Chapter 34 Welcome, my childhood sweetheart.
Shao Er: "No, my wife did this."
Shen Changfeng knew that Shao Er hadn't finished speaking, so he placed one hand across the iron gate, preventing anyone from leaving.
Shao Er: ...Who is actually in jail?
Unable to defeat him, Shao Ershi wisely retreated to a distance and sighed, "These crystal mooncakes are indeed made by my wife. She made them just for fun, so I could tell which ones were hers. I can tell the others, but she learned this skill from the Crown Prince's Consort. Whether it's the crust, the three treasures, or the filling, they all taste exactly the same, and the sandalwood molds are the same. I really can't tell them apart."
Shen Changfeng tried to recall the pastries Lin Meizhu had made for him, but his memory was hazy. Perhaps there had been some, from before they were married, but he'd said, "Throw it away and feed it to the dogs." He'd never eaten anything she'd given him. As for what happened to the food, he never asked again.
Seeing his frown and bewildered expression, Shao Er shook his head in disapproval. What's wrong with this guy? Lin Meizhu sent him food for months, and he can't even remember this. How careless is he?
Before he left, he saw Shen Changfeng sitting cross-legged on the ground as if in a trance, as if he had lost his soul. He added, "Mrs. Lin hasn't been well in the Lin Mansion recently. Eleventh Lady might not be here because she's busy. I can..."
Shen Changfeng interrupted him: "You call her Eleventh Lady?" Shao Er thought he was joking, but laughed when he realized he was serious. He couldn't help but look surprised: "You've been married for almost half a year, and you don't know her nickname?"
Shen Changfeng felt as if his internal organs were being violently tugged, a sharp pain evident. He retreated into the shadows, his shoulders slumping again, and he seemed to laugh, "She never told me that."
Shao Er felt inexplicably sad, not knowing whether he should feel more sorry for Lin Meizhu or sympathize with Shen Changfeng. Finally, he pressed his shoulder and said, "Brother, take care of yourself."
Take care of yourself? What does "take care of yourself" mean? Shen Changfeng quickly pondered the meaning of this word in his mind. One meaning is to take care of yourself, used in parting situations. Another meaning is to take care of yourself, which is used when you are extremely disappointed in someone; or when you are in big trouble and you are mentally prepared.
Shen Changfeng leaned more towards the first possibility. Who had he disappointed? What kind of trouble could he have? Shao Er had already let him know that he would be released soon. Then he would no longer have to hide his identity and could pursue his ambitions. His life would become more and more promising.
Ridiculous, what was there for him to do? He tried to convince himself, but he couldn't control the horrible thoughts looming in his heart. He anxiously extinguished the weak voice before it could be heard, crushing it into the mud. But no matter how hard he tried, the sound grew stronger, numbing his palms. It grew clearer and clearer, stronger and stronger. At one point, it struggled to penetrate his palms, and a piercing cry exploded in his ears.
"Divorce?!"
Qing'er was so startled that she almost jumped up. Lin Meiju put on her veil and raised her finger to signal her to speak in a low voice.
Qing'er lowered her voice and said, "Miss, have you really thought it through?"
Lin Meizhu nodded, "You've thought it through clearly enough."
After Shen Changfeng's accident, Qing'er, like everyone else, felt reassured by Lin Meizhu's composure. This was simply because Lin Meizhu knew that Shen Changfeng was caught in the vortex of factional strife, and his every move was meaningful. Furthermore, with the Princess and Shen Zhongda holding up the situation, the Dingbei Palace would surely remain unaffected.
As long as you make sure you won't be implicated, that's enough.
Lin Meizhu said, "When the prince returns, I will find an appropriate time to ask him for a divorce. Then you can choose whether to stay in the palace or come with me."
Qing Er didn't think twice, "Where are you going, girl?"
Lin Meizhu smiled and said, "Go to Lingnan, go to Hubei, go anywhere, or travel around, do some business, but I don't want to stay in the capital."
She had been out as usual these past few days, and others thought she was trying to win over the families of the rich and powerful, but in reality, she was just having fun. What did it have to do with her that Shen Changfeng was in jail?
