Chapter 283 Rulan's Growth
With Zhang Qingzhi's help, Zhao Xing found it easier to handle government affairs in the next few days.
After a few days of contact, Zhao Xing also understood why it took Zhang Qingzhi more than 20 years to reach the sixth rank.
Zhang Qingzhi spoke very directly, and even if Zhao Xing made any mistakes, he would point them out.
Although Zhao Xing didn't listen, he didn't force his advice, but as the saying goes, the truth hurts. Pointing out other people's mistakes like this among colleagues is naturally not liked by his colleagues.
Moreover, according to the investigation conducted by Zhao Xing at the request of Yin Hanzhang, Zhang Qingzhi never made friends or flattered anyone, and was not likable. It would be strange for such a person to be promoted.
However, Zhao Xing likes people like Zhang Qingzhi very much.
Zhao Xing was not a person who would not listen to others, but he was very disgusted with people like Sima Guang, who thought they were right and kept making memorials without listening.
Zhang Qingzhi will never mention something he thinks is wrong again, whether you listen or not.
Whatever you tell him to do, he will do it seriously.
In Zhao Xing's opinion, he was much better than those officials who always made desperate protests and quit their jobs.
My father's health has improved a lot in the past few days. Although he is still not in good spirits, his complexion looks much better than at the beginning.
In the evening, Zhao Xing visited his father and left the palace with Zhang Guifen.
"Your Highness, my mother told me that I don't need to go to the palace to serve every day. I want to go back to the Duke of Ying's Mansion tomorrow." Zhang Guifen said.
"Well, I won't accompany you back." Zhao Xing nodded.
The army will set off the day after tomorrow, so it is normal for Zhang Guifen to want to go back and take a look.
"Didn't Your Highness say before that the concubines would be allowed to return home to visit their families after the Lantern Festival? After Your Highness ascends the throne in a few months, it will be difficult for them to leave the palace. Why not let them return home to visit as well?" Zhang Guifen suggested.
Zhao Xing patted his forehead when he heard this and said, "I have been so busy that I forgot about it. Let them all go back tomorrow."
"Well, when we get back to the East Palace, I'll have someone notify them," said Zhang Guifen.
The couple talked all the way back to the East Palace. Zhao Xing went to Shulan Pavilion to see his daughter, while Zhang Guifen returned to Chunhe Palace and arranged for people to visit several concubines to inform them that they could go home to visit their families the next day.
"Hurry up and let me hold Sister Jing."
Zhao Xing walked into the main hall of Shulan Pavilion and saw Shulan holding her daughter. The little girl was awake at this time, with her little hands stretched out as if trying to grab something.
"Your Highness is very cold, so please wait for a while."
It is said that a mother is strong. In the past, Shulan would never refuse Zhao Xing.
Now that they have a daughter, they have begun to learn to refuse Zhao Xing.
"Haha, I was negligent."
Zhao Xing was not angry either. He sat down next to Shulan, looked at his daughter, and said, "By the way, you haven't been back to your parents' home for a long time. Tomorrow, all the concubines in the Eastern Palace can go back to visit their families. You should go back too."
Shu Lan was somewhat tempted when she heard this, but she looked at her daughter in her arms and shook her head, saying, "Jing Jie has only just turned one month old, and she can't stand the tossing and turning. I'm not going back."
"It's okay, just leave Sister Jing to the wet nurse." Zhao Xing said.
"Your Highness has been so kind that my parents have come to see me before. If there is a chance in the future, I will not go back tomorrow." Shulan was still reluctant to leave her daughter.
Zhao Xing didn't try to persuade her anymore after hearing this. He rested for a while, waiting for the coldness in his body to dissipate, then took his daughter and teased her for a while.
The little guy played for a while and then fell asleep. Zhao Xing handed the child to the wet nurse and took him away.
"I will rest here tonight." Zhao Xing said.
Shulan is now twenty-six or twenty-seven years old. She has just given birth to a child, and her body is more plump, like a ripe peach, very attractive.
"Then I will help Your Highness wash up."
When Shulan heard this, her face turned slightly red, her eyes moved, and she was very excited.
When she was five or six months pregnant, Zhao Xing still dared to favor her. However, she had not been favored in the following months until now, so naturally she missed him very much.
"Ah."
Zhao Xing nodded and went into the inner room with Shulan.
After washing up, they went to bed.
Shulan's canteen was more than enough for Jingjie's food, but Jingjie was usually fed by a wet nurse, and Shulan only fed her occasionally.
As a father, Zhao Xing could only do it for him.
…………
The next day, Zhao Xing went to the palace, and Zhang Guifen and several concubines left the Eastern Palace and returned home to visit their families.
Only Li Yunchu and Shulan were left in the Eastern Palace.
When Rulan and Minglan arrived at the Sheng family in a carriage, Madam Wang and her wife Hai were waiting at the door.
After not seeing each other for a long time, they had to exchange pleasantries. Hai reminded, "Mother, let's go in and talk first."
Madam Wang was excitedly talking to Rulan when she was suddenly interrupted. She glared at Hai with dissatisfaction.
But he still said, "Come on, let's go inside and talk first."
"Look, ma'am." Mother Liu raised her chin towards the street on the left.
Madam Wang looked over and saw an old carriage coming this way. Her face turned cold and she asked, "Why is she back?"
"Mom, who is it?" Rulan asked puzzledly.
