Ma Erniang's Splendid Pastoral

Chapter 194
Ma Min'er glanced at the still trembling old patriarch of the Xia family. For some reason, she suddenly lost sympathy for his aging and decline. He understood what could be left to his descendants and what could not be left to his descendants. He just blindly used his status to suppress Xia Zhen, a capable direct line.

Mrs. Xia found Mr. Xia and threw the problem to him: "My lord, what do you think we should do?"

Xia Shiyong shook his head and sighed: "It's okay to give one 5000 taels, but I'm afraid that everyone below will follow suit. The clan has hundreds of people, how amazing it is."

"Why not." Mrs. Xia frowned, "Er Niang just now..." She turned her head, "Er Niang, tell the boss what you think."

"Second Niang..."

"Grandfather..." Ma Min'er explained her thoughts to the elder carefully, and also analyzed some advantages and disadvantages.

Xia Shiyong looked at his daughter-in-law and did not speak for a long time.

"Grandfather, why don't you think about it again. I, go back and write a specific plan for what I just said. If you think it's right, we'll do it this way. If you think it's wrong, we'll Well, let’s keep it as it is, what do you think?”

Xia Shiyong nodded, "Okay, I'll take a look after you finish writing."

Ma Min'er nodded, saluted and left.

When the granddaughter-in-law went out, Mrs. Xia sighed with emotion: "My daughter-in-law doesn't understand anything and is worried. As soon as the granddaughter-in-law comes up..."

Xia Shiyong raised his hand, Mrs. Xia choked on what she wanted to say.

"Perhaps, the Xia family lacks such daring people." Xia Shiyong sighed quietly: "Once upon a time, my father said that I am not a person who expands the territory, I can only be loyal and loyal. I did it, and my son, even if he has not lost ten years, is afraid that he will be the same as me, he can only be a conservative general."

"My lord..."

Xia Shiyong stood up slowly: "Since..."

When Liu Zaili returned to the capital, the first person he met was of course the emperor, "My lord—"

"You know how to come back?"

He lowered his head, waiting for Emperor Yuantai to reprimand him, but he didn't hear the sound for a long time. He raised his head and faced the emperor's wise eyes.

"For a woman?"

"My lord, I'm tired!" Liu Zaili trembled secretly, feeling that he had nothing to hide.

"Tired?" Emperor Yuantai watched coldly.

"Yes, Holy... Your Majesty..."

Emperor Yuantai snorted lightly: "Screaming tired in front of me..."

Knowing that he had made a slip of the tongue, Liu Zaiyan quickly kowtowed, "Please forgive me, Your Majesty."

Emperor Yuantai rolled his eyes coldly, "The capital is a bit uneasy, go and check, what's going on?"

"Yes, my lord."

"Get up."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Emperor Yuantai thought for a moment and said, "After Yun Bao gets married, you will be next."

Liu Zaili paused and saluted, "Respect the Holy Will."

Emperor Yuantai nodded: "Go down.!"

"Yes, my lord."

Liu Zaili withdrew.

In an elegant room in a certain square in the capital city, the sound of silk and bamboo, the lingering sound, beautiful women dancing, floating like heaven and earth, two or three nobles sitting on the ground at random, or raising glasses and clinking wine, or shaking their heads with the silk and bamboo, as if sinking into the sky. to enjoy.

After a long time, the song ended, people holding the piano and dancing came out of the private room one after another, and there were only two or three noble young men inside, drunk again and again.

"Ziwen, why are you so interested in coming to my territory today?"

"Why not." Liu Zaiwen chuckled lightly: "Are you only allowed to have fun here, and I am not allowed to come and have fun with you?"

"Look at what you said, Mr. Ziwen, you are too serious. Come on, let me offer you a toast."

Liu Zaiwen smiled, stretched out the wine glass in his hand, and sipped the wine in it.

"Hey, Ziwen, today is refreshing!" Someone laughed.

"I am refreshed every day, but you don't know it."

"Haha..." The three laughed together.

Liu Zaiwen glanced at the person next to him almost invisible, "Brother Zhao——"

"Ziwen, what's the matter?" Zhao Xianning turned his head.

