Volume 4: Gathering of Sages Chapter 752: The upper beam is not straight, the lower beam is crooked
I had been planning on giving that naughty kid a good lesson, but now it seems... I shouldn't be too strict on my wedding night.
This was the thought that came to Zhang Shou's mind when he heard the last words of the Fourth Prince. Seeing that Xiao Huasheng and Xiao Cheng looked guilty, he had no intention of eavesdropping any longer. He waved his hand to signal them to follow him out a few steps, and then said with a smile: "You are not outsiders, so why do you need to be sneaky with Zheng Yan? Let's go to the front and drink the wedding wine."
Seeing that the two were still confused, he added, "Xiao Cheng, go and accompany your elder brother Zhu. He personally came here to send the bride here today. He probably wants to know about Yingying's situation. You go and accompany him and tell him how the new house is going. That way, he can go back home earlier without worrying about it, and not leave my newlywed sister-in-law alone in the empty house."
He didn't care whether Xiao Cheng could understand his complaints or not. He looked at Xiao Huasheng and said, "Shunhe Escort Agency's chief escort Cao Wu is here too. He's your fellow Cangzhou native. Now that your uncle is not here, you should go and entertain him for me."
Zhang Shou said so, and Xiao Huasheng and Xiao Cheng looked at each other, and finally chose to abandon the fourth prince and run away. After driving the two away, Zhang Shou returned to the door of the bridal chamber slowly, and saw that Mother Chu ignored his arrival, so he went to the door and was about to lift the curtain to go in, but who knew that Zhu Ying's voice came from inside.
"Zheng Yan, don't think I don't know that you said these nice words specifically for me to hear. Isn't it just so that Ah Shou knows you're here and won't scold you? Great, you've become capable now, and you can say sweet words to coax people!"
In the room, Zhu Ying rudely pinched the Fourth Prince's cheeks into dough balls. Seeing that he was in so much pain that tears came out, but his eyes were so innocent, she let go of her hands and gently patted the cheeks of the naughty boy that were red from being pinched by her: "This is to teach you a lesson for your previous bad intentions towards Ah Shou. But since you have finally changed your ways, I will forgive you. And..."
She paused, and tapped the Fourth Prince on the head twice. "You have to consider the occasion when you say such nice words. Haven't you seen the look in other people's eyes right now? Even without you saying anything, I would treat Shou like a treasure! Now that you have said everything you should say, I want to ask you, have you eaten? Are you hungry now? The city gates are closed now. Do you plan to stay in Zhang Garden tonight?"
Liu Qing and Ye thought that Zhu Ying would be charmed by the sweet words of the Fourth Prince, but they saw that she punished the Fourth Prince without any mercy. This true son of the dragon and the grandson of the phoenix did not dare to say anything. They could not help but sigh that Zhu Ying was really unscrupulous... and when they heard the last sentence, they thought of the previous rumors and finally realized it.
I heard that the Fourth Prince used to live in the outer city public school. Now that he has sneaked into the city to attend Zhang Shou's wedding, there is no doubt that he cannot go back at night, so of course he has to stay overnight in Zhang Garden!
The fourth prince really couldn't deny it. He lowered his head in frustration and whispered, "I really want to come to congratulate Sister Yingying and the teacher, not to join in the fun at Zhang Garden. If the teacher has no place to stay, I can stay at an inn..."
Before he could finish, Zhu Ying pinched his cheek with two fingers again: "You are going to stay in an inn, where are the people who protect you? You just don't learn your lesson and love to make trouble. Ah Shou said that you also lived in the house where Xiao Huasheng and Xiao Cheng used to live. You should live there honestly today. I'll ask someone to prepare a food box for you..."
At this point, she couldn't help laughing. "I'm hungry because of your disturbance! Are you three hungry too? I'll ask the kitchen to send a few more food boxes."
Liu Qing had been frightened by the Fourth Prince's sudden and quick words and just wanted to leave quickly. Ye had wanted to say goodbye and left, so she quickly shook her head and said no, then stood up and said, "It's getting late, I should go too. I have agreed with a relative to stay there tonight and go back tomorrow."
Zhu Ying knew Ye's personality very well. She felt a little sorry when she thought that she had been invited to attend the wedding, but had to stay overnight at the home of a relative she was not familiar with or not very close to. But before she could ask Ye to stay, Ye bowed and bowed, and then she left directly.
