The next day, Meng Chang lost all his money again and added another 1,000 guan of debt, which he borrowed from Wang Zhenfu. Because the gambling house knew his identity, they dared not force him to pay back the debt, nor were they willing to continue to lend him money. When he returned home, he was penniless, and his foreign debts, including interest, totaled more than 2,600 guan.
One string of money was worth several hundred coins, and more than two thousand strings of money was not a small sum even for a wealthy family. Meng Chang's title of Duke was not low, and his annual salary was only this amount.
Meng Chang cried and expressed deep regret in front of Lady Huarui: I even lost Furong's jewelry and clothes. I am not a human being. When I calm down from this, I will definitely treat Furong well.
Madam Huarui had mixed feelings after hearing this. On the one hand, she was so disappointed to see her husband like this; but on the other hand, Meng Chang's feelings of guilt were very sincere. In the past, no one except Meng Chang had ever treated her a little bit better. Madam Huarui softened her heart.
Meng Chang was at a loss, but Lady Huarui was still sober. She immediately asked: Wang Zhenfu lent you the money for a purpose. What did he ask for
Meng Chang said: He asked me to come back and beg Furong, and asked you to plead for him in front of the inspector Guodu. As long as I can keep my official position, he will return the IOU and I won't have to pay back the money.
We can't meet this condition. Lady Huarui said with certainty that General Guo was not the emperor of Shu, and he would not play with the administration of officials. Wang Zhenfu lost his job not only because he offended someone, but he himself was a corrupt official.
Meng Chang frowned and said: How can I pay back the money
Madam Huarui pondered and said: You don't have to pay it back, you can even refuse to pay the money owed to the gambling house, no one dares to force you for a little money.
Alas, Meng Chang said helplessly.
Lady Huarui clasped her hands together and paced back and forth for a few steps: "But we can't owe money to people like Wang Zhenfu. Alang should stay away from him, otherwise there will be trouble. I went to Jingniang to borrow money. Two thousand six hundred strings of cash is too much. I can only ask for one thousand strings of cash to pay back Wang Zhenfu first."
Meng Chang said nothing.
Madam Huarui glanced at him with a sad face: "Alang, I am doing this for your own good. Wang Zhenfu must not befriend you. The most difficult thing in the world is to borrow money. It is very embarrassing. It is more painful for me to help you borrow money than to pawn your jewelry and clothes. Can you listen to me for once?"
Meng Chang nodded vigorously and said: I have made up my mind this time that I will never gamble again.
Lady Huarui sighed and said: After I borrowed the money, I would not give it to you. I would ask Wei Zhong to take the IOU back. But you will not ask Wang Zhenfu to borrow money again, right
No, Meng Chang gritted his teeth and said.
So Lady Huarui asked the eunuch Wei Zhong to meet with Jingniang.
Jingniang was indeed a person who was nostalgic, and she came very quickly. Lady Huarui packed up, and she was left with only old clothes, without a single expensive piece of jewelry. She looked at herself in the mirror, and she didn't look like a noble lady at all, and she felt ashamed. As a woman, she was still very competitive and vain, and such a loss of face was as painful to her as exposure.
The most difficult thing is to ask for money. Wouldn't it be even more embarrassing if you are rejected? After all, one thousand strings of cash is not a small amount.
I have no time to clean myself up when I stay at home. Madam Huarui greeted Jingniang when she saw her.
Jingniang completely ignored her words and said directly: Madam asked me to come here, there must be something, let's talk about business first.
I wanted to borrow a thousand strings of cash, but Lady Huarui was biting her lower lip.
No problem. Jingniang said expressionlessly, No need to borrow, I'll give you a thousand strings of cash.
Madam Huarui sighed secretly, knowing that Jingniang was overdrawing on her kindness because she had supported her in the past when she was rich. She whispered again: I don't want General Guo to know, it's embarrassing, I hope Jingniang can keep it a secret for me.
In this case, I cannot withdraw money from the accounting office. The money I have saved privately is not enough. I have to go to Yuzhen Temple first. Jingniang said, can you send it to Madam tomorrow morning
Madam Huarui nodded and said: Okay, don’t be too anxious.
The next morning, Lady Huarui did not find Meng Chang. When Wei Zhong returned from repaying the money, he told her that Meng Chang had borrowed another 2,000 strings of cash from Wang Zhenfu. The total was a 3,000 string of cash IOU, with no interest required. He had repaid the 1,000 strings that Jingniang had given him, leaving 2,000 strings of debt.
Madam Huarui sat down on the chair all of a sudden, and sat there in a daze, unable to utter a word.
At midnight, Meng Chang returned home again in a depressed mood. Lady Huarui could not hide her anger and sadness on her face: How did you become like this? What did you say yesterday, Alang? You know I lost all my face for the thousand strings of cash to pull you out of the mud. When I met Jingniang, I wanted to find a crack in the ground to crawl into. But you lost another two thousand strings of cash so easily. How can we live like this
Meng Chang was stunned for a moment, and said with a sad face: It's really boring to stay in the house. I just wanted to play backgammon, which is similar to the rules of flying chess, and didn't think of borrowing money from Wang Zhenfu. Backgammon is a slow game, and the stakes are small, just to kill time.
