Xiao Wan'er and Xiao Jinghong entered the Qingjing Residence together to pay their respects to Old Marquis Xiao.
Within a ten-zhang radius, not a soul could approach; even Duke of Qianguo Zhang Xuan and former Provincial Governor Sun Fu were temporarily invited out.
Shen Huatang, Su Zhenyue, Xiao Die, and others placed the gifts brought by the two young misses inside the residence, then walked out and stood guard outside the door.
Facing the Qingjing Residence, Zhang Xuan sat by the pond in front of the middle courtyard's main hall, playing chess with Sun Fu.
The black and white pieces on the chessboard in front of the two men each occupied four corners, making it clear that this game had only just begun.
Zhang Xuan looked outside the door of the Qingjing Residence and sighed aloud, "To say I'm not envious would be a lie."
Sun Fu glanced at him, turned back to look, and said with a chuckle, "Your Duke of Qianguo's Household is flourishing in progeny, what on earth are you envious of old Xiao for?"
"Hah, flourishing in progeny, but not many capable people. Shao Jie has excess martial prowess, lacks strategic planning, and is self-willed; he'll have plenty of bitterness to taste down the road."
"Is that why you're lingering here at my place?"
"You old fellow catch on quite clearly."
Zhang Xuan slapped a white piece down onto the chessboard with a smack and let out a chuckle.
He indeed harbored the intention of luring Sun Fu back to Jiaozhou.
As the saying goes, having an old person in the family is like having a treasure.
In terms of resourcefulness Sun Fu might lack a bit of meaning, but Sun Fu, who started out as a Provincial Governor, was a skilled hand at managing internal affairs.
If he had him to assist, at least within ten years, he could ensure that the Duke of Qianguo's Household would not fall into chaos on account of money and grain.
"Agree or not, give me an answer."
"I'm not going." Blocking the breathing point of the white piece with a black piece, Sun Fu refused directly without even thinking.
"The reason?"
"Wealth doesn't pass three generations, why bother tossing about?"
Hearing this, Zhang Xuan glared at him, "Who are you talking about?"
Sun Fu showed not the slightest fear, gazed at the chessboard, and said indifferently, "Instead of wasting time here with old me, you'd better think about how to properly educate that generation of your family's Heng'er."
Frowning, Zhang Xuan pondered for a moment before the meaning dawned on him, "Are you saying that Shao Jie is ruined?"
"First no breadth of mind, second no daring, third no brains, what do you say?"
"Hey, what's so great about you, you old thing? That person of yours..."
"A commoner in plain clothes, worry-free for a lifetime, that is enough."
Zhang Xuan rolled his eyes, angrily dropped a piece, and cursed.
"Damn it, the moment I go back I'll find a good teacher for Heng'er, and make you old fellow look at him with new eyes."
Sun Fu smiled and countered with a black piece.
"As the saying goes, you can tell what a person will be at three by looking at seven; in old me's view, the child Wu Ge will certainly have more prospects in the future than your family's Heng'er."
"Shut your mouth, play your chess, play your chess..."
Every family has a scripture that is difficult to chant, and many matters cannot be told to outsiders.
In the inner hall of the Qingjing Residence, when Old Marquis Xiao saw his two granddaughters arrive, his gratified mood lasted only a moment.
"Jinghong, how is the training of the Three Towns New Army?"
"They have spirit, their cultivation base is a bit low, newly made weapons and armor are insufficient, horses are insufficient, and money and grain are in short supply."
Xiao Jinghong spoke concisely, yet not a single word expressed "satisfaction."
Old Marquis Xiao frowned upon hearing this, "Have you asked the Protectorate and the Supervision Court?"
Xiao Jinghong nodded, "After the memorial was submitted, the Minister of Land opposed it, saying that the money and grain raised by the Ministry of Revenue this year all have purposes and cannot be allocated to my Dingyuan Army."
"The Minister of War spoke a few words for us, but it had little effect."
"In the end, His Majesty adopted the Minister of Land's opinion, allocating ten percent of Shuzhou Salt and Iron's tax revenue to be used for the new army's establishment."
Old Marquis Xiao's brows were tightly locked. Leaning back in his master's chair, his hand pressing on the armrest trembled a few times uncontrollably.
