suspected wife

While Qiao Mingjin and a group of family members were busy preparing for the New Year's Eve, the Zhou Mansion far away in Qingchuan was also busy.

The servants were busy running around, but they couldn't help being a little cautious.

The atmosphere in the mansion was really depressing.

The masters didn't show their smiles, and the servants naturally kept their lips shut and focused on doing things.

Zhou Yanqing in the Tingfengyuan has locked himself in his room for several days since he came back from the capital.

He couldn't believe it no matter what, when he braved the wind, snow and scorching cold, regardless of the danger of ice and snow blocking the road, he hurried back to Qingchuan, and took the cart full of wedding quilts purchased from Xipu in the capital, When the red silk and red satin, hijab and phoenix crown, jewelry and clothing, and all the festive items used for marriage came back, unexpectedly, the beautiful woman had already gone to the house and was empty...

He stood blankly at the gate with the copper lock. In the old days, he laughed and drank at the gate where the beautiful lady sat and accompanied him. He couldn't return to his senses for a long time.

Inside and outside the workshop, no matter how many laps he walks, he can no longer see that beautiful face like an orchid in the empty valley...

He has been in charge of the Zhou family's general affairs for many years, so he naturally has some contacts in his hands. It is naturally easy to inquire about the affairs of the Qiao family.What's more, Zhou Yaozu also personally admitted to him his identity as the second son-in-law of the Qiao family in Yizhou, so Zhou Yanqing had to accept the fact that Qiao Mingjin's identity changed and his family returned to the original family.

He had read the letter Qiao Mingjin left behind dozens of times, and he could memorize every word.

He was only in the twelfth lunar month when he came back, and when he learned of Qiao Mingjin's whereabouts, he was about to go on a fast horse to look for him, but he was stopped by his mother, Mrs. Zhou.

After Zhou Yanqing returned to the city, she asked around about the Qiao family.When she came back the next day and couldn't wait to go to Xiahe Village to find a beautiful woman, Mrs. Zhou didn't stop her.

Anyway, no one is here, so what's the use of my son squatting around day and night?

She is very relieved.

Even if Qiao Shijin's status changed magnificently, from an ordinary poor farmer to the concubine daughter of a wealthy family, she would not accept a second-married woman with a troublesome life as her daughter-in-law anyway.

Candidates waiting to become her daughter-in-law can line up from the gate of her Zhou Mansion to the gate of Qingchuan City.Besides, the official family in Beijing is spoiled and spoiled, and the beautiful and dignified yellow flower girl who is good at piano, chess, calligraphy and painting has come back with her son?

Is she worthy of asking for a second-married girl?

The family is big and the business is big, so what about the aristocratic family?Married, and gave birth to a daughter.She can't pass anyway.

And at this moment, Zhou Yanqing knew that Yan Shi, the concubine daughter of the Ministry of Rites in Kyoto, who followed him all the way from the capital to brave the wind, snow and cold, and could not get out of the carriage easily, did not come to Qingchuan to find anything relatives.

In fact, it is not far away, so I came to him as a sequel.

until then.Only then did he learn that long before he left for the capital, his mother had written frequently with the clan uncle who held important positions in the capital, and they had agreed on his marriage.

When he was in Beijing, his mother even wrote to him asking him to buy a lot of wedding supplies at Xipu in Beijing.He thought that his mother looked down on Qingchuan and wanted to show Jinniang a face, but he didn't expect that all of this was not prepared for Jinniang.

His mother told him to come back before the year.It turned out that it was true that Yao Haosheng planned a marriage for him, but the person was not what he believed in. That's all.

I knew that before I left, I asked the matchmaker to make a decision.It also saves me from having to endure such an accident now.

However, his mother has done all this for him, if it happens again, can he really exchange Geng Tie with Jin Niang before leaving?

Mrs. Zhou directly shattered his thoughts.

Just do it again, still the same result.Because she had no intention of accepting Qiao Shimingjin at all.

She was very satisfied with the daughter of the Yan family chosen by the brother of the Jingli clan for her son.

Although Yan's father is only a small official in the Ministry of Rites, Yan's family is at least the daughter of an official in Beijing.Although her Zhou family has a lot of money, how can a businessman with a low status be compared with that official?

The son is a merchant who lost his wife.It is a blessing from the ancestors to marry the daughter of an official in central Beijing.

Before they let him travel thousands of miles to Beijing to get married, they sent him directly to Qingchuan, so that his son could marry directly from Qingchuan, and the dowry has already been prepared, which is already valued by his in-laws.

How dare you pick and choose?

Offending the Yan family and the clan's uncle who holds a high position in Beijing is not something Zhou Yanqing can afford on his own.

His Zhou family's business spread all over the country, if there is no help from the capital, I am afraid that it is just an ordinary merchant who can barely make a living.

She can't afford this result.

Zhou Yanqing also cannot be a sinner of the family.

There are many families whose clansmen rely on their Zhou family to live.

Besides, Zhao Liniang, since Zhou Yanqing brought Yan's daughter back from Beijing, she couldn't sit still.She felt her vulnerable position was seriously threatened.

Although Yan's daughter does not live in Zhou Mansion, she can still perceive her gloomy prospects.

An unfavored and childless concubine, how can she still have a foothold in front of her capable wife?

Zhao Liniang tossed and turned, unable to sleep at night.

It is useless to ask God to pray, burn incense and worship Buddha, and beg people to run around.It is still the right way to hold on to her husband, the sixth master of the Zhou family.

"Hey, Aunt Zhao is here again? Did you make some good soup this time?"

