Chapter 19 Chapter 19 Calculation
Zhou smiled politely and was respectfully ushered into the mansion by Nanny Cui. As she walked towards Songchun Courtyard, she politely asked about Zheng Lanbi's recent situation. "Your eldest lady has been meditating at home and has not been out attending banquets or gatherings. I have been thinking about visiting you for a long time. I wonder how she is doing these days?"
Nanny Cui rubbed her waist, weighing her words carefully, and replied with a warm smile, "To answer your husband's wife, since my husband returned to the capital, my wife has been much more energetic than before. However, she is still worried about my husband's marriage and has been busy."
Zhou nodded, and the two of them walked into the inner courtyard. They saw two tall, straight and lush sycamore trees in the courtyard, with green bark like emerald green. Pale yellow tung flowers were dotted among the leaves like stars. White tea flowers were in full bloom under the trees, scattered at different heights. It was a beautiful and elegant scene.
Zhou praised it sincerely, "The scenery of this courtyard is truly elegant."
At this point, Matron Cui couldn't help but smile, and she boasted enthusiastically, "It's all thanks to our husband's filial piety. He knew our wife loved the phoenix tree the most, and seeing the century-old paulownia tree planted in the courtyard, he was determined to secure this house, even if it meant paying an extra six months' salary. Look at those camellias under the corridor! They're all the finest varieties our husband painstakingly collected. October cherry, nine-bend, autumn peony, eighteen scholars... These famous varieties are all here, blooming all year round, just for our wife's pleasure."
Hearing that Lu Chen was filial to his mother, Zhou felt secretly more satisfied, and she thought that this trip today might be of some use.
Entering the main hall, Zheng Lanbi was sitting in front of the moon-shaped window. She was wearing a smoky black jacket with a ruyi pattern. Her hair was neatly and tightly combed. There was no extra decoration in her hair except for a plain silver hairpin. At first glance, one could vaguely see the noble demeanor of a noble lady from a wealthy family and the prime minister's wife in the past.
Seeing the person coming in, Zheng Lanbi smiled and said politely, "Your distinguished guest has come to visit me today, and it really makes my humble courtyard shine. Please take a seat."
As he spoke, he gestured for Zhou to sit down and told Madam Cui to bring some good tea.
Zhou sat down in the armchair and said with a smile, "Our two families have been friends for many years. Why should Lan Niang and I be so formal?"
Zheng Lanbi smiled faintly, which was considered as her agreement.
In fact, both of them knew that this was said against their will. Ever since the Lu family got into trouble, the two families had almost cut off contact. How could there be any "long-term friendship"?
But the situation is different now. Everyone has their own thoughts. Even if there were many grievances in the past, they have to keep silent about it now.
This has always been the way things have been between the rich and powerful, and they valued respectability the most. Even if there were sores all over their bodies, they would cover them up and hide them, and never let them come to light.
When they first met, Zheng Lanbi was still a little proud and arrogant, unable to lower herself. But Zhou was a sharp and bold person. She took the initiative to talk about the past. "Back then, our two families often visited each other. At that time, for my husband's birthday, he gave Sanlang a painting of pine and crane. It is still framed and hung in the study."
When Zheng Lanbi heard Zhou talk about Lu Chen, the faint smile on her lips deepened.
Mrs. Zhou praised him again, "It seems that Sanlang is indeed a promising man. He has once again supported the Lu family. Lan Niang is a blessed person. She will have someone to rely on for the rest of her life."
Zheng Lanbi smiled modestly and followed up the conversation with the thing she was most concerned about: "Why bother talking about me? Shu Niang is even more blessed. I remember that your Shiliu Niang was so beautiful, it's hard to find such a beautiful woman in Kyoto. I wonder if she has found a husband yet?"
Zhou paused after hearing this, looked at her and sighed, "Not yet. Talking about this makes me upset. My Sixteenth Lady has been spoiled. I wouldn't trust an ordinary man. I'm afraid she'll suffer after marrying.
I'm not afraid of Lan Niang laughing at me. A few days ago, there was a polo match by Jinming Lake. Crazy Horse broke out of the paddock, and Sanlang actually protected his concubine under him. At that time, I thought that if Shiliu Niang wanted to choose a husband, she must find someone like Sanlang, who can cherish his woman as the apple of his eye.
Zheng Lanbi's expression suddenly froze, and she knew clearly in her heart that Zhou was intentionally trying to point out to her that Lu Chen doted on the people in his room too much.
Although she was interested in marrying into the Xu family, she didn't want to appear overly eager. After a while, she raised her hand to gently adjust her hair and said with a faint smile, "Ning has been with Sanlang through thick and thin. Even as a concubine, she'd be a virtuous and good one. My son has always valued friendship and knows what's important. He's not like other young men who act recklessly. So it's only natural that he values Ning a little more."
Zhou was met with a soft rejection, but she was not anxious. She nodded in agreement: "It is different when there is a virtuous concubine in the family. If it were like my niece, she would have met a seductive and mischievous concubine. It would be so frustrating."
