Chapter 108 Waiting
At the hour of You, the attendant walked up to the King of Qi and said something. The King of Qi put down his drumstick. Mei Niang breathed a sigh of relief, as she had wanted to run away for a long time.
The King of Qi said to Mei Niang, "I have to go back to the palace, so I'm leaving now. Princess Su De returned to the capital yesterday, and I may come later tomorrow... tomorrow."
"It doesn't matter. Business is more important. Your Highness has learned some essentials now. The new drum is not yet finished. If you need to practice, you can come anytime. If I'm not here, they can accompany you!"
The King of Qi glanced at her gloomily and asked, "I came here to play the drums, do I want them to accompany me?"
Mei Niang lowered her eyes and said, "Just take a rest tomorrow."
The King of Qi thought about it and realized that he did have some things to do the next day or the day after tomorrow. So, you can just rest and I will have someone call you when I come. You can live in the courtyard over there, just one door away, which is very convenient!"
Mei Niang lowered her head and smiled bitterly: Whether it is convenient or not, you can go and try it. In order to teach you to play drums, I have used all my energy to take care of Xianke. Even a secret meeting with a lover is not that important!
After sending the King of Qi away, Mei Niang asked Lin Runan who Princess Su De was.
Lin Runan looked at her and shook his head and sighed, "You really have forgotten too many things!" Princess Sude is the daughter of the Emperor and the King of Qi. After recruiting a consort, they moved to their fiefdom together. I also heard about it when I went out for a walk yesterday. Her consort died not long ago. The Queen Mother took pity on her as a new widow and asked the Emperor to summon her back to the capital."
"A widow? She's still so young!"
Mei Niang thought, the emperor is the same age as Xu Junying, and Princess Sude is one or two years younger than the King of Qi, only seventeen or eighteen years old. She has become a widow before her life has even begun? This is too much!
Lin Runan said calmly, "What about a widow? A royal daughter will never have trouble finding a husband. The Queen Mother and the Emperor will decide. At most, she will find a concubine in a year or two!"
Mei Niang smiled and said, "That's right. Worry about her? We have people to worry about!"
Lin Runan looked at her warily. "You want to worry about someone?"
"I have many people to worry about. Which one do you want to ask?" Mei Niang said with a smile, and suddenly her face straightened up:
"Zhang Jingyun may have passed your message to the Queen. She should invite us to meet before she gives birth!"
Lin Runan said sadly, "I am now the daughter of a criminal, how can I see her?"
Mei Niang said that if she wanted to see him, she would find a way!"
Lin Runan nodded. "Yes! I want to see her. If you want to summon me to the palace, I am not afraid!"
Mei Niang reached out and held her hand and said, "I will accompany you!"
The two of them were standing on the stone path in the yard. Cui Xi came hurriedly, looking anxious. "Girl, it's getting late, it's time!"
Lin Runan held her tightly and said it wouldn't be too late to leave after dinner!"
Mei Niang then remembered that she had to dine at Jinhua Hall tonight, and quickly pried her hand away and told her to do it another day. "Today is not possible. If I miss the time, I won't be able to see Heng Er tonight!"
Seeing Lin Runan's reluctant expression, he comforted her and said, "If I don't come tomorrow, I will come in two days. You'd better not come to Xu's house to see me now. That place is not fun. I'm desperate to run away! When you have time, go to Xiankelai. You can ask Manager Lu to serve you delicious food and drinks. There are many candidates taking the exam there. They are young and talented, handsome and elegant, tall and short, fat and thin. You can take a look. If there is one that you like, we will recruit him to be a candidate..."
Lin Runan listened carefully at first, but in the end she pushed her away! I'm afraid of you. It's different when you're married. You dare to say anything!"
Mei Niang took Cui Xi and Cui Si into the carriage and told Lin Amao to be careful and to hurry as fast as possible. Fortunately, there were very few pedestrians on the street at that time and not many carriages. Mei Niang changed her clothes in the carriage and turned into a maid. The carriage also arrived outside the west gate of Xu's mansion.
Mother Yu was walking around the west side yard. When she saw them, she was overjoyed! Mother Lin had arranged everything, so there would be no problem along the way. Mother Wang came to look for them several times, saying that if you didn’t come, things would get out of hand! "
Mei Niang was stunned for a moment. What was going on? Even Mother Wang couldn't hold back her anger.
When they entered Qinghua Courtyard, Cheng'er came towards them, looked around, stopped in front of them and whispered that Master Hou was drinking tea in the upper room, and said he was waiting for Grandma to go to Jinhua Hall together!
Cuixi and Cuisi were startled, Mei Niang frowned: What is Xu Junying talking about? Could it be that he has seen something like the King of Qi?
I have to think carefully about what I should do. Should I continue to be Qin Meiniang, or should I confront him and tell him the truth?
Oh! I have to change into this maid's clothes first and go back to the upper room to meet him first.
Mei Niang looked around and asked Cui Si, "Is there a coat of mine in the embroidered bag on your back?"
Cui Si nodded, "Yes, there are also two handkerchiefs, a scarf, and some head ornaments!"
Mei Niang said, let’s go to the small side yard over there and change clothes in Auntie’s room.”
Cui Xi was stunned for a moment. "Go to the aunt's room? Is that okay? They will tell the Lord!"
Mei Niang looked at her. Didn't you hear what Wang Mama said? After Ruyi lost her fetus, the Lord Hou never went to their courtyard again... These two were originally second-class maids in the old lady's room, but they were not as smart as Ruizhu and Ruibao. They had received my favor on weekdays, so they should not dare to say anything. Let's go!"
