Troubled times: Start practicing spiritual practice by taking care of your sister-in-law.

Chapter 728: Liang Ji's Persuasion

On the official road outside Tianchuan City.

The sun in August was very scorching, scorching the earth to the point of cracking. It was noon, the sun was high in the sky, and even the air seemed a little distorted.

The carriage made a creaking sound as it drove on the cracked ground.

In the carriage, a middle-aged man and a beautiful middle-aged woman were sitting face to face.

The middle-aged man was named Zhao Ruhai. He had a plump figure, a wealthy face, and a hint of elegance between his brows.

Opposite him was his wife, Mrs. Lu.

The Zhao family was just a small household that made a living by raising silkworms. Zhao Ruhai was just a poor scholar. After failing the imperial examinations many times, he gave up hope and returned to his hometown to open a private school to teach children. He then married Lu, a woman from an equally wealthy family.

Both husband and wife are good-looking, so their children are also good-looking.

It was also because of this that his eldest daughter, Zhao Yuxu, was favored by Chu Yi, who was a prince at the time, and became the princess.

Just when the couple thought they could rise to prosper with the help of their son-in-law, they realized that Chu Yi at that time was just a poor prince with no power and no money. Apart from his higher status, he was no different from a pauper.

But it is also true that if Chu Yi had a little power at that time, Zhao Yusu would not be qualified to be his wife, and could only be a concubine at most.

Therefore, when their daughter married Chu Yi, the couple gained nothing except the vanity of face. Instead, they paid out a large sum of money.

Later, this poor son-in-law, out of some unknown luck, actually became the emperor. His daughter then smoothly became the empress, and Zhao Ruhai suddenly became the father-in-law of the emperor.

Now, Zhao Ruhai felt that he would finally become rich.

Actually, he did become rich, but it was far from what Zhao Ruhai had expected. He only became the magistrate of a small county with less than a thousand households. Although his life was much better than before, people do not know how to be content.

As a scholar, Zhao Ruhai knew that every father-in-law of the emperor lived as poorly as he did. People were afraid of comparison. Besides, his friends also talked about it, so he came to Luonan and found his queen's daughter, hoping that she could help him get a high-ranking official position.

But the queen's daughter not only refused, but also said that she was powerless.

So Zhao Ruhai had to settle for the next best thing and asked her to find an official position for her brother, but was still rejected.

At that time, Zhao Ruhai felt that he had raised his daughter in vain as she could not even do such a small thing.

As for what Zhao Yusu said at that time, Zhao Ruhai didn't believe it in his heart.

However, after staying in Luonan for a while and knowing that the emperor was a puppet and that Lu Sheng was the one who actually held power, Zhao Ruhai had to accept this fact and obediently returned to his hometown to serve as his own county magistrate.

Just as Zhao Ruhai was slowly adapting to the life of a ninth-rank county magistrate.

The situation changed again, and Lu Sheng's regime was actually overthrown by Chen Mo.

The imperial court began to implement new policies, and during the time he served as county magistrate, he was certainly not a good official. Of course, he was not a bad official either. Apart from being a little greedy for money, he did not do anything that was against the law.

It was precisely because of this that he was dismissed. However, because he was the queen's father, the court did not pursue him, but only confiscated the proceeds of corruption during his tenure.

During that period, Zhao Ruhai was extremely depressed and even wanted to die, but he was afraid of death, so he finally came out and accepted the result helplessly.

Just when Zhao Ruhai thought that the situation couldn't get any worse.

A piece of news reached his ears some time ago.

The Emperor of the Song Dynasty actually abdicated the throne to King of Wei Chen Mo, opening the first page of the new dynasty. The Song Dynasty was gone, replaced by the Wei Dynasty, and Chen Mo became the emperor.

That would have been fine, but Zhao Ruhai also learned that before abdicating, Emperor Yong'an first deposed the empress, then divorced her, and finally abandoned her when he left the capital, leaving her in the capital.

The person who brought him the news also told him that Zhao Yusu fell into the water that day, but fortunately he was rescued and taken back by the Emperor of Wei.

Now Zhao Ruhai and his wife went to Beijing to bring their daughter back to take care of her.

Zhao Ruhai let out a long sigh, feeling that being the father-in-law of the emperor was a very aggrieved thing to do, as everyone envied and flattered him.

Although there were people who flattered him, Zhao Ruhai felt that he was being looked down upon based on their attitude.

Just despise it if you want to.

At least with his status as the emperor's father-in-law, even if he couldn't be a county magistrate, he was more than qualified to be a wealthy man.