"Who else could it be? Molan." Madam Wang curled her lips.
"Fourth sister?"
Rulan looked at the old carriage, which only had a driver and no maids. She smiled and said, "Mother, I remember her dowry was quite large, right? How come she doesn't even have a maid and the carriage is so shabby?"
"Haha." Madam Wang laughed and said, "That Wen Yanjing is just a poor scholar who didn't pass the imperial examination. He relies on her for support. The whole family is living off their savings, so they have to save money."
"That's right." Rulan nodded and said, "Let's go."
"Huh?" Madam Wang was stunned, looked at her daughter strangely, and said, "Why don't you wait for her to get off the car and then ridicule her?" "Forget it." Rulan shook her head.
Just now, when she heard how miserable Molan was, she did feel relieved.
However, he soon found it boring and didn't even want to laugh at Molan's joke.
Madam Wang wanted to say something, but Rulan pulled her inside.
Minglan hesitated for a moment and followed.
Hai had no choice but to stay.
As soon as Molan got out of the carriage, she saw the backs of Madam Wang and others entering the house.
Molan was somewhat lost in thought as she stared at the luxurious carriage parked at the door, the imperial guards standing on both sides of the door, and the palace maids carrying various gifts and walking in.
"Fourth sister!" Hai went to greet her.
"Second sister-in-law!"
Molan came back to her senses, bowed, and smiled, "Why are the fifth and sixth sisters back today?"
"Fourth sister, don't you know?" Hai was surprised and said, "I thought Fourth sister knew, so she replied specially."
Molan's smile froze, and she said, "I just haven't been back for a while, so I came back to see you."
"Then go in and talk first."
Hai didn't expose her. In the past, when Molan came back, she would ask Sheng Hong to take a rest at home. She never came back at other times.
"Second sister-in-law, I'll go see third brother first."
After entering the door, Molan said.
"Then you go, I'll go to the main hall first." Hai said.
"Yeah." Molan nodded.
…………
When Rulan and Minglan came back, they naturally went to pay their respects to Old Madam Sheng first.
Old Mrs. Sheng happily asked about the two's recent situation and also asked about Shulan's situation.
Knowing that although Shulan gave birth to a girl, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince loved her very much, he felt relieved.
In fact, the First Wife had visited Shulan in the East Palace before, and said that the Crown Prince did not neglect Shulan because she gave birth to a girl.
But when these words came from Rulan and Minglan, Mrs. Sheng believed them even more.
After chatting for a while, Madam Wang wanted to have a private conversation with Rulan, so she took her leave.
Upon seeing this, Hai also bowed and left.
"Come on, let me take a good look."
Old Madam Sheng stretched out her hand and looked at Minglan excitedly.
After Minglan was married into the Eastern Palace, she only came back once during the Mid-Autumn Festival last year. Now several months have passed.
Minglan quickly stepped forward and took Mrs. Sheng's hand.
"He looks a little fatter and looks good, so I feel relieved."
Old Mrs. Sheng looked at her for a while before smiling and pulling her to sit down beside her.
"My granddaughter is fine, so don't worry, grandma. But I do look a lot thinner," Minglan said with red eyes.
"That's right. Ever since the Sixth Miss passed away, the old lady has been eating vegetarian food every day like before. How could she not lose weight? I have told her many times, but it's no use. The old lady listens to the Sixth Miss the most, so you have to persuade her well." said Mama Fang.
"Grandma, have you given all your savings to your granddaughter, and that's why you live frugally? If so, I'll have those farms and shops returned to you." Minglan said.
"What nonsense are you talking about?" Old Madam Sheng glared and said, "You know your father. Even if I have nothing, would he dare to shortchange me? I am just used to being vegetarian and chanting Buddhist scriptures."
Minglan naturally knew that Sheng Hong could not possibly have shortchanged Old Madam Sheng's expenses, and she said this just to force Old Madam Sheng to eat more good food.
She insisted that if Old Madam Sheng continued to be a vegetarian, she would return the farm and shops to her and let Fang Mama supervise the matter.
This caused Old Madam Sheng to scold her, but she couldn't stop smiling.
"Oh, right." Minglan said, "Grandma, just now at the door, I saw that the eldest lady seemed to be a little dissatisfied with the second sister-in-law. What's going on?"
"Hmph, she is just bored." Old Madam Sheng snorted coldly and revealed the inside story.
Zhao Xing asked Sheng Changbai to go to Jiangnan with Hai Wenyou, but retained Sheng Changbai's official position.
Later, seeing that he would not be able to return in a short time, he asked someone to take over Sheng Changbai's position as county magistrate.
Hai had no choice but to return to the Sheng family first.
Madam Wang had never liked Hai, and the two had been living apart since their marriage, so Madam Wang said she would send a few maids to Jiangnan to serve Sheng Changbai.
It's said to be serving, but in fact it's just a concubine.
As a result, he was scolded by Sheng Hong and the matter was dropped.
But because of this incident, Madam Wang became even more dissatisfied with Hai.
"Don't worry about these trivial matters. Go see your mother and brother first, and then come over to have dinner with me." said Mrs. Sheng.
"Well, then my granddaughter will go first."
After paying her respects, Minglan left Shou'an Hall with her maid and went to Wei Xiaoniang's courtyard.
When they were almost there, Molan came out from a side road.
"Sixth sister, can we chat for a few minutes?" Molan said.
(End of this chapter)