Meet
At sunset at the hour of You, Cui Zhijun took Taishi Zheng and went to Zhouqiao.
Unexpectedly, the two had just gotten off the carriage and walked only a hundred steps when they saw someone walking out of the tavern next door drunk.
"Xiao Zheng, come over here."
Cui Zhijun was preoccupied. Afraid that the newcomer might disturb Taishi Zheng, he switched places with her, moving her to the other side. Zheng, holding the goose and duck skewers she had just bought, continued to eat heartily even after being inexplicably dragged away by someone next to her.
But when he ran into the drunk man, Cui Zhijun couldn't help but ask in confusion: "Senior Brother?"
Zheng raised her eyes and followed the sound, and the fragrant fried meat filled her mouth.
Zheng looked at the drunken Liu Yugeng in surprise, wondering why he was so drunk at this hour. Unexpectedly, upon seeing the young couple, especially Choi Shik-yoon, Liu Yugeng looked guilty. Without a word, he pretended not to know them and fled.
He even walked in such a hurry that he knocked over the pub's sign on the street to attract customers.
The loud noise startled the surrounding passersby, who all looked over. However, Liu Yugeng, regardless, fled into the crowd, eventually disappearing from the young couple's sight.
Zheng and Cui Zhijun stood there in confusion.
She felt something was wrong, but couldn't put her finger on what, so she casually asked, "Erlang, why did Senior Brother Liu come out here so drunk? Shouldn't the Qionglin Banquet have ended long ago by now? Shouldn't he have returned home long ago? Sister-in-law Bao Nian, we've prepared so much for him at home today."
Cui Zhijun looked at the direction where Liu Yugeng left and noticed something strange. He vaguely felt that he seemed to be troubled by something.
But other people's affairs are none of your business after all.
The last time Liu Yugeng asked for his help, Cui Zhijun had only done so out of kindness, considering Bao Nian and her son were in dire straits. However, in reality, he and Liu Yugeng were merely classmates, and if you could say they were friends, it was more than just a casual acquaintance.
However, he still had to answer his wife's question. Cui Zhijun replied, "Maybe he's going home now. Today is the Qionglin Feast to distribute the emperor's fiefs, and someone must have dragged him to celebrate."
Cui Zhijun finished his words and looked down at Taishi Zheng, who was holding a goose or duck skewer that she hadn't eaten yet. He casually took her hand and pulled it to his mouth, taking advantage of her unpreparedness and plunging the delicious food into his mouth. Zheng looked back and cried out, "Hey, hey, hey, that's the last one! You can't eat so much."
Unexpectedly, it was too late. All that was left for Tai Shi Zheng was a bare bamboo stick and Cui Zhijun's triumphant smile.
-
The shabby little house in Fuyuanfang was made clean and cozy by Bao Nian.
She returned home that afternoon, washing vegetables, preparing food, boiling water, adding firewood, and taking care of Xiaobao's eating, drinking, and toileting. She was never idle. Despite the busyness, Bao Nian was content with her life. In her mind, she had freed herself from the moral constraints of her elders, becoming self-reliant and able to live in Bianjing. This was something she had never dared to dream of before.
The smoky air of the stove ignited with the steam rising from the fresh vegetables in the pot. As the plates of home-cooked meals arrived on the table, Bao Nian, pinching her greasy skirt and looking at the fruits of her afternoon's labor, finally breathed a sigh of relief.
At that time, the door made a knock.
Bao Nian thought it was Liu Yugeng who came back, so he picked up Xiao Bao and said softly, "Daddy is back."
However, the moment the door opened, it was Aunt Qu, our neighbor to the east, who poked her head out. Aunt Qu had come to return the bamboo plaque she had borrowed from Bao Nian the day before, and had also brought some homemade pickled vegetables. From across the courtyard, Aunt Qu's fine nose could smell the delicious aroma of the food.
She teased Xiaobao, "Hey, Xiaobao, your mother usually eats cold rice, why is she willing to cook today? Is there something happy?"
