Minglan is reborn, this time with no regrets!

Fourth watch time.

Gu Tingye found Sheng Hong and Changbai father and son in the front hall and personally sent them to the palace gate.

At this time, Changdong and the three porters were standing beside the carriage, waiting for them.

Changbai walked to the door, saw a few people, was stunned for a moment, and asked: "Why didn't you go home?"

Gu Tingye: "On his way out of the palace, this kid met a female official who was escorting the imperial edict out of the palace. She escorted him all the way and prevented him from falling into the hands of the rebels. Zecheng, take your precious brother home quickly. The wealth and prosperity will soon come!"

Sheng Hong's jaw almost dropped to the ground: "What...what...? This kid also contributed to the rescue of the king?"

Gu Tingye bowed respectfully: "Yes, sir!" He did not mention the arranged marriage as he was afraid that too many things at once would overwhelm his future father-in-law.

Changbai took a few steps forward and took Changdong for a spin: "Are you okay?"

Chang Dong shook his head and pointed at the three porters beside him: "With these brothers protecting me, the rebels didn't even touch me."

Changbai bowed to the three porters and said, "Thank you very much for saving my brother!" He saw that they were all dirty and said, "If you don't mind, you can go to my house to wash up and rest. Come back tomorrow to report back."

The three people looked at Gu Tingye.

Gu Tingye nodded: "Go ahead, no need to reply, you will just follow them from now on." If Changdong is rewarded, he will have some capable people around him in the future. If these people can stay in the Sheng family, they should be able to be used.

Changdong jumped three feet high with joy.

The three porters were a little unhappy.

During the six months of being monitored by the Sheng family, they had already witnessed Changbai's strictness - even stricter than Gu Tingye!

If I have to move from the roof of the Sheng family to work on the ground of the Sheng family from now on, how will I live?

They looked at Gu Tingye pitifully: "Sir..."

Gu Tingye: "Trust me, how can I treat you badly?"

……

At five o'clock in the morning, Gu Tingye wrote a note himself, and a carrier pigeon from the Eighth Office flew out of the port and headed towards Youyang before dawn.

……

Three days later, the reward to the Gu family arrived.

Gu Tingye, the second son of the Gu family, risked his own life to quell the rebellion and save the emperor. He was granted the title of Ningyuan Marquis, and was granted the red book and iron certificate. He was appointed as the commander-in-chief of the palace, and was rewarded with countless gold, silver, cloth and a new mansion.

On the same day, the reward for the Sheng family also arrived.

Sheng Changdong was rewarded with a baron and 300 households for his meritorious service in saving the emperor. Sheng Hong was promoted to the third-rank silver and green Guanglu doctor and was assigned to his post as before. Wang Ruofu was awarded the third-rank lady. Changbai was promoted three levels and transferred to the Ministry of Personnel to serve as a doctor. Even Changdong's mother, Jing'an Jushi, was given the imperial title of "Jing'an Jun". In addition, the old emperor also rewarded the Sheng family with a new house, just behind the original site of the Sheng family.

Half a month later, Minglan and her grandchildren and Shen Congying arrived in Bianjing. Before they could rest properly, news came from the palace that the old emperor had passed away, and he left a will that "all officials in the country should stop mourning for three days." According to the etiquette, the original national mourning period should be three years, and banquets, weddings, and wars were prohibited during these three years to show mourning. However, the old emperor sympathized with the people and only allowed him to mourn for three days. After three days, everything returned to normal.

The common people could do so, but the officials who could claim to be benevolent and filial certainly could not really observe mourning for only three days. According to the old Tang Dynasty custom, they mourned for a full twenty-seven days before returning to normal life.

The new emperor ascended the throne, Shen Congying became the empress, and another round of rewards came to the Sheng family: Mrs. Sheng's grandson and grandson were rewarded with the title of second-rank county lady, the title of "Mrs. Yongyi", and a special reward of 1,000 households. Sheng Minglan was awarded the title of "county lady" and married to Ningyuan Hou Gu Tingye. The Sheng family members in Youyang also received rewards one by one and became imperial merchants.

Six months later, on an auspicious day, Queen Shen brought Gu Tingye and various gifts to the Sheng family to propose marriage.

Although there is an imperial edict from the late emperor, the three matchmakers and six rituals are still necessary.

After meeting the Queen, the family sat separately.

Old Madam Sheng and the Queen sat in the main seats, Sheng Hong and Wang Ruofu sat on the left and right respectively, then Changbai and Hai Chaoyun sat on both sides, and then Gu Tingye and Minglan sat opposite each other.

In accordance with the Queen's prior request, today's seating arrangement is based on family seniority, not official position or title.

As soon as Empress Shen sat down, she pointed at Gu Tingye and scolded him with a smile: "This rascal just came back from a victorious battle at the border, and he hasn't even washed off his sweaty body yet, but he came to ask me to propose marriage for him, saying that if he doesn't come, Minglan will run away."

Minglan's face turned red with shame, Old Lady Sheng laughed, and Madam Wang said with a smile on her face, "With the late emperor's edict hanging over her head, where can she run to?" She felt sour in her heart.

Empress Shen: "Yes, I said so too, but who told him to be anxious? Look, half of the gifts in this room are spoils of war at the border. It would show his sincerity if he said he earned them himself."

Sheng Hong hurriedly complimented him, "General Gu is loyal and brave. The spoils he obtained from the frontier are the best gift for my family!"

Gu Tingye was laughing at the side and glanced at Minglan from time to time.

Minglan lowered her head and blushed, not daring to look at anyone.

After the joke, Empress Shen said in a serious tone, "Zhong Huai has a miserable life. His mother died early. The old marquis has never remarried since he divorced the one from the Qin family. Now there is no woman in his family who can help him arrange a marriage."

Wang Ruofu: "Yeah, I heard that little Qin wet her pants and was thrown on the street, for everyone to see. Not long after she got home, she hanged herself. But I don't know if it was her own decision or her evil sister-in-law's..."

Sheng Hong clicked his tongue and stared at her angrily.

Wang Ruofu quickly closed her mouth and chuckled twice.

The old lady took over the conversation: "Mencius said, 'When Heaven is about to confer a great responsibility on a man, it will first test his mind and will, toil his muscles and bones, starve his body, deprive him of all want, and make him feel frustrated. This is to stimulate his mind and harden his nature, and to improve his ability.' General Gu rose from the thorns and is now not only the pillar of the Gu family, but also the pillar of the country. All the things he experienced in the past were the preparations for his success."

Gu Tingye stood up quickly and bowed to the old lady: "Thank you for your praise, Lady Yongyi. I am where I am today, all thanks to Lord and Madam Sheng who were willing to let a notorious person like me go to the family school to study and be taught by a famous teacher; and the Zecheng couple helped me so that I could entrust my family property to them before I went to Yuzhou, so I didn't have to worry about being schemed against by the unkind uncles and aunts at home, and I could join the army with peace of mind; most importantly, I was treated well by the current emperor and queen, who didn't despise my rude and impolite character and gave me opportunities to grow!"

This speech praised everyone present. Sheng Hong's face lit up, Wang Ruofu also put aside her jealousy and smiled, and Changbai, like Minglan, also lowered his head shyly.