Chapter 89

Unable to bear it any longer, Xu Hao forcefully pulled Mu Ang back. It was certain that Jiang Song and Pinshu had a secret affair, so there was no need to continue spying on Jiang Song's activities, lest they blind themselves.

As for the antics between the book boys, no one could interfere. It didn't involve women, so what could be done even if they knew? Could they manage the heavens and the earth, and also control men's preferences?

In the end, Xu Hao could only earnestly say to Mu Ang, "That's your servant, who has been secretly involved with your teacher. It's like your maid showing affection to another man behind your back. While it is their own freedom, as the master, you can't keep a servant who has such thoughts. Loyalty is the most important, and it's best to let them go early to avoid future troubles."

Xu Hao didn't plan to tell Mrs. Mu but left the decision to Mu Ang.

Mu Ang lowered his head and thought for a moment, then said, "I don't want to drive Pinshu away immediately. He didn't hide it from me; it was all the teacher's coercion. Pinshu had no choice."

Hearing this, Xu Hao frowned, finding the matter quite tricky. It wasn't a private, consensual affair but a scandal that tarnished the Mu family's reputation. Although there were many ways to handle such situations, it was complicated because the victim was a man who didn't resist, and the perpetrator was a teacher with a title. The number of times they had been intimate was too many, and in the end, no family could do anything about it, nor could they publicize it. The best they could do was to make the teacher leave on his own.

However, Jiang Song had a connection with him and was a scoundrel. If Mrs. Mu found out, she would resent him too. Sigh! Knowing Jiang Song's character, he had only brought trouble upon himself.

Xu Hao became more determined to deal with Jiang Song, insisting that he must leave the Mu family on his own. He said, "First, send the servants into the city. After the exams, we'll act together to mock him a few times, making him too ashamed to stay. Such a person must not be allowed to remain in your home."

After saying this, Xu Hao looked at Mu Ang with new respect, surprised that the boy valued loyalty so much. Otherwise, he could have directly reported the matter. To protect his book boy, he had kept it a secret for so long.

The carefree Mu Ang nodded and smiled, looking forward to the upcoming revenge. Xu Hao sent him back to his residence and returned home with the guards under the cover of night.

When he arrived home, it was still early. Passing by the outer hall, he saw his elder brother Xu Wen sitting proudly in the main seat, surrounded by several clan brothers and young men from the village, all laughing and chatting. Xu Wen's demeanor exuded the authority of the family head, like a star surrounded by moons.

Qiu Xiang's elder brother, Li Qiu, couldn't help but complain, "Ever since the eldest son took charge of external affairs, he has been surrounded by these sycophants who flatter him daily. None of them are good people. When you are wealthy, they treat you like a father, but once they incite you to squander your wealth, they disappear with the benefits. Some even take advantage of the situation, abducting family members or inciting outsiders to plot against your wife and daughters. The eldest son is truly foolish."

Guard Wang Hu then sneered, "Yesterday, they took the young master to the brothel, where they ate, drank, and played all day. The young master took a fancy to the third daughter of the brothel and planned to keep her for a whole year. He generously gave twenty taels of silver upfront, promising to follow the brothel's rules and marry her officially. Ten taels were split among the sycophants."

Xu Hao wasn't surprised by Li Qiu and Wang Hu's insights, as there were several families in the village that had been ruined by such sycophants. These opportunistic friends were always around, even in the modern world.

With the elders still alive, Xu Hao wasn't worried about Xu Wen being manipulated. As for the young master's antics in the brothel, even the first lady hadn't said anything, so it wasn't his concern. He said, "Tell the three stewards to keep a close eye, especially on the cash in the treasury. If anything goes wrong, they will be held accountable."

"Alright," Wang Hu and Li Qiu escorted Xu Hao to the inner courtyard gate, watched him be welcomed by the maids, and then left.

Li Qiu returned to his small courtyard, greeted his grandparents, and relayed the young master's words to the second steward, Li Lao. Sitting on the kang and sipping wine, Li Lao was pleased. Since his grandson had followed the third young master, he had changed completely, no longer idle and confused.

"Come, have a drink with me," Li Lao smiled and beckoned.

But Li Qiu shook his head, "The young master strictly forbids the guards from drinking. Drunkenness can lead to mistakes, so I won't drink."

Li Lao didn't insist, savoring a cup of old wine and saying meaningfully, "You are still too young. Do you think the young master doesn't know what's going on and needs your advice? Ha! Not just the young master, but everyone in the family sees it clearly."

Li Qiu scratched his head in confusion, "I don't understand."

"You don't need to understand," Li Lao laughed, "Let the young master have his fun. In the end, he won't have a good outcome."

Xu Hao first went to Fushou Hall to pay respects to the old lady, a daily ritual that couldn't be skipped. From the emperor to the common people, filial children visited their parents morning and evening, regardless of the weather. Filial piety was deeply ingrained in the Han people, and those who were unfilial were condemned. This formality, in fact, reflected the etiquette of the great Chinese nation, which influenced neighboring countries to change their customs.

At this moment, Lady Wang had just left, and Lady Xiao and Lady Liu, along with Miss Cuita, were chatting with the old lady. Xu Hao greeted the old lady.

