Lihoumen

Chapter 37 Are you deliberately trying to alienate me?

After the daughters-in-law had chosen their jewellery, the old lady pointed to the palace maids below the stairs and said, "These maids were also given by the Queen Mother. I think they are all good people who know the rules. They are idle here. Each of you can choose one to take back and serve the young masters."

As soon as the old lady said this, Wang Zhenzhen was the first to shout out.

She glanced at the girls below, then looked at the old lady at the top, and shouted, "Aunt is going to put someone in our room again?"

Hearing this, Liu Qiuyue looked at the old lady angrily, snorting coldly and muttering, "Mother really loves her sons."

The old lady saw that her two daughters-in-law were unwilling, and her smiling face immediately darkened. Just as she was about to lose her temper, Li said to Wang and Liu, "Which mother doesn't love her children? There are not many women in the harem, and it's just adding a concubine. Besides, they were all given by the Queen Mother. Why are you two sisters-in-law so stingy?"

The old lady cast a satisfied look at her eldest daughter-in-law, and then said coldly to Wang and Liu: "You should learn from your eldest sister-in-law. In terms of tolerance, a hundred of you two are not as good as Qingning alone."

Under the majesty of the old lady and with Li as a foil, Wang and Liu dared not speak out. The old lady waved to the maids to come forward, and Li smiled and said, "Since it is mother's wish, then I will choose the daughter-in-law first."

The old lady was eager for someone to take the lead, so she quickly agreed with a smile. Li glanced at the girls and asked, "Who is good at music?"

A maid bowed and said, "I know a little about the art of playing the zither, and I also know a few little songs."

Li nodded slightly, then smiled and said to the old lady, "My husband is very busy, and he needs someone to relieve his boredom. He also likes music, so I will take this person who is good at music back with me."

Seeing her daughter-in-law was so virtuous, the old lady smiled like a flower and praised her profusely. Then she said to the other daughters-in-law, "You are the wives, and these are just concubines who are there to entertain you. You should all be more virtuous."

Then he ordered the others, "You can each pick one according to the preferences of the gentlemen and take it back."

Below Li was Liu Qiuyue. She didn't even look at the other girls, and replied coldly, "Mother, please forgive me. My daughter-in-law is not as virtuous as my eldest sister-in-law, and I don't know what kind my husband likes. I will go back and tell my husband, and let him choose for himself."

The old lady was so angry when she heard this, but she couldn't do anything to Liu for the time being. Li tried to mediate and said, "It would be more in line with your wishes to let you choose your sister-in-law yourself."

The old lady rolled her eyes at Liu and said coldly, "If that's the case, let the second son pick the person himself after he gets off duty."

Liu stood up with a cold face and bowed, saying, "I suddenly felt dizzy, so I'll go back first. Please forgive me, mother."

After saying this, she left with her maid without even taking the jewelry and hairpins that the old lady had just given her.

The old lady was so angry at Liu that she was no longer as pleasant as before. She said to Qingqing and Wang Zhenzhen in a cold voice: "You two should learn from your sister-in-law. A virtuous woman is virtuous. Those who are jealous and unvirtuous are not worthy of being the daughters-in-law of my mansion." Then she pointed at the palace maids and ordered: "Each of you choose one and go back."

Although Wang Zhenzhen was also unwilling, she did not dare to disobey the old lady seeing her stern words. She looked back and forth at several concubines, and finally, she chose the one with the least attractive appearance.

Qingqing was not as excited as the other sisters-in-law.

Shen Han would rather go to a prostitute than touch her.

What's the point of choosing a concubine for him with such humiliation?

She carefully looked at the concubines and picked out the most beautiful one. The old lady was very satisfied and praised Qingqing for the first time, saying, "The third wife is really good for her husband." She also said, "Although Han'er doesn't like women, it's always good for a man to have a few more women around him to serve him."

Someone couldn't help but mutter again. As the old lady was talking, the maid outside came in and reported that Shen Han had arrived. The old lady hurriedly asked someone to invite him in. After a while, Shen Han strode into the room.

He entered the room and first glanced at Qingqing who was sitting quietly beside him. Then he bowed to the old lady and said, "Mu Xiu is at home today. I heard that there was a lot of fun here, so I came to take a look."

When the old lady saw her favorite son, the gloom on her face disappeared, and she smiled and said, "The Queen Mother gave some gifts yesterday, and I asked the sisters-in-law to choose some."

Shen Han sat down beside Qingqing. Hearing this, he looked at the jewelry Qingqing had placed on the table. It was a pair of jade bracelets and a pearl flower. He picked up the pearl flower and looked at it. Then he looked up at Qingqing and said, "Do you like pearl flowers?"

Qingqing said: "I can't say I like it, but I just think the pearl flower is simple and elegant."

"Although this bead is small, it is indeed exquisitely made." Shen Han echoed.

When the old lady saw her son chatting with Qingqing, she cleared her throat and said, "Your daughter-in-law is quite a virtuous one."

It was the first time that Shen Han saw his mother praising his wife. He turned to look at his mother with a hint of joy in his eyes.

The old lady said, "The Queen Mother gave me a few palace maids, and I asked a few daughters-in-law to choose from to serve you. Your second sister-in-law is not happy about it, but your daughter-in-law is usually quiet, and she is more generous than the second sister-in-law."

As she spoke, the old lady pointed at the maid Qingqing had just selected and said with a smile, "Your wife picked the most beautiful one for you." She also praised, "I never thought that your wife really planned for you."

After hearing what his mother said, Shen Han froze where he was. It took him a long while to come to his senses. He turned his head and looked at Qingqing beside him in disbelief, then glanced at Gong Ji who was standing below him. For a moment, he didn't know what to say.

"absurd!"

After a long time, he frowned, looked at Qingqing coldly, and said these two words.

Shen Han was not a man who showed his joy on his face. At this moment, everyone could see that he was suppressing his anger.

Li was the first to react, and hurriedly said, "Third brother has never been interested in women, but this is just a concubine given by the palace. Even if you keep her in your room, it will not damage your reputation in the slightest."

Li was talking here, but Shen Han ignored her. He stared at Qingqing and asked, "Is this your idea?"

Shen Han's reaction was somewhat beyond Qingqing's expectations. She felt guilty for a moment, but then she thought, he could even tolerate prostitutes in brothels and the concubines in the palace were much cleaner than those women. What's more, the old lady had ordered these concubines to be placed in her sons' rooms, and even Li had to swallow her anger. How could she, who had little influence, disobey him?

Thinking of this, Qingqing raised her head, met his gaze, and said frankly: "I did choose this person for you."

Shen Han fell silent after hearing this. After a long while, he turned his head and laughed at himself. He said in a cold voice, as if he was angry, "This Ji girl is very much to my liking. Thank you, ma'am."

After saying this, he had nothing else to say, and without even greeting the old lady, he strode out of Chunxi Hall.

(End of this chapter)