Chapter 155: Didn’t they say his wife was beautiful?
"Eat quickly." The Fourth Master looked at her puzzledly and fed her warm wine piece by piece.
His mouth was already full of warm wine, so he picked up a piece of meat and fed it to his mouth.
Wenjiu had originally inadvertently paid attention to Xiaojin's words, but now he couldn't help but feel suspicious.
"I can't eat anymore." The braised pork was quite delicious, but after eating seven or eight pieces in a row, it was too greasy, so I waved my hand quickly.
The Fourth Master frowned and added more cabbage with chopsticks.
“This isn’t greasy.”
Wen Jiu ate the food from his hand and felt better, but the Fourth Master continued to feed him mouthful after mouthful.
He didn't stop until her mouth was full of warm wine. He poured her a bowl of soup and placed it next to her: "Don't choke. Why are you eating in such a hurry?"
Wenjiu: "..." In the end, am I the one who eats in a hurry, or are you the one who feeds you in a hurry?
"Master, how about you eat too?" Wenjiu took a sip of soup and swallowed the food in her mouth. She looked up and saw that the Fourth Master was still looking at her intently, with two hearts appearing on his head.
I don't know why, but I have a panic feeling as if I'm about to be sent to a slaughterhouse...
Fourth Master: "I'll feed you, don't be distracted."
The Fourth Master suddenly found some fun. He discovered today that feeding others could be such an interesting thing.
No wonder his wife and concubines all liked to serve him when he had meals in the past. Is it so fun to feed others?
The little girl in front of him was fair and tender, with cheeks bulging from eating so much that the Fourth Master inexplicably recalled the little white rabbit he saw in front of the Empress Dowager when he was a child, chewing on carrots all day long.
I couldn't help but pick up the braised pork with my chopsticks again: "Come on, open your mouth and eat."
Wenjiu: “…” Can I refuse?
"Master, please don't ask for an audience."
The Fourth Master didn't even turn his head: "Come in."
"My lord, Liu Yu said he wanted something." Buyan walked into the house and said with a fist salute.
The Fourth Master put down his chopsticks for the moment: "What does he want?"
Wenjiu finally breathed a sigh of relief and drank several sips of tea to suppress the greasy feeling.
Bu Yan said, "Master, these are some calligraphy and paintings. They also asked for some paper and pens." He took out a painting in his hand and said, "Master, this is it. Liu Yu specifically asked for it."
The Fourth Master looked over and simply asked, "Who is this?"
"This is his wife." Before Buyan could say anything, Wenjiu replied.
"So young?" The Fourth Master was surprised. Suddenly he remembered and turned to look at Wen Jiu: "Didn't you say his wife was beautiful?"
The Fourth Master looked at the portrait. The person in the painting was only pretty, not even as pretty as the average girl in his backyard, let alone Wen Jiu. Would she think such a woman was beautiful?
Wen Jiu sipped his tea intermittently: "They were a young couple. Madam Liu was only twenty-three when she passed away, so she was naturally young."
Wen Jiu looked at the painting. "Eyebrows, hair, cheeks, teardrop moles, everything is crystal clear. This painting is so detailed that it feels like the person is right in front of him. He even remembers the pattern on her handkerchief. Don't you think it's beautiful?"
The Fourth Master looked over and frowned: "Are you saying that Liu Yu's painting is beautiful?" His painting skills were not outstanding, and he was not inferior to hers. What was there to praise?
Wen Jiu was stunned for a moment, then suddenly smiled: "That's right, Master."
The Fourth Master frowned slightly, feeling that she had something else to say.
"Master, Liu Yu has been in low spirits recently and hasn't eaten much. It seems that he is determined to die." Buyan hesitated for a moment before speaking.
The Fourth Master frowned slightly: "Don't give him the things yet, don't let him die." If Liu Yu died at this time, how would he explain to the Emperor? Jinyang still needed him.
Bu Yan frowned: "The court doctor has examined Liu Yu, and his body is already in a dilapidated state. Master, I'm afraid we should make plans as soon as possible."
Fourth Master: "If he doesn't eat, find someone to feed him. If he's sick, get him treated. He absolutely cannot die before I return to the capital."
Bu Yan clasped his fists and said, "Yes!"
"Hey, wait a minute." Wenjiu suddenly said, "Master, why don't you ask Master Buyan to give this painting to Master Liu, so that he can have something to think about."
Fourth Master: "I'm just afraid he'll give up on this dream. If he has everything he wants, he can die without any worries."
Wen Jiu: "You are right, but he is already dead. If this continues, I am afraid something bad will happen. Otherwise, how about I give him a picture? Lord Bu Yan, can you give me the painting?"
Buyan looked at the Fourth Master, and when he nodded, he presented the painting.