Beside him, Xiao Wan'er felt a bit unbearable upon seeing this, but she also knew that what they were discussing right now was a major matter for the Dingyuan Army, so she did not speak up further.
After a moment of silence.
Old Marquis Xiao sighed, "Such a meager amount of money isn't even enough for military pay... What did the Protectorate side say?"
Sitting upright in her chair, Xiao Jinghong replied calmly, "Unable to help even if willing."
She paused and asked, "Grandfather, currently my Dingyuan Army's three hundred thousand soldiers have mouths to feed and horses to sustain, money and grain are already stretched to the limit, and those retired..."
Before she finished speaking, she saw a flash of pain cross Old Marquis Xiao's eyes, and in her heart she already understood.
"The retired veteran soldiers, I will properly arrange their destinations."
Old Marquis Xiao was slightly startled, "You have a way?"
"A few days ago the Mountain Tribe and others sent people to find me to jointly build a mutual market; if managed properly, granddaughter wants to arrange a portion of the veteran soldiers to go there."
"Good, very good... A mutual market is good, it benefits the Thirteen Tribes, and it also benefits the Three Towns of my Dingyuan Army."
Hearing this, Old Marquis Xiao's expression involuntarily relaxed.
After pondering for a moment, however, he asked, "Do you plan to inform the Protectorate about this matter?"
Xiao Jinghong shook her head, "They already hold the Salt and Iron Monopoly in their hands, granddaughter does not intend to let them meddle in the mutual market anymore."
Old Marquis Xiao gently nodded, "That's fine. My Xiao Family currently faces internal and external troubles, and if we want to sustain such a massive Dingyuan Army, we indeed ought to have some selfishness."
Xiao Jinghong's eyes flashed; she desperately wanted to correct one statement.
The Dingyuan Army was not the Xiao Family's private army, but rather the Imperial Court's troops.
Yet the Imperial Court did not allocate money and grain, leaving everything for them to manage on their own-how could there be such logic?
After thinking about it, however, she ultimately did not say it out loud.
After a long while.
Old Marquis Xiao looked at Xiao Wan'er, "How is the situation at home?"
Xiao Wan'er smiled and said, "Grandfather need not worry about the home. Currently the medicinal herbs business is running well, with several thousand liang of silver coming in every month."
"A few days ago Elder Brother Dongchen exerted some effort and used connections to transport a batch of medicinal herbs from the Northern Prefecture, which is enough for those few medicine halls' use for half a year."
Old Marquis Xiao nodded, "That is good then. With you here, and several members of the Second Branch helping out, I don't need to worry too much about family matters."
Xiao Wan'er and Xiao Jinghong exchanged a glance, spoke a few more casual words, and then stood up to leave.
"Jinghong, stay at home for a bit longer after returning. That husband of yours Chen Yi..."
A smile surfaced on Old Marquis Xiao's aged face, "He is not bad; let the previous matter of calling off the wedding pass as it is."
Xiao Jinghong bowed and said, "Grandfather, granddaughter has noted it."
Xiao Wan'er instantly thought of that "Graceful Spirit Ode" once more, and a trace of a blush surfaced on her pale face.
Her mood, roughly speaking, was a mixture of bashfulness, anger, and annoyance, not knowing how to deal with it.
The two bade farewell to Old Marquis Xiao, walked out of the Qingjing Residence together, and prepared to return to Chunhe Garden.
Just at that moment, a voice came from afar, "Jinghong, Wan'er, it's been a long time, this elder brother misses you both dearly."
Xiao Jinghong's brows slightly furrowed. With her hearing she had long since known who was coming, and originally wanted to hide back inside with her sister, but she had not expected him to be so persistent.
Xiao Wan'er looked at Xiao Jinghong and, seeing that she did not intend to speak, bowed to the newcomer and said, "Elder brother has been well?"
"Well, well, haha..."
Before the person arrived, his voice reached them, and they saw a tall young man wearing dark green brocade robes walking over in great strides.
His appearance was truly handsome, with a square face, thick eyebrows, and large eyes, except that his skin had a bronze hue, clearly from long exposure to wind and sun.
When Shen Huatang, Su Zhenyue, and the others saw him, they all bowed and saluted, "Greetings, General Li."
Li Changqing, the commander of the Dingyuan Army's Iron Wall stronghold, waved his hand, "No need for formalities, we are all family."
