Next, Zhang Bao and the Tong family sent people to secretly inquire about various news, and sure enough, there were some clues.

On the day of the old lady's seventh day, Xingbao and Suo Yuluo went out in the rain without anyone and took the carriage in the house. Although the coachman is a trustworthy person for their husband and wife, it is a pity that he is too addicted to alcohol, and a good daughter red on the jar is tricked out.

On that day, although Xingbao and his wife were wearing plain clothes, they were dressed decently, and they went to one of the restaurants in charge of Xingbao, and it was the most secret one. Most outsiders don't know the real owner of this restaurant, and Xingbao goes to check the accounts on weekdays, but only enters and exits through the side door. However, according to the driver, Xingbao unexpectedly parked at the back door that day. There's an alley there, off the beaten track, and while it's not dirty, it's not a decent place to go. And after entering the door, the shopkeeper there waited in person, welcomed Xingbao and his wife in, vaguely heard him talking, and arranged the guests to the most remote and quiet private room Songtao Pavilion.

The coachman waited at the back door until it was dark before he saw Xingbao and Suo Xue Luo come out, and remembered that they were all happy on their faces, and Xingbao still smelled of wine.

Changfu inquired about the origin of the distinguished guest again, and because the relationship was important, he avoided the others and came to report to the master.

Changfu said in a low voice: "One of Lin's cousins-in-law on Thursday was originally waiting for the call outside the second gate, and he asked the second master's steward to get an errand to take care of the guests' carriages and horses in that restaurant. He said that there were many dignitaries and nobles who went to the building that day, and the shopkeeper personally received several people, and only one of them was arranged to go to the most quiet Songtao Pavilion. It just happens to go in when it's raining and come out when it's dark. He looked up at Zhang Bao and paused.

Zhang Bao hurriedly asked, "Who is it?" Changfu gritted his teeth and said, "He has seen that guest a few times." Therefore it is recognized, it is...... It is Lord Lingpu, the grandmother of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. ”

Everyone present was taken aback, and Zhang Bao muttered to himself: "No wonder...... No wonder...... It turned out to be him...... "He woke up so easily." told Changfu: "You have always been a safe person, so you naturally know the seriousness of things. You don't know about it. Thursday Lin and his cousin-in-law have to confess to them to keep their mouths shut, you know? ”

Changfu replied solemnly: "Yes, Xiaodi knows that this matter is very important, so he has already instructed Zhou Lin. He won't reveal it. As for his cousin-in-law, the younger one had given him ten taels of silver, and told him to keep his mouth shut. When he saw Zhang Bao gesticulating, he retreated and closed the door again.

Tong let out a long breath: "I actually climbed up to the prince, no wonder...... They looked fearless......" she looked at her husband, and they both looked at each other and sighed.

Duan Ning and Shu Ning were also present. Duan Ning frowned and said, "It's just that why is the prince willing to accept the second uncle?" Although the second uncle is rich, what are the few restaurants and teahouses? It's not for nothing that people in Kyori are richer than him? ”

Zhang Bao also didn't understand. I'm thinking about it. Shu Ning said hesitantly: "Actually...... There are other uses for restaurants and teahouses...... "She has seen it before, and it has been mentioned in the travel text. Seeing the gaze of her parents and brother towards her, Shuning considered her words for a moment and said, "Inn, restaurant, teahouse...... etc. It has always been a place where gossip prevails...... If you are a person with a heart, you have mastered these places...... You can hear all kinds of news. Then select the information that is useful to you. "In fact, there is also a green building. It's just that she didn't say it. "There are several restaurants and teahouses in the hands of the second uncle, and three are in the inner city. The two are in the outer city, both are located next to the thoroughfare, or in the downtown area, and the quietest one is also located in the place where the eunuchs live. Those dignitaries, wealthy businessmen and celebrities, friends gatherings, or discussing serious matters, all love to find a private room in the restaurant and teahouse. If someone has sent people to wait in advance, what news can't be heard? It's good to be able to make money, but the usefulness of the second uncle's properties is not just to make money, right? ”

Zhang Bao, Tong Shi and Duan Ning were speechless when they heard this, and Zhang Bao sighed for a while: "I didn't know that the restaurant teahouse also had such a use, but this kind of thing is not thought of by a very shrewd person, how did Shu'er know?" ”

Shuning hurriedly said: "Actually, my daughter has also been to the second uncle's Yide Pavilion, and I have seen several officials in it. Later, in Guangzhou, Mrs. Wen paid for the opening of the land cyclamen, because of the proximity to the thirteen lines, there are often nearby merchants to discuss business, all day long there are all kinds of gossip frequently, the daughter has seen a merchant from other places, from the second child to get a letter, made a big business. I want to come to the teahouse restaurant in the capital There is also this kind of thing, but there are many officials in Beijing, and most of the news that circulates is officialdom, right? ”

Duan Ning also said at this time: "I also remembered, I heard before that there are several big restaurants in Beijing that are behind the capital of the major princes and princesses, and they will also send reliable servants to be shopkeepers or something, so as to find out all kinds of news." He paused and blushed slightly: "I heard that there are still people eavesdropping on places like Willow Lane on Flower Street......" He glanced at his sister and didn't say any more.

