The return of the son-in-law

The two warmed up for a while, and after dinner, Huo Yu would inevitably ask about it.

Seeing that Huo Yu had already known about the matter, Guo Zhan'an no longer kept the secret from him, and revealed Liu Pianpian's plan.

After hearing this, Huo Yu said angrily: "They still want to use the mouth of outsiders to force brother to submit? If I knew this, I should have beaten that storyteller!"

Guo Zhan'an reached out and rubbed Huo Yu's head, and said, "It's useless to beat him, but he is a storyteller, and he dared to use these things as storytelling in Juxianlou. Someone ordered him from behind."

Huo Yu immediately interjected: "I remember he said that he heard all these things from a manager in the Xia Mansion. Could it be that the Xia family is behind the scenes? Let me just say, what a girl's family, how can her parents let her go?" Rumors and gossip spread from outside."

"Do you still want to use the momentum from outside to force me to submit?" Guo Zhan'an also thought of this level, and couldn't help but angrily said, "It's just an eighth-rank official. This food is really ugly."

Huo Yu said worriedly: "It's been said as a storytelling outside, what do you plan to do, brother?"

Guo Zhanan brought a letter from the side and handed it to Huo Yu: "I asked His Highness the Crown Prince to inquire about Xia Zhiyuan's situation for me earlier, and this was sent by His Highness's disciples today. I told the people in the courtyard not to let you I know this, so as not to disturb your study. I think Jia Huan put it away for this reason and didn’t give it to you. But since you already know it, I won’t keep it from you anymore. You read this letter to me listen."

Huo Yu took the letter and said, "Brother should have been like this a long time ago. There is nothing to hide between you and me. Fortunately, I believe in my brother. If I didn't believe you, I might have a mess in the yard when I came back from outside." gone."

Guo Zhan'an pinched Huo Yu's waist and said with a smile, "What do you want to make trouble with, huh?"

Huo Yu was the most ticklish, begging for mercy repeatedly: "Stop making trouble, brother, I will stop making trouble, please forgive me."

Guo Zhanan leaned close to Huo Yu, blew into his ear, and said, "Then it depends on whether the letter you read agrees with me."

It's just a letter, there's nothing that doesn't suit your heart.

However, Huo Yu only dared to express his complaints in his stomach. He was fascinated by Guo Zhanan, like a bowl of *soup, letting Guo Zhanan get whatever he wanted.

Huo Yu opened the letter, glanced at Shixing, and couldn't help turning his head to look at Guo Zhanan: "Brother, they really have no good intentions!"

Guo Zhanan raised his eyebrows and said, "Read it to me."

Huo Yu read out what was written in the letter one by one, and Guo Zhan'an couldn't help laughing out loud: "This lady in our house is really well-planned, she can find out all the relatives who have been out of Wufu."

Huo Yu frowned and said, "A while ago I heard that the second daughter of the next door Mr. Yu Shi's family was forced to go back to her mother's house because she subsidized her mother's family too much. Mrs. Guo actually wanted another If the daughter of the Liu family marries in, isn't she afraid that Master Guo will not like it if he finds out?"

Guo Zhanan pointed to the words on the letter, and said: "My father has always been uncommon, and their surname is not Liu. If the prince hadn't asked His Royal Highness to investigate, how could he have found Xia Keqing and Liu Pianpian so quickly? Grandfather Gao is actually a cousin? Xia Keqing is just an eighth-rank official. Although Liu Pianpian is the daughter of Liu Yuanheng's concubine, she has always been Liu Yuanheng's favorite, and she is the only cousin of Concubine Liu in the palace. The Xia family surpassed the Guo family."

Huo Yu became more and more worried: "Brother, we must not let their plan succeed. If that Miss Xia is allowed to marry in, there will be no peace in the Guo Mansion."

Guo Zhanan didn't want Huo Yu to disturb the purity of his studies because of these nasty things, so he teased him with a smile: "Why, worry about the Guo family, not me?"

Huo Yu said anxiously: "Brother is joking again. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't worry about the Guo family! My brother is the eldest son. As usual, this Guo family will be inherited by my brother in the future. If Liu Pianpian is allowed to enter With such a person, how can there be peace in this mansion?"

Guo Zhanan pinched Huo Yu's cheek and said, "Did you forget what I told you earlier?"

