Chapter 50: Knowing that Su Zhihan had taken a sip of soup and was slurping it with relish...
Su Zhihan took a sip of soup and was enjoying her flatbread when she heard Jiang Zhenniang's question. She looked in the direction Jiang Zhenniang was looking, but didn't recognize the Miao Mama that Jiang Zhenniang was talking about. Her thoughts quickly returned to the bowl of noodles in her hands.
I must say, this soup is light and refreshing.
The stall owner didn't use a thick broth made from pork bones and chicken frames, but rather a clear broth made from soy sauce, shrimp, and shellfish. It was surprisingly delicious, and paired with the chewy flatbread made on the spot, it was incredibly satisfying to eat.
The stall also offered braised pork chops, eggs, mixed vegetables, and pickles, which could be added for an extra fee. However, Su Zhihan was tired of meat and didn't choose any of them, finding the simple bowl of food quite pleasant.
"You silly girl, you only know those few people in the main kitchen, how could you know anyone else..." Jiang Zhenniang complained casually. Han'er was not as good as herself, she liked to wander around outside, and the only people she knew were those in the house.
"No, I know Granny Xu."
"..." Jiang Zhenniang was too lazy to pay attention to her. Seeing that the person who looked exactly like Mother Miao was about to leave, she immediately stood up, pulled Su Zhihan, and was about to follow.
"Hey, hey, I haven't finished eating yet!"
"Hurry up, hurry up, they're almost gone!" Jiang Zhenniang stamped her feet anxiously, urging Su Zhihan to eat the biscuit in two or three bites, and then chased after her.
Along the way, Jiang Zhenniang kept an eye on Miao Mama while talking to Su Zhihan: "I recognize Miao Mama, she's from the second branch of the family."
"I couldn't be more pleased with myself during this period."
"..." Su Zhihan really didn't recognize them, but Jiang Zhenniang was able to recognize most of the people in the mansion.
Jiang Zhenniang knew her daughter's character all along and didn't bother to say anything. She just followed the hurried Miao Mama into the market, while lowering her voice to talk about what the second wife had been doing lately: "...Look at her, on such a festive day, Miao Mama's face is still so solemn..."
"Maybe something happened at home."
"I've never heard of that..." Jiang Zhenniang suspected that the second wife was up to something again and had to see for herself. She pulled Su Zhihan along behind her, and didn't forget to buy a straw hat from the stall to cover herself. The two walked on and off for a while, and finally found that Mother Miao had entered the brokerage firm.
It was the same place they had both visited before.
The mother and daughter exchanged glances, then followed her inside. They said they were looking for a broker, and out of the corner of their eyes, they saw Miao's mother leading her into the house by a broker.
"Wei Ya is a good person."
"Madam Su? Madam Jiang?" It was the twelfth lunar month, and neither ordinary nor wealthy families would add to their household at this time, so the eunuch was quite free. He was rather surprised to see the two approaching, or perhaps remembering something, he pulled Su Zhihan aside to speak: "I remember Madam Su, you're from the Marquis of Zhongyong's residence?"
"Yes, that's right."
"Judging from your skills, you must be a cook in the household?" Wei Yaren thought back to Su Zhihan's attire and business dealings during their previous encounters and quickly came to the conclusion: "You've come about the ingredients for the Marquis of Zhonghou's mansion? I'm not in charge of that, but I can inquire for you—"
"Wait? You—where did you hear that from?"
Not to mention Su Zhihan was shocked, even Jiang Zhenniang was dumbfounded. Although everyone in the main kitchen knew that there was something wrong with the ingredients, not many people outside the mansion knew about it. At most, they heard rumors, but no one took it to heart.
Su Zhihan never expected to hear this from Wei Yaren. Her surprised expression also startled Wei Yaren, who noticed something was wrong from their expressions.
Wei Yaren hesitated for a moment, then slowly said, "A couple of days ago, a mother asked several brokers to help her find the best ingredients..."
"That woman, she said she was from the Marquis of Zhongyong's residence?"
"..." Su Zhihan was dumbfounded, while Jiang Zhenniang, who was next to her, suddenly remembered the madam Miao who had just entered the brokerage, and her face instantly darkened: "Could it be, a madam surnamed... Miao?"
"Yes, his surname is Miao." Wei Yaren gave an affirmative answer, and also breathed a slight sigh of relief. At first, seeing Su Zhihan and Jiang Zhenniang's reactions, he thought the brokerage firm had encountered a swindler.
It's not uncommon for real estate agents to encounter scammers. Previously, someone came to the real estate agent with a property deed, saying they wanted to sell their house urgently and only wanted two-thirds of the market price, with the remaining proceeds going to the real estate agent.
The broker was naturally happy to agree, but the man said he needed the money urgently and was willing to pawn his house deed at the brokerage to get the money first. The broker was unwilling to do so and wanted to follow the brokerage's rules.
After a few exchanges, the man left.
At first, the broker was annoyed that he had lost a big deal, but later he learned from others that the man was actually a swindler who had cheated another broker in the same way. When the broker sold the house and went to the government office to complete the formalities, he found that the house had already been sold and the man had run away with the money.
To this day, the person has not been found.
That broker not only failed to make money, but actually lost over a hundred strings of cash. He was also kicked out of the brokerage firm for not following its rules.
This is just a small-scale scam; there are even more serious cases where several people work together to commit fraud, making it virtually impossible to guard against.
The eunuch was relieved, but Su Zhihan and Jiang Zhenniang were dumbfounded. After inquiring with the eunuch, the two hurried back to their residence.
...
