Chapter 7 Chapter 7 Open Eighteen Layers of Filters
Land is very expensive in the capital. Although Zhang Wen is now a minister, he was a poor boy in his early years. He has only become rich in recent years.
The mansion was bought when they first got married, so it is not very big.
The flower hall was small with three rooms. The people inside heard most of the noise outside the door.
Zhang Wen couldn't help feeling a little embarrassed. On the one hand, he blamed his daughter for being ignorant and throwing away her girlish modesty for the sake of marriage. On the other hand, he blamed Jiang for making a fuss and deliberately embarrassing him in front of outsiders.
He coughed loudly to remind the people outside to stop.
Mrs. Jiang walked into the flower hall following the sound of his cough. As a married couple for many years, they knew what the other was thinking just by listening to the sound. The flame that had just been extinguished was ignited again.
But since the Liu family was present, she still had to give her husband face.
Madam Jiang blamed the Yao mother and daughter for this, exhaled, and greeted the Liu mother and son with a smile, "Yesterday, those Jinyiwei caused a commotion and disrupted the Four Seasons Banquet for no reason. Fortunately, there was no danger and they didn't succeed."
Madam Qin smiled unnaturally. "Because of my son, Third Miss has been wronged. We are truly sorry. We specially prepared some small gifts to comfort her."
The Zhang couple were unsure of what she meant. They looked at each other without saying anything.
Liu Jinshu continued, "We don't know what the Third Miss likes, so we picked out a few rolls of Hangzhou silk, a few baskets of seasonal fruits and vegetables, and some fans, paper, and pens. They're all inexpensive things, so please don't be polite, Uncle Liu."
If the marriage is rejected, the Liu family will definitely send some expensive gifts to maintain the dignity of both the Zhang and Liu families. Such gifts that seem like they are given to relatives indicate that there is hope for this marriage.
Zhang Wen should have been happy, but he felt a little uncomfortable. He didn't forget to fight for his beloved daughter. "She's just an ignorant girl, she didn't care about the consequences and just kept causing trouble. Fortunately, her fourth sister was smart and brought her mother to dissuade them in time, so a big mess was avoided."
Liu Jinshu smiled and said, "It's inevitable that we will act impulsively when we meet an old friend after a long absence, and he is also our lifesaver."
Hearing this, Mrs. Jiang was delighted. "Good child, you are so thoughtful." She then instructed Mother Fang, "Go and call the third young lady over."
Zhang Wen chuckled twice, unable to understand how this third girl could have earned the attention of the picky Liu Jinshu. However, he couldn't say anything else, so he made an excuse and left to comfort his beloved.
About quarter of an hour later, Zhang Xiaoman arrived.
She changed into casual clothes, had a simple bun, and had no makeup on, not even lip balm.
Mrs. Qin frowned. Being straightforward and innocent is good. She also doesn't like girls who are pretentious. But Zhang Xiaoman's behavior seems to show that she doesn't take the Liu family seriously.
He even said in front of so many people that he had been thinking about Chen Ling'an for nine years. He had no sense of propriety, righteousness, integrity or shame. He was just as rude and shameless as Mrs. Zhou said.
A pheasant is a pheasant and is not worthy of being the mistress of a wealthy family.
According to her idea, they should just break up, but the father and son stayed in the study room whispering to each other all night, and told her early in the morning that they should not refuse for the time being and try to get in touch with each other first.
Have you eaten too much delicacies from land and sea and want to change your taste and try some light porridge and side dishes?
Mrs. Qin sighed secretly, and forced herself to chat with Zhang Xiaoman about some meaningless words like the weather.
Madam Jiang pretended not to notice and said with a smile, "Although my garden is small, the roses there are the most beautiful. You are too impatient to listen to us adults talking. Xiaoman, take cousin Liu for a walk."
Liu Jinshu stood up first, and Zhang Xiaoman had no choice but to follow.