Liu Zaiwen lowered his glass and asked casually, "When will your sister get married?"

Zhao Xianning frowned, "What news did you hear?"

"No."

"No news, why did you say this out of the blue?"

"Just asking casually when I think of it."

Zhao Xianning grinned: "Ziwen, you are a child of the clan, did you hear some rumors, could it be that His Majesty gave Liu Zaili a life?"

Liu Zaiwen shook his head, still with a smile on his face: "It's just because of the marriage of King Xia Zhen of Beijun who thought of Yan Cheng."

"Oh, so that's the case." Zhao Xianning said this, but he didn't actually think so. This guy has always been tight-lipped, so how could he mention something casually? He took this matter to heart and was going to find someone to investigate.

"Come, drink, drink!" Liu Zaili saw that the other party was interested, and raised his glass with a smile, "Come, drink this glass."

After drinking until midnight, the three noble sons dispersed, returned to the private house, sat in the study room, picked up a cup of hot tea, and sat down calmly.

The entourage walked up to him lightly, "Master, our people have followed, Young Master Zhao will send someone to check Liu Zaili immediately."

"Well, I see."

The entourage did not leave.

Liu Zaiwen opened his squinted eyes, "Is there anything else?"

"Master Hui, since the Ma family has been busy marrying their daughter, the young lady of the Feng family hasn't seen Dalang of the Ma family for nearly two months."

"Then don't let them see."

"Master, but you won't let us, the young ladies of the Lanfeng family, they..."

"Do you still want me to teach you these things?" The cold Liu Zaiwen made people shiver.

"You...Master, I dared to ask, "Taking advantage of this good opportunity, you'd better propose marriage as soon as possible. "

Liu Zaiwen looked at the other party coldly: "Do I need you to teach me how to do things?"

"Yes, yes, yes!" Chang Sui retreated, wiping off his cold sweat.

Liu Zaiwen looked coldly and instigated, doesn't this king want to?It's just that Feng Jiangyi was too cunning, he didn't pay attention to the king of this county... His fingers kept rubbing, which made people panic.

Feng Jiangyi was practicing writing on the desk, Feng Zhiping took a bunch of postings, "Father—"

Feng Jiangyi didn't answer his son's question, he still focused on writing.

Feng Zhiping had already seen the strangeness, and said: "Father, there are many matchmakers asking for a meeting, how do you think about it?"

Feng Jiangyi had already written the last word, and he was concentrating on writing, and finished it in one go. Feng Zhiping was unknowingly attracted by his father's words, and couldn't help reading out: "He who knows others is wise, he who knows himself is wise, and he who overcomes others is powerful. Those who overcome themselves are strong, those who are contented are rich, and those who are strong have ambitions.”

Feng Jiangyi looked at his own handwriting carefully, looked at it, and asked until he found the shortcomings: "What did you just say?"

"Oh, father!" Feng Zhiping withdrew his gaze from the words and looked at his father, "There are many matchmakers asking to see him again."

"All those?"

"I don't have much impression of others, but Huoshan Palace has been here three times."

"The Changping County King who 'makes friends with literature'?"

"Yes, father." Feng Zhiping said: "I have met this young man before. He is modest, polite, and modest. Among the clan, apart from Yan Cheng who works for the Holy One, he should be the best."

Feng Jiangyi looked at his son deeply, "Excellence may not be suitable for your daughter." After speaking, he walked to the sink and washed the ink off his face.

"Father—" Feng Zhiping felt strange, "For sons and daughters, of course we must choose excellent ones."

Feng Jiangyi smiled and said: "If you choose the excellent one, and your current wife?"

Hearing this, Feng Zhiping blushed. His wife was not a well-known lady in Beijing, but a distant relative of his mother. He met him once in a while when he was a child, and he fell in love with her. In the small town where my relatives lived, I stayed there for a few days, met my wife by chance, and found that I still liked her, so I married my wife despite my mother's objection.

"Why didn't you speak?"

"Father... I..."

Feng Jiangyi said: "The most important thing is what is suitable."

"Yes, father, my son knows." Feng Zhiping said: "Then our family will... wait for the Ma family..."

