Dugu Haoran hurriedly walked into the guest room, and apologized: "I didn't know that Zhang Shangshu arrived, and he didn't greet him from afar, and he still looked at Shangshu Haihan." ”

Zhang Yun was drinking tea, and when he saw Dugu Haoran coming in, he stood up and returned the salute with a smile: "It was I who came uninvited, and I should be the one who apologized." ”

"Zhang Shangshu is polite, please take a seat."

The two exchanged a few words, the guest and the host sat down, and a maid also served a cup of tea to Dugu Haoran, Dugu Haoran picked up the teacup to hide a trace of uneasiness in his heart, Zhang Yun chose to come to the door today naturally not for his father, forty-nine days have passed, Dugu's family can talk about some serious things, he vaguely guessed that Zhang Yun is very likely to come for his daughter's business.

One of the reasons why Dugu Haoran doesn't agree with Mingyue marrying Zhao Xuming is that he is a tide stall person, and Zhang Yun is a neutral on the surface, but Dugu Haoran knows that Zhang Yun secretly supports Qingwang Li Cong, of course, the partisan dispute is a matter of their generation, and he doesn't want his children to be involved, so Zhao Mingxu's position is to support the prince or Qingwang, which is actually not important, the key is his daughter's attitude, Dugu Haoran has always been famous for doting on his daughter, and in marriage matters, he respects his daughter's choice, He knew that Mingyue didn't like Zhao Xuming, and his daughter didn't like it, so he didn't want to force it.

"My father's affairs made me haggard, and I didn't have the heart to think about many things for the time being, so I didn't visit Zhang Shangshu after I went to Beijing for more than two months, I'm really sorry."

Without waiting for Zhang Yun to speak, Dugu Haoran preemptively set the tone, it is inconvenient to talk about festive things at home, Dugu Haoran's attitude was expected by Zhang Yun, he smiled and said: "I can understand the mood of Haoran's virtuous brother, when my father died, I also grieved for a long time, but the ancestors have gone immortal, we have done our filial piety for the sons of men, and finally we have to return to all kinds of tedious state affairs and housework. ”

Dugu Haoran was stunned, 'Xinxiangguo', what does this have to do with him?

Zhang Yun smiled and continued: "Brother Xian may have been busy with funerals, some things in the court do not know much, a few days ago the saint and a few of us talked about the expansion of the phase, now there are only six people in the central phase of the country, the saint means to expand to nine people, in addition to Yang Guozhong has been appointed as the secretary of the military department, there are two places undecided, ordered us to recommend one person each, Li Xiangguo recommended Hexi Jiedu envoy An Sishun, Chen Xiangguo recommended the household servant Cui Qiao, Pei Shangshu recommended Yangzhou Taishou Lu Lian, Yang Shenjin has not yet decided, I am also considering it here, If the virtuous brother is interested, I can give you this place. ”

Dugu Haoran's heart was pounding, into the phase, this is what he dreams of and longs for, he is the Jianghuai capital transfer envoy, the conditions for worshipping the prime minister are enough, after the death of his father, the Dugu family fell into a weakness, if he can enter the phase, not only change the weakness of the Dugu family, but also his personal career will also reach glory, but once he nods, he will be pasted with the logo of the Zhang Party, what will the prince think? Dugu Haoran was very embarrassed in his heart.

Dugu Haoran's expression fell into Zhang Yun's eyes, and he smiled quietly, "This matter is quite big, and Brother Xian doesn't need to answer in a hurry, you can think about it for two days and then reply to me." ”

Speaking of this, Zhang Yun changed the topic and smiled: "There is another trivial matter, at the beginning of the year, I asked for a marriage for my protégé Zhao Mingxu, but Ling Zun did not give a clear answer at that time, and then the court was busy, so I forgot about it, hehe!" I'm not a good matchmaker, but the day before yesterday, Zhao Mingxu came to me again, he still wanted to marry Dugu's daughter Mingyue as his wife, which really moved me a little, no way, I just need to be cheeky to propose marriage for my protégé again, and I hope that my virtuous brother Yu will become a beautiful thing. ”

Sure enough, it was for the sake of Mingyue, Dugu Haoran was silent, Zhang Yun's bait was thrown in front, he didn't want to refuse clearly, at this time, Zhang Yun suddenly saw a figure shaking under the door opposite, someone was eavesdropping on their conversation, Zhang Yun's mind turned, and he immediately smiled again: "I also know that your mansion is not suitable for happy events now, so as long as the virtuous brother agrees to this marriage first, set the name, and calmly consider the marriage after half a year, is this good?" ”

"This...."Dugu Haoran hesitated for a moment and said, "Let me think about this matter for two more days, and I will definitely give Zhang Shangshu a clear answer." ”

It was Mrs. Pei who eavesdropped at the door, she was hopeful when she heard this, and she was happy, but her husband delayed again, she couldn't help but be anxious, she wanted to go out and agree, but it seemed rude like that, and when there was nothing to do, only Zhang Yun stood up and smiled: "Okay then!" I'll wait for two more days, and as soon as Brother Wangxian replies to the nomination and marriage, I will take my leave. ”

"Huh! I'll give Shangshu a ride, Zhang Shangshu, please! ”

The two walked out of the room with a pleasantry and gradually walked away.

