Volume 4: Gathering of Sages Chapter 604: Strength in numbers?
Are all of them really so bold today? Each one is bolder than the other!
Wu Ge Lao had been an official for decades, and although he had seen many strong people who were stubborn, his boldness was different from the boldness of these people at this moment. Hailing County Lady was naive and bold, and Song Juren was foolish and bold... As for the third prince, was he considered stupid and bold? The son actually dared to say that his father was meddling in other people's affairs. This was simply outrageous!
Moreover, the son is the future crown prince, and the father is the current emperor… This is the most complicated and delicate father-son relationship in the world, and there is also the distinction between monarch and subject. The third prince is not afraid of the emperor's wrath!
However, facing the Third Prince's words that sounded even a little "treasonous", the Emperor raised his eyebrows, and then burst into laughter: "You are a brave man, but what you said does make some sense! That's right, one is willing to marry, and the other is willing to marry. This is someone else's family's business. If I must intervene, it would really be like a dog chasing a rat, meddling in other people's business!"
At this point, the emperor turned his head to look at the empress dowager and said with a smile, "What do you think, mother?"
The Empress Dowager saw Concubine Yu scolding Princess Yongping, and Princess Yongping neither defending herself nor asking for forgiveness. She couldn't help but sigh in her heart. After the Emperor and the Third Prince had such a helpless conversation, the Emperor actually asked for her opinion in a serious manner. She was really speechless.
If you hadn't been asking people to find out about this scholar surnamed Song, and even asked Chu Kuan to send the Imperial Household Department to investigate his eighteen generations, I wouldn't have thought you really had this idea! Now, if it weren't for the foolish and bold Princess Hailing coming out to mess things up, I really don't know what this scene would have turned into! You still have the nerve to ask me now!
Even though she thought so, with so many younger generations present, including two important cabinet officials, Lord Wu and Grand Secretary Zhang Yu, the empress dowager had to keep calm even if she was angry in her heart. At this moment, she simply ignored her son, who was as whimsical and difficult as he was in childhood despite his advanced age, and only nodded slightly to Princess Hailing.
"A Ling, you are the apple of your parents' and brothers' eyes. Although I have taken a fancy to Mr. Song, you must go back and tell them. Otherwise, they may come to the palace to cry and complain that the emperor and I gave you a love potion and deceived you by a man who came from nowhere."
At this point, the Queen Mother looked at Mr. Song with a kind face and said, "I remember the Emperor said before that Mr. Song is best at making all kinds of sweet soups, and Yingying praised him for this. Have you been living in Zhang Garden these days? Then, are you sure about the other three questions besides desserts that the Emperor asked today? If you are sure, then go back and take the test. If not..."
Mr. Song instinctively felt that he absolutely could not continue to go back to the big kitchen to participate in the finals. Not to mention the three questions , he really had no idea. Even if he did, could he compare with those famous chefs who really made a living by cooking?
Moreover, if he went back to cook, he would have to go upstairs to present the dishes. If he stayed here, he was worried that he would become the victim of a fight between gods! So he quickly bowed deeply to the ground and said in a panic: "I am only good at making sugar water. I don't know any of the dishes that the chefs are good at. I am also very worried about the three questions of the emperor!"
"I am very satisfied to be able to enter the finals. I have no confidence that I can become a royal chef! So, the Queen Mother just asked me if I am sure... I am really not sure!"
Seeing the fellow named Song looking at her sincerely, his eyes seemed to say, I can't do it, just eliminate me quickly. Even though the empress dowager had just seen that Mr. Song was a person who would be very excited when talking about his expertise, but would become very depressed when talking about other things, she still found it ridiculous.
She nodded casually and said, "Since you said you are not sure, then there is no need to test the remaining three questions. Take this sweet-scented osmanthus dumpling that Yingying and A-ling praised so much to A-ling's parents and brothers to taste!"
Mr. Song looked up, his jaw dropping in shock. It was true that he had just expressed his feelings in public, but that was because the Princess of Hailing County was the first to bravely express her feelings. But later, when all sorts of things happened, he saw that the girl was feeling wronged, and he got excited and said such words.
But he was not fully prepared mentally... No, he was not prepared at all! If he just followed the Princess of Hailing County back to see her parents and brother... wouldn't he be beaten out?
Mr. Song's face was ashen, but Princess Hailing was radiant in an instant. She bowed to the empress dowager again with a smile on her cheeks, revealing two very charming dimples.
