Chapter 19 "Never again are you allowed to say such things..."
Meng Yuanxiao's eyes flickered. "I'm not doing anything. I'm just continuing to learn housekeeping from Sister Chen."
Cui Xintang gently stroked her waist with his large hand. "Really?"
Meng Yuanxiao felt a little ticklish from his touch and slapped his hand away.
Of course not, she still wanted to do something big behind his back.
Of course, she wouldn't admit it, only saying, "Yes."
Fearing he wouldn't believe her, she forced herself to make a series of excuses.
Cui Xintang was both annoyed and amused. After she finished her sophistry and managed to squeeze out a few tears, he finally spoke with a forced smile.
“Yuanyuan, there’s no need to be so reluctant. We just received news that the higher-ups have arranged for someone else to conduct the inspection, so your husband doesn’t need to go.”
"Oh, no need to go..." Meng Yuanxiao, feeling guilty, nodded in agreement without thinking.
She suddenly came to her senses halfway through her sentence, "Brother Tang, you don't need to go?"
Her face was full of surprise, and a tear still clung to her long eyelashes. Cui Xintang responded and explained, "Today I entered the palace and met the Princess."
Meng Yuanxiao swallowed hard. "Did the Princess agree?"
"Okay, I agree."
He agreed, but naturally, he also made a compromise through the Xu family.
Meng Yuanxiao asked, puzzled, "Why do we suddenly not have to go anymore?"
Cui Xintang chuckled and said, "Who was it that cried and begged to see me go when they heard I was leaving the capital for a year?"
"..."
Cui Xintang raised an eyebrow. "What's wrong? Yuanyuan doesn't seem very happy to me?"
"No!" Meng Yuanxiao was startled and immediately shook his head.
She felt incredibly guilty, and after saying that, she smiled ingratiatingly, "Brother Tang, I'm so happy you don't have to leave the capital!"
Cui Xintang chuckled and didn't expose her, only saying, "Although we don't need to go again, we still need to leave the capital once."
Meng Yuanxiao's eyes lit up. "Where to? How long will it take?"
"It is also an inspection on behalf of the Ministry of Revenue, but it only goes to Yunping County and the surrounding areas to inspect the taxation and winter crop conditions, which will take about a month."
A month is clearly not enough time for her to accomplish anything significant.
Meng Yuanxiao pursed her lips and remained silent.
Cui Xintang looked down at her. "What?"
"...Nothing much, is this also the Princess's wish?"
"yes."
Meng Yuanxiao blinked, "Even if it's only for a month, I can't bear to part with Brother Tang."
Cui Xintang smiled at her, "You really can't bear to part with it?"
"Hmm." Although she hoped he would stay away from the capital for a longer period of time, she really couldn't bear to part with him.
Cui Xintang nodded, glanced at the ledger beside him, pondered for a moment, and suddenly said, "Then come with me."
"Huh?" Meng Yuanxiao was stunned.
"how?"
Meng Yuanxiao quickly added, "Would your superior agree?"
Cui Xintang: "This is not a big deal. I will ask for a favor, and I think the official will agree."
Meng Yuanxiao: "..."
Her expression was quite interesting for a moment, which Cui Xintang noticed, but then suddenly asked, "What did you say to Zhang Mingyue when you returned to the Meng residence that day?"
"Huh?" Meng Yuanxiao was in a daze and didn't understand at first when she heard this. She looked at him in confusion.
But when she met his meaningful phoenix eyes, she suddenly had a flash of inspiration and thought of something.
Her face flushed instantly, and she stammered, "I didn't say anything..."
"Didn't say anything?" Cui Xintang looked at her with a strange expression in his phoenix eyes, clearly not believing her.
Stared at by his intense gaze, Meng Yuanxiao swallowed hard. "That's right, I just praised you a few times in front of Mingyue."
"...How did you praise him?"
Meng Yuanxiao had no choice but to bite the bullet and repeat what he had said that day: that he was "even better than 'okay'."
"..." Cui Xintang was silent for a moment, then said, "You are not allowed to say such things again in the future."
His ears turned red, a rare sight for him. Meng Yuanxiao blinked and asked, "Brother Tang, how did you know about what Mingyue and I talked about?"
Did word get out? But Mingyue promised her she wouldn't tell anyone!
Cui Xintang: "Meng Xu told me."
