The First Phoenix

Even if Aunt Wen doesn't want to admit that Shi Anxia is more beautiful than her daughter, she can't ignore that she is a direct descendant of the Hou family.

Just because of her status, her daughter had to be squeezed out of the circle. She must help clear the way for her daughter. When the time comes, it will be easy to deal with Down syndrome.

What can a woman with a tarnished reputation do no matter how beautiful she is?

Thinking this way, she felt more comfortable, and the injuries on her body no longer hurt so much.

Liu's mother narrowed her eyes when she heard this, "Auntie still has a way."

"Fight with me! Xiaolang's hooves are still a little tender!" A trace of malice escaped from Aunt Wen's lips, "Let's see how she can block my Rou'er's way!"

That night, news came from somewhere that a daughter of a marquis's family was lost when she was a child and wandered outside for many years. Later, she was found and raised in the mansion.

Unexpectedly, this legitimate daughter was very restless. She disliked the strict rules of the Marquis's Mansion and felt that it was not as fun as the outside world. So she brought a man she knew before home and kept him as a palace guard, disguising him as a palace guard.

When Shi Anxia heard these rumors, he was writing at the table.

What she copied was the masterpiece of Huang Wanqian, a great scholar of the time.

Huang Wanqian is a more prestigious figure than Fang Yuchu. Put it this way, if Huang Wanqian hadn't retired, Fang Yuchu wouldn't have been able to become the mentor of the current Emperor Mingde.

Only by inviting Huang Wanqian to teach at her clan school could she lure Fang Yuchu out of retirement. She wanted to bring these two great figures into her clan school.

After putting down the last stroke, Shi Anxia placed the brush on the jade pen rest, washed his hands with water, and then sat down on the embroidery pier. "Rumors are just rumors, don't pay attention to them."

When Zeng’s mother heard this, she became anxious and said, “Girl, this will affect your marriage proposal!”

Shi Anxia smiled slightly, "It doesn't matter. The rumor didn't specify which lady it was. If I jump out and clarify it like this, it will confirm that I am that lady."

"But we can't let this wind blow everywhere. The circle of powerful people in the capital is only so big."

Shi Anxia glanced at the anxious mothers and maids in the room reassuringly, "I know you are thinking about me, don't worry, I know what's going on."

She did know what was going on.

A good reputation is very important to a woman. Her mother, Tang Chujun, was burdened by this invisible thing and had to marry someone she didn't love.

In her previous life, Aunt Wen used the same method to spread rumors about her disappearance, but in the end she failed to achieve her goal of dragging her into the quagmire.

On the one hand, under her planning, she and Prince Jin Xiao Sheng fell in love at first sight and missed each other, to the point where His Highness Prince Jin was indispensable to her.

The Empress Dowager cherished her grandson and intervened.

On the other hand, Mrs. Shi also suppressed the rumors for the sake of the future of the Hou family.

In the end, although An Xia was not the Princess of Jin, she became the concubine of the Prince of Jin.

Later, in the palace and the deep palace, she was repeatedly rumored to have disappeared and her reputation was destroyed.

It can be said that Shi Anxia spent his whole life surrounded by rumors without stopping for a moment.

She was deposed by a joint petition signed by the court ministers, was questioned step by step by Emperor Rongguang, and was even made into a joke and mocked and despised in teahouses.

But so what?

She was Empress Jingde who stayed up all night to handle memorials on behalf of the emperor, Empress Dowager Huizheng who led the army to fight for the country, and the person with great merit who, in the words of the eminent monk Master Jiyuan, "saved the country from the brink of collapse and saved millions of people from danger."

So today's rumors are really not worth mentioning to her.

Besides, she had never thought about marrying into a wealthy family in this life, so she didn't need to care about false reputation.

The maids looked at their daughter's eyes, which were as deep as pools, and they felt inexplicably calmed down, and their anxieties disappeared.

Shi Anxia was worried about another thing at this time.

