When Xiao Xiuluo entered, she saw a woman sitting opposite Jiang. She was well-maintained and dressed elegantly. She was accompanied by the matchmaker who had come to propose marriage.
"Is this the Marquis?" The woman stood up, trying to control her facial expression from being too disdainful, just to maintain the right arc.
In the past, Xiao Xiuluo still had the title of Marquis, but in a few days, she would be no different from ordinary people. She could forget about being respectful. She just came to complete the things her mother-in-law had told her to do, which was related to her son's happiness. She must not show any gesture that would annoy the other party.
This gentleman is a lunatic as long as anything involves his daughter!
Even if Mo Shi had done all kinds of psychological preparation, the sarcasm at the corner of her mouth could not be concealed. Xiao Xiuluo, who had been in the officialdom for many years, could not see it.
Jiang Shi did not dare to continue sitting. "Marquis, this is the wife of the current Duke's son. Today she is here to... cancel the engagement."
Xiao Xiuluo glanced at Mo Shi and spit out two words coldly. "Cancel the engagement?"
Just as Mrs. Mo was about to speak, Xiao Xingxing came in. She didn't expect Xiao Xiuluo to be here, so she knelt down to greet him, and then also greeted the wife of the Prince of Jin Guogong.
Even if Xiao Xiuluo didn't want to admit what kind of character his daughter was, well, those bad tempers were all spoiled by him. He knew very well that his daughter had a lot of ideas and was always casual. As soon as she came in, she greeted him. Could it be that the sun was rising from the west?
"You are here, go to the ear room to have a snack, and dad will talk to the wife of the Prince of Jin Guogong." No matter what he did to this daughter who was spoiled since childhood, he would have a more negotiating tone.
Xiao Xingxing looked at her father with a pair of clear spring eyes without blinking, and her tone was gentle and obedient, like a kitten meowing and acting coquettishly at Xiao Xiuluo. "Dad wants to talk to the wife of the prince about my daughter. Since I am the one involved, I want to hear it too."
Xiao Xiuluo was very kind and pointed at Mo and said, "Is that so? Why don't you sit aside and don't make a fuss. Guests are welcome."
Xiao Xingxing sat down gently and decently.
This was the first time Mo had seen Xiao Xingxing. She was beautiful with snowy skin and a beautiful face. She was breathtakingly beautiful and had an extraordinary temperament. However, such a woman had caused the Duke's Mansion to suffer every day.
Mo was disgusted by the girl who wanted to marry her precious son with a shameless method and dared to snatch a man home as a male concubine. She had lived for a long time and had never seen such a shameless and thick-skinned girl!
But she suddenly thought of something. Shouldn't the people in this Marquis' Mansion be as panic-stricken as dogs who have lost their homes? How could they be so calm and composed? The strangest thing was that the daughter of the Marquis' Mansion knew that she was going to cancel the engagement, but she still had the heart to listen?
The Marquis of Changping was in danger of ruining the family, but as soon as she entered the house, apart from the uneasiness and timidity on the face of the fifth wife, she did not see any panic or fear on the Marquis and the girl who almost became her daughter-in-law. This shouldn't be...
Hidden from all the speculations in her heart, Mrs. Mo said lightly: "To be honest, it is said that a forced melon is not sweet. Marriage is a marriage between two families. The Marquis also knows that the marriage between you and my two families is quite intriguing. This kind of marriage that was snatched by despicable means is really difficult to be equal. It is better to cancel it and leave some face for the two families."
A dilapidated Marquis's Mansion, Mrs. Mo did not intend to be polite. She originally looked down on the Marquis of Changping. Now it would be best to take advantage of the situation to cancel the engagement and have a quiet life.
"Madam, you mean that just because the Marquis' Mansion was stripped of its title and was about to be driven out of the capital, my daughter can't be the daughter-in-law of your Luo Mansion?" Xiao Xiuluo's face was ashen and very unfriendly.
Although the Xiao family of Changping Marquis Mansion was not favored by the emperor and enjoyed unlimited glory during the Yandang Dynasty, when the dynasty was founded, the ancestors of the Xiao family served as the meritorious officials who helped the first great-grandfather ascend the throne. Although there were no achievements after three generations and there were no outstanding talents in the family, they did not make any major mistakes.
But such a family fell into decline just because of a word from the emperor. This kind of thing sounds incredible, but if Xiao Xingxing were to say, the world is like a chess game, and Changping Marquis Mansion is just a chess piece on the chessboard. How to move and where to go are all decided by the chess player.
Even if they are as noble as the princes and royal families, there are many precedents of overturning in an instant and destroying their families. As for everything in Changping Marquis Mansion now, it is ultimately due to the rebellion of King Chen last winter.