Zheng Lanbi followed her lead and calmly asked, "What happened?"
Zhou sighed, "Her husband is a womanizer. He kept a concubine as his favorite before the wedding. His family promised to send her away before the wedding, but who knew that the maid was pregnant and secretly sent away to the farm to nurse the baby? When my niece got married, they saw that the matter was already settled, so they simply took her back home with them, both the older and the younger. Tell me, isn't that really frustrating?"
After a pause, she picked up the Jianzhan teacup, sipped the tea slowly, looked up at Zheng Lanbi, and said meaningfully, "I will never marry Rong Niang to a man like this. Even if Rong Niang hates me from now on, I will never regret it."
When their eyes met, they both understood clearly what was going on.
After a while, Zheng Lanbi smiled and looked at Zhou, saying, "That's right. How can a family be considered respectable if they allow their husband to do whatever he wants before marriage? Although Sanlang's father is no longer with us, if Sanlang does something so reckless, then as his mother, I naturally have the responsibility to teach him a lesson."
Hearing her words, Zhou felt relieved and smiled again, "Lan Niang is a person of integrity and righteousness. She is a role model in the capital."
The most important thing was understood, and the two of them relaxed and chatted for a while about trivial matters such as tasting tea and making incense. Seeing that it was getting late, Zhou stood up and said goodbye with satisfaction.
After sending Zhou away, Zheng Lanbi seemed to have made up her mind. She called over Nanny Cui and calmly instructed her, "Aju, take my name card with you to the Medical Officer's Office and ask Dr. Zhang An for a reliable contraceptive prescription. It doesn't matter if the medicine is a little strong or not."
Aunt Cui was stunned when she heard this, and couldn't help but hesitate, "But Ning seems to know some medical skills, I'm afraid she doesn't..."
"So we have to be careful and avoid being seen."
Zheng Lanbi interrupted her, calmly saying, "Zhang An is an expert in gynecology and has a long history with the Zheng family. He's reliable. He can prepare the powder and mix it into the food. That country girl won't notice it."
Zhou left the Lu residence, boarded the carriage, lowered the soft curtains, and leisurely waved her golden round fan.
She had tried to find out Zheng Lanbi's attitude through indirect means today, and she felt relieved.
Her daughter Rong Niang was simple-minded and kind-hearted. She didn't know that if this man cared about another woman, she couldn't be anxious. She could only take advantage of the situation and wait for a rift to develop between the two of them so that she could tie a knot and solve the problem once and for all.
As for whether Ning was pregnant or able to give birth, she didn't care. As long as Zheng Lanbi was willing to intervene, that was enough.
In this way, as long as she wanted, she could add fuel to the fire at any time and cause unrest in the Lu family's backyard.
If there is always chaos at home and people are full of resentment, over time, no matter how much love and affection there is, it will eventually fade away.
After going back and asking clearly, if Rong Niang is determined to like this person, then as her mother, she will naturally let her wish come true.
Pretending to return to the mansion, he saw Xu Yourong and the maid about to go out. Seeing Zhou coming back, he did not stop for a moment and just greeted her, "Mother." Then he passed Zhou like a gust of wind.
She had been feeling listless these days, unwilling to go out, and had even had several arguments with the maid in the room. How come she suddenly became so energetic?
"Wait," Zhou had a bad feeling in her heart and stopped her, "What are you going to do?"
Xu Yourong raised his head and said proudly, "I've been thinking about it over and over again these past few days, and I'm really feeling very uncomfortable. I'm going to go find Brother Bingyan and ask him clearly whether I can send the woman in his room away."
Zhou frowned and asked tentatively, "If I send you away, will you not care?"
After hesitating for a moment, Xu Yourong twisted the shawl with her fingers, and a small blush gradually spread to her ears.
Zhou's heart skipped a beat when she saw this. She carefully observed her expression and could not help but remind her, "Rong Niang, the world is no longer conservative these days, and I won't restrict you too much. But you are a young lady after all. You must be polite when you go out, and don't do anything stupid."
Xu Yourong blushed immediately and glanced at Zhou with displeasure: "What are you talking about, mother? I'll go to the Imperial Guards to look for him. Where are all the people on the parade ground..."
Seeing that she was unhappy, Zhou hurried to comfort her: "Mother knows that you are well-behaved and sensible. Mother is afraid that you will be deceived by others."
Xu Yourong was finally satisfied. She gathered her silk shawl around her and turned to go out.
**
The golden sun sets in the west, clouds roll in the sky, and there is a pharmacy on Ma Xing Street.
Zhe Rou had been busy all day and only now sat down at her desk, sorting out the account books of the past few days and roughly calculating the gross profit of these days. A few rays of twilight filtered through the window, casting a soft, warm color on her profile.
After deducting the rent for half a month and the various costs of purchasing medicinal materials, hiring assistants, etc., the net profit was about two strings of cash.