Today, Lin Meizhu was asked by Lu Feier to treat her good friend Xu Xiu.
However, Xu Xiu's condition was quite serious and it was inconvenient for him to go out. Lin Meiju could only go to the banquet first, pretend to take a nap to avoid the sight of Chen Feng and others, and wait for an opportunity to leave for a while.
Lin Meizhu dressed up as an embroiderer and came to the back door, where the coachman was already waiting. The further she walked, the more familiar the road seemed to her. When the carriage stopped steadily at the vermilion lacquer gate of Zhang's mansion, Lin Meizhu finally remembered that she had been here before for a wedding!
She clearly remembered that Xu Xiu's brother was drunk and fell asleep in the courtyard after the banquet. Four or five servants could not carry him up. He was still shouting, "Fourth sister, come home with me!" The Zhang family looked at him coldly, thinking he was embarrassing, and asked the bride to come out and drive him away.
Xu Xiu said nothing, only calling out "Brother" with red eyes and a choked sob. Then, the older brother, who was still in a daze, responded clearly with an "Ai". He snores and slowly stands up, not even looking at the person opposite him. He waves his hand and says in a hoarse voice as if a blade has been pierced through it: "Brother is gone."
The Xu and Lin families lived just two streets apart. The Xu family had been merchants for generations, and their financial situation was considered quite prosperous. However, the Zhang family had been scholars for generations, and Xu Xiu's husband even worked at the Imperial College. So, like Lin Meizhu, Xu Xiu was considered to have married into a wealthy family.
The sky was gloomy. When Lin Meiju arrived at the side door of Zhang's house, she happened to hear several maids gossiping.
"My family are all extortionists. They run here and there every other day, and they're not afraid of losing face."
"I even sent someone to invite the young lady back home for a chat. Aren't you ashamed?"
Lin Meizhu frowned and whispered a few words to the driver.
It was early autumn and two pots of charcoal were burning brightly in the room. Lin Meiju felt extremely hot as soon as she entered the room. However, Xu Xiu was wearing a thick cloak and she seemed to still feel cold. Thin purple veins appeared on her pointed cheeks.
Lin Meiju pressed two fingers on the side of her wrist, concentrated and held her breath for a few seconds before she felt her weak pulse.
Lin Meiju asked her in detail about her symptoms. Although Xu Xiu was shy, she was also afraid of being tortured by the disease, so she answered all the questions one by one.
Xu Xiu asked, "Can I still have children?"
Lin Meizhu said: "Your current condition is not suitable for having children."
To say that it is inappropriate is already an understatement. Every time after having sex, Xu Xiu suffers from severe pain in his lower abdomen. When touched, his abdomen feels hard and lumpy like an egg. His pulse is deep and sluggish, he is afraid of cold and his limbs are cold. Now he is thin and bony, and it is obvious that his body has been severely damaged.
Lin Meizhu said seriously, "You should be very clear about your body. The most important thing now is to find a way to cure your illness. You absolutely cannot delay your illness any longer."
Xu Xiu's face was filled with disappointment or resignation, but she knew what Lin Meizhu meant. Her illness was serious, potentially life-threatening.
"It's just an illness, nothing to be ashamed of."
Xu Xiu hesitated and sighed, "Actually, I have thought about calling a doctor, but..."
Her voice was suddenly interrupted: "You are not sick, why do you need a doctor?!"
Xu Xiu was startled and started coughing continuously. He struggled to stand up and salute.
The visitor was none other than Xu Xiu's mother-in-law, Qian. She was furious when she heard Xu Xiu had hired a mysterious medicine woman. A woman suffering from a hidden illness was already a disgrace, and this merchant daughter from a humble family couldn't even endure such hardship! What if word got out and it affected her son's career? She was about to have the maids tie her up and take her to the government, but she saw the embroiderer, a woman of undeniable elegance, standing with awe and fearlessness. How could this be the demeanor of an ordinary embroiderer?
Qian had also attended many banquets and wondered where she had seen this person before.
Lin Meizhu nodded and said, "It's me."
"My husband just killed three people."
"I heard he's about to be released from prison."
