Less than a day after they were separated, Zhao Xiu saw Gao Zhen again.

Gao Zhen's complexion today is much better than yesterday, and when he sees Zhao Wei and Zhao Xiu, his mood seems to be very good. However, when he saw Zhao Xiu, he blushed slightly, but the next look at Zhao Xiu was a little more eager than usual. Zhao Xiu was a little embarrassed, but he didn't think much about it, but Zhao Wei found out. He looked suspicious and stared at Gao Zhen a few more times. Gao Zhen hurriedly restrained himself and faced their brother and sister with the most natural expression possible.

Zhao Xiu took out the bookcase, and Gao Zhen heard that they had just come from the Fang family, so he knew what it was. Now that he is recuperating from his injuries in the palace, and those affairs have been handed over earlier, he has some lack of interest in the contents of the box. But Zhao Xiu deliberately sent the things in person, and he couldn't be too cold, so in front of the Zhao family brothers and sisters, he opened the box and read the letter hastily.

After reading the letter, he frowned and sneered: "This kind of private matter, Fang Laosan also has to report it to me, is it possible that he plans to ask me to support him?" Ridiculous! ”

Zhao Xiu asked curiously, "What's wrong?" Is it a private matter that he wrote in the secret letter? "Since it's a private matter, there's no harm in asking.

Since it was a private matter, Gao Zhen didn't plan to hide it from Zhao Xiu, so he said a few words simply: "Fang Chongshan's eldest daughter has a marriage contract with the Qiu family of Meishan Bofu, and it was originally scheduled to pass in July. Now that Fang Yishan is dead, she has to serve her uncle for three months, and the Fang family plans to postpone the marriage. But the Qiu family refused, and suggested that the Fang family expel Fang Yishan's house from the clan so as to clear up the relationship, and insisted on marrying the daughter-in-law into the door on the original date, if the Fang family did not agree, they threatened to abandon the marriage. Fang Laosan came to me with a complaint, saying that he was worried that his niece's marriage would have twists and turns, which would affect ...... "He paused, "It will affect what the court will do for him." It's really ridiculous, can his niece get married, can he marry the Qiu family, and what does it have to do with the affairs of the court? I think he is just bullying me for being young and vigorous, and wants to provoke me to stand out for the Fang family. The family affairs of the two families can be successful, but they cannot be pulled down. Although I am disgusted with Fang Yishan, the affairs of the Fang family are not related to outsiders, so why should I worry about him? ”

It turned out to be this thing. Zhao Xiu hurriedly said, "Mrs. Meishan Bo just went to Fang's house to talk about this matter. I was in the courtyard of the five girls of the Fang family at the time, although I did not see or hear it with my own eyes, but I saw the eldest girl of his family rush to see Mrs. Fang when she heard the news, and then returned to the room with an ugly face. But I thought that the two of them had some disagreements at most, and they would be able to negotiate a solution sooner or later, but I didn't expect it to get to the point where the marriage was abandoned. As for it? What can the Qiu family do if they postpone their marriage for three months? Originally, the marriage was prepared in a hurry, and the time was very tight, but now it has three more months, which is a good thing. The Qiu family's attitude seems to be looking for an excuse to withdraw from the marriage. But for this kind of reason, it doesn't make sense for him to go out, right? ”

Gao Zhen and Zhao Wei asked Zhao Xiu what happened to him. Zhao Xiu said what he knew, and Zhao Wei thought for a while: "It is impossible for the Qiu family to find an excuse to retreat because of Fang Yishan's matter. Fang Yishan and Fang Chongshan are brothers from the next room, and they are about to come out of the fifth suit. As Fang Chongshan's brother-in-law, when he lost his official position for bad deeds, he was also charged with rebellion, but it was only lighter, and the emperor was benevolent, so he spared his life. If the Qiu family cared about these individuals, there was no need to marry the Fang family in the first place. ”

Zhao Xiu nodded: "Yes, let's talk about the situation of the eldest girl of the Fang family, the Qiu family must have inquired clearly in advance." His family doesn't even care about that kind of thing, so how can they care about a lawsuit? That's why I said the Qiu family was weird. ”

Gao Zhen smiled: "The Qiu family may not want to withdraw from the marriage, if they really want to withdraw from the marriage, they only need to use Fang Yishan's lawsuit to make it clear, and the Fang family is afraid that they will not be able to defend it." But the Qiu family asked to marry according to the original marriage date, and suggested that Fang Yishan should be left in one room, what if the Fang family did it? When the time comes, what reason will the Qiu family have to withdraw from the marriage? It can be seen that their family still wants to make this marriage. ”

Then the question arises, what is the reason why the Qiu family insists on marrying Fang Huizhu on the ninth day of the seventh month?

