Chapter 292

In the capital.

There was a heavy snowfall last night and when one woke up this morning, the courtyard was covered in silver. The thin snow covered the flowerbeds and the bluestone paved ground.

In the morning, Gu Shen was awakened by a burst of silver bell-like laughter.

She subconsciously pushed her husband beside her and discovered that he had already woken up to do his duty.

Gu Shen knitted her delicate brows and sat up in the warm quilt and stretched her waist. The charcoal fire was blazing in the room and the maids sleeping in the bedroom would add some beast metal charcoal every two hours.

This charcoal did not have any smell of smoke and instead had the refreshing smell of pine branches.

This year's winter was exceptionally cold. Princess Royal sympathized with Han Lin Academy's Shu Jishi, Xu Xinnian, and specially ordered people to send over 15 catties of beast metal charcoal used in the Palace … Princess Lin An also sympathized with Shu Jishi Xu Xinnian's conscientiousness and hard work, and specially ordered people to send over 15 catties of beast metal charcoal.

Thus Gu Shen used this good thing that could only be enjoyed by the Heavenly Nobles.

Gu Shen was very happy and emphasized on praising Xu Erlang during the meal. Ten years of hard work, not only did he receive the appreciation of the Grand Secretary, he was also highly valued by the two Princesses.

The Second Uncle Xu laughed that Gu Shen was still too young. The things that the Princesses bestowed for the Imperial use had to be justified, and the Xu family only had one Second Lang.

Second Lang was only a tool for the two Princesses to take care of the Xu family.

Of course, the Second Uncle Xu would not tell Gu Shen about these words.

"So noisy …"

The beautiful matron was wearing a thin inner garment and her black hair was messy. Coupled with her dazed expression, there was a bit of a young girl's naivety.

Clang … Auntie pushed open the door and was greeted by a gust of cold wind. She shivered, and her drowsiness was instantly gone.

However, the scene in front of her made her forget about the cold.

In the courtyard, two maidservants, one big and one small, were rolling around on the ground, leaving a trail of footprints on the snow.

Lina said, "This is snow. This is the first time I have seen snow in my life."

Xu Lingyin said, "This is the first time I have seen snow in my life."

Both of them were covered in snow, like two snowmen.

"Xu Lingyin!"

Gu Shen screamed.

To dare to play like this in such a cold weather, one was either a fool or one did not want to live.

The little bean jumped in shock and raised his little head to look at Gu Shen's direction and said loudly,

"Not good, Mother found us. Let us quickly go."

Lina hurriedly said, "Okay."

Then both of them rolled far away.

…

Xu Lingyue woke up naturally. She had already heard her stupid sister and her stupid master outside, but she did not pay attention to them.

Today, she was going to the Wang Fu as a guest to deal with the womenfolk of the Wang Fu, so she had to dress up.

"Young Miss, what clothes should I wear to the Wang Family today?" The maid tilted her head, looking like she was thinking.

"Dress simply and elegantly. The Wang Clan is used to being extravagant. If we dress up gorgeously, people might laugh at us for being a small clan that loves to show off."

Xu Lingyue was dressing in front of the mirror. In the bronze mirror, the girl had an oval face, big eyes, and three-dimensional facial features. She was delicate and elegant.

She wore a light blue coat, a fluffy silk skirt, and a brocaded fur cloak. Her jade-like feet wore a pair of goatskin boots embroidered with cloud patterns.

She did not look gaudy, but still had the temperament of a young lady.

"Bring the things for me."

"Yes." Gu Shen replied crisply.

She immediately left the room with the servant girl and ate breakfast in the inner hall. At this time, Xu Lingyin had already changed into a clean set of clothes and took a hot bath.

The little bean was still in his hair buns, like two meat buns. But he wore a pretty dress and looked like a lady.

However, when he stood next to the elegant and refined elder sister, he could barely be called cute.

Gu Shen's aunt looked at the water in the hall and urged:

"It's time to go. Erlang, remember to take care of your sisters. Lingyue, don't always act like you can bully anyone. You are not representing yourself, but the Xu family.

