Hanqiao led Yang's wife forward, head down, thinking about what Gu Ting had asked Lin Mu to convey to his house a couple of days ago. She accidentally tripped, but luckily Hanqiao caught her.
Gu Tingrang sent word that a relative had come to the Marquis's residence, apparently a young cousin (Gu Chang), who was of the right age.
So Aunt Yang and Gu Ting hatched another plan, intending to send the bayberries over.
Yang's brother, unaware that his wife had taken leave to rest in the house, readily agreed upon hearing this, entrusting all matters concerning Yang Mei to his aunt.
Even the engagement that his family had arranged for Yangmei some time ago was canceled.
After saying that, he pushed Lin Mu out to drink. He didn't realize at all that his wife was still in the house, having heard their conversation clearly.
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Sister Yang carried two bundles of clothes into the inner courtyard's embroidery room.
When they arrived outside the sewing room, she handed Yangmei the package that didn't contain scissors and a bag of pastries.
"Mother, why are you here at this time?" Yang Mei asked, puzzled, as she was called out of the sewing room.
"It's nothing. I just came to visit your aunt today. I brought you a bag of glutinous rice cakes."
"Really!" Yang Mei exclaimed in surprise. The ingredients for this glutinous rice cake were not complicated, but it took quite a bit of time to make.
Aunt Yang only makes this a few times a year, around her and her brother's birthdays or during the Lunar New Year. It's rare to get to eat it at other times.
Cigao, also known as Cigao, is made by soaking red beans overnight, adding water, and steaming for an hour.
Place the steamed red beans in a garlic press and pound them for half an hour until they become a smooth red bean paste. Put the paste in a pot, add yellow rock sugar, and stir-fry until thickened.
Add a little water to glutinous rice flour and knead it into small round granules. Then sift the glutinous rice flour to get fine raw flour. Place a large lotus leaf on top of the flour in a steamer.
Spread the sifted glutinous rice flour at the bottom, then scoop the red bean paste on top separately, and add a spoonful of melted, cold lard on top of each spoonful of red bean paste.
Finally, sprinkle another layer of wet glutinous rice flour on top, cover, steam for an hour, let cool, and then cut into pieces.
Sweet and fragrant, both my brother and I love eating bayberries. I was very happy to see this.
After returning to his room and putting his things down, he hurriedly took out a large purse containing the money he had saved over the past two months.
Unexpectedly, Yang's wife refused to accept it and instead took out a small pearl hairpin and inserted it into her daughter's hair ornament.
"Wait a couple of days, and your brother will come to pick you up. Once you're home, he'll take good care of you."
Do you remember what Mother said? "A virtuous person, to stand in this world, must be upright within and principled without; only then can one achieve true virtue." Perhaps you understand?
Yang Mei found it strange, why was she saying all this? But she still obediently nodded.
After giving her daughter instructions, Sister Yang pursed her lips and smoothed her neatly combed hair with her hands.
Holding the remaining package, she followed Hanqiao to Xiuxia Courtyard.
Aunt Yang raised an eyebrow when she saw her sister-in-law. "What brings you here with my brother today, sister-in-law? Is it because he doesn't have enough money for wine again?"
He then instructed Hanqiao to brew a pot of Lu'an Melon Seed tea, and glanced at the package in his sister-in-law's hand.
A hint of disdain flashed in his eyes. "Didn't I already say? There's no need to send over clothes that are sewn at home."
The master gave me two bolts of brocade the other day; my sister-in-law will cut off half of it to take with her when she leaves later.
...The sudden appearance of the scissors by Sister Yang caught everyone off guard.
Hanqiao went to make tea, and Granny Zhou saw it from the side, but hesitated for a few seconds and didn't rush over to protect her aunt.
Yang was so frightened that she quickly fell backward, but she couldn't stop her sister-in-law from stabbing her with scissors.
Fortunately, she was wearing a necklace with agate tassels, which saved her from being cut by the scissors.
When Sister Yang brought down the second pair of scissors, Granny Zhou came over to stop her.
Aunt Yang scrambled out, shouting for help. But she barely managed to yell a couple of times before her sister-in-law caught up and nearly slashed her again with her scissors.
