Huaili followed Kang Yanning into the upper room and sat down. Forsythia and Angelica dahurica wiped the table and poured a cup of tea for Kang Yanning and Huaili.
Kang Yanning held the tea cup and looked directly at her, "Since you can read account books, you must have learned calligraphy. How did you end up in this situation?"
Huaili stroked the teacup, feeling a little depressed, "My family is a salt merchant in Jiangcheng."
Kang Yanning raised an eyebrow, "Salt merchant? Salt merchant is an imperial merchant."
Huaili nodded, but didn't say much, "My surname is Zhang."
Kang Yanning was indeed a little surprised. The Wei Dynasty did not restrict economic development, and even encouraged relatives of the emperor to do business and replenish the national treasury. Therefore, the relatives of the emperor more or less had their own industries, but at the same time, it would bring about disputes with the people.
Good things happen.
It has become more and more serious in the past few years. As the Holy Father is getting older, there are more things that turn a blind eye. But just last year, someone beat the Yingtian Drum and sued the third prince for making money for his own selfish purposes.
Killing.
The Yingtian Drum was established by the late emperor. If there are serious grievances among the people, the people of the Wei Dynasty can beat the Yingtian Drum. No matter who sues, the complaint will be directed to the Holy Emperor. However, it is also stipulated that in order to prevent fishing in troubled waters, the Yingtian Drum should be beaten.
The drum must be beaten 50 times with a cane and 30 floggings. Generally, after the execution, the person will not be allowed to live.
The person who risked his life to sue the Third Prince last year was named Zhang.
"Jiangcheng is rich and fertile. Three generations of my family have been salt merchants. But the third prince has taken a fancy to Jiangcheng. My father is proficient in mathematics and is the largest imperial merchant in Jiangcheng. In order to get the business in Jiangcheng, the third prince forced my father and my mother to death.
Then he committed suicide. My brother wasted most of his life before he beat the Yingtian Drum." Kang Yanning lowered her eyes and looked at Huaili's calm narration. She knew that even if Huaili summarized it in a few short sentences, among them
, there is also a lot of bitterness and suffering.
"The Holy One has deposed the Third Prince. My Zhang family can still be an imperial merchant. But my father is dead and my brother is paralyzed on the bed. The other branches of the Liang family are unwilling to let go of this opportunity. They..." Speaking of her brother, she
His eyes gradually became moist, and his voice became softer.
Kang Yanning understood clearly and did not continue to ask, "Then what are your plans for the future?"
Huaili shook his head, "Every day for me now is what my father and mother paid for with their lives, so I can just muddle along."
Kang Yanning tapped the tea cup with her fingers. "When I return to Kyoto this time, there will be some business to do, and there is no suitable person now. The Zhang family is good at doing business. I believe in the Zhang family." She curled her lips and said, "If
If you are willing, I will give you dividends when the business is done. If you do well, the Zhang family will be more than just the royal merchants of Jiangcheng..." She meant what she meant, "I will restore the glory of your Zhang family."
Huaili looked at her face. The person in front of her was obviously a woman, but she was confident in her ability. She didn't seem to doubt that she couldn't do it. She vaguely felt that Kang Yanning was different from those noble ladies. She lowered her head,
As if he had made up his mind, "Thank you for saving my life, Miss."
Kang Yanning knew that she would not refuse, so she picked up the silk and carefully wiped away Huaili's tears, "Take good care of yourself and go back to Kyoto with us."
When Huaili left, Kang Yanning still had a smile on her lips. She took a sip of tea and told Forsythia, "Tell brother to find out what happened with the Liang family and where this little girl's brother is now."
Forsythia asked in surprise, "Miss, are you suspicious of Huali? Then why..."
Is it really a coincidence? They encountered this scene as soon as they got off the carriage. There were so many people in the hospital, but they turned to her for help. After experiencing the previous life, Kang Yanning did not believe in coincidence. She fiddled with the tea lid, "The Liang family is good at math, if there are really people
If it is delivered to your door, there is no reason not to accept it."
After resting for a night in the inn, we set off again. Only this time there were more people.
