My wife has a secret

Chapter 20 Let’s Choose a Patriarch

Lu Wanhe lowered her bright eyes and her eyelashes trembled slightly.

"Relying on others is not a long-term solution. A real man is born between heaven and earth. He should read the books of sages and cultivate a righteous spirit..."

Mrs. Gao interrupted Lu Wanhe and sarcastically said, "Oh, you read a few sage books with Master Nie, and you really think you are an expert?"

These remarks caused the women to laugh loudly.

"You are a woman who cannot enter the official career, but you insist on reading those books. What's the point? Don't you have to get married in the end?"

"Besides, you are born weak and you are seriously ill. Which family in Suzhou can afford you? In the end, didn't you rely on the marriage contract made by your grandfather before he died to find a home for yourself?"

"Don't talk about my grandfather... cough."

There was anger in Lu Wanhe's eyes.

She was about to get angry, but because she was too emotional at the moment, her chest felt stuffy and she had to cover her mouth with her hand and started coughing violently.

When the woman surnamed Gao saw this, the mockery on her face became even more intense.

"Mrs. Xu, if you are really that capable, you should teach your husband to be the real man you call him... You are so hypocritical to ask our children to do something you can't do yourself."

Lu Wanhe was slightly stunned when she heard this. If it was other places, she would still have some room for rebuttal.

The only thing she couldn't refute was her husband.

"We have already asked the servants of the Xu Mansion. You have not been favored in the Xu Mansion for the past two years. It was only because Master Xu fell into the water and lost his memory that you found this opportunity to return home. You should return the fox fur coat you are wearing to the owner... Haha, those words at the door may fool the children, but do you really think that we in the Lu Mansion are too old and dim to see your situation?"

There was only bitterness and helplessness on Lu Wanhe's beautiful face, because she really had no say in the Xu Mansion. Even the old lady was worried that her physical illness would be transmitted to her precious grandson, so she didn't dote on her very much.

At the fence behind the crowd, Manager Hai felt angry at what happened to his young mistress, but he remembered the young master's instructions, so he had to shut his mouth, rolled up his sleeves and left in a hurry.

……

"Mr. Xu's arrival really brings glory to our Lu Mansion!"

At the banquet for returning home, the men of the Lu family sat around Xu Qing. They took turns to toast him and say words of praise and admiration.

After everyone toasted, Xu Qing took out a few red envelopes from Xiaohuan's arms and threw them over, appearing to be very generous and magnanimous.

Some people who couldn't hold back their temper secretly tore open a corner of the red envelope, took a look inside, and found that it was filled with shiny white banknotes.

This made them dumbfounded and they looked at each other in bewilderment, and their admiration for Xu Qing became even louder.

"Be calm and don't be impatient. Be calm and don't be impatient."

After three rounds of drinking, Xu Qing stopped the younger generation from the Lu Mansion who was offering him wine, and said with a red face and a smile: "I haven't been to the Lu Mansion for a long time, and I didn't know that everyone welcomed me so much... How about this, if you have any unfulfilled wishes or unspeakable secrets, you can tell me."

The older man mentioned earlier was named Lu Gongda, and he was the backbone of this group of people.

After exchanging glances with the people around him, he felt that the time had come, so he coughed lightly and laughed dryly, "Master Xu, our Lu Mansion was also a famous family in Longxi in the early years. Now that everyone has come to Suzhou to settle down, it is natural that we are short of money."

When the others heard Lu Gongda speak, they followed suit.

"Yes, Master Xu, the vegetables and meat that the Xu family gives us every day are almost gone after they are divided equally. If this gets out, it will also damage the reputation of the Xu family."

"Moreover, a large number of the Lu Mansion's servants were laid off in the past two years. In recent years, we have to recruit a hundred or so talents to be enough."

"..."

Xu Qing's face became even redder.

However, his face was not flushed because he was drunk, but because these people from the Lu family were asking for free food.

There are more than a hundred servants, and they have to provide food and drink for these relatives and servants, and give them some pocket money... After eating up all the money in the Lu Mansion, they want to empty out the Xu Mansion?

There is a saying that goes, if a person has no shame, he is invincible.

Compared with this group of well-dressed Lu clan members, I, a playboy, am really incompetent to be a leader.

Seeing that his demands were almost complete, Lu Gongda rubbed his hands excitedly and asked with a smile: "Mr. Xu, what do you think?"

"Okay! Just sprinkle some water, these are not a problem."

When these Lu clan members saw Xu Qing speak, they were all excited, even happier than during the Chinese New Year.

