nucmednet Chapter 135 Princess Liang
Chapter 135 Princess Liang
When the Wuning Marquisate posted the invitation, it didn't prioritize close or distant relationships. Instead, it sent it to almost all the officials' wives in the capital. This was to prevent anyone from finding out about the auction and complaining that the Marquis' wife hadn't invited them.
Of course, not all of the invited people would come. When sending out invitations, the Wuning Marquis Mansion attached a catalog. This catalog not only briefly introduced what an auction was and stated the rules of the auction, but also drew pictures of some of the goods and the starting prices. This not only allowed the female relatives who did not go out to understand what an auction was, but they would also judge whether it was necessary for them to attend the auction based on the goods and prices in the catalog.
Su Qin did not go to the auction on the day. Even if she went, she would not be able to help much. Qi Lusheng was already very familiar with the auction process. As long as he grasped the rhythm well, the effect on the scene would not be bad. In addition, with the wife of the Marquis of Wuning in charge, nothing would go wrong.
Mr. Zeng did go, and he went with his old friends because the auction would include inkstones, brushes, cultural relics and other items that literati and poets liked, and these items were also made of foreign products.
The invitation was also sent to King Liang. Although King Liang was injured and might not be able to come, he would definitely know about such a grand event being held in the capital. Instead of waiting for King Liang to investigate, it would be better to take the initiative to notify him. It would be open and aboveboard. King Liang would only think that the Wuning Marquis' Mansion was doing business and would not associate it with anything else.
Just as they expected, after receiving the invitation and reading it, King Liang tossed it aside carelessly. He chuckled, "Marquis Wuning is becoming more and more cowardly. He clearly has both literary and martial talents, and if he makes good use of them, he would have a bright future. Instead, he's become like a coward, hiding behind his back. It was outrageous that he spent all day dabbling in literature before, and now he's even engaging in business. It's a waste of the marquisate his ancestors earned for him."
The subordinate asked, "Are you going, Your Majesty?"
Prince Liang said irritably, "No, I don't have time for such a messy auction."
He had been feeling upset these past two days because Gu Yun had submitted a memorial proposing the promotion of sweet potato cultivation. Anyone with a discerning eye could see that this was the emperor's instruction.
Many people looked at the emperor with admiration. They used to think that the emperor was too immature and could not handle such a big responsibility, but now it seems that the emperor has a plan for success, cares about the people, and can govern the country well. Many censors began to submit memorials, saying that the emperor has reached the age to rule the country personally, and the four regent ministers can return power to the emperor. When the memorials were submitted, although the emperor was humble and said that he was still young and needed the support of the regent ministers, Grand Tutor Yan took the lead in expressing his agreement.
Although he was the Prime Minister, Grand Tutor Yan and Grand Preceptor were both old stubborn loyalists and could not be won over. The remaining Privy Councilor was a fence-sitter who would side with whichever side was stronger and could not be relied upon. Therefore, he was isolated and helpless without any strong helpers. Once Grand Tutor Yan and Grand Preceptor supported the emperor to rule the country personally, he would be unable to stop it.
He had been planning for so many years and had finally reached this point. He was on the verge of success, so how could he give up? He was trying to delay the emperor's personal rule, so he had no time to go to an auction.
But he thought about it and picked up the auction item and looked at it again and said, "Send it to the princess and ask her to go there when the time comes. Let her establish a good relationship with the Wuning Marquis Mansion."
In the past, he had been unwilling to bear the infamy of a regicide and usurpation of the throne, and so he had always sought to tarnish the emperor's reputation and thus replace him. However, this path now seemed thorny and difficult, and he had to find another way. He no longer had the heart to follow the usual procedures, and after careful consideration, he decided that if he could not prevent the emperor from ruling the country himself, he would resort to force.
Raising an army to rebel is undoubtedly the most arduous and thorny path, so he must plan ahead and establish strategic positions within the military. With Zhao Liangchen now serving as deputy commander and the Zhao family already allied with him, he believes his control over the Imperial Guard is effortless. Beyond the Imperial Guard, there are also the garrison troops stationed in various regions and the border garrisons. Over the years, he has also placed many trusted aides among them, though unfortunately, none hold high positions. Once he launches his rebellion, he cannot guarantee their full support. However, if Marquis Wuning can also join him, his prestige within the military will surely make his plans more effective.
