Chapter 1449
Yuan Ying's Bridal Chamber
Chapter 1449 Yuan Ying's Bridal Chamber
After Lin Hao comforted Li Wei, she finally regained her senses, and Lin Hao prepared to toast the guests.
"Xiao Wei"
"What about her?"
"I do not know!"
Suddenly, several familiar voices rang out. Lin Hao looked over and saw Hao Jia, Shangguan Jing, and Lao Jiu Yin Han.
"Over here!" Lin Hao called out, waving.
Then the three of them ran over.
"Sixth Brother!"
"Sixth Young Master!"
"Hmph!" Hao Jia and Yin Han were alright, but Shangguan Jing's attitude was not good.
During her correspondence with her sister these days, she learned that her sister was pregnant.
Her sister hasn't taken in a son-in-law all these years, so it's obvious whose child this is.
The sudden pregnancy of the Danchuan ruler caused quite a stir in the court, but fortunately it was suppressed.
Especially since the Shangguan family had been running Danchuan for so many years and their good deeds for the people were well known to everyone, the matter was simply dropped.
"You're here just in time. Please help me comfort Li Wei!"
"By the way, I just asked Yu Ping and Yu Zhan to prepare the meal. I guess you don't want to go to the banquet, so you can eat with her!"
"I still have to go toast the guests, so I'll be leaving now!" Lin Hao gave them some careful instructions before turning and leaving.
After all, it was his wedding, and all the guests were there, including the new head of the Chuan family. It would be inappropriate for him not to go back.
Fortunately, Lin Hao was a strong drinker, so this small amount of alcohol was no problem for him. The guests didn't make things difficult for him either; they just drank a little and didn't insist.
After the wedding banquet was over and all the guests had left, it was finally time for the wedding night. I was a little excited just thinking about it.
"Creak!" Lin Hao pushed the door open, and what came into view was a graceful figure with her back to him.
Yuan Ying's veil had long been lifted, and she had changed into a black coat. Her hair was piled high, and her graceful figure was exquisitely beautiful.
To be honest, Yuan Ying isn't the kind of stunning beauty that's unparalleled in the world, but her aloof and cool temperament is truly captivating, giving her a cat-like girl vibe.
"I said, you should at least wait until I take off the veil or something before you change your clothes!"
"Besides, isn't it inappropriate for you to be dressed in black, especially since you're newlyweds?" Lin Hao's tone was somewhat displeased.
You know, he had been looking forward to this marriage for a long time, and this happened right after the wedding ceremony.
The bride herself lifted her veil and changed into a black dress. Isn't that a spoilsport?
Then, Yuan Ying stood up and turned to look at Lin Hao.
With her cat-like appearance, alluring eyes, and a cool, aloof demeanor, she exudes a mature and sophisticated aura that captivates and evokes a desire to conquer.
"I have something to say to you!" came the woman's clear, cold voice.
Like Li Wei, Li Wei was able to find out that Lin Hao had a big argument with the Chuanzhu for her sake and was almost thrown out of the court.
Yuan Ying naturally found out that Lin Hao was unwilling to marry her, so she never gave him a friendly look.
While Lin Hao was comforting Li Wei and toasting the guests, Yuan Ying, after careful consideration, felt that Xinchuan was not a place to stay for long and that she had to make plans as soon as possible to secure a way out for herself.
She originally had a good impression of Lin Hao, after all, the Jin Chuan general had praised this sixth young master to the skies.
Therefore, she thought that Lin Hao was a talented young man who might be able to help her realize her ideals and ambitions, but she never expected him to be so incompetent!
"Oh? What do you want to say?" Lin Hao was a little curious. Could it be like in the drama, where she wanted to discuss divorce with him?
Lin Hao knew that Yuan Ying was very ambitious and did not like the infighting within the household. He longed to enter the court as an official and contribute his wisdom to the country.
Then, the two sat side by side on the couch.
After settling in, Yuan Ying glanced at Lin Hao, then said in a serious tone:
"Sixth Young Master must also know that for Jinchuan, the most important thing is business, and our marriage is nothing more than a transaction between the two masters!"
"We are nothing more than two pieces of merchandise, but I do not want to become collateral, and this marriage is not what I desire!"
"Right now, neither of us can turn the tide. In that case, I will do my best to be the young master's wife!"
"I know that the Sixth Young Master previously did everything in his power to gain a seat in court, which shows that you have lofty ambitions!"
"But now, the Lord has not made it clear what department or matter the young master will be in charge of. His career is precarious. At this time, the inner court must not be in turmoil. The young master needs a virtuous wife to help him!"
