Chapter 81
Chapter 81
After a night's rest, a new round of excitement began at dawn the next day.
When the third wife and the eldest son of the Wen family came, people from Mingxiu Pavilion, a famous clothing store in Dongdu, also came. The proprietress came personally and was measuring Wen Shuse's size in the house.
"I have been measuring people's feet all my life, but this is the first time I have seen such a good figure like yours." When people in business open their mouths, they say one thing to different people and lie to different people. They exaggerate everything and you cannot believe a single word of it.
But who wouldn't be happy to hear such words? Wen Shuse was also a straightforward person. "Okay, bring up your patterns and satin so I can take a look. If they are good, I'll pay the deposit today..."
The proprietress of Mingxiu Pavilion immediately asked someone to present all the patterns. Wen Shuse sat on the official hat chair and picked one by one, "This color is good. I will make two round-necked robes for you..."
While he was talking, a maid came in and reported, "The eldest master and the third lady are here."
Wen Shuse looked up, without any surprise on his face, still smiling, "Please come in."
The last time Wen Shuse came to the Wen family, both the eldest son and the third lady knew about it. They were too embarrassed to come again, but they were named by their mother, so they had no choice but to come today.
After entering the room, the eldest son handed the gift to Aunt Qing and asked, "How is Mr. Xie's injury?"
"It's nothing serious, he's recovering." Aunt Qing led the two to the front yard, "Young Master, Third Lady, please wait a moment, I'm seeing the tailor, it will be over soon..."
The eldest son nodded, followed Aunt Qing, and looked around inquiringly.
Just as his wife said, the yard was indeed bigger than theirs, and the corridors on both sides were twice as wide.
The hall leading into the courtyard was bright and spacious, and was cleaned tidy. There were more than a dozen bamboo baskets piled up in the courtyard, filled with fruits and dried fruits, and the maids and servants were constantly moving them in.
When I arrived at the front yard, I saw a dozen embroiderers holding satin, standing neatly in the yard. The door in front of them was open, and the sound of lively conversation could be heard from inside.
"Since I like them all, I'm too lazy to choose. I'll keep one color for each and make a few more..."
"Madam, you are the one who really knows how to live. You don't wrong yourself and spend money whenever you want. I have seen many noble people who keep their money and are reluctant to spend it. In the end, it is either spent by others or you are unable to enjoy it even if you want to spend it..."
Seeing Aunt Qing come in, Wen Shuse knew that someone had arrived. Without saying anything more, he stood up and escorted the proprietress of Mingxiu Pavilion out the door, "Thank you Aunt Zhang for taking a trip."
"Madam, you are too kind to me. It is my honor to be able to serve you. If you have any requests, please send someone to let me know..."
"become."
As soon as he stepped out of the door and looked up, he saw the eldest son and the third daughter who had just come in. They greeted them warmly, "Brother and third sister, please come in quickly..."
As soon as the proprietress of Mingxiufang came out, the eldest son recognized her almost at a glance. All his colleagues secretly competed with each other by being able to wear the ready-made clothes of Mingxiu Pavilion.
I heard that a piece of clothing costs hundreds of taels...
On second thought, Third Master Xie is now successful and famous, so he is indeed qualified.
The third lady beside her was also staring at the satin in the hands of the embroiderers. She had never seen such good satin in her life, and her eyes were fixed on it.
She looked up when she heard Wen Shuse's voice. The last time she saw her was at the Wen family in Fengcheng. The second sister had always left her with the impression of being bright and lively. Today, she was wearing a light gauze half-sleeved pomegranate skirt, and a string of jade tassels hung on her towering goose hair. The wind from the corridor fluttered her hair gently, and she looked even brighter than before.
The third lady was a shy person, and her face turned red at this glance. She called out, "Second sister," and followed the eldest master into the house.
Aunt Qing went to make tea, and Wen Shuse led the eldest son and the third lady to their seats.
As soon as he sat down, he smiled and said to the eldest son enthusiastically, "Brother, how are you these days? I came to Dongdu and haven't had time to talk to you yet. Today, I let you come to my house first."
"It was my brother's fault that I came here only today." He turned to ask her, "Is my brother-in-law's injury better?"
