Golden Branch

Wang Heng turned around and glanced at Bai Zhi behind her.

Bai Zhi had served for many years, and when she saw the two little girls' appearance, she knew what they were going to do.

She hurriedly brought a plum blossom storage box with four compartments, each containing melon seeds, dried fruits, snacks and other snacks.

Wang Mian grabbed a handful of melon seeds. Wow, they were the caramel-flavored melon seeds she had "replicated."

However, the Wang family's chef is more professional and has better cooking skills.

After several years of research, the melon seeds we made have moderate sweetness and the best taste.

Wang Mian gave a small half to Wang Heng. Since Wang Heng started to lose weight last year, she has reduced her intake of snacks.

The small bamboo basket that I had carried with me since childhood was also gloriously laid off.

Fortunately, Wang Heng did not lose weight by dieting, but by "intermittent fasting".

She eats all kinds of food, both meat and vegetables, but the amount of each food she consumes is greatly reduced.

Snacks, fruits, etc. are also eaten, but at regular times and in fixed quantities.

Wang Heng is in adolescence, a period of growth.

Simply eating a normal diet can slow down fat accumulation.

She controlled herself a little and lost weight quickly.

In three months, she lost thirty kilograms.

Continue this for the next three months.

I don’t know if it’s because her body has accepted this slender figure, or if it’s a side effect of losing weight during adolescence, but Wang Heng has developed a physique that is easy to lose weight.

Now, even if I eat more or eat too much greasy food, I won’t gain weight.

However, Wang Heng is very self-disciplined. Once she sets a goal, she will not change it midway.

She is very satisfied with her current situation and does not want to break it easily.

She only eats snacks like melon seeds that are easy to make her gain weight occasionally (eating melons or chatting).

When eating, I also control the amount.

Wang Mian stayed with Wang Heng every day, so she knew how hard it was for Wang Heng to lose weight, and she also understood her thoughts.

That's why she only gave Wang Heng a small half.

Snap! Snap!

The two little girls started chatting about gossip while eating melon seeds.

"Jiu Niang, did you know? Lu Jialan was already married when she was in Lingnan!"

Wang Mian lowered his voice and spoke softly.

Wang Heng was surprised at first - after Lu Jialan returned to Yizhou, she did not dress like a woman. In addition, she was only two years older than Wang Heng, so Wang Heng did not think about it in this way.

Then Wang Heng understood: Lu Jialan was an exile in Lingnan, no longer a noble and reserved girl from aristocratic family.

She could not, as she did in Yizhou and the capital, pay attention to choosing the right marriage partner at the right age and marrying in strict accordance with the ancient customs of three matchmakers and six betrothals.

For a noble lady from an aristocratic family like Lu Jialan, even if they start discussing marriage at the age of thirteen or fourteen, they are basically sixteen or seventeen when they actually get married.

Unfortunately, that was a time of wealth and prosperity.

Lu Galan was exiled.

A teenage girl with outstanding appearance could easily—

Being able to marry properly instead of being abused is a blessing in disguise.

"Who did she marry? A local noble in Lingnan, or -" an official, a general?

Wang Heng asked in a low voice.

"I heard that it was a humble disciple named Yuwen Zhan, a captain of the local Zhechoufu, who was a loyal and brave commander."

Wang Mian was indeed well-informed and even found out the name of Lu Jialan's ex-husband.

Wang Heng's eyes flashed. What she cared about was not that her best friend had found out more information.

But -

There is a situation!

When Lu Jialan just returned to Yizhou last year, there was no rumor at all that she was "already married".

This is not only because Lu Jialan is good at "disguising" herself, but also probably because her ex-husband did not pester her.

Otherwise, even if Lu Jialan dressed up as a girl and she and her family did not mention the fact that she was "married", it would still not be concealed.

But now, not only has Lu Jialan exposed her identity as a "married woman", but even her ex-husband's name and identity have been leaked.

There must be something wrong here.

Could it be——

Wang Heng blurted out, "Did Yuwen Zhan come to Yizhou? Or did he send someone to Yizhou? Is he going to rekindle his relationship with Lu Jialan?"

Wang Mian's eyes widened as she blurted out, "Jiu Niang, how do you know Yuwen Zhan is already her 'ex'?"

When she was gossiping, she only mentioned that Lu Jialan had married Yuwen Zhan in Lingnan, and did not say that the two had divorced.

Wang Heng curled her lips. "If there hadn't been a divorce, Lu Jialan wouldn't have returned alone, nor would she have dressed as a girl. Her family wouldn't have kept silent about the Yuwen family!"

The key point is that after Lu Jialan returned to Yizhou, there was a rumor in Lu Huaijin's governor's mansion that he wanted to "select a husband" for the young girl who was staying there as a guest.

The Lu family is a noble family, and even if they were exiled, they would still act cautiously and carefully.

