Chapter 39 Brother-in-law, brother-in-law, look, my sister has spoken...
The next day, Shen Youran, having recovered from her cold, felt refreshed, her hands and feet feeling full of energy again. Meanwhile, Pei Huaijin didn't look well, and he didn't go to the courtyard for his usual morning exercises with Qing Jian.
Qing Jian noticed that there was something slightly different about his walking posture, so she asked with concern, "My dear, are you feeling unwell in your legs and feet?"
"It's okay," Pei Huaijin coughed uncomfortably, "I just pulled it."
"Have you pulled any muscles? Do you want me to give you a massage?"
“No need…”
He asked Qing Jian to go to the kitchen. He wanted to have fried eggs for breakfast today, so he asked the cook to make him an extra bowl and two eggs.
Like cures like.
Since the banquet was in the afternoon, Shen Youran had nothing to do in the morning. After breakfast, she went to Ciyouyuan to find her sister.
Pei Huaian was sitting by the open window reading a book. When he saw her come in, he greeted her: "Good morning, sister-in-law." He deliberately emphasized the last two words.
Huh? The sun rose from the west today? He actually took the initiative to call her sister-in-law?
As a courtesy, Shen Youran also responded with a smile: "Good morning, brother-in-law."
He was obviously very pleased, with a wide grin on his face: "Are you completely cured?"
"I went to Daxiangguo Temple to worship Buddha and burn incense yesterday. I felt better after I came back..."
"It's quite mysterious..."
"The teacher hasn't arrived yet, and you've already started studying hard?"
"Teacher, I'm taking a leave of absence today, but I've made up my mind to study hard. Otherwise, what if I fail the Imperial College entrance exam in a year and my elder brother sends me to Yingtianfu Academy?"
"Then I won't disturb you from studying. I'm going to look for my sister."
"Go, go..."
When Shen Youran went to the central hall to look for her sister, the stewards had not yet arrived. She sat next to her sister and asked her mysteriously, "Sister, are you sleeping with Pei Huaian?"
Shen Yunshu was looking through the accounts in the warehouse. When she heard this, her hands trembled and she almost tore off a page of the account book. She looked at her sister with a mixture of anger and amusement: "What are you talking about so early in the morning?"
"He just called me 'sister-in-law'..."
"You are his sister-in-law."
"He never wanted to call me that before. Last time, he even asked me to call him 'brother-in-law.' I told him I saw it, and that you clearly sleep in separate beds, so he's not my brother-in-law at all. Then he stopped talking..." Today, he suddenly took the initiative to call her 'sister-in-law. Wasn't it because he wanted to hear her call him 'brother-in-law'? If that was the case, she guessed that he and her sister must be sleeping together.
After hearing her well-reasoned speculation, Shen Yunshu couldn't help but raise her hand and poke her forehead: "You, you should use your brain to do things."
During the days when Shen Youran was away, Shen Yunshu had memorized all the affairs in the mansion. It took her less than an hour to sort out all the affairs, and she used the rest of the time to teach her sister.
I don't know if it's because my brain has been sharper these days, but the account book that Shen Youran was dazzled with before now seems to be organized. Coupled with my sister's guidance, I feel like I've suddenly become enlightened.
The class lasted until noon. Shen Yunshu didn't want her to strain her eyes too much, so she closed the account book and said, "Let's stop here for today. It's already noon. Do you want to have lunch here?"
"Okay, then can I take a nap at my sister's place? Anyway, I don't have anything to do when I go back at noon, but I have to go out with Pei Huaijin in the afternoon..."
"Sure, where are you going this afternoon?"
"Let's go to the Changxing Marquis' Mansion. His cousin is marrying Lin Wulang, and he invited us to a banquet and watch the ceremony..."
Shen Yunshu also knew about this matter. She had heard them talk about it at Mrs. Pei's birthday party. It was about a cousin who married Lin Wulang from the Changxing Marquis Mansion.
And that Lin Wulang had proposed to marry the third sister two years ago, but he only got his wife now. It can be seen that the news of keeping a concubine has spread. The powerful families in the capital will not marry their daughters to him. I wonder what the distant cousin of the Pei family is thinking, that she is willing to marry such a person?
Although she was puzzled, it was someone else's marriage after all, so Shen Yunshu didn't need to think too much about it. She took her sister to wash their hands, prepare for lunch, and sent Tinglan to Yunzhiyuan to pass on a message to Pei Huaijin.
Lunch was delivered from the kitchen. Just as Qiongzhi had finished setting the dishes, she saw Tinglan coming back with Pei Huaijin, and Qingjian coming out from behind with a lunch box.