Wen Shuse said that his brother didn't need to worry, "He was very active and had been clamoring to get out of bed, but the Crown Prince sent a doctor yesterday. He was not easy to talk to and insisted that he lie down for half a month before he could get out of bed. With his noisy temper, he was suffocated to death."
The eldest son smiled and said, "It's right to listen to the imperial physician. It's a serious injury, so we should take good care of it."
Before leaving today, the eldest lady had told him, "When you get to the Xie family, talk to Xie Shao more. Your father has always been a law-abiding person, and you don't know when you will be able to get a higher position..."
He had seen many people who fawned on the powerful in official circles and was extremely tired of this. After listening to what Wen Shuse said, he felt relieved.
Aunt Qing served tea to the two of them, and Wen Shuse asked about the Third Lady again, "Are you used to living in Dongdu?"
The third lady nodded, "I'm used to it." After answering, she remembered to return the gift and asked with a stuttering voice, "How about the second sister? Is she, is she living well?"
"It's fine." As long as you're with Wen Shuse, no matter if you can speak or not, she can lead you. He asked her with a smile, "Third sister, have you been to the busy street of Jiucaomen?"
The third lady nodded.
"I'll go over there too. I don't know if Third Sister has seen the rouge seller on the street. The powder is made like a cake and is placed outside the stall. I almost couldn't eat it."
The third lady burst out laughing, finally not so nervous anymore, "Don't blame Second Sister, many people have been fooled before."
Seeing the two of them talking, the eldest son just listened with a smile without interrupting, his eyes looking at an incense burner on the table.
A wisp of green smoke curls up, and the heart-shaped incense is burning.
The last time he went back to the Wen family, he gave Wen Shuse a box as a gift. Now, there are at least three furnaces in this house, and this is just a room in the front yard...
Thinking about the gift my mother prepared today, I suddenly felt awkward and embarrassed.
However, the eldest lady had instructed them in advance that they should stay until dusk. Seeing that the third lady was chatting with Wen Shuse, and Wen Shuse took the initiative to ask them to stay for dinner, they did not refuse.
I originally thought that the cook in the house was preparing the meal, but at noon, I saw people from Mixianlou walking in one after another carrying food boxes.
As soon as the lid was opened, all the signature dishes of Mixianlou were displayed on the table.
Having been in Dongdu for more than half a year, the eldest son has only been to Mixianlou once, and that was at the invitation of a colleague. Not to mention having the food delivered to his door, if he wants to eat the signature dishes of Mixianlou, he has to make a reservation in advance.
I was quite upset and wondered how much this meal would cost.
They came out at dusk and sat in the carriage, both bowed their heads and said nothing. When they arrived at the gate of the Wen family, the eldest son glanced at the third lady and said, "If mother asks you, just tell me what you saw. There is no need to hide anything."
My mother is short-sighted. She despises the poor and loves the rich. She only cares about making money and is unwilling to suffer any loss. It's time for her to learn a lesson.
The third lady has been timid since she was a child. Even if she was asked to make up a story, she didn't know how to lie. She nodded quickly and said, "Okay."
As soon as the two entered the room, the eldest lady immediately called them over.
First ask the eldest son, "How is it? Can Master Xie see you?"
His father taught him that filial piety comes first since he was young, and he kept it in mind. Even though he knew his mother was wrong sometimes, he never disobeyed her. Today, he finally couldn't help himself, "Master Xie was seriously injured and almost died, and he is still lying in bed recovering. Mother is so impatient, her thoughts are too obvious."
The eldest lady was stunned and looked at the eldest son in amazement. Her sons and daughters had been sensible since they were young, which saved her a lot of worries. She had never seen them talk to her like this before. She couldn't believe that these words came from the eldest son's mouth. It took her a long time to react. She was so angry that her heart tightened, "How dare you say that to your mother."
The eldest son looked at her, with self-blame and guilt in his eyes, but he did not admit defeat, "I don't need to tell you what you think in your heart. If you want me to become a person who curry favor with the powerful, I'm afraid I can't do it. You should find someone else."
