Lou Yunchun stopped and looked up, then asked, "Are you going to see the Water God again this year?"
Xu Jiang thought about it and nodded at him, "Go!"
The wind of the old year blew across the roof, caressed the treetops, then sneaked into the house, swept away a few pieces of wood flowers in Xu Jiang's hands, slowly drifted into the sky, and fell between the water and clouds.
——————Dividing line——————
The carriage arrived at the entrance of Song Qiao's house again, but Mrs. Lu was reluctant to get off.
The accompanying maid was replaced by an old woman with a rather mean look on her face.
The old woman urged, "Madam, we're here, get off the car."
Mrs. Lu's eyes turned and her cold gaze fixed on the old woman's face.
The old woman was someone Lu Yu often used, and he was not afraid of her. "Since you are here, why bother taking these few steps?"
Mrs. Lu took a deep breath, stood up and got out of the car, and walked towards the front door of the Song family.
The old woman followed behind her, looked around, then looked at Madam Lu in front of her, with contempt on her face.
The two arrived at Song Qiao's house, but found it locked.
Madam Lu breathed a sigh of relief. "Since he's not here, let's go back."
The old woman said, "The market is almost closing. Miss Song should be on her way back. I will wait with you for a while."
Mrs. Lu's heart sank as the sun set.
The neighbors went back to their homes, and everyone who came and went looked at the two of them. When someone approached and asked who they were waiting for, the old woman would give them a cold response, causing the other person to roll his eyes and walk away.
But even when the closing drum sounded, there was no sign of Song Qiao. Mrs. Lu suggested going home again, but the old woman still insisted on waiting.
Finally, Hu Xu came back.
When Hu Xu returned from his shift, he saw the familiar carriage parked at the gate and knew that an unexpected guest had arrived. He then felt lucky that he had sent Song Qiao to the mountains yesterday, otherwise he would have been in trouble if he had run into him.
He led his horse into the alley and saw Mrs. Lu and a maid waiting in front of Song Qiao's house. He did not greet them, but pushed the door open and entered his own yard.
Mrs. Lu's eyes fell on him, and remembering what he said that day, she shouted, "Stop."
The Hu family was preparing offerings for the Lower Yuan Festival in the yard.
Hu Xu asked his father to help lead the horse to the stable. Then he returned to the alley, closed the gate, and asked Madam Lu, "What advice do you have for me, Madam?"
"Do you know where Ah Qiu went?"
"Moved away."
The old woman was anxious, "Moved away? Where did you move to?"
Hu Xu glanced at her and said, "I don't know."
The old woman turned to Madam Lu and said, "Then let's go to the government office tomorrow and ask. Relocation requires paperwork, so we should be able to find out where to go."
Upon hearing this, Hu Xu said coldly, "Forgive my ignorance. I wonder when the laws of Dasheng were revised? This Governor Sizhu actually has the power to inspect government documents?"
The old woman was stunned. "Who are you? How do you know our origins?"
Hu Xu said: "You are not qualified to ask."
The old woman was about to explode when she was stopped by Madam Lu. Madam Lu said to Hu Xu, "I know Ah Qiao didn't move out. Tell me, where did she go?"
Hu Xu naturally couldn't tell her, so he just said, "I advise Madam to give up. She won't see you again."
Madam Lu said, "It's not up to you to decide whether to meet or not."
Hu Xuli asked, "What makes Madam Lu think that Song Qiao would meet a mother who sold her own daughter for fame and fortune?"
Madam Lu froze. "She... knows?"
Hu Xu sarcastically said, "There's no such thing as an impenetrable wall, and Song Qiao is no fool. You've never bothered her in all these years, yet you've been coming to her so frequently lately. How could she not have guessed that you had other intentions?"
It turned out that she had guessed it long ago.
Thinking of Song Qiao's cold and sarcastic look when they last met, Mrs. Lu suddenly felt ashamed.
The old woman interrupted, "It's only natural for a mother to worry about her children's marriages. Why does it sound so harsh when you say it?"
Hu Xu simply pointed it out, "Madam knows whether you are really worried about her marriage or how to curry favor with the Wei family."
Mrs. Lu was stabbed so badly that her face turned pale.
The old woman defended Madam Lu, saying, "It's true that she's worried about the marriage, and it's also true that she's on good terms with the Wei family. If it works out, it would be the best of both worlds."
"Now the Third Young Master of the Wei Family has specifically asked to see Madam Song. This is a blessing many girls would beg for. If she is chosen, not to mention being a concubine, even if she becomes a companion, she will enjoy endless wealth and glory."
As she spoke, the old woman pointed to Song Qiao's courtyard and said, "It's better than marrying an ordinary man, becoming a poor couple, and living in such a shabby house."
"Becoming Wei San's concubine? You're really scheming!" Hu Xu's gentle face flashed with anger. He sneered, "If it's such a good idea, why don't you marry your daughter from the Lu family to him? Why do you have to come to Song Qiao?"
Madam Lu was speechless for a long moment before she managed to utter a few words that only she could hear, "I... had no choice."
On one side are himself, his parents, his brothers and his little daughter, and on the other side is Song Qiao. It is clear at a glance which is more important.
"What does this have to do with you?" Seeing Hu Xu wouldn't listen, the old woman raised her sickle-shaped eyebrows and threatened, "You know this is a matter between the Lu and Wei families, yet you still dare to meddle? Are you afraid of losing your life? Tell Madam Song where she is now, or you'll be in big trouble!"
Hu Xu's gaze rested heavily on the old woman. "How can the Lu and Wei families force decent girls into concubines? Can the Lu family's servants threaten court officials at will? The power at the feet of the emperor is truly immense!"
"Official? Who? Where?" The old woman looked around, then her eyes swirled around Hu Xu, and she said contemptuously, "Could it be you? Don't you even take a look in the mirror at your poor appearance? How can you be an official?"
Before Hu Xu could say anything in response, the door behind him was suddenly opened.
"I've put up with you for so long!" The Hu family's elder sister poured a basin of vegetable washing water on the old woman, then pointed at her and cursed, "You blind, deaf, and filthy woman! You didn't even open your rat eyes to see who's standing in front of you! How dare you insult the sage-appointed Zuo Lang, the current top scholar, in the street! I think you're the one who's asking too much for your life!"
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