The fresh ice from the ice cellar is bitingly cold when applied to the face.
The chief steward watched from the side gasping for breath, couldn't help frowning and said, "Second Master, why don't you go to the imperial doctor to have a look?"
Chu Yu covered the ice pack, and after a while said: "So that people can see the jokes of the Hou Mansion?"
The chief steward knew that he had made a slip of the tongue, so he quickly apologized. Chu Yu waved his hand, not paying attention.
The fingertips were a little stiff from the cold, and the melted water flowed between the fingers, around the wrists and into the cuffs, making it uncomfortable and cold. Chu Yuquan acted as if he was ignorant and unaware, and remained motionless.
Seeing this, the chief manager was hesitant to speak, hesitating for a long time: "Second Lord... I don't know if I should say something..."
Chu Yu seemed to have recovered, and looked at the chief steward of the Hou Mansion lightly.
The man in front of him is a very important old man in the Hou Mansion, and it's rare for him to be clear about it.
"You've already asked this question, so let's talk about it." Chu Yu said with downcast eyes.
The chief steward hesitated for a moment, as if he wanted to come up with the right words: "Second master, although this old slave is not born in a family, he also watched Hou Ye grow up. Hou Ye was not like this before. Chongyi's child, later the old Hou Ye left, Meng...cough, later Hou Ye was afraid that he would not be able to get over the hurdle in his heart, so he became what he is today."
Chu Yu said calmly: "You want to say that it's all my fault that he became like this?"
The chief steward hurriedly shook his head: "Of course not. The second master has put so much effort into the Hou's mansion. Others don't know me, don't you know? If the second master hadn't been in charge of the Hou's mansion these years, I'm afraid the Hou's mansion would not be able to hold on long ago... Second master , people often say that there is no overnight feud between husband and wife, there are too many misunderstandings between you and Lord Hou. To say something presumptuous, Second Master might as well lower your figure, open the skylight with Lord Hou and explain clearly... "
"Why do you want me to lower my figure?" Chu Yu looked like a cat whose tail had been trampled on. His eyes were full of resistance and guard, and he said coldly, "There are so many people who want to be humble to Qin Zheng. Isn't Silver Hook Lane always a low-brow and pleasing person? Isn't he ridiculous enough in his daily life?"
Seeing that Second Master misunderstood the meaning of his words, the chief manager hurriedly explained: "Second Master, Hou Ye has a temperament that takes soft things but not tough ones..."
Chu Yu stood up abruptly, his handsome figure like green bamboo swayed slightly, supporting the table with one hand, his head was lowered, his long eyelashes covered his beautiful eyes, making it hard to see his emotions clearly.
After a long time, he heard him whisper: "Oh, Meng Hanyi has a submissive temperament, and he must have the ability to marry."
When the chief steward heard the words Meng Hanyi, he closed his mouth consciously.
Some words can be said, some words cannot be said.
Some people can mention it, some people can't.
Meng Hanyi is the one that cannot be mentioned in this family. The chief steward sighed from the bottom of his heart, speaking of Meng Hanyi, he was a poor child. He was originally from a scholarly family, but later his family fell into disrepair, and after several twists and turns, he fell into the hands of a prostitute and was sold to Shangjing.
At that time, Qin Zheng was still young, and he was born in a general family, his mind was full of chivalry and righteousness, and he would draw his sword to help when the road was injustice. Accidentally rescued Meng Hanyi who was almost sold into a brothel from the prostitute. Meng Hanyi is elegant and handsome, so he read with Young Master Qin as a companion, a childhood sweetheart, a childhood sweetheart.
The friendship that has been accumulated over the years has already slowly grown a different kind of beautiful flowers with the green radish outside the window. The two love each other and promise each other for a lifetime. But Meng Hanyi was unlucky. When the old Hou Ye was dying, the famous second son of the Chu family came to the door.
No one knew what the old Hou Ye said to Chu Yu that night.
On the second day, Lord Hou summoned everyone from the Hou mansion.
That was the beginning of Qin Zheng's nightmare...
To this day, the chief steward still clearly remembers what happened that day.
The disfigured old Hou Ye has long lost his prestige of dominating the battlefield in the past. His eyes are wide open, like withered old tree bark, and his hoarse voice is deep and firm: "After I die, Zheng'er will marry Chu Yu as his wife. The mistress of the Hou Mansion will only be Chu Yu."
It was Qin Zheng who was shocked.