The eldest lady watched the eldest son rush out the door without looking back. She stood there in amazement for a long time before she sat down on the couch and pounded her chest. "Okay, now he also comes to despise me. Who am I doing this for? You are all so noble, I am snobbish, and I look down on people! But don't I just want my family to live a good life? It's all thanks to the eldest master. He is now forty years old and still a minister. What about Xie Shao? He is only twenty-one, but he is already the commander of the Palace Front Department, a third-rank official. The second master of the Xie family is still a servant, the left prime minister of the current dynasty. Can we compete with him..."
She cried loudly for a while, saying that she had a miserable life, and completely forgot how lucky she was that she had not been related to the Xie family. "If the ancestors had not been partial to me and insisted on changing the marriage, it would be my lady's blessing now..."
It has nothing to do with Wen Shuse.
It's all fate.
After calming down, he looked at the third lady who was hanging her head beside him and said unhappily, "The eldest master feels ashamed, but you don't feel ashamed too, do you? What have you seen......"
The third lady did not dare to lie. After she told the first lady everything she had seen and encountered from the moment she entered the house to the moment she left, the first lady's face turned pale.
Of course she had heard of Mingxiu Pavilion. When Mrs. Wu came to the mansion that day, she was wearing one, and she didn't seem to be very proud of it.
But I was so stingy with my money, thinking about buying a house and preparing a dowry for my wife, I had never been willing to buy anything, and that prodigal son actually invited someone to my house...
She also knew that in Mixian Tower, a single plate of peanuts cost one or two taels of silver.
Even if Xie San received a reward of 1,000 taels, he would not be able to withstand such a defeat by her.
She had squandered all the family fortune last time in Fengcheng, and this time, having just been appointed to an official position, she still dared to be so extravagant.
The eldest lady felt sad and painful, "I'm afraid the prodigal's character can't be changed. How can the third son of the Xie family let her continue to squander? Just wait and see how long she can live happily."
The third lady lowered her head and couldn't help muttering softly, "Mr. Xie didn't blame the second sister. The money in the mansion is managed by the second sister."
These words almost made the lady choke.
She took great pains to send two people on this trip, but it was of no use except to make her feel upset. After sending the Third Lady away, the First Lady couldn't sleep a wink that night.
Wen Shuse's extravagant spending finally alarmed Xie Shao.
Looking at the young lady sitting by the bed, planning the future with him with a beaming face, "The yard is still too small. It's suitable for you and me to live here. When grandmother and parents-in-law come over, it will be a bit crowded." She has already thought about it. After all, this is in Dongdu, where every inch of land is valuable. Besides, the second branch of the Shan Xie family does not need a big house like the one in Fengcheng. "Let's live in a house with seven entrances and seven exits and a back garden."
She had already seen one of the houses that Uncle An bought last time. It was about the same size as the Wen family’s house in Fengcheng and was very suitable.
Xie Shao was half lying on the bed, having just drunk the medicine she handed over. He felt bitter from his mouth to his heart, and was unable to speak for a long time.
He knew everything she had been busy with outside these past two days.
The three meals a day delivered were all from Mixianlou, and a lot of decorations were added to the house. I heard that the proprietress of Mingxiu Pavilion also came to visit.
No matter how expensive these things are, one thousand taels of gold should be enough for her to get by for a while.
I worked so hard just to give her good food and clothing, but I couldn't resist her sudden request to buy a house.
He knew how much the house prices were in Dongdu, so he couldn't kill her hopes with one blow. He asked politely, "How much does a house with seven entrances and seven exits cost?"
"The apartment we bought is in a good location and has a good environment. It's not far from Xiangguo Temple. We can hear the chanting without going out. It will be convenient for us to worship the Buddha and burn incense in the future..."
It seems that she has taken a liking to the location.
With a worried look on his face, he asked again, "How much money?"
"Three thousand eight hundred and eighty-eight strings of cash. The house is newly built and has not been decorated yet. If you think it is suitable, I will have people start construction tomorrow..."
Xie Shao's eyelids jumped and his heart sank.
One thousand taels of gold equals ten thousand taels of silver, a total of ten thousand strings of cash, and only two days have passed...
