vstars Chapter 403 It’s so easy to control
Chapter 403 It’s so easy to control
evening.
When Jiang Yunze received the imperial edict.
It's still in the government office.
As the Vice Minister of Rites, he was extremely dedicated to his duties.
From a poor scholar, he climbed step by step to his current position, enduring countless hardships, ridicule, and scorn.
Only he knows.
The past is like yesterday, it's dead; he no longer wants to dwell on it.
One general's success is built on the bones of ten thousand. Along the way, I have wronged and let down many people.
But he had no choice.
Because the path he climbed was so difficult and arduous, he cherished it all the more.
He will not let anyone or anything hinder his progress.
Whether it's ingratitude or heartlessness, it's all the same.
He won't regret it.
People always have to look forward.
It is said that hard work pays off, and heaven has never let him down.
People are in high spirits when they have good news, and Jiang Yunze has been beaming with joy lately, in an exceptionally good mood.
Because the Jiang family is experiencing double happiness.
The three great joys in life are passing the imperial examination, getting married, and meeting an old friend in a foreign land.
The Jiang family has two happy endings.
When his son passed the imperial examination with flying colors, all his colleagues from the Ministry of Rites came to congratulate him.
It was once said that he got to his current position by relying on the Qi and Lu families, and that he even waived the rules during the scientific expedition.
It's ridiculous.
He borrowed some power from two families, but he relied more on himself.
Who knows the effort he put in behind the scenes? He gets up earlier than the rooster and goes to bed later than the dog every day. Which of his colleagues in the government office works as hard as he does?
Even though he held the position of Vice Minister of Rites, he still had to do the work of his superiors.
Who has witnessed these hardships?
But this time, Yan Ge'er won back all the face for him.
His own son, a boy not yet fifteen years old, who carried his blood, won first place in this autumn imperial examination.
He is probably the youngest top scholar in the history of the Liang Dynasty.
Bringing glory to the family, my father would be happy if he knew in the afterlife.
He was actually quite surprised.
I knew Yan Ge'er was intelligent, but I never expected him to be so capable.
This will make him very prestigious in the Ministry of Rites.
Following the imperial examination cheating scandal, the Ministry of Rites underwent a major reshuffle.
Most of Qi's disciples have fallen, but the current Minister of Rites, Lu, is a man of the Left Chancellor Yan Fu and is quite considerate of him.
Perhaps it was because Prince Chen had greeted him.
Sure enough, it's more effective to curry favor with anyone than with a powerful prince.
He didn't raise this daughter in vain.
Jin'er even knew to send him money to help with household expenses, and asked Prince Chen to help him arrange a marriage.
Although Zhou's daughter was a widow, her family was of high social standing, no less than that of the Lu family.
Most importantly, there was also a generous dowry.
For Zhou, he was the hero who saved her from dire straits.
He had personally visited Zhou's home to assess her. She was a noblewoman from a prominent family, the eldest daughter of the main wife, well-educated and polite, and an excellent housekeeper.
Moreover, her ex-husband died suddenly and did not leave her with any children, so she had no ties to him.
Prince Chen also acted as a go-between.
Therefore, the marriage went very smoothly. He and Zhou were both willing and each got what they wanted, and they hit it off immediately.
Everything has been agreed upon, and now all that's left is to go through the betrothal ceremony before I can marry her.
However, he has not yet told Tao Mei about getting married.
I think Peach will understand, after all, given her status, even without her father's affair.
She still can't be the matriarch of the household.
He cannot be without a legal wife, and the Jiang family also needs a respectable matriarch.
Seeing that it was almost time, Jiang Yunze tidied up the documents on the table and prepared to leave the office and go home.
I had only taken a few steps.
Then someone from the palace came and read out the Emperor's edict.
The visitor was Eunuch Yu. "Lord Jiang, by imperial decree, because you have mistreated your wife and children, you are to be fined three years' salary. The salary deducted for these three years will be given to Madam Lu and her three sons as compensation."
"A three-year salary deduction?"
Jiang Yunze looked completely bewildered.
Why another three years?
He has already been punished for three years because of Jin'er's involvement; if he is punished again, it will be six years.
Wouldn't he be working for the government for nothing?
Then I thought about it again and realized something was wrong. Why should the compensation be given to Lu Qingyao?
“Father-in-law, you must have heard me right. Why would the Emperor concern himself with such a trivial matter? Besides, I have already divorced Madam Lu.” Jiang Yunze couldn’t understand it at all.
It's ridiculous!
When he bought this house, Lu Qingyao had already swindled him out of several thousand taels of silver.
They still want his salary right now.
Shameless!
Eunuch Yu had no intention of saying more, only saying, "Of course, we'll settle accounts later. These accounts will be settled even after a divorce. Lord Jiang, you'd better take care of yourself."
Jiang Yunze didn't press the matter further.
This eunuch Yu is always very tight-lipped; no amount of money can change his mind.
He could only accept his bad luck.
The imperial decree was difficult to disobey; there was nothing we could do.
I'm afraid I'll have to sell some shops, otherwise how will I marry Zhou...?
back home.
He talked to Tao Mei about Feng Lu's marriage to the Zhou family.
