The Princess's Notebook

The next day, clan relatives and important officials went to the Taimiao to offer sacrifices to the late emperor, the empress dowager and Prince Huai Zhang.

Mr. Wang Si was a person who was not allowed to enter the palace unless there was a grand court meeting, so he naturally returned home after a while. He first went to the main courtyard to see his wife Qiao Xin, thinking that he had said a few nice words to her, and then he turned around and went straight to Wang Shiliu Niang's residence, Xia Hexuan.

Speaking of the name of Xia He Xuan, Master Wang Si was very proud of it. Xia He Xuan was originally called Long Cui Ju, an extremely elegant name, coupled with the colorful green bamboos around it, it has a sense of paradise and a hermit. One day, Wang Kang drank a few sips of yellow soup and felt that he was more talented than Du Zimei and Li Bai, so he became poetic and ordered the servant to serve him pen and ink.

He wrote with great ease and freedom, splashing ink across his face in one go.

The sky is not high, it’s only at the end.

I am a man of great talent, but I have no peace of mind.
He ordered the servant to put it in the study and keep it well.

Finally, he looked around and somehow saw the lotus leaves reaching to the sky with his hazy vision. The next morning, he ordered someone to carve a plaque and renamed Longcuiju to Xiahexuan.

At this moment, Wang Kang walked briskly to the gate of Xia Hexuan, and a smart little maid had already reported to Aunt Zheng.

She hadn't seen Wang Kang for a long time, and she didn't have time to wash up. She came out in a hurry, wearing a half-worn pink and blue dress.

"Master, you haven't come to see me for a long time."

Wang Kang saw that she still had some of her former charm and loveliness, and had not become old and ugly with age. For a moment, he blamed himself for being so forgetful and completely forgetting that Aunt Zheng was the most eye-catching tofu lady in Liutian Lane.

Time flies, but beauty remains.

"Look, why are you crying? I'm here. I came to see you and to see Fifteen and Sixteen."

Aunt Zheng paused in wiping her tears and said, "Master, I got married at the age of fifteen." The pearls that were about to fall from the corners of her eyes slowly fell down.

"Ah, my memory is so bad. I think I was too busy with the office today, so I forgot. Don't mind it. We still have Xiao Sixteen. She went somewhere and didn't even greet her father. I heard that Madam wanted to find a good family for her. I think she needs to change her temper, so that she won't go to Minister Feng's house and bring shame to my young lady from the Wang family."

He turned around and went to look for Shiliu Niang.

Aunt Zheng cried so hard that she grabbed him and said, "Master, have you found out everything about Mr. Feng San? My son... my son..."

Seeing that she had blocked his way, Wang Kang was impatient, "You fool, you can't ask around about the son of the Minister of Justice. Don't you see what your status is? Even if there is something wrong with the Third Young Master, it would be great if Minister Feng could help him out when we become in-laws. Besides, the Third Young Master Feng is a man of character, talent and appearance, and any girl who is interested would be willing to do so."

As he spoke, Wang Kang pushed Aunt Zheng away and went towards Wang Shiliu Niang's boudoir.

Fortunately, he did not forget everything. He still remembered where Sixteen's boudoir was, so he did not run around in a daze.

After turning around the corridor of Xia Hexuan and before reaching the young lady's boudoir, he heard Shiliu Niang loudly scolding someone.

"You are such a good girl, Seventeen. You just can't stand seeing me doing well. I tell you, you can't slander Mr. Feng San. His wife has already found out what kind of person he is. You, a young lady, heard some gossip from somewhere and you want to ruin my good fortune..."

Hearing this, Wang Kang became furious and kicked the door open.

"Who wants to ruin this marriage?! Sixteen, tell me, and daddy will make the decision for you."

The two young ladies in the room, Sixteen and Seventeen, were arguing about the news Seventeen got last night. Suddenly, someone kicked their door open and they were scolded harshly. They cowered in and dared not say a word.

Wang Kang stood like a mountain at the door of the room, blocking out the light. He was really angry, and his goatee was swaying slightly. It was even more frightening for a moment.

It was Aunt Zheng who was just two steps slower, and she was begging in a miserable voice.

"Master, the children's words are just nonsense, don't take them seriously. Sixteen has been preparing the dowry in the house these days. He has been very well behaved and has never said a bad word. He will not have any bad intentions to break off this marriage."

Wang Kang's eyes moved back and forth between Sixteen and Seventeen. After hearing what Aunt Zheng said, he immediately fixed his eyes on Seventeen.

That look was like a sharp sword or a firecracker, with an attitude of not caring about anything, and it attacked Shiqi Niang fiercely.

"If that's the case, then it must be you! Seventeen, tell me why you want to ruin this marriage, and what good will it bring to you. Or, do you think the Third Young Master is handsome and want to replace him?"

Wang Kang usually spoke gently to his wife and was careful with his concubines and young ladies. Even if his money was cut off, he would only roar a few words. However, now he looked as if he wanted to throw Shiqi Niang out and let her fend for herself.

Seventeenth Lady: "Father... I, I didn't mean that. I was thinking that since Sixteenth Sister is going to get married, she should get to know the Third Young Master better. So, so... I got some information and told Sixteenth Sister."