"Ah."

Feng Zhiping said: "But why do I feel that there is no movement at all in the Ma family?"

"Ma Erniang's marriage is too busy, so I still have time to worry about other things."

"Oh I got it."

"Don't be impatient, Yao'er is not very old." Feng Jiangyi said calmly.

Feng Zhiping said: "Father, the main reason is to keep my mother from working hard. If Yao'er does not settle down every day, many people will step through the threshold."

"Tell your mother, see you if you want to see, or disappear if you don't want to see."

"Yes, father."

The Zhao family did not attend the wedding banquet of King Beijun, so they did not know that Liu Zaili did not attend the wedding banquet, "Didn't go to the banquet?"

"Yes, my lord."

"What does Liu Ziwen imply?" Zhao Xianning was a little confused.

The entourage said: "My lord, the king of Yancheng County is the emperor's right-hand man, and he often doesn't attend the wedding banquets of people in Beijing."

"I know this." Zhao Xianning said: "But Xia Zhen, king of Beijun, is different. The two of them have made great achievements for the saint together. Logically, they should be buddies and brothers. No matter how busy you are, you should drink this glass of wine. How could it not be?" Participate?"

"Eldest son, I have inquired about the younger one. Both Prince Ning and his wife have gone. They are one of the few in the clan who went to the Xia Mansion to congratulate."

Zhao Xianning raised his eyes and thought deeply: "Go and find out, where did Yan Cheng go?"

"My lord, I'm afraid it's not easy to check."

"Try it, if you can't find it, forget it."

"Yes, my lord."

When Ma Dalang went to the government office, besides Peng Xiaohe, there were two more entourages, a coachman, and a middle-aged man of modest stature. As he got older, he was given to his brother-in-law by the owner.

It can be seen from this that bringing more manpower is not because Ma Dalang is particular about style, but because he has learned the lesson from the last time and has a sense of safety precautions.

Ma Dalang didn't know the whereabouts of the two poor children who drugged him, and he didn't want to know. He only knew that in the future journey of life, besides his powerful brother-in-law, he himself would also squeeze into an official career. There will be countless entrapments, and it is impossible for him to deal with the bad guys one by one afterwards. Instead of doing that, it is better to let the scheming and entrapment not happen. If it cannot be eliminated, at least it will happen less. This is the root of the problem.

On the way, his carriage stopped at the entrance of a dim sum shop. Just as he was about to ask what happened, Yao'er's girl had already walked around to the back door of the carriage, "Master Ma, my Yaoniang is in the shop."

Ma Dalang was overjoyed in his heart, but his face remained calm. During this time, he was busy with his eldest sister's marriage, and they hadn't seen each other for a long time, so he quickly jumped out of the carriage and followed the girl into the shop.

When Feng Luoyao saw Ma Dalang coming in, she welcomed a few steps happily: "Brother Yi——"

"Yao'er, why are you here?" Ma Dalang smiled.

"I came here because I wanted to eat dim sum here." Feng Luoyao blushed slightly, this was purely an excuse, she knew that Ma Dalang would pass by here when going to the government office, so she waited here.

"Whatever you want to eat, I'll buy it for you." Ma Dalang looked at the nodding box.

"I haven't thought about what to eat yet."

"I'll help you choose."

"Okay!"

A pair of young people walked side by side to the front of the counter, pointing to the varieties brought out by the boss, discussing which taste is delicious, and everyone around can feel the taste of love.

At the door, a boy who looked like a servant glanced at them, and hurried to the opposite street, where a low-key carriage was parked. Even though it was low-key, many people knew it. It was the carriage of the gentle and jade-like King Changping.

"Master, they went in to buy some snacks."

Prince Changping opened the windows and curtains and kept staring at the dim sum shop opposite. Seeing a servant coming, he said to another man in charge, "Go and buy."

"Yes, Lord." The steward immediately understood that this was for him to find out the taste of the young lady of the Feng family.

Ma Yichu not only chose dim sum for himself, but also for Feng's family, "Take it home, Master likes light ones."

"Okay, I see. I must tell Grandpa that you chose it yourself."