Huo Yu was taken aback for a moment, and then asked: "Brother, do you mean that the Guo family wants to give to the second young master of the Guo family? But my brother is the eldest son, and according to the law of this dynasty, the eldest son must inherit [-]% of the family's property, and also To fulfill the duties of parents. Master Guo is an official appointed by the court, how can he know the law and break the law?"

Guo Zhan'an said with a smile: "Even if my father is willing, Liu Pianpian will not agree. What's more, what does the Guo family have to do with me? I only hope that one day I can take my mother's tablet out, so as not to be with that family in a hundred years. People who are heartless and ungrateful put together spoiled my mother."

After hearing this, Huo Yu asked thoughtfully, "Brother, do you have a solution?"

Guo Zhanan nodded and said: "There is already a way to deal with this matter. As for the next head of the Guo family, let Liu Pianpian worry about it."

Huo Yu hurriedly asked: "What method, tell me."

Guo Zhan'an gently twisted Huo Yu's nose: "All right, all right, I'll tell you, if you don't tell me, you won't be able to sleep all night and you'll be pestering me."

Huo Yu blushed: "Brother is talking nonsense again, why did he pester brother all night."

"Really?" Guo Zhan'an looked at Huo Yu with a half-smile, and asked, "It's been a while, who insisted on changing the posture and turning around to look at my face?"

"Brother!" Huo Yu hurriedly stretched out his hand to cover Guo Zhan'an's mouth, half annoyed and half blamed, "How can you say such things when the sky is bright and bright?"

Guo Zhanan accepted it as soon as he saw it, and stopped teasing Huo Yu, but told his plan, and finally said to Huo Yu: "Yu'er, you will send someone to invite the storyteller tomorrow. , can’t do without him.”

"Yes!"

Because Huo Yu came forward to teach the storyteller a lesson yesterday, he couldn't go there by himself today, so he asked Fuquan to call for two eloquent people, and asked them to bring them here under the pretext of inviting them to the mansion for storytelling.

It was also the storyteller who was greedy for money and careless, and only half an hour later, a servant came outside to report, saying that someone had brought it.

Huo Yu specially kept an eye out, and asked the two young men to take a carriage to invite someone. Seeing that the two young men were well-dressed, the storyteller knew that the family must be rich, so he followed without thinking. When I got into the carriage, I naturally didn't realize that I came to the mansion of the hero in the storytelling book.

It wasn't until Guo Zhan'an and Huo Yu appeared at the entrance of the hall that the storyteller knew that he had offended that evil star again.But it was too late for him to run - this is Guo Zhanan's yard, not to mention a storyteller, even if it was Liu Pianpian, if Guo Zhanan wanted to keep her from going out, Liu Pianpian would not be able to say it for a long time.

"My lord, I listened to you, and I didn't say anything about Mr. Guo and Miss Xia!" Seeing that he couldn't escape, the storyteller simply begged for mercy, "Mr. In order to get a bite to eat, if the young master doesn't like it, I won't say anything."

Huo Yu ignored him, but turned his gaze to Guo Zhan'an.The latter took Huo Yu to sit down with great interest, and stared at the storyteller in front of him: "I heard that people are talking about me outside, but I don't know all about it. I'm curious, so I invite you to come to the house to replace Let me talk about the last paragraph, how about you?"

The storyteller shuddered, knelt down on the ground with a plop, and begged for mercy repeatedly: "Master Guo, please spare your life, Master Guo, please forgive me! You adults don't remember the faults of villains, so please forgive the younger ones!"

Guo Zhanan laughed out loud: "Why do I not understand what you are talking about? I heard that many people listen to your storytelling, so tell me too."

The storyteller knelt on the ground with his head on the ground, and Guo Zhan'an's kind voice sounded in his ears, but he felt that Guo Zhan'an was extremely terrifying.He even had an illusion that Guo Zhanan's gaze on his back turned into two colorful pythons, which were entwining his whole body inch by inch, and exerting more force, causing his abdominal cavity to be squeezed , can hardly breathe

"Why don't you talk?" Guo Zhan'an got up, walked to the storyteller, looked coldly at the people under his feet, and scolded, "Tell me, it can be regarded as a relief."