Zhe Rou's mood suddenly became relaxed.
Although two strings of cash was not much, and was pitifully small compared to Lu Chen's salary, it was money she earned herself, and was enough for her to live an ordinary life. If she managed it carefully, she would earn even more, and it would not be difficult for her to support herself.
Zhe Rou put away the abacus and was about to get up when she suddenly heard hurried footsteps outside the store. She looked up and saw Pingchuan hurriedly stepping over the threshold and walking into the house.
"Madam, something's happened to my husband! Do you want to go back to the mansion to check?"
Zhe Rou's heart suddenly tightened, and she forced herself to calm down and asked, "What's wrong?"
Pingchuan's expression was slightly evasive, and after a few words, he spoke: "I heard from Nanheng that during the Imperial Guards' selection competition today, a general's weapon slipped out of his hand. The general was caught off guard and was stabbed by the flying spear. The wound was quite deep, and half of his body was bleeding..."
Half of his body was bleeding.
The scene of that year in the Western Qiang Desert flashed before his eyes. Lu Chen was seriously injured and buried among the dead, covered in blood and dying.
Zhe Rou felt her heart pounding, and for a moment she could no longer care about anything else. She immediately ordered Pingchuan to harness the carriage, and she wanted to go back and take a look in person.
The carriage stopped outside the gate of Lu Mansion. As soon as Zhe Rou entered the small courtyard where the study was located, she smelled a familiar bitter medicinal smell, mixed with a few faint wisps of blood. Suddenly, her stomach cramped and she had to stop and relax.
Xiaochan quickly supported her and asked with concern, "Madam, are you okay?"
Zhe Rou shook her head and continued walking forward. Several of her followers were just exiting the house. Seeing Zhe Rou, they all crossed their arms and saluted. Zhe Rou also nodded slightly in greeting.
After watching these attendants leave, Zhe Rou stepped into the study and saw Lu Chen sitting on the bamboo couch in front of the window, shirtless. His muscles were lean and strong. A thin white cloth was wrapped around his chest, passed over his left shoulder, and a glaring blood color was visible under his collarbone.
It was obvious that the wound was quite serious, and even after using gold medicine, it continued to bleed.
Lu Chen looked up and saw that it was her approaching. He was stunned for a moment and called out in a low voice, "Miss?"
His face was pale, and there was no trace of blood on his lips, which made his eyes look even darker and deeper.
Zhe Rou pursed her lips. To be honest, she felt a little uncomfortable.
Seeing Zhe Rou staring at his wound, Lu Chen subconsciously reached for his outer robe, wanting to put it on to cover it up. Unexpectedly, Zhe Rou raised her hand to hold him down, frowning and scolding him: "What are you doing?"
She always spoke in a gentle voice, rarely expressing dissatisfaction or rebuke like this. Lu Chen was stunned for a moment, but he slightly raised the corners of his lips and obediently withdrew his hand.
"Why are you so careless?"
Meeting her gaze, Lu Chen paused for a moment. After a moment, he said lightly, "It's just some superficial injuries. It's nothing serious. It will be fine after a few days of rest."
It sounded easy to hear him say it, but looking at the bright red blood on the fine cloth, Zhe Rou felt her throat tighten and turned her head away.
Lu Chen seemed to be in a very good mood, with a hint of a cheerful smile in his dark eyes. He pulled the man closer and said, "The pharmacy is still open at this hour. Why are you back?"
Seeing that he was asking knowingly, Zhe Rou frowned and didn't want to pay attention, but Lu Chen lifted her chin, stared into her eyes, and asked softly: "Miss, do you feel sorry for me?"
The two looked at each other for a moment, and without waiting for Zhe Rou to answer, Lu Chen lowered his head and kissed her deeply, sucking on her rosy lips, and then hooked his tongue around hers and kissed her deeply.
His kiss on her lips was tender and lingering, but his arms around her slender waist were strong and powerful, holding her tightly in his arms almost without any explanation.
It was as if all her breath had been robbed. Zhe Rou wanted to break free, but she didn't dare to use any force. She could only whimper, her fingertips digging deep into his smooth back.
Lu Chen seemed to be getting more and more excited, their lips and tongues entwined, and it took a long while before he finally stopped, panting softly, and resting his forehead against hers, "Miss, let's be good. Please forgive me, okay?"
Perhaps it was because they were too close, the bitter smell of herbs wrapped in the fine cloth, mixed with waves of sweet and fishy smell of blood, seeped out in strands and went straight into her nose. Zhe Rou felt as if she was being pulled by countless thin and tough fishing lines, which made her head hurt and her stomach churn.
Zhe Rou tried to hold back but still couldn't suppress it. She quickly pushed Lu Chen's naked right shoulder away, turned her head and retched twice.
Lu Chen's expression changed, and he hugged her again, "Miss? What's wrong with you?"
Zhe Rou shook her head and was about to say that she was fine, when in a flash, an idea suddenly flashed through her mind. She opened her mouth and her heart began to pound.
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