Chapter 248: Neighbor
Half a shichen later.
Xiao Yanci looked at the mansion in front of him and saw that even the plaque above was covered in spiderwebs. It had indeed been unoccupied for a long time.
The servant beside him used the key to open the door, then placed the key in Xiao Yanci’s hand and said, “Tanhualang Xiao, this place is now yours.”
Xiao Yanci pushed open the door and was immediately hit by a stench that nearly made him faint.
He had no silver now and could only clean the courtyard by his own ability. But after cleaning, what then? This place was clearly dirty and messy, dilapidated and rundown. If he used such a place for the wedding ceremony with Wang Ruyan, even if that woman said nothing, she would probably look down on him in her heart.
He had to make her willing and completely obedient to follow him, utterly devoted to him.
He was now the Tanhualang, and his calligraphy and painting should earn some money, but to earn enough silver to repair the courtyard in the shortest time would not be easy.
Besides his talent, all he had left was his handsome appearance, good physique, and the empty title of Tanhualang.
Since selling calligraphy and painting earned money too slowly, he would find something that earned money faster, like as Prime Minister Wang’s future son-in-law, there would surely be many people fawning over him.
Right, as long as news of his engagement to Wang Ruyan spread, plenty of people would send silver to him, and then he could use that silver.
Xiao Yanci was just about to enter when he saw the gate of the General Who Protects the Nation’s Mansion opposite open.
Although they were neighbors, the scale of the General Who Protects the Nation’s Mansion was much larger than his side. He could be certain just from glancing at the doorway that this courtyard was definitely larger than Prime Minister Wang’s mansion.
“Hurry, hurry, our Great General has finally recovered memory and recognized his wife and daughter. Soon there will be a mistress of the house and eldest daughter in our mansion. We must clean it up well. The General has called over a lord from the Ministry of Works. Whatever the lord from the Ministry of Works says about how to change our mansion, we must change it that way.”
Xiao Yanci was surprised in his heart.
In his previous life, the Great General Who Protects the Nation had not recovered memory, nor had any so-called wife and daughter appeared. This life had truly changed greatly.
Precisely because the changes were so great, his previous life’s experience was of no use, such as several major events that happened in his previous life not occurring this life.
He did not know who that daughter of the Great General Who Protects the Nation was, whether she had married, or if she was beautiful. Prime Minister Wang was the head of civil officials, General Su was the head of military officials. They seemed evenly matched, but there was actually a huge gap. His Majesty particularly favored Great General Su, and his words carried more weight.
Xiao Yanci entered with questions in mind.
“Cough cough… It stinks too much.”
An unknown stray cat had died inside.
Su Rende, who had been recuperating for half a month, was summoned into the Imperial Palace by the Emperor.
The eunuch who summoned him into the palace came directly to Peach Blossom Workshop to find him, clearly knowing where he had been lately. Moreover, he had used a horse-drawn carriage from the Imperial Palace to pick him up.
Zhang Zhaodi was a bit worried when she saw Su Rende summoned into the palace. But she did not worry for long, as someone soon came from the Imperial Palace again, and it was to deliver an imperial decree.
“…Zhang Zhaodi has been loyal to her husband and filial in raising her daughter, achieving the fame of raising a top scholar. You are conferred as a First-Rank Imperial Lady, granted a diadem with seven kingfishers and a gold-cloud mantle, awarded red silk robe with green-trimmed latticed silk, annual salary of eight hundred shi. Respect this…”
The crowd kneeling in the Peach Blossom Workshop shop looked at each other, then turned back toward Zhang Zhaodi.
Zhang Zhaodi was completely bewildered and had no idea what had happened.
Zhou Wangshu reminded her, “Mother, this is His Majesty’s imperial decree, conferring you as a First-Rank Imperial Lady! No doubt Father asked His Majesty for it on your behalf. Quickly receive the decree and give thanks.”
Zhang Zhaodi hurriedly mimicked the way they thanked for grace in the play script.
Su Yaoguang took a sachet and stuffed it to the eunuch proclaiming the decree, saying some words of thanks.
After the people from the Imperial Palace left, Su Yaoguang opened the Imperial Decree and looked at it again and again. She said to Zhang Zhaodi, “Mom, Dad is really thoughtful. He directly asked for a First-Rank Imperial Lady title for you. This thing is hard to get. Many noblewomen from noble families don’t have it! Most importantly, you also have a stipend, which is higher than that of many officials.”
Zhang Zhaodi touched the Imperial Decree, looking dazed and lost: “Am I not dreaming?”
“Such a beautiful dream, we can’t even dream it.” Zhang Yingdi said, “Congratulations to you, eldest sister. After so many years, you have finally come through the bitterness to sweetness.”
“As soon as brother-in-law comes back, you have someone to rely on. It’s different having a man in the house.”
“When Second Aunt says that, I start having some other thoughts,” Su Yaoguang said. “You all don’t know that Boss Li, who sells sundries opposite us, has been coming lately to buy our goods. He buys and buys, but he only buys from Second Aunt’s hands. If others try to talk to him, he ignores them! I heard that the tofu beauty actively approached him several times, but he didn’t pay her any attention.”
“Don’t talk nonsense,” Zhang Pandi said. “We’re talking about your mother. Why are you teasing your second aunt?”
“There’s nothing much to say about my mother’s matters. My father now only wants to compensate her; as long as it’s something he can give, he wishes to give it all to her. My mother’s matters have already been resolved. What needs to be resolved now is Second Aunt’s matter. I see that Boss Li’s intentions toward Second Aunt are quite sincere, and I’ve heard that he previously had a wife, but his wife died in childbirth with both mother and child lost, and afterward, even when others introduced someone to him, he had no intention of remarrying.”
Zhang Yingdi nodded: “I’ve heard about it too. This Boss Li is a man who is extremely devoted in love. It seems quite a few people have come to his door to propose marriage for him. After all, he is not that old, he is quite good-looking, his temperament is also very mild, and he is famously known as the nice guy on this street.”
“Don’t say anymore. How could someone like me be worthy of him?” Zhang Pandi said awkwardly.
“What kind of person are you? You’re diligent and hardworking, kind-hearted, sincere to others, well-liked, and pretty too.”
“Me? Pretty?” Zhang Pandi burst out laughing. “I’m telling you, little sister, even if you like older sister ever so much, you can’t tell such barefaced lies with your eyes wide open!”
“Second aunt isn’t wrong; she is pretty.” Jiang Jing said from the side, “Second aunt, how long has it been since you last looked in the mirror? Do you know how dazzling you look now?”
Jia Chunni hugged Zhang Pandi’s arm and said: “Mom, I also like that Uncle Li. I think you can consider it. You’ve never received a man’s care in your life. If you marry that Uncle Li, perhaps you can try a new life. You don’t need to worry about me. I’m doing business with cousin and have saved quite a bit of silver!”
“Let me think about it some more.” Zhang Pandi wavered.
Big sister and little sister both had happiness, and she was also made of flesh and blood—how could she not be moved?
Most importantly, that Boss Li was indeed good to her. It was the first time she met a man so gentle with her. If she hadn’t constantly warned herself not to easily trust men, she probably would have agreed to marry him long ago.
Once bitten by a snake, afraid of ropes for ten years. She had been scared off by Jia Chunni’s scumbag dad.
