Chapter 177: True and False

  Escorting Madame Shen out, Shen Muqing went to Shen Zhen's study.

  She told Mrs. Wang's intention: "...... She is really a formidable person!"

  Shen Zhen nodded: "So soon you know that the imperial court wants to send someone to Bahe... it seems that the Xiao family is also paying attention to this matter... if it's decided that Lord Yuan will go to Bahe, I'll mention it to him."

  "I'm afraid Madame will be so anxious that she'll propose that the Xiao family raise the 500,000 taels of silver for the ransom."

  Her eyebrows rose slightly, and she already understood Shen Muqing's meaning.

  "Not bad." He had a hint of worry in his eyes. "Although 500,000 taels is not a small sum, it's not impossible for the Emperor to come up with it either. If the Xiao family brings this up now, it will not only make the Emperor wary, but also put Xiao Sa at the forefront of this storm... What if the Emperor returns? He won't be able to return!"

  Shen Mu nodded calmly: "I'm afraid that in this situation, the Emperor has already formed a prejudice against the Xiao family. By then, the Xiao family will probably have to abandon their soldiers to save their general."

  "For the time being, let's slow down," Shen Zhen said thoughtfully. "Let's tell Mrs. Xiao about the serious situation and have her wait for our news. Don't go around knocking on doors everywhere, it's a waste of money and will also attract other people's attention."

  After all, I am still a member of the Shen family now. In other people's eyes, my every move represents the Shen family's stance and interests at this time. This matter can only be discussed with Shen Zhen. If Shen Zhen agrees to help the Xiao family, then that's good. If not, she still has to consider the lives of dozens of people in the Shen family... I'm afraid I can only think of a way to find someone else to run around for me...

  Listening to Shen Zhen's tone, she agreed to help the Xiao family. She couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief, responded with a "yes", and smiled: "I'll send Ying Fen over to say something right away!"

  Out of Shen Zhen's study, Ying Fen was standing under the eaves and talking to an old man with a gray head. Hearing the noise, she looked over and walked over in three strides: "Auntie, Zhou Guan Jia is back!"

  Shen Mu Qing listened with joy.

  It wasn't until the departure of Luomei and Hezhu that she realized how difficult it was to maintain a normal household, and this was still in summer, just cleaning and tidying up had already left Shen Muqing somewhat overwhelmed...

  "Please come in quickly!"

  The old man left at the sound of his name being called.

  Shen Muqing instructed her to take care of something: "...be sure to bring back news!"

  "Rest assured, madam. Mr. Xiao also helped me in the past, and we cannot forget his kindness. No matter how the second sister behaves, I will find a way to see Madame and convey your opinions to her."

  Shen Mu Qing nodded in satisfaction.

  Ying Fen is capable but has a bad temper, she's really afraid that if she and Tu Xiao Que disagree on something, they'll start arguing and then storm off.

  Ying Feng had just left when Zhou Bai Mu appeared at the door, dusty and windblown. He bowed to Shen Mu Qing from a distance.

  "Grandma, I'm back!"

  The tone is very excited.

  Shen Muqing saw that he was exhausted but unscathed, and her emotions were also very stirred up.

  "Come back soon! Come back soon!" She said with tears in her eyes, "Hurry up and go pay your respects to the old master - he's always thinking of you."

  Zhou Bai Mu's eyes were filled with tears as he entered the study in response to the call.

  Shen Zhen saw him and was very calm.

  "Is everything okay on the road? Has anything happened to your family?"

  Zhou Bai Mu knelt down in front of Shen Zhen.

  "When we were in Tianjin, we met Mr. Ouyang - he heard that Kyoto was trapped and specially came from his hometown to visit you."

  Shen Zhen was taken aback, slowly lowering her eyelids, with sparkling tears at the corners of her eyes.

  Zhou Baimu, however, did not notice these things and continued: "The several battalion commanders of the Tianjin Commandery had set up a card at the dock to collect road bridge fees. We were blocked at the dock and told that we had too many people, so we would have to pay an additional 100 taels of silver per person. In the end, it was Mr. Ouyang who came forward to help us out of the predicament. He also let us bring several women who were stranded at the dock because they couldn't afford the road bridge fees to go to Jiangnan with us. I thought that everyone was a fallen person and had Mr. Ouyang's instructions, so I temporarily moved Tian Mama and others to Mingxia's cabin - letting them squeeze together. It wasn't until we arrived in Cangzhou that we found out that those women were the family members of Shi Jing Shi, the Minister of War. Therefore, later on, we sailed smoothly to Zhoushan Island.

  Shi Jin was a native of Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province. He had previously served as the commander-in-chief of Hebei, Shandong and Henan provinces, enjoying extremely high prestige in these three provinces... As long as he passed through Tianjin under the emperor's feet, the commanders-in-chief of various provinces would all give Shi Jin a few thin faces.

  "We had just settled in when we heard that Zeng Ju had defeated the Mongols and lifted the siege of the capital... Mr. Ouyang heard the news and insisted on returning to his hometown, I saw Chen Niang's travel fatigue, so I let Tian Mama and others accompany her back a little later, I took Mingxia and others to go ahead... Niang will be back in a month at most, or two months at latest!"

  Shen Zhen nodded slightly after listening: "You've had a hard journey, go and rest too!"

  Zhou Bai Mu left at the sound of his name being called.

  "...I still have some family matters to attend to, I'll go instruct Bai Mu."

  "Go!"

  Shen Mu Qing just walked out of Shen Zhen's yard, Ming Xia led a few maids including Ning Bi with tears in her eyes to welcome her: "Young lady, we're back!"

