Chapter 421: Meeting Empress Jia’s Brother Again
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
The next day.
After breakfast, Qin Dahn brought his men and escorted Madam Liu and the two children back to Mountain Spring Town.
Without any worries at the back of her mind, Qin Xiaoyao and her compatriots also began to become active.
She befriended Prime Minister Shen and Song Rui and use their connections to garner more business for her century egg workshop.
In fact, she was using this excuse to establish contacts with the court officials.
While Qin Xiaoyao’s side was progressing smoothly, Song Rui’s side was also progressing without any problems.
Ever since Shen Lian entered the residence, Mrs. Shen had made things difficult for Shen Lian in every possible way, and her hatred for Minister Shen grew stronger.
The longer this matter dragged on, the more determined Mrs. Shen was to deal with Minister Shen.
Therefore, under Mrs. Shen’s mediation, Jia Kun, the Empress’s brother, listened to Mrs. Shen’s words and was willing to meet Song Rui again.
The meeting place was at Cloud Scent Court.
On this day, Jia Kun arrived early.
He used to be a regular customer here, but he had not been here since Liu Ling left.
Now that he was here again, Jia Kun actually felt some nostalgia in his heart.
When the brothel madame saw that the Empress’s brother had patronized them again, she was very happy. She asked the kitchen to serve Jia Kun a table of sumptuous dishes and prepared to get Yun Niang to accompany him.
However, her offer was rejected by Jia Kun.
“Just send the food and wine over. 1 have an appointment today and am here to discuss serious matters.”
“Yes, Lord Jia. Whatever you say,” the brothel madame said ingratiatingly, fearful of offending Jia Kun.
With that, she bowed and left.
The food and wine were quickly served.
Jia Kun drank while enjoying the performance downstairs.
He felt a little disinterested.
Indeed, in the entire Cloud Scent Court, no one could compare to Liu Ling in terms of singing and dancing.
Just as he was mulling over this, there was a knock on the door.
“Lord Jia, Lord Song requests an audience.”
Jia Kun withdrew his gaze from downstairs.
“Let him in,” he said in a deep voice.
The door was quickly opened.
A handsome man in a white robe walked in. It was Song Rui.
Jia Kun’s eyes flickered. He was once again stunned by Song Rui’s appearance.
He sighed in his heart. It was a pity that such a character was an official in the same court as him.
“Greetings, Lord Jia.” Song Rui stepped forward and bowed to Jia Kun.
“Lord Song, please don’t stand on ceremony,” Jia Kun said indifferently.
When Song Rui straightened up, Jia Kun pointed at the seat opposite himself and asked Song Rui to take a seat.
“Thank you, Lord Jia!” Song Rui bowed again.
Only then did he sit down opposite Jia Kun.
Jia Kun tried his best to be indifferent. He peered at Song Rui, who was slightly reserved and sighed in his heart once again that Song Rui was born with such good genes.
Then, he said, “Tell me. How are you going to explain what happened earlier?”
Song Rui raised his head.
He once again cupped his hands at Jia Kun.
“What happened earlier was all a misunderstanding. 1 beg Your Lordship to give me a chance to explain in detail.”
“Mm-hmm.” Jia Kun nodded.
Only then did Song Rui tell him about how he was forced by Prime Minister Shen that day.
“On that day, with Caretaker Han following me, 1 was unable to explain myself to Lord Jia and could only offend you.
“Although there is a reason for this, it is indeed my fault. Please forgive me, Lord Jia.”
Jia Kun was silent.
Song Rui’s excuse was something his younger sister had told him before.
He more or less believed her at that time. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have agreed to meet Song Rui.
Now, after hearing Song Rui say the same thing, he believed Song Rui completely.
Believing the other party was one thing, but being offended was another.
If he forgave the other party so easily, wouldn’t it make him look like a weak pushover?
