Mistress

Chapter 46

Aunt Ji and Ying'er haven't come back from the palace yet, Qiaoer in her room is already worried about her, because Qiaoer heard from Aunt Ji that she must conceive a child for the master in the coming year, but now the master has a new love, I'm afraid He is never willing to come to Qiushui Pavilion again.

This time, Aunt Ji came back in time for lunch. In the past, she would wait until the afternoon every time she entered the palace.Because this time she refused the emperor to touch her on the grounds that she was not healthy enough.She cried and fussed about the abortion again, and she was about to hang herself. The emperor couldn't make trouble with her, so he rewarded her with a set of nine-linked jade articles worth tens of thousands of taels.

When Aunt Ji told the emperor the secret she had learned from Chen Hao, the emperor was surprised and delighted, and rewarded her with a pair of rare jade pendants, which are said to be treasures that have been passed down for thousands of years, even the empress. Nothing so precious.

Aunt Ji was finally satisfied in her heart. With these things, she would be worry-free for the rest of her life.What's more, this is something rewarded by the emperor, and it is also a talisman for her.

After the emperor learned that Xu Cheng had taken careful precautions in secret, he immediately sent his Jinyiwei and secretly trained troops to follow up.He didn't expect that Xu Cheng had arranged this before, and he was surprised and angry, but knowing that the scale was not large and it was just used as a precaution, he felt relieved.

For him, this kind of small-scale and small-scale defense, he got the news in advance, and he can easily wipe it out at that time.

It's just that he didn't know that what Chen Hao got was second-hand information, Xu Cheng and Su Bai deliberately let Chen Hao know.

Aunt Ji returned home happily, and Ying'er carefully hid these treasures for her.At this time, Qiaoer came in and told Aunt Ji everything she had heard.Aunt Ji looked shocked, a little unbelievable, and then asked: "Could it be that you misheard?"

Qiao'er shook her head, "Auntie, it's true! Qing'er scolded that woman hiding in Yang's mansion, calling her a shameless goblin."

"How did Madam react, is she angry or angry?" Aunt Ji asked.

Qiao'er shook her head again, "Your servant is not very clear. I heard from Qing'er... After Madam came back, she did not mention this matter as usual. That's why Qing'er complained about Madam's injustice."

Aunt Ji waved Qiao'er out, and then said to Ying'er: "Ma'am, you're not nervous, so I don't need to worry about this matter, let's pass this year in peace, and let's find a plan in the spring of next year, The master invites me. As long as I have the master's flesh and blood, I will not cause trouble, and he will gradually treat me well for the sake of the child in the future."

Ying'er beat Aunt Ji's leg, nodded and said: "Auntie is right, whoever provokes the master will not end well, this is the first time that the master has put his heart into treating a girl in so many years, then he must like it very much gone."

Aunt Ji couldn't help but feel sore when she heard this, Xu Cheng will always be the pain in her heart, she once wanted his heart so much, but she never really got close to him.She sighed, "I would like to see that girl if I have the chance."

"It's not difficult. Madam is busy with opening the shop. She said it will open on the [-]th day of the first lunar month in the coming year. Auntie will go with her then. Maybe I can meet you there."

Aunt Ji wiped away a few tears with a silk handkerchief, it was the first time she heard that Xu Cheng had a woman he liked, so how could she not feel sad?

Ying'er saw that Aunt Ji said she didn't care, but she felt so sad in her heart, so she didn't dare to say any more.

At this time, Aunt Song had just returned from the embroidery room, because she wanted to make a new set of clothes for Xu Cheng that would catch his eyes, and she brought the materials back to the Mingxiang Pavilion, and she sat down to embroider without even having time to drink pattern.Unexpectedly, her girl, Bi'er, came back and told her such a thing, she suddenly lost interest and threw the needlework in her hand aside.

Bi'er hurriedly persuaded: "Auntie, because of this, you should do something to make the master happy, otherwise the master will really forget about you."

Bi'er handed the needle and thread to Aunt Song's hands, and Aunt Song continued to sew helplessly, sighed after each stitch, and said, "Originally, the master almost forgot about me, even if I dangled in front of him." He seems to be invisible. Now that he has a woman he likes, he is afraid that he will be much worse for Chi'er and Jiao'er in the future. It's all because I am useless as a mother. They don't know where they will go in the future Such a road, I am afraid that even a so-so errand will not be favored."

Bi'er also wept, "Don't worry, auntie, the third and fourth young masters are still young, so who can say what will happen in the future? Auntie should do the things right now. The last time auntie went back to her mother's house, the eldest master and uncle You don't have any clues about what the Lord asked you to pay attention to."

Aunt Song's hand trembled, the belly of her index finger was pricked with blood by the embroidery needle, it was bright red.