I thought she would help me come up with a solution.
Tao Tao was sewing clothes for the child when she heard Jiang Yunze's words and accidentally pricked her fingertip with the needle.
But she couldn't feel any pain.
With a look of surprise, she asked, "Husband, who do you want to marry?"
"Zhou Qin, the eldest daughter of the Zhou family of the Marquis of Ding'an, will be engaged next month and married after the beginning of spring after the new year. I will need your help to make arrangements."
Tao Tao sneered inwardly, then lowered her head and remained silent.
She knew very well that Jiang Yunze wasn't discussing it with her, but rather informing her and asking for her help with the arrangements.
It seems that all the vows of eternal love we made in the past have become a joke.
Jiang Yunze had long since forgotten about it.
And she didn't want to think about it anymore.
Those words constantly reminded her that she was foolish and naive when she was young.
What childhood sweethearts?
What does it mean to hold hands and grow old together?
As a mere concubine, how could she possibly be the one to grow old with her husband?
How stupid! So stupid!
Throughout history, there have been countless people who could share hardship but not happiness; how could someone like Jiang Yunze be an exception?
"Tao-mei, I'm sorry you had to go through this. I... I will definitely make it up to you." Jiang Yunze reached out to pull Tao Tao, but she dodged him.
He knew Tao Tao must be feeling bad.
After all, with a mistress now in the Jiang family, Tao Tao could no longer be as carefree in the Jiang residence as before.
There will be a mistress to restrain you, you must serve tea to her and kneel before her, and you must put her first in everything.
But he couldn't let his new wife suffer, so he could only make Tao Mei suffer for the time being.
"How do you want to make it up to me?" Tao Tao asked, her eyes filled with tears. She turned her head away, trying hard not to let the tears fall.
She knew that, given her status, she had no right to ask or demand anything from Jiang Yunze.
They were powerless to stop it.
But she still asked that one question, unwilling to give up.
"You know, my marriage to Zhou is merely a political alliance. Zhou is the legitimate daughter of a marquis and has always been on good terms with the noble ladies in the capital. Officials' wives often need her to make appearances in their daily social interactions. I need her help to advance my career. But my heart belongs only to you. Whether in the past or in the future, there is only room for you." Jiang Yunze did not intend to be so blunt.
But that's the reality, and there's no way to change it.
Although he is now the Vice Minister of Rites, his family background is still not high. His colleagues of the same rank are all from prominent families or daughters of high social standing.
Tao Tao's family background destined her to never become the principal wife.
"Peach, I know you're upset, but you have to think about me too. It hasn't been easy for me to get to where I am today..."
Tao Tao could easily understand the meaning behind the words.
She was just a peasant girl; no matter how much she studied, she would never become a lady from a prominent family.
It's impossible to be born with it; it's not something that can be determined at birth.
But she didn't care.
She no longer cared about Jiang Yunze's affection.
In this mansion, Xiao Shu is her only family. She stays here now, not for anything else, but for her daughter.
Tao Tao turned away to wipe her tears before saying to Jiang Yunze, "Congratulations, husband, on winning the heart of your beauty. May your future be bright."
"I'm relieved that you think that way." Jiang Yunze pulled her into his arms and stroked her cheek.
He knew that Tao Mei was the most sensible and well-behaved.
Tao Tao looked up at him, a slight smile playing on her lips. "Husband, but there's something I'm afraid will be difficult to handle..."
"What's the matter?"
"Have you forgotten? The Jiang family's genealogy is in the hands of the clan head, Uncle Fu. To add the new wife's name to the genealogy, Uncle Fu's approval is required. But Uncle Fu isn't the same Uncle Fu he used to be. He only listens to Lu Qingyao now. And it's not just Uncle Fu; the villagers of Taoxi Village only listen to their master now. I'm afraid..."
Tao Tao felt incredibly pleased after saying that.
This happiness was all thanks to Lu Qingyao.
She admired this woman immensely; even after the divorce, she still managed to keep her ex-husband completely under her thumb.
Only Lu Qingyao could do it.
To be honest, Jiang Yunze is a real failure; he only thinks about the future and forgets his roots.
For just two hundred taels of silver, the clansmen turned against each other.
Now he is abandoned by everyone.
She looked at her husband, whose face was ashen, and almost laughed. Finally, there was a time when he had to ask for help.
He was still seeking out his ex-wife, whom he had once despised.
Jiang Yunze gritted his teeth and slowly uttered a few words, "Then we won't include it in the family tree."
He felt a tightness in his chest.
Tell him to ask Lu Qingyao to add the bride's name to the Jiang family genealogy.
This is simply the most ridiculous thing in the world.
If anyone regrets it, it's him. He's kicking himself for letting her go to Jiangzhou.
He even allowed his own people to hinder him.
I never realized Lu Qingyao was so cunning and treacherous; I really underestimated her.
Tao Tao pursed her lips, suppressing a smile: "Husband, I'm afraid the new wife won't be willing."
Jiang Yunze: ...
He didn't care about any of that; he just wanted to marry her first.
