send him. I didn't cook well before, but now my cooking skills have improved. Why is that?"

"I guess your majesty is not hungry."

"You go down first."

"Yes."

Lou Muran looked at the white snow outside. Chonghua Palace was the largest of the three palaces and six courtyards. Because she moved in, the Palace's Internal Affairs Department had specially renovated it.

Just looking at such a beautiful scenery, I still feel a lot of sorrow in my heart.

Lou Muran and Emperor Xuanyuan knew each other when they were young, and they always thought that they would grow old together.

Unexpectedly, after Emperor Xuanyuan ascended the throne, he seemed like a different person. The excitement that the supreme desire for power brought to a person was far beyond the throbbing of his youth.

The handsome man in my memory slowly began to become cold-blooded, able to decide the life or death, honor or disgrace of a person or even a family with just a few words.

The throne, which stands above everyone else and symbolizes the supreme authority in the world, contains countless bones hidden beneath it, all hidden beneath the cold and magnificent palace walls.

Emperor Xuanyuan completely turned into a god with the power of life and death.

Their fate also came to an end. She was suffering in the deep palace, while Emperor Xuanyuan was dominating the court.

But she was unwilling.

She was unwilling to accept that after working so hard to support him to the throne, he was finally treated as a discarded pawn and thrown into the cold palace and left alone.

Her son was mocked and bullied by the palace maids and eunuchs in the cold palace, so she had no choice but to come out and fight.

The hypocritical routines that she used to disdain have now become a means for her to fight for power.

And the man just watched quietly, watching her go down the same path as him under the corruption of power.

He must be very happy because she had criticized him for giving up his dignity to please others for the sake of power and status.

Now she is the same.

The feeling of being high and mighty, and the flattery and fawning from those below, whether intentional or unintentional, make people feel a long-lost sense of existence in this man-eating palace.

It's ridiculous.

On the twenty-third day of the twelfth lunar month, we worship our ancestors on the Little New Year.

Heavy snow blocked roads in various parts of the capital.

The managers of each farm under Jian Xi brought account books to General Shen's mansion to report the year-end harvest.

There are mountains and forests in the village, with countless game such as musk deer, elk, furs, etc.

Lei Zi also took time out of his busy schedule and came to the general's mansion in person.

"Master, these are the harvests of Tianshui Manor. In the past four years, I have purchased five more manors. According to your wishes, several granaries were built in the manors. In addition to the income from Fengyuhao, the rest was stored. Now the manors around the capital have stored 300,000 dan of grain. I asked the adults in the Imperial Astronomical Observatory. This year's snow fell late, and there may be a drought next year. When spring comes, I plan to let the village heads organize the villagers to dig ponds to store water for emergency use."

Jian Xi looked at the account book at hand, the accounts in it were clear.

Lei Zi did exactly as he said.

"You've done a great job. Just like what I said at the beginning, we don't seek speed but stability. This is the long-term solution. We are just trying to make a living. There is no need to be too outstanding. Otherwise, it will attract the attention of the court. In the past few years, General Xu led the army to fight the Xuanwu Dynasty for such a long time. The treasury has long been out of money. Whoever is the most conspicuous at this time will be the one who sticks out."

"Yes, Master is absolutely right."

"Do the villagers know about the grain storage in the village?"

"Master, we are doing it very secretly, and the guards inside are all a family that has signed a death contract. They are tight-lipped and will tell the outside world that this is a villa built for the master."

“It’s been very well done.”

"All the products outside are from Zhuangzi's filial piety. Please have a look, Master."

"Okay, come with me to take a look."

It was the first time that housekeeper Liu Rui had seen such a big scene.

There were a full hundred elk alone, not to mention other pheasants and the like.

The wooden cages were stacked one on top of the other and there was barely enough space in the front yard.

When Liu Rui saw Jian Xi, he felt like he saw a savior. He walked up to Jian Xi quickly, wiped the sweat off his head and said, "Miss, so many people came today and brought so many things. I don't know what to do with them?"

On the day of the Little New Year, Shen Nanxing had already been granted imperial decree to rest at home, but Liu Rui knew that Shen Nanxing never cared about things, so he decided to ask Jian Xi for her opinion directly.

Jian Xi looked at the yard full of game. There was also food piled up at the foot of the wall that filled up a quarter of the yard. She saw people outside still moving things inside.

"Make them stop."

Leizi ran to the head of the village who was reading the list and said, "Stop, stop, stop reading."

He brought the village head to Jian Xi and asked, "What do you want, Master?"

Jian Xi rubbed his forehead and asked, "Where's the general?"

Liu Rui replied respectfully: "The general made an appointment with several officers in the army today and said he was going to have a drink."

"Keep some of the game for your family and give some away. Let the general distribute the rest. Take it to the city defense camp and add it to the dishes for his brothers."

When I walked outside, I saw that there was a whole convoy behind that had not yet unloaded the goods.

Jian Xi directly ordered, "There's no need to unload these. Send them to the city defense camp and say they were sent by General Shen."

"Yes."

Lei Zi rarely comes, so Jian Xi invites him to have dinner together.

"Butler Liu, go kill a deer. I want to keep Brother Leizi at home for a simple meal."

Liu Rui looked up and wanted to say something, but finally held it back, "Yes."

"It looks like the harvest on the farm this year is pretty good."

"It's all the master's orders. The rent of the farm is low, and the tenants have hope for life. In addition, they can learn agronomy, and the harvest is improving every year."

Jian Xi reminded: "Even if we give a lot of things, we can't relax the rules of the manor. We can't let them think that these things are taken for granted. If there are any blind people, we still need to kill the chicken to scare the monkey. We can't be soft-hearted."

The mixed crowd among the lower-class people must be suppressed with thundering means. Being too lenient will only whet their appetites.

"Master, don't worry. This is natural. The rules of the farm cannot be violated. A few years ago, there was a person who took the seeds from the farm and sold them outside. I asked the head of the farm to beat them with forty boards and expelled them. Now it's much better.