Chapter 462: This seniority is messy [Bowing in thanks! Bowing again! Debt 40k]

"Slightly"

Rong Xian was strangled by the strap, sticking out his tongue in a funny and ugly way,

Looking at the smiling Pei family young master beside him: "I saw that he was like this yesterday."

The Pei family young master smiled: "Truly deserved!"

After letting go, the helmet fell back onto his head, and Rong Xian rubbed his neck somewhat uncomfortably: "Cough cough... this taste is really not easy to bear."

"Why aren't you laughing anymore?"

As he spoke, Rong Xian looked back along the Pei family young master's gaze...

"Great Eunuch!" Rong Xian hurriedly followed the Pei family young master and cupped his hands to salute.

The Great Eunuch moved the whisk in his arms and squeezed out a fake smile: "Second Young Master, His Majesty summons you to go over! Please."

"Ah? Oh! The little minister obeys the decree!"

After finishing, Rong Xian raised his eyebrows at the Pei family young master, revealed a triumphant smile, and followed the Great Eunuch towards the Emperor.

The two Pei family scions left in place slowly put away their smiles. Yesterday, the Imperial Guard cavalry was out parading, and the Pei family was originally responsible for accompanying Rong Xian,

But later it was changed to Zhang Shipan,

As a result, it almost caused a disaster,

They didn't have a good look to give that Zhang Shipan.

Outside the palace,

Under the colored shed,

The Marquis Xiangyang held a wine cup in one hand and a wine pot in the other, looking at the Duke Anguo, Duke Hanguo, Marquis Zhongshan, and other Dukes and Marquises who were toasting in front of him.

The smiles of these few people couldn't see any hypocrisy at all, and they all looked like sincere smiles.

But the Marquis Xiangyang knew that they were smiling but not laughing.

After they finished toasting and returned to their seats, the Marquis Xiangyang turned his head to look at the Duke Qiguo behind him and frowned: "What are you waiting for, old man? Your family is a Duke, my family is a Marquis, hurry up."

"Yes, yes, father-in-law!"

After the Duke Qiguo responded with a smile, he walked to the front to toast the old General Cao.

Watching the figure of the Duke Qiguo, the Marquis Xiangyang sighed somewhat irritably, and then looked at the Princess Pingning who was talking near the Empress.

Qi Yiqiu, the Duke Qiguo, is the second son of the Qi family. Originally, the successor was the heir, Qi Dalang. Qi Yiqiu was not trained as a successor since childhood.

So although he is a standard noble scion, he always has some shortcomings, and his upbringing since childhood has also caused his personality to be somewhat weak and easy to manipulate.

And his own daughter, Princess Pingning, grew up in the palace since childhood, was used to the struggles of smart people, and her personality was very strong.

The result is that the honor and disgrace of this Qi family are all tied to Princess Pingning.

Fortunately, now that the Empress has an Imperial Prince, as the Empress's adopted daughter and the nominal elder sister of the Imperial Prince Zhao Fang, as long as the Qi family doesn't have any major problems, they will continue to be wealthy in the future.

But in the court, it is better to have more powerful friends!

Only when the Qi family is good can Princess Pingning have the ability to protect the two little brothers of her maiden family.

The Marquis Xiangyang had thought about the ins and outs of these things many times at home.

Watching the Duke Qiguo, who had finished toasting and was waiting respectfully on the side, the Marquis Xiangyang walked forward.

After clinking glasses and drinking a cup with the old General Cao, the Marquis Xiangyang said: "Old Marquis, I see that your position as Duke is not far away!"

The old General Cao, the Marquis Tuoxi, with white hair and beard, waved his hand with a smile: "It is our duty as military generals to fight for the country. How to reward is entirely up to the Imperial will."

"Old Marquis is right, I will toast you another cup!"

After the two finished drinking,

The Marquis Xiangyang leaned close to the old General Cao and whispered a few words. The old General Cao didn't speak but just nodded.

After the Marquis Xiangyang replied "No wonder," he walked to Xu Minghua's side.

"Xu Hou!"

"Gu Old Marquis!"

"Sit, sit!" The Marquis Xiangyang waved his hand at Xu Minghua.

"That battle you fought in the north, raiding the land behind Bai Gao, was beautiful!"

"Marquis is over-praising, it is His Majesty's strategic planning!"

Xu Minghua raised his cup, the mouth of the cup was a little lower than the Marquis Xiangyang's wine cup.

"Why do this!" As he spoke, the Marquis Xiangyang leveled the mouth of the cup with Xu Minghua's and clinked it: "Cheers."