Tao Tao sat up and looked at Jiang Yunze. "Husband, if word gets out that a concubine is in charge of the wedding of the principal wife, or if the Zhou family finds out, it might become a laughing stock and upset the new wife. It would be better to leave it entirely to your mother-in-law, since she has previously managed the banquets for the Lu and Qi families..."
She didn't want to be taken advantage of.
Assisting that stingy old lady would surely involve her being picky and choosy, and she might even have to pay for some things herself.
She didn't want the savings she had painstakingly accumulated for Xiaoshu to fall into the wrong hands.
"Alright then, you can stay in the backyard and don't need to show your face." Jiang Yunze was somewhat displeased.
Relying on his mother is definitely not going to work.
He personally arranged his marriage to Lu Qingyao, as the Lu family, being a military family, didn't have many formalities.
The ceremony of taking Qi Caiwei into the family was arranged by Lu Qingyao. Since it was a concubine's marriage, it was just a small banquet and not a grand affair.
However, the Zhou family were civil officials, and the intricacies involved were self-evident.
After thinking it over, Jiang Yunze realized he had no choice but to ask Minister Lu for help. Madam Lu came from a prominent family, and with her guidance, there shouldn't be any major problems.
Moreover, Minister Lu has a daughter who is about the same age as Yan Ge'er, and he had even inquired about Yan Ge'er from him in person.
Their intentions were self-evident.
Thinking of this, Jiang Yunze glanced at Xiao Shu, who was still asleep.
He left with a dark expression.
Watching Jiang Yunze's retreating figure, Tao Tao's smile faded.
Before it got completely dark, she handed the child over to a trusted maid, changed into some coarse clothes, and quietly left the house.
They found the smallest pharmacy in the capital and asked, "Manager, do you have any medicine that can kill a man's offspring?"
The shopkeeper looked up at her; her face was veiled, only her eyes were visible.
But seeing her coarse linen clothes and her delicate, fair hands, I instantly understood.
"Does the young lady want to use it herself or give it to someone else?"
Tao Tao was a little embarrassed and casually said, "It's...it's for men."
The shopkeeper was stunned for a moment.
I've only ever seen women from large mansions buy these things to compete for favor; this is the first time I've seen them bought for a man.
This could lead to the extinction of one's lineage.
"Young lady, of the three unfilial acts a man can commit, the greatest is having no offspring. Even if you hate someone, there's no need to go to such lengths..."
Seeing that the shopkeeper was not very willing to sell to him, Tao Tao took out a silver ingot.
"To be honest, shopkeeper, I bought this medicine for my husband. My family used to be in business, but now we've lost everything. We also have six or seven children to raise, and we don't want to have any more. So I can only give my husband this medicine."
"Yes, please wait a moment." The pharmacy owner was relieved to hear this.
Her appearance seemed to make sense, as long as it didn't cause her to be childless.
He didn't want to get into this kind of trouble.
Since it's perfectly reasonable, the shopkeeper has no reason not to make money.
In no time, he took out a small packet of herbs from the inner room and handed it to Tao Tao. "This is called Gu Rong. Eating it will prevent a person from having children. It is effective for both men and women."
Then he explained the usage and dosage to her again.
Tao Tao was secretly delighted, never expecting that such a medicine actually existed.
She knew that if she wanted to get a prescription from a doctor, he would definitely require to see the patient in person and ask all sorts of questions, so she would never get a prescription.
Even if you go to a large pharmacy, they may not have these medicines.
The more unassuming a small pharmacy seems to have poor business, yet manages to stay open for so long, the more likely it is to possess some strange and unusual qualities.
It really does exist.
As long as the money is right, the shopkeeper will sell to her even if he doesn't believe her.
She would not stop Jiang Yunze from marrying a wife, or even taking a concubine.
But she didn't want Zhou or any other woman to have another child with Jiang Yunze.
If several legitimate daughters like Jiang Zijin were born, she didn't know if Xiao Shu would still have a place in the Jiang family.
Things are fine as they are.
There is only one child in the mansion, Xiao Shu, even if Jiang Zifeng and his brother will be in charge in the future.
She wasn't worried.
Even without any other children, Xiao Shu remained Jiang Yunze's most beloved youngest daughter.
Lu Qingyao's three children are all well-educated, and Xiao Shu poses no threat to them.
I'm not worried that they will bully Xiaoshu.
Early the next morning.
Tao Tao entered the kitchen with great interest.
She would personally cook mutton stew for her husband.
For several days in a row, it was the same: stewed chicken, stewed duck, stewed pigeon...
Jiang Yunze suddenly felt that Tao Mei was more gentle and considerate than before.
The servants in the mansion were all talking about it.
Did Aunt Tao feel threatened and start vying for the master's favor and trying to please him because she knew the master was going to marry a new wife?
……
Jiang Ziyan had already quietly returned to the capital ahead of time.
He didn't even show up on the day the results were announced; it was Sun Yanshu who went to see the list.
Upon learning of his success in the imperial examination, he first sent a letter back to the capital to share the good news, then bid farewell to his mentor and returned to the capital alone, without even waiting for Jiang Qiao'er and her husband.
He couldn't wait to see his mother and sister.
……