Seeing this, Qiongzhi hurriedly took the food box and laid out the food inside one by one.
Shen Yunshu also stood up and politely called out "Big Brother".
"I just wanted to come and see how Seventh Brother is doing with his studies, so I brought some lunch from Yunzhiyuan," Pei Huaijin walked over calmly, "Let's have it together."
"Yes, please sit down, big brother." Shen Yunshu gave Tinglan a wink, asking her to go to the study and invite Pei Huaian out.
Because the third sister was staying here for lunch today, in order to avoid suspicion between Pei Huaian and the third sister, Shen Yunshu asked Qiongzhi to set aside some food and send it to the study so that Pei Huaian could eat in the study.
Now that Pei Huaijin is here, it is naturally not a good idea to lock Pei Huaian in the study anymore.
Pei Huaian had already started eating. Tinglan knocked on the door and said that the eldest son was here and asked him to go to the side hall for lunch.
Pei Huaian's mind raced, and he knew that the purpose of his elder brother's coming here was nothing more than to guard against his younger brother, just like Shen Yunshu, and not to give him the opportunity to get close to Shen Youran.
He walked into the side hall with chopsticks in hand. After sitting down, he complained to his eldest brother: "Brothers and sisters, can you please stop making my sister-in-law and I stay away from each other in the future? I call her sister-in-law, so what bad intentions could she have?" This afternoon, because Shen Youran was here, Shen Yunshu didn't let him enter the side hall to eat.
Pei Huaijin didn't respond to him, but Shen Yunshu gave him a look, asking him to say less.
Seeing that the two ignored him, Pei Huaian went to talk to Shen Youran: “Don’t you think so, sister-in-law?”
He winked at her and said: "Why did you call me this morning? Call me, call me..."
A wicked smile appeared on Shen Youran’s lips: “Yes, brother-in-law.”
Pei Huaijin's persistent hand paused.
Pei Huaian heard these two words as he wished, and immediately turned to look at his eldest brother: "Brother-in-law, look, my sister has spoken..."
"Cough cough..." Shen Yunshu was choked by the tea, and started coughing with her hands covering her lips, glancing at Pei Huaian with shock in her eyes.
You are so brave that you even dare to stroke a tiger's whiskers?
"Eat first," Pei Huaijin said calmly, his eyes sliding over him indifferently, "We'll talk after we finish eating."
At this time, Pei Huaian had not yet realized the seriousness of the matter. It was not until after lunch that Shen Yunshu took her sister back to the dormitory for a nap, and he was grabbed by his eldest brother by the back of the collar and taken to the study.
"Come, let me test your homework..."
Pei Huaian was interrogated by his elder brother in the study like a criminal for an hour, while in the bedroom, Shen Youran hugged his sister's arm, next to her sweet and soft body, sleeping peacefully...
After lunch, Shen Youran combed her hair again in her sister's room. Her sister was very clever and helped her comb her hair into a simple and exquisite bun. She also took out a pair of silver combs and a hibiscus pearl hairpin from her dressing table and inserted them diagonally into her hair, and replaced the jewelry she was wearing before.
"When going out to a banquet, it's better to be elegant and dignified..."
Shen Youran looked in the mirror, pursed her lips, and felt that she had nothing to do with the word "dignified".
Pei Huaian, who had been tortured by Pei Huaijin for the whole afternoon, was finally relieved and planned to go back to take a nap.
Just then, Shen Youran and her sister came out of the hall. Pei Huaian saw that she had obviously dressed up carefully, so he casually asked, "Sister-in-law, are you going out this afternoon?"
"Yes, I'm going to attend a wedding banquet..."
"Wedding banquet? Whose?"
"The Lin family of Changxing Marquisate."
"Lin family, Lin Wulang?" Pei Huaian muttered a few words, then suddenly remembered something and turned to ask Qing Wu, "Didn't the Lin family also send someone to deliver a wedding invitation to me two days ago?"
Qing Wu said, "Yes, you said you didn't want to go, so I put it away."
"Then give it to me. I suddenly want to go..."
Pei Huaijin heard that he had also received a wedding invitation and asked, "Do you know Lin Wulang?"
"A friend of a friend. We've hung out together a few times before."
"You didn't want to go before, why do you want to go now?"
"I didn't want to go because my aunt had intended to marry my cousin Meng to me. When I refused, my cousin Meng heard me. I was afraid that she would be embarrassed if I went. But if you go too, big brother, then I won't be afraid..."
"Why?"
"As far as I know, my aunt wanted to marry my cousin from the Meng family to you. I was just her second choice. If you're not afraid of embarrassment, why should I be afraid..."