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"Master, I heard that Zhang Shangshu is here, but it's for Mingyue's business?"

As soon as Dugu Haoran returned to the inner courtyard, Mrs. Pei greeted her with a smile, and she pretended not to know anything.

"Oh! Zhang Shangshu came for business. ”

"Business? Didn't Mingyue's marriage be mentioned? Mrs. Pei's gaze gradually sharpened.

"Hmmm! It seems to mention a little bit. Dugu Haoran replied with a squeak.

"And what's the conclusion?"

"I said I'd think about it for two more days."

"Then what is the master going to think?"

Mrs. Pei tried to make her tone a little more relaxed, and she smiled reluctantly: "Master, don't blame me for asking too much, Mingyue's marriage has worried me for a few years, and I don't care about being a mother, maybe no one will care about her." ”

"Alright! I'll just say yes. ”

Dugu Haoran sighed and said helplessly: "But I only have one request, you must persuade Mingyue, as long as she is willing, I have no opinion." ”

"Okay, since the lord must insist on his daughter's idea, then I'll talk to her."

As soon as the words fell, a little maid appeared at the gate of the courtyard, and Ying Ying Shi saluted: "My housewife asks Mrs. to come over." ”

This little maid is the personal maid of Mrs. Zhang, the wife of Dugu Shi, naturally Mrs. Zhang invited her daughter-in-law Mrs. Pei to pass, the relationship between Mrs. Pei and her mother-in-law is not very good, first, they are of the same age, Mrs. Zhang is one year older than her, and secondly, Mrs. Zhang's husband remarried Dugu Shi less than a year after her death, which made her a little shameless, plus Mrs. Zhang is disrespectful to the old and has no demeanor of elders, and the Mid-Autumn Festival of Shangyuan also ran out to dance with young people without permission, which made Mrs. Pei, who has been very strict with etiquette since childhood, look down on her, Mrs. Pei snorted, Just about to refuse, Dugu Haoran said: "Madam, you can go and see her!" Her father passed away, which hit her hard, and we as juniors should care more about her. ”

Mrs. Pei glanced at her husband, she didn't want her husband to run away to care about him, a young stepmother, so she nodded and said, "Okay! I'm going to see her. ”

Pei's family occupies a large area, although Mrs. Zhang and Mrs. Pei live in the back house, but there is a high wall between their houses, and they have to walk through two doors to pass, Mrs. Pei took two maids to Mrs. Zhang's back house slowly, but faintly heard Mrs. Zhang's laughter, "This time you kicked off!" ”

Bypassing a bush of fine bamboo, I saw that Mrs. Zhang's filial piety clothes had been removed, and she was kicking the shuttlecock with several maids, and her daughter Mingzhu was also inside, Mrs. Pei's brows were furrowed, her husband had only been dead for fifty days, she removed her filial piety clothes, and laughed and entertained herself, which was too much, her husband also said that she was grief-stricken, and she was grief-stricken in the days when her father-in-law just died, but now, how could she be hit at all.

Mrs. Pei stepped forward and reprimanded her daughter unhappily: "Mingzhu, who told you to get rid of your filial piety?" ”

Mingzhu didn't expect her mother to come so quickly, so frightened that she stuck out her tongue and said timidly: "Didn't you say that you can get rid of filial piety after forty-nine?" ”

"Humph! If you want to remove filial piety, you have to decide for your mother, how dare you remove filial piety without authorization, and kick the shuttlecock, are you worthy of your grandfather who just died? ”

While scolding his daughter, his eyes glanced at Mrs. Zhang with disdain.

How could Mrs. Zhang not hear her finger scolding Huai, her face sank and said: "I asked Mingzhu to remove filial piety, what!" Is there anything wrong? ”

"Yo! Look at what Zu Niang said, there is nothing wrong, Zu Niang said that if you can get rid of filial piety, then there is no problem, Mingzhu, adults have something to say, you go first! ”

Mrs. Pei's words were very polite, she had already decided that she would never let Mingzhu enter this courtyard again.

"Grandmother, then I'll go first, and I'll play with you another day." Mingzhu was a little afraid of her mother and hurriedly slipped away, but when she walked around the corner, she took advantage of her mother's inattention and got into the bamboo forest and secretly hid in the forest to eavesdrop.

"Grandmother, do you have something to do with me?"