Shuning pretended not to know, Zhang Bao and Tong had already listened to it, so they didn't pay attention. Tong sighed: "I don't know who came up with the idea, so let's say, when our family goes out to visit a restaurant and teahouse, they can't make sure that someone is eavesdropping on the side?" Zhang Bao also shook his head and said: "In the past, we were too lonely and unheard, how did we know about these secret deeds?" ”

He turned to look at his daughter and smiled, "After all, my daughter, she is even smarter than when she was a child, and you can guess such a method from a little experience of cyclamen." ”

Shuning lowered her head embarrassedly, but she was a little ashamed in her heart, if she hadn't lived two lifetimes and had seen too much of the Internet in her previous life, she might not have known these things.

Duan Ning asked: "Since the restaurant and teahouse are so useful, will the prince really allow the second uncle to be in charge?" I have met the prince a few times, and his talent and bearing are excellent, but his temperament is not lenient. I remember one time, one of his companions said the wrong sentence and got several mouths. The second uncle thinks that he has climbed a good backer, but what if he ends up marrying a man? ”

Zhang Bao smiled: "Why is this so? The crown prince is the prince of a country, what are you doing to rob him of a few restaurants and teahouses? Duan'er is thinking too much. He lowered his head and thought about it, and then said, "Since the second brother has climbed this big tree, it is not easy for me to stop him." It's not good if you offend someone. ”

Tong asked: "If the second room really proposes to divide the family, what should we do?" Do you want to divide it too? ”

"I don't plan to divide it, and I get along well with the eldest brother and the fourth brother. What's more, it's good to enjoy the shade under the big tree, and I don't seek to be rich and rich. As long as there is a happy life, it will be fine. With the big brother in front, you can also worry less. He thought about it for a while, and smiled with confidence, "I won't stop the second brother if he wants to divide it, but there are some things." I still have to do it. ”

Zhang Bao didn't say on the spot what he was going to do, and Duan Ning and Shuning also knew that their parents would discuss it, and they didn't have to worry about their children.

In the evening, the second sister-in-law reported to the Tong family what she had accidentally learned when she inquired about the news.

The second sister-in-law said: "Didn't the former say that Qiu Ju's old illness had recurred, and the blood landslide was gone?" Madame, you also said that she had been in our house for a few years, and asked me to go and burn two pieces of paper money for her. Tong nodded: "I remember, what?" Is there a problem? ”

The day after Qiu Ju's death, the eldest lady said that the girl who was waiting for her didn't care. Relegated to Baoding Zhuangzi. I heard that before the girl left, an eldest sister beside the second wife had asked her some words, and some people went to the porters who sent Qiu Ju's coffin out of the city to ask long and short questions. There are rumors that Qiu Ju is not a recurrence of the old disease, but a miscarriage again. ”

Tong Shi covered his mouth slightly with a handkerchief: "Won't it?" Why is Brother Qing so nonsense? This is still in filial piety. The second sister-in-law said: "I can't say for sure whether this is true or false." It's just in case the second wife really has some handle. It's hard to be a big wife. Madame, you need to be more careful. ”

Tong nodded slightly. I'm splitting the line after the fact

Shuning didn't know exactly what her parents would do, but she also felt some changes around her. The interaction between the three-bedroom and the large and four-bedroom is increasing day by day. Not only did Zhang Bao often communicate and talk with his eldest brother and younger brother, but the Tong family also often visited each other with the Nala family and the Shen family. There are many errands for the maids in the courtyard to come and go to deliver things, and even the uncontrollable master like Xiao Liu occasionally goes to other courtyards. For a while, except for the second room, the entire Earl's Court seemed to be warm.

However, Shuning herself has a headache for this kind of warmth, because as the relationship with Dafang has become closer, Wanning has come to her more often. Wan Ning came to find this cousin, just to find someone to talk to. In the whole house, there are not many people who can talk to her, although Shuning is "only" a little girl of twelve or thirteen years old, but she is the object of communication, and it will not make people feel too boring.