"The child's father is coming back, so I made a few simple dishes. Why don't you stay for a meal?" Bao Nian replied to Aunt Qu's question with a smile. Aunt Qu shook her head and said, "I won't eat. I have to go home and cook for my husband. I won't bother you. Just remember to tell me if you have anything to say. Grandma is leaving, Xiaobao."
"Oh, I know. Thank you, Auntie." Bao Nian watched the person walk away.
Although the neighbors in Fuyuanfang were all low-class people in Bianjing City, they were very kind-hearted. Ever since they heard that Bao Nian was being bullied by the Dong family, they often visited him and helped take care of the mother and child. Therefore, Bao Nian felt very at ease living here these days.
The city of Bianjing was not as unkind as she had thought.
Bao Nian gently locked the door and watched the sun set. At this moment, she didn't know that the food on the table would be reheated again and again, but the person who said he would come home - never came back.
-
When Chu Fanghua stepped into the second room as the setting sun fell, his ankle was already swollen.
But she only had time to wail now.
When Cui Bin got home from work, he saw Chu Fanghua sitting on the bedside as soon as he opened the curtains and entered the room. She looked miserable. The maid who was rubbing the potion for her fall beside her had her arm pinched purple by Chu Fanghua, but she didn't dare to say anything. But when Cui Bin saw Chu Fanghua, his first words were not concern at all, but anxious to ask: "What have you been doing all day? What did the Queen Mother say? Did she blame us? Tell the Queen Mother clearly that you didn't do it on purpose, you are just unlucky."
Even at this time, Cui Bin was still making sarcastic remarks.
Chu Fanghua was so angry that he threw the soft pillow on the bed at the man fiercely, "You heartless old man, if I die, will you laugh at my grave for three days before you stop? Get out, get out of here——"
Chu Fanghua's furious roar sent people retreating in fear. Cui Bin, however, unconcerned, plopped down on the couch by the window. "You seem quite upset," he said. "What's the matter? Is the Queen Mother blaming you? What does she plan to do to you?"
The word "you" divides him into two parts.
Cui Bin leisurely picked up the hot tea prepared for Chu Fanghua on the table, opened his mouth to drink, but spat twice because of the heat.
Chu Fanghua waited for Cui Bin, thinking that it was a good perm.
Glancing around to see if there was anyone in the room, Chu Fanghua suppressed his anger and got down to business. "Disposal? The Queen Mother is tolerant. Do you think everyone is like you? The Queen Mother even pointed out a clear path for us. Let me tell you, if we can handle this matter well and gain the Queen Mother's trust, we will enjoy endless wealth and honor in the future with the Chu family as our backing. We are not like your Cui family who sticks to the old ways. My eldest brother was an official in the court, but he only served as an official. He never assessed the situation and made no progress for many years."
Cui Bin put down his teacup, deeply curious, but still feeling indignant on behalf of his elder brother. "Just say what you want to say. Why bring up elder brother again? As the Minister of Internal Affairs, elder brother should be wholeheartedly serving the emperor. Besides, if elder brother hadn't supported the Bo Mansion all these years, and if elder sister-in-law's family's property hadn't supplemented it, do you think you could still be staying here safely? The Queen Mother probably wouldn't be willing to point out a clear path for a messy relative like you do now, someone who's almost five generations out of kin! Just tell me, a clear path? What clear path?"
Chu Fanghua was annoyed by Cui Bin's favoritism towards the first wife. It was because of this favoritism that he had not made any progress in all these years.
"The Queen Mother asked us to find a new son-in-law."
Although this matter cannot be mentioned before it is finalized, Chu Fanghua has no need to hide it from Cui Bin.
The couple may have been estranged, but they were truly inseparable. Furthermore, Cui Bin had his own selfish motives. He felt bad for Cui Zhisong's transfer to Jinzhou, a place so far away, but he was powerless to do anything. Everyone only recognized Ping Kangbo, and who would recognize him, a nameless and unprofitable Second Master?
Therefore, Cui Bin also wanted to take advantage of the situation to get his beloved son back.
Cui Bin stopped Chu Fanghua, bewildered. "Catch a new son-in-law? You're really not giving up your evil intentions. But how can a son-in-law be so easy to catch? The ones who were engaged were caught away. And they were all from prominent families. How could it be our turn? Are you asking us to catch a married man for Chun'er?"