The three of them walked towards the small side yard. After entering the gate, Cui Si's eyes lit up: There is a well under the shade of flowers by the gate, don't you remember? She immediately went forward and saw a bucket of water, so she put the handkerchief in her hand into it to soak it, and brought it to Mei Niang. Mei Niang understood and covered her face with the handkerchief, took off the mask together, and gave it to Cui Si to keep. She turned and walked into the room. The old woman in the corridor thought she was dazzled: It was obviously the eldest grandmother who came, but she was wearing a maid's clothes and had two hanging buns? She wanted to shout but didn't dare to, and stood there staring blankly.
Mei Niang smiled and said, "I've never seen me like this. I made a bet with Third Grandma. We each dressed up as someone else and walked in the garden to see if the other could find us. I didn't expect that I lost to her, haha!"
Ruyi and Xiu'er were sitting in the room doing needlework. When they heard the noise, they hurried out and both bowed to Mei Niang. Ruyi said:
"Madam, are you having fun? I'm boiling water. The servants will fetch water for you to wash your face."
Mei Niang nodded, "Look at my messy hair, let me tidy it up. Let Cui Xi come!"
Ruyi and Xiu'er were both chosen to be maids, but only Ruyi served Xu Junying for one night. When she became pregnant, Xu Junying did not want the child's mother to be without a name. Zheng was ill and could not take care of her, so the old lady decided to make Ruyi a concubine. The old lady did not consider it, but said that Xiu'er and Ruyi had a deep relationship, and they were inseparable every day and took care of each other, so she simply made Xiu'er a concubine. Xu Junying had nothing to say about this, and for some reason, he did not come to the small side yard again. When Ruyi's fetus slipped, he came to see her once, and he never came again after that. The two concubines were discouraged and were allowed not to serve the eldest grandmother. They were locked up in the small side yard every day, doing needlework together, and lived a dull and lonely life. Few people thought of them, and both of them were extremely introverted and unwilling to actively interact with others. After Mei Niang became the manager, she went to see them once out of curiosity and felt that the two women were too honest. Apart from the monthly allowance and some new clothes, they would not go to the manager to collect other daily necessities such as tea, sugar, and rouge. The manager would either say that he was too busy or really forgot, and if he didn't send them, they would not use them. Mei Niang was amazed at their indifference and desires. She was not a real housewife and did not reject the two concubines. After sighing, she gave Cui Xi the responsibility and asked someone to deliver all the daily necessities to the small side yard every month. Seeing that they were not good at needlework, she gave them extra silk cloth and wool thread, allowing them to do whatever they liked. People are not plants or trees, and Ruyi and Xiu'er were naturally very grateful to the grandmother who took care of them a lot.
Ruyi Xiu'er hurried to tidy up the dressing table, while Cuixi and Cuisi deftly recombed Mei Niang's hair, put on her gold and jade hairpins, and changed her outer robe. In just half a cup of tea, she was back to her usual attire. Mei Niang hurried away, and did not stay for long. When she got up and left, she said to Ruyi:
"I don't have time to visit you all the time. If you need anything, just tell Cui Xi. Eat what you need to eat and use what you need to use. Don't feel wronged!"
Ruyi lowered her head and said respectfully, "Thanks to Grandma's care, we are now well. I had a cough for a while the other day, and Grandma sent someone to bring me medicine. Now I am completely well. Thank you, Grandma!"
Mei Niang exchanged a few polite words with them and then left. She returned to the upper room in a serious manner, met Xu Junying, sat down on the embroidered stool beside the table, and sighed:
"It's so tiring! I regret not listening to Master Hou. Managing such a big family is not something a weak woman like me can do. Just patrolling the garden would kill me!"
Xu Junying looked at her coldly. "I asked Baoju to patrol most of the garden for you, but I didn't hear him say he saw you!"
"Baoju? He hasn't got it yet?"
"Just got back. Cui Lian also sent two groups of people to look for you. The Third Madam, the Fourth Madam, and the girls searched all over the courtyard, but they couldn't find you. I really don't know which garden you went to!"
"Of course they can't find me," Mei Niang took the tea bowl from Cui Lian, opened the lid and took a sip, and said calmly, "I'm in the small side yard. The needlework of the two concubines, Ruyi and Xiu'er, is very good. I like it very much. I sat and watched for a long time!"
Xu Junying looked at her, and probably thought she was telling the truth, so he looked away.
Mei Niang said that when you have free time, you should go to the small side yard more often. That small yard is nice, with fresh air and flourishing flowers and trees..."
If Xu Junying wants to take Zheng Meiyu as his concubine, he might as well get closer to these two simple concubines. They may not be as pretty as his rotten cousin, but at least they are kind-hearted, dozens of times better than her.
"Didn't you say that the courtyard is too humid? Choose another courtyard and let them move there!" said Xu Junying.
Mei Niang was stunned. Why move? Tsinghua Academy has plenty of houses..."
Was it Zhuang Yulan or Zheng Meiyu's idea? They haven't even married in yet, but they want to drive the concubine away first. Without the support of the old lady or the mistress, would they dare to do this?
Then he thought again: It might be no good for the two concubines to stay in Tsinghua Courtyard. Instead of living here and waiting for the new mistress or concubine to come in and torture them to death, it is better to get out as soon as possible. It would be best if Xu Junying could show mercy and return their indentures, give them some money, and let them go home and marry good men. That would be a good deed.
But now she really doesn't have the time to think about others, so let it go. Let's just accept our fate and she can't do anything about it.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