"Don't, don't... I'm Master's student, as it should be."

Feng Luoyao looked outside with a smile, "It's getting late, you should hurry to the government office, or you'll be late."

"Okay." Ma Dalang was a little reluctant, "Then you should go back early, don't let Master worry."

"I see." Feng Luoyao urged Ma Dalang to go to the Yamen quickly, not noticing at all that the person who came in just now had glanced at the girl next to her, remembered all the snacks in her hand, and pressed them I bought a copy.

Liu Zaiwen's carriage stopped for a long time, and did not leave until Feng Luoyao's carriage left. The servant who was close to him whispered, "Master, we have to find a way!"

"Let's go!"

"Oh." The servant saw the corner of the master's eyes twitching, and thought to himself, I don't know what the master thinks, but he can watch the little lady he likes entangle with other men. If it were me, I would definitely come forward and beat him up.

like?Beat... If everything is as simple as the common people think, why should he sit in the carriage with the identity of the royal family, quietly.

Hehe, I'm not a nobleman, I'm a royal family, and I have to be so aggrieved, what a motherfucker... Liu Zaili suppressed his hostility and made himself calm.

-

For some reason, Xia Shiyong felt physically and mentally exhausted, "I'm old, I'm really old..."

"Father--"

"grandfather--"

Xia Shiyong sighed, "Zi'an..."

"Grandfather." Xia Zhen stood up.

"Sit down..."

Xia Zhen sat down again.

"Zian, I've decided..."

Xia Zetao looked at his father, "Father, are you going to do what Erniang planned?"

Xia Shiyong nodded, "Well, she's right, if this continues, not only will we not get help from the clan, but we will also make the clan disabled."

"Father..." This is serious.

"Isn't it?" Xia Shiyong frowned, "A town is almost full of members of my Xia family, but they are not producing, they just wait for us to send money, year after year, even if there are gold mines, they can't stand it. !"

Xia Zhen lowered her eyebrows and lowered her eyes, showing no emotion.

Xia Zetao was silenced by his father.

"So, instead of letting them stare at the Xia family, it is better to assign them to them in the way of Erniang. In this way, we can save manpower and gold and silver. Why not do it."

Xia Zetao said: "Since the father has decided, I have no objection." He has only one son, Xia Zhen, and his son is so promising. He has no need for money, and it is not bad to recite poems with his wife.

"Zian, your wife told you."

Xia Zhen looked up: "Grandfather, Min'er usually doesn't talk about major decisions."

"Uh..." Xia Shiyong froze for a moment in distress.

"In our life, public is public and private is private."

"Good." Xia Shiyong praised repeatedly, "Your daughter-in-law is manly, well done."

Xia Zhen smiled slightly.

"Just do as Erniang said, I decided to contract our shops and properties in Dancheng Town and Yizhou Prefecture, as long as the clansmen know about them, according to their ability, and according to the income of the shop, we will charge once every six months and twice a year. Second-rate."

"It is to change the business status of the shop. We used to send money to them every six months, but now they send money to us every six months."

"Well." Xia Shiyong said: "I'm old, and I don't have the energy to take care of these things anymore, and Tao'er has been away for ten years and is not familiar with these things at all. As for you, the affairs of the Wufu Road are enough for you to keep busy , then you have time to do these things, thinking about it now, I feel more and more that your wife's proposal is good."

"Grandfather, this way you and grandma can have a relaxing old age."

"Your grandmother and I, free your hands to take care of your great-grandson." Xia Shiyong laughed happily when he said this, "Zian, you can give us a few more children to take care of."

"Grandfather, I will do my best."

"Ha ha……"

Seeing that his father seemed to have figured it out in an instant, Xia Zetao was also sincerely happy.

The male masters of the family agreed, and Mrs. Xia brought her granddaughter-in-law to meet the clansmen in the main hall.

"Shiyong's daughter-in-law, where is Shiyong?"

Mrs. Xia smiled calmly: "My lord has guests over there."

"Daughter-in-law Shiyong, we've been here for quite a while, it's time to go back."

