Chapter 36
Chapter 36
Since he was unaware of his sister's marriage, he was naturally unaware of the fact that his sister had squandered all the family property. He was afraid that it would be too much of a blow for him to go in and that he would find it difficult to accept, so he decided to stop him first.
Wen Huai turned his head when he called him, looking slightly stunned.
Xie Shao stepped forward and tactfully advised, "You just came back, aren't you in a hurry to go home?"
Wen Huai smiled and looked up at the wooden box on the horse's back. "Don't be afraid of being laughed at by the Third Young Master. My sister likes fried clams the most. I brought some fresh ones back from the sea this time. There is sea water in the teahouse for storage."
He came all the way back from Fuzhou just to bring back such a box of clams. You can imagine how much he doted on that girl.
Certain that he couldn't bear it, Xie Shao said, "Your sister, the second lady, is at my house."
It’s better for her to speak about her own brother herself.
Wen San was surprised, but it only took a moment for him to understand. Gao Xian must have gone to the Xie family to visit his eldest sister. He was not in a hurry. "If Mr. Xie San goes back, please give me a message and tell him that I have returned to Fengcheng and will be waiting for her at the teahouse. If my eldest sister... my eldest lady is free, please come as well."
No matter how much he tried to persuade her, he still didn't understand. Xie Shao was helpless and said, "The Second Lady has been staying in my house for some time. Third Master Wen should go there on his own."
This time, Wen Huai's expression was finally stunned for a while.
But no matter how good the brain is, it is impossible to guess a truth more absurd than the storytelling. It is suspected that there is a rift between the eldest sister and the eldest son.
How long have you been married...
I've already missed their wedding banquet, so I'll have to apologize sooner or later anyway, so it might as well be a day to go and take a look.
He looked back at the servant and was about to ask him to lead the horse into the building first, but Xie Shao said first, "It's still early, and the people in the mansion haven't had lunch yet. Since your sister likes to eat clams, why not bring them over while they're fresh? The Xie family also has a cook."
A box of clams is not worth much money, but it is not easy to bring them back. There was a natural disaster in Gyeongju and Luoan was at war. On the way back, he encountered several groups of refugees and almost died.
If I send it to the Xie family, I probably won’t be able to get it back.
But the two families had just become relatives, and the words had been spoken. If he refused, he would seem too petty.
The clams were originally brought back for Gaoxian. Now that she is in Xie's house, I'll just give them to her. Wen Huai bowed and said, "Sorry to bother you, Third Young Master Xie."
Xie San said "no problem" and walked in front to lead the way.
How could Pei Qing miss such a rare excitement that only happens once in a century? Ever since he met Wen Huai, his eyes have been looking back and forth between him and Xie Shao, not missing any changes on their faces.
He followed him to the gate of Xie's house. He was about to go in, but Xie Shao suddenly turned around and stared at him, "You don't have to work?"
Pei Qing:......
There was no more excitement to watch, so he said hello to Wen Huai with regret, "Third Master Wen, we'll meet again another day."
Since Wen Huai left the private school a few years ago, he has been away from home with his father all year round and rarely returns to Fengcheng. He is not familiar with the third son of the Xie family, not to mention Pei Qing. He wonders in his heart when he has ever been close enough to meet him, but he politely responds, "Mr. Pei, you are busy first."
As soon as Pei Qing left, Wen Huai realized that Xie Shao was wearing an official uniform today, and asked in surprise, "Is Third Young Master Xie an official now?"
Both of them are the third child in the family. When addressing them, without adding the surname in front, it feels like they are calling themselves.
Xie Shao nodded, "Yuanwailang, a ninth-rank official."
As expected, if you are not in Fengcheng, you know nothing.
As soon as you heard about this official position, you knew it was most likely bought. Everyone in Fengcheng knew that the Xie family was rich, and it was also well known that the third son of the Xie family was extravagant and lazy.
In his opinion, instead of buying an official position, it would be better to save the money and buy a few more boats. Once the fishing moratorium is over, the boats will go out to sea and will surely return with full loads. Why must he insist on becoming an official?
But everyone has their own way of living, so he congratulated, "Congratulations, Third Young Master Xie."
There was no need to congratulate him, as he also had one. Xie Shao smiled and did not answer, but led him in the direction of the garden.
Wen Huai had been to the courtyard of the eldest son of the Xie family before and vaguely remembered the way. After walking for a while, he realized that the direction seemed wrong. Although he was suspicious, he was not sure whether the eldest son had changed the courtyard, so he did not ask and followed Xie Shao closely.
It was his first time to enter the garden. Compared with the yard of Master Xie, it seemed to be three to five times larger. He turned around for a long time but still couldn't get there. He was unfamiliar with the place. When he heard the birds chirping inside, he couldn't help but feel a little nervous. He asked Xie Shao, "Is Master Xie home?"
