Chapter 104 Fleeting Moment

  The aunt looked at Mrs. Tai's face and couldn't hide her fatigue anymore, revealing a trace of:

  She went forward and supported Madame's arm, slowly leaving the Treasured Jade Courtyard.

  On the way back to the Idle Crane Pavilion, the maidservants followed from a distance, while Old Mistress spoke in a low voice with Liu's wife.

  "...to put off the wedding until next spring, saying it's an excuse for Ji Min to take a concubine"

  Madam Liu smiled and said: "Third Young Mistress also has a point. If we suddenly take in a concubine without any explanation, outsiders will inevitably make wild guesses."

  The old lady coldly snorted and said: "These are all excuses. I think it's just pretending to be virtuous."

  Liu Yiniang had served in front of Tai Furen for over thirty years, and no one knew Tai Furen's temperament better than her. At this time, it was best to keep silent and not speak.

  "But that's good too." The old lady smiled with ill intentions, "Let her think of a way to deal with Feng Wu herself... and she won't go back to her mother to complain. As long as she doesn't go back to her mother to complain, after a long time, it will be unclear who was wronged by whom."

  Madam Liu nodded, her voice filled with admiration: "After all, the old madam thinks deeply and far. Unlike us, who just look at our toes as we walk."

  Two people talked and walked further and further away.

  Ying Feng slammed the curtain shut: "What kind of nonsense is this? You don't even know how to write ' propriety' and 'shame'!" She said, revealing a smug expression to Shen Muqing: "Miss, you lost. Hurry up and bring out the silver."

  Shen Muqing sat in front of the stage, looking left and right to see if there was any remaining rouge on her snow-white melon-seed-shaped face.

  "How do I know they wouldn't take advantage of me even if I'm so pitiful? Insist on asking me for a date." She instructed Mingxia: "Go, give Tie Suanpan a few pieces of silver to weigh."

  Ming Xia looked at Ying Fen's smile and turned around to weigh the silver.

  "Miss, you can't call me 'Iron Abacus' anymore." Yingfen muttered to herself as she came over to comb Shen Muqing's hair. "They're all secretly calling me that now. How am I supposed to get married in the future?"

  "Get married?" Shen Mu's eyebrow raised "Didn't you say you wanted to be single? What marriage are you talking about?"

  Ying said angrily: "You also prepared a dowry for me, I won't let Mingxia and the others take advantage of me like this."

  Shen Mu Qing couldn't help but burst out laughing.

  Ying Fen looked at him, feeling very happy in her heart.

  She did this just to get a smile from Shen Muqing, and now that Shen Muqing is laughing heartily, she feels that her little joke was worth it.

  "Ah, I'll go call Zhenzhu for you," said Yingjun with a smile, "You told me to bring her here, but I was afraid of running into the Old Mistress on the way, so I had her wait in the back chamber."

  "Hmm" Shen Mu Qing got out of bed and sat on the opposite kang "Let her in"

  Yingfen and Ningbi's expressions turned solemn, and they respectfully bowed to Shen Muqing before going to call Zhuji in.

  "What did you want from me? How did your husband respond?" Shen Muqing dismissed the servants by her side.

  "Third Young Mistress, my grandfather said that every business has its own profit margin, and it's hard to say which one is the most profitable." Zhuji carefully observed Shen Muqing's expression, seeing that she wasn't angry but instead smiled slightly and nodded her head. Only then did he let out a sigh of relief and continue: "The small shops in Kyoto may look unassuming, but who knows if they have royal connections behind them? That's why not many people dare to open shops here. If Third Young Mistress is looking for something, it might be better to buy two storefronts in Baizhi Fang and sell tea instead."

  "A tea shop?" Shen Muqing murmured.

  Zhu Qi nodded: "My father-in-law said so. He also said that most of the people on that side are from the south, and they have a habit of going to tea houses to drink tea. If they can be a good example among those in charge, I think business won't be too bad."

  No wonder he's a seasoned traveler with great ideas.

  Shen Mu Qing called Yin Fen in: "Go, take out five gold bars for Zhu Ji."

  They all dispersed in an instant.

  Shen Muqing said to Zhuji, who looked puzzled: "You give these five gold bars to your father-in-law and ask him to buy two shops for me at Baizhi Fang. It's best if they're close together."

  Zhu Di's belly was full of doubts, but she didn't dare say more. She took the five gold bars handed over by Ying Fen and put them into her bag.

  "Does Third Young Mistress have anything else she wants me to pass on?"

  Shen Mu Qing smiled and said, "Tell your father-in-law that if these five taels of gold are not enough, he can temporarily lend some to make up for it. Later, when the silver from the Jiangnan shop comes back, I will return it to him."

  Zhu Qi nodded and hid the gold bars as she returned home.

  Her mother-in-law was sitting on the kang, altering a spring dress, while her father-in-law, Zhou Bing, walked back and forth in the house with his hands behind his back. Seeing Zhu Di return, he hurriedly asked, "What did the third young mistress say?"

  Zhu Di took out the gold bars and put them on the kang table, repeating what Shen Muqing had said.

  Zhou Bing's eyes shone with excitement as he picked it up and took a bite, exclaiming delightedly: "It's pure gold!"

  Zhou Bing furrowed his brow: "Third Young Mistress said that if this gold is not enough to buy a shop, I should make up for it?"

  Zhou Bing was taken aback by what he heard.

  Zhu Qi nodded and responded with a "yes".

  "Zhu Qi, you go down first." Zhou Bing pulled on Zhou Bing's sleeve and instructed Zhu Qi, "This..."

