Chapter 521: This is no small matter! [Bowing in thanks! Bowing again! Debt of chapters]

In the morning,

in a very bright study,

Xu Zaijing was sitting behind the desk doing his homework.

Outside the house, under the eaves, amidst the sound of melting snow dripping like rain,

"Splash~"

In the fish tank in the center of the study, a goldfish flicked its tail, making a slight sound.

"Creak~"

The door leading to the outer room was opened by someone.

Qingcao walked in from outside the door carrying a tray.

After replacing the tea that had already gone cold on the desk in front of Xu Zaijing, Qingcao said in a low voice, "Young Master, I have already thought of a way."

"Tell me about it."

Xu Zaijing put down his brush and looked at Qingcao.

"I'll just say I saw it when I went out for a stroll today, and thinking the wood carving was lovely, I bought it for Little Sister Xiaotao."

Picking up the teacup, Xu Zaijing smiled and nodded: "This reason is not bad. What about the scarf?"

Qingcao pursed her lips: "I'll go to the shop and buy some similar scarves, and just say that there are too many furs in our storeroom, and since the weather is cold, Huaxiang and I specially made them for them."

"As for the one you gave me, Young Master, I will give it to Xiaotao separately."

Xu Zaijing shook his head: "Don't buy the scarf."

Qingcao was stunned.

"You go outside and buy some furs, and just make a few with Huaxiang and the others."

Qingcao thought for a moment, nodded, and smiled: "Yes, Young Master."

"Go."

After saying this, Xu Zaijing took a sip of the warm tea.

After Qingcao went out, she closed the study door.

Xu Zaijing calmed his heart and did his homework for a while longer.

"Xiao Wu! What are you doing?"

"Xiao Wu?!"

A young lady's voice calling out came from outside the house.

"Greetings, Da Niangzi."

Yunxiang's greeting voice came.

"The little girl is truly pretty! Has your young master ever bullied you?"

"Ah? Da Niangzi—"

"Hahaha, I'm not teasing you. Xiao Wu!? Come out quickly."

Xu Zaijing had already recognized who it was. With a smile on the corner of his mouth, he put down his brush with some helplessness, stood up, and walked quickly toward the door.

Just as he stepped out of the study door, he saw Anmei, wearing a cloak, walking into the room with a smile while lifting the curtain.

"Sister, why are you back? You didn't even say a word beforehand."

Anmei looked at her younger brother with a smile and said: "What, you don't welcome me back? There's nothing to do when it snows, so naturally, I have to visit my maiden home!"

Ye'er, the maid following behind Anmei, hurriedly bowed: "Greetings, Young Master."

Xu Zaijing smiled.

As she spoke, Anmei took off her cloak and handed it to Xu Zaijing, who had reached out for it, saying: "In the days I wasn't here, did you bully our family's cat again?"

Xu Zaijing: "Ah?"

"Ah what ah? Just now when I carried the cat over, as soon as I got close to your courtyard, the cat jumped down in a hurry and ran away."

Ye'er, behind Anmei, also laughed upon hearing this.

"Sister, I go to school every day, where would I have time to bully the cat? You should ask it if it did something shameful."

Anmei rolled her eyes, pouted, and walked toward Xu Zaijing's study.

Xu Zaijing followed, while the maids Ye'er and Yunxiang stood inside the door.

Walking into the study, Anmei said: "Xiao Wu, how do you raise the fish in this tank? They look so full of vitality."

As she spoke, Anmei pinched a pinch of fish food from a porcelain plate on the side and sprinkled it in.

"It's all fed by Qingcao."

Listening to Xu Zaijing's words, Anmei nodded, patted the fish food crumbs off her hands, walked behind the desk, looked at Xu Zaijing's schoolwork, and nodded:

"Hmm, you really are working hard! Very good!"

Xu Zaijing smiled: "Sister, your younger brother is a Juren now! If I don't work hard, could I become a Juren?"

Anmei sat down on Xu Zaijing's chair, patted the armrest, and nodded with a smile: "That's true."

Looking around at the bookshelves filled with books and the stacks of used paper in the room, she said: "I really didn't expect that our Xu family could produce two Juren and one Jieyuan."