Mrs. Xia said: "If it weren't for your age, I would really like to keep you in Beijing for a while."

"Shiyong's daughter-in-law don't say such polite words. You see, we are dragging our family and children. If we have to go back, the travel expenses will be too much." The old patriarch looked trembling and spoke neatly.

Mrs. Xia said: "Old patriarch, don't worry about this, my boss and I will go back with you."

"..." The clansmen were a little surprised, and they all looked at each other.

Mrs. Xia looked at the group of people in front of her. These people were all senior members of the clan. They came to Beijing to attend Xia Zhen's wedding on the one hand, and on the other hand, of course, to sweep the autumn wind.

In the previous article, we mentioned that the clan played an extremely important role in the hearts of the ancients, and people's life and production were closely related to it. In the Xia family, with the passage of time, the Xia family clan is no longer the help of the Xia family's direct lineage, but heavy burden.

Although some young people from the Xia family joined the Xia family's army and served in the army, their abilities are really limited. Even if they are trained with the outsiders selected by Xia Shiyong, they will be much inferior to outsiders, as if they can fight , The talent to be able to lead was acquired by Xia Zhen alone, and the rest were mediocre.

People's IQs are actually about the same, but why the Xia family's aptitude is so mediocre now has nothing to do with the current mentality of leaning on a big tree to enjoy the shade. Since you can live a good life without struggling, why should I work hard? In his mind, the members of the Xia family were not as good as each generation, until now, even the old patriarch in his eighties asked for money in person.

"Zi'an's daughter-in-law—"

"Grandmother, granddaughter-in-law is—"

"Tell everyone what the boss means."

"Yes, grandmother."

Ma Min'er stood a few steps forward, and first gave the junior salute to the elders, "Senior Er Niang, please greet everyone!"

The members of the Xia family all looked at the daughter-in-law of the Xia family's grandson. About her legend, they inquired no less than others, and they didn't dare to underestimate her. "Daughter-in-law Zi'an, please tell me..."

Everyone is concerned, why the old man and his wife will go back with them, is there a lot of money to be distributed?They are looking forward to it.

Ma Min'er straightened her body and smiled at Daxiao, "Everyone, I have learned about the situation of each family from my grandmother two days ago. Everyone lives in Dancheng Town. The town is not big and there are not many fields. ..."

"That's right...that's right..." Some clansmen immediately agreed when they heard such words, "So we have nothing to do, that's why..." It meant that they reached out to the Xia family for money.

"excuse me, you are--"

"I am the eldest grandson of the patriarch."

"Oh, uncle—"

"Zian's daughter-in-law is being polite."

Ma Min'er smiled again and said, "So grandfather discussed with father, instead of making everyone wait for half a year to get the money, it is better to let everyone run the shop and property and get the money directly..."

With a bang, the main hall exploded like ice cubes were thrown into a hot oil pan, "God, did I hear correctly..."

"It seems that there is no..."

……

The clansmen confirmed to each other whether they were hearing hallucinations, "It seems that I heard correctly..."

"No, no, I heard it very clearly, let us run the shop..."

"My ancestors, shops, fields..."

Regarding this matter, Ma Min'er knew that it would not be a bother at all. It was Xia Zhen's family who couldn't think about it and didn't dare to let go. She estimated that the Xia family must have coveted it for a long time, and wanted to own these shops and properties for a long time. As expected... …

The old patriarch really trembled now: "Daughter-in-law Shiyong, is what you said true?"

Mrs. Xia said: "There are conditions for letting you run the shop."

"Daughter-in-law Shiyong, tell me quickly, what conditions, what conditions..." The old patriarch was more anxious than anyone else.

"Daughter-in-law Zi'an, please tell everyone." Although it has been discussed, Mrs. Xia still feels pain and reluctance when she thinks that the shop will be run by someone else and the money will go into someone else's pocket.

"Zi'an's daughter-in-law..."

"Zi'an's daughter-in-law..."

……

God, didn't you say that the ancients were honest and polite?Ma Min'er was almost overwhelmed by the people of the clan. She slipped and stood on the chair in a jiffy, condescending for a moment, "Listen to me clearly."

(End of this chapter)