Concubine's true colors

Chapter 40
The snow disaster has not gone, and the severe cold is still there, but the people standing in a long line, waiting to receive the relief food, no longer have any sad expressions on their faces, because they see the hope of living, and some even joked with each other.

Wen Xin was wearing a thick jacket, the bright blue material was as shiny as new.

Now he is no longer the little beggar he used to be. He takes care of all the big and small matters in the disaster relief shop. In the Xiao family, apart from Deng Jiu, Xiao Wenxin is the one who can talk the most.

The genius was dim, and Wenxin lowered his head. Although the light was not very good, he was still carefully checking the accounts of food expenditure.

Wenxin is the son of a scholar, he can read and write naturally, and his mother warned him not to forget his gratitude, so although he has gained power, he still works hard, for fear of embarrassing Xiao Jinxuan.

At this moment, a chuckle came from behind Wen Xin.

"Don't go to the accounting room behind to read the accounts. I'm afraid my hands are going to be numb in the cold here. Warm up soon."

A copper auspicious beast hand stove was handed to Wen Xin. He smiled and saw Xiao Jinxuan coming, so he held it in his hand without being polite.

"Jinxuan, why did you come so early, come over at noon next time, when the sun is shining, it won't be too cold to come out."

Xiao Jinxuan heard the words, glanced at the people queuing up, and said softly: "It's okay to be idle in the mansion, don't worry, so I came here."

Unexpectedly, as soon as she finished speaking, there was only the sound of horseshoes, and then Zhou Xianrui's voice sounded behind her.

"It seems that this king is not alone in being disturbed by this snow disaster, and Fourth Miss is also a caring person."

Xiao Jinxuan hurriedly turned around to salute, and said with a smile: "His Highness Prince Rui cares about the suffering of the people of Yangzhou, and Jinxuan dare not stand shoulder to shoulder with His Highness for her meager efforts."

Zhou Xianrui laughed when he heard the words, and said in a deep voice: "The King has heard enough flattery on weekdays, Miss Fourth doesn't need to be so polite, I still prefer the way Miss talked freely in the carriage that day."

Xiao Jinxuan just smiled and didn't answer. People in the royal family were the most ruthless. She was already too aggressive that day, it's better to restrain herself now.

So she turned around, looked at Wen Xin, changed the subject and said, "Recently, those high-ranking officials and dignitaries are actively donating materials. How about the harvest?"

Wen Xin was very thoughtful, knowing that the other party was using him to divert the topic, so she quickly took over the conversation.

"It wasn't ideal at the beginning, but after His Royal Highness Prince Rui came to donate things in person the day before yesterday, this group of guys became much more active. Donate rice, meat, vegetables, cotton clothes, charcoal anyway, whatever."

Speaking of this, Wen Xin suddenly smiled: "That's right, that Miss Meng's family is the most interesting, she actually sent here a lot of chickens and ducks in her mansion, a lot of eggs laid every day, sometimes more than a dozen One, sometimes three or four, without a day's break."

Xiao Jinxuan laughed when she heard the words, knowing that Wenxin was talking about Meng Liangjun.

This Miss Meng is now a frequent visitor in her courtyard, always coming to talk and play with her.

Knowing that she was busy with the snow disaster, the other party said that she would help her. She belonged to the Meng family who donated the most food and materials, and now she still sends poultry eggs here every day. This kind of frankness and kindness is really rare.

At this moment, only three carriages were seen, full of vegetables and food, escorted over, and when the group approached, they found that the leader of the team was actually Lan Zhi.

Lan Zhi didn't seem to expect that Xiao Jinxuan would be here so early, so she hurriedly stepped forward to give her a blessing.

"Miss, take care of your body, don't freeze to death, Lan Zhi Wufu is serving you, but I always remember you in my heart."

Xiao Jinxuan glanced at her, then at the three carriages, did not answer Lan Zhi's words, but asked softly, "Who told you to bring these things?"

Even if the Xiao family shipped things here, she should know, because the money and the amount would be reported to her, but she didn't have the slightest impression of these three cars.

