<h4>Chapter 127: The Barren Land (2)</h4>


    Trantor: Iris


    Hearing what Old Madam Sheng said, Rn realized that Hun didn’t live an easy life in Earl Zhongqin Household. Feeling sorry for her eldest sister, she slowly stood up, apologized to Hun and said, “Eldest Sister, don’t worry too much about Shi. Eldest Brother-inw is a capable, experienced man. My nephew will grow up to be a useful person like his father. Maybe he will be an outstanding general.”


    Hun wiped her eyes and deliberately joked, “But as the saying goes, ‘most of boys resemble their mothers both in appearance and character.’ Although your Eldest Brother-inw is outstanding, Shi is unlikely to be like his father.”


    Rn was choked by these joking words because shecked the intelligence to speak ording to circumstances. So she pinched Minn’s arm and gave her sister a hint. Minn, who often helped Rn out of the embarrassment, sighed quietly and said, “... ording to Eldest Sister’s logic, most of boys must resemble their uncles both in appearance and character. If Shi resembles Eldest Brother, s...”


    “What kind of person will he be?” Hun asked with a smile.


    Minn intentionally let out a long sigh, opened her hands and answered with a worried look on her face, “It will be very difficult for him to fail the imperial examinations.” Rn pped her hands andughed, “That’s great! Shi will grow up to be either the general or the Number One Schr.”


    All the people in the roomughed. What Minn said soothed Wang shi’s nerves. Hun came up to Minn, pretended to be annoyed and gently pinched her arms. Rn helped Hun suppress Minn’s resistance. The three sisters frolicked by pinching one another’s cheeks or shoulders, giggling happily.


    Seeing that Hun had the support of Yuan Wenshao and Earl Zhongqin, Wang shifelt relieved and thought of Mn who had married into Marquis Yongchang Household, then she couldn’t help asking, “Hun, you... Do you know what happened to Marquis Yongchang Household recently? Are they in dangerous situation?”


    Old Madam Sheng cast a nce of displeasure at Wang shi who obviously took pleasure in Mn’s misfortune instead of feeling sorry for her. Apparently, Wang shi was not good at hiding her emotions.


    Hun shook her head and sighed, “s! The Liang family is too slippery. We all know that Third Prince and Fourth Prince fought violently for the throne in Shen Chen Mutiny. At that time, if Prince Jing had seeded in taking the throne, those who fought against him would have been severely punished or killed. So, the Liang family performed their duty perfunctorily in the army. His Majesty naturally dislikes them. Although the illegal eldest young master of the Liang family followed the imperial army to the North of Xinjiang and made some contributions in the Northern Expedition War, he was the one promoted by Old General Gan... Now Old General Gan has been promoted to the Minister of War. His Majesty will certainly appoint his man to take over Old General Gan’s previous position.”


    Before the Emperor had ascended the throne, it hadn’t been his days. The influential officials and aristocratic families in his fief had looked down upon him. Furthermore, every time he had returned to the capital, he had often seen that those noble families had fawned on Third Prince and Fourth Prince but ignored him. He had probably borne a grudge against the aristocratic families in the capital for a long time.


    Wang shi was attracted by what Hun said. Recalling the gossip she had recently heard, she hastened to say, “Now the Shen family is the most famous family in the capital. Theirdy has been the Empress and their young master is brave and battlewise. Tut-tut, the Shen family is so lucky!” Her implication was obvious: she envied the Shen family for having good taste in choosing their son-inw.


    Hun instantly understood what Wang shi meant. She covered her mouth with her sleeve, giggled and said in a mocking tone, “My mother-inw is ovee with regret these days. Six months ago, my sister-inw, Wenying was formally engaged to the young master of Earl Shoushan Household. Unexpectedly, a month after the engagement, Lord Shen’s first wife passed away. Now lots of noble families want to marry their youngdy into the Shen family.” Recalling that Countess Zhongqin had beat her breast and stamped her feet with remorse in her room, Hn was amused.


    Old Madam Sheng slightly shook her head and sighed, “Marrying into a powerful and influential family is not necessarily the smartest move to make. I think that your husband’s aunt, Countess Shoushan is a good-natured woman and sincerely likes her niece Wenying. Besides, there aren’t many people in Earl Shoushan Household. It’s really lucky for your sister-inw to be betrothed to the young master of Earl Shoushan Household.”


    Hun always admired Old Madam Sheng’s wide knowledge and experience, so she repeatedly nodded, “Grandma, you are quite right. The Yuan family, for example, always has few visitors and doesn’t have close contact with other noble families. So, although this time His Majesty strictly cleans up the aristocratic families, the Yuan family is safe and well.”


    Minn had a brainwave and interrupted, “Eldest Sister, you just said that His Majesty intended to send his men to take over the important posts in the army. Eldest Brother-inw hasn’t attached himself to any forces at Inperial Court. Maybe His Majesty will put him in an important position.”


    Yuan Wenshao had already recognized the possibility but Rn was embarrassed to boast that her husband might be promoted by the Emperor in front of her family members. Now that Minn pointed out this possibility, Hun enjoyed pleasure, twisted her lips into a proud smile and said modestly, “It’s still uncertain whether Wenshao will be promoted. It’s all up to His Majesty.”


    Old Madam Sheng was filled with joy and said, “If your husband wins the favor of His Majesty, you will lead a better life in the Yuan family.” Wang shi said frankly, “If you can live apart from your mother-inw, you will lead a really happy life.”


