Chapter 457: Sharing the Benefits of the Rong Family [Thank you! Thank you again! Owed 38k]

Listening to the conversation between the Chai family siblings ahead,

The maidservant Miss Yun Mu, who was respectfully following Chai Zhengzheng, couldn't help but look up.

In Miss Yun Mu's field of vision, she couldn't see Chai Zhengzheng's expression, only the slightly pursed corners of Chai Zhengzheng's lips.

Miss Yun Mu, who had been serving Chai Zhengzheng closely for some time, knew that this was the decision her young lady had made in her heart.

Before they reached the front hall,

A noble young man with some wrinkles and tears on his clothes was talking to a servant and walking over in front of them.

Chai Jin looked at the redness and swelling at the corner of this person's mouth, frowned, and said: "Second Brother, why are you so embarrassed?"

Chai Bo, who walked over, smiled at Chai Zhengzheng, looked at Chai Jin, and said: "Hiss... Big Brother, when I returned home today, I saw the attendants of the Zhang family boy at the gate. My hands were itchy for a moment, so I exchanged pointers with them." 【

Chai Bo said this while smoothing the tear in his clothes, then endured the pain without twitching his swollen, red corners of his mouth.

Chai Jin looked at the personal attendant behind Chai Bo who was bowing: "You didn't know to stop him? The young master of the Zhang family is a guest from afar! How could you fight with his subordinates?"

The attendant hurriedly bowed and cupped his hands: "Yes, Eldest Young Master! This small one knows he was wrong!"

"Did he win or lose?" Chai Jin continued.

"Big Brother, it has nothing to do with him, it was me... I... I..."

Chai Bo, who was trying to defend the attendant, suddenly lost his voice.

Chai Jin glanced at him, shook his head, and took Chai Zhengzheng to continue walking toward the front hall.

When Chai Zhengzheng passed Chai Bo, she wrinkled her nose and rubbed her cheek with her tender white finger: "Second Brother... tsk tsk, truly..."

"Little Sister, I..."

Chai Bo looked at Chai Zhengzheng, who left straight away without paying attention to him, only waving her hand at him, and was speechless for a moment.

Who told him to lose a sparring match with someone else's personal attendant!

Thinking of this, Chai Bo sighed and continued walking toward his own courtyard. The attendant behind him said: "Young Master, those people's moves were too ruthless..."

"Don't say anymore, my skills were inferior to others."

In the Chai family front hall,

Madam Chai had a standard and polite smile on her face,

Her eyes looking at the young man sitting on the chair in the hall with a somewhat comparative expression.

Seeing the young man look over, Madam Chai reached out her hand: "Pan Ge'er, drink some tea!"

After the young man nodded with a smile, he picked up the teacup on the table beside him, took a sip, and said: "Good tea, and the craftsmanship of making the tea is even better."

Madam Chai smiled: "Pan Ge'er, you flatter me! How is Magistrate Zhang's health recently?"

"Replying to Madam, Father's health is still good; he can eat two bowls of rice every day!"

"Being able to eat is a blessing! How long will Pan Ge'er be staying in the capital for official business this time?"

"Replying to Madam, I heard before that I am to enter the Emperor's personal guard attendants first; how long I stay depends on the Emperor's decree."

Madam Chai nodded: "Serving as a personal guard attendant by the Emperor's side is the first step to being given important responsibilities by the imperial court. Pan Ge'er's future is promising."

"I'll take your auspicious words, Madam."

"Eldest Young Master and Third Young Lady are here."

After the maidservant's announcement, the Chai brother and sister walked into the hall.

Zhang Shipan, who stood up from his chair, didn't show any unusual expression when looking at Chai Jin walking in front,

But when he saw Chai Zhengzheng half a step behind Chai Jin,

Zhang Shipan's eyes were filled with amazement.

"Pan Ge'er, long time no see!"

"Greetings, Brother."

Looking at the brother and sister who were greeting him, Zhang Shipan hurriedly cupped his hands in return, his gaze uncontrollably sweeping over Chai Zhengzheng's face again.

Everyone sat down again,

Chai Jin looked at Zhang Shipan and said: "Pan Ge'er, have you had an audience with the Emperor since coming to the capital?"

