Foster son and husband

Chapter 57
As soon as the hour passed, Wang Mama brought Cui Xi Cui Lian, and four or five carefully selected women and servants, surrounded Meiniang and walked out of the inner courtyard, got into the carriage at the Chui Hua Gate, and went straight to Qin's Mansion in the west of the city.

The carriage walked for quite a while, Meiniang reckoned that she had left the waiting mansion early, so she breathed a sigh of relief, and asked Cuixi who was sitting by her side:

"I was in a hurry to get in the car, so I didn't bother to take a look. How many cars are there? Who is following us?"

Cuixi said: "In addition to the grandma's car, the women took two smaller carriages, and the third grandma led people to choose them herself. The gift goods were loaded into three carts, a total of six carts, Bai Zhan brought twenty or thirty Follow on horseback!"

Mei Niang picked up the thick velvet curtain and peeped out of the car through a layer of gauze curtain. Sure enough, two steps away from the car, a row of robust servants in black robes were riding horses, holding whips in their hands. The Houfu convoy was separated from the bustling market crowd.

Looking at the situation, Xu Junying never considered asking her to get out of the car to buy something, what is that?Instead of rejecting all kinds of invitations, not being allowed to go out, and not being allowed to meet wives outside, if it hadn't been for Bai Zhan to report, she might not even know any news about her brother, let alone this trip back to her mother's house!
Xu Junying, stuck himself everywhere, what does he mean?Could it be that he has a grudge against Qin Meiniang?
It really makes no sense!

The Qin Mansion, or the Qin Mansion, is more appropriate. It is indeed a small household. The gate does not even have a gatehouse. Due to years of disrepair, the white skin of the courtyard wall has long since peeled off, revealing the blue-gray brick body. There are two thick black wooden doors. , was guarded by an old man who was deaf and blind, Bai Zhan asked someone to help him open the door wider, and was resisted by him, until Mama Wang hurried forward and gestured to him twice, the old man did not Stop, open the mouth with only a few teeth left, and smile all over the face.

Meiniang stood by the car and watched, feeling a pang of sadness in her heart.

Walking up the bluestone steps and stepping into the gate, there is an exquisitely carved shadow wall that symbolizes the full moon. Turning around is the outer courtyard, which is also very shallow and cramped. Once the people of the waiting mansion flood in, it takes up almost half of the space. .

Wang Mama led Mei Niang into the hall, seeing her only looking around, she realized that she had suffered a serious illness, and feared that she would not remember her natal family, so she hurriedly reminded her in a low voice:
"Grandma didn't live here when she was a girl. Our family used to have a big house, but later the master went away...Grandma married into the Hou Mansion, and the wife and the uncle moved here."

Mei Niang nodded, and said understandingly: "The master has gone, the big house is sold to pay off the debt, this is our home, right?"

Mama Wang lowered her head: "This is the yard that the ancestor of the Qin family gave to a steward. There are only two entrances, the inside and the outside. The steward is a man who knows how to repay his kindness. He bought a new yard and returned it to the uncle. "

Mei Niang was stunned, and felt a slight heat on her face for no reason: The Qin family has fallen to this stage, and those who were sent out actually want to come back!

Looking at the dilapidated courtyard of her natal family, and then looking back at the bright clothes of the Ding wives of Xu's family, and the contempt that could not be concealed on their faces, she couldn't help being annoyed, sat down in the hall, and told Cuixi:

"Call Bai Zhan!"

Then he said to Ms. Wang: "Mom looked back at my mother. It's been a long time since I came out to welcome her. I was afraid she might be too sick, so I simply stopped her in the back hall. I asked Bai Zhan to arrange these people. Cuixi go in!"

Mother Wang nodded and said, "Yes, my wife probably has the old cold in the legs and knees again, and some people can't stand up. I'll go in and have a look, and grandma will hurry up!"

Mei Niang responded, and saw Bai Zhan coming in a hurry, bowed and bowed: "What is the order of the eldest grandma? The little one is going to report to the eldest grandma, and go ask the imperial doctor to take the pulse of the uncle!"