"Thank you, Queen Mother! My parents and my four brothers are all very nice people. They all like sweets very much. The chef who makes snacks and desserts in my house was hired by my brothers from the famous Lao Fang Zhai in Beijing with great effort. If they could taste the delicious food made by Young Master Song, they would definitely say it was as good as I do!"
If their daughter brings back delicious food for them to taste, they should be very happy...but if their daughter suddenly brings back a man, they should be scared to death, right?
When Zhang Shou saw Mr. Song's face, which looked as if he had lost his parents, he thought that he was about to cry out of fright, obviously because he heard about the family structure of four brothers besides his parents. Imagining the scene that would happen in a while, he couldn't help but light a candle for him in his heart.
Thinking back to when he first went to the Zhu family, Zhu Er came running over angrily to pick a fight. If it wasn't for Ah Liu, he might have personally "discussed" with him at that time. This was when Zhu Tingfang was not at home. If he was, the scene would have been even more exciting. But there was a big premise. Zhu Ying had lived in Rongshui Village for quite a while, and the lady obviously favored him, not to mention Jiu Niang.
But what Mr. Song is facing today... is a hell level where the Princess of Hailing was still an innocent little girl when she left, but came back with a wild man, who claimed that this was the perfect son-in-law I had chosen. His parents and brothers would probably be shocked and even furious!
He looked at Mr. Song with some pity, but who would have thought that the next moment, this man would immediately cling to him as if grasping at a life-saving straw: "Dr. Zhang, can you come with me? I am not good at speaking, and I can't say anything other than things related to making sugar water... Oh, by the way, I have a helper in the big kitchen, Fang Qing, you know!"
"There is strength in numbers, how about taking him with you?"
Seeing that Mr. Song even wanted to drag Fang Qing along, Zhang Shou was speechless - you are a prospective son-in-law who is meeting his future father-in-law, mother-in-law and brothers-in-law, you are not going to fight, what's the point of calling others? But before he could think of a way to refuse, he saw Zhu Ying flash over and said with a smile: "Okay, okay, Ah Shou and I will accompany you and Ah Ling to the Jiangdu Palace."
Seeing that the empress dowager could not help but rub her brows, the emperor, who had just thrown a difficult problem to the empress dowager, could not help but twitch his mouth, thinking that his previous idea was too ridiculous and too taken for granted.
Given that Mr. Song was stubborn in some aspects and hopelessly stupid in others, it would be strange if Princess Yongping would like him! Although what Concubine Yu said just now was serious, he had already vaguely sensed that if Zhu Ying didn't think about those troubles most of the time, was straightforward, and was born to be an optimist, then Princess Yongping was too delicate and sensitive.
If you always think that everything is someone else's plot and you have to be on guard at every turn, wouldn't life like this be exhausting?
Even he, the emperor, is quite relaxed most of the time, otherwise he would have been exhausted to death by all kinds of pressure!
Zhang Shou saw Zhu Ying trying desperately to wink at him, and then clasped her hands together in front of her chest to beg. He glanced at the subtle expressions of the Taifu and Jiu Niang over there, and thought that Zhu Ying probably felt that it was too embarrassing for her to stand here after the previous confrontation with Princess Yongping, so she wanted to avoid it?
Although he didn't want to go to the Jiangdu Palace, he felt a little uncomfortable staying here, so he glanced at everyone and immediately came up with an idea: "Queen Mother, Your Majesty, Yingying and I can accompany Mr. Song to the Jiangdu Palace, but this is a serious matter, can we ask the Fourth Prince to go with us and be a witness?"
The Fourth Prince was really happy watching the excitement just now - after all, Princess Yongping had a lofty personality and was not close to most of her brothers and sisters. Her relationship with the Fourth Prince was even worse than Zhu Ying's, so he did not feel any burden watching the excitement. In particular, the temper of Princess Hailing was quite to his liking, so his position was naturally distorted.
The Empress Dowager asked Mr. Song to follow Princess Hailing back to "deliver osmanthus dumplings". He felt a little regretful that he could not watch the excitement that followed, but in a flash, Zhang Shou actually asked him to go with them. He was so happy!
"Father, since the teacher has said so, I will go with you to see Sister A Ling off?" The fourth prince acted like a cute kid, wishing he could be cuter. He looked at the empress dowager with pleading eyes, "Grandmother, can I go with you?"
