Golden Branch

Chongrenfang. Wang's residence.

Perhaps it was true that "harm lasts for a thousand years". Wang Lin, who had been in a coma for more than a month and bedridden for several more months, was able to struggle out of bed after returning to the capital.

Although it was not very convenient for him to move and he needed someone to support him, he finally stood up.

The imperial physician Wang Heng had specially invited told her optimistically, "Lord Wang is in good condition. He just needs to take good care of himself. With time, his chances of recovery are very high!"

In other words, he can even recover to normal state.

Wang Heng and the other children of the Wang family did not think this was a happy event.

However, under the pressure of filial piety, Wang Heng and her brothers and sisters had to pretend to be crying with joy.

Cry, I really want to cry——

Woohoo, it’s only been a few days since I was free from being controlled and plotted against.

As a result, the Wang family, the greatest disaster, is about to fall on them again.

Not to mention Wang Heng, even the older illegitimate son Wang Erlang couldn't help but have evil thoughts: How about hitting my father on the head again?

Unfortunately, Cui had already divorced, and after returning to Beijing, she got married as quickly as possible.

She was still someone's second wife, and the other party had several children.

However, the other party is still a newcomer and has quite some military achievements.

Cui Shi restrained her temper somewhat because of the honor of the other party granting her an imperial edict and the face of the other party being willing to help the Cui family.

After her second marriage, Cui no longer acted like a vicious stepmother in her husband's family.

She could also treat her husband's concubines with "disgust, but not killing".

After a few months, Cui, who had a bad reputation, had a somewhat improved reputation and became a good wife and mother.

After hearing Cui's story, Wang Heng and several of her brothers and sisters could not help but wonder:

The reason why Cui became a "good stepmother" was not because she really "abandoned evil and turned to good", but more because the Cui family fell into decline and her remarried husband was more powerful.

Unlike Wang Lin back then, he had to rely on the Cui family and the Cui family’s relatives.

Moreover, Wang Lin was an elegant and handsome man from a noble family. He was better at using his brain than his hands.

Cui's new husband, Dou Wu, was different. He was not even from a humble family.

He was born as a personal guard of a saint. Before joining the army, he was a bandit.

He's good at martial arts, has a bad temper, doesn't have much brains, and has no patience either.

He was born in a humble family and admired the aristocratic family.

Therefore, even though the Cui family fell into decline, the Cui family's reputation was not very good.

When discussing marriage, Cui even said that she wanted to take her son with her when she got married.

Dou Wu didn't care about it at all and actively proposed marriage, and the betrothal gift he offered was very sincere.

Seeing that Dou Wu was so sincere that he even accepted his own son, Cui Shi, who had originally been very resistant and disgusted, actually became a little more willing.

Well, no matter what, Dou Wu is the saint's confidant.

He is now a General of the Imperial Guards, a fourth-rank official.

Although he is not a great general, he holds real power.

The key is that he is deeply trusted by the saint.

Being able to marry into such an upstart would be of great benefit to the Cui family and the Cui clan.

Dou Wu's shortcomings, such as his old age, humble background, and crude words and deeds, were not that important.

Cui married Wang Chang to the Dou family.

I heard that life is pretty good.

Cui was indeed not a kind person, but the children born to Dou Wu and his first wife were all grown up.

The youngest daughter is only eleven or twelve years old, and is no longer at the age where she needs her mother's love and protection.

Cui did not need the filial piety of the Dou family's children, nor did she need to play the role of a good stepmother.

They all live in their own yards and do not interfere with each other, so they can live in peace.

As for Wang Chang, although he became a burden, Dou Wu was a brave general who had experienced life and death.

Having been to many battlefields and seen many deaths, Dou Wu did not care too much about rules and etiquette.

He didn't have any ulterior motives, nor was he overly obsessed with his bloodline.

Over the years, he has adopted many adopted sons.

Some are orphans, and some are orphans of their comrades.

With an adopted son and his own blood, Dou Wu easily accepted the idea of ​​raising another son between his wife and her ex-husband.

He may not have been as meticulous and loving towards Wang Chang, but he fulfilled his responsibilities as a father.

He treated Wang Chang as his adopted son.

There is family love, but it is not everything.

Such care is sufficient for a child whose parents are divorced and who follows his mother to remarry.

In fact, Wang Chang liked Dou Wu more.

Dou Wu was a rough man. When he saw that Wang Chang had read so many books at such a young age and could write poetry and paint, he admired him without reservation.

When teaching his own little ones a lesson, he couldn't help but use Wang Chang as an example.

Dou Wu's four sons all inherited their father's bravery.

He is tall and strong, has great fighting ability, and is a natural soldier, but he just doesn't want to study.

In the Dou family, Wang Chang, a half-grown boy who was often scolded by Wang Lin for not being talented enough, was like the Wenquxing.

No matter how self-disciplined and intelligent Wang Chang was, he was only seven or eight years old.

Next to his biological father, he was a despised and whipped boy.

But in front of the Dou family, he could gain the admiration of a group of Dou family men who were as strong as bears.

No one is born to be a slut and is willing to be denied.

