Chapter 184 The Beneficiary Arrives
On the second day, Cheng Yingzhen and her daughter brought the servants to prepare two tables of delicious food. One was to celebrate the promotion of the head of the family, Su Yanli, and the other was to be a year-end dinner for the master and servants. There were six cold dishes, twelve hot dishes, plus desserts, sweet wine, and sake, for two large tables of people.
At the dinner table, Su Ruojin also promised Shu Tong that after the New Year, he would officially find a mule cart driver and make him the real steward of the Su family.
Shu Tong smiled embarrassedly and toasted the lord quickly, "Thank you for saving my life back then. Following you not only saved my life, but also gave me such a good life. Sir, you are my Xu Yan's great benefactor. I'll drink first, you can do as you please." After saying that, he raised his head and drank a glass of sake in one gulp.
Before Shutong became husband and wife with Su Yanli, his original surname was Xu and his given name was Yan.
He drank this glass of wine with great enjoyment, his face was flushed, and if you didn't know him, you would think he had been promoted and got rich!
Everyone covered their mouths and laughed.
Shu Tong felt embarrassed and glared at Lu Dani and the others, "I'm happy for you, sir."
Lu Dani glared back at him, "Don't use adults as an excuse to drink like crazy."
Everyone couldn't help laughing now.
The servants were playing around, but Su Yanli and his wife were not annoyed at all and were extremely happy. It was so nice that everyone was having so much fun!
We ate until one or two in the afternoon before everyone left the table.
Shu Tong was drunk after all, and was carried back to his room by Lu Dani to sleep.
Su Ruojin recited: "I never saw Uncle Shutong drinking before, but in the past two years, whenever there is a dinner party, he has to get himself drunk."
Watching Xianggui and the others clearing the table, Dong's mother smiled and said, "He was the only laborer in the family before, and we relied on him for everything. Wouldn't drinking delay things?"
Too.
Su Ruojin followed Mother Dong's gaze to Aunt Xianggui who was cleaning up the dishes, and then looked to the corridor opposite where the women were busy. The Feng brothers and Shi Liu were squatting at the kitchen door, chatting and chopping wood.
If it weren't for the severe snow this year, the two would have gotten married in the twelfth lunar month.
One of the two was a good citizen and the other was a slave. After consideration, Shi Liu signed a contract to sell himself with the Su family and became a slave of the Su family.
Su Ruojin asked them: "What if your children want to take the imperial examination in the future?"
They were both stunned.
Xianggui lowered her head and said, "I can't have a baby."
Shi Liu said: "I know, we are both miserable people. We met a good man like the boss. Please support us for the rest of our lives."
Su Ruojin didn't think Xianggui couldn't have children. The conditions in the mountain village were so backward, who knew who couldn't have children? So she took her to a famous clinic in the capital to take her pulse. Sure enough, the old doctor said that there was nothing wrong with her body. Xianggui was so shocked that she cried for three days.
After crying, she discussed with Shi Liu and decided to sell herself to the Su family. "Shi Liu and I will follow the owner for the rest of our lives. If we have children in the future, they will serve as servants and maids for the owner."
The Su family finally had servants in the true sense of the word.
Su Ruojin brought Mother Dong into the room where Cheng Yingzhen usually did needlework. Ding was supporting Su Xiaomei, who had just learned to walk. When the little girl saw her sister, she jumped up and giggled and rushed towards her sister.
She caught the little sister who rushed over to her. She was born when the Su family was doing well. Her parents were loving, and her brothers and sisters were loving. The little girl grew up in love. She had big eyes, long eyelashes, was chubby, had fair and tender skin, and was as pretty as a doll.
Everyone who sees her loves her, and everyone wants to hug her, which makes the little girl very arrogant. However, there are two people who don't buy into her temper. One is Su Ruojin. Whenever the little girl does something wrong, Su Yanli and his wife have to stand aside when they punish her. After the little girl realized that her parents couldn't save her, she behaved very well when she saw her sister.
The other one is her third brother, Su Ganzhi. If she dares to go against him, humph, little sister will be spanked several times by him.
“Ah…Ah…Sister…”
"Ayi!" Su Ruojin wanted to pick up her little sister, but unfortunately the little girl weighed at least 20 kilograms and she couldn't lift her up at all. When would her thin arms and legs grow up?
Su Ruojin took her sister's hand and sat by the fire. While warming herself by the fire, she told her stories. Today she was still telling her story of how Chenxiang saved his mother.
Mrs. Ding is about the same age as Mrs. Dong. Whenever Mrs. Dong comes back, they would sit together and chat. Mrs. Ding stays at Su's house and dares not go out. She doesn't like gossip or entertainment, but she likes Mrs. Dong to talk about things happening outside.
Sometimes, Mrs. Ding would tell Madam Dong about the servants in the house. She talked the most about the taciturn Li Xiuzhu. "I always felt that this girl was very careless. I asked Ah Jin to sell her, but Ah Jin said that she hadn't done anything wrong and it was not easy to sell her. But if she really did do something wrong, wouldn't it be too late?"
