Mei Niang, Cui Xi and Cui Si sat in Li Qiuge's carriage towards Cen's residence. They didn't see anyone special following them on the road. They thought that if the King of Qi wanted to follow them, his people were not stupid and would definitely not do anything conspicuous. So they didn't care about it anymore and didn't care about the consequences. They just did as Cui Xi said. When they arrived at the preserved fruit shop, they pretended to get off the car to buy food. After the master and servant entered the store, they asked the shop owner to put down the thin bamboo door curtain, saying that they wanted to choose carefully and slowly and didn't want to be disturbed by other customers. As soon as the thin bamboo door curtain was lowered, Cui Xi put some silver on the counter. The three of them immediately opened the back door and went out, walked to another street, and got into Lin Amao's carriage. Lin Amao was smart and heard Cui Xi say that he wanted to get rid of something. Seeing that there was someone, she immediately drove the car into the narrow alleys. Not only were there many turns, but the road was also bumpy, which almost shocked Mei Niang. She no longer had the idea of getting rid of the gaze. When she heard that they had turned to the vicinity of Qin's house, she simply went to her parents' home again. She originally came because she was worried about Qin Boqing's participation in the imperial examination, but Mrs. Qin scolded her with a sullen face, saying that it was against the rules to go to her parents' home every day. Mei Niang was very depressed. Fortunately, Qin Boqing and Feng understood her feelings, and her brother and sister-in-law worked together to comfort her. Feng even ignored the difficulty of walking and insisted on sending her sister-in-law out with her husband. Mei Niang was afraid that she would be tired from standing for too long, so she didn't stay for long, got in the car directly, and waved goodbye.
They returned safely to Tsinghua Courtyard in the Xu Mansion. It was already dark and Xu Junying had not come back yet. Mei Niang had just breathed a sigh of relief when Mother Wang came in and gave her another lecture, which made her feel uneasy and she wanted to curse.
Mother Wang was not happy that she had sneaked out of the house again. The old maid was addicted to patrolling the garden in the morning. She went to the front yard and saw Bai Zhan and a few people playing chess and playing with birds there. Bai Zhan gave Mei Niang a guard and followed her out of the house. She knew it. When she returned to Qinghua Courtyard, she asked whether the grandmother had returned from Ziyun Hall. The little girl said that she had returned but left without eating lunch. Mother Wang hurriedly called Cui Lian to ask. Cui Lian heard Mei Niang tell Bai Jingyu in Ziyun Hall that she would not go to Jinhua Hall at night, so she knew that she would return late. She could not hide it from Mother Wang, so she had to tell the truth and told her that the grandmother took Cui Xi and Cui Si out of the house through the back door. Mother Wang was worried and anxious: What is Mei Niang doing? Recently, the Marquis has become more and more concerned about her and has been more lenient. Not only does he allow her to do what she likes, but he also allows her to enter and leave the Marquis's house freely and assigns her guards. It can be seen that she is becoming more and more favored. What if the Marquis marries a concubine in the future? As long as Lord Hou entered Mei Niang's room and Mei Niang gave birth to a child for him, this good life would be set in stone and would never change! But now she didn't know how to cherish it and even did those sneaky things, running out of the mansion without Lord Hou's knowledge. If he knew about it and got angry, he would ignore her again, what should she do
Mei Niang silently recited the word "patience" in her heart, and let Wang Mama nag in her ear. She just took a small bamboo stick to pick up the raisins on the plate and ate them. When Wang Mama paused, she handed one to her: "Mom, have one? It's sweet, not sour!"
Mother Wang turned her head and looked at her with a reproachful look: "Grandma just won't listen, and is becoming more and more like a naughty child! She runs out of the house every day and sees too many outsiders, so she has become like this! Let's not open the store anymore. The Marquis is now living in the upper room, and you have to serve him well. You have won the Marquis's heart, so what do you want? The Jingyuan is just being renovated and put into use. I heard from Bai Zhan that the Marquis will not let the eldest grandma move out. If he wants to marry a new grandma, he has to wait until the East Courtyard is renovated..."
Mei Niang stretched lazily: "I'm so sleepy, I want to lie down for a while, Cui Xi Cui Lian!"
Cui Lian hurriedly said, "Cui Si, prepare some hot water right away. I'll get some clothes for grandma to take a bath and change clothes!"
"Take a shower, change clothes, and come out awake. Why are you still sleeping? I'm sleepy now!"
"You can't sleep even if you're tired!" Mother Wang put on an old-timer's face and glanced at Cui Xi and Cui Lian. "I'll help Grandmother bathe and change clothes. I can't make it to Jinhua Hall in time, so I'll serve food in the courtyard. Eat half full first, and then eat more when Master comes back!"
Mei Niang was speechless. There was nothing she could do. Mother Wang treated Qin Mei Niang like a mother and daughter. She was a wet nurse and nanny who raised her since she was a child. Her love and protection for Mei Niang was completely instinctive and the most natural maternal instinct. She defined Mother Wang as being similar to Madam Qin, a mother-like person and she did not want to offend her.
After bathing, she put on a set of light green quilted satin embroidered home clothes, a short jacket with narrow sleeves, and thin cotton trousers with the same color piping. She dried her hair and tied it into a loose bun, with only two pearl-studded gold butterfly hairpins pinned on her temples. Her fresh and simple outfit, without any makeup, made her skin look naturally tender and bright. She sat on the couch with her head down, looking through the account books, like a lotus just out of water, pure and beautiful.
At midnight, Mei Niang finished reading the account book and saw Wang Mama taking Cheng Er to the kitchen, so she practiced handstand for a while. She felt a little hungry, and just as she turned over, she heard the maid at the door announce, "The Lord is back!"