Mrs. Pei should call Mrs. Zhang her mother or mother-in-law, but in fact, since the day Mrs. Zhang remarried to the Lonely Mansion, Mrs. Pei has not called 'Niang', but called her grandmother with her two daughters.

"Oh! It's nothing, I heard that Zhang Shangshu came to visit Haoran just now, but for the sake of Mingyue? ”

If it had been a few months ago, Mrs. Pei would have said, 'How could it be a matter of the bright moon?' Deny it, or say, 'I don't know about it!' 'To pretend to be confused.

But now she doesn't have this need, she is lonely and dies, Mrs. Zhang is nothing at home, Mrs. Pei not only will not deny it, but also tell her the truth very clearly, and let her know that this family is now her Pei family.

"Grandma is right, it's for Mingyue's business, and I have agreed to give Mingyue to Zhao Xuming."

After speaking, she squinted at Mrs. Zhang with a hint of challenging her surname, but she was unexpectedly listened to by Mingzhu hiding in the bamboo bushes, she was so frightened that she lost her face, shrunk her body, ran out of the bamboo forest from the other end, and ran towards her sister's embroidery room.

Mrs. Zhang was angry here, and she said with apricot eyes: "The old man clearly said that Zhao Xuming has a bad character, and Mingyue is not allowed to give it to him, what?" The old man just died, did you turn against him? ”

Mrs. Pei suddenly remembered that on the first night of this year, she ignored her ban and forcibly took Mingyue Mingzhu out to watch the lanterns, in fact, she let Mingyue and Li Qing'an have a tryst, so that the sisters didn't come back until midnight, and Mingzhu was instigated by her, with strange makeup and clothes all day long, others thought that her family education was not strict, and she lost her face, and now she borrowed the dead to pressure herself, and the new hatred and old hatred broke out in Mrs. Pei's heart.

She couldn't suppress the anger in her heart, and retorted to Mrs. Zhang: "The old man has never said this, I think this is what you mean, now that the old man has gone to the immortals, the master will be the master in the family, me and the old man are Mingyue's real parents, can't we call the shots, and let outsiders point fingers?" ”

"You made it clear, who is the outsider?"

"Who is an outsider, she knows in her own heart, I haven't seen my husband just go to Sijiu, when the wife's joy kicks the shuttlecock, is there any etiquette?"

"You know etiquette too? Is there a daughter-in-law like you who talks to her mother-in-law? You're still the daughter of a famous family. ”

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The contradiction between the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law of Dugu Mansion finally broke out openly, everyone in Dugu Mansion is talking about this matter, the young people are watching the excitement, but the older people are watching the doorway, this is actually the battle for the right to dispose of family affairs in Dugu Mansion, in the past, Mrs. Zhang had the final say, now that the old man has died, it is Mrs. Pei's turn to call the shots, many people who sympathize with Mrs. Zhang sighed secretly, in the final analysis, the key is that Mrs. Zhang is not the original wife of the old man, and now that the old man has passed away, she has no son to support as an official outside, what does she fight with Mrs. Pei?

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Mingyue's room was a different scene, Mingyue's face was pale, standing in front of the window, her heart was full of sadness, she was sad about the shattering of her dreams, she was grieving herself, her mother actually decided to marry her to Zhao Xuming, every word of her mother's words was like a sharp knife piercing Mingyue's heart, she had to let them stab indiscriminately, she couldn't defend herself, her hope was completely shattered.

Mingzhu was anxious, and hurriedly persuaded her sister: "Sister, why don't you go and ask your father!" Let your father make the decisions for you. ”

"You don't have to go to your father, I'll take care of it!"

Their mother's cold voice came from the door, Mrs. Pei walked in slowly, she glared at her little daughter fiercely, and said, "Mingzhu, you go out!" ”

"But, mother...."

Without waiting for her sister to say anything, Mingyue waved her hand to stop her, and said softly: "Mingzhu, you go out first!" I'll have a good talk with my mother. ”

"Sister!" Mingzhu sighed, lowered her head and hurriedly walked out, and when she walked past her mother, Mrs. Pei said to her coldly: "From now on, you are not allowed to go to the East Courtyard one step further, if you dare to go again, I will break your legs!" ”

Mingzhu trembled with fright, but she answered her mouth and walked downstairs quickly, and her mother's stern voice came from behind, "And! You are not allowed to wear all the bells and whistles again, otherwise, I will not have you as a daughter. ”

Mingzhu didn't say a word, she went downstairs and hid in a corner, squatting on the ground, anxiously waiting for the storm to come.

