"I know that you and Steward Ji are very attentive in Mingzhou City."

She smiled and praised it, took Lao Siniang's hand, and asked her to sit down on the edge of the couch together.

She didn't talk about business, and only asked her about the few river houses that Tang Fang bought in the city. asked which square in the north of the city was the river house called Ji Yuan, how far was it from Hu Gangshou's house, and how far was it from the Chen family's Xiaoyuan......

Buying a house in the city, of course, is not for the sake of comfort, but to facilitate social interaction with the officials and businessmen in the city.

"I heard that although Hu Gangshou is Wang Gangshou's mother-in-law, the Hu family is now close to the Xie family......

"Exactly."

Lao Siniang was worried that she didn't know that the shape in the capital had changed drastically.

As the deputy steward, she thought that since Lou Guo's envoy had secured the matchmaker for the owner, as soon as the owner heard that the woman on the opposite boat was the county lord of Shunchang and Lou Yun's fiancée, she should immediately take the county lord over the boat.

However, I will send a message to Lord Lou in the capital.

This is a ready-made favor.

Unexpectedly, the eldest lady was indifferent.

"Big lady, do you think you've met that Lou envoy?"

Ji Qinghu glanced at her and nodded.

Lao Siniang couldn't see her current expressions and movements, did she tie up the envoy of Lou Guo?

However, she is also very confident in the owner's skill, so she told her bluntly.

"Big lady. Now the Xie family is not as good as before. ”

What she meant was the same as that Zhang Kongmu lobbying Chen Hong, reminding Ji Qingchen that there was someone in Lou Yunchao.

If the clan wants to move him, it will take effort and time, otherwise what will he do if he is promoted to Dali Temple now?

Isn't it just that the official family wants to keep him?

"I also heard that now in the political hall, Mr. Xie and Han Shenzheng are on an equal footing......"

What Ji Qingchen cares about is. Mr. Xie's rise and fall this time, in addition to Lou Yun's strong recommendation, there is also his Xie family's own ability.

"There is also an old lady in the palace who seems to be from the Xie family's in-laws? Not only that, there is a Shang Gong among the daughters of the Xie family, who is an errand in the official family's vertical arch hall? ”

She tilted her head to think about her memories.

Lao Siniang was already surprised that she was well-informed, and she was even more relieved at this time, and continued with a happy face:

"The eldest lady is right. The old lady is fine. I heard that Xie Shanggong was also transferred to the official palace after the official family ascended the throne. Now I want to talk about the power of this Shang Gong in the palace. Don't mention anything else. Only mention the Xie family before her. has already led four clan girls into the palace, and they are not concubines, but female officials. ”

Between words. She quietly came out with four fingers,

"There is one sixth-rank Shangguan, two seventh-rank directors, and one Xie family daughter, although now she is only an eighth-rank deputy director. But that's the deputy head of the Queen's Palace. In the future, when the queen is established, isn't she the one who will wait in front of the queen first? ”

Ji Qingchen also has these trends. But after all, it was not as detailed as the news in Mingzhou City, so I also listened carefully to Lao Siniang talking about the Xie family's connections in the palace now.

"Big lady, Xie Shanggong is only forty-two years old now. Being a female official is already the first in the palace, and there is no way to be promoted. It is said that on the queen mother's birthday, the official family intended to give Xie Shanggong the false title of Mrs. of the county to show her hard work and trustworthiness. Xie Shanggong is not thanked. The eldest lady thinks about it, the old female official next to the Queen Mother. It was only at the age of sixty that the Queen Mother came forward to ask for the seal of the county lady. Xie Shanggong has only been by the side of the official family for four years......"

“…… The Xie family's connections in the palace are really deep. Thinking about coming to Mr. Xie, he has lived in seclusion at home for the past four years, and he already knows the likes and dislikes of the official family. ”

Ji Qingchen didn't expect the Xie family to run like this in the palace.

Thinking that when Xie Shang Palace first entered the palace, she should have been supported by the old lady, but after these twenty or thirty years, she introduced several clan girls into the palace, who were also female officials in the palace.

Although she is not a concubine now, no one in the palace dares to underestimate her.

What's more, she waited in the vertical arch hall of the official family, and knew the temperament of the official family.

Such convenience is a benefit that the Hu family can't compare with a few county ladies.

Moreover, she Ji Qingchen could understand the hints that Lao Siniang did not say:

Although the queen mother in the palace is good, she is not the mother of the official family after all, and the official queen is about to become a major event.

The Xie family has beautiful women.

The queens of the Great Song Dynasty had the daughters of lords, the daughters of generals, the daughters of scholars, and even civilian women who were married for the second time.

What's impossible for a merchant's daughter?

No wonder Xie Guoyun didn't move at all for most of the year, sticking to his distant uncle's mansion. In addition to hindering me, he is just to pave the way for those sisters in his Taizhou family? The daughter of the Xie family has already picked out someone to wait to enter the palace as a concubine and choose a queen? ”

This is a big business.

What Xie Guoyun is best at is not drawing pictures of beauties, but speculation.

Thinking of the two arrow towers that burned out outside Tangfangfang, Ji Qingchen had to say that although Xie Guoyun hated her very much, if he wanted to speculate, she was actually willing to express that the friendship between senior brothers and sisters was deep and unbreakable.

Then before he does, go and take advantage of it.

"You mean, Lou Yun is also secretly supporting the women of the Xie clan to enter the palace in order to compete for the position of queen?"

She thinks it's not impossible, now that the queen mother in the palace is dissatisfied with Lou Yun, how can she sit and wait to be killed with Lou Yun's scheming?

As a foreign minister, what could weaken the power of the Empress Dowager of the Inner Court more than to nominate a queen?

