Chapter 283: Our In-Laws
Another day.
Early morning.
Minister Dong woke up and took his wife for a stroll in the courtyard.
As the Minister of Works, he was different from the leaders of other departments. Sometimes he still had to be involved in various construction operations, although in recent years, the main projects had become building houses, courtyards, stages, water pavilions, hot spring villas, and bathhouses for the Emperor…
He still liked to walk around every day.
He needed to exercise a little.
A good physique was the foundation of being an official.
If one’s health was poor, one would have to retire early, and even when arguing with others, one would lack the vigor to do so.
This morning.
There was morning glow, and the horizon was red.
It didn’t look suitable for traveling far; with morning glow like this, the sky might turn overcast in a while.
Minister Dong was dressed quite warmly, with a white fur scarf tied around his short neck.
Madam Dong had a slender neck and fair skin; she looked like a very gentle lady, like a white dough ball, with a harmonious and mild appearance.
However, she was looking sorrowful at the moment.
Minister Dong also wore a look of worry.
They had originally been worried about An’an’s nature, as she had been raised by them to be innocent and carefree.
But because their daughter had been wronged, neither of them had thought about marrying her into a high-ranking family.
They chose to betroth her to Liu Tong, the son of Minister Dong’s subordinate, Vice Minister Liu.
The two families had a good relationship.
Liu Tong had grown up with An’an; they were childhood sweethearts.
Although Liu Tong did not seem like a genius at studying, he had a gentle personality, no great ambitions, and was very good to An’an. Although he was not the top choice, he should have at least been a good match.
Minister Dong felt that with his own status to back things up, his daughter would not be wronged after marriage.
As it turned out, who could have expected that she would suffer endless grievances even before they were married.
They had taken care of Liu Tong like their own child since he was young. When he said he wanted to go out to study, Minister Dong also thought it was quite good—going out to see the world, broaden his horizons, and increase his knowledge was very good, and he even sponsored him quite a bit for the trip.
As a result, he brought back a sworn sister from this trip.
Minister Dong had met that sworn sister; his wife and daughter combined could not possibly be her match.
That sworn sister looked like a young girl, but every move she made was like a concubine in the inner palace, as if she had over a decade of experience in fighting with others.
Minister Dong decisively bore the infamy and broke off the engagement.
In this day and age, when an engagement is broken off, it is usually the woman who gets criticized.
Even if there was something unclear with the sworn sister, it shouldn’t have been enough to break the engagement; wasn’t it normal for a man to have a wife and concubines? Everyone behind his back said that Minister Dong was bullying others.
Minister Dong felt that if he was going to be criticized, so be it; it was better than losing a life.
He used to think the Liu family was honest and dutiful.
But looking at them now, they didn’t hurry to drive away such a demonic woman and instead recognized her as a sworn daughter; they must have lost their minds.
Who knew that because of having a fairy-like sworn daughter, Vice Minister Liu had actually started to get arrogant.
He used to follow Minister Dong’s every word, but lately, he had actually started to act in defiance.
Perhaps he had been acting in defiance before, but it just hadn’t been noticed.
It was good not to be in-laws with such people.
Minister Dong felt that breaking the engagement was the right thing to do.
Fearing that his daughter would feel uncomfortable in the capital due to the gossip, Minister Dong let his daughter go out for a trip.
His daughter said she wanted to see the rushing rivers and the sunrise over the river.
Minister Dong remembered that his daughter had previously said she wanted Liu Tong to accompany her to see the sunrise over the river.
Hearing this request from his daughter, the old father’s tears were almost falling out.
Fine.
Go and see.
He sent many people to go out with her.
As a result…
The servants ran back and said that the young lady had fallen into the water.
They thought An’an had been unable to let go and had committed suicide.
They were heartbroken.
At that moment, Minister Dong wanted to go to the Liu family and slaughter that fickle little beast, Liu Tong.
But his daughter was found again that very day.
After she returned, his daughter seemed very happy.
She said that in a while, a handsome man would come riding a tall horse to marry her.
She had given the fish pendant to the other party as a token.
Minister Dong and Madam Dong nodded and said it was good.
They told her to rest at home in peace.
In reality, Minister Dong was worried sick.
He thought his daughter might have been possessed or had damaged her brain from falling into the water.
She said someone had saved her, a very handsome young master, and she had given the fish pendant to him.
Minister Dong, however, felt that the fish pendant had probably fallen into the water.
His daughter described the place where she woke up.
Houses, grasslands, a great river—Minister Dong had sent people to look for it.
They hadn’t found it at all.
Fortunately, his daughter had not been violated or anything; it didn’t look like she was traumatized.
Perhaps it was hysteria.
Hysteria after falling into the water.
Some people even claimed to have seen the underworld after falling into the water.
Minister Dong and his wife were terribly anxious.
Watching their daughter happy every day, waiting for someone to come and propose marriage.
They didn’t dare to burst her bubble.
They were worried that if they did, the girl would be traumatized.
According to the servants, when they brought her back, there was no young master as the girl described, just a family of fishermen, honest and dutiful.
But now, the girl was happy at home, had already started preparing her wedding dress, and was counting her dowry every day.
Watching this broke Minister Dong and Madam Dong’s hearts.
In their hearts, they cursed Liu Tong thousands of times.
