Although Zhong Yuqing's compliments to Xia Houshu were very useful, she was not fooled by her daughter's rhetoric at all. She quickly corrected her position and attitude and said sternly: "It's useless no matter how many nice words you say. You yourself
No matter what you do, you have to bear the consequences yourself."
Xia Houshu didn't grow up being frightened. After hearing his mother's words, not only was he not afraid, but he smiled and said, "I'm not afraid. If the sky falls, there will be someone taller to hold it up! You and your father will always take care of me!"
Zhong Yuqing glanced at her, shook her head and said nothing.
Facts have proved that her parents are more knowledgeable and have better predictability than her.
After Wang Chonghou and his son returned without success, the Prime Minister's Palace and the Duke of Yue's Palace were completely at odds with each other, and the two forces that were originally not harmonious became even more distinct in the court.
Xia Houshu didn't understand the affairs of the government, and Xia Houyuan never allowed his children to interfere. However, throughout the dynasties, there would be a gap between civil and military officials. This was understandable in the first place, but it was because of her that this thin layer was broken.
She felt somewhat sorry for the window paper. However, Xia Houyuan did not blame her, he just stroked his beard with an inscrutable look on his face.
Just after this incident, something happened again at Muchunyuan.
Yunxi went to find out more and then came back to report: "I made a special trip to Muchunyuan and said that Ding Yunsheng went out to drink wine yesterday and didn't come back all night. I heard from the boy who was waiting beside him that he was so impressive last night.
, after a few bowls of yellow soup, he forgot how much he weighed, and actually started talking about what happened after the palace was established. He also said that girl, you opened a gambling game in the mansion and invited the staff to place bets. Now this matter has been spread. The Duke
I also came back to ask after hearing the rumors outside."
After hearing this, Xia Houshu almost spat out a mouthful of old blood. No wonder people say that it is difficult for outsiders to break into a wealthy family, for they are afraid that something will happen internally and they will be betrayed by their own people.
When the news that she was going to open a gambling bureau became known to the whole house that day, she reminded Xia Houyi to stop these people from spreading random rumors. At that time, Xia Houyi said that these gossips were only spread in the house and could not leave the house. She also said
Her father knew how to deal with it and reassured her.
What's the result?
Not only did the words go out, but they also spread.
It is estimated that in less than three days, the whole capital will know that Xia Houshu is lawless and has opened a gambling bureau in the house to bet on who will be crowned queen that day.
This is not a matter of reputation or dishonor. If you are not careful, it involves making irresponsible remarks on government affairs, which is a serious crime that may confiscate your home and destroy your family!
In the eyes of outsiders, she, a woman who does not understand government affairs, dares to speak nonsense at home, so there must be someone behind this who often says this. Who could this person be?
It was Xia Houyuan who became a father at that time!
How could Ding Yunsheng be so stupid when he was so eloquent in his analysis and eloquence when discussing the establishment of a queen? How could his father tolerate such a person to stay in the house and cause harm to everyone?
The strangest thing is that it has been so long since this incident, and the emperor's eldest son is almost a hundred days old. However, the emperor neither has the biological mother of the emperor's eldest son, Lu Meiren, nor pays attention to the dispute in the court to establish a queen.
Cold treatment, why would Ding Yunsheng bring up the past at this time?
Is it the Zhao Palace that is instigating this, or is the Prime Minister's Palace digging into her past mistakes in an attempt to deal with the Xiahou family?
"So what's going on now?" Xia Houshu asked, "Father knows about this, what are his plans? Where did the others go?"
Yun Xi sighed and said: "That Ding Yunsheng was originally a master who relied on his talents and arrogance. The Duke of the country tolerates him to this day only because of his contribution in the past. Unexpectedly, he was raised to such an extent that he was ignorant of the world.
, how dare you slander the girl’s reputation in the Qin Lou Chu Hall.
"After the Duke of Guo came back, he went to Muchunyuan first and saw Ding Yunsheng lying on the bed with his arms and legs spread out, talking in his sleep, and there was his vomit next to him. This made the Duke of Guo very angry.
, they asked someone to pour cold water on him to wake him up in front of everyone. Ding Yunsheng thought his colleagues were playing tricks on him, so he cursed a few words in a state of confusion, and was dragged into the yard by Guard Lin. Only then did he finally wake up.
"Who would have thought that he usually looks like a human being, but he is actually a coward who dares to do what he wants. The Duke of Guo asked him a few questions, but he denied them all and insisted that he had never said those bastard things. He also said
It was someone else who wronged him. Huh! If he didn't say it, then who did those who heard it yesterday listen to it? How could it cause such a fuss?"
I am really not afraid of opponents who are like gods, but I am afraid of teammates who are like pigs.
Although Xia Houshu looked down on people like Ding Yunsheng who liked to brag about themselves, everyone now knew that he was an aide to the Duke of Yue, and although the words he said outside were embellished, they were also based on facts.
People naturally believe what he says.
Xia Houshu felt a terrible headache, so he had to take Yunxi to Muchunyuan to see how the situation was developing.
Entering Muchun Courtyard, Xia Houshu saw many people standing in the yard. Even the people from Longqiu Courtyard next door came after hearing the news. Everyone was silent and nervous. They exchanged doubts with their eyes from time to time, and then looked again.
Xia Houyuan was sitting on the porch drinking tea.
A middle-aged man with disheveled hair and wet body was tied to a stake in the middle of the yard. It was Ding Yunsheng who was talking nonsense outside.
Under Lin Qi's pouring of ladle after ladle of cold water, Ding Yunsheng must have sobered up at this moment. He was still mumbling to defend himself, emphasizing over and over again that he had never said anything detrimental to the Yue Kingdom and the third girl.