Mei Niang said: "You don't need to ask the imperial physician, just take the family members back, and leave Madam Wang Cuixi and the others to serve me. You have also seen the situation of my natal family, it is so narrow, let alone no land. Sitting and resting, there is not so much rice and tea for you to eat and drink. Go back and pick me up when the time comes!"

Bai Zhan said in embarrassment: "I'm afraid it won't work. Waiting for the master to tell me, I will pick up grandma back to the house after noon. It's okay for these people not to eat or drink. Let them stand outside the door..."

"Damn things!"

Mei Niang suddenly became angry, and slammed the table, startling Bai Zhan, and hurriedly bowed down: "Grandma calm down!"

Mei Niang said with a stern face: "You stand at the gate drinking the northwest wind hungry, and when I go back, I will be accused by the people of the waiting mansion! You can figure it out, is it your bastard waiting master who taught you?"

Bai Zhan raised his head in shock: "No, no! Grandma! Master Hou... Master Hou, he is not a jerk!"

Mei Niang sneered: "He's not a jerk? You are also a man, and you will marry a wife in the future. Tell me, will you live in a mansion, but bear to see your mother-in-law's family run down to this point?"

Bai Zhan didn't dare to make a sound, so he whispered after a long while: "Don't be angry, grandma, Lord Hou is always fighting at the border. He just returned to Beijing not long ago... Besides, his wife and uncle just returned to the capital. They didn't know each other before. live here."

Meiniang stared at Bai Zhan with her bright eyes, and saw that his brow was sweating. Meiniang calmed down and said, "You came to my house last time and helped repair the broken roof. I don't believe you I didn’t mention it to Master Hou. Forget it, it’s none of your business, don’t make it difficult for you. See? I’ve been here for a long time, and my mother’s house is deserted. Who will come to pick me up? They are all sick, lying on the bed one by one, I can't go back tonight no matter what. You take someone away and tell your marquis: I want to serve my mother and be filial. Please forgive me. If someone comes to pick me up tomorrow afternoon, I will go back. If not, That's all! You don't need a doctor, you just say that my brother doesn't need a doctor, he will understand!"

Bai Zhan stood still, and Mei Niang said coldly: "What? Even you don't like me as a grandma? You won't listen to me?"

Bai Zhan lowered his head and saluted slowly: "Young one obeys, I'll take someone back and report to Lord Hou——Grandma, take care!"

Seeing Bai Zhan go out and lead the servants and wives away cleanly, Cuixi couldn't help worrying:
"Grandma does this, what should the Hou do if he gets angry?"

Mei Niang snorted: "I want to see what he looks like when he gets angry! Don't panic, I'm not afraid of him now!"

Just as she was talking, a thin little girl with a double bun tied in red silk came over, bowed to Mei Niang, and said:

"My wife has trouble with her legs and feet, please come to the back hall!"

Mei Niang hurriedly got up, took Cuixi and the little girl out of the hall, walked along the curved corridor to the back, passed an open space paved with green bricks like a courtyard, climbed up the stairs, walked through a simple hanging flower door, and entered the inner courtyard .

The inner courtyard is much more comfortable than the outer courtyard, and it is also quite spacious. Although there are no pavilions, the layout of the houses is reasonable and well-proportioned. The courtyard is lived by the uncle Qin Boqing.

Mrs. Qin sat upright in the second hall, looking forward to it. She just got up from the bed with the support of the little girl. Her leg joints have been hurting for several days. At the same time, I was happy and sad. The happy thing was that I could see my daughter again, and the sad thing was that my mother's family was like this, which humiliated my daughter's face.

Mei Niang walked in, mother and daughter met again, Mrs. Qin was full of tears, tremblingly said:

"Meiniang, my poor son! You came back, but no one came to meet you..."

