Red makeup against the world

Chapter 18
Shopkeeper Wu brought two assistants, dressed in cotton robes and rabbit fur hoods, and wrapped the cloaks tightly, and stood at the Suzhou pier to meet people.

On the tea shed not far from him, there were two people whispering.One of the men in the green shirt covered his sleeves and said, "It's been three days, what trick is the Xu family playing?"

The other person lowered his head and wiped his nose, and said, "It's so cold that we ran to the pier to pick up people, causing us to suffer from the cold too. The wind blows so hard, mother, it froze me to death."

Suddenly, the man in the green shirt nudged him and said, "Look, shopkeeper Wu has received someone."

I saw a two-story merchant ship docked, and the merchant flag on the ship was written with the word "He" in black on a red background.

A bright young man got off the boat first, and supported a middle-aged honest man who was dressed in a blue silk robe, a mink fur hood, and a translucent jadeite pendant hanging from his waist. disembarked.

Shopkeeper Wu hurriedly went up to greet him, bowed his hands and saluted, "Second Young Master, you are being polite! The boat and the car are exhausting, but I didn't expect Second Young Master He to come here in person. The old slave didn't arrange well, so I offended you."

Second Master He waved his hand proudly, and said with a hearty smile: "Shopkeeper Wu, you don't need to be too polite. You, the head shopkeeper of Jiangnan Road, came to pick him up in person, it's very face-saving."

Behind him came down another beautiful woman, with her veiled hat hanging down, holding the little girl's hand and saluting to shopkeeper Wu.Although the veiled hat completely concealed her face, but this graceful figure, so that Second Young Master He could be brought by her side, she must be a stunning beauty.Shopkeeper Wu hurriedly turned sideways in disrespect, and asked, "Excuse me, who is this?"

Second Young Master He smiled and said, "This is Mrs. Ru whom I met when passing by Yangzhou. Seeing that she had a pitiful background, I took her to my side."

Shopkeeper Wu saluted: "Hello, Miss Ru." He said with a look of embarrassment on his face, "Second Young Master, why don't we sit in the tea shed for a while? The old servant asked the man to drive another car."

Second Master He said: "It's my fault, so just sit down for a while."

A young man from the He family went to the tea shed, gave the shopkeeper two ingots of grain silver, and set up the tea shed.The pier is cold in winter, and there are not many customers in the tea shed. These two ingots of grained silver are enough for three months' expenses.

The store owner knew that there was a big customer, and hurriedly apologized to the customers in the store, refunded the tea money, and cleaned up after a long time.The young man of the He family took the curtains from the merchant ship, surrounded the tea shed tightly, and spread furs on the stools, and just now invited the second young master He and his party to sit in.

The two people in green shirts walked out of the tea shed. The men in green shirts had sharp eyes, and when they saw the servant of the He family spreading the tablecloth on the table in the tea shed and serving the Ru kiln tea set, they couldn't help but gasp in their hearts, "What is the origin of this He family? Look. This is a good show." Another person said: "Don't think about it, this matter is serious, let's go back and report to the master."

In a short while, a simple tea shed was cleaned up like a living room for a rich family. Shopkeeper Wu saw it, and thought that the He family had become more and more prosperous in recent years.It's just a place to sit for a while, so it should be arranged so carefully.

When Mr. Xu planned to drive the car, Mr. He and shopkeeper Wu took one together, and Mrs. Ru took the little girl in one, followed by the servants, and the group went to Xu's house.

Mrs. Xu got the letter early, and sent Yulu to call Xu Wanzhen and Xu Wenyu to the main room.

The Second Young Master He entered Xu's house. Along the way, he saw that there were few servants and the atmosphere was deserted.Entering the main room, seeing Mrs. Xu bowing her head, she kowtowed firmly and said, "Junior He Qingsong pays homage to Mrs. Xu!"

The bluffing Mrs. Xu quickly asked shopkeeper Wu to help He Qingsong up and said: "Please get up quickly, how dare I accept such a big gift from Second Young Master."

He Qingsong stood up, sat down on the chair brought by his mother-in-law, and said with a casual smile: "If it weren't for the old lady Xu to take care of me, our father and son would have starved to death on the streets of Mengzhou, where is today. The Xu family has If you are in trouble, the He family will help you with all your strength." After finishing speaking, he presented the gift list, "This gift was prepared by my father, please be sure to accept it, old madam."

Mrs. Xu took the gift list, and saw that it said "a pair of chicken-winged wooden screens, a box of oriental beads, and ten pieces of decorative satin", all of which were valuables.He sighed and said: "Although this is the case, there are many people who fall into trouble in the world, but few give charcoal in the snow. This gift list is really too heavy." He Qingsong said: "Old lady, don't take it to heart, otherwise, my father will feel uneasy. "

After the two had talked, He Qingsong ordered Ru Niang to come forward and greet her, saying: "This is Han Ru Niang. Her father was originally a young prisoner in the Ministry of Industry. After being convicted, the family was demoted to Yuzhou, Lingnan Dao. Her mother and the empress Back at her natal home, unexpectedly her father died of illness halfway, the family's evil servants swept away the girl, sold her to a kidnapper, and fled to Yangzhou."

Hearing this miserable life experience, Mrs. Xu felt compassionate, pulled out the sapphire gold hairpin from her head and gave it to her, saying: "This is a meeting gift."

Seeing how precious the hairpin was, Han Runiang glanced at He Qingsong, saw him nodding slightly, and accepted it to thank him.Mrs. Xu said to He Qingsong again: "Since I've followed you, you must treat them well. You've returned to Songzhou, so please enter the door well." He Qingsong should be.

Mrs. Xu called Xu Wanzhen and Xu Wenyu to meet He Qingsong.Although there are differences between men and women, He Qingsong has always treated Mrs. Xu as a nephew and nephew, as a family, so there is no need to pay attention.When they met for the first time, He Qingsong gave Xu Wanzhen a set of cloisonné enamel jewelry boxes and a set of Four Treasures of the Study to Xu Wenyu as gifts.

After the two parties met, Xu Wan really knew that the two of them were going to talk about serious business, so she said to Mrs. Xu: "I just finished a painting there, and I want to ask for a discussion on character. Why don't Ru Niang settle down next to me for now?" Yunju? I also come and go often."

Ru Niang's status is embarrassing now. Although she has followed He Qingsong, she hasn't officially entered the house yet, so she can't be regarded as a concubine, so Xu Wanzhen has no choice but to call her by her boudoir name.

Seeing that He Qingsong had no intention of objecting, Mrs. Xu said: "That's fine, the two of you are good companions." Xu Wanzhen led Han Runiang and Xu Wenyu to retire politely, leaving He Qingsong and shopkeeper Wu to talk to Mrs. Xu.

He Qingsong cupped his hands and said: "Madam, my father told me before I came that we can buy the property of the Xu family in Jiangnan Road at the market price first. When the Xu family is capable, they can redeem it at any time. Take care of it for you."

Mrs. Xu waved her hand: "This is absolutely impossible. If you sell this property, it will be the property of the He family. How can you sell it and then redeem it? To tell the truth, the second son, the merchants in the entire Jiangnan Road are now eyeing the Xu family. Can the second son For a fair price, I am very grateful."

He Qingsong said sincerely: "Madam, don't take it to heart. Mrs. Xu's favor will not be repaid in this lifetime, so let us do our best."

Seeing that Mrs. Xu was determined not to accept it, she said again: "How about this, old lady? The property still belongs to the He family, and the Xu family can redeem [-]% of the shares in the future." Spreading his hands, he said: "Otherwise, it will be difficult for me to explain to my father. .”

(End of this chapter)