The early summer sunshine is golden, and clusters of roses as big as bowls are swaying gracefully in the breeze. Pink, dark blue and white flowers are in full bloom, and yellow orioles are singing on the willow branches. It is indeed as Mrs. Chiang said, it is a great place to enjoy flowers.
The two walked slowly side by side on the cobblestone path. Zhang Xiaoman had something on his mind and, contrary to his usual liveliness, seemed unusually silent.
"Are you disappointed to see it's me?" Liu Jinshu suddenly said.
Zhang Xiaoman was startled, "Huh?"
Liu Jinshu smiled slightly and said, "You would prefer that the person who showed up early in the morning was Chen Ling'an, right?"
"No, no..." Zhang Xiaoman was embarrassed when his thoughts were suddenly exposed. "If he came, my father would definitely be very uneasy. Everyone says he is a plague god and they are afraid to have anything to do with him."
Liu Jinshu immediately understood her intention to protect Chen Lingan. This was within his expectations, but for some reason, he felt uncomfortable.
He stopped and said, "Not coming doesn't necessarily mean I don't care about you. If you hadn't been here yesterday, my uncle and I might have been imprisoned."
After what happened yesterday, Zhang Xiaoman thought that her marriage with him would definitely not be successful. However, today the Liu family came to her house eagerly. Not only did they not blame her, they also gave her gifts to calm her down, which really surprised her.
She is not so arrogant as to demand that someone marry her.
Zhang Xiaoman couldn't help but think more deeply, then smiled and said, "We're not that familiar with each other. After all, we haven't seen each other for nine years. I remember him, but he almost forgot me. He almost didn't recognize me yesterday. I don't dare claim the credit for it."
After a pause, she continued, "He was originally a kind and tolerant person. Even though those old masters scolded him so harshly, he didn't get angry. It shows that the rumors are all lies."
Liu Jinshu paused. Kind and tolerant?
Zhang Xiaoman continued, "He questioned you, so there must have been a misunderstanding. Later, your father explained everything to him, and the misunderstanding was resolved. He didn't continue to embarrass you, did he?"
Liu Jinshu looked up and down at the person in front of him. She spoke very seriously, without a trace of joking, and it was obvious that she believed this from the bottom of her heart.
Liu Jinshu was stunned for a moment, then suddenly laughed, "Luckily, I have a good father who showed up in time and cleared up the misunderstanding."
Zhang Xiaoman smiled in agreement, but after laughing, a faint sadness spread from the bottom of his heart.
They are all loved.
Liu Jinshu, needless to say, had a father who worked tirelessly for him and a mother who risked her life for him. Even she had her stepmother, who looked after her in every way, fearing that she would suffer any injustice.
Chen Lingan has nothing...
Suddenly I really want to see him.
Zhang Xiaoman's eyes lit up. If he didn't come, she could go!
For a moment, he wished he could grow wings and fly to Chen Ling'an, and he seemed more and more absent-minded.
Liu Jinshu saw this and found it extremely boring. Just as he was about to find an excuse to leave, he suddenly heard sobbing coming from the shade of the willows.
The voice was like crying and complaining, seemingly broken yet continuous, with a touch of sadness and lingering sorrow, which actually made the two of them stunned.
Zhang Xiaoman murmured, "I've never heard that my family has a little actor..."
A graceful figure emerged from the shade of willows and "coincidentally" ran into them. Her cheeks were dotted with tear marks, and her eyebrows were shrouded in a misty rain, which made her beautiful face less aggressive and more delicate and humble.
Fourth sister?! Zhang Xiaoman rubbed his eyes in disbelief.
Zhang Junyi froze in panic, as if she had just noticed them. "I was feeling down, so I went for a walk in the garden. I thought no one was here... I'm sorry to have embarrassed you, cousin."
Since becoming famous at a young age, Liu Jinshu had no shortage of suitors around her, and he saw through this little trick at a glance. Although he looked down on her, his own cultivation did not allow him to mock women, so he nodded and smiled.
