Great Song Super Scholar

Chapter 570
Fan Ning had just returned to the Zhu Mansion when he unexpectedly discovered that his second uncle Fan Tiege had arrived.

"Second Uncle, when did you come back?" Fan Ning smiled as he entered the door.

"I came back the day before yesterday. I came to you in the morning and told you that you were in court, so I had to come back in the afternoon and wait until now."

"Second uncle is in a hurry with me?"

"Of course there is something, and it's a big thing."

Fan Tiege took out a red marriage book and handed it to Fan Ning, "Yang Wenguang came to see me yesterday, and he came to be a matchmaker to propose marriage for you!"

Fan Ning was stunned, "Second Uncle, you are not mistaken! I already have five children, so why do you want to marry me?"

"Of course I know that your family has a first wife, and the next wife they propose is willing to be the third."

Fan Ning sighed, "Second Uncle, I really don't want to marry a wife and take a concubine now, so please decline it for me!"

"You don't want to ask who the other party is, so you have to decline?"

Fan Ning suddenly thought that it was Yang Wenguang who was the matchmaker, and his heart skipped a beat. Could it be that some military leader wanted to marry him?
He asked, "Who is Yang Wenguang as a matchmaker?"

"Let me tell you this! I want to be your third wife's little lady, and she is the niece of the present empress dowager. Do you think I am in a hurry?"

Fan Ning was stunned for a moment, it was the Cao family!
But what surprised him even more was that the Empress Dowager Cao wanted to marry her own niece to him, who was also Cao Yi's daughter. Why?
He is very clear that unless he officially marries a wife, Cao Yi will never marry his daughter to him as a third wife, and Cao's family can't persuade him. There is only one person who can, and that is Empress Dowager Cao.

This must be what Empress Dowager Cao meant. Why did Empress Dowager Cao want her niece to marry her?
She used her relationship with Gao Taotao to threaten and control herself. Could it be that she couldn't control herself?

A series of questions arose in Fanning's mind,
He thought for a while and said, "Let me think about this matter, let's talk about it tomorrow!"

This matter is related to his wealth and life, and he must have a good discussion with Queen Mother Cao before he can make a rational decision.

Fan Ning didn't even bother to eat dinner, turned around and was about to go to the palace, but after walking dozens of steps, he stopped again. He really couldn't be anxious about this matter, he had to calm down and clear his mind before proceeding. .

Thinking of this, he transferred back to Zhu's residence.

At night, Fan Ning paced back and forth in the yard with his hands behind his back, and he was still thinking about the Cao family's marriage proposal.

This is of course a political marriage, which cannot be questioned. He doesn't even know what Cao Yi's daughter looks like, how old she is, whether she is unmarried or widowed, so how does it make him feel?
Fan Ning knew very well that if he married the Cao family's daughter as the third wife, it would be beneficial to both the Fan and Zhu families, which meant that the two of them would be protected by the military, but the Cao family also wanted him. The Cao family and the Gao family are seeking money. What does the Cao family want now?
It is possible to seek an island with the best resources and to obtain the navigation resources controlled by the Fan family.

But Fan Ning is more concerned about why the Empress Dowager Cao wants to marry herself?
Empress Dowager Cao has no children, and her only direct descendants are the children of her two brothers. There is no difference between marrying Cao Yu's daughter to herself and marrying her daughter to herself?
In fact, Fan Ning had already vaguely guessed that the fundamental reason why Empress Dowager Cao wanted to marry herself was because of Gao Taotao.

Empress Dowager Cao's wrists are very clean and concealed. I am afraid that no one knows the real cause of Gao Taotao's death except herself.

Empress Dowager Cao is also aware of this. She wants to keep the Cao family and her name behind her. Either she kills herself, but obviously she can't stop her mouth, or she marry her daughter to herself, and marry her to her. The interests of the Fan and Cao families are closely linked, one loses the other, and the other prospers. This is the best way to stop yourself.

Fan Ning is not disgusted with the Queen Mother Cao's idea. The key is, what do you want to get from this marriage?
Fan Ning suddenly thought of the most critical bargaining chip, and this is an opportunity.

At this time, if Fan Ning felt something, when he turned around, he saw Zhu Yuanfeng standing at the gate of the courtyard. He hurriedly bowed to salute, "When did the third grandfather come back?"

Zhu Yuanfeng stayed in Chenliu County yesterday and today. He just came back. He looked a little tired. He wanted to go to have a good rest, but his daughter Zhu Jie told the Cao family that he wanted to marry Fan Ning. Zhu Yuanfeng couldn't wait any longer, so he immediately Come to Fanning.

Zhu Yuanfeng smiled and said: "I just came back. Although the idea of ​​the steam engine you mentioned is good, it is not easy to make it. It needs repeated trials and continuous improvement. Everyone agrees that it will take at least a year to develop it." could be made."

"It's not urgent. In addition, there is another thing that I want to ask the third grandfather to experiment with."

"what?"

Fan Ning took out a bamboo dragonfly that was played by children from the room, and said with a smile, "I want to install this on a boat."

"What does bamboo dragonfly mean?"

Fan Ning rubbed his hands lightly, and the bamboo dragonfly flew up immediately. Fan Ning grabbed the bamboo dragonfly again, and said with a smile: "If the bamboo dragonfly is installed at the stern of the boat instead of the scull, and you step on it with a pedal, it will fly in the air. Turning the stern will also push the boat forward."

"It's possible. I'll go to Chenliu County in two days and let them try it out. Do you want to do it like a bamboo dragonfly?"

