Chapter 39 Understand the situation
"In this case, my son will go back the day after tomorrow. My father's illness has just recovered, and I feel ashamed that I cannot fulfill my filial duty. I have discussed it with Liu, and she will stay with Sister Juan, and I will feel relieved."
The floor of the east room of Songhe Garden in the Huainan Marquis Mansion was paved with bluestone bricks as smooth as a mirror, and the ceiling was painted with brightly colored decorations of fortune, wealth, longevity and happiness. Goat-horn palace lanterns were hung all around, making the entire room as bright as day.
When Song heard Meng Hai say this, she stopped spinning the Buddhist beads in her hand and looked up at Meng Changfeng. Meng Changfeng stroked his beard and said, "I know you are filial, but official duties are more important. Because of my illness, you have been delayed in Beijing for too long. The less you go back, the more changes there will be. You can go without worry, and ask Liu and Juan to stay with you. According to my opinion, take this opportunity to ask your mother to take a close look and find a good husband for Juan in Beijing. The northwest wind is strong and the sand is heavy, so Beijing is better."
Meng Hai stood up, bowed deeply to Meng Changfeng, then turned around and bowed to Song, "Let father and madam worry about us. Madam will help to choose Juan's marriage, and Liu and I will rest assured."
Song was unhappy but did not dare to show it. Yesterday's conversation with Meng Changfeng gave her a clearer understanding of the future development of the Huainan Marquis Mansion. At this time, Meng Hai, the illegitimate son, must not be offended.
He sighed inwardly, knowing that he could no longer control the boy who had allowed himself to be crushed by him.
"What are you talking about? We are all family. You work hard outside for our Meng family. I just regret that your two brothers have been in Beijing for many years and don't see things as clearly as you do. I just hope that everything goes well for our family's big event. When it is accomplished, it will all be your credit."
Meng Hai looked up at Song's half-smile and half-smile, thinking to himself, this is a point to me, I came up with the idea, if anything goes wrong I have to take the responsibility myself. What a joke, if it succeeds I will be the hero, if it fails, I will lose the Huainan Marquisate, what else will there be.
But Meng Hai was confident that he would never fail. That person had been planning for so long, and now all he lacked was the military force. This time he returned to the northwest to help him secretly recruit soldiers and wait until the emperor really came, no, wait until the day when that person thought the time was ripe, then the Huainan Marquisate would be his, Meng Hai's, world.
"My son doesn't dare. The credit belongs to everyone. My son will also trouble my elder and second brothers to help in the capital. As the saying goes, a hero needs three helpers. When it comes to the important matters of our Huainan Marquis Mansion, how can I do it alone?"
Song wanted to say something else, but Meng Changfeng waved his hand and said, "Okay, Third Brother is right. Our family is united, and it won't be long before our Huainan Marquis Mansion will be in the top circles in the capital."
Everyone nodded, and Meng Hai turned around and said to Meng Hao, "When I went to the palace to receive my farewell order today, I met the head scholar of the Hanlin Academy. He praised my second brother for his diligence in recent days. If nothing unexpected happens, my second brother will have a chance to move up after the performance evaluation in the fall."
After hearing this, Song changed her attitude and asked in surprise, "But is it true?"
Meng Hai smiled and said, "No doubt, the second son of the dean's scholar is in the Right Army of the Zhenbei King, and I can talk to him on weekdays."
Meng Hao stood up upon hearing this, clasped his fists towards Meng Hai and said, "I feel ashamed that you, my third brother, have to worry about my affairs. Go back without worries, your second sister-in-law's family will have a flower show in a few days, so ask her to take Juan to go there."
"That's right, that's right. Let everyone in Beijing see the character, appearance and talent of our eldest daughter." Song was genuinely happy.
Needless to say, the eldest son will inherit the title sooner or later. The second son has been working as a tutor of the sixth rank for nearly ten years. This is a nominal position given to him for the sake of the Marquis's face. No one cares if he doesn't go to work for three or five days. It's easy, and the salary is low, but it's not good for his reputation. If he can move up, even if he can't reach the fifth rank, it's good to get a junior fifth rank.