The words she spoke to Mingyue that day were overheard by a maid, and somehow they reached Meng Xu's ears.
Meng Yuanxiao choked, her cheeks burning and even her ears burning.
Cui Xintang's voice remained relatively calm, "Not only are you not allowed to say these things, but you are also not allowed to say anything else, such as about the Eldest Princess, the court, or female officials. Do you understand?"
Meng Yuanxiao opened his mouth to argue, "The imperial court has already issued an edict, so why can't I speak?"
But Cui Xintang only raised his eyebrows, and she immediately deflated.
"……oh."
*
A few days later, someone from the Ministry of Revenue arrived; it was the Grand Eunuch from the palace who delivered imperial edicts.
In front of the Minister of Revenue and everyone else, the Grand Eunuch read out the imperial edict, rebuking Cui Xintang for lacking righteousness, disobeying the court's arrangements, and repeatedly refusing to perform inspection duties.
However, considering that there was a reason for his actions, namely that his mother, Wu, was still ill, and that his filial piety was understandable, he was only fined half a year's salary as a warning to others.
However, since he receives the emperor's salary, he must fulfill his duties in his position. Therefore, he is separately dispatched to inspect the autumn tax collection and the autumn crop harvest. If he disobeys, he will be dismissed and investigated.
When the chief eunuch read the imperial edict, his expression was serious, and his reprimand was obvious, causing everyone to hold their breath in suspense.
Even Cui Xintang's superior didn't think much of it, after all, Cui Xintang had indeed refused the inspection duties in front of him several times.
Cui Xintang was not the only one in the Ministry of Revenue who avoided the new policies and the Princess; his superiors did the same, so they could be somewhat understanding of him.
After the chief eunuch left, Shangguan summoned Cui Xintang, comforted him with a few words, and subtly reminded him that things had come to this point, and he should not provoke the princess again.
Cui Xintang remained silent for a moment, his face grim, before agreeing.
Upon returning to his residence, Cui Qin sent someone to summon him for a talk, but Cui Xintang ignored them and went straight back to the backyard.
When they returned to the backyard, Meng Yuanxiao was not there. A maid said that the young mistress was discussing matters with Madam Chen.
Cui Xintang waved his hand to dismiss the maid, changed his clothes, poured himself a cup of tea, and sat in a round-backed chair to ponder the affairs of Yunping County.
After waiting for more than a quarter of an hour, Meng Yuanxiao returned from outside. She must have learned of his return from the maid. She walked briskly and pushed open the door, saying happily, "Brother Tang is back!"
A smile appeared on Cui Xintang's face as he reached out his hand to her. When she got close, he pulled her to sit on his lap. "What have you been busy with these past few days, Yuanyuan?"
Meng Yuanxiao: "Didn't I tell you last time that I wanted to change a few shops? I've almost finished sorting out the accounts for this year, and I just discussed it with Sister Chen."
Cui Xintang paused for a moment, then asked, "Is your luggage all packed?"
Meng Yuanxiao was somewhat surprised, thinking he had just said it casually that day. "Brother Tang, am I really going with you?"
Cui Xintang raised his eyebrows. "Isn't it because you're reluctant to part with me? I've already informed my superior, and he's agreed."
Meng Yuanxiao: "..."
Cui Xintang teased her with a smile, "I told Shangguan that when Madam heard that I was leaving the capital, she was extremely reluctant to let me go and cried and fussed for a long time. Shangguan was considerate of me and agreed."
Seeing that she remained silent, he continued, "What, Yuanyuan, are you planning to do something big behind your husband's back?"
"No!" Meng Yuanxiao hurriedly shook her head. "Brother Tang, I'll go with you."
Cui Xintang: "Mm."
Meng Yuanxiao breathed a sigh of relief.
Cui Xintang squeezed her hand. "Pack your luggage. We'll be leaving in two days. Would you like to visit the Meng residence in the next couple of days?"
Naturally, I had to return to the Meng residence.
On the first day after leaving the capital, Meng Yuanxiao returned to the Meng residence. After Cui Xintang returned from his official duties, he took him to the Wu family's courtyard.
Before leaving the capital, as a junior member of the family, I always had to dine with Madam Wu.
Meng Yuanxiao was still happy to be close to her mother-in-law, especially since her mother-in-law had recently relaxed her control over her, and she felt that her mother-in-law was more and more amiable.
