The shrewd wife of 72 merchants

  Yang Lan thus easily obtained Master Ming Hui's masterpiece that was famous throughout the capital and happily returned home.

  Her life also became busy and fulfilling, on this sunny day with fine weather, Yang Xu took his family of four to ride a horse-drawn carriage to the villa for a short stay of two or three days, and take in the scenery of the outskirts.

  Yang Lan sat in the carriage with Princess Hui Chang, her face filled with discontent. She had just learned to ride a horse and was eager to gallop on the ranch, but her mother wouldn't allow it, so she could only listlessly yawn.

  "Little darling is sleepy so soon? How's your painting with Ming Hui?" He Hui Chang Gongzhu didn't have any bad feelings towards Ming Hui, she just thought it was fate playing tricks on people.

  Ming Hui was once the proud daughter of heaven, favored by the previous emperor to an unparalleled extent, even forcing her own mother to yield. But in just twenty short years, the world has changed so much that it's hard not to sigh at the whims of fate!

  Yang Lan nodded happily, "Master Ming Hui is indeed a real master, I'm currently copying her calligraphy and paintings, she said if I copy them well, she'll give them to me!" Her cheerful voice was filled with a hint of pride.

  "She's a talented girl, but her luck is just a bit worse, yet she's a clean and transparent person, and it's precisely because of this that she ended up...!" He Hui let out a soft sigh.

  Yang Lan was speechless, she really didn't know what to say, she didn't understand much about the previous generation's affairs, and the palace coup was too secretive and taboo, it wasn't something she should know.

  "Mother, Master Li has started teaching me the needle technique now. I'll be able to learn double-sided embroidery soon, but she said I need at least three to five years of practice before I can be considered a master!" Yang Lan saw her mother's dazed expression and quickly changed the subject to divert attention.

  He gently strokes his daughter's rosy little face, and his heart is filled with softness and warmth. He wonders which lucky guy will get to take her away in the future! But it doesn't matter, mom will definitely find a good family for you.

  "Did you make a pair of shoes for your uncle the other day?" He Hui asked casually, remembering something.

  Yang Lan leaned on the yellow embroidered peony patterned velvet cushion, "Yes! I'll coax him, so as not to be a lonely family!" She said with a squeeze of her eyes, her lively apricot eyes filled with teasing.

  He Hui slapped her daughter's forehead with a bad temper, warning, "Don't talk nonsense! The emperor is not someone you can criticize!"

  "There's nothing to be afraid of, I think my uncle doesn't like it when people are afraid of him! Besides, I'm not asking for anything from him, why should I be nervous and guilty?" Yang Lan spread her hands out and had a mischievous look on her face.

  He Hui smiled helplessly and shook her head, but wasn't too worried. As Hou Ye said, this child is innocent and true to nature, so it's not the emperor's fault that he was showing off his comfortable shoes to her just yesterday. It's good that someone is concerned about his daughter. What mother wouldn't want that? This matter has nothing to do with a little maid like her anyway. There's no need to worry.

  At this time, a clear and melodious male voice came from outside the carriage. "May I ask if it's Uncle Yang? Junior Rong Yi pays his respects to you! Are you going to the Zhuangzi? My mother and I are also going to the Zhuangzi."

  "Oh, you're the son of Anning Hou, aren't you?" Yang Xu looked at Rong Yi's dignified appearance and sized him up. Seeing that Rong Yi had a clear and upright gaze, a warm and sunny temperament, and elegant movements, he was actually quite a decent young man.

  Rong Yi gave Yang Xu a fist and courtesy, with a faint smile on his lips, "That's the young master!"

  Yang Xu nodded, "Are you going to the Zhuangzi too? Where's your dad?" He glanced back and didn't see anyone.

  Rong Yi smiled and said: "My father is in the government, it's me and my mother who came to the villa yesterday to see the manager. To deal with some villa affairs, and take a break for two or three days."