Wen Jiu's hands were stained with tea, but he didn't have the heart to stain the figure in the painting, so he only stained the corners of the painting. At first glance, it looked as if the woman's skirt was dirty.
"Alright, as long as we send this painting to Lord Liu, he should be able to hold on for a few more days."
The Fourth Master turned his head to look at Wen Jiu: "What does this mean?"
Wen Jiu just smiled: "My beloved wife's skirt is dirty, he will probably change it for her."
The Fourth Master had only a vague idea of what it meant, but he still asked Buyan to send it to Liu Yu.
"Master, what will happen to Lord Liu?" Wen Jiu suddenly asked, looking at Buyan's back.
She had heard almost everything from everyone today. Liu Yu's initial mistake was simply not keeping an eye on the granary. One wrong step led to another, and now there was no turning back.
The Fourth Master stared at Wenjiu for a while: "Are you worried about him?" She should not have had any contact with Liu Yu, right?
Wen Jiu nodded: "I'm not really worried, I just feel that his life has been a bit difficult."
Looking up at the Fourth Master who was listening to her attentively, Wen Jiu couldn't help but say, "Master, you say, he must be a stubborn person, right? He has been guarding his deceased wife for his entire life. Even though his family is penniless, he still wants to be a good official.
Now he has ended up as a result of collusion between officials and bandits. I wonder if the people will still love him as much as before when they know that he was the one who built the Black Wind Stronghold?
My faith is broken, and at this age, how am I supposed to live my life from now on?"
Wen Jiu was born in the modern era and thought that people like him were only in history books. This was the first time he had encountered such a person in his life, so he couldn't help but sigh. It was impossible to have the slightest dislike for Liu Yu.
"How can a man be so vulnerable? In my opinion, you are truly a coward." The Fourth Master frowned. "If you are not afraid of death, what is there to fear about living? You have been unworthy of serving as a minister for so many years."
After the Fourth Master finished speaking, he glanced at Wenjiu, whose eyes were gradually turning red, and suddenly his whole body froze: "Why are you so sad?" He hurriedly wiped her tears, but the touch of his hand immediately left a red mark on her face. The Fourth Master froze, not knowing what to do for a moment.
Wen Jiu sniffed blankly: "I don't know what happened. I just thought that if the lady was still alive, she would probably want him to live well."
Wen Jiu couldn't really figure out why he felt so bad. Perhaps she was envious?
Such emotions are not seen in modern times of monogamy, let alone in the Qing Dynasty where men were superior to women.
The couple were married for the first time, but they could not stay together for their whole lives, but they were each other's only one. Their beauty was like bubbles, which could not be envied by even a lifetime of warming wine.
"Okay." The Fourth Master suddenly responded, "I'll take good care of him. I promise to spare his life. Don't cry, will you?"
Wen Jiu was stunned for a moment, and for some reason, he suddenly laughed out loud. Seeing the Fourth Master's relieved look, Wen Jiu couldn't help but rub his shoulder and said, "Master, that's very kind. But don't let Jiu'er influence you. Jiu'er is just a girl with little thoughts, don't let her affect my work."
The Fourth Master exhaled softly again and pushed the plate of braised pork toward her: "Would you like some more?"
Wenjiu nodded: "Eat."
…
Coming out of the wine-warming room, the Fourth Master couldn't help but ask, "What did she just say? Did you understand?"
Buyan was stunned for a moment: "Master, are you asking about the girl soiling the painting?"
The Fourth Master just frowned slightly and didn't say anything.
Bu Yan said, "Master, I just gave the painting to Liu Yu, and he started painting. He also ate a little more at lunch. It seems that your method is indeed effective."
The Fourth Master frowned and paused. "Do you think Liu Yu's paintings are beautiful? How do they compare to my paintings?"
Buyan was silent for a moment, then suddenly said, "I don't understand painting, but I have a feeling that the young lady is not talking about painting."
The Fourth Master frowned and asked, "What is that?"
Buyan also shook his head with a stiff face: "I am still unmarried and I really don't understand women's minds. How about you ask the Third Master?"
The Fourth Master frowned and thought for a moment, then waved his hands irritably: "Forget it."
It would be better for him to go back and ask Wenjiu than to ask his third brother.
But if you think about it carefully, the women around his third brother seem to be particularly fond of him. It seems that among his brothers, he is the only one who understands women better than others.
His feet couldn't help but go to the courtyard where the third master lived, but after taking a few steps, he stopped and turned to go to the yamen.
When you are busy, you always don’t feel the passage of time. The Fourth Master was buried in official documents, and when he looked up again, it was already dark outside.
Jiu Ye beside him couldn't help but complain: "Fourth brother, take a break. If you keep going like this, we will be exhausted."
