Chapter 649: I'll Talk to Him! [Thanks! Thanks again! 37k words owed]

Downstairs,

in the small path among the flowers not far away,

Xu Zaijing was reaching out to pull Liang Han out of the flower bushes.

Upstairs,

an official wife asked curiously:

"Which family is that calm and composed young man from?"

"He looks sturdy like someone who practices martial arts, but his face is fair and handsome with a scholarly air."

"So many people on the second floor are looking at him, yet he looks like nothing happened!"

Hai Chaoyun's smile faded slightly, and she looked at the official wives standing by the railing talking not far away.

"That is the youngest son of the Marquis Yongyi's family! He is a figure who has made a great name for himself in the capital! Several young masters from high-ranking and noble families have fought several times because of him!"

A middle-aged woman dressed in luxury but with a bitter look on her face said.

"Fighting for him? Why is that?"

"Sister, you've been away for a long time and don't know! Previously, there was a huge commotion in the capital; everyone said he set up a scheme to cheat money! There were even commoners who went to the Kaifeng Prefecture because of him!"

Another younger daughter-in-law said.

The words of these few people reached the vicinity, and the expressions of those who heard them were all different.

"Ah? Setting up a scheme to cheat money, yet he dares to come to the chrysanthemum appreciation meeting at this time? Isn't he afraid the victims will come to find him?"

"I heard he compensated the money and settled the matter."

After the few official wives finished speaking, a noble young lady echoed: "Looking at his appearance, I thought he was calm and steady, but I didn't expect it was because his skin was thick!"

Hearing this, Hai Chaoyun opened her mouth to speak.

But before she could speak, an official wife said with an uncertain tone: "Xu family's youngest son? That's not right! Previously, I heard my husband say that this young master bravely rushed to Beizhou and saved a lot of military supplies! Even the current Emperor rewarded him with a mansion!"

As soon as these words were spoken,

the surroundings were quiet for a moment.

The noble young ladies who hadn't spoken turned their gazes toward the few people who had spoken just now.

Feeling the gazes around her, the middle-aged woman with a bitter look stiffened her neck and said: "This, this kid establishing merit doesn't delay him setting up a scheme to cheat money!"

"That's right!" the person beside the middle-aged woman echoed.

"I say, Madam Tan, looking at you, you don't know how many rewards people got, right?" someone else said.

"I, I how would I not know! But the rumors in the capital are just like that!"

Looking at the woman talking not far away, Hai Chaoyun said in a low voice: "Mother, looking at the one talking over there, is that the Da Niangzi of the Duke of An's family?"

Madam Hai nodded lightly: "Right! It's the eldest branch of the Duke of An's family."

"No wonder!"

Previously, the Jin Kingdom sent an envoy to the Great Zhou.

Xu Zaijing proposed that the warriors of the two countries compete on the polo field. Because the descendants of the Duke of An's Tan family used underhanded tricks, they were beaten severely and carried back.

The Old Madam of the Duke of An's family even complained to the Emperor because of this matter.

The discord between the two families was already out in the open.

Xu Zaijing and Liang Han, Changfeng, and others who were covering their faces walked past downstairs quickly.

Everyone on the second-floor platform sat back in their positions under the umbrellas one after another.

The speaker had no intention, but the listener had a heart.

Listening to the conversation of the crowd just now, some official wives and noble young ladies who reacted slowly now tasted the flavor and whispered to each other from time to time.

"Hiss, that's right! Xu family's kid got so many rewards before, how could he set up a scheme to cheat money?"

"This news spread suspiciously fast!"

"And no one came out to stop or block it; this matter has some tricks..."

"Which family's young lady was echoing Madam Tan just now?"

"Looking at it, it seems to be the Tian family of the Earl of Huixian."

On the other side,

Wang Ruofu frowned, looked at Changfeng downstairs with an unhappy expression, and said in a low voice:

"This concubine-born thing, bringing him out hasn't seen him win any glory for our family, just losing face for me!"

