mtlumby2d Chapter 380 Determination
Chapter 380 Determination
It's no big deal that Concubine Ye plotted against the princess and had no sincerity towards her. The princess didn't really help Concubine Ye and Prince Qi. But don't forget that the Duke of Zhenguo and his son died in the battlefield, and the prince suspected that it was caused by a poisonous insect.
When Marquis Changping saw Old Master An, who looked very similar to Duke Zhenguo, he was frightened and fell off his horse. They had already suspected that Marquis Changping was involved in the death of Duke Zhenguo.
If Concubine Ye is not real, then the death of the Duke of Zhenguo and his son must be related to Concubine Ye and the Marquis of Changping's brother and sister!
The more I thought about it, the more frightened I became. A chill spread throughout my body, and the cold air surged from my back to my limbs and bones.
Xie Guimo put away the letters and took them away.
The maid did not stop him. These things originally belonged to the princess. It was only natural for Xie Guimo to take the princess's things.
The princess came to look for Xie Guimo and Shen Tang. She saw them halfway and saw that they were holding letter boxes. The princess asked in confusion, "What are you doing with these? They are all useless things."
Ever since Concubine Ye gave birth to Prince Qi, she hoped that the prince could ask her to support Prince Qi. When she failed to do so, a rift arose between him and Concubine Ye. Now, they didn't even need to meet, let alone the letters they had exchanged for more than 20 years.
Xie Guimo really wanted to ask the princess a few questions, but he was afraid of affecting her mood. Besides, no one knew whether there was Concubine Ye's spies in the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion. It would not be too late to ask later, so he held back.
Xie Guimo said, "I'm a little curious, so I'm going to take it back and take a look."
The princess laughed angrily, "What's there to be curious about?"
But the princess did not take the letter back. The maid came over and said, "Princess, Old Master An and his men have arrived."
The princess said to Xie Guimo, "Mother will go first. You can walk slowly with Tang'er. There is no rush."
Seeing that Shen Tang's skirt could cover her shoes, the princess was worried that Shen Tang would step on her skirt and fall if she walked fast. She would be worried every day until the child was born, which was even more nervous than when she gave birth herself.
The princess walked in a hurry, but there was no need to be so anxious. By the time Xie Guimo and Shen Tang went to the front yard, Old Master An and his family had just arrived.
Old Master An's lineage was truly prosperous, with four sons and two daughters. The four sons gave birth to seven or eight grandchildren, but the four sons did not go to Beijing together. After all, the An family had been in Qizhou for decades, and most of their personal connections were in Qizhou. Although going to Beijing could take over the connections of the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion, the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion had been in decline for more than ten years after all. In the officialdom, people have always been forgotten after they leave.
But even if it is cold, it is still no match for the An Mansion.
Master An Da and Master An San are the legitimate sons and have gone to Beijing this time. Master An Er and Master An Si, who are the illegitimate sons, are still staying in Qizhou and will decide whether to go to Beijing later.
He brought four grandsons with him, among whom was the one Xie Guimo favored. He was the second son of the third wife. He was delicate and had a pair of black eyes that made him look smart. He also looked like Old Master An, and naturally like the Duke of Zhenguo.
Mrs. An had the idea of adopting him the first time she saw him. She believed that if Xie Guimo liked him well, he would definitely be good.
When it comes to feelings towards the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion, Mrs. An admits that she is not as strong as the princess.
Old Madam An's hair is half white, but she looks very energetic, with kind eyes and amiable appearance. It is not the kind of amiability that is pretended, but the affinity that comes from the bones. Just by looking at the prosperity of the An family, one can tell that the mistress is kind and generous.
Old Madam An bowed to the Princess and Madam An, and the Princess quickly helped them up, "Aunt is an elder, we are embarrassed."
Madam An invited them into the house and said, "It's a pity that I couldn't find you earlier. If the Grand Master and the Duke were still alive, they would be overjoyed."
The princess was glad that Shen Tang's cousin married the eldest son of the Jiang family. It also happened that Mother Du, who went with her, had seen the Duke of Zhenguo before and recognized the face of Old Master An. If she waited a hundred years until Old Master An passed away, these relatives would really be lost.