"In the government office."
The master was away, and it seemed inappropriate for him to suddenly visit the inner courtyard. He was thinking whether he should retreat to the front hall and wait for the servants to call out the two ladies of the Wen family. When he turned around, he saw Xiangyun standing in the hall opposite and arranging flowers. His expression suddenly became happy, and he didn't say anything. He looked up to look for his sister who he hadn't seen for more than half a year.
Fang Xiangyun also raised his head when he heard the movement in the corridor. His eyes were stunned for a moment, then he turned around and rushed into the door behind him, "Madam, the Third Young Master is back!"
He's back, so what's the big deal? He's been feeling very sleepy these past few days. Wen Shuse was dozing off on the couch. Upon hearing this, he slowly stood up like a boneless loach.
Xiangyun knew that she had misunderstood, so he pushed his face in front of her and reminded her excitedly, "It's our Third Young Master, Third Young Master Wen is back."
The girl who had been listless a moment ago immediately perked up and jumped up from the couch, "Brother is back? Where is he..."
While holding up her skirt, she asked Xiangyun and hurriedly stepped out of the door. She saw two people approaching from the opposite side.
Compared with the pretty boy in front, the one behind can be called the black-faced Bao Gong.
It's really getting darker.
There is no doubt that it is her brother, Wen Huai, the third son of the Wen family.
When the others came up to him, regardless of Wen Huai's happy expression, they spoke first and said, "Brother, why are you dark again?"
Wen Huai's face froze, and he touched his face. "Dark? Why didn't I feel that?" It didn't matter. He asked her carefully, "Jiaoxian hasn't changed. She's white and plump."
How could the sun in Fuzhou be so vicious? Not only is its mouth useless, but even its eyes are blind.
What does white and fat mean!
Especially when she noticed the man next to her was looking at her, she immediately became anxious, "I have changed." She turned around to ask Xiangyun for confirmation, "Tell me, have I lost weight?"
Xiangyun tried his best to support his master, "My lady has lost a lot of weight recently."
A woman's heart is like a needle in the sea. Wen Huai had suffered a lot from this sister before. With experience, he immediately realized that he had said the wrong thing and changed his words, "Looking closely, she has indeed lost weight."
That's right.
After they all stopped talking, Wen Shuse showed concern, "When did brother come back?"
"I just entered the city and met Third Young Master Xie on the road." He turned around and glanced at Xie Shao with gratitude, "If it weren't for Third Young Master, I wouldn't have known you were in the Xie family."
This ambiguous sentence is very confusing. Does he know it or not?
Wen Shuse subconsciously looked at the man behind him. When the man received her gaze, he immediately shrugged, revealing a sense of helplessness in his nonchalant manner.
The two of them were flirting with each other, and Wen Huai was confused.
Wen Shuse understood that he probably didn't know, "Brother is the only one who came back? Where's father?"
"It will be soon. We will reach Fengcheng in half a month at most." He looked around and asked, "Where is Su Ning?" Not seeing anyone, he asked again, "Why did you come to Xie's house?"
Where should I start?
"It's a long story." It would take a while to explain it, but he would have to tell him sooner or later. Wen Shuse invited him into the house first, "I'll tell you slowly."
Xie Shao did not follow him, but stood outside the door. In case Wen San got excited, an unnecessary quarrel would occur. He raised his head and looked at Wen Shuse, saying, "You chat with Master Wen San, I still have to be on duty."
Wen Shuse nodded, "Okay."
The atmosphere between the two was very strange. Wen Huai always felt that something was wrong. What Xie Shao said was true. Gaoxian should have lived in Xie's house for quite some time and they were familiar with each other.
Just when she had found an excuse to make it up, a maid next to her suddenly called Wen Shuse "Third Madam," "Young Master Wen brought back a box of clams. Do you want to make lunch?"
When Wen Shu heard about clams, his mouth almost watered. He looked at Wen Huai gratefully, "As expected of my brother, you still care about me."
Wen Huai was shocked by the sound of "Third Grandma". He was dumbfounded and didn't care about what was wrong. He asked her in confusion, "Who is Third Grandma?"
Now that it has come to this, it’s better to just stick out your neck and kill it with a knife.
Wen Shuse asked back, "Brother, didn't you receive the letter? The one who married into the Xie family a month ago was not the eldest lady, but me. The groom was not the eldest son of the Xie family, but the third son of the Xie family. The one who brought you in just now is your brother-in-law, Xie Shao."
The news was so shocking that Wen Huai, sitting opposite her, turned into a statue.
As Xie Shaoren stepped onto the corridor, he heard an angry shout from behind him, "Ridiculous!" He thought it was still too early, it was just the beginning, and there were still various shocks waiting for him, Wen San.