The Fourth Master turned his head and saw that the Third, Ninth and Tenth Masters looked a little depressed.
There was no way. Liu Yu was in trouble now and was in a daze all day long. The officials around him, both big and small, were also under investigation. I didn't know who to trust.
The heavy burden of Jinyang City naturally fell on the Fourth Master and his men, who had to understand the deployment as quickly as possible.
"Then take a break. We'll finish reading these files in another day."
As soon as these words were spoken, the three of them cheered.
The Third Master said, "Old Four, how about we go to your place for dinner tonight? Ask my younger brother and sister-in-law to make some hotpot. I haven't eaten in a while."
Jiu Ye nodded quickly: "Yes, Fourth Brother, I have been thinking about it for several days."
Master Shi also nodded: "If you want to eat fish hotpot, red soup hotpot is also fine. Now I just want to dip some noodles in the hotpot. I think it is very delicious."
The Fourth Master glanced at the sky and said, "That's fine." He turned around and glanced at Su Peisheng, "Go and see if Jiu'er is asleep. If she is, don't wake her up. Ask An Luhai to be prepared."
He turned around and said to the Third Master and the others, "It's still early today, so we need to prepare the pot for a while. Why don't you all go back and rest? I'll send someone to call you when it's ready."
Several of them were indeed a little tired at the moment, so they nodded immediately.
The Fourth Master glanced at the Third Master and said, "Third Brother."
The Third Master paused as he was about to leave and turned to look at the Fourth Master: "Ah? What's the matter?"
Fourth Master: "...It's okay. Just be careful on the road."
The Third Master had a question mark in his head, but he finally said, "Thank you," and turned away.
The Fourth Master walked out of the yamen and paced slowly.
The moon is very bright today, shining on the snow as if it were daytime, and the patterns on the clothes can be seen clearly.
"How is Liu Yu?"
Without saying anything, he replied immediately, "I had dinner as usual and was busy painting the whole time. Nothing unusual, though."
The Fourth Master nodded: "Where does he sleep?"
Without saying anything, he pointed immediately: "He lives in the main house."
The Fourth Master raised his foot and walked over.
The place where Liu Yu lives is actually not very big, and most of the furnishings in the house are in pairs.
Even the candlestick had a dragon and phoenix pattern on it, and it was obvious that it had been used for decades, as the paint on it had already fallen off.
"Master, I heard that this candlestick is from his wedding. The old man in the mansion said that most of the items in this room are from that time, and except for those that are broken, they have basically not been replaced."
Seeing the Fourth Master staring at the candlestick, Buyan explained, "Next to it is the study. I took the portrait from the study."
The Fourth Master nodded slightly, turned around and walked over.
As soon as I entered the house, I was stunned.
In this study, apart from the desk full of official documents, the entire place is covered with portraits, and without exception, they are all of his wife.
Some are still, some are moving, some are in red skirts fluttering, some are serene in white clothes. There are even portraits of people wearing old clothes and bamboo hats, working in the fields.
The portrait is so detailed that you can even see the teardrop mole at the end of the eye.
"Liu Yu's wife has been dead for nearly thirty years, right?" The Fourth Master asked, but it sounded more like he was talking to himself.
Without saying a word, he replied, "I have inquired carefully, and he has been dead for a full thirty years."
Bu Yan had been to Liu Yu's room earlier. After seeing this scene, he seemed to vaguely understand the meaning of warming the wine.
After a long while, the Fourth Master sighed and said, "Let's go."
When I turned around and was about to go out, I saw three heads looking in from outside the door.
"Haha, Fourth Brother, we just came over to take a look." The Third Master laughed dryly twice.
Since they were caught, the Third, Ninth and Tenth Masters immediately went into the house calmly.
"Why is Fourth Brother not sleeping in the study at this hour of night?" Tenth Master asked in confusion, turning around and picking up a portrait: "This woman's appearance is average."
"What do you know?" The Third Master rolled his eyes at the Tenth Master. "This... must have been painted by Liu Yu, right?"
He picked up a portrait and looked at it carefully, and his eyes gradually became red.
He sighed, "This painting is really beautiful." He rubbed his red eyes and carefully helped him roll up the portrait.
The Ninth Master and the Tenth Master were also shocked, not because of the portrait, but because they were surprised that their third brother actually cried!!!
The Fourth Master's gaze fell on the Third Master. This was the second time he heard someone say that the painting was beautiful, and also the second time his eyes had turned red when he saw someone.
"Third brother, what do you think?"
The Third Master just shook his head and sighed: "What a pity, such a pity."
The Fourth Master was also anxious: "What do you mean? Tell me."
The Ninth Master and the Tenth Master were also very curious and stretched their heads to look at their third brother.
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