"Lingyin, don't be greedy and don't cause trouble when you get to the Wang family. Do you understand?"

Today was the day off. Xu Erlang was going to the Wang family to discuss business with Wang Shoufu, so he went with his sisters.

The siblings put down their bowls and chopsticks, rinsed their mouths with salt water, then left the Xu family and boarded the carriage.

The coachman moved slowly and carefully on the icy and wet street.

It took half an hour to get from the Xu family to the Wang family. Because the road was slippery, it took them an hour to get there.

Xu Erlang jumped off the carriage and helped Xu Lingyue down. Xu Lingyin had already jumped down from the other side.

The siblings were led by the steward into the depths of the Wang family's estate.

…

In the bedroom, Grand Secretary Wang stood next to the screen, Madam Wang leading a maid to help him change his clothes.

"I remember Si Mu said that the young lady of the Xu family is not to be trifled with. The eldest daughter-in-law is snobbish and the second daughter-in-law is narrow-minded. When you see her, watch from the side. Don't let her get into trouble."

Wang Shoufu said.

"Their eyesight is not that shallow. They will know what to do." Madam Wang smiled.

She was a little surprised that the master actually cared about these small details.

"Master, your excellency Xu is here." A servant stood outside the door and reported.

"Invite him to the study."

Wang Shoufu looked at himself in front of the bronze mirror, smoothed the folds of his clothes on his chest, looked at Madam Wang and said: "Have you prepared the gifts?"

Madam Wang smiled and nodded.

…

In the inner hall, Simu Wang was holding a teacup, tasting the fragrant tea and listening to her two sisters-in-law's chatter.

The eldest sister-in-law was called Li Xianghan. Her father was a minister of revenue. His position was not high, but it was linked to money, so he was a bit snobbish.

The second sister-in-law was called Zhao Yurong. Her father's position was even lower. He was only the registrar of the Dali Monastery.

Logically speaking, such a family background could not afford to be associated with the Wang family, even if her second brother was a businessman and did not have a prominent position.

There were two reasons for this. Wang Zhenwen's official career had ups and downs. Before he made a name for himself, he had been at a low point several times. One time, he was framed by his political enemies and was sent to prison.

Zhao Yurong's father was working in the Dali Monastery at that time. He had a good relationship with Wang Zhenwen. He spent money to smooth the relationship and finally survived.

The eldest sister-in-law, Li Xianghan's father, also did a similar favor for Wang Zhenwen.

Therefore, after Wang Zhenwen made a name for himself, the two sisters-in-law married into the Wang family.

The eldest sister-in-law, Li Xianghan said:

"Si Mu, did the mistress of the Xu Family set any rules for you when you went to the Xu Mansion?"

Simu Wang shook her head.

The second sister-in-law, Zhao Yurong, looked at her and smiled:

"I think so. Didn't you say that the mistress of the Xu Family is very skillful? Si Mu, don't be embarrassed to say it. When a new daughter-in-law is married, the mother-in-law has to set rules.

"When my sister-in-law and I entered the family, we were also warned by the mother-in-law. But you are different from us. You are the daughter of the Wang family. In the future, when you marry Xu Erlang, you will be marrying down.

"Xu Erlang has to rely on the Wang family to rise. In the future, when you go to the Xu Family, you will be able to act like a tyrant. This time, we have to set rules for Miss Xu and let her know the difference between the Xu Family and the Wang Family. "

"It's not certain who will set rules for whom. You want to arm wrestle with that girl Xu Lingyue …" Simu Wang muttered in her heart and shook her head:

"There is no need to do this. Sister Lingyue is smart. It is not worth provoking her."

The eldest sister-in-law, Li Xianghan, showed a superior smile:

"Si Mu has no experience. Before the marriage, the relationship between the two families is only one of the purposes. More importantly, it is to test each other. Do you think mother-in-law doesn't have such thoughts?