"Oh?" Shen Youran's eyes suddenly lit up. "Who on earth is this Miss Meng? She almost married you guys?"
"But she didn't almost marry me," Pei Huaian hurriedly distanced himself from the matter. "I clearly refused at the time, saying that I didn't like anyone older than me..."
"Hiss..." Shen Youran took a breath, glanced at his sister behind him, then looked back at him, pursed his nose, and squeezed out an expression that said "You're finished."
Pei Huaian spoke hastily just now, forgetting that Shen Yunshu was still beside him. His expression froze for a moment, and he seemed to be frozen. He turned stiffly to the side and looked at Shen Yunshu: "I, I didn't mean that..."
Shen Youran was still here to see how he would explain to his sister, but her hand suddenly tightened and she was pulled by Pei Huaijin: "Let's go."
Seeing the two of them leave the yard, Pei Huaian dared to call Shen Yunshu sister: "Sister Shu, what I said just now is not what you think. When I said that I didn't like people older than me, I didn't really dislike them. It was just that I didn't want to get married at that time, so I deliberately made up this excuse. Don't be angry..."
Seeing him panicking and explaining to her, Shen Yunshu couldn't help but laugh and said, "Why are you so nervous? I already knew about this."
"Ah? When did you know?"
"The night of the exchange of brides..."
"But how do you know?" Pei Huaian tried hard to recall, and finally remembered that when he was in Chunxuan Hall, he stiffened his neck and said that he didn't want to marry Shen Yunshu, and his aunt agreed with him and mentioned this matter.
Afterwards, he and his eldest brother returned to Yunzhiyuan. His eldest brother went to see her first, while he climbed through the window to look for Shen Youran.
I think it was my eldest brother who conveyed this message to her ears.
Thinking back to that night, he didn't blame his elder brother for saying that. Instead, he felt ashamed of himself for repeatedly rejecting her.
"Sister Shu, when my elder brother said this to you, was he trying to persuade you not to accept the marriage exchange?"
Shen Yunshu nodded.
"Then why are you unwilling to accept big brother's kindness and leave the Pei family?"
"If I leave, it will be difficult to explain to the elders, and the reputation of both families will be further damaged. What's more, I am worried about leaving my third sister here alone..." As for the reason why Lu Yi was involved, Shen Yunshu was not in a position to tell him.
She was considerate of her elders, the overall situation, and loved her younger sister, so she was willing to marry him.
Fortunately, they were just a fake couple.
She is so good, he doesn't deserve her.
Thinking of this, Pei Huaian actually began to regret. He regretted wasting the past sixteen years, learning nothing, and now that he had met such a wonderful girl, he could only be like a turtle, only daring to covet her in secret, not daring to pursue her...
"Sister Shu, can I go to the Lin family for the banquet this afternoon?" Pei Huaian had already made up his mind to study hard, but he couldn't change his mind for the moment. He still wanted to run away when he got the chance. But playing was fun, and he would definitely finish the book he was supposed to read today. "I promise, I will finish today's homework when I come back."
More haste, less speed. He has now corrected his attitude and has become motivated. Shen Yunshu is willing to give him time to slowly adjust: "Okay, go ahead, drink less..."
"Aren't you going with me?" Shen Youran always went with his eldest brother.
"I won't go." It was a rare afternoon of leisure, and she wanted to read quietly for a while.
"Okay then, I'll be back early." He lowered his head. Usually, when he acted like this, Sister Shu would take the initiative to touch his head.
Shen Yunshu saw him hand over his head and rubbed it with a smile. Seeing the ink stains on his cuffs, she said, "Change your clothes and go quickly."
*
While waiting for Qing Jian to harness the carriage, Pei Huaijin and Shen Youran sat for a while in the flower hall in the front yard.
Shen Youran couldn't help but ask him about the cousin girl from the Meng family.
"Did mother-in-law really want to marry that cousin to you?"
Pei Huaijin didn't like lying, so he told the truth: "Mother did have such thoughts..."
"Then why didn't you marry her?"
"She's nice, but she's just not right for me..."
"Then I'm even less suitable for you. Why don't you let me go?"
Pei Huaijin glanced at the little girl who was only growing fat but not learning anything, and gave her a look that told her to figure it out.
Shen Youran just remembered that he didn't like hearing her say such things, so she immediately pressed her lips into a straight line, stared at him with a pair of innocent eyes, her long eyelashes trembling, and blinked wildly: I know, I won't say such things again next time...
Pei Huaijin's expression, which had only been maintained for a moment, immediately faltered.
