Chapter 117: A Family of Love and Hate (Two Chapters in One)
The excitement in the county government office did not last long because A Lei came back.
Coming back with Arei was his mentor Gou Ran.
Master Gou has followed County Magistrate Cui for many years. Like A Lei, he is County Magistrate Cui's confidant.
These two are celebrities in Fuyun County. Even if the people have never spoken to them, they must have seen them.
But today, the images of these two people are a little difficult to describe.
There were dozens of blood streaks running across Are's face, seemingly in disarray, but in fact they were in order, juxtaposed left and right, and even the length, depth and shallowness were exactly the same.
There were no bloodstains on Master Gou's face, but his eyes were bloodshot and there were two dark circles under his eyes. He looked no better than Are.
Also, what's that smell on Master Gou?
Seeing the half-dead County Magistrate Cui, the usually smooth-talking Master Gou trembled like a sieve.
The current situation of County Magistrate Cui and Aunt Wang is no longer suitable for them to continue living in the county government office. Firstly, the place where they live has been smashed and looted, and secondly, the angry people have not left yet and are all outside the government office.
A Lei said to Master Gou, "It's not convenient to see a doctor here. Why not send the master and mistress to stay at the house in Erliying for a while? What do you think, Master?"
Master Gou was absent-minded. He just listened to whatever A Lei said and could do nothing but nod.
It’s not his fault. He was tied up last night. The other party didn’t hurt him, but tied him to the tombstone with a rope for the whole night!
In extreme fear, Master Gou fainted. This morning, he was awakened by being fed boy's urine.
Generally, a person who fainted from fright could be woken up by pouring some boy's urine on him, but Master Gou was so frightened that pouring some boy's urine on him was not enough to wake him up. He had to be forced to drink water, so when he opened his eyes, he saw three grinning little boys. He screamed, and the three children ran away laughing.
The little brother who was as black as a loach said that one pee cost ten copper coins. There were three of them peeing three times, which was a full thirty copper coins!
Fortunately, Master Gou saw A Lei who came to pick him up. Master Gou's head was buzzing, and he didn't even think about going home to change clothes. He followed A Lei to the county government office.
Two small donkey carts were already waiting outside. Magistrate Cui, Aunt Wang, and their three children were stuffed into the carts.
Maids and old women? No, County Magistrate Cui has Concubine Wang to take care of him, so there is no need for maids and old women.
The house in Erliying was bought by Cui Rong to accommodate Wang Honghong, but neither A Lei nor Master Gou had expected that the missing Wang Honghong was in this house at this time.
Seeing the miserable Cui Rong and Aunt Wang, Wang Honghong held her child with a cold look.
"Uncle and aunt, it's been a long time since we last met. I never thought we'd meet again."
......
After sending Magistrate Cui and his family to Erliying, A Lei and Advisor Gou left. A Lei had another mission. He had to go to Luzhou and report back to the Cui family.
Originally, we wanted to arrange for Master Gou to go along, but Master Gou’s tolerance was too poor and it was not suitable for him to travel long distances, so we had to let him stay.
As for Arei, Zhao Shiqing was worried that it would be unsafe for him to travel alone, so he borrowed two guards from Zhen Wuduo to accompany him.
The two guards threw Arei onto the horse's back like a chicken. Arei looked back at Fuyun County which was getting farther and farther away, and said silently in his heart: Master, Arei was forced to do this, you can't blame Arei.
The three of them changed horses along the way but did not change people, and they rode non-stop, and soon arrived at Luzhou City.
Hearing that Cui Rong had sent his personal attendants back, Master Cui brought his sons and the fourth young master Cui to meet the visitor.
They all knew Are. Although the two big black men who came with Are were strangers, Master Cui did not care. With so many people in the yamen, it was normal to ask two people to escort Are.
Seeing the eldest Master Cui and the fourth Master Cui, A Lei knelt on the ground and burst into tears: "Eldest Master, Fourth Master, I am finally here to see you. My master is ill, and the ninth Master is still young and needs care. Auntie is too busy to take care of him. Besides, there must be someone to take over the family business in the mansion."
......
This time, Cui Rong suddenly fell ill. Everyone in the Cui family was shocked and worried, but they still secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
He was just sick, he didn't ask for money.
Mrs. Cui cried bitterly. She had just lost her son and now her husband was sick. She wanted to go and take care of him personally, but the old man and the old lady disagreed. As a daughter-in-law, she should be filial to her husband. As for Cui Rong, he had Aunt Wang to take care of him. Besides, the fourth young master Cui could go to take care of him.
Compared with the deceased Third Master Cui, Fourth Master Cui is more intelligent and better at studying. He will definitely take the imperial examination in the future. He will be criticized for not going to take care of his father when he is sick. In the future, when he passes the imperial examination, he will inevitably be criticized by people with ulterior motives.
There were three people in Are's group when they came, and five people when they left, including the Fourth Young Master Cui and his long-time attendant A'an.