Upon hearing this, Lin Hao looked at Yuan Ying with amusement and said, "Does the princess mean that she wants to help me manage the inner quarters?"
Yuan Ying smiled gracefully and said calmly:
"I will be your support. Once you have secured your position in the court, I hope you will persuade the new governor to let me leave!"
"Hehe!" Lin Hao chuckled. Yuan Ying was indeed as direct as ever.
However, he also wanted to see what Yuan Ying was thinking, so he asked:
"Does the princess mean that when the time is right, we'll part ways amicably?"
“Exactly!” Yuan Ying nodded in satisfaction, then changed the subject and said:
"The rules of Xinchuan Palace are strict, and women can only be divorced. But I hope the young master understands that I, Yuan Ying, can be widowed and divorced, but I will never be divorced for making a mistake!"
"If you're going to leave, leave with dignity and honor!" Yuan Ying said, raising his head proudly.
"Ah, Princess Jinchuan is famous throughout the land, she is indeed a person with great ambitions!" Lin Hao exclaimed.
"So, Young Master has agreed?" Yuan Ying asked, though there was a hint of disappointment in his eyes.
"No, I refuse!"
Looking at Yuan Ying's bright and beautiful face, Lin Hao's heart stirred. He walked directly to Yuan Ying, picked her up in his arms, ignored her exclamations and struggles, and walked straight to the bedroom, entering the bridal chamber.
It would be foolish to negotiate with such a calm and ambitious woman; one must win her over through action.
······
Early the next morning
Lin Hao noticed the movement beside him, looked at her sleepy eyes, and smoothed the stray hairs on her forehead, saying, "Why don't you sleep a little longer?"
Yuan Ying did not answer Lin Hao's question. Instead, she looked at him with a complicated expression and asked him in return:
"Why did you do that? You should know that my suggestion last night was the best!"
"Just think of it as a man's pride acting up. Since you've married me, you'll be my woman for life, and I won't let you leave!" "You~!" Yuan Ying looked at Lin Hao with a complicated expression, never expecting that this seemingly insignificant sixth young master would be so domineering.
Lin Hao then touched Yuan Ying's soft, boneless hand and said:
"However, I also know that you have great ambitions, are unwilling to be treated as a commodity, do not want to be confined to the inner quarters, want to shine in the court just like men, and yearn to offer advice and strategies in the court!"
Yuan Ying stared wide-eyed at Lin Hao, never expecting that this seemingly insignificant sixth young master knew him so well.
This made her wonder again: was this really the Sixth Young Master she knew, the one who had little presence and a rather low reputation?
"To be honest, it's a waste of your talents to manage the inner quarters. If you don't want to manage the inner quarters in the future, you can gradually hand it over to your concubine, Li Wei. That way, you can get rid of the complicated affairs of the inner quarters!"
"But she doesn't understand anything, so you'll have to train her properly to make her capable of managing the household!"
"So how do you plan to arrange things for me?" Yuan Ying was somewhat tempted, but still asked curiously.
"As for your arrangements, I have already thought them through. Once I ascend to the position of the new ruler of the river, I can arrange for you to enter the court and participate in politics. However, whether you can gain a foothold in the court will depend on your abilities!"
"Are you sure?" Yuan Ying's eyes lit up immediately upon hearing this. His previously cold and aloof demeanor finally crumbled, and he said somewhat impatiently:
"I know that male chauvinism is particularly severe in Xinchuan, and there has never been a precedent of a woman serving as an official in the court!"
"Are you sure you can withstand the pressure from the ministers?" Yuan Ying was secretly pleased, but still voiced his concerns.
Lin Hao smiled, took a folded document from under his pillow, and handed it to Yuan Ying, saying:
"Many officials in Xinchuan are corrupt and incompetent. I have long intended to replace them. These are the positions I will replace in the future. You can take a look and see which position you would like to go to next."
"You don't need to worry about anything else. Once I'm in power, they won't have a say in whether they want to or not!"
Yuan Ying picked up the document and glanced at it, then looked at Lin Hao with some suspicion and asked:
"Are you so sure you'll become the new governor of the river?"
Lin Hao looked at Yuan Ying with a leisurely air and said matter-of-factly:
"Of course, you don't actually think I'm the weak, helpless, and useless spoiled brat that people say I am, do you?"
Yuan Ying was stunned for a moment upon hearing this, then suddenly realized what he meant.
For some reason, thinking of Lin Hao's fierce and skillful advance last night, sometimes engaging in close combat, sometimes launching long-distance raids, and causing rivers of blood to flow at every turn, Yuan Ying's pretty face suddenly turned slightly red.
Unexpectedly, Lin Hao was hiding his true intentions so well. The Sixth Young Master, whom I had inquired about before, had little presence and was quite reckless, even going to pay back the money owed to officials who had internal debts!
