Zhao Xiu walked into the door of his house, and in the front yard, he heard his grandmother Zhang talking in the living room: "I understand your general's kindness, but let's take it back." It is not easy for his family to be in the northwest for many years, so why bother with such a big bag? Could it be that if he doesn't give me these things, I won't read his affection? Since he is going back to Beijing to take up a post, this is also a good thing, and being an official in the capital is not more than when he was in the northwest, he had to use more silver. If there are good things, he should keep them for greater use. ”

Zhao Xiu was surprised in his heart, it turned out that this Wang family really had an old relationship with his own family? So why did she never hear her grandmother mention it? When it comes to the military generals who have friendships, the closest ones are, of course, the Cao family, the general of the Zhuguo, in addition to several local generals such as the Zhenjiang General Army, as well as several Liaodong guards, all of whom are grandfathers' old departments, and these families have correspondence or direct contact with the second room of the Zhao family, and there are also gifts during the New Year's holidays. But the military general surnamed Wang has never heard of it.

A strange man's voice sounded in the living room, it sounded quite old, about the housekeeper of the Wang family, but compared with the usual housekeepers of large families, it seemed to be a little tactful. Zhang's refusal made him a little at a loss, and said vigorously, this is their general's order, must be sent to the Hou Mansion, on behalf of their general and wife's intentions, if Zhang's does not accept it, it must be his general has offended her somewhat, please forgive Zhang's more, Yunyun.

Zhao Xiu was speechless outside, thinking to himself what is the origin of this Wang family? How can you give a gift and force someone to accept it? His words may sound humble, but there is always a strong coaxing posture. If it weren't for the helplessness in this butler's tone when he spoke, it was so clear that even she in the courtyard could hear it, and he would definitely misunderstand him for bullying people. The Jiannan Hou Mansion now has no real power in the court, and only relies on the holy family, and it is not surprising that those really powerful high-ranking families bully the people of the Jiannan Hou Mansion, but who is General Wang? Isn't that a rush to find a pleasure?

The Zhang family doesn't seem to treat the Wang family very well, no matter what the housekeeper says, he just refuses to accept the gift. The housekeeper had no choice but to take his leave.

Zhao Xiu heard it outside, so he turned around and glanced at Bihan behind him, and then walked a few quick steps into the second gate. When the housekeeper of the Wang family came out, he did not see their master and servant, but left with a sigh.

Zhang walked out of the living room with the support of the girl, and Zhao Xiu hurriedly greeted him: "Grandmother, that is the person sent by the Wang family just now?" What is the origin of the Wang family? ”

When Zhang saw her coming back, he waved his hand to signal the girl to retreat, and walked into the main courtyard with the support of his granddaughter, but did not directly answer Zhao Xiu's question: "You just came back from the palace?" How did you go for so long? Can you see the prince? How is the prince's complexion today? ”

Zhao Xiu had no choice but to reply: "The prince is in good spirits, I have been chatting with him for half an hour today, and he still has some unfinished business." If it weren't for Shizi's repeated reminders to stop worrying, he would still want to continue talking. It just so happened that Sister Yanxia came over with the medicine, and the prince took the medicine and went to rest, so I retired. ”

Zhang was surprised when he heard it: "Since you only accompanied the prince for half an hour, why did you come back after more than an hour?" ”

Zhao Xiu said with a smile: "After leaving the prince's courtyard, I went to sit in the courtyard of the prince. Last time during the Mid-Autumn Festival, he bothered to give me so many good gifts, I liked everything, so I naturally wanted to thank him. Shizi also said that if I am really so interested in those foreign books, he can help me borrow the foreign books collected in the palace library. I think it's a great opportunity, and it's a real pleasure. If you can really borrow the books in the palace, you don't have to stick to foreign documents, copy every one, and we can have a lot of books in our family. ”

