Chapter 116 was uploaded by netizens and reposted to this site just to promote the book so that more readers can appreciate it.
Mei Niang hurried to the backyard, called Cui Xi down, and told Lu Xiangfeng to come back to the second-floor table to pay his respects after a while, and then said that the young master was ill and had to leave. Then the master and servants got on the carriage and asked Lin Amao to drive the horse and return to the mansion as soon as possible.
She had to go back to this hellhole. She considered disappearing so that she wouldn't have to face Xu Junying again, but she felt that was inappropriate. First, she couldn't bear to leave Heng'er. Second, Wang Mama and the maids were still in the mansion. If she ran away, Xu Junying would definitely not let them go. Third, she actually sympathized with Xu Junying. As a man, he was magnanimous and responsible. Qin Meiniang had quietly cheated on him and made him suffer in silence, which had already hurt him. If she had another case of his wife running away, not to mention what outsiders and his friends would say, it was estimated that other people in the mansion would look down on him.
It is better to face it seriously, find an opportunity to put the matter on the table, and everyone should show sincerity and pray for a happy ending where everyone is happy. Mei Niang thinks it is not impossible.
She hurried back to Tsinghua Courtyard, bathed, changed clothes, and dressed carefully, letting Cui Xi and Cui Lian think about how she looked when she wore men's clothes, and tried her best to put on a makeup that could completely subvert that image. Cui Lian then combed all her hair up, tied it into a double spiral bun, and then surrounded her with pearls and emeralds, and wore a golden phoenix hairpin, a pearl step-shaking, a jeweled necklace, a gorgeous and elegant palace belt tied with a mutton-fat jade ring, and a gold foil flower on her forehead, which she usually didn't like. She wore a bright red makeup satin embroidered waist-pinched long coat, with a cherry blossom pleated skirt, and a cloud silk gauze draped over her arm as decoration. Mei Niang smiled and said, "If I dress like this every day, I'll be exhausted. Well, this is not bad, rich and luxurious, dignified and generous, but she looks too much like a newlywed."
Cui Lian said: "That's it, only Madam Hou can dress like this to serve dinner at Jinhua Hall today. Let Miss Zhuang take a closer look, not everyone is worthy of this headwear and clothing."
Mei Niang looked at the pretty Cui Lian in the mirror and said, "Didn't you grow up with me?"
Cuilian was stunned for a moment, and then she smiled happily, "Grandma hasn't remembered it yet - I stayed by the young lady's side all the time, and Cuilian was mostly with the mistress, but she would come to the young lady's room when she had nothing to do, and we would do needlework together, and the young lady would teach us how to read and write. Later, as we got older, the mistress put Cuilian and Cuisi in the young lady's room, and took them out when she got married."
Mei Niang thought: No wonder Cui Lian's thoughts completely represent Madam Qin and are in cahoots with Mother Wang. Mother Wang would probably never agree with her leaving the Hou Mansion. Cui Lian might be able to make sense, as she has her own ideas, but she will first obey her master.
In comparison, Cui Xi and Cui Si are easier to guide in this regard. They don't care about the wealth and glory of the Hou Mansion, and don't value those vanity and false reputations.
Seeing Cui Lian was a little uneasy, Mei Niang smiled and said, "I slowly remembered that the three of you have been around each other since you were young and grew up together. Mother Wang taught you the rules every day... Cui Si is fine, she is a person who enjoys life and is unwilling to use her brain. Cui Xi and Cui Lian are both very talented. Your future must be very bright."
Cui Si came over and said, "Grandma, what is the future? Mine will be good too, right?"
Mei Niang pinched her and said, "Okay, everything will be fine. Listen to me: don't call me grandma in private anymore. Every time I hear it, I always feel like I'm almost sixty years old."
Cui Xi looked at her in surprise, and Cui Lian smiled and said, "Then call her Young Madam."
"Call me Miss," Mei Niang said, "You can call me Miss if you like."
Cui Si said with a smile: "We would rather call her girl, but we're afraid that Mother Wang will scold us..."
"It's okay. She won't say anything even if you yell too much. She only yells in our yard. Outside, we still follow their rules."
Just as I mentioned Cao Cao, Cao Cao arrived. Mother Wang came in with Cheng'er. Seeing Mei Niang dressed so gorgeously, elegant and beautiful, she couldn't help but be filled with joy. She said with a smile: "Grandma is in her prime, she should spend more time on dressing up. Her usual clothes are too plain."
Mei Niang asked Cui Xi to take some vegetarian snacks she brought back from Xiankelai and give them to Wang Mama. She asked, "Mama, you went to inspect the garden again early this morning. Is your leg bone no longer painful?"
Mother Wang smiled and said, "It's much easier now. As the saying goes, a disease goes away like pulling a thread, so it can't be completely pain-free. The medicine grandma brought back is really good. I only soaked and washed for three days. In previous years, I would have to lie in bed for ten days at this time."
Mei Niang helped her sit down at the table and said with a smile, "This is a prescription written by a famous doctor. Keep it well, mom. Now that you are better, you should continue to soak your feet. Once a day is enough. Don't be impatient. Walk slowly. It's best to rest in the yard. Wait until you are fully recovered before going out. You can walk around as much as you want."
Mother Wang sighed, "I'm worried. Now you're the one managing this household. The housekeepers obey you for the sake of the eldest wife. We can't see whether they are sincere or not, so we have to be on guard against them secretly."
Mei Niang rubbed her shoulders and smiled, "Mom, don't worry too much. There are hundreds of people in such a big house. We only need to control a few of them. If we have to keep an eye on everyone and every place, how can we live?"
Mother Wang looked at her and said, "Didn't the old lady tell you to take care of things carefully? You are busy every day, patrolling around the garden all day long..."