If she budgets like this, her injury won't heal yet and her wallet will be empty again.
Although he didn't want to throw cold water on her, after going through the days when he only had a few taels of silver and couldn't even buy her a few clothes, he could only cruelly cut her dream short.
"Xie Pushe is a first-rank official, and his salary is higher than mine. The second wife is a big spice dealer in Yangzhou. They came to the Eastern Capital, so they don't have to worry about not having a house to live in?" The young man acted like a typical unfilial son who forgot his mother after getting a wife. "If they want to live in it, don't they know to buy one themselves?"
Looking at the young lady's shocked face, the young man seemed to feel that his reaction was a bit too ungrateful. He touched the tip of his nose with his hand, cleared his throat, and asked her, "Do you like living with them?"
The young lady didn't understand what he meant.
Is this a question of like or not? Now that my parents-in-law are here, do we have to live separately?
Langjun added: "Isn't it good for the two of us to live here? If there are too many people, it will be inconvenient no matter how big the yard is. Second Master Xie and Second Madam have strange personalities and are always difficult to serve. After living with them for a long time, my own son has become a nobody, not to mention you, the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law..."
The young lady stared at him blankly, a hint of nervousness and fear slowly creeping onto her face, and she was obviously hesitant.
He hadn't even met her parents-in-law yet, and he had already scared her like this. It was really a sin, but he had no choice but to save the money first. "This house is very comfortable for the two of us. If you want to buy it, go talk to Aunt Qing and we'll buy it."
Wen Shuse took a long time to come to her senses from his words. She looked unhappy and shook her head and muttered, "I'm afraid I can't buy this house. I can only rent it to you, my dear."
It’s from the Wen family.
"Then let's rent it. We're not short of money." He was really brazen now.
After three days of healing, the imperial physician came today to drain the blood clots inside. I felt much more relaxed at night, and went to bed. "There have been many guests these two days, and it's been hard for you to handle them all by yourself. Go to bed early."
Wen Shuse was straightforward this time. He nodded and stood up, "My dear, you should also go to bed early."
I walked out in a daze, my heart already in turmoil because of my husband's words.
This was her first time being a daughter-in-law and she had no experience at all. She had been living a quiet life for such a long time, and now the ugly daughter-in-law was finally going to meet her parents-in-law. How could she not be nervous?
Her mother passed away early, and she didn't know how to get along with her mother-in-law. She had heard a lot about the conflicts between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, and between aunts and sisters-in-law.
It is precisely because of this that she wants to marry into the Ming family. With Madam Ming and Ming Wanrou around, she has nothing to worry about.
What to do now?
Is the Second Lady so difficult to get along with that she can’t even stand her own son?
I was getting more and more panicked, and asked Aunt Qing, "What should I do if my parents-in-law don't like me?"
Although Aunt Qing had never met the Second Master and Second Madam of the Xie family, she thought it was the same reason and persuaded them: "The lady is good-looking and has a good personality. Who wouldn't like such a lovely person?" Even if she took a step back, "As long as the uncle likes her and supports her in front of the Second Master and Second Madam, how could the parents not give her some face..."
These words stumped Wen Shuse.
Does your uncle like it?
Does Xie Shao like her? He seems to have never said...
Do you want to ask him?
It's really uncomfortable.
She could never make it through the night when something was on her mind. Then she remembered that she had been kicked out again without knowing why, so she grabbed her clothes and went back to the inner courtyard.
There were many more servants in the house these days. When they saw her coming over aggressively, they lowered their heads and knelt down to greet her, "Madam."
"All of you go down."
"yes."
The lights in the room were still on. Wen Shuse held a lantern in one hand and her clothes in the other. She stood in front of the door and called out, "My dear..."
Xie Shao lay in bed all day and slept too much, so how could he be sleepy? After the young lady left, he could not sit still anymore and called Min Zhang in, "How much money did Third Madam spend these days?"
Turning his head to look over there, his eyes suddenly paused.
Min Zhang had just finished bathing and changed into a new set of bright royal blue clothes. The fabric was good, but the style and embroidery were ordinary, and the waist was obviously too small.
