Chapter 181: Different Methods

  "Everyone at home is worried about you, take care of your body. A man should be able to yield and compromise, don't get angry with those guards. As the saying goes, it's better to offend a gentleman than to provoke a petty person. They are just doing their job, if you get angry, not only can't change the situation, but also make others feel awkward. You've always been good at handling relationships with people, no need to say more. The weather in Bahe is cold, living under someone else's roof, lacking coal and blankets is normal. Why not help those guards run errands, it's a good way to warm up too."

  "Can you write like this?" The lady listened with sweat on her forehead.

  "Isn't it a bit too much?" Shen Muqing looked at the stack of papers in his hand, "Xiao Xiao's temperament is somewhat stubborn - I'm really worried that he can't bear the humiliation of those guards -"

  "Well, let's write it that way then!" said the mistress hurriedly. "I haven't written a letter to him either - you've written to him before, so it shouldn't be wrong."

  Serene and calm, with a clear face.

  When did I ever write him a letter?

  "She argued: 'I didn't either —'"

  The old lady didn't wait for her to finish speaking, and said: "I made him a close-fitting vest, using high-quality camel hair, which is both light and warm. Wearing it on the body doesn't make you look bloated - others can't tell."

  Shen Mu nodded quietly and added at the end of the letter: "----I made a dark-colored coarse linen jacket for you," she looked up at Madame, "Use coarse cloth, the more ordinary the better."

  "It's made of coarse cloth," said Madame Wang, "I wouldn't dare let him attract people's attention there!"

  "Is there anything else you'd like me to bring? I'll write it all down at once!"

  "--- I also made him a pile of sheepskin warmers, and some clothes made from Jiangnan tribute satin, as well as golden jade hairpins ---"

  Shen Mu Qing was taken aback for a moment and involuntarily picked up her pen.

  The old lady explained: "Things are sent over, and they can't help but be turned over. Good or bad, just make a few, as long as you mention to him that he wears these two pieces on his body."

  Shen Muqing thought that the mistress's concerns were reasonable, and she lowered her head to continue writing: "You're clever, remember to get your hands on that dark-colored cape and knee pads and wear them on yourself..."

  "Madam," it was Yin Gao's voice outside, "the master has arrived!"

  The lady was stunned.

  Shen Muqing was also a bit surprised when writing the letter. She looked at Mrs. Yu and found that Mrs. Yu's expression was somewhat dull.

  The ginkgo outside did not wait for a reply and hesitated: "I told the master that you have something to say, but the master..."

  The old lady came back to her senses and said with a faint expression: "Let the master wait in the main hall."

  The gingko leaves fell with a rustling sound.

  Mrs. Shen looked at Shen Muqing with some embarrassment: "I don't know what he's here for? You sit in the house for a while, I'll get rid of him and come back."

  Judging from his tone, he seemed extremely impatient.

  It's also speechless when it comes to this point between husband and wife!

  Shen Mu Qing thought for a moment, then nodded hastily and stood up to see Madame out.

  "Hurry up and sit down, hurry up and sit down, the floor is cool!" The mistress pressed her onto the kang, smiled at her, then went to the main room.

  She was the only one left in the house, quiet and still. The hall and bedroom were separated by a screen door, and the sounds from the hall came clearly to her ears.

  "Grandpa, have some tea!"

  The sound of the big wife's voice was followed by a light clinking sound.

  "Grandfather came looking for me, but what's the matter?" in a very polite tone.

  After a moment of silence, a middle-aged man's voice rang out: "I went to Old Fourth's place. Old Fourth's meaning coincides with mine." The voice was low and thick, with a hint of anxiety, "Whoever sits in that position will not want to come down, hoping to bring the emperor back, that is a fool's dream talk."

  The speaker should be Xiao Zuo.

  Just then, the old lady spoke up in a soft voice, "What does the master mean?"

  Her voice was somewhat tense, and she detected a hint of probing.

  His calm and clear heart also hung up with it.

  What would Xiao Xiao's father say?

  What decision will he make for this fallen son?

  Shen Muqing's hand clenched into a fist, she tiptoed to the door curtain and gently lifted it, looking out from the gap.

  Her gaze fell on the couple sitting opposite each other in the main room, and she was taken aback.

  Xiao Xiao originally looked like his father - although the years were not forgiving, Xiao Zhan's figure was still straight as a pen, his eyes were still bright, and there was a kind of sharp sword sheathed in his gestures that was awe-inspiring.

  "Sa Er's matter can't be messed up by you anymore." His tone was somewhat cold, "This matter, you have to listen to me!"

  "Please speak, sir!" The old lady smiled at Xiao Zuo, her eyes as sharp as an eagle's gaze. "I'll consider it carefully!"

  Xiao Zhe's face changed slightly as he listened, and he smiled coldly, saying: "To say it, Sao'er ended up like this today, all because of you."

  The lady didn't say anything, she just raised an eyebrow.

  Xiao Zhe immediately had a mocking look in his eyes - at this moment, he was exactly like the young Xiao Xiao.

  "If you hadn't adopted him as your son, if you hadn't nagged him every time you saw him to make a name for himself and leave a mark on history, he wouldn't have ended up like this..."

  "You don't have to see me, even if it's an old account." The lady interrupted Xiao Xu's words, "When he passed the martial arts exam and became a champion, you were overjoyed. Just say what you want to say!"