But Xiaohuan's face turned pale with anxiety. She knew that Xu Qing had never been to the accounting office, and she didn't know how much money it would cost to hire servants and pay for food and drink.

Just as she was about to remind her master not to speak out of turn after drinking, Xu Qing looked back at her with a playful look.

Xiaohuan was slightly startled and lowered her head.

"However, there is one thing about your Lu Mansion that I am not satisfied with..."

Lu Gongda and the Lu clan members heard the hidden meaning in Xu Qing's words and asked hurriedly, "Mr. Xu, what are you dissatisfied with?"

"There are so many people, but there's not even one person who can play with me. What's the point of spending money?"

Lu Gongda asked tentatively: "Uh... what does Mr. Xu want to play? All of us can play..."

"I don't have any other hobbies on weekdays. I just like to go to brothels to listen to music, drink wine, and fight crickets... Oh, it's autumn now, why don't you all join me in fighting crickets?"

"Mr. Xu, you don't know that we are old and weak..."

Xu Qing's expression suddenly changed, and he threw the wine glass in his hand onto the table. "If that's the case, let's not talk about those things... Hai Dafu!"

"The slave is here."

Hai Dafu, who was waiting at the door, came in.

"Remove all the gifts for today's return visit, and take back all the red envelopes. Don't keep any."

"Yes."

When the Lu family members heard that Xu Qing was going to take away all the rare treasures and things today, they all became anxious and their eyes turned red.

Lu Gongda even grabbed Xu Qing's sleeve and asked with sweat all over his forehead, "Hey, hey, hey, Master Xu, what do you mean?"

"To tell you the truth, Lu Wanhe and I have never gotten along. She likes to paint and recite poems, while I like to eat, drink and have fun. We are not the same kind of people... I came back today just to see if there is anything fun in the Lu Mansion."

"This……"

Lu Gongda obviously didn't expect Xu Qing to speak so clearly, and the tribesmen below were also confused.

It was said in the city that Young Master Xu did whatever he wanted and his moods were unpredictable, but no one had expected him to reach this point.

"Then shall we accompany Master Xu to fight crickets?"

Xu Qing's expression changed when he heard this, and he gestured to Hai Dafu to stop.

A smile returned to his face and he crossed his legs in his seat.

"Okay, but I don't want a weak one... Let's do this. Go get ready early tomorrow morning and hold a cricket fighting competition in the evening. Let's see who's the best."

Lu Gongda no longer dared to disobey Xu Qing's opinion and nodded in agreement.

"But just competing is meaningless, there has to be some prize. I heard that the Lu family has been leaderless since Wan He's grandfather died, so why not let the winner become the head of the family?"

"what?"

Lu Gongda's expression changed drastically, and the others were also shocked.

"Mr. Xu, you can have fun as you please, but you can't joke about the head of the family."

"Is this a joke? By the way, from now on, all the money and food sent by my Xu family, including the gifts for today's return visit, will be handed over to the hands of this head of the family. Is that okay?" The expressions of everyone in the Lu family froze, as if all the blood had been drained out of them, leaving only an expression of unbelievable shock.

The gold and jade Haidong Qingyan ornament and the jade carved twin lions are both treasures worthy of being passed down from generation to generation. If I could become the head of the family and keep them all for myself, wouldn't I be able to make a fortune and never have to worry about food and drink?
But if we let everyone divide it up, it is still a question whether we can get any money.

Not to mention that after becoming the head of the family, all money and food will pass through his hands, so there will be a lot of room for maneuver.

By then, there will be hundreds of people in the Lu Mansion. Who would dare not obey my command?

"Okay, that's all for today. I'm going back to my room to rest."

After Xu Qing finished speaking, he took Xiaohuan and Hai Dafu and left the front hall.

Just after walking a short distance, a fierce quarrel broke out in the house.

"Master, what do you mean by this?"

Xiao Huan held it in for a long time in the hall, and could not help asking, "Those gifts for returning home are all the old lady's favorites, and they are priceless. If she knew that you wasted them like this, she would definitely be furious."

Hai Dafu noticed something, clicked his tongue, and gave Xiaohuan a wink.

"Young Master naturally has his own ideas. Go and clean up the room that the Lu family has prepared. This is not the Xu Residence. You have to keep a close eye on everything."

Xiaohuan was too embarrassed to say anything when she heard Steward Hai speak. After all, the other party was the Steward of the Xu Mansion and held a high position of power in the mansion.

What's more, the young master needs to sleep with the third young lady tonight, so I have to take care of everything.

