Uncle from a poor family

Chapter 535 Don’t offend women

The carriage stopped.

A group of people entered the yard first, and Liu also got off the carriage to say goodbye to several younger generations. After watching her daughter and daughter-in-law go in, she planned to get back on the carriage, but was stopped by the officials.

"Sir, my husband's surname is Peng. I will be leaving for the northwest in a few days. Today I am only sending my child to this mansion, and I will not be going in myself."

Liu said humbly.

At this time, Qi Niang appeared from behind and said with a smile: "Madam, don't embarrass these servants. They are also acting according to orders... You really can't leave today."

Liu quickly stepped forward to pay her respects, then asked, "Didn't Mr. Zhang say that he didn't want to see me again? Why is he still... Besides, this... isn't appropriate."

Qi Niang smiled and said, "Whether it's suitable or not depends on your mood. Maybe sometimes it looks pleasing to the eye. After all, it's only two or three days. It will be over in the blink of an eye."

"But……"

Liu was obviously reluctant.

Qi Niang suddenly frowned and scolded, "Madam, logically speaking, it is indeed inappropriate for you to stay under certain circumstances. But you have done many things that have let the master down, and you have to go there in person to apologize, and you have to let the master completely untie the knot in his heart. So... you have to stay for the next two days!"

Liu's face was evasive, and she said, "I just took my own women away for the sake of my family's reputation. What's there to be sorry about? Besides, now... my Peng family has fallen to this point. Can Zhang Guozhang still be so unreasonable and force an old woman like me to go in and accompany the guests?"

Qi Niang smiled and said, "This is for the sake of your family. If Madam doesn't appreciate it, just pretend I didn't say anything."

"What do you want to tell me?"

Liu looked at Qi Niang with a stern face.

When she first met Qi Niang, she thought that she was just a ruthless character, a small-time figure like a cruel official, and did not take her too seriously. But now Liu has realized that Qi Niang's methods are extraordinary.

Qi Niang said in a clear voice: "If Madam still wants to have a chance to reunite with the family in the future, or if the family members want to have a few days of peace after arriving at their respective garrisons, it is best to follow my arrangements. Zhang Guozhang's word is law in the court. If he doesn't vent this anger, do you think...even if he forgets your existence, will those flatterers below let you live a good life?"

Liu shook her head and said, "I don't understand what you are talking about at all."

Qi Niang sneered, "The story of you asking someone to do something for you but being ungrateful halfway through has actually spread throughout the Jiaofang Division. They may not know the specific details, but they all know that you went to ask Zhang Guozhang for help but betrayed him... Zhang Guozhang suddenly became rich, and the most important thing he cares about is maintaining his own face. You are slapping him in the face with the sole of your shoe."

"I...I didn't..."

Liu wanted to argue for herself.

But I found that my words were pale and powerless.

"Whether it exists or not is not up to you, but what Mr. Zhang thinks."

Qi Niang asked, "Why do you think your whole family is here together today? Mr. Zhang has always been surrounded by beautiful women, and you are no longer noble ladies, but just phoenixes in distress. Isn't it because Mr. Zhang is still worried about you that he is still angry?"

Liu sneered, "If I go in, will he calm down? He doesn't even want to see me."

Qi Niang smiled: "Don't worry, this time I guarantee you will be able to meet Master Zhang himself... Maybe you can even beg him in person and ask him to find a connection so that your family can live a more peaceful life.

"Since you can't leave, the gate is right in front of you. Please condescend to move... I have been very polite, and I hope Madam will not embarrass me."

"I……"

Liu hesitated again and again, but finally gritted her teeth and said, "It's just a nightmare. At my age, I've let it go. Is there anything wrong with that?"

Qi Niang smiled and said, "It would be best if you keep a calm mind. I'm just afraid that you won't be able to accept the apology that will follow. Please go ahead."

……

……

Liu was arranged to live in the yard.

Qi Niang then went to see Zhang Luan.

Zhang Luan was sitting there, crossing his legs and yawning...

Qi Niang was very curious. Didn’t Zhang Guozhang have a broken leg?
Judging from the situation, aren't both legs fine?

Which leg was broken?

"master."

Qi Niang called out softly.

Zhang Luan opened his eyes and almost fell backwards from his chair. After he calmed down, he put his legs down and asked, "Is anyone here?"

"It's been quite some time."

Qi Niang smiled and said, "I have asked them to make preparations, and they will come to see me soon."

Zhang Luan sighed and said, "I have been busy solving cases these days and was too tired. I fainted without realizing it... It would be good if someone came. I am... not good at dealing with strangers, especially for things like this... It's really hard to ask someone to do it. Otherwise, Qi Niang, you can take care of the arrangements?"

"Yes."

Qi Niang bowed and said with a smile, "Mrs. Peng is here too."

"Which Madam Peng is this time?" Zhang Luan asked with a frown, and then said, "There should be quite a few Madam Pengs here today, right?"

Qi Niang smiled and said, "It's that old lady Peng."

Zhang Luan heard this and quickly waved his hands: "Why did you ask her to come here? It makes me sick just by looking at her... Last time I helped her with good intentions, but she actually... But that's true, she was thinking about herself, she didn't say she had to tie me to this boat...

"I've figured it out this time. It's just three days, right? After three days, we'll go our separate ways. Who's got the right to control who? Let her go."

Qi Niang said, "Master, the people have already been arranged to stay, and I have also made my promise. It would be inappropriate to send them away so easily, right?"

"What did you say?"

Zhang Luan seemed very curious. He looked at Qi Niang and asked, "Do we have to let her live here? Don't you think it's embarrassing? I don't even want to see her. If she lives here...it would be an eyesore if I bump into her by accident."