Lu Jialan is not smart, but her family members will not do anything stupid that will cause others to talk about them.

Therefore, before Lu Jialan left Lingnan, he must have dealt with all the "troubles".

It’s time to divorce, then divorce; it’s time to sever ties, then sever ties.

As for the issue of the man possibly pestering you or refusing to agree, that doesn't exist at all.

The Lu family was pardoned and was no longer an exile, becoming a noble family again.

There are also other members of the Lu family who hold high positions and can be used to intimidate a mere military officer from a humble family.

Wang Heng was certain that Lu Jialan must have divorced.

Wang Mian silently gave a thumbs up.

The eldest daughter in the family is so smart and perceptive.

She admired Wang Heng, not only because Wang Heng guessed that Lu Jialan was getting divorced, but also because Wang Heng asked the question "Yuwen Zhan came to Yizhou" with such confidence.

Wang Mian: ...I just said one sentence, but Jiu Niang has already guessed the whole truth.

"That's right! Jiu Niang, you guessed it right!"

"When Lu Jialan left Lingnan, she divorced Yuwen Zhan first!" Yuwen Zhan thus gloriously became her ex-husband.

"Just three days ago, distinguished guests came to the Yizhou Governor's Mansion, including Lu Jialan's ex-husband."

After praising her best friend, Wang Mian continued to gossip.

Wang Heng always managed to grasp the key points: "Noble? Which noble?"

The key point is, what are you doing in Yizhou?

Besides the Yi River, Yizhou...

"The canal! Is that noble man here for the canal?"

Wang Heng's brain was working rapidly.

Wang Heng, who grew up by the Yi River, naturally understood the importance of the canal.

A large part of Yang Rui’s previous military achievements relied on several river channels running through the north and south.

At that time, the rivers of various states and counties were not connected.

If you want to use the water route, you still need to travel by land, which is quite troublesome.

Even so, it played a significant role in transporting food, training sailors, etc.

The bigwigs in the court knew this, so they planned to connect several sections of the river and dig this canal that runs through the north and south.

However, digging the Grand Canal was a massive project involving many people.

The old saint did not dare to issue an order rashly, so he wanted to send someone to try it out first.

He set up a river management office and appointed Lou Rang as the first chief of the river management.

It was not only to seize the fruits of the Qi King's army, but also to further establish his achievements.

Unfortunately, Lou Rang is no match for Lou Yu.

Even without Yang Rui, who was transferred, taking any action, Lou Rang provoked a civil uprising and "reaped the consequences of his own actions."

Since the chief manager of the river channel died, the affairs of the canal were temporarily taken over by Xiao Wuzhi.

But, after all, it is not justified.

The canal is so important that if it is completed well, it will be a merit worthy of being awarded a knighthood.

This is almost comparable to military exploits, but safer and easier than military exploits.

As long as the successor is not as stupid as Lou Rang and is willing to treat the river workers a little better, even if they have no merit, they have worked hard.

Xiao Wuji was originally an excellent candidate and had enough backers to prevent others from snatching the fruits away from him.

But that was not his intention.

He is responsible for the wealth of the Changle Marquisate and the revitalization of his family, and he wants real military achievements.

After a year of training in Zhechong Mansion in Qingzhou, Xiao Wuji, like Lou Yu, chose his future life path:

Lou Yu is a literary man, while he is a martial artist!

This was not only because Xiao Wuzhi wanted undisputed military merit, but also because he took Lou Yu's choice into consideration.

He and Lou Yu are both people Yang Rui values.

It is best for two younger brothers to complement each other rather than compete with each other.

Lou Yu has a good family background and has made contributions, so Yang Rui values ​​him even more.

Xiao Wuji had no choice but to cooperate with Lou Yu's choice.

Fortunately, Xiao Wuzhi also wanted to join the military, and he was willing to do so without any resentment.

As for the canal affairs, Xiao Wuzhi was only in charge of it, not in long-term responsibility.

Yang Rui brought this big piece of cake back to the court.

All forces and bigwigs can naturally see the value of the canal and are bound to fight for it.

This happened a month or two ago.

Now this is... settled?

Did a noble person "win"?

Wang Heng thought of this quickly.

However, Wang Heng did not receive any news from the capital, Yizhou and other places.

At least there has been no explicit announcement through official channels.

In other words, the distinguished person who came to Yizhou was most likely just here to take a look and had not received a formal appointment!

As Wang Heng thought about it, she slowly told Wang Mian her guess.

Wang Mian once again gave a thumbs-up, convinced. "Amazing! Jiuniang! You even guessed it!"

Except for not guessing who the noble person was, Wang Heng guessed almost all the truth.

You know, Wang Mian was able to find out so much not only by utilizing his own spider-web-like information channels, but also by using Xiao Wuzhi's secret letter from Yang Rui and his speculations.

"The nobleman who came to Yizhou is Lu Jue, the eldest son of Princess Jincheng."