Princess Liang also came to the auction that day after receiving the order from King Liang. Lady Wuning was a little surprised to see her. She handed the invitation to King Liang and did not expect anyone from King Liang to come, but she did not expect Princess Liang to come and bring her two children with her.
Princess Liang's family wasn't a prestigious family, but a family of merchants. Their family was incredibly wealthy, with wealth piling up like a mountain.
You know, generally speaking, a prince's wife is often from a high-ranking official's family. Even if she is the daughter of a minor official, it is difficult for her to become the main wife, let alone the daughter of a mere merchant?
However, the King of Liang was not of noble birth, lacked strong support in the court, and had no powerful backers to rely on. If he were to plot his way to the supreme throne, his elaborate plans would require a large amount of money as a backing.
Under such circumstances, no matter which high-ranking official's daughter he married, it would probably not bring him any substantial help. After careful consideration, he resolutely chose the daughter of a merchant, and this woman was the jewel in the crown of the local richest man.
To facilitate this marriage, the Prince of Liang even went so far as to stage a dramatic heroic rescue, creating a romantic atmosphere of love at first sight. Ultimately, he successfully overcame the late emperor's strong opposition and married his wife as he wished. Once news of this incident spread, it quickly became a hot topic of discussion, with people recounting the story and praising the Prince of Liang's sincere and deep love for his wife, completely disregarding the skeptical opinions and gossip of ordinary people.
Back then, the Prince of Liang quietly bribed numerous low-ranking officials. Funding for these actions came entirely from the money provided by the Princess's family. Over time, with the Princess's financial support, the Prince of Liang was able to gradually acquire a large number of properties. As a result, the wealth he controlled grew even more substantial. Without this, he likely wouldn't have been able to donate such a staggering amount of money to the people suffering from the disaster.
The low-ranking officials who had invested previously also gained a foothold in the court, and many of them held high positions.
Over the years, in order to maintain his image of unwavering loyalty and deep devotion to Princess Liang, and also to secure strong support from her family, Prince Liang had not even taken in a single concubine. Within the Prince Liang's mansion, Princess Liang held sole power, effectively the sole mistress.
Perhaps it was precisely because of this special treatment and pampering that the Princess of Liang's temperament had undergone a drastic change in recent years. She gradually began to take advantage of her favor and became arrogant, completely different from her initial gentle and humble demeanor. In stark contrast to the gentle and refined personality that the Prince of Liang displayed to outsiders, the Princess of Liang's temper was increasingly violent and perverse, and her behavior was even more domineering and arrogant.
The reason for this isn't hard to understand. After all, Princess Liang's own family wasn't noble, and the ladies from prominent families often looked down on her and were reluctant to socialize with her. This long-term experience of being ignored and neglected left Princess Liang with a deep well of resentment and resentment.
Thus, she turned this resentment into a drive to compete with others, constantly thinking about competing with the wives of the aristocratic families. In addition, King Liang spoiled her in every way and allowed her to squander money as she pleased. She always had to be better than others.
Therefore, when he saw her coming, Marquis Wuning always felt a little uneasy, fearing that she had quarreled with someone today. So he invited her to the largest private room, received her personally, and separated her from others.
Princess Liang was very pleased with the attitude of the wife of Marquis Wuning. After all, King Liang asked her to win over Marquis Wuning. Seeing the attitude of the wife of Marquis Wuning, she felt that she didn't need to put in much effort, as Marquis Wuning would definitely come to her.
She used to dislike the wife of Marquis Wuning, because she, like herself, was famous for being favored by her husband. Marquis Wuning had no concubines and only favored the wife of Marquis Wuning, and he spoiled her until she was as delicate as a young girl.
Both were favored by their husbands, but the wife of Marquis Wuning was more beautiful than the Princess of Liang and had a nobler family background. She was praised and courted wherever she went, which made the Princess of Liang very jealous, so she particularly hated the wife of Marquis Wuning.
If it weren't for King Liang's instructions today, she would never have been able to talk so harmoniously with Marquis Wuning.
However, as soon as the auction started, Princess Liang forgot her mission, and even the wife of Marquis Wuning could no longer control her.