Seeing Ye go out, Cao Qingqing suddenly woke up from her dream and jumped up in a hurry. After hurriedly greeting Zhu Ying, she chased after her employer out the door.
But as soon as she went out, she saw Ye standing in front of a young man in red clothes. Although she felt that she had seen a lot since arriving in Tongzhou and entering the capital, the other person's appearance and demeanor were something she had never seen before, so she stared at him stupidly for a while, unable to take her eyes away.
"Master Zhang."
Cao Qingqing came back to her senses after Ye's address, and then she almost bit her tongue. This is the son-in-law of the Duke of Zhao's mansion, the husband of Miss Zhu, and the young master of the Sixth Master? Oh, no wonder people say that he is so handsome, he is so handsome!
Forgive her shallowness, she really can't think of a second adjective other than good-looking!
Although Zhang Shou had never met Miss Ye, but such a cold and beautiful woman, who was accompanied by a little girl who looked silly and stupid, and who was able to enter his and Zhu Ying's new home, so the first person he thought of was Miss Ye that Zhu Ying mentioned.
So, when he heard someone call out his identity, he smiled and greeted, "Ms. Ye, Yingying has mentioned you many times. Thank you for coming today, so that Yingying won't be bored and lonely in her new home."
Seeing Zhang Shou's sincerity, although Ye Shi didn't like talking to men, she still said a few polite words and mentioned that Liu Qing and the fourth prince were still in the bridal chamber. Turning her head to see Cao Qingqing still secretly observing Zhang Shou, she sighed in her heart and then coughed.
She thought that this would bring the little girl back to life, but she didn't expect that although Cao Qingqing was startled and came back to her senses, she hid behind her as if Zhang Shou was a monster. Even though she knew that the little girl didn't mean that at all, she was just frightened because she had just seen such a handsome man for the first time, and she was also worried that Zhang Shou would be unhappy.
"Mr. Zhang, you are still young and ignorant, please..."
Before Ye finished speaking, Zhang Shou laughed and said, "It's nothing, Miss Ye, don't take it to heart. I want to apologize to you and Miss Cao for Ah Liu's previous willfulness. I don't know how he learned this trick of nine times leaving and thirteen times returning without a teacher."
Ye didn't expect Zhang Shou to know about the nine-out-of-three drama, and she didn't know what to say. She said Ah Liu was right, because in her opinion, loan sharking was absolutely wrong; but if she said Ah Liu was wrong, she didn't demand the debt, but just wanted her to take Cao Qingqing to the women's school to teach women self-defense in the future.
While she was hesitating, Cao Qingqing mustered up the courage to stick her head out from behind her and said, "Master Zhang, please don't wrongly accuse Sixth Master. I really like that slingshot, but if he didn't lend me the money, I might be able to afford it in my lifetime, but I might not be willing to give it up. Now I can hold this slingshot every day, and I am so grateful to him!"
"Nine out and thirteen back is nothing. Many banks in Cangzhou do the same when lending money!"
At this moment, Zhang Shou found himself speechless. He looked at Ye and saw that this icy beauty also had a helpless look on her face. It was obvious that she was used to Cao Qingqing's character. So, he could only laugh dryly and then ignored this little girl who was distracting from the show.
"Miss Ye probably can't go back to Tongzhou tonight. If you don't mind, you can stay at my mother's place." Zhang Shou said this and then laughed to himself, "I am Menglang. Miss Ye should have thought of this a long time ago. She must have already made an agreement with her relatives and friends. If she breaks her promise because of my request, she will inevitably be criticized behind her back. How about this, I will lend you two more guards."
"Although the inner city of the capital has good security, it is night after all, so it is safer to bring more people. I am also borrowing flowers to offer to Buddha, and the one who really lends you to protect is Yingying. After all, compared with the well-trained people in the Zhaoguo Mansion, my little guys, except for Ah Liu, are still far behind in terms of martial arts and experience. When they go to see you off, it may be Miss Ye and you two who will protect them."
After these words came out, even the usually cold-faced Ye couldn't help but smile, and Cao Qingqing behind her burst out laughing. When she realized that she was too disrespectful, the little girl shrank her head again, as if she had shrunk into her shell, thinking that others would not be able to see her little turtle.