After he finished speaking, he remembered that he had actually left behind the Third Prince, who was always the closest to him. He rolled his eyes and was about to ask his Third Brother to go along, but the Third Prince suddenly said, "Fourth Brother, if you want to go, you won't be able to taste the delicious dishes prepared by these chefs!"
The fourth prince's eyes widened immediately. Did the third brother mean that he would not go? Then wouldn't he be able to go too?
The Queen Mother understood. Although she and the Emperor had obviously acquiesced no one could make the decision on Hailing County Lady's marriage without the permission of the King of Jiangdu and the Princess of Jiangdu. Therefore, Zhang Shou knew that this trip would be difficult, so he wanted to bring a helper. He did not choose the two cabinet elders, nor did he choose the third prince, the future crown prince, but planned to call the fourth prince, which really grasped the measure.
If the Fourth Prince goes, he will just be an idle spectator; if the Third Prince goes, he will represent the pressure from her and the Emperor.
So, seeing that the emperor was smiling but not saying anything, she smiled and said, "Well, Silang has been taken out by the emperor to taste the cooking skills of a famous chef once before, so you can go this time. Remember not to make trouble and listen to your teacher in everything."
Seeing that the Queen Mother actually used the three words "your teacher" to refer to Zhang Shou, Lord Wu and Zhang Yu looked at each other, and then Zhang Yu concentrated on looking at the pattern on the porcelain bowl in front of him, as if it came from some extraordinary tribute, while Lord Wu simply lowered his head and rubbed the pair of wooden chopsticks, staring at the longevity pattern.
Fortunately, they never thought of interfering with the lectures in the Eastern Palace, otherwise they would have been unable to escape the eyes of the Emperor and Empress!
Since the Queen Mother had agreed, the Fourth Prince watched the Emperor nod, and immediately cheered happily, and was about to run to Zhang Shou and Zhu Ying, but he was pulled back by the Third Prince. Not only that, after he was pulled aside by his Third Brother, he heard the Third Prince say in a very light voice: "If the two sides fall out, you must not get involved in the confusion!"
"The teacher brought you here just to let you explain the whole story. Don't say anything else!"
Seeing the Fourth Prince looking at him in astonishment, the Third Prince rubbed his chin in distress. Then, not caring that this was in public, he embraced the Fourth Prince's chubby little head and lowered his voice.
"Teacher doesn't want to force King Jiangdu to agree to this marriage. He is just doing his best and leaving the rest to fate. Otherwise, I would definitely have to go. Don't get me wrong and cause trouble for him and Sister Yingying."
The fourth prince frowned in confusion, but still agreed. With the third prince's instructions, he was no longer as impetuous as before, and after walking to Zhang Shou's side, he looked obedient and honest.
So, the emperor waved his hand at his youngest son with a hint of disdain. When Zhang Shou and Zhu Ying led the delighted Princess Hailing and the stunned Mr. Song away with a smile, and the fourth prince followed excitedly behind, he coughed majestically, "Okay, I almost forgot my business because of this distraction. Let the chefs continue to serve the dishes. Don't delay!"
As the chefs came up one after another and served carefully prepared dishes or desserts, Princess Yongping felt more and more disappointed. It was as if what had just happened had been forgotten by everyone. No one mentioned it, and no one asked about it.
The same was true for Princess Deyang and the other two princesses beside her. In order to ease the atmosphere, the three of them would occasionally talk to her, even if she was too lazy to respond or answer, they didn't care.
Thinking of the husbands her father had chosen for them, although they were not handsome or outstanding, and Zhang Wu and Zhang Lu were even illegitimate sons with mediocre academic performance, at least Zhang Wu and Zhang Lu were ambitious people. She felt that her attitude when her father was personally choosing a son-in-law was really stupid. Even though she looked around and saw that there were a lot of idiots in the capital, they were still much better than Mr. Song!
It would not displease the Queen Mother and the Emperor! As for the mother...she probably always regretted that her daughter was not Zhu Ying!
When Princess Yongping was feeling depressed, Zhu Ying, who was leaving Xinglong Tea House, signaled Zhang Shou to take Mr. Song and the Fourth Prince to ride horses, while she herself took Princess Hailing to the carriage. As soon as the carriage started, she smiled and said, "A Ling, do you really like the guy with the surname Song? You are so stupid to bring him back. Are you sure your parents and brothers won't be so angry that they want to beat him to death?"
