Volume 3: Dragon and Snake Movement Chapter 403: Little...Master's Wife?
The sun was shining brightly outside the window, and inside the window a beauty was leaning against the railing. The beauty, who was sitting with her chin in her hand, was extremely lazy and even hummed nonchalantly: "A red gauze shirt and a saffron skirt, a light silk fan to swat away mosquitoes and flies, and a slightly frowned brow, lazy to put on makeup..."
She hadn't finished reading when she heard a voice of praise from the side: "What a good poem! Miss, you are really amazing... Ouch!"
Liu Yin, who was praising her young lady with an intoxicated look on her face, was hit on the head by the light silk fan. She cried out in pain and looked at the beauty by the window miserably, but was given a cold stare: "Is this called poetry? If Yong Ping hears it, she will laugh at you a thousand times! I just made up three sentences, and I can't think of the fourth sentence, so I can't continue!"
Zhan Jin saw that Liu Yin's flattery had no effect and she was fanned instead. She could only helplessly carry a wooden tray up. On the wooden tray was a crystal bowl of iced sour plum soup. In this hot summer day, there was a wisp of white mist, which made people feel somewhat cool at a glance. On a white porcelain plate next to it was a lifelike blue peacock with a colorful tail, which was a masterpiece of nature.
However, such food comfort has no effect on Zhu Ying now. She is no longer at the age where she can be satisfied with exquisite dishes and exquisite presentation. When she saw the two things being served, she said unhappily without even blinking, "You two can share it. I have no appetite!"
"Miss." This time even Zhan Jin couldn't help but get a little anxious. "You haven't eaten well these past few days. The kitchen has put a lot of thought into making this for you. The sour plum soup is appetizing, and the peacock cake is cool and refreshing. Please have some. Liu Yin and I eat three meals a day plus snacks, but you can't ignore yourself."
"Who told them not to let me go out? Not only did they not allow me to go to Cangzhou again, but they also kept me locked up for fifteen days! Fifteen whole days!"
Zhu Ying jumped down from the high desk in front of the window with a gloomy face. That's right, she was leaning on the railing and looking into the distance, looking very lazy. In fact, she was sitting on the desk without any posture and looking at the yard. She seemed to have not seen the beauty chair on the second floor. As soon as she landed, she walked out with a huff. Liu Yin, who had just tried to amuse her, hurried forward to stop her.
"Miss... Miss, because of what you yelled outside, there has been chaos outside for several days. The master did it for your own good. Because he locked you up at home, the lady and the lady had a quarrel with him. Now the master is still living alone in the outer study room, claiming that he would guard the door. Anyone who dares to let you out is not a member of the Zhu family. The lady almost picked up a sword and fought with him..."
After hearing Liuyin's disorganized persuasion, Zhu Ying gradually stopped and then looked sideways at her two trusted maids suspiciously. Seeing Liuyin's expression that said "I'm a puppy if I try to coax people" and Zhanjin lowered his head, she immediately became furious.
"Okay, it turns out it's Dad who's causing trouble again! I was saying that Grandma and Mom are both the ones who support me the most, why would they lock me up here for no reason? Why is he always so overbearing! Grandma is his mother, and he doesn't even listen to her, what else does he want!"
Zhan Jin and Liu Yin looked at each other and felt the same sweat in their hearts. "Miss, you are still the master's most beloved daughter, but you often don't even listen to your father. Now you have the nerve to talk about your father?"
Having said that, seeing that they had rehearsed their lines in private, the words they came up with finally managed to appease Zhu Ying, and both of them felt relieved, and hurriedly stopped Zhu Ying to persuade her again. As for putting all the blame on Zhao Guogong Zhu Jing, the two of them did not feel the slightest bit of guilt.
Anyway, it was Zhu Jing's idea to confine Zhu Ying for 15 days. The Madam and Jiu Niang were not in favor of it, but because of the chaos in the court and the fact that the master seemed to have said something else to the two of them that the maids in the inner court didn't know, they reluctantly acquiesced. Of course, Zhu Jing was indeed driven to live in the outer court these days.
After finally persuading Zhu Ying to eat half a peacock cake and drink half a bowl of sour plum soup, the two were about to coax Zhu Ying to take a nap, but suddenly there was a commotion outside. Seeing Zhu Ying raised her eyebrows, she immediately pulled her skirt up to her waist and ran out quickly. The two loyal girls were stunned at first, and then they were furious.
They come up with different ways to coax people every day. Is it easy? Who is making trouble at this time?