Saying this, he looked at Xiao Jinghong and Xiao Wan'er, and smiled, "You just went to see the Old Master?"
"Yes." Xiao Jinghong glanced at him, "We still have matters to attend to, elder brother, please feel free."
Seeing that she was about to leave, Li Changqing reached out to block her path, "Jinghong younger sister, I didn't make it in time for your grand wedding a few days ago, how about I make it up to you later?"
"No need."
Xiao Jinghong spoke coldly, then supported Xiao Wan'er as she turned and left.
Watching them walk away, Li Changqing did not stop them again, only shouting from afar, "Say hello to my brother-in-law for me."
Xiao Jinghong simply ignored it, while Xiao Wan'er was left with words trembling on her lips.
"Second Sister, you and Changqing elder brother..."
"There's no need to pay him any mind, as long as he attends to his own duties properly that's enough."
"Oh."
The group passed through the middle courtyard and entered the rear corridor, and Xiao Jinghong's brows furrowed once more.
They saw Xiao Wang and Xiao Qiuyun waiting there with several armored soldiers.
Xiao Wan'er sighed inwardly, but a smile surfaced on her face, "Second Grandfather, it has been a long time, are you in good health?"
"Sorry to trouble Wan'er for your concern."
"Wan'er greets Aunt Qiuyun."
After they finished their greetings, Xiao Wang leaned on his cane with both hands and spoke indifferently, "Jinghong, you haven't returned in a long time, I have a few words I cannot help but say."
Xiao Jinghong bowed and said, "Second Grandfather, please speak."
"What your husband has been doing lately is a bit excessive, how do you plan to handle it?"
Seeing Xiao Jinghong's cold gaze, Xiao Qiuyun beside them immediately smoothed things over by saying, "Father's meaning is that he hopes you will discipline him more, so as to save him from doing outrageous things."
Xiao Wang's expression grew stern, "My meaning is-severe punishment!"
Xiao Wan'er grabbed Xiao Jinghong's hand, terrified that she would talk back to an elder.
Yet Xiao Jinghong had already spoken, "Although my husband is somewhat unrestrained, it is not as serious as Second Grandfather says."
Xiao Wang frowned slightly, and just as he was about to speak again, he heard her continue, "Jinghong knows that Second Grandfather currently manages the Disciplinary Hall, and that many things are done with the Xiao Family in mind."
"However, Second Grandfather might as well listen to a piece of advice from Jinghong: regarding my husband's matters, you should just pretend you never saw them."
"You..."
Before Xiao Wang could speak, Xiao Qiuyun hurriedly grabbed his hand and said with a smile, "Father should still listen to Jinghong. Why must you busy yourself with the matters of the young couple?"
Saying this, she shifted the conversation: "But Jinghong, you must have heard about those things Chen Yi has been doing lately, right?"
Xiao Jinghong nodded. "I know."
Xiao Qiuyun smiled gently. "Then you might as well listen to a piece of advice from Aunt as well. Just as you said a moment ago, Chen Yi is only somewhat rash and his nature is not bad, and coupled with some of his talent, how about letting your Uncle Dongchen and me find some things for him to do?"
"As it happens, the Provincial Administration has a vacancy for a Registrar, and the official rank is not large..."
Before she finished speaking, Xiao Jinghong coldly and indifferently interrupted, "Aunt is already the Duchess of Qian now, so it is best to ask less about the household's affairs."
Having said this, she no longer paid any attention to these few people and led Xiao Wan'er straight across the corridor.
Xiao Qiuyun's expression sank, and Xiao Wang was so angry that his eyes even turned red, yet he could not utter a single word.
Xiao Wan'er sighed inwardly, yet she also did not know how to advise Second Sister.
As for Shen Huatang, Xiao Die, and the others, they did not even dare to breathe heavily.
When the few of them walked outside Chunhe Garden.
Xiao Jinghong seemed to have been thinking along the way as she suddenly spoke, "Elder Sister, thinking carefully, what Aunt Qiuyun said makes some sense."
"Staying at home all this time truly wastes my husband's talent, but going to the Provincial Administration is truly inappropriate. How about letting him help you instead?"
Xiao Wan'er opened her mouth upon hearing this. "Th-this..."
Second Sister, you mustn't.
Before you continue