Huo Hua saw that there was another person in Kang Yanning's team, and couldn't help but worry, "Prince, I don't know who it is that suddenly appeared. It's not appropriate to bring a young lady from the Kang Wang family." Wei Jialing glanced at it and said with a smile.
"This girl is very smart, so don't worry."
Sure enough, there was nothing wrong on the way to the city gate of Kyoto. Just like in the previous life, King Kang and Kang Yanyu had to go back to the palace to meet the saint. Princess Kang took Kang Yanning back to Kang Mansion to pay homage to her grandmother.
Kang Yanning took out her whip and wiped it carefully, her eyes inadvertently stern. It started when she paid a visit to her grandmother.
Prince Kang got acquainted with Princess Kang in Yucheng. Princess Kang was not a high-ranking official in her house, so the so-called grandmother had always scorned her. In the previous life, at the instigation of Kang Jiangxue, she blocked them from the door and scolded Kang in public.
Princess "Small door, small door!"
In anger, Kang Yanning whipped Kang Jiangxue, and her grandmother fainted when she saw this. Kang Jiangxue publicized the incident widely, and Kang Yanning's reputation for being unfilial and overbearing was wiped out before Kang Yanning could establish a foothold in Kyoto.
Everyone knows.
"Squeak..." The carriage slowly stopped at Kang Mansion. Prince Kang had his own palace in Kyoto. If Princess Kang hadn't insisted on filial piety, she would never have been willing to come to Kang Mansion in this life.
Kangfu's door was closed tightly, and Kang Yanning sneered. He was really stupid to do this and use such methods to show off his power. Seeing Princess Kang about to get out of the carriage, Kang Yanning stopped her and said, "Mother, according to the law, you are personally conferred by the Holy Father."
Grandma should be here to welcome the first imperial edict." Seeing Princess Kang's disapproving look, she added, "Mother, my father is a king with a different surname. How many eyes are watching his return to the capital this time. If you are not careful, you may cause trouble.
Disaster."
Kang Yanning knew that even if Princess Kang wanted to visit her grandmother and repair her relationship with her, her mother would compromise as long as it concerned her father. Besides, the old woman was bad and selfish, so there was no need to bother repairing it.
Seeing that Princess Kang was no longer insisting, Kang Yanning said what she just said to Forsythia again, and then she avoided Princess Kang and whispered to Forsythia, "Go, knock on the door loudly, and say that the God of War in the Northwest, Prince Kang, is back. Why?"
My family didn’t come to greet me. They said that King Kang was away on an expedition and why he didn’t even open the door when he came back.”
Since you like to ruin people's reputations, let's see who loses.
"What?" Mrs. Kang smashed the tea cup in front of her on the ground. "How dare she!" Although she was already in her sixties, she was rich and well-maintained. Her eyes darkened and her blood surged.
Zhang Shuhui, the wife of the third wife who was standing aside, quickly poked her daughter. Kang Jiangxue immediately stepped forward and helped Grandma Kang sit down. "Grandma, don't be angry. Na Lian Qianxue was born in the Western Regions and has a small family. She likes to do this.
It's a dirty trick." She then added fuel to the fire, "It seems to Jiang Xue, this is forcing you to let her in."
Kang Muhan, who was sitting next to her, looked down on her little tricks and sneered, "The second aunt is a first-grade imperial concubine. I'm afraid even the third uncle is not as high as the second aunt. He should be welcomed." She looked at Kang Jiangxue's face.
Switching back and forth between red and white, he blew on the koudan that was not completely dry on his jade fingers, and he was in a good mood. "Besides, that is your second aunt, and you actually called her by her first name. If you let the censor hear it, you will definitely consult the third uncle."
Book."
"You!" Kang Jiangxue was just trying to make her grandmother happy, but when Kang Muhan picked on the wrong thing, she jumped angrily.
"Okay!" Mrs. Kang rubbed her temples. She loved her boss and was tolerant of Kang Muhan. She glanced at Kang Muhan and saw that she didn't have anything to do with her, but she was not as good as him.
The third child's family is considerate. Although the third child is a jerk, the daughter he gave birth to is excellent.
