Fan Ning had just returned to Zhu's Mansion, but unexpectedly found that his second uncle Fan Tiege was here.

"Second uncle, when did you come back?" Fanning entered the door and smiled.

"I came back the day before yesterday, and I came to you in the morning, saying that you had gone to court, so I had to come again in the afternoon and waited until now."

"Second uncle is in a hurry to find me?"

"Of course there is, and it's a big deal."

Fan Tiege took out a red marriage book and handed it to Fan Ning, "Yang Wenguang came to me yesterday, and he came to be a matchmaker to propose marriage to you!" ”

Fan Ning was stunned, "Second uncle, you're not mistaken!" I already have five children, what else do you want to give me? ”

"Of course I know that your family has an original match, and the wife mentioned by others is willing to rank third."

Fan Ning sighed, "Second uncle, now I really don't have the idea of marrying a wife and taking a concubine, you can refuse it for me!" ”

"Don't you want to ask who the other party is, and you're going to decline?"

Fan Ning suddenly thought that it was Yang Wenguang who was the matchmaker, and his heart moved, could it be that which military bigwig wanted to marry him?

He asked, "Who is Yang Wenguang a matchmaker for?" ”

"Let me tell you this! The little lady who wants to be your third wife is the niece of the current Empress Dowager, do you say that I am in a hurry to do this? ”

Fan Ning was stunned for a moment, it was the Cao family!

But what surprised him even more was that Empress Dowager Cao actually wanted to marry her niece to herself, that is, Cao Tong's daughter, why?

He knew very well that unless he officially married his wife, with Cao Tong's arrogance, he would never marry his daughter to him as his third wife, and the Cao family couldn't persuade him, there was only one person who could possibly do it, and that was the Empress Dowager Cao.

This must be what the Empress Dowager Cao meant, why did the Empress Dowager Cao want her niece to marry her?

She used her relationship with Gao Tao to threaten and control herself, can't she control herself?

A series of questions rose in Fanning's heart,

He thought for a moment and said, "Let me think about this matter and talk about it tomorrow!" ”

This matter is related to his net worth and life, and he must have a good talk with Empress Dowager Cao before he can make a rational decision.

.........

Fanning didn't even bother to eat dinner, turned around and was about to go to the palace, but after walking dozens of steps, he stopped again, he really couldn't be in a hurry about this matter, he had to be steady and sort out his thoughts clearly.

Thinking of this, he was transferred back to the Zhu Mansion.

At night, Fan Ning was pacing back and forth in the courtyard with his hands in his hands, and he was still thinking about the Cao family's proposal.

Of course, this is a political marriage, and there is no doubt about it, he doesn't even know what Cao Yan's daughter looks like, how old she is, whether she is unmarried or widowed, how can he feel?

Fan Ning knew very well in his heart that if he married the daughter of the Cao family as his third wife, it would be beneficial to the Fan and Zhu families, which meant that the two of them would be protected by the military, but the Cao family also wanted something from him, in Kunzhou, the Cao and Gao families were seeking wealth, what did the Cao family want now?

It is possible to seek an island with the best resources, and to obtain the navigation resources mastered by the Fan family.

But Fan Ning is more concerned about why the Empress Dowager Cao wants to marry her?

Empress Dowager Cao has no children, her only descendants are the children of her two brothers, there is no difference between marrying Cao Tong's daughter to herself and marrying her daughter to herself?

In fact, Fan Ning had vaguely guessed that the fundamental reason why Empress Dowager Cao wanted to marry her was for Gao Tao.

Empress Dowager Cao's wrists are very clean and hidden, I'm afraid that no one except herself knows the real cause of Gao Tao's death.

Empress Dowager Cao also knows this, she wants to keep the Cao family and her name behind her, either kill herself, obviously she can't stop her mouth, or marry her daughter to herself, and use marriage to closely link the interests of the Fan Cao family together, one loses and the other is prosperous, so it is the best way to block her mouth.

Fan Ning is not disgusted by Empress Dowager Cao's thoughts, the key is, what do you want from this marriage?

Fanning suddenly thought of the most crucial chip, and this was an opportunity.

At this time, Fan Ning felt something, and when he turned around, he saw Zhu Yuanfeng standing at the gate of the courtyard, and he hurriedly bowed and saluted, "When did the third grandfather come back?" ”

Zhu Yuanfeng stayed in Chenliu County yesterday and today, and just came back, he looked a little tired, and wanted to go and have a good rest, but his daughter Zhu Jie told the Cao family that she wanted to marry Fan Ning, and Zhu Yuanfeng couldn't wait any longer, so he immediately came to Fan Ning.

Zhu Yuanfeng smiled and said: "I just came back, although the idea of the steam engine you said is good, it is not easy to make it, it needs to be tried and tested, and it must be constantly improved, and everyone agrees that it will take at least a year to build." ”

"There's no rush for this, in addition, there is another thing I want to ask the third grandfather to experiment."

"What?"

Fanning took out a bamboo dragonfly from the room and smiled, "I want to install this on the boat." ”

"What do you mean by bamboo dragonfly?"

Fan Ning rubbed his hands lightly, and the bamboo dragonfly immediately flew up, and Fan Ning grabbed the bamboo dragonfly again, and said with a smile: "If the bamboo dragonfly is installed in the stern instead of the oar, and it is pedaled on, it will rotate in the stern and will also push the boat forward." ”

"It's possible, I'll go to Chenliu County in two days and let them test it, just like the bamboo dragonfly?"