After the two Marquises drank it up, they showed the bottom of the cup and smiled together.

The Marquis Xiangyang patted Xu Minghua: "Xu Hou, what do you think of my eldest boy?"

Hearing this, Xu Minghua was stunned: "Ah? Your eldest boy, oh!"

The Marquis Xiangyang looked to the side,

Where Xu Zaijing's hand was stopped in mid-air, motionless.

The Marquis Xiangyang continued to say to Xu Minghua: "Your little granddaughter Qingyi... I see she is a blessed one."

Xu Minghua looked a bit embarrassed: "Oh, this... Gu Hou, your eldest son is definitely a good one!"

The Marquis Xiangyang smiled: "Since you see he is good, little Xu, then let's set the marriage on this good day."

Xu Minghua blinked his eyes: "But this seniority..."

The Marquis Xiangyang patted Xu Minghua: "Want to take advantage of this old man?! We naturally count our own!"

Marquis Yongyi Xu Minghua looked at the Empress Sun Shi in the distance with some difficulty, thought about it, and nodded: "Good, then I accept the favor of Gu Hou for my Qing Jie'er."

"Hahahaha! Good! It's a deal!"

The Marquis Xiangyang laughed heartily.

Listening to the Marquis Xiangyang's laughter,

Princess Pingning, who was talking in front of the Empress, looked over curiously.

The Empress smiled and said: "Pingning, why is the Marquis Xiangyang so happy?"

"Replying to Mother, in the Marquis mansion, he often told me that he wanted to discuss military strategy and battle formations with Marquis Xu. Now that he sees the person, he is naturally happy!"

Before Princess Pingning finished speaking,

She heard the Emperor's somewhat angry voice in the main hall: "You are my personal guard attendant, why are you standing there looking sloppy?"

Rong Xian knelt on the ground with skilled movements, bowed and said: "Your... Your Majesty, the little minister knows he is wrong, and will not dare to do so in the future!"

Hearing the movement,

The surrounding noble ladies looked at the palace one after another, and then all looked at the Imperial Consort Rong beside the Empress.

Feeling everyone's gaze, the Imperial Consort Rong behind the Empress lowered her head without speaking.

"Sister, what's wrong with you, don't cry!"

Zhao Fang stood up and hugged Princess Xiaoqiu, the daughter of Imperial Consort Rong, in his arms and shouted.

Beside him, Zhao Fang's own younger sister, Princess Yue'er, looked at Zhao Fang suspiciously with cute eyes: She didn't see her sister crying just now!

In the palace,

The Emperor looked towards the Empress after hearing Zhao Fang's voice,

Looking at the side face of Imperial Consort Rong, who was sitting behind the Empress with her head lowered,

The Emperor turned his head back, looked at Rong Xian kneeling on the ground, and said somewhat depressed: "Get up, don't be an eyesore to me here!"

"The little minister obeys the decree."

On the Empress's side,

Zhao Fang let go of his sister, and not knowing who he learned it from, he smiled and patted the little bun on Princess Xiaoqiu's head.

By this time, Princess Xiaoqiu's face was still ignorant, with an expression of what had happened.

The Marquis Xiangyang looked into the main hall,

Muttered and complained a few words,

Didn't return to his seat like others, but walked to the side and came to Xu Zaijing's table.

"Kid, there is no wine in the old lady's wine pot, let me sit here and rest for a while."

Xu Zaijing hurriedly stood up to give up his seat, and then poured wine into the Marquis Xiangyang's wine cup.

Watching the Marquis Tuoxi and Marquis Yongyi on the side continuing to drink with the court nobles and officials who came to toast.

The Marquis Xiangyang scanned Xu Zaijing up and down and whispered: "You kid, you really don't know how favored Imperial Consort Zhang was back then, and what position she held in His Majesty's heart!"

Xu Zaijing replied unpleasantly: "Old Marquis, it wasn't me who started it yesterday! I only shot the helmet and not the head, which is already very restrained."

The Marquis Xiangyang sighed while holding the wine cup: "I also heard about yesterday's matter. If it were someone else or another mount, you really might not have been able to run to Ansu Gate."

Xu Zaijing nodded: "Old Marquis, we had no grievances in the past and no grudges in the recent days with this little beast, why did he think of setting us up?"

"Your father didn't tell you?"

"Replying to Old Marquis, Father said that we were almost treated as targets for establishing prestige."

"Then why are you still asking me?"

"Isn't this to see if you have any other views."