After Qing Jian harnessed the carriage, he came to the flower hall to find them.
Pei Huaian had also changed his clothes by then, holding the gift and cash in his hands. He quickly walked a few steps to catch up with them: "Brother, sister-in-law, wait for me, I'll go with you."
Pei Huaijin heard his voice and turned around unhappily: "Why are you following us instead of studying hard?"
Pei Huaian walked to his elder brother's side, ignoring his elder brother's cold eyes, and said: "What are you talking about? They have sent me a wedding invitation, how can I not go? It's not like I can't afford the gift money..."
Seeing that he was determined to follow, Pei Huaijin could only accept: "The carriage is small and can't accommodate three people. You can go on horseback by yourself."
"Just ride a horse..." Pei Huaian muttered, "You have to be so cautious against your own brother-in-law...ah!"
A slap on the back of the head.
Finally behaved.
*
Changxing Marquis Mansion.
The two Pei brothers came together, but the gifts and cash gifts that Pei Huaijin brought were recorded on the bride's side, while those that Pei Huaian brought were recorded on the groom's side.
At this time, the groom and the wedding party had not returned yet, and the men and women did not sit at separate tables. They gathered in the yard in groups of three or four to greet and chat.
Pei Huaijin is now in the officialdom, so naturally many people come to greet him. Shen Youran follows him, bored, when he suddenly sees a familiar person among the guests in the courtyard.
The man obviously saw her as well. He said something to a pretty girl next to him, then brought her over here.
Before Shen Youran could greet him, Pei Huaian beside her suddenly stood in front of her, greeted the man walking opposite, and said in surprise: "Mr. Liang!"
Huh? Pei Huaian actually knew Liang Liulang too?
"Seventh Master Pei," Liang Xu walked over and raised his hand to bow to Pei Huaian and Pei Huaijin, "Master Pei, I am Liang Xu, the sixth child in my family. I am currently serving in the Forbidden City Archery Recruitment Team..."
Pei Huaijin also raised his hand to return the greeting. His tone was polite and indifferent, but his eyes were a little deeper. "The other day, my wife had her purse stolen at the temple fair. It was Sixth Young Master Liang who helped catch the thief. Pei would like to thank you again on my wife's behalf."
"It's just a small favor, you don't have to be polite, young master..."
Pei Huaian listened and interrupted, "Oh? There's such a thing? But big brother, you don't know yet, Sixth Young Master Liang doesn't just help my sister-in-law catch thieves. On the day of my wedding, I encountered bandits on the way. If Sixth Young Master Liang hadn't passed by and shot the bandits in time, the consequences would have been unimaginable..."
Not to mention Pei Huaijin, it was also the first time that Shen Youran knew that the person who shot several arrows to stop the bandits carrying the sedan chair during the bride robbery was actually Liang Liulang.
"That chivalrous man that day turned out to be you!" Shen Youran walked out from behind Pei Huaian, her face full of gratitude and admiration. "You are so amazing! One arrow shot down one person, and four arrows shot down two pairs. If it weren't for you, my sister and I would have been carried to the deep alley..."
"Practice makes perfect," Liang Xu smiled modestly and asked her, "What about the slingshot... can you use it when you go back?"
Shen Youran had already told Pei Huaijin about the slingshot, so naturally he wouldn't think too much about it. Therefore, he calmly responded to Liang Xu's words: "Use it, it's quite fun."
"Although the immediate effect is minimal, long-term practice will ultimately benefit your eyes."
"I understand. Thank you very much..."
He then introduced the young woman beside him: "This is my sister Qingluo, the ninth child in the family, fourteen years old this year. We will have separate tables for boys and girls later, and it will be inconvenient for me to take care of her. Would you mind letting her stay with you?"
The little girl is pretty and has bright eyes and eyebrows. She looks like a lively and active person.
Shen Youran readily agreed: "Sure, Sister Qingluo, you can go with me to the women's section later..."
The other party responded obediently: "Thank you, sister..."
As they were talking, they heard the sound of drums and sheng coming in from outside. Shen Youran took Liang Qingluo's hand and said, "Come on, sister will take you to watch the ceremony."
At this time, the setting sun merged into the sky, and the wedding procession came with music and drums in the rosy glow. Lin Jia Wulang jumped off his horse, lifted the curtain of the sedan chair, and welcomed the bride.
Shen Youran stood among the many guests. Although she couldn't see Lin Wulang's face clearly, she could vaguely see that the smile on his face was forced.
The man of full blessing holds a mirror and leads the bride over the saddle, grass and scales in turn. The bride is then sent to sit in the empty tent. After the groom sits in the hall for a short while, he goes to the bridal chamber to welcome the bride to worship at the ancestral temple.