Sixteen seemed to come back to his senses suddenly, "Dad..." He said nothing for a long while.

Wang Kang stared at Seventeen, not caring about Sixteen at all. Although she was trembling with fear, her eyes looking at him were full of determination. She was floating on the water, trying to grow towards the sun, stubborn and strong.

"You are making nonsense. There are many parents in this world who don't care about their children. Why would a young girl like you need to know these things? What are you worried about?" Wang Kang was furious.

Seventeen hid his hands in his sleeves and rubbed them together.

"Father, are you really doing this for Sixteenth Sister's good? Ask yourself, is it really so? How many of the young ladies in our four rooms have found good husbands?" Sixteenth and Aunt Zheng winked at her, but Seventeen pretended not to hear.

"If it were just a matter of a few coins, there would be no need to do this. However, this is Sixteenth Sister's marriage. Marrying is a lifelong matter for a young lady, and father must not be confused! You should know more about the situation in Minister Feng's mansion than we girls in the backyard, you..."

Wang Kang stood up, walked forward and slapped him.

In an instant, Seventeen's cheeks were red and swollen, and five bloody finger marks were clearly visible.

There was silence, and Aunt Zheng's whimpering also faded away.

He was so angry that his hands and feet were unsteady. "You have no respect for elders and no discipline. Come here! Seventeen was disrespectful to the elders, so you should kneel in the ancestral hall for three days. Sixteen was too gullible, but considering that you are about to get married, you should copy fifty copies of "Female Virtues". "

Being punished to kneel in the ancestral hall for three days, even with Qiao Xin's mediation, Shiqi Niang would be almost dead from kneeling.

Upon hearing the news, Aunt Feng immediately abandoned Aunt Shangguan who was ill, and came to find Madam Qiao Xin crying and wailing. She cried and said something like Seventeen was just concerned about Sixteen... and said something stupid.

After a long while, Qiao Xin finally sighed, "The master gave the order and went back to the front yard, closing the door to the visitors. I heard that he was really angry. You know his temper, you can't force him. He is so old, but he is still like a child. If he likes something, he wants it, and if he doesn't like something, he throws it away. Now, it is obvious that Seventeen's words have hurt his face. It's better to wait for this matter. Don't worry, I will have someone take good care of the ancestral hall."

He did not fulfill his responsibilities as a husband, but wanted to enjoy the benefits of being a husband. He did not fulfill his responsibilities as a father, but wanted to exercise the authority of his father.

Aunt Feng's eyes were filled with tears. She held onto the corner of Qiao Xin's clothes and fell to the ground powerlessly.

The nanny pulled her up, but she seemed to be energized and sat on Qiao Xin's footstool without getting up.

"Madam, Madam, I know you... you treat us well. But the master, the master... when will this day end?"

In her early years, Aunt Feng was elegant and graceful, with a voice like a yellow oriole singing in a valley. Now, when she cried, her voice rose and fell, and was melodious and melodious.

Qiao Xin couldn't bear it. They, the people in the inner courtyard, had suffered the same hardships for many years, so they had some comradeship. She raised her hand to comfort Aunt Feng, and just as she was about to speak, another burst of crying came from outside the door. Qiao Xin immediately had a headache.

As expected, Aunt Zheng also had tears on her face, crying and shouting, "Madam, my son is sixteen, and seventeen..."

"Okay, come here. Let's talk properly."

Aunt Zheng stopped crying and saw that Aunt Feng was already beside the lady. She went straight to the other side of the footstool and sat down.

They shot left and right and sobbed together.

Qiao Xin couldn't help but frown, "Don't worry, I'll ask someone to find out about Sixteenth. As for Seventeenth, I'll have the maids keep a close eye on her."

This made Qiao Xin very confused. He really wanted to rush into the front yard with a knife and kill him without leaving a single piece of armor.

We will not go into detail about how the Madame comforted the concubines, and instead talk about the ancestral hall that night.

In the night of June, the chirping of insects and the croaking of frogs filled the air, and the bright moonlight enveloped the earth.

Shiqi Niang was kneeling alone on the mat, perhaps she was extremely sleepy, she buried her head like a quail, hiding her face, only the wide hem of her skirt hanging on the ground. It was empty and lonely, the candlelight was dancing, and the warm yellow light from the tablets made her half-bright and half-dark.

She knew she shouldn't talk like that and should just bear with it as usual.

But when she saw her father going crazy, she suddenly remembered the past: money, quarrels, occasional confusion, nonsense, and the disappearance of several sisters after they got married.

What Dad has in his heart is never his children, nor his wife and concubines, but only himself.

He was born extraordinary, he was frustrated, and he was a high-ranking official.

In the past, he used alcohol to joke about his three brothers not helping him, and his relatives not helping him. He smiled, shook his head and waved his hands, and laughed at himself and talked nonsense.

But everyone in the Fourth House who was interested knew that he was not talking nonsense.

He is inferior and cowardly, timid and afraid of things, and can only express his anger and complaints under the influence of alcohol.

Now that she has exposed his shame in front of him, he will not let Sixteenth Sister marry without thinking again, right?

Shiqi Niang thought so in her sleep.

Suddenly, someone seemed to call her again. "Seventeen, Seventeen, answer me. Did you fall asleep? Seventeen!"

(End of this chapter)