Zhao Xiu remembered one thing again: "This day seems to have been set by the Qiu family. Although the Fang family planned to marry their eldest daughter as soon as possible because the prefect was far away in Jining, and then the family members went south to Jining to meet the prefect, they originally planned to arrive before August 15. Take a boat from Tongzhou to Jining, if the road is smooth, it will be enough for ten days. And I remember that it was written in the Shi Xian book that there were good days at the end of July and early August, but the Qiu family unexpectedly chose the ninth day of the seventh month, which caused the Fang family to be in a hurry. At that time, I told the five girls of the Fang family, this matter is very strange. But the Fang family was thinking about the early marriage, and the Qiu family agreed happily, so they were embarrassed to find fault. ”

Gao Zhen frowned and asked, "When did this happen?" ”

Zhao Xiu answered, and Gao Zhen kept his head down and pondered. Seeing that he was so attentive, Zhao Xiu couldn't bear to disturb, so he was silent together.

Zhao Wei cleared his throat and wanted to speak, but Zhao Xiu quickly glanced at him, suggesting that he should not disturb Gao Zhen's thinking. Zhao Wei guessed the meaning in his sister's eyes, his heart was sour, he grinded his teeth, and said to her in a low voice: "The Qiu family's behavior is very strange, they insist on getting married in early July, there must be some ulterior motives. ”

Zhao Xiu also lowered his voice and replied, "I think so too, but what could it be?" It's just a three-month delay, what's the big deal? It's not that the bride is in a hurry to give birth, she must pass through the door before her belly gets bigger, otherwise her face will not look good. ”

Zhao Wei glanced at his sister: "What nonsense?" Tell people to listen, beware of the Fang family and you are in a hurry! ”

Zhao Xiu pursed his lips: "Isn't there no one else here?" Of course I know that this is impossible, otherwise it will not be the Qiu family but the Fang family who are in a hurry to do a happy event! ”

Gao Zhen's heart was shocked, and he looked up at Zhao Xiu.

Zhao Xiu blinked: "What's wrong?" Brother Shizi, did you think of something? ”

Gao Zhen showed a smile: "It's nothing." I heard you speak, but I didn't hear you clearly, I was just curious. ”

Zhao Wei didn't want Gao Zhen to hear his sister say things that shouldn't be said, so he hurriedly pulled the topic away: "It's just a casual chat about some family routines - by the way, Fang Sanye wrote a secret letter to ask the prince for help, what is the son going to do?" ”

Gao Zhen said with a smile: "I see that Fang San is not very kind to the brothers of the Yishan clan, and he may not disapprove of the Qiu family's proposal." It's just that he himself is in an embarrassing situation in the family, if the clan expels him from the clan because of Fang Yishan's crimes, will he himself suffer from the disaster of the pond fish? If this problem can be solved, he will probably be happy to dissociate himself from Fang Yishan, right? At that time, the whole Fang family does not need to keep filial piety, and the eldest girl of the Fang family can naturally marry according to the original marriage date. ”

Zhao Wei thought for a while: "If that's the case, I have an idea." In our Zhao clan, there is a rule, if the clan makes a big mistake and endangers the reputation of the family, the patriarch cannot make a decision, or the decision is unfair and cannot convince the public, then the matter will be submitted to the clan for discussion, and each house will send the owner or a man to vote, and decide how to deal with the matter according to the voting results. This is still the method proposed by my sister when she was a child, and it has been used in the clan for a few years, which is quite convenient. The patriarch of the Fang family was not in the capital, and Third Master Fang didn't dare to make rash decisions, so it was better to use this method. In that case, no matter whether Fang Yishan's house is going to be expelled from the clan or not, the responsibility is not borne by the Fang family's family. And if Fang Sanye's popularity is not too bad on weekdays, he will not be easily rejected by more than half of the clan. ”

Gao Zhen looked at Zhao Xiu with some surprise: "This is Sister Zhao's idea?" How clever! ”