It is not advisable to stay in a place of trouble for too long, so he quickly left the house as if his feet were greased.
He could run, but Wen Shuse couldn't. Seeing Wen Huai getting excited, she turned around and dismissed the maids and servants around her, and told him a brief account of what had happened.
As soon as the words fell, the room fell silent for a while.
Wen Huai stared at her, his eyes motionless. So, his only sister had gotten married, and none of his father and brothers were present.
The scene he imagined of sending her off for marriage, carrying her on his back out of the Wen family, and personally handing her over to her future son-in-law, would never come true in his lifetime.
Wen Huai's face became increasingly ugly.
After angrily shouting "ridiculous", he realized that no one was to blame for this matter. He felt even more depressed. He sat there blankly, looking at the beautiful young lady opposite him. The guilt and self-reproach in his heart almost swallowed him up.
His mother passed away early, and he only had this one sister. When she was little, she didn't understand what it meant that life could not be brought back to life. After not seeing her mother for a few days, she hugged his legs and cried heartbreakingly, insisting that he take her to find her. He often cried with her.
At that time, he secretly swore to himself that he would make her live a life of luxury and never let her suffer any pain again.
When talking about a future son-in-law, it doesn’t matter how high his official position is or how rich he is, but he must be an upright, hardworking, and upright man.
Before he was his brother-in-law, Xie San was still a talent in his eyes. But now that he has suddenly become his brother-in-law, looking back, he is nothing, with flaws everywhere.
Seeing that he was silent for a long time and looked so sad, as if she had fallen into a fire pit, Wen Shuse couldn't help but comfort her, "Brother, you don't have to be like this. In fact, I am not the one who suffers."
Wen Huai felt weak all over, and only his eyes rolled around.
"Didn't my brother say before that when you get married in the future, you must open your eyes and not marry ugly people or narrow-minded people? Your brother-in-law has both of these advantages..."
In terms of appearance, Xie San was indeed impeccable. As for his mind, he had never met him and did not know the truth about him so he could not comment on it. He was curious as to how she could tell that.
Wen Shuse didn't continue talking, fearing that he would be overwhelmed by the blows he suffered, so he gently pushed the teacup beside him to him, "Brother, calm down first."
Wen Huai came back in a hurry, especially when he was about to reach the city gate. He was thinking of his grandmother at home and the young lady in front of him. He was so eager to go home that he didn't even have time to drink a sip of water on the way. Only then did he feel dry mouth. He picked up the teacup, whether to quench his thirst or to calm his nerves, and drank it all down his throat in one gulp.
Wen Shuse continued with what he had just said, "I didn't lie to you. Third Master Xie is the most generous man I have ever met. Even my brother's heart may not be broader than his."
What does she mean by this?
Suddenly he realized that she didn't seem to be sad at all. Instead, she looked relaxed and was even trying to comfort him.
Could it be that she married the right man by accident and fell in love with him? Judging from Xie San's face, it is very likely.
"Brother, do you know that he is now a Yuanwailang?"
There was nothing to be proud of in an official position bought with money, but as she defended him in this way, Wen Huai became more and more certain that she was probably in love with Xie San.
The die is cast, and it's a done deal. It's a good thing if she really likes it. I don't know whether I should be happy or sad.
Wen Shuse said, "I bought it for her."
Wen Huai was stunned.
Wen Shuse explained in time, "Don't worry, brother, I used all the money from the Xie family."
Wen Huai was even more puzzled. Although Xie San was a bit lazy, he didn't look stupid. How could he let her spend money to buy an official position? He couldn't help but ask, "How much money?"
Wen Shuse's expression was slightly evasive, "Not too cheap."
Not too cheap and how much.
Before Wen Huai could ask, Wen Shuse smiled mysteriously at him and said, "I didn't touch the money of the Wen family. I used it to buy some for my father and brother. Wait a minute, I'll go get it."
Wen Huai:......
She said she bought a copy of what?
Before he could react, Wen Shuse had already stood up and went to the inner room, took out the remaining two official titles from under the pillow, and excitedly brought them to Wen Huai and handed them to him, "Brother and Third Young Master Xie are both officials, but the other official title they hold is different. Third Young Master Xie's is a military prosecutor..."
Wen Huai felt a little dizzy.
Wen Shuse was afraid that he couldn't see clearly, so he pushed the document under his nose and said, "Brother, look, it's your name, that's right."
He saw it. If he had not been thinking about going to sea, he would have passed the examination and become a scholar long ago. He was also literate and could see clearly that it was indeed his name.
Wen Huai, also known by his courtesy name Wenbo.
Yuanwailang, and concurrently Silu Canjun.
He had no intention of asking what the position of Silu Canjun was, and his attention was only focused on the document in front of him.