Meng Hai snorted in his heart, but said to Meng Changfeng respectfully, "In that case, we have to hurry up and do what I discussed with my father yesterday. We finally got the news, and he didn't object after we passed the message. This gives us a chance."
"Don't worry, I'll arrange this right away."
Watching his three sons walk out of the yard, Meng Changfeng stood in front of the window with his hands behind his back for a long time without moving.
"My lord, it's cold at night and you just recovered not long ago. Don't be blown by the cold wind." Song stepped forward and said softly.
Meng Changfeng turned around and sat back in front of the couch, pressing his hands to his temples, "I'm thinking about where to find the right person to send him."
"Is it necessary to send it?" Song asked.
"Of course, what a great opportunity, but it's hard to choose the right person. She has to be pretty, smart, and able to speak for us."
"How about Xiu Yatou?"
"No, her age is one thing, but the girl is being controlled by Liu like a wooden stake, and she doesn't even dare to speak loudly. What kind of help can she bring to us if she is sent in?"
"What should we do then?" Song, who was sitting on the embroidery stool opposite, was also worried.
Last night, Meng Hai told the old couple to find a pretty and clever girl around eleven or twelve years old, preferably from their own family, and send her to that girl to show the sincerity of the Huainan Marquis's pursuit.
"Tomorrow you can think carefully about the girls in your family and see if there is any suitable one. If not, a girl from a branch family will do. At worst, we can register her in our family name. But there is one thing: we must have evidence against her."
Song nodded. This was all that was left to do.
Here, Su Qing finished washing and lay on the bed. Judging from the situation today, everything went well. In the morning, she told stories to Meng Qi and Lang Ge, and chatted with Qing Rui for a long time. After lunch, she and Chuan Er went through the things in Meng Qi's warehouse.
The warehouse already had some of Miss Four's stuff, and with the stuff moved back from the west house, it was packed full. Outside were Meng Qi's favorite flowers, grass, and some tree roots. The two mountain birds were actually kept here, and they didn't die despite all the hard work. When Su Qing was a child, he heard from his grandfather that things from the mountains should not be kept at home, as they would be "angered" to death. It can be seen that the adaptability of these two birds is extraordinary.
Su Qing and Chuan'er fed the plants and trimmed the extra branches. There was a small porcelain basin on the flower stand, and inside it were two little turtles, only half the size of a fist, with green shells on their backs, slowly climbing up the ladder in the basin.
Chuan'er told her the origin of the turtle, "It was found by the Third Young Master a few years ago. Many of the rare things here were given by the Third Young Master. The Fourth Young Master and the Third Young Master are the best. Every time Young Master Lang sees it, he wants it, but the Fourth Young Master won't give it to him. I don't know why. Whatever Young Master Lang wants, the Fourth Young Master won't give it to him."
Su Qing listened to Chuan'er's casual words, but she was digesting the information in her heart. She thought about how Meng Qi had never acted like an aunt to Young Master Lang at the West House. Could there be a reason for this? Was it Meng Qi's problem or Wang's?
But no matter what, it was true that she listened more and remembered more now. After listening to Chuan'er's words, she sincerely thanked him. Chuan'er unexpectedly looked up at her, then smiled and said, "It's indeed better than that."
After dinner, there was basically nothing to do. The maids went home, and the night watchman went to the corner gate to chat. Ruchun went to Wanxiang again, and Su Qing thought that the one who Chuan'er said in the afternoon was better than her was Ruchun.
Everyone had just arrived. Although Wanxiang was a third-class employee, she was very cautious. She went to see them several times a day. Su Qing understood that she was anxious to show her face, but she didn't know why and said that she was ignorant, and Wanxiang would definitely not like it.
Sure enough, after a while, Ruchun came back with her head down. She saw Su Qing and Chuan'er soaking their feet in the yard together. Without saying hello, she turned and went into the house.