Somehow, Zhao Xiu listened to his praise, and his heart was suddenly extremely proud, and he quickly sat up straight, and nodded with a smile: "It was my idea, I didn't dare to say that I was smart, but I thought of it in a flash of inspiration." Then he introduced the clan rules he participated in formulating to Gao Zhen in detail, and also took the unscrupulous children of the outer eight rooms and the small long house as an example, and finally said: "Actually, I will propose to add this article to the clan rules, because the patriarch of the clan back then favored the people of the small long house, and he always couldn't get along with our second room, and his son, as the son of the sect, understood the matter, and had no choice but to resist his father, so I put forward this proposal, planning to draw salary from the bottom of the kettle and use the power of the people of the clan to suppress the patriarch." The situation of the Fang family is different from our Zhao family, and I don't know if they are willing to use this method. If it is really used, maybe this time Fang Yishan's matter, Fang Chongshan's family can take the initiative, but if the Fang clan has the intention to make it bad, it may not be a good thing for them to use this method to restrain Fang Chongshan in the future. ”

Gao Zhencai didn't care about Fang Chongshan's prestige status in the Fang clan, he thought that this method was good, and he could recommend it to Fang Sanye. If the Fang family's descendants deliberately put aside Fang Yishan's house and have the name of the clansmen's referendum, they would not have to be criticized by some of the clansmen who sympathized with Fang Yishan, and Fang Yishan's wife and daughter would not be resentful. But if the result of the referendum is not out of the clan, Fang Huizhu still has to be filial piety to his uncle, and the Fang family's descendants also have a reason to explain to the Qiu family. At that time, it is still unknown whether the Qiu family will ruin the marriage, but the Fang family does not have to bear the charge of breaking the contract, but the Qiu family will be gossiped about.

Gao Zhen remembered the news he got in the palace some time ago, and felt that if his guess was correct, maybe he could add some trouble to the Qiu family, save them from having nothing to do, and calculate his marriage.

He smiled and clapped his hands, "That's it." I will reply to Fang San, write this idea in the letter, whether you want to adopt it or not, it is his business. Hengzhi is now a sick person, recuperating at home all day, and I don't have time to be a backer for him and help him scare Meishan Bofu. He solemnly thanked Zhao Xiu: "Thank you Sister Zhao for sending the letter today." Originally, the matter was over, but because of the Fang family's private affairs, he bothered his sister again. I really can't get it. ”

Zhao Xiu hurriedly waved his hand: "What is this?" I would have liked to come and see you again. I wonder how Brother Shizi feels today? The wound doesn't hurt that much, does it? ”

"It's much better." Gao Zhen paused, "The previous matter of delivering the letter and news has annoyed Sister Zhao, and I am really grateful in my heart......"

Before he could finish speaking, Zhao Wei coughed twice and interrupted him. Gao Zhen turned his head to look at Zhao Wei, Zhao Wei winked at him, smirked, and hinted that he also had a share, so don't patronize and thank Zhao Xiu alone.

Gao Zhen paused again, pulled the corners of his mouth, and continued: "This time I was able to make a contribution, thanks to the help of the virtuous brothers and sisters, I am really grateful......" He glanced at Zhao Wei, "So I prepared two small gifts to thank me, not a valuable thing, but it also represents my heart, and I hope that Brother Zhao and Sister Zhao will not dislike it." ”

Zhao Xiu was a little surprised: "What other gift do you want to give?" It's just a trifle......"

"Yes!" Gao Zhen looked at her seriously, "Please accept it!" ”

He insisted so much, Zhao Xiu was a little surprised and nodded, but he was puzzled in his heart: Gao Zhen is rarely so polite to her, what's wrong today?

The Zhao brothers and sisters each went home with a brocade box. Halfway through the carriage, Zhao Wei opened his brocade box and looked at it, and found that it was a set of excellent four treasures of the study, although it was good, but it was not an unusual object, and it seemed that it was used by the Guangping Palace for gifts on weekdays. He frowned and looked at Zhao Xiu: "What did my sister get?" He always felt that listening to Gao Zhen's tone, it seemed as if he was planning to send something specifically to his sister.

Zhao Xiu slowly opened the brocade box, touched the contents inside, and slowly turned it over to show his brother. Zhao Wei saw that there was also a good set of four treasures in the study, which was only slightly more delicate than his own, so he guessed that he probably thought too much.

He didn't notice that Zhao Xiu had hidden a wooden comb in the brocade box in the palm of his hand in advance when he wasn't paying attention.

It was a wooden comb made of rosewood, simple and elegant, but the carved pattern on it was a little rough, and it was by no means the work of an experienced craftsman.

And Zhao Xiu clearly remembered that when he came to visit his grandmother Zhang yesterday, this wooden comb was placed in the corner of the kang table on the wooden kang in Gao Zhen's room. At that time, it had not yet been polished, and there were tools next to it.

This is something that Gao Zhen made with his own hands.

Made for her with her own hands.