Zhu Ying heard Zhang Shou talking to Ye in the room outside, but when she wanted to interrupt, she found that Zhang Shou had already said everything she wanted to say, so she immediately frowned. But just when Liu Qing was worried that she might get jealous and angry, Miss Zhu heard the last half of the words and turned her anger into joy.
"I thought Ah Shou wanted to send Ah Liu out. He has good foresight. Zhu Hong and his friends are all top-notch in terms of ability! Although Miss Ye is an expert herself, if there really is a thief, the master and servant can handle it. But if they run into trouble after leaving Zhang Garden, we will be in big trouble!"
"Yes, yes, teacher is very thoughtful!" The fourth prince quickly chimed in. When he saw that Zhu Ying looked good, he couldn't help but think of another very important question, which was... Regarding Zhu Tingfang's previous marriage, his father had given him a name and rewarded him with gifts, but why was there no movement today?
Although his father and the Empress Dowager had added boxes to Zhu Ying before, that was counted as part of the dowry after all, and it could only be considered to have added a bit of glory to Zhu Ying. But today, on the wedding day, there was no movement. Could it be that he was not satisfied with the marriage? No, not to mention the Empress Dowager, but his father had always been very good to Zhang Shou, not to mention his third brother!
The naughty boy couldn't help but get tangled up in his thoughts until he felt the sting again. He suddenly came to his senses and found that his ears were held by Zhu Ying. He quickly raised his hands to beg for mercy, but was glared at by Zhu Ying.
"Why are you daydreaming? Look, Shou is coming in!"
Realizing that his teacher had arrived, the Fourth Prince was a little flustered. He had originally hoped that there would be another outsider like Liu Qing in the room besides himself, but when he looked closely, he found that Liu Qing had gone out without knowing when! Now, facing Zhang Shou and Zhu Ying, who seemed to be smiling but not smiling, alone, he immediately felt nervous.
Seeing the fourth prince smiling and calling him teacher, as if he couldn't be more obedient, Zhang Shou glanced at his cheeks with fingerprints still visible and his red ears, and knew how Zhu Ying had punished this kid just now. So, he didn't continue to pursue the matter of the naughty kid sneaking in, but smiled and touched the fourth prince's round head.
However, his words were not as gentle as his actions: "Zheng Yan, how long do you plan to stay in my new house?"
The fourth prince's heart suddenly skipped a beat, and he suddenly realized that he had just said that he had been hostile to Zhang Shou. He was afraid that someone might have heard this! He secretly complained and quickly said obediently: "I will leave now, and I promise to stay in my room tonight!"
Before the naughty kid could swear an oath to alleviate Zhang Shou's possible bad feelings and suspicion, the voices of Chu's mother and Ah Liu suddenly came from outside. After a while, Ah Liu's voice sounded outside the door again: "Master, Miss, the Emperor and the Crown Prince are here."
After these words were spoken, Zhang Shou and Zhu Ying could not help but look at each other.
Although the two marriages in the Zhaoguo Mansion were not postponed due to the two previous "death news", they also took into consideration the current mourning system. Even though the eldest prince and the second prince had been removed from the clan, after all, broken bones are connected with tendons. Therefore, Zhang Shou had strictly forbade the fourth prince to join in the fun at Zhu Tingfang's wedding before, and this time he did not want the appearance of this naughty child to be known to others.
The last time the Queen Mother came to the Duke of Zhao's mansion, it could be said that she and the Madam were sisters, and that she was marrying her grandson's nephew, so she came on a whim - after all, there was no reason for a grandmother to mourn for a grandson who was not her worthy grandson. But the Emperor actually brought the Third Prince with him, which was different... It was easy for people to say that the Emperor disliked the elders and loved the younger ones, and that the Third Prince did not care about filial piety.
Zhu Ying's reaction was faster than Zhang Shou's. While Zhang Shou was pondering, she blurted out, "Did he come in through the front door with great fanfare, or quietly come in through the back door?"
Ah Liu hesitated for a moment and didn't say anything. Just when Zhang Shou was a little suspicious, the emperor's familiar voice came from outside: "Yingying, you know my style better. I climbed over the wall with Sanlang."
Climb the wall...
Zhang Shou felt like sighing. For a dignified emperor, even if he took the back door, it would be better than climbing over the wall, right? What's more, he was climbing over the wall with the crown prince of the Eastern Palace! Zhu Ying's expression was calm. Because she was also carried over the wall by the emperor when she was a child, so this was her first thought just now, and the result... was really like this!
