The journey of the only child of a peasant family to take the imperial examination

This answer surprised Li somewhat, yet it also seemed to be expected. Her father-in-law, though seemingly quiet, was actually quite shrewd and had a plan in mind for many things.

Her husband was exceptionally intelligent and more composed than his peers. With his father-in-law's guidance, it was only a matter of time before he rose rapidly through the ranks. Even if he temporarily resigned from his official post, it wouldn't be a big deal.

She was determined to get to the bottom of things today for two reasons. First, she wanted Xiaoyuer to give her a promise and confirm her place in the family. Second, she genuinely wanted to find out what was going on. Her family had sent her a message, which wasn't without reason. They probably wanted to see what the Zhang family was planning to do in the future, and they must have sensed something was wrong somewhere.

Not long after Xiaoyuer left, Li's personal maid stepped forward and asked worriedly, "Miss, what was the master's reply? He's still waiting for your letter."

The maids in the Li family were all born into the household and grew up with their mistresses from a young age. In the eyes of ordinary people, they were practically half-young ladies. Generation after generation, they had become one with their mistresses, sharing both honor and disgrace. Therefore, when no one was around, the maids still addressed Li Shi as they had always called her, which was also a sign of intimacy.

The "master" they were referring to was naturally Li Chong.

Li sighed, leaning on the table, her tone gentle yet firm: "If my father sends someone to ask again, just say that I am depressed because of the pain of losing my son, and that I have developed a rift with my son-in-law, and that I have not found out anything useful."

"Is that so...? Isn't this a bit inappropriate?" the maid hesitated.

“There’s nothing wrong with it. After all, I’ve already married into the Zhang family. You heard what my husband just said. He was half-warning and half-reminding me. After these years of marriage, I’ve come to realize that he’s never been one to be sentimental or soft-hearted. He’s destined for great things. If I can’t stand firm now, it will be difficult to gain his trust in the future. I have to make plans for the future of my young masters.”

Li's words were clear and logical, indicating that she had thought things through very well.

After saying that, he looked up at the maid a few times and said casually, "Xiao Cui, you grew up with me since you were little, and I have always trusted you. So, there are some things that the young master asked me to think through. I also hope that you can think through them. Please don't do anything wrong and make things difficult for me."

"Xiao Cui understands. Xiao Cui wouldn't dare to make such a decision on her own. Please rest assured, Miss."

“Yes, I know you’re a smart person,” Li nodded. Then she changed the subject: “Do you know why Xi Shi was not well received after saving the country a thousand years ago? As a meritorious woman who saved the country, her final fate was not good.”

Xiao Cui, who had received some education from Li Shi since childhood, said with trepidation, "This servant remembers that when Master Jin taught us, he said that Xi Shi's death was ostensibly due to being misunderstood as a femme fatale, but in reality, it was because she was a meritorious official who saved the country, and at the same time, she was also a favored concubine of the previous dynasty. After the mission of saving the country was completed, her existence became a problem. The emperor could not tolerate such a flaw. Perhaps death was a relief, so she would not have to live in the speculation of the world."

"Yes, the saying that a beautiful woman is a source of trouble is just a superficial explanation. The real reason is that the choice she made went against the principles of survival, and in the end, she could only bring about her own death," Li said with great emotion.

Her gentle gaze fell through the window onto her youngest son, who was playing in the yard. "With the lessons of the past before me, I will absolutely not waver between the two sides!"

Xiao Cui swallowed hard, looking at Li Shi's calm gaze, and bowed again: "This servant understands!"

For some reason, Li's gaze was peaceful and not sharp at this moment, but it reminded her of a mother cat protecting her kittens. Anyone or anything that tried to approach and harm her cubs would be driven away and torn apart by her with all her might.

After receiving his daughter's message, Li Chong didn't entirely believe it. Father and daughter are of one mind, and he probably understood his daughter's personality to some extent. He only blamed himself for letting his female tutor teach his daughter to be too independent and self-reliant, and too opinionated.

In recent years, he and Zhang Ping'an have been related by marriage, and their families have maintained a close relationship and visited each other frequently. However, Zhang Ping'an's request for the position of external dispatch envoy was made without prior notice to him, which made him feel uneasy.

Although Zhang Ping'an outwardly maintained a neutral stance in the imperial court and did not form factions with others, he secretly provided considerable assistance in the confrontation between Zhang Ping'an and Cui Ling. This also made Cui Ning somewhat wary of him, and a tacit understanding developed between them, with them maintaining a public distance.

If Zhang Ping'an leaves with his family, leaving him alone in the capital to face Cui Ling head-on, he really doesn't have much confidence, and feels as if a piece of his heart is empty.

Most importantly, he feared this was just a signal.

If I don't keep up, it might be too late.

Although he had always felt that Zhang Ping'an was more strategic than decisive, he had to admit that Zhang's ideas were often insightful.

Thinking of this, Li Chong could no longer sit still and summoned the leading figures in his family who were currently influential in the court to his study for a talk.

This includes Li Yue, who is related to the Zhang family and has to call Zhang Ping'an "uncle" along with Zhu Zhu.

Li Chong was never one to dawdle. After recounting the current situation in the court, he emphasized Zhang Ping'an's impending appointment as a regional military governor. Finally, he leaned back, surveyed the crowd, and sat down in his chair, speaking in a deep voice:

"Everyone here is one of the most outstanding members of the clan currently holding positions in the capital. What are your thoughts on this matter? Please speak frankly and openly, without holding back!"

Some bluntly stated: "From Privy Councilor to regional military governor, to put it bluntly, it's a demotion in disguise. This matter does indeed have an unusual connotation. However, it's also possible that the Zhang family wants to retire gracefully and protect themselves. After all, the rumors about the birth date of his newborn son haven't completely dissipated yet, which inevitably makes His Majesty wary. Leaving now would at least save face, and at least they would still hold real power, so they wouldn't become stepping stones in the final court struggles."

Others thought more deeply: "I don't think it's that simple. The military governors of the three towns in Hebei all followed the late emperor in conquering the country. Although they have handed over most of their power to their younger relatives, the final decisions are still made by those old guys. They've been living peacefully for the past few decades, so why did something suddenly happen? It can't be that coincidental. I don't believe that Zhang Ping'an wasn't involved."

After finishing speaking, the man glanced at Li Chong and Li Yue, who were sitting below him, and stroked his beard as he slowly said, "I know that you two are related to the Zhang family by marriage. These words are about the matter, not the person, so I'm being a bit direct."

"Hey, thinking about it carefully, it makes sense," this conjecture surprisingly gained the support of most people for a while.

Li Chong also remained silent in thought.