The storyteller was almost about to cry: "How dare you speak out such a nasty thing and pollute Young Master Guo's ears. Young Master Guo, I don't dare anymore. Please, Young Master Guo, please forgive me this time."

"Don't tell?" Guo Zhan'an turned and sat back on the chair, "Then tell me, where did you hear these dirty stories?"

The storyteller's heart skipped a beat, and he hurriedly replied, "It's all the peddlers outside are talking about, so that's all I heard."

"After hearing this, I can hear it with a nose and an eye. It's strange that the beginning and end are complete." Guo Zhan'an turned to Huo Yu and asked, "Yu'er, he refuses to talk about it. What do you think should be done?"

This was what they had agreed on a long time ago. Huo Yu listened, took out a small bag of silver from the cuff pocket, and threw it heavily on the table: "In this case, please invite the next one to come over and tell brother Listen. He doesn't want this reward, but others always want it."

The storyteller was still kneeling on the ground, but quietly raised his head to look at the silver on the table.

This brocade belt was mainly made of black silk, with a lot of gold thread embroidered on it. Just one money bag was enough for his ten-day ration, not to mention the sound just now, enough to imagine how much silver was inside.

The storyteller couldn't help but swallowed, this reward was more than what Xia Mansion gave him.Anyway, the money from the Xia Mansion has already been obtained, and it is serious to confess them and get the reward.

He didn't know that Guo Zhan'an and Huo Yu were watching his every move.Seeing his eyes flicker, Huo Yu continued his efforts and raised his voice, "Come on, this storyteller..."

"Don't, don't, don't," the storyteller quickly interrupted Huo Yu before he could finish speaking, "I'll tell you what Young Master Guo wants to hear!"

Guo Zhanan was not polite, and asked directly: "How do you know about Miss Xia's mansion?"

"Actually, it was a nanny who came to me. She said that if I tell the story of Young Master Guo, you and Miss Xia into a storytelling book, I will give me fifty coins for one day. This is my half-day income." , can you not be tempted!" When the storytelling writer said this, he lowered his head again, "Others, I don't know."

Guo Zhan'an naturally knew that the storyteller was hiding something, but instead of pressing him, he shouted, "Yu'er."

Hearing this, Huo Yu took out a tael of silver from the money bag, and threw it in front of the storyteller: "Just this little news, take this silver and go."

The storyteller quickly picked up the silver on the ground, stuffed it into his bosom, looked greedily at the money bag on the table, and finally gritted his teeth and said, "Actually, although that nanny covered her face, I used to go to Xia's house to replace her." Some young ladies met her once when they were telling stories." He was afraid that Guo Zhan'an would not believe him, so he recounted the past in detail, "Because they are all young ladies who have not left the court, they are very honorable, and I told them from behind the screen. Listen. There was a nanny instructing the servants to lift the screen, and she cursed a few times on the way. It was the one who came to me a few days ago! She probably forgot about it, so she came here with her face covered, but A person's voice can't deceive others, and I rely on my mouth and ears for food, so I can hear it as soon as I hear it!"

After hearing this, Guo Zhanan glanced at Huo Yu, who nodded, took out two silver coins from the purse, and threw them to the storyteller: "Go down."

"This..." The storyteller looked at the remaining money reluctantly, and asked, "Is there anything Young Master Guo wants me to do, just tell me."

After hearing this, Huo Yu smiled and said, "Okay, there's nothing else to do, let's go."

The eviction order had been issued, no matter how thick-skinned the storyteller was, he couldn't stay any longer, and the two servants who came in walked out dejectedly.

"This man is ridiculous," Huo Yu said after the storyteller left, put the money bag away again, "The mother of the Xia family can tell us what he has done for money, and who can do it?" Trust him?"

Guo Zhanan looked at Huo Yu with a smile: "Why, do you feel sorry for Yinzi?"

"Of course I feel distressed," Huo Yu immediately accompanied Guo Zhan to install it, "This is three taels of silver, converted into copper coins, that is three pennies! I gave it to a storyteller for no reason, can you not feel distressed?"

"The hint has already been given, and it depends on whether he is smart or not." Guo Zhanan touched his chin and said, "Three days later, my father Xiumu, let's decide on that day."

Huo Yu nodded and said, "Don't worry, brother, I will send someone to watch over Juxian Tower."

