Chapter 56 Domestic Turmoil Shen Qinglu turned around under her surprised gaze...
*
All twenty paintings had been received. According to the local custom, the remaining half of the silver should be paid, so she handed the remaining fifty taels of silver notes through the window.
The black curtains had been drawn, blocking her view.
The silver note was taken away and examined. Then, the old voice spoke again, "The transaction is complete. Goodbye."
She carefully put the paintings away, placing the last one on top, and subconsciously looked back as she left the shop.
The afterglow of the setting sun shone brightly on the plaque, bathing the two characters "寻珍" (Seeking Treasures) in golden light, as if every stroke was gilded, reflecting the preciousness of the two characters, as if every stroke was imbued with profound hope.
That familiar feeling resurfaced, just like the paintings in her hands. As she turned her head, the light of the setting sun swept across her dark eyes like a flame.
And this fire just happened to fall into the eyes of others.
Behind the black curtain at the window, someone was leaning down, looking at her with an unseemly posture, like a hawk.
Mu Hanshi only slowly straightened up after her figure disappeared from sight.
Yang Zhen handed over a wet towel at the right moment, reported the news he had received, and concluded by saying, "Miss Ali has reached an agreement with all the inns. She just needs to get the painting and then put it up. I think this method is excellent and we may want to learn from it."
Mu Hanshi slowly wiped his hands, his eyes lowered, "What kind of person do you think she is?"
"I don't know, I can't quite understand her actions," Yang Zhen replied truthfully. "The things she had Mei Wu do before were clearly intended to cause trouble in her own household. Logically speaking, I don't understand why she would do that."
“She’s no ordinary person; we can’t judge her by common sense.” Mu Hanshi paused in wiping his hands, staring at them. “Tell me, did she recognize me just now?”
"Of course not, the Lord used the hand without the bite mark."
Yang Zhen had followed him for many years and had never seen him like this before. He thought to himself that Miss Ali was indeed extraordinary, otherwise his master would not care so much about her.
He suddenly chuckled softly: "So some things just can't be hidden from people."
"Your subordinate has been presumptuous." Yang Zhen knew what these words meant and lowered his head.
"It's alright."
"Should we use Miss Ali's method?"
"Let's observe first, and then we'll see if it proves useful."
The sound was as light as falling snow, with a hint of hesitation, as if it wanted to fall but didn't, somewhat elusive.
Yang Zhen was secretly puzzled.
Isn't the Lord in a hurry to find someone?
*
Outside the gates of the Yu residence, Shen Linlang kept looking around, her face full of anxiety and worry.
"This is the first time the child has gone out alone. I hope nothing bad will happen to him."
Granny Yu comforted her, "The young lady is still a child. This is her first time going out by herself, and she's going to the horse market. She'll probably spend a lot of time there, and she might not be able to stop until the market closes."
"If I had known this would happen, I should have sent someone to go with them." Shen Linlang regretted it more and more, thinking to herself that she shouldn't have been persuaded by her daughter and not let Bao Kui go with them.
The lanterns hanging high above the door were already lit, illuminating her worried face.
"Mother...Aunt, so you're here."
Behind her came Yu Liuzhu's worried and hesitant voice; the word "aunt" made her pause for a long while.
Perhaps it was the twilight that made Yu Liuzhu look unwell, appearing even more frail. She kept covering her mouth with a handkerchief, and when we got closer, she couldn't help but cough several times.
Upon seeing it, she felt a mix of emotions, a bitter taste in her mouth.
Yu Liuzhu looked like he wanted to get close to her but was too shy, so he stopped a few steps away. "I overheard them saying that Miss Fang used to harass Father... Uncle. I'm afraid she's still not over it, so I thought I'd tell you so you can be more careful."
"You're so thoughtful."
Even with the strongest resolve, even with the harshest words, human emotions are the hardest to control. When her adopted daughter came to remind her, the mother-daughter bond she had shared for so many years inevitably resurfaced.
Her heart was being torn apart by emotions, and just as she was feeling miserable, a carriage drove up from the alley entrance.
Upon recognizing the carriage, Granny Yu exclaimed in delight, "Madam, it's the eldest young lady who's back!"
The carriage quickly stopped in front of them. Xia Chan got off first, and then helped Shen Qinglu down.
"Ah Li, you're finally back." Shen Linlang's heart finally settled down, and she quickly stepped forward to ask, "Did you enjoy your shopping today?"
Shen Qinglu didn't answer immediately, but instead looked up at Yu Liuzhu and asked, "Mother, why is Sister Tang'er here?"
"She came to remind Mother to be careful of that Fang woman."