While Anmei was speaking, Huaxiang walked over holding a teacup: "Da Niangzi, drink some tea."

"Hmm, sensible!" Anmei smiled.

After taking a sip of tea and looking at her younger brother standing to the side, who was as handsome as jade, Anmei said with some emotion: "Sigh, in the blink of an eye, Xiao Wu, you've already passed the Juren examination. Touching your little face in the winter when you were a child seems like it happened just yesterday."

Looking at Xu Zaijing, Anmei added: "People all say that one doesn't remember things from before the age of three, so you must have forgotten."

Xu Zaijing thought to himself, 'That's not necessarily true!', and thinking of this, he touched his own face and smiled: "Sister, why have you become so sentimental?"

"Thinking about it now, when you were a child, you were much more sensible and obedient than mine! Sigh."

Alright, Xu Zaijing understood why his sister was like this: she was worn out by her children.

Anmei waved her hand and stood up, walking out from behind the desk with her hands behind her back in a proper manner. After looking around, her eyes lit up, and she walked to the window, puzzled:

"Xiao Wu, why is there a chainmail armor in your study!? It looks truly exquisite."

Xu Zaijing walked over, looked at Anmei, who was touching the chainmail, and said: "I received it when I was in the Northwest, and I still haven't figured out who sent it. Clothes are thick in winter, so I wear this chainmail inside my clothes when I have nothing to do."

Anmei looked at the object in front of her thoughtfully and nodded with a smile:

"Hmm, you can consider this learning from experience. Your courtyard is just missing a mistress. I don't know which young lady you will end up with."

Before Xu Zaijing, who was between laughter and tears, could answer, Anmei added: "By the way, why haven't I seen that girl Qingcao?"

Hearing Xu Zaijing's answer that 'she went out to buy things', Anmei nodded.

The siblings chatted for a while longer.

"Alright, it's about time, let's go to Mother's place to eat."

Anmei said as she walked out of the study.

On the way,

Anmei looked at her younger brother, who was more than a head taller than her, and said: "I don't know what mine will look like when he grows up."

Xu Zaijing smiled slightly: "As the saying goes, a nephew resembles his uncle, so naturally, he will be about the same as me."

Hearing this, Anmei laughed: "I hope so! By the way, I brought a cart of hairtail fish when I came, sent to the capital by my mother-in-law's maiden family! From now on, Xiao Wu, you can eat as much as you want."

Xu Zaijing nodded repeatedly with a smile: "Fourth Sister still loves me the most!"

Looking at her younger brother, who looked even more handsome when he smiled, and thinking of the words her mother had said to her, Anmei sighed in her heart, feeling happy and proud, but also a bit worried.

With the floor heating burning, Sun Shi's room was very warm.

Anmei's son, Huyan Bi, sat on the bed, his eyes turning back and forth looking at the two cousins teasing him, occasionally revealing a smile.

Seeing Xu Zaijing enter the room,

Xu Xingdai pounced on him with a smile.

After hugging the two nephews, Xu Zaijing hugged his nephew again. After Huyan Bi was kissed on the cheek in Xu Zaijing's arms, he smiled cutely.

"Alright, come and eat quickly."

After the meal,

While Xu Zaijing was drinking a digestive drink and talking with his family, Huaxiang walked into the room and whispered a few words to Xu Zaijing.

After listening, Xu Zaijing looked puzzled: "The Old Marquis invited me to the Xiangyang Marquis Mansion?"

"Yes, Young Master."

Xu Zaijing nodded: "Tell the messenger, I will go over in the afternoon."

Great Zhou Imperial Palace,

Most of the snow had been cleared, and the snow water had dampened many places.

In the corners of the roofs of the various main halls where the sun could not reach, there was still unmelted snow.

The snow lanterns sculpted by skilled craftsmen in the palace yesterday evening, taking advantage of the heavy snow and using compacted white snow, had also changed their appearance by this time.

In Consort Rong's hall,

White smoke drifted slowly from the incense burner on the thick carpet.

Rong Feiyan sat on an embroidered stool to the side, listening to the conversation between her mother and sister.

"The imperial physician has also taken the pulse, it is indeed a pregnancy pulse!"

The Da Niangzi of the Hou Fu Chang Marquis said with a smile on her face.

