The Road to Doting Wife

Chapter 74 Think About Him
After dinner, Ah Ju followed Zhao Chen back to Zhuxuan.

Mother Jiang has been waiting.As soon as the couple entered the room, she first looked at Ah Ju, seeing her ruddy complexion with a smile on her lips, her heart finally sank, and while helping Ah Ju untie her cloak, she asked, "Grandma has seen Mrs. Tai?"

Ah Ju knew what she wanted to ask, and watched Zhao Chen enter the room. She smiled and said to the mother who cared about her: "Well, I've seen them all. Don't worry, mother, no one is embarrassing me."

"That's good, grandma, should I go inside to rest for a while, or wash up and rest now?" Regarding Ah Ju's words of good news but not bad news, Mammy Jiang laughed it off. The face of the man is tricky.

"Let's wash up now. After a day of tossing around, the mother should also go to bed early." Aju took the hand stove that Cuiyu handed over, and went to the inner room.

Mother Jiang left Lvyun Cuiyu to watch outside, she went out with Jin Shujinmo, and took the opportunity to inquire about what happened in Rongshou Hall.After all, Lvyun Cuiyu has never seen the world, so she practiced in the yard first, Jinshu Jinmo, now she wants to gain a firm foothold by the master's side, no matter what thoughts she has in her heart, she will definitely perform well before gaining a foothold.

Ah Ju entered the room and saw that Zhao Chen was already sitting on the kang, so he handed him the stove in his hand: "Would you cover your hands? I'll go distribute it."

Zhao Chen didn't pick it up, got up and said: "You take it, I'll help you." Then he took Ah Ju's shoulders and walked to the vanity mirror, pressed her down, and he stood on the side to help her put a pearl on her hair Take it out and put it on the table.

The man in the mirror looked focused, Ah Ju looked at it for a while, then closed his eyes.

She didn't feel the obvious family difference from mother-in-law, husband, or even father-in-law. She just had a meal, but she felt it thoroughly.From when she was seated to when she left the table after eating, Madam Qin had been watching her secretly, as if she wanted to see how she, a peasant girl, behaved at the table.There was nothing wrong with her, and they kept staring, as if she had to be ugly to be normal.

That feeling of being looked down upon is really bad.

But it was already expected, wasn't it?Not everyone can ignore her identity, although there is nothing shameful about her identity.

Mrs. Tai probably won't like her anymore, I don't know what will happen to Zhao Chen's two aunts, if they don't like her...

Ah Ju couldn't help worrying.She couldn't imagine that when she went out in the future, there would be no one around her who could talk.

"What are you thinking? Frowning?" The corners of the girl's mouth in the mirror were pursed, and Zhao Chen slowly stopped his hand that stretched her hair, and kissed her on the face.

Ah Ju opened his eyes to look at him, slowly took off the agarwood beads on his wrist, and whispered: "You said grandma doesn't like you, but I think she likes you quite a bit." If Mrs. Tai also dislikes Zhao Chen, Because the relationship between the two of them doesn't like her no matter whether she is good or bad, Ah Ju might feel better in his heart.

Zhao Chen sneered, looked at the Buddha bead and said: "She only likes those that are useful to her. If I am not a good-looking talent today, but a down-and-out dude, do you think she will give you this? She just hopes that I will be good for her to earn money." It's just for face, using a string of Buddhist beads to win people over, this kind of trick can only deceive a silly girl like you."

It's all right for him to be arrogant and boastful, and at the end he said she was stupid, Ah Ju glanced at him, lowered his head, and played with the plum tourmaline bracelet on his wrist that his mother-in-law gave her.

It happened that the maid outside brought in the hot water. Zhao Chen kissed her forehead and said nothing. After finishing her hair, the two of them washed separately. After turning off the light and getting into bed, Zhao Chen smiled at her: "Why, because Mrs. Tai likes me. Like you, are you unhappy?"

Ah Ju shook her head. In such a dark night, the two of them were lying together under the warm blanket. She also wanted to tell him what was in her heart: "No, I'm just afraid. What if the two aunts don't like me?"

Zhao Chen fell silent.