Wang Chang was originally worried that he would be "living under someone else's roof" when he went to his stepfather's house, but unexpectedly, he received recognition and praise that was enough to redeem him.

Most importantly, in the Dou family, the person in charge of household affairs is his biological mother.

Not only will his food, clothing, housing, transportation, etc. not be deducted, but he will live better than in the Wang family.

Wang Chang gradually adapted to the Dou family and quietly integrated into it.

Dou Wun, asked to marry Cui, and got what he wanted -

First, Dou was indeed a bandit, but he married into a noble family and had one foot in the family.

If Cui becomes pregnant in the future, his children will all have the bloodline of a noble family.

Second, his little daughter has a noble lady as her mother. No matter what the true relationship between the "mother and daughter" is, in the eyes of the world, she has been brought up by a noble lady.

It is the best capital when discussing marriage.

Dou Wu and his first wife had four sons and two daughters.

The second daughter is the youngest child.

Before his first wife passed away, she was the one he was most worried about.

Dou Wu held his wife's hand and swore solemnly, "I will definitely raise my young wife and find her a good marriage in the future."

Dou Wu was born in a humble family. Even though he followed the saint and crossed the social ladder, he still needed enough capital to marry his daughter into a wealthy family.

Asking for his daughter to marry a girl from aristocratic family so that she could have a noble mother was one of the ways Dou Wu could think of to improve his daughter's status.

The effect is very good.

Less than half a year after Cui got married, his young wife was able to follow Cui into another social circle and made friends with several people of noble birth.

Dou Wu believed that after some time, his youngest daughter's marriage might be settled.

"Although Cui has a bad reputation and isn't a very virtuous person, she is a daughter of an aristocratic family. There are many families where she goes, where you can't even squeeze in."

The aunt Dou Wu was referring to was his eldest daughter.

She married the son of his comrade, who was also a general under the saint.

The eldest son-in-law also had military merits and was assigned to one of the Sixteen Guards.

As the wife of a newly-minted official, the eldest daughter still couldn't fit into a certain circle.

Things didn't take a turn for the better until Cui came into the family.

So, this lady is worth marrying!

For this reason, Dou Wu was willing to tolerate Cui's unvirtuousness and was also willing to treat Wang Chang well!

"This time, Cui Shi married the right person!"

Maybe it is not the best, and there is no so-called love, but both parties can get what they need from each other, and the two are more suitable.

Over time, if they can achieve mutual benefit and live in harmony, wouldn't that make them another kind of "loving couple"?!

As early as when she was in Yizhou, Wang Heng had received various news about the Cui family.

She couldn't help but sigh.

Wang Erlang and other half brothers and half sisters felt a little regretful: Cui remarried and lived a good life, so they would probably not divorce again, and they would not be able to "reconcile" with Wang Lin.

This feeling of regret reached its peak when he saw Wang Lin being supported by someone and staggering around the yard.

Since Cui Shi could not reconcile with Wang Lin, Wang Lin lost a fierce woman.

Alas, why didn’t Cui be more ruthless when she took action?

He was only knocked unconscious, leaving Wang Lin as a nuisance to continue to run around in the Wang family.

The Wang family's children, in Hedong, have become accustomed to being taken care of by their eldest sister, Wang Heng.

Their days were comfortable and hopeful.

They really don't want to change.

pity--

"A-Ajiu, your coming-of-age ceremony—"

Wang Lin, who was disliked by all the children, had no idea.

He is still happy--

1. He returned to Beijing!

Second, he can speak and get out of bed!

He is not far from complete recovery.

With a new life, Wang Lin’s former ambitions returned.

His daughter is a princess.

His ex-wife resented him, but she was also cautious.

For Ajiu, even if his ex-wife "hates him to death", she still has to do something for him.

Wang Lin felt that based on his ex-wife's status as a royal concubine, even if he could not reinstate him, he could at least get him a third or fourth rank official position.

He first got an official position, and then returned to the court after he recovered.

He wants to be an official, he wants to rule the country, he wants...

Wang Heng: ...Go to hell!

This person is such a disaster. Why can't he be like Madam Xie?

This mother and son both collapsed on the same night.

Wang Lin's condition seemed even more critical. As a result, Madam Xie continued to lie paralyzed in bed, while Wang Lin had already stood up.

Wang Heng was naturally perceptive, and the ambition in Wang Lin's eyes was almost becoming reality, so it was difficult for Wang Heng to pretend not to see it.

This person actually wants to enter the government!

His shamelessness once again refreshed Wang Heng's perception—

He didn't think about how embarrassing his identity was.

Yes!

In name, Wang Lin was Concubine Jiang's "brother-in-law".

But it's just a fig leaf.

The truth of the matter was circulated not only in the upper class of the capital, but also among the common people and the streets.

Ahem, when the King of Qi was attacked by the Emperor and the King of Chu, one of the charges against him was that he was "blinded by lust" and forcibly took possession of the minister's wife.

Before Wang Lin was tricked, he had been subjected to rumors.

Unexpectedly, after experiencing a life-and-death experience, Wang Lin not only did not gain enlightenment, but became more and more obsessed with power.

In order to become an official, he even lost his dignity...