Chapter 207 There is something wrong with the flowers
Liu Yue pursed her lips. She would give one or two taels of silver to her family every month, and her parents would also take on some odd jobs, but they didn't make much money. In total, they didn't even make two or two taels of silver a month.
My brother and sister-in-law are lazy and don't work. They just need to eat some meat every day. The whole family depends on this little money to survive.
There is no extra money at the end of each month, so how can I buy new clothes?
Seeing Liu Yue staring at their new clothes, Jiang explained, "You brought a ginseng last time. The doctor said it was of good quality and could be sold for dozens of taels of silver. Your father couldn't bear to eat it, so mother exchanged it for silver and bought each of them a new set of clothes."
"Yue'er, mother bought you a set of clothes." Liu Yue's sister-in-law Wen said with a smile: "Dad is weak, and ginseng is a great tonic. He is too weak to absorb the tonic, so how can his body withstand it? It would be better to exchange it for silver and buy him meat every day. It would be more practical."
No matter how unhappy Liu Yue felt, the ginseng had already been sold and the money had been spent. What else could he do?
"That was Second Madam's kind gesture. Dad couldn't bear the pain, so you can't sell it." Liu Yue said as she walked into the room, "Second Madam said that if Dad's leg injury is serious, she will do me a favor and arrange for a palace doctor to come and treat Dad's leg."
Jiang's fingers rubbed the hem of her clothes unconsciously: "No, there's no need to trouble your Second Madam. Your father will be able to recover after lying in bed for two months."
"Yes, we can't trouble Second Madam with everything." Wen said, "Yue'er, Dad broke his leg. If I ask you to come home twice a month, it won't interfere with Second Madam's work, right?"
Liu Yue didn't say anything. As soon as she entered the room, she smelled the scent of herbs. Her father was lying on the bed, asleep, with a bamboo stick between his right leg.
Wen and Jiang looked at each other and shut up.
Liu Yue was sure that her father's injury was not serious, so she came out of the room.
Jiang followed her and asked, "Is your Second Madam busy this month?"
Liu Yue asked cautiously, "Why are you asking this?"
"You will be eighteen next year and it's time for you to be betrothed. Mother has found a family for you."
Jiang pulled out a birth chart from her sleeve and said, "If your Second Madam is alright, I'll set a date for you two to meet."
Liu Yue glanced at the red paper and didn't take it: "Second Madam, there's nothing else to do. She just has to go to Hualing Temple to fulfill a vow at the end of the month."
"Is that so?" Jiang nodded. "When you have time, send me a message."
Liu Yue refused, "You sold me to Second Madam, and it's Second Madam who decides my marriage."
Jiang's smile froze, she lowered her head, and wiped her tears with her sleeves.
She kept saying, "I blame my mother for being useless and unable to support you..."
Liu Yue was upset. She didn't mind her parents selling her off. What bothered her was that despite their poverty, they still doted on and pampered their eldest brother, spending all their savings on him. Whenever he had no money, he would cry and ask her for it.
She can't support her elder brother and sister-in-law for the rest of their lives, right?
Liu Yue rolled up her sleeves, cleaned up the house and outside, made dinner, and then planned to go home.
"Yue'er, don't you want to have a meal before leaving?" Jiang called out to Liu Yue.
"No more."
Jiang stuffed a bundle into Liu Yue's arms and said, "I heard that the masters of wealthy families like to bathe with flower petals. I went to the farm and bought some flower petals to dry in the sun for Second Madam to bathe with."
Liu Yue frowned and was about to refuse.
Jiang persuaded her, "Second Madam has been very kind to our family, and Mother doesn't have anything good to give her. These flowers are worth very little, but they are a token of our family's love."
Liu Yue thought about it and decided to take the bag, return to the Duke's Mansion, and go straight to Lanxue Garden.
When Liu Yue entered the room, Shen Qingtan had just come out of the shower and was sitting on an embroidered cushion.
Tingxue stood behind her and braided her hair.
"Second Madam, I'm back." Liu Yue, clutching a bundle in her arms, confessed truthfully, "My mother sold the ginseng you gave my father for silver."
Shen Qingtan didn't care: "Just sell it, it's just the right amount to supplement your parents' household expenses."
Liu Yue said in a muffled voice, "My mother bought some dried flowers and used them especially for you to bathe in."
Shen Qingtan's eyes flashed with surprise, and he motioned Liu Yue to put down the bag: "Your mother is thoughtful. I will take a bath with these petals tomorrow."
Liu Yue seemed to want to say something but stopped herself.
"It's so hard to come back to your parents' home. Why don't you stay a few days longer and rush back?" Shen Qingtan said softly, "You are tired today. Go back to your room and rest first."
Liu Yue's thoughts were in a mess and needed to be sorted out, so he followed Shen Qingtan's words and went back to his room.
After Liu Yue left, Shen Qingtan stared at the coarse cloth bundle.
Tingxue muttered, "Sister Liuyue's mother favors her eldest brother. If she has a little money, he'll swindle it away. Even if she wanted to honor you, with her eldest brother's heartless attitude, he wouldn't spend the money to buy you flowers."
Shen Qingtan's heart moved, and he opened the bundle. A rich floral scent filled his nose.
The bundle contained dried jasmine flowers, each of which was a bud.
"Take it to the palace doctor privately." Shen Qingtan thought of Liu Yue and sighed, "Don't let Liu Yue know."
After all, it was Jiang's good intention. If she was on guard, it would hurt Liu Yue's heart.
Tingxue wrung out Shen Qingtan's hair, then went to find the palace doctor with her bag.
The court doctor examined Jasmine carefully but found nothing wrong with her.
Tingxue returned to Lanxue Garden with her bag and stuck out her tongue at Shen Qingtan: "Second Madam, I was wrong. There is nothing wrong with this flower."
Shen Qingtan picked up a flower bud, crushed it with his fingertips, and it broke into pieces.
Jasmine only blooms in May every year, and since May, there have been few sunny days, so it naturally cannot be dried so dry.
If I had bought it last year, I wouldn't have kept it and given it to her today.
Shen Qingtan put the flowers to his nose and sniffed carefully, his expression dark: "Tingxue, put the flowers in a jar and put it in the bathroom."
"Yes." Tingxue agreed.
"Wait." Shen Qingtan waved to Tingxue, motioning her to come closer and whisper a few words.
Tingxue looked solemn, nodded, and went to do it immediately.
-
Shen Lue wandered around the capital, but didn't find what he wanted, so he planned to return to the palace first.
"Shen San."
Suddenly someone called him from behind
Shen Lue looked back and saw who was coming, his face changed.
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