When he left the Hou Mansion, he was full of resentment and never thought about other people's affairs at all. His father was short on time to visit them, and he rarely mentioned his aunts.Later, when he grew up, when he deployed people in Beijing, he also ordered people to pay attention to the movements of the two aunts.

There are not many girls of the same generation as the mother in the third room of the Ning family.There were two girls in the big house, the first one died young, and the third girl was his third aunt, who married King An as his successor, and after five years of marriage, they had a son Tang Ju, who was four years younger than him.Prince An's son is Tang Ying, the former wife of King An. He was twenty years old and sinister. None of the children from the capital who offended him ended well. He was pampered lawlessly at an early age.

The second room of his grandfather Ning's family also has two girls.The second girl, the second aunt of his direct relative married Guo Yi, the son of the Marquis of Yongchang.The old man Yongchang Hou resigned from office and retired at home leisurely, never getting involved in the struggle for the prince's throne.Guo Yi used to work in Wucheng Bingma Division, and was promoted to commander after Emperor Wen of Tang ascended the throne.

As for the second aunt, even though he hadn't seen him for many years, Zhao Chen still remembered that the second aunt was serious. If his mother was You Lan, the second aunt would be Leng Mei.When Zhao Chen was a child, he was very afraid of this aunt. When "mother was buried", the second aunt came to offer condolences, looked at him with complicated eyes, turned and left without saying anything.In the past few years, my father sent gifts to the Yongchang Hou Mansion every year and festival, but my second aunt returned them.

The third room of the Ning family had only one fifth girl, although she was an aunt, but she was two years younger than him, and she was exiled to the border with the Ning family male.

Zhao Chen also had no idea, he had both Ning family's blood and Zhao's blood in his body, and he looked so much like his father, his aunt probably didn't want to see him.And his wife...

Zhao Chen kissed Aju guiltily: "It's all my fault, and it caused you to be disliked."

Ah Ju suddenly felt distressed.

Compared with Zhao Chen, she was spoiled by her parents since she was a child, and her younger siblings are lively and cute. It can be said that apart from her rich family background, Zhao Chen's life is not as good as hers at all.He has suffered so much, so what is her social concern?It doesn't matter if others like her or not, it's enough for Zhao Chen to like her, she lived with him.

It was Zhao Chen who comforted her along the way. She told him that she was homesick and she was afraid, but she never thought about it from his point of view.She had her troubles in the inner courtyard, and he wandered outside. Such an embarrassing experience might not be better than her, but he didn't complain to her, he only comforted her patiently.

She shouldn't just think about herself.

"Don't say that, it's because you don't like my people, and you don't deserve my attention." Ah Ju shrank into Zhao Chen's arms, and took the initiative to hug him, "I figured it out, it's better if others don't like me. Stay at home to accompany your mother to talk, and when you go home, it will be the same as when you were in Tongwan, that's pretty good too."

"Stupid words, all kinds of banquets are the most indispensable thing in the capital. Are you the one who doesn't go out unless you want to? If you don't invite others, others will invite you." Zhao Chen held her hand and reminded her cruelly. Living well in the capital, this kind of evasive mentality is not acceptable, "Ah Ju, you..."

"I know." Ah Ju interrupted him with a smile, she really figured it out, "You nobles like to socialize the most, not to mention outside, but at home, like Mrs. Qin, they don't like me, Don't they still want to eat at the same table as me? Maybe they are also uncomfortable. And those who obviously don't like me but have to invite me to be a guest in the future, since they can do nothing, I also It can be done. Don't worry, I really know what to do."

Indeed it is.

She understood, but Zhao Chen felt distressed. She could have lived a simple life, but he forcefully dragged her to this hypocritical capital.

It was he who was selfish, greedy for the warmth of her body, and disregarded that the cold around him would make her uneasy.

Xinlan Court.

Zhao Yunting woke up early, put his arms around his wife and talked to her: "Do you want to go to Guo's house with Chengyuan and the others?"