Lan Zhi heard the words and said hastily: "The eldest lady bought it with her own money, and she also wanted to contribute. It should be done for Miss Lian. I hope she gets better soon."

Xiao Jinxuan nodded, took a look at Lan Zhi, smiled and said: "Mother really has a heart, so let's bring it in. I also believe that my sister will get better soon with her kind deeds and good deeds."

Lan Zhi even claimed yes when she heard the words, then she hesitated for a while, and said in a low voice: "Miss, I really know I was wrong, because I have been by your side, so Da Furen always dislikes me. Hit and scold, just let me come back to you."

Xiao Jinxuan glanced at her calmly, and said calmly: "Mother is the eldest lady of the Xiao family. It is a blessing that you can serve her. Come in quickly."

Lan Zhi's eyes were red when she heard the words, Zhu Xin couldn't bear it when she saw it, she hurriedly stepped forward to hold her, and accompanied Lan Zhi to send the things to the back of the disaster relief shop.

Zhou Xianrui saw all this in his eyes but didn't say anything, he just stepped forward and asked: "Miss Si came so early, but she has already eaten."

Xiao Jinxuan shook her head. When she went out, it was still dark, so how could she have the appetite to eat so early.

Zhou Xianrui said with a smile: "In that case, let me accompany Miss Fourth to eat something, it's not good for your health to be so hungry."

Xiao Jinxuan was taken aback when she heard this, she didn't expect that the other party would invite her to have dinner at the same table, but she knew it was inappropriate, so she naturally couldn't agree.

She suddenly pointed to the rice porridge that was being distributed to the common people, and said softly: "Don't bother Prince Rui, there is ready-made food here, everyone else can eat it, and I can eat it too. Go, keep it simple."

The backyard of the shop is still very spacious. Xiao Jinxuan and Zhou Xianrui are now sitting in the guest house used to rest in the backyard. There are four sheets of cakes and a plate of potato salad in front of them. The two of them are also holding rice porridge, slowly eating.

Taking another sip of rice porridge, Xiao Jinxuan didn't raise her head, but asked aloud: "Your Highness, I asked Wen Xin to tell you about Yu Wang that day. I wonder if you can send someone to reinforce it."

Four days ago, when she got the silk cloth from the jade gourd, she knew that the matter was serious, and she immediately informed Zhou Xianrui, seeing the other party in person today, it was hard to think of asking.

Zhou Xianrui put down the porridge bowl in his hand, and said calmly: "The king has already sent my two shadow guards. The seventh brother is brave and resourceful, so he will be fine. But the fourth lady, just believe that, the silk What is said on the cloth is not false."

Xiao Jinxuan raised her head and said with a smile: "If it's a trap, then it should be targeting you, Your Highness, but it just so happened that this thing was handed over to me, which only shows that the person in the dark has no malicious intentions, but it's just that you can't get in touch with Your Highness." , or this person is familiar with me, but no matter what the reason is, this person is definitely not malicious."

Zhou Xianrui nodded, and took a deep look at Xiao Jinxuan.

"Judging from Miss Fourth's tone, it seems that she has already guessed who the messenger is."

Xiao Jinxuan raised her eyebrows: "I'm not sure, but I'm somewhat sure."

After finishing speaking, she picked up a piece of hard baked pancake that was still a little bit burnt, took a bite hard, and chewed carefully.

Zhou Xianrui also picked up a piece of cake, but felt that the cake was as hard as a rock, and he frowned when he smelt a strong smell of paste.

"I didn't expect Fourth Miss, as the daughter of the Xiao family, to be able to swallow such crude food and drink such tasteless porridge. Thinking about it, you must have suffered a lot during those years when you were in Zhuangzi."

At the plum blossom banquet that day, seeing Zhou Xianyu's gaffe, he ordered someone to investigate Xiao Jinxuan afterwards, but the result surprised him. He never thought that the other party's life was so difficult when she was young .

