bullyxtreme Chapter 219 Sequelae
Chapter 219 Sequelae
Asking He Zhang about the location of the Marquis's residence was definitely the right thing to do; otherwise, he might have been completely lost if he had chosen it himself.
After carefully comparing the newly confiscated mansions, He Zhang still chose the Left Prime Minister's residence.
The Marquis's residence is a first-rank official residence, and among the residences confiscated this time, only four or five barely met the required standards.
Taking into account factors such as size, scenery, and age, Zhang Zhongyi's mansion is the most suitable.
In terms of luxury, the Second Prince's residence is certainly more luxurious, but the decorations of the prince's residence are mostly decorated with coiled dragons, so if it were to be converted into a marquis's residence, it would have to be greatly modified.
Xiao Ye is eager to move into the new house so that she can be included in the family genealogy. If the renovation takes a year or two, she'll probably be stressed every day.
The Left Prime Minister's residence is much more convenient; all that's needed is to change the stone lions and some plaques on the main gate.
The decorative items worn by civil officials were usually cranes, flowers, bamboo groves, and cypress trees.
Despite their seemingly irreconcilable differences and sharp antagonism, Zhang Zhongyi and Xiao Yuan actually have quite similar tastes.
He Zhang had the honor of attending a banquet at the Left Prime Minister's residence, and he felt that most of the scenery and decorations there met Xiao Yuan's aesthetic standards.
The overall framework of the house doesn't need to be changed, and the garden doesn't need to be rebuilt. Just modify the parts that don't conform to the regulations and replace the furniture, then you can move in.
After listening to He Zhang's analysis, Ye Xiao's eyes lit up and he nodded repeatedly. Less work and shorter construction time suited his godfather's preferences perfectly, which was exactly what he wanted.
In his excitement, he impulsively pinched He Zhang's cheek.
"You're so smart. I'll treat you to drinks when I move."
Ye Xiao tried to run away after he finished speaking, but He Zhang quickly grabbed him.
"What's the rush? I've given you so many great ideas, and you're just going to treat me to a meal?"
"Sir, won't you reward me with something?"
As He Zhang spoke, he glanced at Ye Xiao's lips, his intentions blatantly obvious.
Ye Xiao blushed again, hesitated for a moment, then took out the jade pendant Jin Zekang had given him from his pocket and stuffed it into He Zhang's hand.
This was a gift from the Regent, but I don't like wearing it, so I'm giving it to you instead.
Without waiting for He Zhang to react, he ran away in a flash, almost as if he were fleeing in panic.
He Zhang looked at the jade pendant that had been forced into his hand, both amused and exasperated, and his eyes softened as he watched Ye Xiao run away.
Xiao Ye wouldn't wear anything given to him by others, but he still put it in his sleeve and took it back to his room.
He'll leave it there; he won't wear it himself, nor will he let Xiao Ye wear it. He'll give Xiao Ye his family's heirloom jade pendant later.
Let's get back to work. Even if he doesn't mention being transferred to another department, he's looking for an opportunity to leave the Eastern Depot.
He neither liked nor disliked his work at the Eastern Depot; to him, it was all the same.
He was only pursuing Xiao Ye because he thought that being close to her would give him an advantage.
Now that he can definitely get his hands on this bright moon, he naturally has to make the most of it.
The Eastern Depot was the chief eunuch's headquarters, and it was full of his trusted confidants.
Besides, with Xiao Ye in charge, it would be a waste for him to stay there.
It would be better to establish a foothold in the Six Ministries of the Imperial Court and develop further influence, which would also allow them to observe their regent more closely.
A person who endured years of hardship, feigned weakness, and ultimately became a big winner is no ordinary person.
Such a person is naturally good as a friend, but if they become an enemy, they are a major threat.
There are many stories of fathers and sons turning against each other and brothers like Xiao Qiang. Even long-time relatives from several generations can part ways for the sake of power.
In He Zhang's opinion, the relationship between the regent and their supervisor was too weak, so it was best to be cautious.
Jin Zekang showed great enthusiasm for He Zhang's help and was very generous in assigning tasks.
The stacks of memorials and case files were so thick they blocked his view. He Zhang's face stiffened for a moment, and he could only resign himself to his fate and get to work.
It's hard to say what will happen in the future, but at least for now, this person has absolutely no intention of vying for power with the supervisor.
It is estimated that neither the Grand Eunuch nor his wife intended to eliminate the Regent.
There's too much work to do; if I take out another part of the enemy's men, I'll be exhausted.
