After dinner, Xu Lanyin was called by Zhao Wu to the upper room to discuss important matters.
Xu Qingyan also uncovered several facts, the most important of which was that the mother of one of Wang Yi's servants was a sister of one of Old Shen's trusted servants. They had been sold separately in their hometown, but later met and recognized each other on the street. This secret was rarely known.
Xu Qingyan discovered them when, during a mission, he saw one of Old Shen's trusted servants eating noodles at a table with another who looked a bit like her in a quiet little restaurant. After eating, the two left the restaurant one after the other, as if they had never met.
Their pretense was so deliberate that Xu Qingyan became suspicious. He then followed another servant and, after further investigation, discovered that the servant's son had been Wang Yi's former servant. The servant was no longer with Wang Yi, but now worked as a shopkeeper in the Wang family shop. Meanwhile, during the time Wang Yi encountered Chai Qingyan and Wang Yi's fight for the red card and the fatal incident, the servant was working for Wang Yi...
From this point of view, the two things that Wang Yi did should have been the work of Chai Zhengguan and Old Shen.
The few of them talked until the hour of Hai before they dispersed.
Xu Qingyan rested at home for a few days and returned to Beijing on the morning of August 21st.
On the first day, the Xu family at Dongmen hosted a party and invited the second branch's family to have a day of fun and two meals.
Xu Qingming and Gu came in person to invite mainly because they wanted to invite Qin.
Qin still feigned illness and did not meet them. Tears welling in her eyes, she told Xu Qingyan, "Even if I were beaten or scolded, as their daughter-in-law, I wouldn't say a word. But my father-in-law slandered me in front of me, saying I was not of good parentage. If it weren't for my children, I would have hanged myself long ago."
Xu Qingyan said hurriedly, "You're not feeling well. Rest well at home. We'll go have lunch and then come back to accompany you."
Xu Lanyin didn't want to go either, but Gu kept saying that Old Lady Xu had to invite her, and her eyes were red with anxiety. It seemed that Old Lady Xu also guessed that Qin wouldn't go, so she asked Gu to invite Xu Lanyin to ease the relationship.
Xu Qingyan also said, "Since your mother can't go, you should go."
Xu Lanyin had no choice but to go, and not only brought Xu Lanting and Xu Lanyue, but also Min Jia.
Seeing that Qin Shi hadn't come, Old Lady Xu couldn't hide her disappointment. She kept saying, "Well, let her take good care of herself and relax a little. We all know she's a good daughter-in-law."
Old Man Xu snorted, but seeing Xu Qingyan's dark face and Xu Lanyin looking at him coldly, he didn't dare say anything more. When he learned that Min Jia was Lord Min's daughter, he became happy again and humbly invited her to take a seat.
Seeing that Xu Lanyin's attitude towards the old man was not very good, Min Jia ignored him and kept holding Xu Lanyin's hand.
This time, the second wife only brought four packages of snacks as gifts, which disappointed the others. Xu Qingyan was angry and had not given them any money or gifts the last time he visited.
Xu Lanyin and Xu Lanting were angry with the old man, so after greeting him, they took Min Jia and Xu Lanyue to the yard to play with Xu Yuan and Xu Man.
After a while, I saw several people coming to visit, three old men and a middle-aged woman.
Aunt He, who opened the door, said they had guests. They looked inside for a few seconds, then glanced meaningfully at Xu Lanyin and Xu Lanyue. Each of them asked, "Are those the girls Yin and Yue?"
Aunt He answered "yes" and closed the door without any hesitation.
Xu Yuan pouted and said, "My great-grandmother and my father really hate them. They say they are talkative and like to gossip about others, so they don't want them to come to our house. But my grandfather likes them and even invites them for tea and snacks."
Xu Man also said, "Grandma and Grandpa quarreled and smashed the bowls. Dad talked back, and Grandpa beat him."
Xu Lanyin was secretly annoyed. Birds of a feather flock together. That old man was a big talker in the countryside, and now he's hanging out with these people here. He must have heard what those people said about taking a concubine. And he must have spread the news about Qin and Zhou outside.
That old man was ungrateful and vain, stepping on Qin Shi to flatter himself. I had thought too highly of him before; he was completely beyond my comprehension.
Xu Lanyin took Xu Yuan aside and learned some things indirectly. The old man loved to gossip with a few idle people on this street. In the past, he liked to gather at Xu's house. The old lady didn't like to listen to what the old man said. She quarreled with the old man in front of those people and even smashed tea bowls. Those people didn't dare to come to Xu's house every day anymore. They went to Wang's house and Li's house to play, and Xu Yuan also went with them. What old man Xu liked to show off the most was Xu Qingyan's meritorious service to the court as a spy, and Zhou followed Xu Qingyan to obtain intelligence, and was finally captured and killed by the enemy country. How the emperor praised the two of them, calling them heroes who had made great contributions to the court. What made him most angry was that Qin came from a poor family and still stood in Zhou's way...
Xu Lanyin was filled with grief and indignation. She rushed into the upper room and said, "I knew some hearts couldn't be warmed, but I didn't expect these people's hearts to be harder than stone. In the first nine years, my father only stayed at home for a few months. My mother raised my brother and me alone and took care of the elderly on my father's behalf. In the next eight years, there was no news from my father. Everyone said he was dead. My mother remained faithful to my father, rarely leaving the house, and never spoke a word to outsiders. She was virtuous and polite, and never did anything that violated the rules. What right do you have to go around destroying my mother's reputation? How much gold can you put on your face if you trample my mother into the mud?"
She didn't mention anyone by name, but her eyes were fixed on Old Man Xu, full of anger.
Old man Xu was also angry. He stood up and cursed, "You unfilial thing! How dare you curse your elders?" After cursing, he rushed up to hit the man.
Old Mrs. Xu hurriedly pulled him back and said, "Don't be angry, girl..."
Xu Lanyin didn't listen to the old lady's explanation. She turned around and pulled Xu Lanting and said, "Our mother has been spread like that. Why are you still staying here?"
Xu Lanting was also angry and followed Xu Lanyin out. Min Jia and Xu Lanyue saw this and ran out as well.
Ding Gu was driving the cart, and he quickly drove the mule cart out.
Xu Qingyan was also angry that he hadn't stopped his children from leaving. If he hadn't had to return to the capital the next day, he would have wanted to just leave.
Sitting in the car, Xu Lanyin apologized to Xu Yuan in her heart. That little boy would definitely not be able to escape a good beating. But he was the eldest grandson of the eldest son's family, and no matter how angry Old Man Xu was, he would not bear a grudge against him.
They didn't dare go home directly for dinner, so they each had a bowl of wontons outside. Xu Lanyin also told the three children not to tell their grandfather about his nonsense outside when they got home, nor to tell him about their quarrel.
After walking around the street again, they went home.
As soon as they got home, Xu Qingyan also came back, and they all pretended nothing had happened.
While Qin was talking to the children, Xu Qingyan pulled Xu Lanyin into the side room and whispered, "Your grandfather was wrong to do that. I scolded him harshly. But he's the elder. If you're unhappy, just don't see him. Don't argue with him like that in the future. It'll hurt your reputation if it gets out."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