The thought that she would be going out to slack off with Brother Tang and wouldn't be able to serve him made her feel even more guilty.
So she was exceptionally attentive today. After the meal, she sat down in front of Madam Wu, took her arm, and kept talking to her to make her happy.
Cui Xintang, however, seemed unaffected, sitting far to the side with his long legs crossed, his eyes lowered, and saying nothing.
Meng Yuanxiao found it strange and called him several times on purpose, but he only responded to her absentmindedly.
Meng Yuanxiao then ignored him.
She was recounting the amusing incidents she had encountered a few days ago when she went out with Mingyue, describing them vividly and somewhat exaggeratedly, which amused Madam Wu when Madam Chen knocked on the door and entered.
Madam Chen came looking for Meng Yuanxiao. "Young Madam, there were some omissions in the accounts sent from the estate a few days ago. Since you are leaving the capital tomorrow, could you please take a look with me?"
Meng Yuanxiao blinked. She had looked at the accounts and found no problems.
Without giving it much thought, she told her mother-in-law and then went out with Chen.
Fearing that Cui Xintang might leave first, he specifically instructed him to talk to his mother-in-law first and wait for her here before going out.
After Meng Yuanxiao left, only Wu Shi and Cui Xintang and his son remained in the hall.
Without Meng Yuanxiao's cheerful voice, the hall suddenly fell silent, creating an awkward atmosphere.
Wu spoke first, "Why do you suddenly want to go to Yunping County, and why are you taking Yuanyuan with you?"
Cui Xintang naturally wouldn't bother explaining anything about what happened in the government office. He simply glanced at his mother and said succinctly, "It's a job assigned by the higher-ups."
Wu glanced at him, a glance that held a deeper meaning.
She sneered, "I've raised a fine son, yet you still want to use me, his mother. What, am I supposed to fake illness and cooperate with you?"
Cui Xintang paused for a moment, "Isn't Mother suffering from a headache?"
Wu stared at him for a moment, but did not delve into the matter further.
After a brief standoff between mother and son, Wu suddenly said, "I heard your wife wants to switch a few grocery stores?"
Cui Xintang: "Didn't you want Yuanyuan to learn how to manage the household? Since you're going to let Yuanyuan manage the household, just let her do it. Why should Mother worry about these small things?"
Wu asked ambiguously, "Wouldn't it be alright to replace the Lin family's cloth shop?"
Cui Xintang paused, his hand holding the teacup still.
Without him speaking, Wu understood.
No one knows a son better than his mother; she could guess some of what her son was thinking.
Of course not. If he could, why would he go to all that trouble to bring Yuanyuan to Yunping County as well?
Yuanyuan is simple-minded and carefree. After a few days of fun, she will probably forget about the cloth shop.
Cui Xintang's expression turned slightly cold. "Mother only has Yuanyuan as her daughter-in-law. If Yuanyuan does anything inappropriate, please be patient with her and teach her."
"And as for Second Aunt, I would like to trouble Mother to keep a close eye on her and prevent her from bothering Yuanyuan with any trivial matters."
Upon hearing this, Wu couldn't help but glance at him again.
She wasn't surprised that her son protected his wife. After all, he had kept Chen Shi by Yuanyuan's side every day to protect her since she had just married into the family, and later he even took Chen Shi away from her.
Her son was cold and aloof in front of his mother, but considerate and attentive to others.
It seems that those who are willing to marry into the family are always somewhat different.
Wu sneered, "Yuanyuan is a good child, and I will cherish her. You know what you're doing."
When Meng Yuanxiao returned, Cui Xintang was still sitting in the same spot, without moving an inch.
The mother and son didn't say a word, and neither of them looked well.
Seeing her return, Cui Xintang seemed relieved and slowly stood up. "Finished with work?"
Meng Yuanxiao: "Mm."
Cui Xintang: "I went back after I finished my work."
Meng Yuanxiao looked at him, then at her mother-in-law, thinking that it was still early and she should talk to her mother-in-law some more, but seeing that the atmosphere between the two was really strange, she decided not to.
As Meng Yuanxiao emerged from the main courtyard, he looked back at the already lit-up courtyard and felt a sense of unease.
After thinking for a moment, she put her hand in Cui Xintang's hand and tickled his palm.
When Cui Xintang looked at her, she asked, "Brother Tang, why did you never allow me to come to the Cui residence before?"
A note from the author:
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