Ning hummed, "She is born with a cold face, and she won't show it when she is nice to anyone, let alone she may not wait to see Chengyuan. Ah Ju first came to the capital, and the closest relative is the Guo family. She misunderstood her aunt, and the two had a grudge. Oh, don't worry, I will only tell my sister, and no one else will know. "

After hearing this, Zhao Yunting felt mixed emotions in his heart, and sighed: "I am the one who is sorry for your family."

Ning didn't answer, and waited for Wenmei to wake up from outside, she said: "I'm up, you should go early too."

"I think you leave after combing your hair." Zhao Yunting retracted his arms around his wife and said softly.

Ning ignored him and sat up by herself.

Zhao Yunting really watched Ning's grooming before getting up and leaving. He walked through the secret passage behind the closet.She is nominally the eldest son's adoptive mother now, so he can't just walk through the main entrance swaggeringly.

After the person left, Wenmei brought in a bowl of soup. After Ning finished admiring the two pots of orchids in the house, the temperature of the soup was just right. She took the bowl, blew it gently, and drank it slowly.

At this time, Ah Ju and Zhao Chen were paying their respects to Mrs. Tai at the Rongshou Hall, Zhao Yunting, the Qin family, Zhao Qing and others were all there.Except that Zhao Yunting was busy when he was in court, the whole family would come here to accompany Mrs. Tai.

Mrs. Tai also prepared a seat for the eldest grandson and daughter-in-law.

Zhao Chen refused, "Grandmother, my step-mother has been kind to me. All these years I have relied on my step-mother to take care of me to survive. On the way back, my step-mother repeatedly told me that I don't have to eat with her when I arrive at the mansion, but Chengyuan I feel ashamed if I don’t go. From now on, we will come every morning and evening to pay my respects to my grandmother, and three meals a day should go to the step-mother’s side, so that the step-mother will be accompanied by my father and younger siblings, and the step-mother will not be lonely. , both kindness and righteousness."

Mrs. Tai's face immediately turned cold, "What kind of rule is this? Don't say it's just a stepmother, even if your biological mother is alive, there is no such reason. You are really worried that she will be left out, so I will set up a seat for her. She dined with us."

The Ning family is a bitch, isn't it just to get a place in the Zhao family again by encouraging the eldest grandson to go there?Since she wanted to, she would give her face and let her see with her own eyes that the position of wife was taken by the Qin family.No matter how much the son liked her, he also married someone else, took in his aunt, and had children with them.

"Grandmother, don't get angry. In fact, I have advised my step-mother in the same way. It is because the step-mother knows her low status and dare not sit at the same table with my grandmother and eat the rude grandmother. Besides, the step-mother still has to avoid it when my father is present. Father, what do you say? Isn't it?" Zhao Chen said to Zhao Yunting.

Before Zhao Yunting could speak, Mrs. Qin opened her mouth first: "Yes, what Cheng Yuan said is right, mother, Mrs. Rong knows how to be polite, and Cheng Yuan knows how to repay her kindness. It will be a good story if it spreads, so let mother accept it." Anyway, their husband and wife will come to visit you sooner or later." The farther away the obstructive person is, the better. As for that Mrs. Rong, she wished that her husband would never see anyone.

After she finished speaking, Mrs. Tai stared at her fiercely: "I'm talking to them, what kind of mouth are you talking about? You talk too much, don't you?"

It was the first time Qin was scolded so mercilessly by her mother-in-law, and it was in front of Zhao Chen and his wife, her face turned red and then white, and the handkerchief in her hand was about to be twisted into a rope. She couldn't help but want to defend herself. Zhao Han gently tugged at the hem of her clothes.

Qin had no choice but to shut up, and looked at her husband aggrieved.

Zhao Yunting didn't look at her, but expressed the same meaning, "Mother, after all, Cheng Yuan was raised by his adoptive mother. It's only natural for Cheng Yuan to be a filial piety. It's good for Cheng Yuan and the Zhao family to spread the word, so mother should accept it." .” He is happy to see what is good for his wife and his eldest son.

Mrs. Tai's face was sullen, and Qin quickly lowered her head to hide the smile on the corner of her mouth.Her husband speaking for her just means that he has no intentions of that Mrs. Rong, how can she be unhappy?