Liang Qingluo saw many guests following the groom to the backyard, and asked Shen Youran curiously: "Sister, what are they all doing in the backyard?"
"They went to grab the 'lucky money'..."
Nowadays, when people get married, they will hang a piece of colorful satin across the lintel of the bridal chamber. The bottom of the satin is torn into strips. After the groom enters the bridal chamber, the guests who come to congratulate him can try to tear the satin. If they can grab a piece of it, they will be able to share the joy of the newlyweds and have good luck and fortune.
Although Shen Youran had never snatched one, her mother had told her about the process when she got married.
Liang Qingluo became interested upon hearing this: "Sister Youran, let's go join in the fun. I want to grab a strand for my brother. He's already grown up, so I want him to share in the good fortune so he can find me a sister-in-law soon..."
"Okay, let's go."
They followed the guests who were heading to the backyard, and only when they entered the groom's yard did they quicken their pace and squeeze to the front.
After the groom entered the bridal chamber, the guests immediately rushed to grab the lucky money to pay their respects.
Liang Qingluo was shorter and couldn't grab it, but Shen Youran was lucky and grabbed a strand. When he turned around to give it to her, she was gone.
I guess he was pushed aside by the crowd.
Shen Youran was struggling to find her when he suddenly heard someone shout, "There's a fire! There's a fire in the yard next door!"
For a moment, the already crowded crowd became even more chaotic.
Shen Youran heard a cry from the bridal chamber: "Mei Niang, save Mei Niang quickly..."
The next moment, Lin Wulang, who was wearing wedding clothes, looked pale and pushed through the crowd as if he was risking his life, running out.
Shen Youran guessed: Could it be that Mei Niang is the name of his concubine?
He actually kept a concubine next door to his own yard?
It seems that he really likes that concubine.
At this time, someone shouted: "Run, the fire is coming this way..."
Oh no!
The people crowding at the door of the bridal chamber immediately began to move, and the maids serving in the bridal chamber also rushed out with the bride, and the situation suddenly got out of control.
"Qingluo, Qingluo..." Shen Youran was swept up in the crowd and was forced to walk out while looking for Liang Qingluo everywhere.
But there were so many people that her voice was drowned out by the noisy cries of fear.
"Sister Youran...ah..." She finally heard Liang Qingluo's voice. She squeezed past the crowd and found that she had been knocked to the ground. She was lying on the ground, struggling to get up.
Another panicked person came running from behind and was about to step on her. Shen Youran hurried over to protect her. The person behind did not step on Liang Qingluo, but knocked her down instead.
She used her hands to support herself and barely avoided falling down, but then someone stepped on her hands twice in succession.
Ignoring the pain in her hand, she helped Liang Qingluo up and pulled her into the yard.
The fire had already spread into the courtyard. The fire was huge and the smoke was thick. The guests were crowded near the moon gate and it was difficult to evacuate. Shen Youran and Liang Qingluo were the last ones to arrive because they had been delayed for a while.
The thick black smoke made them cough uncontrollably. She pulled Liang Qingluo down and covered their mouths and noses with a handkerchief to isolate the smoke, so that they could barely breathe.
At this moment, she also imitated her elder sister, holding the Liang family sister in her arms and comforting her: "It's okay, it's okay, I'm here..."
The number of people ahead was gradually decreasing, but the evacuation was still too slow. The black smoke was getting thicker and thicker, causing people to cough uncontrollably. Shen Youran was choked to the point of being completely dizzy, breathing became increasingly difficult, and her limbs were no longer under her control...
Fortunately, at this moment, someone rushed into the thick smoke and found them.
The man picked up Liang Qingluo with one hand, carried her on his shoulder with the other, and quickly walked out of the yard.
Only when they are in a safe place will they be put down.
Shen Youran coughed so hard that she couldn't straighten her back. After a while, she was able to speak, her throat hoarse and sore: "Thank you, Mr. Liang, you saved me again..."
"Are you okay?" Liang Xu handed over a green handkerchief, "Wipe your face first."
After experiencing a great shock, people will subconsciously look for the people closest to them.
For example, Liang Qingluo was so frightened that she threw herself into her brother's arms and cried.
Shen Youran took the handkerchief and went to look for Pei Huaijin in a daze.
Her eyesight was poor and it took her a while to find Pei Huaijin.
She pouted and walked towards him, but saw a green figure who had arrived at Pei Huaijin's side before her. She grabbed his sleeve and cried out loudly: "Cousin, I'm so scared..."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