Two days later, the content of the storytelling in Juxianlou completely changed.It turned out that it wasn't that the daughter of the Xia family was in trouble, and the young master of the Guo family acted righteously to save the beauty; it was that the Xia family was greedy for the wealth and honor of the Guo family, so this incident of touching porcelain happened.

Some people were dissatisfied: "A few days ago, you said that the young master of the Guo family and the young lady of the Xia family were heroes and beauties. How come this girl has become a girl who loves vanity again?"

The storyteller patted his thigh and said: "Just the day before yesterday, it was also a coincidence that I passed by a place and heard someone shouting and scolding. I don't know if I heard it, but I was shocked when I heard it! That person is Guo Fu. A servant of the Guo family, a month ago, Mrs. Guo posted a post to hold a plum feast. The Miss Xia was invited to go, and she passed out in front of the courtyard of the young master of the Guo family. Later, several people in the courtyard An old nanny rescued Miss Xia's family and sent Miss Xia back. That young lady never stepped into the courtyard of the young master of the Guo family, let alone saw the face of the young master of the Guo family! The masters who come here often also know about this matter. I heard about it from a manager of the Xia Mansion. Now that I think about it, I am afraid that the Xia Mansion deliberately let me know, so that I can add fuel to the flames and let the Guo Family The young master has no choice but to marry Miss Xia."

Regarding the storyteller's statement, some people are skeptical, and some people don't believe it at all, thinking that this is all speculation.But no matter what, the doubts and pressing voices towards Guo Zhanan from outside gradually faded away.

When it was the day when Guo Xiantong was taking a rest, Guo Zhan'an came to kill first and play later, and took Jia Nanny and others to Guo Xiantong's yard.

"What are you doing here?" For this son, Guo Xiantong has complicated feelings, and these days, there are a lot of discussions about Guo Zhanan's marriage, so he is even more reluctant to see him.

"The son came today because he wanted to talk to his father about his marriage."

"Oh, that's just in time. People outside are talking about you being a hero who saved the beauty. It's a good story. In my opinion, just choose a good day and invite a matchmaker to come to Xia's house to make a kiss."

Guo Zhan'an said with a smile: "Father, what are you talking about? My son came today to reject this marriage."

Guo Xiantong was immediately dissatisfied when he heard the words: "What nonsense are you talking about? People are talking about the things about the two of you outside, and you are going to divorce at this time?"

"Father, you are wrong. There are none of these three matchmakers and six hires. How can you talk about retiring the engagement? As for the rumors outside, my son is even more confused. I have never met the daughter of the Xia family before and after. Where's the hero to save the beauty?" Guo Zhan'an then stretched out his hand and pointed to Nanny Jia behind him and said, "I stayed in the yard for the plum appreciation feast that day, and I didn't take a step. But Jia in my yard Nanny, she was the one who rescued the fainted Miss Xia. If father has any doubts, why don't you ask Nanny Jia to tell him."

Guo Xian was so angry that he blew his beard and stared, and pointed at Nanny Jia.Impatiently said: "You come!"

Grandma Jia went out, saluted, and said, "Master, that day my wife's Qiu Ju brought Miss Xia to the young master's yard, saying that Miss Xia was not feeling well, and wanted to borrow a room in the yard." Rest in the house. The guard of the yard was worried about damaging Miss Xia's reputation, so he asked me to come forward. I thought, Miss Xia can't enter the young master's yard, but I can't just go back. So I asked someone to lift the sedan chair out, I wanted to carry Ms. Xia back, but it didn’t work out, Ms. Xia actually fainted! I had no choice but to pinch Ms. Xia’s crowd. Fortunately, Ms. Xia woke up soon and went back in a sedan chair. As for the rest Yes, then I have to ask Qiu Ju."

Guo Xiantong scolded: "It's absurd! If this Nizi and Miss Xia have never met, why is there such a strong spread outside? If you deliberately let the servants lie to resist the marriage, I will break your legs!"

Grandma Jia simply knelt down and cried, "Master, it's not that I'm lying. It's just that the young master has never met Miss Xia before! It wasn't cold on the day of the Plum Blossom Banquet, but Miss Xia suddenly passed out. , to be disrespectful, is it because Ms. Xia is congenitally deficient? The young master is the only son left by the first wife, so you can't find someone with deficiencies!"