Perhaps encouraged by this smile, Zhang Junyi's confidence doubled. Fearing that he had forgotten to mention himself, he introduced himself to the crowd, "Cousin, I'm Junyi. Last year, when I went to Nancui Academy to give something to my brother, you even picked plums for me!"
Two shy blushes flew up her cheeks, and her voice was so soft that it seemed like water could be squeezed out of it. "Those are the most delicious plums I have ever tasted."
Zhang Xiaoman just felt strange. He looked at Zhang Junyi, then at Liu Jinshu, and silently took a step back, and then another step back.
"I think there was a plum picking thing." Liu Jinshu knew he had to speak up. "I remember picking a lot with the students from the academy and distributing them to the children in the nearby villages."
Zhang Junyi's eyes gradually turned red, and she felt a little embarrassed. He didn't mention her at all, as if she was lying, but it was clearly given to her.
"It's getting late. Please excuse me for leaving first." Liu Jinshu had no intention of getting involved in the drama of sisters fighting for a son-in-law. She nodded slightly and left.
Zhang Junyi's face showed an expression of disbelief. He stood frozen in place, watching Liu Jinshu's retreating figure. His gaze slowly fell on Zhang Xiaoman, and he immediately felt embarrassed and annoyed. "Don't be so proud. You laughed at my joke today, but how much better can you be than me tomorrow?"
Her voice was choked, and she couldn't say any more. She suddenly covered her face, turned around and ran away.
Zhang Xiaoman blinked and understood the strange feeling just now: that tender and timid girl with tears in her eyes didn't look like the fourth sister at all, it was clearly the posture of Aunt Yao!
It’s a pity that Liu Jinshu is different from his father and doesn’t buy it at all.
Zhang Xiaoman shook his head and didn't take his fourth sister's disruption to heart. He was only thinking about how to go out and find Chen Lingan.
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The evening breeze swirled through the courtyard. Zhang Junyi sat alone against the window, his eyes red and swollen, staring blankly into the deep night.
Aunt Yao came in through the curtains and saw the untouched food on the table. She sighed deeply, "Don't be discouraged. Madam will definitely create opportunities for them to be alone together in the future. As long as you seize the opportunity..."
"Don't you think I'm embarrassed enough today?" Zhang Junyi turned around abruptly. "Didn't you see the way Liu Jinshu looked at me? He treated me like a maid trying to get into his bed. I, Zhang Junyi, have never been looked down upon like this before!"
The tears that had just stopped fell again. Zhang Junyi was so ashamed and angry that she could not bear it. "It's all your fault. You had to teach me this shameful trick. If you become my concubine, do you want me to be one too?"
Aunt Yao said hurriedly: "No, no, your father is the Minister of Personnel. No matter how high the threshold of the Liu family is, they dare not let you be a concubine."
"You also know that I'm a daughter of the Zhang family?" Zhang Junyi stood up suddenly, her tone sad and indignant. "I'm a proper daughter of the Zhang family. I've been carefully taught by a teacher and a nanny since I was young. I'm really out of my mind. How could I listen to a concubine?"
Aunt Yao's face turned pale instantly, and after a while she spoke, "It's my fault that I have caused you trouble..."
Her voice was sad and gentle. Zhang Junyi's eyes showed obvious reluctance when he heard it, but he still pursed his lips stubbornly and refused to say anything softly.
Aunt Yao let out a deep breath. "It doesn't matter. They can't succeed. There's still Chen Ling'an stuck in the middle."
Zhang Junyi didn't say anything, but the expression on his face showed disapproval.
"If she had let go of Chen Ling'an, she wouldn't have suddenly appeared to defend him yesterday." Aunt Yao smiled, her eyes becoming meaningful. "Young people are impulsive, and who knows what they will do? And your father is trying so hard to promote the Liu family's marriage..."