As Zhu Ying tied up her skirt and ran out of the courtyard, she vaguely heard a familiar voice: "...So I rushed here as soon as possible..."
However, as soon as she heard who the voice was, she quickly lowered her skirt, and her overjoyed little girl disappeared without a trace, and she turned back into the gorgeous young lady. It wasn't Zhang Shou who came back, but that fat guy Lu Sanlang. Why was she so happy?
The next moment, she saw the familiar little fat man, but he was the one who came with someone. She was really surprised and couldn't help but shouting, "Mom, why are you here? This Fatty Lu is not a nobleman, does he need you to accompany him?"
"Your father locked you up in this yard for half a month. If I didn't come to see you every day, would you be able to sit still? If I didn't accompany Lu Sanlang here, I'm afraid you would have discussed with him how to sneak away, right?"
Jiu Niang knew that she was sorry for her daughter, so she couldn't help but hug Zhu Ying. After letting her go, she turned around and glanced at Lu Sanlang. Seeing that he was looking at the mother and daughter without blinking, with an expression that I understood, she thought the little fat boy was quite interesting, so she smiled at Zhu Ying and said, "But the most important thing is that Lu Sanlang was the first to bring good news today."
When Lu Sanlang saw Zhu Ying looking at him suspiciously, he straightened his chest and said with a grin, "I must be the first person outside to get the news, and the first one to come here to report the good news! From today on, Miss, you will be praised by everyone in the capital, because our Prime Minister Jiang Ge Lao...he has fallen from power!"
Compared to Jiuniang who had already experienced the baptism of good news, Zhanjin and Liuyin who had just hurried out were really surprised and happy. No matter why Jiang Ge Lao fell from power, the words of their eldest daughter scolding a few scholars in public were definitely the first spark of the prairie fire.
Compared to their previous worries about whether the eldest daughter would get into trouble because of this, this result was simply perfect!
However, just as Liu Yin, who was outspoken, said "That's great", Zhu Ying said unhappily, "I thought it was some good news. You rushed here just to tell me this? Old man Jiang must have fallen. I knew it a long time ago! I thought it was Ah Shou who came back. What a waste of joy!"
Jiu Niang didn't expect Zhu Ying's reaction to be so straightforward. She reached out and touched her forehead helplessly: "Lu Sanlang came to announce the good news with good intentions, but you are not polite at all. You keep talking about Old Man Jiang. He is the Prime Minister. Are you so sure that you can bring him down with just a few words?"
"If I say that he is unpopular, you will definitely laugh at me. After all, popular sentiment cannot determine whether a prime minister stays or leaves."
Zhu Ying smiled proudly: "Because I know that neither my father nor Lu Sanpang's father will let Old Man Jiang go. Besides, how many people has Old Man Jiang offended during his years in office? There are at least two great enemies in the cabinet who want to strangle him to death. I have created such a good opportunity. If they don't seize it, those two will have served in office for nothing!"
It turns out that Zhu Ying still thinks that it is right to openly criticize the Prime Minister in public!
With such an understanding, Lu Sanlang, who was used to poking people's soft spots behind their backs, could not help but sigh in amazement. Seeing Jiu Niang shaking her head helplessly, he planned to retire after completing his mission. It was enough to sell well, he did not want to stay in the Zhu family for too long. But just when he was about to leave, a voice came from outside.
"Madam, Miss, the master heard that Mr. Lu San is here, so he asked him to go to the outer study."
What you fear will come true. At this moment, Lu Sanlang wanted to die! Why did he come to show his courtesy for no reason? He had heard that Zhu Tingfang beat Zhu Er as soon as he came back, and Zhu Jing was so angry that he wanted to beat Zhu Er to death. In the final analysis, it was because Zhu Er had arranged marriages randomly. Jiu Niang seemed to have no grudges against him before, but God knows what Zhu Jing's attitude was!
Zhu Ying saw the sudden change in Lu Sanlang's expression, and immediately strode forward and said unhappily, "What are you afraid of when you meet my father, man? I'll go with you!"
I... go! It's better to let your mother accompany you than to let you accompany me! Before Lu Sanlang could resist, he was pushed roughly by Zhu Ying. When he saw Jiu Niang was stunned and nodded slightly, as if she had no intention of stopping him, he suddenly felt a little desperate.
However, the arm was no match for the thigh. Although Zhu Ying did not grab his collar and drag him to see Zhu Jing forcibly, there was someone escorting him from behind with a fierce look. When he arrived at the gate of the courtyard, he saw Zhu Hong blocking the way in front, so he had no choice but to obey.
