Jinghong Tower

Chapter 416 Engagement
Empress Dowager Man had a Han Chinese interpreter by her side, and the letter she wrote to the Yang family was heartfelt. The first half of the letter praised the contributions made by the Yang family over the years, while in the second half, Empress Dowager Man hoped that the Yang family would use the advantages of the Han people to infiltrate the Ran army, especially the Fu Yansheng troops and He Dali troops in the northwest.

Master Yang Wu's face was as gloomy as water. "What do you mean? Our Yang family has no scholars, and we can't train military commanders. We finally have a pretty girl, but she was randomly betrothed to someone else. Now we are asked to infiltrate the Ran army. What can we do? Raise horses?"

Master Yang Wu is Yang Chun's father. He has high hopes for Yang Chun and has dreamed of becoming the emperor's cheap father-in-law for several years. In the end, Old Master Yang decides to marry Yang Chun to Zhu Yanhe.

For this reason, Master Yang Wu has always been brooding over it.

"Old Five, what did you say, raising horses?" Uncle Yang San, who had been silent all this time, suddenly spoke.

Master Yang Wu was stunned. Could it be that the third master took what he said in anger seriously and really wanted him to raise horses?

The Yang family was originally a family of horse slaves, and what they were best at was raising horses.

Even Grandpa Yang was stunned and looked at Grandpa Yang in astonishment: "Father, could it be that what Old Five said was right? Queen Mother Man wants us to raise horses in the Ran Army?"

It would be easy to take action if you work as a stable boy in the army.

Just one meal of medicated hay would cause the generals' horses to suffer from diarrhea, exhaustion and listlessness on the battlefield.

The experienced members of the Yang family can even precisely control the timing of an attack, and before that, no one can detect anything unusual.

Master Yang Wu also realized that they really needed to raise horses.

Of course, the Yang family also has other manpower, such as the guys in the carriage inn, but the military camp is different from other places. Once you go in, you will lose contact with the outside world. So if you want to get things done, the Yang family must go themselves, and you can't leave the important task to those guys.

But the Yang family had not done such a risky thing for a long time. They were the Ran Army, and the soldiers didn't care about any evidence. As long as they had suspicions, they would kill them with a knife. Killing a few grooms was like crushing a few ants. The Jinyiwei had to arrest people first, then interrogate them, and finally decide their life or death. But those officers were much more brutal than the Jinyiwei. They could cut off people's heads with just a flick of their fingers.

Master Yang Wu sat back on his chair and said, "Whoever wants to go can go. I'm not going anyway. I've already sacrificed a beautiful daughter. I can't let my life be sacrificed with her. And my wife and children at home, I don't know whether they are alive or dead."

When they heard Master Yang Wu talking about the family members who had been captured, the others fell silent and all looked at Master Yang.

Old Master Yang was furious: "You conscienceless people, have you forgotten how our Yang family got its fortune? Without the old Khan and the prince, how could you have the big house, beautiful wives and concubines? Now that the old Khan and the prince are gone, you are lawless. Don't you obey the Queen Mother's orders?
Boss, you are the eldest brother, what do you say? "

Uncle Yang cleared his throat and said, "My wife has a fellow villager who served as a centurion in Fu Yansheng's army. When they were stationed in Datong, my wife helped the centurion's mother carry things. If she wants to be a groom, she can find that centurion. It shouldn't be a problem."

The groom was just a small character, and for the centurion, it was just a matter of a word.

Old Master Yang was obviously quite satisfied with Uncle Yang's attitude: "Okay, let's leave the matter in Yulin to the boss, and what about He Dali, who among you can make a connection?"

Just as Old Master Yang finished speaking, there was a loud knock on the door.

Everyone in the Yang family was having a meeting in the house with the doors and windows closed, and a trustworthy servant was guarding outside the door.

The one knocking on the door was the servant outside: "Old man, there are a lot of people outside, surrounding the house."

Everyone was shocked, but Old Master Yang was able to remain calm. He asked in a deep voice, "Who is coming?"

"They are soldiers, all soldiers, lots of them!"

The officers and soldiers now are the Ran Army.

Everyone was shocked. Why would Ran Jun come?

But come to think of it, the Jinyiwei have already arrested people in Nanhetun.

It was just a coincidence that Ran Jun came, and they all happened to be together.

If it were usual, they would be scattered all over the place and it would not be easy to catch them.