The change of imperial power is a major event, which has a significant impact on all civil and military officials, imperial relatives, nobles, and wealthy merchants.
Not to mention those who participated in the rebellion, even those who were related to those people were trembling with fear.
Of course, some are happy while others are sad; for every one who falls into hell, there is one who steps into heaven.
Some people, though they rarely experience heaven or hell, are destined for a bleak future.
For example, Zhao Chengye, the heir of the Ningguo Duke's Mansion, has been living a life that feels like an eternity these past few days.
These past two months have been like a rollercoaster ride for him.
He experienced alternating periods of joy and sorrow, both extreme. If he weren't young, he probably would have suffered a stroke.
Initially, the teacher asked him to train a cross-dressing pervert so that he could imitate Jiang Xinyu's appearance to assassinate Xiao Yuan.
The young man was in high spirits and full of energy. He even took the opportunity to get back together with Jiang Wanqiu, and the two of them were very affectionate for a while.
In his view, the fact that his teacher was able to tell him this secret meant that he trusted him.
Once Xiao Yuan dies and his teacher advances further, his trusted aides will naturally rise in rank and have a bright future.
Secondly, it was also a way to vent my anger.
That vile woman took advantage of the fact that he was a dead eunuch to humiliate him.
He wanted to see how Jiang Xinyu would act arrogantly if Xiao Yuan died.
Once the third prince ascends the throne and his teacher takes office, he too will be able to enter the court and be given important responsibilities.
The Li family is nothing. If that idiot Li Mingyue doesn't resign, she'll die of illness.
After experiencing these low points, he has come to see things in a new light.
A noblewoman from a wealthy family might not suit his taste; the gentle and quiet Wanqiu is more suitable for him.
Xiao Yuan had no clan, and with his death, Jiang Xinyu, as a widow, would inevitably have to return home.
Not only will the large dowry be returned to the Jiang family, but Xiao Yuan's treasured possessions will likely be mostly taken back as well.
By then, Wanqiu's dowry will be quite substantial, making it perfect for him to marry her as his second wife.
Unfortunately, this beautiful dream came to an abrupt end after more than half a month.
His teacher was assassinated and was in critical condition, which meant that his ladder to success was about to break.
When Zhao Chengye received the news, he almost couldn't catch his breath and passed away before his teacher.
He rushed to the Left Prime Minister's residence to visit the ailing man.
Unfortunately, he couldn't even get through the door; the Left Prime Minister was too badly injured and refused any visits.
His heart sank even further. After returning home, he spent his days burning incense and praying to Buddha, taking up all of his mother's small Buddhist shrine.
I'm afraid that with Zhang Zhongyi dead, his future is over.
Without his teacher's guidance, even with his current connections, he wouldn't have a good position in the imperial court.
His foundation was unstable, and if he turned against the Li clan, he would surely suffer the consequences. For this reason, he could not divorce Li Mingyue.
But if he doesn't divorce Li Mingyue, how can he marry Jiang Wanqiu?
Jiang Wanqiu would never become his concubine, especially after receiving a large dowry.
Was he really going to just stand by and watch himself miss out on a large dowry again, and end up with that stingy, crazy Li Mingyue?
Ever since Zhang Zhongyi faked being seriously injured, Zhao Chengye has been more anxious than someone's own son.
This feeling of depression didn't ease much even after hearing that Xiao Yuan had been imprisoned.
Without a teacher's guidance, there is no bright future.
Without a bright future, one cannot escape the Li family.
We can't touch Li Mingyue if we can't get rid of the Li family.
He can't marry Jiang Wanqiu if he doesn't touch Li Mingyue.
Even if Xiao Yuan were to die now, Jiang Xinyu would still inherit all of Xiao Yuan's assets and bring them back to the Jiang family.
If he hadn't married Jiang Wanqiu, he wouldn't have gotten a single thing.
For Zhao Chengye at that time, whether Zhang Zhongyi lived or died was far more important than whether Xiao Yuan lived or died.
Of course, he was so angry when he heard that Xiao Yuan had been rescued that he smashed his teacup.
Two days later, he heard that Xiao Yuan's body had been found, which made him so happy that he drank for a whole day.
Zhang Zhongyi had already excluded him from his confidants because he thought he was useless, but his emotions of joy and sorrow were even more intense than those of the person involved.
To be honest, Zhao Chengye was almost obsessed during those days. Even Li Mingyue avoided him, thinking he was abnormal.