Chapter 620

"Gu Pei Erge, listening to what you said, do you know everything that happened in the Yu family's tent yesterday?"

Liang Han, sitting beside him, asked.

Gu Tingye breathed rapidly a few times and nodded, "Hmm! I knew last night."

Xu Zaijing was surprised, "Ah? Second son, how did you find out?"

Qi Heng, beside him, also had a face full of confusion.

Gu Tingye said with disdain in his tone:

"Pfft! As the saying goes, if the upper beam is not straight, the lower beam will be crooked! That Little Yu official and his wife are greedy and stingy, so the people below naturally follow suit."

"Returning to the city yesterday afternoon, I let Qiuniang wait near the Yu family for a while, and spent five taels of silver to find out the ins and outs of the matter from the mouth of the Yu family's stewardess."

Looking at Xu Zaijing and Qi Heng, who were lost in thought, Gu Tingye's face was full of guilt, and he said, "These years, her life in the Yu family has not been easy."

"That Gu Shi only loves the two she gave birth to herself, treating her as a burden, and scolding and insulting her at every turn. If it weren't for Old Madam Yu and her husband caring for her, who knows what would have happened!"

"As a younger sister, Yu Yanhong is jealous of the care Old Madam Yu and her husband have for her, and she doesn't give her a good look every day."

After Gu Tingye finished speaking, he hammered his thigh bitterly, "If I had known this earlier, I would never have been so reckless yesterday!"

Xu Zaijing held the porcelain cup and took a sip of the drink, saying lightly, "It's not too late to know now."

The people around nodded with a smile.

Gu Tingye said solemnly, "Fifth young master is right!"

"Second Uncle, has the date been set?" Qi Heng said.

Gu Tingye shook his head, "Not yet! Mother said that after the engagement papers are exchanged, she will personally ask an expert to choose a good day."

Xu Zaijing was lost in thought and just wanted to speak, but Gu Tingye added, "But Mother also said that given the situation in the Yu family, the sooner the date, the better! Otherwise, who knows what kind of trouble will arise."

Xu Zaijing put down the cup, looked at Gu Tingye's personal maid Qiuniang, and said, "Aunt is right."

"And in the salt manor under my mother-in-law's name, there is a manager surnamed Wei. The elders in that manager's family injured their eyes when they were young, and now that they are old, they can't see things clearly."

Gu Tingye was stunned, "That's right! If you hadn't said it, Fifth young master, I would have forgotten this!"

After pondering for a moment, Gu Tingye shook his head, "Forget it! Getting married is more important!"

Liang Han smiled, "Gu Pei Erge, by next year, I think that boy from the Shoushan Bo Huang family will also be anxious about how to win the prize and grab that peony jade carving."

Gu Tingye's expression changed, and he nodded, "Sixth young master, when the time comes, don't worry about me looking down on him! If you two can help, it's better to help!"

Xu Zaijing shook his head with a smile, "Do I need you to tell me?"

At this time, a female official walked to the entrance of the tent.

Xu Zaijing and the others hurriedly stood up.

The female official bowed with a smile and said, "Young masters, the Empress just took off a jade ring as a prize. Those who want to enter the field can prepare immediately."

"Jump."

Gu Tingye stood up at once, looked around, and said, "Fifth young master, Sixth young master, help me today..."

Before he could finish, the female official smiled, "Second Young Master Gu, the Empress said that the four people entering the field must be two men and two women."

"Ah?" Gu Tingye was stunned.

Xu Zaijing smiled, "Then call Miss Yanran, and add Tingyi, that will be enough."

Gu Tingye's eyes lit up.

Qi Heng and Liang Han nodded in agreement, Liang Han said, "Jingge, why don't you go up! You have more confidence!"

Gu Tingye looked at Xu Zaijing with eyes full of pleading.

"Okay."

Xu Zaijing nodded.

Seeing this, Gu Tingye hurriedly waved his hand, "Qiuniang, hurry and find Sister Yi."

Not far from the Empress's large tent,

In the Chai family's tent,

Madam Chai sat in the middle, with her daughter-in-law Lu Shi sitting beside her.

In the seats below were several noble ladies from the capital who were on good terms with Chai Zhengzheng.

Qiuniang stood near the entrance of the tent and said, "Young lady, the Second Young Master invites you to go to the Yu family's tent, call Miss Yanran, and go with the Xu family's Fifth Young Master to compete for that prize."

