Golden Branch

Yang Shou was stunned for a moment.

"Lou Yu has many followers? And he even has connections with the river transport gangs?"

He knew that Lou Hanzhang was powerful, but he still didn't expect that this man would be so powerful?

Lou Hanzhang is only eighteen years old this year.

Not yet twenty years old!

As a peer, Lou Yu is definitely the "other people's child" to Yang Shou.

He would be envious, jealous, and...desperate.

Lou Yu is so outstanding that he has surpassed the range of normal people.

He is a disciple of famous scholars, a master of classics and history, the best in the world in music, chess, calligraphy and painting, and can switch between military generals and civil officials at will.

Lou Yu is so versatile that not only his peers but also the elders can't help but admire him.

Zheng Shisan's words confirmed Lou Yu's excellence from another perspective.

It turns out that he had already been involved in private soldiers and dark forces.

After realizing this, Yang Shou suddenly felt that even if no one leaked the secret, Lou Yu would be able to detect Li Mingtang's existence and find her in advance!

Therefore, Lou Yu did not intercept the Hu from the Rui Palace, but he himself had a huge power.

Under Zheng Shisan's guidance, Yang Shou dispelled his doubts about Zheng Shisan and imagined Lou Yu's abilities. While feeling relieved, he also felt a strong sense of powerlessness.

Even someone as powerful as Lou Yu would find it very difficult to just keep up with him, let alone defeat him.

They are all the new generation of powerful people, and Lou Yu has become a peak that is difficult to climb.

He, Yang Shou, the prince of Rui Wang, could only watch Lou Yu achieve great achievements and enjoy infinite glory.

"Yes! My cousin has always been very opinionated since he was young!"

"But this is normal. My dear, you may not know that my cousin has been the head of the Lou family's eldest branch since he was seven years old."

"He has no elders and can only rely on himself, so he is used to planning ahead and making many plans."

"Unlike you, my dear, who still has the support of his father and mother, even I, a concubine, am willing to help you relieve your worries!"

As a virtuous wife who is well versed in the "arts of being a wife", Zheng Shisan is the best at controlling her husband's heart.

She first praised Lou Yu's ability and hard work, and then tactfully comforted Yang Shou: Lou Yu was forced to be so outstanding.

He is indeed very successful, but his family connections are shallow.

Unlike Yang Shou, who has both parents alive and a virtuous wife.

Not only can he rely on his parents for support, he can also live off them.

Of course, Zheng Shisan would never say anything about being a gigolo.

As a wife, you still have to take into consideration the false and ridiculous face of some men.

Zheng Shisan just reminded you that Lou Yu is very powerful, and I am Lou Yu’s cousin and can help you get close to Lou Yu.

Instead of showing off that she helped her husband and was a great contributor to his family.

Sure enough, after hearing what Zheng Shisan said, the gloom on Yang Shou's face began to dissipate.

My lady, what you said is, so what if Lou Hanzhang is a monster?

Having parents is the same as having no parents at all. I have no relatives to rely on and I am all alone and helpless. I am definitely a lonely star.

But Yang Shou was different. His parents were kind and his wife was virtuous. They were not only willing to use their dowry to supplement the family income, but also willing to seek a future for him.

Correct!

He also has Shisan Niang!

Shisan Niang's love for him is as deep as the sea and will never change until death. She is not as jealous as Wang Mian, nor as spoiled and mischievous as Wang Jiu.

People's sense of superiority often comes from comparison.

Yang Shou compared his perceived strengths with the weaknesses of others, and his depressed heart, which had been frustrated by failure, was instantly comforted.

He no longer had any doubts about Zheng Shisan, but continued to treat her as a considerate, gentle and virtuous lady.

As for Asu, who had lost most of his usefulness, Yang Shou temporarily put him aside.

What concubine? How can she be as good as his Thirteenth Lady?

Zheng Shisan: ...the matter was resolved satisfactorily.

The next step is to prepare for pregnancy and give birth to an heir to the palace as soon as possible.

Zheng Shisan smiled faintly, and in his affectionate eyes, only the reflection of Yang Shou appeared.

……

Yang Shou, who was coaxed into submission, stayed in the main courtyard that night.

A short absence is better than a new love, and a night of passion will surely bring you happiness.

The next day, Yang Shou got up, washed up, and went to the main courtyard on the central axis to pay his respects to his parents and discuss what to do next.

"Father, Mother, Lou Hanzhang is extremely cunning and has immense power. He also has the entire Eastern Palace behind him, which is far beyond the reach of our Rui Wang Mansion."

"Divine Doctor Li has already entered the palace and is highly regarded by the Empress. His merit in recommending him has no connection with the Rui Palace."

"But, my son firmly believes that this matter may not be hopeless!"

Having missed the opportunity, we must find a way to make up for it.

There is no point in continuing to dwell on this matter. It is better to think of other solutions.

"What's the turning point?"

The King and Queen of Rui have also heard the rumors outside and missed a great opportunity!

It was obviously they who thought of it first and had already found the trace of Doctor Li.

At the last moment, there was only one step left.

One can imagine the regret that the King and Queen of Rui felt.

Alas, since it was their son who did the job personally, they couldn’t blame him too much.

Prince Rui looked dejected and was not optimistic about the "turnaround" mentioned by his son.

As a woman, Princess Rui is actually more careful and knows how to use women.

Her eyes lit up, and she suddenly said, "Twenty-first Lang, the turning point you're talking about, is it Asu?"

