Chapter 49 Hatred

The return gift is a big gift to the Marquis' Mansion, and Shen Qingrong only sent a small gift for meeting.

Just now, Jiang Shu asked whether this small gift was prepared by the Lu family or by Shen Qingrong. He was not asking about the gift, but the attitude.

If it was prepared by the Lu family, then the Lu family did not know etiquette and education, and abused their power to bully others. If it was prepared by Shen Qingrong, then it was just Shen Qingrong's ignorance, and it had nothing to do with the Lu family.

Jiang Shu's light words made Lu Mingke break out in a cold sweat.

He raised his eyes to look at Jiang Shu and re-examined him.

He always felt that Jiang Shu was not the same as what Shen Qingrong said.

Jiang Shu, who got a satisfactory answer, smiled lightly and said, "The gift shows my heart. My little sister is thoughtful."

This sentence not only pointed out Shen Qingrong's ulterior motives, but also showed that she did not blame the Lu family.

Lu Mingke felt relieved and developed a slight liking for Jiang Shu's understanding. Shen

Qingrong, who was defeated, was not convinced and wanted to fight back, but was stopped by Lu Mingke's eyes.

Shen's mother saw something was wrong and hurried to smooth things over, saying, "Oh, don't just talk, the food is getting cold, let's eat first."

Jiang Shu was not a person who would not show mercy to others. After Lu Mingke stopped Shen Qingrong, she was too lazy to care about it.

However, Cheng Jinchu heard the deep meaning of their words and realized that the gift she received was more valuable than Jiang Shu's, and she felt a little uneasy.

But the things had already been received, and there was no reason to return them.

At the return banquet, everyone had different thoughts and they didn't know how to enjoy the food.

After the meal, the maid served tea, water, melons and fruits.

Jiang Shu took a sip and it tasted like snow mountain mist.

Several children were eating fruits and playing, and the adults were laughing and chatting. The atmosphere was quite harmonious and happy.

"Changhuai has never been back since he was exiled to Hengzhou. Qingrong rarely comes back. Write to him and ask him to come back to see her." Old Madam Shen's eyes showed love and longing.

Shen Changze and his two siblings have lived in harmony since childhood without any disputes. The brothers are friendly and the brothers are respectful, which makes Old Madam Shen very pleased.

Especially Shen Changhuai, who is sensible, filial, respectful, and polite, and is the most loved by Old Madam Shen.

"Okay, I will write to Changhuai tomorrow and ask him to come back to congratulate grandma on her birthday." Shen Changze said.

Speaking of Shen Changhuai, Shen Changze also missed him a little.

The two brothers had not seen each other for six years. Shen Changze was not able to witness Shen Changhuai's marriage after high school. He felt regretful and guilty, and felt that he was unworthy of being a brother.

Shen's mother also said: "I received a letter from Changhuai in the early spring, saying that his wife was pregnant. The Marquis's Mansion is really full of happy events this year."

Hearing this, Mrs. Shen was full of smiles and was in a very happy mood.

Lu Mingke smiled and congratulated: "The two brothers, one martial and one literary, are both talented. Promotion to official positions is just around the corner. The Marquis' Mansion will surely become more prosperous."

Shen Qingrong was honored and felt very proud in her heart.

Although she was arrogant, she also understood that the Marquis' Mansion was her backer and her brother was her support.

"The Shen and Lu families are of the same blood, and both will get better and better." Mrs. Shen smiled and replied.

Jiang Shu didn't like to say these polite words, so he could only lower his head and sip tea.

Fortunately, Old Madam Shen had to take medicine, and Cheng Jinchu was too weak to stay for long, so they soon left.

On the way back to Tingzhu Tower, Shen Changze and Cheng Jinchu were traveling with Jiang Shu. Jiang Shu didn't want to go with them, so he deliberately stopped in the garden and looked up at the bright moon in the sky.

Shen Qingrong, who was returning to Huaqing Courtyard, saw Jiang Shu admiring the moon in the garden and snorted, "Pretentious and pretentious."

Lu Mingke didn't pay attention at first, but when he heard Shen Qingrong say this, he turned his head and took a look.

Under the cold and lonely moonlight, Jiang Shu stood quietly in the garden, looking up at the bright moon in the sky, revealing his slender neck, noble and elegant, like a white swan worshiping the moon.