"Is this the clear path given by the Queen Mother?"
Chu Fanghua rolled his eyes and said, "Tsk, it was so hard to talk to you before, but today you are the one who made me angry."
At that time, someone outside the door was carrying boiled Chinese medicine from the corridor to the front of the house. When the servant saw them, he called out softly, "Young lady."
Cui Jianchun also lowered his brows when speaking to the messenger, "I'm here to deliver medicine to my mother."
Someone kindly reminded him, "Young lady, the master is in there too."
Cui Jianchun nodded and was about to move forward, but suddenly Cui Bin shouted from inside the house: "What?! How could the Queen Mother let my Chun'er be humiliated like this? I don't agree to let my Cui family be humiliated like this, and my eldest brother won't agree either--"
Cui Jianchun stopped and paused under the doorpost, just blocking her shadow.
She seemed to have expected this, and quickly turned around and waved her hand, sending everyone out of the yard, leaving herself alone guarding in front of the house.
Chu Fanghua retorted from the other end, "Keep your voice down. Are you afraid others can't hear you? Cui Bin, who needs your family's consent? This is my son's marriage, and I should be the one making the decision. And what's the humiliation? Can you not be so harsh? He divorced his wife and remarried, so how could I let my son bear the stigma of divorcing his wife and remarrying? Your Cui family has no shame, but I still have. Even if things go wrong, so what? We can just put all the blame on that guy. He's greedy and should be the scapegoat."
"I don't care. Anyway, I have met this person today, and I will make arrangements for it."
"If you know what's good for you, just hold it in and stand by me. As long as we both persevere, and this succeeds, I'll ask the Queen Mother to transfer your good-for-nothing son back from Jinzhou. He might even get a high position and a generous salary. Tell me, what else is wrong with you?"
"Otherwise, you can ask your precious son to stay in Jinzhou for the rest of his life. Let's see if Wu can make the east wall of our family collapse with tears——"
What a cunning fox.
Chu Fanghua offered benefits as a lure, and Cui Bin, who loved his son dearly, took the bait.
But Cui Bin, who had just stood up to defend Cui Jianchun, snorted and sat down again after hearing the favorable conditions. "Okay, okay, you have the guts. Now, tell me which list of Jinshi is it that's worth all the trouble? Even at the risk of my life, I'll drag you aboard."
Cui Bin's words were harsh, but Chu Fanghua needed him now, so she didn't bother to care. "Liu Yugeng, the first in the second class, is here at the Qionglin Banquet today. Do you know what official position he got?"
Liu Yugeng.
Cui Jianchun was stunned outside the house. She felt like she had heard this name somewhere before...
Standing there indifferently, Cui Jianchun only clenched the tray in her hands tighter and tighter upon hearing these words, but she showed no sign of panic. Her face was calm, as if Chu Fanghua wasn't talking about her. This was completely different from the shy young lady she usually was.
If someone else heard their parents plotting against them like this, they would either run away or break in.
Cui Jianchun is really patient.
Cui Bin asked from inside the house, "What kind of official position did you get?"
Chu Fanghua replied: "I entered the Taiyuan and got a sixth-rank Shiyushi."
"real?!"
After hearing this, Cui Bin also felt that it was profitable.
As the saying goes, two people can sleep in the same bed together. He and Chu Fanghua are now on good terms. He thought that since Chu Fanghua has a way, it won't hurt his reputation and can also provide a good future for Cui Zhisong in the future, why not do it? After all, Cui Jianchun will get married sooner or later.
Chu Fanghua responded immediately, "How could I possibly lie to you? Now I'm just waiting for their reply so I can act according to the plan. The family there doesn't have much foundation, so this will be easy to handle. Just wait and see—in less than five days, Liu Yugeng will come to Yuxiao Temple to agree to this matter."
Chu Fanghua has seen countless people. Liu Yugeng's words and actions today all reveal his ambitions.
Since he had such ambition, Chu Fanghua knew that the matter was half done.
Cui Bin, however, was unconvinced. He questioned, "How do you know they will agree? Do you think everyone is as heartless and ungrateful as you, willing to trade their children's marriages? Besides, this is a serious matter. If he's not careful, his career will be over."