"Ah? Xu Xu Wu Ge is going to enter the field?" Zhang family's fifth daughter held a green apricot in her hand and said with surprise.

"Returning to Fifth young lady, yes."

Gu Tingyi hurriedly stood up, bowed to Madam Chai, and said, "Madam, Madam, sisters, I will go over first."

"Go quickly, go quickly! I was just wanting to see Xu Xu Wu Ge play polo!" Zhang family's fifth daughter laughed.

Gu Tingyi smiled, and with the maid, left the Chai family's tent.

Not long after Gu Tingyi went out, another young maid came to the front of the Chai family's tent.

It was a little maid from the Lu family of the Duke of Lian.

Chai Jin's Madam Lu smiled, "Is there something going on at the Duke's mansion?"

The little maid bowed with a smile and said, "Returning to Second Da Niangzi, it is Madam who asked me to come and say that the marriage between the Gu and Yu families will likely be held before the New Year."

"It was what Da Niangzi Gu Hou said herself in front of the Empress just now."

Lu Shi and Madam Chai looked at each other and nodded, "Thank the aunt for me!"

Madam Chai smiled, "Reward!"

The little maid bowed happily, "Thank you, Madam! Thank you, Second Da Niangzi!"

After the little maid left the tent and received the reward money.

Madam Chai smiled at the young ladies in the tent, "No wonder the Empress would personally offer a prize today; it turns out the reason is here."

Zhang family's fifth daughter laughed, "With the wedding held before the New Year, Gu Pei Erge won't have any prizes at Jinming Pool to win."

Chai Zhengzheng nodded gently, "I don't know which other families will enter the field besides Gu Pei Erge and the others."

Very quickly,

The eight people preparing to enter the field stood their horses on the side of the field.

Because Xu Zaijing had been in the limelight yesterday,

So, today Xu Zaijing just stood there riding his little Li horse, and with his arm guards and headband tied, he attracted many gazes from the tents on the side of the field.

And because of Xu Zaijing's build and the shoulder height of the little Li horse, Xu Zaijing sat half a head taller than Gu Tingye beside him.

Xu Zaijing stood his horse on the inside, and across from the referee and the table with the incense, he could see the opponents of this polo match.

It was Qin Chi Han of the Qin family of the Dongchang Hou Fu, whom he hadn't seen for a long time.

Because of the crossbow arrow incident at Qingfeng Tower, this scoundrel had kept a low profile and laid low for a period of time, during which he also ruined the reputation of the Hong family's young lady, and Official Hong had no hope of promotion and went to Xingqing Prefecture.

The last time Xu Zaijing heard news of this person was when those fox friends of Qin Chi Han were helping the Qin family send the makeup gifts.

The Dongchang Hou Fu also had some kinship with the Empress, and after the matter blew over, this scoundrel actually came out again.

Entering the field with Qin Chi Han was Wei Faqi of the Wei family of the Fu'an Hou Fu, and Xu Zaijing was a bit unfamiliar with the other two young ladies.

Xu Zaijing turned his head to look at Gu Tingyi beside him.

Gu Tingyi had known Xu Zaijing since she was a child, and seeing Xu Zaijing's inquiring look, she understood in her heart and said softly, "Jingge, those two young ladies, one is from the Tian family of the Huixian Bo, and one is from the Ma family of the Jinxiang Marquis."

Xu Zaijing nodded gently.

"Today, please show mercy, Fifth young master!" Qin Chi Han said with a face full of smiles.

Xu Zaijing nodded with a fake smile, "Easy to say! Easy to say!"

After greeting Xu Zaijing, Qin Chi Han leaned forward to look at Gu Tingye on the other side, "Yegeer, is your cousin doing well recently? Congratulations on the upcoming happy event."

Hearing this, Yu Yanran shrank her body and hid beside Gu Tingyi.

Gu Tingye pulled a smile from the corner of his mouth, held the polo stick, and cupped his hands, "Thank you, Hangeer, for your concern! Are your legs and knees better?"

Qin Chi Han's smile stopped on his face; before at Qingfeng Tower, his legs and knees had been hit by the jade pendant Xu Zaijing threw with force, and he was not lightly injured.

"Start!" The referee shouted.

"Clang!"

After a gong sounded,

Xu Zaijing dashed out first.

Looking at the situation on the polo field,

Imperial Prince Zhao Fang smiled, "Mother, with a prize, Jinggeer and the others play polo much better than before."

The Empress shook her head helplessly, "Fang'er, with this one sentence, you have offended all the noble ladies who entered the field to play ball today."

