"Guozhang Cao is right. The Emperor's grace is vast and mighty. As officials, we naturally have to do our best to serve the country. We can't do anything to disappoint the Emperor. Guozhang, you now have the important task of contacting the Tatan. You must live up to the Emperor's trust.
"People have limited energy, especially people like Guozhang Cao who are in the middle of his life. It's inevitable that his mind will be muddled. You are busy contacting the Tatan, but you can still spare some energy to come to our house as a guest. It's really admirable. However, I still have to remind you out of kindness. Don't miscalculate the accounts, don't fail to distinguish priorities, and fail to live up to the Emperor's trust in you."
Qin Huaiyuan's voice was still calm and refined as usual. When one listened carefully, one could even hear a faint smile in his voice.
But his words were sharp and piercing Guozhang Cao's heart. He thoroughly ridiculed him for hugging the Tatan princess's thigh to curry favor with the Dayan Emperor and taking advantage of his restored power to trample on the Family Qin.
Guozhang Cao was so angry that his face and ears turned red. He suddenly stopped and turned back to glare at Qin Huaiyuan. His beard trembled as he said, "Good, very good! The Marquis of Anping is truly a man of integrity. Perhaps it's because the Marquis of Anping's father-in-law is dead that you've forgotten how to speak to his father-in-law, right? "
Qin Huaiyuan smiled and said, "Guozhang Cao, you must be joking. I thought you already forgot that I was your son-in-law."
"You!" Guozhang Cao was so angry that his fingertips trembled. He pointed fiercely at Qin Huaiyuan. After a while, he flicked his sleeves and said, "Just you wait!"
"Guozhang, don't worry. I'll be right here, waiting for you." Qin Huaiyuan smiled, but his eyes were cold.
Cao Guozhang only felt that all of his glory after his recovery was like a naked beauty in Qin Huaiyuan's penetrating eyes. All of his beauty was gone, and only humiliation was left.
At this time, several people had already arrived in front of the Yi Door. Cao Guo Zhang also saw Qin Yining standing in front of the Chuihua Door.
Originally, he was too lazy to pay attention to the Family Qin's daughter, but Qin Yining's charming appearance was too similar to Qin Huaiyuan's when he was young. Moreover, Qin Yining and the Empress already had a deep grudge.
Last time, the Empress wanted to use the flesh of beauties to retain her beauty. She didn't use Qin Yining, but she killed two imperial concubines in the palace.
Cao Guozhang didn't agree with the empress's actions. But he doted on his own daughter. Even if the Empress was in the wrong, Guozhang Cao didn't want to admit that it was the Empress' fault. He put all the blame on Qin Yining.
If Qin Yining hadn't angered the Empress so much, how could the Empress be like this?
Cao Guo Zhang looked at Qin Yining with his hands behind his back and said with a smile, "So it's Fourth Young Miss Qin. You almost became my granddaughter-in-law."
Qin Yining had already heard the tit-for-tat exchange between Qin Huaiyuan and Cao Guo Zhang. She naturally knew her position at this time. She only saluted according to etiquette and said with a smile,
"This little girl doesn't dare to claim connections with you. The Cao Family has a free and easy style. Young Master Cao has inherited the essence of your family's professors. This little girl has little talent and knowledge. I don't have the courage nor the foresight. I don't think I'm worthy of Young Master Cao's free and easy character. "
Cao Guo Zhang's face was as black as the bottom of a pot.
He naturally knew that the Empress had wanted to betroth Qin Yining to his grandson, Cao Chengjun, in front of the Emperor.
He didn't know what Cao Chengjun was thinking. He actually dared to flirt with Qin Yining in the palace. It was said that he didn't just flirt with her verbally, he also touched her physically. This matter even angered the Emperor. Later, the Emperor even called him into the palace to reprimand him, saying that he didn't manage his family properly and that his grandson wasn't good at teaching.