Consort Rong looked at Rong Feiyan with a smile and said: "Good, very good! When Erlang has a child and becomes a father, his temperament will also settle down."

The Da Niangzi of the Hou Fu Chang Marquis had a smile on her face: "Yes, in a couple of days, I will go to the temple and Daoist temple to add some incense oil and pray to the immortals to bless us with a boy."

Consort Rong nodded, looked at the Da Niangzi of the Hou Fu Chang Marquis, and said: "Mother, our family background is not high, and there were no rules about morning and evening greetings before. I heard that you told Erlang before that his wife was feigning illness to be lazy?"

"If it weren't for Feiyan noticing something was wrong and inviting the imperial physician, would you really have punished her?"

Hearing this, the Da Niangzi of the Hou Fu Chang Marquis looked a bit unnatural on her face and said: "I... there were elders in the Rong family who said that if these rules are not established, it might make Erlang's family look down on our Rong family, thinking our family is a household without rules! Who knew she would be pregnant so quickly..."

Consort Rong shook her head and said: "Erlang's wife is, after all, the legitimate daughter of a Xiao Xiao Gongye's family. Now that she is pregnant, you should restrain yourself a bit in the future. Let's just forget about the morning and evening greetings."

The Da Niangzi of the Hou Fu Chang Marquis raised her eyes and looked at Consort Rong: "But, I have also inquired, in this Bianjing, when being a daughter-in-law in someone else's house, where is there no standing on rules?"

Consort Rong shook her head and said: "What if Feiyan married someone, and was also made to stand on rules by her mother-in-law?"

"My Yan'er is such a good girl, which family would dare to make her stand on rules? I..."

Consort Rong looked at her mother indifferently: "You what?"

"I... I would definitely go to their door with your father and demand justice for Feiyan..."

The Da Niangzi of the Hou Fu Chang Marquis said with wide eyes.

"Mother, according to your logic, Erlang's wife is pregnant, and she was still made to stand on rules by you. Should others also come to our Rong family's door?"

"I didn't know..."

Ignoring her mother, Consort Rong looked at Rong Feiyan, a smile appearing on her face: "How has your sister-in-law been these days?"

Rong Feiyan smiled and said: "Sister, although sister-in-law is not very good-looking, she is a sensible person who knows how to advance and retreat, and her actions are quite methodical."

"Especially towards brother, she is also..." Rong Feiyan smiled and didn't continue.

The Dou family's young lady liked Rong Xian very much.

Consort Rong smiled. She was the one who made the final decision on this marriage, and she was also very happy in her heart that it could be like this. She continued to ask: "Your sister-in-law said she wants to return the management of the household to you. Feiyan, what do you think?"

Rong Feiyan shook her head: "Without sister-in-law entering the door, I, the little sister-in-law, was managing the household. Since sister-in-law is pregnant, I will just help from the side."

Consort Rong nodded approvingly: "You think very correctly."

At this time, Consort Rong's personal female official walked in.

She whispered in Consort Rong's ear: "Your Highness, Princess Pingning has entered the palace."

Consort Rong looked at the personal female official in confusion, with an expression in her eyes that said, 'Princess Pingning entered the palace after the snow, does this still need to be reported to me?'

The female official hurriedly continued to whisper: "The little eunuch who saw it said that Princess Pingning's expression in the Empress's hall was not very good."

Consort Rong nodded: "How did this little eunuch see it?"

"Replying to Your Highness, he said he was summoned by the great eunuch beside the Empress to clean up the furnace ash, and that's how he saw it."

After the female official finished speaking, Consort Rong looked at Rong Feiyan thoughtfully and said: "When Erlang finishes his shift, have him inquire about what has happened in the capital recently."

"Yes, Sister."

In the palace hall,

Princess Pingning looked at the Empress and said: "Mother Empress, the little eunuch who was just summoned in, looks a bit unfamiliar. Which hall is he from?"

The Empress, who was walking slowly in the main hall, said: "He's from Consort Rong's place. Over these years, the Rong family has also had some connections in the East and West Hebei circuits!"

Princess Pingning nodded in realization.

The Empress continued: "Pingning, are you saying that there is something tricky about the incident with the Beizhou Assistant Prefect?"

