Chapter 144: Dust Settles

  "Return to Xiangshan?" Shen Mu Qing was shocked, "Not buried in the old house of Tai Cang? Why is it Xiangshan?"

  "Your uncle and aunt are no longer around, and the only one left in the family is a distant nephew who was adopted. This cousin of yours is a kind-hearted person, taking good care of your grandparents' as well as your uncle and aunt's graves... Years ago, my wife joked that after she passed away, she wanted to be buried at Xiangshan, where your relatives are... Shen Zhen's voice gradually trailed off, "I didn't understand it back then, but now I know it's too late... She wasn't interested in any incense or offerings..."

  How can there be no resentment?

  Shen Muqing pulled Shen Jian's sleeve: "Alright, alright, don't be sad. In the future, when you pass away, you'll also be buried at Xiangshan. During festivals and holidays, I'll go to Xiangshan to burn paper money for you and your wife."

  Shen Zhen didn't believe it at first, but he liked his daughter's tolerant attitude towards his unconventional behavior.

  "When the time comes, we'll go to Xiangshan by water and return to Kyoto by land." Shen Zhen smiled and said, "We can also take a detour to Shandong for a walk. I used to be the governor of Shandong, and the spring water there is particularly good. I even opened a canal, and some old subordinates are still there... If you think it's not fun, we'll go to Jiangsu. Speaking of which, you haven't been back yet. It's a land of fish and rice, Huaiyin has paper-cut New Year paintings, Yangzhou has lacquerware and jade, and Yixing has purple sand pots..."

  Shen Mu Qing gazed at his father's gray hair, listening to his travel plans, and his eyes became slightly moist.

  No matter whether it's a divorce or a break-up, the one who is truly being gossiped about by public opinion is still the woman.

  Shen Zhen took himself to Jiangnan, wanting to avoid these idle rumors?

  "Good," she smiled at Shen Zhen, "we'll send Madam back to Xiangshan!"

  After seeing Shen Zhen off, Ying Fen came in and reported: "Young Mistress, Sixth Madame wants to see you!"

  "Sixth Sister?" Shen Muqing was quite surprised.

  Since Changhui took two hundred taels of silver from her that time, she had never appeared again. She also didn't have the mood to care about others' business because of her own affairs, so she didn't know whether Liu Niang's illness was cured or not.

  But she can come see me, it should be some improvement, right?

  Shen Mu Qing thought for a moment, then instructed Ying Fen: "Let Liu Niang come in!"

  The Englishman hastily retreated and soon brought in a gaunt woman.

  Shen Mu Qing gazed at the woman's sallow face and high forehead, exclaiming in surprise: "Liu Niang?"

  The woman curtsied and said: "It's really Sixth Lady. I'll go and pay respects to Third Young Mistress for you!"

  Shen Mu Qing hastily ordered the maid to move a taishi chair over and serve tea and snacks.

  Although Liu Niang's face was pale and haggard, her bold nature remained unchanged. She sat down in the armchair with a big smile, took the tea from the maid and thanked her, then politely took a sip.

  "I only recently found out that Lord Shen had an accident, I went to the Hou Mansion, and the people at the Hou Mansion said you've returned to your maternal home..." As he spoke, he pulled out a small blue cloth pouch from his sleeve and handed it to Ying Fen, "This is five taels of silver, temporarily returning a little."

  Shen Mu Qing gazed at the small burlap sack and let out a soft sigh.

  She made Yingfen return the small bag to Liu Niang: "It's not time for that at home yet!"

  "I know," Liu Niang smiled faintly, "this is a little token of our appreciation."

  Shen Mu Qing firmly refused: "Wait until I need it later, then I'll ask Liu Niang again."

  Liu Niang insisted on giving him a look that clearly drew a line between them.

  "Sixth Sister, what are you worried about?" Shen Muqing couldn't help but ask.

  Her body stiffened, and her eyes were filled with bitterness: "I'm afraid that by the time we won't be able to repay this kindness!"

