Chapter 188
After hearing Niu Shi's words, Xu Xiangren also carefully thought it over. He truly had no past grievances with Li Tianyou.
"I have had no interactions with Lord Li in the past, let alone any possible disagreements," Xu Xiangren affirmed, shaking his head.
Upon hearing this, Niu Shi felt a surge of joy in her heart. It was good that they hadn't offended him.
Back when she was in Xin'an County, she had heard about the affairs of the wealthy Li family from Li'an County.
She heard that Li Tianyou had only one wife. Even though that wife had only borne him a daughter, he had never taken a concubine.
Most importantly, that wife was said to be in poor health.
Otherwise, how could she not have given Li Tianyou more children over all these years?
Thinking of this, Niu Shi couldn't contain her excitement.
After all, her daughter, Jinshu, was already twenty and still unmarried.
Over the years, it wasn't that she hadn't considered finding a match for her daughter.
It was just that the families she favored either looked down on her daughter or disliked that she was too old.
As for those who were willing to accept her daughter, she herself looked down upon them.
Now, Li Tianyou had actually become a second-rank official.
If her daughter could marry Li Tianyou, and later bear him a son, then in the future, the entire Li family would belong to her grandson.
Moreover, their Jinshu had both a good figure and looks, and was a renowned beauty. If...
"Master, is Lord Li still only married to that one wife?" Niu Shi asked excitedly, grabbing Xu Xiangren's hand.
"What are you thinking? You've heard of Lord Li's reputation for loving his wife before in Xin'an County," Xu Xiangren said with displeasure, looking at his wife.
"Master, think about it. Our Jinshu is not young anymore. Lady Li has always been in poor health. If Jinshu could marry into the Li family..." Niu Shi left the rest unsaid, but her meaning was already quite clear.
"Stop right there. Although Lady Li is in poor health, she has a good daughter. Miss Li will one day marry into the An Prince's mansion and become the An Princess Consort." Although Xu Xiangren felt somewhat tempted by Niu Shi's words, he thought of Li Zhiwei, the future An Princess Consort. If his daughter were to accidentally offend Lady Yao, wouldn't his daughter have no chance to rise?
"I naturally know about that. But isn't Lady Li's health poor? Who knows when she might pass? Besides, even if Miss Li becomes the An Princess Consort, if her mother is gone, can she forbid her own father from taking a new wife?" Niu Shi said dismissively.
As long as her daughter could enter the Li household, that Lady Yao was not a major issue at all.
"This matter is not appropriate," Xu Xiangren thought it over and still felt that, currently, he was merely a minor sixth-rank official, while Li Tianyou was already a second-rank official. It was no longer a matter of him trying to climb high; he simply couldn't reach that high anymore.
“Why wouldn't it work? That Li Tianyou is almost old enough to be our Jinshu's father. If our Jinshu doesn't dislike him for being old, what right does he have to dislike her? If he could marry someone like our Jinshu, it would be thanks to the blessings of his ancestors!” Seeing Xu Xiangren's unwilling expression, Niu Shi said discontentedly.
"While that may be so, in the capital, a higher official rank can crush those below. Lord Li is now a full three ranks above me. Plenty of noble daughters from capital families would want to marry into the Li family." Thinking of this, Xu Xiangren also felt a sour taste in his heart. Back in Xin'an County, if Li Tianyou wanted to see him, he had to pull strings.
Who would have thought that upon arriving in the capital, he would only be a sixth-rank official in charge of horses, while the other man had become a second-rank official in the Ministry of Revenue, a favored person who could even speak a few words before the Emperor.
All of this was thanks to him having a good daughter.
Thinking of this, Xu Xiangren pondered Niu Shi's words again.
If his daughter really could marry Li Tianyou...
Li Tianyou would definitely have to give him a helping hand.
Moreover, Li Tianyou also had connections with the An Prince.
Xu Xiangren's heart also began to dream of becoming Li Tianyou's father-in-law.
Princess Fuan had not managed to pick out any jewelry she liked at the Treasure Pavilion today.
Returning to the mansion, she still wore an expression of furious anger.
She felt that all of this was caused by running into that blind Zheng Qiaoshu.
"Where is my father?" Princess Fuan had originally not intended to let Zheng Qiaoshu off.
But that servant said her father had told her not to bother with that little bitch.
Now, as she thought it over, the more she felt something was off. Could it be that her father had taken a fancy to that little slut at some point?
Thinking of the many concubines already in the mansion...
While she didn't mind her father adding concubines, she did mind her father bringing back a concubine she disliked.
"Reporting to the Princess, His Highness is currently in Concubine Mei's courtyard," a servant nearby hurriedly replied.
"To the Plum Garden," Princess Fuan said, heading towards the Plum Garden.
Rulan and Ruju quickly followed.
Their mistress was in a fit of anger; they shouldn't ask anything.
After all, today, a mere Miss Biao from the An Prince's mansion had dared to affront their Princess, which also made them extremely indignant.
In this capital, no one had ever dared treat their Princess like that.
However, this matter was, after all, the Prince's intention, and they had even less right to say anything more.
In the Plum Garden, Prince Lanhuai was feeding pastries to his young son, Zhu Yufan, who was in Concubine Mei's arms.
"Your Highness, please don't feed him any more. He'll eat too much," Concubine Mei softly reminded from the side.
"It's fine. I'm not letting him eat much," Prince Lanhuai said, finding it extremely amusing to watch his young son taking small bites.
"Your Highness, the Princess has arrived," Eunuch Wu, beside Prince Lanhuai, came over and reported.
"Let her in," Prince Lanhuai said. He actually knew why his daughter had come to find him—it was because he hadn't allowed her to make things difficult for Zheng Qiaoshu today.
Zheng Qiaoshu was an important piece he had planted in the An Prince's mansion. For now, this piece was still useful.
She would be kept for the time being.
"Your Highness, perhaps you and the Princess could speak outside?" Concubine Mei was afraid that if Princess Fuan saw Prince Lanhuai holding the child, she might become jealous. Later, the ones to suffer would be her and her son.
After all, in this mansion, besides the two sons and one daughter born to the princess Mrs. Zhuang, only she had borne a illegitimate son.
No matter what, Concubine Mei had to be wary of Princess Fuan.
In the past, Princess Fuan had never come to her courtyard. Today she suddenly arrived; it was quite possible it was because she knew the Prince was visiting the child and felt dissatisfied.
“Fuan is not the type to make unreasonable trouble. She came today for another matter,” Prince Lanhuai seemed to perceive Concubine Mei's thoughts and comforted her.
"Your Highness is right," Concubine Mei agreed verbally, but in her heart, she had her own calculations.
Princess Fuan rushed into the Plum Garden. Seeing her father holding her half-brother, she frowned tightly. This was not what she wanted to see.
However, thinking of this, what displeased her even more was her father's order not to make things difficult for Zheng Qiaoshu.
“Father, why did you tell me to let her off today?” Princess Fuan questioned discontentedly.