“Hmph! Shen Hongyu, that old fox, is indeed not a good person. But you…
“Since you have submitted to his tyranny and are willing to offend me on his account, why are you still coming to me now to get rebuffed?”
Song Rui hurriedly bowed to Jia Kun again.
“Please forgive me, Lord Jia! 1 have no intention of offending Your Lordship at all. At that time, I simply had no choice.
“The Empress has made the decision to personally arrange my marriage with the Jia family.
“From that moment on, I have already regarded Lord Jia as my future father-in-law in my heart.”
Upon hearing this, Jia Kun’s eyes flickered.
“Father-in-law? Your future father-in-law should be Shen Hongyu, isn’t it?” he continued to speak with an attitude.
“Wasn’t Shen Hongyu going to betroth his illegitimate daughter to you and make her your official wife?” As he spoke this, Jia Kun became a little angry.
He didn’t know what was wrong with the Empress, but she actually let his daughter be someone else’s concubine.
Moreover, it was under the circumstances that the would-be mistress of the house was an illegitimate daughter.
Song Rui paused momentarily.
When he raised his head and looked at Jia Kun, his eyes were already filled with anger.
“Prime Minister Shen used his power to pressurize me. I really had no choice,” Song Rui said in a low voice.
Jia Kun finally showed some interest.
“What’s wrong? You don’t want to marry Shen Hongyu’s daughter?” he asked.
Song Rui cupped his hands at Jia Kun again.
“If I were to take her as a concubine, I would have no complaints. But Minister Shen wants me to marry Shen Lian as a legal wife.
“Although I was born with a humble background, I have studied many books from the sages and become very learned. Now, I have become an official. How can I be matched with an illegitimate daughter?”
The corners of Jia Kun’s mouth finally curled up.
“But 1 am also not betrothing my legal wife’s daughter to you. Don’t you resent it?”
Song Rui hurriedly said, “I wouldn’t dare! Lord Jia’s status is very noble and lofty. Even if you betroth your concubine’s daughter to me, 1 would be happy to accept such an arrangement.
“Moreover, the Empress has already instructed me to take her as a concubine.” In other words, the daughter of a concubine was better than an illegitimate daughter.
Jia Kun finally laughed.
“What a pity. Since you don’t want Qi’er, 1 am not prepared to betroth any other daughter to you after this.”
Song Rui muttered in his heart. He would rather he didn’t betroth anything to him.
He was not interested in any of the young ladies of the Jia family at all.
However, he couldn’t say that out loud.
Song Rui stood up straight and bowed to Jia Kun again.
“Although 1 know my request is rude, 1 still want to beg Your Lordship to give me another chance.
“I can promise Your Lordship right now. As long as Your Lordship is willing to marry your daughter to me, when the time is ripe, I will definitely make Miss Jia my second legal wife. In fact….” Song Rui stopped talking at this point.
Jia Kun raised his eyebrows.
“In fact what?” His tone became more grave.
Song Rui raised his head.
“In fact, Miss Jia may even replace the first legal wife,” he said in a low voice.
His face was very clearly filled with disgust toward Shen Lian.
At this moment, Jia Kun was finally satisfied.
“Shen Hongyu thinks very highly of you. He has released news that he wants to train you to replace him and make you the next prime minister. How can you treat his daughter like this?” Jia Kun asked in a probing manner.
Song Rui cupped his hands at Jia Kun again.
“It’s just a rumor.
“It is indeed thanks to Minister Shen that I have arrived at where I am today.
“However, the one who I am indebted to is actually Miss Shen Rong.”
Song Rui paused after saying this.
After hesitating for a moment, he continued, “Back then, Minister Shen said that he wanted to betroth Miss Shen Rong to me.
“At that time, even though he asked me to marry into his family, I still had no complaints. After all… after all, I genuinely admired Miss Shen Rong. But…”
“But later, Miss Shen Rong… had an affair.” At this point, Song Rui’s voice was tinged with some anguish..
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