They had to sleep in the open air and eat many meals on the way, but they rode the fastest horses and arrived in Fuyun in the shortest time.
Young Master Cui thought that Cui Rong was recuperating in the county government office, but he didn't expect that they didn't even enter the city gate and were taken directly to Erliying.
Here, the fourth young master Cui saw Cui Rong with a crooked mouth and squinting eyes, Aunt Wang who looked ten years older, Wang Honghong who sneered at him, and the child in Wang Honghong's arms.
Young Master Cui was confused. When he found that Are did not come in with him, he felt something vaguely, but the courtyard gate had been locked from the outside and he could not get out!
The family was finally reunited, and from then on this small courtyard was filled with family love.
Cui Rong was free to defecate and urinate, and Aunt Wang asked Wang Honghong to serve him. Wang Honghong slapped him. Aunt Wang suppressed her nausea and threw the quilt and clothes stained with feces into the yard. She also twisted Cui Rong's thighs a few times. Cui Rong screamed in pain and cursed Aunt Wang as a vicious woman incoherently.
Although the winter in Liangdi was not as cold as in Northern Yan, it was still bitterly cold. The two daughters were too young, so Aunt Wang could only ask the Fourth Master Cui to wash the quilts and clothes stained with feces.
Young Master Cui's hands are used for writing and drawing. He has never washed clothes in his life and doesn't even know how to wash clothes.
But if he didn't want to wash it, it had to be Aunt Wang. He wanted Wang Honghong to wash it, but Wang Honghong got a whip from somewhere and whipped the Fourth Young Master Cui twice.
Logically speaking, Wang Honghong is just a weak woman, but Cui Sishao is a teenager of fourteen or fifteen years old. If he fights with Wang Honghong one-on-one, Wang Honghong may not be his opponent.
But in fact, Wang Honghong only whipped him once, and he became obedient and well-behaved in front of Wang Honghong. He only dared to vent his anger on Aunt Wang and his younger brothers and sisters.
As for food, when they were sent here, Zhao Shiqing prepared firewood, rice, oil and salt for them. Of course, most of them were left behind by Wang Honghong when she lived here. Zhao Shiqing was kind-hearted and even had someone bring in two large jars of pickles.
So the family has no worries about food and drink, but they need to cook their own meals.
This family doesn’t know how to do it!
Wang Honghong ordered the two girls to light the fire, and Aunt Wang and Young Master Cui to cook.
The rice was burnt, so Wang Honghong hit it on the head with a whip. She had to cook it again. After a few tries, she managed to cook it just as well.
It was just a pity for Cui Rong, who was unable to take care of himself. He was beaten every day. At first, only Aunt Wang and Wang Honghong beat him, but later Fourth Young Master Cui also joined in. Cui Rong was beaten so hard that he kept crying for help.
Amidst the love-hate relationship among this family, Zhizhou Chang Wei came to Fuyun and took over personally. Before the court sent a new magistrate, Zhizhou Chang Wei temporarily served as the magistrate.
The prefect was very nervous. As Cui Rong's immediate superior, he certainly knew that Cui Rong had connections in the capital, and he had also received tributes from Cui Rong. Therefore, although he looked down on Cui Rong, he had only scolded Cui Rong in the last inheritance dispute. As for the deduction of salary, it was just a show for the people. As a local official, if he still relied on that little salary to make a living, no one would believe it if he told others about it.
However, when the prefect learned that Cui Rong had suffered a stroke and could not even speak clearly, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.
It would be better if Cui Rong died.
Under the management of the prefect, Fuyun County finally calmed down. At least, the government office was no longer crowded with people.
It was already the end of the year. Zhao Shiqing left a few guards to keep an eye on Cui Rong's family. She took Zhen Wuduo and her small team back to Liangdu.
Cui Rong's crimes had already been sent to the capital. According to the capital's usual practice, this matter would not be dealt with until after the first month of the year.
Let’s leave the rest to the officials.
Zhao Shiqing went directly to the royal tomb, which made Chen Wangxing, who wanted to stroll around Liangdu, very disappointed. Who would go to visit a grave during the New Year? Although it was the royal tomb, wasn’t the royal tomb also a grave?
However, when Chen Wangxing saw Prince of Liang Zhao Tinghan and Princess Zhao Yunnuan coming to greet him in person, he was stunned.
What kind of arrangement is this? Prince Liang and the eldest princess were personally welcoming him inside and outside the gate respectively?
Fortunately, not long after, this silly child finally understood why Zhao Shiqing said that she had no right to let him take her surname.
Because this Zhao is the Zhao of the royal family, and is the surname of the Dayong Kingdom!
Now that I think about it, Miss Zhao Er still gave him some face.
If it were someone else, they would definitely say—
"You bastard, you also want to be named Zhao? Are you worthy of being named Zhao? How dare you be named Zhao?"
Children aged fourteen or fifteen always have a lot of ideas, and they are particularly biased.
Zhao Shiqing, who is the same age as him, is introducing his grandfather to his brothers and sisters.