Zhang was a little worried: "Is this in order?" The things in the palace are not so easy to borrow. If it is taboo for the son of the world to do this, won't you hurt him? According to me, there are enough books in my country from the past and present, and you have only read less than half of these books in your family, so why bother to focus on foreign books? Even if you really want to collect it, you don't need to borrow it from the palace. Weijia Trading House is so familiar with our family, you can ask them to bring a few books back to England for you, a small pot of tea, and ten boxes and eight boxes. ”

Zhao Xiu smiled: "That's different, how do I know what books the people from the Wells family firm can bring me from England?" It takes a year to do it once, it's too troublesome, isn't it good to do it at the same time? Don't worry, Shizi is not confused, since he can borrow the book, he naturally asked the top. Besides, I will not lose or defile the book, but I will copy it once and return it, and it is a big deal that I will go to the palace to copy it, so that the palace will not know that he once lent me the book. It's not that I'm staring at foreign books, but that although there are so many books in my country that I can't finish reading them, foreigners' books are not all useless. There are some things that foreigners have studied more deeply than us, so isn't it good to learn more from others? Even if you don't learn, you have to know what people have done, in case you can use it in the future? ”

Zhang sighed: "Although you are right, you are just a foreigner, what can we learn from us?" Let's just think of it as a pastime. It's just that you also have to be measured, although our family is not an ordinary relationship with the prince and the prince, but you are getting older day by day, you should also pay attention to the difference between men and women, don't always run to the palace. Although you and the son of the world are both frank and open, you can't stand the criticism of the world. It's not good if your own reputation is damaged, and you have to clear your name even if you have to clear your name. If you want to borrow something, ask your brother to borrow it. If you borrow the book and copy it, it's okay to ask your brother to hand it over, and you don't have to worry about leaking the matter. ”

Zhao Xiu responded a little uncomfortably, thinking that it was indeed okay to let her brother Zhao Wei come forward to pass things, but just doing this always made her feel a little sorry for Gao Zhen......

Also, she made new clothes for Gao Zhen, if she asked her brother to send it to him, in order not to make her brother jealous, why should she make a set for her brother?

Zhao Xiu wailed in his heart, and only reacted when he returned to the room. She asked about the Wang family, but the Zhang family didn't seem to answer at all? At that time, Zhang reminded her not to go to the palace all the time, did she really want to remind her, or did she just want to change the topic?

At dinner, she couldn't help but ask again. This time, Zhang paused and did not answer the question immediately.

Zhao Wei raised his head in surprise: "Wang family? Which Wang family? Is it Wang Dongsheng's family? ”

Zhao Xiu didn't expect his brother to have a material, so he hurriedly asked: "Who is Wang Dongsheng?" I asked my grandmother's Wang family, his housekeeper has given us a gift today, how many big cars, it seems that his master is a general in the northwest, right? said that he was about to return to Beijing. ”

Zhao Wei frowned: "It's really his family?" Okay, he doesn't stay in the northwest, what is he going to do when he goes back to the capital? ”

Zhao Xiu was even more curious: "Brother, who is this Wang Dongsheng?" Does our family have a grudge against him? ”

Zhao Wei sighed: "It's hard to say whether there are grievances or not, I also listened to the old people in the family, in fact, our family should be kind to him." He was the son of his grandfather's subordinates, but when he was eleven or twelve years old, his father died in battle, leaving only orphans and widows, and his family was not well-off. My grandfather asked my grandmother to send someone to fetch him and found a yard at the back of the house to house them. This Wang Dongsheng studied and practiced martial arts, all of which he learned from the Hou Mansion, and later turned eighteen years old, and he was going to officially join the army. His grandfather chose his name for him. Although his grandfather was not related to him by blood, he was no different from father and son. ”

Zhao Xiu was puzzled: "Since this is the kind of relationship, shouldn't he be very close to our family?" Why haven't I heard of such a person for so many years? He never corresponded with our family? ”

Zhao Wei glanced at Zhang, and Zhang smiled bitterly: "Because when he was in the Hou Mansion in the past, he used to be a companion to Zhao Jue, and he has always been closer to that side." ”