The young ladies sitting in the large tent covered their mouths with round fans and laughed one after another.

Miss Taotao of the Gao family smiled with curved eyes, pointed at the field with her round fan, and said, "Empress, looking at how the Tian family's young lady is always surrounding the Yu family's young lady, she must know that the Yu family's young lady's polo is mediocre."

"But she didn't expect that Xu Fifth Young Master and Gu Er Young Master wouldn't pass the ball to the Yu family's young lady at all."

Miss Taotao's voice just fell.

"Pop!"

After a crisp sound of hitting the ball, the polo crossed half the polo field and smashed into the goal.

"Good!"

Imperial Prince Zhao Fang stood up and clapped happily.

After Zhao Fang sat back in his chair.

Miss Yao, sitting beside him, spoke up, "I have seen the two young masters of the Xu and Gu families play ball before! But today they seem to be playing exceptionally fiercely and ruthlessly; the Qin family's young master and the others haven't even scored a single goal."

Xie Yun, who was still in the Xie family's tent yesterday and sitting in the Empress's large tent today, didn't speak, just stared intently at Xu Zaijing and Gu Tingye, who were riding horses and swinging sticks on the field.

"Yunjie, what are you thinking about?"

The Empress's gentle voice came.

Xie Yun woke up with a start, hurriedly stood up and saluted, "Returning to the Empress, the little girl is thinking that the two young masters on the field are cooperating cleverly... and if Gu second son swings the stick to hit the ball, I wonder if Xu Fifth Young Master can catch it with his bare hands."

Afterward, a burst of light laughter came from the tent.

The result was undoubtedly that Xu Zaijing and the others won.

And Yu Yanran and the three of them, together, mercilessly let the opponents not score a single goal.

Returning to the side of the field,

Everyone got off their horses,

Gu Tingye looked at the Empress's jade ring placed on the table and wanted to rush over excitedly.

Xu Zaijing hurriedly pulled Gu Tingye, "Second son, let Tingyi go get it."

Gu Tingye: "Ah?" After a second thought, he hurriedly nodded: "Fifth young master is right."

Afterward,

Da Niangzi Wu solemnly handed the Empress's jade ring to Gu Tingyi.

Tingyi pulled Yanran's hand and raised the prize together.

After thanking the Empress, the jade ring was smiled and stuffed into Yanran's hand by Gu Tingyi.

When Xu Zaijing and the others returned to their respective tents, other noble ladies offered good things as prizes, attracting the young masters and noble ladies to organize and enter the field to compete.

The sunset set behind the mountain,

The afterglow was about to end,

The polo match had long since dispersed.

Bianjing Inner City,

Bianyang Ward,

Yu Mansion,

Not far from the Yu family's residence was a large area of courtyards belonging to the Tian family, a famous wealthy family in Bianjing.

It is said that a merchant family like the Tian family cannot be neighbors with an official family like the Yu family.

But the Tian family was too wealthy, spending a lot of money to let their clan members marry several noble ladies of the imperial clan, and many Tian family daughters married successful candidates in the imperial examinations.

The Tian family was no longer a simple merchant family.

On the street in the ward,

Little Yu official, who had finished his work, sat in the carriage with his eyes closed, thinking about things.

"Is that Official Yu in person?"

A polite inquiry came from outside the carriage.

Little Yu official opened his eyes, lifted the carriage curtain, and frowned as he looked out.

"The little one is the Tian family's steward; my master saw the carriage, so he sent the little one to greet Official Yu."

Looking at the steward dressed decently outside the carriage, a smile appeared on Little Yu official's face, "Thank you for the good intentions of your master. Also, greet the master of your house for me."

"Yes, Official! The little one will definitely bring it! In a few days, if your house has a wedding wine, my master will shamelessly ask for an invitation for the house." The Tian family steward cupped his hands with a respectful attitude.

"Hahaha! Distant relatives are not as good as close neighbors, easy to say, easy to say." Little Yu official said with a smile.

After saying a few more words, the carriage continued to walk toward the Yu family.

After getting far away,

Little Yu official said coldly, "Seeing this official, he actually sent a steward to talk! This Tian family has such a big air!"

The personal attendant outside the carriage looked around and hurriedly said, "Master, the Tian family is after all a long-standing wealthy family in Bianjing! Among their in-laws, there are both imperial clan members and high officials; their power cannot be underestimated."