Meiniang patted Mrs. Qin on the back comfortingly, and said with a smile: "My daughter has hands and feet. She wants to see her mother and brother, so she came back by herself. Who do you want to welcome? It's not that you don't know the way home!"

Mrs. Qin wiped her tears, nodded repeatedly, but couldn't speak.

A stout woman came in with a brazier, but the charcoal was ordinary black charcoal. The wisps of smoke made Mei Niang burst into tears and coughed a few times. Mrs. Qin hurriedly said:

"Sister-in-law Lian, take out the brazier first, bring it in after it's overheated!"

Sister-in-law Lian responded, and hurriedly took the brazier away. Fortunately, Mei Niang wore as much clothes as she could when she went out, and it was not very cold at the moment. Seeing that Mrs. Qin was not wearing thick clothes, she couldn't help feeling uncomfortable, so she went to hold the brazier. With her hand, she said softly:

"Mother, why don't you buy some good charcoal? What are you going to do with the money? If you don't have it, let someone come and tell your daughter!"

Mrs. Qin stroked her daughter's hand, before she could answer, she suddenly saw Cui Lian walking in, and Mei Niang asked strangely:

"Where have you been? Why didn't you see you as soon as you entered the door, and now even Mama Wang is gone, what are you busy with?"

Cui Lian approached, and said with a smile: "Back to grandma: I went to the backyard gate, and grandma brought three carts of goods over, all of which were carefully selected good things. Our wife, grandpa and grandma celebrate the New Year There is no need to buy new year's goods. The rare thing is that there are five large baskets of silver frost charcoal, which is said to be cold and difficult to buy outside. Our grandma is able to use it..."
Mei Niang was overjoyed: "Ru Lan naturally knows that my natal family's situation is not good, and the things she installed herself must be useful for this family!"

"No, the third grandma asked the people around her to install the car. The car was tightly sealed. No one knew what was inside. The driver was also found by the third grandma with her companion. She taught them to listen to me and Mama Wang. I let them Drive the truck to the small gate in the backyard, and Mama Wang is watching, it is moving!"

Mei Niang smiled and nodded, Rulan is a kind and honest person, knowing that the Qin family doesn't have a manor, old and sick, maybe even vegetables and radishes are stuffed into it, and she is afraid that people will gossip when she sees it, so she simply seals the car and doesn't let her see it.In fact, there is nothing to be ashamed of, except that Bai Jingyun Ning Rulan's natal family is rich, and they don't care about the amount of gifts, except for Bai Jingyun, Ning Rulan's natal family, who doesn't want to bring more good things back to her natal home?The second wife brought the most things to her natal family. Mrs. Zheng was smart. She only sent her mother-in-law to take a light car back to see her brother from time to time.

Quickly ordered: "Take the silver frost charcoal and burn it quickly, let the wife warm it up, and take the black charcoal to the kitchen to cook the food. From now on, only silver frost charcoal will be used for roasting!"

Cui Lian walked out the door, pulled up Mrs. Lian who was puffing her cheeks and blowing fire in the yard, said a few words to her, and went to the backyard together.

Mrs. Qin said anxiously to Mei Niang: "It would be great if you could come back and have a look, why bother bringing so many things from the house back? Don't make people laugh... you won't want them in the future!"

Mei Niang said with a smile: "Even if I marry, I am still your daughter. Shouldn't I take something from him to show my filial piety? Who is afraid of being laughed at? Whose daughter doesn't know how to love her mother, so she should be laughed at !"

While talking, Mrs. Qin hurriedly asked the little girl to serve tea to her aunt. Mei Niang said that she was not thirsty and wanted to visit her elder brother and sister-in-law. Mrs. Qin sighed:
"Your brother is the root of the disease, I'm afraid it won't go away...I couldn't sleep because of the cough last night, but this morning Li'er said that my uncle is coughing up blood, which scared me..."

She wiped her tears with a handkerchief: "Poor your sister-in-law who is five months pregnant and has to take care of him, but she is exhausted and sick!"