Hualan, who was standing beside Wang Ruofu, looked around and hurriedly said: "Mother! Feng Ge'er is only how old; being stared at by so many noble young ladies, it's only natural to be a bit nervous!"

Glancing at Hualan, Wang Ruofu stared and said: "Natural? Jing Ge'er isn't much older than Changfeng, look at his appearance!"

Hualan shook her head with a smile: "Fifth Brother has been on the battlefield and seen big scenes; you can't compare the younger brothers with him!"

"Having such an incident, maybe it can leave an impression on some young lady, and it will be a joke when talking about marriage!"

"Besides, isn't there one who fell into the flower bushes?"

Hearing this,

a smile appeared on Wang Ruofu's face.

Soon,

Changbai and Changfeng went up to the second floor together.

After greeting Wang Ruofu and Hualan, they hurriedly avoided the surrounding gazes and walked to the side of the screen, sitting down under a large umbrella.

"Third Brother, I heard the neighing of a horse over here just now; what happened?" Seeing Mo Lan asked, looking at Changfeng whose flushed face was fading.

"Neighing?" Changfeng, who was somewhat dazed by being looked at, frowned, then realized: "Oh! It was the personal attendant under Fifth Brother Xu, who helped me pick a horse!"

Listening to the conversation between the two,

Changbai on the side took a cup of tea, looked at Rulan while drinking, and said.

At this time, for some reason, Rulan hadn't interrupted to ridicule Seeing Mo Lan, just looking at Wang Ruofu and Hualan.

"Rulan, what's wrong with you today?" Changbai asked.

"Ah? No, nothing, Second Brother," Rulan, who had come back to her senses, hurriedly said.

Changbai scanned the four younger sisters and their respective maids, nodded with thoughtful eyes.

At this time,

Wang Ruofu and Hualan walked over.

Rulan looked at Hualan's expression and hurriedly smiled flatteringly.

Changbai put down the teacup, stood up, and said: "By the way! Mother, Sister, just now at the Qiji Gathering, the personal attendant beside Jing Ge'er picked several very good horses!"

"Knowing that the several younger sisters are practicing polo, he prepared to send those several horses to our house!"

Wang Ruofu looked slightly surprised: "Ah? This must cost quite a lot of silver, right?"

Hualan looked at the irrepressible joy on Minglan and Pinlan's faces and smiled: "Mother, it's nothing; it might just cost some money for the grass and fodder brought over."

"Oh! Then accept them!" Wang Ruofu nodded.

A round of noise and liveliness,

in the afternoon,

the sun slanted west,

and everyone attending the chrysanthemum appreciation meeting began to set off to return to the capital.

Behind the Sheng family's carriages and horses, there were four more horses that were not old in age and were swift and agile in physique.

In the evening,

Jingying Lane,

Sheng family,

candles had already been lit in Linqi Pavilion.

Having changed into home clothes, Sheng Hong, smelling of alcohol, sat on the arhat chair and reached out to take the hangover soup handed over by Lin Qinshuang.

"I heard from Mother that the Marquis's mansion sent four good horses to our house?"

"Mm! Yes, Honglang! These four good horses, they say our Mo'er even has a share!"

Raising his eyes to look at Lin Qinshuang's tearful expression, Sheng Hong said softly: "Shuang'er, what's wrong with you today? Is it because of the horses sent by the Marquis's mansion?"

"Our Mo'er doesn't like pitch-pot or polo; if we don't ride those good horses, we just won't! Why are you afraid and sad!"

Lin Qinshuang shook her head, shaking the accessories on her head along with it, and said: "Honglang is right!"

Sheng Hong drank a mouthful of hangover soup, looked at Lin Qinshuang who was lowering her head, and said: "No, looking at you, Shuang'er, it's not because of this!"

"Honglang, nothing happened, don't ask!" Lin Qinshuang continued to look at the ground and said.

Sheng Hong put down the porcelain bowl, looked at Zhou Xueniang on the side, and said: "What exactly happened?"

