Taohuaxi

Chapter 4 The second young lady of the Cheng family

"I said, I am the second young lady of the Cheng family. My husband's family is an official. If you hurt my life, you will not get any good results!"

I wanted to scare him so that he would stop.

The man laughed angrily: "That's nonsense. The second young master of the Cheng family has never married, how can he get the second young mistress?"

The groom trotted over with food. When he saw someone holding a knife to my neck, he panicked and dropped the food on the ground. His body was shaking like chaff: "Second Young Mistress! What's wrong with you? What should I do..."

I shouted: "Go back home quickly and bring someone to rescue me!"

"Ai……"

The coachman agreed, and the seven souls left and the six souls got on the carriage and flew away.

The masked man seemed to be stunned when he saw the groom.

The knife was slowly lowered.

The eyes behind the mask kept looking at me.

I thought, he was indeed afraid.

"Are you really the second young lady of the Cheng family?"

"It's true."

"When did you get married?"

"Yesterday."

He took two steps back and said thoughtfully: "Everyone said that the second young master of the Cheng family is dead. Why would you marry a dead man?"

"When I was young, the marriage contract contained a promise worth a thousand pieces of gold. If a person has no faith, he will not be established, and if a person breaks the promise, his reputation will be ruined. Don't say that he is dead, even if he is now a wanted criminal, he still has to marry." I gritted my teeth and said.

He laughed.

"So, Cheng Laoer is very lucky."

After laughing, he seemed to remember something and said, "Are you from Dongchang Mansion?"

"So what?"

When I came to Yangzhou, my local pronunciation has not changed.He must have heard it.

He punched the long knife on the ground and said: "Shandong is a place where good men come from! I didn't expect that women can be so loyal!"

The men who were his accomplices jumped into the canal to chase Feng Gao, but failed. They all came back and surrounded me angrily.

Just as he was about to say something, a horse jumped out from the east side.

Before I could see clearly, the man on the horse grabbed me onto the horse and galloped away.

"Hey you—"

The man wearing the mask wanted to shout something, but he hesitated.Although I couldn't see his expression, I felt his shock.

My heart was pounding.

Could it be that he has just emerged from the wolf's den and entered the tiger's den again?

I was about to shout, but the man on horseback said anxiously: "Miss, you don't recognize me?"

Such a familiar voice.

It was Qin Mingxu who treated my feet.

The horse galloped into a narrow alley, and the horse stopped with a "soooo" from the other side.

I got off my horse and saw Qin Mingxu wearing a white shirt and looking at me with a smile.

"How did you get to Yangzhou?"

"I was originally going back to Yangzhou by boat. But something happened on the way, so I turned back and headed north. Today, I came back again. I saw you at the Silk Satin Mansion, and the accountant was talking to me. I didn't have time to call you. By the time I finished my work, you had already left. The boy said you were heading towards the ferry, so I rushed over. When I saw you surrounded by several men, it seemed like something was wrong, so I - —”

He said, fearing that I would not understand, "The 'Tian Sheng Tower' is the ancestral property of the Qin family."

When I was in Dongchang Prefecture, I heard about the Thousand Miles Grand Canal, Ten Thousand Tiansheng Towers, and Tiansheng Silk and Satin Shops all over the states. Wherever there is a market town, there is a branch of Tiansheng Tower, which is one of the best in Yangzhou Prefecture. Buy and sell.

"Such a coincidence..." I murmured.

He stroked the horse's back and said, "Isn't it true? I really have a destiny with you."

"Don't talk nonsense!"

As expected, this bastard couldn't make anything right in just a few words.

"Miss, those men on the ferry just now seem to be members of the largest gang in the world, the Tsing Yi Sect..."

"Don't call me miss again. I'm married. Master Qin, please be more respectful." I reminded him.

Only then did he notice that I had put on a bun and no longer wore boudoir makeup.

"So fast," he sighed.

The cunning light in his eyes dimmed.

The joy of reunion and the sudden accident hit the rocks and caused a nameless loss.

He suppressed his laughter and said softly: "How are you these days?"

After hearing this, I felt a little sad.

The expulsion of father and stepmother.The ups and downs of traveling south by boat.I was looked down upon by the gatekeepers of Cheng Mansion and took me through the side door.The old lady was furious and wanted her servants to beat me to death.There was a shocking cry in front of the hall, and she decided to marry the dead second young master.The confrontation with the thief on the wedding night.All the twists and turns today.

But in just a few days, it seems like half a lifetime has passed.

Cross mountains and tread water.

All I rely on is my loneliness.

"I'm fine. My husband's family treats me well."

I turned around: "It's getting late, I should go back."

"A major case occurred in Yangzhou Prefecture a month ago. Do you know about it?" he asked.

I stopped.He continued: "Master Xun of the Food Supervisor Taotai was beheaded by the superiors for his ignorance of the official grain that was taken to the imperial court."

