Uncle Lai in the Red Chamber

Chapter 301

Although Xue Biao came to the house and agreed to break off the engagement as soon as Mei Gong left, there were no twists and turns. After all, he was not a fool. He just used the excuse that he received a letter from his mother just after Mei Gong left, so he did not dare to delay for a moment.

Just two days after the two parties broke off the engagement, Mei Gong's order to be stationed in Xiyi also came down.

While the Rong family and the Xue family were grateful to Lai Shangrong, the Mei family had another misunderstanding.

Although the regretful marriage was proposed by the Xue family on their own initiative, the time for the Xue family's agreement and the appointment to be stationed in Xiyi were too tight.

Mei Gong had to be given some ideas.

However, he did not point the finger directly at Lai Shangrong, but once again suspected Yuanchun in the palace.

This is not difficult to understand. After all, he preconceived the idea that Jia Zheng's corruption was covered up because Yuanchun appealed to the emperor for mercy.

So this time, it is not difficult to understand that he exposed the Jia family's rot and was retaliated against.

He has never doubted his judgment about Jia Zheng. As a Hanlin official who has been with the emperor for several years, he is quite confident in his understanding of the emperor.

From the fact that Jia Zheng was relegated and released, it is not difficult to see that the emperor had the intention of punishing him.

This was also the reason why he was confident, but he didn't expect that the consequences would be so serious, and he was stationed in Xiyi thousands of miles away.

The more I thought about it, the more strange I felt, and I couldn't help but think of Lai Shangrong, who advocated being stationed in the Xiyi Office.

Based on his understanding of the emperor, he did not feel that Yuanchun could influence the emperor's decision-making just by relying on his sidekicks. Lai Shangrong was the advocate of the policy. Most of the personnel stationed there were drawn up by his Chen Zuo, and he was also the head of the Rong Mansion. It is absolutely reasonable for a domestic slave to cooperate inside and outside.

With the lesson learned last time, he did not dare to point the finger at Yuanchun and Rongfu. After all, there was still room for maneuver in the time of deployment.

But for Lai Shangrong and the Xue family, who indirectly led to his exile, he really couldn't swallow this breath.

But he was about to be stationed in Xiyi, and even if he wanted to take revenge, he wouldn't have enough time to carry it out.

After thinking about it, I could only make up rumors.

Of course, this rumor must connect Lai Shangrong to the Xue family, and make the emperor think of his original intention of sending him to Xiyi as soon as he heard the rumor.

At that time, regardless of whether it is true or not, the label of abandoning public affairs for personal reasons will be pinned on his head.

These conditions need to be met at the same time, and the options are indeed limited.

Therefore, before the Xiyi mission set out, rumors spread in the capital that Lai Shangrong had been coveting his unmarried daughter-in-law for a long time, and the Xue family wanted to take the opportunity to take revenge because of their divorce, and they also followed the trend, so they hit it off with Lai Shangrong. .

For the same reasons in ancient and modern times, gossip is always people's favorite. This kind of romantic affair spreads the fastest through gossip.

Especially this kind of topic is very topical, and the rumors involving other wives and concubines, although they are only unfinished, but coupled with Lai Shangrong's background, it is enough to make things ferment.

Before the team stationed in Xiyi set off, they made a fuss in the streets, and they all believed it to be true. When whispering, in order to increase the credibility of the rumors, most of them would add a sentence, what the Mei family said personally, can still be heard. Is it fake?
There is even an enhanced version of Lai Shangrong who has the character of the Wei and Jin Dynasties and the style of a Cao thief.

Of course, not everyone believes such rumors.

Inside the imperial study.

As the initiator of the matter, Emperor Zhenglong said angrily and said with a smile: "This Mei Gong is really a villain. Lai Aiqing even said a few good words for him, but he actually arranged people."

Having said that, such rumors are not a bad thing for the emperor. After all, as a pure minister, the worse his reputation is, the more sincerely he can act.

It's just a rumor, but it still lacks a little meaning. If things can be made real, wouldn't the effect be better?
Thinking of this, he asked Qi Ning who was reporting below: "What is the origin of this Xue family?"