In the courtyard of the Third Sister, Madam Zhou directed the servants to turn the Third Young Master over, and then personally took a towel to wipe his body.
As the coma lasted longer, Sanlangjun's body grew weaker and his breathing became increasingly faint. Even though charcoal fires burned continuously in the room for twelve hours a day, some of the servants from the third household complained that when they helped Sanlangjun move his body, they felt that his hands were ice-cold, as if they were touching a corpse.
Of course, the servant who had spoken those words in private disappeared from the third courtyard the next day, and no one knew where he went.
Anyway, ever since then, the servants who served the Third Prince have become more cautious and careful.
First, wipe Sanlangjun's body, then apply cream, and finally change him into a brand new set of silk undergarments.
After everyone put the Third Young Master back on the bed, the Third Young Lady's forehead was covered in sweat. She told several servants to go and rest, and sat down to the side, quietly watching the Third Young Master.
Mama Xu stepped forward, picked up a round fan, and gently fanned Third Sister. Mama Zheng instructed the people in the room to prepare water and called the maids to prepare clothes to help Third Sister bathe and change.
Just as Third Sister entered the bathhouse to take a bath, Sister Yu lifted a corner of the thick curtain and leaned out, saying, "Mother Xu, Madam Jiang sent me to ask when you are free."
"Is there something you want to tell me, Zhenniang?"
“Madam Jiang didn’t say.” Yu’er thought for a moment, then added, “But I noticed that Madam Jiang’s complexion looked a little unwell. She seemed nervous, or perhaps flustered…”
When Xu Mama heard her say this, her face immediately became serious. Jiang Zhenniang was a little nervous and reserved when she first entered the courtyard, but she became more and more poised and graceful over time, and her personality also improved. The fact that she was flustered must mean that something important had happened.
After thinking for a moment, Xu's mother instructed Yu'er to go inside and stand guard at the bathroom door, while she herself lifted the thick curtain and went out.
A moment later, Third Sister Zhou came out of the bathhouse. She had changed into a brand new set of silk clothes, sat slumped on the couch, and let two maids comb her glossy black hair, put it into a bun, and then wrap it with a towel.
Zhou took the hot tea from Yu'er's hand, took a sip, and then asked, "Where did Xu Mama go? Why did she leave you in the room to serve her?"
Yu Jie'er said, "Reporting to Madam, Madam Jiang has urgent business with Mama Xu, so Mama Xu went out. She should be back soon."
As soon as she finished speaking, Xu Mama's voice rang out from outside. Zhou Shi stopped asking questions, simply warming her hands with tea and waiting for Xu Mama to come in and give her a reply.
"Madam." Xu Mama entered quickly, her face not looking too good. When Third Madam Zhou saw her expression, her heart skipped a beat. She only kept Zheng Mama and sent all the other maids and servants away before asking Xu Mama, "What's wrong?"
Mrs. Xu wiped her sweat with a handkerchief, both shocked and incredulous. She swallowed hard before recounting what she had heard: "My lady...! Zhenniang said... that the news has already spread outside."
Zhou was stunned for a moment: "What do you mean, 'spread'..."
Madam Xu said with a bitter face, "They say that our household hasn't prepared enough top-quality ingredients, and now everyone is asking for them."
Zhou's eyes widened, and the teacup she was holding wobbled, splashing tea onto her skirt, but she seemed completely unaware.
After a long pause, Zhou managed to squeeze out a single word: "Ah?"
Madam Zheng was startled and quickly took a handkerchief to wipe Zhou's skirt. She was about to go inside to find clean clothes when Zhou stopped her: "This is not urgent... Madam Xu, you, you must explain clearly first, what do you mean... that our household has not prepared enough ingredients and is asking each household for things?"
After Madam Zheng reported all the news to Madam Zhou, Madam Zhou sat on the couch in a daze, feeling cold all over and trembling with anger.
She was angry with the second wife because of the Laba porridge incident, so she was determined to make the second wife, Xu, lose face and have her beg her for forgiveness.
But Zhou never imagined that she would drag the entire Marquis of Zhongyong's mansion down with her!
The Xu family also came from an official family. Even though the Xu family had fallen on hard times and was no longer as prestigious as when the old lady got married, but, but!
Zhou wanted to know how the Xu family had raised their daughter. How could she have made such a mess of things?
"Madam...shouldn't we tell Madam and the old lady?" Seeing Zhou Shi deep in thought, Mama Zheng hurriedly reminded her.
"Yes, yes, you're right." Zhou was so anxious that she was sweating profusely. She didn't even have time to dry her hair, let alone do her hair.
She hurriedly ordered someone to prepare a sedan chair and went to the main house to find the eldest daughter-in-law. The most important thing now was to quickly stop that damned Xu Shi and find a way to stop the rumors outside. Under no circumstances should they spread to the neighboring marquis's or earl's mansions!
Su Zhihan calculated the time and only went to the main kitchen after hearing that Third Sister's sedan chair had left the courtyard. She ran there, panting, and hurriedly found Cook Xu to report the matter: "...My mother told me."
"It is said that the second wife's mother, Miao, found a human trafficker."
"We asked a human trafficker to act as an intermediary to help us find the ingredients our household needs... I heard from the human trafficker that it seems they know about it in many places."
At first, Chef Xu thought that Jiang Zhenniang had probably mistaken someone for someone else and didn't take it to heart. It wasn't until the maid who came to the main kitchen said that the eldest daughter and the third daughter had gone to the old lady's room that her expression changed.
A moment later, someone came to the old lady's room and called the cook, Xu, over to talk.
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