"Presumptuous! Are you able to say these words?" In a fit of anger, Guo Xiantong raised his foot and kicked Nanny Jia, "Get out of here, don't dirty my eyes here!"

Regardless of the shoe prints on her chest, Grandma Jia kowtowed and went down.

Guo Zhan'an said: "Father, why should he be so angry? You don't believe in Grandma Jia, but do you believe in the rumors outside?"

Guo Xiantong said displeased: "Are you blaming me for being biased?"

Guo Zhan'an continued: "Father, don't be angry. I got some news a few days ago, which is about the Xia family. Father, why don't you invite your wife, and let's talk about it together."

Guo Xiantong had run out of patience: "Come on, please invite your wife over here."

The boy who sent the message came back after a while: "Master, Madam said that there are guests, so it is not convenient to come over."

Guo Xiantong couldn't help frowning: "Where is the guest today? Go and remind her again, just say that I have something important to see her, no matter who the guest is, you must come."

The servant responded, and went to communicate again, but after a while, he came back again: "Master, the wife said that it is really impossible to leave. If the master has something important, please wait."

Guo Xiantong was furious: "Want me to wait? She has been in charge of this house for a long time, don't you know who is in charge? Well, if she doesn't come, I'll go over and see what important person is here!"

Guo Zhanan listened to the side without saying a word, making it clear that he didn't want to go into the muddy water.But Guo Xiantong didn't want to let him go, so he called him by name and asked him to follow him to Liu Pianpian's yard.

Just entering the yard, I saw four unfamiliar faces standing in the yard, all in casual clothes, with a knife hanging from their waists, and their faces were fierce.Seeing Guo Xiantong and others, the leader took a step forward and shouted: "Idlers stop!"

Guo Xiantong almost went mad with anger, he is the master of the Guo Mansion, when did he become an idler?

However, Guo Zhanan saw that although these four people were dressed in casual clothes, they did not look like ordinary thugs, and the other people in the yard saw that these four people were rude, so they did not dare to make any moves, but kept silent on the sidelines. Sound, you know there is something else hidden in it.

He then said loudly: "Four, this is my father, Guo Xiantong, the head of the Guo family. He came to discuss important matters with his wife. Please pass on the information to the four of you."

The leader raised his left hand and said, "Go inside and communicate."

"Yes!"

Soon, the person who communicated came out and whispered a few words in the ear of the leader, and the leader said to Guo Xiantong and the others: "Please stay away."

Guo Xiantong got angry before he remembered to post it, so he was pulled by Guo Zhanan, and he heard his son say to himself in a rare and pleasant manner: "Father, please avoid it first, I'm afraid there are big people in it."

Guo Xiantong was forced to suppress the anger in his heart by what he said, and retreated out of the yard with Guo Zhanan.

After a while, the four people came out with two people in front and two behind, and several people in the middle surrounded a person wearing a veiled hat.

It was only then that Guo Xiantong realized that there might really be an extraordinary person in his family, who almost bowed his head together with Guo Zhanan.

As soon as they lowered their heads, they naturally didn't see the look that the man in the middle threw at him as he lifted the thin scarf from the veiled cap.

The group of people got into the carriage, and the man took off his veiled cap, revealing a pretty face. It was a girl who was only fourteen or fifteen years old.

The girl looked at the maid at the side, and ordered: "Who is the young master who was outside that yard just now, go and find out."

The maid said nervously: "Princess, we violated the palace rules when we came out this time, and if we inquire about the outsider privately, if the empress Fubi finds out, the maidservant will surely die."

The girl known as the princess didn't care, but said: "Why are you so timid? My mother and concubine know, and there is Liu Concubine here! Hurry up and send someone to inquire for me. It's of great use."

The maid persuaded again: "Princess, please don't do this. It is already a serious crime to meet a foreigner in private behind the back of the concubine. If there is another one, it will greatly damage your reputation, the princess!"

The princess simply gave her maid a slap in the face: "Are you the master, or am I the master? Whatever I tell you to do, you do. Where does all this nonsense come from? If you talk nonsense, don't wait by my side." !"

The maid knew she couldn't persuade her, so she said: "Yes"

At that time, Guo Zhan'an still didn't know that Princess Rongfu in the palace had named him to be her son-in-law just by looking at him, which almost caused Huo Yu's death.