The door closed gently, Mrs. Pei smiled, and said to the eldest daughter, "Mingyue, it's time for our two to have a good talk." ”

Mingyue nodded silently and said, "Mother, Mingzhu is still a child, please don't be so fierce to her." ”

Mrs. Pei took her daughter's hand and sat down, sighed and said: "You sisters are both mother's sweethearts, your mother is for your good, Mingzhu has been indulged in the past few years, you look at her, she often goes out early and returns late, and mixes with those demonic little girls, she is a woman, as long as she takes a slight wrong step, her life will be over, my mother knows that you love my sister, but my mother is so strict with her, it is also a manifestation of loving her, Mingyue, you are a sensible child, you should be able to understand your mother's hard work." ”

Mingyue was moved in her heart, she slowly fell into her mother's arms, and said in a low voice: "Mother, I understand!" ”

Mrs. Pei caressed her daughter's back lovingly, and said softly: "Mingyue, my mother is also good for you, my mother is a person who has come over, and she knows what kind of marriage can last the most. Respect each other like a guest', like me and your father, I am the second daughter of the Pei family, your father is the eldest son of the Dugu family, this is the right family, we have never quarreled because of the father's family or the mother's family, marriage is not only a matter of two people, it is also related to the interests of the two families, I didn't know your father at the beginning, I was also very scared before I got married, and I cried secretly, but after getting married, with the passage of time, we slowly got to know each other, and I also liked your father more and more, husband and wife love, gave birth to your brothers and sisters, this is marriage, like white rice, although it is a little plain, but it can be eaten for a lifetime, Mingyue, do you understand the mother's painstaking efforts？ ”

Mingyue slowly raised her head and said: "I know that my mother is for my good, but I really dislike that Zhao Xuming, I know that he has a bad character, on the contrary, I like Li Qingan very much." ”

Speaking of liking Li Qing'an, Mingyue's face was a little red, but her beautiful eyes became extremely bright, "I like him to defend the border for the country, I like his heroism, I am willing to go to Beiting with him, mother, you will become a daughter!" ”

Mrs. Pei's face slowly sank, and she persuaded her hard, her daughter actually became a deaf ear, she restrained the displeasure in her heart, and persuaded again: "Mingyue, you have to be realistic, Li Qingan became a festival envoy at a young age, of course, this is easy to make the girls fall in love, my mother can understand your feelings, but you have to understand, you will be eighteen years old next year, and if you don't marry after the age of eighteen, most people will no longer be willing to agree to this marriage, you and Li Qingan have neither a marriage contract, nor a matchmaker, how can you be sure that he will marry you, If he marries someone else as his wife, then you will not be delayed, at that time, if you go back and want to marry Zhao Xuming, people will not wait for you anymore, Mingyue, instead of going to the moon in the water and the flowers in the mirror, it is better to cherish what you have gotten, this matter, you don't have to fight with your mother anymore, Zhang Shangshu came to ask for Zhao Xuming twice, human favor is more important than the mountain, your father and I have decided to agree to him. ”

Mingyue shook her head slowly, "He will wait for me, I know." ”

She knelt down on her knees, but her eyes looked at her mother very resolutely: "I will never marry Zhao Xuming, I will not marry anyone except him, mother, I'm sorry!" ”

"You...."The anger in Mrs. Pei's heart was ignited again, she shook off her daughter's hand, stood up and said angrily: "The marriage of children is decided by their parents, since ancient times, I won't say anything to you anymore, whether you want to or not, you are determined to marry Zhao Xuming, this is a mother's decision, there is nothing negotiable." ”

"I never!"

Mingyue also stood up suddenly, the stubbornness hidden in her bones was stimulated, and she said word by word: "I won't marry him if I die!" ”

"Good! You can say that again! ”

Mrs. Pei was so angry that she trembled, pointed at her daughter and said, "I raised your daughter for nothing, if you want to die, die!" ”

She turned and walked out.

"Mother!" Mingyue screamed sadly, she rushed forward, looked at her mother and said in a trembling voice: "Mother, you... Don't push me! ”

"You don't want to coerce me with death, if your mother wants you to marry, you must marry, and before the end of the year, you must get married."

Mrs. Pei snorted, 'Bang! With a loud bang, she slammed the door and walked away without looking back.

A feeling of despair grabbed Mingyue's heart, tears flowed down her cheeks, her mother's determination was irreparable, could this be her fate, no! This is not her fate, she said, she will not marry if she dies, she suddenly turned around, her eyes were fixed on a white silk on the bed.

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Mingzhu was so frightened by her mother that she slammed the door so much that her heart almost stopped beating, she heard her mother reprimanding the maid loudly, "You have to keep an eye on the eldest girl, don't let her go out of the stairs, she has to report to me if she has any moves, if you dare to hide anything, watch me break your legs!" ”

Mingzhu quietly felt out of the corner and quickly slipped upstairs, she wanted to discuss countermeasures with her sister, but when she walked to the door, she suddenly felt that something was wrong, and when she pushed the door, she was stunned.

"Mother, come on!"

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(To be continued)