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Chapter 236: Shen Zhang's shady plan

The messenger who brought the good news didn't stay long. He drank a cup of tea and stood up to say goodbye. Then the rest were all the villagers. The Shen family started to get busy. They all came to congratulate Shen Ziju for passing the exam. For a while, all the voices were filled with congratulations. No matter men, women, old or young, the Shen family was full of people.

Shen Youfu's face was as happy as a flower, and he said to Dalang, "Go! Take out those firecrackers from under the table in the inner room and set them off at the door!"

Dalang sighed, lifted the curtain and went into the house to get firecrackers. Then a group of kids followed him out. After a while, a loud burst of firecrackers rang out at the gate of the courtyard, echoing with people's laughter and chatter, which made Shen Youfu and Shen Zhangshi even happier.

People kept complimenting Shen Youfu, naturally all of them were good things about Shen Ziju, saying that the old couple would enjoy a good life with Shen Ziju in the future. Some people also said in a roundabout way that Shen Youfu should not forget his fellow villagers.

Shen Youfu kept talking, but gradually he spoke less. He realized that these people were trying to curry favor with him, either overtly or covertly. He felt that his status seemed to have improved. This made him feel unprecedentedly proud. He straightened his back and raised his head. When people were talking, he would nod and say a few words from time to time. In his mind, he kept thinking about how the rich people he had seen in the town spoke, and he was trying to imitate them. He really had the airs of an old man.

Shen Zhang was naturally happy too, but except that the corners of her mouth were more upturned than usual when she smiled, she was still as friendly as usual. When she was with Shen Youfu, she really didn't look like an ordinary old farmer or village woman.

When Su Zhi came in with the gifts, she saw the old couple's look. She thought to herself that Shen Youfu was so excited because Shen Ziju passed the imperial examination and became arrogant. She wondered if Shen Ziju passed the imperial examination and became a Jinshi. Then he would become the father of the official. Would he really become an old lady with his beard flying high? In this comparison, Shen Zhangshi would still be able to stand out!

Su Zhi wondered how Shen Zhang's brain and character were developed. With this brain and character, she could survive in a big mansion, right?

"Zi'an's wife, I guess Zi'an at home doesn't know the good news yet, go tell him and let him be happy too."

Shen Zhang said to Su Zhi with a smile that she had just seen Su Zhi looking at her and wondered why the look in this boy's eyes when he was looking at his wife was a little strange. However, she naturally didn't know that Su Zhi was admiring her. She just thought that Su Zhi saw that Shen Ziju had succeeded and was jealous of her, so she came to talk to her.

When Su Zhi heard this, she thought that she didn't need to tell the good news. Someone must have told Shen Zian long ago, and Shen Zian might have come here. Did Shen Zhang really want Zian to know the good news as soon as possible, or did she want her to leave the house now?

It's no wonder Su Zhi thought too much. Right now is the most glorious time for the Shen family, and groups of people came to congratulate them. She wondered if it was because Shen Zhang didn't want her to take advantage of this opportunity.

Su Zhi didn't show her emotion, but smiled and said, "Then I'll go back to Fuyuan and tell Zi'an. He will be happy when he finds out."

Su Zhi said as she walked out, and seeing that Shen Zhangshi didn't stop, she was sure. She snorted in her heart, wondering if Shen Zhangshi really thought she was stupid? Just now, Shen Zhangshi asked Erlang to go to the field to call Shen Zifu, Shen Zigui, Shen Ziping and others, and she should have asked Erlang to tell Shen Zian at that time. She didn't say Shen Zian's name, and now she asked her to go home and call Shen Zian in person. She was such a meticulous person, not to mention Su Zhi didn't believe that she didn't pay attention, and I don't think others would believe it either!

"Fourth brother's wife, where are you going? This house is bustling with activity, please help entertain the guests."

When Wang saw Su Zhi walking out, she called her. There were too many people coming and Wang was overwhelmed. When she saw Su Zhi walking out, she quickly grabbed Su Zhi, thinking that Su Zhi was a clever person and it would be much easier with her help.

"I'll go tell Zi'an that my fifth brother has passed the imperial examination, and let him be happy."

Su Zhi said, her face did not show anything, she was not too unhappy with Shen Zhang, because she did not want to stay here at all, although she could handle this kind of scene, and she also liked lively scenes, but she did not like lively places that required her to be busy. Now she can rest easy, why not do it? Anyway, it was Shen Zhang who asked her to leave, and she had the right reasons! But no one can say that she was wrong for not helping her brother-in-law when he was a scholar.