"Miss Xu will bring back everything she sees and hears today to the mistress of the Xu Family. Let's give her a little warning to warn the mistress of the Xu Family not to bully you in the future. "

Since ancient times, the relationship between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law could be described as "open struggle and covert struggle".

They were fighting for the power of housekeeping.

The richer the family, the more intense the fight for financial and housekeeping power.

"This, this is not good …"

Simu Wang resisted the urge to raise the corner of her mouth and frowned.

The eldest sister-in-law smiled and said, "Don't worry, sisters-in-law know their limits."

Simu Wang said helplessly, "Fine, since it is an established rule, then we will do as sisters-in-law say."

As she spoke, she picked up the teacup and made a drinking gesture to hide the slight curl of her lips.

When it came to the marriage between two families, no matter how the relationship between the man and woman was, the "game" between the families always existed.

The mother-in-law set the rules for the future daughter-in-law, and the daughter-in-law's family showed a deep enough foundation to "warn" the husband's family to treat their daughter well.

It was all human nature.

Seeing that the two sisters-in-law were so enthusiastic, Simu Wang immediately felt relieved.

The last time she went to the Xu Family as a guest, Xu Lingyue, that wretched girl, did a lot of obstructions. She did the first day, and Simu Wang did the fifteenth.

As they spoke, a pair of sisters walked in from outside the hall. The younger sister was not even as tall as the older sister's waist, and she was holding her small hand. She was a somewhat naive little girl.

As for the elder sister, the two sisters-in-law's eyes lit up. She was wearing a brocade cloak and a pair of sheepskin boots. Her neatly trimmed bangs decorated her small face, making her look elegant and lovely.

She gave people the feeling that she was a weak and gentle daughter of a humble family.

The moment they saw Xu Lingyue, the two sisters-in-law of the Wang Family knew that they had her. For this kind of daughter of a humble family who had been raised in a boudoir and had not seen much of the world, they were afraid that if they showed the slightest displeasure, she would be at a loss of what to do.

If they asked a few tricky questions, she would sulk and her two small hands would be at a loss.

It was really boring to bully such a little girl.

As for the naive child, of course, he was ignored by the two sisters-in-law.

"Sister Lingyue is here."

Simu Wang stood up to welcome them and introduced, "This is my eldest sister-in-law, and this is my second sister-in-law. You can call her Sister Lingyue as I like. "

Xu Lingyue said softly, "Lingyue greets the two sisters-in-law."

The eldest sister-in-law, Li Xianghan, smiled and said, "What a beautiful girl. I wonder which young master will marry our Sister Lingyue in the future."

Xu Lingyue smiled reservedly, lowered her head and said, "Lingyin, quickly call them sisters-in-law."

Xu Lingyin raised her head and frowned, "Why are they also sisters-in-law? Are they also going to marry second brother? "

The four women's faces suddenly froze.

The second sister-in-law, Zhao Yurong, immediately looked at Xu Lingyue. Seeing that she was holding back her face and had forgotten to reprimand her sister, she could only laugh dryly and say,

"Children's words carry no harm, children's words carry no harm."

Simu Wang glanced at Xu Lingyue and smiled calmly.

"Mother should be up by now. Let's go pay our respects to her."

She was going to bring the Xu sisters to see the old lady.

Thus, with Simu Wang leading, the group of people walked deeper into the Wang's Mansion. They passed through the corridors and the courtyard and arrived at a big house.

There were two soft couches in the house, covered with soft and warm wool blankets. There was a square table on the couch with dried fruits, dried meat, candied fruits, cakes and other snacks on the table.

On the left side of the couch sat Wang Zhenwen's first wife, Madame Wang.

Madame Wang was over 50 years old, but she took good care of herself. She was neither fat nor thin, and her blood was rosy. The fine wrinkles at the corner of her eyes added to her charm.

"Mother!"

"Grandma!"

"Old lady!"

The women all bowed to her. Only Xu Lingyin was a little reserved. She was not used to this kind of atmosphere.

The little girl had lived in an unrestrained environment since she was young. There were not many rules to restrict her.