The Marquis Xiangyang glared at Xu Zaijing: "My view and your father's view are about the same!"

"This Beizhou Zhang family has considerable influence in several military prefectures in the Hebei West Road, and His Majesty has a grand plan in his heart!"

"If there is truly a war in the future, borrowing His Majesty's past kindness, he will naturally be able to lead a part of the soldiers to establish some merit and revitalize the reputation of his Beizhou Zhang family."

"You few, especially you who are famous for causing trouble in Bianjing, if he doesn't find you to establish prestige, who will he find? Find a few concubine-born sons of small official families? Can that establish prestige?"

Xu Zaijing looked at the warships performing in Jinming Pool and said: "Hmph! Quite ambitious! But this little beast's feathered arrow was shot at my head! Not only wanting to establish prestige, but also wanting to kill!"

Hearing this, the wine cup in the Marquis Xiangyang's hand stopped at his mouth, and his brows wrinkled: "Really?"

Xu Zaijing nodded: "Old Marquis, you should know my archery skills, and I wouldn't joke about such things."

"That is, this little beast didn't come today, but as long as I see him, I will let him take off the personal guard attendant's armor and compete with me! Thief bird!"

As he spoke, Xu Zaijing picked up a piece of pastry from the table and ate it bitterly.

The Marquis Xiangyang tilted his head and poured the wine in the cup into his mouth, frowning: "That's not right! I always thought they were using bows and arrows to scare you! If it were truly as you said, kid, this is aiming for a deadly feud!"

Xu Zaijing: "Pfft! Not scaring."

The Marquis Xiangyang hesitated for a moment and said: "Perhaps he was young and hot-blooded and didn't know the weight of his actions."

Xu Zaijing shook his head: "Shooting me once or twice is young and hot-blooded and didn't know the weight of his actions! But those nine arrows he shot at me, seven were aimed at vital points!"

"Fortunately, I am not old either! It's best not to let me see him in the future. Now I have only returned one arrow, and there are still six arrows left!"

Looking at Xu Zaijing's expression while speaking, the Marquis Xiangyang said: "Just now I saw you sitting here very honestly, like a quail."

"I was pretending."

The Marquis Xiangyang pointed at Xu Zaijing unpleasantly: "He is reckless and vicious, don't be reckless! Don't be in a hurry for anything! You are not like me, half of your body is already in the soil!"

Xu Zaijing looked at the Marquis Xiangyang, who was not young, and nodded: "Kid understands!"

"Understand what?"

"A gentleman's revenge is not too late in ten years."

"That's more like it, let's go!" As he spoke, the Marquis Xiangyang was about to stand up from his seat.

Xu Zaijing hurriedly reached out to help.

Feeling the powerful hands on his arm, the Marquis Xiangyang patted Xu Zaijing's arm with one hand: "You kid has quite a lot of strength, not losing to me back then!"

"Old Marquis is right."

The Marquis Xiangyang returned to his seat and sat down.

After thinking for a little while, the Marquis Xiangyang said to Qi Yiqiu, who was talking to the Duke Consort Fu Guo not far away: "Good son-in-law, come here!"

Qi Yiqiu was stunned when he heard the two words "Good son-in-law," then hurriedly nodded, smiled and cupped his hands at the Duke Consort Fu Guo, and came to the Marquis Xiangyang's table.

The Marquis Xiangyang beckoned to Qi Yiqiu. After Qi Yiqiu leaned his ear over, the Marquis Xiangyang whispered: "Does the Duke mansion still have some confidants and old acquaintances in the Hebei West Road?"

"Replying to father-in-law, yes! The Assistant Prefect of Beizhou is surnamed Dong, and he has some relationship with our family!"

The Marquis Xiangyang pondered for a moment and said a few words in Qi Yiqiu's ear.

After hearing this, the Duke Qiguo Qi Yiqiu hesitated for a moment and said: "Father-in-law, rest assured, son-in-law will definitely find out about this matter clearly."

The Marquis Xiangyang whispered solemnly: "This matter is quite tricky, the fewer people who know, the better!"

"Son-in-law understands."

"Pingning's eldest younger brother is mostly going to be engaged to the eldest granddaughter of the Xu family, and they will be relatives in the future."

Qi Yiqiu's serious expression just now stagnated, and then there was some smile on his face: "Father-in-law is far-sighted, son-in-law knows."

"Hmm."

At this time,

There was a clamor around the Linshui Palace,

It turned out that the large dragon boat in the Aowu on the north bank of Jinming Pool had already been towed by small dragon boats to the outside of the colorful shed in front of the Linshui Hall.