It was Lin Mu who came to deliver something and stopped her. Lin Mu also got a cut on his arm, with a long scar running down his arm.
………………………………………………
The second wife had a long face and didn't dare bring even a little maid. She only brought a nanny and two head maids, Zijuan, to Xiuxia Courtyard.
Halfway there, he realized something was wrong and went to call two more female guards to come with him.
As soon as she entered the door, she saw Gu Ting slap his aunt across the face, the force of which undone her hair and left it askew to one side.
Madam Zheng's face darkened. How could someone so rudely attack an elder the moment they entered? "Gu Ting! Stop right now! Get over there!" she said calmly, glancing at the chaotic scene.
"What exactly happened? Why is Madam Yang shouting like that?"
Gu Ting didn't bother to reply; he was trembling with anger. The Second Madam usually spoke softly and sweetly to people most of the time.
Even when I was dissatisfied with them, I had never cursed at them like that before. When I got really angry, I would just come up and hit them with a board; I had rarely cursed at anyone like that.
This kind of scolding makes it seem like Gu Ting is the one who did something wrong!
And on what grounds? This madwoman almost killed Aunt Yang!
But after slapping her, I was actually scolded!
After the second wife came over, Granny Zhou and Hanqiao released their hands from holding down Sister Yang.
With a jolt of inertia, Sister Yang slid and fell to the ground. She glanced at the scissors that Lin Mu had kicked away, then at the second wife, before changing her posture and sitting cross-legged.
Second wife Zheng Jin sat on the chair above, looked at Yang's wife who was acting like a mad dog, and involuntarily clenched her fist, pressing her thumb hard against her index finger.
After a few moments, she sighed softly before asking, "What's the matter between you two that has led to this situation?"
Yang, trembling with fear, clutched her handkerchief and wept, saying, "My lady, please understand! How could I have known? My sister-in-law came to the Marquis's residence like a madwoman to 'attack,' and I was terrified!"
In fact, Aunt Yang already had a guess in her heart, but it was precisely because she guessed correctly that she wanted to deal with her sister-in-law as soon as she opened her mouth.
Otherwise, if she starts spouting nonsense and bringing up other things, it won't be good!
Having reached this point, Jiang Lanling was no longer afraid. She straightened her disheveled clothes.
"I don't know why?" Jiang Lanling chuckled repeatedly, then spat on the ground in a foul tone.
"Pah! You spineless coward, you lapdog, you lowly bastard who only knows how to drool and fawn!"
Selling herself wasn't enough; she even set her sights on Yang Mei. If she's so interested in your young master's money, why don't you go and become her concubine yourself!
If you're old and past your prime and no one wants you anymore, and you're short of money, why not have your Gu Ting work as a waiter? He could at least earn enough to buy an official position...
She had only spoken halfway when Zheng glanced at her wet nurse, Wu, who understood.
He immediately stepped forward and started slapping Jiang Lanling repeatedly, until she couldn't speak.
This madwoman, how could she just casually utter words about buying an official position? Does she even want to live anymore!
Yang was already feeling guilty, and when she saw Wu Mama step forward to hit her, she also gave Zhou Mama, Gu Ting's maid, a wink.
As soon as Granny Wu let go, Granny Zhou took a handkerchief and gagged Yang's wife, intending to take her away.
"We can't let this madwoman alarm the Second Madam. This old servant will drag her away and deal with her right away."
Zheng Jin's eyes turned cold, and then Granny Zhou was also slapped.
Seeing that Granny Wu's hands were trembling and aching, Zijuan quickly stepped forward to say what her own nanny was about to say.
"What the Second Madam wants to do is none of your business, you servant!"
Granny Zhou quickly knelt down and kowtowed to confess her sins.
Zheng Jin scoffed lightly, then looked at Aunt Yang, "When and where has the Pingchang Gu family been decided by you, Aunt Yang, alone?"
I never imagined that the Xiuxia Courtyard of the Marquis of An's residence would become your personal fiefdom, Madam Yang!
He glanced at Jiang Lanling, who was sitting cross-legged on the ground, and casually ordered, "Take her away."
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