"Not just you, even the Old Official treats the master of the Tian family's main branch with a point of courtesy."

"Hmm." Little Yu official, who understood, gave a hum.

Very quickly,

Returning to the Yu family,

Little Yu official first went to greet his father and mother, and only then returned to his own courtyard.

Looking at the courtyard with few maids and old women, Little Yu official frowned with some confusion.

Entering the main house,

Looking at Gu Shi, who was sitting in front of the dining table with dull eyes and shedding tears, Little Yu official walked a few steps quickly and asked with confusion, "Madam, what happened to you today?"

Gu Shi wiped her tears, but did not speak.

"What happened? Where are the maids and old women?" Little Yu official asked anxiously.

Gu Shi shook her head, "Official, I ordered the maids and old women to go to the side, so they wouldn't see me like this."

"Why, did Father scold you again?" Little Yu official sat beside Gu Shi with heartache and asked with concern.

Gu Shi shook her head, "No, Father-in-law didn't scold me! I just thought of the future of our Erlang and Sanniang, and my heart hurts a bit!"

Little Yu official nodded, "Erlang, that boy, is a bit bad at studying, but with Father and me, he can also secure a future later! Why do you have to be like this!"

"By the way, yesterday Mother said that Yanran's marriage is settled; do you know which family it is?"

Gu Shi's tears fell like rain, "It's the second son of the Gu family of the Ningyuan Hou Fu."

"The Gu family? The Gu family that assisted in the founding of the country?" Little Yu official's eyes lit up, and he asked with full surprise.

"Hmm!" Gu Shi nodded.

"Pop!"

Little Yu official couldn't help but clap his hands happily, "Hiss! I didn't expect it! Mother, she was actually able to find such a good family for Yanran!"

"I thought it would be one of the young masters of the Sheng family! No wonder, my colleagues in the government office were always smiling at me today! So that's why!"

Looking at Gu Shi, who continued to wipe her tears, Little Yu official said, "I say, Madam, we have such a happy event, what are you crying for?"

Gu Shi raised her head and said with deep affection, "Official, Yanran and Erlang are not brother and sister of the same mother after all; marrying into the Gu family, who knows if she will forget Erlang, this younger brother!"

"Who knows, later she might even resent what we did many years ago! When we are all old, who will take care of Erlang and the others!"

A look of hesitation flashed across Little Yu official's face.

The dowry of Yanran's biological mother, Da Niangzi Fan, was encroached upon by Gu Shi, and he was just playing dumb.

After all, if Gu Shi didn't take the opportunity to encroach, those properties would have gone to someone else's house along with Yanran later!

Little Yu official shook his head and said hesitantly, "Yanran's temperament has always been soft; she can't do what you said! Besides, our family is her maiden home! Without the support of a maiden home, she will be bullied!"

Gu Shi wiped her tears and said urgently, "Official, why don't we think of a way to let Yanhong marry into the Gu family! In this way, Erlang is her own brother, and she will naturally care for him!"

Little Yu official glared, "Nonsense! How can the youngest girl marry before the older brother and sister? If people know, won't they laugh at our family?"

Gu Shi lowered her voice and said, "Official, look at that Gu family; they are just here for our Yu family's signboard of a scholarly family of officials, wanting to get rid of the name of being military brutes. They are all Yu family girls; marrying which one isn't marrying? In a few days, think of a way to set Erlang's marriage, and then find a reason to make Yanran unable to marry over."

Little Yu official shook his head repeatedly, "With Father and Mother here, they won't agree!"

Gu Shi raised her chin and said, "Then think of a way to make them agree! Weak and sickly, injured body, or infertile, scars on the face, there are plenty of ways!"

Little Yu official frowned, "You! You can't do this! She is also my daughter!"

Gu Shi said urgently:

"Official, think about it! That Da Niangzi Gu Hou, Da Niangzi Bai, her maiden family is the number one salt merchant in Yang Zhou Prefecture, extremely wealthy! Over the years, under her management, the Ningyuan Hou Fu has been making a lot of money! Even if a little bit flows out from between her fingers, it's enough for our family's expenses!"

"If Yanhong marries over and knows about our hard planning, how could she treat us, her father and mother, badly! If Yanran marries over, that would be..."

Little Yu official said, "Tsk! This won't do... won't do! You have to let me think, let me think..."

Gu Shi looked at Little Yu official, who was saying it wouldn't do but was nodding repeatedly, and a cold smile appeared on the corner of her mouth.

(End of chapter)