Qian had long heard that Shen Changfeng had killed several high-ranking officials in a rage because someone had verbally molested his wife. Now that Lin Meizhu had personally admitted it, she was even more astonished.
This opening line is so scary, it's almost like saying, "My husband is a lunatic who kills people without paying for his life. You'd better not mess with me."
Lin Meizhu sat down at the main seat and sipped her tea leisurely. "Old Madam, you should know that I'm from Lingnan. I've been an embroiderer, a doctor, and even a handyman. After being in the capital for a long time, I've been doing some of my old chores to pass the time. That's why I came to the Zhang Mansion. I hope Old Madam won't mind?"
Qian had originally wanted to use the excuse of handling household affairs to get rid of the person, but she was interrupted by her. Hearing her blatant threat, she was angry and a little scared. She held her breath and had to politely say, "It is a blessing for us that the Crown Prince's Consort can come to the Zhang Mansion. I am grateful to her, how dare I complain?"
Lin Meiju had already figured out her thoughts. The old woman wanted to set rules for Xu Xiu after driving her away.
Since she made up her mind to leave, Lin Meizhu has not deliberately concealed the fact that she has medical skills. However, most of the women who come to her for treatment are suffering from leukorrhea. Influenced by the current trend, these diseases have become "hidden diseases" that are difficult to talk about. In order to consider their feelings, Lin Meizhu often acts low-key.
Lin Meiju didn't ask anyone to stand up, and kept writing down the medical records and prescriptions. She was about to tell Xu Xiu something when Qian couldn't help but speak, "The Crown Prince's Consort doesn't know that Dalang's wife is in good health. It's just that she was angry about Dalang taking a concubine last time..." The implication was that the root of the problem was actually jealousy.
Lin Meizhu scolded her harshly, "You ignorant fool! I have the final say on whether someone is sick or not, so why should you speak nonsense?"
Qian acted submissive and respectfully escorted Lin Meizhu out the door. Her expression immediately changed. "Burn the prescription! Bring Dalang's wife to the ancestral hall!"
Suddenly, four or five tall men rushed in from behind the screen wall, rushing in angrily, their eyes wide open, "You vicious woman! How dare you stop my sister from seeing a doctor and getting medicine!"
"Where is Zhang Dalang? Tell this loser to come out!"
"He's just a scholar, but he allowed my sister to be sick for so long... Tell him to get out!"
Walking last was an old lady with white hair. She leaned on a wooden crutch, pushed away the servants who wanted to support her, and said in a loud voice like a bell, "Although I am old, I still have enough strength to kill this Zhongshan wolf with a stick! You made a solemn promise to me, but now my darling has suffered so much..." When she saw Xu Xiu lying on the sickbed, who was so thin that he was unrecognizable, the old lady's sonorous voice trembled and tears fell: "How painful it is! You must be in so much pain, my son..."
It turned out that Lin Meizhu had anticipated that today's treatment would not go smoothly, and told the driver that if she did not come out within the scheduled time, he should go directly to the Xu family to deliver a message.
The Xu family tried to visit Xu Xiu several times but were rejected. Now they heard vague messages and felt something was amiss. They came to Zhang's house and saw that everyone looked guilty, so they rushed in.
Lin Meiju was worried at first, but after seeing the reaction of the Xu family, she knew that she had made the right move, and she withdrew as it was getting late.
He hadn't taken two steps when someone suddenly grabbed his arm and yelled, "Why are you here?"
Lin Meizhu was about to answer when the man looked around nervously and closed the veil of her hat for her. "No one saw you, right?"
"Auntie, no one saw me."
"That's good!" Aunt Chen hurriedly pulled the people into her carriage, the golden step-shakes rustling non-stop. "Why are you here?"
Lin Meiju looked at the hairpin that far exceeded the regulations for concubines and sighed in her heart. During this period of time, she had already figured out the source of the Lin family's sudden increase in income, but it was not appropriate to talk about it at this time.
"I just suddenly miss my mother and want to see her."
Concubine Chen was stunned at first, then she tutted her tongue, "No matter how you think about it, you shouldn't come back now! Your husband is still in prison and we don't know what's going on. What if the Lin family is implicated..." She coughed and said, "What I mean is that you should keep a low profile recently, just in case."