Zhang Junyi looked at her blankly.
Aunt Yao refused to say anything more and called the maid Shi Qing in. "Take away these dishes and have your kitchen make a few new ones that the Fourth Young Lady likes. Don't come back when you're done. Bring some soy sauces and wine and talk to Mrs. Li from the Second Gate. The Third Young Lady is highly regarded by the Liu family, so have them try their best to curry favor with her."
"What are you going to do?" Zhang Junyi asked.
Aunt Yao smiled and said, "It's okay if I do nothing. The Third Miss's status will rise with her. Those old women have been making up stories about the Third Miss before. I was just giving her a warning."
The wind outside was blowing stronger and stronger, and soon it started to rain. The willow branches were dancing wildly in the air, and in a blink of an eye, willow leaves fell to the ground.
The rain lasted for a whole day and night. It took two days for the clouds to disperse, the rain to stop, and the water on the road to completely recede.
Early that morning, Zhang Xiaoman came to the small kitchen and asked the cook, Yang Saozi, for some flour, sugar, walnuts, eggs and lard.
Sister Yang smiled apologetically and said, "What an unfortunate coincidence! Yesterday, Madam specifically instructed us to make more sesame cakes. We're taking them to the Marquis of Pingyang's residence today. Madam really likes the ones we have here. We've run out of lard, and it's too late to make some now. Why don't you go back first? I'll definitely be able to make them tomorrow, and you can come back then."
I have to go out when my stepmother is not around.
Zhang Xiaoman asked if there was any other oil.
"And soybean oil." Mrs. Yang replied.
Zhang Xiaoman glanced around, walked to the stove and opened the oil can, "What kind of oil is this?"
Sister Yang said hurriedly, "Rapeseed oil has a strong, grassy taste, not as light as soybean oil. It's not suitable for making walnut crisps."
"It's okay, just use it!" Zhang Xiaoman smiled, put on his robe, rolled up his sleeves, kneaded the dough, added ingredients, formed it, and put it in the oven... His movements were done in one go and he was very skilled.
Sister Yang praised earnestly, "I know it's delicious just by smelling this aroma. You're really capable, you're worthy of being the best pastry chef in the capital."
"I can't compare to that," Zhang Xiaoman said with a smile, "Mr. Lin Ting's wife next door does it really well. I've only learned half of her skills."
There's no one named Lin next door. They must be talking about the countryside in Xuanfu. Sister Yang turned her back and secretly curled her lips.
Half an hour later, Zhang Xiaoman appeared at the second gate carrying freshly baked walnut cookies.
Having received prior permission from Aunt Yao, the gatekeeper not only didn't stop them, but also considerately asked if they wanted a carriage ready. "My second son works at the stables, so a carriage is very cheap."
Zhang Xiaoman nodded happily.
Soon, the Zhang family's carriage stopped in front of the Beizhenfusi Yamen.
Most of the government offices in the capital are majestic and solemn, but they are also popular. The avenues in front of the gates are not prohibited to the people, and of course there are vendors setting up stalls nearby to do business.
Only at the gate of the Northern Pacification Office, the common people had to go around it, and even the officials would never set foot there unless they had important official business that they could not refuse.
The deep alleys, the blue brick walls that are two meters high, the dark gate that is always closed, the cries of crows that sound like babies crying, and the chilly air that cannot be suppressed even in the hot summer days, even those who do not believe in ghosts will feel that the streets are full of wronged ghosts wandering when they come here.
Zhang Xiaoman jumped off the carriage and said to the driver, "Don't wait for me. I'll go back before the lights are on. If anyone asks, tell the truth."
The driver was eager to leave quickly, so he turned the car around and drove away at high speed.
Zhang Xiaoman looked around and said, "This is a great place to escape the summer heat!"
Then he quickly ran up the stairs, grabbed the door knocker and knocked hard, just like when he was a child, and shouted happily, "Chen Ling'an, open the door!"
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