"We have to show off first. We can't let people think that managing household chores is effortless, right?"
Mother Wang was in a daze, and Cuixi said, "Grandma, it's time to go to Jinhua Hall. It's almost time for dinner now."
Mother Wang hurriedly pushed Mei Niang and said, "Go quickly, don't delay your work and serve the old lady well. In the future, Miss Zhuang... Even if that happens, the old lady can no longer exempt you from the gift."
Mei Niang sighed: Qin Mei Niang was not allowed to go to Jinhua Hall to greet people before, and she had to serve breakfast and dinner and eat leftovers. In her opinion, that was a very easy and free life. However, in front of Mother Wang, it was considered the most shameful and humiliating thing, so much so that it left a shadow in the wet nurse's heart.
She shook her head and took Cui Xi and Cui Si out, while asking Cui Lian to take Cheng'er and Ping'er to have dinner with Mother Wang.
As soon as she left the courtyard, she saw Baoju hurried over. He bowed to Mei Niang and said, "I am here on the orders of the Lord Hou to report back to you: After the Lord Hou left the court, he met with some of his old subordinates for a while, and then was summoned to the palace by the Emperor. He will not be back for dinner today, and may not be back until later in the evening."
Mei Niang raised her eyebrows: Damn it, if I had known this would happen, there would be no need to rush back home, causing her to run like a rabbit. She has always been cunning and doesn't like to be caught when she is deceiving others. That would be too embarrassing...
What? Did Xu Junying report his whereabouts to her? This is really strange. What does he mean by this? He looked at me like that in Xiankelai today. If I say I haven't recognized him, it's really not like him. I have to think carefully. What does he want to do?
Mei Niang thought about it all the way, and went to Jinhua Hall nervously, bowed to the old lady and greeted her. Among the masters in the Xu Mansion, only the second master and the fifth master were there, and the three girls also came. Bai Jingyu brought the eldest sister and the second wife held Wei'er and sat on the side. The second wife handed Wei'er to the old lady's arms like offering a treasure, and said with a smile: "Everything is fine now. He has been eating milk and cakes as much as possible these two days, like a little tiger."
"The boys in our Xu family have been strong since childhood, able to eat and drink, except for the sixth child who is a little thin. Look at these others, they are all so tall and strong, with good looks. And Wei'er, he takes after his father, and when he grows up, he will be a pillar of the family who will bring honor to the ancestors."
The second wife smiled from ear to ear, looked at Xu Junlang who was smiling but not saying anything, leaned over and said to the old lady: "Thank you, old ancestor, for your kind words. I raised Junlang. This Wei'er still has to be taken care of by me. I will teach him the same way I taught Junlang since he was a child."
The old lady teased Wei'er for a few times, then let Ruixue hold her with a smile. She turned around and saw Bai Jingyu holding the eldest sister and sitting quietly. She waved to the eldest sister to come over, grabbed a few candies and put them in her hand, and said lovingly:
"Good boy, your grandmother will give you candy."
The eldest sister took the candy and looked back at Bai Jingyu. Bai Jingyu hurriedly told her: "Hurry up and thank the great grandmother for the reward."
The eldest sister said obediently: "Thank you, great grandmother, for the reward."
Then he walked past the second wife and Xu Junlang, returned to Bai Jingyu, picked up a candy and put it to Bai Jingyu's mouth: "Mother, have some candy."
Bai Jingyu smiled and said, "The reward from my great grandmother must be very sweet candy. Lian'er should present it to my grandmother and father first."
Xu Meilian turned back to the second wife, raised her hand, and put the candy to her mouth: "Lian'er is filial to grandma, grandma, have some candy."
The second wife smiled and said, "Be good, grandma has bad teeth, Lian'er can eat by yourself."
Xu Meilian walked up to Xu Junlang again and said, "Dad, eat candy."
Xu Junlang glanced at Bai Jingyu and touched his daughter's face: "Lian'er, eat it."
The old lady smiled and nodded: "What a good child"
Xu Meilian took the candy and was about to put it into her mouth when Mei Niang came over and said with a smile, "Give me one. I really want to eat candy."
Xu Meilian looked at her hesitantly, and Bai Jingyu said hurriedly: "Lian'er has so many, you should give one to your aunt."
The little girl spread out her palms: "Lian'er has so many, which one do you want, Auntie?"
Mei Niang used her little fingers to fiddle with the candy grains and counted them: "One, two, three, four. I want this one. Great grandmother loves Lian'er, so she gives Lian'er candy. Lian'er respects her elders, so she shares it with her grandmother and father. What about mother? When mother has something delicious, she will give it to Lian'er first, just like Lian'er thought of her mother first just now."
Xu Meilian blinked her big watery eyes, not quite understanding, but still raised her little hand and put the candy that had been turned around again back to Bai Jingyu's mouth. This time Bai Jingyu did not refuse. He glanced at Mei Niang, smiled and put the candy in his mouth.
Xu Xiaorong smiled and said: "Sister-in-law is really good at teaching children"
Mei Niang said: "Your second sister-in-law will be able to sincerely respect the elders when she grows up. At least she will not be selfish or spoiled. No matter how weak a girl is, she must have a strong heart."
Xu Junlang looked at Mei Niang thoughtfully. Mei Niang said to Bai Jingyu, "Lian'er is so smart, she will have a bright future. Last time I attended a flower banquet at the Duke Dingguo's mansion, I met several girls of Lian'er's age, all from noble families, but none of them could be as smart as Lian'er."
Bai Jingyu's eyes were slightly red, and he looked at Mei Niang and nodded: "Thank you, sister-in-law, for praising Lian'er. In the future, you should also accept more teachings from your aunt."
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