lcionline Chapter 600 Lin Yueniang's Handwritten Letter
Chapter 600 Lin Yueniang's Handwritten Letter
When Jiang Xiaoqi delivered the second batch of exam preparation materials for the spring imperial examinations, Qiu Feng finally remembered that he had forgotten something.
He had forgotten about the letter Madame Chiang had written to Lord Chiang; that letter was still in his bag and hadn't been taken out.
"My mother gave it to me? Uh, you've met her?"
Jiang Xiaoqi didn't blame Qiu Feng for the delayed delivery; she was just curious about how her mother had run into Qiu Feng.
Qiu Feng was busy helping to settle the craftsmen from the south as soon as he returned; he really didn't forget on purpose.
"Yes, I must say, the successful recruitment this time was all thanks to Aunt Jiang's help; otherwise, I might not have been able to return to Beijing on time."
Qiu Feng explained how he met Lin Yueniang in the south, and then quickly handed over the belated letter from home.
"This was given to me by Aunt Jiang before I left. I tried to persuade her to go back to Beijing for a visit, but she refused."
"Yes, Mother does like the environment in the South, and she has adapted to it over the past two years."
"Doesn't Lord Jiang miss his mother? Oh, I didn't mean anything by it, I just feel..."
"Of course I miss her, but missing her shouldn't become an invisible thread binding her. She is herself first, and then someone else's mother."
Jiang Xiaoqi's argument surprised Qiu Feng, and also... gave him a fresh perspective.
A mother is herself first, and only then is she someone else's mother.
This was the first time he had ever heard such words. Shouldn't mothers always put their children first?
It seems that things weren't like that in the Chiang family?
While Qiu Feng was still in a daze, Jiang Xiaoqi had already opened the letter and started reading it, a smile gradually appearing on her lips.
The letter was filled with concern for Jiang Xiaoqi, and of course, a hint of hidden guilt.
Why feel guilty? Jiang Xiaoqi didn't think her mother owed anyone anything.
The fact that the Chiang family is now able to acquire more and more properties in the capital is largely thanks to my mother.
"Mrs. Jiang's carefree and unrestrained lifestyle must be the envy of many women."
"But not everyone has a son like you, Lord Jiang, and not every family can allow their wives to go out and do business, showing their faces in public."
“My mother respects my choice, and I understand her choice.”
As for others, while questioning whether the woman should show her face in public, they should also examine where their own food and necessities come from.
In short, money talks!
"Moreover, everyone is an independent individual and should not sacrifice themselves or even forget themselves for others."
My mother and I are just an ordinary mother and son. Keeping someone constantly by your side and worrying about you doesn't count as filial piety.
Women can also soar freely in the vast world, where birds fly high and fish leap wide.
Although the capital city is a place of great prosperity and power and wealth, it is still too crowded and cannot accommodate a free spirit.
Qiu Feng nodded thoughtfully, then suddenly remembered something and said with a smile, "By the way, Lord Jiang, could I show those guys your Spring Examination Guide?"
They are all considered to be under the Second Prince's control. If they pass this exam, we'll have more manpower in the future.
These days, juggling work and school, Qiu Feng is really on the verge of a breakdown.
His father wasn't treating him like a human being; he was treating him like a mule.
Of course, he couldn't say anything about his father, since his father was more tired and had more things to do.
Jiang Xiaoqi smiled as he looked at the pile of books. "Why not? They were supposed to get a share of what I sent this time. Brother Qiu, you can decide how to distribute them."
"Really?! Then thank you so much, Lord Jiang."
"Alright, I know you call me Master Jiang in private. You've said it before, so don't be so serious."
Since we'll be colleagues serving in the same court in the future, there's no need to address me as "Sir." You're older than me, so just call me Mingfei.
"Oh, I really can't accept this~"
"Stop pretending, you're not as straightforward as you were when you were a kid."
"Hehe, then thank you very much, Mingfei!"
After leaving the Qiu family, Jiang Xiaoqi once again took out her mother's handwritten letter.
This time, he looked more closely. In addition to letting his mother know he was safe and asking about his recent situation, his mother also mentioned a strange thing she had seen in the South.
Lin Yueniang was unaware that two hundred young men in the capital had almost been smuggled to Japan, but the incident she mentioned in her letter was strikingly similar.
Recently, many men from families in the South have gone out to work under the pretext of other jobs. Some have returned, while others have not.
This is one of the reasons why Qiucheng encounters difficulties when recruiting workers; there are reasons such as language barriers and a lack of trust among the people.
It was only when Lin Yueniang, a familiar face in the south, stepped forward to vouch for them that the craftsmen lowered their guard.
Another disappearance?
Jiang Xiaoqi originally thought that the matter of missing persons should have come to an end after capturing the Japanese pirates from Mifune, but unexpectedly, while things were fine in the north, trouble arose in the south.
Is this another instance of Japanese pirates causing trouble, shifting their focus to the south?
Or is someone else stirring up trouble in the shadows?
Lin Feng has already handed over his current tasks and will be returning to Beijing soon, which will alleviate his manpower shortage problem.
Before returning to Beijing, should we ask Lin Feng to investigate the missing persons cases in the South?
Since multiple people have disappeared together in the south, what about other places? Could there be similar cases that haven't yet attracted attention or been exposed?
Jiang Xiaoqi hadn't used carrier pigeons for a long time, so this time he wrote several letters and released them all at the same time.
Once the carrier pigeons left the Chiang family's residence, they parted ways and flew off in different directions.
It wasn't that Jiang Xiaoqi was overly sensitive; it was just that this year was different from previous years, a crucial year for both the Second Prince and him.
After all, the Empress had truthfully informed him about the Longevity Pill and His Majesty's actual physical condition, so that he could make arrangements for the Second Prince as soon as possible.
Although the Empress was well-informed in the palace, there was actually very little she could do. After all, the lack of a powerful maternal family was the Second Prince's weakness.
Fortunately, Princess Xuan Nan and Prince Xuan Nan stood behind the Second Prince; otherwise, the Second Prince would have been quite pitiful.
There are too many things to accomplish this year: building ships to sail the seas and seize silver mines, vying for the throne and becoming emperor.
Ahem, it's about helping the second prince become emperor.
All of this must be completed within a year, Alexander.
Therefore, the more pressing the time, the more important it is not to overlook even the slightest thing that seems wrong, as even the smallest detail can sometimes determine success or failure.
Jiang Xiaoqi's biggest worry was that there might be other princes with private armies elsewhere. If His Majesty didn't eliminate them in time, he estimated that he would have to hand over the tenants he had accumulated over the years.
But he didn't want his people to bleed and die unless absolutely necessary.
Kindness is not suited for commanding troops, and righteousness is not suited for managing finances; Jiang Xiaoqi was ultimately not cut out to be a general.