bookcurios Chapter 159: The Patriarch's Guarantee
Chapter 159: The Patriarch's Guarantee
Zhou Qinghe was familiar with the Zhao family's affairs, so he naturally knew that his seemingly calm father-in-law was actually very utilitarian.
Zhao Fangyu also suffered a lot at the hands of this father-in-law.
Therefore, Zhou Qinghe behaved rather perfunctorily towards Zhao Minshan. Instead, he was quite fond of the two sons of the eldest lady. He stood beside them with a teacup in hand, pointing at the flowers in the lake.
Compared to Zhao Zhihuai, Zhao Zhirun is actually more to Zhou Qinghe's liking.
Because Zhou Qinghe felt that this boy was just like him, a little bit dishonest.
Zhao Minshan was not a person who did not understand people's expressions. Seeing that Zhou Qinghe was standing with his elder and younger brothers-in-law, he could only guess that Zhao Fangyu had said something to Zhou Qinghe. He secretly hated that Zhou Qinghe was indeed an evildoer who was not favored by the emperor. However, he still looked calm and sat on the side drinking tea and reading a book. He looked so leisurely that it was impossible to tell what he was thinking.
After Zhou Qinghe and the other two walked away, Zhao Minshan snorted coldly and left.
"Don't be surprised, Your Highness. My father doesn't usually behave like this."
Zhou Qinghe leaned against the rockery and followed the two people up to the mountain view room.
There was a charcoal stove inside. The place was not big and it warmed up quickly. Zhao Zhihuai and Zhao Zhirun stood behind Zhou Qinghe and watched Zhao Minshan's back as he left angrily in the snow.
Zhao Zhihuai was the most touched. He once thought that his father was the most capable person in the world, but the older he got, the more he realized that his father was not what he thought.
After being influenced by power, his father had forgotten his original intention of being an official, and also forgot humility and prudence. It was as if he had been infected with stupidity in Pingbo Courtyard, and his actions became increasingly unstable.
Zhou Qinghe didn't care. He turned around and asked the two to sit down. "Now that he's not here, let's talk from the heart. There's no need to be polite. Yu'er has been grateful to you all these years. She's doing well, so she's treating me well."
"I dare not say more. If you have any problems in the future, don't look for me."
Zhao Zhihuai was about to say something polite: "..."
His mouth was half opened, but before he could say anything, he was interrupted by Zhou Qinghe's shout.
Zhao Zhirun opened his jaw slightly, not expecting this kind of conversation.
Zhou Qinghe teased his brother-in-law for a while before saying seriously, "I don't need supporters in the court. Just do your own things. It would be very disadvantageous if you get involved with me."
Sometimes, the farther away you are from him in the court, the better; the farther you are, the safer you are.
Zhao Zhihuai didn't think so: "The Zhao family is related to His Highness, so it's probably difficult."
Zhou Qinghe then placed the teacups on the table in a formation: "It doesn't matter if there are two cups or four cups. With only one teapot, how can we divide them?"
"There are a number of important officials in the court. If they don't get close to them, they won't take action."
Zhao Zhihuai's official position is too low, and Zhao Zhirun is even lower than his brother. It is far from the time for them to take sides. It is best to avoid them if possible.
Zhou Qinghe moved the teacup in front of Zhao Zhirun to the side and said, "Sometimes, you should go outside."
It would be too troublesome to touch the Zhao family, as he and the family of the Minister of Personnel are behind them. Not to mention that the Minister of Rites is also Zhao Zhihuai's father-in-law, so Zhao Zhihuai is the safest.
Relatively speaking, Zhao Zhirun is in more trouble. His father has lost his official position, and he does not have a reliable in-law in the court. If he wants to have a quiet life, he might as well seek an official position in a remote area. This way, he can achieve political achievements and avoid the gossips in the capital. With the help of the Ministry of Personnel, it will be convenient for him to return to the capital after he has settled down.
Zhao Zhihuai and Zhao Zhirun understood Zhou Qinghe's meaning, and the subsequent conversation was much more frank.