Lin Meiju nodded and remained silent for a while.
Aunt Chen said again, "You have seen me too, go back quickly." As she said that, she was about to lift the curtain of the carriage.
Lin Meizhu suddenly called her: "Mom, I want a divorce."
Aunt Chen raised her eyebrows and scolded her: "What are you talking about!"
Lin Meizhu lowered her eyelids, her long eyelashes casting a shadow, like a tear soaking into her lower eye socket. She spoke with a barely perceptible nasal tone, as if aggrieved and sad. "I'm having a hard time. I want a divorce. I don't want to live with him anymore."
Her thumb unconsciously curled up and clasped the tip of her index finger, and suddenly she felt a warmth covering it.
"Okay, let's get a divorce!"
Lin Meizhu's nose felt sore, her eyes were hot, and dimples appeared on her lips. Then she heard Aunt Chen's encouraging tone: "Mother will help you find a good husband!"
Lin Meizhu felt like she was hit on the head with a stick.
Aunt Chen's eyes rolled around and her bright red lips opened and closed. Lin Meiju found what she said simply incomprehensible.
"You are young and beautiful, and you have even married a prince. I wonder how many people admire you."
Lin Meizhu felt very weak, her chest filled with tearing pain, "Mom, I don't want to get married anymore."
Aunt Chen's voice suddenly rose, and she said hatefully, "If you don't marry, what are you going to do?! Do you still want to stay in the Lin Mansion forever?"
Lin Meizhu mumbled in her throat, and it took a long time for her to find her voice again: "I'm not going back to the Lin Mansion. I'm going back to Lingnan first, and then..."
"You're absolutely crazy! You already have a bad reputation, and now you want a divorce, and you're still thinking about making a living! You're bringing shame to us!"
"Mom, please come with me. I have the ability and money. Grandpa misses you very much. Before Grandma passed away..."
"Outrageous! You're getting more and more outrageous! You can't ruin my life just because you're unhappy! You have to listen to me on this matter! Don't give up on me just because of this man." Aunt Chen saw that Lin Meizhu seemed to be about to cry, so she softened her voice, "On the seventh day of the first lunar month, I heard that he passed the imperial examination. He definitely wouldn't despise you..."
"Auntie!"
The arguing stopped abruptly. Lin Meizhu swallowed hard, so hard that she felt a bitter taste in her throat. She took a deep breath, waiting for the sorrow surging in her heart to subside. She smiled, her smile uglier than crying, and said, "I'm leaving."
She had to go back quickly, as there was still a lot waiting for her. She had to find buyers for the shops she was using as cover, the debt owed to the Xishan Hunting Ground had yet to be collected, and she also had to sort out the connections for the permit to travel south...
She had so many things to think about, but Aunt Chen's words kept piercing her eardrums.
"No one saw you?"
"You're bringing shame to us!"
"You can't ruin my life just because you're unhappy!"
She recalled the image of Brother Xu carefully carrying Xu Xiu onto the carriage, and the image of the old lady of the Xu family leading everyone to kneel before her and call her benefactor...
She turned around and saw that the carriage had already left.
Dark clouds gathered over the city, pedestrians hurried along the road, and a strong wind blew gravel and sand into her eyes. She felt like a hole had been created in her heart, and the bitter wind and rain poured in. The grievance and pain that she had just tried so hard to suppress burst out with even greater force.
The streets were empty, and she was the only one left, looking for her way home.
Raindrops as big as beans fell down, and in a moment it began to rain heavily.
As the sky collapsed, a voice ran behind her very quickly, "Eleven!" She had heard this voice thousands of times and would never remember it wrong.
He shouted so confidently, even though he only caught a glimpse of her back as she hurried past.
She stopped in a hurry, letting the cold raindrops hit her face. She didn't dare turn her head, and even breathed very lightly, for fear of waking up from this rare dream.
Countless days and nights of tormented longing and worry, the excitement and surprise of having lost and regained, all rolled into a ball and turned into a faint sigh: "It's me, Eleven."
It was the seventh day of the Lunar New Year. He came.
In an instant, Lin Meiju's tears fell harder than the sudden rain.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