When they arrived at the main hall, the maid served tea. Mrs. An saw the children and liked them very much. They had come to Beijing to adopt children, so there was nothing inappropriate about it. Mrs. An waved to the young master An Qi who she liked, and he walked up to her.
Madam An looked at Grandpa An and Madam An and said, "Grandpa An's grandchildren all look very good. This little grandson looks like the Duke. He has good bones and is suitable for martial arts training. I liked him at first sight. I hope my uncle, aunt, and sister-in-law will be willing to let him go."
Mrs. An San was a little reluctant. Although she also came to Beijing, once she was adopted, she would never be able to call her mother again.
But being adopted is a blessing in disguise, something that others cannot even dream of.
Madam An said, "It is Bao'er's blessing to be favored by you and the princess."
Madam An was so surprised, tears welling in her eyes, that she choked out a sob and said, "The Zhenguo Mansion hasn't been as lively as it is today in many years. I live one day at a time. Only by finding relatives like you can the Zhenguo Mansion have hope of reviving its reputation. I only hope that I can raise this child and inherit the family lineage in my lifetime. Then I can have the dignity to meet the Duke and his family."
Baoer looked at Mrs. An and said, "I've heard my grandfather and father talk about my great-uncle. He's very powerful. Can I be like him in the future?"
Mrs. An touched his head and said with a smile, "As long as you work hard, you can even be more powerful than your great-uncle in the future."
She looked at the other children, who were actually quite young. "Although they're past their prime martial arts training age, your Grandfather Taibo had never practiced martial arts before he went to the battlefield. Yet, he still honed his skills there, becoming a marquis, a general, and a renowned general. As long as you have perseverance and determination, it's never too late."
It’s a pity that there is only one title in the Duke of Zhenguo’s Mansion and it cannot be divided, otherwise Mrs. An would like to find a companion for Baoer.
She had discussed this matter with the princess and planned to set up a clan school and hire someone to teach Bao'er how to read and write, as well as to practice martial arts, to lay a good foundation first. When he grows up, Prince Jingyang will take him with him to gain experience for a few years. Since they have hired a teacher and a martial arts instructor, and the An Mansion is not far away, the younger generations of the clan can come and study together. After all, he is at an age where he likes to play, so he still needs playmates. Besides, one person cannot support the huge family business of the Duke of Zhenguo, so he needs a few right-hand men.
Since he was adopted, Baoer should be treated as his own son, and plans should be made for him, so that the title of the Duke of Zhenguo can be passed down.
But these things are not urgent. After all, Madam An is old and has traveled all the way to Beijing. She needs to rest well. It will not be too late to discuss them in detail later.
After chatting for a while, the maid came in and reported, "Madam, the meal is ready."
Mrs. An said, "Let's eat first. Now that the An family has moved to Beijing, we'll be close by and it will be convenient to discuss anything."
Everyone took their seats, talking and laughing, having a great time.
After lunch, they sat for a while, and then Xie Guimo said, "Tang'er has some things to do on the street, so we'll leave first."
The princess nodded and warned, "Don't tire Tang'er."
Shen Tang bowed and left with Xie Guimo.
Everyone in the An family knew that it was thanks to Shen Tang that the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion was able to find the An family branch, and they were all grateful from the bottom of their hearts.
After leaving the Duke Zhenguo's Mansion, they took a carriage to the street and entered a clothing shop. When they saw Shen Tang and Xie Guimo coming in, the owner of the clothing shop felt that the shop was flourishing.
His shop only sells ordinary clothes, and he has never seen such a noble person come in. The brocade skirt is more important than the temperament. Even a blind person can feel the nobility in her every move.
Shen Tang asked, "Boss, do you have any ready-made wedding dresses?"
The shopkeeper was a little confused.
He glanced at Shen Tang's bulging belly. She was probably going to give birth soon, so why was she still buying a wedding dress?
Seeing that the shopkeeper had misunderstood, Shen Tang smiled and said, "It's for my maid to wear when she gets married."
The shopkeeper looked misunderstood and smiled awkwardly, "It was originally bought for the maid. When the maid got married, the young lady came to help choose the wedding dress in person. I am really lucky to be your maid."