Cui Bin cursed Chu Fanghua with all his heart, but he tried to clear himself of the charges. But what he said was also the truth. Wasn't Cui Zhilin sold to the Prince's Mansion by her?
There is a pillow on the bed. If you throw one away, there is still one left.
Chu Fanghua couldn't stand it any longer. He raised his hand and grabbed the pillow and ran over to curse, "Old bastard, I really should have someone sew your broken mouth shut!"
Cui Bin glared.
The matter the two discussed came to an end.
The person eavesdropping outside with medicine in hand chose the perfect moment to knock on the door. Cui Jianchun suppressed the frustration in his heart and said loudly, "Mother, I'm here to bring you medicine."
No one in the room suspected anything, so Chu Fanghua quickly instructed Cui Bin to pick up all the pillows and whispered, "Hurry up and clean up. Chun'er is here, don't let anyone know. Don't let any word get out before this is done."
Cui Bin thought she was nagging and kept saying he knew it.
Turning his head to look outside, Cui Bin responded loudly: "Chun'er, come in——"
Cui Jianchun then lowered his head and pushed the door open. His face solemn, he walked up to his parents, holding the medicine bowl and greeting them: "Greetings, Father, and Mother. Is your ankle feeling better? This is the medicine brewed in the kitchen. I brought it here especially for you to take."
When Chu Fanghua saw Cui Jianchun, she immediately put on a loving motherly expression, "My son is a filial son. Leave the medicine here. I will drink it myself."
"Yes." Cui Jianchun put the medicine on the table with his arms stiff.
At this moment, after hearing those words, Cui Jianchun felt even more uncomfortable facing her parents. They had become strangers in her eyes, and she could no longer tell which of their words were true and which were false. It would be a lie to say she wasn't upset, but Cui Jianchun couldn't lose her temper.
Cui Bin sat on the side, also smiling unnaturally. He and Chu Fanghua exchanged a glance, but Chu Fanghua ignored him. Suddenly, she smiled and said something meaningful to Cui Jianchun, "Jianchun, my daughter is well-behaved and obedient. In the blink of an eye, she has grown up so much. I think it's time for her to get married."
These words, which should be gentle and caring from an elder to a younger generation, always make people feel terrified when they come out of Chu Fanghua's mouth.
Cui Jianchun clenched her fists, trying not to let her emotions show. All she could do now was suppress her emotions and respond obediently, "Everything is up to mother."
-
The next day, the sky was cloudy.
Cui Jianchun left her boudoir early and lingered outside the Yinzhu Yatang. She had tossed and turned the previous night, pondering Liu Yugeng's name over and over again, finally remembering that the name had come up in the conversation between her two sisters-in-law on the day the results were announced.
Cui Jianchun was a solitary and introverted person by nature, and like his elder brother, he always obeyed his mother.
But she was definitely not so submissive as to be willing to be the wife of such an unfaithful and unfilial man. Although Na Duan had not yet agreed to this matter and her mother's trick had not yet been carried out, Cui Jianchun felt that she could not sit still and wait for death. She felt that she needed to get some information, so she came to Tai Shi Zheng's residence.
As luck would have it, Zheng got up early today and was about to go to the store again to check. "Aunt Wu, I'm going to the noodle shop today and won't be back for lunch."
Cui Jianchun heard the noise inside the door from outside, turned around and ran to hide in a distant fork in the road.
On the other side, Zheng happily walked out of the door, but was stopped by someone after leaving the door.
"Cousin, what a coincidence..."
Zheng suddenly turned around, holding up her skirt, and saw Cui Jianchun greeting her. She immediately smiled and said, "Hey? Chun'er, why are you here so early?"
"I...I...I can't sleep, so I'm just...walking around here." Cui Jianchun couldn't help blushing when he saw the enthusiastic Tai Shi Zheng. She was still not good at lying, but her seemingly timid personality became a good disguise.
Zheng didn't pay much attention to it. "The scenery of the Bo Mansion in Chunri is nice. It's nice to take a walk around."