Madam Huarui frowned and said, "Isn't Alang already penniless?"
Meng Chang said: Cui'er still hid some private money, and I asked her to give it to me.
After hearing this, Lady Huarui felt very disappointed. It was not easy for a palace maid to save some money.
Meng Chang sighed and said: "I am familiar with the game of backgammon. I often played it in the palace. I won a little money. But that was not enough for me to do anything. I wanted to find two ladies to drink with me. I couldn't help but use the money to bet and it was gone in a moment. So...
Madam Huarui stood up and said angrily: I can't help you. Now I can only default on my debt.
Meng Chang slept all night and was bored again. He ran out despite Madam Huarui's crying and persuading him. Now the officials and clerks in the mansion seemed to have no regard for his freedom at all.
But he ran back quickly and pestered Lady Huarui, saying, "It's just a small official position. Go and ask Jingniang to see if it will help." The officials knew that Jingniang was someone close to Guo Shao, so they would most likely give her some favors.
Why doesn't Wang Zhenfu lend you money? Lady Huarui asked coldly, "It's fine this way. Anyway, if he lends you money, he will lose it all."
Meng Chang said anxiously: "As long as I give you 500 strings of cash, I can get my money back. I beg you, Madam, Furong
It's impossible to return to my origin until I die, Madam Huarui said angrily, and left the hall in a huff.
Meng Chang followed him all the way: I've watched for a few days, and there seems to be a pattern to betting big and small. Before, I got angry when I lost, and I lost money because of that. Now I have thought of a way.
Just then, Wei Zhong ran in and said: Zuo Shaoqing and Jing Niang are here and want to see the madam.
Madam Huarui stopped and stroked her hair. Meng Chang followed, and Madam Huarui whispered: "Don't ask for money. It's shameful enough for Alang to lose his country. They are the ones who attacked and destroyed your country. Even if you lose, you should keep some dignity."
When he arrived at the hall, he saw a large bag of things on the table, and the bulge looked like money. Zuo You smiled and stood up and bowed: "I am here to meet Lady Huarui, Duke of Qin."
Meng Chang bowed in return, and Lady Huarui also knelt slightly and bowed.
Several people sat down again. Jingniang was silent. Zuo You said calmly: There are about 2,000 strings of cash here.
Madam Huarui said: I dare not borrow money from you again.
Madam, please be patient. Zuo You said calmly, the money in our hands is so easy to take from Wang Zhenfu's gambling house, don't think of making a penny. Madam, return the money to Wang Zhenfu first, so as not to lose the right and then the people from the Dali Temple can confiscate the house and take back the principal and interest.
Madam Huarui was stunned and speechless. Meng Chang was also speechless.
Zuo You was calm: "The IOU from the gambling house will be sent back to the Duke of Qin's mansion. But Duke Qin can't go out. Today, the guards in the mansion have been replaced so that Duke Qin can stop gambling. Once this is done, I will report back to the lord." Madam was satisfied with Zuo's way of doing things.
Madam Huarui said: “Thank you very much, General Guo.”
Zuo You said: "No, my lord, you just said one word and then waited for the result. I can still do this."
Meng Chang was dissatisfied at this time: I am under house arrest again
Duke Qin should have been restricted all along, but Governor Wang violated the law and neglected his duties, causing chaos. Zuo You said, I am the Junior Secretary of the Ministry of Rites, I cannot directly manage the affairs here, it will take some time to coordinate.
After he said that, he looked at Meng Chang's face and said with a smile: If Duke Qin likes gambling, my lord's second brother has the same hobby. Let him come to Duke Qin to compete with him one day.
Zuo You was about to leave after he finished speaking. Jing Niang then walked to Madam Huarui and whispered: "Among the guards there is a general named Qin Bao, who is a member of the Guo family. If Madam wants to go out to look for me, she can find him."
Madam Huarui hurriedly said: Thank you, Jingniang.
No need. Jing Niang said stiffly.
After seeing off the guests, Madam Huarui felt relieved, but she was still upset and depressed, and felt that everything around her was smelly. She was a little tired and just wanted to go back to her room to calm down when she heard the sound of sobbing.
She recognized that it was the maid crying, and hurriedly followed the sound, opened the door and looked inside. The maid heard the muffled sound and hurriedly covered her lower body with clothes. Lady Huarui saw her bare legs under her clothes, so she turned around and closed the door, frowned and asked: What happened? Why are you crying
The palace maid held down the clothes on her legs, blushed and lowered her head without saying a word.
Tell me, has anyone bullied you? Madam Huarui asked.
The maid shook her head vigorously and finally whispered: I am sick.
After hearing this, Lady Huarui suddenly understood: Ah Lang infected you with
The palace maid choked and said: It seems so, I only sleep with Alang.
Madam Huarui bolted the door, walked over, and said kindly, "Let me see what's wrong with you. It's okay, don't be afraid, I'll ask someone to get you some medicine to treat it."