Zhao Xiu suddenly realized: "He is from Zhao Jue's side?" She couldn't help but sneer: "According to this, this person's character is not very good." His grandfather and grandmother were kind to him, took care of their mother and son's life, and arranged his career, but when something happened to the Zhao family, he only relied on his personal feelings to forget his grandmother's kindness to him, knowing what Zhao Jue's family had done, and pretending not to know, he didn't contact us for ten years. He is now uncharacteristically sending things to our family, could it be because Zhao Jue planted it, and he was afraid that he would be affected, so he specially came to slap us? ”

Out of disgust for Zhao Jue's family, she subconsciously branded everyone close to his family as villains, but Zhang shook his head: "Although he is closer to Zhao Jue's family, he is not a fool." He categorically did not dare to conspire against such a thing. Moreover, he has been serving in the northwest and has made countless military achievements, but he rarely makes friends with the powerful in Beijing, and his reputation is also very good. Since the new emperor specially summoned him back, it must be of great use. If he is suspected of rebellion, how can the new emperor make such a will? ”

Having said that, Zhao Xiu's impression of this Wang Dongsheng is still not good: "That's hard to say." Look at the big cars and things he sent to our house, if he had clean sleeves and was very upright, how did those things come about? Don't tell me if I bought it with a fortune or if it's his ancestral property. "Wang Dongsheng used to be attached to the Hou Mansion because of his poor family, of course, it is impossible to have a large amount of ancestral property, so it can only be the money accumulated after becoming an official. If the generals want to get rich, there will be more cats.

But Zhang still shook his head: "Those who are border generals have a way to get money." For example, when your grandfather used to guard Liaodong, there was a dark business in the army that privately sold ginseng skins from Northeast China into Beijing. This court also knows that it is for the army to subsidize military expenses, but it is never put on the table. The same must be true in the Northwest. Wang Dongsheng has been guarding the Northwest Frontier for many years, but he just pulled a few carts of things over, which is really nothing. Your grandfather brought more than this from his home. ”

Zhao Xiu was a little unhappy: "Grandmother, since Wang Dongsheng is closer to Zhao Jueniu's family, you have rejected the gifts from his family, why do you repeatedly say good things for him now?" ”

Zhang was stunned and sighed faintly: "Although he hasn't seen us for more than ten years, I still know that he has a human temperament." It's not that I said good things for him, but that he is really not a wolf-hearted person like Zhao Jue, just a little ......" She paused, "When he comes back, you will naturally know." Since he is going to take up a post in Beijing, he will not have to worry about not having the opportunity to meet in the future. ”

Zhao Wei asked her: "Doesn't grandmother complain that he has ignored our grandparents and grandchildren all these years?" Then why did you refuse the gift from his family? ”

Zhang said lightly: "He has been away from Beijing for many years, although I know his personality, I don't know if he is still close to Zhao Jue's family." When there was an accident in our family, in the eyes of an outsider, it was an infighting among his own family, and he was not easy to interfere with. Zhao Jiong and your father, no matter which one is your grandfather's flesh and blood, who should he help? Most of your grandfather's old subordinates think like this, but they look down on Zhao Jiong and Zhao Jue as people, so they are closer to our ancestors and grandchildren. Wang Dongsheng was originally good friends with Zhao Jue, so naturally he couldn't be the same as others. But I've heard people say that he has no contact with that side, not even letters. It can be seen that he is not without complaints about what he has done over there. ”

Zhao Xiu felt that her grandmother's idea might be a little more optimistic: "Maybe people have private dealings?" We just don't know. ”

Zhang smiled: "Maybe." Now that he is coming back, the ancestors of the Niu family are still in Beijing. I want to see how he treats the ancestors and grandchildren of the Niu family after he knows about this, so that he can decide whether to have dealings with his family in the future. The hands are short when it takes people and things, and the mouth is soft when it eats people. If he is still close to that side, and I have gained his advantage, how can I accuse him again? But if I want to tolerate Niu Shi, I can't swallow this breath. I just hope that Wang Dongsheng will not disappoint me, otherwise I will not treat him as a guest again, and he will not have to come to me to ask for anything and give me any gifts. ”RS