"Mother Empress, this Magistrate Dong is an old acquaintance of the Xiao Xiao Gongye's Mansion, and he was just transferred to Beizhou two years ago."

"He had also visited the Xiao Xiao Gongye's Mansion before. Listening to the Xiao Xiao Gongye, he is a cautious and enterprising person. The Xiao Xiao Gongye does not believe that he fell into the river after drinking too much."

"Especially since Magistrate Dong was entrusted by the Xiao Xiao Gongye before to help my father, the Xiangyang Marquis, investigate Beizhou."

The Empress took a deep breath, sat back on the Luo Han bed, and said: "The little Chief Manager of the Imperial City Department sent people to Beizhou to investigate before, and they said there was nothing unusual."

Princess Pingning said: "Mother Empress, the Zhang family also served in the Imperial City Department. Is it possible that the little Chief Manager's people were deceived?"

"Would you like to speak to Father Emperor and send another group of people?"

The Empress shook her head: "You must know that after Empress Guo passed away, the Zhang family was able to rise again, and they have been operating in the West Hebei circuit for many years. If we send people again, what can we find out?"

Princess Pingning: "Then Mother Empress, one must be wary of others."

"Hmm, Pingning, you have a heart! Leave the subsequent matters to me."

"Yes, Mother Empress! Then, this daughter will take her leave."

Sitting on the Luo Han chair, watching Princess Pingning walk out of the hall door, the Empress's hand gripping the armrest slowly tightened.

The personal female official to the side said worriedly: "Your Highness..."

The Empress took a deep breath, let go of her hand, and waved it: "It's nothing."

3:15 PM (after 3:00 PM)

Xiangyang Marquis Mansion,

In the study,

Xu Zaijing looked at the Xiangyang Marquis in surprise: "Old Marquis, are you saying that someone is plotting to murder a court official? This... is there any evidence?"

The Old Xiangyang Marquis also had an ugly expression: "It's just a guess, but it didn't happen early, it didn't happen late, it happened right after my son-in-law entrusted him with a task."

"Fifth Young Master, you are still young and haven't encountered any conspiracies! But this time, after an old acquaintance of the Qi family died, the old man here..."

The Xiangyang Marquis pointed to his own nose: "I smelled the scent of a conspiracy."

Xu Zaijing nodded: "Then you invited me over just to remind me?"

The Xiangyang Marquis shook his head slightly and said: "The West Hebei circuit is right behind the northern front line. I'm not just trying to remind you."

Xu Zaijing's eyes narrowed slightly, realizing the seriousness, and he said urgently: "Old Marquis, this is no small matter! Why don't you tell His Majesty?"

"Fifth Young Master, you are too young and haven't seen how favored Consort Zhang was back then! And without proof or evidence, how can I speak?"

"But Fifth Young Master, you have been chased and killed by that person, so it is only right to have suspicions."

Xu Zaijing nodded.

In the evening,

The Emperor returned to the Empress's sleeping hall.

Looking at the Empress with a straight face, the Emperor smiled: "What's wrong?"

The Empress stood up, bowed solemnly, and said: "Your Majesty, this concubine implores Your Majesty to let the Zhang family's son withdraw from the Imperial Palace Guards."

As soon as these words were spoken, the Emperor's smile vanished instantly, and he flicked his sleeve: "Unreasonable."

The Empress closed her eyes, calmed her mood, and said: "Your Majesty, the Beizhou Assistant Prefect incident..."

"An Assistant Prefect who drowned after drinking, what is there to talk about? Is the Empress holding a grudge against someone who has been gone for so long?"

The Empress's chest heaved violently a few times and she said: "This concubine dares not, but Fang'er has grown up with such difficulty, this concubine cannot allow Fang'er to be in any danger."

"Can I allow Fang'er to be in danger?!" The Emperor asked with a straight face.

"Your Majesty!" The Empress knelt on the ground and said: "If so... then this concubine begs Your Majesty not to let the Zhang family's son enter the inner court! If you do not agree, this concubine requests to resign from the position of Empress."

"You!" The Emperor looked at the kneeling Empress in disbelief, paced back and forth impatiently, took a few deep breaths, and said: "Fine! Fine! I won't let him enter the inner court."

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" The Empress kowtowed and said.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 522 =====