Min Zhang seemed a little awkward, and took a breath, "I have to go and calculate..."
"Come back." He had been poor these days, and Min Zhang had been poor with him. Now that they had survived, he couldn't treat him unfairly. "Who made this dress? The size doesn't fit. Don't wear it. Throw it away. Go to Third Madam tomorrow to get some money, and make a few more sets yourself..."
Min Zhang stood there without responding, looking a little embarrassed.
"What's wrong."
"This is what Third Madam made for me a few days ago." Min Zhang looked down and thought it was pretty good. "Except that it's a little tight, I like it very much."
Xie Shao frowned and looked at the robe from top to bottom. The embroidery on the collar was not sloppy, but it was just a few ordinary bamboo leaves. It was obvious that it was done in a hurry...
But these are secondary. Xie Shao asked: "When did Third Grandma give it to you?"
Min Zhang did not notice anything unusual. "Before the master was injured, he gave it to me. He said that my clothes were old, so he bought me a new set."
Before the injury...
She was so thoughtful that she even thought of his servant, but he still hasn't worn the new clothes she bought for him.
As soon as he entered the city, he thought of buying clothes for her. What about her...
"This outfit doesn't suit you. Change it for me and make a few more for yourself." He will wear it tomorrow to let her see how she abuses him.
Min Zhang was stunned.
"Why, you're not happy?"
It's just a piece of clothing. No matter how much you like it, the master has to give it to him if he wants it. Min Zhang nodded, "Okay, I'll go down and change it right away."
Although I got the clothes, I felt a blockage in my heart. That heartless person has no self in his heart at all...
Speak of the devil, here he comes. Just as I finished cursing in my heart, the young lady's voice was heard outside the door.
My heart was pounding. I didn't want to pay any attention to her for the time being. I just lay on the bed and pretended I didn't hear her.
But the young lady did not give up, and called him again and again, "My dear, my dear... I know you are not asleep. You have been lying for so long during the day, you must not be able to sleep. I can't sleep either. I just want to come in and talk to you, I don't have any other intentions."
say what?
She said she thought of buying new clothes for Min Zhang, but didn’t think about herself?
The young lady didn't hear his response for a long time, and started knocking on the door, "My dear..."
Min Zhang changed his clothes and came back from the outer room. He folded the clothes he had just worn neatly and placed them on the wooden table. He looked up at the person who was dozing on the bed and said, "Master, Third Mistress is calling you."
Xie Shao opened his eyes in an instant.
He has ears, but can't he hear? If you ask him to say, "Go to sleep."
Min Zhang didn't dare to make another sound. He went to the outer room, kept his eyes open, and waited to see how long he could hold out.
The young lady outside the door suddenly stopped knocking and went to the window in the inner room. "My dear, have you rested? Then you can sleep peacefully. Don't worry about me. I'll sit outside. It's rare that the wind is so strong and cold tonight. I'll blow it all night."
After that, there was no sound at all.
Xie Shao turned his head and saw that it was quiet outside.
She could think of this trick of pestering, but when it comes to this stubborn young lady, it seems that there is nothing she can't do.
After enduring for a while, he couldn't bear it any longer and didn't feel comfortable calling Min Zhang. There was a window opposite the inner room, and he could see what was happening outside by opening it.
I tiptoed to the window, but still no movement.
He removed the wooden bolt, pushed the window outwards, and opened it. As expected, he saw the young lady sitting on the steps in front of the door.
Hearing the noise, the young lady turned back in time, and their eyes met in the dim night. The next moment, she exclaimed, "My dear, why are you up? Go lie down quickly. Don't touch the wound, and don't be blown by the wind, or you may catch a cold."
From the moment he opened the window, Xie Shao knew that he was finished. He looked at her in frustration and asked, "What do you want?"
"I was blowing the wind, didn't you notice it?" Wen Shuse twisted her neck to speak to him, "I didn't make any noise, so it shouldn't affect you. Go to sleep, don't worry about me."
She is even more shameless than me.
All I can say is that I did too many evil things in the past, and finally got my retribution. She came here to suppress herself. She calmed down her emotions and said softly, "Go back to sleep. We can talk about it tomorrow if there is anything."