Bi'er panicked, and blamed herself: "It's all because the slaves talk too much, Auntie, please don't worry about this matter."

Aunt Song put her finger in her mouth and sucked it, and said with a wry smile: "Madam's natal family can support Madam, and Aunt Ji has the emperor's backing, so my natal family is good. When I was unmarried, they treated me like a slave. I am the concubine of the Prime Minister of the Ye Dynasty, and they only want to use me, but I still can't refute it. Is it because I am a concubine that I can't hold my head up all my life?"

Bi'er cried: "Why don't auntie stop listening to the old master and uncle, and take the young masters for a walk during the festivals. Don't be afraid of them, auntie, anyway, I won't see you many times throughout the year."

Aunt Song sighed quietly and didn't speak, because she felt that she couldn't do it, and her temperament was cowardly.

Xu Cheng walked through the six houses, and finally came to Wang Yingying's small courtyard.

He asked the two guards about the situation when Li Yan came just now, and then called out the little leader inside, and asked about Wang Yingying.

Wang Yingying immediately ran out of the house when she heard the movement, but she didn't expect the little leader to close the door as soon as she came in, and the guards outside locked the door again.

There was a sneer in her heart, it seemed that Xu Cheng didn't dare to come in.If he was really not afraid of being tempted, why did he come to the door and then leave?

She smiled gracefully at the little leader and said, "Brother, do you think this low courtyard wall can trap me? You should have seen me when I practiced sword in the morning, and I can go out easily, but I don't want to It’s just that the Prime Minister is willing to condescend to this, and whether this door is locked or not is no different to me.”

The little leader bowed to her and said: "I understand that locking the door is not to prevent you from getting out, but just to prevent people from outside from getting in. It is not this door that makes you unable to get out, but the five of us."

"Oh?" Wang Yingying approached him, put her hands on his shoulders, and said softly, "How about we compete first?"

The little leader didn't back down, just let her put his shoulders on his shoulders, and said expressionlessly: "Just now, the prime minister said that he will come to listen to your singing tonight."

Wang Yingying smiled, "Okay, I'll wait." Then she walked into her bedroom gracefully.

When Xu Cheng returned to Jinxiu Courtyard, the small kitchen was already full of aromas.When everyone saw that he was back, they hurriedly arranged the meals. Li Yan sat quietly where she had been sitting. She didn't go up to meet Xu Cheng, didn't call him, and didn't even look at him. Arrangement.

"Ma'am, be careful, the plate is hot, don't touch it." Qi'er first filled a bowl of soup for Li Yan, and then came to serve Xu Cheng, with no smile on her face.

Xu Chengwu sat down by himself, looked up, and found that not only Qi'er was expressionless, but Cui Mama was even more ashamed, and even Qing'er was also unhappy, standing aside with her mouth pouting.He couldn't help laughing, and asked: "Ma'am, what happened today, did the people in your room get angry with someone?"

Seeing that Xu Cheng asked the question knowingly, Li Yan smiled pretendingly and said, "Master, who are they getting angry with? They just heard a story from Madam Cui, saying that there were a group of wives and concubines in the house of a high-ranking official. There are a few women who don't know their origins in the yard outside, and the wives and concubines dare not say a word, they only dare to wipe their tears in secret. They feel that being a woman is really not easy, and they are a little sad."

Qi'er came over with a silver basin and asked Xu Cheng to wash his hands.Xu Cheng rubbed his hands and asked with a smile, "What about Madam, aren't you sad?"

Li Yan shook her head and said lightly: "It's just a joke, so why bother? I was too busy reading the purchase list written by Manager Lin just now, so I didn't care about being sad."

Xu Cheng inspected Li Yan's expression, smiled thoughtfully, said nothing, and started eating.He also put food into Li Yan's bowl from time to time, and Li Yan just ate the food he put in silently without thanking her.

After the meal, Xu Cheng had no intention of leaving at all. He saw Li Yan sitting by the brazier reading a book, so he paid out Qi'er, Qing'er, and Nanny Cui, and then took Li Yan's hand. Yan's hand, pulled her to sit on the couch, let her lean against him.

Li Yan still stared at the book, she didn't want to lift her head, and said casually: "Although it is the cold winter of the twelfth lunar month, the heated kang in the house is still very comfortable, suitable for taking a nap in the afternoon, the master should lie on the kang for a while."

Xu Cheng pulled the book out of her hand, flipped through the cover of the book, raised the corners of his mouth, and teased: "When did Madam like reading "The Legend of Yingying"? I like to read this kind of stories about men and women who were taught privately without the words of the matchmaker or the order of their parents."

"The past was the past, and the present is the present. What's more, don't such things happen from time to time? You said yesterday that the girl in your boudoir will go all the way to find the person she admires." Li Yan wanted to grab Xu Cheng when she spoke. Xu Cheng stretched out the book in his hand, and threw the book on the desk, not letting her read it.