King Chen's mutiny and Changping Marquis have nothing to do with each other at all. They are not related at all, but they were dragged into the water.
It's just that nothing happens without a reason, and this is a long-term story.
Speaking of it, the titles of the Yandang Dynasty were not valuable. Apart from the titles and food, there was nothing. But when Emperor Gaozu first established the country, he conferred titles on meritorious officials and gave them away as if they were free. However, when the throne changed, the annual expenses of the noble families actually accounted for 12% of the national treasury income. This was only the Marquis' and Earl's houses, and the three officials were not counted.
Most of the children of the nobles served as officials and idle positions, which means that more than 12% of the national treasury's income each year was used to support these idle and useless people.
If it is not beneficial to the country, it is idle, and if it is harmful to the government, it is useless.
Don't say that the country is unkind and unjust to you. You have enjoyed the wealth of nearly four generations. When these expenses are compared with the national treasury income, these meritorious officials who once followed Emperor Taizu to conquer the world have become thorns in the flesh that Emperor Yong'an wanted to get rid of as soon as possible.
Emperor Yong'an had long been impatient to support so many princes. This time, by attacking Prince Chen, he was also cleaning up the nobles like Marquis Changping who had no more achievements for the court.
In this wave of purges, it was not only their family that had their property confiscated and their titles stripped. The Marquis Jiang En Mansion, the Marquis Anrong Mansion, and the Marquis Qingjun Mansion were caught with a lot of handles and braids. In serious cases, they were demoted to commoners, and the males were imprisoned and exiled thousands of miles away. The females were confiscated by the Jiaofang Bureau. Their fate was miserable, and their families were destroyed overnight.
The Marquis Changping Mansion was easily let go. The Marquis Changping Mansion was not a powerful official, not a relative, and had nothing to do with Prince Chen. The only mistake was that it was an eyesore to the emperor. In addition to being stripped of the title, the capital's property was confiscated, and even this house bestowed by the emperor a hundred years ago was taken back.
The Duke's Mansion was already very dissatisfied with this marriage, and when people on the street saw that Young Master Luo had a mistress outside, they were even more dissatisfied with Xiao Xingxing for breaking the window paper.
The Duke's wife was particularly furious. She was worried that she couldn't find a way to teach Xiao Xingxing a lesson. The emperor's decree of demotion came down, which was a great help to her.
The Duke's wife, who was greatly embarrassed, decided to give the Marquis of Changping a good beating and dampen their spirit, so the Mo family came to her house today.
It was rare for the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law who were not in harmony to breathe the same air. Mrs. Mo sneered and said, "I came here today, not afraid of being criticized for taking advantage of my family and being unkind. I am not the kind of person who would break up a couple. I know that the eldest lady loves my son deeply. If the eldest lady must marry my Yi'er and does not want to cancel the engagement, then let my Yi'er take her as a concubine."
As long as Xiao Xingxing dared to enter the house, then who would dare to say anything as she wanted to do as a mother-in-law? She had plenty of ways to make her survive!
Xiao Xiuluo stood up suddenly, his two mustaches flew up in anger, "Bullshit! Let my Xing'er be your son's concubine? What a joke!"
Although Mrs. Mo was shocked by Xiao Xiuluo's momentum, she suppressed herself and did not admit defeat at all. "My Lord, to put it bluntly, the title of the Marquis' Mansion is gone, and it seems that we are no different from ordinary people. Your eldest daughter lost her mother when she was young, and letting her enter our Duke's Mansion as a concubine is a great honor for her. Do you still want to make trouble?"
"Cancel the engagement, then cancel it, no need to waste time!" Xiao Xiuluo said nothing, and almost drove Mrs. Mo out. These ordinary people who don't know gold and jade despise such a good daughter of his!
Mrs. Mo didn't take Xiao Xiuluo seriously at all. She was pushing her way and was very proud. "My Lord, why don't you ask your daughter what she thinks?"
She was sure that this eldest girl was determined to get close to her son and enter the Duke's Mansion. Even if she didn't give the position of the wife of the clan, she would still stick to him shamelessly.
Ignoring the tense and explosive atmosphere in the hall, Xiao Xingxing drank tea and ate a piece of ruddy hawthorn cake. She did not respond to Mo's question, but asked her father calmly, "Marriage is about the parents' orders and the matchmaker's words. What do you think?"
"Cancel the engagement, cancel the engagement, such an engagement is better off not happening!" Xiao Xiuluo said without thinking.
Xiao Xingxing nodded, "Since Dad thinks it's not okay, then I will listen to you."