"So, Sister Tang'er also noticed that Miss Fang's unease." Shen Qinglu, supporting Shen Linlang's arm, asked casually, "Then you must have asked your mother why she summoned Miss Fang, and what her true intentions were?"
The twilight deepened, and so did Yu Liuzhu's complexion.
She was momentarily speechless, and it took her a while to say, "I don't want to see her, nor do I want to talk to her."
This statement indicates that she does not acknowledge Yu Qingxue, and also implies that she only acknowledges Shen Linlang.
Shen Linlang could easily understand, and her feelings were even more complicated.
“I thought that because my mother had loved you for more than ten years, even if you were unwilling, you would at least question her.” Shen Qinglu’s tone was normal, as if she was speaking from the heart. “I didn’t expect that Sister Tang’er was only concerned about her own discomfort and did not take my mother’s matter to heart.”
“If I didn’t care about Mother…Aunt, why would I have come all this way to remind her, knowing she didn’t want to see me?” Yu Liuzhu’s expression showed grievance, and she coughed weakly. “Sister Ali, you only know how to criticize me, but what about yourself?”
“I am my mother’s own daughter, of course I think of my mother in everything.” Shen Qinglu paused, her bright red face slightly ashamed. “Mother, I’m sorry, I lied to you before. I said I wanted to go to the horse market, but actually I went to see that Miss Fang.”
"Ah Li!" Shen Linlang exclaimed in shock, "She didn't do anything to you, did she?"
Shen Qinglu shook her head. "This is Donglin City. I am my mother's daughter, and the General's Mansion is behind me. She wouldn't dare to do anything to me. I warned her not to come looking for Sister Tang'er's mother in the future."
To prevent them from seeing each other privately, I instructed the servants in the manor to keep an eye on them and not let them go out. If they want to buy anything or have any other business, they can ask someone to do it for them.”
Shen Linlang was just touched by her adopted daughter's special reminder, but now that she knows her biological daughter has made arrangements inside and out to avoid troubling her, her emotions tipped without hesitation.
“Ah Li…”
Shen Qinglu's expression hardened slightly, and her tone became somewhat heavy. "Mother, I have something else to tell you."
Her heart, which had just settled down, suddenly jumped up again. Her mind was completely focused on Shen Qinglu, and she no longer cared about Yu Liuzhu, who was left standing aside.
As Yu Liuzhu watched the mother and daughter walk past him hand in hand, her gaze inevitably met Shen Qinglu's, sparking a silent contest.
This is a struggle between truth and falsehood, and also a debate between the debt of gratitude for giving birth and the debt of gratitude for raising.
You retreat, I advance; one rises, the other falls.
Suddenly, Shen Qinglu raised her eyebrows as if she were smiling, and then looked up at the tall gate.
The misalignment over the past decade or so is like the house they live in, a symbol of status surrounded by high walls. Some people have occupied it for so long that they have forgotten who the owner of this place really is.
The more eye-catching the two characters "Jade Mansion" on the plaque, the more ironic it was.
After entering the mansion, they went their separate ways.
Shen Qinglu and her daughter Shen Linlang headed towards the main courtyard, while Yu Liuzhu was unable to follow.
Her eyes were unfocused in the darkness. Suddenly, as if remembering something, she turned and whispered some instructions to Dengzhi.
Dengzhi accepted the order and went off, taking a roundabout route and avoiding people, until he reached the manor's stables.
The carriage had been unloaded, and the coachman was feeding the horses. When he saw Dengzhi come in, he was as enthusiastic as ever, calling her "Miss Dengzhi" repeatedly.
"I'm so sorry, the horse couldn't hold it in and had to poop. Miss Dengzhi, please be careful not to step on it."
Dengzhi covered her nose, her eyes full of disgust.
If her master hadn't lost power, she wouldn't have needed to make such a trip herself for such a trivial matter.
“My daughter is concerned about her cousin. She was worried about her first trip out and wondered if everything went smoothly, so she sent me to ask where you all went today?”
The coachman, carrying a bundle of hay, chuckled sheepishly upon hearing this, "I'm just a servant. Young ladies wouldn't take me with them when they go shopping. I'm just here to guard the carriage and wait on the road."
"The lady sent you out, how could you be so negligent?" Dengzhi said somewhat irritably.
He put down the hay, scratching his head sheepishly, "Please don't tell Madam, I'll definitely be more careful next time."
Things are different now; he was just being perfunctory with Dengzhi.
Dengzhi could tell from this that he was becoming increasingly uncomfortable, and he even held his breath as he left.
He watched Dengzhi's angry back and stroked the horse that was grazing with its head down. "These girls, how come they are all so cunning? It's a good thing the eldest young lady gave me instructions beforehand, otherwise I really wouldn't know how to respond to her."