But now, the identity of father-in-law of the country is gone.

Meng Hegong no longer has the identity of father-in-law.

I’m afraid that the future of this rich man will be questionable.

Zhao Ruhai didn't even dare to think about how the people around him would look at them when he brought his daughter home.

"Oh, I'm so worried." Zhao Ruhai said.

"I saw you sighing all the way. Your daughter is fine, so why are you sighing?" Mrs. Lu complained.

"What do women know?" Zhao Ruhai sighed again and said, "I am worried that if I bring my daughter back this time, there will be rumors."

"Let them say whatever they want. It's nothing. There have been many rumors before." Mrs. Lu said, "At most, after we see our daughter, we can stay in the capital and not go back."

"Stay here? Do you know how expensive a house in the capital is? Our family doesn't have the money for that now. Xian'er is getting engaged soon, and that will cost another sum of money. Yusu hasn't brought any money home in these years, so forget it this time. We still have to pay to support her." Zhao Ruhai said.

"She's your own daughter, and you think she's a burden?" Mrs. Lu said angrily.

"When did I think she was a burden? I just said it casually. If I really thought she was a burden, I wouldn't have come to Beijing this time."

"That won't work, so what are you going to do?"

"I just don't know what to do, so I sigh."

"Alas." Hearing this, Mrs. Lu also sighed and said, "I don't know how Yu Shu got into this situation today."

"Master, we have arrived at the capital."

As he was speaking, the coachman outside turned around, lifted the curtain and said.

……

After Zhao Ruhai arrived in the capital, he first found an inn to stay in. Then they put down their luggage and rushed to the capital's government office.

After learning the news, Peng Yi, the chief official of the yamen, asked them to wait and reported the situation.

I do not know how long it has been.

"Empress Lan has arrived." A duck-like voice sounded outside the yamen.

"Your humble servant greets Empress Lan." Peng Yi hurried forward and bowed.

Upon seeing this, Zhao Ruhai and Lu, although they did not know who this Concubine Lan was, they knew from the title that she was someone from the palace, so they did not dare to neglect her and stepped forward to pay their respects.

"No need to be so polite." Liang Ji raised her hand.

"Thank you, Madam." Peng Yi straightened his back slightly, but still lowered his head, and said, "Madam Lan, these two are the father and mother of that noble lady."

Liang Ji glanced at Zhao Ruhai and Lu, then nodded slightly and said, "Lord Peng, can you let me stay alone with them for a while?"

"Please do as you wish, Empress Lan." After saying that, Peng Yi bowed and retreated.

"You guys can go down too."

Liang Ji turned around and said to the palace maids and eunuchs behind her. "Yes."

Soon, Zhao Ruhai, Lu and Liang Ji were the only three people left in the yamen hall.

Zhao Ruhai and Lu seemed very reserved. They stood there without even daring to breathe. After all, they didn't know the purpose of Liang Ji's visit.

"Please sit down." Liang Ji said, and then she went to the top seat and sat down.

Zhao Ruhai and Lu sat down nervously.

But after they sat down, Liang Ji didn't speak for a long time.

Zhao Ruhai couldn't help himself, so he stood up and bowed, saying, "I wonder what important matter Lady Lan wants to talk to us about."

Liang Ji waited for them to speak, and she opened her red lips slightly and said, "Mr. Zhao, I came here to act as a matchmaker for your daughter."

"Matchmaker?" Zhao Ruhai was stunned.

"Matchmaker?" Mrs. Lu's voice became louder in doubt.

"That's right, it's matchmaking." Liang Ji emphasized again.

Zhao Ruhai took a deep breath and said, "Lady Lan, please forgive me for asking, but when you say matchmaker, which one of your family members or friends do you want to be the matchmaker for?"

Liang Ji shook her head and smiled, "Neither."

"Who is that?" Mrs. Lu spoke frankly. Since she was a matchmaker, she must know who the other party was.

Zhao Ruhai tilted his head and glared at Lu, blaming her for being too talkative.

Liang Ji smiled slightly and said, "The current emperor."

As soon as these words came out.

Zhao Ruhai and Lu were stunned on the spot.

Zhao Ruhai swallowed his saliva, even thinking that he had heard it wrong, and confirmed again and again: "Lady Lan, you are talking about the current Emperor of Wei."

Liang Ji nodded seriously.

Zhao Ruhai's Adam's apple rolled up and down, and he said in a trembling voice: "Lady Lan, you are kidding me, His Majesty still needs a matchmaker."