Just as he was thinking about it, Nan Yan hurried in and reported, "Girl, my uncle is here and is talking to his wife in Haitang Courtyard."

Shi Anxia's eyes lit up, "Let's go, let's go too."

The pale color of flying snow is falling one after another.

A group of people were walking in the twilight. The woman surrounded by them was wearing a white fox fur with a dark blue satin brocade coat underneath. Half of her face was hidden in a pure white rabbit fur scarf.

A big black dog walked forward beside the woman with steps that he didn't recognize.

Mother Liu watched from a distance and asked the maid Shuxiang beside her, "Look, is that Miss An Xia?"

Shu Xiang crouched down and quietly walked closer to take a look, then came back and replied, "It's Miss An Xia. Judging from the direction she went, it should be Haitang Courtyard."

Mother Liu pouted proudly, hmm, are you anxious? It was useless to consult my wife all night long to discuss countermeasures! A mouthful of saliva and stars cannot drown you to death.

When Shi Anxia arrived at Haitang Courtyard, Tang Chujun was angrily complaining to his brother, "It must be Wen Huiyi who spread the rumor! My Xia'er was splashed with dirty water for no reason, and she is supposed to get married next year, but what should I do?"

"Mother! I won't get married next year, so don't worry." Shi Anxia walked into the flower hall with a smile and saluted Tang Chuyu, "I've met my uncle!"

Tang Chuyu is Tang Chujun's half-brother, and Shi Anxia's uncle. "Xia'er sent the letter, but because of rumors?"

Tang Chujun was stunned for a moment, and then he realized that his daughter had written to invite his brother here. He immediately answered anxiously, "Of course it is! Brother, please think of a way."

Shi Anxia smiled and said, "Mom, I have more important things to tell my uncle, not this trivial matter."

"A trivial matter! How can this be a trivial matter!" Tang Chujun's voice was sharp and urgent.

Tang Chuyu raised his eyebrows, feeling that the little girl he once was was back.

Ever since she got married and had a child, the younger sister has been depressed towards everyone. When she was little, she was clearly lively and impatient.

Shi Anxia walked over and said comfortingly, "Don't worry, mother, I will deal with the rumors. I really have urgent matters to discuss with my uncle."

Tang Chujun then picked up the tea cup and held it in his hand, "Oh, then you say, don't worry about me."

Shi Anxia and Tang Chuyu looked at each other and smiled, inexplicably seeing an irresistible doting in each other's eyes.

Shi Anxia started talking about business, "Uncle, you know that Mr. Yang Xuan is in the Hou Mansion, right?"

Tang Chuyu nodded, "I know."

"Mr. Yang Xuan predicted a snowstorm in Zhangzhou's Yucheng. If no timely rescue and relief efforts are made, Yucheng will be destroyed within a month."

Tang Chuyu frowned, "Do you believe this too?"

Shi Anxia said, "I would rather believe that it exists than not." She looked serious and her eyes were solemn, "Uncle, this is a good opportunity for you to make contributions to the court."

Since the beginning of winter this year, the capital has been experiencing rare heavy snowfall for several days.

Snow-covered roads and inconvenient transportation have made food scarce in many places on the outskirts of Beijing, causing large fluctuations in rice prices.

Tang Chuyu is the Minister of Household Affairs, so he knows this very well. Not only that, he has just promulgated rice price control measures within the capital.

Shi Anxia knew that the situation in Yucheng, Zhangzhou, a hundred miles away, was even more serious.

Since the beginning of the month, there have been several consecutive heavy snowfalls and hailstorms, making the snow three feet deep on the flat ground. Not only the birds and animals froze to death, but also most of the cattle, horses, pigs and sheep.

Several rivers flowing through Yucheng were completely frozen, causing ships to stop sailing.

The roads were too thick for people to walk on, let alone carriages.

As a result, there was a shortage of food and clothing in the entire Jade City, and looting occurred. The people were short of food and clothing, hungry and cold.

Finally, on New Year's Eve this year, the snow disaster crisis broke out in Yucheng.