Fan Ning took out a drawing and handed it to Zhu Yuanfeng, "The bamboo dragonfly is just the principle, it is actually built according to this drawing, making three leaves." ”

"I see!"

Zhu Yuanfeng put the drawings away, and he said again: "I heard about the Cao family." ”

Fanning nodded, "What is the attitude of the third grandfather?" ”

"I think it's a good thing, but I don't quite understand, what does the Cao family want from the marriage?"

After all, Zhu Yuanfeng is a big businessman, and he thinks more about interests.

"The Cao family may want a better island, and they do want something from me."

"What about yourself?"

Zhu Yuanfeng asked again: "Do you want to agree yourself?" ”

Fanning shook his head, "I don't know! I don't know what the daughter of the Cao family looks like or how old she is, and I have to tell Pei'er about it first. ”

"I've sent her a pigeon letter over there."

Zhu Jie's voice came from outside the courtyard gate, and I saw her walk in from the outside, and said with a smile: "This daughter of the Cao family is the third daughter of Cao Tong, named Cao Xiu, seventeen years old, beautiful and dignified, if it weren't for the seniority, she was originally going to enter the palace as the queen, and the Empress Dowager Cao actually wanted to marry her to you, A-Ning, the Empress Dowager doesn't value you in general!" ”

Fan Ning was silent for a moment and said: "Tomorrow I will enter the palace to talk to the Empress Dowager Cao, this marriage is begged by the Cao family, and there must be conditions." ”

..........

The next morning, Fan Ning asked to see the Empress Dowager Cao, and the Empress Dowager Cao asked Fan Ning to take her to the Ci'an Palace.

"Minister Fanning see the Queen Mother!" Fanning stepped forward and bowed.

Empress Dowager Cao sat behind a bamboo curtain, her figure looming, and her voice was still soft: "Fan Aiqing is exempt, give a seat!" ”

"Empress Dowager Xie!"

Fan Ning sat on an embroidery pier, and Empress Dowager Cao asked lightly: "When does Fan Aiqing plan to return to Quanzhou?" ”

"In two or three days, Weichen will return to Quanzhou."

"Do you want to go to the New World?"

"I plan to go to sea next spring, and I will go to explore it fully when I am fully prepared."

"Tomorrow spring, I'm afraid many people will follow you."

"Weichen understands that he can go together, and Uncle Cao Guo also told me about it."

"Uncle Cao?"

Empress Dowager Cao smiled, "I'm afraid you're going to change your name soon!" ”

Fanning was silent for a moment: "Is this the decision of the Queen Mother?" ”

"You're smart, and it's easy to talk to you."

Empress Dowager Cao waved her hand, "All stand down!" ”

More than 20 palace maids and eunuchs retreated, and only Fan Ning and Empress Dowager Cao were left in the main hall.

Empress Dowager Cao was silent for a long time and said: "Tao Tao has a personal palace maid named Ning Bi, before and after Tao Tao died of illness, she also happened to go home to mourn her father, she now lives in a secret place, she knows too much, I plan to let her shut up completely, there is only one condition, you marry Cao Xiu as your wife, I don't let you Hugh Zhu Pei, this is already the greatest sincerity." ”

Sure enough, as she thought, Empress Dowager Cao wanted to completely erase Gao Taotao's affairs, and erasing Gao Taotao also meant losing control of herself, so she decided to use marriage to tie herself up.

Of course, Fanning can agree, but he also wants a big thing that Empress Dowager Cao promised him.

He said in a deep voice: "Being favored by the Queen Mother is a blessing that Wechen has cultivated for several generations, how dare Wechen not agree......."

"You don't have to say it so reluctantly!"

Empress Dowager Cao said coldly: "Marrying the Cao family is only good for the Fan family, don't think that I begged you, this is a mutually beneficial matter for both parties, it's okay if you don't agree, as long as you don't regret it." ”

"Wechen didn't say no, Wechen only hoped that the Queen Mother would promise me one thing."

"Sure enough, it's conditional!"

Empress Dowager Cao sneered and said, "Say it! What are your qualifications? ”

Fan Ning was no longer polite, and directly put forward his own conditions, "Emperor Meng Xian and the Empress Dowager favor him, Weichen has been knighted as the Duke of the Kingdom, in terms of title, Weichen also has the conditions to buy an island, Weichen hopes to buy an island for the Fan family and the Zhu family, so that the descendants of the two families can reproduce overseas." ”

Empress Dowager Cao understood, it turned out that Fanning also wanted to buy the island, and it seemed that he had found the most abundant and beautiful land.

Empress Dowager Cao felt a little uncomfortable in her heart, the fattest place should be given to the Cao family.

After a moment of silence, Empress Dowager Cao said: "If you can find a piece of land for the Cao family that is no less than the Fan family, the mourning family can approve your application to purchase the island." ”

Fan Ning knelt down and kowtowed, "Empress Dowager Xie is complete, and the minister must live up to the Empress Dowager's good intentions!" ”

Empress Dowager Cao nodded, "You go back to Quanzhou first, and after the ceremony is over, the Cao family will send the newcomer to Quanzhou, which is the niece of the mourning family, I hope you can treat her well." ”

"Making the family live happily has always been the goal of Wechen, and Wechen retires!"

Fanning saluted again, got up and slowly retreated.

Empress Dowager Cao watched him go away, and whispered to herself: "Fanning, the mourning family has given you a chance, if you can't catch it, then don't blame the mourning family for being ruthless." ”