Fan Ning took out a drawing and handed it to Zhu Yuanfeng, "The bamboo dragonfly is just a principle, but it is actually built according to this drawing, making three leaves."

"I understand!"

Zhu Yuanfeng put away the drawings, and said again: "I heard about the Cao family."

Fan Ning nodded, "What is the attitude of the third grandfather?"

"I think it's a good thing, but I don't quite understand, what does the Cao family want from the marriage?"

After all, Zhu Yuanfeng is a big businessman, and he is more concerned about his interests.

"The Cao family may want a better island, and they really want something from me."

"What about yourself?"

Zhu Yuanfeng asked again: "Do you want to promise yourself?"

Fan Ning shook his head, "I don't know! I don't know what the daughter of the Cao family looks like or how old she is. Besides, I have to tell Pei'er about this first."

"I've sent a pigeon letter to Pei'er to tell her."

Zhu Jie's voice came from outside the courtyard gate, and she came in from the outside and said with a smile, "This daughter of the Cao family is Cao Yi's third daughter, named Cao Xiu, seventeen years old, beautiful and dignified, if not for her seniority It's because she was going to enter the palace to be the empress, but the Empress Dowager Cao wants to betroth her to you, Aning, the Empress Dowager thinks highly of you!"

Fan Ning was silent for a moment and said: "Tomorrow I will go to the palace to have a talk with the Empress Dowager Cao. This marriage is the request of the Cao family, and there must be conditions."

The next morning, Fan Ning begged to see the Empress Dowager Cao, and the Empress Dowager Cao ordered Fan Ning to be taken to the Hall of Ci'an.

"My subject, Fanning, sees the Queen Mother!" Fanning stepped forward and bowed to salute.

Empress Dowager Cao was sitting behind a bamboo curtain, her figure looming, but her voice was still soft and gentle: "Fan Aiqing, please give me a seat!"

"Thank you Queen Mother!"

Fan Ning was sitting on an embroidered pier, and Empress Dowager Cao asked calmly, "When is Fan Aiqing going to return to Quanzhou?"

"In two or three days, I will return to Quanzhou."

"Do you still want to go to the New World?"

"I plan to go to sea next spring, and go for a comprehensive investigation after I have prepared enough."

"Tomorrow spring, many people will follow you."

"Weichen understands that we can go together, and Uncle Cao Guo also agreed with me."

"Uncle Cao Guo?"

Empress Dowager Cao smiled, "I'm afraid you will change your address soon!"

Fan Ning was silent for a moment: "Is this decided by the Queen Mother?"

"You're smart, it's easy to talk to you."

Empress Dowager Cao waved her hand, "Everyone back down!"

Twenty or so court ladies and eunuchs all retreated, leaving only Fan Ning and Empress Dowager Cao in the hall.

The Empress Dowager Cao was silent for a long time and said: "Tao Tao has a personal maid named Ning Bi. Before and after Tao Tao died of illness, she happened to go home to attend the funeral for her father. She lives in a secret place now. She knows too much. I plan to let her be completely closed. Mouth, there is only one condition, you marry Cao Xiu as your next wife, and I will not let you divorce Zhu Pei, this is already the greatest sincerity."

Sure enough, as she thought, Empress Dowager Cao wanted to completely erase Gao Taotao's affairs, and erasing Gao Taotao would also mean losing control of herself, so she decided to use the method of marriage to tie herself down.

Of course Fan Ning could agree, but he also wanted a major event promised by Empress Dowager Cao.

He said in a deep voice: "Being favored by the Empress Dowager is a blessing that I have cultivated for several generations. How dare I not agree."

"You don't have to speak so forcefully!"

Empress Dowager Cao said coldly: "Marrying with the Cao family is only good for the Fan family. Don't think that I am begging you. This is a matter of mutual benefit for both parties. It's okay if you don't agree, as long as you don't regret it."

"Weichen didn't say no, I just hope that the Queen Mother can promise me one thing."

"Sure enough, there are conditions!"

Empress Dowager Cao sneered and said, "Speak up! What conditions do you have?"

Fan Ning was no longer polite, and directly put forward his own conditions, "Emperor Meng Xian and the Queen Mother favored him, and my minister has been made a Duke of the state. From the point of view of the title, this minister also has the conditions to purchase the island. I hope that I can give Fan Ning The family and the Zhu family bought an island so that their children and grandchildren could reproduce overseas."

Empress Dowager Cao understood that Fan Ning also wanted to buy the island, and it seemed that he had found the most beautiful land.

Empress Dowager Cao felt a little uncomfortable. The most fertile land should be given to the Cao family.

After a moment of silence, the Empress Dowager Cao said: "If you can find a piece of land for the Cao family that is not inferior to the Fan family, the Ai family can approve your application for purchasing the island."

Fan Ning knelt down and kowtowed, "Thank you Queen Mother for fulfilling your wish, I will definitely live up to the Queen Mother's kindness!"

Empress Dowager Cao nodded, "Go back to Quanzhou first. After the ceremony is over, the Cao family will send the newcomer to Quanzhou. That is the niece of the Ai family. I hope you can treat her well."

"Making the family happy has always been the goal of Wei Chen's struggle, Wei Chen resigns!"

Fan Ning saluted again, got up and slowly retreated.

Empress Dowager Cao watched him go away, and said to herself in a low voice: "Fan Ning, Aijia gave you a chance, if you can't catch it, then don't blame Aijia for being ruthless."

(End of this chapter)