  Shen Mu Qing's eyes moistened instantly, and she pulled Ming Xia's hand to look at the several maidservants of Ning Bi: "Are you all okay?"

  "Good, good, good!" Ming Xia choked with sobs, "We're all fine. Is the mistress alright?"

  "What's good about it?" Shen Muqing sighed, "You're not here, I sweep the yard and get a sore back and waist, what's good about that?"

  Several maids first changed their faces, and then listened to Shen Muqing's tone with a few points of teasing, and finally put down their hearts and laughed.

  "We're back, so you don't have to worry anymore, Auntie," Buxue said with a smile. "From now on, we'll naturally take care of sweeping the yard."

  Everyone saw her words with a few points of jest and laughed.

  The sorrow of parting has dissipated like smoke and clouds, replaced by the joy of reunion.

  Everyone chatted and laughed as they went to the Listening Rain Pavilion. When they saw the banana tree in front of the pavilion, which was already taller than a person, they all sighed and couldn't help but cry again. They continued like this until dusk, when everyone's emotions finally calmed down. Yuegui took Liu Chun and Bu Yue to the kitchen - during this time, Yingfen had been cooking.

  The dishes hadn't been served yet when Yingfeng came back.

  Everyone inquired about each other, and it was another scene.

  After Shen Muqing finished dinner, Ying Fen served Shen Muzhen to eat. Only after they both finished eating did the two have time to talk.

  "...The shopkeeper was overjoyed when he heard that I had come to see Madame. When I arrived, Madame was not there, having gone out to visit some guests. A maid named Yuzhen served me tea, and during this time, Second Sister came in once. From her demeanor, she seemed extremely honest and obedient. When she heard that I had been sent by Miss to find Madame, she was very polite and courteous towards me, saying some words of gratitude."

  Shen Mu Qing smiled slightly, not feeling surprised at all: "A clever person like the Eldest Madam, she definitely wouldn't dare to play any tricks in front of her, let alone with that maid Yu Zan standing by!"

  Ying nodded and said, "I waited for a long time in the wing room. The one called Yuzhen went in and out from time to time, and sometimes Mother came to ask her opinion, she should be a helpful person in front of Madame."

  "Did you see only a jade hairpin?"

  Yingfengdao said, "I also saw a girl named Yinxiao. She was the one who brought me tea and snacks, but I noticed that she was dressed more elegantly than Erjie, and when she heard that I was sent by my aunt, she showed great respect."

  Shen Mu Qing listened quietly, a hint of confusion flashing in his eyes.

  "I waited for a long time before the old lady returned. As soon as she heard I was waiting for her, she came to see me without even changing her clothes. I told her your message and she repeatedly said 'thank you'. She also said that from now on, she won't go out anymore and will wait for news of the young lady at the inn... When I left, the old lady even rewarded me with twenty taels of silver."

  Going out to visit guests, should be going to inquire about news or something for Xiao Xiao... Listening to herself say it, immediately changed her mind and didn't go out anymore, should be that the person she was looking for didn't bring any substantial progress for her.

  Shen Mu thought for a moment and instructed Ying Fen: "When the first wife comes to ask about the news, you don't tell anyone else for now..."

  Ying nodded repeatedly: "Don't worry, auntie, it's just Mingxia, I won't tell!"

  She thought Shen Muqing was afraid that Xiao Sa might not be able to come back, and she would run around for Xiao Sa like this, and later someone would gossip.

  Shen Muqing was actually afraid that with many people in the house, rumors would spread and harm the Shen family's reputation.

  For the next half month, there was no good news - Emperor Xian used the excuse of an empty national treasury and lack of money to reject the suggestion of the Mongol envoy to ransom him back to the capital for 500,000 taels; the Grand Council hesitated and did not make a decision on sending envoys to Ba River, while Yuan Yu, the most popular candidate to be sent to Ba River, fell seriously ill and was bedridden...

  The lady was worried about her son's safety and sent someone to find Shen Muqing in a fluster.

  Shen Muqing was accompanying Shen Jian to write at the time, and when she heard that Eldest Madam had sent someone to see her, she told Shen Jian and immediately went to the flower hall of Tingyu Xuan.

  Seeing the newcomer was Tu Xiaoque, she slightly furrowed her brow.

  "...Tell the mistress that this matter can't be rushed, we can only act as circumstances permit!"

  Tiao Xiao Que's face was very pale and unlike the previous time she came to see her, she was very quiet.

  "What if...what if you can't come back..." She said, her eyes brimming with tears.

  Shen Muqing looked at her sorrowful appearance and thought of the pain he felt when Xiao Xiao went missing, which was like a knife cutting through his heart. He couldn't help but feel some sympathy for her, so he comforted her by saying: "He's with the Emperor now, and since the Yuan Mong people still want to take advantage of the Emperor to gain more benefits, there shouldn't be any danger for the time being."

  Xiao Que nodded slightly.

  A little maid came out and reported: "Madam, Steward Zhou has something important to see you about."

  It's too late to avoid it now...

  Shen Mu Qing thought for a moment, then stood up and said to Tu Xiao Que, "You sit here for a while, I'll go see what the housekeeper wants with me." With that, he walked out of the flower hall.

  (I saw friends' comments about updating, to be honest, my body has not been well lately, I barely managed to fulfill the promise of adding updates for the pink tickets... Fortunately, I didn't break my word... These few days I'll take advantage of the Spring Festival holiday to adjust myself properly. Sorry to have disappointed everyone...)

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  Chapter 177: True and False