The Duliang Daotai is the fourth rank, and his official rank is one level higher than that of his parents, the magistrate of Yangzhou.The execution of such a high-ranking member of the imperial court was naturally a sensation in the local area.But, why did Qin Mingxu tell me this?
He said: "The second son of the Cheng family has been involved with people from the 'Qingyi Sect' in the past. A few days ago, I heard that he was drinking on a boat with Mr. Xun's orphan. Miss, I want to say... you..."

He was silent, knowing that he was talking too much. After a while, he leaned over and said, "Take care."

I understand what Qin Mingxu means.

He wanted to tell me that my husband Cheng Huaishi was involved in right and wrong. Although he is dead now, the trouble is not over yet and there may be many future troubles.Those people from the Tsing Yi Sect who besieged me at the dock were probably provoked by Cheng Huaishi.

I walked forward with my head down.

No matter what lies ahead, the path you choose is at your own risk.

When we reached the main road, the groom drove his car and came with a dozen servants.

The groom saw me and said nervously: "Second Young Madam, are you okay?"

I shook my head: "Nothing."

I suddenly remembered what Qin Mingxu said, "The second son of the Cheng family had a relationship with people from the 'Tsing Yi Sect' in the past." "Those men on the ferry just now seemed to be members of the 'Tsing Yi Sect', the largest gang in the world."...

The shock of the masked man...

My brain is jolted.

I told the groom: "Go back to the ferry!"

However, when the carriage arrived at the ferry, the men in green shirts had long disappeared.

I looked at the canal with the boats coming and going, and lost my mind for a while.

Could the man wearing the mask be Cheng Huaishi?

Why on earth did he hide and lie about being dead?But what are the unspeakable difficulties?
Could this disaster be related to Lord Daotai Xun, the food supervisor who was beheaded?
The canal is like a floating jasper belt, coming from the depths of the white clouds on the horizon.The clear waves ripple and flow towards the boundless wilderness.The willow trees on the embankments on both sides of the river swayed bleakly in the depth of October winter.

The halo of dusk softly illuminates the canal and the illustrious Yangzhou.

Returning to the house full of worries.

The butler was waiting for me at the door.

It turned out that he came back before me.

I was about to ask him how the child was doing.

He said anxiously: "Second Young Madam, you are finally back."

"What's the matter?"

"Just now, a group of people from the bank came to the house. They said that the second master asked them to borrow money at usury before his death and came to ask for it."

"What did the old lady say?"

"After noon, my colleagues from the Cao Army came to invite me. The old lady, the eldest young master, and the eldest young mistress all went to the banquet. I won't be able to come back now. I plan to ask a boy to report back..." the housekeeper said.

"and many more!"

I hurriedly said: "Don't go and report back. There must be many people at the banquet. Let others know, where should I put the Second Master's face? Where should I put the old lady's face? Where should I put the Cheng Mansion's face?"

The housekeeper was enlightened and said: "Yes, yes, the Second Young Mistress is right. I don't think well."

I walked in.

In the main hall, a group of men were sitting.

A man with a beard saw me coming and shouted to pay back the money.

I stretched out my hand: "Since I'm here to collect a debt, I'll bring you the receipt."

The bearded man took out a piece of paper from his sleeve.

I took it and looked at the words on it.

The handwriting I saw in the study last night was intertwined with the IOU in front of me.

After a moment, I said: "This is not Er Ye's calligraphy."

The bearded man said calmly: "What? After a person dies, do you want to default on your debt?"

I smiled and said to Lu Xihu: "Human characters have charm. If you imitate their shapes, you won't be able to imitate the charm. I think you guys are just considering that the second master is gone and you want to take the opportunity to rip him off."

"You!" Bearded pointed at me.

I said: "If you are not convinced, we will go to the government together. Compare the calligraphy of Second Master Suri with the calligraphy on this debt note. Don't try to deceive others by imitating it. I need to remind you, "Da Ming Law", what is the punishment for extortion without reason..."

My determination frightened him.

Luo Chi thought for a while and went with a bunch of his men.

Before leaving, he said angrily: "Just wait!"

people go.

I was relieved.

In the evening, when the old lady came back, the housekeeper reported the matter.

The old lady looked at me and said, "Sang Yu, where did you see the word "Lao Er"?

This was the first time she called me by my name.

"Back to mother, last night, in the study, my daughter-in-law took a few glances."

"After seeing it a few times, I remember it so deeply...you are a good boy."

The corners of the old lady's eyes were moist, remembering her young son again.

"If your sister-in-law and I were too lazy to confront these scoundrels, giving away some silver is just a small thing, and I'm afraid it will only indulge this little guy's appetite. Sang Yu, you are brave and careful, and you are a good housekeeper. Huai It’s better to hand over the fields and business that I used to manage to..."

When the old lady said this, the eldest young lady gave me a sinister look.

(End of this chapter)