The Sixth Young Master, who even argued with the new Sichuan Lord in his attempt to elevate his concubine Li Wei to the position of Empress, and nearly got expelled from the court, is a completely different person from the Sixth Young Master before us.
Looking at Lin Hao's situation from a different perspective, it's clear that all his actions had a deeper meaning.
Sure enough, Lin Hao chuckled and analyzed for her:
"Among the many young masters of Xinchuan, the eldest is not a legitimate son. He has been guarding Mochuan for many years, and the army is not under his command. He has long lost the qualification to compete for the position of the river master."
"The second brother, Yin Song, is all bark and no bite. He is selfish and ambitious, and I don't even have to do much for him. He will make mistakes on his own initiative."
"Moreover, he is quite ruthless. He poisoned his wife, Zhao Fang, causing her to be childless for so many years. And his other concubine, Hao Jia, is the same!"
Lin Hao almost revealed some of his plans at this point, then changed the subject:
"They have also become disloyal to him. Many court officials outwardly follow him, but you must understand that they are first and foremost the confidants supported by the Sichuan Emperor, and only secondly support the second son. Therefore, he is not a threat at all!"
"My relationship with the third brother, Yin An, is barely acceptable, but he is focused on business and has never had any ambition for the position of Chief of Sichuan!"
"But these are all just a cover-up for him. He's just trying to protect himself. Once you meet him, you'll know what kind of person he is. He's just too talkative, so there's nothing to worry about!"
"The fourth brother, Yin Jun, currently follows the lead of the second brother. He's a bully who uses his power to curry favor and cause trouble. He's quite cunning!"
"Among his many brothers, he is the only one who has shown his abilities to the outside world. However, he is wholeheartedly devoted to following the second brother and has no desire for the position of Chief of the River!"
"However, his wife is not to be underestimated. As long as the second son is still alive, she probably has no plans. But once the second son falls, she may force the fourth son to embark on the path of vying for the throne."
"Fifth brother Yin Qi is someone I'm relatively close to. You'll meet him in a few days. Although he's a bit simple-minded and somewhat uneducated, he's kind-hearted and won't amount to much."
"The seventh brother is weak-willed and incompetent!"
"The eighth son died young."
"I have a pretty good relationship with Lao Jiu. He's always surrounded by women, but he doesn't have any bad intentions. He also has no interest in the position of Chief of Sichuan."
"The tenth son is still young, and he's a mama's boy. He listens to Mrs. Chuan in everything and is useless."
"Eleven is still too young, there's absolutely no chance, and besides, his relationship with me is a bit complicated, you'll find out later~!"
Yuan Ying looked at Lin Hao with a puzzled expression. After listening to Lin Hao's detailed analysis of his brothers, he was somewhat dumbfounded and said:
"You really know these brothers inside and out!"
Lin Hao smiled upon hearing this, shook his head, and said:
"It's not that I want to find out their background, it's that they never know how to hide anything. You haven't been to the Young Master's Academy. If you had, you would know what kind of people they are!"
As he spoke, Lin Hao also felt quite incredulous. Everyone else was vying for the throne among nine princes, but it seemed like none of his brothers could amount to anything.
"By the way, tell me your choice. You can forget about going back to Jinchuan. Do you want to manage the inner court or enter the imperial court?"
"I hope you keep your word in the imperial court!" Yuan Ying stared intently into Lin Hao's eyes, his gaze filled with longing.
"Of course!" Lin Hao didn't flinch, just looked at her and said, "A promise is a promise!"
"Okay, I believe you!" Yuan Ying said with satisfaction.
"Oh, right!" Lin Hao thought for a moment and said with a hint of helplessness:
"Li Wei doesn't know anything. From now on, the backyard is in your hands. You'd better teach her properly!"
"Among the people in the manor, Su Shen and Liu Baoquan have been with me for many years and are extremely loyal. Li Wei can also be trusted. Song Wu is like my sister, so you can discipline her as you please!"
"Jade bottles and jade cups, as well as gold bottles and gold cups, can be trusted. As for the other servants, you can use them as you see fit!"
Lin Hao explained the people and affairs in his mansion to Yuan Ying one by one.
"Don't worry, I'll manage the backyard well and won't hold you back!" Yuan Ying said confidently.
"Then thank you very much, my lady!" Lin Hao said, sitting up and giving Yuan Ying a kiss.
Yuan Ying had resigned herself to her fate. She blinked her big eyes at Lin Hao, not only not resisting, but also awkwardly cooperating. However, a blush rose on her face.
After another internal struggle, the two washed up and went their separate ways.