diskusbooks Chapter 969 Pengpeng's Bitter Stories
Chapter 969 Pengpeng's Bitter Stories
Even the beady-eyed man, who usually didn't care much about royal affairs, sighed: "The late emperor had four sons, and in such a short time, they have all passed away one after another, leaving only Your Majesty. Although power and money are good things, I think that sometimes power and money can also be harmful."
These words not only referred to the Fourth Prince, but also touched upon his painful past.
Zhang Ping'an was still pondering how to tell him the situation he had found out in Ruos, but seeing that Green Eyes was clearly saddened for Fusi and her son, he no longer hesitated, put down his chopsticks and said, "Everyone has their own choices and destiny, and many times, human power cannot stop them."
Listening closely, the man with the beady eyes paused for a moment, then suddenly realized something, his expression turning serious. "What? Your people have found out about them, mother and child?"
For the past few months, Green Bean Eyes had been waiting for news from Zhang Ping'an. He was very anxious, but he had to put on a calm face. It was not without its torment.
Zhang Ping'an nodded: "That's right, we did find out. I didn't expect to get news so quickly, but my sister-in-law inherited the throne of Rus' a year ago and became their new queen, so it's easy to find out information. Just ask any commoner."
The man with the beady eyes was stunned for a long time upon hearing this, but his face didn't show much surprise. After a moment, he sighed as if he had breathed a sigh of relief.
“When she insisted on returning to Russo, I knew this day might come. She is a woman with great vision and talent. Such a woman should not be confined to the inner quarters for her whole life, dealing with pots and pans, eating, drinking, and relieving herself, and revolving around her husband and children. Now that she has finally gotten her wish, I can breathe a sigh of relief. At least I don’t have to lose sleep day and night anymore, worrying about the safety and life of her and her children.”
Although he spoke lightly, Zhang Ping'an knew that Green Bean Eyes was actually a very sentimental person. He had never let go of Fusi and her son all these years, and he must be in a lot of pain.
"Sigh, it's good that you understand. I was worried you'd blame her for not writing to let you know she was safe. After all these years, no matter how difficult things were for her back home, we were still husband and wife. It would have been necessary for her to send a letter, wouldn't it?!"
Although the other party is now a queen, and it's obvious that there's no possibility for the two of them anymore, they were still husband and wife after all.
Upon hearing this, Green Bean waved her hand, her eyes clear yet restrained. "It's normal for Ivy not to write. She never likes to drag things out; cutting off everything that happened in the Great Zhou is her style. I've never blamed her. As the saying goes, 'It takes a hundred years to share a boat ride and a thousand years to share a pillow.' Knowing that she's doing well is enough!"
These were the words in Green Bean Eyes' heart. He had long been mentally prepared for this, but when he learned the result, the anxiety in his heart finally died.
Zhang Ping'an was very impressed after hearing this. He raised his hand and patted the man with the beady eyes on the shoulder in silent comfort, and then said nothing more.
Green Bean Eyes was optimistic by nature. After learning the outcome, he felt relieved and quickly cheered up. He then changed the subject and asked Little Fish about the imperial examination.
"Alright, let's not talk about my business anymore. The case of the Hibiscus Ointment has been resolved now. The most important thing right now is my nephew's imperial examination. By the way, the results will be released in a few days. Why haven't I seen Xiaoyuer?"
Hearing this, Zhang Ping'an smiled helplessly, "He can't sit still at home. Ever since the exam, he's been going out to party with others every day. This kid knows what he's doing, so I don't interfere. We'll just wait and see the results after the provincial exams are released!"
Knowing Zhang Ping'an's personality, the man with the beady eyes guessed from Zhang Ping'an's words that Xiao Yu'er had probably done very well on the exam. So he smiled but didn't say anything. "Looks like I'm just waiting to come over for the feast. I'll definitely prepare a generous gift for my nephew then!"
"Well, no rush, no rush," Zhang Ping'an said with a modest smile.
Meanwhile, Xiaoyuer, the person at the center of the conversation, was out enjoying the spring outing with others and seemed to be having a lot of fun, but he was already feeling bored and tired of this repetitive social interaction day after day.
However, some people's family background is indeed something they can use in the future, so they have to be on their toes and deal with it.
In officialdom, it's all about exchanging resources. Although his father held real power in the Privy Council and was considered a high-ranking official, it's easier to deal with the devil than with his underlings. There are many other powerful figures who should not be underestimated.
While there's no need to deliberately flatter, one also can't afford to offend people too much, otherwise one's path in officialdom will only become narrower and narrower. This is a principle that Xiaoyuer has understood since childhood, and it has always been his principle of conduct.
As he grew older, he learned to restrain his arrogance, domineering nature, and sharpness, and instead learned to package himself with family background, talent, character, and appearance, navigating the complexities of human relationships.
Although he did very well, over time, he inevitably felt somewhat depressed, always feeling that he had mastered too little, while he needed to acquire far too many resources.
Although Pengpeng's status is not high enough to be considered among the young masters of the capital, he is very clear about his position. Therefore, he doesn't care even if he is ignored or occasionally provoked. This is his strength.
This is also something that Little Fish is slightly lacking.
"Cousin, you're someone I brought along, a young master of the Zhang family. Don't lower yourself too much. Some people you can get along with, and some you can't, so don't bother with them. Be good at socializing," Xiaoyuer reminded him when she had a moment.
Pengpeng smiled, not minding Xiaoyuer's attitude. There was no one else around. He had just finished two cups of apricot blossom wine, and his cheeks were a little red, so he spoke without beating around the bush.
With one hand on Xiaoyuer's shoulder and the other patting his own cheek to clear his head, he said, "Cousin, although we are relatives, our situations are worlds apart. You are not in my position, so you don't understand my predicament. I don't have your family background, nor your talent, nor am I as good as you, and I'm not as good at reading people and speaking."
So it's destined that someone like me can only play a supporting role. I know that I probably won't pass the exam this time, and even if I take it again in the future, the result may not be satisfactory. Besides, I really can't take the exam for three years and then another three years. I would go crazy if I did!
The most likely outcome is that I'll have to rely on my uncle to help me find a job. But even then, I'll still have to deal with these people outside. It's always good to maintain good relationships these days. Life is hard enough as it is. A smiling face is nothing. Don't be fooled by my seemingly good life with three wives and four concubines in Lin'an. You have no idea about the pressure I'm under. The whole clan is pinning their hopes on me, hoping I can become the next uncle.
But different people have different fates; some can do it, but I just can't!