"Sister-in-law, are you going out so early?" Cui Jianchun slowly approached Taishi Zheng. Zheng smiled and replied, "Well, I plan to go to the noodle shop."
Noodle shop? Cui Jianchun nodded.
The family only knew that Taishi Zheng opened a noodle shop, but they never knew when she opened it or where it was.
After all, few people would care about things that have nothing to do with them.
But if Cui Jianchun wanted to gather information, she had to interact more with Taishi Zheng. This was the only way to ask about Liu Yugeng without raising suspicion. She then continued the conversation, making an excuse, "A noodle shop? I've heard my cousin's wife has her own business, but this is the first time in the mansion. I wonder if my sister-in-law... could take me to see it?"
Unexpectedly, Zheng's eyes lit up when she heard this. She liked this sister Chun'er very much.
"Are you interested? Of course you can. Sister Chun'er, you haven't had breakfast yet, right? Then come with me to the noodle shop. Let me tell you, our red bean paste buns are delicious. Come on, come on, if we go now, we can catch the first basket out of the steamer."
Zheng was as energetic and enthusiastic as ever. As she spoke, she took Cui Jianchun's arm and led him out without a trace of awkwardness. This left Cui Jianchun bewildered and shocked. He had clearly come to her to get some information, but why did she feel like she had "kidnapped" him?
-
Just like that day, they rode in an ox cart together. Zheng squinted her eyes and smiled at Cui Jianchun. Cui Jianchun shrank his neck, not daring to look at the person in front of him for a second. Zheng looked happy and proud. She thought that Lao Wu had agreed to come to the store to help with the food tasting today. She was really smart to help drag her sister Chun'er along.
Such a quiet and lovely young lady would make anyone happy when seeing her.
If her fifth son is lucky enough to marry a wife like this, she and her sisters Qi Jiami will be satisfied.
Cui Jianchun sat opposite, his mind blank.
For a moment, she even forgot the purpose of her trip with Taishi Zheng today. She wondered why her cousin Zhijun's wife was so different from her cousin's quiet and elegant personality. She was full of vitality, like the sun in the sky.
So, the two people in the carriage had different thoughts, and the carriage continued to pass through Xiao City and head towards Baohefang.
-
In the noodle shop, trays of steamed buns and steamed cakes were placed in bamboo baskets.
Everyone was busy and having a lot of fun.
They had nothing else to talk about, so they casually asked, "Hey, Bao Nian, why didn't you join us this morning? How was last night? Did your husband, Mr. Liu, get promoted to a high position and be so happy? Did you two hold the official certificate and have fun until midnight?"
"He didn't come back last night."
Bao Nian looked calm and spoke lightly as he continued to work on his task.
But the woman had a hot temper. Upon hearing this, she stood up for Bao Nian and said, "What? He didn't come back? Didn't Liu Yugeng promise to return home after the Qionglin Banquet? What's wrong with this stinky man? He doesn't keep his word. He thinks he's so great just because he got first place in the second class? He even puts on airs with you?"
Bao Nian seemed to have long been accustomed to Liu Yugeng's dishonesty and coldness. She simply forced a smile and replied, "He must have been delayed by something. It's always been like this before, I'm used to it. Let him be. Today's opening is important. I'll go set up the table up front."
Bao Niancong finished speaking and left the shop. He saw two people standing in the shop, "Mrs. Zheng."
Turning his head to glance at Cui Jianchun, Bao Nian asked, "Who is this?"
Zheng vaguely recalled the time she ran into Liu Yugeng last night, and looked at Bao Nian with a sense of loss. But she still started by introducing them, introducing each other. "Oh, this is Zhijun's cousin, Cui Jianchun. Sister Chun'er, this is Bao Nian's sister-in-law."
Bao Nian raised his eyes and saw that it was the young lady from the Bo family, so he asked, "Hello, Miss Chun'er."
At that time, Cui Jianchun raised his eyes and met the gaze of the person in front of him, stunned and speechless.
She heard everything the people inside said just now clearly. Was this Liu Yugeng's wife? No wonder Bao Nian thought the name sounded so familiar.
Unexpectedly, she got hit by an unexpected opportunity today.
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