  Yang Xuhui nodded with a smile, "Mm, I came with your aunt, go and pay your respects!"

  Rong Yi led the way and arrived in front of the carriage. With a calm and composed bow, "Junior Rong Yi pays his respects to the princess, and also to the duchess!"

  He Hui Chang Gong Zhu lifted the curtain of her carriage, took a look at him and nodded slightly, "I heard you passed the Imperial Examination? Are you going to participate in the Imperial Examination three years later?"

  Yang Lan hid in the car, only revealing a small head, with a faint smile on her face, waving at him with her small hand, and her mischievous smile showed her cleverness.

  Rong Yi nodded slightly, lowering his head, and a faint smile of pleasure appeared at the corner of his lips. "Indeed, I had planned as much!"

  "Hmm, you and Mei'er had a good time playing together. He's a bit reckless, so help me keep an eye on him and let him cause less trouble for me!" said Hui Chang Gong Zhu with a faint smile on her face.

  "The princess was being polite, Yang brother is clever and skilled, much stronger than me, I couldn't even beat him!" Rong Yi rubbed his head with a hint of embarrassment.

  "Come to my place and have some fun! It's rare for me to have some free time, I'll help you bring some gifts to your mother!" He Hui looked at the young man in front of her, whose face was as clear and bright as a full moon, and felt a few more points of admiration.

  "Please give my regards to the young mistress, I will bring her greetings back to my mother. I bid you farewell!" Yong Yi didn't stay long after paying his respects and returned to his own estate. Today he had come to inspect the nearby fields and happened to run into them.

  The horse carriage continued on its way as before. Hui Chang Gongzhu closed her eyes slightly and pondered in her heart, wondering if her husband had some deeper meaning?

  "How many times have you played with Chuyou? Do you think his relationship with Rongyi is good or not?" Hehui suddenly asked a question that had nothing to do with anything.

  Yang Lan put down her teacup, tilted her head and thought for a moment, "These two people are extremely intelligent, Liu Gege is almost obedient to Rong Yi, their relationship is very close, and Liu Gege's way of winning people over is also very good, you see your little son always praising him! Most importantly, he is the only one who dares to fight with Er Ge using real skills, and when he loses, he won't be resentful, instead, he has a very satisfied expression, I quite admire this kind of boldness and magnanimity!"

  Second Brother is a martial arts genius, don't look at his young age, his strength value is absolutely bursting with people who can explode the table, no one in the study room can beat him, and among the few aristocratic families in Beijing who can beat him are very rare.

  Chu Yu just liked to compete with Second Brother, and every time he lost and was beaten badly. However, only by competing with Second Brother did he feel satisfied and relieved. Afterwards, not only did he not make trouble or harbor resentment, but instead felt a deep sense of camaraderie, which was quite impressive.

  He Hui nodded, "The Empress has raised this son well. She and the Emperor have been together for many years, through thick and thin, so they still have feelings for each other. I heard that Rong Yi is studying under Qin Ge's guidance and his knowledge is not bad! The Emperor even praised him once!"

  The mother and daughter were chatting idly about their innermost thoughts.

  Yang Lan thought for a moment and asked in a low voice: "Do you think he has a chance?"

  "What do you think?" Heui didn't answer but asked back instead.

  Yang Lan stroked his chin, thought for a moment and shook his head: "He has no choice, his identity dictates that he can only move forward bravely to have a way out, otherwise there is only one dead end! However, who wins in the end doesn't affect our family much. In the past twenty years, the border area has been turbulent, and it still needs fathers like you to stabilize."

  He Hui Chang Gong Zhu smiled with satisfaction, "As long as you understand in your heart, I'm at ease. I won't marry you into the imperial palace, I've already discussed this with my brother beforehand. I will choose a good husband for you, so don't worry!"

  Yang Lan leaned into her mother's arms and nodded, "Daughter will follow father and mother's arrangements." She couldn't pretend to be shy or anything like that, so she hid it well to avoid being too unusual.