Wang said, "Why do you need to tell my fourth brother? Erlang and his friends can go find his father and uncles to deliver the letter. You should stay here and help!"

Su Zhi smiled and said, "Sister-in-law, my mother-in-law asked me to go."

Wang's eyes widened a little. She was not stupid. She also thought of the extra thing that Su Zhi had thought of just now. Looking at the faint smile on Su Zhi's face, she couldn't help but stand it.

"Sister-in-law, you are busy. I will go and report the news first."

Seeing that Wang no longer stopped her, Su Zhi walked out of the door with a smile on her face. While walking, she was still talking to those who came to congratulate her. Soon she was out of the courtyard.

Wang looked at Su Zhi leaving, her brows slightly wrinkled, thinking to herself, what's going on? Is she overthinking? Is it just that her mother is too happy, so she wants everyone in the family to know the good news, so she asked the fourth brother's wife to go and tell the news? No, Wang felt that she had thought too well of Shen Zhang. She might not be very smart, but she had been under the care of Shen Zhang for so many years, and she knew how thoughtful this mother-in-law was. She couldn't have been unaware that Erlang and the others would go to call Shen Zian.

"Forget it, let mother-in-law do whatever she wants! As long as our family can benefit from Fifth Brother's influence, that's enough."

Wang thought, and she also had another idea in her mind, that is, the fewer people close to Shen Ziju, the better, so that the remaining people would be more precious. She thought that Shen Zian and his family had money anyway, so they didn't have to rely on Shen Ziju, but their eldest wife was different, and still needed Shen Ziju to support them.

Wang hurriedly went to greet the visitor again.

Su Zhi walked out of the courtyard, but she didn't leave. She called Tiedan, who was playing with the firecrackers that had just been set off, and asked him to help her tell Shen Zian the good news that Shen Ziju had passed the exam. She took out two candies and gave them to Tiedan. Su Zhi liked to carry some snacks with her so that she could give them to the children. She especially liked children.

Tiedan ran away happily. Delivering good news is something every child loves to do. He also got two pieces of candy and could see Yueyue again. Of course Tiedan was very happy and disappeared in a flash.

When Su Zhi saw Tiedan had left, she stood at the door and began to greet the guests. She was sweet-talking, making those who came to congratulate her smile, as if someone in their family had passed the imperial examination. Almost everyone thought that this boy An's wife was so good at talking, and it would be great if they had a daughter-in-law or son-in-law like her.

Su Zhi didn't leave not because she wanted to take advantage of this, but when she walked to the door, she suddenly felt that she couldn't leave like this. What if Shen Zhang took advantage of her leaving to find her? Although she thought she wouldn't say it openly, but if she pointed it out secretly, some people would still think she was immature, right? Even if she said that it was Shen Zhang who asked her to leave, and found Shen Zhang to talk to her face, Shen Zhang could also say that she was confused because she was happy. That's why she said that. Others would also think that Shen Zhang was confused because she was happy, and she shouldn't have. Then no matter what, she would be wrong. Besides, people would say that she would only talk behind her back. She couldn't really take people to find Shen Zhang to argue.

Then she would have to suffer the consequences, but Su Zhi didn't want that to happen.

Su Zhi stood at the door. Anyone who came in could see her busy here. If Shen Zhang really had bad intentions and dared to frame her in the house, then Shen Zhang would be in trouble! Anyone who saw her welcoming guests outside would have to say that Shen Zhang was wrong! Su Zhi suddenly really hoped that Shen Zhang would say something bad about herself.

After a while, all the brothers of the Shen family came back. Shen Zian followed behind them. Everyone had a happy look on their faces. When they arrived at the gate, they saw the firecracker residue on the ground and the people coming in and out. They all believed that Shen Ziju had really passed the exam. They greeted Su Zhi and rushed in.

"Wife, you've worked hard."

Shen Zian looked at Su Zhi standing in the sun, her face red and puffy from the sun with beads of sweat on it, and quickly pulled her to a shady place.

"Look at you sunbathing. You don't even know where to find a cool place. Your illness has finally healed. Don't sunbathe again or it will come back. I heard that skin diseases tend to come back when it's hot."

