This was truly the case. Perhaps the reason people thought this young miss was unusual was not only because of her astonishing words, but also because she had struck some of Emperor Xi's hidden thoughts.
But how would such a young girl know these things? Although she appeared to be belittling herself, Emperor Xi had admired her more and more. No one believed a teenage girl came up with this.
During these days, many people guessed that it might be something the Zhenguo Duke came up with to protect himself. Senior Concubien Xu's group had the same thoughts.
"Is there perhaps a leak by the second prince's side? Otherwise, how could the Zhenguo Duke know ahead of time and make arrangements?" Yan Ting did his best to direct all of the second prince faction's anger onto the Zhenguo Duke.
"That father-in-law of mine is truly a stubborn old man! Regarding the second prince's intentions, I've mentioned it to him several times. He's always brushed them aside, and even said a few unpleasant words....heir has asked me in the past but it was never convenient for me to say anything. After all, how can I criticize my father-in-law..."
"Oh? What unpleasant words did the Zhenguo Duke say?" Xu Xiang Rong's interest was piqued.
Yan Ting sighed deeply and grumbled about the difficulties of being the Zhenguo Duke's son-in-law. He mentioned how he was firmly suppressed the whole time. He wasn't young anymore but the duke would always talk down to him. His tone was filled with resentment.
This wasn't false. Yan Ting only had to reveal a little of the resentment he felt inside to lend credibility to his words.
He then said the Zhenguo Duke had previously boldly stated that the Zhenguo Duke Estate has no need to show the second prince goodwill. No matter which prince ascended the throne, the Zhenguo Duke Estate would always be powerful. According to him, the Zhenguo Duke also said things like the Xu household who came from a common butcher's background wanting the throne were the ravings of lunatics.
The Zhenguo Duke Estate truly didn't need to show goodwill to Senior Concubine Xu's faction. The Shen household had maintained their position for so many years and were only loyal to the current emperor. Everyone was aware of this.
This was already clear during the early years of the previous emperor. No matter how the previous empress dowager tried to rope him in, the Zhenguo Duke never responded. He even remained at the distant border for over a decade without returning just to avoid getting involved in the princes' struggles.
After Emperor Xi succeeded the throne, the previous empress dowager and his two brothers caused chaos. The Zhenguo Duke returned to support Emperor Xi merely because he had been previously appointed the crown prince with the rights to the throne. The Zhenguo Duke Estate had always been loyal to the monarch.
The reason such libel was believable was because it contained some truths.
Yan Ting's words were seventy percent true and thirty percent false. It was precisely the false part that enraged Xu Xiang Rong.
Everyone knew the Xu household had a common background as a butcher's household. Even though they shed that layer of skin and became the Chengen Marquis Estate, it couldn't wipe away their past.
Senior Concubine Xu was favored and also gave birth to two princes. No one dared to gossip about their household in the capital.
Back when they first entered the capital, a noble descendent had once mocked them during an argument with Xu Xiang Rong. Xu Xiang Rong didn't react at the time. Afterwards, that person died while visiting a brothel. Everyone knew that person was young and vigorous. How could he die in the middle of doing the deed? However, all the investigations showed this was the case.
Due to the manner of his death, that household became a laughing stock in the capital. Afterwards, some shameful secrets of that household were brought to light, and along with Senior Concubine Xu slandering them in front of Emperor Xi, they were expelled from the capital.
There was a saying that those who butchered pigs were all ruthless people.
Although this was a generalization, it wasn't without reason. It was known that butchers slaughtered countless pigs every year. Although people viewed them as food, they were still living things. Naturally it wasn't apparent when eating, but to personally wield the knife and cut them apart was extremely taxing on the mind.
Xu Xiang Rong had accompanied his father in butchering pigs from a young age. When he was around ten, he could already butcher a large fat pig by himself. That year, Senior Concubine Xu was chosen as one of the commoners to enter the palace.
The commoners knew that this selection was brutal and would do their best to avoid it but the Xu household had a lowly status. The magistrate had seen that the quota for the selection was far from being filled and personally sent his bailiffs to grab people.
Senior Concubine Xu was famously good looking from a young age. Her father cherished her and hoped to find her a good marriage when she came of age. Unexpectedly, before that could happen, her good looks had attracted calamity.
Commoners couldn't struggle against officials.
Senior Concubine Xu thus entered the palace.
Due to her looks, Senior Concubine Xu was conferred as an unranked attendant, the lowest rank of imperial concubines.
While Senior Concubine Xu was battling in the rear palace, Xu Xiang Rong wildly butchered pigs. He planned to earn more money so he can provide his sister a means of living after she was released from the palace.
The commoners assumed those who were selected would become palace maids in the palace. A palace maid was a bitter position. Not only was it easy to lose one's life but they would only get released when they were twenty-five. No one was willing to marry a girl who was that old. Those who married them were all widowers.
They didn't realize that once these people entered the wealthiest and most powerful place under the heavens, anything was possible. Who would have thought a commoner girl like the Xu household's daughter would end up becoming the most favored concubine within the six palaces?
After a few years, the news was spread back to the countryside and the Xu household leapt through the dragon's gate overnight.
At that time Senior Concubine Xu wasn't the senior concubine yet, but merely a concubine. She had just given birth to the second prince.
Xu Xiang Rong had been opinionated from birth.