When Xiaohuan's thin figure gradually disappeared, Hai Dafu told Xu Qing what happened to Lu Wanhe in the backyard.

"It's pretty much what I expected. Without anyone in charge, the Lu Mansion has turned into a man-eating monster."

Hai Dafu nodded in agreement, "Master, the Third Young Madam has suffered a lot of grievances in the backyard. If it weren't for your order, I wouldn't be able to hold back my anger."

Xu Qing pulled out a piece of letter paper from his lapel and handed it over. "Don't worry, the fun hasn't started yet... Give this to Zhang Ruihai from the Zhang family, and then go call Ji Xia over. I want to talk to her."

"it is good."

Although Hai Dafu didn't know what his young master was going to do, he always felt that the current young master was different from before, and it would definitely be a good idea to help him.

……

At night, the moon is bright and the stars are sparse, and the lights are dim.

Lu Wanhe, wearing elegant underwear, sat quietly in front of the dressing table, staring at the bronze mirror in front of her in a daze.

This room was originally her room, but the bookshelves inside are now empty. There is no longer any trace of her reading books or asking her teacher for advice.

"Sir, is it Wan He's fault?"

In Lu Wanhe's clear eyes, it was as if a clear spring was flowing quietly.

But now, this pair of extremely beautiful eyes is covered with a layer of fine mist.

Xu Qing entered the room, closed the door, and walked to the bed.

Lu Wanhe suddenly woke up and timidly called out, "Husband...husband."

She suddenly felt something was wrong, so she quickly stood up and bowed to Xu Qing.

However, because of her large movements, she accidentally knocked over the dressing box on the table, causing the powder and hairpins in the box to scatter all over the floor.

Xu Qing helped her put away the things inside and received a thank you in return.

The two looked up at each other, and Lu Wanhe quickly looked away like a frightened rabbit.

"Where's Ji Xia..."

"I asked her to go out and do some errands."

Xu Qing looked at Lu Wanhe who was so reserved, and a half-smile appeared on his face.

He patted the mattress beside him, and could clearly see the other person's delicate body tremble.

"It's late, why don't you go to bed?"

"I...I will go find some bedding and sleep on the floor."

Lu Wanhe's voice was tender and pleasant, but Xu Qing could also hear the timidity in her voice.

"Are you sure you don't want to come up and sleep?"

Today I am returning to my parents' home. According to folk customs, the couple should live together.

In recent years, the Xu family not only found a doctor to treat Lu Wanhe's frail body, but also helped her support a family of relatives. These favors must be repaid.

What the woman surnamed Gao said was right. If the Xu family hadn't provided her with precious medicinal herbs, how could she have survived until now?
If I could give birth to a child for the Xu family, I would have no regrets.

"Then... I will get ready."

Just as Lu Wanhe was about to leave, she caught a glimpse of Xu Qing spreading a quilt flat on the wooden floor.

"Husband, what are you doing?"

"You are weak, so just stay in bed. I asked Xiaohuan to prepare a hot water bottle in advance, so you won't freeze."

A hot water bottle is a flat bottle made of porcelain and filled with hot water, which is equivalent to a hot water bottle in previous lives.

Although Xu Qing discovered this thing, he still preferred Xiaohuan's warm bed.

But Lu Wanhe is frail and cannot warm herself up without this thing.

"Husband, you..."

Lu Wanhe sat down in front of the bed, reached out to feel the warmth in the mattress, and for a moment didn't know what to say.

I used to hear people say that the eldest son of the Xu family was a playboy and a playboy, and his personality was completely different from my own.

But after two days of contact, she found that there was nothing wrong with Xu Qing, it was just that the rumors from the outside world were too outrageous.

"Go to sleep. You have to get up early tomorrow morning."

Lu Wanhe turned off the lights and went to bed. After hearing Xu Qing's words, she asked in confusion, "What happened tomorrow?"

After returning from the backyard, she locked herself in the house and had no idea what was happening in the Lu Mansion.

"nothing."

Lu Wanhe lay in bed, unable to fall asleep.

She has other concerns in her heart.

"Husband, a poem was circulated in Zuiyuanlou a few days ago. Everyone said it was written by me, but that poem was not written by me... It was written by husband again, right?"

"Yes."

Lu Wanhe sighed inwardly, it was indeed so.

In just a few days, this is already Xu Qing's third poem.

"Are all these poems written by my husband? Or did you hear them from somewhere?"

Xu Qing made up an excuse, "I read it in an ancient book. The name of the book seems to be Tang Poetry and Song Lyrics."

(End of this chapter)