Seeing that Mrs. Tai did not object any more, Zhao Chen turned around and wanted to leave.

"Wait." Mrs. Tai opened her mouth again, and her eyes fell on Ah Ju: "If you want to be filial, you don't have to go both of you, let your wife accompany you. You stay here, and both sides are filial. I believe your step-mother is happier. Daughter-in-law Chengyuan, don’t you think so?”

Ah Ju was originally standing by Zhao Chen's side with her eyes downcast, but when she was asked suddenly, she froze for a moment, and when she looked up, she saw that everyone in the room was staring at her, she couldn't help but look at Zhao Chen, and then took a step behind him , lowered his head and said: "I, I listen to my husband..."

A flash of surprise flashed in Zhao Chen's eyes, and then he cooperated and said: "Grandmother, you have also seen that Aju is stupid and doesn't know how to serve others, so I don't feel relieved to let her go by herself to accompany the adoptive mother, so we should go together as a husband and wife. It's getting late, don't delay grandma's meal, Chengyuan will visit grandma again in the evening."

After saying that, he turned and left.

Of course Ah Ju lowered her head and followed.

The dowager patted the table angrily, turned her head and reprimanded Zhao Yunting: "Look, this is the good wife you found for Cheng Yuan. She is so petty, so she is not worthy of Cheng Yuan!"

Zhao Yunting lowered his head and held the tea: "The husband is the guide for the wife, and Chengyuan's daughter-in-law listens to Chengyuan in everything, so the husband and wife will not argue."

He was obviously fulfilling his intentions, and the wife got up and left the table, exhausted.

Outside, Zhao Chen rolled his eyes with a smile, and when he reached the corner, he hugged his wife into his arms, bowed his head and interrogated her: "When did you learn how to act?"

It was the first time to deceive people like this, Ah Ju was a little embarrassed, but also a little relieved, turned her head and said: "In their eyes, shouldn't girls in the village be like that?"

Life in the village is stable, but it doesn't mean that every household is harmonious and beautiful. Bad mother-in-law bullies weak daughter-in-law, fierce daughter-in-law treats honest mother-in-law harshly, what kind of people don't there?Her cowardice just now was faking, but she has seen such a person who regards her husband as the god in everything and dare not disobey.Just now being stared at by Mrs. Tai and others, she somehow thought of the scene she had seen before, coupled with Mrs. Tai's contempt at the dinner table yesterday, she learned it without much thought.Zhao Chen didn't want to stay here at all, and she couldn't make the fight too stiff, so she had to come up with an excuse for him.

His wife has never been stupid, but she just didn't want to be evil, and now she has learned to play tricks, even if it's just a little bit of evil, Zhao Chen is also happy, and took two consecutive sips of incense on her face, "Very well, Ah Ju, you should be like this, Fool them when it's time to fool them, the worse the better."

It's not something worthy of praise, Ah Ju urged him to go forward: "Let's go, don't let mother think that we stay there to eat."

"Afraid that mother won't leave you food?" Zhao Chen laughed at her as he walked.

Ah Ju ignored him.

When the two of them entered Xinlan Garden, they still had smiles on their faces, Ning's heart sank when she saw her, and asked curiously what was going on.

Ah Ju lowered her head with a blushing face.

Zhao Chen looked at her with a smile, and told his wife's cleverness.

Ning also laughed after hearing this, and was more pleased that her daughter-in-law can take the first step, and she will get used to it more and more in the future.

After dinner, she mentioned that she would go to Guo's house with the couple.

Of course Zhao Chen couldn't wish for it, after all, he was his own aunt, and he didn't want his aunt to hate him.The aunt in memory just doesn't like to laugh, it's not that she doesn't like him.

Back at Wangzhuxuan, Zhao Chen immediately began to write greeting cards by hand, the one for Prince An's Mansion was completed quickly, and the one for Yongchang Hou Guo's family took a little more consideration before writing.

"Go and call Chen Shou over." After writing the invitation, he ordered Cuiyu to pass on the message.