  Shen Mu Qing couldn't help but have tears welling up in her eyes.

  She felt a pang in her heart and ordered Yingfen: "Changhui borrowed a total of 205 taels of silver from me, make a written receipt for Liu Niang. Write clearly that the interest is three percent per year and it will be paid off in ten years."

  The Englishman muttered to himself, gave Liu Niang a disdainful look, then knelt down and responded with a "yes", while Liu Niang went downstairs with an unchanged expression.

  Jing Bi, who was serving beside her, whispered to Shen Muqing: "Don't be angry, milady. This emotional debt is bigger than the sky. Liu Niang is a woman with backbone, that's why she's acting like this."

  "I knew it!" Shen Muqing smiled and sighed, "That's why I had Yingfen go give her a written guarantee."

  The next day, Mr. Ouyang successfully obtained the divorce certificate.

  Looking at the divorce paper with several big red stamps on it, Shen Zhen let out a long sigh.

  Shen Mu Qing grasped his father's arm and said in a low voice: "Sorry! I've caused you worry!"

  "Whatever!" Shen Zhen cheered up and smiled, "I guess this is fate!"

  Shen Muqing saw Shen Zhenzhuo perk up, and his heart felt a bit better. He smiled and said: "Old master, I made my favorite chives and egg pancake today...I'll call Mr. Ouyang over, and we can have a couple of drinks together!"

  Shen Zhen nodded and smiled at Mr. Ouyang: "There won't be many days like this in the future!"

  Mr. Ouyang felt a bit ashamed and bowed his hands towards Shen Zhen: "Thank you, sir, for the ceremony."

  Shen Zhen waved his hand: "What's the point of saying these things! You and I are host and guest for a while, but it's better than being brothers..."

  As they said this, both of their eyes became slightly moist.

  Shen Muqing led the maids out and went to the kitchen to help with the preparations.

  She had just arranged a plate of poached chicken, when Chen's wife rushed in, crying.

  "Auntie, how could you not tell me about such a big thing?" She looked sorrowful, "How will you spend the rest of your days?"

  Shen Mu Qing looked at her with a dry laugh but no tears, and said: "What's so hard to pass, I have a house in White Paper Lane, and two shops."

  Aunt Chen cautiously asked: "Are you preparing to move to White Paper Lane, young lady?"

  Shen Mu nodded quietly.

  "How can that be!" Madam Chen immediately said, "You're a single woman, guarding such a large courtyard all alone, if something were to happen, how could I explain it to the mistress?!"

  Shen Muqing looked somewhat amused, but a grateful expression appeared on his face. "Thank you, Auntie, for your concern! I'm not suitable to stay at home, am I?"

  "Then just live at home!" Chen's aunt was sincere, picked up her handkerchief and wiped the corner of her eye, "Which daughter-in-law who has returned home lives outside? She should be living at home!"

  Shen Mu's mouth corners twitched upwards.

  She pounced on him, laughing: "Well, in that case, I won't be polite, Tingyu Xuan, just build me a courtyard!"

  "As long as the aunt is satisfied!" Chen Yiniang was unprecedentedly refreshed, "I heard that tonight, the Liang family will return the dowry of the aunt, do you want me to help count it?"

  "Good!" Shen Mu Qing smiled and said.

  At night, Liang Jia followed the dowry list and returned all the dowry and accompanying items of Shen Muqing.

  Shen Mu Qing entrusted Chen Niang to take Luo Mei and Zhu Ji to check on things.

  When it came to the porcelain, Luomei picked up a blue-glazed Guanyin bottle and said: "Huh? Why is this bottle not right! The dowry list clearly stated that there should be a pair of Ge kiln blue-glazed Guanyin bottles, but now they've become a pair of official kiln blue-glazed Guanyin bottles."

  Aunt Chen listened and immediately walked over: "Let me see, let me see!"

