After the winter, Mei Niang became even busier. She met with the housekeepers every day, asked them questions, and handled the chores in the mansion. Ning Rulan did all these things. She mainly focused on checking the accounts and reconciling the money and the physical goods entering the warehouse. She paid special attention to where the money came from, how much it was, what it was earned from, and even how it was done. She would always catch the housekeeper outside the mansion and ask him a lot of questions, get to the bottom of it, and get to know the details. The housekeeper outside the mansion scratched his head and couldn't figure out why the eldest grandmother was so careful and meticulous? The accounts were clear, so could she still suspect that he was embezzling
There were three days before and after the winter solstice. The court granted court officials the right to not go to court and return to the government office. They could sincerely worship their ancestors at home. Mei Niang took this opportunity to spend her time on Xu Junying. No matter how cold he was, she would go to the East Garden to see him every morning, noon and evening, and insisted on having dinner with him. She loved to sleep in. Xu Junying got up before dawn to practice martial arts, and she would never miss it. She had to calculate the time accurately. As soon as he came back from the martial arts training ground, she had to wait in the corridor that he had to pass. The little girl who came to check the news took two or three days. She crawled out of the warm bed by herself, which was the most painful. At this time, she recited the three words "Xu Junying" dozens or hundreds of times in her heart, hoping that he would hear it off.
I was sad at night. Xu Junying was a military commander. He had read military books the most since he was a child. He rarely read classics and history about governing the country. Now that he had defended and managed the northwest border for many years, it was stable and peaceful. The emperor recalled him to the capital to spend a few good days. Naturally, he was often with the emperor in the court. The emperor had to take care of government affairs and could not do without cabinet ministers. He was reluctant to leave him behind, so he pulled him to participate in political discussions. He admired the civil officials who were well-educated, eloquent, and witty. He was ashamed that he had read too little, so he would go into the study to read classics and history whenever he had free time. People who practice martial arts have smooth blood circulation throughout their bodies, and their hands and feet are always warm. They were never allowed to put charcoal fire in the room, and he even didn't want a fumigation cage, so Zheng Meiyu was unhappy and secretly took his clothes to another room to burn incense.
He didn't need to warm himself by the fire, he just sat there reading and writing. Mei Niang was beside him but she was miserable. It was really sad that she had to pretend to be a good wife to this extent. Needlework? My hands were cold and I didn't want to move. Reading like him? I couldn't read any more. I could read the Four Books and Five Classics poems and songs on the bookshelf in simplified Chinese in my previous life. I'll save my eyesight to read the account book tomorrow. The thick and heavy old-style account book would drive people who are used to electronic spreadsheets crazy.
Alas, what's the point of learning to be a beautiful woman? He is not a romantic and elegant man. He disdains to burn incense and read. He only wants a cup of tea. In the past, Zheng Meiyu accompanied him to read at night, and she would stay by his side and add hot tea for him from time to time until late at night, and then go back to Qin Meiniang's upper room to sleep. Dead woman, really vicious enough, using other people's territory to earn other people's husbands, and even dared to ignore Ruizhu Ruibao, the personal maids given by the old lady. No wonder the two girls don't like her.
Mei Niang gave some work to Ruizhu and Ruibao to do while sitting by the fire in the next room. She herself was bored and played with her hand bones. Ruibao came to tell her that her cousin came in from the east corner gate again last night to accompany the master to read. She was annoyed, but her tone was calm: "From now on, I will accompany the master to read at night. The east corner gate should be locked at dark, so don't bother your cousin to walk around."
She asked Madam Wang to investigate thoroughly and to interrogate the night maids who had been guarding the funeral hall for her that night. She found out that the rumor that the cousin of the Zheng family lived with Master Hou every night and that they were already married was just a rumor started by Master Lin. Master Lin's daughter Erniu was a kitchen maid who had had a few words with Cuisi from Tsinghua Court. Somehow, Zheng Meiyu found Erniu and asked her to spread the rumor. She promised that Master Hou would marry her and become the mistress of Tsinghua Court. Then she would let Erniu come in as a maid, wear clean and beautiful silk clothes, and eat exquisite and delicious meals...
Zheng Meiyu, she has an intention as Sima Zhao, she is crazy about marrying Xu Junying, she doesn't even care about her own reputation. She is sure that Xu Junying has to marry her, and she is impatient to wait, so she wants to take advantage of the mourning period for the eldest grandmother to get a status so that she can marry into the family and bring her son with her, right
You can be shameless, but don’t go too far, otherwise you will incur the wrath of both humans and gods, and end up with nothing!
Following Mrs. Zheng's instructions, she prepared some gifts for Zheng Meiyu and sent her home to visit her parents. This heartless child refused to go home during the holidays and didn't even mention going back to take care of her father's medicine when he was sick. What a cruel and ungrateful person! She should be strangled to death for giving birth to such a daughter.
This was the second night that Mei Niang accompanied Xu Junying to study. She didn't know whether Zheng Meiyu was treated the same as her. Xu Junying was a wooden man and only said one sentence to her at the beginning:
"We have the pearls and treasures here. You don't have to accompany me. Just go back!"
She responded, "Mr. Hou has worked hard studying, and I am just sitting here doing nothing!"
He then fell silent, opened his book and started reading, never speaking again. No matter how she looked at him, he was focused and attentive. Occasionally, he would reach out for tea and drink it. When he finished the tea, he would leave the lid of the teacup open and remain silent. Mei Niang would go out to the corridor and fetch the kettle to add water for him and then close the lid.
Along a long corridor, there were three or four open doors with lights coming through. Xu Junying was very nice to his servants. The old women, maids and servants did not need to stand in the cold under the corridor; they could just stay in the house, warm themselves by the fire and wait for orders.
As a grandmother, she was asking for trouble. She sat in the study with him and sat in the cold. He didn't want fire, so couldn't she bring a brazier in? You're cold, aren't you? Go back to your room!
Mei Niang repeated this question in her mind hundreds of times: should I go or not? She persisted until the first watch drum sounded, and Xu Junying closed the book and breathed a sigh of relief.
Xu Junying was going to the purification room and sending Mei Niang back to the upper room. In the past, when Zheng Meiyu came, he would send her away at this time. He would continue reading when he came back and would not go to bed until the second watch.
Mei Niang peeked at him. He often stays up late, but he is still so energetic, with no dark circles under his eyes, straight eyebrows, and clear and bright eyes. What kind of magical skill did he practice? If possible, teach me how to practice it. In my previous life, I looked a few days older after staying up all night. I am most afraid of staying up late.
On the third day, Zheng Meiyu returned home. Mei Niang asked Cui Si to go to Dongyuan and talk to Ruizhu Jewelry:
"Grandma has caught a cold and is not feeling well, so she won't be here to accompany Master Hou to study tonight. Please take care of me, sisters. Remember to add more tea for Master Hou!"
Zheng Meiyu is the only one who has the hobby of accompanying his child to study. Since she is not at home and cannot be close to Xu Junying, she does not need to suffer that pain.
But she didn't expect Xu Junying to not come back to the courtyard for dinner, nor did he send anyone back to report. She asked the little girl to go out and find out, and she came back at dusk to report:
"Mr. Hou went out to visit friends this morning, and is now having dinner in the old lady's room. Only the old lady, Mr. Hou, and Miss Zhuang are sitting around the table. There is no one else!"
Mei Niang's mind immediately flashed with Zhuang Yulan's affectionate eyes and Xu Junying's handsome face. She couldn't help but put her hand on her forehead and sighed: It's hard to guard against. It's hard to bear just as a wife. How can I bear it as a lover? (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)