"Big lady, where Wang Gangshou is, is it ......?"

Lao Siniang was bold and carefully inquired if she and Wang Shiqiang had any tacit understanding in the palace.

Of course, the Han government wants to support the Queen Mother.

Lord Han is the son of the Queen Mother's own sister.

A few years ago, the queen mother's will to ascend the throne was the will of Lord Han who entered the palace and begged for it from this aunt.

"Wang Gangshou doesn't need to care. He has merit now, and he is still far away and doesn't even dare to go back to the capital, let alone me? Don't I know that I should find a place for Tangfang first? ”

When Lao Siniang heard her say this, she knew that she didn't plan to support the Han Shen government all the time, so she was immediately relieved and said with joy:

"That being the case. Why didn't the eldest lady make a decision early and make friends with Lord Lou? ”

Between words. She finally couldn't bear it anymore, stretched out her hand, and vaguely pointed to the riverboat of the Shunchang county lord outside the window.

Ji Qingchen shook his head.

"Since I am talking to the Chen family, I have already made concessions to Lord Lou. Now there is no way back. ”

She stood up, took two steps on the embroidered green coat in front of the couch, turned back to Lao Siniang and smiled:

"I know you're here for Tang Fang. Lou Yun instigated local businessmen to squeeze out Tangfang, and sought to let the Chen family take advantage of our Tangfang in the inland river project. I don't need to turn against him, though. But there's no need to befriend him again......"

"Owner—"

Lao Siniang hurriedly wanted to elaborate on the big benefits, but she clearly noticed that Ji Qingchen's determination had been decided.

She thought about it in her heart, and felt that Ji Qingchen was now giving up Han to participate in politics. The reason why she didn't lean towards Lou Yun could only be to wait and see the shape in the palace now, and she could only implicitly persuade:

"Owner, I just think. Now Wang Gangshou has a good scenery outside. But how young does he have to be if he wants to be promoted to the official position of governor of the government? But look at Hu Si Niangzi. From the unqualified palace maid to the county lady, it was just overnight. How do you know that the Xie family can't produce a queen? Several leaders in Jiangsu and Zhejiang, including Hu Gangshou, are now secretly courting the Xie family. And—"

Lao Siniang sighed. There was a hint of indignation on his face,

"The eldest lady has spent a lot of thought and a lot of money on the inland river project. At the risk of losing all your money. But now the businessmen in the capital only need to be able to connect with the government. Once they have found the backstage, they will be able to snatch this river from us for nothing......"

"I know. Lord Lou Yunlou, he is just clearly bullying us, and no one in the court speaks......"

Ji Qingchen naturally knew that she was right, and comforted with a smile,

"I have a firm foothold in the Great Song Dynasty, and I can't compare with the local merchants. And I also expected that after the inland river project started to be transported, it would definitely attract competition from others. ”

She glanced at Lao Siniang indifferently, and Lao Siniang suddenly remembered that when she built Tangfang ten years ago and excavated twelve rivers, why didn't there be a Fusang businessman who wanted to provoke their three sisters and brothers to fight among themselves and take advantage of the ready-made advantages?

But now that Fusang is in civil strife and the east and west are separated, the master of Tangfang is still her Ji Qingchen.

"That being the case, big lady......"

Lao Siniang followed her, "Does the eldest lady have other plans in her heart?" ”

"It's just a matter of taking one step at a time."

Ji Qingchen glanced at her and asked himself if it was impossible to say to her:

That envoy Lou was indeed treacherous in political battles and opposed her everywhere. The county lord of Shunchang outside is indeed a gift from the door, and she may be able to use this county lord as a means to curry favor with Lou Yun.

Let him raise his noble hand in this trend of crowding out Tang Fang.

But nine times out of ten, he was interested in her Ji Qingchen.

When she heard about Lou Yun's withdrawal just now, she wasn't taken aback?

So she couldn't meddle in his marriage.

Otherwise it will be self-defeating.

What does the rejected man Lou Yun think of her Ji Qingchen? Whether she gave this gift to please him or offend him even more, she was not sure.

Anyway, as far as she is concerned, she doesn't want to see Wang Shiqiang who is empathetic and doesn't want to be in love.

He is now hiding in Shaoxing Mansion, leaving her alone to support the overall situation, and she doesn't think it's a big deal.

It's better not to show up.

What's more, she still has to take care of Chen Wenchang.

Chen Wenchang is not a fool.

She felt a little headache when she thought of talking to Chen Wenchang before landing on the shore tonight.

He mentioned Wang Shiqiang and Wang Shiqiang's sending tea trees to Tangfang, and naturally talked about the arrangements for planting flowers and trees at home after they got married. And with her thoughts, it's a little early to say this.

Whether the share capital of the inland river project is considered a dowry or not has not yet been decided.

But she was too embarrassed to divert the topic......

When she was thinking about Chen Wenchang, there was the voice of Xiao Ruiniang on the same boat outside. The little girl's crisp and crisp Jiangsu and Zhejiang accents seemed to be dealing with people on the other boat.

"We are Ji Yuan's ship, little brother, I recognize you, you are from the Chen family?"

She couldn't help but laugh when she heard Ji Ruiniang take a bite of Ji Yuan.

"It's already almost into town outside?"

"Yes, big lady, our riverboat will cross the peach blossom ferry in half a mile and enter the city from the North Waterway. Chen Gang's Xiaoyuan is on the bank of the Moon Lake in the south of the city, and they entered the city directly from the Dongdu Gate, much faster than us. ”

Ji Yuan is the river house that Ji Dali bought for Tangfang in Mingzhou City. (To be continued) R580