The shampoo fruit tree planted by Xu Shichu in the yard was actually moved out from her companion space. Her caravan business is now flourishing, and she often brings back some rare and exotic things from foreign countries, including flowers, trees and seeds.
Xu Shichu used this to cover up her tracks and did not arouse anyone's suspicion. After all, she had sold those foreign seeds to others to grow.
Mrs. Li and Mrs. Hou were both very interested in the champagne fruit and peeled a few to eat.
"It has a rich aroma and tastes sweet and slightly sour, not bad." The Marquis's expression became relaxed while eating, but her mouth was still very proud.
Xu Shichu also gave each of them a basket for them to take home to eat.
Luo Changqing had just returned home and changed his clothes when the butler came forward to report that the wife of the Marquis of Zhen'an and Madam Li had come to see the stepmother today.
"What kind of relationship does Madam have with them?" Luo Changqing asked curiously. He knew that Madam Li was the only person Xu Shichu could talk to, but he didn't know what kind of relationship Madam Zhen'an had with Xu Shichu.
The butler was very sharp-eyed and had naturally found out everything, so he replied, "It is said that the wife of the Marquis of Zhen'an came with gifts to personally thank our wife because she gave her a good idea to teach her son."
Luo Changqing was immediately interested after hearing this and asked, "What did the stepmother come up with? What happened to the son of the wife of the Marquis of Zhen'an?"
The chief steward said: "Before, the eldest son of the Marquis of Zhen'an had a lot of trouble because of a woman from the martial arts world. He wanted to go against his parents' orders and marry that woman of unknown origin, and almost became enemies with his family.
The family of Marquis Zhen'an was at a loss as to what to do. Madam Li told our Madam about the troubles of his brother and sister-in-law, and she gave them an idea. She asked Marquis Zhen'an to send his eldest son to a poor and remote mountain village to be a farmer, so that he could experience firsthand how difficult it was for powerless people to farm and support themselves.
The eldest son suffered a lot, so he completely recognized the reality and went home obediently. He never talked about marrying that Jianghu girl again, let alone leaving the family. "
Luo Changqing chuckled after hearing this. His step-wife was quite smart. Only someone who had truly suffered could come up with such an idea.
Luo Changqing recalled that Xu Shichu had been starving and freezing since she was seven or eight years old. When she was a little older, she had to follow her wet nurse to embroider some things to exchange for money to support herself. Her life was worse than that of the third-class maidservant around her stepmother...
In the past, he did not feel much when he knew that Xu Shichu had been mistreated before she got married. He just thought it was none of his business as a bystander, and he felt sympathy but not heartache. But now when he thought of it, he felt a little upset and uncomfortable in his heart.
Thinking of this, he waved his hand and asked the butler to go to the warehouse to pick out some things for Xu Shichu, as if he was compensating Xu Shichu for the suffering he had endured in his childhood.
When Xu Shichu received those things, he was puzzled, so he asked the butler: "Why did your master give me these things for no reason?"
The butler remembered that before the master ordered the lady to send something, he was talking about the lady giving advice to the wife of the Marquis of Zhen'an, so he felt that he understood the master's idea and said:
"Maybe it's a reward for Madam's hospitality to the Marquis of Zhen'an today."
So Xu Shichu immediately started to think in the wrong way, thinking that Luo Changqing rewarded her with something because he saw that she had a good relationship with the wife of the Marquis of Zhen'an and that it would be beneficial to the Prime Minister's Mansion.
She immediately accepted it with peace of mind.
On the other side, the wife of the Marquis of Zhen'an, who had returned with a basket of champagne fruits sent by Xu Shichu, returned to the mansion. As soon as she entered the corridor from the outer courtyard, she saw her eldest son coming towards her.
"Mother, are you back from visiting friends?" The eldest son respectfully bowed to the marquis's wife and greeted her.
The marquis's wife looked at her eldest son with mixed feelings and nodded calmly. Seeing this, the eldest son suddenly became uneasy, wondering if he had annoyed her in that way again.
Seeing his panic and worry, which he could not hide, the Marquis's wife became even more upset. She waved her hand and said, "Go and do your own thing. Don't worry about me."
Since the eldest son came back, he has become a different person. He has lost his former arrogance and has become a little timid instead.
He was originally a typical young man from a wealthy family, with fair complexion, gentle manners and refined manners. However, after suffering a lot in the mountain village, he turned into a big man with a rough and dark complexion and a strong body, and his former gentle temperament was no longer visible.
Although the Marquis's wife was happy to see her son turn over a new leaf, she was no longer happy when she saw him become like this. After all, he was the eldest son who she once had high hopes for, but now he had exposed more of his shortcomings. Even someone as kind-hearted as the Marquis's wife would not be happy in her heart.
"Oh!" The marquis's wife sighed and walked into her main courtyard.
"Why are you sighing?" Marquis Zhen'an happened to come to see her and asked.
The Marquis's wife rolled her eyes and said, "It's your eldest son. Whenever I see him now, I wonder if I didn't teach him well enough to make him like this. Do you think he can take on big responsibilities and support the Marquis's Mansion?"
The Marquis of Zhen'an said indifferently: "If he can't, doesn't he still have his younger son?"
"I'm afraid that if the youngest son is made the heir, the brothers will become enemies!" said the Marquis's wife worriedly.
"Madam, you are really worrying. With us here, how dare they fight against each other? If they make me angry, I will ask Your Majesty to take back the title and not give it to anyone else!" Marquis Zhen'an said very calmly.
Madam Hou was shocked: "Are you willing to do that?"
“What’s there to be reluctant about? Capable descendants can make a living and start a family. As for those who are incompetent, even if they inherit the title, it’s ok if they can maintain the success. The most worrying thing is that they can’t accomplish anything but cause trouble. Losing the title may save their lives.” Marquis Zhen’an is very open-minded.
Seeing her husband so open-minded, the marquis felt relieved.
"What kind of fruit is this? Can it be eaten?" Marquis Zhen'an curiously picked up the fruit in the basket. He had never seen this kind of fruit before.
"It's edible. It's a new kind of fruit that Luo Xiang's wife gave me. She said it was transplanted from a foreign country. It's sweet and delicious, and tastes a bit like mango and coconut from the southern barbarians." The marquis's wife replied.
Marquis Zhen'an immediately peeled one and ate it. After taking a bite, his eyes lit up and he ate faster. It was obvious that the taste was very much to his liking.
He ate most of the basket of champignons.
“Uh—” After burping, the Marquis of Zhen’an sniffed it and said jokingly, “Even your burps smell good after eating this fruit. I’ll ask Madam Luo to send more next time!”
After he said it, he didn't take it to heart, but he didn't expect that because of this fruit, he would be ridiculed by others.