  "YOU!" Xiao Ze's face changed greatly, pointing at the old lady for a long time, still suppressing his anger and lowering his voice: "I've found four top-notch experts in the Jianghu, they'll set off to Bahe in two days - then you can see if there's a suitable family for him to marry into, let him enter the Zheng family tree - even as a side branch or younger son is fine"

  The old lady's face was like a layer of frost as soon as she heard it.

  Good you, Xiao Xu, my son is going to the Zheng family as a branch descendant, your branch child will be recorded in the Xiao family's genealogy as the eldest son - she felt like being fried in oil - slowly turning the tea cup in her hand, the old lady said softly: "His matter, don't bother to worry about it. I've already gathered 1 million taels of silver - when the time comes, think of a way to redeem him back!"

  "A million taels of silver?" Xiao Ze heard this and stood up with a "thud". "Is this really a matter of a million taels of silver? If it were possible to redeem someone's life with silver, I wouldn't care if it was two or three million taels. I would scrape together every penny I have to make it happen. But now, you're still dreaming about your imperial edict. This can only be achieved if your son has a chance to earn one for you." He paused for breath before continuing, "I've already discussed Sa'er's situation with Father and he agrees with me - we'll negotiate with Mo Meng in the name of the Xiao family. If they release him, our family will give them goods worth 200,000 taels of silver every year for five years to offset the ransom. This is an even better deal than what Mo Meng initially offered - 500,000 taels of silver. We can't get that kind of money from the government without arousing suspicion. If they refuse to release him, we'll have those four experts rescue Sa'er while they're off guard. I'm only here to inform you, so stop causing trouble in the capital. I heard from your fourth brother that you've already spent at least 100,000 taels of silver this time - it's better if you save that money and wait for Sa'er to return before thinking of ways to help him acquire some property."

  The lady was frightened.

  She glanced at the bedroom where Shen Muqing was.

  "Don't mess around, the Shen family has already agreed to help, and they also said that in a few days, the imperial court will send a high-ranking official from the Ministry of Rites named Wang Qing as an envoy to Bahe..."

  "What can he do in this small matter? This is a ridiculous thing!" Xiaoxiao's temples bulged with anger, "Why should the Shen family help us? I'll tell you, Xiao Sa is crazy, but I'm not. He wants to marry the Shen family's young lady, don't even think about it!"

  The lady's face turned bright red.

  She was afraid Shen Muqing would hear this sentence.

  The lady couldn't help but glance at the bedroom curtains again.

  "She lowered her voice and said, 'How dare you? What makes you say he dares not? What makes you interfere with whom he marries? He has his own parents, he is free to make his own decisions. What are you doing here shouting? It's really laughable ——'"

  Xiao Zhe sprang up like a cat whose tail had been stepped on: "Zheng Yuenniang, you've ruined my future, and now you're letting Xiao Sa marry the daughter of the First Assistant's family as his wife, making my son live in fear of his wife every day - I won't stop you from climbing high, but I won't let you sell out my son!"

  The lady was so angry that her whole body was trembling, pointing at Xiao Zhe and coldly smiling: "I will cut off your descendants - isn't it written in the genealogy that you have another son named Xiao Cheng? If you cut off your descendants, where did Xiao Cheng come from?"

  "When you married me, I told you that I had a son named Xiao Cheng." Xiao Zhe's face twisted in anger, "What, are you bringing up old debts now? What's the point of this?"

  "Yu Chuan, Yin Gao!" The old lady shouted loudly, "See off the guests!"

  Xiao Ze strode away with a flick of his sleeve.

  "Wait a minute—" Shen Mu Qing lifted the curtain and came out, "Xiao Lao Ye, wait! I have something to say!"

  Xiao Zhe heard this and turned around, only to see a girl with a elegant appearance and bright eyes standing beside the door curtain of the bedroom.

  The lady had already walked away, holding Shen Muqing's hand: "I let you see a joke - I didn't want to let you know that Sa'er has such an unbearable father and mother -" As she spoke, tears as big as beans fell down.

  Shen Muqing tightly grasped the hand of the elderly lady, calmly smiling at Xiao Zhan: "I'm Shen Muqing, there's something I'd like to discuss with both of you."

  Xiao Chuo raised an eyebrow and stood still, saying coldly: "If Shen Muqing has something to say, speak quickly, I have other matters to attend to!"

  "You—" The madam was so angry she wanted to rush over, but was pulled back by Shen Muqing.

  "It's like this," she said calmly. "When Pang Guan told me that Xiao Sa and the Emperor had gone missing together, I sent a friend to find him - but not only was he unwilling to take advantage of the chaos to leave with my friend, but when they exchanged prisoners, he also gave up his chance to return."

  The couple were shocked and exclaimed in unison: "How can this be?"

  Shen Mu nodded slightly and said solemnly, "He followed the Emperor to Bahe River. I had a friend deliver a letter to him - if everything goes smoothly, my friend should be back in a few days."

  Mrs. Dai and Xiao Zuo's faces were both somewhat uncertain.

  Shen Mu Qing let out a sigh and said, "I know that although the two of you have different methods, both of you want to rescue your son. The problem is that none of us knows what he's thinking in his heart right now. If Elder Xiao agrees, can we wait for two days?"

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  Chapter 181: Different Methods