*
It was past midnight when Yu Zhiheng finally returned home.
His face was slightly flushed, and he reeked of alcohol. He saw Granny Yu as soon as he entered the mansion.
Granny Yu was waiting for him specifically, naturally following Shen Linlang's orders.
"Madam said that we should not delay and should invite the person over as soon as the master returns."
The word "please" made him frown.
He pursed his lips, and because of the alcohol, he lacked his usual refined demeanor, instead displaying a more worldly restlessness.
Granny Yu didn't look at him. "Sir, please."
Another "please" was used, as if he were being treated as a guest.
His agitation intensified, and he flicked his sleeve, walking silently toward the main courtyard.
The lanterns under the eaves shone brightly, casting dappled shadows.
Shen Linlang stood under a tree in the courtyard. The tree was still bare, and no leaf buds had yet sprouted.
She heard footsteps but did not turn around. "When two people are in love, they should naturally be happy together. This tree was planted the year we got married, and it has been twenty-one years since then."
"I only wish that lovers could stay together until their hair turns white." Yu Zhiheng stood behind her, and after saying this, he let out a hiccup.
"Have you been drinking?" She smelled the alcohol and turned around.
"After my shift ended, my colleagues pulled me in, and I couldn't refuse, so I drank a little."
In fact, it was the opposite; it wasn't his colleagues who pulled him up, but rather he who pulled his colleagues up.
His colleague saw him talking to Fang and, fearing she might gossip, invited her to drink, hoping to silence her. Besides, he himself had been in a very bad mood lately and was looking for an excuse to drown his sorrows in alcohol.
"When we met an old friend, I thought you were happy, which is why I had a few more drinks."
Shen Linlang's words startled him.
"Linlang, let me explain. That Miss Fang did come to see me, but I didn't know it was her beforehand."
Did she come to you to complain?
"She said some nonsense, and I don't believe her at all."
Shen Linlang looked at him, her eyes devoid of any light. "I've met her. She clearly has feelings for you that aren't ordinary."
“Linlang, believe me.” He took Shen Linlang’s hand. “I used to focus solely on my studies. Apart from you, I have never had any dealings with any other woman. No matter what their intentions were, I ignored them.”
The night grew darker, pressing down on people's hearts, impossible to shake off or break through.
The lights in the right wing were off. Behind the half-open lattice window, a pair of dark eyes were watching them, so quiet and indifferent, as if they were bystanders who had nothing to do with them.
In the flickering light, Shen Qinglu watched quietly until they entered the main room together.
The night wind rose at some unknown time, yet it could not stir the leafless, flowerless tree.
"Miss, why didn't you tell Madam those things yourself?" Xia Chan was referring to the things that Madam Fang and her servants had said in private.
Shen Qinglu had previously said that she had something to say to Shen Linlang, but she only mentioned that after she went to see Fang Shi, Fang Shi went to see Yu Zhiheng. She didn't mention anything else.
"Some things are more useful when told by others."
"How can the girl be so sure that the man will do as we say?"
"His fingernails were very clean, and he looked lazy and no different from others, but there was a light in his eyes. He shouldn't be someone who makes a living by begging. He's either a spy planted by someone or someone who makes a living by gathering information. This kind of person has his own methods and is most suitable to do things for us."
If she's right, news will come soon.
If she guesses wrong, consider it a lesson learned, and it's not too late to find someone else later.
Thinking this, Shen Qinglu slowly closed the window.
*
Nothing was said that night, until dawn.
The sun rises as usual, shining its light on all things in the world.
Some rumors, too, seem to grow on the wind and spread quickly.
"...It is said that the Yu family is poor, but the master is well-dressed, and the writing brushes, ink, paper and inkstones he uses are all of the highest quality. Moreover, through the introduction of Miss Fang's father, he has become a disciple of a very prestigious teacher." Granny Yu's voice grew softer and softer, and in the end she could hardly continue.
Shen Linlang's expression slowly turned cold. "What else?"
"Furthermore... Miss Fang comes and goes from the Yu family as if it were her own home. Before the Master went to the capital for the imperial examination, he promised her that he would not forget her kindness. The reason she has not married all these years is also because of the Master."
The room was quiet, the atmosphere heavy.
She seemed lost in thought, her whole being appearing as if her soul had been ripped away.
After Shen Qinglu came in, she sat down next to her. "Mother, it's just a rumor, it may not be true."
"It's not a rumor; it must have been deliberately spread by the Fang family."
"It must be wishful thinking on her part; she's deliberately spreading these words to upset Mother."
She was indeed feeling extremely tightness in her chest, and although her mind was in a mess, she could clearly recall every detail of how she first met her husband.