Zhang Shipan straightened his upper body and cupped his hands: "Still waiting for the summons from the palace."

Chai Jin nodded: "I just heard from Bo Ge'er that Pan Ge'er's personal attendants are quite formidable."

Zhang Shipan smiled at the corners of his mouth: "Second Brother overpraised them; those few are just fighters from the North who often follow me to handle some official business in the office, and have seen their fair share of big and small scenes."

After finishing, taking the opportunity to drink tea, he nodded at Chai Zhengzheng, who was looking at him.

"Then those fierce soldiers must be highly skilled in martial arts!" Chai Zhengzheng politely echoed.

"To tell you the truth, they previously sparred with the four brothers of General Zheng Jun's family in the North, and they didn't fall behind in one-on-one combat."

Chai Zhengzheng thought for a while and said: "Are those the four brothers of the Zheng family, Jiang, He, Hu, and Hai?"

"Yes, yes!"

Chai Zhengzheng nodded: "They are also quite formidable."

After chatting in the hall for a while,

During which Chai Bo, who had changed his clothes, also arrived in the room,

When the sun slanted to the west,

Only then did the young master of the Beizhou Zhang family stand up to say goodbye.

Madam Chai took Chai Zhengzheng to see them off to the second gate,

Looking at Zhang Shipan, who was cupping his hands to her two sons at the main gate, Madam Chai whispered to Chai Zhengzheng: "This Zhang family young master is twenty-two this year and is not yet married. Zheng'er, what do you think of him?"

Before Chai Zhengzheng could answer, Madam Chai continued: "He can enter as the Emperor's personal guard attendant; his future prospects are definitely not bad."

Chai Zhengzheng to the side shook her head, causing the jewelry on her hair bun to move, and amidst the crisp tinkling sound, Chai Zhengzheng said: "Mother, Daughter doesn't think much of him!"

Madam Chai gave Chai Zhengzheng a reproachful look:

"What do you mean you don't think much of him? I think Pan Ge'er's appearance is enough for people to praise him as handsome and talented!"

Watching Zhang Shipan, who looked back at the second gate here again before leaving, Madam Chai said: "Speaking of which, the favored concubine of the Beizhou Zhang family who entered the palace before was this Pan Ge'er's little great-aunt! I heard Pan Ge'er looks somewhat like her."

Chai Zhengzheng raised an eyebrow and said: "Oh! No wonder he looks a bit effeminate! Daughter doesn't like it!"

As she spoke, Chai Zhengzheng turned to return to the inner courtyard.

Madam Chai sighed helplessly, grabbed Chai Zhengzheng's sleeve, and said: "Zheng'er, don't always compare others to the Xu family young master; there aren't many such handsome and bright young men in all of Tokyo!"

Chai Zhengzheng smiled on her face but didn't speak, though her steps seemed much lighter.

The mother and daughter walked,

Chai Zhengzheng looked at the scenery of the spring afternoon in the courtyard and suddenly said: "Mother, haven't you felt that there is something different between the Zhang family young master just now and the Xu family Fifth Young Master?"

"The two people are just different!" Madam Chai frowned and asked in confusion.

"Mother!"

Chai Zhengzheng shook Madam Chai's sleeve and continued: "Daughter isn't talking about appearance... it's... it's a feeling!"

Madam Chai thought while walking,

For a moment, the mother and daughter didn't speak,

When entering the inner courtyard, Madam Chai said: "The Xu family young master makes people feel comfortable, while this Zhang family one doesn't have this feeling."

"Right!"

Chai Zhengzheng echoed with bright eyes and a smile.

Looking at her daughter's appearance, Madam Chai shook her head helplessly.

At the Little Paper Workshop,

At the Xie family,

Xu Xingdai, flying in mid-air, poked his head out to look at the Xie family's roof,

Before he could see clearly whether there was grass growing on the roof,

Xu Xingdai fell downward,

Soon, when there was still some distance from the ground,

His bottom was cushioned by someone,

Then Xu Xingdai flew upward again,

After flying like this a dozen times,

"Alright, the number of times for today is up, Dai Ge'er, go find your mother."

"Oh..."

Xu Xingdai reluctantly slid down from Xu Zaijing's instep.