Thinking of this, everyone's eyes suddenly widened and they all looked at Old Master Yang. If Old Master Yang hadn't sent a message asking them all to come over, how could they have come all the way here?
If the Yang family still don't realize that this is a trap set by others for them to fall into, then they are fools.

But they are not fools, and they are smarter than many people.

They've fallen into a trap!
They gathered them together and caught them all in one fell swoop!
"Don't panic, everyone go into the secret passage!" Old Master Yang responded calmly.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, the door to the secret passage opened, and everyone entered one after another.

This secret passage took three years to build. It leads directly to a poplar forest, where you will be safe.

But when they moved the stone slab of the exit and walked out of the secret passage, what was waiting for them was not only the sunlight shining through the poplar forest, but also a huge net falling from the sky!
The Yang family members were like fish waiting to be slaughtered, caught in a net. An officer in armor laughed loudly: "Sitting by the tree and waiting for the rabbit, this is the first time I catch a rabbit so easily."

What rabbit? It’s obviously a fish, a fish caught in a fishing net!

When the news that the Yang family had been wiped out reached the capital, He Ran was drinking engagement wine in Qinghuan Tower.

There is a custom of holding engagement banquets in the capital, but usually it is attended by the groom-to-be and relatives and friends of both parties. The bride-to-be is still an unmarried girl, so she will not attend this occasion.

But Lu Chang was not an ordinary lady. Not only did she attend her own engagement party, she also met the guests openly.

The guests whispered, "This is against the rules."

Someone immediately questioned, "Why can't I attend my own engagement party?"

Come to think of it, this is clearly someone else's engagement party, why can't I attend?

Someone sighed: "It's different now. It's really different now."

Someone else laughed and said, "Now that women can become generals, things are certainly different from before."

A young man said, "But there were women who served as generals in the past."

Everyone thought so too. Whether it was He Jinghong or Li Jinxiu, they were all famous female generals.

"Maybe it's because there were only one or two famous female generals back then, but now there are not only generals, but also female officials and female teachers. Oh, and the people in charge of the court are also women."

Everyone understood that there are more and more capable women, more and more women with a say, and even the new laws are becoming more and more tolerant towards women.

"Yes, yes. Mr. Zhang, who runs a steamed buns shop on Dajing Street, loves to beat his wife. He beats her whenever he wants, no matter what. No one can persuade him. I don't know who gave his wife the idea. His wife asked a letter writer on the street to write a petition and took it to the government. Guess what happened?" "What happened?"

"The government asked a midwife to examine the injuries of Lao Zhang's wife, and then sent bailiffs to lock Lao Zhang away from the shop. Lao Zhang was beaten with 20 sticks, and the government decided to let him and his wife divorce!"

"Is this true? The government still cares about beating wives?"

Xiaoli walked around the hall downstairs and came to the private room on the second floor. In the private room, Li Jinxiu and Mrs. Shangguan sat at the same table with the women of the two families. Mrs. Han was also there, sitting with Mrs. Shangguan. He Ran sat at a separate table and listened to the two families discussing the wedding date, betrothal gifts and dowry.

It was her first time attending such an event. She did not participate but just listened.

Interesting, very interesting. However, Liuxia said that it is meaningless when both sides are equally powerful and not short of money. The most interesting thing is when the small families argue fiercely over your family's offer of only fifty taels of betrothal gift but my family's dowry of twenty-five taels.

He Ran was curious: "Will they really argue fiercely on the spot?"

Liuxia nodded, "Not only do they argue verbally, but they also fight physically. There are also cases where people start fighting during a conversation. Last year, there was a case in Shunde Prefecture where a fight broke out during the engagement ceremony. The man's third uncle beat the woman's eldest brother to death, resulting in a loss of life. The case caused a lot of controversy."

He Ran laughed softly and said, "Fortunately, no action will be taken today, otherwise the man will suffer."

Li Jinxiu's whole family, both men and women, practice martial arts, but the Lao family is a family of scholars who are accustomed to verbal battles and have zero martial arts ability.

Looking at Zong Qi and Lu Chang, they both lowered their heads and pretended not to speak. He Ran wanted to laugh when she saw them.

Xiaoli came over and lowered her voice to repeat the discussions she heard downstairs. He Ran smiled. This was just the beginning. She still had a long way to go.

At this moment, the maid of the Lao family who was waiting outside the door came in quietly and said something in Zong Qi's ear. Zong Qi frowned slightly, said sorry to everyone, and walked out.

