Chapter 180: Implied Meaning

  The paper is white and tough, made of jade-like paper. The pen is a sharp and round healthy spotted bamboo pen from Lake Hu. The ink is pine smoke ink, and the inkstone is a precious round pool-shaped terminal inkstone.

  Shen Muqing looked at it but secretly felt bitter in her heart - only because the person grinding ink was Xiao Yao's mother, Zheng Shi, the eldest lady of the Xiao family.

  "Yu Chuan and Yin Gao, although they are personal attendants, it's better to avoid them. Madame pinched her sleeve with one hand and slowly ground the ink with the other, "Besides, some things I say, they may not understand - Miss, can you help me write this letter? I'm truly grateful."

  Shen Mu Qing smiled wryly, thinking of the pleading look in Madame's eyes earlier.

  It's because of his carefree nature - I like him, and unintentionally, I'm more tolerant of his family than others.

  "What does Madame have to say?" Shen Muqing said softly, with a hint of resignation in her tone that even she herself was not aware of.

  The lady smiled slightly and said, "I don't know what to write either."

  Deeply shocked and saddened.

  The lady smiled at her: "When my father passed away, I was 14 years old. My father left me and my mother, four young brothers, twenty sea ships, and a bunch of fierce uncles. As the eldest daughter, my father raised me like a boy since childhood. I took money to cancel the engagement with the family that had promised to marry me, and stayed at home to take care of the business my father left behind. Later, my younger brothers grew up one by one, got married, had children, and became capable people in the business world. However, whether it was outsiders or people from our own family, when they mentioned the thirteen branches of the Zheng family, they only remembered Zheng Yuenniang, but not Zheng Yue Xian, Zheng Yue Zhong, and four brothers... As she spoke, a warm smile spread across her face: "I thought to myself that it's time for me to step down from the Zheng family... But my brothers didn't want me to. Firstly, they felt that with me around, they could be lazy and no one would notice; secondly, they were afraid of what others might say, afraid that people would say they had grown up and wanted to kick their sister out; thirdly, they also thought they couldn't afford me - I was already 28 years old at the time."

  At twenty-eight years old, even in modern times, one should start worrying about marriage; let alone in ancient times - those who married early might already be holding their grandsons in their arms.

  However, since Madam has started with this, she must have a purpose!

  Shen Mu Qing didn't respond, just smiled and listened.

  The lady smiled even more brightly.

  I thought that the best solution would be for me to ask to get married myself - so when the old man came to propose, although my brothers were all opposed to it, I still agreed.

  Why not agree?

  Shen Mu Qing couldn't help but reveal a look of surprise.

  "At that time, Lao Ye already had a concubine named Cha Xiu by his side and had given birth to their eldest son, Xiao Cheng."

  Shen Mu Qing wanted to speak but hesitated and finally remained silent.

  The madam looked at him with a glance, smiled and said: "I didn't agree to it at first, but the old master heard that the old lady wanted him to marry me, so he came from Lincheng on purpose to talk to me about the conditions."

  Shen Mu Qing's eyes widened in shock.

  The old lady's eyes flashed with a hint of bitterness: "He ran from Lincheng to Jizhou, saying that Chaxi was the woman he fancied, but unfortunately her family background was too lowly, and his family would never agree to him marrying Chaxi as his wife. If I agreed to let Chaxi become his concubine in the future, he would support Old Master handing over the management rights of the Xiao family business to me, and also said that Chaxi would never enter the Xiao family's main gate, and any children she bore would never be entered into the Xiao family's genealogy."

  But later Xiao Cheng returned to the Xiao family - although he was unable to rank among his brothers, he entered the genealogy as a concubine's son.

  Shen Muqing looked at the madam with a gaze that was both sympathetic and regretful, but mostly painful. However, the madam's gaze towards Shen Muqing had become as soft as moonlight.

  "I was young at the time, and my words carried weight in my mother's household. Even if other uncles were dissatisfied with some things, they had to tolerate me because I was making more and more money. After all, it was because of my ability to make money that Grandfather wanted me to marry into the Xiao family as a long-term daughter-in-law. I saw that Master spoke and acted with a gentleman's integrity. Thinking about it, rather than marrying someone unknown, I'd rather marry him. I could also get the right to manage the Xiao family business. Although it would be for someone else's benefit, if I had a son in the future and he became the master of the house, wouldn't that money still be mine?"

  "So you're determined to marry him?" Shen Muqing couldn't help but ask curiously.

  The lady's expression was hesitant, her mouth murmuring for half a day without making a sound.

  Shen Mu let out a deep sigh.

  From the current situation, it can be seen that after Mrs. Xiao married into the Xiao family, things did not develop as she had wished.

  "No, no, no." Madame Shen hastily argued with a frown on her face, "Grandfather didn't go back on his word. It's just that many things happened afterwards - that's why we ended up like this!"

  Deeply shocked and amazed.

  The lady is speaking well of her husband?

  "I had just taken over the Xiao family business, and I was determined to do a good job, so that Old Master wouldn't think I was wasting my name - husband and wife rarely together, often apart - three years after entering the house and still no news. Later, with great difficulty, I became pregnant, but two months before giving birth, Old Master suddenly left the house, and only then did I discover that he had another son on the other side. Previously, I wasn't at home, so I wasn't very clear about some things at home. It was only when I was at home having my month of confinement that I discovered that Old Master had actually quarreled with the family over Tea Rust's affair and been driven out of the house by Old Mistress. He then went on to run a boat on his own, and later became the leader of the Yangzhou gang in the grain transport business. Everyone in the grain transport business knew that the leader of the Yangzhou gang, Xiao Zhan, had a wife named Tea Rust, and an eldest son named Xiao Cheng."