The young master of the Yi family to the side looked at his nephew, who was walking toward the inner courtyard after crossing the threshold, smiled, and said: "No wonder Dai Ge'er is so close to you!"

"Just playing around! By the way, Brother Yi, you said that among the Imperial City Guard soldiers who entered the capital with you, there were those who had fought fiercely against Northern Liao spies?"

"Yes, it's those few from Beizhou I told you about. The Zhang family young master who leads them also has quite a background."

"Oh?"

Looking at Xu Zaijing's expression, the young master of the Yi family looked around, and seeing that there was no one in the courtyard, he whispered: "Fifth Young Master, do you know that when the Emperor first ascended the throne and wanted to establish an Empress, besides the deposed Guo family one, there was also a Beauty Zhang?"

Xu Zaijing shook his head with eyes full of inquiry: "I really haven't heard of this."

Brother-in-law Yi whispered: "If it hadn't been for the interference of the Empress Dowager at the time, the current Emperor's Empress would have been that Beauty Zhang!"

"And..."

Brother-in-law Yi's voice was even lower: "It is rumored that the reason Imperial Consort Rong could enter the palace and be so favored is because she somewhat resembles that Beauty Zhang!"

Xu Zaijing looked at Brother-in-law Yi with a face full of shock and disbelief.

"Don't believe it? Then Fifth Young Master, why do you think Imperial Consort Rong, who came from a mason's family in Bianjing, could receive such favor?"

Xu Zaijing hesitated: "Admittedly, she somewhat resembles her, but it is also because Imperial Consort Rong herself is naturally intelligent; otherwise, relying solely on the resemblance wouldn't..."

"Hmm, Fifth Young Master's words make sense."

Xu Zaijing said with great emotion: "I grew up in Bianjing since I was a child, but I really haven't heard anyone mention the things Brother Yi said."

"If it hadn't been for the Zhang family disciples from Beizhou coming to the capital and starting the topic, I wouldn't have said so much."

"Brother Yi, rest assured, this matter leaves your mouth and enters my ears; I will definitely not say anything more."

"Hey, it's fine; those who are older in Bianjing have all heard a bit about what happened back then, it's just that now that Imperial Consort Rong is in favor, people find it inconvenient to talk too much."

In the evening,

Great Zhou Imperial Palace,

Empress's bedchamber,

The Empress was holding the Princess and listening to the report of a female official to the side.

"That's good. She married into the Lu family and gave birth to six daughters; both the Duke's residence and the palace should provide some relief so she can be more comfortable in the future."

"As you say, Your Majesty."

At this time, a small eunuch walked in bowing.

After whispering a few words into the ear of the Empress's personal female official, he retreated.

"What is it?"

"Replying to Your Majesty, the Emperor says he will come to the palace later tonight."

"Is he meeting someone?"

"Replying to Your Majesty, yes! He says it's the disciples of the Zhang family from Beizhou."

The Empress was stunned for a moment, then nodded: "Alright, I know."

After the Princess fell asleep,

Zhao Fang walked into the bedchamber with his personal eunuch.

"Fang'er, why did you come over tonight? Didn't you say you wanted to sleep by yourself?"

"Mother, Father sent someone to ask if I wanted to change the attendants guarding you, Mother. I don't want to change them."

The Empress narrowed her eyes: "Who does your father want to change you with?"

"He said they are formidable people who have performed meritorious service in Beizhou in the North. How formidable can they be? Are they more formidable than Jing Ge'er..."

"Hmph!"

Subsequently, the Empress straightened her face and said: "Fang'er, just tell your father whatever you think!"

Zhao Fang hurriedly nodded, leaned over to the Empress to look at his younger sister, and then said goodbye to the Empress.

Watching Zhao Fang leave, the Empress frowned and said: "Tell Imperial Consort Rong about the Emperor meeting the Zhang family disciples."

"Send a message outside the palace so that the Duke of Fu, the Dou family, also knows about this!"

"Yes, Your Majesty."

After the female official bowed, she left the palace.

The Empress walked to the side of the bed, looked at her daughter sleeping under the candlelight, and whispered to herself: "What is being divided from now on is the Rong family's benefits..."

"Heh... maybe it's being divided now too..."

(End of chapter)