The old lady seemed happier tonight and eagerly told her grandson, "Your cousin waited for half a year, and now the court is issuing an edict to establish the crown princes of the various princely households and appoint their consorts. They are not allowed to take secondary consorts or concubines within a year. Without a proper title, I want to see if your cousin can still enter the princely household."

Xu Hao, who already knew about this, pretended to hear it for the first time, feigning surprise to make the old lady smile.

Xu Hao didn't understand the intricacies of the royal family. Zhu Gaozhi, whom he was familiar with, was the eldest legitimate son and was the crown prince from birth, with no dispute. As long as Zhu Gaozhi didn't make a major mistake, even his father Zhu Di couldn't replace him with another son, although Zhu Di had always planned to do so.

The crown prince would inherit the princely title, which would be passed down through generations, unlike other brothers whose titles would diminish over time until they became ordinary members of the imperial clan, with little more than a stipend and status, similar to commoners.

Zhu Shangbing of the Qin Princely Household was the eldest legitimate son, but he had an older half-brother. The debate over whether to establish the eldest or the legitimate son had been ongoing since the founding of the dynasty, which was why Zhu Yunwen had been wary of his uncles, and Zhu Di had seized the throne so confidently.

After Zhu Di's rebellion, almost the entire country chose to remain neutral, indicating that both sides had a valid claim to the throne. Since it was a private matter of the Zhu family, unrelated officials didn't want to get involved, otherwise, no matter how powerful Zhu Di was, a small region couldn't possibly challenge the entire country.

Therefore, the establishment of the crown prince had to be discussed by the emperor and the court, followed by a grand ceremony, with the prince's opinion being crucial. Given the importance of the succession, the selection of the crown prince's consort had to be handled with great care. During this period, parents would remind their sons to avoid any scandals, lest the court find out and not only strip the chosen bride of her title but also the son of his position due to poor moral conduct.

Of course, in reality, the court often just went through the motions, as the affairs of the princely households in distant regions were of little concern.

However, throughout the Ming Dynasty, the consorts chosen for the Zhu family seemed to be quite good.

Zhu Shangbing and Zhu Gaozhi had both married at a young age, and Xu Hao had heard that their brides were personally chosen by the meticulous Zhu Yuanzhang. Zhu Gaozhi's wife, surnamed Zhang, was very virtuous and well-educated. She was currently in their fief and would soon be coming to the capital.

The selection of the crown prince's consort wouldn't change. If it were up to Zhu Gaozhi, Xu Hao would have sent his elder sister to compete for favor, regardless of the impact on the couple's relationship. After all, Zhu Gaozhi might become the emperor one day.

The matter of his second sister, Cuita, had already fallen through. She was originally supposed to be a secondary consort, and the Zongren Office would only record it afterward. With Zhu Qiaqiao's marriage approaching, the Xu family's refusal to send her to the Qin Princely Household couldn't be openly criticized.

Xu Hao thought that human plans often fell short of divine will. His cousin Xiao Yuying was unfortunate because Zhu Shangbing lacked the courage to marry her secretly, and the Lan Yu case had delayed things until now.

At this moment, Lady Xiao's expression was complex. She said, "My family is very anxious about this matter. They send people to the Qin Princely Household every few days to inquire, but they can't even get in. They've come to our house to ask Hao to intercede. After all, the girl is not young, and we can't refuse family. My wife plans to have Hao visit the Qin Princely Household."

The old lady smiled but didn't speak. Beside her, Xu Cuita's eyes narrowed, her expression unfriendly.

Xu Hao shook his head, "Mother, the Xiao family wants a proper title, which the Qin Princely Household can't provide right now. If they directly send the sedan chair to the household, the Qin Princely Household won't stop them."

Lady Xiao sighed, "The clan thinks that way. They all say that with Yuying's beauty, the title is just a matter of time. Even my sister-in-law is tempted, but Yuying refuses. She says that as a legitimate daughter of a prominent Jiangnan family, she can't be sent to the princely household like a common woman. What kind of life would she have, competing with those lowly women for favor?"

The old lady snorted, "Her ambitions are too high. Fortunately, she has some sense. If she had gone, her life would be as thin as paper."

Lady Xiao smiled apologetically, "My family is somewhat disheartened. They curse Yuying for secretly seducing the crown prince, not only offending our family but also causing trouble for everyone. Now, they can neither send her nor not send her. She will be twenty next year, an old maid."

Xu Hao's heart skipped a beat. Next year, his elder and second sisters would both be nineteen. If his second sister didn't marry, his elder sister would also become an old maid.

As he was thinking, the old lady coldly stared at the second daughter-in-law and said, "It seems that asking Hao to intercede is a pretense, and the real intention is to marry her into our family. Tell me, is your niece for the second son or your precious son?"

Xu Hao was startled and looked up. Lady Xiao smiled calmly, "Mother, you know my character. Since that incident, I have no more thoughts. Even if the girl were a celestial being, she wouldn't be allowed into our family."

The old lady was pleased and nodded, "That's right. But we are still family, and the girl has grown up under our watch. Tomorrow, Hao, you will visit the Qin Princely Household. If you can help, do your best. After all, she is your cousin."

"Yes," Xu Hao agreed without hesitation.