"To be precise, this is what I meant, but His Majesty is still unaware of it."

"That"

"Don't worry, I can still make the decision for your majesty on this point."

Hearing this, Zhao Ruhai was shocked. Since she could be the master of His Majesty, then this time, Concubine Lan must have a close relationship with the Emperor of Wei.

"Empress Lan, please forgive my stupidity for not understanding the meaning of your words. Please explain it to me clearly." Zhao Ruhai really couldn't guess what Liang Ji meant.

"I am doing this for the sake of your majesty's reputation," said Liang Ji.

"Your Majesty's reputation?" Zhao Ruhai was even more confused after hearing this.

"You two should have known the news that Zhao Yusu fell into the water on the day His Majesty proclaimed himself emperor," said Liang Ji.

Zhao Ruhai nodded.

"I'm afraid you two don't know that she didn't fall into the water accidentally that day. Instead, she jumped into the river and committed suicide after Meng Hegong abandoned her." Liang Ji said.

"what?"

Zhao Ruhai was shocked.

"Yu Shu committed suicide by jumping into the river?" Mrs. Lu's voice became even more trembling.

"That's right." Liang Ji stood up and walked down from the top, saying, "What you two don't know is that many people in the capital now think that Lord Menghe abandoned Zhao Yusu because of your majesty's interference and destroyed the relationship between them. In fact, your majesty was not involved. This matter has deeply troubled your majesty and me."

These words once again surprised Zhao Ruhai and Lu. After thinking about it carefully, even they suspected that it was the Emperor of Wei who was interfering. Otherwise, how could the two of them end up like this?

The two of them remained silent and continued to listen to Liang Ji finish.

"However, this rumor has already spread in the palace and cannot be changed. However, some things that have not yet happened must be controlled in time."

Liang Ji came to Zhao Ruhai, with her hands behind her back, and said, "From the fact that Zhao Yusu committed suicide by jumping into the river, it must have been a big blow to her that Lord Menghe abandoned her, so I don't want to see rumors spread that His Majesty forced her to death."

Zhao Ruhai understood a little bit. Concubine Lan was worried that they would not take good care of their daughter after taking her back, and that she would commit suicide again. This would definitely affect the reputation of the Emperor of Wei.

Zhao Ruhai assured, "Don't worry, Concubine Lan, after we take Yu Shu back home, my wife and I will keep an eye on her for twelve hours and will never let anything like this happen."

Liang Ji shook her head and said, "You still don't understand what I mean."

"I dare to ask the Queen Concubine Lan to continue to make it clear."

Liang Ji sighed and said, "The previous rumor can be completely controlled within the scope of the capital and not let more people know. If you take Zhao Yusu back, it will make this matter known to everyone in the world. In addition, I am worried that you two elders are old and it is impossible for you to watch her all the time. If she is affected by the rumors outside and acts impulsively, then this result is not what we want to see.

So what I want you two elders to do is to find a way to keep her in the palace."

"This..." Zhao Ruhai glanced at Lu, somewhat surprised.

Since you want Yu Shu to stay in the palace, why don't you just notify us to come to the capital to pick her up?

Why take such a big detour?

Lu got some information from it.

This is what you want, and more.

Not only do they want fame, they also want people, and even their hearts.
Seeing that the two were silent, Liang Ji continued, "Persuading her to stay in the palace will also benefit you two elders. Your Majesty is not Lord Menghe. Your Majesty is a capable ruler in name only. Once Zhao Yusu gives birth to a dragon, will you treat your Zhao family unfairly?"

"Okay, it's getting late, and I should leave. I'll give you an hour to think about it. After an hour, I'll arrange for her to meet you." After saying that, Liang Ji left.

The two were left looking at each other in bewilderment.

"Madam, what should we do?" Zhao Ruhai asked Mrs. Lu.

"I am just a woman, so of course it is up to you, sir, to decide on this matter," said Mrs. Lu.

Zhao Ruhai: “…”

Why does this sound familiar?

Zhao Ruhai pondered for a moment and said, "I think what Concubine Lan said is right. Even if we don't care about your majesty's reputation, if Yu Shu returns like this, people around us will talk about it, and it will be shameful for both of us.

But if we can use this opportunity to become relatives with the Emperor of Wei, it will be much more glorious than before.

Besides, we can’t change our mind. They are negotiating with us in a friendly manner. If we refuse, no one knows what the consequences will be.”

"Then agree to it." Lu thought about it and said.

"Well, okay."

(End of this chapter)