The credit for the recommendation is gone, but Doctor Li is still here.

She has become a hero who saved the Queen, and she will definitely have a place in the capital.

Maybe, she can become a favorite of the queen and the prince.

If you can make friends with such an upstart, it would be an opportunity.

Although there was no relationship between Prince Rui's Mansion and Li Mingtang, there was a middleman - Yang Shou's concubine Su.

Su is half a disciple of Li Mingtang.

Although it is not a direct teaching, there is some connection between them.

The Rui Wang Mansion can use this as an opportunity to establish a relationship with Doctor Li.

Doctor Li is a skilled doctor. She is good at treating heart diseases, but she is not limited to this.

People who eat grains and cereals are bound to get sick.

Now it’s the Empress, and in the future there will be the Crown Prince, and even the Emperor, the Saint, etc., there will always be times when they need a miracle doctor.

Li Mingtang will only become more and more prosperous in the capital. If he becomes friends with her and even becomes her "relative", the Prince Rui's Mansion will also benefit from it.

Princess Rui's mind flashed through these thoughts rapidly, and her previous frustration and loss instantly turned into excitement: "Yes, and there's also Ah Su. When Divine Doctor Li comes out of the palace, let Ah Su visit her."

"If we can persuade Divine Doctor Li to officially accept Asu as his disciple, our relationship with Divine Doctor Li will become even closer!"

Princess Rui became more and more excited as she spoke, and she began to look up to the seductive woman like Asu again.

"Mother is right, it's Ah Su!"

"I'll talk to Ah Su and ask her to go see Divine Doctor Li as soon as possible."

"...But, isn't it a bit unsafe for Asu to still be living outside?"

Yang Shou was certain that Shisan Niang loved him deeply and regarded him as her heaven.

Now it's just a matter of marrying a woman into the family. Shisan Niang even accepted the beauty bestowed by Prince Yan and his previous concubine, so I guess Asu can do the same!

However, Yang Shou still had some conscience and knew that letting a concubine into the house was somewhat unkind.

He didn't want to show up in person and hurt Shisan Niang's feelings, so he wanted to ask Princess Rui for help.

Princess Rui: ...

As the legal wife, she instinctively stood on Zheng's side.

Let the mistress enter?

This is different from taking a concubine.

Taking a concubine is in accordance with the rules, but keeping a mistress is not only against the rules, but also an embarrassment to the wife of the main house.

If it were Princess Rui, she would never allow such a situation to happen.

However, Princess Rui is not only the wife, she is also the mother.

Glancing at his son who looked hopeful, and thinking that Ah Su was still somewhat useful, Prince Rui sighed secretly and nodded slowly: "Okay, I'll talk to Ah Zheng about this!"

"Ah Zheng has always been virtuous and tolerant. She will definitely agree!"

Zheng Shisan: ...daydreaming!

For the sake of her own plans, she can play the role of a good wife in Prince Rui's Mansion, but she is not a real bitch and will not tolerate or give in unconditionally.

So, when Princess Rui put on a loving smile, held her hand, scolded Yang Shou for being naughty, and advised Zheng Shisan to be virtuous, she exploded.

Zheng Shisan wouldn't flip the table, but she would cry.

She cried like a pear blossom in the rain, and I felt pity for her.

"Mother, what do you mean? My husband is acting so recklessly, are you going to tolerate him?"

"I have been married into the palace for over a year now. Mother should know that I am definitely not a jealous person."

"Although I don't like the concubines and maids around my lord, I know that they are all there to serve me. For my lord, I am willing to accept them!"

"However, concubines are different! Their origins are unclear and they don't follow the rules. If we allow them into the family, it will not only be a slap in the face of my husband, but will also ruin the reputation of my husband and the palace!"

Zheng Shisan cried and complained.

She cried beautifully, with big, crystal clear tears rolling down her face.

There were only tears, no snot, and he didn't look embarrassed at all, nor was he ugly at all.

Even when she cries, it doesn't affect her speech.

Every word she spoke was clear and easy to understand.

Princess Rui was directly rejected, and the smile on her face froze instantly.

She immediately let go of Zheng Shisan's hand, raised it up, and gently stroked her hair.

She wanted to act like a mother-in-law and scold the new bride for not being virtuous enough.

Zheng Shisan would not give her this opportunity. She was the daughter-in-law and was inherently at a disadvantage in front of Princess Rui.

But she is not an ordinary daughter-in-law, she has a backer!

Zheng Shisan secretly winked at the maid beside him while wiping his tears with a handkerchief.

The maid gave silent orders to the little maid standing in the corner.

A moment later, just as Princess Rui was about to speak, a maid's voice rang out from outside the door: "Princess, Princess Langya has ordered you to come to Mount Li for an audience."

Princess Rui opened her mouth, but had to swallow back the words that were about to come out of her mouth.

She nearly choked.

However, she couldn't get angry and had to force a smile, "Ah Zheng, since the princess has summoned you, then you should go immediately. Don't keep the princess waiting for too long and delay her business!"

……

Although he rejected his mother-in-law, Zheng Shisan was not scolded or punished.

The mother-in-law smiled softly and ordered her trusted servant to escort her out of Prince Rui's palace.

Zheng Shisan: ...As expected, the princess is still reliable. From now on, she will only have the princess.

Zheng Shisan relied on her princess to avoid conflicts between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law to the greatest extent.

However, she didn't know that her princess also had troubles caused by her mother-in-law...