Zhou Xueniang looked at Lin Qinshuang, bowed in a salute, and said: "Returning to Master, it's, it's that after the Fourth Young Lady returned from Madam Wu's chrysanthemum appreciation meeting, Feng Ge'er and the Fourth Young Lady were severely reprimanded by the Da Niangzi!"

"When they returned to the courtyard, the Fourth Young Lady's eyes were crying red!"

"What!?" Sheng Hong sat up straight: "On this festival, why does the Da Niangzi want to reprimand Feng'er and Mo'er?"

Lin Qinshuang raised her head, tears flowing out at the right time, and said: "Honglang, don't ask! No matter what, it's Feng'er and Mo'er's fault!"

"Feng'er is a provincial graduate! Mo'er has always been the most sensible child. Today they were just going to the chrysanthemum appreciation meeting; what wrong could the two of them have done?"

"Go, call Mo'er over!"

"Yes, Master." Zhou Xueniang bowed in a salute and turned to leave.

Soon,

Seeing Mo Lan walked over with her maids.

"Daughter greets Father." Seeing Mo Lan bowed in a salute.

"Mo'er, what happened at the chrysanthemum appreciation meeting today? Why does the Da Niangzi want to scold you?"

Seeing Mo Lan's tears came as soon as she wanted them to. After wiping them with a handkerchief, she said: "Father, today daughter went to the chrysanthemum appreciation meeting, when I went to change clothes..."

"Daughter was just going upstairs to find someone, but Fifth Sister scolded daughter for being shameless, always wanting to show her face in front of the ladies!"

Sheng Hong's face was very ugly, and he said in a low voice: "Just because of Rulan's one-sided words?"

Seeing Mo Lan nodded and said: "Father, later the young ladies from the Gu and Chai families insisted on pulling daughter to stroll in the tents on the first floor!"

"When daughter was buying things, I bought a piece of jewelry half the price of Fifth Sister's, and the Da Niangzi scolded daughter for being a money-losing goods, saying the Sheng family's things were all going to be ruined by daughter..."

Sheng Hong's chest heaved, and after taking a few deep breaths, he stood up and said: "Wait for me to go to the Da Niangzi's place!"

Lin Qinshuang held Sheng Hong back, shook her head, and said: "Honglang, you go find the Da Niangzi, it will only make the Da Niangzi even angrier!"

"The Da Niangzi is right; this concubine not only doesn't have the embroidery skills of the Wei family sister, but even more so cannot become the mistress of an ordinary family outside, and can only live by relying on Honglang."

Sheng Hong shook his head and said: "Shuang'er, what nonsense are you talking about! You being a concubine in my Sheng Hong's mansion is already suffering a grievance!"

Saying this, Sheng Hong put on a coat and walked toward the outside.

"Honglang!" Lin Qinshuang called out from behind.

"Wait for me!" Sheng Hong waved his hand.

Weiruixuan,

"Master is here."

Cairuan said with some surprise.

Inside the room,

Wang Ruofu walked out from the inner room, supporting herself on Mama Liu's hand, looked at Sheng Hong who entered the room, and said: "Master, aren't you resting in Linqi Pavilion today?"

Sheng Hong pursed his lips, waved his hand, and said: "Let the servants all wait outside the courtyard."

Mama Liu was about to leave, but her arm was pulled by Wang Ruofu.

Seeing this, Mama Liu could only signal Cairuan, and then accompanied Wang Ruofu to the side, standing beside Wang Ruofu who sat down.

Sheng Hong glanced at Mama Liu beside Wang Ruofu, but didn't say much.

After the maids and mamas left the room, Sheng Hong frowned and said: "The daughters are just buying jewelry; you, as the mistress of the house, why are you reprimanding them for such a small matter?"

"I, Sheng Hong, although my official rank is low, I still have the money to buy jewelry for my daughters."

As soon as these words were spoken, Wang Ruofu's face, which had a slight smile, instantly became angry, and she tightly pinched her handkerchief and said: "Sure enough! It was that bitch Lin Qinshuang who told you, Master!"

