coobybook Chapter 133 Beating around the bush
Chapter 133 Beating around the bush
Gu Shian sat back in the carriage and recalled the scene after the court session in the palace when he was called to the study by the emperor.
"Don't you want to marry a royal princess?" The emperor was no fool. Which ancestor in the world doesn't want his family to prosper?
If a 25-year-old boy from Wu State is still unmarried, his whole family will be laughed at!
Gu Shian answered honestly: "Yes!"
"why?"
"I just want to do something practical for the court and the people!"
"Then what do you think is the real thing?"
"I think, for example, the riverbank in Anping City in the south of the Yangtze River needs to be repaired!"
"Anping City? The river bank broke two years ago, but after the treatment by Marquis Weiwu, the flood has been eliminated. Why do we need to repair it again?"
"Your Majesty, even if I don't say it, Your Majesty will still send someone to repair it!"
"...It's so boring to talk to you!" The emperor flicked his sleeves and sat back at his desk with a sullen face.
"The top scholar has always liked to go to the Hanlin Academy. After a few years, he will enter the cabinet. When he has enough experience, it is natural for him to be appointed as prime minister. If you want to repair the river embankment, you can only go to the Ministry of Works. There is no noble and elegant place for scholars. It will only be a hard job that will make you lose your skin!"
"I believe that whether I am noble or not, whether I can be appointed as Prime Minister, is up to your Majesty. If your Majesty says that I am noble, then I am noble!"
"Hahaha, I take back what I said just now. Gu Qing is quite interesting. It's a pity to marry one of those stupid people in the royal family."
The emperor suddenly became happy again: "Gu Qing is staying for dinner today, and the queen has been saying that she wants to meet this year's number one scholar!"
This was the first time Gu Shian met Meng Yang. Before coming, Gu Feiwan reminded her that although the Queen was her close friend, their statuses were different now and she must observe all the necessary etiquette.
Thinking of this, Gu Shian lowered his eyebrows and saluted properly: "Greetings, Her Majesty the Queen!"
Meng Yang nodded: "Second Brother Gu, please sit down. The dishes on the table today are all cooked by me personally. Please try them."
Gu Shian's body was shaken, and his mind raced.
The emperor sighed and patted Gu Shian on the back: "Yang'er has called you second brother, why don't you sit down quickly!"
Gu Shian was knocked down on the stool, feeling very uncomfortable!
"This dish of shredded chicken and bamboo shoots is good. Shredded chicken is common, but bamboo shoots are rare. The weather in the capital is cold, and such sweet and plump bamboo shoots cannot grow in early spring. This is a tribute from Jiangnan." The queen picked up a piece of bamboo shoot and put it into Gu Shian's bowl.
Gu Shian hurriedly stood up to thank the queen, but the queen scolded him, "Sit down, we are just having a meal together, there is no need for such long-winded things."
"But I forgot that the Gu family is extremely wealthy. I'm sure you've long been tired of eating such bamboo shoots!" The queen changed the subject and said with a faint smile.
Gu Shian quickly replied, "My grandfather said that it is easy to start a business but difficult to maintain it. The Gu family is not allowed to live a life of luxury or waste. So since I settled in the capital, I haven't eaten fresh bamboo shoots from the south of the Yangtze River. But after a while, the Gu family's grocery store will have dried bamboo shoots shipped from the south of the Yangtze River. After soaking in water and stewing for a while, they will taste just like fresh bamboo shoots."
"Does Second Brother Gu miss the taste of fresh bamboo shoots from the south of the Yangtze River?" the Queen asked.
Gu Shian nodded: "I am a layman, and I also value the desire for food. The taste of fresh bamboo shoots is a unique taste in spring, and I think about it all the time!"
"I also yearn for it, but it's too troublesome to leave the palace. Then I'll trouble Brother Gu to go to Jiangnan and have a good meal for me before coming back!" The Queen turned her head and looked at the Emperor:
"Second Brother Gu wants to go eat spring bamboo shoots for me. Does Your Majesty have any errands for him to do on the way?"
The emperor chuckled twice, raised his hand and moved a plate of shredded chicken and bamboo shoots in front of him:
"Since he is going to Jiangnan to eat bamboo shoots in the garden, this plate belongs to me!"
"Your Majesty likes it, I cook it for you every day." The Queen was in a good mood today and picked up several dishes for the Emperor.
After the meal, Gu Shian didn't eat much, but the emperor was full!
When leaving the palace, the queen gave another reminder: "Tell Fei Wan to be well, and send a message in if anything happens."
"I've made note of it!"
The emperor also reminded her: "Your sister is a sensible person. She doesn't run to the palace. She protects the family and doesn't embarrass my queen. You should learn from her."
"Yes, I will keep it in mind!"
"Have you never learned your lesson?" A tall maid stood in the yard:
"Madam has said it many times, the old lady is weak and the girl is timid, don't go out unless necessary, if something happens, how many lives will you have to pay for it?"
"Sister, please spare me. We are just servants. How can we stop our master from leaving the house?"
Seven or eight slaves were kneeling in the yard, kowtowing and begging for mercy.
"They are all blind bastards!" the maid shouted, "How many masters are there in this Weiwu Marquis's mansion?"
"Drag them away and give them ten big beatings. If your eyes and hearts are brightened, you can stay and continue to serve. Otherwise, you will all be sold to the kiln!"
"Help me, old lady, help me!" The cries did not stop a group of strong women from rushing over.
After all the slaves were dragged away, the maid turned around and said to the grandparents and grandchildren who were huddled together in the corridor:
"Madam, Miss Ran, did you see that? The suffering of these people is all blamed on you. There is food and drink in Jifu Hall, why do you have to leave?"
The maid stepped up the stairs step by step, with a sneer on her face: "Or do you want to reunite with Master Yitian?"
Old Madam Shen was forced to step back step by step, not noticing the threshold behind her.
"Ouch!"
The grandfather and grandson both fell into the house!
"How dare you, you daring servant, bully your master!" Old Madam Shen tried to get up, but she fell hard. After struggling for a long time, she finally lay on the ground.
Shen Yunran got up and rushed to the maid: "Good sister, I just want to pay my respects to my mother. Can you take me to see my mother?"
The maid pushed Shen Yunran away and shook her hands in disdain: "I am not worthy of Miss Ran calling me sister. Who knows when Miss Ran will stab me in the back and take my life!"
Shen Yunran cried, "I want to see my father. My father promised me that I am the eldest daughter of the Marquis' Mansion, and that will never change."
"Miss Ran is right. You are naturally the eldest daughter of the Marquis's Mansion. No one can take this title away from you!" The maid said in a pretentious tone, raising one corner of her mouth:
"But Miss Ran, you should know that the daughters of wealthy nobles stay in their boudoirs and never step out of their rooms. You should stay in Jifu Hall from now on. When you reach the age of marriage, Madam will naturally find a good marriage for you!"
"No, I don't want to stay in Jifu Hall. I am the eldest daughter of the Marquis's Mansion. I should have my own courtyard and my own maids. I also want to make friends with other daughters of noble families. I don't want to be locked up!"
Shen Yunran is still a child after all. After experiencing a series of things, his psychological endurance has reached the brink of collapse:
"I want to see my father. He promised me to let me see my father!"