Qin Yining mentioning this matter now was simply slapping him in the face!
"Good, good, good! It's true that like father, like daughter. Both of you have sharp tongues. "Cao Guo Zhang sneered.
Qin Yining said with a smile, "Thank you for your praise, Cao Guo Zhang. This little girl doesn't dare to accept such praise. Compared to you and the Empress, this little girl admits defeat."
Cao Guo Zhang was so angry that his hands trembled. He felt that it was too ugly to argue with a little girl here. He also felt that he couldn't outtalk this "fox" father and daughter, so he simply flicked his sleeves and left.
It was useless to say anything. Right now, he just wanted to kill them!
"Forgive me for not seeing you off. Take care, Guozhang." Qin Huaiyuan smiled and saluted.
Qin Yining also saluted along with the servants.
Cao Guo Zhang was so angry that his hair stood on end that he walked very quickly. Looking at his back, it seemed as if he was fleeing.
Qin Yining and Qin Huaiyuan watched him leave. Only when he was far away and the servants closed the door and could no longer see Cao Guo Zhang's figure did Qin Yining let out a laugh.
Second Master wiped the sweat from his forehead and said anxiously, "What should we do? Sister Yi, how can you still laugh? Didn't you offend him by speaking like that just now? "
Qin Yining and Qin Huaiyuan looked at each other.
Qin Yining said with a smile, "Second Uncle, there's no need to panic. Even if we treat the Cao family with respect, they will still bully us. I heard what he said just now. He wanted to push some of the Ministry of Revenue's matters onto my father and you?"
Second Master nodded and said, "The Ministry of Revenue has been in deficit for many years. In fact, there's been this kind of unhealthy trend in the imperial court for a long time. Many of the officials have borrowed money from the Ministry of Revenue and used the promissory notes to make the payment. Now, there's only the promissory notes and no silver left. The imperial court needs money to fight wars, and His Majesty also needs money to find skilled craftsmen. In this way, we don't have enough silver. Cao Guo Zhang wants to use this matter to stab us in the heart. "
"He really knows how to think of a way. He wants to use this matter to say that my father didn't do a good job. When the imperial court needs money, His Majesty will definitely pay more attention to this matter. If he uses my father, I'm afraid that the situation won't be good."
Qin Yining's brows furrowed in worry. The worried look on his face was completely different from the person who dared to confront Cao Guozhang directly.
Qin Huaiyuan shook his head, "This is called disaster befalling from the sky behind closed doors. I've already decided to live in seclusion and go fishing in a swallow, waiting to accompany His Majesty in life and death. However, he still took the initiative to come to our door. Second brother, you don't need to worry. Even if I kneel down and beg him right now, they won't be lenient with us. Today, I did say a lot of things in my impulsiveness. However, I felt much more refreshed after saying them. It's just that I've troubled you and implicated you. "
Second Master waved his hand and said, "Big brother, what are you saying? Even if this matter didn't happen, we're still a family. Your matter is my matter. For those who want to harm us, if they want to harm us, they can always find an excuse. This time won't make a difference."
Qin Huaiyuan smiled bitterly, completely lacking the high-spirited and vigorous spirit he had in front of Cao Guo Zhang.
At this time, he was so tired that his shoulders drooped. He was completely different from the person who was always as tall and straight as a mountain in the past.
Father, daughter, uncle, and nephew led the servants through the Chuihua Gate. When they arrived in front of Ci Xiao Garden, Qin Huaiyuan sighed and said, "The Emperor relies heavily on him, so he naturally wants to take advantage of this opportunity to harm our family. I think that the situation is hopeless. With His Majesty's temperament, as long as Cao Guo Zhang gives him some hope and says that the Tatan might come to help, His Majesty wouldn't hesitate to immediately issue an edict to take my life. I'm really … "
When Second Master heard this, he felt so sad that tears almost flowed out of his eyes.