Wang Mian didn't keep the suspense any longer and gave the answer directly.

"Lu Jue? Lu?" Bu Liugu?

Wang Heng's mind moved, and she thought of Lu Huaijin and Lu Jialan.

This branch is also the Bu Liugu clan, and changed its Chinese surname to "Lu".

Princess Jincheng is the sister of the current saint and a heroine with outstanding military achievements.

When the old sage Yang Ji started his rebellion, Princess Jincheng sold her dowry, recruited soldiers and horses, and supported her father and brother.

During the establishment of the Dayu Dynasty, Princess Jincheng really made great contributions.

When the female soldiers under her command marched south from the northern border, they split into two groups with Yang Chong, she in the southwest and Yang Chong in the southeast.

The brother and sister fought on two fronts and were invincible.

Yang Chong captured Jiankang, and Princess Jincheng went straight to Lingnan.

If she had not fallen ill in the middle of the journey, and had not been implicated because Yang Chong was feared by the old sage and was transferred back to the capital by the court, Princess Jincheng's female soldiers would probably have been able to fight to Jiaozhi and add an Annan Protectorate to the Dayu Dynasty.

The southern expedition of the female soldiers was interrupted, but Princess Jincheng’s military achievements could not be erased.

However, Jincheng was a woman after all, and already a noble princess, so there was no more title that could be bestowed upon her.

The old sage increased the fief of Jincheng from one thousand households to three thousand households.

He also conferred titles of nobility on his sons in Jincheng.

For example, Jincheng's son with her first husband, her eldest son Lu Jue, already had the honor of a sixth-rank Flying Cavalry Captain. This time, because of Jincheng's military exploits, the old sage promoted him to a fifth-rank General of the Cavalry.

The seventeen-year-old boy had never been an official or fought on the battlefield, but he still reached a height that many people would never be able to reach in their lifetime.

Wang Mian nodded: "Yes, it's Lu Jue. I heard that his father is from the same clan as Lu Huaijin but not the same clan."

Wang Heng: ...It really is Bu Liugu.

However, from what Amian said, Lu Jue and Lu Huaijin's family are not close.

Moreover, he is the eldest princess's beloved son, and the current saint is his uncle. He has a noble status and there is no need for him to establish a relationship with a governor of a lower state.

Even if they wanted to cling to someone, it was Lu Huaijin who tried to cling to Lu Jue.

"So, Yuwen Zhan came to Yizhou with Lu Jue?"

Wang Heng continued to sort out the relationships between these people.

"Yuwen Zhan is a Guoyi Duwei of Zhechongfu in a certain state in Lingnan. He must be from a female soldier family and serves under the command of the eldest princess."

"Afterwards, the princess was transferred back to the capital, and this Yuwen Commandant probably followed her."

After returning to the capital, a mutiny ensued.

Perhaps, Lu Jialan's ex-husband had made military achievements.

Now he has transformed himself and married the eldest son of Princess Jincheng.

Wang Mian listened to Wang Heng's analysis and felt completely numb. He was too lazy to give a thumbs up.

With his military achievements and the support of a noble, Yuwen Zhan had a chance to become rich and powerful.

Then, he—

"He wants to ask Lu Jialan to marry him again!"

This time, Wang Mian gave the answer directly without Wang Heng's analysis.

At this point, Wang Mian's eyes lit up with excitement: "Hey, a domineering general and a proud noblewoman, their first encounter was forced, and their second encounter was also 'forced love'."

The melodramatic skit of forced love is actually happening right before our eyes. Wow, it’s exciting just thinking about it.

"Forced love?"

The corners of Wang Heng's mouth twitched. She didn't think that coercion had anything to do with love.

If it's forced, how can it still be called love?

This is nothing more than the YY and wishful thinking of the spectators.

Wang Heng was unwilling to marry Lou Yu because he was too domineering.

Now when she heard the words "forced love"...even if the one being forced was Lu Jialan, whom she hated, she couldn't feel the slightest bit of approval.

"Well, it can't be considered forced love! It's more like a half-hearted acceptance."

Sensing Wang Heng's rejection, Wang Mian quickly said, "Yesterday, I saw Lu Jialan arguing with someone by the river. Judging from their interaction, Lu Jialan didn't seem to be truly rejecting her."

After all, they were the original couple. Lu Jialan divorced only because Yuwen Zhan came from a humble family and held a low official position.

But now, Yuwen Zhan has become the eldest princess's confidant, and he has wealth and a great future.

On the other hand, Lu Jialan was neither up nor down. Lu Huaijin was tired of her and just wanted to find someone to marry her off as soon as possible, or send her back to the capital directly.

After looking around, Lu Jialan sadly discovered that her ex-husband Yuwen Zhan was actually the best candidate!

PS: I have something to do today, so I will update once and continue tomorrow. Hehe, please forgive me, (^.^)