His father was a forthright person. He never bothered with household matters, and focused on butchering pigs and earning money for the family.
His mother was the one responsible for the household. Senior Concubine Xu had shared half that responsibility after growing up. After she entered the palace, Xu Xiang Rong became responsible for the household's direction.
When Xu Xiang Rong heard the news, he didn't rush to move the family to the capital. Instead, he continued to mind his own business, butchering pigs.
In his free time, he invited some teachers and learned to read and write. He had been streetwise from a young age, and wasn't a shortsighted person. He naturally understood the capital was where all the nobility and officials gathered. His household's background was lowly, and moving there now would only lose his sister's face. His father, the old yokel, had also been forced to read and learn etiquette. He was quite miserable.
Everyone in the county knew that an imperial concubine had come from their Xu household and that she had given birth to a prince. She may even become the empress in the future (please don't take the thoughts of commoners seriously).
The Xu household rose like a boat with the tide. They could even visit the magistrate's office. However, the Xu household remained low-key. They even stopped their butcher business. The entire household rarely went out, and never abused their new status to dominate the countryside.
The remained hidden for several years, until Senior Concubine Xu gave birth to the third prince and became the senior concubine. Only then did Xu Xiang Rong bring the family to the capital. At that time, while they didn't have the bearings of a major clan, they had at least gotten rid of their crude habits. They could pass as a well off proper little family.
Emperor Xi naturally wouldn't fail to observe the maternal family of his favored concubine. After watching them for several years, he was extremely satisfied. He didn't mind their lowly status. He was afraid they would forget themselves due to their newfound status. The news that Senior Concubine Xu had become an imperial concubine was naturally spread with Emperor Xi's permission. Otherwise, the remote county where the Xu household resided would never have gotten this news.
Emperor Xi was very satisfied with the Xu household's low-key and dutiful conduct. Along with the fact that Senior Concubine Xu had quite some contributions (giving birth to two sons), the Xu household was given the title of the Chengen Marquis the moment they entered the city. This title was granted to relatives, and had no real authority. However, to them it was still like being born again.
The Xu household was naturally surprised and overjoyed. Only then did they understand why their son had done so many seemingly useless things. It turns out that his words "go big or go home" back then referred to this.
At that time, Xu Xiang Rong had just started learning to read and write. He would be lectured by the teacher daily. Anyone else would have been annoyed, but he took pleasure in it. Every now and then, he would even write an essay. Unfortunately his vocabulary was limited, and his essays were half formal and half colloquial. It even included some slang.
When the Xu household formally entered the capital's social circles, his parents unavoidably made fools of themselves several times. However, they never abused their position and never argued with others. They would go back and study hard to change themselves. Gradually, people stopped laughing about their background. People could also see that Emperor Xi punished those who mocked the Chengen Marquis and his madam.
As time passed, everyone realized that they couldn't be provoked.
Not only were they honest and straightforward, they even had a daughter who was favored within the palace. This "honest and straightforward" image was something Xu Xiang Rong had established for his parents. Their personalities were this way to begin with and he didn't force them to change.
This sort of personality was the most looked down upon and also the least guarded against. It was sufficient for him to be the only perceptive one in the family.
Despite Senior Concubine Xu being at the height of her power, it was also illusory. She had no foundations and completely depended on Emperor Xi's favor. The Xu household couldn't afford to make any waves back then and couldn't afford to provoke those people. They could only hide and slowly scheme. Over a decade has passed since.
The Chengen Marquis Estate remained low-key but no one dared to take them lightly. To have struggled with the crown prince's faction for so long, they couldn't have only relied on his majesty's favor.
Xu Xiang Rong was this sort of person. He had the street smarts of his lowly profession, but also the educated air that he had developed. Having been in the capital for over ten years, it was sufficient for him to obtain a qualified noble posting. He was also good at enduring and sufficiently sinister. Not only was he ruthless to others, he was also ruthless to himself. His schemes were outstanding but unconventional. His methods were very often rather underhanded, and normal people would disdain them, but they were oddly effective.
Yan Ting had interacted with him for several years, and had seen and heard quite a bit. Yan Ting had also witnessed how he had tripped up the crown prince's faction several times. He naturally understood this person deeply.
The reason Yan Ting said these things wasn't just to push the blame onto the Zhenguo Duke. He also wanted to create a demon-like hidden enemy for the Zhenguo Duke. He hated the Zhenguo Duke Estate's people deeply, and wished to have their entire family executed in the streets. He naturally did his best to slander them.
"What a great Zhenguo Duke!"
Xu Xiang Rong narrowed his drunken eyes and threw out these words. Yan Ting knew he now hated the Shen household.
Yan Ting was smug that he had succesfully avoided this obstacle. Although the second prince's side had a bad impression of him, he ultimately managed to divert their grudge. He could still improve things in the future, and could be said to have resolved the threat at hand.
He failed to consider that since the second and third princes didn't have their own estate yet, all of Senior Concubine Xu's outside influence was in Xu Xiang Rong's hands. He wasn't someone to be trifled with.
How could Yan Ting's minor schemes escape his eyes? They each merely had their own plans.
His plan was actually very simple. However, it wasn't suitable to say out loud.
Xu Xiang Rong slowly roamed his eyes over the unaware Yan Ting. His alcohol-stained lips curved in a smile.