"Why do you insist on asking me to go back? I am sitting here enjoying the breeze and I am not disturbing your sleep. The wind comes from the sky and it does not belong to you. Don't blame me for imagining things if you are like this."
He wanted to hear what she had in mind, so he stood there waiting for her next words.
She did not disappoint him, and turned to the person inside, "I want to ask you, is it true that you can't sleep if I sit here tonight?"
Isn't this nonsense?
How could he sleep while she was sitting in front of the door?
Seeing that he didn't say anything, as if he agreed, Wen Shuse became more excited and continued to ask him, "Are you feeling uneasy right now? Are you eager to come out and pull me off this cold floor and into the house?"
She was eloquent, and Xie Shao had already stopped retreating.
"I understand." The young lady smiled at her, "My dear, you just feel sorry for me."
She finally felt guilty and realized her own heart, "Now that you know, get up."
"Okay." The girl got up from the ground instantly, holding the clothes in her hands, and came to the window. The man opposite her looked at her through the window, her eyes shining brightly in the night. "I heard from my brother that as long as you feel sorry for someone, you love them." Suddenly she moved closer to him, looked up at him, "Do you like me, my dear?"
Too sudden.
It was as if someone had discovered my inner secret, and my heart skipped a beat.
The young lady's eyes were expectant and confident.
He was sure that as long as he nodded, that face would be full of smiles. If it was yesterday, or before he found Min Zhang's clothes, he would have surrendered and admitted it immediately, making the young lady happy. But at this moment, he was obviously still a little upset, and his eyes gently met hers. "What about the young lady, do you like me?"
After he finished speaking, his heart started beating "boom boom".
“I like it.”
It was too fast, too fast without any hesitation, not to mention any shyness, making it impossible to see any sincerity. I tried to test him, "What about Min Zhang?"
Sure enough, the young lady said without hesitation: "I like it too."
As the words came out, Min Zhang, who was listening carefully in the next room, suddenly changed his expression. He suddenly sat up from the couch, stood there nervously, and dared not breathe.
The sarcastic voice of the man in front of the window was carried into the night wind, "Young lady, you have such a big heart, you are so tolerant and have so many people who like you."
With a "bang", he ruthlessly closed the window and locked the young lady outside.
Hey~
This is how many times.
It seemed that she was locked out of the door in the same way last time.
Wen Shuse stared at the closed window in front of him, took a deep breath, and lost his temper. "Xie San, isn't this what you want to ask? Am I wrong? I just like you, and I like Min Zhang too."
Before one problem has been solved, another one adds fuel to the fire. Min Zhang in the outer room even wants to die.
I just hope Third Grandma will stop mentioning him.
Wen Shuse didn't want to reason with him anymore, so he stood in front of the door and said, "Xie San, open the door. This is my room. Why do you occupy it alone? The proprietress of Mingxiu Pavilion personally measured my body today. My waist is only 1.8 feet, very thin. The bed in the room is at least 5 feet wide. I don't believe it is not enough for the two of us to lie down..."
The commotion was so loud that it attracted people from outside.
A few gauze lanterns slowly approached from behind, and I knew that they were most likely Aunt Qing and the maid in the room.
At this point, she is not afraid of being embarrassed. If she doesn't embarrass herself tonight, she will be embarrassed tomorrow when her parents-in-law come and find out that they sleep in separate beds.
Wen Shuse put the gauze lantern and clothes in her hands on the ground, rolled up her sleeves, adjusted her high sideburns, and then twisted the shawl on her arms. She made all the necessary preparations and shouted to the person inside the door for the last time, "Xie San, are you going to open the door or not? If you don't, I'm going to knock on you! I'll count to three, one... two..."
The gauze lantern behind him also came forward.
Wen Shuse took a deep breath and was about to lift his foot.
"Daughter-in-law, move aside, I'll do it!" A hand suddenly grabbed her arm and gently pulled her to the side. Before Wen Shuse could react, she saw a tall woman standing in front of her.
I don't know if this chapter is the fastest and has the most words since the beginning of this book. Cover your face... (Let's be happy together, one hundred red envelopes)
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