Chapter 70: Suffering the consequences
evening.
"There's a lantern festival tonight, Mom. I want to take Chaochao out to see it." Lu Zhengyue was having dinner in the hall, holding Chaochao.
It's the first day of the new year and there are so many visitors that Xu is very busy.
Seeing Lu Chaochao's pitiful look, he smiled and agreed.
Just let her wear more clothes and bring a few servants.
I can't live without someone around me.
Lu Chaochao was very happy, with her arms bulging with food, which were the snacks she had secretly brought.
Today is New Year's Day, but Xu pretended not to see anything.
"Madam, the Marquis has not returned home all night. Did something happen to him?" Su Zhiqing dressed up specially today, but after waiting for a whole day, Lu Yuanze still did not return home.
Xu said calmly, "Men have their own careers outside. I think you are stuck because of something in the court. I made you my second wife so that you can take good care of the Marquis and not hold him back."
Su Zhiqing hurriedly said, "How could that be, Madam? Qingqing is just worried."
As he was speaking, he heard a voice coming from outside the door.
"Madam, the Marquis has returned home."
As soon as she finished speaking, Su Zhiqing lifted her skirt, stepped on the snow, and ran out the door.
Like a lively butterfly.
Seeing Lu Yuanze, he paused slightly and rushed straight towards Lu Yuanze.
"My lord, you didn't come home all night, Qingqing was worried about you." Her eyes were red and her voice was tender, her words were full of the admiration and love of a girl.
Lu Yuanze pressed his waist inconspicuously.
Su Zhiqing's heart sank when she smelled the fragrance on him.
"Today, Qingqing is recorded in the family tree and is the Marquis's woman. Qingqing... I am so lucky to meet the Marquis." Su Zhiqing embraced Lu Yuanze and went to Qingping Courtyard.
Lu Yuanze's calves were still trembling and his waist was still sore. Pei Jiaojiao was really a fairy!
He immediately said, "There are guests in the mansion today, let's go see the elders first."
After saying this, he fled in panic.
Su Zhiqing accidentally caught a glimpse of the red mark under his throat and her eyes turned red with anger.
When Xu saw Lu Yuanze, she was a little surprised.
I thought Su Zhiqing would do everything she could to keep him.
"Why does My Lord look so tired? Didn't you get enough rest?" Xu asked.
Lu Yuanze looked embarrassed.
He didn't expect Pei Jiaojiao to be so bold and so...
moving.
More touching than in the past decade.
The small clothes she wears are also breathtaking.
"I was discussing matters with some subordinates last night and forgot the time. I drank a few more glasses today. Fortunately, my wife is in charge of the mansion. Yunniang has worked hard."
"I am lucky enough to marry Yunniang." Lu Yuanze's eyes were full of affection, even when he looked at a dog.
Xu used to indulge in it.
Now, it's disgusting.
"My Lord, you should go see the clan elder first. The clan elder will return to Qingxi tomorrow."
"Qingxi said they wanted to renovate the ancestral hall, and the old lady was quick to speak and immediately agreed to pay for it. My Lord, please give her some as well."
Xu smiled, looking helpless: "I thought that since we are renovating the Lu family's ancestral home, it would be difficult for Yunniang to take the dowry. Otherwise, outsiders would gossip."
Lu Yuanze was very proud, so when he heard about the dowry, he immediately said, "How can I let Yunniang pay for the dowry?"
He was a little annoyed. Yunniang always said that what belonged to her belonged to the Lu family, regardless of whether it belonged to you or me.
Yunniang even begged him to use it, and he felt at ease using it.
But now that she is talking about dowry, how can Lu Yuanze lose face?
"I'll go to the clan elder later." Lu Yuanze turned around and went to look for the clan elder.
I still feel a little irritated.
The Lu family was not well-off, and they could use Xu's dowry to support Jing Huai and the Marquis's Mansion.
Now, we are stretched to the limit.
When he heard that he had to give the clan elder three thousand taels, Lu Yuanze's face turned green: "Three thousand taels?" Lu Yuanze's face turned ashen.
"In previous years, your wife gave you one thousand taels. This year, we need to renovate the old house and the ancestral hall, so three thousand taels is not a lot." The clan leader frowned slightly. Why is Lord Lu so stingy?
The old lady sighed: "Your father is also buried in Qingxi, and so are your ancestors. Yuanze, you can't save this money."
"Just let your wife take the dowry." The old lady still hoped to take out Xu's dowry as she did before.
Lu Yuanze tugged at his clothes in annoyance: "Using my wife's dowry to build the ancestral hall, what kind of nonsense is that?!"
In the past, it was the Xu family who paid the money and coaxed all the elders to return to Qingxi happily, and he never thought there was anything wrong with it.
But he felt a little annoyed about having to pay for it himself.
He only received a salary of several hundred taels a year.
All the properties of the Marquisate were managed by the Xu family, but they certainly could not support such a huge Marquisate. Most of the money came from her dowry shop.
"Chief, why does the clan school cost one thousand taels every year?"
"In these eighteen years, not a single candidate has passed the imperial examination." Lu Yuanze frowned.
The clan leader raised his eyelids and asked, "Didn't you say one thousand taels per year?"
Lu Yuanze's heart choked.
When Xu first came into the family, the elders of the clan came to ask for money. Xu took out the money, and he deliberately said it was high!
"Okay, okay, send the money tomorrow." Lu Yuanze waved his hand.
Several clan elders were so angry that their faces turned red. Whenever they came here, Xu was always respectful to them.
You also have to give a big red envelope when you leave.
He immediately said, "Your wife is not as good as me."
If it wasn't New Year's Day, Lu Yuanze would have hated not being able to kick them out.
After the elders left, Lu Yuanze's face fell.
"Why are you reacting so strongly? Anyway, Xu is convinced by you, so just coax her and she will take out the money." The old lady looked indifferent, as if she didn't care at all.
Ever since Xu married into the family, the food, clothing and other expenses in the Marquis' Mansion have been raised to a higher level.
The Lu family had no background, and before Xu married into the family, the Lu family lived a very frugal life.
"By the way, when will Jing Huai come home?"
"I really love my eldest grandson."
"The top three candidates must come from my mansion, and we can't let him wander around outside."
When the old lady saw him, she couldn't help asking.
Lu Yuanze was irritated: "Mom, I have a plan."
"By the way, your sister hasn't returned to her parents' home today. Can you go over and see what's going on?" The old lady waited for a whole day but never saw Lu Wanyi return to her parents' home.
"Mom, Wanyi has been spoiled by you, please stop pampering her." Lu Yuanze waved his hand and walked out the door.
The old lady sighed angrily.
It was not until it was completely dark that the Lu family set up the reunion dinner.
The Gu family’s carriage just appeared.
Lu Wanyi had lost a lot of weight in the half year since she got married.
Standing beside him was the elegant top scholar Gu Ling. Gu Ling had a gentle expression and his eyes fell on Lu Wanyi. Lu Wanyi shuddered violently.
The two of them walked into the gate of the marquis' mansion hand in hand.
Lu Wanyi shrank his head and walked forward to kowtow to the old lady and wish her a happy new year.
Lu Wanyi knelt down.
Suddenly, tears welled up in my eyes.
"Mother! Mother, please save me, please save me!" She knelt down and pulled the old lady's trouser legs, her voice trembling with despair.
Gu Ling's face suddenly darkened.
Inside the house, the atmosphere was a little cold.
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