Xiao Jinxuan had a calm face, smiled casually, and said frankly: "Your Highness is a prince, so naturally he has never experienced the feeling of being hungry. Although this kind of cake looks hard and unpalatable, it is resistant to hunger. When you are hungry, you can eat it." Take a bite, and the taste is even more delicious than delicacies from mountains and seas."

With Zhou Xianrui's deep eyes, he silently stared at the woman who was still gnawing on the cake in front of him, a touch of pity could not help but emerge.

"Listen to Miss Fourth's tone, could it be that you couldn't even eat this kind of cake before? Even if you live in Zhuangzi, you shouldn't care about food and clothing in the Xiao Mansion, right?"

It's been a long time since I ate this kind of cake, and Xiao Jinxuan also found it difficult to swallow, so she quickly drank a mouthful of porridge, which made her feel much more comfortable.

"The mansion will still send things, but there are two servants in Zhuangzi who always take money from them. The poor little food left, of course, will be left to my young brother, so at that time, what I ate The most common ones are wild vegetables and corned buns.”

The servants she was referring to were naturally Madam Bai and Heping'er. With the backing of the Ning family, both of them would confiscate most of the expenses sent by the Xiao Mansion and use them for their own use. It has always been like this for more than ten years. Not once.

Then she waved the pancake in her hand and said with a smile: "Compared with the cornbread that can knock people unconscious when thrown out, this stuff is simply delicious. The cake can be eaten evenly for several days."

When Xiao Jinxuan talked about these things, after all, they were all things in her previous life, so she said it very casually, just to relieve boredom.

But Zhou Xianrui clenched his hands on his knees unconsciously after listening.

Originally, although he admired Xiao Jinxuan's strategy, he felt that this woman was too scheming and vicious.

But now he is a little relieved, it is not surprising that he has such a disposition because of the ups and downs in his childhood, if it were not for this scheming, the people in Xiao's mansion would have already eaten all the bones left by the woman in front of him.

Stretching out his hand, he handed the only plate of cold potato dish in front of Xiao Jinxuan. Zhou Xianrui said softly, with a hint of pity in his tone, "There are still vegetables here, just eat more with porridge."

Of the two people in the room, one is eating and the other is watching silently, the atmosphere is warm and peaceful.

But outside the house, there were also two people hiding in a secluded place, looking around from time to time, talking in a low voice.

One of these two is Lan Zhi, and the other would be recognized if Xiao Jinxuan was there.Because the other one was actually the girl named Yazhi next to Qian Yingluo.

Seeing these two people sneaking around, the one named Yazhi asked in a low voice: "How is it, Xiao Jinxuan's heart has softened."

When Lan Zhi heard this, resentment flashed in her eyes, "That bitch is so hard-hearted, I made red eyes on purpose, but she is unmoved, I'm afraid she will not succeed if she wants to frame her up close."

When Yazhi heard the words, she secretly felt sorry, but immediately asked: "Then you can talk about Zhu Xin, would she like to keep you to help in this shop?"

Now Lan Zhi smiled, snorted and said: "That bamboo heart is the most soft-hearted and stupid, I just said that I feel sorry for Xiao Jinxuan, and I want to stay here in private to do my best, so she agreed, and now this girl is that girl The celebrity in front of the bitch is very majestic."

What she said was sour, after all, Zhu Xin was a wild girl in the past, and she was the most honorable in front of Xiao Jinxuan, but now that Zhu Xin has the power to gain power, she is down and out, so she is naturally unhappy.

Yazhi was very satisfied when she heard it, and immediately said: "Don't move for the next two days. When the people here relax their vigilance, I will meet you outside and follow the plan when the time comes, understand?"

Lan Zhi gave a blessing after hearing the words, and said flatteringly: "Sister Yazhi, don't worry, you go back and tell the county magistrate, I will definitely not let her down."

As long as this is accomplished, not only can he stay by the county lord's side to serve him, but he can also avenge Xiao Jinxuan's slap in the face that day.

A flash of hatred flashed in Lan Zhi's eyes, just wait and see, in a few days, when Xiao Jinxuan has you pleading and kneeling in front of me, I will slap you hard!

(End of this chapter)