At that time, Yu Zhiheng had an outstanding appearance. At first glance, he looked like a young master from a prominent family, partly because of his looks and partly because of his clothing.
"I once heard your father mention that your grandmother had a hard time raising them, washing clothes for others to support his education. I remember your father used a jade bamboo shoot brush and a fine banana leaf white inkstone..."
She came from a good family and didn't find these things rare; at the time, they were all considered ordinary.
Looking back now, it seems so incongruous.
"My father first passed the county-level imperial examination and then became a provincial-level scholar. He must have had many acquaintances. Perhaps the gift was given to him by someone else?"
“Your father said that he never accepts favors from others.” She shook her head, her expression somewhat complicated. “After we got married, he repeatedly told me not to go back to my parents’ home to pave the way for him.”
“Your maternal grandfather and uncle love you. Even if you don’t say anything, they will still do what they are supposed to do.”
“Yes,” she said bitterly, “you can see right through me…”
She didn't say the rest, but those who understood understood.
If a teenage girl can understand this, how could an adult man not understand it?
She slowly rose and stood by the window.
Looking at the mimosa tree again during the day, tiny new buds have already sprouted. Year after year the flowers are similar, year after year the people are the same—this was the wish she made when she planted the tree.
Hehuan, Hehuan, last night's reconciliation was a joke!
She closed her eyes in sorrow, and when she opened them again, she saw Granny Li helping Madam Xie into the courtyard.
Needless to say, Xie looked haggard after not seeing her for a few days, and her spirits were low. Perhaps it was because the sunlight was just right, and even from a distance, one could see the silver strands in her hair.
As mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, neither of them ever imagined things would turn out this way.
Yinping, who was waiting outside, stopped the person and then came in to announce their arrival.
Shen Linlang seemed not to hear and gave no instructions.
"Linlang, I know you don't want to see me. I'll leave as soon as I finish speaking." Madam Xie's voice was anxious. "You and Heng'er have been married for many years. You know best what kind of person he is. Don't believe any of the rumors circulating outside."
As she spoke, she choked up, "It's all my fault, I was confused for a moment, I'm sorry to you. If you want to blame someone, blame me. I won't stay here and get in your way anymore. I'll go pack my things and take Qingxue back to Pingyang."
Granny Li helped her walk slowly out of the courtyard.
She murmured, "I shouldn't have gone to the capital in the first place..."
If she and her daughter had stayed in Pingyang, perhaps none of these things would have happened.
"Madam, things have come to this, you should try to think more positively," Li Mama advised her.
She held Li Mama's hand tightly, choking back tears and unable to speak.
They had barely left the courtyard when Shen Qinglu came out and said, "Grandmother."
“Ali, you should talk to your mother properly. Those are all lies. Someone is maliciously slandering you…”
"Were all those things fake?" Shen Qinglu approached, her eyes, now free of their dark mist, like a lacquered mirror, reflecting the fleeting panic on her face.
She was somewhat hesitant to meet Shen Qinglu's gaze. "Of course it's fake. Your father passed the imperial examinations and became a scholar through his own hard work. He became a disciple of Master Dong because Master Dong valued talent, and it had nothing to do with anyone else."
"Did my grandmother buy the things my father used with her own money?"
"..."
She was speechless for a moment.
Those were difficult years; let alone high-quality writing materials, even ordinary ones were hard to come by.
How could she not know what Fang was thinking?
She once asked her son, who said that Fang was a good girl and that he was not good enough for her at the moment. She naturally assumed that her son was also interested in Fang, but was hindered by the difference in their family backgrounds.
Later, she subtly conveyed this message to Madam Fang, who said she could wait. Madam Fang then harbored selfish thoughts, thinking that they would be family sooner or later, so she vaguely accepted some things.
“Miss Fang is on good terms with your aunt. She couldn’t bear to see us struggling, so she helped us out of the open and behind the scenes. It has nothing to do with your father.”
"Is my father truly unaware of the family's situation?"
"I don't know," Xie insisted.
“Grandmother, you’re always like this.” Shen Qinglu sighed softly. “You took all the blame for your daughter before, and now you’re making excuses for your son. I really don’t know if you’re helping them or hurting them.”
“A-Li…” Madam Xie was shocked, her eyes filled with disbelief.
She looked at the girl in front of her as if she didn't recognize her.
Shen Qinglu's expression was extremely calm, but her eyes were dark and unfathomable, like a bottomless black pool. "The world is never short of clever people. Do you think anyone will believe such a statement, Grandmother?"
"I……"
Shen Qinglu looked back at her with a surprised and doubtful gaze, "Mother, do you believe me?"
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