Madame Wang nodded kindly and her eyes fell on the Xu sisters.

"Is this the young lady of the Xu family?"

Madame Wang thought of Xu Erlang's handsome appearance and then looked at Xu Lingyue's elegant and refined appearance. She pondered for a moment and smiled. "Both sisters have their own merits."

After that, she invited them to take a seat.

The eldest sister-in-law, Li Xianghan, took a sip of hot tea and sighed. She started a topic.

"Damn the weather. This time last year, the charcoal fire burned for an entire night and I felt suffocated. Now, if the fire doesn't burn for an entire night, I will freeze to death. "

The second sister-in-law, Zhao Yurong, said, "Exactly."

At this time, she found the little girl staring at the charcoal stove that was half the height of a person. The charcoal inside was smokeless Golden Beast Charcoal.

"This child has probably never seen charcoal that doesn't emit smoke …" The second sister-in-law had an idea and smiled.

"So, His Majesty gave us five pounds of Golden Beast Charcoal. This kind of charcoal doesn't have the smell of smoke, and it even has a fragrance when it burns. "

The second sister-in-law looked at Xu Lingyue with a sense of superiority, but found that she was smiling and didn't respond.

"Could it be that she doesn't know what Golden Beast Charcoal is …" The second sister-in-law added, "It's something used by the Emperor."

Xu Lingyin held the candied fruit in her hand and said loudly, "We have it at home too."

…

In the study.

Wang Shoufu sat behind the desk with a teacup in his hand. He gently tapped the lid on the edge of the teacup as he listened to his future son-in-law's report.

"Prime Minister, this winter will be difficult for the people, especially the areas that have experienced drought and floods. How will the local people survive this winter? "

Xu Xinnian spoke passionately, "I wrote to His Majesty, requesting to verify the granaries in each area and prepare for disaster relief in advance. Why did you withhold my report?"

Wang Shoufu listened patiently, took a sip of tea and said, "Get rid of the past.

As an official, if you want to achieve great things, you must first broaden your horizons and see the big picture. Only then can you plan in advance. You only see the hardships of the people this winter, but you can't see the difficulties of the court. "

He put down the teacup and pushed a pile of reports in front of Xu Xinnian, "Take a look, it's a report from the Ministry of Revenue."

Xu Xinnian opened the booklet and skimmed through it quickly. His expression changed drastically.

Wang Shoufu sighed, "The court is already out of silver."

Xu Xinnian murmured, "How can that be?"

"The former Emperor struggled for twenty years, and the national treasury was already empty. Under the ostentation, Daibun's foundation was already on the verge of collapse. A few months ago, a hundred and twenty thousand troops supported the monsters and barbarians, and Wei Yuan led a hundred thousand troops to capture Jing Shan City.

"Although it was a great victory, the provisions, horses, and equipment, which one of them didn't consume silver? The country's strength is weak, and to support a war of that scale, the huge consumption is not something you can imagine. "

Wang Shoufu stretched out his hands and moved closer to the charcoal stove. As he warmed his cold hands, he said,

"Originally, we could have struggled and endured through this year. When the autumn harvest next year, we would be able to stabilize the situation. Who knows that man proposes but God disposes. This old man has lived for decades, but has never experienced such a harsh winter. "

The court's internal problems were difficult to clean up, natural disasters were incessant, the national treasury was empty, a mess … Xu Xinnian's heart was heavy, and he asked, "Is there a way to solve it?"

Wang Shoufu stared at the stove and did not speak for a long time.

"Time." He said.

After a long silence, Wang Shoufu said again, "Cooking the fish will be troublesome, governing the people will be troublesome, governing the people will be troublesome, and governing the people will be troublesome. If there are no external troubles, time will heal everything. "

Xu Xinnian said in a low voice, "If there are external troubles?"

Daibun's death … Wang Shoufu changed the subject, "Is there any news of him?"

Xu Xinnian knew who Wang Shoufu was referring to, and shook his head, "Until now, big brother has not sent a letter back to the residence."