"Yu'er has suffered a lot in the past. I just hope that she can live a more comfortable life following His Highness in the future."
Zhao Zhihuai still remembered that after Zhao Fangyu had seen the sick Li Ge'er, he took a knife and went to Zhao Fanglan's Cherry Pavilion that night, killing the man half to death. For this, his father imprisoned him for half a year and then sent him to the palace.
She escaped death by a hair's breadth in the palace, stumbled all the way out of the imperial prison and appeared before the emperor, where she was betrothed.
Poor kid who has never had a smooth life.
Even so, Zhao Fangyu, who returned home to prepare for the wedding, was still able to calm down and take care of Li Ge'er's health. Zhao Fangyu helped them a lot in every aspect.
Mei Xunyin has her own family, and she drew a line between herself and Zhao Fangyu for the sake of her family. Zhao Zhihuai knew this and never advised her. After all, he was the one who had received the favor, and there was no reason for him to drag his wife's family into forming an alliance with the Second Prince to repay his kindness.
Zhao Zhihuai sent Zhao Zhirun away, and in the darkness of the mountain view room, he bowed deeply to Zhou Qinghe.
"I hope Your Highness will treat Yu'er well. The Zhao family had its own difficulties before, but the Zhao family will never abandon its family members."
"Yu'er had a difficult life since she was young, and her life was miserable, but she has been raised by her mother all these years, just like her own child. If someone else instigates her one day, I hope Your Highness will not hurt Yu'er's heart."
Smart people don't need to make their words so clear, but Zhao Zhihuai said it anyway.
Zhao Fangyu is not the eldest lady’s biological son. This fact can be concealed from ordinary families, but not from the royal family.
Zhao Zhihuai was worried that one day in the future, someone would use this incident to stir up trouble, so he specially prepared this casual chat in the mountain view room today, just to make the Zhao family's position clear and that although Zhao Fangyu was not a legitimate son, he had the same status as a legitimate son from the beginning to the end.
Not only the eldest lady but also everyone in the main courtyard treated her as a relative.
No matter who speaks, it cannot match the weight and meaning of Zhao Zhihuai's words spoken in person.
Zhao Minshan is old, and Zhao Zhihuai will be the master of the Zhao family in the future. He is the next generation of the Zhao family, and only he can say this, and it will be most effective.
Zhou Qinghe held the teacup in his hand and shook it gently. After a moment, Zhou Qinghe suddenly smiled and lifted Zhao Zhihuai up.
"Brother-in-law, there's no need to be so polite. Don't let her know. Go back and make trouble with me."
"She is the one who calls the shots in the backyard, and I have to listen to her."
What Zhou Qinghe said was true. As early as the beginning, all his wealth and fortune had fallen into the hands of Zhao Fangyu. Even the private money he used to buy jewelry for Zhao Fangyu after marriage was kickbacks from Xiao Si.
The two returned to normal and walked out chatting and laughing.
Zhao Zhirun, who had been looking at the frozen lake for a long time below the mountain view room, sniffed and followed his brother and brother-in-law to the eldest lady's Qingping Courtyard.
After the meal, everyone went to rest, and Zhou Qinghe naturally followed Zhao Fangyu to Jiaolu.
Jiaolu is not small, and the bed that was bought there was also big. But with the addition of Zhou Qinghe, the bed, which was very spacious at the time, seems small.
Zhou Qinghe didn't want to rest, so he walked around the banana house and asked, "Do you like bananas?"
Zhao Fangyu nodded: "I don't like it very much, but I heard a story about it, so I chose this when I divided the courtyards."
"What allusion?"
Zhou Qinghe was curious.
Zhao Fangyu did not refuse: "The deer was covered by a banana leaf. I fell into the water at that time and could not distinguish between the dream and reality, so the teacher told me this story."
"This yard is nice too. The banana trees are green all year round. When it rains, I can sleep more comfortably just by listening to the sound."