All the ancestors in the capital begged me to be a substitute

Chapter 9
Xuanpinghou's mansion took the real daughter's carriage back to the mansion, and didn't drive into the city gate until dusk.

When we arrived at the Hou Mansion, the moon was already high and the stars were shining.

The door was deserted, and there was no one to greet him.

An's mother respectfully led Shen Lingxi to the Jingsi courtyard that had been prepared in advance, and asked the maids in the courtyard to help her wash and change her clothes, and ordered the kitchen to deliver meals, and then hurried to the Qingqiu courtyard of the eldest lady An Suhui.

As soon as she reached the gate of the courtyard, she slapped herself hard on the face a few times, pinched the marks on her forehead that had almost disappeared, and then raised her sleeves to cover her face and walked in.

In the upper room, Xuan Ping Hou Shen Ji had just returned home, because of what happened at Shen Yuyao's wedding, he was very busy.

Seeing Mrs. An hiding her head and showing her tail, she came in from outside, without waiting for Mrs. An to speak, Shen Ji asked directly: "Where is the person? Did you take it back?"

"Back to Lord Hou, I just picked it up." Mother An lowered her head and replied evasively: "The fifth girl is washing her hands in the Jingsiyuan right now."

Mrs. An saw some clues, "Didn't you go out at noon, why didn't you come back at this time, did you encounter any delays?"

"Yes, it's Miss Wu's Fu'an Hall. There's some work to be done. Then, let the servants wait for a while." Mother An replied tremblingly.

"Doing work?" Shen Ji frowned: "What kind of work? What's there in a place like Fu'an Hall..."

Halfway through the conversation, he thought about what the Fu'an Hall was for, and felt very unlucky, "You mean, she went to bury the body for someone even though she knew she was going back to the mansion today? You are also an old mother in the mansion, why didn't you stop me?" Her? Didn't I ask my wife to tell you? I need to mention some rules in her house."

"The servant stopped me, but I didn't stop..." Mama An timidly put down her sleeves, raised her face, and cried a little, "The fifth girl was a bit skilled, and she broke the arm of Mrs. Zhao, and the servant was also beaten. .”

Seeing that her cheeks and forehead were bruised and swollen, Shen Ji frowned even more: "She did it all? Good! Very good! I underestimated her!"

Seeing that the fire was almost ready, Mama An began to pour oil on it, "The servant girl was waiting for the fifth girl outside the Fu'an Hall. She saw that the people from the magistrate and Dali Temple had gone, as well as the embroiderer... The servant girl asked the official and said that it was last night. Fourth Miss and Li Tanhua's marriage seems to be related to Fifth Miss, so, that Yaoniang's body is in Fu'an Hall."

"What? She ruined A Yao's marriage?"

Shen Ji was taken aback. Shen Yuyao's marriage had turned into such a mess that he couldn't hold his head up in front of others. He didn't expect it to be Shen Lingxi's handwriting.

"What does she want to do? She thinks that when A Yao retires, the dowry will be hers?" Shen Ji slapped the table, "She has a good idea! To me, A Yao is my own, and no one can surpass her. she goes!"

As he said that, he rushed out angrily, as if he wanted to settle accounts with Shen Lingxi.

"Master Hou, calm down." Mrs. An hurriedly grabbed his sleeves to smooth things over, "If Wu Yatou hadn't made such a fuss last night, we wouldn't have known what kind of person Li Tanhua was. After all, she could have saved Ayao..."

"Save me! It's just a woman's kindness!" Shen Ji threw off his sleeves, hating that iron cannot be made into steel, "If a man wants to achieve great things, he must be ruthless. That embroiderer's background is low, and she blocked Li Anlin's way. She brought it on herself. If it were my Shen Ji's daughter, would Li Anlin dare to do this?"

"I have a lot of choices, and what I like is that Li Anlin is ambitious and able to accomplish things. If A Yao marries him, she may become the first assistant's wife in the future. Now that Shen Lingxi has messed up, Li Anlin is a flower lover. It’s useless. Where will I find such a good relative for A Yao in the future! I’m really mad at me.”

Madam An twitched the corners of her lips and winked at Mama An.

"Master Hou, calm down." Mother An plopped and knelt in front of Shen Ji, "Listen to the servant girl, and the servant girl listened to the officials of the government office. The fifth girl has a very close relationship with Mu Shaoqing from Dali Temple. Shaoqing also invited an embroiderer envoy to rescue the fifth girl..."

"I'm a majestic Xuan Pinghou, and I'm afraid that he will fail as the young minister of Dali Temple!" Shen Ji blushed with anger, but he didn't take a step forward. "Can you see clearly? Is it really the embroiderer?"

"The servant girl saw absolutely at the door that it was the embroidered clothes envoy." Mama An said firmly, "Not long after the embroidered clothes envoy entered, the magistrate Zhao came out with the yamen servant. After he left, Mu Shaoqing also left. The fifth girl was busy in Fu'an Hall and didn't come out until Shen Shi."

Mrs. An heard the words and reminded: "Master Hou, you forgot that Mu Huai'an is not only the young minister of Dali Temple, but also the empress's nephew, the future son of Duke Cheng'en. The old ancestor handed over handkerchiefs, and I heard from the girl in Songzhuyuan that the old ancestor has been talking about a good relationship in his hands, and that is the one with Cheng Engong's mansion."

As she said that, she covered her lips and smiled lightly, "It's a coincidence that this marriage was originally intended to be told to the fourth girl, but later I found out that the fourth girl was in the wrong arms, so the old ancestor never mentioned it again. No wonder, her old man kept talking about it." Urging you to bring back the fifth girl must be because you are still thinking about this marriage."

"Mother is really sick and confused! What kind of family background in Cheng'en Gong's mansion can you fall in love with Shen Lingxi's background?" Shen Ji was very disdainful, pointing to the bruise on Mama An's face, "Just because of her arrogance If you really marry into Cheng'en Gong's mansion, that's not a marriage, it's an enmity! No, now that Ayao's marriage is gone, if you want to marry, you have to marry Ayao! I'll go to my mother and say..."

"Don't worry, Lord Hou." Mrs. An stopped him again: "The most urgent thing now is to get rid of the Li family's marriage as soon as possible, and then talk to the ancestors. I didn't see you, and you ran to speak for Si Yatou, the old ancestor would be happy in his heart. Even if you think about Si Yatou, you have to do it slowly, otherwise the old ancestor will get angry, and the second room will be in vain. "

"You're right." Shen Ji pondered for a while, and told Mama An: "You go to the Golden Immortal Temple tomorrow morning, and invite a few Kun Taoists to do exercises for that girl's yard to get rid of bad luck. When the ancestor asked, he said that the girl was afraid of offending her old man, so she mentioned it herself. Then I would like to mention the servants in the back house, let her hang out for a few days, and when I get rid of the marriage between A Yao and Li Tanhua, Then let them go to meet their ancestors together."

Mother An bowed her head in response, and exchanged a tacit glance with Mrs. An, before retreating respectfully.

*
Jingsiyuan is located in the southwest corner of Xuanpinghou Mansion, facing south from north.

There are two upper rooms in the north, and there is a vermilion small corridor connecting the left and right wing rooms. An apricot tree is planted in the southwest corner of the courtyard, there are a few clumps of plantains in the east, a few stalks of green bamboo against the wall, and a small pond has been dug. , brought running water from the outside, and raised a few koi.

Although the courtyard is small, it is elegant and unique, and it is adjacent to the corner gate of the Hou Mansion, so it is easy to enter and exit. It does not look like it was arranged for Xuan Ping Hou, who "sets the rules" for his daughter...

(End of this chapter)