Changji Hall, evening.
The weather in May was already a bit sultry, and all the windows were opened, allowing a cool breeze to blow in slowly, mixed with the faint fragrance of flowers.
Xiao Junzhan was sitting on the chair, reviewing the memorials on the desk. When Ning Hai brewed a pot of tea and presented it, he whispered: "Your Highness, Changmen is waiting outside to see you."
Xiao Junzhan paused with the tip of his pen, without raising his eyes, and said: "Xuan."
Different from those hundred-year-old marquis mansions in the capital, the Nagato Marquis has only been passed down for two generations. The old marquis made a great contribution to the current high position and was awarded the title of marquis. His son has also been studying with the prince since he was a child, and he is deeply trusted by the prince. He is a popular and meritorious nobleman in the capital.
Xie Li, the chief minister, was a few years older than the prince. After entering the door, he knelt down and saluted, "I have met your highness."
Xiao Junzhan looked away from the memorial and lowered his eyes, saying goodbye: "Why is Ziyi here?"
Xie Li stood up, bowed his waist slightly and said: "Today, I returned home after my duty. I heard some news from my wife. I felt uneasy and came here to report to Your Majesty."
Xiao Junzhan looked slightly calm: "What's the matter?"
Xie Li bent even lower and said: "The Gu family...is the eldest son of Gu Xulin in Xuzhou, who intends to enter into a marriage contract with the second wife of Zhongyong Hou Mansion."
A thin layer of sweat broke out on Xie Li's face. He followed His Highness to Xuzhou and witnessed with his own eyes the difference in His Highness' treatment of the girls from the Wei family, including the subsequent series of investigations into the identities of the girls from the Wei family, which he personally did.
I didn't expect such trouble to happen.
However, the marriage between the Gu and Wei families was actually arranged by his wife.
Mrs. Changmenhou and Mrs. Gu were handkerchiefs, and she was the one who was entrusted by Mrs. Gu to inquire about Wei Mansion's comments.
Xiao Junzhan looked indifferent, lowered his eyes and contemplated for a while, then said: "Which girl is in the second room of the Wei family?"
"..." Xie Li paused, then knelt down again with a plop: "The daughter of the second wife of the Wei family... Xingjiu."
Xiao Junzhan said: "The Wei family will accept it?"
"Yes," Xie Li said in an even lower voice, "Miss Wei Jiu and the Gu family have grown up together since childhood. Both families are satisfied with the marriage. My wife said that the Gu family will come to propose marriage tomorrow."
There was silence in the hall for a few moments, and then there was a "click" sound, which was the sound of the memorial being placed on the table. Xie Li's back was stiff, and he even controlled his breathing carefully.
"Growing up together since childhood..." Xiao Junzhan stood up and glanced at Xie Li, who was kneeling down, with a cold look in his eyes: "Is this what you do?"
Xie Li's forehead touched the ground, smiling bitterly in his heart.
The monarch's power is unpredictable. That day, he only vaguely guessed that His Highness treated the girl differently, but no one could be sure of what kind of difference it was.
After all, His Highness the Crown Prince has never been flirtatious with women. How could he make such a judgment based on this short appearance? Later, he rushed back to Beijing and only checked the true identity of the other party. After there was no doubt, who could specifically check whether there was a marriage proposal.
Today I heard that the girl actually had a marriage contract, and I was suddenly shocked. Even though it was getting late, I had to go to the palace to report it. I thought it was enough, but I never thought...
Xiao Junzhan walked down and asked Ning Hai, "Are the Jiang family still on the way?"
Ning Hai was startled, his thoughts changed quickly, and he hurriedly said: "Counting the days, we should be in Mianzhou."
"Passing a solitary message," Xiao Junzhan said calmly: "Mr. Jiang is already old, so someone on the road may have neglected him and asked Gu Xulin to go to Mianzhou to escort the Jiang family back to Beijing safely."
"..." Ning Hai paused for a moment and said cautiously: "The Jiang family came to Beijing this time because they were criminals..."
There are no third-grade officials who are asked to escort prisoners to Beijing. The escort is not enough. Is this oral order not...
"Don't worry about it," Xiao Junzhan said: "When delivering the order, I gave Gu Xulin a beating before I returned to Beijing and restrained my movements. Whatever you say, I don't want to see the 'proposal' happen tomorrow."
"Your Majesty, take the order." Ning Hai's expression remained unchanged, and he felt worried for the Gu family. It was the first time in so many years that His Highness was so interested in a girl, and dared to steal someone from His Highness, the Gu family would suffer.
When Ning Hai went to announce the decree, Xie Li was the only one left in the palace who was still kneeling on the Junzhan stood quietly for a while, lowered his eyes and said, "I want to see her."
"..." Xie Li was stunned, unable to believe what he heard. Is this still his noble and noble Highness, Ruoxue?
Xiao Junzhan said: "Be careful. If she wants to leave the house, remember to come and report her."
Xie Ligong said: "Yes."
Xiao Junzhan's tone became softer: "And the Gu eldest son who grew up with her, please pay more attention."
Beads of sweat fell to the ground on Xie Li's forehead, and he kowtowed: "I accept your order."
…………
They agreed to propose marriage the next day, but Gu Yunran broke his promise.
But it's no wonder that he was sent a message from the Gu family early in the morning. Gu Yunran's father received a secret order from the prince last night to go to Jiangnan on errands and left the city overnight.
Proposing a marriage to the eldest son is a big deal, and if Gu Xulin, the head of the family, is not present, he can only postpone it.
The Wei family will only be more satisfied if the in-laws who are about to get married are highly valued, so there is no reason to delay the marriage proposal.
When Wei Hanzhang heard the news, his first reaction was a sigh of relief.
It's very sad to say that after learning that Gu Yunran had had two wives, she could no longer regain the joy she had before about the marriage she was looking forward to.
Although Gu Yunran kept saying that he had never touched her, he had said before that no other woman would get involved between them. Didn't he quietly accept his mother's arrangement?
Trust is such a thing. Once it is broken, it is difficult to restore it to its original state.
Wei Hanzhang knew very well that her feelings for Gu Yunran were no longer what they were before as her trust diminished.
She didn't believe that Gu Yunran had never touched them during the time he took in his two wives without telling her.
If you can hide it from her the first time, there will definitely be a second time.
In Wei Hanzhang's eyes, Gu Yunran was no longer clean. He was no longer the obedient little pony in her mind who would hit wherever he asked.
…………
Since the Gu family arrived in the capital, Gu Yunran has been coming to the house early in the morning for several days in a row. He knows the house well and goes straight to the second room.
Several times before Wei Hanzhang woke up, he was waiting outside the hospital.
So much so that these days, Wei Heng and Mr. and Mrs. Jiang looked at their daughter with bright smiles in their eyes.
This couple, who have respected each other for many years, have reached a rare consensus: their little daughter has extraordinary charm, and by the looks of it, she has already determined her future husband.
The day in May was slightly hot. When Wei Hanzhang walked out of the room, he saw Gu Yunran standing in the sun and smiling at him.
"Ran Ran, you have been in the capital for so long and you are more familiar with it than me. Please take me to have fun today."
Wei Hanzhang was stunned by his smile. After a slight pause, he said disgustedly: "You are not at home to study hard, why are you thinking about having fun?"
"It's still early next spring, so Wen Shu shouldn't be in a hurry." Gu Yunran walked up to her in a few steps and whispered: "Okay Ran Ran, just go out for a walk with me."
(End of this chapter)