Su Zhi felt so sweet being cared for by Shen Zian. She thought it was good to have such a husband. It didn't matter even if she had a wolf-like father-in-law and a fox-like mother-in-law, as long as they lived happily.

"I'm fine. People say that getting more sun is good for you. I'm not afraid of getting tanned anymore."

There is a magical spring in Suzhi. If you wash yourself there every day, your skin will always be white and tender.

"How did you come back with big brother? Just now mother asked me to go home and tell you about this happy event! I thought Erlang would tell you, but mother asked me to go, so I came out. But seeing that there were too many people, I asked Tiedan to go home and tell you. Sure enough, you came back with big brother. Fortunately, I didn't make that trip. But I didn't go back to the yard either. Mother asked me to call you in person, but I didn't go because I was afraid she would be unhappy!"

Su Zhi spoke and talked about Shen Zhang's behavior. She knew that Shen Zi'an had already had a grudge against Shen Zhang, so of course she wanted to let Shen Zi'an know about Shen Zhang's behavior this time.

Shen Zi'an was not stupid either. He understood Su Zhi's words very clearly. He also felt that Shen Zhang was trying to get rid of Su Zhi on purpose, and he was very unhappy.

When Su Zhi saw Shen Zian's face darken, she knew that he understood, and continued, "I think that it's not so much that mother doesn't want us to benefit from this, but the main thing is that she wants to make my reputation worse. Of course, this is just my guess. She may not say anything bad about me directly, but only hint at it for a moment, and then I won't be able to defend myself. So I stood at the door. If mother says something bad about me to others, then she can slap herself in the face!"

Shen Zian said: "You did the right thing. I'm sorry for wronging you."

Su Zhi looked up at Shen Zian, her eyes lingering, and said, "How have I been wronged? In this world, which daughter-in-law doesn't get a little angry from her mother-in-law? Besides, she is not my real mother-in-law. It was my real mother who told me to call her mother. I don't care about her little thoughts at all. I just deal with her, it's just a small matter. As long as you treat me well, our family can live in harmony and happiness."

Shen Zian shook Su Zhi's hand and was about to say a few more words when he saw the people next to them coming to talk to them. The two of them had just been hiding in the corner, and the few words they had said were just to steal their time.

The two of them had no choice but to deal with the visitors again.

Because Shen Ziju passed the imperial examination, it took more than an hour to deal with the people who came to congratulate him. After that, the number of people who came became few and far between. By the end, almost half of the people in the village had come.

After everyone had finally left, the whole family finally had some free time and gathered in the main room to talk about Shen Ziju.

"Grandpa, when will my fifth uncle come back?"

Sanlang asked, his face full of joy, even his eyes were much brighter than usual. He had always wanted to be rich, but he didn't know how to make money. Now that Shen Ziju passed the examination, he felt that his future was finally here. His mother said that if his fifth uncle became an official in the future, he could go and help him, and he would also be an official then! Are you still afraid of having no money? He knew that the clerks under the county magistrate were all very rich, and his fifth uncle would definitely become a county magistrate by then, and maybe he could go to the capital to be an official. At that time, he would be much better than the clerks under the county magistrate!

Sanlang paid close attention to everything about Shen Ziju.

Except for Shen Zian's family, everyone in the Shen family is concerned about this.

Shen Ziping said, "Dad, I was busy just now and didn't ask, why didn't my fifth brother come back? Did he get invited out for a drink? I heard that if someone passes the imperial examination, officials and wealthy families will invite him out for a drink, and they will give him money!"

When Sun heard this, her eyes lit up. She thought that since the family had not been divided yet, all the benefits would belong to everyone!

Shen Youfu smiled and stroked his beard and said, "Zi Ju is still in the county. The county magistrate and some local gentry invited him to a drink. He will not be back until tomorrow."

Everyone in the Shen family, regardless of gender or age, was very happy when they heard this. They thought that even the county official had invited Shen Ziju to drink, so it seemed that Shen Ziju had really become famous this time! It was so glorious to pass the examination for a scholar, and if he passed the examination for a scholar, wouldn't he be even more glorious? Some people here have already begun to imagine the days of having a herd of carriages and horses and ordering slaves and maids.

"Zi'an, Zi'an's wife, your fifth brother has passed the imperial examination and is a great joy. Just now, your father was so happy that he agreed to hold a banquet for the villagers, but this family has no money. You can help to pay for it first."