The one with tears in his eyes was Meng Hanyi.
Only Chu Yu was as quiet as a waveless lake.
Qin Zheng stared at him blankly, not understanding what his father was talking about, but he knew that this person in front of him was going to ruin the vows he had with Hanyi.
Old Hou Ye coughed violently in his chest.
"Father...Dad, what are you talking about...Dad, don't leave, Daddy..." Qin Zheng couldn't help but burst into tears. His father was the unrivaled hero in his heart, the great general among ten thousand people, and the king of the Hou Mansion. .
The spirit of the old Hou Ye had already begun to be in a trance, his thoughts seemed to have become chaotic, and he muttered to himself: "Zheng'er, my Zheng'er... don't be afraid, go forward. Zheng'er...you have to be filial Your mother, it's not easy for her... When I was young, I suffered too much... Life was hard at that time... "
"Father, I..." Qin Zheng choked up crying.
The old master stretched out his hand and slowly stroked Qin Zheng's head: "And your sister, she is still young and ignorant, you have to teach her well... Zheng'er, when did you get married? Dad hasn't seen you looking for a wife yet. Those who are in harmony with each other, live a good life together, father has not seen his grandson... "
Holding the back of Qin Zheng's hand with one hand, he passed his trembling fingertips into the palm of Old Hou Ye.
Qin Zheng remembered that the hand was warm. He turned his face to the side, and saw through tears that Chu Yu still had the gentle side face of a young man.
Chu Yu knelt in front of the old master, and said softly, "Father, am I not here?"
Old Hou Ye has reached the end of his life, and his mind is confused: "Which family are you from, you are so handsome..."
Chu Yu held the hands of Lord Hou and Qin Zheng tightly: "Father, I am your daughter-in-law."
There was a trace of serenity on the old Hou Ye's face: "Okay, okay..."
Chu Yu looked into the eyes of the old Hou Ye and said seriously: "Father, don't worry. I will take good care of the Hou's mansion, my mother and sister, and my husband..." His voice suddenly became very soft: "Even if it is used I would not hesitate to change my life.”
After hearing this, Old Hou Ye suddenly became quiet and looked at Qin Zheng motionlessly.
Qin Zheng couldn't help shaking his head, his clothes were wet with tears.
Old Hou Ye just opened his eyes and died.
Others stroked him three times, but failed to close the old Hou Ye's eyelids, and did not wait for his son's reply, so he died with regret.
Qin Zheng knelt in front of the old master and broke down crying: "Father! I listen to you! I will marry Chu Yu!"
After hearing these words, Old Hou Ye was willing to close his eyes and rest in peace.
The door slammed, and Meng Hanyi rushed out.
From that moment on, they have embarked on this road of no return...
After seven days of lingering, on the eighth day, Chu Yu married into the Qin family.
Three years of filial piety should not have been arranged for weddings, otherwise it is considered unfilial. But even so, Chu Yu would rather bear the accusations and infamy of thousands of people and marry in.
It was drizzling on the day Chu Yu got married.
There is no procession to welcome relatives, no joy of playing bombs.
He walked all the way from the Yasukuni Mansion to the Zhenbeihou Mansion in plain clothes, and the sixty-eight dowries behind him were all covered with white silk flowers.
When the chief steward went out to meet him, he felt that the world had lost its luster.
The white ones are his clothes, and the black ones are his hair.
Like snow drifting in the drizzle, its outlines flickering.
Chu Yu entered the mourning hall, without looking at Qin Zheng and Meng Hanyi who were snuggling up to guard the spirit beside him, and kowtowed three long heads.
Then a green rattan chair was placed at the gate of Zhenbei Hou Mansion.
Sitting there, he raised his chin and said coldly to those who came to sacrifice with their own ghosts: "I have entered the door of the Hou's mansion, and I am half of the head of the Hou's mansion. No matter who the father-in-law offended before he was alive, the dead are the most important. Anyone who dares to cause trouble in the Beihou Mansion of my town must first weigh whether he can afford to offend Duke Jing's mansion!"
After finishing speaking, it was Lao Hou Ye's funeral ceremony. Chu Yu walked in the front in a white wedding dress. Along the way, there are 389 families, 120 high gates, 70 official residences, 20 high-ranking ministers, 10 dukes' residences, and 3 centuries-old families.
All of them set incense on the altar and send each other off when they go out.
That year, Chu Yu was sixteen years old.
The shoulders of the young boy supported the entire Zhenbeihou Mansion.