The Emperor stood up, ready to lead the ministers towards the large dragon boat.

The Marquis Xiangyang also stood up, bowed to the Emperor who was beckoning to him, and touched his stomach, indicating that he wanted to change clothes.

The Emperor pointed at the Marquis Xiangyang with his finger unpleasantly, shook his head, and led the Empress and Zhao Fang and others onto the large dragon boat.

The Marquis Xiangyang stayed at the very back,

Many people passed by the Marquis Xiangyang. After seeing Zhao Zilong,

The Marquis Xiangyang limped a few steps quickly, grabbed Zhao Zilong's wrist, and pulled him to the place at the stern of the large dragon boat where there were few people.

Watching Zhao Zilong's surprised look, the Marquis Xiangyang whispered: "I say old Zhao, I know quite a lot about the affairs of your Imperial City Division! Back then, if the Xu family hadn't sent cotton to the Empress, you wouldn't have been able to find that dead soldier so easily, and your Imperial City Division wouldn't have been reused so easily. You accepted their favor, do you admit it or not!"

Zhao Zilong looked at the Marquis Xiangyang and whispered: "When did I say I didn't admit it! Old Gu, just say what you want to do! Don't beat around the bush!"

The Marquis Xiangyang blew his beard: "Hmph! The personal guard attendants selected by your Imperial City Division, that little beast from the Beizhou Zhang family, have you investigated clearly before sending him into the palace? Yesterday, he almost nailed arrows to the heads of several noble scions!"

Zhao Zilong frowned: "He wiped out the secret stronghold of the Buddha Makeup Platform in Beizhou and captured and killed more than a dozen spies. He entered the Emperor's eyes based on merit!"

"Then he acted recklessly as soon as he arrived in the capital, is that reasonable?"

"Last night, that Zhang Shipan explained to the Emperor that it was a momentary impulse!"

"Impulse to shoot nine arrows????"

Watching Zhao Zilong's expression, the Marquis Xiangyang pursued the victory: "Investigate him!"

"I investigated before entering the capital! And, Old Gu, you should see that Zhang Shipan yourself before telling me this!" After Zhao Zilong finished speaking, he was about to leave.

The Marquis Xiangyang grabbed him again: "Isn't it just that he looks like Imperial Consort Zhang! The Marquis Tuoxi told me! You should know better than me how the Guo family suppressed their family back then!"

Zhao Zilong had doubts in his eyes after hearing this.

"No matter what, he is from the Imperial City Division. If something happens to him in the future, do you think you will have good fruit to eat?"

Listening to the Marquis Xiangyang's words, Zhao Zilong said: "I know about this matter, I will let Meifeng go later. Old Gu, you said the matter, I will let him go."

The Marquis Xiangyang smiled: "That's right! If His Majesty blames me in the future, just tell him it was me!"

Zhao Zilong glanced at the Marquis Xiangyang: "You were talking to Marquis Xu just now, laughing so heartily, did you set your son's marriage?"

Watching the Marquis Xiangyang's surprised look, Zhao Zilong shook off the sleeve that was grabbed and left the stern of the boat straight away.

"I say, you have such sharp ears!"

The large dragon boat had not yet started,

On the top floor of the boat,

Minister Shen stood smiling in front of the Emperor sitting on the dragon chair: "Your Majesty, the minister implores Your Majesty to let Xu Fifth Young Master get off the boat and help my Rui Ge'er."

The Emperor looked at the ministers on the side and smiled: "I am also very happy that your Rui Ge'er can recover. Since you have spoken, Xu Fifth Young Master!"

"The kid is here!"

On the bottom floor of the large dragon boat, Xu Zaijing poked his head up and shouted loudly while cupping his hands.

Hearing this sound, everyone on the boat laughed lightly.

"Get off the boat and go help the Shen family boy row the boat."

"The kid obeys the decree!"

As he spoke, Xu Zaijing prepared to get off the large dragon boat and onto the small dragon boat.

Qi Heng, who had been watching the water army juggling performance at close range elsewhere, leaned over and cheered for Xu Zaijing: "Jing Ge'er, it's up to you!"

Xu Zaijing patted his shoulder with some emotion: "Heng Ge'er, thank you!"

Xu Zaijing was so solemn, which made Qi Heng feel inexplicable, but he still smiled.

Hmm,

The two kids of the Marquis Xiangyang are Qi Heng's little uncles, and the future eldest daughter-in-law is mostly Xu Zaijing's little niece. This seniority is messy... tsk~

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 463 =====