Quan would surely spit at the speaker and disdained this short-sighted person.
Although Duke Shi’s family appeared to be out of luck recently, didn’t everything in the world change every day?
Now didn’t they rise up again?
Moreover, the foundation of the Shi family was deep obviously. Even if Shi Junhe wasn’t promoted, Quan was willing to flatter this big hero in all common people’s hearts.
“Lord Quan, you deserve it. You work for His Majesty, and I can’t let you suffer from injustice!” Shi Junhe insisted on giving the money bag to Quan, and the latter pushed it away as a form but then put it in his pocket.
At the same time, the smile on Quan’s face was brighter. “Thanks for your reward, General.”
“Lord Quan, you are welcome. Did His Majesty say anything after issuing the two imperial edicts?” Shi Junhe pretended to ask casually.
Quan didn’t doubt him and replied, “No. His Majesty approved…”
Before he finished his words, Quan suddenly reacted and covered his mouth.
He looked scared.
“What’s wrong?” Shi Junhe also got nervous and asked him in a hurry.
But Quan refused to continue anyway. Instead, he talked about something else. “Now, General, two happy things happen to you, and all people envy you.
“Well, I won’t disturb you as you will celebrate. I am going back to the imperial palace to report to His Majesty.”
After saying that, he left the mansion in a hurry as if a ghost chased him in spite of Shi Junhe asking him to stay.
Quan was more suspicious.
What on earth did he want to say just now?
Shi Junhe touched his chin, lost in thought, and even his happiness after he was promoted to a Rank-1 official faded a lot.
The others in the room didn’t think so much as Shi Junhe, and all of them were shocked by the two pieces of good news.
Especially the people from the second master’s and third master’s families took pleasure in Shi Junhe’s misfortune in secret as he was suspended. But he regained his official position after so short a time?
Oh, he didn’t just regain his official position, but he was promoted to Rank-1. He was so lucky!
However, different from the third master’s family who were simply jealous, the second master’s family would have a prince’s wife soon. Even though Shi Baojing was just a concubine’s daughter, the second madam Zhang Qiuyan was happy, as if her daughter became a prince’s wife.
She had a big smile on her face and grabbed Shi Baojing’s hand, saying gently, “Baojing, you are so lucky and even the royal family takes a fancy to you. If you rise in the world in the future, don’t forget your mother and siblings.”
Shi Baojing had lived almost twenty years and never been treated by his father’s wife so well, so she felt disgusted.
But so many people looked at them, and even though she knew that they just acted, she had to cooperate with her, so she responded in a more respectful and intimate voice, “I have been brought up by Father and you. How would I dare to forget you?”
Zhang Qiuyan thought that Shi Baojing was weak and could be controlled by her. After she said something with civilities, she thought that she had drawn the girl over to her side, so her greed was aroused and she even started to inquire about the second prince Mo Junwen. “I have heard that His Highness has been raised by Concubine Tao, who is famous as she has a lot of wealth and connections. His Majesty granted your marriage, so you will surely get many betrothal gifts and rewards. You can’t privately take possession of them…”
“What are you talking about?” Shi Junfeng rebuked in a low voice and stopped Zhang Qiuyan from humiliating herself.
As soon as the imperial edict arrived, as the wife of Shi Baojing’s father, she began to keep thinking about the girl’s betrothal gifts and rewards but didn’t mention how many dowries she would give her. If the news spread, others would curse her.
Shi Junfeng didn’t pay any attention to this concubine’s daughter at ordinary times, but he was happy after hearing that she would marry a good husband. So he seriously said something to encourage her and then congratulated Shi Junhe. Later he quickly led his family to leave the main hall, a place where he was apt to get into trouble.
It was no joking matter. If he didn’t leave, he would be in trouble.
After the second master’s family left, there was much space in the main hall.
The rest didn’t speak and all of them had different expressions and thoughts, but they kept silent with a tacit agreement.
Or they didn’t dare to speak. They just peeped at Mo Shujun and waited for her reactions.
Although two happy events came at the same time, Mo Shujun didn’t look joyful. She stared at Shi Junhe, and the latter met her eyes calmly.
After a stalemate, Mo Shujun suddenly clapped and praised, “Junhe, you are awesome. You solved all the problems before asking me.”
Shi Junhe seemed not to have noticed the sarcasm in Mo Shujun’s words, and he even nodded at her, saying softly, “Hope that the result didn’t disappoint you, Mother.”
Was Mo Shujun disappointed?
Of course not. After all, the Shi family’s reputation and status had been protected.
As they had imagined before, the three brothers of the Shi family lived together, and perhaps it was almost the same no matter which lady married into the royal family.
But the problem was that they had prepared to ask the emperor to grant Shi Baoyou’s marriage by themselves and then the Shi family could officially become the fourth prince’s follower and Shi Junhe would owe them a favor.
Unexpectedly, before they took actions, Shi Junhe finished everything in secret.
He ruined all their plans.
And it became a laughingstock.
Even though it was good news, Mo Shujun wasn’t happy at all.
She even indistinctly felt that Shi Junhe intentionally went against her.
Otherwise, she was an elder and it was impossible that she didn’t know such a big event in advance that Shi Baojing would marry Mo Junwen. She didn’t even notice any clue.
It was obvious that Shi Junhe purposely hid it from her in order to take revenge on her because she had forced him before.
At this thought, Mo Shujun certainly didn’t show a friendly face to Shi Junhe. She waved her sleeves and left the main hall.