For many years, Qin Huaiyuan had devoted himself to the country, sparing no effort, and wholeheartedly devoted himself to court politics. He didn't expect that he would end up in this situation. Not only was he stripped of his official position and forced to reflect on his mistakes, but he was also bullied by dogs!
Qin Yining looked worriedly at Qin Huaiyuan and Second Master.
She knew that a person who had devoted his entire life to the court was suppressed to this state by Cao Guo Zhang, who was indulged by the Emperor. It really made one feel sad. This kind of matter couldn't be resolved with just a few words from others.
Qin Yining could only smile and say, "Father, second uncle, don't worry. I don't think this matter will necessarily get out of control. After all, Cao Guo Zhang doesn't have any evidence and can't go to the Emperor to report it. Father, as long as he can't report it, we still have time. We can always think of a way."
Qin Yining smiled. His warm smile gave people the feeling of a sunflower bathing in the sunlight, making people feel that it was full of vitality and hope.
Qin Huaiyuan smiled and shook his head. He didn't say anything else and entered the second gate.
This kind of matter could only be known by the warm and the cold. Qin Yining knew that it was useless to persuade him, so he followed to see the old madam.
At this time, the womenfolk were all gathered in the old madam's room.
Mammy Qin saw that Qin Huaiyuan had returned and hurriedly went into the room to report. She personally lifted the bead curtain at the door for Qin Huaiyuan, Second Master, and Qin Yining. Ji Xiang lifted the bamboo curtain made of muslin from the inside.
After entering the room, the servants immediately and deftly put down the muslin curtain, blocking out any mosquitoes that might fly into the room.
When the old madam saw Qin Huaiyuan, she hastily sat up.
"Meng Ge 'er, what did Cao Guo Zhang come here for? Did something happen again? I think that if you didn't stop him today, he would have brought people in to search the house. "
"That won't happen. Isn't everything fine now?" Qin Huaiyuan sat down next to the old madam. "You don't have to worry. It's not a big matter. It's just that the war needs money now. The Ministry of Revenue can't take out the money, so they brought up some old matters from when I was the prime minister. Perhaps they want to put all the money that was lost on me. However, they don't have concrete evidence, so it's fine for the time being. "
It's fine for the time being?
When the old madam heard these words, she was so angry that her face turned green. She almost couldn't breathe properly.
Mammy Qin, who was standing next to the old madam, quickly helped her lie down. She gently persuaded her and fed her some water. Only then did the old madam's expression become slightly better.
"Isn't this because the heavens want our Family Qin to be destroyed? Meng Ge 'er is an honest and upright official. How could he do such a thing! This is called 'if you want to condemn someone, you can always find a pretext'! "
The old madam's words made all the womenfolk in the room unable to stop themselves from anxiously shedding tears.
Now, their family was like the monkeys scatter when the tree falls. After Qin Huaiyuan was forced to resign, the people who were close to him in the past didn't interact with him anymore. Everyone knew what was going on in their hearts and didn't disturb each other. Now that such a big matter had happened, it was extremely difficult to count on anyone to speak up for Qin Huaiyuan.
However, Guozhang Cao had regained power and was the sole power in the imperial court. Wouldn't he take the opportunity to seek revenge?
Whoever was an official in the imperial court had the power to speak.
Second Old Master was only an insignificant official in the Ministry of Rites. Qin Huaiyuan didn't have an official position anymore.
Now, their Family Qin didn't even have a single person to speak up for them in the imperial court!
Everyone's expressions were extremely miserable.
Just as everyone was silent and the old madam and the members of the Sun Clan were silently shedding tears, Qi Tai's voice suddenly came from outside.
"Marquis, Marquis!"
Qin Huaiyuan stood up and looked outside the screen window.
He saw Qi Tai standing in the corridor. The anxiety on his face could be seen clearly under the light.
"What's the matter?"
You've already exceeded your reading limit for today. If you want to read more, please log in.
Login
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