He knew in his heart without her saying it that it was not easy to buy an official position.
There have been people who have bought official positions in every dynasty, but as far as he knows, not everyone can afford it. First, it depends on the amount of money, and second, it depends on the reputation of the family and the individual.
The Xie family does have a reputation. Whether it is Xie Pushe who retired from the court, or the eldest master of the Xie family who is the deputy envoy of Fengcheng, they are all famous. Although Xie Shao's personal reputation is a little worse, it is nothing compared to the honor of the big family.
The same goes for the Wen family. With the reputation of their grandfather and the presence of the Wen uncle, they can indeed buy an official position as long as they pay enough money.
He wanted to know how much money she spent to buy three copies at once. Wen Huai calmed himself down and asked her calmly, "How much did you spend?"
"Mr. Xie's share is more expensive." Wen Shuse didn't look at him, holding the teacup and said vaguely, "The Xie family's entire fortune was lost."
Wen Huai was stunned and looked at her in shock, "All the family property?"
Wen Shuse nodded sadly, "The cash in the warehouse was used to pawn off several shops in Fengcheng..." He repeated the matter of buying food from the beginning, feeling regretful and moved, "Now the second branch of the Xie family has nothing. A few days ago, three meals became a problem, and I can still sit here safely. Brother, do you think the third young master is broad-minded?"
At the beginning, Xie Pushe brought back 50,000 taels of gold, plus the spice shop that his second wife, Ruan, had run in Fengcheng over the years.
She was right. She was still able to sit here unharmed. Third Young Master Xie was truly very magnanimous.
Wen Huai was shocked and spoke after a long while, "What about the Wen family?"
"The Wen family is relatively cheaper. We also lost everything, but we got two official positions in return."
Wen Huai:......
She really knows how to talk.
Knowing her usual virtue, Wen Huai's blood kept rushing up. All the shops in Fengcheng were the dowry that he and his father had worked hard to save for her over the years, but she lost them all with one move.
It is enough for the Wen family to have their uncle's family as officials. He and his father are devoted to business, so there is no need for them to hold any official position.
Wen Huai was so angry that his eyes were blurry. His gentleness disappeared. He pointed at the young lady in front of him, stood up and paced, "Wait until your father comes back. See if he doesn't break your legs."
Wen Shuse was not afraid of his fake power at all, and pretended to shrink his neck.
After Wen Huai's anger was vented, Wen Shuse secretly glanced at him and asked cautiously, "Brother, don't you want to know what the position of Silu Canjun is?"
He doesn't care what official position he holds.
No wonder Xie Shao stopped him from entering the teahouse just now. It turned out that the teahouse no longer belonged to the Wen family. He turned his head and stared at her again, only to see a pitiful and guilty face. His anger suddenly disappeared. He took a breath and asked, "What official position?"
"It manages household registration and marriage."
The corner of Wen Huai's mouth twitched. How could he, who hadn't even decided on a marriage, help someone else to break up a marriage?
She added, "When you take this position, if I have a quarrel or dispute with Third Master Xie in the future, you will be able to make the decision for me."
The matter has already been exposed to the sky, and I must not let her prestige rise any further. "You'd better not argue with her. You should go to the temple to burn incense to thank Xie San for finding a fool like him."
Wen Shuse:......
"Brother, did you bring any money with you when you came back?"
It would have been fine if he hadn't mentioned it. As soon as he mentioned it, Wen Huai got a headache. In order to catch up with the schedule, he left in a hurry this time and didn't take much money. He thought that his father had just sent a lot of things home last time. Even if his elder sister wanted to add to her dowry, it would not be enough. There was also the teahouse and shop, which made money every day. As long as it was enough for the journey, he would not be short of money when he arrived in Fengcheng.
Who knows...
I subconsciously pinched the pouch around my waist, and it became as flat as it could be.
Wen Shuse breathed a sigh of relief, turned around and called Xiangyun in, "Brother just came back, I'm afraid he hasn't eaten yet. The Wen family has gone bankrupt, and grandmother's money has also been lost. I guess he won't have any food to eat when he returns. Let's fry the clams we brought back first, and then make plans for the future."
The joy of returning home disappeared in an instant.
Compared to Xie Shao at the beginning, Wen Huai suffered a heavier blow.
In just half an hour, thunder roared one after another, leaving him no chance to breathe. In the end, he sat in the armchair, unable to come back to his senses for a long time.
Everything that happened in the courtyard was reported to Xie Shao by the servant without missing a word. "It seems that Third Master Wen was hit hard."
Xie Shao and Pei Qing sat on a stone block on the street, and the dry steamed buns in their hands suddenly became fragrant.
My dears, today I am back to normal. I will try to move the time forward in the future. (Today I have combined two chapters into one.)
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