Qi Ning could not go into detail, because the rumors involved the Xue family, so he only understood it a little bit, so he said vaguely: "Back to the emperor, the ancestor of the Xue family was once a member of Ziweishe, but now he has fallen into poverty and is doing some business. "

After listening to Qi Ning's story, Emperor Zhenglong was a little uninterested. He didn't care what his ancestors had done. When he heard about merchants, he directly equated them with merchants.

The original plan was to push things along and promote this 'unfortunate relationship', so as to turn the rumors into reality.However, such a background is really not worthy of his pure minister.

"No wonder Mei Gong insists on breaking off the engagement even if she tries to fight against me!"

It was impossible to reveal what he was thinking in his heart in front of his ministers, so he attributed the inquiry about the Xue family's background to the reason why Mei Gong broke off the engagement.

The purpose of saying this was to hide his thoughts, but the emperor really believed that this was the reason why the Mei family broke off the engagement.

"Didn't Lai Aiqing clarify this matter?"

Qi Ning was stunned by the emperor's question and carefully recalled the rumors about Jin Yiwei.

"Back to the emperor, Jin Yiwei has not heard Mr. Lai clarify this matter. Maybe he hasn't heard the rumor yet, or he doesn't care."

He then asked tentatively: "Does the Emperor want Jin Yiwei to clarify something for Mr. Lai?"

Although Qi Ning didn't know the original intention of the emperor's inquiry, the emperor just said that Lai Shangrong said a few good words for Mei Gong, so he asked this question.

There is no harm without comparison. In order to cover up their original intention of breaking off the engagement, the Mei family did not hesitate to talk about themselves.

And Lai Shangrong could clearly tell Jun's prelude and clarify it, but he had the courage to take the blame for himself.

This also highlights how rare a pure minister like Lai Shangrong is.

However, as Qi Ning said, Lai Shangrong may not have heard the rumors. It seems that further observation is needed.

If you really want to keep my reputation regardless of your own reputation, you have to give him some compensation no matter what.

Since the Mei family is rushing to get the daughter of the Xue family who is engaged to his family to Lai Aiqing, it is better to grant his wish.

If Lai Aiqing takes the unmarried daughter-in-law of the Mei family as a concubine, it will not only make the Mei family lose face, but also make Lai Shangrong go further and further on the road of being a pure minister. Isn't it the best of both worlds?
However, as an emperor, it is difficult to care about his ministers taking concubines. It seems that they have to follow the old path of Rong Guofu!
Thinking of this, he waved his hand and said, "No need. Since Lai Aiqing doesn't care, I know that the Qing Dynasty will take care of itself, so that's it."

…………

Lai Shangrong, who was in the duty room of the State-owned Enterprise Department, listened to Yuan Chengtao's careful report.

He groaned secretly in his heart, and said with a disapproving smile: "The one who is pure will be clean himself, the emperor will do it as long as he knows it."

It was enough to spread the news about him and Xue Baoqin, but there was also Cao Cao's hobby.

What's going on here?

It has been proved from the side that it is groundless, how can it be without reason?

After all, there are quite a few wives related to him in Ningrong's second house.

It's just that although he is willing to argue, he also knows that the way rumors spread is nothing more than spreading rumors and gradually exaggerating them.

Since the news was released from the Mei family, the original version must be the one who arranged for himself and Xue Baoqin.

Although there is the emperor as a witness, once it is clarified, won't it contradict his previous statement at the Jia family?

In addition, he himself is not clean. Not only has he longed for Xue Baoqin, but he also plans to let Youshi and Qin Keqing add more children to his family, taking the opportunity to lower the threshold of the Jia family.

If you open your mouth to rumour, you will lose your legs if you refute the rumor.

The more nervous you are when faced with rumors, the more motivated the people who create them will be.

It is better to deal with it indifferently and let the situation calm down slowly. Anyway, as long as I am not embarrassed, others will be embarrassed.

(End of this chapter)