  Discuss with your dad

  Pearls hesitated for a moment, finally responded with a "yes", turned around and walked out of the house.

  As soon as Zhou Bing's daughter-in-law walked out the door, he immediately became excited: "Dad, now we're going to get rich! Later on, you can report more to Third Young Madam..."

  "Pointing at his wife, Zhou Bing was shaking with anger: 'No wonder I, Zhou Bing, couldn't beat that old good-for-nothing Wang Gui. It's all because of you.'"

  Zhou Bing's face turned red with anger, and his voice dropped a few degrees: "I, what's wrong with me?"

  "Do you know anything?!" He shouted loudly enough to fill the whole room, "What's the price of that courtyard the old lady gave to Third Young Master's wife as part of her dowry now? Do you know?"

  "I, I... wasn't I already out when I arrived at Liang's?" Zhou Bing said in a low voice.

  "How much does it cost for the two rooms next door? Do you know?" Zhou Bing was annoyed, "She calculates more precisely than my wife. Five taels of gold is just enough to pay for the two rooms. I didn't even get any tea money for running errands."

  Zhou Bing saw the man's humiliated appearance and said in a low voice: "Or else, we won't take this job?"

  Zhou Bing suddenly raised his head.

  "Not only must we receive, but also do it well, beautifully, and to her satisfaction." He had a determined look in his eyes. "If she can turn this situation around with this skill, what else can't be done? I'll put all my hopes for the future on her..."

  The next day, Wang Wenchao went to Fuhua Gongzhu's place.

  Fu Hua Gongzhu had already received Jiang Shuangrui's letter and merely sighed when she heard it.

  Feng also went back to his mother and thought that Wanqing's father was muddled, so he went to consult with her brother.

  His brother listened and thought it was a good thing to add to the family. He repeatedly instructed her: "You bring Wanqing back, I've assigned someone to watch her and tell her some rules. Don't say anything about your younger brother's wife. You must remember that before Wanqing gets married, nothing can be leaked out. Otherwise, we two will become a laughing stock in the capital."

  "Feng said worriedly: 'Can this matter be kept under wraps?'"

  Her brother glared at her: "If you can keep it under wraps, you'll get married in three years. If you can't, then tell Wanqing and Jimin about it, and when the time comes, just pretend nothing happened and deny everything."

  Liang Jimin and Feng Wanqing's matter was settled like this.

  Feng Wanqing stayed at Liang's place for another two days before Feng sent someone to pick her up.

  Perhaps it was wishful thinking, or perhaps Feng Wanqing had said something to Liang Jitian. Whatever the reason, Jitian abandoned his former decadence and began to study hard in Congludang, preparing for the imperial examination to become a Shengyuan scholar.

  Madam Tai and Madame Feng both felt relieved after seeing this: "Now that his mind is settled, he will naturally know how to make progress."

  Shen Muqing's mouth slightly curled up after hearing that, but Jiang Shuangrui was worried about Shen Muqing.

  The days passed quickly and it was already April when Zhu walked away. Shen Muqing didn't go to see her off, but had someone bring two golden headpieces instead.

  In mid-April, Liang Jiemin successfully passed the examination to become a Shengyuan scholar and began his studies at the Hanlin Academy. Jiang Shuangrui gave birth to a baby girl on May 2nd.

  The old lady was delighted: "There are already three little boys at home, and now a daughter has been born. Now there are both grandsons and granddaughters."

  Feng's disappointment was hard to conceal. On the day of the third ritual, she didn't even hold her child in her arms. Jiang Shuangrui's mother saw this and hid behind a locust tree in Xiangyun Temple, secretly crying. Jiang Shuangrui's sister-in-law consoled their mother: "She is still young, there are many days ahead."

  Jiang's mother shook her head: "The two were not good to begin with. I had originally hoped that she could give birth to a boy, and afterwards no matter how the son-in-law treated her, she would have someone to rely on... If we had known it would be like this, we shouldn't have climbed so high..."

  Shen Muqing, who had come to invite Mrs. Jiang to take her seat, quietly walked away after hearing this, but the smile on Mrs. Jiang's face on the day of Shen Muqing's wedding kept flashing in her mind.

  What Shen Muqing found strange was Liang Shu's attitude. He changed his previous indifference and went to see his daughter every day, even giving her a nickname "Gu Jie".

  Shen Muqing was very fond of Guifei, not only often going to hold her, but also bathing her, dressing her and changing her diapers. To the point where the wet nurse beside her laughed: "Third Young Mistress has taken all my tasks, what are we doing?"

  Sometimes she and Liang Shu Xin met, Liang Shu Xin would tactfully mention Liang Ji Min to Shen Mu Qing, saying that he was now more steady in his work, getting along well with his colleagues, and being highly regarded by his superiors. Shen Mu Qing knew that Liang Shu Xin was indirectly helping the two of them make amends, but sometimes when he said too much, she couldn't help but retort: "Second Uncle is speaking as if I don't know what kind of person my husband is?"

  Every time this happens, Liang Shu Xin becomes speechless, looking at her with a pleading gaze.

  In fact, Shen Muqing didn't say anything wrong.

  Perhaps out of gratitude to Shen Muqing, or perhaps because he had a clear prospect for his future with his cousin, Liang Jieming became closer to Shen Muqing. He not only moved back to Diecuiyuan, but also often went to the main house after dinner to chat with Shen Muqing and Liang Youhui. During this period, what Liang Jieming talked about most was the case of corruption against his superior, Yu Yao Zhifu, the county magistrate of Linshan, Zhejiang.

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  Chapter 104 Fleeting Moment