“Gee. Big Brother, you are so capable as to irritate Mother so much!” Shi Juncai said in a cold tone.
Shi Junhe leered at Shi Juncai and asked indifferently, “What? What do you want to tell me?”
“Brother…” Shi Juncai wanted to satirize Shi Junhe as he was promoted and wanted to disown his mother, but he was terrified as soon as Shi Junhe glanced at him coldly.
When Shi Juncai faced Shi Junhe, only one word “coward” was written all over his body, not to mention that he would retort with sarcasm like he did in front of Zhou Ruyu.
He hurriedly flattered, “No. I just want to congratulate you as you regain your official position. Congratulations…”
As a sycophant, he was so miserable that one couldn’t bear seeing him.
Shi Junhe knew well about his youngest brother and didn’t want to say more. He just nodded and then led Qingxue and the others back to the East House.
Shi Juncai was irritated by Shi Junhe’s arrogant attitude. As soon as his big brother left, he spat at the floor and cursed, “Why are you so complacent? Were you just promoted? The fourth prince agreed to promote me to a two ranks higher position. Just wait and see. Someday I will let all people know that you are inferior to me!”
Shi Junhe was promoted and successfully solved the crisis of the family which might be wiped out. It was wonderful news.
However, he didn’t get relieved because of that.
After he came back to the East House, hearing Shi Baoning ask him joyfully, he was absent-minded and answered from time to time.
“Father, you regained the official position this time, so does it mean that His Majesty wouldn’t suspect our family’s loyalty? Is Chi out of trouble? And…” Shi Baoning had many questions to ask Shi Junhe.
However, after she spoke out everything, she found that Shi Junhe didn’t listen to her seriously.
She raised her voice and called involuntarily, “Father!”
“What?” Shi Junhe was dragged back from his thoughts suddenly and looked at Shi Baoning in confusion.
Shi Baoning sighed and spoke again. “I said…”
As a result, as soon as she started this time, Shi Junhe waved his hand to silently tell her not to speak. Then he turned to Shi Qingxue who was drinking tea quietly and asked, “Qingxue, is His Excellency in his mansion now?”
Shi Qingxue was summoned all of a sudden, so she was scared to be choked. “Ahem…Father, what, what are you talking about?”
She wiped the water beside her mouth and meanwhile looked at Shi Junhe in surprise, curious about how her father could ask her such a question.
It seemed that she was Mo Junyang’s “housekeeper”.
Shi Junhe merely thought about the two imperial edicts which made his wish come true and didn’t realize how meaningful his question was.
Seeing that Qingxue stuttered, he was rash and stood up, telling Shi Jie who was outside, “Shi Jie, prepare a carriage.”
“Yes!” Shi Jie answered quickly and ran to make preparations.
Shi Junhe walked into the inner room and changed into casual clothes, planning to go out.
Shi Qingxue was scared by his rash actions and instantly chased him. “Father, what’s wrong with you? Isn’t good news as the imperial edicts arrived? Why are you more restless even than before?”
“It’s not so simple. Wait at home. I will talk with you after I find the truth.”
After saying, Shi Junhe left the mansion and headed to King Rui’s mansion.
Shi Qingxue sighed helplessly and looked back, preparing to chat with Shi Baoning, but she met her big sister’s distant and complicated eyes.
“Big Sister?” Shi Qingxue was frightened and then stared at her.
Shi Baoning returned gentle and peaceful as usual. It seemed that what Shi Qingxue had seen just now was merely her illusion.
“What’s up?” Shi Baoning looked calm with a smile on her lips, without showing any trace.
Shi Qingxue shook her head and thought that she must be oversensitive, but she still asked worriedly, “Are you unhappy?”
“Why? Now Father is out of trouble and Baojing would have a good husband. Why would I be unhappy? Qingxue, what are you thinking about?” Shi Baoning showed a brighter smile.
But as Shi Baoning acted like this, Shi Qingxue felt it stranger.
However, Shi Baoning didn’t give her time to ask. She stopped smiling and said impassively, “Well, since Father told you to wait for him, I won’t disturb you. I will go back to the Jingshu Boudoir first.”
“Eh, Baoning…” Shi Qingxue was confused when Shi Junhe told her alone to wait for him. He had said that to the two sisters.
Did Shi Baoning imagine too much?
Shi Qingxue pouted speechlessly, but she had no chance to explain as Shi Baoning left too fast.
“What’s the matter with Baoning? I feel that she is strange,” Shi Qingxue murmured in confusion.
In fact, she had felt Shi Baoning’s weird hostility to her occasionally since long ago, and it was slight, but it existed all the time.
In the beginning, she had thought it was a wrong impression, but after so long, she knew that it was not.
Shi Baoning did have hostility to her, but why?
Shi Qingxue was depressed and wanted to scratch her hair.
If she were another girl, any girl from the second master’s or third master’s family, even including Shi Baojing she admired, she would treat her the same way as she was treated.
But Shi Baoning was different.
Shi Baoning was her sister. How would Qingxue be distant to her?
Even if she was cold occasionally, it was only because she got mad at her sister, and she would make her happy in no time.
However, she pleased others in a way that never failed, but when it was in front of Shi Baoning, she would only meet with a mild rebuff. It depressed Shi Qingxue a lot.
“How about I talk with Chi? Baoning listens to Chi all the time, and it must be no problem.”
Shi Qingxue who was simple-minded still didn’t know why Shi Baoning was jealous of her, but she stepped on the black spot accurately.
It was uncertain what on earth would happen in the future.