Qi Niang seemed very determined: "Master, listen to me: you have to stay!"

Zhang Luan asked, "It's only three days, why do I have to keep her here? Why? Can you explain it to me?" Qi Niang said seriously, "The dispute between Peng and you started with her, and it should be ended by her. I will arrange for her to apologize to you later, and you will understand by then."

"Oh, what am I apologizing for? Qi Niang, you don't know, I hate seeing old women the most. Every time I see them, I feel sick of them, not to mention... how should I put it? I'm afraid that if I just glance at them, I'll lose all interest... and ruin this beautiful scene for nothing."

Zhang Luan said helplessly.

After hearing this, Qi Niang became very curious.

She was wondering, what on earth had you, Zhang Guozhang, gone through that made you so resistant to “old women”?
I have made such thoughtful arrangements for you, but you seem to have some inner shadow, but you don’t say it clearly and you have to make me guess, right?

"Master, previously, Minister Li of the Silver Bureau had given special instructions that the Peng family would be treated preferentially after they were convicted. They had already made preparations to send someone to your courtyard."

Qi Niang recounted, "Originally, the people had been successfully sent here, but because of some things, they were all sent back. As a result, they didn't have to be tortured, and they didn't even have to do heavy labor. They have been kept intact until today, just waiting to be exiled from the capital in a few days... Master, don't you think that this is too easy for them?"

"I……"

Zhang Luan was speechless for a moment.

This is what you call cheap?

I feel like I've done so many bad things, yet I'm still considered kind by others?

Is the officialdom so heartless?

Or is my understanding wrong?
"Master, I have worked in the Jiaofang Bureau for many years and have seen too many joys and sorrows, separations and reunions, but there is one thing that I understand very well."

Qi Niang said seriously, "That is, people must have a clear understanding of their own abilities, or in other words, a person should wear a hat that is as big as his head."

"Do I need you to tell me that?"

Zhang Luan touched his head and said with a smile, "My head is just this big."

"I'm referring to Madam Peng." Qi Niang said.

"she!?"

Zhang Luan frowned.

Qi Niang continued, "The Peng family is now in decline, and it is thanks to your protection that the crimes of the entire Peng family have been pardoned, and they can live in peace in the future.

"But Liu is not only ungrateful, but she has also offended you, Master, and damaged your reputation. Can you tolerate this?"

Zhang Luan shook his head and asked, "What if you can endure it? What if you can't endure it?"

Qi Niang said: "Master, you can't let her go without a care in the world."

"what?"

Zhang Luan was shocked when he heard this, and said with wide eyes, "You don't want me to leave in one piece. Are you saying... that I should chop her into pieces? Qi Niang, don't laugh. I am just an ordinary person. I feel relieved for what happened today. There is no need to vent in other ways."

Qi Niang's face became extremely serious, and she deliberately raised her voice: "You have to give her a warning!"

Zhang Luan said, "I've already said it before, I don't want to see her, so why would I care about showing off my power? When we first met that day, I had already deliberately made things difficult for her, so there's nothing wrong with her turning hostile in the middle of the conversation."

Zhang Luan was thinking, don’t you know that I am thick-skinned?
I don’t care about whether I have face or not!

As long as I have wine and women, I can be laughed at and laugh along with others.

I'm sorry, but I will never do anything outrageous like losing one's temper just to save face.

After all, I know myself well. My current achievements are all due to my son. Since I don’t have such a big head but this hat is very big, I have to be prepared to be looked down upon.

"Master, I have already done everything for you. If you don't listen, just drive me away."

Qi Niang made up her mind.

If you don't want to listen to me, then don't use me at all.

"I……"

Zhang Luan frowned even more tightly.

I was thinking, am I just angry and have not gotten rid of my anger, or is it that you, Qi Niang, are resentful? Do you want to let Liu know that it is better to offend a villain than a woman?
"I have asked someone to prepare water for foot washing, and I will ask her to bring it over later. It's so cold, I must freeze her..."

Qi Niang continued, "The cane is ready, Master has to punish her. If a maid in our family makes a mistake, she should be punished with a cane. Now we are just using the cane, which is already a light punishment for her."

"This……"

When Zhang Luan heard this, he thought, I am setting up a private court here?
Qi Niang continued, "Master, you don't want to see her because you think she is not the person you want her to be. Then you should not treat her as a woman, but just as a maid who has made a mistake. You should punish the guilty person, not whip a woman, and there is no need to keep her overnight.

"Master, do you think this is unacceptable?"

Zhang Luan said, "Oh, I see. You want me to humiliate her in public so that you can relieve your hatred, right?"

Qi Niang nodded and said, "You can say that, but the means of punishment cannot be too lenient on her... She must not only lose face, but also be humiliated. Only in this way can I control the people below me, and it can also be regarded as worthy of the help that the master has given to her Peng family."

"That……"

Zhang Luan swallowed his saliva and said, "I'll leave everything to you. You can arrange it and set up the process. I'll do as you say."

"Thank you, sir."

Qi Niang then knelt down and kowtowed respectfully to Zhang Luan.

"Qi Niang, what are you doing?" Zhang Luan wanted to stand up and support her, but suddenly remembered that he was a "sick person" and it was not appropriate for him to stand up easily.

Qi Niang said, "Although the master was unwilling, he still thought about me and was willing to follow my arrangements. I am very grateful... I am sure that I did not follow the wrong person. Please forgive my willfulness. This is my apology to you."

"We are family, so don't talk about your differences."

Zhang Luan said, "Don't let your imagination run wild. How could I not believe you? Get up, get up."

(End of this chapter)