They still had to cooperate with their daughter to prepare the dowry and the wedding dress.
What if no one ever came to propose?
Minister Dong was worried to death.
After eating breakfast at home.
Minister Dong went to the government office to work.
On his desk lay a document of laws and regulations.
He had not circled it in red.
It wasn’t that he didn’t have two hundred taels.
It was that he didn’t want to.
He had already argued with Prime Minister Lu eight hundred times.
This Prime Minister Lu was petty; if he had wanted to hold a grudge, he would have done so long ago.
It was just that Prime Minister Lu was also very smart; he knew that someone had to get things done.
The position of Minister of Works was a thankless job, so it was not easy to replace him.
After all, although Minister Dong complained every day, the Emperor was satisfied with the houses he built, both in terms of aesthetics and craftsmanship.
Prime Minister Lu would not easily move someone who could do things for the Emperor.
So Minister Dong was not afraid of old Lu; he just wouldn’t pay to buy it, he would memorize it himself—so what?
However, he wasn’t in the mood to memorize it either.
Now, whenever he looked at any colleague, he would think, ‘Can this person be an in-law? Can that person be an in-law?’
He evaluated everyone he saw to see if they were suitable to be in-laws.
In the past few days.
Meng Qingshe, who had become inflated from everyone stuffing money into his hands, had truly become inflated.
He usually didn’t like to wander around the various government offices.
He always felt that civil officials were sinister and difficult to deal with.
Now, however, he was taking the initiative to wander around the various government offices.
He might have misunderstood civil officials in the past.
Civil officials were actually quite good.
They were proactive and enthusiastic; he didn’t even need to open his mouth.
He had originally thought he would need to carry a bag under his arm, go up to a civil official, and secretly shout: “Do you want the key points?”
If the other party nodded, he would then secretly go to a corner, open the key points for the other party, let them inspect the goods to see if they were authentic key points.
After the inspection, he would then exchange money for the key points.
As it turned out, that wasn’t necessary.
He just had to stroll around their offices, and they would take the initiative to send money enthusiastically and generously, without avoiding or hiding the private matter of looking at the key points at all.
Therefore, Meng Qingshe became inflated.
He even dared to step into the Ministry of Works, which he usually didn’t like to visit.
The Minister of Works, Old Dong, had a very big temper.
His voice was loud.
When he spoke, it was like he was cursing, always grumbling.
Even if Meng Qingshe was just strolling, he didn’t like to stroll to the Ministry of Works.
But sometimes he was willing to come over.
Because the craftsmen here in the Ministry of Works made some weapons that were still very useful.
His Green Dragon broadsword had been improved with the help of the craftsmen here.
It was big and sharp, and the sound effects were also very good; when he shook it, the sound was ear-piercing, causing enemies to surrender without a fight.
For this, he had even specially thanked Old Dong and given him two roasted ducks.
Old Dong had happily accepted them, having heard that his daughter liked to eat them.
Meng Qingshe swaggered up to Old Dong.
Seeing the laws and regulations on his desk, his expression grim, sighing from time to time, he understood instantly.
Business had arrived.
“Old Dong, don’t sigh. My in-laws drew up the key points. Do you want to buy them? Forget it, forget it, you’re a good guy, I’ll draw them for you directly. You don’t have to pay me, just don’t tell anyone else.”
Minister Dong came back to his senses and saw Meng Qingshe.
“In-laws? What in-laws?”
He now had a stress reaction whenever he heard the word ‘in-laws’.
He had previously pulled strings for Meng Qingshe, letting the craftsmen make weapons for him, because Old Dong felt that Meng Qingshe’s son was a good person, had a good upbringing, and didn’t have any bad habits.
It was a pity that his daughter was already betrothed, so he couldn’t ‘eat from the bowl while looking at the pot,’ but he could at least allow himself, her father, to look at other young talents, right?
Now, hearing Meng Qingshe talk about in-laws.
He remembered that Meng Qingshe’s fine eldest son was already married, and he had heard that he had two grandsons at once; Meng Qingshe had advertised it all over the Imperial Court, and even the birds on the roof of the Imperial Court knew about it.
Other people’s fine eldest sons were already fathers.
His own daughter was actually suffering from hysteria, wanting her savior to come and marry her.
Sob, sob, sob; thinking of this, grief welled up in Minister Dong’s heart.
“My in-laws, Vice Minister Jiang, of course. He is such a good person, mainly because he is talented and handsome, honest, has no hidden motives, and works hard. My in-law, the mother, is also a good person, manages the household well, so their daughter—who is my daughter-in-law—was taught so well. Her cooking is invincible; she has been at our house for a few days, and our whole family has gained a few pounds. The food is too delicious, and my two big grandsons are the same, growing up white and chubby…”
When Meng Qingshe chatted with people, his old habit would flare up, and he would veer off to his two big grandsons.
Seeing Old Dong opposite him staring blankly, he felt a bit embarrassed and turned the topic back.
“My in-laws, that person is truly good, someone you can deal with. He even knows how to highlight key points…”
Minister Dong suddenly grasped Meng Qingshe’s hand and asked enthusiastically: “Do our in-laws have another son? How old is he? Is he betrothed?”
Thank you for reading + listening 🙂 I hope you all liked my translations. If you enjoyed my work, please consider buying me a Ko-Fi 😉