The bright moonlight sprinkled on Jiang Shu's long skirt, as if covered with a layer of silver light, beautiful like a moonlight fairy.

Lu Mingke was almost stunned.

He claimed that he had seen countless beauties and never coveted appearance. But at this moment, Jiang Shu was so stunningly beautiful that it was engraved in his heart unconsciously.

"Madam, the Marquis and Madam Jin have gone far away." Chu Yu reminded in a low voice.

Jiang Shu breathed a sigh of relief and walked towards the bamboo building.

The cool night breeze blew up Jiang Shu's skirt, like a flower blooming in the dark night, fleeting.

Organizing a birthday banquet is a big deal. The next day, Shen's mother found Jiang Shu to discuss the division of labor and summoned the servants in the mansion to start preparations.

The courtyard, the guest rooms, the front hall, the garden... all places need to be renovated and cleaned, and people must not feel that the mansion is run-down and shabby.

Previously, a small half of the servants in the mansion were assigned to work as employees in the wine shop. Now there is a shortage of manpower, and Jiang Shu proposed to transfer them from various courtyards.

To set an example, Jiang Shu only kept Chu Yu and Zhong Yue, and asked the rest of the people in Tingzhulou to help.

Shen's mother was very satisfied with Jiang Shu's move and arranged many tasks for her.

Unable to refuse, Jiang Shu had to agree. Fortunately, she didn't have to do everything herself, she just needed to ask the supervisor to check.

As for the purchase and handling of money-related matters, Shen's mother took care of them herself.

This day, Shen's mother was counting the accounts in the house, but she was not satisfied with the calculations and frowned.

"Mother." Shen Qingrong walked in.

Mother Shen put down the account book and sighed.

When Shen Qingrong saw it, she asked, "Why are you worried, mother?"

Mother Shen said, "The Marquis's Mansion is empty, and the expenses of holding a big birthday banquet are very high. It's a bit of a headache."

Shen Qingrong was surprised: "The Jiang family has fallen on hard times and my sister-in-law has no money."

Since Jiang Shu entered the Marquis' Mansion, the expenses of the mansion have been borne by Jiang Shu alone. As time went by, Shen Qingrong took it for granted.

Speaking of this, Mother Shen felt uncomfortable and sighed, "Something happened after your eldest brother returned to the mansion. Shu'er handed over the power of the family and no longer managed the expenses of the mansion."

"What happened?" Shen Qingrong asked.

Her daughter was not an outsider, so Mother Shen told Shen Qingrong everything.

Shen Qingrong was furious after hearing this: "Why does she dare to act like a tantrum and threaten my eldest brother just because he married another man and had a child at the border and asked for permission to make him his second wife? She doesn't even think about her status."

"In terms of family background, she is only worthy of being my eldest brother's concubine."

"My mother came to ask for her hand in marriage and gave her the position of the first wife. It was a great honor, but she is so ungrateful."

"If you ask me, my mother is too lenient to her, so she doesn't know how high the sky is and how deep the earth is."

Shen Qingrong, who was born in a noble family, has always looked down on Jiang Shu's status.

No matter how much Jiang Shu has contributed to the Marquis's Mansion, Shen Qingrong thinks that Jiang Shu is marrying up to the Marquis's Mansion, and she should be grateful and humble.

Jiang Shu, who came to the house to discuss business with Shen's mother, heard Shen Qingrong's words, a sneer appeared on his lips, and his heart was cold.

When she first married into the Marquis's Mansion, Shen Qingrong showed her dislike for her on her face and often found faults and made things difficult for her.

But Jiang Shu thought that they were a family after all, so he tolerated her in many ways and even loved Shen Qingrong as his own sister.

Whenever there was something new in the capital, such as clothes or jewelry, Jiang Shu would buy them for Shen Qingrong, making her the envy of the other ladies in the capital.

Gradually, Shen Qingrong's attitude improved, and she began to pester Jiang Shu for things.

As long as Shen Qingrong was happy, Jiang Shu never skimped on money.

Even when Shen Qingrong got married, Jiang Shu gave her half of her dowry, so that she could marry to Pingyang with confidence.

But Shen Qingrong was not only not grateful to Jiang Shu, but she hated him.

It was because Shen Qingrong wanted to break off the engagement because she admired someone else.