Xiao Xiuluo did not react for a moment, and blinked. Seeing his daughter's smile unchanged and nodded, he suddenly became confident. "Tian Zhong, go to the warehouse to pull out the betrothal gifts for the eldest girl, and I will go to the Duke's Mansion to cancel the engagement immediately!"
As the most senior servant around Xiao Xiuluo, Bao Tianzhong has a certain status. He and Xiao Xiuluo are master and servant, but they have served Xiao Xiuluo since childhood, and their relationship is more like brothers.
Upon hearing Xiao Xiuluo's order, Bao Tianzhong went down to ask for the betrothal gifts without hesitation. To be honest, none of the servants in the entire Marquis' Mansion were optimistic about this marriage. Although he didn't dare to say it out loud, he secretly thought that canceling the engagement would be a celebration for all!
Mo Shi looked in disbelief, and looked blankly at the few remaining servants in the Marquis' Mansion going to the warehouse to ask for the betrothal gifts. She didn't expect Xiao Xingxing to walk to her side leisurely.
"I remember that the Duke's Mansion is not hereditary now. The title of Duke will be passed to the prince's generation, right?" She spoke in a light voice and slowly.
"What does this have to do with you?" Mo Shi subconsciously asked back.
"Your Majesty has long disliked the nobles and nobles. Most of the marquis and baron mansions have been gone. Instead of worrying so much, the prince's wife should think about the future of the Duke's mansion and the future of herself and Mr. Luo."
People in high positions have their attitudes determined by their status. The tyranny and dominance that naturally come out are difficult for others to resist. Xiao Xingxing's words are well-reasoned and domineering, but they are indisputable facts.
All emperors in the past dynasties would not easily reduce their titles unless they were involved in the crime of treason, because this would easily shake the hearts of the princes and ministers.
But times change, and there is nothing in the world that will not change. The dog is cooked after the rabbit dies is an iron rule that does not change. If this prince's wife is not too stupid, she should understand what she is saying. If she really doesn't understand, then she can't do anything.
Xiao Xingxing was not interested in seeing how interesting the expression on Mrs. Mo's face was. She took a step away and then stepped back, patted her head, and then smiled, as beautiful as a spring flower, "Look at my memory. If you have time, why don't you go to the second-to-last courtyard of Yanzhi Lane with the prince? The young man there is very handsome, not inferior to the top courtesan in the brothel."
Mrs. Mo was trembling all over. She dared to compare the young man that Luo Yi liked with the courtesan in the brothel... But she knew in her heart that the status of the boy was a hundred times lower than that of the prostitute.
Xiao Xingxing was humiliating her viciously!
"You bitch!" Mrs. Mo's delicate face was distorted, and she was so angry that she even spit out saliva.
Xiao Xingxing took a step back slightly. "Madam is angry over such a small matter. If the anger of the Princess's Mansion spreads to the Duke's Mansion - tsk tsk, it would be better if the Duke's Mansion and the Princess's Mansion have a deep friendship. Princess Huaxu is not as easy to talk to as my Marquis' Mansion."
So what if they are in-laws?
Princess Huaxu has always been protective of her. She has only one precious daughter, Princess Xiangyang. More importantly, Princess Xiangyang will marry Nabuyan, the governor of the Xi clan Raole, next month.
It would be fine if the precious son of the Duke's Mansion's prince himself has a homosexual tendency, but he actually covered up for Princess Xiangyang and let her sneak out of the Princess's Mansion again and again to meet men in private.
To be honest, this matter can be big or small. The difficulty of the Princess's Mansion is that Emperor Yong'an has twelve princes and five princesses. Unfortunately, when Nabuyan came to ask for marriage, the eldest princess was old and the youngest was only three years old. The Queen gave him an idea to choose someone from the princesses and county ladies of the royal family. If the list is confirmed, the title of princess can be granted when the marriage is to take place.
Among the girls of the royal family, only Princess Xiangyang was the most suitable in age, and Nabuyan agreed, so Princess Xiangyang's marriage was set in stone.
It is said that she smashed all the precious porcelain on the ground at that time, but unfortunately the emperor had made up his mind. Even if Princess Huaxu complained to the empress dowager, she couldn't change the emperor's decision even if she complained and cried.
According to the memory of this body, Princess Huaxu was famous for protecting her shortcomings and venting her anger. She couldn't get good things from the emperor. If she knew that the princess's innocence might be gone when she returned home, for the sake of her daughter's reputation, she was afraid of the emperor's anger - after all, this also involved the face of the country - I'm afraid she must find a poor guy to clean up the mess.
Who is the initiator of all this? The answer is obvious.
In other words, Luoyi is bound to bear the blame.
After saying that, Xiaoxingxing didn't care whether Mo Shi listened to her words or not, and walked away leisurely.