When he left the inner gate of the Duke of Zhao's mansion and walked along a corridor to the outer study room on the west side, he saw a tall figure standing outside the study room with his hands behind his back while he was still preparing himself. Who else could it be but Zhu Jing? He didn't think he had the right to be waited for, and he just thought that Zhu Jing had been planning to bring him to justice. All of a sudden, he forgot all the excuses he had prepared in his mind.
But the next moment, his nervousness was completely dispelled by Zhu Ying. The young lady rushed past him and asked Zhu Jing, "Dad, you confined me to my home, is it just to give an explanation to old man Jiang outside, so that people will think that I am confined at home? Now that old man Jiang has fallen, do you still want to lock me up?"
If he had dared to say such things to his father before, he would definitely be beaten to death! Lu Sanlang thought to himself, so he never confronted his father head-on, preferring to make trouble behind his back. So, if you compare yourself to others, you will die, and if you compare things to others, you will throw them away. Zhu Ying is such a happy daughter!
Facing Zhu Ying's question, Zhu Jing's response was simple. He simply reached out his hand and touched Zhu Ying's head, whose long hair fell to her shoulders without even combing it.
"Old man Jiang is nothing. I just don't want you to run around outside in such hot weather." Zhu Jing saw Zhu Ying take two steps back in anger and then straightened her hair. He said calmly, "Besides, I didn't tell outsiders that you were under house arrest. I just said that you got sick because of a few ignorant people. Even the imperial physician came to see you these days, but in fact he went to see your grandmother."
Seeing Zhu Ying dumbfounded, he glanced at Lu Sanlang and said, "If you don't believe me, you can ask Lu Sanlang."
Lu Sanlang finally woke up from his dream and nodded repeatedly, saying, "That's right, I also heard that you were ill, so I sent you the good news as soon as possible. Because of your illness, Duke Zhao not only stayed at home for a few days, but also spread rumors that first the father and son were framed by Lord Jiang, and now Lord Jiang is jealous of his son and future son-in-law. Your precious daughter is even sick with anger. From now on, Lord Jiang and I will never coexist!"
Zhu Ying looked at her father in surprise, and then she realized how hard-line and unreasonable her father was. How could he easily give in just because she said a few words to Old Man Jiang in public? He was just trying to stab her with a knife because of her troubles.
As a result, her previous momentum disappeared completely. Just as she was about to bow her head and apologize honestly, she suddenly heard her father ask, "Lu Sanlang, you are really good at talking."
Lu Sanlang had racked his brains to please Zhu Jing and reduce Zhu Ying's anger. Seeing that he had succeeded, he had not had time to breathe a sigh of relief, but he did not expect Zhu Jing to target him again. He secretly complained and started to think urgently, and then he came up with a bold idea.
So, the little fat boy bowed in a naive manner, and then said very cleverly: "This is a matter of great importance. As a student of my master, I certainly have no choice but to do my part. Besides, I just want to get some information and then deliver the letter. If the master knew that the mistress was sick because of old man Jiang, she would definitely fly back with wings."
Zhu Ying didn't care about Lu Sanlang's sudden change of words, "Old Man Jiang", because that's how she called him anyway. But when Lu Sanlang suddenly called her "Little Master's Wife", she was stunned for a moment, and then two bright red clouds appeared on her cheeks.
Duke Zhu Jing of Zhao was simply stunned by Lu Sanlang's shamelessness. It had been a long time since the incident, and he had no intention of doing anything to Lu Sanlang. Even if it was Lu Sanlang's father, Lu Wan, who had admitted his fault, he would let it go. Why would he pick on a junior?
Now, when Lu Sanlang called her "Little Master's Wife", not only did he lower Zhu Ying by one generation, he also lowered Lu Wan by one generation! After all, the other young masters from noble families who always called Zhang Shou "Little Master" or "Teacher" did not call Zhu Ying that way!
He stared at Lu Sanlang for a long time, until the shameless boy was sweating profusely, and then he said nonchalantly: "Master Ge and Zhang Shou will probably leave from Cangzhou tomorrow. Since you respect your teacher so much, you can calculate the time and go to pick them up in person when the time comes. It can also be regarded as a filial act for you as a student."
Lu Sanlang didn't know this news yet, and his eyes widened in surprise. Seeing Zhu Ying's delight, he immediately said loudly, "Thank you, Duke Zhao, for telling me this good news. Of course I must go to pick her up in person!" After he said this, he immediately turned his head and winked at Zhu Ying, "Little Master's Wife, shall I escort you?"