"I want to see..." Mrs. Kang gritted her teeth and said, "We haven't seen each other for a few years. How dare that person from a small family dare to tease me about my rank? I'm afraid he wants to climb on top of me!"
On the street of the Kang Mansion, passers-by pointed at the carriage, "That's King Kang's carriage. Yes, the Holy Emperor has decreed that the four kings have returned to Kyoto." "Then why did the Kang Mansion not let King Kang's carriage in?"
Those who knew their origin were whispering to the people next to them, "You don't know. Who in Kyoto doesn't know that Mrs. Kang doesn't recognize Princess Kang!" When the people next to her heard You Gua, their eyes lit up, "What's going on? Come on, please."
I'll tell you."
"You look like you are not a local. This matter was well known to everyone more than ten years ago. Mrs. Kang is partial to her eldest son and doesn't care about her second son, who is King Kang. But somehow, the Holy See values King Kang.
He was sent to start as a soldier and gradually made a name for himself. Mrs. Kang then began to worry about making a betrothal to King Kang. But one year, King Kang brought the daughter of a small family in the Western Regions back to the capital. She said that the betrothal gift had already been paid. She was angry.
Mrs. Kang opened the door of her house and scolded her son, and we all went to watch. King Kang never came back from that time. If it hadn’t been for this holy decree, I’m afraid he wouldn’t have come back.”
The other person nodded clearly, "No wonder everyone seems to separate Prince Kang and Kang Mansion. Kang Mansion's reputation is indeed not good."
"Of course, one is a general who protects the family and the country. The other, huh, King Kang's eldest brother is not a good official."
Forsythia and Bai Zhi looked at each other. Following the lady's instructions, they found a few beggars to spread these words in a more embellished way. They specifically asked them to publicize the matter before they entered the house. It seemed that it was done.
.
I don’t know why the young lady suddenly had so many twists and turns. Forsythia and Bai Zhi looked at the identity of the person and talked about it. They felt really happy that Mrs. Kang was bullying someone!
"Hey, it's open, it's open. Look, Kang Mansion is finally open!"
"Wow..." The servant of the Kang Mansion pushed open the dark red courtyard door, and Mrs. Kang came out with a group of female relatives. Hearing the noise, Princess Kang hurriedly wanted to go down and say hello, but Kang Yanning held her hand.
.
Seeing them coming, Princess Kang and Kang Yanning were still putting on a show and didn't come down. Mrs. Kang was furious. She was about to sneer and scold them for not knowing the rules, but she heard the clear voice of the little girl beside the carriage saying loudly, "Prince Kang and his wife."
The family members have returned to Kyoto to take care of her, and please ask the old lady to pay her respects to Mrs. Yipin Gaoming."
Kang Yanning almost laughed out loud! Such a good Baizhi, she could imagine Mrs. Kang's face, which must be as black as charcoal gray.
Kang Jiangxue stepped forward and cursed, "Whose maid are you? You are so ignorant of etiquette. My grandmother is the biological mother of my second uncle. How dare you ask your grandmother to salute you?"
Bai Zhi took a step forward and her voice became louder. "According to the laws of the Wei Dynasty, the first-grade imperial edict should be greeted outside the door. Those with lower grades should pay homage to the first-grade imperial edict." She tilted her head and said innocently, "My wife is the Holy Emperor.
"Why are the female members of the Kang family not polite to the first-grade emperor? Could it be that they are disrespectful to the Holy One?" After she finished speaking, she immediately covered her mouth, as if she was extremely panicked, "Bai Zhi doesn't dare to talk nonsense."
Mrs. Kang's scolding words were even more in her mouth. She didn't dare to be disrespectful to the Holy One, but she wanted to say harsh words to save some lost face. She could only say angrily, "Okay, what a first-grade imperial edict, I think I'll do it."
Can you, a woman from a barbarian land, bear this salute?"
Upon hearing this, Bai Zhi immediately repeated with a straight face, "Prince Kang and his family have returned to Kyoto to take care of him. Please ask the old lady to pay his respects to Mrs. Yipin Gaoming."
Mrs. Kang did not move, and the scene was at a stalemate.