Mother Zhou bowed in response, then turned around to arrange for someone to carry out Jiang Shuxiu's orders.
The sound of beatings and wailing soon rang out, and all the servants in the yard were silent, and no one dared to plead for mercy.
Some people were already chanting Amitabha in their hearts. Fortunately, they had corrected their bad habits before, otherwise they might be the ones getting beaten.
They all knew that Jiang Shuxiu was really angry this time, and Old Madam Hong Yingrong also made it clear that she supported the Young Madam. If they got into trouble at this time, they would undoubtedly be asking for trouble.
After dealing with these things, Jiang Shuxiu felt tired. After sending everyone away, she sat in the main seat and gently rubbed her temples with her fingers.
"Young Madam, the prince is back. He is back to Lanyue Pavilion." Mother Zhou came over and reported softly.
As soon as Jiang Shuxiu heard this, he knew that Xue Yuanchu must have not slept all night, otherwise he would have gone to Mo Yunxuan's study and hid there.
"It's not even morning yet, I'll go check it out first."
Then he said to Bingqiao, the maid beside him, "Go to Fanghua Garden and tell the two sisters that the old lady left the Buddhist temple this morning and looked in good spirits. Ask them to go to the Prajna Hall later to pay their respects. I will have breakfast delivered to them as well."
"Yes, young lady."
Bingqiao bowed her head and saluted, then left the Xiangyun Hall.
The morning meeting was over, and Mother Zhou followed Jiang Shuxiu to the Lanyue Pavilion where she lived. Along the way, she recounted the details of the prince's return.
"The carriage brought the prince back alone. As soon as Are saw him, he informed Laixi to come and pick him up. It seemed that he had been drinking."
"If the old lady sends someone to ask, just say that the prince has been tired these days. Last night he was pestered by several young masters from aristocratic families and they chatted until midnight." Jiang Shuxiu said helplessly.
"I understand," Mother Zhou replied.
As soon as you enter the Lanyue Pavilion, you will see a crescent-shaped lotus pond, which looks like a crescent moon and is very ingenious.
It is early spring, and a few early-awakened lotus leaves quietly emerge from the water, fresh, green and full of vitality.
Mother Zhou was waiting in the outer hall. When Jiang Shuxiu entered the inner room, she saw Xue Yuanchu leaning leisurely on the couch. He had taken off his outer clothes and was only wearing an apricot-colored robe as an inner garment, which made him look taller and more elegant.
Xue Yuanchu did not join the army. The old marquis had planned to let him take the imperial examination so that he could achieve great success in literature and governance.
Therefore, although Xue Yuanchu inherited the old marquis's heroic and upright physique, he was immersed in poetry and books since childhood, and exuded an elegant and handsome aura from the inside out.
Especially between his eyebrows and eyes, there was the gentleness and talent unique to scholars. Before he got married, countless noble ladies in Beijing were fascinated by him.
Lai Xi brought over some sobering soup. Jiang Shuxiu felt that the smell of alcohol in the room was not strong. If she brought the sobering soup over, it would seem deliberate, as if she knew her husband had drunk alcohol last night and was afraid of upsetting him.
"Bring me the maple tea I brewed this morning. It's just turning the right color now."
When Lai Xi heard this, he went to change it immediately.
Xue Yuanchu, who was lying on the couch, heard her voice, but he still closed his eyes and rested, but with a smile on his face, he started to tell jokes.
"When I came in just now, I heard you, my lady, making decisions in the courtyard. What's strange is that mother was there, and she actually let you do it... I've always been annoyed with those old maids. They take advantage of mother's kindness and become more and more arrogant. Even outside the Marquis' Mansion, they act like masters."
"Now if you punish a few of them, they will behave themselves."
Jiang Shuxiu brought the maple tea to the couch and sat down.
"You come back and make fun of me. Mother-in-law is very understanding. What happened today..."
Before she could finish her words, Xue Yuanchu turned over and hugged her, and the teacup in Jiang Shuxiu's hand was knocked over.
It is said that Xue Yuanchu went to the private residence of the two playboys of Shou Kangbo's family in Maoer Hutong last night, and he really spent the whole night in dissolute dissoluteness.
The brothers Jiang Ren and Jiang Yi placed a few newly bought young actors there. They were learning the roles of female dan in Kunqu Opera. Although they were young, their voices were as loud as those of girls, which was quite unique.
Among them was a newly grown servant who could not speak Mandarin and spoke with an accent from the southwest, so he did not learn to sing. He only served them drinks. His pair of slender phoenix eyes looked at people with a look of affection, as if he was not happy but not happy.
Even Yan Qingfan, the second son of the Marquis of Beixiang, who was famous for his love of pleasure, was amazed and enjoyed it immensely when he went there.
He just thought that he had to bury his father's coffin tomorrow, otherwise Xue Yuanchu might not be willing to come back now.
When he returned home, he was still distracted. Seeing his wife in mourning clothes, as elegant and refined as an orchid under the moon, his head immediately became hot.
Since getting married, Jiang Shuxiu is still as shy as a young girl in her bedroom. Her graceful figure behind the curtains makes him unable to stop.
Although some people said that he had no children yet, Xue Yuanchu was not in a hurry. Not to mention that he could take in a concubine to take his place in the future, even if he didn't have any, he could adopt one from his second or third brothers.
As long as he retains the title of Marquis, as the Crown Prince, he won't have to worry about having no one to serve him filially in the future.
"Husband, we are still in mourning..."
"Why bother with these things..."
Lai Xi observed the other person's expressions and had already left the inner room. He cleverly closed the door and stood outside the room, not allowing anyone else to approach.
…
In the Prajna Hall, Nanny Zhao lit ambergris in the room.
"Madam, Bingqiao just replied, saying that she went to Fanghua Garden to ask, and the fourth and fifth girls know that you have left the Prajna Hall. They will come to pay their respects later and have breakfast together."
Hong Yingrong nodded: "I understand."
Then she put the Buddhist beads she often used into a wooden box engraved with a passion flower. In this life, the stability of the Marquis's mansion no longer needed to be prayed to the illusory will of heaven, but depended entirely on man's ability to conquer nature.
"Ah Zhao."
When Zhao Ma Ma heard the old lady calling her, she walked into the side room and saw Hong Yingrong's serious expression. She knew that it was an important matter, so she listened to her instructions quietly.
"Go and find out something for me quietly, and don't let anyone else know."
They whispered a few words, both of them lowering their voices.
"...brothel?"
"Let your nephew go and ask if the boss has redeemed anyone and is keeping them outside."
When Aunt Zhao heard Hong Yingrong say this, she was a little frightened.
It is common for the sons of officials to seek pleasure from prostitutes, but redeeming a prostitute and keeping her as a mistress is not even considered a concubine.
Even if he has three wives and four concubines, he still has to be decent. He can't just marry a prostitute who is available to everyone. If he meets his former patron in the court, can he still be considered a brother-in-law?
"Don't worry, old lady. I'll ask my nephew to investigate carefully and make sure not a single rumor gets out." Madam Zhao responded seriously.
Hong Yingrong gave a few more instructions, and then the maid Hanqiao stood in the main hall and announced, "The fifth young lady is here."
The youngest daughter, Xue Shanqiu, walked in as quiet as water.
"Greetings to mother."
Hong Yingrong turned around and felt as if she was in another world.
In the imperial prison, she heard the empress dowager's decree, saying that Prince Linjiang had reported that Xue Shanqiu had died suddenly of colic. Hong Yingrong did not have the chance to see her daughter before she passed away.
After her rebirth, she calmed down and found it terrifying to think about it.
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