However, Wanning's topic is usually the situation of getting along with the old lady, the queen mother and her friends from noble backgrounds in the past, and I felt fresh when I heard it at first, but later found that there was always some ostentatious meaning in her speech, so Shuning lost interest, just listened blindly, didn't interject much, and began to find some work to do. Wan Ning just wanted to find someone to listen to herself, so that she could vent her resentment that she had to learn the rules for a few hours every day, and she couldn't go out or see outsiders, so she didn't care, and even after a lot of contact, she spoke casually.

Then the following situations often occur:

Wan Ning: "During the Chinese New Year, fireworks were set off in the courtyard outside for a long time, and a hundred opera troupes were invited to perform. Those hundred plays were very interesting, but unfortunately the fireworks were not beautiful enough, the sound was still very loud, and the old lady even held me in her arms, but I was not afraid at all. I've seen more beautiful fireworks, real fire trees and silver flowers, but unfortunately you can't see them here, but the fireworks I saw in the palace that year were also very beautiful, red, green, and green, with several colors......"

Shuning: I was tying a fan sleeve in my hand, and I felt that the pine flowers with pink were too bright, so I made a blue and white color, and prepared to use it for my brother when he went out in a hundred days. People are very kind, and I am very good, that time a few young ladies went into the palace to greet her, she specially called me to accompany her, and gave me a tourmaline bracelet, but beautiful, I didn't bring it, Ming'er, you go to sit with me, I'll show you. ”

Shuning: Smiled and said, "Well, yes", and continued to embroider the scriptures praying for peace on a blue purse, which was a birthday gift for Fang Ning. For the lobby sister who is like ashes and is dedicated to Buddha, she has no way to help, so she has to express her heart through small things. invited a few concubines and Lao Fujin to talk in the palace, and said in front of them that I was good-looking and well-behaved, which was really a compliment to me, and I was very embarrassed. It's a pity that the fifth elder brother is also there, and he keeps echoing it, which makes me embarrassed to death in front of others......"

Shuning: I was making a black forehead wipe for my mother, embroidering a few patterns with silver thread, and I thought it didn't look good, so I dismantled it and redid it.

Wan Ning: "Third sister, are you listening?" "Yes." "Liar, you're always busy in your hands, and you're in the wind of my words, right?"

Shu Ning sighed in her heart, but said with a smile on her face: "How come? My sister just talked about the fifth elder brother, didn't she? Actually, I think my sister has been a little too much for him, if I really hate him so much, why did I always play with him in the first place? ”

Wan Ning pouted and said, "Who knew he would have that kind of mind?" He's younger than me, so I'll think he's a little brother. She paused, and said to Shu Ning: "I will never like him, don't worry, in fact, he is the little boy's temporary infatuation, just an illusion, when he grows up, this idea will disappear." You can rest assured. ”

What does it have to do with me? Shuning ignored these words and said, "The fourth elder brother came that day, and my sister was very positive, could it be that you are thinking of him?" Wan Ningfei blushed: "People are little ghosts...... Don't put it so plainly......"

Shuning secretly rolled her eyes, and said: "According to me, it's not appropriate for my sister to do this, if you take a fancy to someone else, naturally you won't say it, but if you are indifferent to one prince and look at another prince differently, isn't it asking for trouble?" If something happens, the emperor doesn't know what to do with his sister. You haven't been drafted yet, and your future future is in the hands of others, so it's better for my sister to be careful. ”

Wan Ning kicked her feet angrily: "It's this kind of thing again, do you think I don't know?" But I really don't like the fifth elder brother, if he wasn't so cold to him, he would think that he had hope, wouldn't it be even more entangled? It makes sense to say this, but it is better to persuade those who should be persuaded, no matter what, they are a family, and if Wanning suffers, she will also be affected. She said: "My sister's idea also makes sense, but it's better to change her attitude." Although the fifth elder brother has been close to you since childhood, in the end he is the prince, my sister should not refute his face too much, and the etiquette should be more thoughtful. ”

Wanning muttered, "Got it", pulled the half-embroidered handkerchief on the side and looked. Shuning glanced at her a few times, hesitated, and still couldn't hold back her curiosity: "Speaking of which, what did my sister say to the fourth elder brother when she chased her out that day?" Can you tell me about it? ”

Wan Ning listened, and looked sad: "I just wanted to see him more, but he told me to be kind to the fifth elder brother, and said that he had already started to study political affairs and had no time to do these idle things." How could he do that to me? ”

Shuning was speechless. Wan Ning sat for a while and then found an excuse to leave.