  Li's family steward and Dong's mother came over with gifts. Upon hearing this, the two of them changed their expressions greatly and quickly walked away.

  Luo Mei carefully handed the Guanyin bottle to Chen Yinniang, but she didn't take it. Instead, she beckoned to Luo Mei, Er Tongguan and Dong Mama: "All of you follow me."

  Four people went to a nearby flower hall, and those who were helping to unload the boxes stood still on the spot, each with a terrified expression.

  Before long, a loud rebuke came from the flower hall: "I said it, why is the Liang family so kind-hearted? Returning with dowry after dusk, it turns out that they replaced all of our young lady's dowry... You either hand over the things to me or go with me to Shuntian Prefecture. This pair of Guanyin vases is worth 400 taels of silver."

  The little servant's mother outside the flower hall heard this and her face changed even more, you looked at me, I looked at you, neither of us could say a word.

  This thing was sent by Second Master and Mother Dong, indeed personally given by Lady Feng.

  The two men stared at each other in dismay, both seeing fear in the other's eyes.

  The two managers were men after all, and they had seen a lot. He quickly calmed down and pulled Dong's mother aside to discuss the matter.

  "You stay here and wait. I'll go find Young Master."

  Dong's mother didn't have a better idea either. But thinking of the Shen family's young maids beating themselves with sticks that day, she felt a chill and said "I'd better go find Young Master instead, I'm just a woman, afraid I won't be able to handle this situation."

  The two managers thought for a moment and nodded: "Alright. I'll stay here, you go find the young master, hurry up! Otherwise, the three thousand taels of silver from Madame Dai will be given in vain."

  Third Young Master and Third Young Mistress were divorced, the Liang family compensated the Shen family with three thousand taels of silver, this is known to everyone in the mansion, because the three thousand taels of silver were taken out by Eldest Young Master's wife.

  Dong's mother thought of Mrs. Tai's resentful eyes at that time and her body trembled with fear.

  When Liang Bogong arrived, it was already the beginning of Hai time.

  Madam Chen sat in the flower hall, coldly staring at the Liang family servants standing under the eaves.

  Liang Bogong saw the brightly lit flower hall and this young woman, standing in front of the hanging flower gate, bowing from a distance, saying: "It's all because the people collecting the boxes are not careful, they took the wrong things. We'll take them back, sort them out, and then send them over."

  Aunt Chen let out a soft "hmm" - in the quiet of the night, her tone was clear and unmistakable to Liang Bo's ears.

  For some reason, he thought of his first visit to Wang Wenxuan's home, the low laughter of the concubine behind the screen.

  Liáng Bó Gōng's face turned red and his ears were burning.

  "Alright!" A gentle and serene voice came from the east side of the flower tree, "Auntie, let's put all the things in order and store them away!"

  "How can this be?" Chen's wife was shocked, "Although the mistress had things set up for you according to what the Liang family's eldest young mistress had, everything was more luxurious than what the Liang family's eldest young mistress had..."

  "Don't mention it!" Under the moonlight, Liang Bogong only saw a thin shadow. "Young master, I understand what's going on at home. I'll take this as giving face to the young mistress - I'm grateful for her kindness towards me in the manor." As he spoke, a 16 or 17-year-old girl emerged from under the trees, wearing a rose-red jacket, with a pair of long eyebrows that reached her temples on her pale face, and an air of pride mixed with elegance.

  She knelt down to Liang Bogong and said: "Young master, I am Yingfen by the side of my aunt." As she spoke, she opened a red lacquer box with gold trimmings, and the colorful gems shone brightly in the moonlight, dazzling the eyes.

  "This is what our aunt gave to Second Aunt. She said that she won't be using it anymore, so leave it for Second Aunt to add to her dowry when she gets married!"

  Liang Bo Kong stared at that blurry figure, feeling like a fish bone stuck in his throat - Liang Ji Min, did he even know what he had lost?

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  Chapter 144: Dust Settles