Xu Junying walked into the room and glanced at the couch first. Mei Niang came down after putting on her shoes and bowed to him from a distance:
"Master Hou is back!"
Xu Junying hummed, his eyes never leaving her face: "You left the house today, without Bai Zhan!"
Mei Niang rolled her eyes and said, "I can't find him!"
"Well, let him wait at the gate from tomorrow!"
Xu Junying's displeasure disappeared as her eyes moved. His expression was much more relaxed than when he first came in. He said nothing more and instructed Cui Lian:
"Find me a change of clothes and prepare some hot water. I've been out all day and need to take a shower..."
Then he looked at Mei Niang: "Tell them to bring some food, I haven't eaten yet!"
Mei Niang said casually, "Master Hou, please take a shower and change your clothes first. Cheng'er is going to serve the meal and will be here soon!"
Mother Wang is really amazing. She guessed that he didn’t come back for dinner
Xu Junying smiled slightly, nodded, and was led to the inner room by Cui Lian.
Cheng'er brought in a food box with a maid, and put the hot food on the table. Xu Junying also came out after washing, and changed into a jade-colored soft satin embroidered robe. He sat down at the table with Mei Niang, but found that he was the only one eating. Mei Niang was eating beef noodles, and she was not satisfied:
"Why are there two kinds of food on one table?"
Mei Niang said, "I just ate some, and now I'm going to have a midnight snack with Lord Hou. I asked Madam Cai to cook me a bowl of noodles!"
Xu Junying pushed a bowl over: "I want some noodles too!"
Mei Niang looked at him and said, "Master Hou, please eat your meal. This noodle is only suitable for me."
"Give me half!"
Mei Niang took the chopsticks, divided the noodles in half, and even divided the soup, and pushed the bowl over: "Eat it, eat it all, don't waste the food!"
Xu Junying watched her lower her head, pick up a noodle with chopsticks in an elegant manner, suck it slowly, chew it with relish, and then he also took a big mouthful. Just as he lowered his head to hold the noodle in his mouth, he paused. Cuixi and Cuilian looked at him worriedly. Cuisi wanted to laugh but didn't dare to laugh, but Meiniang laughed so hard that her body shook. It took a while for her to stop. Xu Junying had already swallowed the noodle, raised his head and glared at her. Cuixi handed him a warm handkerchief but he didn't take it, and ordered Cuisi: "Go and get the candied dates!"
After eating three or four sweet and sticky dates, the spiciness finally subsided. Xu Junying breathed a sigh of relief and said, "How can you eat such spicy food? It will hurt your body! Cuixi, take away the two bowls of noodles and let Grandma eat!"
Mei Niang hurriedly held the bowl of noodles: "You can't eat it, but I can! I don't eat it every day, I eat it occasionally, as medicine!"
"Who said that? Chili pepper can be used as medicine?"
"Of course! If you don't believe me, ask Zhang Jingyun and Lingxuzi..."
Xu Junying's eyes were uncertain: "Did they let you eat it?"
"No! I have never eaten chili peppers since I was a child..." Mei Niang looked at Cui Xi and the others and changed her words: "I have never eaten chili peppers since I was a child. I started eating chili peppers after I got that serious illness! Lord Hou, please eat quickly, or the food will get cold. Cui Xi, serve Lord Hou some rice. I won't eat the noodles anymore. Please leave!"
Xu Junying said nothing more and ate in silence with his head down. Mei Niang did not let the maids go out today, and she did not speak on her own initiative, so the two of them did not talk. Until they finished their meal, cleared the dishes and took hot water and tea to wash their hands and rinse their mouths, Xu Junying asked Cui Xi and the others to go down first.
Mei Niang asked, "Does Lord Hou have anything to say?"
Xu Junying looked at her: "Nothing to say, and there's no need for them to always stand by!"
Mei Niang pointed to several exquisite bamboo embroidery baskets on the five-head cabinet and said, "They have been doing needlework here all the time. The maids on night duty can sit in the side room next door. Now that you have taken it, they have no choice but to stand at the door!"
"It's warm now, so standing at the door won't be a problem. There are rooms over there. They can go to one of them and do needlework. That's fine!"
Xu Junying was a little absent-minded: "You went out of the house today and went to Xiankelai again? Did you see Zhang Jingyun and the others?"
"I saw him, said a few words, and came back!"
Mei Niang covered her mouth with the back of her hand and yawned: "Sir, aren't you going to read the official documents? I'll read a book here and then I'll rest!"
Xu Junying said: "My people saw the three of you in front of the preserved fruit shop on the street today. You were wearing a mask, so they couldn't recognize you, but they recognized Cui Xi and Cui Si. They used an excuse to stop the King of Qi's people... Someone else followed you to the Qin Mansion and escorted you back - Bai Zhan, you're punished!"
Mei Niang stared at him: "Why are you punishing Bai Zhan? What does it have to do with him? If you want to punish me, just say it... Your people, I can get away without your people!"
Xu Junying said with a stern face: "Bai Zhan failed in his duty. He knew how you left the palace before and should have thought that you might go out through another door. He was not prepared to follow you out and protect you. Don't think that the people of the King of Qi are so easy to fool. Those men interfered. I really want them to go back and tell the King of Qi who you are!"
"Who am I? I am..."
"You'd better not provoke the King of Qi! Don't you understand? He is..."
Mei Niang snorted: "Everyone knows that he is a short-sleeved man!"
Xu Junying's face changed for a moment, then returned to normal: "Then why are you bothering to hide from him? He already knows that you are a woman, and he is not willing to let it go. If you let someone follow you, you should let him know that you are a married woman!"
"I know what to do, I will take care of this!"
Mei Niang responded, "In fact, no one knows how to deal with this matter!" (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to vote for recommendations and monthly tickets on Qidian. Your support is my greatest motivation.) (To be continued)