"You, you, as the mistress of the house, how can you call people bitches one after another? Truly speaking without restraint!"

"Hmph!" Wang Ruofu snorted coldly.

Sheng Hong looked at Wang Ruofu with some surprise. Under normal circumstances, this Da Niangzi of his should be exploding with anger at this time, standing up and shouting loudly at himself.

But today she actually held her temper and just snorted.

"What, is what I said wrong? They are all daughters of the Sheng family, how can Ru'er..." Sheng Hong hadn't finished speaking when he saw Wang Ruofu's chest heave a few times.

Subsequently, Wang Ruofu took a deep breath and said:

"What does it have to do with Ru'er? Ru'er buys jewelry using my silver! Whose silver does Seeing Mo Lan use? The Sheng family's silver!"

"That Seeing Mo Lan always thinks about showing her face in front of the ladies of high-ranking families and climbing high branches; you should scold her more, Master!"

Sheng Hong stared and said: "Seeing Mo Lan explained to me; she was looking for you and Hualan, not climbing high branches!"

"Looking for me or looking for Hualan, just wait at the exit of the flower path; why go to the second floor? Do you really think others are fools? Hmph!" Wang Ruofu snorted and rolled her eyes.

Sheng Hong thought in his heart and was speechless: "You! Seeing Mo Lan is only how old, can she think like you? Truly unreasonable!"

"Bang!"

Wang Ruofu stood up with a bang: "Who is unreasonable?"

"You!" Sheng Hong said hatefully.

Mama Liu on the side hurriedly stepped forward, comforted Wang Ruofu for two sentences, bowed in a salute to Sheng Hong, and said: "Master, the Da Niangzi returned home today to reprimand the two young ladies, which was also specifically instructed by our Eldest Young Lady."

"Hua'er?" The angry Sheng Hong looked at Mama Liu with some surprise.

Mama Liu nodded: "Yes, Master! Today when the young ladies were strolling and playing..."

After a brief summary, Mama Liu continued: "This servant also asked Xique two sentences, and only then did I know that if it weren't for Pinlan young lady acting according to the situation, the Sixth Young Lady would have come out of that tent with empty hands."

"With so many people outside the tent, and they were all young ladies from high-ranking families, seeing such a situation, I don't know what they would say about our young lady!"

"The two older sisters only cared about themselves, not as concerned about the younger sister as the cousin. Because of this matter, the Eldest Young Lady was somewhat angry, which is why she said a few more words to the Da Niangzi."

Hearing this, Sheng Hong's eyes turned, and his anger dissipated a lot.

Looking at Sheng Hong's appearance, Wang Ruofu curled her lips and said: "That rabbit Changfeng, in front of so many people at the chrysanthemum appreciation meeting, lost our family's face! I..."

"This, this, what does it have to do with Changfeng again?" Sheng Hong stared and said.

Mama Liu looked at Wang Ruofu and said helplessly: "Master, it's Feng Ge'er and several young masters in the school, strolling among the flowers together, on the way..."

After listening, Sheng Hong nodded and was about to speak when Wang Ruofu said angrily: "If because of today's incident, it delays Changbai's marriage in the future, or ruins our Ru'er's reputation, see if I..."

Before Wang Ruofu finished speaking, she was tugged by Mama Liu.

Sheng Hong, whose expression had already become awkward after Mama Liu finished speaking, heard Wang Ruofu's words, and his expression became ugly again.

After scanning Wang Ruofu, Sheng Hong stood up and said: "Mm! Then I'll go talk to Changfeng! This child..."

Saying this, Sheng Hong walked toward the outside of the room.

Jin'an Study,

The maid Qiujiang walked back to the courtyard quickly,

after entering the room, she looked at Wei Shuyi and said: "Little Madam, the Master has returned to Linqi Pavilion again."

Wei Shuyi nodded, looked at Changzhen's curious expression, and said: "Let's continue, what character is this?"

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 650 =====