The two women who were guarding the gate of Tingfengyuan looked at Zhao Liniang's graceful approach, and they looked at each other with a bit of contempt in their eyes.She pouted secretly, and teased Aunt Zhao Li.

Zhao Liniang saw the expressions of the two of them in her eyes, but she was stronger than others. Although she was the pillow of the sixth master who was the most talkative in the Zhou mansion, she was not favored for many years. In the eyes of the servants of the Tingfeng Academy, her identity as Zhao Liniang was no different from theirs, and perhaps in their eyes it was even more unbearable.

At least not to mention the maidservants who are close to her, even the rough envoy in the courtyard can often see the sixth master, while she is exiled to the side courtyard, and sometimes cannot see the person she misses for several months.

She was also sent by the clan uncle in Beijing, but how can she compare with that clan uncle who personally arranged matchmaking and the official lady in Beijing?

I'm afraid that as soon as Yan's daughter enters the door, she may die of old age in the side courtyard.

"I met two mothers. This food box contains ginseng chicken soup cooked by Liniang herself. Liu Ye worked hard all the way, it was windy and snowy, I am afraid that there is a lot of cold in the body, this ginseng chicken soup is eaten at this time It's just right. Liniang has been up until now before dawn. Please let the two mothers take care of Liniang's hard work and let Liniang personally present this chicken soup to Master Liu. Look, mom, if It's very cold today, this chicken soup is cold, I'm afraid I won't be able to drink it."

After Zhao Liniang finished speaking, the two mothers just stared at the food box in her hand, curled their lips and said nothing.Eyes rolled.Then he took out some scattered silver from his sleeve and stuffed it into the hands of the two men.

"Mom also knows that it's not easy for Liniang to be in the mansion, and she doesn't have much money on her. This was picked up by Liniang from the monthly case. The two mothers took some wine to drink. Oh, by the way, there is also a special food box in this food box. Some snacks for the two mothers. The mothers have to guard the gate in this cold weather. It’s hard work. Let’s give the two mothers something fresh."

The two women weighed the scattered silver in their hands and looked at each other again. One of the women turned her head and listened to the courtyard, and then said to Zhao Liniang: "Aunt Zhao, go in. But if the sixth master gets angry, you It can’t be said that we let you in, but you forced it in yourself. Because of your status, we couldn’t stop you, so you were able to enter the hospital.”

Zhao Liniang was disdainful in her heart, but pretending to be overjoyed by the kindness, she thanked the two women again and again, put down a snack in the food box, and then entered the courtyard with cheerful steps.

Listen to the silence in the courtyard.There is no maid guarding the door, and Zhou Yanqing's personal servant is not outside to listen to orders.It was eerily quiet.

Zhao Liniang came to the door of the main room.He listened carefully, but could only hear the sound of the winter wind whistling.

"Master, it's the concubine, Li Niang. The concubine made ginseng chicken soup for the master. It's warming up. The concubine brought it in for the master?"

After speaking, I listened carefully, but there was no echo.

Zhao Liniang knew that Zhou Yanqing had been hiding in Tingfengyuan for the past few days, so she stepped on the spot.No one in the room responded, but Liu Ye didn't make a sound to drive him away.

Zhao Liniang was secretly happy, adjusted her dress, and helped the hairpin on her head, and then walked in through the door with small steps.

Behind several layers of curtains in the inner room, Zhou Yanqing leaned on the headboard of the bed with his eyes closed and his arms folded, dressed in ordinary clothes.

I don't know if I fell asleep or closed my eyes to rest.

Zhao Liniang stared at Zhou Yanqing's face obsessively.

This is her lover.

Since following him, her heart has been tied to him.Even though there was very little favor in the past, and she hadn't been close to her this year, she still missed him and looked forward to him with all her heart.

Whether she, Zhao Liniang, will be happy for the rest of her life depends entirely on this beloved man in front of her.

It's best to be sympathetic to her lover and give her a child before continuing.Even if the main wife comes in and squeezes her out, she will have someone to rely on for the rest of her life.

"My lord, the concubine brought the chicken soup and it's heating up. Do you want to use it now? Can the concubine serve you a bowl?"

After Zhao Liniang finished speaking, she stared closely at Zhou Yanqing's eyes.It's just that Zhou Yanqing's eyes never moved.

Zhao Liniang waited for a long time, but was not reconciled, so she called again.

She has boiled this chicken soup for a long time, it's best to drink it while it's hot, the chicken fat has condensed into one piece when it's cold, how can she drink it?

When Aunt Zhao Li was about to call out for the fourth time, Zhou Yanqing opened her eyes, stared at the end of the bed for a while, and then looked at Zhao Liniang.

Zhao Liniang shrank back in fright from Zhou Yanqing's cold and clear eyes.

Seeing that Zhou Yanqing was just staring at her without speaking, he lifted the food box in his hand up again, and was about to speak again, but unexpectedly heard Zhou Yanqing say coldly and without any emotion: "Put the food box up, Put the box down and go out. No re-entry unless summoned."

How could Zhao Liniang be willing to leave just because she had to give up her monthly routine that she had picked out so much that she could see her lover?

But when she took a small step forward, she heard Zhou Yanqing's icy eyes shooting towards her again.

Zhao Liniang was frozen there, unable to move.

"Yes, Lord, the concubine is going out now."

Zhao Liniang gritted her teeth, gently put the food box on the round table, and looked back, but the lover had already closed his eyes.

The moment Zhao Li turned around, two lines of tears could not stop rolling down... (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to vote for recommendations and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)

ps: Sorry folks, it's late again.Fight for the third watch tomorrow.Be sure to make up the missing chapters next week.