Zhao Shiqing's biological parents are no longer alive, and Zhen Wuduo is her only blood relative in this world.
Zhao Tinghan and Zhao Yunnuan had great respect for this sophisticated yet humorous old man, not to mention that the old man also gave them a valuable gift.
It was really valuable. Even the Zhao brothers and sisters, who had been used to seeing good things since childhood, could hardly afford it.
Zhao Tinghan is still in mourning, so he can only receive guests in the royal mausoleum. The royal mausoleum has simple meals and it is inconvenient to entertain guests. Zhao Yunnuan wants to entertain the distinguished guest Zhen Wuduo in the royal palace, but she is afraid that her younger sister will not want to go back. Fortunately, Zhao Shiqing doesn't care at all. She told her father when she left the royal mausoleum last time that she only broke off her relationship with the Nie family, but not with anyone else in the royal palace. Her father agreed to this matter. Zhao Shiqing is a good and obedient child, so of course she will do what her father agrees.
On the twenty-seventh day of the twelfth lunar month, Zhao Yunnuan, on behalf of her brother Zhao Tinghan, hosted a banquet in the palace to entertain Zhen Wuduo and also to welcome Zhao Shiqing.
It was still the mourning period, so the banquet was a vegetarian one, without any music or wine, but Zhao Yunnuan was so sincere that Zhen Wuduo was completely relieved.
Although his granddaughter always said that she had not suffered any hardship over the years, Zhen Wuduo did not believe it completely. How could life be easy if she lived under someone else's roof?
But now seeing how Zhao Shiqing gets along with Zhao Tinghan and Zhao Yunnuan, Zhen Wuduo believes that his granddaughter did not lie to him.
A hundred years later, when he is gone, his granddaughter will not be alone. Although she has lost her grandfather, she still has brothers and sisters.
As for whether Zhao Shiqing would have been married and had children by that time, Zhen Wuduo would not think about it. There was no pig in the world that was worthy of this juicy little cabbage in his family.
When Nie learned that Zhao Shiqing had returned, she was so angry that she gritted her teeth. This ungrateful guy didn't even come to pay his respects to her after returning.
As for what Zhao Shiqing said last time, Nie automatically ignored it.
It was only when Aunt Zhang reminded her that Nie remembered the harsh words Zhao Shiqing had said at that time.
Zhao Shiqing didn't bother to care what Nie was thinking. She stayed with Zhen Wuduo in the palace until the third day of the New Year.
The advantage of the mourning period is that no one comes to pay New Year's greetings, and they don't have to socialize, so they can have a quiet family reunion.
When Zhao Shiqing met Yuan Xiaotang, she learned that Yuan Xiaotang had a new identity. She now changed her name to Meng Xiaotang and was the granddaughter of the retired Hanlin Meng.
The eldest son of Mr. Meng, the Hanlin, was born to his first wife, who died early. When he was young, Mr. Meng had a terrible relationship with his stepmother. At the age of eighteen, he left home in anger and cut off contact with his father.
A few years ago, Mr. Meng retired and returned to his hometown in Liangdi. His step-wife had passed away and his children were not around. Mr. Meng felt lonely and remembered that he had an eldest son. He sent people to inquire around and learned that Mr. Meng had died several years ago.
Mr. Meng has only one daughter. Just this year, Mr. Meng brought Miss Meng to Liangdi. Because she was in mourning for her father, Miss Meng missed the flowering season. Now she is in her prime and still unmarried.
After Zhao Yunnuan finished explaining Yuan Xiaotang, no, Meng Xiaotang's new identity, Zhao Shiqing curiously asked, "Is there really a Miss Meng?"
Zhao Yunnuan nodded. "Master Meng did have a daughter, but unfortunately she died at the age of seven. Even if Xiaotang hadn't been born, Old Hanlin Meng wanted to adopt a child from the charity to carry on Master Meng's family line."
As for why he didn't choose one of his other grandsons to adopt, it was of course because Master Meng hated his stepmother so much that he also had no good feelings towards his stepmother's younger brothers. As for his own family, all of them sided with his stepmother and helped Old Hanlin Meng to criticize him. Therefore, Master Meng would rather hide in a small mountain village in poverty over the years than return to his own family. If he adopted a child from his own family to inherit his incense, Master Meng might be so angry that he would jump out of his grave.
Emperor Yongjia issued an edict that Zhao Tinghan should get married within a year. There is still half a year left, and Meng Xiaotang has plenty of time to adapt to her new identity.
The Meng family's family background is very suitable for being the maiden family of a vassal prince's princess.
He came from a scholarly family, noble but not wealthy, without real power, nor a military commander. Although Mr. Meng had been in the Hanlin Academy for many years and had written many books, he had only taught one student, and that student became a bookworm who knew nothing about grains and was lazy. Now, he is also a Hanlin.
Marrying a princess who was brought up in such a family was welcomed by the emperors of the Yong Dynasty.
For example, the Nie family.
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