  "How could this be?" Shen Muqing exclaimed, "Didn't you discover it earlier? Didn't anyone from the Xiao family give you a hint?"

  "I used to despise talking about family scandals with others." The madam smiled wryly: "I, I was really foolish, wasn't I?"

  Deep and serene, without a word.

  "Xiao Cheng was very clever, although the old master did not allow him to enter the house, but when the child turned ten years old, he still sent a gift through someone - "The big wife's eyes were slightly dull," so whether Xiao Jue wanted the Xiao family's property or not didn't matter - after several years passed, the old master actually thought that Xiao Jue was capable - I couldn't do those things like crying and making a fuss, thinking about it, I finally convinced the old master to let Xiao Er be adopted under Fourth Uncle's name, just hoping he could take the imperial examination and not come back to this house to fight for the position of family head, and live his own life - as a result, I sent Xiao Er away, but he came back to make trouble, wanting to recognize Xiao Cheng as the heir - I was too lazy to deal with these things, so I took a few people who followed me to the annex house in Guangdong -"

  Since that's the case, why did Xiao Sa's father, who had already set up his own household, follow the old master's wishes and marry a woman he didn't like? Why did he have another daughter after Xiao Sa? I don't know how old Xiao Sa's younger sister is or what she looks like.

  Shen Muqing was very curious, but didn't dare ask.

  Mrs. Xiao is after all a senior, and this is a family matter of the Xiao's!

  "I went away for a few years, and when I came back, Xiao Er no longer recognized me. Later, he burned down the ancestral house, and never spoke to me again. I know he hated me... but by the time I realized it, it was too late." The old lady's eyes welled up with tears. "He wouldn't speak to me or Old Master. You don't know how thrilled I was when Pang De Bao came to borrow money from me - I even thought that if he was willing, I would learn needlework and help him take care of the children and manage those properties in the future. Now, let me write a letter to him... but I have no idea what to say?"

  She burst into tears.

  Shen Mu Qing hastily pulled out a handkerchief and handed it to her: "Don't cry! Xiao Sa isn't that kind of person. He's definitely just as clueless as you are about what to say to each other. Just write whatever you want, he'll be delighted!"

  The big wife grasped his hand tightly like a drowning man clutching at a straw: "Really, he really doesn't hate me?"

  Her face was full of entreaty, entreating Shen Muqing to give her a definite answer.

  Shen Muqing only then discovered that the roots of Madame's temples had already shown a faint silver white.

  She thought of Xiao Xiao saving her outside the Yaowang Temple, and of Old Master falling on hard times when he wore a pair of cow-nose pants to disguise himself as a shop assistant to go home to collect debts.

  "No, he has a good heart!" Shen Mu said with certainty. "He won't hate you. He just doesn't know how to express it."

  "No wonder he thinks you're good." The old lady's tears fell again, "Others say he's cold and ruthless, only you understand him, know that he has a kind heart!"

  Shen Mu Qing's face turned red.

  The lady said...

  "It's probably just that everyone looks at the problem from a different angle!" Shen Muqing hastily explained, "He and his cousin have conflicting interests, so it's natural for them to have contradictions."

  The big wife wiped away her tears and nodded: "Second sister also said that Sa Er's heart is good!"

  Shen Mu smiled quietly and calmly.

  "Right, I heard from Second Sister that it was you who sent her to Sha Er's place back then?"

  Shen Mu Qing listened in stunned silence.

  When did I ever let Xiao Sa take her in? - This is also too much!

  The sharp glint in Madame's eyes flashed and disappeared instantly.

  "It's said that you took pity on her because she had nowhere to go, so you let Sa'er take her in." The old lady looked somewhat disapproving. "You're young and it's natural to feel sympathetic when you see someone in trouble, but taking people in also depends on who they are. Second sister has always been wandering around in the outside world, deceiving and cheating people - she's seen everything. For someone like that, just giving her some money would be enough. Don't bring anyone like that into our home again."

  What's all this about?

  Is it possible that Xiao Yao is just making an excuse for Madam's sake?

  Shen Muqing felt uncomfortable in her heart, but in front of the mistress, she really couldn't say anything. What if it caused some misunderstanding and Xiao Sa returned, wouldn't they blame the mistress - their already tense relationship would become even more strained.

  She murmured in response and smiled: "This matter still needs to be decided by Young Master Xiao."

  The madam gazed at her thoughtfully and nodded, smiling: "At the time, Xiao Sa told me that she was someone related to Mr. Zeng, and I thought that if we could establish a connection with Mr. Zeng through friends outside, it would be a good thing. Later, I heard her say that you were her lifesaver, and it was you who let her find Xiao Sa, so I had her introduce us. This person has a bit of a petty air about her, and since she's been inside for so long without coming out, I'm afraid she may have spoken carelessly and offended the noble ladies of your household, which is why I've asked you to forgive her."

  Shen Muqing was a clever person and could naturally hear the alternative explanation behind Madame's words.

  But the contradictions between her and her second sister cannot be clearly stated in a few words.

  She smiled and changed the subject: "What do you think I should write in the letter? Once it's written, I can have someone deliver it to Lord Wang as soon as possible - I reckon he'll be leaving for Bahe within the next few days!"

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  Chapter 180: Implied Meaning