All the nonsense is spread by others.
The boy named Shi Gui who was kneeling next to him had a bitter look on his face.
Shi Gui was assigned by the steward of the mansion to serve Ding Yunsheng. At first, he also thought that Ding Yunsheng was a brave and resourceful staff member. He also hoped that one day Ding Yunsheng would become famous and he would be able to find a job for him for the sake of the master-servant relationship.
A good place to go. But after what happened last night, he finally saw clearly what kind of person Ding Yunsheng was, and he just asked him not to implicate himself.
Ding Yunsheng went back and forth on those few sentences, and said that Shi Gui had framed him. Occasionally, he would mention his past achievements and beg Xia Houyuan to spare him because of his past friendship.
Xia Houshu followed and watched for a long time. In fact, she could understand why Ding Yunsheng insisted that he had not said those words, because he drank a lot of wine last night and was completely drunk. Even if he still has some memories left, now he knows this
The matter was so big that he didn't dare to admit it.
If you keep asking like this, you won't get any results until dark.
Xia Houshu walked quickly through the crowd, walked straight to where Xia Houyuan was, and said: "Father, there is no need to interrogate him anymore. Whether he admits it or not, it has already happened. After all, it was because of what I said in the first place.
He said things he shouldn't have said and done things he shouldn't have done, but he just said them with added embarrassment. Now there are rumors in the capital, and I asked my father to find a way to calm the matter, or to say that my father would kidnap me and send me to the imperial court.
Shi Tai, I will explain to them personally that if there is any guilt, I will bear it alone, and I will never implicate my father and the Duke of Yue."
"Absolutely not!" Before Xia Houyuan could speak, an aide named Guan Bohao spoke first.
Xia Houshu was stunned for a moment, wondering what good idea he had thought of.
Others also looked at him curiously.
Seeing that everyone was looking at him, Guan Bohao continued: "The third girl is a woman. She just likes to listen to our debates on weekdays. How could she be kidnapped and sent to the Yushitai? Wouldn't that ruin the reputation of the third girl?
?Also, although it was the third girl who suggested setting up a gambling game that day, to this day, the gambling game has not come true, and His Majesty has not appointed a queen. How can we conclude that the third girl is wrong because of Ding Yunsheng's one-sided words? In my opinion, this matter is still unclear.
We have to take a long-term approach.”
After hearing this, other staff members also agreed, saying that the third girl had not collected everyone's gambling money that day, the gambling game had not been established, and everything was just a joke and could not be taken seriously.
Xia Houyuan had been thinking about how to find a reason to calm down the matter, but he was not sure who else in the house had said similar things outside and done things that were not good for him, so he deliberately tied up Ding Yunsheng.
He stood in the yard, trying to scare the monkeys and test the thoughts of the staff he had raised. Now that he saw so many people coming out to prove that the original bet was not established, he felt relieved.
The jokes about the youngest daughter's family were deliberately exaggerated and spread wantonly by the government staff with evil intentions, causing the woman's reputation to be damaged. If such a "truth" spread, Xia Houshu would still be criticized for being too talkative, but
Most people don't think she really has any opinions on government affairs. At most, they think she is ignorant and unobtrusive. Comparing the two, ignorance is better. As for Ding Yunsheng, he is the Duke of Yue.
As a staff member of the government, he slandered his master's daughter who had not left the cabinet outside under the influence of alcohol. Everyone would despise him. In the future, he would not be able to gain a foothold in the capital. In other words, anyone in Nanqi who knew Xia Houyuan's name would have heard of it.
His identity and experience will not be put in a good light.
Moreover, can the rumors of a drunk person be taken seriously?
Xia Houyuan glanced at Guan Bohao with great admiration. He was worthy of being a staff member he had valued for many years. He knew what he wanted and how to do things for him.
Guan Bohao looked very understanding.
Xia Houshu then looked at the staff and said: "Everyone was also present that day. You all said that the bet was not established. Why are there so many rumors against the third girl? Ding Yunsheng was drunk last night and talked nonsense.
In just one night, the news spread all over the city this morning, and there are people with noses and eyes. Who is making up some nonsense outside?"
The staff looked at each other, and no one knew who among them was the "traitor." But no conclusion could be drawn just based on such mutual suspicion, and it might even offend others, or even
This made everyone alienated, so they all said that they never said anything they shouldn't have said outside.
Xia Houyuan did not give everyone a chance to explain, and he also felt that in recent years, the imperial court's Nanqi border was stable and the imperial court was stable, and these staff who had been raised for many years gradually lost their original enthusiasm. Some of these people have changed.
Some are looking for opportunities to get ahead; some are muddle-headed, trying to spend their old age in the government of Yue; and some are in frequent contact with officials in Beijing and want to switch to others. Perhaps, he should take this opportunity to investigate
Find out how many people there are who are loyal and can be used.
Xia Houyuan stood up, waved his hand, and said: "Since no one admits it, let's investigate! Even if we dig three feet under the ground, we must find those who are spreading rumors outside!"
All the staff looked at each other, fearing that they might have said something in the past or acted inappropriately and would get into trouble. But there were also people like Pei Lang who didn't socialize much with others and stayed in the house in obscurity all day long doing whatever they wanted to do.
People, they had no fear, and even showed a hint of joy after hearing that Xia Houyuan wanted to conduct a strict investigation.
Muchunyuan and Longqiuyuan should have been checked out long ago!
Xia Houshu looked at the staff with different expressions and suddenly felt a little dazed. She felt that her father seemed to be dealing with her own affairs, but it seemed that he was not.
At this time, another person named Li Jintang asked: "Ding Yunsheng slandered the third girl and the Duke of Yue so much, I wonder how the Duke will deal with it?"