Mrs. Lian came in with a pot of lit silver frost charcoal, Mrs. Qin said: "Send it to the uncle's room, and replace the smoking black charcoal!"

Mei Niang called Mrs. Lian: "Keep this with Madam, and take it to the uncle's room, and put a few more pots of fire to keep them warmer!"

Mrs. Qin raised her head and looked at Mei Niang in surprise: "Son, you can't do this. This, this silver frost charcoal is expensive. When it's used up, where can I get it? Our family can't afford it now!"

Mei Niang held Mrs. Qin's hand: "I won't let you run out, I will send someone back on time until the weather warms up."

"No! I can't let you..."

"Mom! You listen to your daughter!"

Meiniang waved to Cuixi, Cuixi took off the embroidered cloth bag she was carrying and handed it to her, and Meiniang handed it to Madam Qin:

"In it, there are 700 taels of silver, 500 taels are your good son-in-law, who honors you from Weiyuan, and 200 taels are for your daughter's body. Mother keeps her daily flowers. There is also an old mountain ginseng, mother Keep it, it can be used as a last resort. I will find a way to treat my brother and sister-in-law. I must let my brother get better as soon as possible. Our Qin family needs to rely on our elder brother to revive the family, so mother and sister-in-law don't have to worry about it in the future."

Mrs. Qin held the embroidered cloth bag in both hands, looked at Meiniang, and rinsed her eyes. Meiniang was afraid that she would say something sorry for her daughter and drag her down, so she took out a handkerchief and wiped away her tears, smiling. road:

"I want to see my brother and sister-in-law!"

Mrs. Qin hurriedly ordered the little girl beside her: "Tao'er, quickly take my aunt to the uncle's room!"

Tao'er took two steps forward, blessed her body and said: "Grandma, please follow me!"

Meiniang stood up, Cuixi followed, Meiniang thought for a while, and said to Cuixi: "At my own house, I just need Taoer to lead the way. My wife's legs and feet must be sore, and the charcoal fire is also burning. It's warm, you stay, follow the method I taught in the past, put your hands lightly, massage your wife for a while, and relieve some discomfort."

Cuixi agreed, and Mei Niang smiled and said to Mrs. Qin: "Mother, rest, I will come as soon as I go!"

Mrs. Qin nodded and said: "Go, talk to your brother and sister-in-law, mother will let the kitchen cook your favorite dishes, and it will be ready soon!"

Meiniang followed Taoer and went straight to the east courtyard.

In the upper room of the east courtyard, in the gauze tent, Qin Boqing was pale, lying on the bed unconsciously, the petite and thin Feng Shi was supported by Lier, walked slowly to the bed and sat down, stretched out his hand to gently touch his face , the voice choked up and called out:

"Husband wakes up, it's time to take medicine!"

She called three times, but Qin Boqing didn't respond at all. Feng retracted her hand, covered her mouth, and couldn't help crying:

"Husband, if you want to go wrong, what will you do if you let the concubine live? The concubine will not survive!"

Li'er patted Feng Shi's back lightly, and persuaded: "Grandma don't cry anymore, she cried several times today, this is not good, I heard my wife said, the little brother in my belly will not be able to bear it!"

Feng stopped crying, took out a handkerchief to wipe away tears, and asked, "Just now I was lying down, what did Juer come over?"

"Oh, this servant is helping grandma to wash and wash, just for this - Juer said: Grandma is coming!"

"Ah! Auntie is here? You girl, you didn't say it earlier!"

Feng helped Li'er to stand up, when she heard someone outside the door laughing and saying: "Brother and sister-in-law, my little sister is here, why is there no one in the corridor? Can you come in?"

Feng quickly pushed Li'er: "Hurry up, let Auntie come in!"

As soon as Li'er opened the curtain, Feng felt a flash in front of her eyes, and a tall, well-dressed beauty walked in front of her. She was stunned, and then turned to look at Qin Boqing lying on the bed. It's not very similar, but it's the same stunning.

(End of this chapter)