Mother Dong didn't like it either. She nodded in agreement, "How about I talk to the Second Lady when I have time?"
"Yes, tell me more."
The two of them were whispering in low voices. Su Ruojin was telling a story to her younger sister and didn't pay attention, so the matter just slipped by.
Su Yanli held his wife in his arms and sat on the bedside in the bedroom. He looked very pleased with himself and was telling her his plans. "I think my promotion this time was partly due to the help of the young prince, and partly because Lord Fan took the opportunity to promote me. I plan to go to Lord Fan's house in the next two days to express my gratitude. You and Ajin will help me prepare some gifts later."
Cheng Yingzhen nodded, "Thanks to Lord Fan these years, otherwise I really don't know what our family would have been like."
"Um!"
The couple whispered to each other, both looking very happy.
The Chinese New Year was approaching, and on the 26th day of the twelfth lunar month, Su Yanli took his eldest son and daughter and gifts to the Fan Mansion.
Lord Fan was happy to meet the Su family's father and son.
Others who come to visit the master only bring their sons, but Dr. Su is different. He brings his daughter every time he comes. If it was the first time, the servants at home would definitely have some thoughts. Now everyone in the Fan Mansion knows that the young lady of the Su family is representing Madam Su, and it is normal for the two ladies to have business dealings, and they would not think of other weird things.
Su Yanli bowed when he saw Master Fan, "I would like to thank you for your recommendation. Please accept my greetings."
After saying this, he was about to perform a great salute, but Lord Fan grabbed his hand and said, "Yuzhi, I didn't know anything about your promotion this time."
Su Yanli was surprised and looked at Minister Fan: "..."
Su Ruojin and his sister were also surprised. If it wasn’t Lord Fan, could it be Prince Jin?
Lord Fan seemed to see the doubts of the Su family father and son, "As far as I know, he is not the Prince of Jin, nor the Prince of Zhao."
"That is..." Su Yanli bowed, "Please help me solve this puzzle."
He has no background and no money to curry favor with people. As for his ability, he has not achieved any performance this year that would warrant a promotion. He is neither the Prince of Jin nor the Young Prince of Zhao. So who would be interested in an eighth-rank doctor who is indifferent to life and has no profit?
Master Fan sighed and pursed his lips before saying, "Many people know who promoted you."
Well……
The Su family, father and son, were shocked again. So many people, what did that mean?
For some reason, Su Yanli was startled and thought of King Zhao Jing of Yan. She turned to look at her daughter, "Could it be..."
Lord Fan looked at the Su family father and daughter who seemed to know the answer: "Did you know that it was the King of Qi who proposed it?"
(⊙o⊙)?
How did he become the King of Qi?
Su Yanli shook his head, "I thought it was the King of Yan."
Lord Fan frowned slightly: "King Yan?"
Seeing the teacher's serious expression, Su Yanli quickly told Master Fan about the public housing incident, "Teacher, I really wanted to seek benefits for those small officials like me, but I didn't expect that the supervisor, the King of Yan, didn't promote me, but the unrelated King of Qi. I am puzzled, please help me solve my confusion."
Lord Fan seemed to understand, "So that's how it is."
"Please explain clearly, teacher."
Lord Fan then told the story of the internal struggle among the princes. "The King of Yan did not promote you because he admired you and wanted to keep you for his own use. In the internal struggle, the one with the most advantage was the King of Wei. He probably knew that you had come up with ideas for the King of Yan and wanted to promote you for his own use. He never expected that the King of Qi, who had been watching the fight, would be the first to promote you."
My God, Su Ruojin felt the situation was complicated. How did her father get involved in the internal strife among the princes?
Su Yanli was no longer calm and asked quickly, "Teacher, what should we do?"
Unexpectedly, Lord Fan smiled easily and said, "If it were two princes, I would be worried, but now there are three princes, so there is no need to worry."
"Teacher, you mean King Yan..."
"No, no, it's not what you think." Lord Fan was very patient. "When three people fight, it's about the result, not you as a person."
Su Ruojin understood immediately and to sum it up, no one could win over Su Yanli.
At the age of sixteen, Su Yanli actually became the beneficiary of the fight between the three princes, which was really surprising.
After finishing the conversation, Master Fan realized, “Hey, why didn’t you bring the young lady to the Madam?”
The affairs of the court should not be discussed in front of a young lady.
Su Ruojin smiled secretly, not knowing whether Lord Fan was deliberately not noticing her. He really didn't notice her. Anyway, she had heard everything she should have heard. She bowed to Lord Fan and followed the servants to the backyard.
Su Yanli bowed and said, "I'm sorry, teacher. I just wanted to bring my child to see you, but I forgot to let my daughter go to the backyard."
Lord Fan waved his hand and said that he had already said it, what else could he do, "Yuzhi..."
"The students are—"
"Remember this: we only recognize officials and emperors. Do you understand?"
“Students understand.”
"Don't let the issue of public rental housing happen again."
"Yes, sir."
When Mrs. Fan saw Su Er Niang, she was so happy that she held the young lady's hand and almost called her darling, "I haven't seen you for a while, Ah Jin has grown taller again."