He Ran frowned. What was so urgent? Why did he have to leave at this time? Could something have happened in the Cao Gang?
He Ran glanced at Liuxia, and Liuxia followed him out tactfully.

A moment later, Zong Qi and Liu Xia came back one after another. Zong Qi looked normal and personally poured tea for the elders.

The two families have already discussed the dowry.

He Ran asked Liuxia softly: "What's going on?"

Liuxia lowered her voice and said, "It was a maid from the Han family who came. She said that the young lady of the Han family had a seizure. The eldest grandmother of the Han family was anxious and missed a step. She fell down the steps of the corridor and fainted."

The so-called "concussion" is a folk term, which generally refers to a young child who suddenly stops breathing when he is sick and crying.

He Ran was unhappy: "So they didn't invite a doctor, nor did they let Madam Han go back, but let Master Zong go instead?"

Liuxia nodded: "That woman cried so pitifully, saying that such a big thing cannot be solved without a man to support the family."

He Ran sneered, what a fool.

"What did Master Zong say?" In any case, Zong Qi was still sitting here, so Zhu Yanmin's plan failed.

Liuxia couldn't help but laugh: "Master Zong asked two of his men to go back with the woman. Couldn't he just say that there was no man to support the family? Not only were the two men from the Cao Gang, they were also his own people, and they were all men, all of them were strong and much stronger than Master Zong."

Zong Qi was tall and slender, the type who looked thin when dressed but muscular when undressed. At first glance, he did not seem as strong as those burly men of the Cao Gang.

"The old woman was crying and refusing to leave, but was forced to leave by those two men." Liuxia said.

He Ran smiled. Although Zong Qi had never told her anything, she could guess from what happened today that Zhu Yanmin was often naughty.

Thinking of Zhu Yanmin, He Ran remembered Zhu Yanhe. The blood of Su Cheng and the other two young officials had not yet dried.

The Han family saved Zong Qi. If the Han father and son had not rescued him back then, there would be no Zong Qi today.

However, the Han father and son were murdered, and Zong Qi not only avenged them, but also saved the years of hard work of the Han head, and even saved the women of the Han family, allowing them to escape the fate of being schemed and wiped out.

Zong Qi has repaid the Han family double for saving his life, and he no longer owes the Han family anything.

Half an hour later, the two families finally reached an agreement, and the wedding date is set for April next year, when the weather is warm and the flowers are blooming, and the temperature is neither too hot nor too cold, which is the best time of the year.

Zong Qi actually wanted to get married earlier, preferably this year, but Li Jinxiu was adamant that Lu Chang must spend the New Year at her parents' home before getting married.

Lu Chang's biological mother died early, and she grew up with Li Jinxiu. Faced with a strong mother-in-law, her stepmother had no say at all. Whatever Li Jinxiu said was the truth. Mrs. Shangguan was a good-tempered person, so everything was done according to Li Jinxiu's wishes.

As for the betrothal gift, Zong Qi wished he could give the highest possible one, ninety-nine pieces.

But Li Jinxiu wouldn't let her go. There are still so many people who can't get enough food. If you offer ninety-nine buckets of betrothal gifts, are you trying to put our Wu'an Marquis Mansion on fire?

No!

Sixty-six at most. As a grandmother, I don't feel that my granddaughter is being wronged. These sixty-six betrothal gifts will all be carried back together with the dowry.

He Ran listened in on the whole process, and when both sides finished talking, the banquet was over.

Zong Qi wanted to send Madam Shangguan and Madam Han back home, but Madam Shangguan smiled and said, "You don't have to send them back. You should send Madam Li back instead."

Li Jinxiu waved her hand: "I don't need him to send me off either."

He Ran: "Please send me off."

Zong Qi knew that He Ran wanted to ask him something, so he said, "Actually, I am a little embarrassed about this matter. Cong Cong is still young and can't leave her mother. If Zhu Yanmin dies, I don't know how to face Cong Cong when she grows up."

He Ran said, "Is there any mother like her? If Cong Cong is raised in her hands, I'm afraid it will be difficult for him to grow up."

Although she had never raised such a young child, it was more or less strange that a child would always fall ill at critical moments.

Children won’t pretend to be sick, so the one with the problem is the mother, Zhu Yanmin.

He Ran said: "Today is your engagement day. If you are soft-hearted and follow that woman to the Han family, do you think the conversation between the two families can continue? Can you still get the beauty next April?

You did a good job this time and she didn't succeed, but do you think she will do it again a second or third time?
I guess so.”