    Old Madam Sheng sighed quietly and had a feeling of helplessness in the face of Wang shi. ‘Although what you said is themon aspiration of the Sheng family, you shouldn’t have said that in front of me because I’m your mother-inw,’ she thought.


    At the sight of Old Madam Sheng’s unhappy face, Hun, who was clever and sensitive, realized that Wang shi had said something improper. So she immediately changed the subject, “Grandma, Mother, Sister Rn and Sister Minn, do you know what’s the most interesting thing in the capital these days?” Everyone in the room had a puzzled look on the face. Hun chuckled and continued, “You all know Gu Tingye, right? The same as Lord Shen, he made great contributions in the Northern Expedition War.”


    Minn was stunned but soon she calmed herself down and straightened up on the couch.


    On hearing this Wang shi burst intoughter and answered, “Of course I know him. He is not only a rake but also the unfilial son of Marquis Ningyuan Household. But now he has got rapid promotion in his official career. Marquis Ningyuan Household, Marquis Jinxiang Household, Duke Ling Household and four other aristocratic households were all linked to Fourth Prince. Except for Marquis Ningyuan Household, they have been all deprived of the peerages and put on trial, and their property has been confiscated. As for Marquis Jinxiang Household, His Majesty only removed the que built by imperial edict. It is said that His Majesty let off Marquis Jinxiang Household for the sake of Gu Tingye. What happened to him?”


    Hun picked up the teacup and took a sip of tea before she slowly said, “Before this Spring Festival, Marquis Jinxiang Household took a fancy to the legal daughter of the Peng family who are Marquis Fuan’s distant rtives, and wanted to make her Gu Tingye’s second wife. But at that time, he was far away from the capital and didn’t know his brother’s intention. When he received the news, Marquis Ningyuan Household had had the matchmaker go to the Peng Mansion and propose the marriage. However, the Peng family thought Gu Tingye a good-for-nothing and refused to marry their legal daughter to him. What’s more, they tried to marry an illegaldy from coteral branch of their n to Gu Tingye. The Peng family really went too far! Gu Tingye waspletely annoyed by them, so he asked several brothers in the army to apany him to the Peng Mansion and firmly turned down the marriage.”


    A look of delight came into Wang shi‘s eyes as she listened. “So that is what it is! Now I know all about that. The Peng family used to refuse to marry their daughter to Gu Tingye, but now it is toote for them to repent,” she said with a mocking smile.


    “That’s right!” Hun smiled at Old Madam Sheng and said, “Now Gu Tingye is not the man he used to be. The Peng family regretted their hasty decision and wanted to marry their daughter to Gu Tingye, so they took the matchmaker, who had been appointed by Marquis Ningyuan Household, and alleged everywhere that their daughter had been betrothed to Gu Tingye.”


    Wang shi snorted in disapproval, “What a shameless family!”


    Old Madam Sheng repeatedly nodded in agreement and said in a low voice, “Even though the Peng family did go too far, it’s inappropriate to offend them openly because they are Marquis Fuan’s rtives.”


    Hun pressed her white, slender fingers to her rosy lips and said with an undisguised smile, “Gu Tingye is not broad-minded. He had someone send a painting to the Peng family. They were very delighted and opened the painting in front of many people. On the painting, there’s a stretch of barrennd and a peasant who holds the plough and walks away.”


    On hearing this Minn couldn’t helpughing and almost spurted tea from her mouth. Wang shi and Rn looked at each other with confusion. Old Madam Sheng seemed to realize the meaning of the painting and twisted her lips into a faint smile. Rn dared not to ask other people in the room, so she grasped Minn’s arm and asked under her breath, “What does the painting mean?”


    Minn swallowed the tea, took a few breaths to calm herself down and answered, “... No one wants to plow the barrennd. But when the barrennd is ploughed, many peoplee and want to grow food in it.”


    Rn understood and pped her hand withughter. Wang shi said with a satirical look on her face, “Well said! The Peng family deserves the humiliation.”


    Hun smiled, “Gu Tingye used the painting as a racy metaphor for what the Peng family has done to him before. The Peng family knew that they were in the wrong and dared not spread rumors anymore. I think Gu Tingye has gone a bit too far, but Wenshao doesn’t think so. He told me that if Gu Tingye was the man he used to be, he would possibly have gone to the Peng Mansion to make a scene.”


    Minn nodded in agreement when she recalled that Gu Tingye had been aze with anger because of the failure of his marriage with Yanran, and besides, he had killed many pirates without mercy a year ago. The man really had a bad temper.


    Hunughed until tears came to eyes, then wiped the tears off her face with a handkerchief and said, “Peopleugh at the Peng family because of the dishonorable things they have done. Even Marquis Fuan Household is unwilling to help them. Now numerous nobles want Gu Tingye to be their son-inw, but recently he has been busy dealing with military affairs in Governor’s Mansion and note back to the General Mansion. So, the matchmakers continuously go to Marquis Ningyuan Household to bring up proposal of marriage. The Peng family is utterly forgotten.”


    Minn quietly drank the tea without saying a word and thought to herself, ‘The Peng family can’t be entirely med for this matter. Second Uncle Gu used to be a powerless rake but now he bes a young upstart who has won the favor of His Majesty. It’s natural for the Peng family to change their mind. Now the matchmakers swarm to Marquis Ningyuan Household and he will certainly marry a legaldy who’s gentle, virtuous, agreeable and considerate. I’m really happy for him.”