Su Ruojin smiled sweetly, "After the New Year, I will be ten years old."
"No wonder you grow so fast." Mrs. Fan praised her while having people bring delicious food and drinks to treat her, and patiently talked to her about her family. If someone from the front yard hadn't come to call for help, Su Ruojin suspected that Mrs. Fan would be able to dig up all the stories about her bed-wetting when she was a baby.
The middle-aged woman is so scary!
When Mrs. Fan heard that Su Yanli was going to go back, she refused and said, "I have prepared a banquet. You can stay here and eat today."
She sincerely wanted to keep the father and his two sons, so no matter what Su Yanli said, Mrs. Fan kept them. After they finished eating, she made them pull half a mule cart of good things before giving them back.
The Su family's father and his two sons were almost stunned when they saw the fine cloth, materials and delicious food piled in the carriage. Mrs. Fan was too generous.
The next day, which was the 27th day of the twelfth lunar month, Su Yanli only took his son to the Prince of Jin's Mansion. He wanted to take Su Ruojin with him, but she said that she already knew about her father's promotion and so she decided not to go.
Su Yanli was stunned by what he said, "So, when we went to the Fan Mansion yesterday, you followed me into the front yard to meet Master Fan on purpose?"
Su Ruojin grinned, "The reason why I was able to fool her is because Madam Fan has already subjectively accepted me as a rich boy. But the Prince Jin's Mansion is a place with strict rules. I can't get away with it. Besides, I have never dealt with the Princess of Jin. How can she have time to see a young lady like me?"
"You..." Su Yanli pointed at his daughter, "You really know how to take advantage of loopholes."
Of course, thanks to Lord Fan for personally explaining the secret of Su Yanli's promotion. Now I finally feel relieved.
Zhao Lan learned that the teacher was coming to pay a visit to his father, so he put down what he was doing and came to accompany him. When he saw Su Dalang, he asked, "Why didn't Ah Jin come? I heard from Yan Jia that the teacher took her to the Fan Mansion yesterday and they had dinner together."
I thought he would come to Prince Jin’s Mansion today as well.
Su Dalang smiled and said, "Something happened at home today, so Ajin didn't come."
Logically speaking, when Su Yanli came to pay a visit to Prince Jin, it was already a respect given by the Prince Jin's Mansion that he could bring his eldest son with him. If Su Ruojin also wanted to come, she must be brought by Cheng Yingzhen and go directly to the backyard of the palace to pay a visit to the princess. Anyway, the front yard was a man's world and had nothing to do with her as a young lady.
Yesterday at the Fan Mansion, after entering the gate, a servant wanted to take Su Ruojin directly to the backyard, but Su Ruojin insisted on following Su Yanli. Su Yanli said that he would take her to meet the master, so they went to the front yard in front of Master Fan.
After returning from Prince Jin's Mansion, Su Yanli took his eldest son to visit his superiors and colleagues in the Imperial College. Most of them just gave gifts and met them and then came back. No one invited them to stay for dinner, they just visited them casually.
Su Yanli was transferred to the Taichang Temple, and the Imperial College held a farewell banquet for him, which was scheduled for the ninth day after the New Year and the location was Jiaosifang.
"This time, I'm telling you in advance, little housekeeper, you should not be suspicious and meddlesome."
Su Ruojin snorted, "What do I care? Lord Su is in high spirits now, and he is also very handsome. I'm just afraid that beauties will not be able to control themselves and will pounce on him. What should I do?" After saying that, she clicked her tongue and shook her head exaggeratedly.
Su Yanli turned around to look for the feather duster.
The little elf let out a cry and quickly ran away.
Su Yanli took the feather duster and waved it at the open door. "You've been eating too much all day. If you don't get a beating, your skin will itch."
The husband looked as if he was gritting his teeth, but Cheng Yingzhen would laugh.
In the Su family, the battle of wits and courage between father and daughter is also a spectacle.
Su Ruojin ran outside, and Yang Si Niang came over to play and said, "Ajin, there's a carriage parked outside your house, and there are several servants I haven't seen before. I watched for a while, but they didn't come in. What's going on?"
"You don't know him?"
"Um."
Yang Si Niang knew everyone who came into contact with the Su family, but she had never seen him, so who could it be?
Shu Tong was holding his son in the corridor. Hearing this, he put his son down and went down the stairs. "I'll go take a look."
There is no special person guarding the Su family's gate. Normally, as long as Mao Ya is at home, she is the one who opens the gate. If Mao Ya is not at home, it is Li Xiuzhu who does the guarding.
At this moment, the door was half-closed, and she was standing at the door. A pretty girl beside the carriage saw Mao Ya, who looked ordinary, and raised her head, "Is this the Su family?"
Mao Ya had a cold face and didn't reply to her.
The pretty girl squinted her eyes and said impatiently, "Hey, I'm asking you a question? Do you hear me?"
Mao Ya sneered, "Since you don't know if it's the Su family, then what are you doing here?"
(End of this chapter)
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