Ah Ju cheered up immediately.On the way, Zhao Chen had already told her that Chen Shou was Chen Ping's elder brother, and he had been guarding Wangzhuxuan for so many years. Chen Shou sent someone to give him news about the affairs of the Hou Mansion, and he was his confidant. Afterwards, Zhao Chen assigned Chen Shou to her. When Zhao Chen was not around, Chen Shou could handle the affairs of the outer courtyard.

She followed Zhao Chen to the main room.

A slender figure quickly turned around at the door, wearing a gray round-neck robe, knelt down after entering the room, and kowtowed to the two of them: "Chen Shou pays tribute to the uncle and grandma."

Ah Ju quickly looked at the man in front of him.

About [-] years old, and Chen Ping has a three-point similarity, with a pair of slender and peaceful eyes, restrained and steady.

Knowing someone, she looked at her husband.

Zhao Chen has been staring at her, for some reason, seeing her look at other men, even in front of him and for a reason, he is inexplicably unhappy.But business matters, Zhao Chen quickly threw away the absurd thoughts that shouldn't be there, and asked Chen Shou to get up first.

After Chen Shou thanked him, he stood up, lowered his eyes, looked at the ground, and waited for his master's order.

Zhao Chen was very satisfied, and said: "From now on, you will be in charge of Wangzhuxuan's outer court, and you can do whatever Grandma tells you, without asking me for instructions."

Chen Shou bent down and saluted: "Chen Shou will keep it in mind, Grandma has something to do but she can send her out."

"Please trouble me. These two letters are for Prince An's Mansion and Marquis of Yongchang's Mansion. You can go and deliver them yourself." Aju handed over the two letters as Zhao Chen taught.

She was sitting, Chen Shou took a few steps forward, took it respectfully, and then strode out of the main room.

"How is it?" Seeing that Ah Ju was still looking at the door, Zhao Chen's eyes flickered slightly.

"It's almost Chinese New Year, and the two aunts must be very busy. I wonder if they will see us when they are free." Ah Ju expressed her worries and looked at him sideways.

It turned out that she wasn't looking at Chen Shou at all. Zhao Chen laughed at his wild thoughts and started talking to her again: "No matter how busy you are, if you really want to see each other, there will always be time. Let's just wait."

The post soon reached the Guo family.

When the servant girl handed in the copybook, Mrs. Guo was checking the copybook copied by her daughter.The eldest son in the family has been calm and sensible since he was a child, so she doesn't need to worry about it, but the daughter who should be quiet follows her husband's temperament, is active and playful, and doesn't care about being a school girl.The words that she was asked to write yesterday seemed to have a shape, but in fact they were vain, how could they meet people?

Guo Mingzhu was sitting on the sidelines bored, and when she saw the maid came in with the post, she immediately snatched it, "The post from the Zhao family? Sit down, mother, and I'll read it to you. Eh, it was written by my uncle... Mother, brother-in-law, he has already returned to the Hou's mansion, ah, he said he is married, and wants to bring his sister-in-law over to see you!"

"Brothers are married!" Guo Mingzhu was so excited that she wished she could go to Zhao's house to see someone right away.She hated her uncle Yanpinghou, but she still had a good impression of this uncle. The difference between the two was three years old, and she vaguely remembered that his uncle would play with her every time he came home.After learning that her uncle was sent to the countryside, the little complexity in her heart suddenly turned into sympathy.My aunt is gone, my uncle doesn't want to see him, my uncle is so pitiful, and I don't know what it is like now.

Mrs. Guo was stunned for a moment, then took the post and read it.The handwriting on the greeting card is neat, powerful and heroic.

Kiss nephew, her sister's son.

Already married?Not a word of wind was heard.

Mrs. Guo put down the post and said to the servant girl: "Go and answer, just say that I am free today and tomorrow, and they can come over anytime."

The servant girl took the order and left.

Guo Mingzhu sat beside her mother with a smile, "Mother, don't you blame my uncle?" I haven't heard my mother take the initiative to mention my uncle for so many years, so I still feel a little bit angry when I think about it.

Mrs. Guo looked at her daughter, just when Guo Mingzhu thought she would say something, Mrs. Guo took back the copybook that had just been put aside.

Guo Mingzhu immediately lost face.

(End of this chapter)