Li Yan frowned slightly, puffed her cheeks slightly, and looked up at him.

Xu Cheng stretched out his hand to pinch her cheek, and said, "I like to see you being so jealous but not crying or fussing."

Li Yan glanced at him, "If I were a man, I would like it too. Don't men think so? As a woman in my backyard, you can be jealous, but you must never play your temper in front of me. You You can be angry and angry, but on the surface you have to keep your sense of proportion, you have to be decent, you have to serve me when you should serve me, you can't make mistakes, and you can't make everyone know about it by crying and crying. Right?"

Xu Cheng sneered, "Madam still has some insights into this, it really makes me like it more and more."

The corner of Li Yan's mouth twitched, she saw him laugh inexplicably, and said: "Don't play tricks on me, you think you can live in peace if you coax both ends? I'm fine, I'm just afraid that the girl feels aggrieved. I It's not that I restrain myself from crying or fussing, I don't want to take this matter to heart, there's no need to add trouble to myself. The master is heaven, I should look up, how dare I feel dissatisfied?"

Xu Cheng's expression turned serious, and he said very seriously: "Madam has such an opinion, can you explain it to me?"

"Master, why are you so confused? In my eyes, Master has always been perceptive." Li Yan was really confused when she saw him. Could it be that her guess was right? The woman locked up was really important to him. Is it useful?
Xu Cheng smiled wryly, "Ma'am, you really know how to joke. If I could see everything clearly, I wouldn't put the Xu family in such a situation. If I don't do my best to save the situation, the Xu family will be an important minister of the Ye Dynasty for several generations. I'm afraid it will be broken." It's in my hands."

Seeing that Li Yan was shocked when he heard the words, he hurriedly comforted him: "This is just my worst guess, Madam, don't panic. Companion to a king is like companion to a tiger. In the end, there will always be times when a tiger bites you. Madam should understand this. It's just that This Wang Yingying is quite puzzling to me, and I can't guess a thing or two about her purpose." Xu Cheng told Li Yan everything he knew about Wang Yingbao's situation, without missing a single word.

Seeing Li Yan, Xu Cheng was a little surprised, and said: "Didn't we agree the day before yesterday that we should love each other and be of one mind and one mind. Whatever you want to know, as long as I can say it, I will tell you."

Li Yan was a little moved, nodded, and then racked her brains to think about Wang Yingying's behavior.Xu Cheng can completely confess these things to her, and she hopes that she can help him.

From Li Yan's point of view, there are three reasons why a woman is willing to take risks. One is for love. Maybe she really admires Xu Cheng and wants to be his woman, but Xu Cheng thinks it is impossible. He thinks that any smart woman is She would not entrust her life to someone she doesn't understand; the second is for money, but her father is a rich man, so she is not short of money; the third is for profit, what benefits can she get from Xu Cheng?
Xu Cheng thought worriedly: "She is a little girl, she has no shortage of food, clothing and men, what else is she not satisfied with?"

Li Yan suddenly had an idea, "Maybe she is doing things for her father?"

"His father and I don't know each other, and we have never had anything to do with each other. Moreover, the surname Wang has nothing to do with the royal family of the Ye Dynasty or even the surnames of the ministers. I have never heard of anything about the surname Wang before. I have been suffering from this yesterday. I’ve been thinking about it for a long time, but I still can’t figure it out.”

Li Yan said again: "Then what about her ancestors, didn't they last for several generations? Maybe her surname was not Wang, and neither was her father's surname? Also, did Jiao Yangcheng have any enemies of the master? Or is it the emperor's enemy? Isn't it said in the world that revenge must be revenged? She knows so many things as a woman, including piano, chess, calligraphy, painting, poetry and prose, riding and martial arts. She must have studied hard since she was a child. It shows that her father is deliberately planning to raise her daughter, only waiting for her to be useful one day, so it seems that her father has hated the emperor or the master for many years."

Xu Cheng's expression changed slightly, and he said: "Jiaoyang City is the capital of the former dynasty. 90 years ago, my great-grandfather and Emperor Yeshi rushed into Jiaoyang City with hundreds of thousands of soldiers and horses, and beheaded the former king. The surname of the king of the previous dynasty was Wang..."

Xu Cheng suddenly stood up, walked out quickly and said: "Madam, rest at ease for a while, and I will tell you when I have a clue."

Wang Dynasty has disappeared since its demise. If a woman surnamed Wang is really involved, it must be a big conspiracy to overthrow the Ye Dynasty. Although he thinks the possibility is very small, he has to be cautious.

Li Yan didn't expect Xu Cheng to be so cautious because of her random thinking. She really made wild guesses!

(End of this chapter)