Chapter 151: Fate, destiny
"Marks? My uncle has so many pits on his face."
At that moment, Fubao's heart was fixed on a peach-colored, gold-woven gauze dress. The gauze was incredibly transparent, yet embroidered with a flourishing floral pattern, woven with gold and silver threads. While the vibrant color accentuated her fair skin, it also carried a lingering air of debauchery.
Seeing that she couldn't let go of the items, Su Ying couldn't help but sigh in her heart: Mother and daughter are truly connected. Everything that Lin bought was to her daughter's liking.
"Eldest sister, I like them all. What do you think I should do?"
Fubao pouted, holding the gauze skirt with one hand and pulling Su Ying's arm with the other, shaking it from side to side.
Su Ying couldn't help but think of Wan Yi in the capital. Why was it that even though they were both acting like spoiled brats, Fu Bao was a few years younger, yet she couldn't get close to the man in front of her, instead she felt more and more disgusted.
She also knew in her heart that if she brought the topic back to Wei Liang, it would be too deliberate, so she simply stopped and didn't mention it again.
Su Ying sighed and pretended to be embarrassed: "It's the same as before. No matter how much you like it, I can only give you one set. Besides, you are still small. Even if you want to wear it, it will take a year or two. There is no point in having more."
Fubao was a smart boy. Seeing that he got the dress, he no longer insisted. After all, there was still a long way to go.
......
Su Jianrong, who had lived in a house in the west of the city for quite some time, finally returned to the Su Mansion that day.
"Our Lord is evenly divided between the Empress and the Imperial Concubine. As a humble citizen, I must be evenly divided between my wife and my concubines. As the saying goes, a harmonious family brings prosperity, and this is exactly the truth."
After drinking a pound of white wine, Su Jianrong's eyes turned red and his voice became much louder. He was completely different from the old Master Su who used to be so carefree and free, and he looked extremely ugly.
Lin sat beside him, pouring him glass after glass of wine. Su Jianrong enjoyed it very much, but he was so absorbed in the wine that if he could have looked up at her, he would have noticed that despite her flattering posture, her face was cold and she rolled her eyes.
I don't know if it was a prior appointment or just a coincidence, but the accountant said that there were account books that needed my wife's review.
Lin sighed, reached out to take it, and said disapprovingly, "Can't you see I'm drinking with the master? Why are you giving me account books now?"
The man was scolded, but he was not afraid. As if he had been warned, he answered immediately, "Madam, please forgive me. The debt collectors have been coming here a lot these days. My uncle said that if I delay any longer, there will be trouble. I dare not delay, so I rushed to deliver it."
Lin blinked, then signaled the man to leave. Then, with a mournful expression, she sat back down beside Su Jianrong, flipping through the account book. "Master, the last hurricane in Fujian destroyed several tea plantations, and even the goods we had shipped there were gone. Now the accounts are in serious trouble, and the eldest daughter has just returned, and we've spent a large sum of money on her coming-of-age ceremony. If you want to enjoy yourself for a few more days, you'll have to go out and make up for the shortfall."
She paused, her tone tinged with bitterness, "I've always been frugal, so how much could I possibly spend? But I have to spend money to maintain that house in the west of the city, and I can't bear to see the people there suffer any injustice, can I?"
Su Jianrong was quite pleased by Lin's thoughtfulness and consideration. Through his drunken eyes, he reached out and grasped Lin's chin, mumbling with a smug smile, "Okay, okay, I'll do as you say. We'll set off tomorrow!"
As he spoke, he shouted out, "Have the carriages and horses ready. This trip will first go to Fujian, and then go to Hangzhou when we come back!"
......
Su Ying hadn't learned much about Wei Liang, and she was still worried about Xiaocao, so she simply mentioned to Su Jianrong before he left that she wanted to stay at Yandang Academy for a few days. Seeing his daughter, who rarely spoke to him, take such initiative, Su Jianrong didn't stop her. Lin was also happy to have one less person in the house, so he called a carriage and immediately took Su Ying to Yandang.
"Aunt, is there any news from Lord Liu?"
This was the first thing Su Ying said when she saw her aunt. Seeing the anxiety she couldn't hide on her face, Rong sighed deeply, not knowing how to comfort her.
"If I had, why would I hide it and not let anyone send you a letter?"
Rong said, "Be patient," and pulled Su Ying into the side room.
"Since Liu Xianling has already begun his investigation, we can't investigate further without permission, lest we alert the enemy." Rong pointed to a stack of gold paper on the table and said, "I've been so busy these past few days with your coming-of-age ceremony and your marriage proposal that we've forgotten something important."
Su Ying looked at the gold paper and understood everything at once, feeling extremely regretful.
She also said that she would seek settlement with the Su family on behalf of her mother, but after returning from the capital, she didn't even go to her mother's grave to pay homage. How can she be considered filial?
Tears as big as beans fell down, one after another, and could not be stopped.
She said nothing, just sat down at the table, picked up a piece of gold paper and folded it.
One gold ingot, two gold ingots...
Rong's original intention was not to blame Ying'er, but to persuade her not to be anxious, but, alas!
She gently stroked her niece's shoulder and sat down beside her. Together, the aunt and niece folded the gold ingots for the sacrifice.
......
The next morning, after bidding farewell to the two elders, Su Ying and her aunt walked along the academy to the higher places in the mountains.
The grave of Su Ying's mother, Rong Zhilan, is not far from the nunnery. Before her death, she said with all her might, "When I was young, I misjudged the wrong person and trusted the wrong person. Do I have to be a confused and ignorant soul after I die?
Be it a stone tablet or a wooden board, I just want a quiet place where my soul can rest on the mountain, leaning against the academy, looking out at Yueqing, and seeing my parents healthy, my daughter happy, and my sister marrying into a good family. Then I can rest in peace."
After accompanying Su Ying to pay respects to her elder sister, Rong suggested continuing on their way up: "Your grandparents are not mobile, but your mother's grave is completely free of weeds. You and I must go and thank the nun."
The old nun in the temple heard the voices and came out. Seeing that it was the second young lady of the Rong family whom she had not seen for many years, she put her palms together and chanted the Buddha's name.
Rong returned the greeting, and Su Ying followed suit by putting her hands together. The two of them entered the nunnery under the guidance of the old nun.
Perhaps it was the sandalwood, or perhaps the sheer awe of the Buddha's majestic presence, but Su Ying's mind finally settled. She followed her aunt in burning incense and kowtowed, paying homage. After placing money in the offering box, she accepted the two cups of rootless water from the nun.
As a Buddhist nun, even though she hadn't seen Rong for many years, the old nun didn't ask Rong many questions like ordinary people. She quietly observed Rong's face, and then turned her attention to Su Ying.
The old nun slowly spoke, "Everything is destined to happen. Just follow your fate and be free from worries. Good times will come."
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